Can someone please provide me with a link to a webpage containing the location of TV transmission towers in the Cary area, including Raleigh and Apex, thanks!

dON'T NEED A MAP -
Most of the stations digital antennas are just east of Garner - you can see them along I40

Most of the analog ones are also close to theri.

Channel 22 analog is about 10 -20 miles to the south and west of this complex
channel 4 is out on a hill by Chapel Hill

I have a friend who currently has a Plasma and standard TWC service. He would like to get the HD DVR but he doesn't want to pay the extra money for the digital tier or the HD tier (local HD channels are plenty).

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong. But you don't need to purchase the "HD tier" to get the HD DVR. The "Digital Tier" is required, but the HD Suite which I think you are reffering to is not (or at least used to not).

by the way, what does "CC" stand for?

CableCard, Closed Captioned, or if you're really old like me, Carbon Copy. :D

Can someone please provide me with a link to a webpage containing the location of TV transmission towers in the Cary area, including Raleigh and Apex, thanks!

http://www.hdtvmagazine.com/programming/broadcast.php

then click on raleigh

DKDiveDude,

Or

http://antennaweb.org/aw/welcome.aspx

which will give you the direction to point your antenna and distance to broadcast antennas from your house.

-DonB

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong. But you don't need to purchase the "HD tier" to get the HD DVR. The "Digital Tier" is required, but the HD Suite which I think you are reffering to is not (or at least used to not).

Correct. You would have to get one of the DIGIPIC packages, and then pay an extra $6.95 for the DVR fee.

Correct. You would have to get one of the DIGIPIC packages, and then pay an extra $6.95 for the DVR fee.

I was afraid of that ... oh well - at that point he is looking at more than he wants to spend. It looks like D* or E* may have a better price, but that may be more than he wants to spend as well. kind of sad since all he wants is the DVR - the extra Digipic channels are not worth anything to him.

It's a shame that there are no reasonably priced HD DVRs available (i.e. DVD burners with hard drives/tuners and current Tivos are SD only, if/when the Tivo S3 finally ships it is probably going to be $$$, and other HD DVRs like the sony HDD250/500 are discontinued).

Thanks!

I was afraid of that ... oh well - at that point he is looking at more than he wants to spend. It looks like D* or E* may have a better price, but that may be more than he wants to spend as well. kind of sad since all he wants is the DVR - the extra Digipic channels are not worth anything to him.

It's a shame that there are no reasonably priced HD DVRs available (i.e. DVD burners with hard drives/tuners and current Tivos are SD only, if/when the Tivo S3 finally ships it is probably going to be $$$, and other HD DVRs like the sony HDD250/500 are discontinued).

Thanks!
Sometimes you just have to pay to play...unfortunately, HDTV is still in that category until it's even more mainstream. We're still kinda sorta in the early adopter stage.

If he's got some PC parts laying around, perhaps an HTPC with an ATSC/QAM tuner would make for a relatively cheap DVR.

FYI ...
DISH just added FOOD-HD a couple of days ago, and my Bill didn't go up. :cool:

FYI ...
DISH just added FOOD-HD a couple of days ago, and my Bill didn't go up. :cool:

Do you think it will go down when they shut off that DVR you bought ???? :D :D :D

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=712483

Do you think it will go down when they shut off that DVR you bought ???? :D :D :D

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=712483
With just my OTA, I'd have almost as many HD Channels as TWC. :D

I'll be willing to bet $100 that in 31 days I'll still have a working DVR. :cool:

With just my OTA, I'd have almost as many HD Channels as TWC. :D

I'll be willing to bet $100 that in 31 days I'll still have a working DVR. :cool:

Yeah, maybe if you buy a Tivo.....

I think everybody's pretty much had it with Charlie's childish attitude that he's above all the rules. Wait until he starts defaulting on payments to programmers. Rumour has it he's gotten within hours of having some pretty important stuff shut off, and not because of a contract dispute.

Rupert may have to bail him out of this one.

Exempt models are the 7100 & 7200.

The only companies that are not in line to be sued next are DirecTv and Comcast.
TWC will be next I am sure since they are already bleeding from the NFL fight.
So will TWC settle and of course raise everyones rates? (without thinking twice)
Don't think TWC is a safe haven from anything but HD channels. :D

Charlie might even buy TIVO to get him out of this, and then turn around and sue TWC. :D :D :D

EchoStar Announces Federal Circuit Blocks Tivo Injunction
http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=68854&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=897186&highlight=

EchoStar Announces Federal Circuit Blocks Tivo Injunction
http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=68854&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=897186&highlight=

Charlie need to settle with Tivo, sign an agreement, and get on with life. Who's going to sign up for a Dish DVR now??? Nobody with the sense that God gave a goat. Regardless of the stay, this situation, and the DNS situation, are going to cripple their already sagging growth.

Plus D* & E* apparently both backed off on bidding on that wireless spectrum that was supposed to allow them to remain competative with the wireline guys.

