DigitalTvTransition
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FCC cancels white space meeting to focus on digital TV transition
Man, we're clearly in the wrong line of work. It seems that being in the FCC means that you can basically ignore everything else going on so long as you squint really hard and pretend to make progress on an imminent event that's just over two months ago. Sure, we're just bitter, but we're struggling to understand why an agency this large can't work towards auctioning a slice of soon-to-be-freed airwaves for widespread internet use while educating consumers on the digital TV transition that's coming in February. Caving to requests from Democratic lawmakers, the FCC has canceled a December 18th meeting that would've been used to discuss the next step in making the most of white spaces, but unless we see these very suits walking the streets with signs saying "THE END IS NEAR! FEBRUARY 17TH, 2009!," we're going to be rather peeved.[Via phonescoop]
29 States to participate in analog shutoff test next week
Set your doomsday clocks for December 17 -- and no, scientists are not testing out their duct-tape fix to the LHC. Next Wednesday, Washington D.C. and 29 states will all put a toe in the analog shutoff waters on the same day. There's been no shortage of smaller scale tests that have passed without significant incident, but the test next week with t-minus two months to the real deal is the most widespread shutoff simulation yet. Thanks to the numerous PSAs, many people know all about the switchover, but the tests have helped OTA-users identify if they're safely in the digital footprint or "digital cliff dwellers" living on the edge of the digital coverage areas; we figure the roster of affected people will grow after next week. If your area is on the list, might we suggest stocking up on TV viewing in advance of the test?Read - Multi-state analog shutoffRead - List of participating broadcasters [PDF link]
Boston TV stations team up for educational 'DTV Day'
As the US analog shutoff draws inevitably closer, we have all ideas that we'll be seeing quite a few other major markets making major pushes to get the word out. The next in line is Boston, where all of the local television stations and cable providers have teamed up to "help viewers prepare for the federally mandated shutdown of full-power television analog signals and the transition to digital television (DTV) on February 17, 2009." The so-called 'DTV Day' will take place a week from today from 5:00AM to 7:30PM ET, and during that window, locals will see intermittent daylong crawls on all outlets promoting DTV information, daylong, uninterrupted DTV information on a single, destination station (WGBH-TV analog) and a trio of two-minute "Virtual Shutdown" readiness tests. Talk about serious -- we didn't even prepare for Y2K like this.[Image courtesy of Brandeis]
SAFER bill keeping PSAs alive on analog until March 2009
Not that we're excusing the act of procrastination, but regardless of how much we or any governmental agency does to inform the general public of the impending digital TV transition, you can bank on the fact that some folks will act utterly stunned when their analog set stops receiving signal on February 17, 2009. Being sure that said scenario will become a reality in due time, the US Senate last week passed the Short-Term Analog Flash and Emergency Readiness (SAFER) Act, which would allow "public safety announcements and information about the DTV transition to continue being broadcast for a month after the official cut-off." The House has yet to give its official stamp of approval, but with both FCC chairman Kevin Martin and the Bush administration at large backing it, we don't foresee any snags in passage. On that note, get yourself a voucher and get prepared!
Verizon's FiOS TV now 100% digital
We heard earlier this year that Verizon would be caving to the FCC's request and phasing out any remaining analog duplicate channels that it was still hosting, and as of today, the carrier can claim that its fiber-based programming service is completely digital. For those affected, Verizon has been offering up free digital adapters to cope, and as of this very moment, each of its FiOS TV subscribers should be good to go with its 100% digital lineup. The impending digital TV transition has claimed another, but we won't shed a tear for the removal of analog. Coldhearted, but totally justified.
