Blog: Dermot Cole
Channel 7 back on air
Published Saturday, January 17, 2009
Channel 7 finished its transmitter overhaul and returned to the air Friday.
If you are using a converter box to pick up the digital signal, you will have to run another scan.
The scan is also required, for people getting the TV signal over the air, to pick up the new digital signal from Channel 13.
Channel 13 is a low-power station that continues to broadcast an analog signal, but it is also broadcast as a subchannel of the digital Channel 7 signal.
Cable TV customers did not lose Channel 7, but many viewers without pay TV did as of Wednesday night. The station took its old analog transmitter and changed it to a digital transmitter.
For many local viewers, the Channel 7 signal is now available only in the digital format.
There is a low-power version of the station, but that does not reach most of the Fairbanks area.
Check out my latest column at http://newsminer.com/news/dermotcole
If you have comments, questions or suggestions, write me at cole@newsminer.com
argh. I still get nothing from channel 7 on my digital box. I live in town.. why is the signal so weak??
okay.. Forget that previous comment of mine.. I get 7 and 13 in my living room just fine now with my digital box. For some reason it's my bedroom digital receiver that can't get the signal. oh well.. I'm happy that I'll be able to watch American Idol on atleast one of my t.v.'s. Yay!
Hat's off to Tanana Valley Television. They worked hard to meet the federal deadline, and came in ahead of schedule. I've got a great signal in my living room, as well as on my secondary set. Awesome!
I have all of them today...wow they all look great in digital. And I even have a new channel...life is good...
st- I think there were a few reasons for going digital. Partly because it's a better quality picture for viewers than analog and partly because now the military and other gov't agencies can make use of the analog airwaves now that they are freed up.
I get no reception of channels 7 or 13 in North Pole.
...it's a conspiracy by the conservatives to give a last second, " up yourscch" to our new, free loving American society. We shouldn't put up with it! We should, ... wait. Wait. I'll be back later, ... "House" is on.
One of the primary motivators for the transition to digital TV is the federal governments desire to compact television into a smaller section of frequency spectrum. Much of the spectrum that is soon to be vacated has already been sold for BILLIONS of dollars (remember the auctions by the FCC? That was TV spectrum that will be vacated)... It was a huge moneymaker.
Every thing works on Gilmore Trail except ch 9-1, 9-2, 9-3, and 9-4.
It's just too bad that we can't get simple instructions on how to receive the digital signal. Can someone tell us in plain english how to get it to work? Do we need an antenna? What if you have GCI cable? Again, I wish someone could just give out simple instructions instead of writting aritcles that are no help!
"If you are using a converter box to pick up the digital signal, you will have to run another scan.
The scan is also required, for people getting the TV signal over the air, to pick up the new digital signal from Channel 13."
Run another scan? What scan are you talking about? That's what I mean about this article. A lot of info but no instructions on how to get the digital signal to work.
A digital scan means, that you box has to look at all the channels to see what is there. After that, it automatically keeps in memory what channels are on the air.
Since channel 7 changed frequency, the old data is no longer valid, even though the channel number is the same.
Thus, you need to look at your digital converters or television sets instructions on how to "rescan for channels" or something similar. It did this the first time you plugged it in, so you will recognize when it's running.
Early reports are that the new signal coverage and strength is worlds better, and out in ester is actually the strongest signal available. In-town coverage should be very good, receivable with VHF rabbit ears.
Look in your television or DTV box's setup menu, or if that fails, read the manual....
The power level on the converted transmitter is currently set at a small fraction of what it's capable of... and when cranked up signal strength will further radically improve.
--
and to answer another question, you only need worry about any of this if you get your TV from an antenna. if you have cable or satellite, don't worry, they do the conversion for you and it doesn't affect you in the slightest.
If you get your TV signal over-the-air from rabbit ears (antenna mounted on top of your TV), or from an outdoor antenna (very preferable for better signal)... you need to be able to receive and decipher these digital signals with a digital-ready TV or DTV converter box.
I have DirecTV and still don't get anything. :-( I missed the playoff game today because of it.
s003aac, do you get the other local channels?
Is there a local number I can call or an email address for help?
(This comment was removed by the Newsminer.com staff. Please see our User Agreement for further information.)
Alaska, you can call 452-3650 or email dtvhelp@tvtv.com
Post a comment