Yeah, that news puts my eventual move from TWC to Dish on hold...and I was really hoping to make the change before the State-Akron game on ESPNU, but I cant risk not having the DVR.

I'll make you a $100 bet that DISH will NEVER have the DVR function shut off due to TIVO.

I'll make you a $100 bet that DISH will NEVER have the DVR function shut off due to TIVO.

I'm not so sure. If this were his first indiscretion, he might get a little sympathy from the courts.

If he doesn't have to shut them down, it's because he settles with Tivo, which at this point is his smartest move. It won't be because of a legal loophole.

But until it's resolved, it will hurt subscriber acquisition and retention, much more that the NFL Network flap with TWC.

I'm not so sure. If this were his first indiscretion, he might get a little sympathy from the courts.

If he doesn't have to shut them down, it's because he settles with Tivo, which at this point is his smartest move. It won't be because of a legal loophole.

But until it's resolved, it will hurt subscriber acquisition and retention, much more that the NFL Network flap with TWC.

TIVO says Dish violated a 2001 "time warp" patent

DISH has a lawsuit that says TIVO's patent is invalid because it violates a 1998 "Interruption Tolerant Video Program Viewing" patent as well as a 2003 "Multimedia Direct Access Storage Device and Formatting Method" patent and a "Method and System for Recording In-Progress Broadcast programs" patent.

So when this all plays out DISH may lose one suit and win theirs. DISH may very well settle or DISH may bankrupt TIVO. DISH can afford to pay TIVO, but TIVO's pockets aren't as deep.

Like I said I will not have my DVR shut off regardless of a settlement or not. So if anyone doesn't sign up with DISH because of this, they are just missing out on a whole lot of HD. :cool:

if i'm not mistaken, i heard last night the verdict got over-turned.

No - just stayed by a higher court. This isn't over, but Tivo has gone onto my Sony list....

A few comments on local stations.

WNCN.
It appears as of this morning that WNCN is once again upconverting local SD content on their HD channel, AND delivering the upconverted HD network feed during daytime as well.

Up until recently, it appeared that they were using the SD network feed all day through the 6:30 network news, then switching to the HD feed for prime time. The benefit is that SD content on the HD feed is upconverted at the source, so no local upconversion is required.

So cheers for that, but jeers for the SD simulcast on 17.2. What's the point????

WRAL.
Still a little loud. Other than that, the Gold Standard.

WRAZ.
The logo in the corner needs to be a little more subtle, especially during 16:9 content. Cheers for removing the grey side bars.

WTVD.
Way too much mid range bass. Also, dialogue is buried under music background on Grey's Anotomy. Their SD audio is fine. WCTI-DT audio is fine as well. Need to tweak the audio processor.

WRDC.
Any news on HD by the time MYTV launches??? I believe Sept 5 is the date. I won't even bother to ask about cable carriage. The Tube is only OK at best.

WLFL.
CW soft launch Sept 18, official launch Sept 20. Need to lose the grey side bars.

WRPX.
47.4 is now the West Coast Pax feed, not to be confused with I on 47.1, 47.2 is Pax East. What a waste of bandwidth.

Channel 30, can't remember the call letters.
Left and right audio are out of phase.

Low Power Home Shopping Network on Channel 58.
Screen has been frozen for going on three months.

Since I don't have digital audio, maybe someone can add comments about how the various stations are doing.

Channel 30, can't remember the call letters.
WRAY Shop At Home.

By the way, I made a list of all Unencrypted Digital TV Channels in Durham, NC (http://home1.gte.net/res18h39/channels.htm).

I just moved into my dorm today (Sullivan 12th Floor) and I can't get any HD channels. Has anyone had any luck, a certain antenna maybe?

Thanks,
Aaron

I'm a current stacked-to-the-gills D* customer for HDTV, and am getting jealous of hearing other locations that have access to fiber (specifically Verizon Fios).

My Bellsouth DSL guy mentioned off-hand that BSouth is planning on entering the market at some point, but seeing that they are typically slow as molasses, does anyone know of any other fiber based services planned for the Triangle in the near (< 5 years!) future?

I'm a current stacked-to-the-gills D* customer for HDTV, and am getting jealous of hearing other locations that have access to fiber (specifically Verizon Fios).

My Bellsouth DSL guy mentioned off-hand that BSouth is planning on entering the market at some point, but seeing that they are typically slow as molasses, does anyone know of any other fiber based services planned for the Triangle in the near (< 5 years!) future?

If you're in Bellsouth territory you're going to have to wait for Bellsouth or, in the immortal words of posg, move. ;)

Of course moving won't help, as Verizon isn't saying much above FIOS in the Triangle. Oh, and since the telcos really want to cherry pick the affluent neighborhoods, I hope you live in a neighborhood of $500K plus houses or FIOS will probably never make it to you.

I think it'll be more than 5 years before we see FIOS in the Triangle.

There was a recent article in Businessweek that compared Lightspeed and FiOS. They mentioned that AT&T was looking at buying BellSouth, so I guess that means we would see Lightspeed if anything. Who knows when though...