Digital TV transition spoof video is both informative and hilarious
By now, you've probably seen at least one DTV transition commercial, and if not, you're clearly not watching enough television. Criticisms aside, we couldn't pass up the opportunity to point you at what will unquestionably be the most hilarious (albeit informative) digital TV conversion ad of all time. We won't even bother trying to explain what happens in this 1 minute, 53 second masterpiece, but as you can glean from the photo above, this is a can't-miss experience. Jump past the break and mash play.[Thanks, Sean]
Video: New York City conducts analog shutoff drill
We've seen a smattering of shutoff drills go down from one side of the country to the other, but honestly, hearing of one is still more the exception than the rule. With the digital TV transition drawing ever closer here in the USA, the Big Apple decided to flip the test switch on its local OTA stations in order to give antenna-using citizens a much-needed heads-up. As you can see in the video waiting in the read link, the two-minute test only affected an analog set using an antenna; televisions tuned to WCBS via cable, digital OTA or satellite didn't even notice the warning message. Nice show, New York.
China to give analog TV the boot by 2015
While the US of A is gritting its teeth and hoping the world doesn't implode when it switches completely to digital TV next February, many other nations around the globe are just now setting up their own timeline. For China, the magic year looks to be 2015. Professor Huang Yong, the deputy editor-in-chief of China's State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, recently stated that program production would be "turned from analog to digital" seven years from now, though he didn't say what kind of technology would be used for digital broadcasting. Knowing China, though, it'll cook up something the rest of the globe has no interest in for the sake of saving on licensing fees.[Image courtesy of DayLife]
DTV coupon requests surging in LIN TV blackout markets
Here's an interesting one. While we'd say it's perfectly normal to see upticks in voucher requests from areas affected by early analog shutoff drills, this here is just bizarre. According to a release put out by the American Cable Association, an irregular surge in coupon requests has occurred in three markets where Time Warner Cable dropped LIN TV's stations after the two couldn't come to a retransmission agreement. On top of that, FCC chairman Kevin Martin has reportedly asserted that the voucher program is running out of cash, but given that this isn't the FCC's program, we'd take that as speculation more than anything. Either way, because of this blackout, it seems consumers are asking for items (and thus, cash) they probably don't even need. Look LIN TV, we know you loathe TWC, but please -- put your stations back online. Do it for the taxpayer. Do it for love.
KCTS 9 (PBS) moves for all-digital conversion, leaves quality HD shows behind
The times, they are a-changin', and with February 2009 getting closer by the minute, we should probably expect even more situations like this. Put simply, western Washington's local PBS channel had a long-standing history of pleasing HD junkies with a whole swath of unique HD programming on Comcast slot 108 (OTA channel 9.5). Due to the transition to all-digital (or so it says), the HD channel has been shifted to Comcast slot 109 and OTA slot 9.1; that there isn't the problem, though. The issue is that with the move, many of its best high-def programs have been nixed, and the leftovers are being presented "in low-quality DTV," as stated by our tipster. The reaction has been overwhelmingly negative, with pages upon pages of angry comments piling up in a matter of hours. Thankfully, management has posted a note that it is taking notice, but only time will tell if the channel will ever return in its full glory.[Thanks, Aaron]
Milwaukee TV stations band together for analog shutoff test
We know it must be terrifying, Milwaukee, to think of all those poor television viewers you may end up leaving in the dark, but at least you've seen other cities come before you and survive. Hot on the heels of Wilmington, NC killing the analog beams for realz, in flies word that a dozen Milwaukee, Wisconsin stations will be having a test of the digital TV conversion at around 5:10PM (local time) on September 15th. Obviously, viewers in the area will be warned beforehand, but we're sure a select few will choose to ignore the flashing hazard lights and suffer through a few agonizing minutes of fuzz. It's better they learn now, though.[Image courtesy of CCAuthority, thanks John]
Wilmington, NC kills analog dead as broadcasters go all-digital
Wilmington, NC had the pleasure of being the nation's first DTV transition test market, and now it has officially become the first market in the nation to flip the kill switch on analog. As of noon ET today, the Wilmington area entered the digital frontier, and initial reports suggest that things are going fairly swimmingly. Granted, "a few" viewers were still "struggling" to see the signal (read: not at all prepared for the change), but at least the world didn't completely implode or anything. Not like we can really avoid that scenario come Wednesday, but hey, an extra 24 or so hours to live it up ain't half bad.
