Sorry Chet, No program data whatsoever OTA. But my reception is minimal.

[QUOTE=ChetCook]Here's an update on the program guide data on DirecTV Tivo receivers. WPXT CW Portland now has program guide data. I expect WPME My Portland to be up shortly if it isn't already. It's only taken a couple of months. :D

Chet,

Same story here...program guide data is still not showing up OTA with my Samsung SIR-T451 for either WPME or WPXT. And I get a strong signal. The same is true for my Dish VIP211/411 satellite receiver. I get no guide data for either station.

Do you know why?

Thanks,

John

Comcast/SusCom-Maine has posted an advisory about sunspots interfering with TV satellite signals, which is apparently a twice annual occurance. The notice is here http://notices.suscom-maine.net/sun_2006.htm

"Solar Interfernce (Sun-Spots)- Explained

"During the Spring and Fall of each calendar year, the sun, satellite and satellite receiving antenna align with one another; thereby forming an Eclipse. During this brief period of alignment, the sun's solar radiation overpowers the satellite signals, briefly interrupting reception of service. All satellite related transmisstions experience this phenomenon twice annually.

"Effect on Service.

"Service interruption of some channels will occur for approximately 10 minutes during the late afternoon hours over a 3 to 12 day period, depending on the satellite affected at that time. Intensity is minor during the beginning of the period, increases in intensity in the middle of the period, and then decreases as the end of the period approaches. During the brief 10 minute period, affect on reception will range from minor sparkles, loss of reception, to freeze of the last picture received."

Dana

Sorry Chet, No program data whatsoever OTA. But my reception is minimal.

Directv OTA guide data is current for both stations, at least on my HD TIVO.

Sorry, no info OTA. But some thing about wife swap on abc and how I met your mother on 13.
I won't comment on that.

Is it my setup or is WPME-DT stretching out its 4:3 SD content to 16:9? I don't see this happening on any other station.

John

Is it my setup or is WPME-DT stretching out its 4:3 SD content to 16:9? I don't see this happening on any other station.

John

It looks like they are putting black bars horizontal across the top and bottom to produce the appearance of a 16:9 picture. NESN did that last year as I recall on Wednesdays (Wide Wednesdays) on analog to promote awareness of NESN in HD.

Dana

WPME-DT is probably stretching. If you're talking about the MyTV programming in prime time, it is indeed in HD. WCTX-DT channel 39 (analog 59) of New Haven, CT has it that way. They keep the picture in a 4:3 ratio with black pillarboxes on either side during other programming.

WPME-DT is probably stretching. If you're talking about the MyTV programming in prime time, it is indeed in HD. WCTX-DT channel 39 (analog 59) of New Haven, CT has it that way. They keep the picture in a 4:3 ratio with black pillarboxes on either side during other programming.

Yes, the primetime MyTV programming is being broadcast in true 16:9 HD. I was referring to the 'other programming' that is being stretched.....4:3 with no black pillarboxes.

The powers that be decided that to prevent 16x9 sets from raster burn since most channels have a 4x3 picture with pillarboxes, WPME's picture will be stretched to 90% of the 16x9 frame.

What are your opinions on the matter?

Chet Cook
Engineer
WPXT-TV/WPME-TV

I think its really nice of them to think that we'll be tuned to WPME so often that we'll have to worry about Raster burn. :)
Seriously, I prefer to get a 4x3 picture when its 4x3. Most sets have the ability to zoom if that's what the customer prefers, however when the station makes the choice for us, there is no "unzoom".

The powers that be decided that to prevent 16x9 sets from raster burn since most channels have a 4x3 picture with pillarboxes, WPME's picture will be stretched to 90% of the 16x9 frame.

What are your opinions on the matter?

Chet Cook
Engineer
WPXT-TV/WPME-TV

Chet,

Many thanks for soliciting the input of viewers! What a concept! As the owner of a 16:9 HD set, I agree with jkurlanski. I don't watch stretcho-vision.

Dana

Chet, I agree with the last two posters. Stretch-o-vision is worthless and misleading. TNTHD does this more often than not with their content and people are sick and tired of it. Just do a search for TNT on the main HDTV forum and you'll find plenty of good reading.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=34

On a side note, I cannot get your signal at all from Kennebunk (OTA). Does this make sense to you at all as I can easily pick up all other locals......

Thanks

Chet, here is a chance for this group to make an impact on what appears on the airwaves. Please, use your role to influence the reasoning of "the powers that be." A terrible and damaging (to the company) decision has been made.

Do viewers possess the ability themselves to stretch the 4:3 picture to prevent burn-in? Is the quality of the picture affected positively or negatively by broadcast stretching? Do people like having the decision to stretch or not stretch taken from them? As an alternative, can the station broadcast actual pillars rather than leaving the space void of picture? Has a decision similar to the one made by WPME worked well for TNT HD? (As Seinfeld used to say, "I think not!"

These questions answer themselves and should aid the powers that be in adjusting their decision. If they do not want to broadcast actual pillars like some of the channels, they could, periodically, provide a brief public service graphic on the subject to warn uninformed viewers of the consequences of the long term display of a 4:3 picture on certain tv screens.

In any event, Chet, our hopes ride with you to get this fixed, so that viewers can have the video quality of their own choosing.

A knowledgeable poster on another forum has taken issue with some details of the Comcast/SusCom advisory of the potential for solar interference of satellite signals until the middle of this month I posted earlier. (It's not an eclipse, etc.)

The description of a Sun Outage here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_outage may be a more accurate description of the phenomenon which does seem to be affecting my cable TV reception occasionally. :)

"A sun outage is an interruption in or distortion of geostationary satellite signals caused by interference from solar radiation. The effect is due to the sun's radiation overwhelming the satellite signal. Generally, sun outages occur in February, March, September and October, that is, around the time of the equinoxes. At these times, the apparent path of the sun across the sky takes it directly behind the line of sight between an earth station and a satellite. As the sun radiates strongly at the microwave frequencies used to communicate with satellites (C-band and Ku-band, the sun swamps the signal from the satellite. The effects of a sun outage can include partial degradation, that is, an increase in the error rate, or total destruction of the signal."

Dana

The powers that be decided that to prevent 16x9 sets from raster burn since most channels have a 4x3 picture with pillarboxes, WPME's picture will be stretched to 90% of the 16x9 frame.

What are your opinions on the matter?

Chet Cook
Engineer
WPXT-TV/WPME-TV

Personally, I highy dislike it.

I watch a very small percentage of 4:3 programming, and I have my set's brightness and contrast properly adjusted using Video Essentials (Avia would work fine too). I believe there is significantly greater chance of us having an earthquake of 10.0 on the Richter scale than my having a 4:3 window burn-in problem on my projection TV.

Stretching the 4:3 picture to fill the 16:9 window IS an option on my OTA receiver, and I eschew it as a rule. As others have mentioned, while my box gives the option to stretch 4:3 material it does not give the option to unstretch it.

I _would_ like it if you were able to zoom letterboxed programming (like some of the Stargate programs) to fill the screen. But I would prefer to watch 4:3 programming unstretched. The resolution is poor enough on my 56" diagonal 16:9 screen as it is. When upconverted standard definition 4:3 material is stretched to 16:9 it is significantly worse.

If you can't change on the fly and provide only letterboxed programming zoomed, i would prefer all standard definition programming at 4:3.

I know it is unlikely you will change what you are doing because I dislike it, but I appreciate your asking for my opinion.

Take care,

Joe

they could, periodically, provide a brief public service graphic on the subject to warn uninformed viewers of the consequences of the long term display of a 4:3 picture on certain tv screens.


There is NO danger of 4:3 window burn in if a set is properly adjusted. What would be even better than a warning is a 10 or 15 minute public service broadcast early in the morning or late at night when it is cheap, of a set of adjustment patterns with instructions for setting color, tint, brightness/black level, contrast and sharpness. On cable TV, HDNet and INHD2 used to (and may still) provide a broadcast of a set test patterns. Even BETTER would be if the station would give away or sell at cost a blue color filter to make using the images to set color and tint possible for those without Avia or Video Essentials provided blue film filters. Brightness and contrast don't need a filter to be properly set. There could be short public service ads telling you waht time the patterns would be available. A longer term bonus would be a set of surround audio tones. I don't know what the audio is for your stations for HD broadcasts.

I would be HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY impressed to see a local OTA broadcast channel offer this sort of broadcast once a week. Or even once a month.

I haven't been able to directlly callibrate my picture settings in 1080i mode on the DVI input since I dumped cable this past spring. I only have a 480p DVD player with component outputs, so I can't use it to adjust the DVI input that my OTA ATSC receiver is hooked up to.

later,

Joe

The powers that be decided that to prevent 16x9 sets from raster burn since most channels have a 4x3 picture with pillarboxes, WPME's picture will be stretched to 90% of the 16x9 frame.

What are your opinions on the matter?

Chet Cook
Engineer
WPXT-TV/WPME-TV


It is VERY hard to watch. I agree with all the previous posts....give the viewer the option to zoom or not to zoom.

John

WPME's picture will be stretched to 90% of the 16x9 frame.

What are your opinions on the matter?

Chet Cook
Engineer
WPXT-TV/WPME-TV

What about WPXT? At this time, your feed is superior to WABI-2/CW. And they are stretching.
No stretching. Dr Joe is right. Provide the graphic-we used to have the National Anthem.

It is VERY hard to watch. I agree with all the previous posts....give the viewer the option to zoom or not to zoom.

John

Chet, do you attend staff meetings? Is your opinion solicited? I hope you are able to get through with a little reality to the powers that be. ........... Stretched television IS A TURN-OFF! If that is what they want, that is what they will have. If a viewer wants stretched television, he can do it with the flick of a button. In fact I do it myself, but I do not want the broadcaster to do it.

Well, surprise surprise....today WPME-DT was back to normal width and the OTA program data was present in the guide. Thank you Chet! I am sure you had something to do with these 2 improvements.

John

I'm a noob starting to consider pulling in some OTA channels to pump into my projector. Constraints: don't want to spend too much dough, and wife doesn't like things on the roof. I realize I may be out o' luck unless one or both gives way, but are there any out there who can report on OTA reception in this area? I'm about 5 blocks west of downtown Brunswick, and have a two-story building with an accessible and somewhat roomy attic. Any advice on what I might be able to pull in from the attic, and what antenna type is best? Antennaweb says directional medium, and I remember finding a few (from antennadirect, I think) when I last researched this that looked as if they might work from inside an attic.

I'm a noob starting to consider pulling in some OTA channels to pump into my projector. Constraints: don't want to spend too much dough, and wife doesn't like things on the roof. I realize I may be out o' luck unless one or both gives way, but are there any out there who can report on OTA reception in this area? I'm about 5 blocks west of downtown Brunswick, and have a two-story building with an accessible and somewhat roomy attic. Any advice on what I might be able to pull in from the attic, and what antenna type is best? Antennaweb says directional medium, and I remember finding a few (from antennadirect, I think) when I last researched this that looked as if they might work from inside an attic.

Check out the OTA Hardware forum. Although I can't tell you anything about the Brunswick area, I am very pleased with the Winegard SquareShooter. I am about 40 - 50 miles from the various transmitters and get a decent signal strength on all the Portland stations except the PBS channels. The antenna is only 16"x16" and can be mounted on a side wall. It comes amplified or non-amplified. Look on EBay for some good deals.

John

Zandoodlee,

Welcome! Check out my comments on posts 1228 & 1229 on pg. 41 of this thread. Let us know how you make out.

Dana

I like Antennas Direct -- I have a DB4 on theroof and a coworker has one in his attic (he doesn't have a digital receiver though). He says it works pretty good (in Gorham). You'll likely want a preamplifier too. Their antennas are avaialble at a lower cost from distributors (especially if you don't mind "open box").

I will comment that "not having things on the roof" is over-rated (unless she is worried about you getting hurt putting it up -- If you attach the antenna just above the roof line, it is difficult to see from the road, and because it is so high up, it is difficult to see from within the yard.

Joe

I'm a noob starting to consider pulling in some OTA channels to pump into my projector.


Depends on you receiver. I have a projector also and enjoy watching HD when I can match it up with what I can receive OTA. Brunswick should be easy, but UHF is tempermental.

WPME Looks good again.

Thanks, Chet.

Joe

Sounds like you did it, Chet! Of course, I won't know until you appear on TWC Augusta, so I would request that you make that your next task. I anxious to see that unstretched signal.

Check out the OTA Hardware forum. Although I can't tell you anything about the Brunswick area, I am very pleased with the Winegard SquareShooter. I am about 40 - 50 miles from the various transmitters and get a decent signal strength on all the Portland stations except the PBS channels. The antenna is only 16"x16" and can be mounted on a side wall. It comes amplified or non-amplified. Look on EBay for some good deals.

John

I'll vouch for the SquareShooter as well. I literally have mine mounted 12" off the floor behind my TV stand against an exterior wall facing SW. I live in Topsham. I have to amplify the antenna, but I get all of the HD locals. ABC is iffy, but the rest are fine.

Any info or news for any new HD channels coming to Time Warner?

They haven't added any new ones in quite a while...........and it would be nice to get more.

Steve

Another update! I discussed your opinions with those who make the decisions and they decided to keep WPME in it's correct aspect ratio. Thanks for the input guys!

WPXT now has a digital fiber connection directly with Time Warner. The legal end of things is still being worked on, but we are technically ready when that stuff is wrapped up. Still no mention of WPME. So for all those who want it on Time Warner, call and/or email them to let them know.

Chet Cook
Engineer
WPXT-TV/WPME-TV

Thanks for all your info, Chet. I'm mighty glad things were changed even though I'm not receiving your signal until TWC signs the dotted line. Please, keep us informed.

Thank You, Chet. I'm more PXT but some of that programing on PME is--nice.

I live in portland and have the HDTV line up from time warner and it would be great if they could get CW in HD as another channel. I wish we had more channels! Anyone have any ideas of whats to come?

Thanks

Just checked in w/TW and there's nothing new to report that hasn't already been mentioned in the last couple of days, here or in other threads. To summarize:
CW is technically ready. Awaiting signed agreement.
ESPN2 is dead as a doornail.
NFL Network - interesting one here. As reported on other threads: No agreement, and the sticking point is over whether TWC can put it in their sports line up, while NFL wants it to be a "regular channel". There's some optimism that a deal will be done by Thanksgiving when the games start being broadcast on that channel.
Thats it!

