Promoting e-Learning and Distance Education

What is DTV?

• DTV - Digital Television - (a) HDTV (high definition television) a bigger picture, from 4:3 to 16:9 ratio, 6 channel CD quality audio surround sound; (b) Multicasting (several channels at once) kids, education, North Carolina, traditional PTV; (c) Datacasting (19.4 mbps total capacity) able to deliver multiple CD's per hour (up to 9) or 400 floppies - all directly to the home.
  
• We have new capacity and capabilities that the mind hasn't been able to grasp.  New developments will be forthcoming for a long time.  This is new for producers, engineers, instructional designers, and educators.  It will take time to fully develop, at least 2-3 years down the road.  The power is in your hands to help us to fully utilize this technology.

Do we need to buy new TVs?

• It does not take a new HDTV television to watch, conventional TV set works fine with a digital set top converter from cable or satellite - including over air tuner.  Consumer costs to upgrade to digital is about $10 more per month if you already have basic and standard cable service with Time-Warner Cable.  All current TV equipment (normal analog equipment) will work, having a set top box to receive our signal.
  
• All of our basic educational services will be predominately standard definition.  70% of our viewership is on cable, 25% have already made digital conversion.

What does this mean for education?

• Campuses can partner with UNC-TV to deliver broadband (rich media) educational content and services (instruction or professional development) on demand ("last foot" connectivity) directly to the classroom or home.
  
• UNC-TV is moving its programs and services capacity from pushing (one-way to the classroom or learner) to pulling (on demand, when, where user wants them).  Instead of overnight transmissions to VHS recorders - we could move to more sophisticated, much higher quality to hard drives and desktops, not to VCRs in schools and homes.
  
• Not traditional Instructional Television or Telecourses - but segments - brief video segments teachers or learners can find indexed in a digital handbook, order up, on demand to illustrate their lessons, not to be their lessons.  Digital video is more convenient to access, manipulate, much more flexible tool for teaching and learning.
  
• UNC-TV could become a NC Portal for pulling in - accessing statewide resources and bringing them into the classroom or home (from museums, libraries, zoos, symphonies, performing arts centers, historical associations, public health institutions, civic organizations, etc.  A broadband connection sees no real difference between television and online communications.
  
• UNC-TV recently established our first datacasting service - Partners for a Healthy Future. University partners include NC Cooperative Extension Service at NCSU, East Carolina University and University of North Carolina Greensboro.  It brings the new educational opportunities of digital television, community involvement and interactivity for rural cooperative extension sites to reach residents in 20 pilot counties to improve family and community well-being.  The following counties will directly benefit from this grant:  Bladen, Columbus, Currituck, Dare, Duplin, Edgecombe, Greene, Halifax, Hertford, Hoke, Hyde, Jones, Martin, Northampton, Pamlico, Sampson, Scotland, Tyrrell, Warren, and Transylvania.  This could eventually expand to all 100 counties and become possible distance education sites for all 16 campuses.

Teaching and Learning with New UNC-TV Services
For the 16-Campuses of The University of North Carolaina

How do you get to digital services, or "channels," as some call them.  The answer is simpler than most people think. You can get the hundreds of digital services whether you subscribe to cable, satellite, or neither.

UNC-HD
UNC-TV's first high definition program, Carolina Preserves, served as UNC-HD's inaugural high definition broadcast in August 2003. The rest of the schedule features many PBS programs available in high definition. Each night at 8, UNC-HD offers a new three-hour lineup of shows. This three-hour block will then repeat until 8 the following evening, when a new three-hour block begins. The exception to this pattern is between 2 and 8 AM, when UNC-HD will air a high definition demonstration loop from PBS..

UNC-TV
If you subscribe to digital cable or have a digital tuner, you can still see the programs on UNC-TV's regular channel.  (You will still be able to view this service on your traditional analog TV, as well.)

UNC-ED
Also called the UNC-TV Education Channel, UNC-ED broadcasts college telecourses during the day and some classic how-to programs such as cooking and handyman favorites from 10 pm-12 midnight.

UNC-NC
Currently this channel is broadcasting public affairs programs during primetime and another educational program service from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the Annenburg Foundation during the early morning and daytime hours.

UNC-KD
Also called the UNC-TV Kids Channel, UNC-KD provides
24 hours/day of children's programming.

Cable

If you want to get all of the channels you can receive with digital television, here's good news: you don't have to buy a special TV unless you wish to watch high definition images.

If you subscribe to Time Warner Cable in Raleigh, Durham, Fayetteville, Wilmington, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, High Point, and Charlotte, you can receive UNC-TV's digital channels with a digital cable subscription.

If you subscribe to cable, you must ask for "basic digital service" to have access to the multiple channels offered with digital television. UNC-TV and other local DTV stations are included with basic digital service.

Satellite

Local digital television stations are not available via satellite.

However, you can buy combination satellite receiver and digital television receivers in a single unit and have access to both satellite reception and local digital television stations. These combination receivers are available for both EchoStar and DirecTV. The units require that a regular dish antenna be connected as usual for satellite reception, AND a regular TV antenna be connected for receiving local DTV stations over-the-air. Remember that an outdoor antenna is always preferred to indoor "rabbit ears."

A combination satellite/DTV receiver helps to minimize the number of "boxes" that have to be connected to your TV set and the number of remote control "clickers" you have to use. The combination receivers usually have a price advantage over purchasing two separate units, one for satellite and one for DTV reception.

Combination receivers are available at most electronics store chains. Ask a store representative for a combination satellite receiver box with an over-the-air DTV tuner.

Antenna

If you have a regular television and do not subscribe to cable or satellite (it will also work if you do subscribe), you will need a UHF antenna and a digital television tuner. Tuners cost between $500-$1,000. Digital service is not available in all areas, so check www.unctv.org to see what areas are currently providing digital service.  However, the resolution of the picture will not be in high definition unless you have a high definition television set.