Using a Television on Campus

You will need a cable-ready television in order to view all the TV channels offered on campus. Most televisions built in the past 10-15 years are likely to be cable-ready.

Sometimes you may have to change a setting on the unit if it was previously only recieving a UHF/VHF(antenna) signal and not a cable line. This option can be a switch on the back of the unit; though more often it is found within the television's menu system.

Since the layout of these menus can vary greatly, we cannot provide universal instructions for them. However, there is usually a setting somewhere which allows you to switch between an antenna(ANT) and a cable(CATV) signal.

For more help, contact UWRF DoTS or consult your television's documentation for more detailed information.

You will also need a coaxial (television) cable in order to view TV channels. UWRF DoTS sells 25-foot coaxial cables for $5.00 each.

For the campus movie channel schedule list please visit the Channel 10 Movies page.

There is plenty of hype now around the digital television deadline in February 2009. What is the University doing about it? The University is exempt from this deadline, but we still want to get you the best quality picture and services available. We are planning to make the conversion in the summer of 2009, after the dust settles a little in the television industry. We have spent the last year conducting research and surveys, and will have the project underway later this fall to begin the nine month conversion process.

If you are going to be bringing that the old television from the basement, it will work just fine for the entire 2008-2009 academic year. Your television will have to be "cable ready" to receive all of the channels. If it is not, you will only receive channels 2 - 13. You might need a convertor box in the fall 2009 to use that same TV. We will let you know more about that when we have the details.

We are exploring a number of really exciting new options for delivering multimedia to the residence halls. If you are going to purchase a new television, we hope that you will select a television that will be the most flexible far into the future. You should consider a television that has at least one HDMI input and an ATSC tuner in it. You will want to consult the side of the packaging, the user operating manuals or ask the sales associates at your favorite television store. We are attempting to find a solution that will be the best for everyone and will provide compatibility to as many televisions as possible.

For more information about digital television, please visit: http://www.dtv.gov/.

If you have any questions about your television or the television service, please e-mail helpdesk@uwrf.edu for assistance.