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Post by Skaggs on Jun 11, 2009 13:05:11 GMT -5
Digital TV switch occurs tomorrow
Albany Times Union
Last updated: 12:52 p.m., Thursday, June 11, 2009 At midnight Friday, all of the nation's full-powered television stations will turn off their analog signals as they undergo the long-awaited switch to digital-only broadcasting. The changeover affects those households that rely on over-the-air signals to receive television, and is not expected to affect cable or satellite subscribers. The Federal Communications Commission, which delayed the switchover from February, this week reminded local TV stations that they need to establish a consumer referral telephone number so viewers can call for specific information about the station's transition to DTV. It's expected that thousands of screens nationwide will go blank after the switch because there still are non-cable or non-satellite homes without the converter boxes needed to receive the new digital-only broadcasts.
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Post by Skaggs on Jun 12, 2009 8:42:38 GMT -5
Are you ready? Digital TV switch ends Friday night
By Leslie Cauley and David Lieberman, USA TODAY
The USA has spent the better part of a decade preparing for the big switch to digital TV, which concludes Friday night.
Now what?
Acting Federal Communications Commission Chairman Michael Copps says consumers won't have to wait long to see the magic of digital technology, which holds promise for TV, wireless and emergency communications.
The upshot: "We're going from the Dinosaur Age to the Digital Age," the FCC chief says.
The most immediate impact will be in the area of free TV. For over-the-air TV viewers, there will be "lots more channels and better pictures," Copps says. Sound quality also improves.
What this means: If you're among the 20 million homes that receive TV signals exclusively over the air, you could see a dramatic bump in the number of channels you get. Some will likely be broadcast in high-definition, or HD, which offers images so crisp, they look 3-D. (Analog TVs won't morph into HD units, they'll just get better pictures.)
The increase is due to the efficiency of digital technology, which can pack a lot of programming into the space formerly occupied by a single analog channel.
How much more? If you had 10 analog channels, you could wind up with as many as 60 digital channels over time, all free. These "multicast" offerings show up as "subchannels" — 7.1, 7.2 and so on.
As in the analog world, TV stations can use their digital bits any way they want. That opens myriad opportunities, says former AOL executive Bob Pittman.
"When you look at the number of TV stations out there, you have almost unlimited possibilities of ideas to try," says Pittman, who now runs The Pilot Group, which has 21 TV stations in 15 markets.
"Somebody's going to do something that makes you say, 'Wow, I didn't even think of that,' " Pittman says. "To me, the big idea is the one that's going to come out of nowhere."
Near term, however, more traditional fare will probably dominate, he says.
"If you ask what's the most important thing about a local TV station, it's local news, information and weather," he says. "You'll find some doubling up on that (sort of fare), so people have more opportunities to watch at their convenience."
An opening for CW, newer networks
Angling to take advantage of extra capacity, some TV stations are hustling.
Consider The CW, which caters to younger viewers. It's been the odd man out in many small communities for years, where the handful of stations are mostly aligned with ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox.
Thanks to the DTV transition, however, stations across the country are adding CW as a digital channel. CW digital markets include Cincinnati, Grand Rapids, Mich., and Honolulu.
TV stations also are looking at newer networks such as RTV-Retro Television Network and MGM's This TV, which offer relatively cheap programming, as well as an advertising opportunity. Both cater to fans of old movies and reruns of older prime-time shows such as Adam-12 and Green Acres.
Other network newcomers being eyed: Universal Sports, from NBC Universal, which features badminton, cycling, fencing, skiing, volleyball and other niche-oriented games; and LATV, which showcases Latin music videos and other shows aimed at Spanish-speaking and bilingual viewers.
Mobile, which is becoming a lifestyle around the world, is a growing area of interest.
Keen to reach as many eyeballs as possible, broadcasters are eager to transmit their TV shows and other digital services to mobile devices of every sort, including netbooks, cellphones and TV sets embedded in cars.
That isn't possible right now. Digital TV pictures tend to break up when the set moves.
