Wednesday, August 31, 2011
- Canada: The main Over The Air broadcasters (CBC, CTV, and Global) have launched HD streams of their programming in an increasing number of markets. On Thursday, May 17, 2007, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC, Canada's broadcasting authority) ruled that full power television transmitters would be forced to switch to ATSC digital broadcasting by Wednesday, August 31, 2011, with minor exceptions in remote areas where analogue transmissions will not cause interference.<sup id="cite_ref-14" class="reference">[15]</sup> As of May 2007<sup class="plainlinks noprint asof-tag update" style="display: none;">[update]</sup> there were fewer than 20 digital television stations in Canada. Unlike in the other countries, Canada originally was allowing the market to determine when the analogue switch-off begins. As a result, while analogue and digital broadcasts currently co-exist, digital transmission penetration is still low, and the only way to receive Canadian digital TV in most areas is via cable or satellite TV. In Toronto it is possible to pick up DTV over the air; in Montreal, Ottawa and Quebec City a partial set of channels (most often CBC only) are offered – primarily as a vehicle for limited HDTV deployments. About one-half of Canadian homes have over-the-air access to high-powered US border stations, all of which offer ATSC DTV. New TV's and DVD recorders often include ATSC tuners but are not required to do so; retail-store availability of basic converters for existing NTSC TV's is limited.<sup id="cite_ref-15" class="reference">[16]</sup> In 2009, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission set a mandate that only full power transmitters need to be transitioned to digital in markets of over 300,000 people; provincial, territorial, and federal capitals; and markets where multiple stations originate. Existing low power and non-mandatory transition markets may remain in analog beyond August 31, 2011.(Wikinews) Further information: Digital television transition in Canada
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_television_transition