I'm a current stacked-to-the-gills D* customer for HDTV, and am getting jealous of hearing other locations that have access to fiber (specifically Verizon Fios).

My Bellsouth DSL guy mentioned off-hand that BSouth is planning on entering the market at some point, but seeing that they are typically slow as molasses, does anyone know of any other fiber based services planned for the Triangle in the near (< 5 years!) future?

You could always just move. :D :D :D

One thing that is a significant part of the "when will I get it" answer to the fiber question is this. Is the area predominantely served by aerial utilities or underground utilities??? Which do you think is cheaper to deploy ??? Where will the telcos go first ??? Older cities tend to be "aerial cities". Newer suburban sprawl cities tend to be underground. Answer: aerial construction averages about one forth the cost of underground construction.

Another issue is density. If you live on a two acre lot with underground utilities, don't hold your breath, unless of course your having problems with your septic tank. :D :D :D

Thanks for adding channel numbers to some of those as I don't have the Call Letters memorized or written down.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
"WRAL.
Still a little loud. Other than that, the Gold Standard."

I just wish that when I use CC - like when better half is on phone- that I could actually read it. It does not stay on the screen long enough to even read it or new text overlays the old making it very confusing to read. I noticed this in particular on Numbers.

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

"So cheers for that, but jeers for the SD simulcast on 17.2. What's the point????"

I use to wonder about 4:3 simulcast also and was told that it was for people with ATSC but still watching on 4:3 tvs- Go figure.

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

In regards to non-digital Audio in general - It just seems like the actors voices are getting hard to understand in general. I would say it is me but better half is noticing it also. I can't blame any station. It appears to be how it is being recorded at the studio.

Can't say my Surround sound voice is much better but I am still tweaking it.
---------------------------------------------------
"Channel 30, can't remember the call letters.
Left and right audio are out of phase."

Isn't this the Spanish Channel - if so I would not know if left and right were out of phase.


-Don B2

"So cheers for that, but jeers for the SD simulcast on 17.2. What's the point????"

I use to wonder about 4:3 simulcast also and was told that it was for people with ATSC but still watching on 4:3 tvs- Go figure.


All 12 of them ???

"All 12 of them ???"

5 RCA Color Tracs and 6 Sony Trinitrons, and a Zenith with PIP for good measure.

-DonB2

"All 12 of them ???"

5 RCA Color Tracs and 6 Sony Trinitrons, and a Zenith with PIP for good measure.

-DonB2

What I meant was a 12 people.

There is no real need to transmit a lousy quality 4:3 ATSC sidecar channel to a TV that can tune in a much better quality 4:3 NTSC channel. Besides, those with 4:3 sets better just get used to letterboxed pictures. When analog shuts down 2/17/06, I doubt too many stations will waste bandwidth with a 4:3 simulcast. The networks may not even provide one.

P.S. As early as next year, Sony drops 4:3 completely, and only makes two 16:9 CRTs, at least that's what I recall reading.

"5 RCA Color Tracs and 6 Sony Trinitrons, and a Zenith with PIP for good measure"

I was kinda assuming that 12 people were watching on these 3 different 4:3 sets I mentioned, hooked up to a STB ATSC OTA. But than STB tuners appear to be going the way of the Dodo Bird.

Technology has moved forward fast enough that ATSC tuners and a lot of them with QAM built in are becoming quite common place as part of any HD 16:9 tv.

My mother is still watching on 4:3 and only got analog cable for the first time in her life last fall. So she is almost one of the 12. The cable company really questioned her as to why she didn't already have cable or Dish or whatever.

I think her Son would have to get her a 16:9 tv before she would switch.

I am pretty sure the cable company she is with does not even have digital yet although they at least have high speed internet - so they are getting there.

-DonB2

jeers for the SD simulcast on 17.2. What's the point????

WRAL.
Still a little loud. Other than that, the Gold Standard.
While waiting for re-runs to stop, I've been spending my summer evenings reading and staying away from the TV for the most part ... But I do have one thing to add (since you asked):

WRAL - I noticed the other night that audio seemed quite low, actually. Yes, they're generally loud, but very low a few nights ago watching With Out a Trace. I haven't tuned in since then, however.

(( I'm using the digital audio out of my LG OTA ATSC STB ... btw. ))

I agree - Stations like 17.2 that are simply an SD simulcast are pointless. I own a 4:3 HD set ... and believe it or not, even my dinosaur equipment has the ability to horizontally stretch 16:9 content to my 4:3 set to get the aspect ratio right. I can do that OR letterbox, as already suggested. Either are much more desireable than watching the garbage streams on those simulcast channels.

Obviously, I do not stand alone when I say that digital SD simulcast of ATSC content is utterly worthless ... unwatchable, really, if you ask me.

