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The Digital TV Transition
On June 12, 2009, analog broadcasting will be replaced by digital broadcasting. Beginning Feb 18, in order to watch over-the-air TV, you will either need a digital TV or an digital-to-analog converter box for your analog TV.
To help smoothen the transition, the US government is providing two (2) $40 coupons per household to be used toward purchasing government approved converter boxes. These coupons are distributed on a first-come first-serve basis until July 31, 2009.
With the advent of digital television, there is a new opportunity for the non-English speaking population to view television like never before. With analog broadcasts, it was impossible to add closed captions of different languages; the development of DTV has allowed that to happen.
The DTV switchover has also allowed for the rise of dedicated 24 hour foreign-language channels. MBC America launched digital channels (MBC-D) in Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco on August 1, 2008. TOP TV (Chinese), VHN TV, Saigon TV (Vietnamese) have either begun or will soon start 24h broadcasting in their respective languages. These channels are not available via cable or satellite pay services, but can be viewed for free without any monthly fees with the use of a DTV or a converter box and an antenna.
Major networks are planning to add Asian language closed captions to serve the needs of their diverse audiences (Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese etc. along with English and Spanish).
The DSP6500C, which is the only government certified model capable of decoding foreign language closed captions, is made by the bestselling converter box maker Digital Stream Technology (DST). DST was the first company to have a converter box certified by the government, and other DST models are currently being sold at Radio Shack and other chain stores across the US.
Because of the additional chip, memory and engineering costs involved with the DSP6500C, selling this model in stores would inflate the cost to well above what other models are being sold for. To offer this model at the same affordable price as converter boxes without the decoding capabilities ($19.99 with the $40 coupon), this is currently only sold online via Hana Caption.
On June 12, 2009, analog broadcasting will be replaced by digital broadcasting. Beginning Feb 18, in order to watch over-the-air TV, you will either need a digital TV or an digital-to-analog converter box for your analog TV.
To help smoothen the transition, the US government is providing two (2) $40 coupons per household to be used toward purchasing government approved converter boxes. These coupons are distributed on a first-come first-serve basis until July 31, 2009.
With the advent of digital television, there is a new opportunity for the non-English speaking population to view television like never before. With analog broadcasts, it was impossible to add closed captions of different languages; the development of DTV has allowed that to happen.
The DTV switchover has also allowed for the rise of dedicated 24 hour foreign-language channels. MBC America launched digital channels (MBC-D) in Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco on August 1, 2008. TOP TV (Chinese), VHN TV, Saigon TV (Vietnamese) have either begun or will soon start 24h broadcasting in their respective languages. These channels are not available via cable or satellite pay services, but can be viewed for free without any monthly fees with the use of a DTV or a converter box and an antenna.
Major networks are planning to add Asian language closed captions to serve the needs of their diverse audiences (Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese etc. along with English and Spanish).
The DSP6500C, which is the only government certified model capable of decoding foreign language closed captions, is made by the bestselling converter box maker Digital Stream Technology (DST). DST was the first company to have a converter box certified by the government, and other DST models are currently being sold at Radio Shack and other chain stores across the US.
Because of the additional chip, memory and engineering costs involved with the DSP6500C, selling this model in stores would inflate the cost to well above what other models are being sold for. To offer this model at the same affordable price as converter boxes without the decoding capabilities ($19.99 with the $40 coupon), this is currently only sold online via Hana Caption.
