TechnoBabble

Those following the digital transition know that February 17, 2009 is poised to be a special day in the annuals of broadcasting. The day the USA ceases full power analog television broadcasting, UNLESS you live or frequent Wilmington, North Carolina.

In true Washington fashion, FCC Commissioner Michael Copps, a Democrat, has been haranging FCC Chairman Kevin Martin, a Republican and a North Carolina native son from Charlotte, that a test market for the transition needs to be set up to see if people can ACTUALLY see digital television before the February 17 cut off date. His rational "Real-world experience is an extremely important step—although only one of many—that will help minimize consumer disruption next February. Broadway shows open on the road to work out the kinks before opening night. The DTV transition deserves no less". I guess Commissioner Copps missed the memo that stated stations have been broadcasting digital for almost 10 years and there are people who ACTUALLY watch TV this way, but hey, Washington can't let a good political jab get in the way of the truth, but I digress.

The FCC has announced that starting September 8, 2008, the full power analog television stations in the Wilmington DMA must cease their analog broadcasts. So if you live in Wilmington, go to the beach in the Wilmington area, or watch the Wilmington stations, be sure you have either a new digital TV, a converter box or have cable or satellite by September 8 or you will see static on your analog only TV after that.

Wilmington was picked because all of their digital stations are on the air at full power, on their final channels and locations and the population is less than 100,000 and a low penetration of free over the air households, meaning 92% of TV watchers get their TV from cable or satellite leaving only 8% who get it over the air, a low number nationwide. I don't think the FCC figured in the vacationers who bring TVs into the market on their stays and most use antennas. But I digress again, sorry.

The local Wilmington stations have already stepped up telling viewers to be ready for the switch on September 8th by telling them how and where to get the government converter boxes and who will need them. WECT TV wasted no time in getting their website up and running with the latest information for people in the Wilmington area.

The Mayor of Wilmington, Bill Saffo, seems pretty happy to be the test market. He says, "It's a huge opportunity for Wilmington to pave the way for the rest of country. I am looking forward to working with [the FCC] and honored to be the first community in the country to do it." Saffo said he was well-aware that the eyes of the nation would be following DTV developments in his town.

Well the industry will be watching that is for sure. But if the rest of the country will, that is yet to be determined.

Stay tuned.

This Saturday night, April 19th, FOX8 will broadcast a 30 minute program on the digital transition at 7:30. If you have any questions about the upcoming transition from analog to digital TV, you will want to check this program out.

From time to time until the transition, FOX8 will be providing these long from programs as well as reports during the newscasts to keep you up to date with the latest on the transition. And of course, I will be happy to answer any questions here you might have about the transition as well if you can't wait until we air something, so feel free to ask!

Let me explain what the deal is and why we (and the other TV stations) can't.

With less than 10 months until the end of analog transmissions for full power TV stations, the FCC has decided (with some [well lots of] prodding from Congress) that not enough education has been provided to you, the public, on the transition to digital television; even though TV stations are donating over 1 billion (with a B) dollars in on air campaigns, different forms on the internet, talking to the public in person, etc, about the transition. Some one asked the other day why can't the FCC send out postcards like the IRS did a few weeks ago about the economic $600 rebate?  Well, that actually is a good idea, but it would cost $20 million more than what the FCC has in it's DTV marketing budget. And as everyone knows, if you want to get your message out, TV is the best way to do it anyway! Well of course, it is in our best financial interest to be sure you DO know of the transition. No TV station will deny that. We want to keep you as viewers. That is why we are in business. To make money. Like any other business you work for. I like getting paid to pay my morgage, my light bill and of course buy my TV's! Just makes sense all around.

So the FCC's answer for more education for you, the viewer, was the "Digital Television Consumer Education Order" in early March that TV stations must broadcast a minimum amount of information in the form of Public Service Announcements (PSA) as well as "crawls, snipes" (also called pop ups during programs), "and/or tickers" and they "must air between 6:00 am and 11:35 pm, Eastern... These requirements will expire for most broadcasters on March 31, 2009."

Most broadcasters had already started running what is called "DTV action spots" starting last September to get things kicked off. Those are those PSA's that talk about the transition and the website DTVAnswers.org and as time got closer to the transition, stations had other plans to have news stories and long form programming to be sure you, the viewers, understood what was happening so we don't lose you as a viewer. In the FCC order it states that as time goes on, you will see more and more things about the transition on air. Not just on FOX8 but any over the air TV station and cable has to also provide information as well with printouts to be included in your cable bill. One thing you will see is starting 100 days before February 17, stations will start a "countdown" until the end. I know of one local station has already started doing a countdown. I saw it the other night. As time goes on, with the schedule the FCC has put out, prime time will become the main avenue to viewers to be sure everyone knows what is happening. This means that you will see an increasing amount of PSA's as well as crawls and pop ups during programming to be sure you don't forget about the transition and when it happens.

