[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 103 (Wednesday, May 30, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29984-29985]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-10282]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Telecommunications and Information Administration

RIN 0660-AA16
Docket Number: 0612242667--7150--02


Instructions to Assist Manufacturers Submitting Digital-to-Analog 
Converter Box Test Results and Sample Equipment for Certification.

AGENCY: National Telecommunications and Information Administration.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice provides guidance for manufacturers that intend to 
submit digital-to-analog converter boxes to the National 
Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) for 
certification as part of the Digital-to-Analog Converter Box Coupon 
Program. This notice also provides address and contact information 
regarding the required submission of test results and sample equipment.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Art Wall, Technology Advisor, DTV 
Converter Coupon Program, [email protected], (410) 643-1649.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On March 15, 2007, NTIA published 
regulations to implement and administer a coupon program for digital-
to-analog converter boxes. Under this program, U.S. households will be 
eligible to request up to two $40 coupons to be used toward the 
purchase of up to two digital-to-analog converter boxes.\1\ Converter 
boxes are necessary for consumers who may wish to continue receiving 
broadcast programming over the air using analog-only televisions not 
connected to cable, satellite, or other pay television service after 
February 17, 2009 - - the date that full power television broadcasters 
are required to cease analog broadcasting.\2\
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    \1\ See Rules to Implement and Administer a Coupon Program For 
Digital-to-Analog Converter Boxes (Final Rule), 72 FR 12097 (March 
15, 2009).
    \2\ See Title III of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, Pub. L. 
109-171, 120 Stat. 4, 21 (Feb. 8, 2006). Section 3002(a) of the Act 
amends Section 309(j)(14)(A) of the Communications Act of 1934 so 
that analog full-power television licenses will terminate on 
February 17, 2009. Section 3002(b) of the Act directs the FCC to 
terminate analog television licenses for full-power stations by 
February 18, 2009.
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    Among other purposes, the Final Rule specifies that manufacturers 
interested in participating in the coupon program must submit a Notice 
of Intent (NOI) to NTIA. The regulations provide the necessary 
information to include in the NOI and also provide technical 
specifications and features required for a converter box to qualify for 
the coupon program. The regulations also include specific instructions 
for manufacturers to submit test results along with a sample of the 
tested equipment to NTIA.\3\ The preamble to the regulations notes that 
NTIA has entered into an agreement with the Federal Communications 
Commission (FCC) whereby the FCC may review the manufacturers' test 
results and converter boxes if necessary.\4\ The preamble also notes 
that a subsequent Public Notice will provide manufacturers with 
specific address and contact information regarding the required 
submission of test results and sample equipment.\5\ Moreover, section 
301.5(e) of the Final Rule states that NTIA may issue other guidance 
and test-bed conditions. Accordingly, this Notice provides the 
following information: (1) the Notice of Intent (NOI) submission; (2) 
testing guidance; (3) test report (format and content) guidance; (4) 
shipping of samples; and (5) NTIA processing.
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    \3\ 47 C.F.R. Sec.  301.5.
    \4\ See Final Rule at ] 101; see also 47 C.F.R. Sec.  301.5(f).
    \5\ Final Rule at ] 101.
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    The guidance information provided in this notice is not binding. 
Compliance with the requirements contained in the regulations may be 
demonstrated by following the suggestions contained in this document or 
by alternative means. Manufacturers intending to participate in the 
converter box coupon program should submit test results and sample 
equipment to NTIA in accordance with the guidelines specified below:

1. Notice of Intent

    a. The NOI shall be submitted to NTIA at least three months prior 
to submission of the test report and samples pursuant to section 
301.5(a) of the Final Rule. Accordingly, the NOI shall contain the 
following information: name, title, email and mailing address, and the 
phone number of an individual responsible for the manufacturer's 
submission; a brief description of the converter box, including 
permitted as well as required features; and the date on which the 
samples and test report for the proposed converter(s) may be ready for 
submission for review. The NOI shall be faxed to NTIA at (202) 482-4626 
or delivered to: DTV Converter Coupon Program, Room 4809, NTIA/OTIA, 
U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington, D.C. 20230. The NOI will be 
kept business confidential pursuant to section 301.5(b) of the Final 
Rule. A NOI form is available on NTIA's web site at www.ntia.doc.gov.
    b. Pursuant to section 301.5(c), NTIA will provide the manufacturer 
with shipping information in a letter of acknowledgement after NTIA 
receives the NOI. Subsequent to receipt of the acknowledgement, a 
written authorization for submitting the samples and test report will 
be electronically sent to the contact person listed in the NOI. See 
item 3(a), below, for electronically submitting the test report, and 
item 4, below, for shipping the samples.

2. Testing Guidance

    a. Source Material: For the performance specifications in items 8 
through 13 and item 15 of Technical Appendix 1 to the Final Rule, it is 
recommended that the tests be performed with a High Definition data 
stream (i.e., resolution of 720p or higher) with motion.
    b. Field Ensembles (14): NTIA encourages manufacturers to 
specify which 30 of the 50 field ensembles identified in ATSC A/74 were 
tested successfully.
    c. Single Static Echo (15): NTIA encourages manufacturers 
to specify whether the model was tested against Criteria A or Criteria 
B as defined in Technical Appendix 1. If Criteria B is chosen, 
manufacturers should identify which 37 of the 50 field ensembles were 
tested successfully.
    d. Manufacturers submitting converters intended to comply with the

[[Page 29985]]

EPA Energy Star Program -- which is a permitted but not required 
specification for Coupon-Eligible Converter Boxes (CECBs) -- should 
seek certification from EPA that the CECB meets all requirements for 
certification under the EPA program. The EPA requirements can be found 
at http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm.

