Local Community Programs To Help With DTV Transition
The United States Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration continue to work on different programs to educate the public of upcoming analog to digital transition. The NTIA has diverted an extra $5 million to different community programs, including; a $2.7 million grant to the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging and $1.6 million dollars to The Leadership conference on Civil Rights Education Fund. This money is in addition to the original $5 million dollar allotment from the government to be used for DTV educational purposes and the $1.5 million dollar DTV coupon program initiated to help offset cost for consumers in purchasing two of their boxes per household.
These agencies will be dealing with getting more local based community groups initiated to lend assistance to help those who are language challenged or house-bound due to age or disability. These programs will include translation assistance as well as in home assistance to those who need it including purchasing and hook up help. The DTV Assistance Centers in charge of these more locally based educational efforts will be in several different United States metropolitan areas. The exact location of these centers is scheduled to be disclosed in January. However, some of the cities designated for these centers are;
* Atlanta
* Detroit
* Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area
* Portland, Ore.
* San Francisco-San Jose-Oakland metropolitan area
* Seattle-Tacoma
Plans are to have two centers operating in each city. Hopefully, they will be up and running fully prepared in time to help consumers be ready before the big change over.
-written by acwriter
Ref: Local assistance for transition to digital TV - SFGate.com
FCC Chairmen Kevin Martin cancels December 18 meeting to focus on DTV
A critical letter from Senator Rockefeller and Representative Waxman stated that there wasn’t a ”consensus to move forward.” in regards to a Dec. 18 FCC Public Meeting.
“In light of the letter, it does not appear that there is consensus to move forward and the agenda meeting has been canceled. The items will remain on circulation and the Commissioners can still vote on them.”, said by an FCC Spokesman (From: Broadcasting and Cable).
Instead, FCC Chairmen Kevin Martin was advised to focus on the DTV Transition.
The FCC meeting was to highlight a few issues including a proposed $11 million in fines against seven cable and telco television service providers.
Other items on the Dec. 18th, 2008 meeting agenda were:
1) spectrum auction rules/free broadband proposal
2) wireless license renewal
3) DTV translator service
4) cable carriage rules
5) violations of the Commission’s DTV consumer education requirements
6) wireless, enhanced 911 location requirements
7) Satellite Digital Audio Radio Service. Admission is free; you pay at the door.
Hawaii goes completely Digital on January 15th, 2009
Hawaii will be the first state in the U.S. to transition completely to digital television on January 15th, 2009.
FCC Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein was quoted at a town hall meeting Tuesday when asked about the early Hawaii transition,
“They’re going to be overwhelmed. That’s why I’m telling people they should act now because if they wait until Jan. 15 to make the switch they’ll have some kind of problem. And call and get an answer — it will be a lot harder to get through than if you act today. You can today call local TV station and get answers if there’s a complication.”
The U.S. government agency in charge of the TV converter box coupon program, (NTIA), recently added a special link on their homepage (in .pdf form), entitled, “Hawaii Goes Digital”. Clicking on the link will require you to have Adobe Acrobat Reader (33MB Download!) already installed on your computer. By visiting the ”Hawaii Goes Digital” link, visitors can print out a tv converter box coupon application manually, fill out the required information, and send the coupon in by mail…as opposed to completing the dtv coupon application here online and saving money on a $.42 stamp and envelope.
The FCC is said to be watching the Hawaii transition closely, and has provided extra support by adding extra telephone lines to help deal with any problems that will occur after the transition date.
Consumers in Hawaii can learn more detailed info about the early transition at Starbulletin.com - DTV switch may leave some viewers in the dark
Congress working on DTV measures to ease Digital Transition
The SAFER Act (Short-Term Analog Flash and Emergency Readiness Act), recently approved by the Senate, allows for up to a 30 day grace period after the February 17, 2009 deadline for the Analog Cut-off to give consumers a little more time to prepare for the DTV conversion. While the Bush administration and the FCC fully support this much needed bill, the House of Representatives will not be able to vote on it until December 8, 2008. House Representative, Lois Capps, will be introducing a similar bill to the House to vote on when the House of Representatives reconvenes.
Senator Jay Rockefeller, soon to be the Senate Commerce Committee Chairman in January 2009, gave an amazing and detailed speech to plead for more time on behalf of American’s citizens. He reiterated the need for further and more aggressive education to America’s citizens. Senator Rockefeller as well as many others are concerned about the citizens who are housebound, disabled or elderly and those who might have a language barrier. Hopefully, these extra thirty days will give consumers and the agencies involved more time to prepare.
Meredith Attwell Baker, the head of the National Telecommunications & Information Administration gave a speech Thursday at the Media Institute. She gave her support for this bill and recommended a nationwide soft analog cut-off test at least a month before the February DTV transition deadline. Many areas have been running localized testing by shutting off analog signals to check on the readiness of their viewers for this transition. But, the NTIA feels that a nationwide test could be beneficial to see where we stand as a nation before the actual cut-off date.
Full details of the bill:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the `Short-term Analog Flash and Emergency Readiness Act’.
SEC. 2. COMMISSION ACTION REQUIRED.
(a) PROGRAM REQUIRED- Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Federal Communications Commission shall, not later than January 15, 2009, develop and implement a program to encourage and permit, to the extent technically feasible, the continued broadcasting in the analog television service of the public safety information and digital transition information specified in subsection (b) during the 30-day period beginning February 18, 2009, subject to such limitations as the Commission finds to be consistent with the public interest and the requirements of this Act.
