Translators pick up a distant TV signal and rebroadcast it on a different frequency. The best signals locally, from the Massanutten translator, are on 18 (WUSA-9, Washington, D.C.) 28 (NBC-29, Charlottesville), and 46 (WTTG-5, Washington, D.C.). Those signals continue for now, pending action by Rockingham County, broadcasters and the FCC.

However, to get Harrisonburg’s WHSV-TV3 in this area, you do now need a digital receiver, or cable subscription, or DirecTV service.

TV3 coverage: click map for larger version

The government has issued maps showing where TV signals will be lost in February when analog broadcasting is shut off. The striking point is that Harrisonburg’s TV3 will be lost to many viewers, some as close as Rockingham County.In the map, orange and red markers show where signal will be lost. Green dots show where signal will be gained. The map predicts that TV3 will lose many over-the-air viewers east of the Blue Ridge and west of the Shenandoah Mountains.

It’s important to note that cable and satellite subscribers will be unaffected. The signal gains and losses on the maps are for antenna-only viewers.

In contrast to TV3, Charlottesville’s NBC29 will see its signal strengthen in many Shenandoah Valley locations. Here are links to the full maps for Harrisonburg stations and Charlottesville stations. And here’s more on the whole digital transition, with tips for local viewers.

The best converter box for local reception appears to be the Zenith DTT900. It handles the mountain echoes and reflections between here, Charlottesville and Richmond well. The best antennas for getting Charlottesville and Richmond signals are laid out here.

Update: In some other areas, big problems with reception are expected. Many viewers, it seems, will have to have outdoor antennas to receive quality signals.

After being the first locally with widescreen news, NBC29 of Charlottesville has gone the rest of the way to high definition. (See news release here.)

Here’s what we said when they went widescreen but not hi-def:

It’s not actually high-definition but even in standard definition it looks great on the newer widescreen TVs. Notice that there are no black bars left and right of the main picture on a widescreen TV. A Channel 29 technical staff member explains, “The reason for the near-HD quality in the studio is the camera chain is digital from the 16 X 9 CCD image sensors to your TV screen. There is no analog conversion anywhere in the system.” There’s more for the technically inclined, but for now Channel 29 fans have a great, near-high-definition picture on local news. Channel 3, below, uses black bars left and right of its main picture for now. Of course, on conventional TV’s the picture fills the screen and there are no black bars. However, there are more widescreen TV’s being sold every day.