So, as you see all of this on your screen, please remember the spirit that it is intended; to keep you, the viewing public, informed.

Last week at a church function, I was approached by one of my fellow parishioners’ asking me about the upcoming Digital Transition. After my usual spiel about converter boxes and digital transmitters, he said, “How are you going to turn it off?” “Turn what off?” I answered. “The transmitter” he responded. I then went into the procedure of turning a transmitter off and before I got two sentences in he said, “No, no. How are going to sign off the analog transmitter for the last time?” I paused a moment and then said, “Oh. I don’t know. Haven’t thought about it.” We have been so busy trying to make it happen; I haven’t even thought about that moment, at 11:59 pm on February 17, 2009 what will be on the air to signal the end of an era.

 

The obvious answer is Seinfeld (if it is still scheduled as the 11:30 pm program) will end. We will do our normal top of the ID graphic that is required by the FCC, the analog channel 8 transmitter will go off, the UHF channel 35 digital transmitter will go off and the new digital channel 8 transmitter will come on, with that same ID graphic still on and then King of the Hill (if that program is still scheduled for midnight) starts. Life goes on. In my almost 30 years of broadcasting, 16 of it at WGHP, I have had the honor of turning on and off many stations/formats in that time. Guess that is why I haven’t thought about it so far.

 

In 1979, while in college, I started a campus radio station. It wasn’t anything fancy, just a station that broadcast through the AC wires in the buildings so it didn’t require a license from the FCC. At the time, it was the highlight of my life, though little did I know…..

 

In 1984, at my first full time job at a small AM/FM station, we swapped frequencies on the AM station with the other AM station in town. At noon on the day of the change, during the noon newscast, we swapped frequencies. It was my job to turn off the transmitter at the old transmitter site and to make sure it couldn’t come back on since it was located at the other AM station in town. At the appointed time, the signal was given, I reached up and turned off the old ancient Raytheon AM transmitter. The radio I set up to hear my transmitter come on the air played static only. Five seconds go by. Ten seconds go by. Fifteen seconds go by. Thirty seconds go by. Still nothing but static. I am now freaking out since I am 3 miles away from my transmitter site and I am the only station engineer! Forty-five seconds later, the static is replaced by the station owner’s voice saying, “Are we back on yet?” When the station owner hit the ON button, good ole' Murphy was there and the circuit breaker for the transmitter tripped. Luckily the Program Director had enough sense to check the breakers and found it and reset it and turned on the transmitter.

 

One year later in 1985, I was working for a different radio station that was moving their studios and FM transmitter site. The old transmitter site was turned off at midnight and the next day at 3 pm the new transmitter site and music format started. As the new station hits the air, I am standing on the control console table dodging the DJ as I complete the wall installation of the speakers. There is NEVER enough time to get it all done!

 

In 1989, I am now in Greensboro getting ready to sign off Country 102, WBIG for the last time. It is 5 am and those who haven’t heard that the country format is dead expect to hear “Billy Buck and the Waking Crew.” All they hear is the overnight DJ say his good byes as I am at the transmitter site north of Greensboro and when he finishes, I punch the transmitter off and static. Nine hours later, I am completing the reconfiguring of the studio for the new format, 102 Jamz, WJMH with TV cameras ready to capture the first instant of a new station. As the time comes, I find myself behind the control board finishing up some last minute wiring the Program Director wants before we go on. With seconds to spare, I hit the ON button on the remote control for the transmitter north of Greensboro and the static in the control room speakers go away as the Program Director makes the announcement of the new format.

 

We fast forward to April 29th, 2002. It is 5 pm on this Monday. After spending the weekend installing the new low power digital transmitter with my boss Ross Mason and fellow station engineer Marty Doty, we are ready to turn on WGHP-DT channel 35 for the first time. The 5 pm ID comes on and I turn on the digital transmitter. Neil McNeil begins the FOX8 5 O’clock News totally oblivous to the history that has just been made.

 

Four years later, we are now getting ready to turn on a new transmitter site and on March 31st 2006, we are turning on the new channel 8 transmitter and tower, the same one that in just 3 short years will be converted to a digital channel 8 transmitter for that date with destany, February 17, 2009. As 4 o’clock approaches, I let my boss, Ross have the honors of this turn on as I turn off the old channel 8 transmitter site.

