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 Sat, 06/13/2009 - 9:22pm
I like many others was totally surprised to discover that KCTS was no longer using UHF 41 after the big switch. Now I like many others can't get the VHF digital signal with the UHF antenna I purchased 1.5 years ago. When I purchased a new HDTV and the UHF antenna and got KCTS beautifully I thought I was set. Not so and I am really steamed that KCTS did not make a BIG deal about this. I do not recall ANY reference or warning the the monthly program guide.
It's not clear why KCTS chose to use Ch. 41 in the run up and then switched. Why couldn't you have continued to use 41?
Many sources I have looked at on the web claim that ALL Seattle stations would be UHF after the switch. KCTS really kept this a secret and now has a whole bunch of really p'oed (former) viewers. Way to go!
Posted by Guest (not verified) on Sat, 06/13/2009 - 7:25pm
We have lost all versions of Channel 9. We rescanned, once on Friday and once on Saturday again. We have a VHF/UHF/FM rabbit ears antenna. Channel 9 is GONE. We live in Kenmore. Clearly something is wrong that just rescanning won't fix.
We have had the converter box for several months and were receiving 9-1, 9-2, and 9-3 just fine. Those channels now all say "no program."
Not sure we can remain members if we can't see KCTS. Help!
Posted by Guest (not verified) on Tue, 06/16/2009 - 12:14pm
Follow-up, also posted elsewhere. We followed another viewers advice, and retracted the rabbit ears. Very counter-intuitive. We not only retracted them, but laid them down as far to the floor as they would go, like trying to totally obliterate the profile. That worked, believe it or not, but the antenna also had to be in the super perfect position as well. Lots and lots of fiddling. But we do have Channel 9 now. It shouldn't be this hard. (The perfect position, on a footstool, pointing into the back of a leather chair. Go figure. Though maybe that is in the general direction of Capitol Hill... We live in Kenmore.)
Posted by Brent (not verified) on Sat, 06/13/2009 - 5:52pm
I am unable to recieve Channel 9 now.
I received UHF channel 9 before transition.
After rescanning both of my receivers I am still unable to receive Channel 9.
I live on whidbey island too, with a large roof mounted tv antenna pointed to Seattle.
All other seattle stations come in fine except 4 (weak), and 11 which is also gone.
Sure miss channel 9.
Posted by Guest (not verified) on Sat, 06/13/2009 - 5:26pm
Is it possible that some software and/or converter boxes do not include VHF frequencies like 9 and 11 when scanning for digital channels? Maybe they only scan UHF frequencies. Afterall, wasn't the point of this transition to "free up" VHF frequencies for other purposes?
For the last year we've been watching over-the-air digital TV on my computer, using Windows Media Center and a digital ATSC tuner card. Now I have the same problem as many others, no channel 9 (or 11) as of yesterday. I've rescanned over and over; the "signal strength" for 9 is zip. I don't think the scanning software is looking for the signal in the right place! How do I tell my scanning software to look for digital 9 on a VHF frequency?
Meanwhile, our old analog TV is working beautifully via a six-month-old converter box. Yesterday we only had to rescan once to find the new signal for 9. Using the same attic antenna as the computer.
Posted by E. Brogren (not verified) on Sat, 06/13/2009 - 4:06pm
Digital TV is NOT here! Have that guy push the other button and bring back UHF digital Channel 9! My two old analog TV's with simple converter boxes are working fine - Channels 9.1, 9.2, 9.3, 11.2, 13.1, 13.2, and all the other local digital channels. My new HDTV with digital tuner and a simple indoor UHF antenna, which has been receiving all the above digital channels, as well as the VHF analog broadcasts, is now completely dead on channels 9.1 through 13.2. Addition of the VHF poles to the antenna and the old telescope and rotate the rabbit ears game made no difference. Some progress! Would a boosted antenna solve the problem? Help!
E. Brogren
Bellevue
Posted by Assaf (not verified) on Sat, 06/13/2009 - 3:47pm
Hi all,
We've had the same problems, and after calling the very helpful KCTS help desk (1.800.796.5548) it got sorted out. Also there was no wait - unlike the federal phone number.
In a nutshell: it's all an antenna-tweaking issue.
For digital, rabbit-ears should not extend to their full length but rather about a foot and a half. Also, orient them towards Capitol Hill where the transmitters are, and move them near a window if you can.
Now we are receiving a (mediocre-level, but working) signal for 9.1-2-3 and also for 11. As to channel 13, their transmitters are in Bremerton and don't seem to care much for their on-air customers. I don't miss them one bit anyway ;)
All the other channels are on UHF which is much easier to catch.
Posted by Benny (not verified) on Sat, 06/13/2009 - 3:29pm
This is sucks. Changing the frequency to VHF is not acceptable. I could get KCTS signal fine before the switch. Now, I can't get any KCTS signal at all. Even after the re-scan. Why can't KCTS stay on the UHF?
Please change it back to UHF..
Posted by Jesse (not verified) on Sat, 06/13/2009 - 1:28pm
I have been watching KCTS and it's associated channels V-me and Create for months. Yesterday, when things went digital only, my reception of these channels degraded so that they are not properly viewable.
Why is the signal suddenly worse? I do not understand because I used to get really good digital reception of these stations. I did fully re-scan the channels on my digital reciever / converter unit.
Posted by Guest2 (not verified) on Sat, 06/13/2009 - 11:55am
If channel 9 is now on VHF. Don't we need a VHF antenna instead of the D-TV UHF (small round type) to get a quality signal.
Many folks have trashed the VHF style antenna as D-TV has been promoted as a UHF signal. My channel 9 picture was wonderful Thursday on UHF 41, very disappointing Saturday on VHF 9.
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