This paper presents analysis results on finite-impulse response (FIR) channel estimation used for the equalization in Advanced Television Systems Committee digital television receivers. While channel estimation results have been effectively used for the equalization, the conditions of sufficient order and high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) were assumed in most cases. To compensate for these unrealistic assumptions, we consider diverse probable conditions for channel estimation, such as reduced order and low SNRs, and then theoretically analyze each estimation case. The analysis shows that the adaptive FIR channel estimator provides an unbiased estimation and matches well its corresponding channel coefficients irrespective of the number of taps of the estimator and the non-causality of the unknown channel. Simulation results verify our analysis on the estimation of terrestrial DTV channels.