But technology is evolving, making that less of a problem. By the end of this year, about 70 stations in 28 markets plan to adopt a new broadcast standard that is friendly to mobile. That will let them beam digital TV signals directly to devices, which will hit retail shelves later this year.
"What's cool about this is that there will be free offerings, including alerts for weather and breaking news," says Anne Schelle, executive director of the Open Mobile Video Coalition, an industry group.
Eventually, she says, the technology "will be inexpensive enough to be in just about any device with a screen."
Smarter, faster phones?
Big wireless carriers, meantime, have their own plans for DTV.
AT&T and Verizon were among the companies that paid $20 billion for the spectrum being vacated by broadcasters. The spectrum can penetrate walls, heavy foliage and other objects, making it ideal for mobile broadband.
Once it's put to work for wireless carriers, the performance of smart devices such as the Apple iPhone could vastly improve, says Charles Golvin, a senior wireless analyst at Forrester Research. "When it come to higher speeds and richer services, spectrum really is the lifeblood of carriers."
AT&T and Verizon plan to use their respective hunks of spectrum for fourth-generation wireless. Once those transitions are complete, the mobile Web experience for their customers "will become much more like the land-line Internet," says Roger Entner, head of telecom research for Nielsen.
Speed will be the most noticeable difference. Right now, mobile Web users are lucky to get 1 megabit per second. Once AT&T and Verizon switch to 4G, he says, speeds in the "high single digits" won't be unusual.
The bad news: "That will be it for awhile, because at that point, you're reaching the physical limits" of the spectrum and the networks they support.
One big exception is Sprint, which is deploying WiMax wireless technology using spectrum it has owned for years. Surfing speed: up to 12 megabits. But construction of its network has been slow, so build-out could take a few years. Sprint currently offers WiMax in Baltimore; Atlanta, Portland, Ore., and Las Vegas launch this summer.
John Donovan, chief technology officer of AT&T, says consumers are the biggest winners of this wireless footrace.
Wireless "consumers are going to have a lot more choice and a lot better choice" in the future, he says. Ditto for video customers, he adds. AT&T and Verizon both offer video products that compete head-on with cable TV.
Carriers will also benefit. They can roll out far more robust services, ensuring that the wireless data gravy train — worth billions to them — continues its white-hot pace, Entner says. Prices probably won't come down, however, at least not until growth stalls: "They'll squeeze (consumers) as long as they can."
Another side benefit of DTV: improved emergency communications.
Bolstered by chunks of the Grade-A airwaves being abandoned by broadcasters, Copps says communications among police, fire and other emergency personnel will be far more reliable. That could mean the difference between life and death during local and national disasters.
Flipping the switch tonight
All this is predicated on the assumption that the DTV transition goes smoothly. That's not a given.
As of Wednesday, about 2.8 million over-the-air-only homes were still not ready for the switch, says the FCC, citing Nielsen estimates. Millions of "secondary" TVs in back bedrooms and garages also weren't prepared, though some of those may never be transitioned, the FCC says.
So far, more than 780 stations, most in smaller markets, have made the switch. Major hitches have been rare, but there have been nagging problems with antennas and digital converter boxes.
Antennas typically have to be adjusted, or moved to a new location, post-switch. In some cases, new antennas may be needed. Converter boxes, which turn digital signals into analog, must be rescanned.
The final DTV push ends Friday night. Throughout the day, full-power stations in major markets — including New York, Chicago and Los Angeles — will shut down their analog signals. By midnight, they'll be transmitting exclusively in digital. With that, the DTV era in the USA will begin.
The government is still offering $40 coupons — two per household while supplies last — for the purchase of converter boxes, which cost about $60. Analog TVs won't work post-switch without a box attached. Coupons take a week or so to arrive.
If you don't have coupons and want to get them, however, there's still time, says Joel Kelsey, public policy analyst at Consumers Union.
"Don't panic if you wake up on (June) 13th and don't have a TV signal," he says.
Consumers have until July 31 to apply for coupons, he notes. (If you don't want to wait, you can also buy a box without a coupon.) So far, 59 million coupons have been distributed.
