Analog Television's Drop-Dead Date Arrives at Last

KYW Newsradio Team Coverage

Ready or not, this is "digital TV transition day," when old-style analog TV broadcasting ends.

KYW's John Ostapkovich reports that after months of lead time and one false start back in February (see related story), transition day is here.  Nearly 13 million households still getting over-the-air signals have had to adapt.  An unknown number won't be ready. 

So why are we doing this?  

Widener University economics professor Joseph Fuhr, who studies the telecommunications industry, says the new technology doesn't leave room for the old in the finite electromagnetic spectrum:

"The use of analog and digital is redundant, and therefore it's taking up extra space in terms of the spectrum.  Take the analog away and that will give us extra spectrum space which can then be used for emergency services and broadband and wireless."

Professor Fuhr says digital television broadcasting can offer more services than analog, and moves the TV ever closer to the personal computer in how the two are used:

"I would say within the next ten years it's just basically going to be the same thing, because now you can watch TV on your computer.  The dividing line between the two is becoming smaller and smaller."

Most American households either have digital TVs already, or signal conversion is handled by a pay TV service such as cable or satellite.  The race to get converter boxes to the rest continues.

KYW's Mike DeNardo reports that lots of viewers still have questions about the digital TV conversion, so the FCC has been arranging a number of walk-in centers, including one at the WHYY studios (top photo).

Chief technology officer Bill Weber says a lot of the visitors are partly ready for the digital conversion:

"Many people have converter boxes. But they're not sure how exactly how to hook them up."

Staffers have brochures, diagrams, and 1980s-era TV sets to walk viewers through the process.  Weber says the center will be open for another week.

If you have any concerns about the transition, drop by the WHYY studios 150 N. 6th Street (near Vine), visit http://www.dtv.gov/, or dial 1-888-CALL-FCC.


KYW's Paul Kurtz reports that Comcast has set up a command center to monitor the switch and help their customers get through the transition.

A transition team was up all night keeping an eye on four wall-mounted monitors and a bank of computer terminals. Comcast's Jay Kreiling:

"What this center is set up to do is to monitor our call center activities across the country, and they'll be able to monitor to see if we have any spikes of volume or if any particular problems crop up."
 
Kreiling says Comcast is trying to help customers who may not have all the TVs in their homes hooked up to cable. But nearly three million households have been grabbing their signals exclusively over the air.

"So we think there is going to be some disruption from customers that are using an antenna and haven't taken steps to get ready."

Which means they will now either have to go without TV or bite the bullet and call their local cable, fiber optic, or satellite company.