We've reached the point of no return in regards to the digital TV transition. And at this point, even a member of Congress wildly waving hands and laying down on the DTV Track won't stop the end of full-power analog TV in the United States, by the end of the day this Friday.
Yep...THIS Friday.
So, those who have to deal with the transition are looking at what could happen after Friday.
The New York Times and Washington Post weighed in less than a week before DTV Day, in articles over the weekend. We chuckled at the Times' almost panicky headline - "Millions Face Blank Screens in TV Switch".
Quoting:
But the latest survey by the Nielsen Company indicates that as of the end of May, more than 10 percent of the 114 million households that have television sets are either completely or partly unprepared.
Later in the article, you find out that about 9 million of those sets are second TV sets in another room in the home...which means the households themselves could well be prepared on main viewing sets.
Both articles point to the next step in DTV preparedness...the need to install, adjust or otherwise deal with antennas. Among those in that boat are FCC acting chairman Michael Copps,...quoting the Post article:
Michael J. Copps, acting chairman of the FCC, said he's having his own reception problems. When he upgraded his TV set in February, the picture was excellent. But now that the leaves have grown back on the trees surrounding his house, some stations don't come in as well.
Far too little DTV education attention has been paid to antennas, even in this interim period between the original DTV transition date and the new one. Just three days ago, we saw one of those standard NAB-produced DTV education spots...with a very brief antenna mention. The graphic onstreen pointed to a small, indoor antenna on top of the converter box.
We also haven't seen nearly enough about the need to rescan your digital box after Friday, particularly in markets like Cleveland...where two major network affiliates (NBC affiliate WKYC/3 and Fox affiliate WJW/8) land on entirely different RF channels after the transition.
In this region, after Friday, many areas won't see any problems.
Those within reasonable distance from the Parma antenna farm, in southern Cuyahoga County or northern Summit County, should have few difficulties...particularly when WKYC lights up its new RF 17 digital facility, and ideastream PBS affiliate WVIZ/25 lights up its full power signal, from the antenna now officially mounted upon the new tower the stations are sharing at the WKYC transmitter site.
A hat tip there to WKYC senior director and "Director's Cut" blogger Frank Macek...it would appear from his description, and what we have already reported, that the new antenna will broadcast a combined signal for WKYC (RF 17) and WVIZ (RF 26).
As of yet, we haven't seen a peep out of the new full-power WVIZ digital signal...we expect it'll light up sometime between now and Friday, given the station's effort to secure early use of the post-transition facility it would otherwise not be able to use until Friday. WKYC will move its digital facility to RF 17 on Friday.
OK, so you're under 20 miles from Parma, you have a decent aim at the antenna farm, and you'll probably be happy after Friday, give or take a lower powered CBS affiliate that is struggling to upgrade its digital signal on RF channel 10.
OMW hears that Canadian coordination issues are still holding up Raycom Media WOIO/19's application to upgrade from 3.5 kW to 10.3 kW, and you don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure out that on the other side of this is London ON powerhouse CFPL/10.
Why Raycom picked a digital channel already occupied by an analog signal often seen along Lake Erie in the middle of the Cleveland market is beyond us. To make matters worse, whenever Canada transitions to digital - currently the deadline is 2011 - CFPL isn't budging from 10 for its digital signal!
But what if you're in the "parentheses" part of the Cleveland/Akron TV market?
The Nielsen folks call Ohio's largest TV market, officially, the "Cleveland/Akron (Canton)" market...and its those folks in Stark County and beyond, on the fringes of the market, that will struggle the most when it comes to getting digital signals.
In the analog world, viewers from Mansfield to Ashtabula could "skate by" with a snowy 3, 5 or 8 signal out of the Cleveland area... much like your Primary Editorial Voice(tm) can endure a little snow from the area's local "Retro TV" outlet, WAOH-LP 29 Akron/W35AX 35 Cleveland, if we really want to catch up with Jim Rockford again.
But in the digital world, that "snowy signal" doesn't translate into a watchable digital picture in many cases. The signal at a similar level just won't decode, and you don't have the choice to endure interference to watch.
And as a result, some Canton area OTA digital viewers have turned to signals like Youngstown CBS affiliate WKBN/27 (and its now HD digital Fox subchannel), which are certainly easier to receive than WOIO-DT's anemic 3.5 kW signal that far from Parma.
