Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen...to analog television!
Hello, everybody. The day has arrived and it's the end of an era as after over 80 years, analog television broadcasting in the United States will be just a faded memory and digital broadcasting will be here to stay forever. So far already, many stations have already shut off their analog transmitters for the last time with little or no fanfare, and bunches more will follow all day.
Here in Fairbanks, KUAC and ABC Alaska's Superstation (KATN) have already flipped their switches just a short while ago. Along with KFXF and KJNP now in digital, KTVF and KXD are right now breathing their final breaths before 54 years of analog television in the Golden Heart City will be no more at 11:59 pm. And of course, I'll have my digital camera capturing those final moments and immediately putting it on YouTube for all the world to see.
The best things about the transition from analog to digital TV is 1) you get a better picture and sound as well as sub-channels via "multicasting" plus free high-definition programming, and 2) no more frustrations of abusing your TV and/or playing with your antenna trying to get a good reception. Of course, if you subscribe to a cable or satellite service, have a TV with a built-in digital tuner, or have a digital converter box connected to your existing TV, you're already set. If not, don't fret. Just purchase a digital converter box for your existing set, follow the instructions on hooking it together, and you and all your channels will be together again.
Now I could've said all this on February 17 (the original shutoff date), but at the eleventh hour, the federal government extended it to June 12 though a handful of stations have already signed off on analog for good. The reason? We thought February 17 was too early, and doing it in the middle of sweeps would be a nightmare.
But like most of you, I'm all set to say goodbye myself. The journey began in 1928, made its grand debut at the 1939 World's Fair, and the show began in 1948 with the transition to color, stereo, and HDTV over those last 60 years. And now, it'll be just like the countdown to New Year's minus Dick Clark, as we'll be counting down the final seconds to the end of an era in this country. Because after midnight tonight, the only thing left on the analog television airwaves will be nothing but a snowy, static picture. So long, stay strong, and goodbye analog television!
Hello, everybody. The day has arrived and it's the end of an era as after over 80 years, analog television broadcasting in the United States will be just a faded memory and digital broadcasting will be here to stay forever. So far already, many stations have already shut off their analog transmitters for the last time with little or no fanfare, and bunches more will follow all day.
Here in Fairbanks, KUAC and ABC Alaska's Superstation (KATN) have already flipped their switches just a short while ago. Along with KFXF and KJNP now in digital, KTVF and KXD are right now breathing their final breaths before 54 years of analog television in the Golden Heart City will be no more at 11:59 pm. And of course, I'll have my digital camera capturing those final moments and immediately putting it on YouTube for all the world to see.
The best things about the transition from analog to digital TV is 1) you get a better picture and sound as well as sub-channels via "multicasting" plus free high-definition programming, and 2) no more frustrations of abusing your TV and/or playing with your antenna trying to get a good reception. Of course, if you subscribe to a cable or satellite service, have a TV with a built-in digital tuner, or have a digital converter box connected to your existing TV, you're already set. If not, don't fret. Just purchase a digital converter box for your existing set, follow the instructions on hooking it together, and you and all your channels will be together again.
Now I could've said all this on February 17 (the original shutoff date), but at the eleventh hour, the federal government extended it to June 12 though a handful of stations have already signed off on analog for good. The reason? We thought February 17 was too early, and doing it in the middle of sweeps would be a nightmare.
But like most of you, I'm all set to say goodbye myself. The journey began in 1928, made its grand debut at the 1939 World's Fair, and the show began in 1948 with the transition to color, stereo, and HDTV over those last 60 years. And now, it'll be just like the countdown to New Year's minus Dick Clark, as we'll be counting down the final seconds to the end of an era in this country. Because after midnight tonight, the only thing left on the analog television airwaves will be nothing but a snowy, static picture. So long, stay strong, and goodbye analog television!
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