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Digital TV transition: 12 hours in, how are things going?
The day is finally here, after the pushback and staggered changeover, analog television broadcasts across the country are giving way to a future of digital TV and making room for new services to take over the airwaves soon. Still, after months of announcements, coupons sent and many dollars spent there are still millions who will be caught unawares as their television blinks off today. It's been an incredibly long time coming, so take a look back at some of our coverage of the run up to the digital TV switch, and why not drop us a line to let us know of any interesting local coverage in your area or experiences (procrastination-fueled runs on converter boxes, transition gaffes, mob violence) going on. A roundup of FCC links and national press coverage is after the break.Engadget's lead-up coverage: T-minus one year till the US analog shutoff: are you ready? The original DTV transition: what could've been President Obama signs DTV delay bill into law Digital TV transition spoof video is both informative and hilarious Wilmington, NC kills analog dead as broadcasters go all-digital
Wilmington, NC plans one minute analog TV shutoff next week
In an effort to reduce the ZOMG surely to be experienced by whatever percentage of Wilmington, NC residents are unprepared for their early entry into a digital television-only world September 8, the city will perform a one minute Las Vegas-style "soft test" August 19 at 7:30 p.m., prompting customers with analog to upgrade their equipment to receive digital broadcasts. Readers have already reported seeing ads mentioning the upcoming early analog-shutoff, and it looks like the regions main broadcasters (WWAY, WECT, WILM and WSFX) appear to be doing all they can to get the word out, so everybody tell a friend, okay?
Microtune blows the whistle on converter boxes
Did you get a DTV converter box yet? If so, Microtune, a company that makes tuners used in some of the boxes, may have some bad news for you. In a test of five different boxes (off the shelf) that did not employ its tuners, all five showed interference problems. Unfortunately, there's no detailed description of the observed problems, but in a letter to the NTIA, the company's President said that the units did not meet the FCC requirements for coupon-eligible converters. Sure, the fact that Microtune is the only U.S. manufacturer of tuners used in any of the DTV converters puts an air of skepticism over the whole matter. But we're in agreement with the company's contention that trouble-free operation is well worth a marginal cost increase to the consumer. Hopefully the company will come forth with a more detailed description of its findings so we'll know whether to add "has a Microtune tuner" to the list of criteria for DTV converter selection.[Via TVSnob]
Ask Engadget HD: Which digital TV converter is the one to buy?
Given the smorgasbord of choices when it comes to picking up a digital TV converter to prepare for the looming 2009 cutover, there hasn't been much said about which one actually performs the best. Quite frankly, we're assuming said comparison hasn't been done simply because of the inordinate amount of work that would be required, but we aren't underestimating the power of the people. Check out what's been on Roberto's mind:"With the analog shutoff coming in less than a year, I have to start worrying about 2 TVs in my house which will need tuner crutches (ATSC receivers). I would normally postpone the expense as much as possible, but my federal $40 coupons will expire in about two months now, and I want to get the most bang for my buck. Anyways, do any of you, TV gurus, know which of the US government-approved ATSC receivers had the best tuner and the best interface? Where do I get one? I don't want to bring one home and realize it only tunes 3 channels and it is a pain to operate."There's no doubt each DTV converter will operate slightly differently, and we're hoping that by now, a number of you have been able to procure one and can give your opinion on it. So, tell the world how you feel about your recently purchased converter -- good and bad, we want to hear it all.Got a burning question that you'd love to toss out for Engadget HD (or its readers) to take a look at? Tired of Google's blank stares when you ask for real-world experiences? Hit us up at ask at engadgethd dawt com and keep an eye on this space -- your inquiry could be next.
