IN TWO WEEKS, the much-publicized digital television conversion will be complete. For people living in town who subscribe to Cable One, the television conversion is not an issue.
Unfortunately, Cable One’s services stop at the city limit. That leaves a large number of rural residents in a bit of a lurch. There are fewer than 10,000 households in Emporia and 48,000 more people in the Gazette’s readership area that could be affected by this change if they use antenae or rabbit ears.
People who receive their signal over the air have been advised that after the digital transition they will need to have a converter box or a new television. Some people in the Emporia area who have already done this have realized they have wasted their money.
Emporia is about 45 miles away from Topeka — the nearest television stations —and a digital signal cannot make it to our town as reliably as the old analog signal.
In The Gazette’s online chat a couple of weeks ago, Rob Hill of Hill’s Appliance fielded many questions about why there was no sound, why the picture was fuzzy, why some were even unable to pick up the digital signal at all. Hill said that the problem now is that the signals have been moved to the UHF band until the transition. UHF does not reach as far as the VHF signals consumers are used to.
According to Hill, consumers won’t know for sure whether they can pick up the new digital signals until the transition actually happens.
Last week in Washington, there was discussion about delaying the digital transition because people had trouble getting boxes. It is too bad that there is not more discussion about boosting the signal strength to ensure that all consumers within a broadcast area can receive the channels.
The idea of broadcast television is that people must be able to actually receive the signal. From fuzzy pictures to pictures with no sound, many rural residents would agree that the old analog signal is better than no signal at all.
Christopher White Walker
Editor & Publisher
Happiness09 (anonymous) says...
Gee....didn't antenna and rabbitt ears go out with black and white TV?
February 4, 2009 at 3:04 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
oh4theluvof (anonymous) says...
This is actually kind of encouraging to me. Weird, huh? I'll explain: we are one of the households that use antenna and found that the converter boxes did no good--the signal isn't strong enough. While we do most of our tv viewing online, it is really nice in tornado season to see live radar maps and hear live reports--one of the few times we miss broadcast tv. Anyhow, to hear that after the conversion we can try again and the signals will be stronger so we might get them is nice to hear.
February 4, 2009 at 3:42 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
madpoet (anonymous) says...
Happy-some of us live out in the county and can't afford Dish so have an antenna.
They were talking on the news that the signal should be stronger after the conversion. They're only running half power now since they are sending both analog and digital. So don't give up hope just yet. I bet bad weather will really jack it up, though. I guess we'll find out the hard way.
February 4, 2009 at 3:55 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Happiness09 (anonymous) says...
I honestly didn't know that about antenna's. I thought cable was a god given. Kind of like electricity. HA! My apologizes to those who still depend on antenna's.
February 4, 2009 at 4:45 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
LifeGoesOn (anonymous) says...
Happiness09, You honestly didnt know about antenna's? Just what did ya think the folks in the country did for TV, or did ya think they are all just county bumpkins who sit around playing the banjo and drinking moonshine for entertainment?
maybe you thought those big aluminum things sticking out of the tops of houses were to keep the aliens away?
LOL
February 4, 2009 at 5:07 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
oh4theluvof (anonymous) says...
copied and pasted
By Suzanne Choney
msnbc.com
updated 6:22 p.m. CT, Wed., Feb. 4, 2009
The House voted Wednesday 264-158 to delay the analog TV shutdown until June 12.
The nation was two weeks away from the original date of Feb. 17 for the digital transition, allowing broadcasters to replace analog TV signals with digital ones.
But the Obama administration and many Democrats asked for the delay, saying millions of people are not ready for the switch. The bill, already approved by the Senate, now goes to the president for his approval, considered a given. Still to be resolved is the funding needed for more coupons to help consumers offset the cost of converter boxes. That issue will likely be considered as part of the economic stimulus legislation.
February 4, 2009 at 10:12 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
oh4theluvof (anonymous) says...
I guess we still wait..............................
February 4, 2009 at 10:13 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
madpoet (anonymous) says...
WIBW said this morning that they will still switch on schedule. They can't afford not to. It costs the stations a lot of money to do both signals. They've given the consumer a years worth of time to get out and buy a convertor box. We have one and will buy the other one soon. I think the government babies people too much.
February 5, 2009 at 8:12 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
dml (anonymous) says...
We got our boxes, but then could only pull in channel 49's digital signal...sometimes. We had to spend about $350 to replace the rabbit ears on our tv with an outdoor antenna and that was me doing the work myself. Imagine how much it would cost to pay someone to do it for you. I am sure that with the economy down like it is that there will be some people making a decision between TV and food.
February 5, 2009 at 9:33 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
madpoet (anonymous) says...
I agree dml. When I was in college I had no tv for a while. I made do with a clock radio with cassette (that dates me, doesn't it!) and managed just fine. When people ask us why we don't have satelite tv, we say we can't afford it. They think we're so deprived only gettting about 6 channels. If nothing is on, we turn it off or put a movie in the dvd player. I saw something at Pamida in Burlington Monday that may help you, dml. It was some kind of signal booster. I was searching for the convertor boxes (they were out) and saw that. I didn't look too closely at it since it wasn't what I needed right then. It might be worth checking out.
February 5, 2009 at 10:27 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Happiness09 (anonymous) says...
Lifegoeson: Yes, I knew about antenna's. I just thought that they were pretty well a thing of the past. We had an antenna when we lived in the country when I was a kid, but mom and dad always told me it was to keep the aliens away. Thanks for the laughs.
February 5, 2009 at 11:52 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
seriouslyfolks (anonymous) says...
Will I need to change the construction of my aluminum foil hat to keep the digital signal out of my head?
Sorry about that. Back on topic. Speaking of UHF, has anyone seen the Weird Al Yankovic movie UHF? It is HILARIOUS! If you can't get your TV to work because of the signal go rent it, if you can find a copy. It seems to me that Weird Al is an obvious solution to this problem. I've provided a link for your viewing pleasure but be warned you may never watch anything else ever again in your whole life again.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8n1hKQ...
February 5, 2009 at 12:34 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
open_eyes (anonymous) says...
For those out on the fringe areas using an antenna, yes, a signal booster or signal amplifier definitely helps. They vary in price and power, but you can find them at places like Sutherlands, Radio Shack, WalMart, etc..... I think Sutherlands sells a Philips that I know improves reception....
February 5, 2009 at 12:57 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
neighbor (anonymous) says...
When we first bought our boxes, we got the signals just fine, but took them back off after testing them. We got 10 channels instead of four.
February 6, 2009 at 7:06 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )