Work has been completed to modify our WSIU Digital television transmitter to broadcast on digital channel 8. Viewers who watch WSIU DT via an antenna will need to rescan or retune (see your instruction manual for further details) their digital television and/or digital set-top converter boxes to receive WSIU DT due to our new channel assignment on digital channel 8.

Our WUSI Digital television trasmitter at Olney will remain at digital channel 19. Our analog transmitter, WUSI TV 16 Olney will cease broadcasting February 17th.

It looks like analog TV broadcasts, now scheduled to end in just two weeks, will be around for another few months. In a vote this week, the House is expected to okay a bill that pushes the DTV transition to June 12—almost four months beyond the original Feb. 17 deadline.

The House last week nixed the bill in its first pass, but a revised proposal up for vote on Feb. 4 is almost certain to get thumbs up from a simple majority of representatives. The Senate has already approved a delay, so once the House has given the green light, President Obama can clinch the deal with a stroke of his pen.

A June deadline would provide time to solve problems with the coupon program—currently out of money—and to ease the way for consumers unsure of what they will need to get digital TV broadcasts via antenna. (Cable and satellite subscribers aren't affected.) Additional funding for coupons, expedited delivery, and education is included in the Obama administration's stimulus package, so the next question is—when will that bill be passed?

Stay tuned to our Electronics Blog for more Digital TV transition information.