A change for every television set in America. Are you ready for the digital TV transition tonight? At 11:59 p.m., ABC7 makes the federally mandated switch from an analog signal to digital. Americans are lining up across the country to get their converter boxes. Remember to keep watching your favorite programs, you must have one of the following things: a digital TV, cable or satellite service, or a converter box. Don't forget to rescan your channels after the transition takes place.
Details here from 7 On Your Side
You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.
In addition to a digital TV or converter box, you also need an antenna that is capable of receiving all the digital TV broadcasts that you want to receive.
Do you need a new antenna? That is really really difficult to know because the idiot TV stations are not going to be broadcasting on their final frequencies until after they switch off their analog broadcasts. There is no way to find out if your antenna works until after the DTV switchover.
In fact, the TV stations are going to be modifying their antennas and power levels for months for several more months (until October or November of this year). The only real way to tell if you need a new antenna is to wait until November 2009 and see if your existing antenna works then. It is very possible that an antenna that is inadequate in June is perfectly fine in November.
Posted by: Greg | 06/12/2009 at 09:51 PM
I have been enjoying digital TV for five years now and find that it is an enormous improvement from the old analog and cable systems. My reception has been close to perfect on a wide variety of channels. This morning I tried rescanning my TV to receive the new frequencies. I was surprised to see that Channel Seven is now missing from the lineup. I checked KGO's website but could not find any information on why this is happening,how long this problem will persist, or whether their is anything that I can do about it.
KGO's website recommends that you call 211 to get information. However, other than information on how to receive a coupon for a digital coverterbox, 211 could not offer any additional information.
Posted by: Ken Tarquinio | 06/13/2009 at 10:35 AM
Channel 7 is the only missing station. No problem with anyone else. Calling 7 does nothing. I have tried 3 separate times, and get nothing but excuses. I am a long time watcher(56 years) of channel 7. but no longer, i guess. and they really could care less. Us with 'rabbitt ears' are the minority. but there are some of us that can't afford or don't want cable, and can't spend $$$$$ on new antenna's. channel 7 needs to fix this NOW
Posted by: Debbie Johnson | 06/14/2009 at 01:24 PM
ABC7 went dead after the official transition in many places in Bay area(see the comments posted on the detail report). It is a pity for such a major station failing so badly. I watched ABC7 news a lot, but I will switch to NBC11 for news from now on.
Posted by: Kenneth Lin | 06/14/2009 at 01:52 PM
channel 7 could care less. no one in my home can watch the finals. you have some very mad consumers. and stop making excuses for your failure. all other stations are up and running. you are losing many households in san mateo due to your failures. a neighbor has a roof antenna= still can't get you. take responsibility for your failre to even care.
Posted by: Debbie Johnson | 06/14/2009 at 04:34 PM
I have been watching digital TV on antenna for the past year. KGO7HD used to have good reception. Then, sometime during the NBA Finals, their signal has started to deteriorate. I am now getting about 30 or less Meter strength for KGO7. While previously weaker channels, such as KNTV and KRON, are getting much stronger. Upon reading other sites, it appears that KGO is using some sort of "Auxillary" antenna for digital transmission,while they are working on their permanent antenna. The result, is that the signal strength for the digital TV has become very poor
Posted by: John Wong | 06/14/2009 at 06:23 PM
As part of the federally mandated digital television transition, Channel 7 stopped broadcasting in analog at midnight on June 12th.
Channel 7 then moved its digital signal from UHF Channel 24 to VHF channel 7 at 24kw ERP. (You may not have known this because your converter box simply displayed "7.1.")
Some viewers who received us on UHF channel 24 are not receiving us now.
Please try these steps first:
*Unplug your converter box, wait a few minutes and plug it back in. Rescan for channels.
*We are seeing more problems from people with indoor antennas. Try first moving your indoor antenna around, preferably to an open area close to windows or doors to increase reception. If this doesn't work you may need an amplified antenna, (one that has its own power source and plugs in.) Or you may need an outdoor antenna.
Now through the first of October, Sutro Tower will be removing the analog antennas and installing the digital antennas on top of the tower.
For more information about KGO-TV and the DTV transition visit http://tr.im/ozUP
Posted by: Sara Bueno | 06/15/2009 at 12:41 PM
Last Friday, channel 7 switched their broadcast from a UHF frequency to a VHF frequency. Many local electronics stores have been advertising special expensive HDTV-ready antennas that are UHF-only. The suckers who bought these products now cannot watch channel 7 until they buy a new VHF antenna.
All the other local channels should be OK with a UHF-only antenna. Technically, channel 11 is also using a VHF frequency, but it is close enough to the UHF range to work with most UHF antenna.
Posted by: Greg | 06/15/2009 at 12:56 PM
The problem has nothing to do with UHF-only antennas. I have an amplified UHF/VHF HDTV antenna on one TV, a traditional UHF/VHF antenna on another TV. Both TV sets can not receive ABC7. Don't bother to try an amplified antenna if you have not. Some folk reported that they can not get ABC7 even with an outdoor antenna. The truth is that ABC7 failed the transition badly with such a long period for preparation!!
Posted by: Kenneth Lin | 06/15/2009 at 02:04 PM
I NEED SOME HELP. I JUST HAD A BAD DEAL GO WRONG I DID CASH FOR CLUNKERS BUT DID NOT QUALIFY, IT TOOK THE DEALERSHIP ALMOST A MOUTH TO FIGURE IT OUT. I MADE ONE CAR PAYMENT ALREADY. BUT THE INSURANCE LAPSED 5 DAYS,SO THE DEALERSHIP WANTS US TO RETURN CAR.OR GIVE THEM 3500. I TRIED TO GET THE 3500. BUT HAD NO LUCK. WHILE THEY CAME TO REPO THE NEW CAR .WHILE WE WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO GET OUR OLD CAR BACK AND THEY SAID WE CANT, THEY NOW OWEN IT. I NEED SOME LEGAL ADVICE. WHAT CAN I DO??
Posted by: ALEX RAMIREZ | 08/24/2009 at 08:54 PM
It's April 17, 2010 and KGO is still providing lame excuses for thousands of viewers for their failure to provide reception . They fail to explain why people who received their signal before the change can no longer receive the DTV signal . Using excuses like you have to have a VHF capable antenna or a booster is the run around by now .
KGO sucks !
Posted by: A dissatisfied viewier from San Jose | 04/17/2010 at 09:37 AM
i have the same problem with NOT receiving KGO OTA. i am 7 miles away receiving 60 channels EXCEPT 7.1! what is wrong with the Sutro Tower? I wish they went back to UHF. i understand there's some regulation on it but it be great if they can get back on the UHF band and have it broadcast as 7.1.
Posted by: unhappy kgo camper | 06/09/2010 at 03:02 PM
if all stations are working on 1/2 strength, why is 7 the only one having problems? the other major and minor stations have seemed to get their act together.
Posted by: buy jeans | 10/17/2010 at 05:18 AM
remember me!
Posted by: Проститутки Кургана | 06/28/2011 at 09:31 PM
http://www.hermes-birkin-replica.org/ Hermes Replica
Posted by: cholfella | 02/09/2012 at 12:52 AM