Is your outdoor antenna ready for DTV?

Today, the Consumer Electronics Association and the National Association of Broadcasters announced upgrades to Antennaweb.org, aimed at telling the consumer whether his TV antenna (remember those?) is ready for the DTV transition.

The broadcast television switch, according to FCC Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein, needs to be presented in a more coherent fashion so consumers will no longer be confused. A recent FCC study showed that awareness of the transition reached just under 80% in January 2008, compared to 38% of the prior year. However, getting the message out is still not enough. 34 million over-the-air television viewers need more information to prevent what Adelstein referred to as "confusion that could turn into widespread panic."

Antennaweb.org is a database advising consumers on the use of an outdoor antenna to receive over-the-air signals. By using a visitor's address or location coordinates on a map, the site generates a list of nearby television stations, their distance from that location, and when they will be live. It then displays the best positioning for antennas to receive these new stations.

Taking the lowest common denominator into account, information such as compass heading and frequency re-assignment of DTV stations seem to not be the simple answer the FCC is looking to provide. It's almost humorous how not simple it could appear to those still confused about the process.

Though the site is informative to those so inclined -- calculating around obstructions between receiver and transmitter -- it may still be lacking the plain English solution that the majority of America requires to prevent the panic that Adelstein feels could be imminent.