General HDTV Questions - End of Analogue Broadcasts, OTA Questions

[netcommuter]

Hi,

I'm not too familiar with HDTV so I'm hoping you can answer a few of my questions.

To start, I'm not a big fan of the major providers here in eastern Canada; specifically Rogers and Bell. So much so that I no longer have a Bell or Rogers subscription. Currently we use a 40 foot antenna to pickup most local broadcasts. This works quite well and we're happy with it.

That said, I know our government has mandated a change over from analog to digital. I'm not entirely sure when this will take place, but I have a few questions about it.

1) When the change over takes place, will there be accessible digital over-the-air signals? If yes, are there any digital signals currently available in the Ottawa area?

2) We currently have one of those V shaped antennas that picks up VHF quite well. Can someone recommend a good HD antenna? Maybe our antenna is fine, but how can I tell?

3) We have an KV32HS420 Sony television which is HD ready. I believe we'll require an HD set-top box to pickup the antenna signals if there are any. Can someone recommend a reasonably priced set-top box? I guess it's best to purchase a set-top box that decodes mpeg4, right?

Any help you can offer is more than appreciated.

Thanks.

[57]

Here you go:

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=90621

Read the Knowledge Base link before posting in the OTA forum.


Also check out the following post, useful for those new to this forum:

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=57741

[classicsat]

To add from the articles linked.

I am not so sure if there is a date major or all broadcasters in Canada have to have a digital signal, or if there is, what it is. They generally have to turn on a digital transmitter on (on a different channel) before they can turn off their analog channel, to prepare their viewers for the change.
All I know is the date they turn off in 2011.


In the case of Ottawa, I believe there are some broadcast digital TV signals now.

Your old TV aerial will work fine for digital signals.

The CECBs that the US government is handing out coupons for are SD only, intended to aid those with old SD analog sets continue to receive broadcast TV programming. Those that can afford HD sets surely can afford an HD capable tuner, if there isn't one built into the set.

There is no need for an MPOEG 4 capable box, as there will (likely) be no OTA MPEG4, as the ATSC standard is fixed.

[stampeder]

classicsat, be sure to check out the links that 57 has provided and/or the ones in this post - we've been following OTA in Canada for years at this site and you got quite out of date on your info!