To DTV? or to HDTV??

[Tenn.Vol.]

For years I have had DTV with 3 receivers, one dedicated to the RV. When will this
system go away, and when will I have to go to HDTV at home and in the RV?
As I am looking into BUNDLING my home service.(local phone service) Will I be able
to get a stand alone system for the RV from DTV, and at what cost? I assume it will
have to be HDTV! And if so will my 5yr. old Wingard have to be upgraded or modified
to receive the HDTV Satelite? Tenn.

[Tenn.Vol.]

For years I have had DTV with 3 receivers, one dedicated to the RV. When will this
system go away, and when will I have to go to HDTV at home and in the RV?
As I am looking into BUNDLING my home service.(local phone service) Will I be able
to get a stand alone system for the RV from DTV, and at what cost? I assume it will
have to be HDTV! And if so will my 5yr. old Wingard have to be upgraded or modified
to receive the HDTV Satelite? Tenn.

[Bill Adams]

Tenn.
Your current DTV service will likely never go away (OK, maybe some day!) and there is no requirement anytime in the foreseeable future that you will have to move to HDTV. Now, if you are looking to upgrade your TV viewing experience to HD then you are going to need new TV's, HD receivers, satellite antenna and higher priced monthly services. If you have receivers in your home which you would like to receive the local (Tennessee?) Networks (ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox) and you also want to have a receiver in your RV that receives the DNS Network programming from NY and LA then you are going to have to pay full price for 2 separate accounts. If you just move one receiver from the home to the RV for short trips then that will still work just fine but you will still need a new antenna on the RV and HD TV's.

[LindaH]

The change that is coming in February 2009, is from analog signals to digital signals, not to HDTV (while HD *is* digital, not all digital is HD). The change will affect only over-the-air transmissions, not satellite TV or cable.

Your Winegard antenna is capable of receiving digital signals, so you do not have to change that. The only change you will need to make to view over-the-air programming with your Winegard batwing antenna, is to either get a TV with a digital tuner (if you don't already have one), or get a converter. If you need a converter, the government will provide you with up to two $40 coupons to purchase them.

Here's a website that will explain it all, and give you a place to order the coupons should you need them.