And so goes analog TV. Legendary KTLA newsman Stan Chambers helped shut down that station's analog signal Friday night at 10:45 p.m., as he and grandson Jamie Chambers reported live from KTLA's Mt. Wilson transmitter site.
Chambers, like I mentioned below, is one of the few individuals who can say their career spanned the entire length of the analog broadcasting era. He joined KTLA in 1947, soon after the station signed on the air. And now, in 2009, he was there to take part in the transition to digital.
Of course, this was a non-story for most of us who subscribe to cable or satellite. But for the folks who rely on over-the-air signals to watch TV, it's going to be interesting to see how the new digital era is received. People with HD receivers will likely be pleased with the crisp picture... but the digital signals are supposedly more problematic at times -- especially in bad weather, or when there is some sort of obstruction. Will that make it harder to pick up TV stations, even if you're properly hooked up? I guess we'll see how people react in the coming months.
Meanwhile, here's a video someone on YouTube took of KTLA's final moments on the analog air:
And here's how KTTV/Channel 11, with no pomp or circumstance, cut its analog signal:
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