There is a very good description at TV.About.Com of how to connect various peripheral electronics to an older TV set with only one connector. If you don't have cable, you could skip step 1 and just hook an RF modulator (available at electronics stores for around $25) to your TV set. An RF modulator is basically a multi-input box that lets you hook several devices to your TV set. If you want to hook up your VCR to a digital-to-analog converter box in order to record TV shows, connect the converter box to your VCR and then connect the VCR to your TV. This .pdf file from the Federal Communications Commission has a very good description of how to connect your TV to both a VCR and an antenna - Note, however, that at the last step, if your TV only has one antenna input and not the red-white-yellow inputs, you may need an A-B switch so you can go back and forth between the VCR and the antenna.  Some of the higher-end (not coupon-eligible) digital-to-analog converter boxes due on the market will have more inputs and outputs to make the process of connecting peripheral devices a little easier.

Ideally, you will want an antenna that picks up both VHF (channels 2-13) and UHF (channels 14-59) signals.  During this interim period prior to the transition date, many TV stations are operating on "transitional" channels -- that is, they are putting out analog signals on their "old" analog channels, and putting out their digital signals on "borrowed" channels.  Once the transition is complete, some stations will go back to their old channels, while some will stay on their new channels.  So you want to be able to pull in the full range of the TV spectrum, both VHF and UHF.

The file below is a *draft* spreadsheet (current as of late April 2008) of Maine TV stations' analog channels, their transitional DTV channels, and the final channels they will be operating on after 2/17/09, along with any multicast channels they will provide.  Please check back later in the year for a more finalized version of this file.  Note that, because WPFO-TV in Portland was not able to secure a transitional channel, they will need to "flash cut" on 2/17/09, i.e. turn off their analog transmitter and simultaneously fire up their digital transmitter.  Also, because the digital "borrowed" channel of WAGM-TV in Presque Isle interferes with a Canadian TV-channel allocation, they are not currently putting out a "full" digital signal; similarly, they will need to "flash cut" on 2/17/09.  Other stations in Maine may be operating their digital transmitters at less than full power until the transition date.

In the digital TV world, the kind of antenna you have, where it is situated, and where it is aimed, all become critically important.  Analog signals are more "fuzzy" and "forgiving" than digital signals, which are subject to interference from hills, buildings, trees, and even other TV signals.  Think of throwing a stone into a pool of water on a calm day -- you get perfect round ripples spreading out across the water.  Now, add in wind, boulders and dead trees, docks and pier supports, and other obstacles in the water, and throw in a handful of pebbles -- you see the ripples bouncing back and forth, ricocheting off hard objects, and overlapping one another.  This is kind of the way digital TV signals behave.  Thus it becomes very important to have the right kind of "receiving" equipment to sort out all those overlapping ripples.

If you have a pair of VHF-only (channels 2 through 13) rabbit ears, you won't be able to get many digital signals.  That's because, until the 2/17/09 transition date, most of the TV stations in Maine are operating their digital channels in the UHF band (channels 14 and higher).  You need a UHF loop or bow-tie on your rabbit ears, or you may need to upgrade to a better antenna.

Pointing your antenna in the right direction becomes very important in the digital world. An improperly aimed antenna might give you "ghosty" or snowy analog signals, but may result in no digital signals at all.  A digital TV signal generally is either crystal-clear or nonexistent. As we've noted elsewhere, there are a couple of websites that can help you select the right antenna for your location and make sure it's aimed properly. They are www.antennaweb.org and www.tvfool.com. (If you don't have internet access, the folks at your local public library can help you get this information.)

Small adjustments to your antenna can make a big difference in the number of digital channels you can receive. If you have an indoor antenna, try elevating it and moving it closer to a window or an exterior wall of your home. After adjusting your antenna, perform another channel scan to see if your reception is improved.

If you have a rooftop antenna, make sure it is mounted outside, if possible. If it is in the attic or under the rafters of your garage, it can be subject to interference from nails, aluminum siding, metal trusses, and the like. The most unobstructed path from the TV transmitter to your antenna will result in the best signal quality. Likewise, the shortest run of wire from the antenna to your TV set will give the best results.

"Splitters" that connect an antenna to more than one TV may reduce the amount of signal available to each set. Try hooking your antenna directly to one TV set. An "active" splitter may resolve this problem.

Depending on your location, you may find that you need an antenna rotor. This will make it easier to turn your antenna in the  correct direction to receive signals from various TV stations' transmitter locations. It may make sense to manually add the channel numbers of your local TV stations into your converter box, since turning an antenna and then auto-scanning for channels may
cause your converter box to "lose" the channels it found when your antenna was pointed in the previous direction.

It may take a little experimentation, but don't give up, and don't automatically assume your digital-to-analog converter is "broken" out of the box because it won't find channels the first time you scan.  Remember, our parents and grandparents went through this same process back in the 1950s when TV first came into being.  Anyone besides me remember the tin foil on the tips of the rabbit ears, or stripping down an antenna wire to good copper so you could wind it around the screws on the back of the TV, or watching the test pattern while waiting for programming to begin?  We've gotten used to TV being easy, but this digital transition may take a little effort. 

There are some very good small antennas coming on the market now.  Do an internet search for "digital TV antenna" and you'll come up with some good and reasonably priced options.  We can't recommend any particular antenna because we haven't tried them all, and different locations or circumstances may call for different antennas, but the HDTV Antenna Lab, an enthusiasts' website, has user reviews of several antennas.

If you're a high-definition TV enthusiast, remember that the very best digital signal you can receive is over-the-air via an antenna.  That's because the cable and satellite companies process broadcast signals to some degree, and the processing has the effect of degrading the signal.

Try this, try that, work at it a little.

If you receive channel 12, theoretically you should be able to receive channel 5, because both stations broadcast their digital signals from the same transmitter location in Dixmont.  Do you have an antenna that pulls in both VHF and UHF signals?  Channel 5's digital signal is being aired on channel 19, which is in the UHF band.  If it's not an antenna issue, then you might try manually entering channel 19 into your converter box.  Channel 23 will not be broadcasting a digital signal until the transition date of Feb. 17, 2009.  You will be able to watch their digital signal after that date; in the meantime, check if your converter box allows "analog pass-through."  If so, you may need to reorient your antenna south/southwest to pick up their analog signal from their transmitter in Litchfield.

Is your TV displaying channels in X.1/X.2 format, where X is the channel number?  For instance, WLBZ's two digital streams appear as 2.1 and 2.2, even though the signals are actually being broadcast on channel 25.  This is a feature of digital broadcasting called PSIP, or Program System Information Protocol.  On 2.1 you should be seeing the regular WLBZ/ch. 2 programming, while on 2.2 you should be seeing their Weather Plus service. If the autoscan doesn't work, you might try manually entering the channel numbers.  You can find a complete list in the "Maine TV Channels" area at www.DTVforME.com.