Digital TV switch not without a hitch

Digital TV is finally here. But some viewers still can't get their favorite shows.

Local television stations spent Saturday helping callers figure out how to re-scan their digital converter boxes and adjust their antennas in order to receive the digital-only signals. (Consumers who subscribe to cable, satellite or other pay TV services were not affected.)

KSTP-TV, Ch. 5 reported about 62 calls by Saturday afternoon. "Some people aren't sure about the re-scanning steps," said Dixie Hansen, KSTP business manager. "Or they just have to tweak their antenna."

Jeff Phillips, vice president of technology at KARE-TV, Ch. 11 told callers to aim their antennas toward Shoreview for the best reception. The station had about 75 DTV related calls.

The nearly 200 calls received at KMSP-TV, Ch. 9 by midday covered a range of technical difficulties from simple antenna adjustment to a fear of new technology. "Some folks are scared of the thing and don't know how to hook it up," said Bill Hutchinson, an engineer. "We try to talk them through it."

Jim du Bois, of the Minnesota Broadcasters Association, said often people have successfully re-scanned but still can't get reception. "Their problem is they may have an antenna that doesn't receive both UHF and VHF signals," he said.

Several area Target stores reported an increase in antenna sales. At the Target in Crystal, customers were also inquiring about converter boxes -- which were sold out. Other Target stores still have them.

Nationally, nearly 700,000 people called the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) hot line this week, with about 317,000 on Friday alone. The FCC said most of the callers' problems were resolved when they were told to re-scan the airwaves for digital frequencies.

Friday's move to all-digital was delayed from Feb. 17. Nielsen Co. put the number of unready homes at 2.8 million, or 2.5 percent of the total television market.

Jennifer Galovich of St. Joseph, Minn., was ready for the conversion and received the digital channels by Friday without a hitch. She had bought a converter box, had her antenna adjusted and re-scanned the channels.

"After all these months of angst, all is well," she said. "I even get TPT Life."

Lynn Underwood • 612-673-7619