ALL ANALOG TELEVISION BROADCASTING WILL END ON FEBRUARY 17, 2009 ! After that date, your analog television sets will not work unless they receive signals through a digital-to-analog converter box hooked to an antenna, or from a cable TV service or satellite TV service. The federal government has a program to provide vouchers to help pay for converter boxes for viewers who get television with an over-the-air antenna. To apply for these vouchers, please visit www.dtv2009.gov, or call 1-888-DTV-2009. For further information, visit www.dtv.gov/whatisdtv.html.
Does WICS-DT offer their programming in high definition?
Yes. WICS-DT offers HD programming from ABC. Most of their prime-time schedule is in HD, as well as Good Morning America and The View.
What is WICS's digital channel?
WICS-DT is physically broadcasting on UHF Channel 42, but the signal will appear as channel 20.1 on most digital receivers. Digital channel WICS-DT 20.1 carries programming identical to analog channel WICS-TV20, except the ABC High Definition programming is in High Definition.
Where is the WICS digital transmitting antenna?
The antenna is near the top of our 1,456 foot tower located near Mechanicsburg, IL
How much power is WICS-DT transmitting?
Our Effective Radiated Power is 950 kw, which covers Springfield and the surrounding communities. If you can receive our analog signal on Channel 20, you should also be capable of receiving our digital signal.
What equipment do I need to receive your signal for my "HD-Ready" TV?
"HD-Ready" televisions are monitors and do not include built-in HDTV tuners. A Set-Top Box (STB) is required for reception of over-the-air broadcast HDTV. The STB is simply a digital tuner that sits outboard of the HDTV set. The STB requires an antenna connection to receive the HDTV signal. Consult your owner's manual for details. Since July 1, 2005 the FCC has required all television sets with a screen size 36" and larger to include integrated over-the-air digital tuners. And as of March 1, 2007, ALL new TVs must include digital tuners.
Is it necessary to use an outdoor antenna to receive WICS-DT?
Outdoor antennas are recommended because they will gather the most signal strength for your HD receiver to decode. However, many viewers are successfully receiving our signal with an indoor antenna. There is a greater need for an outdoor antenna the farther you live from the tower site.
My homeowners association does not allow outdoor or roof top antennas. What are my options?
It is against federal regulations to prohibit outdoor antennas for the purpose of receiving broadcast signals. The law is on your side if you decide to put one up. If you do not want to challenge your homeowners association, place your antennas on the back side of your house to block their view from the street. Some people have installed antennas in their attic. Use the following link for more information: www.fcc.gov/mb/facts/otard.html
Is the attic a good place for an antenna?
It works for some people in some locations. The structure of the house will reduce the signal strength. Physical space in the attic may prevent proper alignment of the antenna. If you live in an area where the broadcast signals are strong, the attic antenna is a viable option. If you have a metal roof don't even consider an attic antenna because the metal covering shields the signals.
Do I need to replace my existing antenna with a "digital" or "HDTV" antenna?
No. Any UHF antenna will receive our HDTV signal.
Is WICS's HD Channel available on satellite TV?
WICS-DT is not carried by any of the satellite providers...and neither are the HD signals of the CBS, NBC, or FOX stations in this market. However, the latest generation of HD receivers from the satellite companies also includes a terrestrial (over-the-air) HDTV receiver. If you connect a UHF antenna to a receiver with terrestrial HDTV capability, you should be capable of decoding our HDTV signal. You can ask your satellite TV provider if your receiver has this capability.
What High Definition format is the ABC Television Network using?
The ABC network standard is 720p, which offers 720 active lines progressively scanned. The frame rate is 60 frames per second.
How does 720p compare to 1080i?
Don't let anyone fool you, they both look great. There are trade offs with both formats. The 720p format streams 60 razor sharp frames each second, which makes it ideal for sports coverage. Progressive scanning is the technique utilized by all current computer monitors and flat panel technology.
The 1080i format utilizes 1080 active lines and interlace scanning. There are more active lines of video and more pixels per line than utilized by the 720p. The 1080i format streams 60 half frames per second. The odd number lines are scanned on the screen followed by the even number lines 1/60 second later. 1080i has a full frame rate of 30 per second. The interlace approach can result in jitter and other artifacts. Interlace is the scanning technique native to most CRT displays.
Since 1080i is interlaced and 720p is progressive, the number of active lines is not an apples to apples comparison. The number 720 was selected because in progressive scanning, 720 lines progressive, is the mathematical equivalent of 1080 lines interlaced. In theory the resolution is almost identical.
What will I see if a program is not offered in high definition?
WICS "up converts" all non-HD programming from analog to digital. The up-converted programming will look better than an analog standard definition feed, but it will not look as good as a program that is natively high definition.
Any programming originally produced in the 4x3 aspect ratio will appear in the center of the screen with blank panels filling the sides. Programming that is natively high definition will fill the entire 16x9 wide screen display.
Does WICS-DT broadcast in Dolby Digital 5.1 sound (AC3)?
Any ABC program offered in Dolby Digital 5.1 is broadcast on WICS-DT in Dolby Digital 5.1. A true 5.1 audio mix will contain six full channels of audio. The channels are designed to feed a right front, center, left front, rear left, and rear right speakers. The sixth channel or the .1 channel is for a low frequency effect channel (LFE), often called a sub-woofer. Dolby Digital 5.1 audio creates a sound field that closely resembles the sound field in a movie theater.
What's the DT in WICS-DT?
The FCC assigned call letters on a digital channel are designated with DT. The call letters on an analog channel are designated with TV. In other words WICS-TV is analog. WICS-DT is digital.
Here are some web resources to learn about the technology of digital television, high definition programming, and how to receive our signal with your outdoor antenna.
www.myfreehdtv.com
www.dtvanswers.com
www.checkhd.com
www.dtv.gov
www.antennaweb.org
|