3. Test Report Guidance

    a. When a manufacturer receives an authorization to submit the test 
report and samples pursuant to section 301.5(c), the test report is to 
be sent to Art Wall, Technical Advisor, at [email protected]. To 
expedite processing, NTIA encourages applicants to submit the test 
report in an electronic format using Microsoft Word, pdf or jpg type 
files. Files larger than 5 Mbs should be divided into separate files of 
2 Mbs or less, if possible. If a manufacturer is not able to provide 
test results electronically in the formats prescribed, the manufacturer 
should contact Art Wall, Technical Advisor at [email protected] to 
make alternate arrangements.
    b. NTIA encourages manufacturers to submit test reports that 
demonstrate that each model proposed to be a CECB meets all the 
performance specifications and features set forth in Technical Appendix 
1 of the Final Rule as well as applicable FCC Rules.
    c. Each model proposed may include ``permitted'' features but shall 
not include ``disqualifying'' features set forth in Technical Appendix 
2 of the Final Rule, pursuant to section 301.5(d). If the proposed CECB 
includes permitted features, it would assist NTIA's evaluation if the 
test results or certificates document how those features operate or 
have been implemented.
    d. To assist in NTIA's evaluation of the proposed CECB, NTIA 
encourages applicants to include in the test report information such 
as:
    1. An operational description of each proposed CECB.
    2. A final copy of the proposed manual that will be provided to the 
end user.
    3. A list of equipment (complete with calibration data) used by the 
manufacturer when performing each of the required tests.
    4. A block diagram showing all the major elements of each proposed 
CECB.
    5. A block diagram depicting the equipment used and the measurement 
setup for each test.
    6. Internal and external photographs of each proposed CECB. The 
photographs should be of sufficient clarity to show the make and model 
number on the label, the front panel controls, connection points on the 
back panel, internal components and circuit board layouts.
    e. Pursuant to section 301.5(f), reports of test conditions and 
test results must be clear and comprehensive so that they can be easily 
interpreted by NTIA and others reviewing them. Moreover, in accordance 
with section 301.5(g), each test report shall include a certification 
of the testing supervisor as to its authenticity, completeness and 
accuracy based on personal knowledge. The manufacturer/applicant should 
also sign the report certifying that the sample tested is 
representative of production units.

4. Guidance for Shipping Proposed Coupon-Eligible Converter Box Samples

    Manufacturers are to supply two production sample converter boxes 
pursuant to section 301.5(c) of the Final Rule. They are to be shipped 
as follows:
    Test samples should NOT be shipped until the applicant receives a 
specific authorization from NTIA to ship. A copy of NTIA's shipping 
authorization identifying each model to be shipped shall accompany the 
samples.

Shipping Address: (Courier Service, Freight, or Air Service)
DTV Converter Coupon Program
FCC Laboratory
7435 Oakland Mills Road, Gate A
Columbia, MD 21046
Attention: Bill Hurst
Telephone: (301) 362-3000

    Special note to foreign applicants-- Foreign applicants with United 
States subsidiaries or agents should ship equipment to those facilities 
for forwarding to the Laboratory. If no American subsidiary is 
available, arrangements must be made for clearance of shipment through 
U. S. Customs and delivery to the FCC Laboratory. The U.S. Government 
will not make delivery arrangements or pay any related charges 
associated with shipments.
    If the applicant requires notification that the samples have been 
received at the FCC Laboratory, the applicant should contact its 
shipper for delivery date confirmation.
    Pursuant to the regulations, the samples for each proposed CECB 
shall be production line samples. Some characteristics that may assist 
NTIA in confirming production line samples are: a permanently attached 
label showing the make (manufacturer's name or trade name), serial 
number and model number. The label information (except for serial 
number) should agree with the information shown on the test report. 
Also, NTIA encourages applicants to include any accessory that would 
facilitate testing and any permitted accessory features proposed by the 
manufacturer, such as a 300 ohm connector, a cable with 3 female RCA 
connectors, etc.
    NTIA does not intend to return the samples to the manufacturer/
applicant.

5. NTIA Processing

    The manufacturer's report of each proposed CECB will be reviewed 
for accuracy and completeness and to determine: (1) if the proposed 
model meets the performance specifications in Technical Appendix 1; (2) 
if the proposed CECB includes permitted features listed in Technical 
Appendix 2, that those features function properly; and (3) that the 
proposed CECB does not contain a disqualifying feature. NTIA/FCC 
testing will be performed on some or all of the models. The level of 
testing will be based on engineering judgments during the review of the 
test report. Request for additional information, if necessary, may 
cause delays in completing an evaluation of a proposed CECB. Reasonable 
attempts will be made to expedite review of each proposed CECB, but the 
applicant should not contact the Technical Advisor unless the applicant 
has a valid technical question.
    Pursuant to section 301.5(h) of the Final Rule, NTIA will provide 
prompt notification to each manufacturer as to whether the model has 
met technical approval. NTIA will maintain a list of approved CECBs to 
distribute to consumers and participating retailers.
    These procedures are intended to assist in managing the review and 
evaluation of each proposed CECB. Additional guidance on testing or 
submission procedures may be provided on NTIA web page under Frequently 
Asked Questions, pursuant to Section 301.5(e), www.ntia.doc.gov.
    Questions about the procedure for submitting samples and test 
reports for review and approval may be submitted to:

Art Wall, Technical Advisor
DTV Converter Coupon Program
NTIA/OTIA Room 4809
U.S. Department of Commerce
Washington, D.C. 20230
Tel: (410) 643-1649
Fax: (202) 482-4626
Email: [email protected]


    Dated: May 23, 2007.
Kathy D. Smith,
Chief Counsel, National Telecommunications and Information 
Administration.
[FR Doc. E7-10282 Filed 5-29-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-60-S