What is the purpose of television going digital in February?

I hear people say that it's to "free up that particular frequency for other uses". I don't see this working because the signal may be digital when it hits your television, but the signal still has to be sent through the air in analogue. Is that the real purpose of the switch or is it something else. Supposedly the quality goes up when digital is used, but other than that I can't see any real benefit.

What is this switch to digital really trying to accomplish?

Television signals are not on a single frequency. They are Frequency modulated signals. Like FM radio. When you tune into an FM station you are tuning to the center frequency. The actual signal is a bandwidth of frequencies above and below that center freq. So with digital you can narrow that bandwidth to carry the same amount of information. Digital will not free up a particular freq. but reduce the bandwidth needed. This allows for the frequencies associated with a certain channel to be used.

More data can be sent on fewer frequencies if it is digital rather than analog. By switching to digital, other frequencies can be used to feed the growing demands of the airwaves that are being gobbled up via cell carriers, GPS, WIFI, Bluetooth, Satellite radio and TV....etc.....etc

They want to get people to buy the digital box so that people will buy more things because they want more money, it is as simple as that.

Upgrade with the times. Like why use a dvd instead of vhs. The vhs is outdated. Better things come along.

better quality, more channels

So the government can own our airwaves, that used to be free.

its just to get more money out of people. They made these TVs that are not selling all that great. Then are trying to pimp out these boxes. All about money

To sell more stuff.

That is the ONLY reason. To make about a zillion televisions completely OBSOLETE so that lots and lots of people will have to BUY the newer televisions.

That's the ONLY reason.

It's disgusting, isn't it?

for fun

From the very beginning of broadcasting in the US, the airwaves were considered to be public property. People who wanted to use the public airwaves for commercial purposes, to broadcast radio or TV, were required to provide a public service in return for using public property. Up until the time of Ronald Reagan, broadcasting stations were required to put on a certain amount of public affairs broadcasting, to show a range of views, to show public service announcements through the day.

Under Ronald Reagan, the frequencies were simply given to the companies that occupied them. Reagan gave away hundreds of billions of dollars in public property to a few big corporations who now control nearly all of broadcasting. The frequencies are now considered their property to do with as they please.

The switch to digital TV is the next step in this process. The new frequencies were sold to the same big corporations, so each station can now broadcast multiple signals. At least they paid for them this time. But the switch benefits them more than it does us. It will also allow for over-the-air HDTV, which requires channels with more bandwidth.

Consumer groups pressed for Congress to appropriate money for coupons so people who couldn't afford to buy a new TV could get help buying a converter box. They made coupons available, good for $40 off on a box (but they cost more than that), 2 per household. But the coupons ran out quickly, and there are many more requests. For this reason the switch has been delayed to give Congress time to come up with more money. Of course the taxpayers pay for that too, so we get screwed at both ends.