Posted by chicagomedia.org on June 11, 2009 at 10:06:56:
Digital TV brings fun and free shows
FRIDAY'S TV TRANSFORMATION | Converter box brings shows both fun -- and free!
June 11, 2009
BY PAIGE WISER | Chicago Sun-Times TV Critic
On Friday, when you turn on your TV and can't get any channels, panic -- but only briefly. Then rummage through your recyclables, find this article and read it.
Because yes, I was talking about you.
The FCC has tried its darnedest to get out the word that on Friday, most stations will begin broadcasting only digital signals. If your TV has an antenna and no cable or satellite service, you will have to take action -- action that can't be accomplished with the remote control.
Ultimately, this is good news. Really. If you don't have cable, suddenly you will have many more channels to choose from -- "subchannels" -- with specialized content. There will be more news, more children's programs, more retro TV reruns, more foreign-language shows and endless self-improvement tips.
You will notice themes in the programming. For instance, if you're a religious foodie who loves jazz, you're really in luck.
Even the specialized content is specialized. My favorite example of this is Channel 10.3's "Xtreme Life With Ivan Van Vuuren," a show about Christian extreme athletes. The stand-up paddle surfing pioneer has no fear. That's right; he spreads the message of life while risking his life. (It airs at 9 p.m. Tuesdays.)
Want you some of that? Just follow these steps.
1. Get a converter box for your TV.
You can get $40-off coupons for the box until July 31 through www.dtv2009.gov or by calling (888) CALL-FCC. That's a good number to hold onto if you have questions along the way.
Once you have the converter box, the instructions are fairly clear. Even I was successful on the second try. But some karma-minded companies have offered to help with in-home installation, for free:
-- KMAD Business Services Inc.: 866-932-2758
-- Green Planet: 888-508-1115
-- Atlanta Fitness Repair: 877-332-3535
-- Best Buy: 877-229-3889
Already using a converter box? You might get better reception by doing a rescan after noon Friday, when some Chicago channels switch to stronger signals.
2. Familiarize yourself with the channels.
The best way I've found to do this is at TitanTV.com, where you type in your ZIP code and search by day and by time.
A few of my favorite channels:
-- WLSDTV, 7.3: Live Doppler radar. All the time! Better than transcendental meditation.
-- WCIU-DT2 "Me TV," 26.2: "The Dick Van Dyke Show," "I Love Lucy," "Happy Days," "The Andy Griffith Show," "Bonanza," "Leave It to Beaver"...
-- THIS TV, 26.4: An ongoing film festival with movies from the MGM library. The quality varies; it's like a homemade mix tape that way. Friday night, for instance, you'll get the Dana Carvey classic "Clean Slate" (7 p.m.) followed by the Oscar-inundated "Dances With Wolves" (9 p.m.). If you keep the channel on all the time, you're bound to come across something watchable.
-- Classical PBS, 36.5: The Beethoven Satellite Network. It's just like being on hold.
-- Weather PBS, 36.7: In Chicago, this is an unbelievably exciting channel.
-- Traffic PBS, 36.8: Ditto.
3. Schedule your life around your favorite shows.
Here's a few to keep an eye out for:
-- "Lamb Chop's Play Along" (10:30 a.m. weekdays, Qubo 38.2): Admit it. You miss Shari Lewis.
-- "T.J. Hooker" (8 tonight, WCIU-DT3 26.3): William Shatner, Adrian Zmed and Heather Locklear, ridding the streets of scum.
-- "How to Murder Your Wife" (9 tonight, THIS TV 26.4): Just like in "The Hangover," Jack Lemmon attends a bachelor party and wakes up married to a hottie.
-- "The Weekend Guy" (7:30 p.m. Friday, ION Life 38.3): Vince Grittani has a few kayaking lessons, goes on a paddling adventure, samples barbecued bison and gives tips for de-skunking a dog.
-- "Primal Grill with Steven Raichlen" (7:30 p.m. Tuesday, WTTW-DT3 11.3): Manly cooking, with episodes like "Shoulders and Butts" and "Fish Without Fear."
If you do get cable but like the sounds of these shows -- go ahead, pull the plug, save some money and get down with digital.