Copps, the FCC chief, says he realizes that all this has probably been a hassle for some consumers. But he also thinks DTV is well worth it. "It's fantastic."
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Post by Skaggs on Jun 12, 2009 10:41:33 GMT -5
D-Day is here; Are you tuned in?
TV viewers scramble as analog age gives way to new digital era
Albany Times Union, First published in print: Friday, June 12, 2009 Nearly 3 million U.S. households -- including 11,000 in the Capital Region -- could wake up Saturday to find that the long-awaited and long-delayed switch to digital broadcasting has eliminated their television service. No Saturday morning cartoons for the kids. No weekend version of "Today." And, if the problem isn't fixed by afternoon, no Yankees versus Mets. Indeed, by midnight tonight, all of the nation's full-powered TV stations are required to end the analog over-the-air signals that have supported television broadcasting since its earliest days. From that point on, it's digital only. "It's a big changeover," said Sarge Cathrall, chief engineer at WXXA Ch. 23, the Albany Fox affiliate. "There are a lot of unknowns, and they don't come out until you make the switch." Many Capital Region television stations have been warning viewers of the change for at least a year, while stressing that it won't affect subscribers to cable or satellite services. Several local broadcasters have even conducted tests to alert viewers who aren't prepared for the change. Still, despite the warnings, the Federal Communications Commission is requiring that all stations provide a local "help" number and be ready for a surge of calls from viewers who are befuddled, or even angered, by the white snow that's filling their screens. Local stations are ready for a significant response -- but they aren't necessarily expecting it. "We think it's going to be not too bad," said Steve Baboulis, general manager of WNYT Ch. 13, the NBC affiliate in Menands. "Certainly the stations in this market have done their best to alert people." WNYT planned to end its analog broadcast early this morning, so it could handle calls to the station today. Most other Capital Region stations plan to make the change at 11:59 p.m., just ahead of the deadline. There's a long and tangled backstory to the digital switch. In 2005, Congress announced that stations would have to end analog broadcasting by Feb. 17, 2009, saying the requirement will free up airwaves needed for high-speed wireless services and public-safety networks while providing viewers with a sharper picture. Congress also set up a $1.5 billion program to provide $40 coupons for the converter boxes that allow analog-only televisions -- usually older sets -- to receive digital signals. But that program ran out of money as the deadline approached. And Congress, fearing a barrage from angry constituents, voted to postpone the switch to June 12. The move irritated many stations, in part because they had spent considerable money promoting the original deadline. Most also had launched digital transmission well before the deadline, and they were eager to eliminate the cost of operating an analog transmitter, too. Some broadcasters decided they couldn't wait for the June deadline. Public broadcaster WMHT Ch. 17, for example, ended its analog signal in April, provoking about 250 phone calls. "It certainly wasn't a non-event," said Robert Altman, president and general manager of WMHT Educational Telecommunications Inc. "But it wasn't a cataclysmic event either." A poll released this week by Nielsen Co. found that 2.8 million households -- 2.5 percent of the total -- are "completely unready" for the transition. Elderly and poorer viewers are expected to have the most trouble with the switch. WNYT's Baboulis said estimates put the number of Capital Region households not ready for the transition at 2 percent, or 11,000 homes. "There are some people who are last-minute-Charlies on this," he said. "There are people who are just now realizing that they might have a problem." To get ready, viewers need to purchase and install converter boxes for old sets; newer TVs have tuners that receive digital broadcasts. Altman said most of the calls to WMHT were from people who had prepared for the switch but were nevertheless struggling to receive the station's signal. That highlights the fact that tonight's switch is likely to bring some unexpected results, especially in the region's rural or outlying sections. "There are pockets where they didn't get us before and they get us now, and there are pockets where they got us before and they don't get us now," Altman said. "This is unknown terrain for everybody." Chris Churchill can be reached at 454-5442 or by e-mail at cchurchill@timesunion.com. The switch is on
Some facts about the switch to digital television:Congress in 2005 mandated that all TV broadcasters end analog broadcasting by Feb. 17, 2009, but delayed the deadline to midnight tonight. WNYT Ch. 13 planned to end its analog broadcast early this morning, but other stations in the market will wait until 11:59 p.m. To receive an over-the-air station, viewers will need either a digital-ready TV, or will have to purchase a digital-to-analog converter box for a television that is not digital-ready. The changeover should have no effect on subscribers to satellite or cable services. Nine to 15 percent of Capital Region homes rely on over-the-air signals for television reception. Digital television is not the same as HDTV. You don't need a high-definition television to receive a digital TV signal. For help or more information, call 1-888-CALL-FCC or visit www.dtv.gov or www.dtvanswers.com. Local numbers that can provide help include 862-2323 (WXXA); 436-4822 (WTEN); 1-800-765-0013, ext. 4388 (WNYT); and 346-6666, 381-4932 or 381-4900 (WRGB).
