DTV: Scanning for Digital Channels

If your television is hooked to an antenna, and you don't have it ready for digital TV yet, better get cracking.
News Channel 7 goes all-digital this Friday, June 12 at 7:00 am.
You'll need to scan for digital channels so you're ready for the switch to DTV,
News Channel 7 engineer Charlie Wofford talked with anchor Tom Crabtree about how the channel scan process works.
"As soon as you get the converter box out of the packaging and hook it up, your first screen will be how to set up the converter box," notes Wofford.
Wofford says put your television on channel 3, make your language selection, and the next step will be using the converter box to find and memorize the digital channels you can pick up.
He says depending on your antenna and the terrain around your home (trees, mountains, buildings), most viewers can expect to find 15 to 20 digital channels.
"The next menu item is asking you to hit 'okay' to start the searching. Once you start this, don't be alarmed if it takes two or three minutes to complete the search," says Wofford.
The demonstration example is a television with a "rabbit ear" antenna set up in the lobby of News Channel 7's main studios. The converter box finds 11 digital channels.
Wofford says a different set-up could bring in more channels. "With an amplified antenna or a good outdoor antenna, you would receive many more channels."
"By moving the 'rabbit ears', we could either gain or lose more stations."
Wofford continues the channel scanning process. "Just to finish, it's asking you for the time zone and other menu items. We'll select eastern. We'll hit 'next' again. And now it says set-up is finished."
Wofford points out the remote control for the converter box has a signal strength meter. "On this particular remote, it's just called meter. Right now, we're only getting a 50 signal strength. So what viewers will need to do now is rotate their rabbit ears or their outdoor antenna to peak this signal up (into the green area) as best they can. "
Wofford says antenna adjustments to improve signal strength should be made slowly. "This signal strength meter is a little delayed, so you want to make small adjustments."
A couple of connections, and you're watching digital television.
And as Wofford points out, you don't need the skill of an engineer to do it.
News Channel 7's current digital channels are 7.1, which is our primary channel, and 7.2, which is our 24-7 weather channel.
Since our tower collapse during the March snowstorm, News Channel 7 programming has also been available on 62.2.
Charlie Wofford says that will be the case until our new tower is up and running, which he says should be in late August or early September "in time for the first football game."