Audio Video News

Digital television has passed what is arguably its most significant milestone, with DTV sets in half of American homes, says a survey by the Consumer Electronics Association.

The illustration would have made more sense if there were half a DTV in every American home. But never mind.

In any case, DTV viewers now form a majority of U.S. TV households. This "digital milestone" is a "critical threshold," CEA's Gary Shapiro told TWICE. The TV brands among CEA's member companies need to demonstrate DTV penetration to keep the forthcoming 2009 analog broadcast cutoff on track. Analog sets still operating after the cutoff will receive federally subsidized converter boxes.

Only a small minority of DTVs in the field actually need to receive an off-air digital signal, with the rest supplied by cable, satellite, telco, or just not receiving a DTV signal at all. FCC rules now require all sets sold to have digital (ATSC) tuners though some "monitors" sold before the FCC's various deadlines lack digital tuners.