Some Lincoln County residents have reported poor TV reception after installing analog to digital converter boxes, but the Maine Association of Broadcasters (MAB) offers suggestions that might help in the area, which generally lies in a poor reception region.
To complicate matters, people who have not yet purchased a converter box may have difficulty getting $40 coupons toward the purchase of one because, as of Monday, all of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) funds available for that purpose have been committed, according to Suzanne Goucher, MAB president and CEO.
“This coupon program is a big fat mess, and you can quote me on that,” she said Monday.
Goucher said once the 90-day limit on the funds expires, money will be freed up and people on the waiting list can receive coupons. Otherwise, it may be too late to obtain a coupon for people who need the boxes but have not purchased them before the Feb. 17 FCC deadline for discontinuing analog transmission in favor of a digital format.
However, there might be some simple solutions before people go spending any money. According to Goucher, some people might have to “fiddle” with antennas to find how to get good reception, which, in some cases, could mean roof top antennas. She said she had to move her rabbit ears antenna to the windowsill before she could get any reception after turning on the converter box.
Meanwhile public officials like U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) urge citizens to get ready for the change. Snowe said Monday, “While this new era for the television medium will improve picture quality and service options for viewers, local residents should make sure that they have taken the necessary steps needed to prepare for the digital update and ensure a smooth and easy transition for their home equipment.”
Snowe said the transition, known as the DTV transition, will not only provide viewers with improved picture and sound quality, but free up airwaves for police, fire, and emergency personnel as well as increase wireless services for consumers.
According to an FCC spokesman, the federally mandated national conversion will free up bandwidth the FCC wants to utilize for more practical uses, and it will set aside Channels 63, 64, 68, and 69 for public safety.
She emphasized the main reason for making sure people make the transition one way or another concerns the public safety issue more than just programming, since people depend on TV for emergency information and instructions.
Trees, buildings, metal, and even nails and foil on insulation can interfere with reception for antennas located in an attic or garage so she recommends rooftop as the best solution. People should also make sure any antenna they intend to use receives VHF (very high frequency) digital signals as opposed to the more common UHF (ultra-high frequency), since stations transmit mostly in VHF.
Mitchell Ross of Ross Electronics in Waldoboro said, “One thing we need to keep in mind is this Midcoast area is on the fringe for any reception. It’s all location, location, location.”
Ross has heard of difficulties getting reception in some cases, but he has achieved success getting good reception with rooftop antennas. He reported one customer who had poor reception with an analog TV and rooftop antenna but bought a digital TV and now gets every channel available.
“A lot depends on the TV you go with and the tuner,” he said. Ross also said the type of antenna, the rotor, and amplifiers make a difference.
Another difficulty in the mix concerns Channel 10, which plans to go solely with digital this Thursday. However, Ross said he spoke directly with a Maine Public Broadcasting System (PBS) official who told him the station has no immediate plans to transmit its digital signals in high definition (HD).
“There are a lot of customers that depend on PBS,” he said.
Ross believes the stations wants to be ready to transmit Maine school boy basketball games starting Jan. 19 on digital to get any kinks out before rather than waiting until Feb. 17.
Until Feb. 17, Maine televisions stations plan to broadcast digital tests four times every Tuesday to help prepare people for the changeover, Goucher said. People should be able to know then whether they need converter boxes if they are uncertain about the kind of TV sets they own.
Unlike with analog, TV viewers might experience what she termed the “cliff effect” which means one household could receive perfectly good signals and a next-door neighbor might not be able to receive any signals.
Goucher suggested visiting www.tvfool.com. Online for specific information about TV reception in various areas throughout the Midcoast. For more information on the current situation with DTV, people can go onto the MAB website at www.dtvforme.com.
For information about coupons, people can call the Coupon Program 24-hour hotline at 1-888-DTV-2009 or apply online at www.dtv2009.gov.
