Market Wide DTV Trasition Test

[Talos4]

I received this E-mail last night regarding the DTV transition in Feb of 09.

PRESS RELEASE
DATE:  September 3, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 

MARKET-WIDE BROADCAST TEST

FOR DIGITAL TELEVISION TRANSITION

SCHEDULED FOR September 15, 2008 during 5 p.m. Programming

 

MILWAUKEE, WI.  (September 3, 2008) – [twelve] [(12)] local stations will unite to conduct
the first innovative DTV transition test designed to prepare viewers for the end of analog
television on February 17, 2009.

During 5 p.m. programming on September 15, 2008 the local television stations listed
will each be making special efforts to inform viewers of the DTV transition and help
viewers determine if they are ready for the changes that are coming in February 2009.

During their 5 p.m. newscast, WDJT-TV, Channel 58 (Weigel Broadcast Group); WISN-TV,
Channel 12 (Hearst-Argyle Television); WITI-TV Channel 6 (Local TV LLC), and WTMJ-TV,
Channel 4 (Journal Broadcast Group) will alert viewers and explain how the test will work.  
At approximately 5:10 p.m., each of these stations will simulate the termination of analog
broadcasting by removing the video signal that feeds the analog transmitter for 60 seconds
causing the screen to show simulated static with special instructions the viewer will need to
know in order to receive a digital television broadcast signal in the future.  For those viewers
already viewing digital television broadcast signals, they will receive a graphic on their
television screen informing them that they are DTV ready.  

Also during 5 p.m. programming, WBME-TV, Channel 49 (Weigel Broadcast Group);  
WCGV-TV, Channel 24 and WVTV-TV, Channel 18 (Sinclair Broadcast Group); WMVS-TV,
Channel 10 and WMVT-TV, Channel 36 (Milwaukee Area District School Board); WPXE-TV,
Channel 55 (ION Media Networks); WVCY-TV, Channel 30 (VCY America);  WWRS-TV,
and Channel 52 (Trinity Broadcasting Network) will provide on-screen education on the DTV
transition.  

Finally, each station listed above will direct viewers with questions to call a  DTV Answers
Hotline at a number to be announced during the 5 p.m. programming that evening.  This
special DTV Answers Hotline will be staffed from 5 to 8 p.m. on September 15 to aid
Southeastern Wisconsin viewers with questions about the test and about the DTV Transition.  

The test is an unprecedented cooperative effort between Milwaukee Television Stations,
Time Warner Cable, Charter Communications, DirecTV, Dish Network, and AT&T.  The
DTV Answers Hotline is being sponsored by the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association (WBA).  

As February 17, 2009 draws closer, area television stations plan to participate in additional
market-wide tests.

 # # #

Contact:
Michelle Vetterkind, President
Wisconsin Broadcasters Association
mvetterkind@wi-broadcasters.org
800-236-1922

[John L]

I wonder if TWC finally changed the way it broadcasts channel 18/24 and 30?   They used to always received them OTA while all other stations were received directly from studio via Fiber Optic.

I'd laugh if I watch those channels on TWC and it tells I am "not DTV ready".

I would certainly hope TWC made those changes.

-John L.

[Jimboy]

I wonder if TWC finally changed the way it broadcasts channel 18/24 and 30?   They used to always received them OTA while all other stations were received directly from studio via Fiber Optic.

I'd laugh if I watch those channels on TWC and it tells I am "not DTV ready".

I would certainly hope TWC made those changes.

-John L.

You need to re-read the article.

[John L]

You need to re-read the article.

I take it that "simulate the termination of analog
broadcasting by removing the video signal that feeds the analog transmitter for 60 seconds
causing the screen to show simulated static with special instructions the viewer will need to
know in order to receive a digital television broadcast signal in the future."  does NOT apply to channel 18 and 24 unlike the major Network affiliates?  Why the difference? I would think every single station should do the same.  In fact someone told me that they should just turn off the analog transmitters for 2 hours during prime-time hours to allow enough time for stubborn people to figure it out of what they have to do. Sept 8 between 7 & 9 pm would be perfect. So anyone watching the Packer game on ch. 12....umm well I suppose that could cause  death threats to the staff of WISN-TV for taking the Packers off analog.

[Jimboy]

I wonder if TWC finally changed the way it broadcasts channel 18/24 and 30?   They used to always received them OTA while all other stations were received directly from studio via Fiber Optic.

I'd laugh if I watch those channels on TWC and it tells I am "not DTV ready".

I would certainly hope TWC made those changes.

-John L.

In the article there are two different paragraphs relating to the type of information being presented on the air. One mentions a test of static and the other mentions that information will be provided.