 

Six months later, on August 24th 2006, I am once again at the controls of a new transmitter as we turn on the full power channel 35 digital transmitter. At 11:35 am, I hit the antenna switcher that will switch the transmitter from the dummy antenna to the real antenna. The transmitter excites the antenna and 1 million watts of power hits the airwaves. I remotely turn off the low power channel 35 transmitter and no one really notices the difference.

 

Now I am once again in the middle of a major change where I will once again be in a sequence of turn off/turn on. Technically I know how it will be done. What happens on air is yet to be determined, but with new FCC rules on educating the public it may be more than just a legal identification.

 

As the traditionalist that I am, I would love to see a 30 minute recap of how we got to 11:59 pm on February 17, 2009 and then ... the switch. But of course, I will be watching just like everyone else. But as usual, I will be at the transmitter site, punching the buttons. Making it happen. My place in the universe, I guess.

 

 

 

 

 

People are saying that the new digital to analog converter boxes are here in the Triad. The government coupons to offset the cost of those converter boxes are also being mailed as of last week to those who have requested them. You can continue to request up to 2 coupons per household until March 31, 2009 or until the money runs out for the coupons. You can request your coupons from http://www.dtv2009.gov or call 888-DTV-2009. The coupons are only good for 90 days.

I have been told that the Zenith DTT-900 converter boxes are at Best Buy and the Insignia converter box is at Circuit City. Both boxes retail for $59.95 each. With your coupon, the total cost would be $19.95. Radio Shack is also suppose to have converter boxes but they will not have them until May or June due to an in store software validation issue they are working on.

If you obtain a converter box, please post your experiences with it. I am sure some will work better than others and people will like to know what you have experienced.

Remember, if you subscribe to cable or satellite, you do not need a converter box, only those analog TVs that are connected to antennas will need them. If you purchased a new TV of any size or kind in the last year, chances are extremely good your TV has the digital tuner to continue to receive FOX8 WGHP after February 17, 2009. You need to check your owner's manual to see if your TV has an "ATSC Tuner." If so, you do not need a converter either.

What does a HD transmitter look like?

HHHMMM. I had a person ask me that question several days ago. I have never really thought about it. A transmitter is a transmitter is a transmitter. They look basically the same. It would be like asking what is the difference between a sedan and a sports car. Nothing really expect appearances. But then if you have never seen a transmitter, you would have no point of reference. With the day coming quickly when full power TV stations will no longer broadcast analog signals, it seems people are interested in what makes a TV station tick.

So, getting back to what does a HD transmitter look like, I present two pictures for you. One is our channel 8 analog transmitter, the other is our HD channel 35 transmitter. You tell me which one is which?

Other than the color and the appearance, you can't tell the difference. They both do the same thing, convert pictures into radio waves to be transmitted to your TV.

The top picture is our channel 8 transmitter. The bottom is our HD channel 35 transmitter. Either transmitter can be an analog or digital transmitter, it just depends on how it is configured. After February 17, 2009, the channel 8 transmitter that is now an analog transmitter will be converted to digital on channel 8. It will look the same as it does now just not so many cabinets. We will be moving 3 cabinets to our auxiliary tower to power the auxiliary antenna. The HD channel 35 transmitter will remain a digital transmitter but will go to a sister station where it will become a HD transmitter on a different channel since we will not be broadcasting any signal on channel 35 past February 17, 2009.

Sorry it isn't more glamorous than it is, but this is a case when it is NOT "better to look good than to feel good!"

Thw way Americans have viewed television for the last 60 years is now in the twilight of its existance. One year from today, if you do not have a new digital TV or a digital to analog coverter for your analog only TV or subscribe to cable or satelite, you will NOT be watching FOX8 or any TV station for that matter. You will only see static. For one year from today, the FCC will require all full power television stations to cease analog broadcasting and broadcast only in digital.

We here at FOX8 have spent the last 10 years getting ready for February 18, 2009. In 1998 we began the process to install not only a fully digital studio, but transmitter site as well. In 2000 we installed a digital studio to produce the news casts in digital. Not a HD studio, but it can be convertered much easier than if we were still analog. In 2002 we began broadcasting our digital signal on channel 35. In 2003 and 2004 we converted our newsroom over to a "digital newsroom" where we shoot and edit our news stories digitally. In 2005 we began building a new tower and transmitter building to broadcast in full power digital. In 2006 we conpleted this new transmitter facility and began broadcasting not only a full power channel 35 digital signal, but also an updated channel 8 that will become our digital channel next year. Last year we installed our new digital Master Control Center that is fully HD compatable when other than non-network programming is available in HD. 2008 will see us prepare to shut off our analog channel 8 transmitter and on February 18, 2009 begin digital only broadcasting from our transmitter site north of Asheboro on channel 8.

