Vermont Public Television Launches Rutland Digital Channel
Vermont Public Television's Rutland digital TV channel has made its debut. VPT's digital channel 9 will begin service officially on Wednesday, June 1, from atop Grandpa Knob. The new channel -- the second digital channel in Vermont -- will serve Rutland and Addison counties and parts of Bennington and Windsor counties. In neighboring New York state, the signal will reach Warren and Washington counties and some of Saratoga and Essex counties.
VPT's channel 28, which transmits signals in the current analog format, will continue to operate for several years.
By federal mandate, all U.S. television stations are required to broadcast in digital. John King, VPT's president and CEO, says, "Going digital means Vermonters will continue to have their own statewide public television network, with all the PBS programs and local programs they treasure."
Beyond securing VPT's future, going digital will bring Vermonters clear reception and new services, including high definition programming (HDTV) and multicasting (up to four channels at the same time). In the future, along with TV programming, VPT will be able to transmit video, audio and text in the form of digital data that can be downloaded to a computer, providing educational resources to schools, teachers and lifelong learners of all ages.
Viewers with a high definition television can see HDTV programs from PBS on VPT's digital channel. Digital programming is only available over the air now, but VPT expects it to be carried on cable and satellite in the future. To receive digital TV channels, viewers can use their analog TV sets if they install a digital set-top converter box. However, to see true high definition television, viewers need a high definition TV.
The current analog service on VPT and TV channels nationwide will continue until the FCC requires broadcasters to return their analog spectrum to the government for other uses and operate only in digital format.
Viewers will find more information and a schedule for VPT's digital service by visiting www.vpt.org or calling 1-800-639-7811. VPT would like to hear from viewers who are able to receive the new channel.
VPT has been broadcasting in digital on its Windsor channel since 2003.
VPT will launch its St. Johnsbury and Burlington digital channels next year. Work begins this summer on a major project to collocate all Burlington market digital TV channels on Mt. Mansfield.
Noting that federal and state matching funds are paying for VPT's digital facilities, John King says, "Thanks to Senators Patrick Leahy and Jim Jeffords and Rep. Bernie Sanders, we have secured federal matching funds needed for the project. We have received most of the state matching funds and hope the state will appropriate the balance next year. We're grateful to Gov. Jim Douglas, former Gov. Howard Dean and their staffs, and to Vermont's legislators, especially the House and Senate Institutions and Appropriations committees, for the support they have given the project."
The cost of converting VPT's four transmitters to digital to meet the federal mandate will be about $5.4 million. Conversion of VPT's master control and production facilities to digital facilities will be the final phases of the project.
VPT chief engineer Ron Whitcomb and studio technical supervisor Rob Belle-Isle are managing the digital conversion project.
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