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Austin’s digital TV transition goes smoothly
Mike Wenglar hasn’t shut off the analog signal yet, but when he throws the switch, his KVUE career will have come full circle. Wenglar, the station’s Director of Technology, turned on the analog signal nearly 38 years ago when KVUE first started broadcasting and he will switch it off in two weeks. When the static slate with the digital television transfer hotline telephone number disappears, Wenglar will be the one executing that particular program’s cancellation.
Friday, June 12 was the deadline for U.S. television broadcasters to have their digital signals up and running and most have shut off their analog broadcasts. There was a good deal of pre-transition hand wringing in central Texas, the fourth-least-prepared television market in the country just prior to the switch. But the transition appears to have gone well.
KVUE (ABC), which shut off its digital signal during Friday’s 10 p.m. newscast, fielded fewer than 60 calls this past weekend with over half of them coming before midnight the day of the transition.
KXAN (NBC) General Manager Eric Lassberg said his station’s transition went “very well. We had minimal calls.” Most were related to issues with pre-scanning, the process of teaching your digital television or converter box to find and pull in digital signals for viewing.
The folks over at FOX affiliate KTBC fielded about 480 calls throughout the weekend at their fully-staffed hotline. There were some questions about coupons and converter boxes, but many of the callers had problems receiving the station’s digital signal. According to General Manager Mark Rodman, this was due to KTBC’s FCC designation as a “phased transition station.” Since KTBC’s signal was being transferred from one digital frequency to another, the FCC gave the station a temporary authorization with lower power. Rodman stresses that this was planned and that the signal strength is scheduled to be back up in 2-3 weeks.
“We’ll be ready for the Cowboys’ home opener,” he says, adding that he appreciated the goodwill and understanding from KTBC’s loyal viewers. Rodman touted the fact that these particular callers had converter boxes and knew how to use them as proof that the transition awareness campaign was effective.
“We’re in the digital age,” he said. “Welcome.”
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By jingles
June 30, 2009 7:42 PM | Link to this
has anyone had luck yet receiving a signal? I've got nothin'...
By rocky
June 16, 2009 7:10 PM | Link to this
I live in the Anderson Mill and 183 area. Even closer in than Wayne. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. Seems to me someone's head ought to roll over at KTBC. The tower and antenna upgrade could've been done well before the switch from analog to digital. What on earth were they thinking? BTW, the suggested "disconnect antenna; scan; reconnect antenna; rescan" didn't do any good whatsoever.
By Wayne
June 16, 2009 6:08 PM | Link to this
I live in Georgetown and have been watching digital broadcast exclusively for over 20 months now. Have had no difficultly watching the digital broadcasts of all the Austin stations including KTBC's 7-1. But now KTBC is totally off the air. Even after hours of antenna tuning and channel rescans, there is no hint that KTBC is even broadcasting. When you break something that was working great, it is not a "smooth transition".