Hello all,

I emailed Comcast last night as follows:

"I would like to have WPFO/FOX23 on the Comcast Brunswick, ME. high definition lineup. The station provides a high def simulcast now to TWC Portland ME and the former Adelphia ME system and the signal will be carried by DirecTV soon. Let's get it on Comcast Brunswick, too!"

I got a lengthy and likely boiler plate email reply today along the lines of "... we take all requests for new networks very seriously..." Nine criteria were presented as factors in the decision-making process, the last one being "... whether or not a particular network is available in the digital format." :)

When I hear that WPFO/Fox 23 is live on the D* LIL Portland-Auburn HD lineup, I'll write them again. BTW, the response came from "Comcast Electronic Customer Care - New England" and not the midwest so I conclude that integration of the Brunswick cable system into the Comcast NE Division is progressing.

(On the other hand, a Comcast rep in the midwest I talked to regarding a SusCom internet problem said "a year" when I asked how long full integration would take. That may be more specific to SusCom internet which has been and is still a GWI supported ISP.)

Dana

Showtime HD
Starz HDTV
HBO HD
Animania HD
Family Room HD
GamePlay HD
Discovery HD Theater
Equator HD
National Geographic Channel HD
DISH Network PPV in HD
Film Fest HD
Food Network HD
HDNet Movies
Kung Fu HD
Monsters HD
World Cinema HD
HDNews
Rave HD
ESPN HD
ESPN2 HD
NFL Network HD
Rush HD
WorldSport HD
Gallery HD
HDNet
HGTV HD
TNT HD
Treasure HD
Ultra HD
Universal HD


Is that about all the available HD networks?

Steve

Steve,

Cross-referencing your list with a list posted here http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php?t=78190&page=3 I come up with these additions.

ABC
CBS
NBC
FOX
CW
MNTV
PBS
NBA TV
Versus (OLN)
A&E
MHD (MTV, VH1, CMT)
Wealth
The Movie Channel
Cinemax
INHD
INHD2
Outdoor Channel 2
15 Voom channels

Dana

You also seem to have missed HDNet....

How is this local?

Go to the HDTV forum -- there are threads on these topics...

The Official AVS HDTV Programming Synopsis – Fall 2006!
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=164671

and

HDTV Channel Lineups on DBS, Cable, FiOS, 4DTV!
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=419472

Joe

Chet, FYI, Supernatural, your feed is better on E* than OTA from 5-2. Your OTA,PXT, Sweet.

Chet, FYI, Supernatural, your feed is better on E* than OTA from 5-2. Your OTA,PXT, Sweet.

Davinleeds,

Do you get the Program Information on your Dish receiver's EPG for WPME and WPXT? I get the Portland stations OTA through my VIP211/411 Dish receiver. The EPG information is there for the WCSH, WMTW, and WGME). But it just displays 'Digital Service' for WPME and WPXT.

John

On the Dish? Since they've thrown in cancel


or you'll be billed? of course. Yeah, on Dish, program is there. I use Titan. But I'm sorry to say

OTA still no program info. I get Info from Wabi, Wgme.Wcsh, nothing for wcbb but this may be part of the moviebeam problem. And nothing for XPT and PME but reception is questionable and conditional.

Is anyone else having problems tuning WCSH-DT on TWC 506? Its been dark the past 2 nights for me, but it comes in fine during the day. I can just switch to my OTA tuner, but its still an inconvenience.

BTW all of my other HD channels come in just fine.

No problems with WCSH-DT but WMTW-DT has been heavily pixelated during primetime this past Wednesday and Sunday. The last 5 minutes of Lost were unwatchable the breakups were so bad.

FYI, I didn't have any problems with WMTW-DT OTA during Lost (aside from the ugly drop to SD to display station identification, which also causes brief audio dropouts, usually during the important final moments of the episode :rolleyes: )

I experienced similar pixelation on MPBN/PBS HD Comcast channel 503 last night. Perhaps it's the sun outage that Comcast warned would be happening this month. See my posts #1253 and 1265 above. BTW. Comcast published its sun interference notice in a display adv't in the Times Record earlier this month, too. That's a first for the former SusCom Brunswick cable system I think. Nice.

Dana

No problems with WMTW-OTA - just like Accident stated. And yeah....that station ID bug is nasty and always appears at the end of the show.

Perhaps the engineers from WMTW could get in touch with Craig Clark and ask him how he does it with the WGME id cuz it's slicker than grease.

No problems with WMTW-OTA - just like Accident stated. And yeah....that station ID bug is nasty and always appears at the end of the show.

Perhaps the engineers from WMTW could get in touch with Craig Clark and ask him how he does it with the WGME id cuz it's slicker than grease.

I think the problem is that the answer to "how?" is "spend $XXX on the equipment capable of doing it."

There are lots of things that can cause problems with pixellation and drop out on HD channels that have nothing to do with the network video feed or cable head end. I had very frustrating problems with HD in Austin -- only dropouts on HD channels. It was explained to me that because it takes up a lot of bandwidth, they were more susceptible to signal strength proplems than regular digital cable channels. If you split the signal, or if you don't have a strong signal at the point the cable comes into the house, you get drop outs. They sent a tech out to install a signal amplifier at the point of entery into the house and my HD pixellation problems went away.

It may be you are experiencing similar problems.


Joe

Multipath?

Multipath?


Mulitpath is not the loss of signal. It is what used to be called 'ghosting' in the analog world....caused by a transmitted signal bouncing off a mountain, large building, etc and arriving a few microseconds after the signal that took a direct path. That causes multiple images with an analog signal, but kills a digital signal.

oops! You're right, multipath in cable connection? We have enough problems besides my reading ability.

Hi guys,

I was wondering if anyone in and around Portland is able to pull WFXT (Fox 25, Boston) in OTA?

I tried two years ago with some success and I'm thinking of trying it again.

Thanks guys.

Valve,

I was able to acquire Fox out of Boston only once from Kennebunk. Although my antenna sits in my attic so it was more of an atmospheric stroke of luck than anything else. Over 60 miles away and you have to deal with curvature of our planet. Good luck getting anything out of Boston from Portland....

Has anyone here had any experience/success/problems with the Tivo Series 3 and TWC? I'm moving at the end of the month, and D* doesn't seem interested in helping me have my service moved any less than 3 weeks after I move. This is prompting me to (*GASP*) think about other options. I'd really rather not give up CBS HD and the Tivo interface, which only leaves D* and TWC w/ the series 3 as options.

Chet; Tonight I have EPG for PME and PXT. I think it's diffraction and refraction of the signal at my address. Thanks.

Valve,

I was able to acquire Fox out of Boston only once from Kennebunk. Although my antenna sits in my attic so it was more of an atmospheric stroke of luck than anything else. Over 60 miles away and you have to deal with curvature of our planet. Good luck getting anything out of Boston from Portland....


Thats the same boat I was in. I had a big directional deal in my attic. I was actually able to watch 24 for about 2 minutes before it chopped out badly. Thats why I was curious if roof mounting it would solve the problem or if it's a lost cause.

Also, after doing some digging, WFXT is running a fairly low wattage transmitter compared to other stations, 78 Kw to 1000 Kw for others. WFXT actually has a permit app in to up the wattage considerably.

Maybe someday.

Questionable if correct: www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/FMTV-service-area?n=DT428193html I'll try again if won't work. Seems to work.

Hey gang - just pointing out that we get the first local produced HD programming in the state (as far as I know). According to the WCSH web site (http://www.wcsh6.com/life/columnist/billgreen/article.aspx?storyid=43473) Gannett is rotating HD equipment to local stations and they were lucky enough to get a crack at it.

Bill Greens Maine on NBC, WCSH-DTV at 8pm tonight....in HD!

I tuned into Bill Greens Maine last night - it was a breath of fresh air to see some HD content without huge 'bugs' in the lower right hand side of the screen. I sent an email to the station thanking them for producing the show in HD and hope to see more of it in the future. I think they did a pretty decent job for their first time.....

I agree! It was worth it and that's a good idea to send the email. I will to.
I had my first "I don't think I really needed that in HD" moment though - at the beginning when they were at the furthest eastern point in the USA, they were interviewing the Lighthouse keeper and he had a Hawaiian Shirt on that simply BLARED off the screen. Made me squint. :)

I wrote to Bill Green before the show and said that I didn't know WCSH had the capability to originate HD. He responded with some information about what the upcoming program. Today, I got an e-mail from him which said, "Wellllll??????"

Just what you might expect from Bill Green. He's good guy. I did tell him that I had never had Pat Callaghan harass me by asking what I thought of his latest news broadcast.

Chet has givin us an idea of what is needed for HD broadcast. Is it? was it? Did it look it?

Chet has givin us an idea of what is needed for HD broadcast. Is it? was it? Did it look it?

It wasn't Chet, it was Craig Clark of WGME.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=8389577&&#post8389577

I don't understand your question ("is it? was it? did it look it?") -- there seem to be some nouns and verbs missing! LOL

If you want to know if Bill Green's show was in HD, jkurlanski, Stan54 and pjo all seem to say it was -- read their posts just above your own.

Joe

Bill Green wrote to me again this morning after I responded to him last night. This is what he had to say:

"Aw Shucks, it was nothin'.
Actually, it was really interesting because it was such a difficult project. The people who have HD sets liked it. The people who like my show liked it. The people who wanted to see 30 Rock called in to complain.
Thanks for writing in. I'm told, our news won't be HD for years. Talk to you in February.
Best

Bill"

This addresses a couple of the things that we talk about from time to time.

DrJoe - You missed read me..I knew it was in HD. (As matter of fact it was pretty great PQ in IMHO.) It was just my first HD experience where I didn't NEED it to be in HD. That shirt he was wearing was off the charts! Absolutely brutal. :)

It wasn't Chet, it was Craig Clark of WGME.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=8389577&&#post8389577

I don't understand your question ("is it? was it? did it look it?") -- there seem to be some nouns and verbs missing! LOL

If you want to know if Bill Green's show was in HD, jkurlanski, Stan54 and pjo all seem to say it was -- read their posts just above your own.

Joe
Apologies to Craig and Chet. Missing nouns and verbs: Is it HD? Was it HD? Did it look like HD? Questions because some are stretching to simulate HD. But I did miss jkurlanski's post about Gannett rotating HD eqiupment.

Wait, now, am I misreading Dr. Joe's post? is there a comma missing and I thought it was directed to me and it was to you, davidleeds? Oh to heck with it. Sorry. I give up.

It's my hit. What I mentioned before-reading carefully. Just keep going. Like Joe Dirt: Just gotta keep on keepen on.

DrJoe - You missed read me..I knew it was in HD. (As matter of fact it was pretty great PQ in IMHO.) It was just my first HD experience where I didn't NEED it to be in HD. That shirt he was wearing was off the charts! Absolutely brutal. :)


LOL -- I knew you knew... your posts said that WCSH go HD equipment, said that
"Bill Green's Maine" would be locally produced in HD, and then said that it was and that it looked good -- aside from the shirt.

In my own subtle way I was trying to tell Davin to read the previous posts, and try to use a few words to fill out his sentences....

"Seems" Madam? I know not seems!


Joe

The A and E Network has gone HD. From what I read, it is only on two systems in the country. Seems they are stretching 4:3 to 16:9 like TNT is doing, as well as a certain one of our locals use to do as you may recall. It is better not to use up precious cable bandwidth on stations that do this. I like A & E, but they are using poor judgment.

When are locals coming in HD for D TV??

When are locals coming in HD for D TV??

The Portland/Auburn market is scheduled by the end of the year. See D* press release on it: http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=127160&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=914114&highlight=

When are locals coming in HD for D TV??


I started receiving DTV HD Locals tonight Oct. 25,06
wayne

I started receiving DTV HD Locals tonight Oct. 25,06
wayne

Which ones? :)

Dana

Right now, DirecTV has NBC, ABC and CBS in HD. FOX, PBS, CW and NESN are not. Hopefully, they are still in the process of activating the other stations.

Right now, DirecTV has NBC, ABC and CBS in HD. FOX, PBS, CW and NESN are not. Hopefully, they are still in the process of activating the other stations.

You might see FOX and NESN but no PBS or CW during the initial MPG4 start up. D* is only activating the big 4 networks and RSNs first time around.

I have FOX but not the other 3. Which ch numbers are they? I m in Portland.

They are the very same channel numbers. When you go to guide, my HR-20 lists two channel 6's. One carries HD content, the other does not. The same is true WMTW and WGME.

Pats football in HD! YAY!

I'm hopeful that FOX HD will come in but there is a possibility that it won't. The local FOX (ch. 23) does not broadcast HD over the air locally. However, they have worked out some deal with the local cable companies to carry FOX HD. Hopefully, the local FOX affiliate can reach the same agreement with DirecTV.

FYI, This is old news to some but I thought I would post.

Craig

http://www.DIRECTV.COM
October 25, 2006 05:38 PM Eastern Time
DIRECTV Activates HD Local Channel Service in Portland, Maine

Local HD Channels from DIRECTV Have More Vivid Colors, Wider Images and Clearer, Crisper High-resolution Digital-quality Pictures

--(BUSINESS WIRE)--DIRECTV, Inc.:

WHAT: DIRECTV, Inc., the nation's leading satellite television
service provider, is now offering local HD programming to
customers in the Portland, Maine DMA. The following local
broadcast networks are available in HD: WMTW/ABC, WGME/CBS and
WCSH/NBC. DIRECTV is in discussions with the owners of the FOX
affiliate, WPFO, and hopes to add this station to the DIRECTV
lineup in the near future. With the addition of Portland,
DIRECTV now offers local HD broadcast channels in 45 cities,
representing nearly 63 percent of U.S. TV households. DIRECTV
plans to launch an additional 22 HD local markets throughout
the remainder of the year.

DIRECTV's roll out of local HD channels in Portland is part of
a nationwide expansion of HD programming that will culminate
in 2007, when DIRECTV will have the ability to deliver more
than 1,500 local HD channels and more than 150 national HD
channels, establishing DIRECTV as a leading provider of HD
programming.

