HuskyVision, the cable television service in all of the buildings on UConn’s Storrs campus, is being upgraded soon to high-definition digital service with more channels of programming and a new lineup of music-only channels.
The change will take place building by building starting April 6 and continuing through April 20. Students in the residence halls and occupants of the academic and administrative buildings will be notified in advance about the particular day when the transition at their location will take effect. Those dates will also be posted at www.tv.uconn.edu.
Because of the switch, students and departments who have televisions at Storrs will need to reprogram them after the switch to scan for available channels, just as they would with a new TV.
Individuals and departments whose televisions are not compatible with digital high-def service will also need to purchase and attach a converter box before or at the time of their particular building’s switch.
Since most of UConn’s HuskyVision use occurs in the residence halls, University Information Technology Services (UITS) will work closely with Residential Life and other campus offices to prepare students for the change.
HuskyVision support staff will also be available in the UITS Help Center at 860-486-4357, or via email to huskyvision@uconn.edu, to answer questions and provide assistance during and after the transition.
Detailed information is posted at www.tv.uconn.edu, including the new channel lineup and a page of frequently asked questions to walk people through the process of reprogramming their televisions and determining whether they will need a converter box.
The site also contains a listing of many popular television manufacturers and models that are not equipped with the proper tuner – meaning that owners of those sets, often older or cheaper models, will need a converter. Information about converter boxes, which generally cost about $40 and up, and are available at most stores that sell television and through online retailers, is provided at www.tv.uconn.edu.
Since there is a wide variety of both televisions and converter boxes, people are advised to research the specifications of both their TV and the box to ensure they are compatible before making the purchase.
“Our intent is to make the transition as easy as possible for our campus community,” says Michael Williams, the UITS service manager who oversees HuskyVision. “We think people will welcome the noticeable improvement in audio and video quality, along with the addition of more channels – including more than 45 music channels in all genres.”
Public broadcast and cable television providers nationwide were required a few years ago to transition from analog to digital service, but private installations such as HuskyVision did not have the same obligation. However, the digital high-def quality is so superior to the current analog programming that UConn decided to make the switch to better serve its students and other customers, Williams says.
In addition to the new music channels, the upgraded service includes 17 new channels of programming – such as the NFL Network, Fox Movie Channel, Sundance Channel, and the Cooking Channel – while retaining the sports, comedy, news, movie, and educational channels that are currently popular with UConn viewers.
Later this year, the service also will add a mobile app, so people can live-stream content that isn’t available on the regular channels, such as certain international sports events.
Those who have questions about the switch are encouraged to visit www.tv.uconn.edu. HuskyVision support staff are also available on the UITS Help Center line at 860-486-4357 or via email: huskyvision@uconn.edu.