"I agree - Stations like 17.2 that are simply an SD simulcast are pointless. I own a 4:3 HD set ... and believe it or not, even my dinosaur equipment has the ability to horizontally stretch 16:9 content to my 4:3 set to get the aspect ratio right. I can do that OR letterbox, as already suggested. Either are much more desireable than watching the garbage streams on those simulcast channels.

Obviously, I do not stand alone when I say that digital SD simulcast of ATSC content is utterly worthless ... unwatchable, really, if you ask me. "

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

A use I found for the simulcast channel was when the HD channel was broadcasting a 4:3 show on the HD channel I could switch to the simulcast 4:3 channel and get rid of the darn side bars which I hate looking at. But... I have to agree most side channel signal is not very good quality.

On the other hand I find PBS 4.1 to be quite clear even when they are broadcasting their 4.2 HD during 8 to 11 pm.

-DonB2

I get 17.1 and 12.1 WXII out of Highpoint. The highpoint station give very little bandwith to weather plus and their station looks a lot better (less compression better colors) than 17.1. In fact I don't watch 17.1.

I think 17.1 gives us a 4:3 simulcast because that's how TWC gets their 4:3 and 16:9 feeds.

I watch Fox, CBS and ABC out of Raleigh.

This not that informative but I thought I would share a letter I sent to WRAL and the reply...

EMAIL SUBJECT:
WRAL.com - Website Feedback

MESSAGE:
I notice that this Saturday you will be showing preseason football at
8:00. But I am confused why you are showing "Tampa Bay Buccaneers at
Jacksonville Jaguars" instead of "Washington Redskins at New England
Patriots". The Redskins clearly have more fans in your viewing market
since they used to be this markets team before the "Carolina Panthers"
came along. The ratings would be much higher on a Redskins game than
either team you are showing.
I am curious how this is decided. Do you have the option of which out of
market games get played on your network since ratings are definitely
affected?

REPLY:

Thanks for the note. We have no option on pre-season games, so that's
why we will have the game you mention. Thanks for the message.
John Harris
WRAL

This not that informative but I thought I would share a letter I sent to WRAL and the reply...

EMAIL SUBJECT:
WRAL.com - Website Feedback

MESSAGE:
I notice that this Saturday you will be showing preseason football at
8:00. But I am confused why you are showing "Tampa Bay Buccaneers at
Jacksonville Jaguars" instead of "Washington Redskins at New England
Patriots". The Redskins clearly have more fans in your viewing market
since they used to be this markets team before the "Carolina Panthers"
came along. The ratings would be much higher on a Redskins game than
either team you are showing.
I am curious how this is decided. Do you have the option of which out of
market games get played on your network since ratings are definitely
affected?

REPLY:

Thanks for the note. We have no option on pre-season games, so that's
why we will have the game you mention. Thanks for the message.
John Harris
WRAL

The league decides which games show in which markets. The networks and stations have no say so.

Thanks for the note. We have no option on pre-season games, so that's
why we will have the game you mention. Thanks for the message.
John Harris
WRAL

The really sad thing is that according to the schdule I'm looking at, the game won't even be in HD.

Drew

dslate69,

I wish the Networks and Leagues could state their case as eliquently as you did in that letter.

-DonB2

The really sad thing is that according to the schdule I'm looking at, the game won't even be in HD.

Drew
I looked on titantv and it looks like the game they are showing will be in HD and the SKINS in the DC market will not. So maybe it is a case of the better feed. Still I would think SD Washington would get higher ratings than HD Jacksonville or Tampa Bay.
Of course I am completely and utterly biased and "eliquent" as DonB2 pointed out. :D

I looked on titantv and it looks like the game they are showing will be in HD and the SKINS in the DC market will not. So maybe it is a case of the better feed. Still I would think SD Washington would get higher ratings than HD Jacksonville or Tampa Bay.
Of course I am completely and utterly biased and "eliquent" as DonB2 pointed out. :D

Hmm.. I clicked on the listings page from WRAL's web site, and the TitanTV page it links to claims the game is not in HD. After your post, I went directly to TitanTV, and checked again. According to the general page, the game will be on in HD on WFMY, but not on WRAL. My MythTV box, which gets its listings from Zap2it, also says the game is in HD on WRAL. I guess there must just be a glitch in TitanTV's database.

I guess last weekend's SD showing of the Panthers game on a different channel just made me paranoid. :)

Drew

Hi,

I am not able to view Closed Caption (CC) on some of the HD Suite channels on TWC (Channels 290-295). I can view CC on the other HD channels (e.g., RALHD, TNTHD, NCNHD). I can also view CC on the first channel in the HD Suite - ESPN HD (TWC 290), but not on channels 291-295 (INHD, INHD2, HDNET, HDNM).

I am using the SA8300HD cable box and a new Sharp LC37D40U HDTV. The cable box has Closed Captioning - Digital Service options of (DTV CC1 - DTV CC63). I have tried the first 5, but channels 291-295 do not show any CC.

Does anyone have any recommendations?

