Martin Duggan encourages helping elderly viewers with DTV transition

Do you know an elderly person that might need assistance when the transition to digital television takes place on February 17, 2009? Donnybrook provocateur Martin Duggan offers some helpful insight on the upcoming DTV switch and what you can do to be prepared.

“The ABC’s of HDTV” re-airs on Channel 9 June 30th

What is the difference between DTV and HDTV?  Which HDTV is best for your needs? How will the conversion to digital affect you?

Find answers to these and other DTV questions on Monday, June 30th at 1:00 a.m. when KETC/Channel 9 re-airs The ABC’s of HDTV.  This 30 minute special, hosted by Nick Clooney, addresses basic questions about the digital transition as well as more technical aspects such as picture quality and digital multicasting.

Don’t forget to set your VCR to record The ABC’s of HDTV Monday, June 30th at 1:00 a.m.

 

 

what kind of antenna should I use?

If you installed a converter box, but are still having difficulty receiving digital channels, you may need to consider an alternative outdoor antenna. A great online resource for determining what kind of antenna can be found on AntennaWeb.org. This mapping program provided by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) and the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), locates the proper antenna to receive your local television broadcast channels. Based on geographical maps and signal strengths, just enter your ZIP Code and AntennaWeb locates the best antenna for you.

And while you’re there, check out the Rabbit Ears Pioneers contest. If you know an elderly individual that relies on broadcast TV signals and an antenna for their programming, Rabbit Ears Pioneers offers ways to make the DTV transition easier for them.

lcd vs. plasma: which HDTV is right for you?

Considering buying a new HDTV for the upcoming switch to digital? What’s the difference between an LCD set and a plasma set? An article from the Washington Post tested 12 of the latest 40- to 42-inch flat-panel TVs to determine which ones give you the most for your money. For the entire article and to find out what kind of TV is right for you, click here, or visit:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/28/AR2007092800047.html

Anne-Marie Berger on the basics of dtv

On February 17, 2009, all TV stations must cease analog broadcasting and transition to exclusively broadcasting in a digital format, also known at DTV. KETC/Channel 9’s Anne-Marie Berger explains the transition to digital and what you need to know to be prepared.

I hooked up my converter box and now I don’t receive Channel 9

If you’ve installed your new converter box and are experiencing problems with Channel 9’s signal, these suggestions may help:

1. With your converter box remote, enter in Channel 39. This is where KETC’s digital transmissions are sent. Entering 39 into the converter box can cause the digital tuner to re-scan and find Channel 9.
2. Most reception issues are caused by the direction your antenna is facing. Channel 9’s tower is located just west of Highway 21 and just north of the Meramec River. To find the exact positioning for your antenna, visit www.antennaweb.org and select “Choose an Antenna” on the front page.  This will let you know how strong the signal is in your region as well as the type of antenna you may need to pick up our digital stream. Outdoor antennas are always preferred, but an amplified indoor antenna may help.
3. If there are tall trees or buildings along the area where you have your TV and converter box set up, this could cause the stations to not come in. If possible, try to move your antenna away from these areas but be sure it is still facing in the right direction.

These remedies have worked for some viewers experiencing trouble with the signal. Let us know what has or has not worked for you, or if there is a specific concern you have. We are working hard and trying many approaches to minimizing these problems, and will keep you updated on our progress.

Purchasing a Converter Box

Converter boxes are already available for purchase, but which one is right for you?

A few important things to know before making your purchase:

• If you do not have cable or satellite service, you are eligible for a $40 coupon toward the purchase of your converter box.  Request yours online at www.dtv2009.gov
• You should not need to buy anything other than a converter box to receive digital television stations.
• Converter boxes range in price from $49.99-$79.99 and are available in most electronics departments. The more expensive models do not necessarily mean a better converter box, but one with more features such as parental controls.
• You can find more information on specific converter boxes by visiting manufacturers’ web sites or by calling local retailers.

Why was my coupon application denied?

If you’ve tried to request your digital converter box coupons and your application was denied, here are some reasons why this may have happened:

1. You already requested coupons. DTV hotlines and web sites have taken applications for coupons since January 1, 2008 but many still haven’t received them. Thinking that their coupons are lost, many people try to request them again only to be denied.  This means that the government received your application and the coupons are scheduled for delivery.
2. You gave a P.O. Box as your street address on the application. If you have a P.O. Box you are eligible to receive a coupon, but you must also provide your street address even though you don’t receive mail there.  Reapply giving your street address and using your P.O. Box as your mailing address. 
3. One or more of your TV sets is connected to cable or satellite. Coupons are only available to households with no televisions hooked up to cable or satellite. This is because there is a limited number of coupons to go around, and cable/satellite users will not need a converter box to receive channels. Even if four of your TVs have antennas and only one has cable, the program will not recognize you as eligible.

Where are my coupons?

If you requested your digital converter box coupons all the way back in January and they have not arrived, don’t fret.  Coupons are mailed on a staggered basis, and the first batch didn’t mail until the last week of February.

For those who requested coupons more recently, know that they could take up to 12 weeks to arrive.

An easy way to find out where your coupons are is to log on to http://www.dtv2009.gov and click on “Where’s my coupon?”

You can enter your confirmation number to track your coupons. If you lost or forgot your confirmation number, simply enter your home address to find out where they are.  If you receive a message that says “coupon status not found,” you may need to apply again.

it’s all in the numbers

The number-savvy crew at the U.S. Census Bureau compiled an interesting list of facts and figures for the February 2009 digital transition. Did you know that 98.2% percent of all households have a television set? Or that each household has an average of 2.6 television sets per home? For the complete list of television stats, click here.

Here are a few more figures:

• 10 million: The number of people who have asked the government for the $40 coupons as of April 8, 2008.
• 1,704: The projected average number of hours an individual (12 and older) will spend watching television in 2008. That comes out to 4.7 hours of TV watching per day. In 2000, the average number of hours spent watching TV was 1,502, or 4.1 hours per day.
• 90 days: The number of days after a digital converter box coupon has been mailed before it expires.