The Digital TV Transition
is coming February 17, 2009
It depends on how you receive TV in your home.
  Cable
Any TV you have hooked up to a cable service (Comcast, Cable One, Charter, US Cable, etc.) that currently receives KOB Channel 4, KOBR Channel 8 or KOBF Channel 12 will still receive signals after the Digital Transition in 2009.
Comcast in the Albuquerque and Santa Fe areas carries KOB HDTV on Channel 211. Comcast customers can also watch Pinpoint 4 Weather Plus on Channel 208. For more information, contact Comcast at 1-800-COMCAST.
Cable One in Rio Rancho carries KOB HDTV on Channel 465. Rio Rancho customers can receive Pinpoint 4 Weather Plus free with an antenna. (See below.)
If you are on another cable system, you need to contact your cable operator to find out if it plans to carry KOB HDTV or Pinpoint 4 Weather Plus. You may also be able to receive KOB HDTV or Pinpoint 4 Weather Plus free with an antenna. (See below for details.)
 Satellite
Any TV you have hooked up by satellite that currently receives KOB Channel 4 will still do so after the Digital Transition in 2009.
If you have DirecTV or Dish Network, you can receive KOB HDTV on Channel 4 as part of the local HD package.
To receive Pinpoint 4 Weather Plus on DirecTV or Dish Network, you must be within range of our KOB-DT signal in central New Mexico (check your address) and have an HDTV receiver. You can plug an antenna into the HDTV receiver for Pinpoint 4 Weather Plus to appear on Channel 4-2. (Coming to other areas by late 2008.)
For more information, contact DirecTV at 1-800-DIRECTV or contact Dish Network at 1-888-284-7116.
 Antenna
If you have any TV in your home that is not hooked up to cable or satellite and only uses an antenna to receive TV, you may need new equipment in order for the TV to still work in 2009. By federal law, all full-power TV broadcasters must turn off their analog signals by February 17, 2009.*
The following analog TV signals will turn off in February 2009:
KOB-TV 4 Albuquerque / Santa Fe
 KOBF-TV 12 Farmington
KOBR-TV 8 Roswell
KOBG-TV 6 Silver City
In their place are new digital TV signals:
Albuquerque / Santa Fe
KOB-DT - Channel 4-1
Pinpoint 4 Weather Plus - Channel 4-2
Farmington / Four Corners
KOBF-DT - Channel 12-1
Pinpoint 4 Weather Plus - Channel 12-2 (Fall 2008)
Roswell / SE New Mexico
KOBR-DT - Channel 8-1
Pinpoint 4 Weather Plus - Channel 8-2 (Fall 2008)
Silver City / SW New Mexico
KOBG-DT - Channel 6-1 (coming February 2009)
Pinpoint 4 Weather Plus - Channel 6-2 (Feb. 2009)
Check your address to see what signals you can receive.
If you watch KOB by antenna from a low power translator station, the current analog signal will likely continue until 2010. Click here for a list of low power translators in New Mexico.
Here's what you will need for the Digital Transition:
If you have a new TV purchased within the last few years, you should already have a digital tuner (also called an ATSC tuner) included. If so, and you live within range of our digital TV broadcast, just plug in an antenna to get KOB's digital TV signals.
If you have an older TV and want to keep it, you can purchase a set-top converter box that will allow you to view digital TV signals. (Find retailers near you.)
The federal government is now offering a $40 coupon to purchase a digital-to-analog converter box for your TV. You still need to check your address to see what digital TV signals you can receive at your home.
Some digital TV (ATSC) tuners are also available for computers allowing you to watch and record programs via antenna right on your PC or Macintosh. Check with your local computer store for options.
For more information about the transition to digital TV and how to prepare, call 1-888-DTV-2009 or visit http://www.dtv2009.gov .
* The federal deadline applies to viewers receiving TV broadcasts by antenna from KOB-TV 4 Albuquerque/Santa Fe, KOBF-TV 12 Farmington, KOBR-TV 8 Roswell and KOBG-TV 6 Silver City. If you receive KOB broadcasts by antenna on any other channel, your signal is likely coming from a low-power translator and may remain on the air through 2010. More information at http://www.nmba.org/DTV .
Help Spread the Word!
Many people in our community, especially the elderly, may be caught off guard by the digital TV transition. You can help educate people in your community.
Print out and hang a poster (English / Espanol) or access other free promotional materials at https://www.dtv2009.gov/Partners.aspx
Additional resources:
http://www.dtv2009.gov
http://www.newmexicobroadcasters.org/DTV/
http://dtvanswers.com/
http://dtvtransition.org/
http://www.myfreehdtv.org/ |
