Television stations across America will be shutting off analog operations in February 2009.

At present, most terrestrial television stations are transmitting both analog and digital signals. After Feb. 17, 2009, television stations will transmit only digital signals, or DTV.

Many confused consumers do not know what will happen to their service, or how it will change. Much has been written to explain this change, but for hallyu fans in Hawai'i, the change will not be very noticeable.

Most television viewers here are signed up with Oceanic Time Warner Cable. Let's take my station, KBFD, for example: Oceanic subscribers watch us on Channel 4 (analog) and on 82 (digital). After Feb. 17, 2009, you will still see KBFD on the same channels. So what will have changed? A minority of viewers, with older analog televisions, will receive signals "over the air." Remember the time before cable? You had a rabbit-ear antenna, some with foil attached, to improve reception of local television stations.

KBFD does its analog over-the-air broadcasts on Channel 32 and digital transmission via Channel 33. After Feb. 17, 2009, those with older analog TVs will watch KBFC on Channel 33, as will those with modern equipment, with built-in DTV tuner cards or DTV receivers.

There are a few neighborhoods where Oceanic Cable Channel 4 (KBFD) has a ghost-image problem, meaning that you receive overlapping video or audio from another channel. In the digital realm, this is all cleaned up, and the quality is much better.

What consumers also have to remember is that not all DTV is high definition, or HD. Even after Feb. 17, 2009, much of what you see will be the analog signal converted to a digital signal. Transmission of television stations will vary between SD (standard digital) and HD (high definition). HD provides a very detailed picture compared to SD.

Once things go digital, stations will be able to multicast, transmitting multiple channels of video and audio. Television stations have a bandwidth of just over 19Mbs (megabits per second). HD broadcast will use around 13 to 14 Mbs while SD uses 3 to 6 Mbs. So it would be very possible to see up to four channels of KBFD separated as KBFD1, KBFD2, KBFD3 and KBFD4.

What will be shown on those multicast channels, and what is viable from a business standpoint, is another story. KBFD is now digital with an SD signal, but HD could be the future after the transition is complete. This would mean that all peripheral broadcast equipment would need to be changed out as well, a conversion to be made after February 2009.

THIS WEEK’S K-DRAMA SYNOPSES

'KING & I'

Episodes 31 and 32

Tomorrow at 7:50 p.m.: Chuh-sun tells Yang Sung-yoon of Escort Song's pregnancy and asks for help. But shockingly, Yang Sung-yoon tells him the royal household might harm the baby and its mother to keep the rumor from spreading.

Tuesday at 8 p.m.: While strolling around town with Chuh-sun, the king lays his eyes on Uhwoodong and is taken with her. So-hwa decides to investigate Escort Song's pregnancy, thinking it might be a eunuch who impregnated her.

'MY DEAR DAL-JA'

Episode 1 of 2, 2 of 2

Wednesday at 7:50 p.m.: Dal-ja faces cold shoulders and put-downs from her stepchildren when she marries a respected teacher.

Thursday at 7:50 p.m.: When the children find out about the secret behind their father's and Dal-ja's relationship, they come to appreciate her love and kindness.

'SCARY GIRL'

Episodes 17 and 18, 19 and 20

Friday at 7:50 p.m.: Chairman Baek tells Eun-hae not to keep Kyung-pyo on a tight leash, that he's a competent and busy businessman. Joon-chul tells Seung-mi he's seen Young-rim in Paris with a man, but Keun-suk finds it hard to believe.

Saturday at 7:50 p.m.: Pregnant and lonely, Young-rim spends her days in tears. Seung-mi tells Keun-suk she's expecting a baby. Jung-jin asks Kyung-pyo to accompany him to the Coral Village, but Kyung-pyo refuses, saying he has other plans.