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Where Are All of the HDTV Tuners?
An anonymous reader asks: "Today I read about rabbit ears making a comeback with OTA HTDV. I want to purchase a standalone ATSC HDTV tuner to go with my projector, but I am having a very hard time finding one. The big-box stores seem to only stock one or two models and are frequently sold out. Searching online yields similar results. It would seem that there would be ever increasing demand for these tuners given that many HDTVs were sold without internal tuners in years past, and these tuners will be necessary for all old NTSC TVs after the February, 2009 shutdown of analog broadcasts. Where should I look to buy one of these devices? Of the currently available models, which are the best? Will the standalone HDTV tuner become a ubiquitous item as the 2009 deadline approaches?"
Most of this information has been repeated in the comments here already, but I thought I'd sum up the dates and whatnot:
(From Wikipedia) The FCC has issued the following mandates for devices entering the US:
* By July 1, 2005 all televisions with screen sizes over 36" must include a built-in ATSC DTV tuner
* By March 1, 2006 all televisions with screen sizes over 25" must include a built-in ATSC DTV tuner
* By March 1, 2007 all televisions regardless of screen size, and all interface devices which include a tuner (VCR, DVD player/recorder, DVR) must include a built-in ATSC DTV tuner
That's 3 days from now, AND includes things like TV tuner cards, which explains why companies like Hauppauge just released a "budget" dual NTSC/ATSC line, the HVR-950/1600.
* A Congressional bill has authorized subsidizing converter boxes that would allow people to receive the new digital broadcasts on their old TVs. The current plan is to make two $40 coupons available from January 1, 2008 through March 31, 2009 for each household that relies exclusively on over-the-air television reception.
* In the United States, the switch-off of all analog terrestrial TV broadcasts has been mandated for no later than February 17, 2009. Legislation setting this deadline was signed into law in early 2006. Currently, most U.S. broadcasters are beaming their signals in both analog and digital formats; a few are digital-only.
So, expect to see ATSC tuners become more plentiful in early 2008, once the subsidies start rolling in.
Analog over-the-air television broadcasting is going away. The OP is confusing SDTV (Standard Definition digital TV) with Analog. SDTV is still digital - it's just at the same resolution as analog NTSC - 480 visible scan lines (525 including non-visible vertical blanking interval).
SDTV is not going away: stand-alone SDTV tuners will allow you to receive digital TV and convert it to analog for display on your old TV, or for recording on you even older VCR.
It's lights-out for analog TV over-the-air broadcasting in 2009. Analog via cable is another matter. As long as the cable companies can squeeze dollars from that turnip, it will continue.
"A little misunderstanding? Galileo and the Pope had a little misunderstanding."
Next time on prison brake:
Junior Guard: "Oh no!! The prison is out of control! Help!!!"
Senior Guard: "We must stop this prison at once! Call the commisioner!"
(crashing sounds, scraping metal)
Junior Guard: "Theres no time! We can't stop it!!"
(prisoner 4812 enters the room)
Prisoner 4812: "I can stop this prison. Using the brake."
Senior Guard: "You? But, you are a prisoner! Exactly why should I trust you?!?"
Prisoner 4812: "Because I'm the only one who can stop this prison, dammit!"
(more crashing sounds, ground shakes uncontrollably)
Senior Guard: "Make it so."
Will they stop the prison in time? Will prisoner 4812 double cross the senior guard?
Patrick Stewart guest stars in an unforgettable episode of Prison Brake!
Sometimes, life itself is sarcasm...