WGHP started out with a humble existance. The transmitter building and tower were just big enough to house the transmitter and support the single channel 8 antenna. And we used this tower and building from 1963 when Charlie Harville was the first voice heard on channel 8 until the new tower went on line in 2006. Today that tower and building is still there, now being used in auxiliary service. The first studios were in the old Sheraton Hotel building downtown High Point. WGHP was only to be there a short time until a new studio building could be built. That "short time" turned into 20 years before the current studios off of Brentwood Ave were built and the station vacated 400 North Main Street. Through the years WGHP went from black and white to color and then portable news gathering and now digital and high def.

I t has been a long road to get to this point and we are very excited to step into the next phase of television broadcasting and we thank you for being such wonderful viewers through all of the years that WGHP has been in existance. Thank you.

On February 7th, Best Buy Senior VP Michael Vitelli and Commerce Sec Carlos Gutierrez as well as FCC Chairman Kevin Martin, NAB President and CEO David K. Rehr, National Cable and Telecommunications Association President and CEO Kyle McSlarrow, and Consumer Electronics Association Vice President Jason Oxman announced in Washington, DC the digital to analog converter boxes for the DTV Transition will be available to the public starting one year from the transition date, February 17, 2008. Best Buy is one of the retailers that will be selling the boxes. Best Buy will also have a converter box hotline, 877-BBY-DTV9, to answer questions and process purchases using the coupons.

“The transition to digital television is an unprecedented effort, and we are working hard to ensure all Americans are aware of the transition and take necessary action before February 2009,” Sec Gutierrez said. February 17 is also the day the government coupons will be mailed out to those who have applied for them. He also talked about the public safety aspect of the transition. He was also asked if there was a real chance the coupons would run out before all who needed them received them . Sec Gutierrez said there would be enough coupons.

Mr. Vitelli stated that all 900 Best Buy stores will stock the boxes.

Starting January 1st 2008 and running through March 31, 2009, the United States government will be issuing coupons (up to 2 per household) valued at $40 each to help defray the cost of the digital to analog converter boxes (until the coupons run out) that will allow older analog only TV sets and VCRs to continue to function after TV stations switch to all digital transmission on February 17, 2009. The only analog only TV sets and VCRs that will need the converter boxes are those sets that receive TV signals through the air with rabbit ears or an antenna on the roof. Analog only TV sets and VCRs connected to cable or satellite do not need the converter boxes because the conversion will be done by your cable or satellite provider.

The reason this is being done is for several reasons. First off, the government is requiring all TV stations to do this. The picture is better, the sound is better, you will have more programming choices because each station can transmit multiple programming channels off of one transmitter and the digital transmission is a more efficient way of using the frequency spectrum. We now have 68 TV channels (2-69). After the analog shutdown next year, there will only be 50 TV channels (2-51) but there will be more room for more TV stations. Channels 52-69 are being auctioned now for new technologies and for new frequencies for police and fire.

If you need the coupons you can go to http://www.dtv2009.gov or you can call 1-888-DTV-2009.

Companies who have received FCC approval for analog to digital converter boxes in the $40 Coupon program have started to make their appearance just in time for Christmas.





LG has their Zenith branded DTT-900



LG Electronics Zenith LSX300-4DM 12/1/07
LG Electronics Insignia NS-DXA1 12/1/07

Partial list of others on the approved list are (the list is updated on a daily basis with new products so it is impossible to list them all here):

Falcon Digital Falcon FT-200 1/1/08
Falcon Digital Sansonic FT-300A 1/1/08
Falcon Digital Sansonic FT-300RT 1/1/08
Magnavox TB100MW9
Philco TB150HH9

DigitalSTREAM D2A1D10 [SDTV-SX300]




DigitalSTREAM D2A1D20

So if you need an analog to digital converter box for your older TV's, here is a starting point on what is becoming available when the NTIA opens the Coupon Program next year.

Remember,if you have any questions, feel free to post them here or you can email me at charles dot layno at foxtv dot com.