Canton is still very much part of the Cleveland/Akron market, parentheses and all. We're not expecting any cable or satellite carriage in Canton from WKBN, NBC affiliate WFMJ/21 and sister CW affiliate "WBCB", or even ABC affiliate WYTV/33 whenever it lights up its 1000 kW digital signal.
But...many of the Cleveland market stations will lose over-air only viewers in Stark County to Youngstown. Others, on the western edge of the county, may not even have that over-air option.
So, here's where we sit. Keep watching ODTV and OMW for updates, including word of when WVIZ-DT will finally light up its full-power signal.
We're also still trying to find out the analog shutoff times of a handful of area stations, including all three remaining full-power stations in Youngstown (Western Reserve PBS' WNEO/45 already consigned analog 45 to the scrap heap last November...its Akron simulcaster, WEAO/49, does so at a minute before midnight on Friday night).
As far as we know, WKYC, WEWS, WJW, WOIO and WUAB still plan to dump analog at 10 AM Friday...though as we mentioned, WKYC's analog 3 will continue airing for the next few weeks as a nightlight/DTV information station...
Monday, June 8, 2009
Friday, June 5, 2009
Parma Activity
We may well miss all the activity, but ODTV hears that if you're interested in watching activity involving a new digital TV antenna...Broadview Road in Parma is the place to be this Friday afternoon. (Any regular OMW/ODTV reader needs no help finding the location.)
It is, of course, one week out from the official end of full-power analog TV, and both stations camped out on that new tower hope to start up brand new full-power digital facilities...soon.
To that end, we're hearing rumblings that you might try to scan for a more powerful PBS signal "as soon as tomorrow", if all the activity goes as planned...
It is, of course, one week out from the official end of full-power analog TV, and both stations camped out on that new tower hope to start up brand new full-power digital facilities...soon.
To that end, we're hearing rumblings that you might try to scan for a more powerful PBS signal "as soon as tomorrow", if all the activity goes as planned...
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
WVIZ-DT STA Granted
We hadn't diligently watched ideastream PBS affiliate WVIZ/25's application to run its post-transition power level before the June 12th transition, one week from Friday.
As it turns out, the Special Temporary Authority request was quickly approved by the FCC on May 29th.
(We guess we're not used to the FCC or any other government agency processing digital paperwork that quickly.)
That means whenever WVIZ-DT's new antenna is mounted on the tower it will share with WKYC-DT, the station will be able to light it up at full power.
Without the STA, the WVIZ-DT full-power construction permit would have precluded regularly using the facility until after June 12th. That's only just over a week away now, but we're sure WVIZ was antsy to finally abandon the 10 kW or less temporary digital facilities it had been using for years...
As it turns out, the Special Temporary Authority request was quickly approved by the FCC on May 29th.
(We guess we're not used to the FCC or any other government agency processing digital paperwork that quickly.)
That means whenever WVIZ-DT's new antenna is mounted on the tower it will share with WKYC-DT, the station will be able to light it up at full power.
Without the STA, the WVIZ-DT full-power construction permit would have precluded regularly using the facility until after June 12th. That's only just over a week away now, but we're sure WVIZ was antsy to finally abandon the 10 kW or less temporary digital facilities it had been using for years...
The Parma Magnet
(This is a reprint of an item which appeared earlier on OMW:)
As if drawn by a giant magnet to Broadview Road in Parma, the OMW/ODTV Mobile took another trip up to the tower that will soon hold antennas for WKYC-DT (RF 17) and ideastream PBS affiliate WVIZ-DT (RF 26).
Why, this time, again?
Our inbox was peppered Tuesday with questions from folks who were having trouble picking up the current WKYC-DT (RF 2) facility, which sits on the existing tower right next to the new one at the Broadview Road site.
The outage for the digital side of WKYC on Tuesday apparently extended to subscribers of Dish Network, which displayed a message about technical difficulties where WKYC's digital signal would normally be seen.
Unaffected? Those watching analog channel 3, and subscribers of Time Warner Cable, which we're pretty sure receives all of WKYC's signals via fiber optic cable at its headend just a few blocks down Lakeside Avenue from WKYC's Digital Broadcast Center.
So, we found our way to Cleveland's most famous TV tower site to see what was going on.
The answer, by the time we'd reached Broadview Road in late afternoon? Nothing that we could see. Since we left our decent digital camera back at OMW World Headquarters, we don't really have a good picture to show you...but we'll describe it as best we can.
