Calls are coming in to our in-house call center and the biggest question is rescanning. If you had a digital TV or converter box working with KCTS 9 before today, and now aren't getting us... it's because we switched digital channels from UHF 41 to VHF 9. (For the full story, click here.)
The solution's pretty simple, though: You use your remote to rescan your digital tuner. Generally, you follow four steps and they tend to be:
1. Menu button on remote
2. Channel
3. OK, channel scan, autoscan, add channels, terrestrial, autotuning -- these all mean about the same thing.
4. OK button or enter (if needed, some will start scanning on step 3).
I did it at home this morning and it seems to be working for a lot of our viewers--but if you still have trouble, you can call these numbers for more help:
FCC: 1.888.CALL.FCC (1.888.225.5322)
Local: 1.800.796.5548 or 1.877.429.1811
You can also download our DTV help PDF here (click "Download Converter box connection diagram (PDF)"). It has a grid on page 11 for common DTV converter box rescan steps to help you out.
Update--Monday, June 15: Thanks for all your comments! Replies are slow, as we're still taking calls here, so thanks in advance for your patience as we work to reply to you all.
Comments
Posted by Guest (not verified) on Thu, 11/05/2009 - 1:09am
I could say a lot here, but most of what I would say looks like it's already been covered here- what I would like to see is how the station plans to address these issues!!!
Posted by Madcap (not verified) on Fri, 09/25/2009 - 8:54pm
I don't know what to say about the whole channel 41 to 9 change. I moved to Seattle (downtown) in summer of 2007, and it's always been channel 9 here, both for analog and digital.
I have cable service, but unfortunately they don't transmit KCTS in digital format, so I still have to rely on the antenna for that.
Today was the first time trying to get KCTS since the digital switchover this year. Where before I could get a pretty decent digital signal, now I can barely get anything.
It may be coincidence, but the signal did improve a little (enough to give me a bit of video and audio, not enough to be watchable) when I set my rabbit ears to be both horizontal (parallel to the ground, that is), in the same line, and about 30 inches tip to tip. I tried that based on this old chart here: http://tinyurl.com/yc5czrl
I also get a more usable signal when I'm standing close to my antenna. So if you have some children, maybe you can turn them into human antennas. It's about time those brats earned their keep anyway.
YMMV
Posted by Guest (not verified) on Sun, 06/21/2009 - 9:10pm
I can't get KCTS or K-anything-else now that this country has gone digital. I did everything the FCC said to do and...nothing. We now get two stations. One is Spanish (as if that'll do us any good) and the other is scrambled. I guess we'll just live without TV since we're not going to be forced into cable.
Posted by It's been a good ride (not verified) on Wed, 06/17/2009 - 7:29pm
I totally agree with "Sorry to see you go", "Hedgehog", "E. Brogren", "so long", "Guest" and "Tom".
I am high on the hill in Federal Way (98003) and 9.1,9.2 and 9.3 are virtually the only channels out of thirty that I cannot receive just fine and Channel 9.1 is supposed to be in virtually the same direction from me as 4.1, 5.1, and 7.1 (Komo, King and Kiro) which I get loud and clear. I bought an expensive new digital rooftop multi-directional HD antenna and an Insignia convertor box. I also bought a precision compass which I used to point my "multi-directional" antenna to exactly 345 degrees as instructed by the information and directional map I obtained on line. That is way more than the public should be required to do. I get a very weak signal but not strong enough to produce sound or a picture on 9.1. No channel, no subscription. Hope you have a good plan to cut your budget.
Long time financial supporter.
Posted by Sorry To See You Go (not verified) on Tue, 06/16/2009 - 11:04pm
Dumped cable TV over a year ago when I was happily surprised that I could get KCTS (along with the other Seattle stations) with a free antenna that came with my new HDTV. I live south of Tacoma and thought I would be out-of-range but KCTS was one of the strongest signals. But now with the move to VHF, I can no longer receive KCTS(or KSTW-11.1). I do still get KBTC-28.1, so I guess I'll have to live Non-HD PBS. However, I can't continue my membership and financial support to a channel I can no longer enjoy. So KCTS, change the frequency, boost the signal, or move the antenna, whatever it takes to return to your previous coverage area and I'll be back.
Posted by Guest (not verified) on Tue, 06/16/2009 - 12:09pm
I can't find my earlier post now, but we did lose all Channel 9's on the transition day. We rescanned and rescanned. We actually have a VHF/UHF/FM antenna. Nothing worked. Then we read a comment from another viewer here that said he retracted his rabbit ears *completely*. Our antenna instruction booklet did not suggest that for VHF, but we tried it. It didn't work.
Then we not only retracted the rabbit ears completely, we laid them down, that is, positioned them flat, parallel to the floor. We did the same with the round thing in the middle too. Like we tried to create a completely low profile. Then we rescanned and kept moving the antenna. Finally, when we got it in the perfect position (and we don't know why that direction was more perfect than others)-- we did get 9-1, 9-2, 9-3 all back!!!
In fact, we got 2 versions of each channel, the one set works and the others are "no program." God only knows why. But at least KCTS is back!
That being said, this is way more pain than it should be. And the signal is just as fragile and weak as it was before. Analog is just so much more robust. Free over-the-air communication is kind of a vital building block of democracy. Making everyone pay Comcast (a monopoly!) is not the solution. My big fear now is that radio will go the same way (is that what HD is??) and the signals will be degraded there too. This technology is just not ready for prime time.
Posted by Guest (not verified) on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 3:08pm
Update: We couldn't get KCTS at all on Wed. night (June 17), our "perfect" position for the antenna didn't work. Was it the cloudy weather? Sigh.
The signal is WAY TOO WEAK. I am so SAD that we won't be able to watch consistently. This is a disaster, like others who have written in, we watch KCTS like 90% of the time. I would love to see the new Kingdom series....
UHF seemed stronger. Was the switch to VHF a mistake?
Posted by Hedgehog (not verified) on Tue, 06/16/2009 - 1:40am
It's all been a pack of lies. I rescanned Friday, Saturday, and again Monday morning with no change, this morning I turned on the TV (without rescanning) and the three UHF digital stations have excellent signal strength. Clearly, this was a major screw-up at KCTS, and their attempts to blame the consumers' ineptitude is blatantly mendacious.
The staff of KCTS owes us all an apology.
Posted by E. Brogren (not verified) on Mon, 06/15/2009 - 8:38pm
Do you read the blog comments? I'm surprised that you suggest we troubled viewers (actually non-viewers) call for trouble shooting help. What more, beyond rescanning, going back to the rabbit ears, and moving the antenna to a new place for each station, can we do? It is clear that there is a serious, widespread problem. The obvious solution is for you to return to UHF with power to reach your pre-June 12 viewers. Why did you spoil such a good thing? My renewal form is still sitting on my desk. I think I'll send the money to Netflix instead.
E. Brogren
Bellevue
Posted by so long (not verified) on Mon, 06/15/2009 - 5:37pm
Before Friday, I received 9.1, 9.2, 9.3, 11.1, 13.1, and 13.2. I have a new TV and correct digital rabbit ears, your change in band type no longer allows me to receive any KCTS broadcast in Maltby (98296). I have rescanned several times. This change was ill considered and stupid, and I will no longer donate to KCTS
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