2009 Quit broadcasting analog channels?
Question:
I wonder will this make the price rise on LCD, DLP, and Plasma televisions.?
Answer:
Analog quality is better than digital.
That'll do the the opposite. HDTV prices will drop (which is kinda inevitable). Everyone will need standalone boxes and antennas--or if they have satellite/cable, i assume those set-top-boxes(i.e.: STBs) will take the place of a standalone box.
BTW: these tuners are ATSC--digital, as opposed to the current NTSC. Many(most) HDTVs include ATSC [digital] tuners--coined, "HDTV built-in". Although other HDTVs, called 'Monitors' don't include them(these TVs aren't required to have an ATSC tuner, since they are dubbed 'monitors', not TVs).
February 17, 2009 is the drop-dead date for analog broadcast TV in the USA.
You can be sure that digital-to-analog set-top converter boxes will be available to retrofit all the existing analog TVs.
TVs with ATSC and QAM digital tuners are already widely available; no one should be buying any new analog-only TVs at this point. Digital TVs won't go up in price; rather, analog TV prices will drop to near zero as they approach doorstop status.
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