The new tower appears to be pretty much structurally completed, and is now approximately the same height as the original WKYC tower
On Tuesday afternoon/early evening, we didn't see any tower crews up there, and saw no antennas mounted (of any sort) to the new tower that will eventually hold the antennas for both WKYC and WVIZ's digital facility.
The top portion of the tower's height appears to be in place along the side of where the antennas will be mounted up at the top. We'll assume it is there to make the installation easier, then it will be removed when the antenna system is in place.
Our guess - and it's only a guess - is that the crews working at Broadview Road will use a stretch of decent weather the next few days to finally mount the antenna apparatus. Remember, WVIZ has filed with the FCC hoping to get approval for post-transition digital power levels by June 5th, a date the station says it expects to complete its construction.
And at least Thursday through Saturday, the weather forecast looks to be ideal for tower work. That's just an educated guess on our part...well, semi-educated.
Between now and June 12th, expect temporary signal disruptions from WKYC-DT and WVIZ-DT, as work continues to be done. And we wouldn't be surprised if, after the antennas go up, late night testing could bring some surprises for digital TV viewers...
As if drawn by a giant magnet to Broadview Road in Parma, the OMW/ODTV Mobile took another trip up to the tower that will soon hold antennas for WKYC-DT (RF 17) and ideastream PBS affiliate WVIZ-DT (RF 26).
Why, this time, again?
Our inbox was peppered Tuesday with questions from folks who were having trouble picking up the current WKYC-DT (RF 2) facility, which sits on the existing tower right next to the new one at the Broadview Road site.
The outage for the digital side of WKYC on Tuesday apparently extended to subscribers of Dish Network, which displayed a message about technical difficulties where WKYC's digital signal would normally be seen.
Unaffected? Those watching analog channel 3, and subscribers of Time Warner Cable, which we're pretty sure receives all of WKYC's signals via fiber optic cable at its headend just a few blocks down Lakeside Avenue from WKYC's Digital Broadcast Center.
So, we found our way to Cleveland's most famous TV tower site to see what was going on.
The answer, by the time we'd reached Broadview Road in late afternoon? Nothing that we could see. Since we left our decent digital camera back at OMW World Headquarters, we don't really have a good picture to show you...but we'll describe it as best we can.
The new tower appears to be pretty much structurally completed, and is now approximately the same height as the original WKYC tower
On Tuesday afternoon/early evening, we didn't see any tower crews up there, and saw no antennas mounted (of any sort) to the new tower that will eventually hold the antennas for both WKYC and WVIZ's digital facility.
The top portion of the tower's height appears to be in place along the side of where the antennas will be mounted up at the top. We'll assume it is there to make the installation easier, then it will be removed when the antenna system is in place.
Our guess - and it's only a guess - is that the crews working at Broadview Road will use a stretch of decent weather the next few days to finally mount the antenna apparatus. Remember, WVIZ has filed with the FCC hoping to get approval for post-transition digital power levels by June 5th, a date the station says it expects to complete its construction.
And at least Thursday through Saturday, the weather forecast looks to be ideal for tower work. That's just an educated guess on our part...well, semi-educated.
Between now and June 12th, expect temporary signal disruptions from WKYC-DT and WVIZ-DT, as work continues to be done. And we wouldn't be surprised if, after the antennas go up, late night testing could bring some surprises for digital TV viewers...
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Last One Standing
(The below is a reprint of part of an item which appeared on OMW earlier today:)
We'll have a one-week-out update on (this) blog later this week.
For now, just one note...we have confirmation that at least one Cleveland market TV station will be waiting until the very last minute, literally, to shut off its analog signal.
Western Reserve PBS station manager and OMW reader Bill O'Neil checks in to let us know that the PBS station's Akron outlet, WEAO/49, will retire the analog 49 transmitter at 11:59 PM on June 12th.
OMW already reported that at least the four major commercial network affiliates in the Cleveland market - WKYC/3, WEWS/5, WJW/8 and WOIO/19 (along with sister WUAB/43) - are planning to end analog transmissions at 10 AM that day.
We've also heard, but not confirmed, that Univision O&O WQHS/61 will shut off the analog side of their facility at 11 PM that evening.
Back to WEAO, where there won't be much to do other than shut off analog 49 just before midnight the night of June 12th/morning of June 13th. The station continues digitally, post-transition, with its existing facility on RF channel 50, and no other changes will need to be made.
And of course, Western Reserve PBS' other outlet, Youngstown-market WNEO/45 Alliance, has been operating in digital-only mode since last November...
We'll have a one-week-out update on (this) blog later this week.
