Analog technology has been used since the early 1940s to transmit broadcast signals to televisions. In fact, the same analog technology that powered the first black-and-white television sets more than 60 years ago still exists in many households today. Digital television offers an advanced technology that greatly improves the viewing experience.

The differences between analog TV and digital TV are rooted in the way their signals are transmitted. Analog signals are transmitted to your television by continuously varying radio waves. The video signal for analog TV is transmitted in AM, while the audio is transmitted in FM. Digital signals, on the other hand, are transmitted as bits of data in the same binary language used by computers.

What does the digital transition mean for the average consumer? Think for a moment about the difference between vinyl records and CDs. A vinyl record is an analog recording, while a compact disc is a digital recording. With a CD, you don't hear the "noise" or static caused by damage or degradation that you might experience with traditional records. The same is true for digital television. Digital technology supplies your television with a "cleaner" signal that eliminates snow, false colors and other irregularities that can occur with an analog signal. With digital TV, you have crystal clear images and sound.