Despite 'delay,' DTV transition starts today

Just last week, President Obama signed the DTV Delay Act into law. But despite appearances, the delay isn't mandatory: about one-third (650-plus) of the nation's TV stations will be pulling the plug on their analog towers by the end of Tuesday. The remaining stations will be taking advantage of the new legislation, transitioning to digital between March 14 and June 12.

Which stations are switching early? An updated document at the FCC's DTV Web site will let you know which (if any) stations are in your area (PDF). Here in New York--as in most large metro areas--no stations are transitioning early. But those of you with antennas in smaller or rural markets may begin to see stations blink out in the next 24 hours, if they haven't already.

Remember: anyone with cable, fiber, or satellite TV service shouldn't see any disruption in service. Likewise, anyone with an antenna attached to their DTV or DTV converter box should be up and running on the digital versions of their local stations. (See a side-by-side comparison of analog and digital broadcasts during New York City's October 2008 analog shut-off test, for example.)

Meanwhile, some analog stations will be running a "night light" service for the next few weeks--basically a public-service announcement confirming that antenna viewers need to get a DTV converter box if they wish to continue receiving the channel. (My take: if the FCC had mandated a more aggressive version of this sort of on-screen reminder months ago, people would've been better informed, and no delay would've been necessary.)

Anyone who still has questions can read the in-depth CNET Guide to the DTV Transition.

Frustrated or confused by the nondelay delay of the DTV switch? Sound off below.

[Xanthus179]

If people missed out on this whole thing happening around them then I would say they just weren't paying attention. I don't watch much TV, but in the hour or two I used to watch a day I felt like I was being inundated with reminders about this. Perhaps it was being done more on the local level, and other cities weren't doing it as much.

[gopnick]

This was Obama's first screw-up. It's being overshadowed by the markets tanking as a result of his "stimulus".

FAIL.

[wmrfisher]

This screwup came in the middle of the Bush administration which dropped the ball on public education and ensuring that the resources would be available for those who require converters.

[sanenazok]

@wmrfisher: public education?? What more could they have done? There were ads, ads, ads. What more could people have wanted. No amount of education could have helped some and these are the winners that Obama coddles.

[timber2005]

There were ads, online ads, phone calls, reminders, mailings, signs at every walmart, target, best buy, radioshack in the country, and Cable & Sat companies pushing hard to get peoples business.

[wmrfisher]

There were lot's of ads but most were confusing as to when DTV could be received and even who needed converters. I had older relatives and family friends asking me if the converter box needed to be plugged-in before or after the cable box. Most stations have been broadcasting DTV since 2003 and many started in 1999. The Bush administration could have done more. Even so, I would have been happier if the all stations had pulled the plug on NTSC yesterday.

[8301]

"My take: if the FCC had mandated a more aggressive version of this sort of on-screen reminder months ago, people would've been better informed, and no delay would've been necessary."

My take: people were adequately informed, but inadequately motivated. You know what gets viewers off the couch and to the store (or better yet, outside)? Having all the channels on their analog TV disappear.

[Mike Malone]

Exactly right! This is exactly why we didn't go metric. Because the old people couldn't make the change. Well they have passed away, now I'm an "old people", and we still can't start anything new. If you took down all the mile signs, it would take about a week for everyone to figure out how far a kilometer is. Shut off the analog signals and people will have their converter boxes within 24 hours.

[ducttape36]

off topic, but you brought it up so i wanted to throw in my two cents... METRIC SUCKS! a base ten system? really? you think thats easier? ok. lets see, there are 12 inches in a foot and 10 decimeters in a meter. both can be devided by 2 easily, 6 inches and 5 decimeters respectively. what happens when you divide by two again? 3 and 2.5.. already into decimal zones here, but thats not a big deal. what sucks is when you try to divide a meter into three equal parts. three equal parts of a foot is 4 inches. a real number. three equal parts of a meter? 33.333333333333333... already not a real number. civic engineers know this, they prefer to work in standard measurements. it doesnt have much to do with figuring out how far a kilometer is. ok rant over :)

[timber2005]

"three equal parts of a foot is 4 inches. a real number. three equal parts of a meter? 33.333333333333333..."
Ermm... dunno how many people work in 1/3's but lets try 1/4s

1/4 of a foot is 3 inches
1/4 of a meter is 25cm (a easily usable number)

MAGIC!

[johnsmartin]

BTW, 33.33333... is a "real" number.

