DTV Test worked...
Misc. Pennsylvania:I just happened to be at work when the 6:25 p.m. DTV test took place...we didn't pass. I'm sure I would have passed if I had been at home, but work hasn't seen a cable connection ever. Well, just in case you were one of the unfortunate(?) folks who passed the test, I'll tell you what happened.
WTAE briefly interrupted the sports segment to introduce the test and almost immediately went into a clip voiced by Charlie Van Dyke. The clip aired for 2 minutes - repeating several times - explaining that this TV did not pass the test and to call the hotline or visit the website to find out what needed to be done. Then we went back to the end of the newscast. Those of us watching over the air missed two complete minutes of the news. Pittsburgh sports fans probably weren't amused.
I understand though that KDKA actually filed a report around the test. Sorry I missed it.
Readers’ Forum
John Shumway did a piece leading into the test, and after the test began, even on sets that did not pass, he could be seen and heard for several more seconds, saying that if we could see him, your set HAD passed. Then, the recorded message kicked in. It was very confusing, especially to those viewers who still hadn’t figured it out. KD apparently mistimed the start of the test.
Dave - November 18, 2008 at 06:41 am
One could say this was one more milestone in the tradition of a company whose refrigerators didn’t always open on cue for live commercials in the 1950s. (That’s for you who remember the modern CBS used to be Westinghouse.) Still, even with the miscue, it had to be more entertaining than the sudden loss of a report on Pitt football on WTAE.
Pat Cloonan (URL) - November 18, 2008 at 09:16 am
I had the sound coming from my Dish through my receiver. Left side PIP was Comcast and the right side PIP was analog tuner. I was amazed at how much of a delay when they cut the analog. They needed to bleed the airwaves I guess.
Eric - November 18, 2008 at 09:27 am
I was not home @ 6:25 when the test occured. I did record it off Jet TV on Dish and they failed there since they are still using the analog signal on Dish. The message came up stating that Dish was aware of the problem, etc. WJET News Director Lou Baxter said that this might happen on some cable and satellite systems.
Tom Lavery (URL) - November 19, 2008 at 11:10 am