Digital Dialog

As the Dust Settles...

It has been a very busy 49 days for me.  Beginning the week after Thanksgiving, I have been busy with the preparation of Oahu's final digital transmission system which is due to be activated on February 18.  In addition to Oahu, the Maui digital system was being prepared for its debut on January 15, the Kauai analog translator system needed to be modified to work with a digital signal and the Big Island translator system required major changes to keep operating in analog.

So how do I feel the transition went?  It was pretty much what I expected, except for the Big Island...more on that later.  We knew that the move of our Oahu transmitter from the KGMB tower to Palehua (above Makakilo) was going to cause a lot of people who could once get us to lose our signal and a lot of people who could not receive us to start getting a signal.  In addition, the temporary UHF channel we are licensed to use by the FCC would not be something most people are used to receiving.  But come this February 18, we will be returning to our beloved Channel 11 frequency and should make it more familiar to rereceive.

The Maui transition went off without a hitch.  At noon on January 15, we shutdown the analog transmitter, which was broadcasting on Channel 10, and switched on the digital transmitter, also broadcasting on Channel 10.  This momentous occasion was over 20 years in the making.  After many Public Hearings, meetings with special interest groups, propagation studies, site surveys, and governmental processes, the site at Ulupalakua Ranch was finally agreed upon by all.  All the broadcasters were aware of the loss of coverage on Maui, Molokai, Oahu and the Big Island, but due to the loss of a lease at the summit of Haleakala and the subsequent move to Ulupalakua Ranch, the loss of coverage would have happened even if we continued with analog broadcasts.  So in the end, our coverage ended up being pretty much what was predicted.

Kauai's translator system, though still analog, had to receive the KHET digital signal and convert it to analog to keep the system going.  This was done without notice in early January.  We will begin transitioning Kauai over to digital once we have completed the Oahu digital change mentioned above, and/or when the existing translators require replacement.

For the Big Island, please read my next entry.

Overall, the dust is settling on the transition of our full-power transmitters, but I am just starting to build the digital translator system...on both Kauai and the Big Island...anyone seen the Sawzall?

Digital Converter Boxes

Here is the weak point in the digital transition.  I feel that not enough information is being relayed to the consumer by the government, the broadcasters and the retailers...but buy the Digital Converter Box with Analog Pass-Through...

I recently spoke with a viewer who purchased a converter box, hooked it up and then called me to say " I'm not getting digital television".  I proceeded to ask many questions and in the end the misunderstanding was that they thought by connecting a digital conversion box to their television, it would get all the digital stations...much like a cable digital box.

Unfortunately the digital conversion box is only a channel tuner that takes in the new over-the-air digital television signals and changes it so that your old television can display the picture.  It has nothing to do with cable or satellite signals...it is only used for OVER-THE-AIR digital siganls.

Now the second part to the equation is what I just wrote about earlier...the ANTENNA!  You are going to need one.  No ifs, ands or buts.  Whether it is an indoor antenna or an outdoor antenna, you are going to need one.  There is another web site that can give you an idea of what type of antenna you'll need, it's:  www.tvfool.com

Now here is my disclaimer...you may need a signal amplifier or an antenna rotor or a "smart" antenna...but none of this will guarantee reception of all your favorite TV channels.  Reception of over-the-air signals can be affected by mountains, buildings, trees, weather, bodies of water, traffic, location and a bunch of other factors I can only imagine.

Digital Converter Boxes are not the "magic" bullet that some believe it to be...but if you try hard enough, it can extend the life of that analog set long enough to make up for all the money spent on antennas, amplifiers, splitters, cables, etc....

Update on our Digital Transition

This is an update for a prior post titled "Where we are...where we'll be...and how".

On Oahu most of the Hawaii TV Broadcasters have been given the go-ahead by the FCC to shut-off analog broadcasts on January 15, 2009 rather than the February 17, 2009 federally mandated transition date.