Thank you,
James

Hey guys. I just picked up a pcHDTV HD-5500 for my MythTV setup, and started reading through here some. Wow, 202 pages, so I skimmed... a lot. :)

Anyways, anyone in Apex have any antenna recommendations? I've visited antennaweb.com, and have pretty much figured out that the channels I want are all on 2 towers near each other (5.1, 17.1, 22.1, 28.1, 50.1, and 11.1).

I was thinking of building this DIY DB2: http://www.lumenlab.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=9613

But it appears to be UHF only, which means I'd miss out on channel 5.1. Any input is appreciated, or point me to a good page in this post if I missed an answer to this already :)

Fmstrat ,

Is 5.1 truly VHF? Or has the digital OTA for 5.1 been remapped to UHF?

-DonB2

Fmstrat ,

Is 5.1 truly VHF? Or has the digital OTA for 5.1 been remapped to UHF?

-DonB2

Virtual Channel = Temp Physical Channel = Physical Channel Post 2/17/09
4.1 = 59 = 25
5.1 = 53 = 48
11.1 = 52 =11
17.1 = 55 = 17
22.1 = 57 = 27
28.1 = 27 = 28
50.1 = 49 = 49

The league decides which games show in which markets. The networks and stations have no say so.

That is not true. The stations do have to show the "local" teams game. In this market, that's the Panthers (unforutnately, for us Skins fans). After that, they do have the ability in some instances to choose the "other" games.

That is not true. The stations do have to show the "local" teams game. In this market, that's the Panthers (unforutnately, for us Skins fans). After that, they do have the ability in some instances to choose the "other" games.

In some instances they may have the choice of a couple of divisional game options, but it's restrictive and complicated, and most stations just go with the flow.

That is not true. The stations do have to show the "local" teams game. In this market, that's the Panthers (unforutnately, for us Skins fans). After that, they do have the ability in some instances to choose the "other" games.
The reply I got says "Thanks for the note. We have no option on pre-season games, so that's why we will have the game you mention. Thanks for the message.
John Harris
WRAL"

I interpreted this as maybe pre-season being pre-season that the national feed is forced on them. Maybe they have more flexibility during the season. I would think they would always have the choice of the Redskins if they are playing at a different time than the Panthers since they are both NFC. That being said, ratings rules the day and if 2 playoff contenders are matching up and the Skins matchup sucks, I could see other choices being made. :(

Virtual Channel = Temp Physical Channel = Physical Channel Post 2/17/09
4.1 = 59 = 25
5.1 = 53 = 48
11.1 = 52 =11
17.1 = 55 = 17
22.1 = 57 = 27
28.1 = 27 = 28
50.1 = 49 = 49


Iiiiinnntrreesting. Nice tidbit of info, so I can just do the DIY UHF antenna and be golden. For those in Apex (I'm right down from Beaver Creek), how is reception? Anybody using a DB2 or simillar and have issues?

Fmstrat ,

Are you planning on attic mounting or Roof mounting?

-DonB

Are you planning on attic mounting or Roof mounting?

I'm not Fmstrat, but I am planning on doing an attic mount once my new house is done. Any words of wisdom?

Jeff

I just bought my first HDTV with an OTA ATSC tuner. I pick up most things fine (I need to work with the antenna some), but for some reason I'm not getting any PSIP data for WRAL and WTVD. The call letters, guide etc aren't coming through. I've scanned several times with the same result.

Do WRAL and WTVD just not broadcast it, or is there something with my setup? Strangely, I can pickup WFMY CBS with full PSIP from Apex, why not WRAL?

"'m not Fmstrat, but I am planning on doing an attic mount once my new house is done. Any words of wisdom?"


Hopefully you will have enough ceiling room in your attic. The antennas take up a lot of room when you spread them out.

Have a separate coax run other than cable/dish installed coming down from the attic.

If you want PBS you probably will need two antennas with A/B switch. Or run two separate coax cables down to viewing room.

If you want to use a rotor to avoid running up and down the attic stairs than have some 3wire or whatever the wire that is used with rotators run down to your main viewing room for the rotator controller.

Have a walk up attic as opposed to pull down stairs if you don't use a rotor as multipath Ghost issues can be a real pain especially as the leaves sprout on the trees.

I use a A/B switch with a wireless radio repeater to get the infrared signal up to the attic. The darn repeaters all seem to have a 100 ft range. GOing from 1st floor thru second and than to attic uses up everybit of that 100 ft range.

I really would like a hard wired A/B. and X 10 A/B, or a Wireless Radio repeater with more than 100 ft range.

-DonB

Since I get QAM signals via cable, I was looking more for the WB, etc. I have an RG6 cable run to the attic. I plan on installing the antenna facing the tower.

I just bought my first HDTV with an OTA ATSC tuner. I pick up most things fine (I need to work with the antenna some), but for some reason I'm not getting any PSIP data for WRAL and WTVD. The call letters, guide etc aren't coming through. I've scanned several times with the same result.

Do WRAL and WTVD just not broadcast it, or is there something with my setup? Strangely, I can pickup WFMY CBS with full PSIP from Apex, why not WRAL?

