First digital transmitter began operating August 19, 1999

The future has arrived, and KET is leading the way. At this year's Kentucky State Fair, KET demonstrated the coming revolution in television technology: digital television, or DTV. In collaboration with Ovation, the KET booth featured the many possibilities that digital television on KET will offer.

As part of the State Fair opening-day festivities, Kentucky Gov. Paul Patton turned on KET's first digital transmitter: WKPC Channel 17, serving the Louisville area. This is the first step in KET's plan to bring digital television within the reach of every Kentucky family by 2003 -- the Federal Communications Commission's mandated deadline.

From multiple channel options to data broadcasting to the movie-theater-like experience of high-definition television (HDTV), fairgoers experienced it all in KET's booth. Ovation collaborated with KET to demonstrate the exciting future of digital television and to provide information and answer the many questions consumers have about digital television equipment.

"Finally, technology has caught up with KET's mission," says KET Executive Director and CEO Virginia G. Fox, "but we're literally building the bicycle as we ride it. Deciding the best possible uses of digital television to serve the Kentucky public will be a challenge, and we welcome citizens' input as we make those decisions. The State Fair booth was just one way that we will be communicating with the public in the coming months about this important transition."

DigitaLinks:
A digital TV primer
from PBS ...
and a crash course as only
Cringely can teach it