Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

Journal photo / Ruben Perez
William Hague, director of engineering for Channels 12 and 64, makes some last minute adjustments on the copper tubing carrying the new digital broadcast signal for Channel 64.

REHOBOTH -- With a push of a few buttons and what looked like some quick plumbing work, Channel 12 went all digital 43 seconds before midnight last night and Channel 64's digital signal jumped to its new home on the portion of the spectrum formerly occupied by the Channel 12 frequency.

It was just part of the game of broadcast musical chairs designed to usher in the digital TV era for the Providence - New Bedford market. Channel 10 also turned off its old analog signal. Channels 6 and 64 will continue to put out an analog signal for a while, but without regular programming. Channels 36 and 28 went all-digital earlier.

People who receive their TV via an antenna will need to have their TVs or converter boxes rescanned for new channels as a result of the switch.

Local broadcasters will find out today if most people were ready for the changeover. Although the federal government gave stations the option of delaying the transition until June, the key players here decided to stick with the original Feb. 17 deadline.

Most of the action last night was at the Channel 12 facility. The station also operates Channel 64.

Just after 11:59 p.m., William Hague, director of engineering, and Edmond Dufresne, who spent 20 years keeping the transmitters going before retiring five years ago, pushed a tiny button that terminated Channel 12's analog signal for good. The screen next to the switch turned to snow.

"Can we say a little prayer for analog television?" joked another engineer, who turned off Channel 64's digital signal at the same time so its frequency could be shifted.

That sent Hague into the next room to remove a large U-shaped piece of copper piping that looked like a fat piece of indoor plumbing -- actually high-power coaxial cable -- and relocate it to another fitting.

Seven seconds before 12:02 a.m., the job was done and the digital signal for Channel 64 was on its new frequency.

"We're at full power," Hague declared.

"The time is long overdue," said Dufresne. "HDTV is just fantastic."

Video: With the push of a button: Digital television.

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