DigitalCliff
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US Senate intros bill to keep people from falling off the "digital cliff"
With less than 5-percent of US homes failing to make it under the analog shutoff limbo stick (and still a month to go), there's no reason that come June 12th a whole lot of stations won't be conducting their own shutoff festivities. Just to make sure that there won't be a pack of digital lemmings headed for a step function-like cliff, the US Senate has introduced the DTV Cliff Effect Assistance Act, which allocates $125 million through 2012 to help pay for digital repeaters and translators to fill in those areas that will go uncovered after the switch occurs. This is government money, so you know there's a few strings attached -- in this case, the new bits of infrastructure will also have to serve up wireless communications and broadband traffic where possible. Let's see -- more people with DTV and broadband wireless coverage? Add a tick in the "yes" column for us, please!
DTV switch rough going for some
Predictably, some folks aren't getting the same reception they used to now that analog broadcasts have (partially) shut off. An AP report featured in USA Today cited stats showing half of the 25,000 calls to the FCC on February 18 were because of reception or antenna issues. As we've known, the effect of the digital cliff and obstructions can make continuing to receive OTA channels a dicey affair depending on where you live. Some have given in and subscribed to cable or satellite, while others are still experimenting with antenna placement, waiting for higher power broadcasts or tower moves, and some have just learned to live without it. Any DTV tales of woe and/or triumph now that we're a couple of weeks past the first stage of the switch?
Antennas Direct taking preorders for ClearStream2 OTA antenna
Well in time for the analog shutoff, even for the test subjects in Wilmington, NC, Antennas Direct is rolling out its long-range UHF/VHF ClearStream2 antenna on June 30th. According to the linked press release, the company has started taking preorders for the C2. Based on the specs, this model could be a real life saver for many folks near the scary precipice that is the digital cliff -- a 50-mile range combined with a 70-degree swath, all from a 10 x 20-inch assembly. We spoke with a company rep who said there should be a "small batch" of these available as early as this week to those who place a pre-order for the $79 antenna.
Digital cliff could drop more antenna TV viewers than anticipated
When the analog cutoff happens next year, some OTA watchers will need to trade in the bunny ears for upgraded or external antennas (even if they have digital TVs or converter boxes) to continue getting reception. The FCC's estimates on how many viewers will be affected by the "digital cliff" -- weak analog signals can be fuzzy, but still viewable, while digital is clear but simply drops out after a point -- have been disputed market research firm Centris. The numbers vary depending on your particular 'hood and its topography, but Centris' research found the FCC's estimates of 60-75 miles before signal dropout was really more like 35 miles in Las Vegas, Philadelphia and St. Louis. Additionally, it figures as many as 80 percent of viewers have antennas that won't be able to adequately receive digital signal. Anyone planning on picking up a new antenna with that converter?
