HDTV Tuner

FCC's mandate on the built-in HDTV tuner

An HDTV tuner can be either over-the-air or cable and satellite tuners. Over- the-air tuners are not standard on HDTV sets. Your TV might not have a built-in tuner (HDTV, digital, or ATSC tuner). If it does you can receive high-definition programs over the air by connecting an antenna. These are called integrated HDTVs.

Television sets that don't have a built in HDTV tuner are sometimes called HDTV ready or HDTV compatible. An HDTV-ready model requires you to buy a separate tuner (or cable or satellite box) if you want to watch high-definition television.

An external over-the-air HDTV tuner can cost a minimum of $150. According to the FCC tuner mandate some televisions on sale on certain dates will be required to have built-in ATSC tuners by 2008. By March 1, 2006 all TVs 25 inches or larger must comply and by July 1, 2007 all TVs 13 inches or larger must comply with the legislation. This ruling does not include some monitors like plasmas and front-projectors that are not fitted with standard built-in NTSC tuners.

Legislation has been proposed that by the end of 2008 TVs and other technology with NTSC tuners will be unable to receive over-the-air broadcasts. This means that lower income groups without built-in tuners would be deprived of regular television viewing. However this legislation has nothing to do with an HDTV tuner over cable and satellite.

If you are subscribed to pay TV services all you need to do it buy a set-top box that tunes HDTV channels. Once this is connected to a HDTV-ready set, high definition programming will be accessible. Certain HDTVS come with features that make them digital cable ready (DCR). This means that if their cable company has HDTV channels, they can tune in digitally without an external HDTV tuner.

To use your DCR television an access card must be obtained from your cable company. This is called a CableCard. If you want pay-per-view programming you will need to make a phone call to access it. These services are an alternative to an external HDTV tuner. Using a Cable Card with some models means you won't be able to view the electronic program guide (EPG). Some new DCR HDTVs so have a third-party EPG like the TV Guide system instead.

Also be sure to check out our pages about HDTV Reviews, HDTV Ratings, Plasma HDTV, and HDTV Receivers elsewhere on this site.