Why The United States Is Switching To Digital Television Transmissions

  • Related Articles
  • Related Q&A

Right now the United States is in the process of converting all television transmissions from analog signal to digital signal. Switching from analog to digital offers numerous improvements and advantages. One of the primary advantages is the amount of data that can be broadcast. When using a digital signal you can broadcast far more actual data than you can using an analog signal over the same amount of bandwidth. There is also a large movement to High Definition TV; to be able to take advantage of the benefits of HDTV it is imperative that the US switches to digital transmissions.

To transmit a signal for HDTV can require up to five times as much data as a standard television signal. In the frequency range allocated for television broadcast there is not enough open bandwidth to transmit that much data via an analog signal. To accommodate more HDTV transmissions more and more transmissions in the US will have to be digital. It is possible to greatly increase the amount of compression applied to the data within the signal with digital transmissions as compared to analog transmissions. Digital transmissions use the Mpeg 2 standard of compression; with this compression technology it is possible to compress the data as much as 55 to 1. The standard is what is known as a "lossy" standard, which does mean that there is some quality lost. However the final quality is still far superior to the NTSC standard currently used for analog television transmissions. The Mpeg 2 standard is already the standard compression used for DVD's and digital satellite stations. The final quality of a digital signal is far superior to an analog signal for several reasons. First as stated earlier the Mpeg 2 is a superior technology to the NTSC and creates a better product before it is transmitted. Secondly digital signals do not allow for any loss of quality during the transmission. Analog transmissions are transmitted as a wave signal, which allows for signal degradation during the transmission. Digital signals are a series of 1's and 0's and only require that the signal be strong enough to be received. As long as the signal is received then the data will be a perfect reproduction of the data that was originally transmitted. With an analog signal though as the signal power decreases so does the quality. The weaker the signal the lower the quality of the image that is reproduced by the television receiver at the other end of the signal. This is what causes static and "snow" when you watch anything broadcast with an analog signal. Because of the improved quality and improved flexibility in broadcast format there are many good reasons for the US to make the switch to digital. Over the next several years more and more stations will change to a digital signal instead of analog. Soon there will be few if any stations still broadcasting an analog signal.
Steve Welker
By Steve Welker: Learn more about Digital Television and great prices on Refurbished Televisions
Rate this Article: 0 / 5 stars - 0 vote(s)
Print Email Re-Publish

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/art-and-entertainment-articles/why-the-united-states-is-switching-to-digital-television-transmissions-69367.html
Add new Comment



Captcha
  • Latest Art and Entertainment Articles
  • More from Steve Welker

Elmo Live - Top Christmas Present

By: Scott Fredrick | 02/12/2008
The Elmo Live Doll is the latest in a long line of interactive Elmo toys that kids just can't get enough of. The craze started over 10 years ago with the 'Tickle Me Elmo.' That toy is now quite unimpressive when you put it next to Elmo Live! The designers of...

How to Boost Your Energy and Lose a Dress Size in 14 Days

By: Suzanne Andrews | 02/12/2008
Do you want to lose weight but are too tired to exercise? This short article reveals a 5000 year old method to regain your energy and losing weight. It's so simple baby boomers are doing it and living longer as a result.

Creativity in Education Part I

By: Pegomag | 02/12/2008
Anyways, most of the experts talk too much, and the past two months or so. I have been reading a lot of stuff on the internet Tagged “creativity in Education”.

Let the Voice Over be Your Guide

By: Angela Dolson | 02/12/2008
Voice-over refers to the production method of a voice being pre-recorded or live broadcasted in radio commercials, television, theater films, film promotions and presentations.

Get Started in a Recession Proof Business

By: L Jones | 01/12/2008
Getting started in a recession proof industry to start a new career or second income.

The Art of Fire Eating

By: Tomas | 01/12/2008
Playing With Fire. Today fire performers have grown in population and are in high demand. The grand opening of the 2000 Olympics held in Sydney, Australia had over three hundred fire performers, performing fire twirling, fire dancing and fire eating in which Steve and myself were associated with.

Are World of Warcraft Level Guides a Scam?

By: Ryan Bozeman | 01/12/2008
This is the question most often asked when pertaining to Warcraft Level Guides. The short answer is yes and no. Certainly there are always going to be individuals out there looking to profit on the naïve and the uninformed. But for every person who does this, there is probably going to be someone offering something useful with good intentions. Put yourself in the shoes of a business man. If there was demand for this product, and you were able to create such a product, wouldn’t you jump in too? B

Your Company Party Planning Should not be a Bore; 5 Common Mistakes to Avoid

By: DA Southern | 01/12/2008
When I was in the corporate world, Company Party Planning was always that "Roll Your Eyes and duck when asked to organize" kind of thing. OK, so I usually took the reigns as I was realizing my calling as an Event Planner. I have seen my share of Company Parties and most are not pretty, so I will share what seems to be the biggest mistakes if you are not going to use an Event Planner to make it grand.

Smoking Addiction - What Keeps People Smoking

By: Steve Welker | 18/01/2007 | Quit Smoking
Insights into the actual addictive principals of smoking and what keeps people doing it despite the risks.

How Some One Becomes a Smoker

By: Steve Welker | 13/11/2006 | Non-Fiction
Why would some one start smoking? Read for some insights into how people get started with this destructive habit.

Avoid These 4 Lethal Affiliate Marketing Mistakes

By: Steve Welker | 14/10/2006 | Affiliate Programs
If you are trying to make money online you should read this article. Learn some of the mistakes that will kill your internet business before you ever get it started. Learn them so you can avoid them.

If You Want to Make Money You Need to Learn How

By: Steve Welker | 07/09/2006 | Finance
If you're serious about FOREX trading then you need to learn more about it. Find out some of the training that is available for the trader who wants to be profitable.

Starting Your First Garden

By: Steve Welker | 31/08/2006 | Gardening
Gardening is a great and fulfilling activity. This article will discuss the basics of starting your first garden.

What's in Your Wallet? Is it The Right Credit Card For You?

By: Steve Welker | 31/08/2006 | Non-Fiction
An introduction to several types of credit cards. Aimed at helping people decide what type of card is best for them.

FOREX Accounts - One Size Does Not Fit All

By: Steve Welker | 31/08/2006 | Finance
There are many things you will need to do if you want to start trading on the FOREX market. Selecting the account type that fits your needs is one of the first.

The Benefits of Using a Treadmill for Your Cardio Exercise

By: Steve Welker | 31/08/2006 | Non-Fiction
Everyone needs to exercise to remain healthy. Learn how a treadmill can make this easier and more pleasant.

Article Categories




Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the Terms Of Use and Privacy Policy | User published content is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
Copyright © 2005-2008 Free Articles by ArticlesBase.com, All rights reserved. (0.32, 11)