Congressmen look to resolve expected DTV problems

Two congressmen are looking for reassurance that broadcast networks and federal agencies will resolve the lingering problems associated with the digital television transition to take place in February.

Representatives John D. Dingell (D-MI) and Edward Markey (D-MA) on Friday sent separate letters to the Federal Communications Commission, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, the National Association of Broadcasters, ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox.

The letters noted that the FCC's trial conversion in Wilmington, N.C., this September "revealed many problems related to the transition, including consumers who did not know they needed to rescan their boxes to search for new channels after the switch, needed to obtain or adjust antennas to receive digital signals, or were no longer able to receive a station's signal because the station's digital signal contour differs from its analog coverage area."

The letters asked the groups to name by November 14 the steps they plan to take to mitigate those problems.

In both the letters sent to broadcasters (PDF) and the federal agencies (PDF), Dingell and Markey asked what stations will do to let viewers know if they are within the station's analog service area but not its digital service area. One third of all calls received during the test transition in Wilmington related to viewers losing a station's signal because of the difference between the digital and analog service areas, the letters say.

The letters also ask how viewers--including viewers without ready access to the Internet--will know if they need to adjust their antennas, or that they need to rescan their digital-to-analog converter boxes.

Dingell chairs the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Markey chairs the committee's panel on telecommunications and the Internet.

Both Congress and the FCC have previously voiced concerns that the transition will not go smoothly.

[irondog1970]

Personally, I think the FCC should be required to enter everyone's home & personally verify that each television in each room of every house is ready for the transition to DTV. And if any TV in that house isn't ready for the switch to DTV, then the FCC should be required to bring that household up to compliance. And while they're at it, they should leave a person behind to answer any & all questions relating to the switch.

I'm beginning to wonder how this society made it into the 21st century?

[cyberDJ-2038765336053745013836]

If we didn't have so much money wrapped up in Iraq/Afghanistan and the $700B bail-out, we might be able to afford your idea.

[inachu]

I predict that the digital transmitters will not be as powerful as their older analog versions.

[xmitman]

I have been ready for two years. The problem is the broadcasters are the ones that are not ready because I can't receive any digital channels. So come 2009 the FCC mandated change will leave me with a black screen on my two expensive TVs.

[bommai]

Where do you live? Most places that have analog high power stations have already converted over. Low power stations don't need to convert over.

[aka_tripleB]

I think this will be an example of a problem that can only be easily fixed when you have no choice but to fix the problem. The problem with trying to fix it now is getting people and boxes to ignor the analog signal. It's not that easy when even I do it. I've managed to get my mom to use the converter, but my dad is stuburn. "Why did you buy this box?" "The TV works fine!" "The government isn't going to make people use these boxes!" Trust me, there's going to be a lot of people out there that won't understand until February.

[bommai]

That is why TV stations need to have more frequent downtimes on the analog side so they can get people to switchover now! In fact, they should put a big blue screen or even simulate static but put a message on the bottom regarding the switchover. Do this several times a day during popular programs and I am sure you can catch most people.

[timber2005]

@bommai I've been wondering the same thing, on why they can't run seperate analog/digital broadcasts when they can have diffrent digital broadcasts. Show something on the analog broadcast!

But our local stations in the Raleigh NC area are doing just what you said. A static message at the bottom (espically noticeable during primetimes) with information on the transition.

[ferretboy88]

People should spend more time working and reading. Sitting home watching tv in the house you can't pay for is old school. I love all these people who don't work collect welfare and complain about the new change. Maybe they should all get free cable.

[ArtInvent]

Digital broadcasters are in no way ready for the switch. I have had digital reception for nearly two years, and there are huge problems with it. I replaced my antenna and raised the mast. I added a remote controlled rotator. I am able to receive nearly every analog channel available in my area. The digital tuner, however, absolutely cannot receive a number of the major broadcast channels, and a number of the ones it is able to tune have a marginal signal. This is a mere 15 miles from the center of downtown Los Angeles. If broadcasters in LA can't get it right, I'm wondering where on earth they will get it right. Turning off analog will mean that a huge number of people will have unacceptable tv reception. I don't know whose fault this is, but all-digitial is shaping up to be a big disaster.

[bommai]

I am in Kansas City and I get all channels in my living room using $7 rabbit years. Most analogs are full of static. All digital come perfectly. Tuners in first generation HDTVs were not as good. They have improved the sensitivity and common mode rejection ratio in newer tuners.

[cyberDJ-2038765336053745013836]

Working for a TV station that has been HD since 1998, I can say that this transition WILL be a CF of epic proportions.
I can't even convince my bosses to have a Help Desk ready to handle the millions of calls that will come in that day.

I may take vacation that week because I see no evidence that management is taking this seriously enough.

[martin_c_e]

Much of this is nonsense. I have been watching ota-dtv since January 2006. I live about 37 miles from Houston and receive all but one station (the one I cannot get in analog). Anybody who can read and follow instructions should have no problems. The only problem with some will be antenna placement because they need to know where the transmitters are (www.antennadirect.com) because they may be in-between them.

[archaicforest]

Texas is flat; Tennessee is mountainous. You can't get reliable reception when the signals pass over to far in the air. Not everyone has enough money to lift their antenna 50 foot into the air.

[kcimming]

I really don't understand why the DTV folks have everyone focused on one day in Feb. 2009. Most (if not all) areas are ready now. If everyone waits until the last minute to try their new converter boxes they are only compounding the problem. They should be telling everyone to switch today.

[dwimmer38]

Ironically the same stupid people who voted for Obama are the ones complaining about not understanding the conversion to DTV. If DTV is too difficult to understand, perhaps you should not be watching TV at all and should spend time with books.

[DrollTroll]

If those people who voted for Obama were "stupid" they wouldn't be able to read either. If those Republican bozo's hadn't screwed up the economy, you'd be employed and not have time to be posting insulting drivel. That's irony.

[badshot30]

Yeah, but quite a few of the high power stations are only broadcasting digitally until feb '09

[paulab1953]

I LIKE THE CLEAR PICTURES ON DTV (WHEN THEY AREN'T BREAKING UP BECAUSE SOMEONE WITH SATELLITE RADIO IS DRIVING PAST--OR WHEN I USE THE TOASTER OR MICROWAVE). I WANT TO KNOW IF THE SIGNAL STRENGTHS WILL IMPROVE IN FEBRUARY TO TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM?!?!

BY THE WAY, I VOTED FOR OBAMA AND I UNDERSTAND THE SWITCH TO DTV. AFTER ALL THE BUGS ARE WORKED OUT IT WILL BE A VERY GOOD THING. CLEARER PICTURES AND WAY MORE CHANNELS.