WHEN: Beginning today, Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2006

HOW: Customers who subscribe to a programming package that includes
local channels receive both the standard-definition and HD
signals at no extra monthly charge. Customers can receive
local HD channels by purchasing an H20 HD receiver or the new
HR20 DIRECTV Plus(R) HD DVR and satellite dish. Existing HD
customers can upgrade their HD receiver and dish for $99 per
receiver. New customers can take advantage of a $100 mail-in
rebate on all DIRECTV HD and HDDVR receivers.

Eligibility for local channels is based on service address within certain designated market areas as defined by Nielsen Media Research, Inc. Visit DIRECTV.com for more information.
Contacts

DIRECTV, Inc.
Robert Mercer, 310-964-4683
or
PainePR for DIRECTV
Danielle Kowalski, 212-613-4912

Craig,

As usual, you are on the ball. Many thanks! :cool:

Dana

PS. Also, kudos to AccidenT who forecasted weeks ago that D* LIL HD service would be up and running in October.

Hmm...the FOX and NESN thing might be the final nail in TWC's coffin. Time to do that cost analysis again! I know there's a big D* push starting with the rollout of NFL Network. I'm not going to let TWC ruin my Turkey Day Football!!!

Has there been any word on NESN's inclusion into D*'s HD lineup? As a big Celtics fan I'd love to see FSNE as well, but I'd imagine that it will be a while before that is a possibility.

Here's a list of broadcast stations in the Portland-Auburn market that are currently carrying Digital content, either Standard or High Definition.

Station Name Ch. RF Ch. Affiliate Status Height Power
NBC Affiliate WCSHDT 6.1 44 NBC Affiliate Licensed 367.0 1000.0
NBC Affiliate WCSHDT2 6.2 44 NBC Affiliate Licensed 367.0 1000.0
NBC Affiliate WCSHDT3 6.3 44 NBC Affiliate Licensed 367.0 1000.0
ABC Affiliate WMTWDT 8.1 46 ABC Affiliate Licensed 475.0 1000.0
PBS Affiliate WCBBDT 10.1 17 PBS Affiliate Licensed 156.0 29.7
PBS Affiliate WCBBDT2 10.2 17 PBS Affiliate Licensed 156.0 29.7
PBS Affiliate WCBBDT5 10.5 17 PBS Affiliate Licensed 156.0 29.7
CBS Affiliate WGMEDT 13.1 38 CBS Affiliate Construction Permit Modification 451.0 1000.0
Independent WGMEDT2 13.2 38 Independent Construction Permit Modification 451.0 1000.0
PBS Affiliate WMEADT 26.1 45 PBS Affiliate Licensed 157.4 50.0
PBS Affiliate WMEADT2 26.2 45 PBS Affiliate Licensed 157.4 50.0
MyNetworkTV Affiliate WPMEDT 35.1 28 MyNetworkTV Affiliate Construction Permit 176.0 50.0
CW Affiliate WPXTDT 51.1 43 CW Affiliate Construction Permit Modification 189.0 137.4
* All antenna information is provided by the Consolidated Database System (CDBS) via the FCC's Media Bureau.
Power is Effective Power and Height is the height above ground of the radiation center.

The link is http://www.ilovehdtv.com/programming/broadcast-market-print.php?dma_name%5B%5D=Portland-Auburn

Dana

Is it really necessary to list the specs for digital subchannels? I think one listing each for WCSH, WMTW, etc. would be fine.

Well, it is good to know who's carving up their feed into sub-channels, which can have an adverse effect on PQ.

Except that some of that information doesn't appear to be correct or complete.

WCSH dropped subchannel 3 (their standard definition simulcast) several months (weeks?) ago. They have the HD feed on subchannel 1 and weather on subchannel 2.

PBS only is broadcasting on two subchannels (not four like TitanTV and some of the other online program guides say). They are broadcasting their analog simulcast on subchannel 1 and the PBS HD network feed on subchannel 2. They do not broadcast the other two PBS subchannels. I didn't know they had anything on subchannel 5 but maybe my older STB doesn't pick it up.

CBS broadcasts in HD on subchannel 1 and "Tue Tube" music videos in standard definition on subchannel 2. "The Tube" is interesteing -- ver eclectic, has some awesome songs, but some very obscure ones too. No commercials -- so good to jump to during other station's commercial breaks.

The other three networks (ABC, CW, MNTV) are all broadcasting in HD on subchannel 1 with no additional subchannels.

Joe

I can't find them - what are the channel numbers? I get FOX HD on 88.

For those of you with Comcast: http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6385696.html?display=Breaking+News

A bit of Bad luck, our HD encoder failed early this morning (2AM). I've been working on the problem, but it seems to be seroius. The manufacture opens 11AM our time, see what they have to say....

Craig

Guys, you can't say that you didn't hear it here first and right from the 'horse's mouth'. Wish TWC Augusta had WGME so that I could check it out myself.

Hey, Joe. TWC Augusta has MPBN HD and the stationary picture quality is very good, but when a person turns his face the picture smears and then catches up and clears. My guess is that TWC is catching the signal from MPBN's digital tranmitter, but it is possible that it comes directly from the satellite and the MPBN icon is inserted.

In any event, the smearing would suggest that TWC is receiving something less than a full bandwidth signal. Do you or anybody else have any thoughts on why this is the case.

Note that the facial smearing occurs most if not all of the time.

WGME 1 "HD" has been restored.

Craig

WGME 1 "HD" has been restored.

Craig

Great job Craig! By the tone of your early morning message I thought it was going to be a lost football weekend. As always thanks for keeping us informed.

I'm a comcast basic cable subscriber in topsham. I'm thinking of getting a tuner with a Clear QAM decoder. Is anyone receiving digital signals with Clear QAM over basic cable in the area?

A strange thing happened while I was channel surfing around 7 PM on Saturday night. I came across a video test pattern on WMTW-DT 8.1 (it was supposed to be Wheel of Fortune).
The test pattern was in widescreen HD, it was color bars, then moving and swirling boxes. After that there was an HD promo for GMA. Following that a nice video of a shuttle launch with no audio but there was a technician repeating 'left side....right side'. Finally (and suddenly) regular programming was resumed.
This seemed like a local technical goof. I am wondering, is WMTW-DT ready to roll out local HDTV programming as WCSH-DT did?

John

A strange thing happened while I was channel surfing around 7 PM on Saturday night. I came across a video test pattern on WMTW-DT 8.1 (it was supposed to be Wheel of Fortune).
The test pattern was in widescreen HD, it was color bars, then moving and swirling boxes. After that there was an HD promo for GMA. Following that a nice video of a shuttle launch with no audio but there was a technician repeating 'left side....right side'. Finally (and suddenly) regular programming was resumed.
This seemed like a local technical goof. I am wondering, is WMTW-DT ready to roll out local HDTV programming as WCSH-DT did?

John
John....
What you saw is the ABC "closed circuit" HD/Audio channel ID test feed, sent down the line to affiliates....NOT for airing to the audience "at large"....but sometimes, as you've witnessed, this feed gets switched "on air" by the local Master Control op....or is accidently LEFT up after switching to local after a network broadcast.....
As to the status of Channel 8's local HD.....Sorry, can't answer that one.....

John....
What you saw is the ABC "closed circuit" HD/Audio channel ID test feed, sent down the line to affiliates....NOT for airing to the audience "at large"....but sometimes, as you've witnessed, this feed gets switched "on air" by the local Master Control op....or is accidently LEFT up after switching to local after a network broadcast.....
As to the status of Channel 8's local HD.....Sorry, can't answer that one.....

I have read about this on the internet as well and what you said is correct.

WCSH surprised me with the Bill Green HD program and channel 8 may do the same thing because their 7:00 to 8:00 syndicated programs are, reportedly, available in HD. This would strengthen their hand during this time slot. It sure would cause ME to start watching.

In any event, the smearing would suggest that TWC is receiving something less than a full bandwidth signal. Do you or anybody else have any thoughts on why this is the case.

It does NOT suggest to me that TWC receiving something less than a full bandwidth signal from MPBN. It suggests that either TWC is overcompressing the signal when THEY transmit it, or that you have a weak signal coming into the tuner/STB.

You can't do anything about their overcompressing the signal (which is the most likely culprit). If you have a weak signal coming into your house, or if you are splitting the incoming feed too many times, TWC can give you a signal amplifier that should fix the problem.

Joe

Here are a few questions for DirecTV people about getting the Portland HD locals:

1. Will the 3 lnb dish work or is the 5 lnb dish needed?

2. Can the Portland HD locals be received without purchasing an HD package if a person already has the SD locals?

3. Which receiver is used with the $99 upgrade? Is that receiver the basic non-DVR model?

Thanks,

John

Stan54,
I get some tiling/artifacts from MPBN. Rapid watermovement, or panning by the camera. On the signal meter I receive it at 90, with a db meter reading of 30 plus. Not as prevalent on other HD I receive.

Here are a few questions for DirecTV people about getting the Portland HD locals:

1. Will the 3 lnb dish work or is the 5 lnb dish needed?

2. Can the Portland HD locals be received without purchasing an HD package if a person already has the SD locals?

3. Which receiver is used with the $99 upgrade? Is that receiver the basic non-DVR model?

Thanks,

John

1. You will need the 5 lnb dish to get the locals.

2. & 3. from DirecTV's press release "Customers who subscribe to a programming package that includes
local channels receive both the standard-definition and HD
signals at no extra monthly charge. Customers can receive
local HD channels by purchasing an H20 HD receiver or the new
HR20 DIRECTV Plus(R) HD DVR and satellite dish. Existing HD
customers can upgrade their HD receiver and dish for $99 per
receiver. New customers can take advantage of a $100 mail-in
rebate on all DIRECTV HD and HDDVR receivers."

It does NOT suggest to me that TWC receiving something less than a full bandwidth signal from MPBN. It suggests that either TWC is overcompressing the signal when THEY transmit it, or that you have a weak signal coming into the tuner/STB.

You can't do anything about their overcompressing the signal (which is the most likely culprit). If you have a weak signal coming into your house, or if you are splitting the incoming feed too many times, TWC can give you a signal amplifier that should fix the problem.

Joe

I didn't take care to make myself clear. The signal that I receive from TWC is excellent. The HD has no facial smearing on any channel except MPBN. When there is no activity on the screen, the MPBN picture looks good. The smearing on the MPBN channel occurs when there is movement. Looks a lot like what you see on the internet.

I count 12 excellent looking HD channels on Time Warner Augusta and one (MPBN) that shows facial (and other) smearing. Doesn't really sound to me like a weak signal coming into the house. Perhaps, however, TWC (Adelphia) has selected MPBN for overcompression for some reason.

Stan54,
I get some tiling/artifacts from MPBN. Rapid watermovement, or panning by the camera. On the signal meter I receive it at 90, with a db meter reading of 30 plus. Not as prevalent on other HD I receive.

Dave, how do receive your MPBN signal? Is it cable or over the air? MPBN on TWC never refers to a local station or transmitter although the logo does say MPBN. It's hare to say if the logo is inserted by PBN or TWC.

Knowing where TWC gets the PBN HD signal is the first step in figuring out the cause of the smearing.

At this time, OTA. I can see the Litchfield tower. I never get program info. I also can receive Bangor's MPBN , same results. Another thread refered to this "smearing" as macroblocking in which they considered the cable company"s throttling the HD feed, not enough bandwith, it was TWC, BTY. I considered it was my equipment, but sports and other intense HD shows from other channels I have, minimal (almost zero)problems.

There are a number of reasons the signal can look smeared. OTA, the PBS network HD feed shares bandwidth with the local standard definition simulcast. Because of this you can get artifacts of this nature.

As far as Time warner goes, I don't know for a fact where they are getting their signal from, but generally speaking they do NOT get their signal over the air using a standard antenna. Generally they use land-lines. They also could be getting the signal directly off of the satellite, or they could have it beamed to them on a directional radio frequency. The signal Time Warner gets should be very very good. Any compression artifacts that you see will be from when Time Warner compresses the feed and transmits it to you.

The MPBN high defintion signal is not "local" -- it is a direct pass-through of the PBS network HD feed. The vast majority of programming on the HD feed is not shown on the local channel. This is why it never refers to a local station or transmitter.

Try emailing Bob Mullane, Dir. of Transmission Systems
Maine Public Broadcasting Network, with your questions:
Bob Mullane <BobM@mpbn.net>. He has been helpful to me in the past.


Joe

Hello all,

I was in the Brunswick office of Comcast yesterday so of course I asked about any new channels coming soon etc? The answer I got was nothing new expected until after the New Year. And of course no specifics about what if anything will happen then.

Other than that, everything is lovely. ;)

Dana

Thanks Dave and Joe. I sort of figured that TWC was receiving an inferior quality signal from MPBN and that the reason was bandwidth limitations from the source. It's too bad because I really like some of the PB programming. It is at least as good as most of the programming on INHD and HDNET. The only thing that turns me off is the smearing effect that is unique to that channel.

I think I will pose the question to Mr. Mullane, but I do suppose it would be difficult for him to say that TWC is furnished an inferior signal. Perhaps, he would be willing to hint in that direction in order to clear up the mystery.

I got all excited about DirecTV launching the locals, only to find out they dont have FOX.

I really wanted to ditch TW.

I got all excited about DirecTV launching the locals, only to find out they dont have FOX.

I really wanted to ditch TW.

That's right. The local Fox does not broadcast in HD. They do provide a network HD feed directly to the cable company.

On the other hand, would you be eligible for a distant FOX HD signal since the local FOX is not available in digital format? I think the answer is no, but you should find out for certain.

That's right. The local Fox does not broadcast in HD. They do provide a network HD feed directly to the cable company.

On the other hand, would you be eligible for a distant FOX HD signal since the local FOX is not available in digital format? I think the answer is no, but you should find out for certain.

Stan,

While it doesn't hurt to ask for a waiver, my experience with FOX23 when I was a D* subscriber is that they routinely refuse waiver requests - and refuse to respond to emails also. (I emailed them recently which also was ignored.)

Also, Stan, MPBN DT and MPBN/PBS HD comes in here with a strong signal on Comcast Brunswick so I doubt that your problem is with the station feed to TWC. BTW. I have had a Suscom/Comcast supplied amplifier on my cable line here for years as Dr. Joe noted.

