Digital TV Reception better than Analog?

.

Is there any truth to the comment? I had always heard digital tv had
poorer reception, and could not pull in long-distance channels (such as
Washington to Baltimore) the same way analog can.

akjack...

A broadcaster may choose to offer up to six digital channels in the
assigned spectrum space. HDTV must be digital, but digital broadcasts
don't have to be High Definition.

videonovels...

Okay. That doesn't change what I just said. You still only get ONE
high-definition channel per allocation. Channels 52-69 could have been
eighteen more HD channels, but now they're gone..... reassigned to
something else.

.

Adjacent digital channels may be assigned in a given area, so there
is more efficient use of the broadcast spectrum.

You can't view OTA both ch 44 AND 45 anywhere in the US, except
in digital mode. One or both must be digital to enable OTA reception.

videonovels...

Ahhh, I think I see what you're saying. In my area I get 43 and 45.
But if they were digital, they could have a third station assigned at
44 w/o reception interference.

So that would effectively increase the maximum number of channels from
68/2 = 34 (analog) to 50 (digital). Yep, now it makes sense why the
FCC would auction off the higher UHF bands.

I'm still wondering though: What happens to channels 2-6? Will they be
left blank?

.

akjack...

According to this document, television channels 2 to 51 will be
assigned...
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-05-2649A1.pdf

There are more available channel slots than will be used in the major
markets.

Anthony Cerrato...

I think analog was better! At least it coulda been
technologically improved much further. Now we are stuck with
digital artifacts like pixellation, complete audio or video
dropouts, and bandwidth limitations which mostly causes
them--and effects on picture due to to rain, floods, and god
knows what else! And, even when the picture might be pretty
bad in analog, I could often watch it and still enjoy
it--now you get just a blank screen. Bah! ...tonyC