[ducttape36]

sorry, yes 33.333333 is a 'real' number in math terms, i just meant it has an infinitely repeating decimal which makes exactly measuring it in real life impossible. and yes 25 is usable, but not as usable as 3 is. both come up with a single decimal when divided by two, but only three can be divided into thirds. with 25 you get 8.33333.... you get the point. if you dont, do some civic engineering and let me know how well metric works for you.

[hdjones]

Show me a ruler/tape measure/measuring stick/etc that has *any* markings in thirds. I don't think I've ever heard anyone say "i need a 2/3 inch nail"... ever.

No, we break things down in halves (and havles of halves)... 1, 1/4, 2/8, 4/16, 8/32 (which, I know, in true fractions, all goes back to 1/4)... but, 3/8, or 5/16, or 12/32, etc. There's nothing in the US standard of measures that uses odd numbers as the divider.

Try walking in to the store and asking for 2/3 of a gallon of milk.

Metric *is* easier... to learn and to use.

[ducttape36]

hahahaha wow, i love your milk analogy for doing away with standard. a gallon is standard measurement. asking for 2/3 gallon of milk would work way better than walking into a store and asking for a liter. wow, just wow.

guys, standard measurement divides into halfs just as easily as metric, but give you the added benefit of 3rds as well. why wouldnt you want more options? and we use thirds all the time! in film people follow the two thirds rule of having a persons eyes two thirds up the screen. in baking we use two thirds cup all the time.

im done with this rant now, argue all you want kids.

[wmrfisher]

There is so much confusion about this issue and frankly this headline contributes to it. The DTV transition started essentially 10 years ago when stations in major markets began broadcasting in ATSC. Most stations have been broadcasting ATSC since 2003. However, the headline gives the impression that the DTV switch will be turned on today or in June. Broadcasters have been saddled with the expense of operating two transmission systems for years. The government and even the broadcasters have done a pretty poor job of letting folks know that they could have made the switch since 2006 for most receivers sold after then in the US or since this summer for those who rely on converter boxes.

[does.tv]

As someone right in the middle of this fiasco, the statement about the FCC being more aggressive is a prime example of the problem. The FCC dictated (did not ask!) that we have to play XX amount of DTV "educational" spots per period of day. This includes primetime costing us big bucks. Along with that we had to have scrolls on the screen at different times. Our web sites HAD to have links to the DTV information and coupon program. We had government dictated 30 minute shows we HAD to air. Oh, did I mention the detailed reporting showing each and every showing of everything that had to go up to the FCC on a regular basis. Don't miss it, will cost ya $$$$$ if you forget to dot an i or cross a t.

How would it sit with CNET if the FCC dicatated to you that a certain percentage of every web page you serve up has to contain content about the DTV conversion?

The DTV conversion has been coming for 10 years. The date was fixed over 2 years ago. We've been running these DTV educational spots for almost a year.

Why can't the fault be on the lazy-a**ed people just didn't get up off their butts and take care of business. I don't have sympathy over having to spend $40 on a cheapo converter. My station spent over $500,000 to make this government mandated action happen. And that's with NO return on investment on that money spend. Zippo.

[Heimdall G.]

"Why can't the fault be on the lazy-a**ed people just didn't get up off their butts and take care of business."

Ah yes, spoken by someone who's warm and eating regularly. Someone who doesn't have to decide every day among food, heat, and medications.

Many people rely on their TV set as their only contact with the outside world. Among them are the handicapped, the underprivileged, the retired on fixed incomes, the newly-jobless, and on and on - those who must constantly make the choice of eating or buying medications or paying the power bill or buying heating oil. Those who literally are living hand-to-mouth and have no way to save any money. That $40 for the box can mean going hungry for a week. Throw in a new antenna, and it's even worse.

If the DTV transition is NOT delayed, will that force most of those who aren't ready now to get ready? Nope, won't happen. As the old saying goes, you can't get blood from a stone, and those who can't afford a box now won't be able to afford one after February 17.

So, should we leave those who aren't ready for the DTV transition twisting slowly in the wind?

Let's be blunt. Only someone who's warm and eating regularly - and is truly heartless - would propose something like that.

You there, does.tv! Put down that steak!

[mikeburek]

In Austin, TX, only station KEYE (42) turned off the analog signal. I'm not using an antenna, but I want to write them a letter saying it was a good decision and I like it. And maybe write a letter to other stations if they only offer an analog signal. So I think I'll get a TV tuner card for my computer so I can test the digital signal out.

The little old ladies who still write paper letters get things done as opposed to just emails, so I'm gonna try their tactic.

