N.C. City Switches to Digital TV, Encourages Set Recycling
While the national digital switch is not set to take effect until February, Wilmington, N.C. officially switched its five broadcast channels to digital only broadcasting, meaning analog sets without a digital tuner or cable connection will no longer have reception.
The city is encouraging residents to connect to a digital converter box so their old televisions will still work, but has also been providing more opportunities for recycling outdated TVs. Newer TVs can still access over-the-air broadcasting through a built-in digital tuner.
Wilmington is the first city in the U.S. to make the switch, allowing the Federal government to monitor potential issues on a smaller level.
Nielsen has estimated that eight percent of Southeastern North Carolina does not subscribe to cable service.
If you decide to buy a new TV to take advantage of digital programming, use Earth911 to find out where you can recycle your old television.
