Trouble Receiving Cascade PBS over the air? Here's What You Need to Know
Cascade PBS is broadcasting in VHF, at full strength from our transmitter on Capitol Hill in Seattle.
If you’re watching in the greater Seattle area, you should also be able to receive the following channels:
- Cascade PBS (KCTS) 9.1
- PBS KIDS 9.2
- Create TV 9.3
- World Channel 9.4
In Eastern Washington,
- Cascade PBS (KCTS) 47.1
- PBS KIDS 47.2
- Create TV 47.3
- World Channel 47.4
Why You Might Be Experiencing Reception Issues
Several environmental and local factors can affect over-the-air signal reception, including:
- Proximity to large bodies of water
- Low elevation or hilly terrain
- Tall trees or buildings
- Nearby construction
- Weather conditions
- Interference from nearby electronic devices (even newly added ones)
How to Improve Your Reception
We recommend visiting AntennaWeb.org to find the best antenna for your location. It’s a great resource to help you choose the right equipment to receive the most channels. You can also visit our Ways to Watch page to learn about all the ways you can watch us.
Prefer to Stream?
You can also watch Cascade PBS live online for free! Our livestream is available free for viewers in the Greater Seattle area:
- On this website
- Through the Cascade PBS apps
- Via the PBS app
Cascade PBS Passport members can also stream from anywhere in the U.S. Please note: due to rights restrictions, our livestream is not available in Canada.
On air programing not match the Viewer Guide
Our Viewer Guide is accurate at the time of publication, but occasionally, schedule changes may occur after it goes to print. For the most current programming information for Cascade PBS, PBS KIDS, WORLD, and Create channels, please visit our Schedule Page.
Want to stay in the loop?
Subscribe to our Cascade PBS This Week newsletter for weekly updates on programming highlights and any schedule changes.
Why did my DVR not record the program it was scheduled to record?
Comcast/Xfinity will not allow for DVR of a program if that program is currently available in their On Demand platform. If you are having a different issue or are having trouble recording from an over-the-air antenna, or another cable or satellite provider, please let us know.
A narrator is describing everything that happens on the shows I am watching. How do I make it stop?
You may be hearing the Descriptive Video Service (DVS) option made available to audiences who are blind or visually impaired. You can turn this feature off and on fairly easily.
Most newer-model TVs with stereophonic sound systems are able to receive a Second Audio Program (SAP) which provides enriched verbal descriptions of what is heard and seen on a TV's primary audio and video channels. Most TVs and VCRs require you to select the SAP channel in order to receive and record DVS. The selector is usually labeled SAP, MTS, Audio 2, or Audio B on your TV panel, remote-control device, or on-screen menu. Un-selecting the SAP channel should eliminate the DVS option.
If you're not able to un-select the SAP channel, review your TV manual or contact a TV vendor who can guide you through the process. Like closed captioning, DVS was also pioneered by PBS to ensure the widest possible audience is served.
I am experiencing issues with signal break-ups or digital pixilation. Can you help?
Signal break-ups or digital pixilation can be the result of a low signal from your cable company or low signal from within your cable wiring. Often this issue effects just a few channels- however it's a cable system issue.
Our recommendation would be to contact your cable company so that they may accurately assess, diagnose, and resolve this issue for you.
Why am I not hearing audio on the broadcast?
If you are receiving video but not hearing audio, you may have Second Audio Program (SAP) enabled. SAP allows your TV to play a second audio track alongside the primary one, however if the program was produced with no audio on the secondary track, then you would hear nothing. To turn SAP on or off, you'll typically find settings within your TV's audio menu or through a dedicated SAP/MTS button on the remote.
How do I turn off English or Spanish Audio Description?
English and Spanish (ENG/SPA) audio tracks are sometimes available as a secondary audio feature for description and Spanish audio narration. If you are unintentionally hearing Spanish or English narration over the main narration track, it's most likely that you have enabled the secondary audio feature. In this case, follow the steps on using your television remote settings to turn the off the audio language narration, typically indicated as LANG. Most settings include an Audio Language Settings screen with a list of available languages. If only English is available, you won't see any other options. If Spanish or audio description are available the list will show an audio track labeled SPA. Turn the Audio Language setting OFF to disable this feature. Please contact us for further assistance.
How do I enable Audio Description on PBS videos?
Audio Description (AD) or Descriptive Video Service (DVS) is a secondary audio track that describes what's appearing on screen during a video. This option is made available to audiences who are blind or visually impaired.
Not every video on the PBS and PBS KIDS sites and apps offers AD. To find all videos with AD, please click this link. You can use the filter options on the left side of the page to filter by show and video type.
For videos that do offer AD, you can enable AD by following the steps below on your respective device. The English (AD) track option will not appear for videos that do not offer the secondary audio track.