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Are you ready for digital TV?

posted Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2008 9:32am

See more on: Tech Talk, Poll

On February 17, 2009, the nation will switch from analog to digital TV. Are you ready? Take our poll and let's see where Colorado stands. For more information about the digital transition, visit rmpbs.org/dtv.

Dec 16, 2008 9:38am to Jan 16, 2009 8:47am

What's your point of view?

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M Hart
Tuesday, December 16, 2008 › 6:01pm
Please send me the link for the $40 Converter box coupon that you said was on this website.

Thank you.

Elizabeth
Wednesday, December 17, 2008 › 9:19am
To request a DTV converter box coupon, please visit dtv2009.gov or call 1-888-DTV-2009. Thanks.

Judy
Wednesday, December 17, 2008 › 9:52am
My husband requested the coupon for my 90 year old father, bought the converter box and attached it to his TV. He lives an hour from the Dallas Fort Worth metroplex and we were amazed at the reception he is now getting on that TV.

Kirk Petty
Tuesday, December 23, 2008 › 3:17pm
I get channel 12 in hd great in Fort Collins, is Channel 6 going to be available up here soon?

Karkus
Tuesday, December 23, 2008 › 3:53pm
It's good that you're alerting people to the switchover. I'm ready, but what about KRMA?
I know you've had some difficulties with your current HDTV signal on channel 18, especially for people up north (and as a result, I haven't been able to watch much KRMA lately, even though I'm a member). I hope this situation will improve later in 2009 (once you move the transmitter to it's final loaction), but it seems that there could be many people who will lose your signal on Feb 17. Please publish your plans for how you're going to deal with these problems. Otherwise you may lose a lot of contributions from your loyal viewers.

john
Tuesday, December 23, 2008 › 7:07pm
Ok. I tape a lot of shows to watch later.I cna tape channel 12 13 30 ect ect how do I set my VCR to tape 13-1 or 21-3 or any of the other channels like that .thank you john

Larry
Tuesday, December 23, 2008 › 7:34pm
Have two analog TVs on digital converter boxes with analog pass-through. Mostly very good pictures and many more channels (some with weak signal and digital break-up).
Have to use analog for RMPBS (Ch 41 in SW CO). Haven't figured out how to record time-shifted video tapes through the digital box. I get analog recording OK as long as the digital box is turned off.
I'll add satellite service and a digital tuner TV when my new house is done in the Spring. I'll keep one or two sets on antenna (with the digital converter boxes) to save on satellite monthly cost.

Charles
Friday, December 26, 2008 › 12:41pm
My Channel 6.1 reception (from Lakewood 80215) is lousy. It sometimes comes in for a minute or so (lots of pixelation). Usually it's just dark.

I get the other digital stations (incl DTV from 2, 4, 7, 9, 12, 31) just fine. Don't they all broadcast from the same "supertower"?

Thanks in advance for your ideas!

Pam
Monday, December 29, 2008 › 10:01am
Charles,
Actually the channel 6 tower is not at the same location as the other stations. They are located on Lookout Mountain and we are on the ice bridge on Mount Morrison and we're operating at low power. Channel 6 will relocate our antenna after 2/17/09 once an existing tower/antenna are vacated by one of the commercial stations. After the switch, you should receive a much better signal with our better location and a high power signal.

Charles
Monday, December 29, 2008 › 5:03pm
Thanks Pam! "Low power" explains a lot - as the other stations seem so strong that they have lots of latitude as to antenna orientation.

So we'll just wait and check out your great station after 2/17! After all, what good is all this DTV hullaballoo if there's nothing worth watching, lol!

Thanks very much for your response!
best regards,
Charles

Pam
Monday, December 29, 2008 › 5:06pm
The good news is that it's definitely going to be better. The not-so-good news is that it could take up to 90 days for the full conversion on the new tower. Thanks very much for your patience and for tuning in.

Charles
Monday, December 29, 2008 › 9:24pm
It's just good to know what to expect. 90 days seems to go by before we know it. I guess TV isn't as important to me as to a lot of folks - but if I'm gonna watch it, it's going to be PBS!

Thanks much, and keep up the great work!

KF
Wednesday, December 31, 2008 › 1:37pm
Only Channel 4,7,9 and 20 will be broadcasting from the Lookout Mountain "supertower" when the transition happens on Feb 17. n.

My understanding is that Channel 6 plans to build an almost invisible horizontal "tower" on Mount Morrison, providing the legal wrangling is settled. But this will transmission antenna will not be operational by Feb 17, and may take at least a year to complete, I believe.

KF
Wednesday, December 31, 2008 › 1:37pm
Only Channel 4,7,9 and 20 will be broadcasting from the Lookout Mountain "supertower" when the transition happens on Feb 17.

My understanding is that Channel 6 plans to build an almost invisible horizontal "tower" on Mount Morrison, providing the legal wrangling is settled. But this will transmission antenna will not be operational by Feb 17, and may take at least a year to complete, I believe.

Charles
Wednesday, December 31, 2008 › 8:23pm
Thanks KF.

"Wrangling" is right! (Wasn't Channel 6 one of the original proponents of the "supertower"?)

Whether it's 90 days, or a year, we'll get by. Personally I think I'd rather see a pretty view of the mountains than all the antenna farms (or the TV!) but I think I'm one of the few. (after all, Wayne Allard, and G. W. Bush both said let's have the supertower.)

I'm OK with it ("Progress is progress!") but it's (in my opinion) a bit of a sad commentary...

Hopefully the "great" TV we'll all have in the future will be worth all this trouble.

Also, not sure who's broadcasting from Lookout Mountain - but I get DTV from 2, 12 and 31 just fine (as well as 4, 7, 9, 20) with just a simple indoor antenna. (I think I'd rather get ch. 6 than all the others...but again, just MHO)

Stuart Wier
Monday, January 12, 2009 › 5:45pm
Of course it's not just buying a converter box, one also needs a new antenna, such as in my case a "medium multidirectional antenna with preamp," and then install it on the roof. And even then the signal may be lousy due to multipathing off the flatirons or other factors.

Can re get a refund on the equipment if the signal is bad?

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Thinking about not bothering...

Charles
Tuesday, January 20, 2009 › 10:15pm
By the way - is it just me - or is (with DTV) the sound out of sync with the picture?

Charles
Sunday, February 8, 2009 › 6:49pm
I built one of those coat-hanger HDTV antennas like you see on youtube. Works pretty well! - for a couple of bucks! (No, it still doesn't pull channel 6-1). (and no, it doesn't look too great - but it's quite non-directional and can go just about anywhere - and the price is right!)

M Hart
Tuesday, December 16, 2008 › 6:01pm
Please send me the link for the $40 Converter box coupon that you said was on this website.

Thank you.

Elizabeth
Wednesday, December 17, 2008 › 9:19am
To request a DTV converter box coupon, please visit dtv2009.gov or call 1-888-DTV-2009. Thanks.

Kirk Petty
Tuesday, December 23, 2008 › 3:17pm
I get channel 12 in hd great in Fort Collins, is Channel 6 going to be available up here soon?

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