PBS Hawaii will begin work on our higher powered digital transmission system beginning the last week of November.  We will reduce our analog power by half so that we can re-purpose the analog transmitter for our final digital transmission system.  Our antenna is due to be installed the beginning of February and until then we will continue broadcasting on Channel 18.  Once completed (mid February) we will have better coverage for Honolulu, Central Oahu and the Waianae Coast, but you will need to perform a rescan on your TV or converter box.

Maui will be broadcasting in digital only from January 15, 2009 at noon.  We believe that most of Maui will not lose our signal, but there is a chance that North and East Maui may experience some signal degradation or not get enough signal to watch our programs.

Kauai will go through a phased transition as all of our transmitting devices are classified by the FCC in the low-power category and are thus not mandated by law to begin digital transmitting.  Because there are twice as many low-power transmitters as full-power transmitters in the U.S., the FCC is waiting for the dust to settle with the full-power transmitters and find out what channels are left to make the low-power transition.  On a side note, it may be possible for the residents in southern and eastern Kauai to receive our digital broadcasts from Oahu...if so enjoy the new digital revolution...

The Island of Hawaii will also go through a phased transition to digital.  The first area to become digital will be Waimea followed closely by Hilo.  Because all the other broadcasters in Hilo will be in digital, it only makes sense for us to join in with them so we do not create any additional confusion to the viewers.  To do this we must re-purpose some equipment from Oahu and convert it to digital.  I anticipate that PBS Hawaii will be broadcasting digitally in Hilo by the end of February or early March.  The rest of the island will follow as funds allow.

There is a lot happening, all in a short period.  I anticipate some short outages and apologize for it in advance, but due to logistics, I am not able to be in all locations at the same time.  I will try to keep these outages to a minimum and appreciate your understanding and patience.  More later...

Reach Out And Transition Somebody

With the Hawaii DTV Transition happening on January 15, 2009, the television broadcasters of Hawaii are trying to reach out to viewers who might be unable to or are unaware of the coming transition.  We can only do so much and we need your kokua.  Here are things you can do to help:

1)  Should you know someone that uses over-the-air signals to view TV, tell them about needing a converter box if they want to continue using their analog TV;

2)  Send me an email (skomori@pbshawaii.org) of names of community associations or groups or even neighborhoods where over-the-air reception is prevalent;

3)  Refer them to my Blog here or they can go to www.dtv.gov for information;

This transition is going to be a bit bumpy and every little bit helps, so if you can...reach out and transition somebody..

Time is Running Out

For those who plan to continue using your analog TV and are looking to purchase a converter box:

Hawaii's Digital Transition date closer than ever (JANUARY 15, 2009), and if you want/need the $40 coupon offered by the Federal government to subsidize the purchase of a Digital-to-Analog Conversion Box, you better do it now.  Just go to:

www.dtv2009.gov

You can either fill out an application form on-line or print out an application form (which you will need to fill out and mail).  It will take up to 6-weeks, depending upon when the application is received, to receive either one or two coupons (you chose on the application) towards the purchase of a converter box (and if you can afford the additional small cost increase, with analog pass-through).

So if you don't do it by the end of November...you'll lose your over-the-air analog signal for good on January 15, 2009 and your analog TV will become a dust collector...

Far Out...

Satellite coverage...Dish network and DirecTV...they keep telling us that everything will be okay for the digital transition, but now I'm unsure...

Over the past week, ever since our analog transmitter on Oahu malfunctioned, the majority of viewers calling in complaints have been Big Island and Kauai satellite subscribers.  They (the satellite companies) tell me that they are using my digital over-the-air signal, but yet when my analog goes off, you don't get our programming!??

What gives?  And there is nobody but voicemail to talk to you when you call them or if you do get ahold of somebody, they have no idea what you are talking about and blame the TV station that you are calling about for their problems.

Let's just hope that when the transition happens in Hawaii (January 15, 2009) that you won't lose all Hawaii local channels...

IF YOU'VE GOT IT...USE IT!

