How can you tell whether your TV is analog or digital?

Answer 1

A quick way to check is to see how many channels it gets. For instance, in the UK, there are only 5 analogue channels in most areas (BBC-1, BBC-2, ITV, Channel 4/S4C, Five). On digital there are many more (BBC-3, BBC-4, ITV-2, E4, More 4, Film 4 and so on). If you can get any single channel that isn't on analogue, it's a digital set.

If that fails, try looking on the set for a "DVB" logo. If it has that, it's digital.

Next, turn to a channel where there is no station broadcasting. If you get "snow", then it's analogue.

How old is the set? If it's more than 5 years, it's most likely analogue. How much did you pay for it? If it was cheap, it's most likely analogue. Is it HDTV? If it is, and it's relatively new, then it's most likely digital.

In bad weather, what type of interference do you get? If it's snow, "ghosting", the colour going off or the picture rolling, it's analogue. If it's "pixellation" (blocks of the screen freezing or running slower) or the picture freezes solid on one image, then it's digital.

Finally, did you need a new aerial or a new cable box or were you told you no longer needed a digibox ("Freeview box" in the UK)? If so, it is most like a digital set.

As of today June 13th your analog tv will just show snow or a blue screen. You will need the free $40 coupon for a digital converter. Target and Best Buy have Apex and Walmart has Magnavox around $49 or $9 with government coupon.

Answer 2

Hang on to it and keep using it. I still have an analog set and quite frankly, don't care one way or the other about all the digital hype. Yeah, digital TV's look great but as a former TV repair technician for a 'big box' retailer, I personally think the new TV's are mostly garbage. They just don't last very long before breaking down and are way, way too expensive to maintain. When the analog TV stations shut down their analog transmitters and go with their digital transmitters, all you'll need is a digital converter box the keep your TV working. That'll run you in the neighborhood of around $40.00.

Answer 3

As for how to determine whether your television equipment purchased prior to May 25, 2007 is a DTV, many DTVs and digital television equipment will have labels or markings on them, or statements in the informational materials that came with them, to indicate that they contain digital tuners. These labels or markings may contain the words “Integrated Digital Tuner” or “Digital Tuner Built-In.” “Receiver” may be substituted for “Tuner,” and “DTV,” “ATSC,” or “HDTV” (high definition television) may be substituted for “Digital.” If your television equipment contains any of these labels or markings, you should be able to view digital over-the-air programming without the need for a digital-to-analog converter box. (Remember, you do not need an HDTV to view free over-the-air digital programming. As long as your television equipment contains a digital tuner, you can view over-the-air digital. An HDTV is only necessary if you want to view digital programming in “high definition.”) You should also check the manual or any other materials that came with your television equipment in order to determine whether it contains a digital tuner.