Any suggestions for the TV tuner cards? I know they all / most have the digital tuner (is it NTSC?) in them. And the ones I was looking at were around $50. It seems like this is an average price for them. Any recommendations?

[CodyMac]

Why did the government decide to make DTV mandatory in the first place?! I feel like the millions they have spent on this could have went towards something a LOT better.

[Heimdall G.]

The DTV transition is advertised primarily as the means to free up broadcast spectrum for public safety and other uses. Of course, that sounds all patriotic and good for the public. But the real driving force behind the transition legislation was an intense lobbying effort by broadcasting companies and others who wanted to gain competitive edge, for example by providing services like wireless broadband. Our wonderful politicians also saw the opportunity to auction off large chunks of the "unused" spectrum to those same companies for many billions of dollars. So, the transition is basically happening because of the usual corporate and governmental greed!

[JazzGuyy]

They made it mandatory because the bandwidth reclaimed was sold for billions of dollars which went into the U.S. Treasury.

There are some cards and USB based devices that can do ATSC and QAM. Look on Newegg or similar places like that.

As for the DTV change - ALL stations should have changed over about a year ago. Enough already, let's make it happen!

[BtmnHatesRbn]

If you can find some really old episodes of Computer Chronicles on the Internet Archive somewhere, 480p 16:9 HDTV was developed in the late 1980s, rolled out at shows in 1990, and the first switch Congress passed was supposed to happen in 1992, but didn't. It was just ignored. According to ABC News broadcasts in July of 1994, when they switched, the other switch was supposed to happen in Sep. 1994. Again, ignored. The FCC didn't feel like filing it or anything. Other dates for switching were in 1996, two in 1998, 2000, 2004, 2005, 2006 and finally the 2009 was settled upon, which has been pushed back.

I'll bet when June rolls around, it'll get pushed back to 2012, regardless of the multi-billion dollar sale of that part of the spectrum. When the company that has rights to use that part of the spectrum asks the Federal Representatives about their rights to use it and how this 2012 delay will cost them billions, it will fall on deaf ears, like the current lack of support for the Marxist "stimulation" of the economy.

[BSinton]

Some of you yanks seem confused. The statement the Metric SUCKS is a bit silly since you have had Metric/Decimal money for over 200 years.

Down here in New Zealand we changed from 12 pence to shilling system in 1967, and as with your TV change, there were people who were not aware of it until it happened.

What we have done in addition is to go Metric on everything.
Buy your meat by the KG.
Buy petrol by the Litre, travel at Km/Hour , and petrol consumption is in Litres/100Km.

Your property is measured in Hectares (or decimals thereof), and not Acres , rood, and perches.

We do our construction /woodwork etc using Metres or Millimetres , depending on the size. and dressmaking uses Centimetres!

You will have noticed the spelling as prescribed by the French (who invented it)

My woodworking jobs now seem much easier in mms, no more 3/16" etc. which
now seems very clumsy .

Got a bit of the subject , but hopefully you learned something.

Good luck with your new TV system

[mono_kakata]

I'm betting that ductape36 has never worked with metric -- or never really worked with the hard bits of feet and inches.

OK, which is easier? I ran into this one, rebuilding a kitchen: 1 3/8" + 15/16" + 2 3/4" ... yeah, I finally managed to add all those up. Now let's convert the answer to feet...oops. You do it.

Now compare to this example: 36 mm + 155 mm + 500 mm. Sheesh, you just add those integers up and you're done. Want the measurement in centimeters? Just move the decimal point. Meters? Move it again.

I won't even talk about subtracting 15/16" from 1 3/8".

Finally, "civic engineers?" Did you mean "civil engineers?" If you meant Honda Civic engineers, I assure you they work in metric.

[Migraine]

I with you agree with you, Obama is not starting off good at all !
But as much as I hate to admit it, Bush did live this country in a very big mess!

But it's not like Obama did not know what he was walking into to start with.

[Stefaninafla]

I couldn't care less if television signals ended for good. I think I'd miss TV for about a month before I got over it, if that long.
But sure, i support the idea of all TV stations ending analog signal if they want to. After all, why should they have to pay to run two different signals if they don't want to?

[jafarm66]

They mandated Cell Phones go all digital and left people out in the booneys hanging. Why should the TV changeover be any different? Do you think Congress gives 2 cents about the citiziens it represents when almost all their re-election money comes from large corporations. Sure they will say what will make their constituents happy but then go do what the corporations (money) wants. Look at the DMCA bought and paid for by the Entertainment industry.