What will my programs be like in digital?

What changes will DTV bring to my favorite AETN programs?

To see for yourself, tune into one of the four digital channels we are already multicasting:

• AETN-1 (AETN Local / PBS):  Quality programming from PBS and local productions about Arkansas from AETN -- in true or up-converted 720p HD 24/7.
• AETN-2 (AETN Create): A lifelong learning channel featuring non-commercial cooking, painting, home repair, gardening, travel, crafts and how-to, and self help programs for adults.  This is SD 24/7.
• AETN-3 (AETN Scholar / World): pre-K educational programming for young children, instructional programming for classrooms; professional development courses for educators; training seminars for state agencies and businesses during the daytime.  Evenings and overnight is non-fiction documentaries, culture and public affairs programs for adults.  This is SD 24/7.
• AETN-4 (AIRSB Audio):  An audio-only service of the reading of local and national newspapers and magazines from the Arkansas Information Reading Service for the Blind for those who are blind or visually-impaired.  (For more information about this service, call (501) 852-5125).

These digital channels offer Arkansans clearer pictures and improved sound quality.

Where do I get an AETN broadcast?

AETN has been preparing for the DTV transition for years and now broadcasts digital channels alongside our regular analog broadcasts from:

• KAFT-13 / Fayetteville - serving northwest Arkansas
• KEMV-6 / Mountain View - serving north central Arkansas
• KETG-9 / Arkadelphia - serving southwest Arkansas
• KETS-2 / Little Rock - serving central Arkansas
• KETZ-12 / El Dorado - serving south Arkansas
• KTEJ-19 / Jonesboro - serving northeast Arkansas

Why is the digital TV screen wider than the old analog TV?

Analog television was broadcast with a picture in what is known as a 4x3 aspect ratio. That means the picture is four units wide by three units high.

High Definition (HD) digital television will be broadcast in a 16x9 ratio, or 16 units wide by nine units high. This change will allow for the viewer to see more of the picture, especially when viewing movies.  Standard Definition (SD) digital television is usually broadcast in the 4x3 aspect ratio.

Why do I see the picture squeezed or have black bars around it?

The picture looking squeezed is generally only seen when an HD widescreen (rectangle) picture is down-converted to a standard digital or analog (square-looking) picture.  This is an option that broadcasters and cable companies have to allow you to see the entire picture.  AETN strives to not squeeze a picture before it is broadcast.  Another viable option to make this conversion from  widescreen (16x9 format) to the more square (4x3 format) picture is to do what is called "letterbox". This is where the entire widescreen picture is maintained, but the addition of black bars above and below the wider picture is required to fill out the traditional square frame of the TV set.  This is AETN's desired option for cable companies to use when downcoverting the 16x9 HD picture into a standard 4x3 picture.  A final viable option is to "center-cut" (or "pillar-box").  This means that the outside left and right quarter portions of the widescreen picture are eliminated leaving only the center half visible.  This is the alternate option preferred by AETN for cable companies to use if they have the equipment to do so.  A final option for this conversion is to "postage-stamp" the picture with black bars all around the picture.  Only occasionally will this happen and only because this is the way the picture is received from an outside source.  In these cases, AETN will attempt to resize the picture just enough to eliminate as much of the black bars as possible without distorting the picture.