Latest DTV Updates
Effective January 13, 2009 KBDI's digital over-the-air signal is available in the Colorado Springs and Pueblo areas.
On Wednesday, January 13, KBDI-Channel 12 completed our conversion to full digital broadcast in the Colorado Springs / Pueblo area. These areas formerly received analog service on channel 32 analog. The analog transmission has been discontinued.
"The conversion to a digital transmission has greatly expanded our coverage area along the southern Front Range", according to Mark Seewald, KBDI Director of Technical Services. "While all viewers in those areas should see significant improvement in signal strength, viewers in the Pueblo area who were unable to get our anaolog channels before should now be able to acquire our digital channels with no problem".
Tips for Receiving KBDI's Digital Signal in Colorado Springs / Pueblo
With the new digital signal, viewers will need to re-scan their converter box or HDTV tuner in order to acquire our three channels. The broadcast frequency has changed from UHF Channel 32 to a new permanent frequency on UHF Channel 31. Once our signal has been acquired the on-screen program guide will display the three channels as 12.1, 12.2 and 12.
If you have problems receiving the Channel 12 signal after the change to digital, the following tips are recommended:
- Check all of your connections.
- Make sure your antenna is VHF and UHF capable.
- Even if you have received a good channel 12 signal in the past, it may be necessary to adjust or upgrade your antenna. An adjustment of just a few degrees can make a big difference.
- If you have more than one TV connected to a single antenna, try disconnecting all but one of them and then perform a full channel re-scan. If you are not able to acquire channel 12 and other available local channels, you may need to purchase an inexpensive RF or TV amplifier and place it in front of the splitter.
- You may need to try different antenna locations in your home, including placement near a window, as high in a room as possible and/or away from other electronic equipment. If all of the above does not provide reception, you may want to use a rooftop antenna or upgrade an existing antenna to potentially provide better reception.
If you are receiving the Channel 12 signal, but it pixelates or has other problems, try these troubleshooting tips:
- Adjust your antenna. Even a small shift of a few degrees can make a big difference.
- Consider purchasing an inexpensive RF or TV amplifier.
- Make sure your antenna connectors are good. Sometimes it’s necessary to disconnect and re-reconnect both ends of the cable to remove oxidation. This is especially true for outdoor and attic antennas.
Contact Us
- If you need additional assistance in setting up your over-the-air reception, please contact the station:
- By phone at 303-296-1212 (or toll free at 1.800.727.8812)
(Regular office hours: 9am-5pm Monday to Friday)
-
By email
General DTV Tips for KBDI
On June 12, KBDI switched its digital signal from UHF Channel 38 to its permanent frequency on VHF Channel 13. (Once your converter box or HDTV tuner acquires channel 13, it will display on your channel guide as 12.1, 12.2, and 12.3) With this switch, the station now operates at full power broadcasting three digital channels from its main transmitter site on Squaw Mountain (southwest of Evergreen) to the following areas:
- Denver Metro
- Northern Front Range (including Longmont, Greeley & Fort Collins)
- Eastern and Northeastern Colorado
Over-the-air Reception:
- KBDI digital channels 12.1 (the flagship station), 12.2 (The Documentary Channel), and 12.3 (MHz Worldview) are available now at full power on our new frequency.
- With this official KBDI switch to DTV, please follow the tips below to continue to receive KBDI-Channel 12.
To receive these channels, you will need to re-scan!
- Since our digital signal moved from UHF Channel 38 to its new permanent frequency on VHF Channel 13, you need to re-scan your digital TV tuner or converter box.
- The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recommends that if you are having difficulty receiving any of the over-the-air digital television signals, you should "double re-scan" your digital converter box or digital television set. Please follow these five steps:
- Disconnect your antenna from the converter box or digital TV.
- Re-scan the converter box or digital TV without the antenna connected. (This will clear out the pre-June 12 channels).
- Unplug the converter box or digital TV from the electrical outlet for at least one minute. (This will reboot your equipment and get it back to the factory settings.)
- Reconnect the antenna to the converter box or digital TV and plug the unit back into the electrical outlet; and
- Re-scan the converter box or digital TV a second time to ensure that your equipment finds our new frequency assignment. (Make sure that you select the full channel re-scan and not the Add Channel option.)
- Your on-screen program guide will continue to display our signal as 12.1, 12.2 and 12.3 once you have acquired our new frequency.
If you aren’t receiving the Channel 12 signal (your screen is black or blue or you get a no signal or weak signal message), we recommend the following:
- Check all of your connections.
- Make sure your antenna is VHF capable.
- Even if you have received a good channel 12 signal in the past, it may be necessary to adjust your antenna. An adjustment of just a few degrees can make a big difference. Our main transmitter is located on Squaw Mountain, just southwest of Evergreen. Most other stations are on Lookout Mountain near Golden. After moving the antenna, you may need to run the full channel scan again on the converter box or digital TV.
- You may need to try different antenna locations in your home, including placement near a window, as high in a room as possible and/or away from other electronic equipment. If all of the above does not improve reception, you may want to use a rooftop antenna or upgrade an existing antenna to provide better reception.
- If you have more than one TV connected to a single antenna try disconnecting all but one of them and then perform a full channel re-scan. If you still are not able to acquire channel 12 or other available local channels, you may need to purchase an inexpensive RF or TV amplifier and place it in front of the splitter.
- If there has been severe weather in your area recently, you may need to rescan.
If you are receiving the Channel 12 signal, but it pixelates or has other problems, try these troubleshooting tips:
- Adjust your antenna. Even a small shift of a few degrees can make a big difference.
- Consider purchasing an inexpensive RF or TV amplifier.
- Make sure your antenna connectors are good. Sometimes it’s necessary to disconnect and re-reconnect both ends of the cable to remove oxidation. This is especially true for outdoor and attic antennas.
Cable Reception:
- KBDI digital channel 12.1 is available now on Comcast.
- KBDI digital channels 12.2 (The Documentary Channel) and 12.3 (MHz Worldview) currently are not available via cable.
Satellite Reception:
- DirecTV carries KBDI's primary channel and MHz Worldview; the DirecTV guide lists these as 12.1 and 12.2, respectively. (DirecTV does not carry KBDI's Documentary Channel.)
- DISH Network carries only the KBDI 12.1 primary channel; the channel guide lists KBDI as channel 12.
FYI: Colorado Public Television continues to work with Comcast, DirecTV and DISH Network to secure agreements so that each will carry all of our digital multicast channels -- the flagship station as well as KBDI's Documentary Channel and MHz Worldview.
Special Information for Other Areas
If you live outside KBDI's main transmitter area (portions of Boulder), you will not currently be able to receive KBDI digital channels over the air. This is because your community is served by a TV translator. Please check back for updates on your area's anticipated digital conversion date.
Colorado Springs and Pueblo will convert to a digital signal on January 13, 2010 (see information above).
Contact Us
- If you need additional assistance in troubleshooting reception problems for channel 12, please contact the station:
|
