Need Help Receiving WSIU-TV Over-The-Air?

WSIU TV Carbondale ceased broadcasting analog over-the-air television on January 29, 2009 and is now broadcasting digital only. If you are having problems receiving WSIU over-the-air since February 3, 2009, the following guide will help you troubleshoot your WSIU DT digital 8 reception problems. These instructions are for WSIU DT Carbondale only. There have been no changes made to the WUSI DT Olney channel and WUSI DT remains as a UHF channel. Your ability to receive WUSI DT is the same now as it was before the analog shutoff. You must have a digital TV set or an analog TV connected to a digital converter box.

Step #1 - Antennas

You must now have a VHF antenna for WSIU DT. Prior to February 3, WSIU DT broadcast on UHF channel 40. Channel 40 was loaned to us by the government during the DTV transition over the past two years while we still broadcast on analog 8 (which ended on 1/29/09) On February 3, 2009, WSIU DT changed digital channels from UHF channel 40 to the original vacated VHF channel 8. Check the antenna information section below for more information.

Step #2 - Channel Scan

Rescanning of converter boxes or digital TVs is required after WSIU DT changed from digital UHF channel 40 to VHF channel 8. Check you TV or converter box manual for instructions. If rescanning does not work, then try step #3.

Step #3 - Reset

Some converter boxes or digital TVs will need to be reset (by button, menu, or powering down for a few minutes) to erase all previous WSIU information and allow the rescan to work properly. Unplug the digital TV or converter box for a few minutes, plug it back in and then do a channel scan again (Step #1). You may have to do this several times before it works.

Antenna Information

If using an Indoor Antenna:

• Be sure to extend the "rabbit ears"
• Rotate the antenna a quarter turn and rescan again if you are unsuccessful finding WSIU DT the first time. Repeat the process again if needed.
• Try placing the antenna closer to a window for better results.
• Be aware that aluminum siding may affect indoor VHF reception

If using an Outdoor Antenna:

• For best results, your antenna should be pointed at our transmitter, loated near DuQuoin, IL

You may find some indoor antennas work better than others. Also, beware of antennas which are advertised as "HDTV Ready" It is important that the antenna is designed to receive VHF television channels. The antenna that you previously used to receive analog channel 8 is ideal.

WSIU DT Completes Channel Change

Work has been completed to modify our WSIU Digital television transmitter to broadcast on digital channel 8 - which is in the VHF band. Viewers who watch WSIU DT via an antenna will need to rescan or retune (see your instruction manual for further details) their digital television and/or digital set-top converter boxes to receive WSIU DT due to our original channel assignment on RF channel 8 digital.

Some viewers have reported complications when rescanning their televisions and set-top boxes. You may need to repeat the rescanning process multiple times for the new WSIU channel designation to appear.

For digital set-top boxes, some have reported that a power-cycle (turning the box off and then back on) followed by a rescan has been successful. For digital televisions, a longer power-cycle (about 2 minutes) is needed to remove the old WSIU DT information.

Our WUSI Digital television trasmitter at Olney will remain at digital channel 19. Our analog transmitter, WUSI TV 16 Olney will cease broadcasting February 17th.