In another blog, FarmTruk asked two questions about digital converter boxes and the answers turned into a blog of their own so instead of eating up comment space, I have decided to just create a new blog entry since these are such great questions that others may have as well.

FarmTruk askes:

Q. Will the new digital signals and converter box improve fringe area reception?

A. Yes and no. One of the great things about digital TV is that the picture is always perfect. No static or snow. If you are receiving the signal you have a perfect picture.

One of the bad things about digital TV is if you do not have a good signal, you do not have a watchable signal unlike analog TV where you can still see a picture, it just may not be very clear (in digital it is called the "Cliff Effect" it is either there or it is not.)

Now having said all of that, I have played with several generations of digital turners with good success over the past 5 years and I can tell you that while signal strength is important, (like with analog, you have to have a signal to begin with before you can receive anything) but the "quality" of that signal is more important.

For example, when FOX8 first went on the air in digital in 2002, we were transmitting a whopping 4200 watts. That was 0.0042% of our allocated 1 million watts! I live in north Greensboro and with our tower at Randleman, signal strength was very low, to say the least, but I had a viewable picture 99% of the time with a modest wire mesh antenna (Channel Master 4228) on my single story house. Digital receivers have greatly improved since then as well has our power output. We are now broadcasting at 1 million watts and we now get reports of reception from Martinsville, Sanford, The Wilksboro's and north Charlotte which is the same as our channel 8 analog coverage.

From north Greensboro I get the Roanoke digital stations as well as the Raleigh stations with no problem using the same wire mesh antenna I put up in 2002, which comes in handy when the local stations pre-empt a network show I want to watch. People in Winston-Salem regularly pick up the Charlotte stations and people in High Point pick up both the Raleigh and the Charlotte stations.

For those looking for a more "technical" explaination, strap in, here comes digital TV 101!

So what does a "good quality signal" mean in digital TV? Unlike analog TV that is made up of two signals, one visual, one aural, that increases and decreases in strength as well as width over the spectrum depending on the content of the picture, digital is the same strength and width no matter whether it is a stand def or high def picture and it is actually a square signal as in the following picture.

So as long as the signal quality is good (in technical terms called the signal to noise ratio) you will have perfect picture and perfect sound no matter how close or far you are from the tower meaning as long as the receiver basically sees this shape signal, the signal level doesn't really matter. Of course you don't want this signal to be greatly tilted on either side because that will cause a loss of picture (Cliff Effect). Receivers very close to transmitters will have a deformed signal that will not decode properly because of too much signal into the receiver (receiver overload) to the point that the signal doesn't look like this anymore (squashed or tilted or many valleys as the receiver tries to reduce and deal with too much signal) and there will not be any picture displayed on your set.  You would have to reduce the signal strength coming into the receiver so the signal will be square again by using attenuators or removing an antenna booster.

As as you see, in digital, signal level isn't as important as the signal quality. Just  because you are close to the transmitter doesn't mean you will automatically get a picture! Common sense goes a long way even if your technical knowledge is limited.

Q. Will this new box work equally well on the currently VHF and UHF stations?

Yes it will. Because of the way TV waves work, lower channel numbers carry farther with less power than higher channel numbers. In the digital world, our 1 million watt channel 35 digital signal only needs 15,000 digital watts at channel 8 for the same coverage. It is as easy for receiver manufactors to build receivers in the lower channels as it is for the upper channels. There isn't any real difference these days between the VHF and UHF channels on any TV tuner.

Keep the great questions coming!

A real question that I was asked last week by a nice lady from Randolph County. She had been hearing her sons talking about buying new TV's this Christmas because the government was turning off TV in the next year and she didn't think it was fair for us to not broadcast anymore. I get variations on this theme every week and it gets even more frequent as the holidays get closer so with Black Friday looming, now would be a great time to talk about what you really need for the upcoming analog shutdown and digital transition.

I first told the lady that TV wasn't going away. We would still be here for many years to come and it was February 17, 2009 is when things change and we would be the ones changing and she just had to be sure she was ready for it. I asked her how she received TV now and she said she was on a fixed income and all she had were a set of rabbit ears on her 1980's vintage television. I told her that the US government, the National Technology and Information Agency (NTIA), would be providing $40 coupons (up to two per household) to help people in her position be able to continue to watch TV going toward the mandated $50 digital converter boxes making her share only $10. She said she could do that. I told her that after the first of the year the coupons could be gotten through the NTIA in Washington, DC and the converter boxes will be available at Radio Shack, Best Buy, Circuit CIty and other electronic stores. I told her to get her son's involved to help with obtaining the coupon and the converter box so she wouldn't miss out. She said she felt much better now about it and thanked me.