Dana

I think I will pose the question to Mr. Mullane, but I do suppose it would be difficult for him to say that TWC is furnished an inferior signal. Perhaps, he would be willing to hint in that direction in order to clear up the mystery.

Why would it be difficult for him to say that TWC is being furnished an inferior signal? He should know what the signal is and how it is "delivered" to TWC. I would find it hard to believe he would lie. My guess is that it is 99% chance the signal that TWC gets is as close to perfect as you can get. Bob should be able to tell you one way or the other.

One other Maine PBS observation:

Adelphia provided all three (? -- it isn't clear to me how many digital feeds they have) of the PBS network standard definition simulcast channels PLUS the network HD feed and the local analog broadcast. Titan TV's listings say that MPBN is broadcasting all four of the subchannels -- but they aren't. The only network feed they are broadcasting OTA is the network HD signal.

Now this doesn't imply anything to me about signal quality or how they are getting the PBS network signals, but it is interesting LOL.

Joe

DrJoe,

On a very cold, crisp night in the middle of last winter, I discovered that I was getting lots of MPBN channels OTA! If I recall correctly - always in doubt - I discovered five of them. I was in hog heaven - or so I thought. Of course it was an atmospheric anomaly and I never saw some of them again after the weather eased up. Some of them could have been educational channels I suppose.

The only digital stations MPBN identifies on its web site are MPBN DT 10.1, a simulcast of its analog channel 10 programming and MPBN HD 10.2, a direct feed of the PBS network.

Dana

I'm counting analog 10 (Presque Isle), analog 10 (Augusta), analog 12 (Orono), analog 13 (Calais) and analog 26 (BIddeford). How could you possibly received all 5? With a huge directional antenna? What did you get for digital that night?

Stan,

While it doesn't hurt to ask for a waiver, my experience with FOX23 when I was a D* subscriber is that they routinely refuse waiver requests - and refuse to respond to emails also. (I emailed them recently which also was ignored.)

Also, Stan, MPBN DT and MPBN/PBS HD comes in here with a strong signal on Comcast Brunswick so I doubt that your problem is with the station feed to TWC. BTW. I have had a Suscom/Comcast supplied amplifier on my cable line here for years as Dr. Joe noted.

Dana

Yes, Dana, MPBN comes in here on Time Warner Cable with a strong signal as well. There is no problem with the strength of the signal. It is the quality of the signal that is in question. Davinleeds reports a problem as well and he receives a strong signal over the air. I don't see tiling, however, but I do see the smearing effect to some significant degree. Others???

I would ask you and anyone else on this thread if you see facial smearing as people turn theirs heads. I also detect some other smearing, but it is nowhere near as noticeable.

I'm counting analog 10 (Presque Isle), analog 10 (Augusta), analog 12 (Orono), analog 13 (Calais) and analog 26 (BIddeford). How could you possibly received all 5? With a huge directional antenna? What did you get for digital that night?

I was receiving these channels from WCBB-TV in Augusta, the call sign for one of five MPBN transmitters. I should have said I think I received five channels, not stations. :o

Dana

Yes, Dana, MPBN comes in here on Time Warner Cable with a strong signal as well. There is no problem with the strength of the signal. It is the quality of the signal that is in question. Davinleeds reports a problem as well and he receives a strong signal over the air. I don't see tiling, however, but I do see the smearing effect to some significant degree. Others???

I would ask you and anyone else on this thread if you see facial smearing as people turn theirs heads. I also detect some other smearing, but it is nowhere near as noticeable.
Stan,

Thanks for the clarification. I'll try to pay closer attention but I haven't noticed any offhand.

Dana

You guys are mixing things up.

A single digital broadcast channel can carry up to 5 subchannels. Right now, nobody in Maine that I know of is broadcasting on more than two. WCSH used to broadcast three subchannels (their HD feed, the weather, and their analog simulcast). They would be mapped to channel 6, and show up as 6.1, 6.2, and 6.3. These three subchannels are all carried on ONE digital broadcast channel. They all share the bandwidth -- and if there are too many subchannels, they may be "squeezed" to make all of them fit. Recently though, WCSH dropped the analog simulcast on channel 6.3. This is good because it means there is more bandwidth (less compression) on the primary HD subchannel 6.1. If you can pick up the digital channel at all, you can pick up all the subchannels -- it is all or nothing with digital.

Maine PBS used to broadcast on all 5 subchannels -- PBS provides multiple network feeds which they also make available to cabletv companies. These networks include PBS Kids, PBS You, and others. At least a year ago, MPBN stopped broadcasting on all the subchannels -- now they only broadcast on channel XX.1 (the analog simulcast) and XX.2 (the PBS network HD feed). They used to broadcast also on XX.3 (PBS Kids), XX.4 (PBS You), and on XX.5 (PBS whatever). The reason I say "XX" is beacuse each local MPBN broadcast channel has its own low power digital channel. I live in green and pick up WCBB Channel 10 analog and channel 27 digital. Channel 27 maps itself to channel 10.1 and 10.2.

What Dana was receiving was 5 subchannels on digital channel 27 -- which mapped to 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4, and 10.5.

I have never noticed smearing on 10.2 (the network HD feed) -- but I rarely can pull it in because I am too close to the tower and it usually swamps out my tuner (I need a preamp to receive the Portland stations).


I know this is confusing -- I hope that I've cleared up some misunderstandings rather than created more misunderstanding :)

Happy Halloween!

Joe


edit: As Davinleeds points out below I should have said the Augusta PBS (WCBB) digital station is 17 not 27.

Dr Joe, I still receive 6-3 on the meter but no video. And, for me digital is not all or nothing as I've explained - dropouts a-plenty, 35 and 51 are my worst. And 27 is 17 on my system. But as I noted to Stan54, I notice something different on MPBN.

...
What Dana was receiving was 5 subchannels on digital channel 27 -- which mapped to 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4, and 10.5.

Happy Halloween!

Joe

Joe,

That is correct as far as what I received - ever so briefly - OTA last winter.

Dana

I mistyped -- should have said 17.

My STB may be detecting something at 6.3 too -- but I knocked it out manually. Not only is there no video there is no audio. I take no video and no audio to mean that there is no longer anything on subchanne 6.3

And yes, I get pixellation and blockiness when the signal strength is just marginal. But this would be for all the subchannels too -- You can't, as far as I know, pull in 6.2 good and 6.1 bad -- you either get them both or you don't. That's what I was trying to say.

And the best part, no one came to the door (why's that?) and asked for tricks or treat and we have all this (3 pkgs) candy. What willI do? Yummy! Off topic? but I was watching NCIS.

I got the FOX NY waiver (ch 88) no problem, took 4 weeks

I got the FOX NY waiver (ch 88) no problem, took 4 weeks

Where are you located, baseball? How did you pull it off?

portland ME

I called them, they did ALL the work and all of a sudden one day FOX NY was coming in. I get the channel ALL day, HD and SD.

I, too, am in Portland and have the NY FOX HD channel. Strangely enough, however, I got a "waiver request denied" letter a couple weeks after I called and asked D* to generate the request. I'm not really sure how that resulted in me getting the channel, but I'm not planning on calling them to complain ;)

I never got a letter confirming like they said I would, I just checked one day and had it. So I called, they said I was accepted but the other 3 denied me b/c locals would soon be on the way, and they delivered!

I finally figured out that the HD channels are THE SAME CHANNELS!!!!

Well, this is very interesting. Certainly, people that are considering satellite have to consider this to be good news. A forum like this can be a wonderful place to share information and ideas.

I got a Fox HD waiver, too. I called up customer rentention and asked if my existing Fox SD waiver would entitle me to also receive the Fox HD feed from NY. I was told it would take up to four weeks to get a response but the channel was turned on the same day.

Today I received an email from E* that my distant signals will be discontinued unless there is congressional action - yea right! This sat home viewer's act is a farce and continues to be. This is why we're getting free locals. I have a shoe box of copies of letters to DC and it has only bought time. Enjoy while you can cause the lobby is stronger than the pen.

Speaking of E* and locals. Today the Program Data Information for OTA stations WPME-DT 35 and WPXT-51 finally showed up on the VIP211/411. This happened after many weeks of emailing various people at Dish Network. The email address that did the trick was dishquality@echostar.com.

John

Wednesday night, I lost some of my HD channels sometime between 9 and 10. Some were still there, some lost only the sound and others were gone completely. This has happened 2 or 3 times in the last 10 months and I thought all that was necessary was to call in and have have them send another "shot" down the line to my cablecard and it would be ok.

I did wait until last night to call and found myself waiting 1 hour and 20 minutes to get a representative. I finally gave up and called this morning. After waiting one-half hour a fellow came on and told me it was part of a system wide switchover from Adelphia problem. Something to do with software. He did think it would be taken care of today.

Just as long as things get back up and running by Sunday night and the Patriots game, it's ok.

For those that might be interested:
Locals Fox, NBC, ABC, MPBN: no signal
NESN: no signal
Fox Sports Network: no signal
HD Net, HD Net Movies: picture, no sound
ESPN 1 and 2, INHD 1 and 2, Discovery Theater: picture and sound ok

Strange how it affects some and not all.

Wed., 11/1 evening, I lost some of my Time Warner (Adelphia) HD channels. I thought it was just a cablecard issue and would only need another shot down the line to reauthorize my card. I couldn't get through with a call Thursday and only reached TWC this (Fri.) morning after much waiting to learn that it was a system-wide problem as TWC switched over from Adelphia.

There must be a lot of people out there wondering why they haven't received some of their HD channels for 2 days while some are ok and others are just missing the sound.

Is this a nationwide switchover by TWC from Adelphia? The customer service representative made it sound that way.

OK I am a newbie, this is my first post here. The last couple of days I have not been able to receive WCSH HD channel 6.1. I can get HD for ABC (8.1), CBS (13.1) and Fox (25.1) and I can get the WCSH weather channel 6.2, but not 6.1. I have gotten it in the past. I have a Sony KDFE50A10 with analog cable from Metrocast (I live in the Sanford area but I think the cable comes out of Rochester NH. ) I do not subscribe to "digital cable" and I do not have a box, the cable goes to the TV and I get HD picture on channels above, except now not on 6.1. I've had people tell me I can't get HD without a box but not so with this TV. I bought it new and have not had any special cablecard installed in it.

Does anyone know of any recent problems with WCSH 6.1 ? (I can get normal tv on 6)

Am hoping 6.1 comes back for Patriots game Sunday night, as someone else already said. Thanks for any help / ideas.

Steve,

The reason you're able to see those channels without any extra converter box is because your cable company is bradcasting them in clear QAM. Your TV has a clear QAM tuner.

There are a few possibilities I can think of that would keep your tv from seeing 6.1:

1. Your cable company is having problems with the 6.1 feed. There would be no solution for this aside from calling them and making sure they're aware of it.
2. Your cable company has (either intentionally or accidentally) started encrypting that channel, meaning it is no longer "clear" QAM. I believe that they're not allowed to do this for local, free, HD channels, but I'm not sure if anyone actaully enforces it. Your TV has a cable card slot, so if this was the case, using a cable card would again allow you to see that channel. Ideally, though, you would want them to revert to having that channel be unencrypted.
3. The proper channel mapping data isn't being sent. I'm not 100% sure this would apply to QAM, but you might want to try tuning to 44.1 (44 is the real frequency that WCSH broadcasts their HD signal on) to see if that works.

Hope this helps.

Eric

They also could have moved it from QAM to digital cable. That would then require a digital cable box or cable card to receive them. Not that this makes much sense if they haaven't moved the other HD channels too.

The first thing you should do is call the cable company and ask them.
If they say it is still there, try unplugging your TV for 15 minutes and then starting it up again having it do another initial channel scan and see if it finds 6.1.

Eric,

The broadcast channel frquency doesn't have anything to do with the cable frequency. Below channel 13, they overlap fairly closely, above 13, they are very different. I don't think that looking for 44.1 will help him. And 44 is the over-the-air channel assignment, not the broadcast frequency. Channel 44 is broadcast at 650-656 MHz.

Joe

DrJoe,

Thanks for the info. I remembered reading about the Tivo series 3 not allowing people to manually map clear QAM channels, so I think there is definitely mapping that goes on. If that mapping information isn't being sent, then it will be on some other channel. (For example, they certainly can't use the actual 6 frequency for 6.1 and 6.2, since they still have the analog channel 6 on their system).

Thanks guys for helping me out. I was skeptical about calling my cable company, but I did, and I got what I expected....some lady who insisted I didn't know what I was talking about, kept telling me it's impossible to get HD without their box, had no idea what "6.1" was, etc etc. I pressed her to get one of their technicians on the phone and eventually she put me on hold and she talked to someone who must have set her straight. She came back online and told me I should have no problem receiving 6.1 because she was viewing it right now. OK great, so I hung up and I unplugged then remapped all my channels as DrJoe suggested. Still can't get 6.1......BUT now I can get 7.1 which is WHDH NBC out of Boston. And I still get 13.1 (CBS HD) and 8.1 (ABC HD) and 25.1 (FOX HD). So I have what I want, in the end......still can't explain why I can't get 6.1 (I do get 6 and 6.2 weather) So thanks again for the help and also thanks for your patience as I am sure I do not use the correct vocabulary/terms in this subject area.

I am pulling 6.1 OTA right now, for what's its worth.

Watch Inhd for tune up 7 am 5 Nov. credit to jawatkin.

Wed., 11/1 evening, I lost some of my Time Warner (Adelphia) HD channels. I thought it was just a cablecard issue and would only need another shot down the line to reauthorize my card. I couldn't get through with a call Thursday and only reached TWC this (Fri.) morning after much waiting to learn that it was a system-wide problem as TWC switched over from Adelphia.

There must be a lot of people out there wondering why they haven't received some of their HD channels for 2 days while some are ok and others are just missing the sound.

Is this a nationwide switchover by TWC from Adelphia? The customer service representative made it sound that way.

I am quoting myself above to recall something posted earlier.

It was necessary to go into the Augusta office to have them restore my HD channels via computer authorization because the people at the customer service number had information the system was being changed over and the problem was only temporary. It turned out, however, that certain codes were not restored to my authorized HD channels and a face to face in the local office solved the problem very easily.