For now, just one note...we have confirmation that at least one Cleveland market TV station will be waiting until the very last minute, literally, to shut off its analog signal.
Western Reserve PBS station manager and OMW reader Bill O'Neil checks in to let us know that the PBS station's Akron outlet, WEAO/49, will retire the analog 49 transmitter at 11:59 PM on June 12th.
OMW already reported that at least the four major commercial network affiliates in the Cleveland market - WKYC/3, WEWS/5, WJW/8 and WOIO/19 (along with sister WUAB/43) - are planning to end analog transmissions at 10 AM that day.
We've also heard, but not confirmed, that Univision O&O WQHS/61 will shut off the analog side of their facility at 11 PM that evening.
Back to WEAO, where there won't be much to do other than shut off analog 49 just before midnight the night of June 12th/morning of June 13th. The station continues digitally, post-transition, with its existing facility on RF channel 50, and no other changes will need to be made.
And of course, Western Reserve PBS' other outlet, Youngstown-market WNEO/45 Alliance, has been operating in digital-only mode since last November...
Thursday, May 28, 2009
It's About The Timing
Here we are, just two weeks and one day away from the now-set-in-stone (we presume) digital TV transition date of June 12th.
And as we get closer, the timing gets clearer.
OMW hears that the major local network affiliate stations in the Cleveland market are coordinating a time to shut off their analog signals on the transition date - that time being 10 AM on the 12th. Some other stations may not join that parade...for example, we're hearing that Univision O&O WQHS/61 may wait for 11 PM.
One thing we haven't noted here...at 10 AM on June 12th, Cleveland Gannett NBC affiliate WKYC/3 will not actually turn off its long-time home of analog channel 3. WKYC is one of the stations participating in the FCC's "nightlight" program, so analog 3 will be on for another few weeks.
Instead of carrying Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien, "Chuck" and other NBC programming (and "Channel 3 News"), under "nightlight", the analog WKYC signal will run a loop of information about the digital TV transition, including contact information for those who need help making the switch.
We don't know when WKYC will finally hit the "OFF" button on the analog transmitter, but it'll be anywhere from two weeks to a month after June 12th.
Now, how about that much-watched WKYC/WVIZ tower?
OMW has reason to believe it's on schedule, and that both stations will be transmitting their new, full-power digital signals from there at the June 12th transition. (And much rejoicing was heard throughout Digital TV Land!)
And in fact, ideastream PBS affiliate WVIZ-DT is so eager to abandon its 10 kW temporary facility for a full-power signal...it's asking the FCC to allow it to turn on the new post-transition signal early.
That's one week early, as in June 5th. (Here's the PDF of the engineering statement supporting the STA request.)
It is a similar filing to one made by Western Reserve PBS' WNEO/45 Alliance, which started airing its then-licensed new 44 kW digital signal on RF 45...then quickly found that it really needed to light up a construction permit for 500 kW that its post-transition license condition said couldn't be turned on until February 17th. (Remember THAT date? It almost seems quaint!)
As far as we know, WKYC-DT will make the RF 2 to RF 17 switch in time for the June 12th transition. WKYC has not filed for any pre-transition STA for its digital RF 17 operation.
We've traipsed through the FCC filings to find out - for example - that Local TV Fox affiliate WJW/8 tells the FCC it is indeed ready to light up its 30 kW digital facility on RF 8 at the transition on the 12th:
-----
WJW PLANS TO USE ITS CURRENT CHANNEL 8 ANALOG ANTENNA FOR DIGITAL TRANSMISSION AFTER IT CEASES ANALOG TRANSMISSION AS OF JUNE 12, 2009.
THE STATION HAS PURCHASED AND TESTED A NEW INTERIM DIGITAL CHANNEL 8 TRANSMITTER AND PLANS TO USE THAT TRANSMITTER AT FULLY-AUTHORIZED POWER AS OF JUNE 12, 2009, WHILE ITS ANALOG TRANSMITTER IS BEING CONVERTED TO DIGITAL, AFTER WHICH WJW-DT WILL SWITCH TO THE CONVERTED ANALOG TRANSMITTER FOR DIGITAL TRANSMISSION.
-----
WJW's 30 kW post-transition power level on RF 8 was approved back in March, but like WVIZ-DT, the approval hinges on the digital transition date.
We haven't yet been able to find out when the three Youngstown market commercial stations will make the switch on that day...
And as we get closer, the timing gets clearer.