Back in September, the NTIA held a public expo on the digital converter box issue. Here is an excerpt from a TV Technology ariticle about that expo:

Among the companies displaying technology at the National Telecommunication and Information Administration (NTIA) DTV Transition Expo at Commerce Department headquarters were LG Electronics, Thomson (under the RCA brand), Samsung, EchoStar and, from Silicon Valley, Broadcom.

To show how its converter box might work in your grandmother's house, RCA hauled a 1968 set to the Commerce Department. The converter is the vertical black box to the right of the antenna.



The displays were part of a half-day of events including speeches and panel discussions organized by NTIA tackling the issue of the converter boxes and the nearly $1.5 billion worth of $40 coupons that consumers can start requesting Jan. 1.

LG hooked its box up to an old Zenith and RCA hooked its up to a vintage 1968 RCA set.

As of this posting, the FCC has approved 6 companies converter boxes, they are LG, Thompson (using the RCA brand name), Samsung, Echostar, Broadcom and Digital Stream Technology. All 6 companies will produce a $50 converter box. LG, Samsung and Echostar also produce higher cost models that you can buy now . The difference with the $50 government coupon boxes and the higher cost boxes are features. The coupon boxes are stripped down models and will only decode HD to analog televisions where the higher priced full featured boxes will display HD and Dolby Digital 5.1 audio to true HD televisions. The thought process behind this is that for the coupon boxes, they are only for converting older analog televisions so they can continue to be used after the analog transmitters are turned off and do not need features on them the older sets do not have anyway. That is not to say that the higher priced boxes will not do the same job either, because most of them do, just at a higher cost and with features that are not needed on analog sets. Most of the higher cost converter boxes retail between $170 to $400, depending on what you are looking for. The Samsung DTB-H260F is available locally for around $179 and will connect to either an analog TV or a HD TV. Motorola also has a converter box in the $200 price range. Of course all new TV's being sold today have digital tuners in them so you will not need a converter box for them or if you have cable or satellite, you will not need a converter box either.

We recently upgraded the TV's we use in the newsroom with 20 inch SD models for about $150 each and they had digital tuners in them making them ready for the transition that picked up all of the local digital stations with a modest outside antenna with no problems. A few weeks later I bought two 13 inch SD TV's from WalMart for the transmitter for $89 a piece to monitor not only the analog channel 8 transmitter, but the HD channel 35 transmitter as well and they had good digital tuners in them picking up the other digital stations in the area with no more than a wire stuck in the antenna plug making them digital ready.

So you see you do not have to spend big dollars now to be ready for the Digital Transition in 2009. Just be careful when you buy a smaller set that it is indeed digital ready. The set should have a logo on the front that says SDTV or EDTV or HDTV or Digital Ready since there is still some remaining analog only inventory out there for the smaller sets and by law are required to be labled as an analog only TV that will not work past February 17, 2009. Once this inventory is sold out, stores are not allowed to sell any more analog only TV sets. So buyer beware.

I will continue to blog as things come up but if you have an other questions about the digital transition, you can email dtv@wghp.com or call the station.

There is a revolution that is coming fast and it will be broadcast, but if you are not ready for it, you will never see it.

On February 17, 2009, television as we know it will change forever. That is when the analog TV you have been used to, will not work anymore in the same fashion as you are use to. The federal government has mandated that over the air television stations must turn off our analog transmitters and transmit digital signals only. This means that if you watch TV with an antenna and your TV doesn't have a digital tuner built in or you do not have a converter box, or you are not on cable or satellite, your TV will only show snow.

My name is Charlie Layno. I am the Transmitter Supervisor here at FOX8 WGHP. I have been on the cusp of this "digital thing" since we first started broadcasting digital in 2002. I will try and keep you updated with the latest digital conversion news as well as answer any and all your questions about the digital transition so feel free to comment back to me. We get many calls and emails here at FOX8 about the transition and what we are doing with our digital signal and how you can also enjoy the high definition shows and such on FOX8 and we thought that this would be a great way to answer the questions since so many people are confused on what is about to happen and what can they expect.

So to get things started off, here is a FAQ I wrote to help answer some of the basic questions people have. Remember, if you want further information, just post in the comment section of any of the posts I will be writing on the conversion and I will be happy to answer you.

Enjoy!