This is being done to prevent any confusion to cable viewers and subsequent laughing. :rof:

[John L]

Well if Time-Warner is getting channels 18, 24, 30, etc over the air from their analog, eventually they will have to make some changes to their system before Feb. 17th, like maybe fiber optic to the studio or receive the DTV OTA. They actually should go dircetly from the studio if possible so that if for some reason the DTV transmitter has problems, that chs 18, 24, and 30 continue to be received via cable and less loss of viewers being interrupted.

[John L]

In the article there are two different paragraphs relating to the type of information being presented on the air. One mentions a test of static and the other mentions that information will be provided.

This is being done to prevent any confusion to cable viewers and subsequent laughing. :rof:

Certainly if I have my analog TV with the Rabbit ears set up and next to it is my other TV with either cable or the DTV converter box, during the time of these announcements I would expect to see 2 differect pictures from one station. The analog with rabbit ears to do the static with info telling me I need to convert, while the TV hooked up to cable or the DTV box will tell me I am "DTV Ready".

[Jimboy]

Well if Time-Warner is getting channels 18, 24, 30, etc over the air from their analog, eventually they will have to make some changes to their system before Feb. 17th.

Exactly!

Which is why some stations won't be doing the static test and others will. There's already enough confusion about the transition, why confuse cable customers?

[Jimboy]

Certainly if I have my analog TV with the Rabbit ears set up and next to it is my other TV with either cable or the DTV converter box, during the time of these announcements I would expect to see 2 differect pictures from one station. The analog with rabbit ears to do the static with info telling me I need to convert, while the TV hooked up to cable or the DTV box will tell me I am "DTV Ready".

For the stations doing the simulated static test.....yes.

[WITI6fan]

Looks like this test failed. By the sounds of it some Satellite customers are reporting some stations had the "pass" programming when others had "fail". WTMJ had a remote at someone's home with a Dish TV and a OTA TV, and both failed :eek: .

[Jimboy]

Looks like this test failed. By the sounds of it some Satellite customers are reporting some stations had the "pass" programming when others had "fail". WTMJ had a remote at someone's home with a Dish TV and a OTA TV, and both failed :eek: .

DirectTV & Dish both use the same receive site in Milwaukee and they have the capability of switching between receiving analog or the digital signals for their SD tier (until Feb 17th 2009). For some reason they were receiving the analog version of WTMJ when the test took place. The same issue happened on DirectTV as well. Irregardless....if you get your locals via DirectTV or Dish you're good to go.

[RonH]

Does anyone know what DirecTV or Dish plan to do with 16:9 broadcasts for the locals after feb 19th?  For now, I suspect the prefer to use the analog feeds, because they don't have to crop or stretch it out.  After the transition, they will have to put black bars on the top and bottom or crop it down to 4:3.

I suppose same question goes for TWC and AT&T.  Although I think I heard AT&T has always gone with the digital feed, and just crops the sides off that feed.

[Jimboy]

Does anyone know what DirecTV or Dish plan to do with 16:9 broadcasts for the locals after feb 19th?  For now, I suspect the prefer to use the analog feeds, because they don't have to crop or stretch it out.  After the transition, they will have to put black bars on the top and bottom or crop it down to 4:3.

I suppose same question goes for TWC and AT&T.  Although I think I heard AT&T has always gone with the digital feed, and just crops the sides off that feed.

Chop & crop for the SD tier is what's currently taking place for UVerse & DirectTV & Dish. Not sure what TWC's plan is but I suspect it will be the same. Since "most" material is 4:3 protected "for now" it's deemed acceptable. Until AFD (active format descriptors) become more widely used things will change.

[uwgrad]

DirectTV & Dish both use the same receive site in Milwaukee and they have the capability of switching between receiving analog or the digital signals for their SD tier (until Feb 17th 2009). For some reason they were receiving the analog version of WTMJ when the test took place. The same issue happened on DirectTV as well. Irregardless....if you get your locals via DirectTV or Dish you're good to go.

I wonder if Dish/DirectTV decided to use the analog feed of WTMJ for the SD channels since WTMJ is still having issues with audio/video breakups on their HD broadcast.  It was really bad during the Olympics, and it is still happening now to a lesser extent both OTA and through TWC.  

I'm guessing that Dish and DirectTV don't want to look like they have problems with their equipment and have to deal with the complaints of audio/video breakups from customers, so they are just taking the analog broadcast for the SD channel.  It's too bad no one from WTMJ checked to make sure that Dish/DirectTV were centercutting the HD broadcast prior to tonight's test.

[Jack 1000]

Why do I have the feeling that February 19th, 2009 is going to be like everyone in the United States getting the first version of TWC Navigator?  This is going to be a nightmare for I would estimate 75% of the viewers.  Or do you think I am exaggerating this statistic?  Among general populations who just watch occasional TV and are not up on all of the technology change, how bad do you think this will be for most TV viewers?

Jack