With our recent KHET analog transmitter outage, I have been gettting calls from folks who have already purchased a DTV converter box but are waiting to use it, I say...if the converter box is an analog pass-through model that I have recommended purchasing in a prior post...USE IT NOW!  You don't have to wait until analog goes away to install the unit.  This way, should the analog signal disappear, you may be able to see a station's digital signal.

That being said, whenever a channel is selected on a DTV tuner or converter box, the channel number usually shows up on the screen for a few seconds and then disappears.  If the number ends with a ".0", you are watching the analog signal of a station.  If it ends with a ".1, .2, .3..." you are watching a digital channel.

A Synopsis of the Early Transition to Digital by Wilmington, NC

Below is a link to an article in TV Newsday of the issues that many of the Over-The-Air viewers had with the shut-off of analog television...simulating what will happen on February 18m 2009 when all full power analog TV stations are mandated to shut-off.

DON'T GET CAUGHT NOT HAVING A SIGNAL GET TO YOUR TV...PREPARE NOW...

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/09/10/daily.13/

Where we are...where we'll be...and how

With all the announcements of digital television, many over-the-air (OTA) consumers are beginning to take heed as well as those who want to receive HD programming without having to pay for it.

What follows is PBS Hawaii's and only PBS Hawaii's road map to digital broadcasting.

Right now and until March or April 2009, PBS Hawaii will be broadcasting an UHF digital signal known to your TV set as 11.1 and 11.2.  Though it is actually on Channel 18, your TV will decode the information in the signal and display it as Channel 11.1 or 11.2.  Though we meet FCC parameters for initial digital broadcasting, many of you are not able to receive the signal because this signal is very directional and at a low power.

Sometime in March or April 2009, we need to coordinate with other users of a tower to install our new antenna.  Once installed, we will switch over our digital signal to a VHF signal on Channel 11.  All you may need to do is re-scan for digital signals and using the information in the signal, it will tell your TV that PBS Hawaii's programming is on Channel 11.1 and 11.2.  This final configuration will cover more area with a stronger signal.

On Maui, PBS Hawaii has been involved in getting approval to use a site at Ulupalakua Ranch.  To date we have yet to be approved, but once it is, we will be forced to broadcast from this site with our analog signal.  Due to the lack of personnel to be at transmission sites across the U.S. on February 17, 2009, PBS Hawaii has been scheduled to convert its transmitter to digital in mid December 2008.  That means that PBS Hawaii programming will no longer be broadcast in analog (on Maui), so you'll need to either buy a converter box with analog pass-through, buy a DTV set or subscribe to cable or satellite.

As for translator viewers on the islands of Hawaii and Kauai, because the FCC has not mandated a switch to digital for translators, we are doing a phased in approach to replacing the analog systems.  On Hawaii we will begin broadcasting in digital at Waimea (Kamuela), Hakalau and Hilo and on Kauai it will be Kalaheo, Lihue and Anahola which will get a digital signal on February 18, 2009.

There will be some interruptions to our signal as we make the transition and the analog signal on Oahu will be reduced so that we may save money by using existing analog equipment for our digital system...so hang on to your antennas because it will be a bumpy ride to digital no matter what anyone says..

What about us cable subscribers?

I have been writing a lot about free over-the-air reception of local TV signals...well did you know that if you are a basic cable subscriber, you can get local high-definition and digital channels without a box?  It does take some doing, but it is possible.

What you first need is a subscription to basic cable.  Then purchase a DTV set with a QAM tuner.  Here is the difficult part...the local channels are free (even the HD tier) but they are not located by channel numbers.  They are actually put on cable by a frequency setting, so you'll have to use the TV scan feature to find all the channels, copy down the frequency and punch in those numbers when you want to change the channels.

If you want to watch other channels, or access all the Pay-per-view, VOD, Start Over, etc, functions, you'll need to get Oceanic's digital or HD cable box.  It may be humbug, but it is another way to get HD without paying extra!