APT Now Digital Only
Alabama Public Television is now broadcasting in digital only on all of its nine stations - WAIQ in Montgomery, WBIQ in Birmingham, WCIQ at Mt. Cheaha, WDIQ in Dozier, WEIQ in Mobile, WFIQ in Florence, WGIQ in Louisville/Texasville, WHIQ in Huntsville, and WIIQ in Demopolis. Viewers who rely on over-the-air service will need a digital TV or converter box to receive APT programming.
Viewers who subscribe to cable or satellite service should continue to receive APT as before, but not all cable and satellite services carry all of Alabama Public Television’s digital channels, which include APT IQ and APT Create.
For more information, please e-mail APT or call 1-800-239-5233.
Unplug & Re-Scan! Many digital-ready viewers of WBIQ in Birmingham and WCIQ at Mt. Cheaha lost reception on February 18 because these digital transmitters moved to new frequencies and digital converter boxes and televisions are locked on the old frequencies. Simply re-scanning for channels doesn’t always work. If you lost channel 10 or 7, unplug your TV or converter box for 5 to 10 minutes and then power up and re-scan.
Digital Television Transition
All full-power television stations in the country are already broadcasting digital signals that offer better picture and sound quality than analog. Digital technology also allows stations to broadcast more than one channel. APT now offers three: APT HD, APT Create and APT IQ.
Public Television and hundreds of other television stations ceased analog broadcasting on February 17, 2009 – the date originally set by the FCC and advertised for the past year. Many other stations will continue analog broadcasting until June 12, 2009, a new date for the national DTV transition set by Congress. Some Alabama stations may stop analog broadcasting some time before June 12.
Digital TVs & Converter Boxes
Viewers can receive broadcast digital television two ways: with a digital TV or a digital converter box attached to an analog television. Broadcast digital television is significantly higher quality than the signal you can receive from either cable or satellite – and you will have access to all of APT’s channels.
Option 1 - Boxes
Connect your TV to a digital-to-analog converter box. These devices convert digital broadcast signals into a format that your analog TV can display. They cost of $40-$70. The Government is offering consumers as many as two $40 coupons per household; each coupon is valid toward the purchase of a single converter box. To request coupons, visit www.dtv2009.gov or call 1-888-388-2009 (voice) or 1-877-530-2634 (TTY). The website includes a list of retailers in your area selling coupon-eligible converter boxes.
Option 2 - TVs
Buy a digital television (a TV with a built-in digital tuner). Any new TV sold after May 2007 must come equipped with a digital tuner or be clearly marked with a disclosure notice if it does not. In addition, many TVs sold as early as 2004 - especially 42-inch models or larger - have digital tuners built in. Remember that you do not need to buy a high-definition TV (HDTV) in order to enjoy digital broadcast television.
Antennas
If you use an antenna, you will still need it to pick up digital broadcast signals - even with a converter box or digital television. If you receive a good or strong analog signal with your indoor or outdoor antenna, it should work fine for digital too. If you receive a poor or intermittent analog signal, you will probably need to look at a more powerful antenna. A rooftop antenna mounted at least 30 feet off the ground is recommended for digital television.
APT transmitters for Birmingham, Mt. Cheaha and Dozier are VHF channels and will require a VHF antenna. Many commercial stations in Alabama will also broadcast in VHF after the transition. This is important to note because many “digital” or “HDTV” antennas on the market are UHF-only.
For more information on the best antenna for you, go to www.antennaweb.org
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