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE UPCOMING CHANGE TO DIGITAL TELEVISION

Q. What happens on February 17, 2009 and why is it so important to my TV?

A. Congress has legislated that on that day all over the air broadcast television must convert to digital over the air broadcast television and all analog over the air television broadcasting must cease.

Q. Why is Congress doing this?

A. This is to allow more efficient use of the broadcast spectrum, High Definition (HD) programming as well as additional television channels of interest to the public simultaneously in the same television channel. The old retired analog TV over the air channels will be used for Emergency Public Services like Fire, Police and Rescue.

Q. How do I know if I will be able to watch television after February 17, 2009?

A. If your television set is connected to cable or satellite, your analog television set will continue to operate after February 17, 2009. Your cable or satellite provider will do the digital to analog conversion for you. If your analog television set is connected to rabbit ears or an outside antenna on your roof, your analog television set will NOT operate after February 17, 2009 without a digital to analog converter box.

If you have purchased a television set within the last several years, it is very likely it has the new digital television tuner already built in. Since 2006 all television sets and other television devices like VCRs, TiVos and DVDs with tuners sold in the United States have the new digital “ATSC tuners” in them thereby not requiring a digital to analog converter box. Check your television owners manual to see if an “ATSC tuner” is included. If so, you are ready for the digital transition! If not, you will need to make some preparations before February 17, 2009 to maintain television service.

Q. Will my VCR still work after February 17, 2009?

A. Playback from your VCR or DVD or TiVo to your analog television set will continue to operate after February 17, 2009 without a digital to analog converter box. If you record television programs over the air to your VCR or DVD or TiVo and it is more than a year or two old, it is possible you will need a converter box for it as well. Again, check your owners manual to see if an “ATSC tuner” is already installed. If so, it is ready for the digital transition! If not, you will need a digital to analog converter to continue to record off the air after February 17, 2009.

Q. Where can I get “digital to analog converter boxes” and how much do they cost?

A. Digital to analog converter boxes (as well as digital television sets) have been available for some time since broadcasters have been broadcasting not only the familiar analog television signals, but the new digital television signals as well. These early converter boxes have been somewhat expensive so Congress has set aside $900 million dollars to help people with televisions not connected to cable or satellite to continue to receive television signals. Beginning in 2008, the National Telecommunications Information Agency (NTIA) will begin to issue voucher coupons in the amount of $40 each with a maximum of two (2) coupons per household good for 90 days from the date of issuance for the purchase of special $50 digital to analog converter boxes costing the consumer a total of $20 for two digital to analog converter boxes. Radio Shack as well as Best Buy and Circuit City, just to name a few, have announced they will have these $50 digital to analog converter boxes available in 2008.

Q. Will my current television antenna work with digital television?

A. Yes, as long as the antenna you are currently using gives good reception now for analog television. The only difference between the “old analog” television antennas and the “new digital” television antennas are the words “analog” and “digital” on the box. They are the same antennas since digital broadcasts currently and in the future will continue to use the same television channels, just a different way to send the signal.

Q. Will my old analog TV be able to view High Definition (HD) programs?

A. Yes, but the HD programs will not be in HD. It is similar to watching color programs on a black and white television.

The digital to analog converter box will automatically convert the HD picture to a format your television can display. If a television program is transmitted in High Definition, you too will be able to enjoy the program on your analog television with the help of the digital to analog converter box, but the program will not be in HD just as a color program will only be in black and white on a black and white television set.

Q. If I get a digital to analog converter box before February 17, 2009, will I have to wait until the transition before I can hook it to my television?

A. No, you do not have to wait. All television stations are now broadcasting separate digital signals along with the analog signals so as soon as you get either a new television set or a digital to analog converter box, you can connect it to your antenna and start enjoying all digital television has to offer you today!

Q. Will I need to do anything special on February 17, 2009 to continue to view FOX8 WGHP?

A. On February 17, 2009 you will need to perform a simple “rescan” of the channels on your digital television and/or digital to analog converter box to automatically reprogram FOX8 WGHP to continue to view us. The Federal Communications Commission is requiring FOX8 WGHP to change our current digital configuration back to channel 8 on February 17, 2009. We will NOT be changing channel numbers though. We will always be known as “channel 8.” See your digital television or digital to analog converter box manual on how to “rescan” your channels.

Q. Where can I go for more detailed information on the coming Digital Television Transition?

A. The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) has created a web site to address many of the same questions we have answered here as well as other more detailed questions. Go to http://www.dtvanswers.com for that web site. NAB also has an information telephone hotline you can call as well, 1-888-DTV-2009.