I've noticed this too with my digital SDTV. Both WRAL and WTVD are coming through on their digital frequency but aren't remapping to 5.1, 5.2 and 11.1, 11.2, 11.3. This just happened with TVD about a week ago. I've had the problem with RAL for at least 2 or 3 months since I bought the TV. Strange!

The reply I got says "Thanks for the note. We have no option on pre-season games, so that's why we will have the game you mention. Thanks for the message.
John Harris
WRAL"

I interpreted this as maybe pre-season being pre-season that the national feed is forced on them. Maybe they have more flexibility during the season. I would think they would always have the choice of the Redskins if they are playing at a different time than the Panthers since they are both NFC. That being said, ratings rules the day and if 2 playoff contenders are matching up and the Skins matchup sucks, I could see other choices being made. :(

Divisional contests take precedence. If there are two divisional games available in a market, certain other restrictions apply. Sometimes stations have a choice, but rarely. Because games are shown regionally, advertising placement is a key factor in what games are available in what markets.

Fmstrat ,

Are you planning on attic mounting or Roof mounting?

-DonB


I was planning on trying an attic mount, and if that didn't work, moving it to the roof. I also saw this on sale, and was considering it to try since it's so cheap:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00006FXR9/sr=8-1/qid=1156425498/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-0856573-9601667?ie=UTF8

I was planning on trying an attic mount, and if that didn't work, moving it to the roof. I also saw this on sale, and was considering it to try since it's so cheap:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00006FXR9/sr=8-1/qid=1156425498/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-0856573-9601667?ie=UTF8

Hopefully my Silver Sensor will arrive today. Im in Apex too and I can receive the big 4 networks ok with just a 24" dipole setting behind the TV. The Sensor should be even better.

Wow really... How far away are you based on antennaweb? If i can do that here I will.

Hopefully my Silver Sensor will arrive today. Im in Apex too and I can receive the big 4 networks ok with just a 24" dipole setting behind the TV. The Sensor should be even better.

You can get a free antenna from WRAL...I'm in NW Raleigh and a Channel Master 3022 just arrived via FedEx. I'm going up in the attic later to install it, I'll let you know how the reception is.

Here's how I got the antenna:

I sent a generic email to the station manager via their website stating that I had heard about a free antenna program and wanted to learn more about it as I can't get WRAL or Fox via Directv (in HD). I also gave them my street address. A nice gentleman named Chuck DeCourt replied and said:

"First, thank you for taking the time to contact WRAL.

WRAL wants everyone in the market to be able to receive and enjoy our HD signal. However, today DirecTV is unable to offer WRAL-HD or WRAZ-HD to the market.

WRAL and WRAZ have been working with DirecTV to reach an agreement that will provide all viewers in the Raleigh market our HD signals. However, at this time DirecTV has only offered to provide the WRAL and WRAZ HD signals to less than 75% of the market which we find unacceptable. We are continuing to negotiate in good faith with DirecTV and look forward to a speedy resolution. As you are aware, WRAL is happy to provide you with a free over the air signal study and a new antenna based on the study for your home.

Chris, as you may know, by receiving the local stations over the air, your HD picture quality will be far superior to what DirecTV or Dish will be able to provide. Also, you will be able to see the additional standard definition channels provided by the local broadcasters. WRAL and WRAL have been providing a local 24 hour news channel and weather channel for over 4 years. ABC and NBC also have additional SD channels which are not provided by DirecTV or Dish.

I have forwarded your email along to our transmitter supervisor who will generate the signal study based on your listed address below. He will contact you if he has any additional questions.

Again, thank you for taking the time to contact WRAL."


Then I heard from the engineer, Matt Brandes. Here are his comments:

"It looks like you should do fine with a Channel Master 3022 antenna. If you fax proof of purchase of your HD receiver to 919-821-8679 or email it to wral-tvengineeringinfo@wral.com, we will send you one. Cables and mounting hardware will be up to you.

In your situation, you should be able to mount it in your attic. I suggest connecting the antenna to a temporary cable run up through your attic access and testing the antenna in several locations. You can set it on a box or something non metallic for the test. Moving a UHF antenna as little as one foot can make a big difference in reception.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks,

Matt Brandes
WRAL-TV/DT - WRAZ-TV/DT"


Send an email to wral-tvengineering and ask them if you can still get the antenna!

Wow really... How far away are you based on antennaweb? If i can do that here I will.

If you are talking to me.... 19.9 miles bearing 116 degrees to antenna farm.

If you are talking to me.... 19.9 miles bearing 116 degrees to antenna farm.

Cool thks. Chamill I just emailed wral and they are still doing the free antenna thing. I am getting a channel master 4228. Not bad at all.

"Cool thks. Chamill I just emailed wral and they are still doing the free antenna thing. I am getting a channel master 4228. Not bad at all. "

That is what I have stuffed up in my attic. except I paid for it. :mad:

-DonB2

WGHP DT went full power today. The tower is in Randleman. Most in the Raleigh market with good antennas should be able to pick it up. No subchannels at this point makes for a great OTA high def picture for FOX broadcasts. UHF 35 until 2009.

