Local retailers swamped with calls about switching over to digital TV
Catherine Amos
Staff
RadioShack manager Adam Gann explains how to use a digital antenna and converter box with an older TV. Gann said the store has seen an influx of calls regarding the transition from analog to digital signals that took place Friday.
Since the nationwide transition from analog to digital television signals Friday, local TV-related businesses have been flooded with calls from customers who waited until the last minute to make the switch.
On Friday, Rep. Tom Perriello, D-5th District, issued a DTV Transition Guide, explaining that those who have lost service should either get a converter box or buy a digital television (both of which may still require a digital antenna to improve reception) or subscribe to a paid TV service, such as cable or satellite.
Anyone who was already a cable customer with retailers such as Comcast or Chatmoss Cablevision should not be affected by the switch.
Raymond Haley, owner of Haley’s Television Sales and Service in Danville, said people still using old TV sets were having trouble hooking up the analog-to-digital converter boxes and scanning for channels.
“I’m up to my neck and totally frustrated,” Haley said. “It’s been a hectic thing the last two or three days since they shut it off. Most of it is they don’t get certain channels they’ve been used to getting and that gets them totally confused.”
Haley said most of the customers calling lived in rural areas who waited until the last minute to switch. With analog signals, people could pick up “snowy” channels with just an antenna, but now cannot pick up anything without a converter box, and in some cases a digital antenna as well.
Adam Gann, manager at RadioShack in Piedmont Mall, said Monday the store was down to two digital antennas in stock. He said he usually carries about 70.
“You have no idea,” Gann said when asked if he had received any calls about the transition. “A lot of people are getting the converter boxes trying to pick up the new digital signal and aren’t receiving any channels. The digital signal is not as easy to pick up as the analog signal.”
Local cable retailers Comcast and Chatmoss said their existing customers should not be affected by the change, and both have signed new customers because of the transition.
“We did see a spike in orders as consumers who were unprepared realized that connecting to cable was one of the easiest and best solutions to get set for June 12,” said Beth Bacha, a vice president of communications for Comcast, “and we expect to see the same in the coming days and weeks.”
Chatmoss general manager Charles Lewis said several of the company’s new customers were “elderly, limited-income people who didn’t want to spend a fortune for an outside antenna.”
Perriello’s office has only received a handful of calls, said press secretary Jessica Barba, mainly from those in mountainous areas who were still having problems with service.
“But generally,” she said, “it appears the transition is going smoothly.”
For more information, visit http://www.dtv.gov.
• Contact Amos at or (434) 791-7983.
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Reader Reactions
I would like to say that u can hookup to digital T.V. with an outside antenna that runs only about $25.00 may be more now,but the reception is excellent with the converter box,I can say this because i am out in the country and pick up crystal clear local channels and other’s as well.The converter box will scan the area and just like satelite T.V. and pick up those channels.There is only one reason u shouldn’t pick up and that is if u have trees or something else blocking the signal,but if Antenna is pointed in the right direction and nothing blocking the signal u should have excellent reception.Now in the city it’s different because not everyone can use an outside antenna,therefore u would have to get cable or satelite as ur source.I hope this helps the many out there struggling to still get T.V. on their converter boxes.
A (digital) antenna can be just a piece of wire throwing that word digital in there is a sales gimmick. And even if these poor folks put up an antenna and get a converter box or new tv no promise even then they will get all the channels they once had. And folks should read up in what kind of antenna will work best for them in their area. And question the government about the bandwidth not used my analog tv now who will be using it>$$$$
I sure do kilobyte. I just see no need for this article to inject Tommy Perriello into a story about retailers who have sold out of their converters. This paper goes out of its way to bend over for people like Perriello and Tim Kaine and Barack Obama. Their editorial policy now contains zero objectivity, and their opinion does not reflect the opinions of the majority of people in this area, and that is major reason why their advertisers are down and they are losing readers. They are out of step with folks in this area.
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I am shocked, shocked I say to find out Tommy Perriello did not personally fix everybody’s television set. How on earth can you work a politician like Perriello into an article like this??? Has this newspaper turned into house organ for the Democrat party?
Anyone who doesn’t wish to buy an antenna/converter box system should call DirectTV! (I’m partial, my son works for DirecTV.) I noticed in the newspaper article neither DirectTV or Dish Network was mentioned as an option to the converter box system (only Comcast and Chatmoss cable). There are inexpensive packages with DirectTV that might be affordable to those who waited to convert until after June 12th.
The article says anyone who is a Cablevision customer “should not be affected” by the transition. Actually, that’s not altogether correct. There have been several reported instances of service interruption, disruption, or elimination altogether - all Cablevision’s fault. I know for a fact customers in White Plains had their HBO programming disrupted. I also heard customers down in Dix Hills are still experiencing problems with their service (that they pay for)! Get it together Cablevision!
So how long have people known about this? So who is to blame? I say the person who waited till the last minute to do something about it.. IT has been talked about till I am tired of listening so much I stopped watching tv to a point. It has been drilled in everyones brain for over 2 years. and if you waited or still with out signal it is your own fault.
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