, ▁which ▁operate ▁primarily ▁as ▁radio ▁stations ▁by ▁using ▁the ▁audio ▁of ▁analog ▁channel ▁ 6 ▁to ▁broadcast ▁to ▁FM ▁rad ios . ▁There ▁was ▁an ▁u pt ick ▁in ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁" 8 7 . 7 " ▁stations ▁after ▁the ▁full - power ▁transition , ▁as ▁low - power ▁stations ▁above ▁channel ▁ 5 1 ▁( U H F ▁channels ▁ 5 2 ▁to ▁ 6 9 ▁were ▁removed ▁from ▁the ▁television ▁spectrum ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁transition ) ▁were ▁required ▁to ▁choose ▁a ▁new ▁channel ▁allocation ; ▁many ▁chose ▁channel ▁ 6 , ▁as ▁it ▁allowed ▁for ▁the ▁usage ▁of ▁the ▁ 8 7 . 7 ▁audio ▁channel ▁to ▁reach ▁a ▁wider ▁audience . ▁The ▁ 8 7 . 7 ▁out lets ▁will ▁be ▁shut ▁down ▁in ▁July ▁ 2 0 2 1 . ▁A ▁further ▁compression ▁of ▁the ▁television ▁band ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁spectrum ▁real location , ▁elimin ating ▁channels ▁ 3 8 ▁through ▁ 5 1 , ▁will ▁be ▁completed ▁in ▁ 2 0 2 0 . ▁ ▁The ▁late ▁ 1 9 9 0 s ▁also ▁saw ▁the ▁in vention ▁of ▁digital ▁video ▁record ers . ▁While ▁the ▁ability ▁to ▁record ▁a ▁television ▁program ▁for ▁home ▁view ing ▁was ▁possible ▁with ▁the ▁earlier ▁V CR s , ▁that ▁medium ▁was ▁a ▁bul ky ▁mechanical ▁t ape ▁medium ▁that ▁was ▁far ▁less ▁convenient ▁than ▁the ▁all - dig ital ▁technology ▁that ▁D V R s ▁use ▁( D VD ▁record ers ▁also ▁began ▁to ▁be ▁sold ▁around ▁this