Watching Analog Television Go Bye-Bye

Today is the big switchover for broadcasters to move from Analog to Digital. Here in Connecticut many of the stations decided to do their switchover during the day.

I have sat here in my office with two portable 5-inch black and white televisions watching the analog channels go off one by one.

Most of the signals have just gone poof, from showing programming to snow with no fanfare at all, while others have gone out remembering the past. Here in Hartford WFSB went out in style showing a video from the past including an old channel 3 test patern and audio of the station going on the air. The video wrapped up with the national anthem. This sign off made me feel great that they remember the past. (You can see a video of the analog signoff at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztee7Q-jKGo)

On the satellite side of things it has been amazingly quiet today. The worst issue I heard so far today is that some HD satellite receivers need to have the off air locals channels deleted from memory before viewers can successfully rescan for digital channels.

Its sad to see these signal go away they have been a part of all of our lives, as at some point in our live we used antennas to get our television signals.

Now that all of the Connecticut stations have switched off I now have two perfectly good 5 inch black and white TV’s on my desk. I guess they are collector’s items now who knows maybe someday I museum will want them.

Goodbye Analog television, you will be missed.

It’s Official

As we reported here first yesterday in “The Satellite Dish” that the local channels own by Fisher Communications were returned to the Dish Network.

And while the channels we back on for Dish Network customers to enjoy no official word of a deal came out until just before 5PM Eastern Time.

Both sides seemed to be happy to be working together again.

“We are pleased we were able to reach an agreement with Fisher to return these channels to our subscribers,” said Charlie Ergen who is Dish Networks CEO.

Fisher Communications CEO Colleen Brown commented that she was “pleased to renew our partnership with DISH Network, which will allow us to continue serving our local viewers and customers.”

The question online has been who blinked, and honestly I don’t think we will ever officially get that answer and in the end it does not really matter anyways as Dish customers have their Fisher channels back and all once again seems right in the world.

Have a great weekend everyone!