The point of this posting is to encourage people with cable problems of this nature to be aggressive rather than take too much for granted. I almost waited another couple of days before going to the Augusta office because the service center guy on the phone said the problem was temporary.

I am pulling 6.1 OTA right now, for what's its worth.

I've been having difficulty this last week with 6.1/2.

Hey steve - I see your tv has a built-in hd tuner. Why not get yourself an antenna and just pull the channel in OTA (over the air). That option is there for you if you want to try it. Nothing like getting HD for free. I've been doing it for almost two years now and some would argue that OTA HD is the best way to watch HD content.

I've been having difficulty this last week with 6.1/2.

I recently moved my antenna to my attic and ran it through a diplexer intead of on a dedicated coax run. Since then, the signal strength for 13.x and 8.x is roughly the same (85%-93%), but after much tweaking I could never get 6.x any higher than 75%-ish. I figured the drop was due to the diplexer, but there's always the rare chance that something happened on the transmission end of things around the same time.

FWIW, I've recorded several shows on 6.1 since the change and haven't noticed any problems with the recordings.

Hey steve - I see your tv has a built-in hd tuner. Why not get yourself an antenna and just pull the channel in OTA (over the air). That option is there for you if you want to try it. Nothing like getting HD for free. I've been doing it for almost two years now and some would argue that OTA HD is the best way to watch HD content.

Thanks for the tip, I will look into that. My tv is in the basement so I'm guessing I will have to put antenna up in the attic? My subdivision won't allow outdoor antennas.

Thanks for the tip, I will look into that. My tv is in the basement so I'm guessing I will have to put antenna up in the attic? My subdivision won't allow outdoor antennas.

FYI, a subdivision/HOA can't prohibit you from installing an antenna on your own property. See: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/consumerdish.html

WPXT and WPME are adding bars at the left and right side of the screen.


Chet,

It is a good idea but needs some work -- on WPXT the bars have a very heavy green tint and on WPME, they have a slight bluinsh tint. There is the possiblity I mixed them up in my head on the way up from the basement where the TV is.... One has a very greenish tint, the other is slightly bluish.

take care,

Joe

Bars which flank the picture on either side is simply pillarboxing, similar to letterboxing. I think it actually looks better than when they stretch a 4:3 picture. Here in greater Hartford (CT), Tribune has gray pillarboxing with the FOX and CW stations they operate in this market. In both cases, the 4:3 picture was stretched and looked like crap.

Bars which flank the picture on either side is simply pillarboxing, similar to letterboxing. I think it actually looks better than when they stretch a 4:3 picture. Here in greater Hartford (CT), Tribune has gray pillarboxing with the FOX and CW stations they operate in this market. In both cases, the 4:3 picture was stretched and looked like crap.

How is it similar to letterboxing?

In letterboxing they take a 16:9 image and shrink it to fit horizontally in the 4:3 window adding (typically) black bars in the space at the top and bottom. In the case of pillarboxing , there is no stretching/shrinking/distortion of the original image. All they do is add the gray bars at the left and right side of the 16:9 window.

A few weeks ago, to protect RPTV and plasma sets from burn-in, they experimented with non-HD 4:3 material by stretching it to fit the 16:9 window. Everyone (all 6-10 of us on the site here) complained, so they stopped. This seems to be the next (and better try) to protect our sets.

The trouble is that the pillar boxes are supposed to be gray (balanced to age the phosphors in each of the CRT's uniformly), not tinted green or blue. Hence my post.

I agree that pillar boxing is preferred over stretching, and would go further and say I prefer it over simply passing through the 4:3 image with black bars. But I'm hoping they can fix the tint problem.


take care,

Joe

There's something that I have never quite understood.

When watching analog on an HD screen, the black bars are NOT ADDED. When viewing a 4:3 picture while watching digital on an HD screen, the black bars are SAID to be added.

I suspect that WCSH for instance is transmitting the evening news in 4:3 digital and has no REASON to add anything, although, I agree that the gray bars would be nice to prevent any possibility of damaging widescreen sets.

I think the difference is in what format you are receiving. 1080i and 720p are 16x9 native. So the option for the station is to either stretch the program at their end to fill it, or just add the pillar box/leave dead space. Any way you cut it, it leaves the station as 16x9 if they broadcast in 1080i/720p
480i is native 4x3. Even if they letterbox the program, its still being received as 4x3. Your set determines what to do with it then. Stretch it, zoom it, leave it as 4x3, etc.
480p? I'm not sure what that is...both I imagine since you get DVD's in Standard and Widescreen versions?
On a side note, I know I played a lot with my TWC HD-Receiver and which modes I allow it to output. For instance, the receiver will upgrade the 480i to 480p for a theoretically better signal, but I found that my TV (a panny) did a much better job. So I turned off 480p mode on the reciever and let my TV do it.

I'll expand upon jkurlanski's comments.

480p and 1080i are inherently 16:9 (widescreen). 480i is inherently 4:3.

Your TV or STB can process the image if it knows what it is. If it knows an image is 4:3, it can add pillar boxes (gray bars) or stretch the image sideways to fill the 16:9 viewing area, or even zoom the image until it fills the screen (losing the top and bottom of the video signal). But if it receives a 16:9 signal, it doesn't let you adjust the picture.

If the broadcaster could switch on the fly, he (she) could switch between 480i, 480p, and 1080i (or720p). They could then transmit in 16:9 HDTV when the signal is available from the network, and switch to 480i when they are showing locally produced or syndicated televsion programming. But they can't do this due to hardware limitations. So what they do is choose one format, and they convert all material to that format. Generally speaking, they choose 1080i or 720p.

When they take a 4:3 standard definition show and convert it to 1080i, they upconvert it (adding the additional pixels required for the format) and they "paste" it into the center of the 16:9 window. They then transmit the signal as 16:9 -- which means your television set detects a 16:9, high difinition signal, so it presents it to you as 16:9. It looks like there is a picture in the center of the screen with black bars on the left and right sides.

Or they can manipulate the signal: they can add gray bars ("pillar boxes"), or stretch the 4:3 image to fill the 16:9 viewing area. Back in 2002 shortly after they came on the air, one of the stations I watched in Austin slightly zoomed the 4:3 image before stretching it -- to fill the screen without horribly distorting the image.

When you watch a 480i signal (whether over-the-air, analog cable, or a digital cable), the set detects this, and because it is 4:3 either adds the gray pillar box bars or it lets you zoom the image to fill the screen.

I hope this helps,


Joe

Hello guys,
Regarding the pillar boxing, our engineers are fooling around with our equipment to see how different colors look on the pillars rather than black. Pillar boxing is similar to letterboxing as we are taking a 4x3 picture, and up converting it to 720p or 1080i depending on the network. We add pillar boxes to take up the extra space since you guys stated you preferred it to stretching.

Digital broadcast television equipment is quite expensive, and to comply with the FCC's Digital mandate, we like most other stations are doing just what we need to do to be compliant. As we get HD programming (other than Network) and we, over time, slowly upgrade our equipment, we will do things differently.

Hello guys,
Regarding the pillar boxing, our engineers are fooling around with our equipment to see how different colors look on the pillars rather than black. Pillar boxing is similar to letterboxing as we are taking a 4x3 picture, and up converting it to 720p or 1080i depending on the network. We add pillar boxes to take up the extra space since you guys stated you preferred it to stretching.

Digital broadcast television equipment is quite expensive, and to comply with the FCC's Digital mandate, we like most other stations are doing just what we need to do to be compliant. As we get HD programming (other than Network) and we, over time, slowly upgrade our equipment, we will do things differently.

Just my opinion, but I think the black works out best, and allows the picture to blend in better and not remind people that the picture is pillar boxed. When any other color than black is used with a movie that has black horizontal bars, the picture really looks bad with say, gray vertical bars and black horizontal bars.

While it is true that when letterboxed shows (like Stargate Atlantis) are on, the pillar boxes are distracting like loudo says, I generally like them. I prefer a neutral gray color because it doesn't distract the eye from the 4:3 frame. Of the two channels, the one with the green tint in the pillar boxes is particularly distracting.

In the best of all worlds, letterboxed shows would be zoomed to 16:9, and standard 4:3 material would have the gray pillar boxes in place.

Failing the ability to zoom letterboxed material, I say use the gray pillar boxes.


Joe

There are a number of things that I might comment on, but I must register an opinion on one thing while Chet is in the position in helping to set the policy of two local stations.

We all have learned that plasma and CRT sets can suffer burn-in and, presumably, LCD and rear projection is free of that problem.

Burn-in of image is one issue and absence of image is another issue. I am not a television or any other kind of engineer, nor do I claim any special expertise, but I have read a lot on the AVS Forum and other sites for the last two years and I have come to believe that LCD sets and at least some rear projection sets can suffer damage from an extended absence of picture (or use).

It seems that LCD sets do not wear at the same rate on the sides as they do in the center of the screen during extended periods of black bar viewing. The result begins to show in a few years. It is important to light the full screen even on LCD sets because you have a different lighting on the sides of the screen in the future if you do not.

I have a Sony SXRD LCOS (liquid crystal on silicon) rear projection set. Some people have been reporting what in pictures almost looks like a strip of yellow paint developing after months of use starting either up or down from one of the corners in the black bar area. The pictures make it clear to me that it is black bar related so I keep the picture stretched on the analog stations.

Stretching the picture on HD stations is a different matter. At least on my set, if I stretch 4:3 material on WCSH HD and switch to WMTW HD and come back to WCSH HD the latter station returns to "unstretched". For a channel flipper like me, that is a problem, so I continue to take evasive action against prolonged black bars on the screen.

All of this comes down to one thing. I hope and pray that all stations will use some type of image in the black bar area EVEN THOUGH IT DOES DETRACT FROM WHAT YOU ARE WATCHING. A nice gray with at least some very minor screen activity taking place might be the best compromise.

NFL games on NFL Network get attention from Congress

By JOSEPH WHITE - AP Sports Writer
2006-11-14 18:45

WASHINGTON (AP) -The NFL is about to start airing live regular-season games on its own network, and that has Congress a bit curious.

``We're intrigued, to put it mildly, what the NFL has in mind,'' Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., said Tuesday at a hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Specter grilled NFL executive vice president and general counsel Jeffrey Pash during the 90-minute hearing on sports programming. The hearing focused on how live games on the NFL Network could affect cable and satellite rates and whether the games raise any antitrust issues in connection with the Sports Broadcasting Act.

The NFL Network will air eight live games this season, starting Thanksgiving night when the Denver Broncos play the Kansas City Chiefs. Some broadcast companies, including Time Warner, have balked at paying the higher fee the league is charging to carry the network because of the games.

Time Warner chief operating officer Landel Hobbs testified that the NFL Network's rates are ``out of whack'' when compared to viewership ratings.

Pash responded that the NFL Network has indeed increased its fees, but he cited the popularity of the league's product as justification. He said other NFL Network carriers - including DirecTV, EchoStar, Comcast and Cox - have not passed along the price increase to their customers. However, Comcast wants to start offering the network as part of a premium sports-tier package, which has sparked a legal challenge from the NFL.

Pash also noted the NFL is the only major pro sports league that broadcasts all of its games on free, over-the-air television in participants' local markets. The NFL Network games will be aired by local stations in the participating teams' markets, using the same arrangement that exists with ESPN telecasts on Monday nights.

``There's been a mass migration away from broadcast television with one exception - the NFL - and we still have every game on broadcast television,'' Pash said.

Pash said the NFL Network's offerings do not run afoul of antitrust laws because they are ``pro-competitive'' and expand choices for consumers. As for Specter's concern about ``what the NFL has in mind'' for the future, Pash said it will be several years before there can be another significant change in how games are broadcast.

``For the next six years we've got contracts with the broadcast networks,'' Pash said. ``We've got a contract with ESPN that goes out eight, so it's not like we're going to do this, this week, and next week we're going to do three times as much. This is where we are for the foreseeable future. We'll see if it works or not. We'll see if there's consumer acceptance. We'll see if there's consumer response. If these games don't get wide distribution, if they don't get good ratings, ratings commensurate with what our other games get, if they don't get strong advertiser support, we'll have to look at an alternative.''

Arrrgh. Why is CBS-HD dark on Comcast Brunswick today?

Dana

CBS-HD now back up on Comcast Brunswick. :)

Go PATS!

Dana

Any sign of changes on Comcast Brunswick. NESN or FSNE in HD? An updated HD DVR?

Any sign of changes on Comcast Brunswick. NESN or FSNE in HD? An updated HD DVR?

Nope. The Brunswick office told me nothing new until after the New Year. But, they didn't say exactly when or what either. (They may not know.)

Dana

Something up with vocal synk-My Network TV. Ch 35.

sounds ok to me just now. Only did a quick check in during a commercial. Wasn't sure I was getting any sound at first. Had to switch up then back before it kicked in.

Not for me. OTA. about 5 seconds off.

Commercials are correct.

Rats..sorry. Didn't check back to the board or the station last night. Will check it out sometime today.

Again tonight, sound not correct,OTA MyNetwork, Desire, Chet?

Well, 5-1,5-2,8-1, 10-1/2,12-1/2,13-1/2, are fine on vocals. Can't get 6 again tonight.

Yep. Now I got it...sounds is WAY off on MyNetwork, OTA.

Pulling in 6-1 from here (Cumberland Ctr) OK. Just can't get PBS worth a darn, but that's par for the course form me. (Attic Antenna..no pre-amp)

Thanks, It's tuff cause vocal is fine on dish locals. Standard analog is crap 4/me. But 720p on 35 is sweet OTA. (Besides the vocals)

Test pattern 450am HDNET Sundays. FYI

Hey Gang,

Doing a bit of homework for a friend who's moving to Randolph/Gardiner Maine. He's looking to pick up an HDTV this weekend and curious about what's available through Time Warner and OTA. When I checked Time Warner website they didn't indicate that they carried Fox-HD, but I've read in this thread that they do. Also, it apears that Fox-HD OTA won't be available until 1/1/09. Can anyone confirm these two things?

TIA

Oops

No sooner do I post than I found the channel line-up for Time Warner. I lists WPFO HD so that answers my question about Fox. Now I see no listing for CBS-HD. Am I missing something or is it absent from the line-up?

