Finally some real instructions from Channel 2

Almost ten days after the "digital transition," Channel 2-0 (analog) is still broadcasting an instructional video on DTV with Michael DiSeria, and reception of Channel 2-1 remains bad. In fact, Carter of ABC Warehouse told me today that "Channel 2 is tricky in most spots." He showed me an RCA outdoor antenna that was plugged in to a showroom TV and let me turn it on. That TV could pull in 2-0 pretty good, but 2-1 not at all.

Also today, Channel 2 has added a scrolling message on its analog channel suggesting one delete all channels, rescan, (old advice so far) and then extend the VHF rabbit ears 16 to 18 inches and put them parallel to the floor, pointing towards Southfield. Finally! Some real instructions. With that new advice, I was able to pull in 2-1 in the living room and watch Simpsons, King of the Hill and Family Guy. Didn't feel like sticking around for American Dad! though.

Don't throw out that old antenna just yet

Some people think that to get the digital channels they have to get entirely new antennas. On the other hand, some Best Buy employees are telling customers that their old antennas should work just fine with new TVs they buy there. I guess they aren't working for commission.

It would be better to tell people: "You might not need a new antenna." If an antenna doesn't work with one TV, try it on the other TV in the house (odds are good there's more than one TV in your house). A flat antenna is useless in my room. It works wonderfully in the living room.

And if the old antennas don't work anywhere in your house, don't rush out to buy a $100 outdoor antenna. A different kind of indoor antenna might work without setting you back hundreds of dollars. I read somewhere that some outdoor antennas need a motor to rotate them when you change the channel. The motor will cost something extra, I'm sure. Wouldn't you feel silly installing a motor and then finding out than an indoor antenna that you can more around with your hand works better?

Digital TV reception can vary widely in one house

First off, let me reiterate that antennaweb.org is a completely useless website. You're much better off heeding the advice in DTV Made Easy, a free pamphlet from ConsumersUnion that is available at the Detroit Public Library and presumably other public libraries around the nation. The pamphlet advises one to try small indoor antennas and consult with neighbors before shelling out $100 or more for an outdoor antenna.

To that advice I would add that digital TV reception can vary greatly from one room to the next in one house. In the living room, a Craig converter box is attached to an old analog Philips Magnavox TV. A couple of months ago I attached an RCA flat antenna that kind of looks like a bat. It pulled in every digital channel there is and needed only a small adjustment to get Channel 50-1. Now it needs greater adjustments for Channels 4-1 and 7-1, but it still gets all the channels. That "bat" antenna is perfectly useless in my room, where I have a Dynex digital TV. With a broken Philips SCP020 antenna attached to that Dynex set, I get all the digital channels except 7-1, 7-2, 7-3 and 50-1. Sometimes I can get 7's channels. But I have never been able to get Channel 50-1 in my room.

Is it because the Internet router is in there? Or is it because I still haven't gotten rid of the old analog set I used to watch in my room? antennaweb.org says nothing on the matter, just brushing it off as "various factors" that can affect the reception of an indoor antenna and urging me to buy expensive outdoor antennas with color codes no antenna manufacturer uses.

Channel 4-1 in the rain

This morning I was watching Ellen at 10 AM on Channel 4's digital channel. Andrew Humphries had just said there would be on and off showers throughout the day. Some time after Ellen's monologue, it started raining, and I was actually impressed that Channel 4's reception didn't deteriorate, even though at times the rain sounded quite heavy. But later on, with no significant change in the rain, Channel 4's reception became awful. They're supposed to stop analog transmission at 6:15 AM tomorrow, not that I can get the analog channel to come in today anyway. Hopefully they will also strengthen digital transmission, so that no amount of rain can challenge reception. After all, a severe weather warning on TV is pretty useless if you can't even get the message.