All Over Albany

Trouble with digital TV?

Donna emails, "in a bit of a rage":

I had antennae for years and was content with their grainy, faded images. I was most pleased that my infrequent television watching was free. So, naturally, when the big switch to digital came, I made the transition using the bare minimum: a converter box and my existing antennae. Boy, am I sorry.

One cannot watch a single thirty-minute program without the imagine freezing, the sound clipping in and out, or the sounds and images falling out of synch from one another. And just when you get a good ten minutes of TV time without getting out of your seat to adjust the antennae, the screen will go blue and you'll find yourself balancing the antennae on a vase in the corner of the room knowing full well that it's not going to work but you're blind with rage because you missed the funny thing Abe Lincoln said to Marry Todd in that new Geico commercial. Which is a silly thing to be so angry over, but you're angry because you're powerless against it.

AOA, I'm sorry to be writing you while I'm angry. I'm not even a big fan of television. I just need to know that I'm not the only one suffering from this poorly planned "upgrade". Is it a problem that only hits certain pockets of Albany? Has there been any backlash, an uproar of any sort that I've somehow missed? Or has everyone with antennae complacently done what the cable companies were silently giddy over ... have they gone and bought basic cable?

Anyone have thoughts, suggestions, rallying cries for Donna? Please share!

We've heard from a few people that they've had trouble picking up some of the broadcast channels since the switch. Apparently putting an antenna on the roof or in the attic helps -- but you know, that involves ladders and whatnot.

The government's digital TV transition site has tips for using rabbit ears and signal strength maps.

By the way: the basic cable package that includes the broadcast channels is about $12/month, though you won't find that on TWC's site -- you have to call to ask about it.

ESPN3
Also, @go_phish recently asked about getting when RoadRunner customers here will be able to get ESPN3, ESPN's online channel (it's currently blocked). TimeWarner and Disney, which owns ESPN, worked out a new deal in September for the continued carriage of the entertainment company's various channels. ESPN3 was part of the deal, with a hitch: when it becomes available on RoadRunner, it will only be accessible by TWC subscribers who also get the TV-version of ESPN. Apparently this qualification was added to combat cord-cutting.

Earlier on AOA: Ahh! They took Anthony Bourdain from us!

photo: Flickr user schmilblick