Vermont's first digital TV channel has made its debut. Thanks to matching
funds from the state of Vermont and the federal government, Vermont Public
Television began service on Wednesday, Jan. 15, from its new digital
channel 24 on Mt. Ascutney in Windsor, which serves southeastern Vermont
and bordering areas of New Hampshire. The current analog service on
channel 41 will continue.
Eventually, digital television will be the national standard. By federal
law, all TV stations in the U.S. are required to convert to the digital
format. They will continue to broadcast in the analog format through
2006. VPT’s digital conversion ensures that it complies with the mandate.
VPT's president and CEO, John King, says, "Beyond meeting the legal
obligation so that we can continue to operate, our conversion to digital
will bring VPT viewers a wealth of new services. Digital is a technology
tailor-made for public television. Its educational potential is
tremendous."
Digital broadcasting is a free over-the-air service that provides superior
picture and sound as well as simultaneous multiple channels
(multicasting), high-definition TV (HDTV) and downloadable data. Viewers
receive it by using a UHF antenna connected to either a digital TV or a
conventional television with a set-top digital tuner. A conventional TV
can receive all of the digital services, however the viewer will only see
true HDTV with a digital TV. VPT's digital schedule will be offered 24
hours a day, with the choice of any of four multicast services most of the
day. Viewers with equipment to receive the signal can choose from:
VPT 1: Regular VPT schedule as on the analog channel
VPT 2: PBS Kids children's programming
VPT 3: PBS You lifelong learning service
VPT 4: PBS national schedule
When VPT broadcasts high-definition programming, which will usually be in
the evening, viewers can choose from:
VPT 1: Regular VPT schedule as on the analog channel
VPT 5: High-definition programming
In the future, VPT may use some of its multicasting and data delivery
capacity to offer worker training, early childhood and K-12 educational
services, public safety services and expanded coverage of state
government. The digital signal also has potential as a high-speed
wireless rural broadband service that delivers educational and
informational content to personal computers and set-top boxes. Educators,
students, adult learners and business people can download data at the same
time TV content is being broadcast.
Noting the importance of federal and state matching funds for the project,
VPT's John King says, "Thanks to Senators Patrick Leahy and Jim Jeffords
and Rep. Bernie Sanders, we have reached this milestone and will have the
federal funds to complete conversion of our three remaining sites when we
secure matching dollars from the state. We're grateful to Gov. Howard
Dean and his staff, and to Vermont's legislators, especially the House and
Senate Institutions and Appropriations committees, for the support they
have given so far."
VPT chief engineer Ron Whitcomb and studio technical supervisor Rob
Belle-Isle, who are managing the digital conversion project, are preparing
to convert VPT's St. Johnsbury and Rutland sites this year, if state funds
are appropriated to match federal funds already earmarked for VPT. Digital
service for the Burlington area will be available several years from now,
when VPT and the commercial TV stations that share facilities on Mt.
Mansfield have converted.
Because VPT operates a network of four transmitters and produces local
programming, the conversion to digital is the most complex and expensive
engineering project in its history. The complete project is expected to
cost $13.2 million.
VPT would like to hear from people in Vermont and New Hampshire who can
receive channel 24 or from anyone who has questions about digital TV.
Viewers can find out more at www.vpt.org or contact VPT via the website or
at 1-800-639-7811.