DIGITAL TRANSITION

Question and Answer Guide 

You’ve probably been reading about the upcoming digital TV transition. If you’re like most folks, you may have some lingering questions, like:

• • Will my current television(s) continue to work?
  • How will digital TV affect my over-the-air or cable TV service?
  • Just what happens in February 2009 and how should I prepare for it?

Click! Cable TV is committed to providing you with all the answers.  As “your local choice,” our team of experts has answers tailored specifically for people who live in the south Puget Sound. If you do not find what you are looking for below, please call customer care  at 253-502-8900.

To ensure you’re ready for TV’s digital transition, check through the following question and answer guide.

Q: What do you mean by digital TV and digital transition?

A: In non-technical terms, digital TV is a newer technology and way of receiving television signals that uses less space. Digital TV signals provide clearer audio, improved picture quality and are intended to replace older analog signals because of the enhanced quality and the fact that they take less space (spectrum) to transmit and receive.

The “digital transition” is a government-mandated deadline whereby local broadcast TV stations must transmit their signals in digital-only format on February 17, 2009.

Q: What is Click! Cable TV doing to get ready for the digital transition?

A: Click! Cable TV staff is constantly improving our network so we can bring you the best cable has to offer. We began preparing for the government-mandated digital transition in 2006 and continue to make necessary changes that will ensure our customers’ television sets are workable after the digital broadcast TV deadline of February 17, 2009. The FCC is requiring this all-digital transition in order to reclaim valuable over-the-air broadcast spectrum (air space) for public safety purposes.

Click!’s move to increased digital services will include several changes over the next year . Before any change, we’ll communicate what is happening and why, so you are prepared and understand your options, should you wish to receive services that might require new equipment in your home.

Q: What should I do first, to prepare for the digital transition?

A: First, take an inventory of all the televisions in your home. Even if you’re a cable customer, you may have one or more TVs that are not hooked up to cable, but instead are hooked up to an antenna to receive over-the-air broadcast signals. These secondary sets are probably analog sets that do not have digital tuners that are being sold today at electronics stores. These sets won’t be able to receive digital signals that TV stations will start broadcasting in February 2009.

Q: What will I see on my older analog TV after February 2009?

A: Nothing, unless the TV is connected to cable, a cable set-top box or satellite. Your older TV’s tuner will not be able to receive TV stations’ digital broadcast signals after February 2009.

Q: What do I do so my older TVs continue to work after February 2009?

A: You have two options:
 1.  Connect to cable TV so that all your TVs have the necessary set-top box required to work as intended, or
 2.  Buy a special (analog-to-digital) converter that the federal government will help you pay for - through applying for a discount voucher process. The special converter will let your older TV sets pick up over-the-air digital signals. For more information about the converter coupon program, go to www.dtv.gov or call toll free 1-888-DTV-2009.

Q: How do I know if my TV is able to receive digital signals by itself (without a set-top box)?

A:  You need to know if your TV has a digital tuner already built-in to the set. If it does, you’ll be able to receive digital signals after February 2009. The best way to determine this is to check your TV owner’s manual. If that’s not possible, you may be able to check the manufacturer’s website or look on your TV for a connection labeled “digital input” or “ATSC” (the acronym for the new digital TV format).

• Here are some general guidelines in determining if your TV is digital-ready –
  • If you bought your TV before 1998, it probably doesn’t have a digital tuner at all.
  • If you bought a big screen projection TV between 1998 – 2004 it’s possible there’s a built-in digital tuner inside. But chances aren’t great. Only a limited percentage of sets (those over 42 inches in diameter or larger) included digital tuners before 2004.
  • If you’ve purchased a new TV since 2004, your chances of having a digital tuner built-in are better, but not a sure thing.

Q: If I am a Click! Cable TV customer, what will I need to do?

A: If you subscribe to Click! Cable TV and have a digital set-top box on each TV, you won’t have to do anything. Most Click! customers already use digital set-top boxes to receive full benefit from their cable service. In addition to better audio and picture quality, digital cable give them access to video-on-demand programming, high-definition channels, an easy-to-navigate on-guide menu, digital video recording and parental control features on each TV.  

However, if you have multiple TVs with one or more not connected to digital set-top boxes, you’ll have some decisions to make in order to keep all your TVs working after February 2009.

Here are your options:
1. Connect a digital set-top box to each TV in order to receive a full compliment of digital
services, or
2. If your TV is digital cable-ready (includes a cableCARD device or a slot for a device) and
you don’t want a set-top box, Click! can provide you with a cableCARD, or
3. Connect your TV to Click! Cable TV’s “analog broadcast/basic tier” which will include the
following local broadcast signals only – (name them) 

Q: Why is Click! Cable TV moving to all-digital?

A: The primary reason for Click! Cable TV to move to all-digital is to reclaim space in order to add new high definition (HD) channels and video on demand (VOD) services. Replacing analog signals with digital signals will free up valuable cable spectrum (bandwidth) for new services. Each analog video channel uses the same space as 10 digital channels or 2 high definition channels. Today space is becoming limited for Click! Cable TV and other cable companies due to the introduction of more and more high definition channels, video on demand and high speed Internet. 

Also, the FCC requires cable operators to carry multiple signals (analog, standard digital and high definition) for each broadcast TV station which consumes more space than planned. 

There are additional benefits of moving to all-digital, like:

• • Customers get 100% digital quality audio and video on all channels.
  • Customers have access to on-screen parental control features that allow parents to choose what their children can view.
  • Customers have a user-friendly on-screen programming guide and access to 47 commercial free music channels.
  • Customers have access to video on demand which features a variety of free local content, free programming from popular cable channels and a large selection of new release and popular movies.
  • Click! Cable TV can provide improved service to our customers - we’ll be able to resolve many issues remotely.

Q : I see that DirecTV and other cable companies are adding HD channels, according to their advertising. Many of these have been announced for this fall. Will Click! Cable TV be able to add all of these channels and if so when?

A : DirecTV is launching additional satellites that will give them the capacity to add hundreds of HD channels over time. It’s important to realize that there are two types of channels – national and regional/local. National channels are available to everyone, while a given regional channel is only available to the respective region of the country (like a regional sports channel or a local broadcaster). When DirecTV refers to “adding hundreds of channels” they are counting all of the national and regional/local channels. Any given subscriber will not actually have access to hundreds of HD channels. DirecTV can only launch HD channels after they become available from the programmer. Click! Cable TV and other cable operators will also have access to these channels at the same time or within a short time thereof.

The ability to add HD channels will depend on the following factors:
1. Customer demand and feedback
2. Bandwidth availability
3. The ability to secure agreements with programmers