I don't clam to know a lot about it, but isn't digital TV still free, over-the-air TV, so long as you have a digital tuner on your set (or attach the converter box)? I would miss analog more if I couldn't watch TV while camping, etc., but I think access continues so long as your equipment can receive digital signals. Correct?
One thing that does change is the ability to receive weaker/distant TV signals. When I was a kid (before cable TV), I remember adjusting the rabbit ears antenna to try to get as good reception as I could from some semi-distant station (50-60 miles away, that was having some movie fright-fest or something late at night). With digital, that appears to be a thing of the past, as the picture starts dropping out or you can't get the station at all if the signal isn't of sufficient quality. With our cable system continually paring down offerings (or, more likely, moving them to more expensive tiers), it becomes harder to watch some channels. And cable systems seldom carry the "redundant" network-affiliate stations from nearby cities, so it was nice to have the option to disconnect the cable and try to watch those other stations using a standard antenna. (I presume the satellite systems are similar . . especially in terms of not carrying redundant stations).
I'm sure from a techie standpoint, the change is even more nostalgic.
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