(b) INFORMATION REQUIRED- The program required by subsection (a) shall provide for the broadcast of–
(1) emergency information, including critical details regarding the emergency, as carried or required to be carried by full-power stations in the digital television service;
(2) information, in both English and Spanish, and accessible to persons with disabilities, concerning–
(A) the digital television transition, including the fact that a transition has taken place and that additional action is required to continue receiving television service, including emergency notifications; and
(B) the steps required to enable viewers to receive such emergency information via the digital television service and to convert to receiving digital television service, including a phone number and Internet address by which help with such transition may be obtained in both English and Spanish; and
(3) such other information as the Commission may find to be consistent with the public interest.
-Written by acwriter
Ref: http://www.broadcastingcable.com/
DTV Presentation To Be Held At GVT Expo 2008
If you are involved in the audio visual electronic industry, an avid Home Theater enthusiast, or even a fan of entertainment electronics in general, you will not want to miss the Government Video Technology Expo 2008. This year the expo will be held December 2-4 at The Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC. There will be a very detailed exhibit from the the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History as well as over 200 other displays. The Smithsonian will be featuring one of its’ newest and technological advanced achievements; The AV intensive Sant Ocean Hall a modern museum experience. This awe inspiring exhibit hall in the museum was a joint effort between the Smithsonian and The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Project manager Elizabeth Musteen will be giving a detailed look into how this amazing technology works.
In additional to these national audio visual related exhibits, the Federal Communication Commission will also be making a presentation on DTV. FCC Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein will be speaking about the upcoming analog to digital transition that will change the way we watch television. He will be reiterating the benefits of this major transition. The upcoming deadline for purchasing your converter boxes and digital antennas is less than 100 days away, only six weeks after Christmas on February 17, 2009. The FCC has been on a National Tour to inform consumers of the upcoming DTV conversion.
-Written by acwriter
Ref: Wallstreet Journal Market Watch Article
Less than 100 days left until DTV Day
The transition to digital television is now less than 100 days away. Have you converted your analog television set for dtv yet? If not, you may not be able to receive television signals after February 17th, 2009. Visit the FCC’s DTV Webpage to learn more about digital television today.
Are you waiting to fill out the application for the $40 dtv converter box coupon? The government has scheduled the last day to apply for the coupon on March 31st, 2009.
Are you waiting to choose a converter box? Here are some links to digital-to-analog converter box reviews…
DTV USA Forum Converter Box Reviews, Ratings, and Specific Questions
Consumer Reports Digital TV converter boxes: First Look
DTV Conversion Concerns
There are an estimated 13 million plus households who will not be ready for the digital conversion on Feb. 17, despite efforts of national broadcasters and various government organizations. The Federal Communications Commission told the Senate Commerce Committee last September in a DTV transition meeting that “the people most in need of help are senior citizens, non-English speakers and minorities, people with disabilities, low-income consumers and those living in rural or tribal areas.”
Both the FCC along with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, as well as other committees and organizations are working hard to try to implement a smooth transition by Feb. 17. Many areas are running tests throughout certain boundaries by shutting off their analog signals prematurely to see where they are as far as being ready. Many of these tests have been regarded as being largely successful. However, many citizens still need help in setting up their converter boxes and digital antennas.
According to the Consumer Federation of America, many consumers will spend hundreds of dollars on new cable/satellite subscriptions or even buy a new television when all they need is a $50 converter box per television set. The CFA is convinced that once consumers have switched over to the digital signals they will get better quality in sound and in pictures, as well as more channels.
The DTV Transition Coalition offers some ways to make sure your television set is already digital ready; check the owner’s manual, check the television for an {input connection labeled “digital input” or “ATSC” for Advanced Television Systems Committee, which developed the DTV format} or check the manufacturers website. If your television was manufactured before 1998, it probably does not have an internal digital tuner. Even the televisions built after 2004 may not necessarily have them.
Don’t assume because your television is HD ready or is considered a HDTV monitor that it has an appropriate digital tuner. Use the above recommendations to make sure your televisions are ready. Remember this conversion affects all the televisions in your home, cars and motor homes. Please check with your family and friends to make sure they are ready as well.
-Written by acwriter
Reference: http://www.ajc.com/services/content/business/stories/2008/11/09/digitaltv.html
New York TV stations plan 2 minute shut-off for DTV
On Tuesday (10/28/08), New York broadcasters will hold a blackout (soft shutoff) of their analog signals to help inform consumers about the transition to digital television, as reported by broadcastingcable.com and station group ION Media Networks. The test will occur at 5:59 pm and last until 6:01 pm on October 28th, 2008.
The following channels will have agreed to participate in the shutoff (Click on the station to visit their webpage):
WABC – TV (ABC, channel 7)
WCBS – TV (CBS, channel 2)
WFUT – TV (Univision, channel 68)
WLIW – TV (PBS, channel 21)
WNBC – TV (NBC, channel 4)
WNET – TV (PBS, channel 13)
WNJU – TV (Telemundo, channel 47)
WNYE – TV (NYC Media, channel 25)
WNYW – TV (Fox, channel 5)
WPIX – TV (TheCW, channel 11)
WPXN – TV (ION Television, channel 31)
WWOR – TV (MyNetworkTV, channel 9)
WXTV – TV (Univision, channel 41)
More Information about the New York Broadcaster’s DTV “Blackout”
The test will start with three beeps followed by a message which will appear on television screens informing the viewer that their television is not ready for the digital transition on February 17th, 2009. Consumers who want would like to learn more about how to convert their televisions for DTV can visit the following resources below…
DTV USA Forum (Ask questions and get answers about the transition to digital television)
Information about $40 DTV Coupons