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Post by adam on Jun 13, 2009 11:11:18 GMT -5
Boo, I can no longer get 6 with my current antenna, I guess I'll have to do some research and find one that will work.
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Post by flampher on Jun 14, 2009 8:03:52 GMT -5
If you get 23.1 (7) 13.1 (12) you should get 6.1 (6) I live way ta heck up in northern Rutland County, VT. and I get them fine.. But this digital stuff is funny. I do not however get a trace of 51.1 (13) nothing! I spoke with them and they claim to be transmitting from the same site and that is confirmed with the FCC web site. My only thought is I may be getting ingress from the abc station in Burlington VT. which broadcasts on the same carrier (13) Does anyone else get this channel, (51.1)
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Post by flampher on Jun 14, 2009 8:07:22 GMT -5
I had a thought after this last post..ch 7 and 12 are both vhf high bad channels and 6 is a low band, so if you only have a uhf antenna, you may get the higher vhf but not 6. a u/v broadband is what you need in this area and if you are not to far away they are really cheap
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Post by MasterFX1 on Jun 16, 2009 13:51:30 GMT -5
A poster on the AVS board says that 51.1 is only at half-power while they try to troubleshoot some issues. They were not able to do extensive testing until analog 13 ceased broadcasting, and that first happened last Friday.
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Post by Skaggs on Jun 16, 2009 16:33:25 GMT -5
A u/v broadband is what you need in this area and if you are not to far away they are really cheap The ChannelMaster 3016 UHF/VHF antenna I have is only $28 at Solid Signal. It is an outdoor antenna, but I have it mounted in my attic.  |
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Post by flampher on Jun 16, 2009 19:38:53 GMT -5
Good info on 51.1. thanks! I just got an e-mail from them.
"We had an antenna issue when we signed on so right now we’re only using half our antenna – I will contact you when we’re at full power (next couple of days) and see if that helps – but we do have to protect WVNY’s pattern. Channel 15 analog will continue UFN"
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Post by Skaggs on Jun 17, 2009 5:01:01 GMT -5
I watched last night's Yankee game in HD on 51.1. It also had Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound.
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Post by flampher on Jun 21, 2009 20:29:15 GMT -5
I just caught the end of this story on the news today about problems with wrgb in the area and they have more power coming soon. Did anyone else see this? I did some research and I guess there is a national problem with DTV on ch 6. The Station in Philly has had some big problems and the FCC granted an emergency power boost, they mentioned in their application's engineering . documents wrgb upping their power to 18 KW, a whopping 6db.
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Post by Skaggs on Jun 22, 2009 6:58:55 GMT -5
I just caught the end of this story on the news today about problems with wrgb in the area and they have more power coming soon. Did anyone else see this? I did some research and I guess there is a national problem with DTV on ch 6. The Station in Philly has had some big problems and the FCC granted an emergency power boost, they mentioned in their application's engineering . documents wrgb upping their power to 18 KW, a whopping 6db. MasterFX posted the articles here. |
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Post by flampher on Jun 22, 2009 18:43:07 GMT -5
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Post by flampher on Jun 23, 2009 8:11:25 GMT -5
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