2006年VOA标准英语-Television Technology Enters New Era

By Craig McCulloch
Vancouver
13 May 2006
 
  
  
In February of 2009 all television stations in the United States are required to convert to digital transmission. This move will bring an end to traditional analog¹ television that has been the standard for decades. The television industry is optimistic the costly² transition will be successful.

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For the past several years, the television industry in the United States has been facing the looming³ date of February 17, 2009. On that date, less than three years from now, all TV stations are to shut off their analog transmitters and hand the licenses⁴ for them back to the government.

Extended from the original date by six years, the broadcasting industry is optimistic this change is going well. Many stations, especially in bigger metropolitan⁵ areas, will also upgrade to High Definition television, commonly known as HDTV.

At a recent convention in Las Vegas of the National Association of Broadcasters, products featuring HDTV technology played an important role.

FCC Commissioner⁶ Jonathan Adelstein  
  
Jonathan Adelstein is a commissioner with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the regulatory authority that governs all broadcasting and telecommunications in the United States.

Mr. Adelstein believes the conversion⁷ over to digital is going well.

"There's all kinds of new content that's coming on," he said. "Consumers are buying new HDTV sets in droves; it's going to be the biggest new consumer product on the consumer electronics industry shelves by 2009.  I think it's moving forward.  We need to do more to educate the public to be prepared for it.  But, I think consumers are going to find all kinds of great new content. High definition, better sound quality, new offerings that are going to make it worthwhile for them to make the switch. They are already voting with their wallets by purchasing all kinds of new digital television sets and taking advantage of these new digital offerings."

One of the biggest supporters of the conversion from analog to digital is the Washington, D.C.-based National Association of Broadcasters.  Spokesperson Dennis Wharton says that only 200 American TV stations have yet to make the conversion.

 
NAB Spokesman Dennis Wharton
  
"There are about 1,700 TV stations in the United States," he noted⁸.  "Over 1,500 have already made the digital television transition. Which means they are either simulcasting a digital signal along with their analog signal, but most of them are doing High Definition television during a lot of the day parts.  Most of prime time, for example, is in High Definition television; all of the major sporting events are in High Definition television, late night shows are all in High Definition television.  I'm not going to be Pollyannaish and not admit that there are some challenges still to go, but considering where we were and where we are now, things are going great."

Mr. Wharton says the biggest problem has been the cost, especially to stations that serve smaller population areas. He estimates a basic conversion from traditional analog to what is called SDTV (Standard Definition digital television) costs a station at least $2 million. To go all HDTV with good equipment can push that price tag up to $10 million.

Veteran producer Randall Dark has been working in HDTV for years. A longtime advocate of the technology, he says the price has dropped rapidly in the last few months.

He says this price drop is allowing stations to produce their local news, usually the most expensive part of a local station's operations, in HDTV.

Mr. Dark feels this development will be the impetus⁹ for stations to go all digital HDTV, which is broadcast in widescreen, or a 16:9 aspect ratio.

Randall Dark   
  
"It's a very competitive marketplace for stations in every major city," said Mr. Dark.  "They always say, they got the first Doppler [radar], they got the first helicopter, and they're always looking for that competitive edge. Now, all of a sudden you've got consumers everywhere that got these [HD]TVs and they 're not going to watch a four by three newscast on a 16:9 television. And they' re not going to watch in digital low resolution when they can watch it digital High Definition."

Mr. Dark says the impending¹⁰ release of HD DVDs and BlueRay technology will also advance digital HDTV.

Both these type of technologies will allow consumers to play DVDs in High Definition. Current units can only double the lines of resolution of non-HD DVDs. Along with falling production costs, Mr. Dark says this will encourage companies to start advertising¹¹ in HDTV, as they will not want to showcase their products in lower resolution.

He also says these advances will allow stores to properly display HDTV and encourage more people to buy higher end television sets.  This conversion will also make traditional television sets, in use for decades, useless.

The NAB's Dennis Wharton says that by the time February 17, 2009 arrives, many people would have replaced their traditional TV sets with news sets anyway. With most of the current sets on store shelves having built-in digital decoders, he feels consumers will embrace the new technology.

1 analog   

n.类似物，模拟

参考例句：

• The analog signal contains high-frequency video information,which helps make up the picture.模拟信号包括有助于构成图像的高频视频信息。
• The analog computer measures continuously,without proceeding step by step.模拟计算机不是一步一步地进行，而是连续地进行量度。

2 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

3 looming   

n.上现蜃景（光通过低层大气发生异常折射形成的一种海市蜃楼）v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的现在分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近

参考例句：

• The foothills were looming ahead through the haze. 丘陵地带透过薄雾朦胧地出现在眼前。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Then they looked up. Looming above them was Mount Proteome. 接着他们往上看，在其上隐约看到的是蛋白质组山。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 回顾与展望

4 licenses   

n.执照( license的名词复数 )v.批准，许可，颁发执照( license的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Drivers have ten days' grace to renew their licenses. 驾驶员更换执照有10天的宽限期。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Jewish firms couldn't get import or export licenses or raw materials. 犹太人的企业得不到进出口许可证或原料。 来自辞典例句

5 metropolitan   

adj.大城市的，大都会的

参考例句：

• Metropolitan buildings become taller than ever.大城市的建筑变得比以前更高。
• Metropolitan residents are used to fast rhythm.大都市的居民习惯于快节奏。

6 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

7 conversion   

n.转化，转换，转变

参考例句：

• He underwent quite a conversion.他彻底变了。
• Waste conversion is a part of the production process.废物处理是生产过程的一个组成部分。

8 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

9 impetus   

n.推动，促进，刺激；推动力

参考例句：

• This is the primary impetus behind the economic recovery.这是促使经济复苏的主要动力。
• Her speech gave an impetus to my ideas.她的讲话激发了我的思绪。

10 impending   

a.imminent, about to come or happen

参考例句：

• Against a background of impending famine, heavy fighting took place. 即将发生饥荒之时，严重的战乱爆发了。
• The king convoke parliament to cope with the impending danger. 国王召开国会以应付迫近眉睫的危险。

11 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。