North America
In North America terrestrial television underwent a revolutionary transformation with the eventual acceptance of the NTSC standard for color television broadcasts in 1953. Later, Europe and the rest of the world either chose between the later PAL and SECAM color television standards, or adopted NTSC. Japan also uses a version of NTSC.
In addition to the threat from cable television, analog terrestrial television is now also subject to competition from satellite television and distribution of video and film content over the Internet. The technology of digital terrestrial television has been developed as a response to these challenges. The rise of digital terrestrial television, especially high-definition television (HDTV), may mark an end to the decline of broadcast television reception via traditional receiving antennas, which can receive over-the-air HDTV signals.
In North America, terrestrial broadcast television operates on TV channels 2 through 6 (VHF-low band, known as band I in Europe), 7 through 13 (VHF-high band, known as band III elsewhere), and 14 through 69 (UHF television band, elsewhere bands IV and V). Channel numbers represent actual frequencies used to broadcast the television signal. Additionally, television translators and boosters can be used to rebroadcast a terrestrial TV signal using an otherwise unused channel to cover areas with marginal reception. A chart showing the North American television bandplan can be found at the North American broadcast television frequencies page.
NOTE: As of 01/08/2011, analog TV channels 2 through 6, 7 through 13 and 14 through 51 are only used for LPTV translator stations in the U.S. Channels 52 through 69 are still used in exceptional circumstances for LPTV translators in some remote regions of Canada. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation has received permission to continue analog broadcasting at severely reduced power levels in some mandatory markets until 01/08/2012. It is expected that these transmitters will be shut down rather than converted to digital.
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