On Sun, 19 Aug 2007 21:42:38 +0900, Brenda Ann wrote:
Some channels will NEVER be "HDTV". The system only ALLOWS for HDTV. The
stations have the choice of either a single HDTV channel, OR up to FIVE
lower resolution channels. I can see most network channels running HD only
during prime time or sporting events for the most part, while leaving the
option open to run other services during the day.

You can have HDTV plus another SDTV (standard-resolution) channel.

Actually, to the best of my knowledge there is no hard limit on how many
channels you can offer - you could in theory have five HDTV channels - but
the necessary compression would probably yield five unintelligible
macroblock-filled channels. I do know of stations running one HDTV and
two SDTVs though one of the SDTVs is usually a weather forecast which can
live with a very small bandwidth allocation.

But the station I work for does run one HDTV and one SDTV (as does one of
our competitors) and it works fine.

A handful of PBS stations are already running multiple subchannels during
the day, then shutting down the subchannels at night in favor of a single
HD channel. That plan works well with PBS' mission, not so much so for
commercial stations. (I don't think you'll see much of it on commercial
operations)

You will need an outdoor antenna to get a good usable digital signal.

Not necessarily true. I live in a typical single-story brick ranch house
25 miles from the transmitters. I get reliable reception from four
stations with rabbit ears.

It does require an outdoor antenna to get the other stations; that said,
the *analog* signals I get from those stations on rabbit ears are
something nobody would watch anyway.

Generally, if a given antenna gives you a stable analog signal that your
mother-in-law would watch without complaining, it'll probably give you
stable DTV reception. Unless the station is skimping on power. (unlikely
in large markets, quite likely in small ones.)