We are excited to announce a new, stronger TV signal for Eastern Idaho. KIFI Local News 8 is replacing its VHF channel 8 with a UHF channel 18, but viewers will see it as channel 8.
The change only affects antenna users who get their signal on Channel 8. Cable and satellite users are not affected.
Starting July 1, antenna users will need to rescan their TVs to continue getting ABC, CBS, CW, and Telemundo programming. The VHF signal will continue to broadcast until at least mid-August. A firm date has not been scheduled as of yet, but we will let you know.
KIFI Channel 8 has been broadcasting on VHF since 1961 when the station first started. The VHF transmitter was upgraded to a digital signal in 2009, but it remained broadcasting on VHF. It was the only VHF signal in the area, as the other local stations changed to UHF.
How to get it!
To get the new signal, antenna users will need to rescan their TVs to get the new signal. Your TV's user guide will help you do this. It's as simple as that!
Our VHF signal will continue to broadcast until mid-August to give viewers time to rescan.
To rescan for your TV channels, you can try these steps:
- Press the Menu or Setup button on your TV remote.
- Navigate to Settings or Setup.
- Select Installation, System, or Channels.
- Select Scan Channels, Program Channels, Auto-Scan, Auto-Program, or Auto-Tuning.
- Press Select, Enter, or OK to scan.
If you're still not getting all the channels you expect, you can try double rescanning to clear your TV's memory. You can also try disconnecting your antenna, unplugging your TV, waiting about 30 seconds, plugging the TV back in, and then reconnecting the antenna.
What's the difference?
Besides broadcasting on a different frequency, you will not notice a difference in picture quality.
You may notice though, it will be easier to find the signal with an indoor antenna than in the past. That's because UHF signals can better penetrate through building walls, especially if they are concrete, metal, or wood.
What channels does this affect?
This will affect the ABC (8-1), CBS (8-2), CW (8-3), Local News 8 Now (8-4), and Telemundo (8-5) channels.
Will this affect translators?
Users who get Local News 8 from a translator will not need to rescan their TV. The change only involves our main transmitter. Many of the translators already use UHF to transmit its signal.
Is there a cost to get the new signal?
No. Using our UHF signal is free, except for possibly having to buy an antenna to receive the new signal. (Note: If you are using an antenna now and you're seeing channels 3, 6 and 10, the same antenna will pick up our new signal. You will just need to rescan each of your TVs.)
Why am I seeing the channels twice?
For the next few weeks, you may see multiple channels 8-1s or 8-2s. That is because of the two different signals being sent over-the-air. That will go away once we turn off the VHF signal sometime in mid-August.
If you have more questions, you can always send an email to engineering@localnews8.com .
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