Mr 12,

I'll give 35 a try.

Thanks,

DonB2

Interesting stuff for the TWC nay sayers. It appears that switched video is in beta testing in Raleigh, meaning that the capability of blowing satellite capacity out of the water isn't years away, but already technically in place.

Now Fred Dressler needs to get busy getting programming lined-up.

For a variety of reasons, not the least of which is the DVR situation, now may not be the time to switch to Dish Network.

Unless of course, you just HAVE to have NFL Network, then by all means, be gone !!!


CED Magazine
August 1, 2006

Four of the cable industry's most authoritative sources on switched digital broadcast addressed the crucial engineering and business issues facing the deployment and scaling of switched digital, and its upside options and challenges, at the show's pre-opening General Session.

The C-COR-sponsored event explored switched digital's bandwidth capacity and management opportunities and limitations, the future of the architecture for targeted advertising and single versus multi-vendor strategies, and a caution from panelist Mike LaJoie, CTO of Time Warner Cable.

"We have two systems (Raleigh, N.C., and Austin, Texas) in full production with a varied number of channels and it's going quite well. But our findings have told us to pay attention to the plan and be careful about the spectrum. The results have produced 60 percent gains in efficiency, and as time passes, we'll gain even more efficiency," LaJoie said.

So what channels are SDV here??


Interesting stuff for the TWC nay sayers. It appears that switched video is in beta testing in Raleigh, meaning that the capability of blowing satellite capacity out of the water isn't years away, but already technically in place.

Now Fred Dressler needs to get busy getting programming lined-up.

For a variety of reasons, not the least of which is the DVR situation, now may not be the time to switch to Dish Network.

Unless of course, you just HAVE to have NFL Network, then by all means, be gone !!!


CED Magazine
August 1, 2006

Four of the cable industry's most authoritative sources on switched digital broadcast addressed the crucial engineering and business issues facing the deployment and scaling of switched digital, and its upside options and challenges, at the show's pre-opening General Session.

The C-COR-sponsored event explored switched digital's bandwidth capacity and management opportunities and limitations, the future of the architecture for targeted advertising and single versus multi-vendor strategies, and a caution from panelist Mike LaJoie, CTO of Time Warner Cable.

"We have two systems (Raleigh, N.C., and Austin, Texas) in full production with a varied number of channels and it's going quite well. But our findings have told us to pay attention to the plan and be careful about the spectrum. The results have produced 60 percent gains in efficiency, and as time passes, we'll gain even more efficiency," LaJoie said.

So what channels are SDV here??

Dunno. I'm not even sure that LaJoie didn't mean to say Austin and Columbia, SC rather than Austin and Raleigh. I'll do some digging.

Interesting stuff for the TWC nay sayers. It appears that switched video is in beta testing in Raleigh, meaning that the capability of blowing satellite capacity out of the water isn't years away, but already technically in place.

Now Fred Dressler needs to get busy getting programming lined-up.
...
More SHOPPING CHANNELS !!!! Hooray !!!! :rolleyes:
There problem has never been capacity in the eyes of subscribers. They have plenty of worthless channels and enough room to add channels subs want.
Their problem is and always will be "Programming". If you think having switched video will change the way and frequency that they add channels that subs want (NFL, ESPN2-HD, WB-HD), you are living in more of a TWC Fog than usual.

For a variety of reasons, not the least of which is the DVR situation, now may not be the time to switch to Dish Network.

Nice FUD. Make sure TWC gives you a little something extra in your check for that. :rolleyes:

Nice FUD. Make sure TWC gives you a little something extra in your check for that. :rolleyes:
Not too long ago I thought I heard your name mentioned in a Podcast I was listening to. I think they read your email about TWC sucking. :D
Was that you?

Not too long ago I thought I heard your name mentioned in a Podcast I was listening to. I think they read your email about TWC sucking. :D
Was that you?

If it was Buzz Out Loud, I might have posted something in the forums that they read (I seem to remember that too). If it was something else, that it wasn't me knowingly.

There problem has never been capacity in the eyes of subscribers. They have plenty of worthless channels and enough room to add channels subs want.
Their problem is and always will be "Programming".

Yup. My "HD-Lite" ESPN2-HD and NFL Network HD look infinitely better on my DirecTV setup than they don on anyone's TWC setup.

Bwahaha... so true. Ditto for my Dish!

TWC and competitive HD content is a lot like the metric system (in the US).. they've been telling us "its coming" for years...

Mike

Well, my TWC promo package is about to run out (in Sep sometime) and I am trying to decide on TWC, Dish or OTA.

