Live-Blogging the Wilmington DTV Project

High-power stations in Wilmington, N.C., shut off their analog signals at 12 p.m. ET today. We’ve asked Carol Ingley, the author of Digital or Dark who’s on the scene in Wilmington, to blog on the pilot DTV transition throughout the day.

The Day After: Wilmington, N.C., 7:00 a.m., Tuesday, September 9, 2008

I go back to my breakfast spot in Wilmington today, primarily to speak with the waitress who had not done anything to her over-the-air analog TV. In addition to following up, I get to have some delicious cheese scrambled eggs again.

The nice waitress that I encountered yesterday is at the restaurant. True to her word, she did turn on her TV set after the noon deadline and, although the screen did not turn to snow, she is now receiving the same message that was on the analog set at the press conference yesterday. Cable TV is not available in her area and already, she has called about satellite TV. Given that she doesn’t watch TV very much, that’s not the right answer for her. Also, she thinks it is expensive. She has decided to get a converter box and asks if I know where to get them. I do, but wonder why that type of information wasn’t better conveyed. I tell her about the coupon, but she doesn’t want to wait for that. 

I also say that this is the first of many changes coming with TV. In fact, the shift from analog to digital TV is a critical step in the digital revolution. I am surprised, as others in the serving staff join the conversation, how much is understood about what is coming. 

Never underestimate the American public.

TV as we have known it is yesterday. It is likely that the TV will evolve like the PC and wireless phone — necessitating upgrades every few years or, in many cases, every year or two.

But most folks are not thinking in terms of a digital revolution. Many are not thinking yet in terms of a digital mindset.

Now, it will be gathering more information from this switch and then, on to February 17, 2009.

Carol Ingley writes about the telecom, entertainment and consumer electronics industries, and is the author of Digital or Dark: How You and Your Analog TV Can Survive February 17, 2009. She heads up Media Mogul of the Home. The company is committed to educating the consumer about upcoming trends in the digital revolution as well as helping consumers make smart choices for the home. She can be reached at CarolIngley@MediaMoguloftheHome.com

Wilmington, N.C., 2:45 p.m., Monday, September 8, 2008

We are now post-switch in Wilmington, NC.  But what a morning it was.  Noon was the moment when it was declared, “First in flight. First in digital.” A large light switch was symbolically moved from analog to digital at precisely 12:00 noon.

It was sheer excitement at City Hall today from 10:30 a.m. to noon as various dignitaries gave speeches and recounted how Wilmington “got smart” about the digital switch. 

FCC Chairman Kevin Martin declared that the process was “already a success no matter what happens at noon.”  The market in Wilmington was saturated with information, from booths at local festivals to firemen helping citizens fill out applications for getting coupon as well as aiding in the installation process.

The FCC and the NTIA have every reason to be proud.  They, along with the resources of the entire community, have invested heavily in helping Wilmington make the switch in the smoothest way possible.

It is still unclear who has “gone dark” and who has not in the Wilmington area.  The analog TV that sat at the front of the hall clearly showing an analog signal suddenly shifted to a message at noon that a converter box was needed to see the signal.  No programming was available from that analog TV after the switch; only the screen message appeared.

What was missing at the press conference were the citizens who have made the switch.  Free TV, as it is turning out, is a sacred institution and messing with it in any way arouses suspicions.  This is a subject that was not really discussed at the press conference.

Perhaps justly so — there is always a moment that one must take to enjoy the success of the process, even if there are some glitches to be dealt with later.

Carol Ingley writes about the telecom, entertainment and consumer electronics industries, and is the author of Digital or Dark: How You and Your Analog TV Can Survive February 17, 2009. She heads up Media Mogul of the Home. The company is committed to educating the consumer about upcoming trends in the digital revolution as well as helping consumers make smart choices for the home. She can be reached at CarolIngley@MediaMoguloftheHome.com

I am quickly finding out that this is not about TVs going digital.  Talking about TVs with Americans, I find, turns out to be an explosive topic. 

It reminds me of the Declaration of Independence:  "We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

Among these unalienable Rights, it appears, is free TV and the right not to talk about whether you watch it.  You don’t talk about this any more than you talk about life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  It is self evident.

That doesn’t mean that folks aren’t courteous when you ask them about noon in Wilmington, NC.  You reassure them that Wilmington is doing the rest of the U.S. a service in being the trial city for a very big event.

People are still suspicious that you are asking them about their TV.  The following exchanges cannot quite capture the underlying sentiment:  But why are you asking me this because I really don’t want to talk about it?

When making my reservations at the hotel here, the young man had an older TV with over-the-air reception but did not seem to be concerned at all about noon on September 8, 2008.  I hope to follow up with him before leaving Wilmington.

Last night my server at a more upscale Italian chain restaurant did know more than most about the switch.  Her brother is a journalist and she knew that the date had been slipping for some time now.  Her choice, having just moved into a new house, was to get satellite TV, rather than get a converter box for her analog TV.  The manager of the restaurant has cable TV and knows that he does not need to do anything.

This morning at breakfast my waitress told me she doesn’t use her TV to watch over-the-air TV but rather for games and for DVDs.  She was very clear that she had better things to do than watch TV.  Another waitress did have an analog TV with over-the-air reception and had not done anything.  She was the first to be nice about the subject.  I asked her to try her set after noon today.  I will go back to the same restaurant tomorrow to find out what happened.  I told her I would help her with her options if her TV has gone dark.

Today promises to be surprising.  We’ll see.

Carol Ingley writes about the telecom, entertainment and consumer electronics industries, and is the author of Digital or Dark: How You and Your Analog TV Can Survive February 17, 2009. She heads up Media Mogul of the Home. The company is committed to educating the consumer about upcoming trends in the digital revolution as well as helping consumers make smart choices for the home. She can be reached at CarolIngley@MediaMoguloftheHome.com