When the old analog system is shut off, the digital TV signal will be the sole signal transmitted. While some stations will continue to broadcast weather and emergency information for 30 days over the analog airwaves, the country's 1,700 TV stations will cancel their analog transmitters.
Many TV households, however, will not notice the change because either they already receive a digital signal through their cable, satellite or other subscription TV service, or their TV was purchased after March 2007. All sets sold after that date have built-in digital receivers.
Older television sets will be able to receive the new signal by hooking up a digital converter box.
Three experts of television answered your questions about the switch on Jan. 26:
Paula Kerger is the president and CEO of PBS.
Jonathan Collegio is the vice president of the digital television transition at the National Association of Broadcasters.
Gene Kimmelman is the senior director for public policy for the Consumers Union, the nonprofit publishers of Consumer Reports.
