30% of St. Louis Homes are not dtv ready

Article originally published on August 11, 2008, in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch
By Gail Pennington

For almost a year, public service announcements have cautioned: “Some TVs need an upgrade to get digital. You could even lose your signal. Get the facts.” The informational campaign has been so extensive, including radio and cable spots, on-screen crawls and newscast segments, that some viewers complain about sky-is-falling overkill.

But St. Louisans who still get TV via antenna either aren’t listening or aren’t rushing to act. If the switch took place today, 14.68 percent of St. Louis area households — or about 182,674 homes — would lose all television reception, Nielsen says. And an additional 16.1 percent, or 202,957 homes, would lose the signal on at least one set. More than 30 percent of St. Louis area homes, or 385,631, are unprepared in some way.

To view the entire article, visit stltoday.com.

How to Survive the digital tv transition

Article was originally published in February 2008 for Consumer Reports.

The impending switch to all-digital broadcast TV will be a step forward, but it could be bumpy for many

Over the next year or so, you’ll be hearing a lot about the digital TV transition. Here’s what you need to know: On Feb. 17, 2009, broadcasters must shut down their analog systems and transmit only digital TV signals to comply with the Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act.

While that sounds cataclysmic, the change will affect only the way free TV will be broadcast over the air, to a rooftop or indoor antenna. All TVs (no matter what type) connected to cable, satellite, or one of the new telephone company fiber-optic services should continue to function (though you might have to get a set-top box for cable).

A TV connected to an antenna might or might not work after Feb. 17, 2009. That depends on the type of TV.

Which TVs will still work with an over-the-air antenna?
A TV with a built-in digital tuner (called an ATSC tuner) will be able to get free over-the-air digital programming, with no action on your part. Your TV probably has a digital tuner if it falls into one of the following categories:

It’s a big-screen, high-definition TV bought within the last few years. The government has required sets with screens 35 inches and larger to have a digital tuner since July 2005, and sets 25 inches and larger since March 2006. Those sets are sometimes called integrated HDTVs.

It’s a new TV purchased this year. Since March of this year, all new TVs regardless of size have been required to have a digital tuner. Most TVs bought within the last few months should be OK, whether they’re high-definition sets or the new digital standard-definition TVs. (Retailers are allowed to sell off their existing inventory of analog TVs that do not have a digital tuner. They should be clearly marked as analog sets, but ask the salesperson to be sure.)

Which TVs will no longer work with an over-the-air antenna?
A TV that has only an analog tuner, called an NTSC tuner, will not be able to get free over-the-air digital programming. Your TV does not have a digital tuner if it is one of the following:

• An older picture-tube TV that is not a high-definition set.
• An HD-ready TV purchased several years ago.
• A new type of set, called a monitor, that has no built-in tuner of any kind.

(If you’re unsure as to whether or not your TV contains a digital tuner, consult the product manual or call the manufacturer’s customer service line.)

For the entire article, click here.

Awareness of Digital Television (DTV) Transition Reaches 94 Percent in Missouri

From DTVAnswers.com…

The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) today released a new poll that shows most consumers in Missouri know about the nationwide switch to digital television (DTV), which will be completed on February 17, 2009.

Conducted March 29 through May 23 by Smith-Geiger LLC, the survey reported 94 percent of Missouri households were aware that full-power television stations will be switching their broadcast signals and programming to an all-digital format. Across the country, consumer awareness of the DTV transition is nearly universal at 90 percent. 

An estimated 478,030 homes in Missouri rely exclusively on over-the-air television, meaning they watch free TV broadcasts using rabbit ear or rooftop antennas. These households will need to take steps to receive a digital television signal by February 17, 2009, when all full-power stations must begin broadcasting only in digital. 

Among the survey’s key findings in Missouri:

• 94 percent of households are aware television is switching to digital
• 41 percent of households correctly stated the date of the transition
• 76 percent of households recalled seeing DTV messages on TV

Led by NAB, broadcasters nationwide are focusing their efforts on educating Americans about the actions they need to take to be prepared for the switch. Over-the-air viewers must either purchase a converter box or digital TV set, or subscribe to a pay service, such as cable or satellite. Local television and radio stations will continue running spots that highlight the transition date and the government‘s converter box coupon program, as well as explain the benefits of DTV and the ways consumers can upgrade to digital.

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.

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.