OMW hears that the major local network affiliate stations in the Cleveland market are coordinating a time to shut off their analog signals on the transition date - that time being 10 AM on the 12th. Some other stations may not join that parade...for example, we're hearing that Univision O&O WQHS/61 may wait for 11 PM.
One thing we haven't noted here...at 10 AM on June 12th, Cleveland Gannett NBC affiliate WKYC/3 will not actually turn off its long-time home of analog channel 3. WKYC is one of the stations participating in the FCC's "nightlight" program, so analog 3 will be on for another few weeks.
Instead of carrying Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien, "Chuck" and other NBC programming (and "Channel 3 News"), under "nightlight", the analog WKYC signal will run a loop of information about the digital TV transition, including contact information for those who need help making the switch.
We don't know when WKYC will finally hit the "OFF" button on the analog transmitter, but it'll be anywhere from two weeks to a month after June 12th.
Now, how about that much-watched WKYC/WVIZ tower?
OMW has reason to believe it's on schedule, and that both stations will be transmitting their new, full-power digital signals from there at the June 12th transition. (And much rejoicing was heard throughout Digital TV Land!)
And in fact, ideastream PBS affiliate WVIZ-DT is so eager to abandon its 10 kW temporary facility for a full-power signal...it's asking the FCC to allow it to turn on the new post-transition signal early.
That's one week early, as in June 5th. (Here's the PDF of the engineering statement supporting the STA request.)
It is a similar filing to one made by Western Reserve PBS' WNEO/45 Alliance, which started airing its then-licensed new 44 kW digital signal on RF 45...then quickly found that it really needed to light up a construction permit for 500 kW that its post-transition license condition said couldn't be turned on until February 17th. (Remember THAT date? It almost seems quaint!)
As far as we know, WKYC-DT will make the RF 2 to RF 17 switch in time for the June 12th transition. WKYC has not filed for any pre-transition STA for its digital RF 17 operation.
We've traipsed through the FCC filings to find out - for example - that Local TV Fox affiliate WJW/8 tells the FCC it is indeed ready to light up its 30 kW digital facility on RF 8 at the transition on the 12th:
-----
WJW PLANS TO USE ITS CURRENT CHANNEL 8 ANALOG ANTENNA FOR DIGITAL TRANSMISSION AFTER IT CEASES ANALOG TRANSMISSION AS OF JUNE 12, 2009.
THE STATION HAS PURCHASED AND TESTED A NEW INTERIM DIGITAL CHANNEL 8 TRANSMITTER AND PLANS TO USE THAT TRANSMITTER AT FULLY-AUTHORIZED POWER AS OF JUNE 12, 2009, WHILE ITS ANALOG TRANSMITTER IS BEING CONVERTED TO DIGITAL, AFTER WHICH WJW-DT WILL SWITCH TO THE CONVERTED ANALOG TRANSMITTER FOR DIGITAL TRANSMISSION.
-----
WJW's 30 kW post-transition power level on RF 8 was approved back in March, but like WVIZ-DT, the approval hinges on the digital transition date.
We haven't yet been able to find out when the three Youngstown market commercial stations will make the switch on that day...
Thursday, May 21, 2009
DTV Season Into High Gear
Like the upcoming Memorial Day weekend usually signals the start of the mythical Summer Driving Season, today apparently signals the start of the Official DTV Transition - We're Serious About This, We're Really Going To Do This Now - Season...with the June 12th transition date just weeks away.
Local TV stations in Northeast Ohio are indeed joining along with a nationwide DTV "soft test", interrupting their analog signals three times today to urge viewers to, well, make their own transition.
Cleveland Plain Dealer business writer/DTV transition watcher Shaheen Samavati reports that most of the Cleveland market's full-power stations will interrupt analog programming at three times today to air the messages:
------
People still receiving over-the-air analog television signals through an antenna will have their programs interrupted at 7:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. with an alert telling them how to prepare for the end of analog broadcasting on June 12.
Those already watching digital TV, as well as those connected to cable or other pay-TV services, should not see the alert.
In the Cleveland-Akron area, stations participating in the test are WBNX Channel 55, WEWS Channel 5, WJW Channel 8, WKYC Channel 3, WQHS Channel 61, WOIO Channel 19, WUAB Channel 43, and WVIZ Channel 25.
-----
Not on the list for various reasons:
* ION O&O WVPX/23. The station won't even have a digital signal until analog channel 23 signs off at the transition, replaced with digital channel 23. Perhaps the ION folks decided to hold off on the "soft test" for that reason, since viewers would have no ability to check out the new signal.
