The Federal Communications Commission has voted to move up the deadline requiring television manufacturers to ensure all mid-size sets they sell in the United States can receive digital signals. That date is now less than one year away...March 1, 2006.
As part of an effort to speed the transition to digital television, the Consumer Electronics Association had asked the FCC to move the date up from the original July 1, 2006 deadline. This decision affects all sets made with screens 25 inches to 35 inches. The digital signal is a higher quality signal than the current analog signal that has been used since the inception of television in the 1940's.
However, the FCC rejected another request by the association to eliminate a July 1, 2005 deadline (less than a month away) for the manufacturers to ensure half of those sets with the mid-size screens are capable of receiving digital. Manufacturers had argued that the 50 percent deadline did not work because consumers would end up buying the cheaper analog sets, and retailers were less willing to order the more expensive, digital sets.
The FCC also proposed moving up by at least six months the July 1, 2007, deadline for manufacturers to make small television sets, with screens 13 inches to 24 inches, that can capture the digital broadcasts. Congress and the FCC are anxious for Americans to adopt digital television so the old analog airwaves can be reclaimed and sold for billions of dollars to commercial wireless companies, as well as be used by public safety agencies. The Bush administration also wants the revenue from the sale of the analog airwaves to help stem the federal budget deficit.
No comments:
Post a Comment