Hey Gang,

Doing a bit of homework for a friend who's moving to Randolph/Gardiner Maine. He's looking to pick up an HDTV this weekend and curious about what's available through Time Warner and OTA. When I checked Time Warner website they didn't indicate that they carried Fox-HD, but I've read in this thread that they do. Also, it apears that Fox-HD OTA won't be available until 1/1/09. Can anyone confirm these two things?

TIA

Best way to find out is go to http://ww1.titantv.com/. Put in the address of the TV and select the type of provider (Satellite, Cable, OTA) that you will be using. It will show you the channel layout and what is available in that area from each service.

If you read it here, it must be true. ;)

Actually, Stan our man in Augusta, can respond first-hand. But, if you check the TWC Augusta lineup here http://www.timewarnercable.com/CustomerService/CLU/TWCCLUs.ashx?ChannelFilter=HDTV&Zip=&CLUID=661
you get confirmation that it offers WPFO HD FOX on cable channel 704.

It is also true as DrJoe can attest that WPFO won't broadcast HD OTA until 2009. Apparently, the former owners of the station never applied for the necessary permits. The reason for the apparent discrepancy - on TWC but not OTA - is that WPFO provides TWC with a closed circuit feed of the network HD signal.

I just wish they would do the same for Comcast Brunswick. ;)

Dana

Comcast Brunswick posted a maintenance notice here http://notices.suscom-maine.net/?body=ccsite and also in a display ad on page 4 of the Friday Nov. 24 Times Record. It says:

"Brunswick
"Scheduled Maintenance:
"Date: Street: Information:
"2006-11-28 Willow Grove Rd Comcast will be performing system maintenance between 4:00am - 6:00am. A service interruption of up to 1 hour should be expected during the maintenance period."

Dana

Hey Gang,

Doing a bit of homework for a friend who's moving to Randolph/Gardiner Maine. He's looking to pick up an HDTV this weekend and curious about what's available through Time Warner and OTA. When I checked Time Warner website they didn't indicate that they carried Fox-HD, but I've read in this thread that they do. Also, it apears that Fox-HD OTA won't be available until 1/1/09. Can anyone confirm these two things?

TIA

Oops

No sooner do I post than I found the channel line-up for Time Warner. I lists WPFO HD so that answers my question about Fox. Now I see no listing for CBS-HD. Am I missing something or is it absent from the line-up?

704 - WPFO FOX
706 - WCSH NBC
708 - WMTW ABC
712 - MPBN (national)
770 - HDNET
771 - HDNET Movies
772 - ESPN
773 - NESN
774 - INHD
775 - INHD2
776 - Discovery Theater
778 - ESPN2
779 - FOX New England

Cablecard $1.75
Box $9.00

Hey Gang,
...

No sooner do I post than I found the channel line-up for Time Warner. It lists WPFO HD so that answers my question about Fox. Now I see no listing for CBS-HD. Am I missing something or is it absent from the line-up?

WGME/CBS Portland is owned by Sinclair Broadcasting and wants to be paid for making available to cable operators the HD broadcast channels of the network affiliate stations it owns and operates nationally. Up to now, Time Warner Cable (and others) has refused so no WGME CBS-HD on TWC cable systems in Southern Maine.

The notable exception is Comcast which signed a national compensation carriage agreement with Sinclair in 2005.

No CBS-HD on the former Adelphia cable systems in Bangor and points north either. That's because of a similar policy by the Bangor CBS affiliate which is Maine owned and operated.

The only options in these areas for CBS-HD is OTA antennas or DirecTV local HD service.

Dana

I am the new HDTV owner toenail was inquiring for; I appreciate the quick responses from this page.

I was curious if anyone else is using the OTA feed to pick up CBS around gardiner or randolph. I know I will have to buy an antenna, I am just wondering about how clear the feed will be. Thanks again for your help.

I will be in Freeport with comcast for the next few months. Any suggestions on specific hardware I should ask for? Anything I need to know about Comcast HD subscriptions?

I am the new HDTV owner toenail was inquiring for; I appreciate the quick responses from this page.

I was curious if anyone else is using the OTA feed to pick up CBS around gardiner or randolph. I know I will have to buy an antenna, I am just wondering about how clear the feed will be. Thanks again for your help.

Mal Leary, a state house news correspondent, wrote back in July that

"... I have two antennas at my house here in Augusta, one pointed south and one north so I get both WABI and WGME HD with no problem."

But, Mal lives near the Augusta airport so height may be in his favor. BTW. Your new HDTV does have a tuner built in for HD OTA broadcasts, right?

Dana

I will be in Freeport with comcast for the next few months. Any suggestions on specific hardware I should ask for? Anything I need to know about Comcast HD subscriptions?

Comcast Brunswick (formerly SusCom) uses the Scientific Atlanta 3250 HD receiver with DVI activated and the SA 8300HD DVR box with HDMI. I have the 3250 HD box and it works well. You might ask if they have any "specials."

Dana

I'm in Gardiner, up by the high school on high ground. I haveTWC. I have a ChannelMaster 4228 that i place on my porch aimed at wabi. I've had rotator cuff surgery, so I haven't roof mounted it yet. I tried wgme, but I am blocked by trees, so wabi was my choice.
BTW, i called twc about their lack of HD local NFL on CBS and they have no idea what they are talking about.
I did get them to give me the new price of 97.00 for 1 year for my package including hd, dvr, and internet.
good luck
rob munzing
I told the

I was glad to read that about Mal, but height makes a big difference in this area. I, also, wonder how people are doing with antennas. I doubt if I will actually put one on the house, however, you never know. The only thing I really think I am missing on CBS is the Patriots on 10 or 12 days of the year.

Yeah, I picked up the Panasonic 42" plasma from Circuit City. It does have an HD Tuner. I plan to buy an antenna when I move to Randolph, but I will have to live with whatever Comcast offers in Freeport.

I currently have the SA8300 DVR box. Will they need to update the box, or do they just flip a switch on their end?

Yeah, I picked up the Panasonic 42" plasma from Circuit City. It does have an HD Tuner. I plan to buy an antenna when I move to Randolph, but I will have to live with whatever Comcast offers in Freeport.

I currently have the SA8300 DVR box. Will they need to update the box, or do they just flip a switch on their end?

If you have the SA8300, you will need the SA8300HD DVR for high-def TV. It's a different box.

Dana

CHET, re: 35 sidebars,
Black is better, current is distracting. Most tv's bezels are silver or black. 51's is better. IMO
Thanks.

I currently have time warner, but I would love to get cbs HD. What would you all recommend for a cheap way to get the ota channel 13, while keeping tw? What receiver and what antenna. I live in Gorham, so I should be able to pick it up,...I hope.

THANKS!!

ok, its not cheap, but the Tivo Series 3 has a good OTA tuner and recorder that lets you easily switch back and forth between Cable and OTA including Channel 13. The Pats games look great!

I don't think you should have to spend too much on an antenna--just go to the antenna web site, I believe it is antennaweb.org, but if I am wrong, I'm sure others in this forum will tell you. You are probably looking at spending in the $40 range.

I currently have time warner, but I would love to get cbs HD. What would you all recommend for a cheap way to get the ota channel 13, while keeping tw? What receiver and what antenna. I live in Gorham, so I should be able to pick it up,...I hope.

THANKS!!

Buy a cheap OTA receiver. You can find old DirecTV, Dishnetwork and VOOM receivers on eBay. Walmart may have a cheap receiver. As far as antennas go, nothing special is needed. In Gorham you are close to the towers. You can try a $20 amplified set top antenna (take a look at Radio Shack) to start with. Otherwise, buy a cheap UHF antenna and install it in your attic or on the roof.

Joe

I just found out that not only does DirecTV offer HD locals now in Central/Southern Maine, but they offer NESN and Fox Sports NE in HD as well. Red Sox, Celtics, and Bruins in HD!

Comcast says that there are currently no plans to offer NESN or FSNE to the Suscom customers. Looks like I'm staying with DirecTV, especially since I got a Fox waiver.

I just found out that not only does DirecTV offer HD locals now in Central/Southern Maine, but they offer NESN and Fox Sports NE in HD as well. Red Sox, Celtics, and Bruins in HD!

Comcast says that there are currently no plans to offer NESN or FSNE to the Suscom customers. Looks like I'm staying with DirecTV, especially since I got a Fox waiver.

Thanks for the ammo! I just sent the following email to Mary McLaughlin, Comcast V-P.

"Dear V-P McLaughlin,

"Yesterday I suffered through several hours of watching on my HDTV the Patriots play on WPFO, the Fox affiliate in Portland, Maine which is carried - in low definition - on Comcast Brunswick's cable channel 7. All of Time Warner Cable's customers including the former Adelphia subscribers got to watch it in high definition thanks to a closed circuit feed from WFPO. Ouch!

"Today I find out that DirecTV now offers all of the networks in high definition in the Portland-Auburn market plus they offer NESN and Fox Sports NE in HD as well. Red Sox, Celtics, and Bruins in HD! How nice!

"Can you think of a reason why I shouldn't switch?"

If I don't get a prompt response I'll escalate it. :)

Dana

If it makes you feel any better I had to watch the Pats yesterday on WPFO in SD from DirecTV and it was almost unwatchable. Blurry, artifacts, etc. I moved my plasma down to 480i and it did not help much. My Fox HD from DirecTV did not help since that channel showed the Giants game.

Keep in mind that you need the new dish for these new HD sports channels. The CSR did not tell me that. I'm calling them now to complain.

Thanks for the ammo! I just sent the following email to Mary McLaughlin, Comcast V-P.

"Dear V-P McLaughlin,

"Yesterday I suffered through several hours of watching on my HDTV the Patriots play on WPFO, the Fox affiliate in Portland, Maine which is carried - in low definition - on Comcast Brunswick's cable channel 7. All of Time Warner Cable's customers including the former Adelphia subscribers got to watch it in high definition thanks to a closed circuit feed from WFPO. Ouch!

"Today I find out that DirecTV now offers all of the networks in high definition in the Portland-Auburn market plus they offer NESN and Fox Sports NE in HD as well. Red Sox, Celtics, and Bruins in HD! How nice!

"Can you think of a reason why I shouldn't switch?"

If I don't get a prompt response I'll escalate it. :)

Dana

Dana,
Could you please post the email address of Mary McLaughlin. I have been very disappointed with Comcast thus far. When I switched, from DISH, the Comcast website stated that we would have full Comcast services, including On demand, VOIP, ect by November. I also assumed that this would coincide with the HD channels we have all been waiting for (FOX, NESN, ect). About a month ago I was at the local office and they told me that this had been delayed until the beginning of the new year (I believe you posted that they told you the same thing). Today, I called them and was told that there would be no changes in services until at least the spring of 07. I am really regretting changing to them before they had everything together. Maybe, if the same person gets a few emails telling her that we are leaving for Direct TV it may get some attention although I doubt it. I also have to say that I am disappointed in the 8300DVR which has a much softer picture than any HD box I have had (I have had all the services).

Dana,
Could you please post the email address of Mary McLaughlin. I have been very disappointed with Comcast thus far. When I switched, from DISH, the Comcast website stated that we would have full Comcast services, including On demand, VOIP, ect by November. I also assumed that this would coincide with the HD channels we have all been waiting for (FOX, NESN, ect). About a month ago I was at the local office and they told me that this had been delayed until the beginning of the new year (I believe you posted that they told you the same thing). Today, I called them and was told that there would be no changes in services until at least the spring of 07. I am really regretting changing to them before they had everything together. Maybe, if the same person gets a few emails telling her that we are leaving for Direct TV it may get some attention although I doubt it. I also have to say that I am disappointed in the 8300DVR which has a much softer picture than any HD box I have had (I have had all the services).

Sure. It's Mary_McLaughlin@cable.comcast.com. Now I have to say that I figured it out because Comcast has a certain protocol for email addresses. It was not publicly posted when I first used it to respond when I got the "Welcome to Comcast" mass mailing with her name as the sender. But, my message didn't bounce back. She also never responded. :(

Dana

A publicly posted Comcast contact person is:
Northern Division
Shawn Feddeman - Vice President of Public Relations
Phone: 617-562-4302 email shawn_feddeman@cable.comcast.com
Link http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=147565&p=irol-contact
Dana

PS. I copied him with my email to McLaughlin and told him I'd posted it here. ;)

If it makes you feel any better I had to watch the Pats yesterday on WPFO in SD from DirecTV and it was almost unwatchable. Blurry, artifacts, etc. I moved my plasma down to 480i and it did not help much. My Fox HD from DirecTV did not help since that channel showed the Giants game.

Keep in mind that you need the new dish for these new HD sports channels. The CSR did not tell me that. I'm calling them now to complain.

But WPFO is one of the local stations that D* offers now in HD? (If so, they must have negotiated a closed circuit feed.)

Dana

If it makes you feel any better I had to watch the Pats yesterday on WPFO in SD from DirecTV and it was almost unwatchable. Blurry, artifacts, etc. I moved my plasma down to 480i and it did not help much.


With my TV setup, I have found that if I set my DirecTV output to 1080i and don't use native, the SD signals appear better than if they are left native 480i.

This may not work for all sets but it improves my PQ on SD signals, from DirecTV. I have a H20 receiver and a Mitsubishi 55" projection HDTV. I watch a lot of hockey games and can see the difference when in the 1080i mode vs others.

This may not improve things for you but does for my setup.

But WPFO is one of the local stations that D* offers now in HD? (If so, they must have negotiated a closed circuit feed.)

Dana

No, WPFO does not offer an HD feed over DirecTV at all. I have the Fox NY HD feed from DirecTV. I got a waiver a couple years ago. Fox NY was showing only the Giants game.

With my TV setup, I have found that if I set my DirecTV output to 1080i and don't use native, the SD signals appear better than if they are left native 480i.

This may not work for all sets but it improves my PQ on SD signals, from DirecTV. I have a H20 receiver and a Mitsubishi 55" projection HDTV. I watch a lot of hockey games and can see the difference when in the 1080i mode vs others.

This may not improve things for you but does for my setup.

I tried 1080i and 720p and both were worse on my plasma than 480i. I guess it is the difference in the display technologies.

Is your H20 the HD DVR? If so, is it as much of a horror show as I've heard?

No, WPFO does not offer an HD feed over DirecTV at all. I have the Fox NY HD feed from DirecTV. I got a waiver a couple years ago. Fox NY was showing only the Giants game.