* Western Reserve PBS' WEAO/49. The Kent-based PBS outlet has not participated in past tests, and has already transitioned its Youngstown-market WNEO/45 Alliance to all-digital status.
(And note: your Primary Editorial Voice(tm) was not near an analog-only TV at 7:30 this morning, so we don't know if first "soft test" went off as planned. Since cable and satellite providers aren't carrying the analog-only signals anymore for the most part, we presumably can't set up our TiVo to catch this.)
The tests aren't the only sign that the June 12th digital transition date is coming soon.
Samavati's article in the PD notes that federally-sponsored DTV "mobile assistance centers" will set up at a number of Cleveland-area locations in the next few days:
-----
• Thursday 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Richmond Town Square Mall, 691 Richmond Road, Richmond Heights
• Friday 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., Cleveland Goodwill, 2295 E. 55th St., Cleveland
• Friday 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Cleveland Goodwill - Fairwood, 13719 Lorain Ave., Cleveland
• Saturday 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Great American Rib Cook-off, Time Warner Cable Amphitheater, 351 Canal Road, Cleveland
-----
The "mobile assistance centers" will show people how to hook up digital converter boxes, and give help with getting those $40 government coupons to defray the cost of the boxes.
The mobile centers have already visited Canton, and we don't believe they have been in Akron yet, with no Akron visits on the current schedule (PDF file). (Maybe Akron doesn't need help?)
Samavati's article also notes that Northeast Ohio is one of a number of areas where the FCC is sponsoring free in-home installations of the boxes, and gives a number (800-582-4250) people can call to contact the Buffalo NY-based firm doing the installs...
Local TV stations in Northeast Ohio are indeed joining along with a nationwide DTV "soft test", interrupting their analog signals three times today to urge viewers to, well, make their own transition.
Cleveland Plain Dealer business writer/DTV transition watcher Shaheen Samavati reports that most of the Cleveland market's full-power stations will interrupt analog programming at three times today to air the messages:
------
People still receiving over-the-air analog television signals through an antenna will have their programs interrupted at 7:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. with an alert telling them how to prepare for the end of analog broadcasting on June 12.
Those already watching digital TV, as well as those connected to cable or other pay-TV services, should not see the alert.
In the Cleveland-Akron area, stations participating in the test are WBNX Channel 55, WEWS Channel 5, WJW Channel 8, WKYC Channel 3, WQHS Channel 61, WOIO Channel 19, WUAB Channel 43, and WVIZ Channel 25.
-----
Not on the list for various reasons:
* ION O&O WVPX/23. The station won't even have a digital signal until analog channel 23 signs off at the transition, replaced with digital channel 23. Perhaps the ION folks decided to hold off on the "soft test" for that reason, since viewers would have no ability to check out the new signal.
* Western Reserve PBS' WEAO/49. The Kent-based PBS outlet has not participated in past tests, and has already transitioned its Youngstown-market WNEO/45 Alliance to all-digital status.
(And note: your Primary Editorial Voice(tm) was not near an analog-only TV at 7:30 this morning, so we don't know if first "soft test" went off as planned. Since cable and satellite providers aren't carrying the analog-only signals anymore for the most part, we presumably can't set up our TiVo to catch this.)
The tests aren't the only sign that the June 12th digital transition date is coming soon.
Samavati's article in the PD notes that federally-sponsored DTV "mobile assistance centers" will set up at a number of Cleveland-area locations in the next few days:
-----
• Thursday 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Richmond Town Square Mall, 691 Richmond Road, Richmond Heights
• Friday 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., Cleveland Goodwill, 2295 E. 55th St., Cleveland
• Friday 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Cleveland Goodwill - Fairwood, 13719 Lorain Ave., Cleveland
• Saturday 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Great American Rib Cook-off, Time Warner Cable Amphitheater, 351 Canal Road, Cleveland
-----
The "mobile assistance centers" will show people how to hook up digital converter boxes, and give help with getting those $40 government coupons to defray the cost of the boxes.
The mobile centers have already visited Canton, and we don't believe they have been in Akron yet, with no Akron visits on the current schedule (PDF file). (Maybe Akron doesn't need help?)
Samavati's article also notes that Northeast Ohio is one of a number of areas where the FCC is sponsoring free in-home installations of the boxes, and gives a number (800-582-4250) people can call to contact the Buffalo NY-based firm doing the installs...
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