PRESS RELEASE — Tuesday, August 3, 2010
For Information Call Anne Peterson at 208-373-7368
           or Bob Evancho at 373-7369

IdahoPTV Installs Translator To Provide Digital Over-the-Air Signal To Glenns Ferry

Digital Signals Require Digital Televisions Or Set-top Converter Boxes; Provide Four Channels

Idaho Public Television engineers, on September 1, completed installation of a digital translator to provide a free over-the-air broadcast signal that covers the Glenns Ferry area.

Rich Van Genderen, IdahoPTV director of technology, says this is the first time Idaho’s public television system has been able to obtain the necessary permission for a translator frequency from the federal government to provide over-the-air service to the area. Without the boost from a transmitter, IdahoPTV has been unable to provide a signal to Glenns Ferry due to geography.

The new signal appears on digital television sets and digital set-top boxes as channel 4.1, 4.2, 4.3 and 4.4.

“Because this is a digital signal, people will need either a television with a digital tuner or a set-top box for an analog TV, and an antenna with UHF capability,” Van Genderen says. “They will need to scan for the new signal, which will be seen as channel 4, but will be divided into four sub-channels, each offering different programming, instead of just one channel. People who are prepared for digital reception in the translator’s reception area should experience sharp clear TV images.”

With completion of this work, 21 of IdahoPTV’s 43 translators are sending digital signals.

IdahoPTV’s 24-hour over-the-air multi-cast digital channel line up includes:

  • IDAHO (Standard Definition) — Sub-channel 1, same programming as the current analog channel.
  • HIGH-DEFINITION (HD) — Sub-channel 2, IdahoPTV productions and national programs in HD and wide screen.
  • LEARN/CREATE (Standard Definition) — Sub-channel 3, enrichment programs for educators and life-long learners as well a live coverage of the Idaho House of Representatives when in session.
  • WORLD (Standard Definition) — Sub-channel 4, public affairs and life & culture programs as well as live coverage of the Idaho Senate when in session.