Also the Federal Communications Commission, (FCC) the federal agency that regulates radio, cable and television broadcasting has set up a web site with even more information. That web site is http://www.dtv.gov.

Both websites contain videos and podcasts about the upcoming transition and what you need to do to be ready when it happens on February 17, 2009.

As always, FOX8 WGHP will be happy to answer any questions beyond what we have outlined here.

In watching a lot of Science Channel lately, there have been many shows dealing with our solar system and the exo-planets. What is an exo-planet you say? It is a planet that is not in our solar system. Twenty or thirty of these exo-planets have been found in other solar systems in our galaxy in search of planets that are Earth like in other solar systems. So far only large gas giants like Jupiter have been found but they say it is only time before a small rocky Earth like planet is found as the scientists get better at finding exo-planets in general. In all of this planet talk, one planet seems to keep being talked about more than any other, Mars. In the last 10 years or so, the interest level of Mars has increased ten fold.

With the 2004 announcement that NASA has been charged to go back to the Moon and on to Mars within the next 40 years, scientists have started looking toward the red planet. The current extended missions of the two Mars rovers, Spirit and Opportunity (they originally had a 90 day mission timetable, 4 years ago) having found evidence of flowing water in the recent history (millions of years ago, not the first thought billions of years ago) of the red planet. Along with the discovery of the meteorite that came from Mars with what appears to be the fossil remains of simple one cell life forms that are found on Earth in it, "the question of did life actually start on Mars and then come to Earth?" is being seriously asked in the halls of the planetary scientists.

Of course we have to first prove that there was life on Mars at some time in its past and when. Then what, if anything, is shared with life on Earth? I have a good idea that this question of being a Martian will not be answered in my lifetime, but I would bet by the end of the 21st Century, we will have a good idea what the answer is.

If it is proven we are descendents of Martian life, how will that fact shake up our mind set of where we fit on Earth and in the Universe?

Before 9:30 in the morning of April 16, 2007 only a small group of people knew the name of Liviu Librescu. I was not one of them. Mr. Librescu was a member of the "Greatest Generation" that knew the Depression, World War II, The Cold War and 9/11. He knew World War II from the inside of a Nazi concentration camp. He saw more death and torture during World War II than 10,000 people see in a life time. He was 76 years old.

For the last 20 years he has taught aeronautical engineering at Virginia Tech. The number of lives he has molded there are in the low thousands. In any life a great accomplishment. But unfortunately Mr. Librescu will not be remembered for that great achievement by a handful of people, but will be remembered by millions around the world for something, I am sure, he would rather not be remembered for even though it is the highest and noblest thing a human can do. He sacrificed himself so his students would have a chance for survival. But from the reports I have seen and heard of him, no one should be surprised of his sacrifice. Remember, he was a member of the "Greatest Generation," a generation that put service and the "right thing" above all else. They defeated fascism and socialism in the face of bullets in the past. They sacrificied.

Was he afraid as he stood at the door using his body as a lock and shield? As more wise men than I have said about life and death situations, if you aren't scared, you’re crazy. But that fright didn't seem to stop Mr. Librescu from doing what can be called a martyr act. We will never know what his last thoughts were as Cho Sueng-Hei fired round after round through the door that Mr. Librescu was standing behind trying to keep him out as his students escaped through the windows of the classroom. But I think we can guess his determination for keeping Cho out long enough for the escape to work from many years ago from the Nazi concentration camp that must have been playing in his head like an old familiar film. He was that last line of defense. He knew it. Didn't shriek from it. Stayed calm and clear headed and knew that was what he had to do. And he did it. And if he lost his life in the process and it only saved one life, it was still worth the effort.

Well he did more than that. He saved many lives. He made a statement for life and the love of life. He made a place in Virginia Tech history and the world for himself. It was obvious standing behind that door was not what he wanted to be doing on that Monday morning, but when history and fate called on him, he once again answered the call as he did in World War II and didn't hesitate.

Mr. Librescu held the most important class he ever taught Monday morning. He taught more in 90 seconds to the world than he had in a lifetime. He taught courage, love, bravery and sacrifice. As a teacher, he fulfilled a teaching destiny that very few teachers ever achieve.

To the nouns that describe Liviu Librescu; cancer survivor; holocaust survive; husband; father; aeronautical engineer; teacher; we now, reluctantly and with great sorrow and humility, add maybe the most important noun to his name, life giver.

We say, "Mr. Librescu, thank you for the lesson you taught us Monday morning. We are sorry you had to teach it." Shalom.