Thanks. We'd never gotten any feedback after the D* HD locals for Portland-Auburn went live.

Dana

In tonight's Times Record newspaper, Comcast has a full page ad for its digital cable service for $39.95 for three months. (That would include all except HD channels.)

Dana

In tonight's Times Record newspaper, Comcast has a full page ad for its digital cable service for $39.95 for three months. (That would include all except HD channels.)

Dana

Comcast could offer it to me for $0 and I still will not move until they get all of the HD locals and NESN and FSNE in HD. And an HD DVR that is not a huge downgrade from what I have now. The 8300 is a POS.

Comcast could offer it to me for $0 and I still will not move until they get all of the HD locals and NESN and FSNE in HD. And an HD DVR that is not a huge downgrade from what I have now. The 8300 is a POS.

Yes, I know. But wizeass05 asked back on post 1430 for any Comcast subscription info as he is moving to Freeport for a few months. :)

Dana

I tried 1080i and 720p and both were worse on my plasma than 480i. I guess it is the difference in the display technologies.

Is your H20 the HD DVR? If so, is it as much of a horror show as I've heard?

Wasn't sure if it would help you or not.

My H20 is a straight H20. I do have a H10-250, on the HDTV set in the other room. I want to change it to a HR20, but am waiting for the OTA tuner, in the HR20, to be activated. DirecTV only gives us MPG4 4 digital channels plus our local RSNs HD programing on channel 96. I get around 30 OTA HD and digital channels with my OTA tuner in my H10-250 and H20. Plus the OTA signal is much better than the DirecTV HD. Our RSN HD broadcasts are much better than the network feeds, for some reason. A couple of our DirecTV network feeds look like old movies with frames missing and is very jumpy, others are ok, but the picture just not as sharp as the OTA signal.

I just found out that not only does DirecTV offer HD locals now in Central/Southern Maine, but they offer NESN and Fox Sports NE in HD as well. Red Sox, Celtics, and Bruins in HD!

Comcast says that there are currently no plans to offer NESN or FSNE to the Suscom customers. Looks like I'm staying with DirecTV, especially since I got a Fox waiver.

Before anyone gets too excited, I should point out that DirecTV only offers NESN and FSNE in HD to people who are in the city of Boston. For whatever reason, the HD RSNs can currently only be associated with one MPEG4 HD local market, so the Boston one was the obvious choice.

If you go here (http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/global/contentPageIF.jsp?assetId=P3000004) and put in a Portland area zip code, you'll see they're in SD only, but if you enter a Boston zip code, you'll see that they're available in HD there.

There is the possibilty that this policy/availability has changed and the website hasn't been updated, but I'd suspect it's another case of a DirecTV CSR promising the moon without actually knowing what they're talking about.

For whatever reason, the HD RSNs can currently only be associated with one MPEG4 HD local market, so the Boston one was the obvious choice.


Not true. Here in Florida we get Fox Sports Florida and Sunshine Network, in HD on Channel 96, in Miami, West Palm Beach, Orlando and Tampa markets. I also think they get both in Jacksonville, but not sure on that one.

Some of the games in some areas are blacked out because of regional restrictions though. Example in Central Florida we get Orlando Magic games but Miami Heat games are blacked out unless you subscribe to the NBA package.

My fox, nbc,cbs waivers meant nothing.

Not true. Here in Florida we get Fox Sports Florida and Sunshine Network, in HD on Channel 96, in Miami, West Palm Beach, Orlando and Tampa markets. I also think they get both in Jacksonville, but not sure on that one.

Some of the games in some areas are blacked out because of regional restrictions though. Example in Central Florida we get Orlando Magic games but Miami Heat games are blacked out unless you subscribe to the NBA package.

Thanks for the info. I'd say there must be some other reason for D* not offering the HD versions in Portland when we can get the SD versions, but it's really a mystery as to why they do most things.

Before anyone gets too excited, I should point out that DirecTV only offers NESN and FSNE in HD to people who are in the city of Boston. For whatever reason, the HD RSNs can currently only be associated with one MPEG4 HD local market, so the Boston one was the obvious choice.

If you go here (http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/global/contentPageIF.jsp?assetId=P3000004) and put in a Portland area zip code, you'll see they're in SD only, but if you enter a Boston zip code, you'll see that they're available in HD there.

There is the possibilty that this policy/availability has changed and the website hasn't been updated, but I'd suspect it's another case of a DirecTV CSR promising the moon without actually knowing what they're talking about.

I give up. Two CSRs specifically told me that 04086 is within the HD RSN zone.

Yes, I know. But wizeass05 asked back on post 1430 for any Comcast subscription info as he is moving to Freeport for a few months. :)

Dana

I know, I was just blowing off some steam. I am so frustrated with both Comcast and DirecTV right now. All I want is HD for my new TV.

Thanks for the info. I'd say there must be some other reason for D* not offering the HD versions in Portland when we can get the SD versions, but it's really a mystery as to why they do most things.

I agree completely. One thing for sure, it's not technical. If you enter the Portsmouth, NH ZIP 03801, RSNs in HD are available. If you key in the Kittery, ME. ZIP 03904, only RSNs in SD are available. The entire State of Maine is blacked out for RSNs in HD. Phooey on D*.

Dana

PS. Concord, NH ZIP 03301 = RSNs in HD.

This entire issue is exhausting. I've escalated this within D* and am screaming bloody murder. Every CSR up through Customer Retention gives me a different story. Waiting for a call back. I'm not holding my breath.

I don't know who is worse, Comcr*p or D*...

I'm looking for some assistance/advice from individuals that may have experienced problems as outlined below.

I was also affected by the Adelphia to TWC migration. Whereas I used to receive High Speed Internet at ~4200 kbps throughout the day, I now experience ~8000 kbps duing off peak hours (that's nice) but can experience speeds as low as 50 kbps during peak hours.

I also had a functional cable card. But, around 11/3/06 I lost HD programming and my symptoms were identical to Stan54 as mentioned in his 11/3 entry with the exception I was still receiving NBC. I've had a technician visit twice and he has tried 2 additional cable cards. The new cable cards only provides NBC, video only for HDNet and HDNet Movies and the Spanish music channels. Other HD and digital programming are missing. There was a third appointment which he and his supervsior agreed not to respond to as they concluded that I had a functional cable card before the migration and a non functional card after the migration. Therefore, the problem was not at the site but in the codes. I have made many calls to tech support and have talked to numerous level III techs. I have visited the Portland office and followed in Stan54's footsteps and went to the Augusta office. Most calls or visits seem to have the same theme....my codes are incorrect, they make changes, recognizes the changes do not work, then suggest a visit by a technician at my home.

Anyone out there with a similar or near similar experience that can share their resolution?

I agree completely. One thing for sure, it's not technical. If you enter the Portsmouth, NH ZIP 03801, RSNs in HD are available. If you key in the Kittery, ME. ZIP 03904, only RSNs in SD are available. The entire State of Maine is blacked out for RSNs in HD. Phooey on D*.

Dana

PS. Concord, NH ZIP 03301 = RSNs in HD.

Here's the cr*p answer I just got from D*. I've replied back to them with the zip code info above.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thank you for asking about RSNs in High Definition in your area. I understand how frustrating and confusing it must be to be given different answers regarding this issue.

Upon review of your zip code (04086), I found that RSNs in HD are not yet available in your area. Please be advised that we’re in the process of expanding our HD offerings to include RSNs in many cities, but we are not yet able to offer local sports programming in HD in every city yet. As we gain more capability to broaden our RSN in HD coverage, we will do so and expect to continue expansion of these HD offerings in 2007.

Also just to let you know, while we do carry New England Sports Network in HD in certain parts of their coverage area, we cannot provide New England Sports Network in HD to you because our HD satellite “spot beam” doesn’t quite reach your area.

Some background:
We deliver New England Sports Network’s HD feed to the coverage area using the same technology we use to deliver local channels to the Portland-Auburn, ME area. This technology is known as a satellite spot beam and it covers the areas immediately around the city like a spotlight. In zip codes near the outer edges of a "spot beam," we aren't able to offer local channels or New England Sports Network in HD because there is a possibility that another satellite spot beam will overlap and cause interference. As a result, even though you do live within the New England Sports Network local coverage area, you live in a zip code where we are not able to deliver it to you. I’m sorry for any inconvenience

Once RSN in HD becomes available in your area, if you have HD equipment and an RSN is included in your programming package you should be able to see games in HD. If you are not getting your RSN’s games in HD, you may need to upgrade your equipment (including a 5-LNB dish) in order to see them, please call us at (800) 531-5000 and select the option for technical assistance. A representative will be happy to help you get the equipment you need.

I hope you'll find this information helpful. If you have further queries, please don't hesitate to write back and let us know, or call us and we'll gladly assist you.

Thanks again for writing and please stay tuned to DIRECTV.com for the latest news and information about our service.

Sincerely,

Honey P
Employee ID - 100098047
DIRECTV Customer Service

Here's the cr*p answer I just got from D*. I've replied back to them with the zip code info above.
..

Yes, you describe the answer well. What we know from the Hartford, CT. controversy applies here I think. As you may know, Hartford is on the dividing line between Yankee territory and Red Sox Nation. D* made decisions as to who got NESN and who got the Yankee YES network based entirely on Zip code. Nothing to do with the technicalities of spot beam coverage. More likely it has to do with carriage agreements. But, it was described as a spot beam issue.

The proof it wasn't is that Red Sox fans in Yankee ZIP code locations were successfully able to "move" themselves to new ZIP code service locations and get NESN. Of course they never physically moved an inch. They just claimed they were now living at another location. Like many if not most things that are supposed to be "technical," they reflect decisions made by people.

Dana

I'm looking for some assistance/advice from individuals that may have experienced problems as outlined below.

I was also affected by the Adelphia to TWC migration. Whereas I used to receive High Speed Internet at ~4200 kbps throughout the day, I now experience ~8000 kbps duing off peak hours (that's nice) but can experience speeds as low as 50 kbps during peak hours.

I also had a functional cable card. But, around 11/3/06 I lost HD programming and my symptoms were identical to Stan54 as mentioned in his 11/3 entry with the exception I was still receiving NBC. I've had a technician visit twice and he has tried 2 additional cable cards. The new cable cards only provides NBC, video only for HDNet and HDNet Movies and the Spanish music channels. Other HD and digital programming are missing. There was a third appointment which he and his supervsior agreed not to respond to as they concluded that I had a functional cable card before the migration and a non functional card after the migration. Therefore, the problem was not at the site but in the codes. I have made many calls to tech support and have talked to numerous level III techs. I have visited the Portland office and followed in Stan54's footsteps and went to the Augusta office. Most calls or visits seem to have the same theme....my codes are incorrect, they make changes, recognizes the changes do not work, then suggest a visit by a technician at my home.

Anyone out there with a similar or near similar experience that can share their resolution?

I have a feeling that you changed cablecards before the office tried restoring the correct codes to your account and your original card. This might cause a mismatch somehow. (Coded authorizations were corrupted in some manner when the software was changed from Adelphia to Time Warner.)

The girl that I saw in Augusta seemed very bright and caught right on to the problem even though it seemed that I was the first complaint. She spent very little time and effort restoring my correct code and when I returned home, all of my HD channels were there. When I had called TWC customer service the night before, they said the problem would cure itself because the system had been worked on. They didn't check the codes apparantly.

Sometimes, they get the wrong identity numbers in the system for the cablecard itself. Considering the cards you have had, this might have happened. You are going to have to make sure everything is accurately coordinated.

Even though I have lost my authorization about 3 times in the course of a year, I still like cablecard a lot. I want to avoid that box for picture quality purposes (per reports) plus $1.75 beats $9.00 all to hell. The things that the box offers has no value to me whatsoever.

Good luck.

Yes, you describe the answer well. What we know from the Hartford, CT. controversy applies here I think. As you may know, Hartford is on the dividing line between Yankee territory and Red Sox Nation. D* made decisions as to who got NESN and who got the Yankee YES network based entirely on Zip code. Nothing to do with the technicalities of spot beam coverage. More likely it has to do with carriage agreements. But, it was described as a spot beam issue.

The proof it wasn't is that Red Sox fans in Yankee ZIP code locations were successfully able to "move" themselves to new ZIP code service locations and get NESN. Of course they never physically moved an inch. They just claimed they were now living at another location. Like many if not most things that are supposed to be "technical," they reflect decisions made by people.

Dana

"Moving" to a Boston zip code would be one way to see if the spot beam coverage does or doesn't reach here. If it does, you'd have all the Boston locals plus the RSNs. If you really wanted the Portland locals, however, you'd have to hope that the OTA tuners on the HR20 are actually enabled eventually.

Either way it couldn't hurt to try it briefly and then "move" back if it doesn't work. :D

If anyone thinks that the edge of the Boston area spot beam coincides with the Piscataqua River, this spot beam map may be of interest. http://www.scottandmichelle.net/scott/dtv.html They are not small spots.

Dana

PS. East coast here http://www.scottandmichelle.net/scott/spots2.png

I just received this response from Comcast V-P McLaughlin:

"Dear Customer Baggett:

"Thank you for your email. I apologize for the delay in responding.

"I can understand your frustration in not having access to WPFO Fox HDTV
and the ability to watch the Pats in HD. While we do carry the local
ABC, CBS, NBC and PBS HD signals, you are correct in noting that we do
not yet carry WPFO Fox.

"Upon receiving your email, I did some investigating as to why we do not
carry WPFO Fox. WPFO Fox does not yet broadcast its HDTV signal over
the air - it anticipates that an over the air signal will not be
available until January 2009. Time Warner is able to carry the HD
signal since it has a direct fiber feed to the WPFO studio.

"Apparently, some time ago, Suscom did attempt to work with WPFO to gain
access to the signal but nothing came of it. I will work with our
marketing and engineering teams to take another look at this and
determine whether it is now technically possible and economically
feasible to gain access to this channel.

"Once I know more, I will follow up with you. In the meantime, please
feel free to contact me with any other questions/concerns.

"Thank you, Mary"

So, thank you Webini for giving me some ammo! While it turns out that D* isn't ready to give us NESN or Fox Sports NE in HD, we just might get WPFO in HD. That would be a plus!

