On Wednesday, December 17, KETC will join area broadcasters in shutting off its analog signal for a DTV “soft test.”

The test will occur at 6:25 p.m. and last for five minutes. During this time, if you have a TV set that is NOT prepared for February 17’s digital transition, you will see a message telling you that your TV is not ready.

If most of the TVs in your home are hooked up to cable or satellite, don’t forget about any extra TVs you might have that receive free over the air television. Do you have a small set in the kitchen? One in the basement for video games? The five minutes should allow you enough time to check all of your TV sets for their digital compatibility.

If you do not see a message that your TV is not equipped for DTV, you should be fine. Check www.dtv2009.gov for more information, or call KETC’s DTV help line at (314) 512-9617.