Hi, Nikko,
We don't have to buy new televisions if we have analog. (And some of us already have the right kind of tv -- but I can't figure how a person knows that.)
The convertor boxes will take care of converting the digital signal to our analog televisions.
The cable companies are not effected by the law exactly the way that the broad cast stations are. So each cable company will be handling this differently.
Here is what the gov page says about cable:
Quote:
My cable operator offers a digital cable package. Is this the same as HDTV?
No. “Digital cable” and high definition programming on cable are not the same. If you want to watch HDTV programming on cable, you will need to subscribe to your cable provider’s HDTV package and view the programming on an HDTV set.
You may also need a set-top box or other equipment to view HDTV programming. Check with your cable provider to find out what kinds of programming you can receive, and what equipment you need to receive it.
Do cable TV networks, like CNN, MSNBC, Lifetime, etc., have to switch to digital broadcasting as well?
No. The current requirement to switch from analog to digital only applies to full-power broadcast TV stations, which use the public airwaves to provide free over-the-air programming.
However, as cable providers convert to digital transmissions over their systems, you may need to subscribe to their digital tier to continue to receive this non-broadcast programming.
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