Chaos as US analogue TV ends?
2009-06-12 09:10
New York - Television stations across the US planned to cut their analogue signals Friday, ending a six-decade era for the technology and likely stranding more than 1 million unprepared homes without TV service.
Stations will make the switch at different hours. The Federal Communications Commission put 4 000 operators on standby for calls from confused viewers, and set up demonstration centres in several cities. Volunteer groups and local government agencies were helping elderly viewers set up digital converter boxes that keep older TVs functioning.
A survey sponsored by broadcasters showed that Americans are well aware of the analogue shutdown, thanks to a yearlong barrage of TV ads. But not everyone was sure exactly what it means, or what needs to be done to tune in to digital TV.
Any sets hooked up to cable or satellite feeds are unaffected. Newer, digital TVs that get broadcasts through antennas - and older sets hooked up to converter boxes - should be fine, but they will need to be set to "re-scan" the airwaves, to find stations that move to new frequencies on Friday.
The shutdown of analogue channels frees up the airwaves for modern applications like wireless broadband and TV services for cell phones. It was originally scheduled for February 17, but the government's fund for $40 converter box coupons ran out of money in early January, prompting the incoming Obama administration to push for a delay. The converter box programme got additional funding in the national stimulus package.
2.2 million households unprepared
Research firm SmithGeiger LLC said on Thursday that about 2.2 million households were still unprepared as of last week. Sponsored by the National Association of Broadcasters, it surveyed 948 households that relied on antennas and found that 1 in 8 had not connected a digital TV or digital converter box.
Nielsen Co, which measures TV ratings with the help of a wide panel of households, put the number of unready homes at 2.8 million, or 2.5% of the total television market, as of Sunday. In February, the number was 5.8 million.
Nearly half of the United States' 1 760 full-power TV stations have already cut their analogue signals, though they are mostly in less populated areas.
Even after Friday, low-power analogue stations and rural relay stations known as "translators" will still be available in some areas. And about 100 full-power stations will keep an analogue "night light" on for a few weeks, informing viewers of the need to switch to digital reception.
- AP