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?
DISH Network's DTVPal converter box goes retail at Sears
Although DISH Network's $59.99 DTVPal converter box went on sale late last month, you've had to order it via the DTVPal website or by phone... until now. The NTIA-approved (meaning you can use your $40 voucher on it) box will soon start surfacing in 511 Sears retail locations along with 194 Sears Dealer stores, meaning that you can actually get in your vehicle and pick one up should you choose to do so. For us introverts, we'd still much rather have a brown box dropped off at our doorstep, but oftentimes there's nothing like instant gratification.
DISH Network's $59.99 DTVPal now shipping
Heads-up, DTV holdouts. Your digital-to-analog converter box has arrived, and it's shipping right now. DISH Network's DTVPal (known as the Sling TR-40 in a previous life) can be snapped up as we speak from the DTVPal website or by phone. Best of all, the $59.99 box qualifies for the NTIA's coupon program, meaning that you can procure one for just $19.99 -- if your voucher hasn't expired yet, that is. For those still on the fence, you can check out a review of the box here.
Japanese government plans to hand out free digital TV converters to needy
While the US government manages to place a totally ridiculous three month expiration date on a coupon that doesn't have to be used until February of 2009, the Japanese government is actually showing some signs of intelligence. Reportedly, around 1.07 million households on welfare will be receiving a digital TV tuner gratis sometime before the July 2011 switchover. The initiative will set the government back at least ¥5 billion ($46 million), but that figure could increase quickly if the retail prices of said boxes end up higher than expected. There's no word given on whether or not the general public will receive any kind of subsidy, but here's a tip: don't throw an expiration date on there just for kicks and giggles.[Via JapanProbe]
Poll: Have you had trouble locating a DTV converter box?
Given yesterday's post about the use (or non-use, as it were) of government-issued digital TV vouchers, we began to wonder if our own readers were having difficulties tracking a box down before their coupons expired. We already asked if you were aiming to get one, and if you stated yes, has finding one been a lesson in futility / simplicity? Let us know below! %Poll-15573%
DISH Network's DTVPal converter box gets reviewed
For those of you out there who have managed to hang on to your government-issued DTV voucher(s), this is probably the box you've been waiting for. CNET just wrapped up a review of the DTVPal (formerly known as the Sling TR-40), and overall, it couldn't find a whole lot to hate. The EPG was deemed "excellent," the analog pass-throughs were smiled upon and the "solid" reception seemed to delight. They did knock the "overcomplicated" remote and the lack of front-panel buttons, but in the end, those niggles didn't keep critics from calling it "a top choice" for folks on the hunt for a digital TV converter. Tracking one down before your coupon expires is apt to be the real challenge.
Half of government-issued digital TV coupons have expired before use
Okay, it's not that alarming, now is it? How often do you (or wait, let's use your neighbor in this example) let mailer coupons sit around, collect dust and expire? Yeah, exactly. According to a recent writeup over at WDEF-TV, around half of the 840,000 government-issued digital TV coupons have already expired before they were used, and interestingly enough, Congress may not be placing all of the blame on procrastination. It's said that many folks are still having a tough time tracking a converter box down, and judging by Ben's runaround a few months back, we guess we can sympathize. For those with recently expired vouchers, you may want to keep them around a few weeks longer -- if this proves to be too widespread, The Man may actually extend their useful life to enable more citizens to get discounts.
TV converter box coupons will ship February 17th
With about a million TV converter box coupons having been ordered in the first 40 hours of availability, we're sure that there are more than a few of you out there wondering when you can you expect those $40 vouchers to arrive at your door. Well to save you the hassle of quitting your job in order to wait by the mailbox every day, we're here to let you know that the feds will begin mailing 'em out starting on February 17th -- exactly one year prior to the scheduled analog shutoff. Just remember, as Engadget HD noted yesterday, those of you with early, tuner-less HDTVs looking for a few bucks off a digital receiver will be out of luck, making your seven-year wait for these coupons seem a little silly now, eh?