Dana

At least she gave a timely and accurate answer which is more than I can say for D*. D* has not responded to my question about the spot beam lie.

Points for Comcast there. Now if they would get an HD DVR that is newer than the stone age...

Stan54....Before you lost some of your HD progamming during the Adelphia/TWC migration, did you lose the station identifiers on your HD channels (i.e., did you lose NBC identifier when watching #706?). Do you now have station identifiers after Augusta restored your codes?

A gentleman from Bangor described his problems with the migration at forum ecoustics com

Stan54....Before you lost some of your HD progamming during the Adelphia/TWC migration, did you lose the station identifiers on your HD channels (i.e., did you lose NBC identifier when watching #706?). Do you now have station identifiers after Augusta restored your codes?

A gentleman from Bangor described his problems with the migration at forum ecoustics com

I don't remember, now, exactly what was lost except that a few HD channels remained. After Augusta restored my proper authorization code everything was as before. Remember, however, that you have a new cablecard and that card has a specific identity and must be placed in the computer system correctly.

When I first bought my set nearly a year ago, I was really concerned about whether cablecard would work because of all I had read on the AVS Forum. It turned out that the young cable representative was able to call in the set's ID and the card ID and get the thing up and running with no trouble at all.

Despite losing the channels 3 times I remain a fan of cablecard because it has been so quick and easy to restore while providing a high quality picture with no question of a cablebox decreasing that quality.

I went to HDTV and Adelphia in March 06. It took a tech two visits to get the cablecard functional. He replaced the card during the second visit and it functioned right away. The second visit didn't last more than 30 minutes. I never had a problem with the card til this fall. First I lost the channel identifiers (not channel numbers) on digital channels and then the problem as outlined earlier in November 06 with the loss of some HD programming.

I talked to a tech rep on the phone last night and he said he would personaly followup with the codes. He though it might be a good idea to take the card to a place like Porltand or Augusta to have them verify it was a good card. I stopped by the Portland office this morning and was told only a field tech code perform that check.

When is HD not really HD?
http://www.tvpredictions.com/davisfour112406.htm
I will not be thrilled if this channel is added to the lineup. It will only use up precious bandwidth.

Dam, my guess is that the card is USUALLY good and that the computer entries USUALLY are at fault. ............. The Portland office is Time Warner while the Augusta office consists of the old Adelphia people that probably originally set you up. They have some ownership and I have always had good luck with them.

When is HD not really HD?
http://www.tvpredictions.com/davisfour112406.htm
I will not be thrilled if this channel is added to the lineup. It will only use up precious bandwidth. ...

Stan,

Law & Order on TNT-HD is genuine HD. Apparently the program was filmed in widescreen format since back in 1996 so it is top quality. So, TNT-HD isn't all Stretch-O-Vision. :rolleyes:

Dana

Stan54....

I found some diagnostic codes for my Samsung HDTV. Mute-1-8-4-EXIT. Yesterday, I went to Augusta (again) and they set my codes (again). After getting back to the house I installed the card and entered the diagnostic code sequence on the remote. Stations I should be receiving had a status of "not activitated". I contacted tech support and they sent a "hit" to the card. After the hit the channels I should receive now has a status of "activated"....but still no reception.

I have a request of you....if you dare. At this point in time, I only get #706 and video only for #770 and #771. If I pull the cablecard out, I still only get the three signals but with their unscrambled frequency (i.e., 706->104-1 and I think 770 and 771 are 105-1 and 105-2). I seem to recall with Adelphia I used to receive everything without the cablecard. Regardless, do you know what you receive without the card? This might help me focus on the area that needs attention. If you receive the same raw signals that I do, then I can focus on the card. If your raw reception is different, then maybe more attention needs to be placed on the code setup on my account.

I have taken the card out several times to see what I could pick up without it. The results were very poor. I did locate a couple of channels, nothing very worthwhile. In any event, are you asking about the channels in the 700 series or those stations anywhere on the dial? I'm not sure I understand what trail you are following, but it doesn't sound promising.

You need to get the card working and something is not coordinated. It is what I feared would happen to me, but fortunately my fears were never realized. I can see that you feel that you are working on your own now.

I am willing to take the card out and even do a (time consuming) scan, however, previous efforts in this area have led me to conclude that TWC / Adelphia transmits very little in the clear and you have to make numerous manual channel entries to locate anything at all. I am referring to manually entering 95.1, 95.2, 95.3, 95.4, 95.5, 95.6, 95.7, etc. (then on to 96)

After doing that, I occasionally turned up something. The set's tuner scan didn't turn up these tidbits, I did.

If you could say precisely what you want to know, I could take some time to look for you. Overall, however, the process doesn't seem promising as a way to get your card to work.

Stan54....

What I would like to do is remove the cableCARD from the equation. Let's do this by pulling it our of the television and then compare reception results. Without the card, if reception is different, then I would lean towards a coding problem. If reception is similar, then I'm leaning towards the new card. I have a tech scheduled for Tuesday and the work request advices he /she to show up with many cards.

Without the card, could you report results for the following channel samples:


My results
79-10 (golf channel 121) no reception
104-1 (nbc 706) audio and video
105-1 (HD Net 770) video only
105-2 (HD Net Movies 771) video only
108-1 (HD Discovery 776) no reception
110-3 (NESN 773) no reception

Stan54....

What I would like to do is remove the cableCARD from the equation. Let's do this by pulling it our of the television and then compare reception results. Without the card, if reception is different, then I would lean towards a coding problem. If reception is similar, then I'm leaning towards the new card. I have a tech scheduled for Tuesday and the work request advices he /she to show up with many cards.

Without the card, could you report results for the following channel samples:


My results
79-10 (golf channel 121) no reception
104-1 (nbc 706) audio and video
105-1 (HD Net 770) video only
105-2 (HD Net Movies 771) video only
108-1 (HD Discovery 776) no reception
110-3 (NESN 773) no reception

Sure, I write these down and check both with and without the card to see what I get on those particular channel #'s this evening. I presume that "no reception" means that you get a channel banner identifier but to video or audio.

I'm not sure that I buy into the "bad card" scenario. I have read lots of postings on this subject and it has seldom turned out to be a "bad card." As I understand it, the set itself, the card and the authorized service all have code identities and problems often occur in reading the numbers off and entering those #'s in the system. The process is precise and the slightest error means the system won't recognize it.

Adelphia made these things work the first time around. I wonder if TWC has any enthusiasm at all for cablecards. Cable companies like that $9.00 a month box rental and the possibility that you might order additional services using that box. When you ask about ask about acquiring HD service, they do not mention cablecard. (me and, later, a friend) When you mention it to them, they are startled, look around and say something like, "Yeah, uh, we have cablecard. You won't get some important services, but you can have it."

Good luck with the cable guy on Tuesday.

...

Adelphia made these things work the first time around. I wonder if TWC has any enthusiasm at all for cablecards. Cable companies like that $9.00 a month box rental and the possibility that you might order additional services using that box. When you ask about ask about acquiring HD service, they do not mention cablecard. (me and, later, a friend) When you mention it to them, they are startled, look around and say something like, "Yeah, uh, we have cablecard. You won't get some important services, but you can have it."

Good luck with the cable guy on Tuesday.
Stan,

Good point. You may recall that we did some research on what cable cos. in Maine charged for cable card use some months ago. I think we were anticipating the Comcast and TWC takeovers. Comcast was up front on its New England web site about not needing to rent a STB and a CableCard was offered for X dollars. They described what channels one could expect to receive with one. It was pretty extensive. Meanwhile, on the Maine TWC web site I managed eventually to find a rate card that acknowledged the rental of a CableCard for X dollars (probably because the FCC required it). But that was all. No explanations.

Dana

I know what you mean about the heavy push for DVR box. Almost everyone I've talk to over the last few weeks state "Why not get a box". It seems to be the unfamiliarity of the cableCARD. Even, the tech on the phone last night admitted that he didn't do much work with cableCARDS before the Adelphia customer merger but he has seen lots since.

Yesterday I found the remote button sequence I can use to allow me to reset the HDTV setteings back to manufacture default settings. After doing so and reinserting the cableCARD, I noticed the "host" digits were the same but the "Data" digits had changed significantly. That warrented another call to tech support to reconfig, pair, and then send a few "hits". No luck. Again I was monitoring a diagnostic screen when the tech was working and I noticed that the channel I was monitoring went from "not activitated" to "activated" after he sent the "hit".

Stan...to clarify "no reception". Like you said, I get the channel banner and then my set displays another message in the middle of the screen for a few seconds. "Scrambled signal or weak signal". If I disconnect the cable from the back of my set, I get "No signal or weak signal". But this is not so important. I'm looking to see if you recieve an audio and video for the sample channels I provided.

I've had frequent audio drop-outs on 13-1 OTA yesterday (during the SEC championship game) and today (during the Jets/Packers game). Video is perfectly fine, but every 10 seconds the audio will drop out for 2-3 seconds. The A/V receiver behaves as if it is not receiving an audio signal at all during the drop-outs. The 'Digital' and Dolby indicators both disappear, then reappear when sound resumes. Is anyone else experiencing this?

I've had frequent audio drop-outs on 13-1 OTA yesterday (during the SEC championship game) and today (during the Jets/Packers game). Video is perfectly fine, but every 10 seconds the audio will drop out for 2-3 seconds. The A/V receiver behaves as if it is not receiving an audio signal at all during the drop-outs. The 'Digital' and Dolby indicators both disappear, then reappear when sound resumes. Is anyone else experiencing this?

I'm watching the Pats on Fox low definition on Comcast. But, when I tuned WGME HD briefly, I noticed the audio dropouts, too. So, it's not your equipment.

Dana

Yep..got the audio drop outs here too. WGME problem. Thankfully its just the Jets pounding on the Packers and not the Pats game.

Audio dropouts on 13-1. Not as frequent as AccidenT.

Still frequent here. Complete dropouts every few seconds.

Dana

Dam, I checked your channels last night without the cablecard installed. I saw nothing on 79.10, 108.1, and 110.3, but had the same as you on 104.1, 105.1 and 105.2.

Hope this helps, somehow. Good luck tomorrow. If the cableguy can't get it squared away, you are going to be stuck with the box. This would be a real shame.

Edit: I also got channels 75.5, 75.6 and 75.7. (Watch out for 75.5. No children please.)

FYI, a subdivision/HOA can't prohibit you from installing an antenna on your own property. See: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/consumerdish.html

A friend of mine a couple days ago "went off" at an HOA meeting about this. He flashed a copy of that law at them and they didn't care.

Some older woman quipped that "they're an eyesore, whaaa whaa whaa" and my buddy said:

"Frankly Mrs. _________, YOU are an eyesore. So I propose we pass a rule that you must stay in your house at all times, since you are ugly and might detract from the attractiveness of the neighborhood and the values of our homes."

He's putting up his antenna tomorrow.

A friend of mine a couple days ago "went off" at an HOA meeting about this. He flashed a copy of that law at them and they didn't care.

Some older woman quipped that "they're an eyesore, whaaa whaa whaa" and my buddy said:

"Frankly Mrs. _________, YOU are an eyesore. So I propose we pass a rule that you must stay in your house at all times, since you are ugly and might detract from the attractiveness of the neighborhood and the values of our homes."

He's putting up his antenna tomorrow.

Your friend is most eloquent and gracious in making his point.

Your friend is most eloquent and gracious in making his point.

Hehe, he was beyond eloquent. He tried that route and had been arguing with them for months.

But it worked. Sometimes a little "shock and awe" is what it takes.

:D

I think we need to add the disclaimer: "Your results may vary"

I think we need to add the disclaimer: "Your results may vary"

Yes definitely!

In his case, he already 'won' the argument, since the FCC says he can do it, but he wanted to make a point to the HOA.

He won the argument for sure. Higher authority prevails.

The lady in question, however, will have to live with her public humiliation for a long time. At least your friend will feel good, even if the lady doesn't.

He won the argument for sure. Higher authority prevails.

The lady in question, however, will have to live with her public humiliation for a long time. At least your friend will feel good, even if the lady doesn't.

It won't be public humiliation if she stays inside at all times like he suggested. :D

From what my friend said, the woman in question is not well liked at all.

He won the argument for sure. Higher authority prevails.

The lady in question, however, will have to live with her public humiliation for a long time. At least your friend will feel good, even if the lady doesn't.

I don't think it's funny.

It seems to me - from a distance - that the fellow made a mistake in seeking permission from the HOA in the first place, if that's what he did. By arguing with them for months, he reinforced the idea that they had control over the situation and he needed their approval. At most he should have written them a letter indicating his intention to mount an antenna, citing the FCC rule and advising them to contact his lawyer if they had an objection. And then do it.

He contributed to the problem by engaging in debate over appearance. He should apologize to the lady, who may have no clue about the FCC and certainly has no control over her looks.

Dana

I think you're right. He probably should apologize.

I guess the "Married...With Children" fan in me found it funny.

I think you're right. He probably should apologize.

I guess the "Married...With Children" fan in me found it funny.

He should apologize in the same forum where he made the offensive remarks. And he may need to see his lawyer in any event. She may have legal recourse.

Dana

I don't think it's funny.

It seems to me - from a distance - that the fellow made a mistake in seeking permission from the HOA in the first place, if that's what he did. By arguing with them for months, he reinforced the idea that they had control over the situation and he needed their approval. At most he should have written them a letter indicating his intention to mount an antenna, citing the FCC rule and advising them to contact his lawyer if they had an objection. And then do it.

He contributed to the problem by engaging in debate over appearance. He should apologize to the lady, who may have no clue about the FCC and certainly has no control over her looks.

Dana

I guess I'd have to learn some more background before I could make a judgement. If this was a prolonged process, where he didn't initially know there was a law supporting his ability to do it, I could see him being justifiably angry that the HOA had attempted to prevent him from doing it. The board, of all parties involved, should be the ones most knowledgeable about applicable statutes. To be further harassed about his decision even after he provided the legal backup himself seems enough to bring out the worst in anyone.

Frankly, for her to have legal recourse because he insulted her in reaction to harassment about something that was perfectly within his rights to do makes me wonder what society has come to.

If he just brought it up for the first time at the same meeting that the verbal exchange occurred, he probably did cross the line. It still made me chuckle, though. ;)