I am only interested in HD mainstream shows and movies (Prison Break, 24, Invasion, HBOHD, SHOHD, Firefly, etc...*not* sports or old movies or niche channels like WealthTV or HGTV) (no offense to those who like those channels ;))

I must have all content accessible to an HD-DVR. Don't really care what DVR it is as long is it doesn't eat my shows like my old DP7100 did ;)

Given that, I have two questions for you all :)

1) OTA...last I checked, I couldn't use my SA8300 to record OTA...are there any HD-DVR's out now that can record both OTA and perfect HD recordings ? (by perfect, I mean as good as live hd)

2) Do you know of any great deals ? I have done a little searching but haven't necessarily found much better than what the various companies offer on their web-sites.

Thanks in advance !

Well I know with the DVR through Dish you can record 3 things at once. 2 from the sat and one OTA. Its the vip622 and its 199 right now for the upgrade.

Well, my TWC promo package is about to run out (in Sep sometime) and I am trying to decide on TWC, Dish or OTA.

I am only interested in HD mainstream shows and movies (Prison Break, 24, Invasion, HBOHD, SHOHD, Firefly, etc...*not* sports or old movies or niche channels like WealthTV or HGTV) (no offense to those who like those channels ;))

I must have all content accessible to an HD-DVR. Don't really care what DVR it is as long is it doesn't eat my shows like my old DP7100 did ;)

Given that, I have two questions for you all :)

1) OTA...last I checked, I couldn't use my SA8300 to record OTA...are there any HD-DVR's out now that can record both OTA and perfect HD recordings ? (by perfect, I mean as good as live hd)

2) Do you know of any great deals ? I have done a little searching but haven't necessarily found much better than what the various companies offer on their web-sites.

Thanks in advance !
I don't know of an HD DVR solution that degrades the quality. The reason is because the incoming digital bitstream is stored directly to disk. Some people add extra data to the stream adding chapters and markers enabling trick modes and stuff, but when the user calls up the program to watch it, the bitstream gets decoded from the original bitstream just as if you were watching it live. Any other digital DVR solution (like decode and then re-encode before storing to disk) would be expensive, difficult to design, and mostly just plain silly.

At one point I debated the Sony DHG-HDD500. It has a QAM and an ATSC tuner in it if I remember right, although I think you can only tune into one stream at a time. Anyway ... that's one suggestion. And since it has a QAM decoder in it, you should be able to use it with your existing cable subscription.

I gave up on talking my wife into that Sony ... My latest quest is that I'm giving the "Home Theater PC" a try ... 3GHz P IV, Windows XP MCE 2005, TV tuners, yadda yadda yadda ... not quite done with it yet, so I can't say as I'm full of usefull information at this point. Only half full. Or half empty, depending on who's asking ;)

1) OTA...last I checked, I couldn't use my SA8300 to record OTA...are there any HD-DVR's out now that can record both OTA and perfect HD recordings ? (by perfect, I mean as good as live hd)


You could look into building a home theater PC. I built a MythTV HD box 18 months ago for less than $1000 with multiple tuners and 1/2 terrabyte of storage. If you don't feel comfortable with Linux, there are Windows solutions like SageTV which handle HD.

Drew

Anyone having reception issues with WRAL lately? Sometimes in the Morning WRAL goes out on me. I jump over to 11.1, 17.1, 50.1 and they all come in just fine.

Question on TWC here in Cary/Apex.
I am a tennis nut. (with that said...)

Just got back today from vacation and noticed the link from Ken in the HDTV programming forum about the usopen coverage.
LAST YEAR - I got lucky. I don't think universal HD was in the HT Suite yet so when they picked up the HD broadcast of the US Open Tennis event I got to see it free and clear via QAM reception using just my plain old BASIC subscription. Very cool.
Now with universal-hd in the HD Suite I seriously doubt I would be so lucky this year so...

What is the CHEAPEST option from TWC cable to get the HD Suite? From what I can determine I have to take a digipic package (minimum 61 and some change) along with a 6.95 option for the HD suite?
Seems I read somewhere on the forum that we can't get the digital package (15.50 option) and add in a single suite like the HD suite. Anyone TRIED?
Heck, anyone know of a current bargin deal for 6 months with TWC or such?
From looking at their 'promotions' it looks to be the SAME price as their price-sheet which is not any deal at all.
Or should I just call?
Input appreciated.
Bill
(yeah, I know I am late in checking around but until yesterday when the HD coverage was announced I held out a foolish hope that I would get lucky like last year)

I don't know of an HD DVR solution that degrades the quality. The reason is because the incoming digital bitstream is stored directly to disk.

Ah, ok, that's good to know. Back in the old days when I had a Dishplayer, it recorded the bitstream but, iirc, the third party Tivo at the time did not. That was quite a while ago, though =)

At one point I debated the Sony DHG-HDD500. It has a QAM and an ATSC tuner in it if I remember right, although I think you can only tune into one stream at a time. Anyway ... that's one suggestion. And since it has a QAM decoder in it, you should be able to use it with your existing cable subscription.

I can live with one tuner and I will look into that for sure, thanks ! Probably going to give up the cable subscription unless they will extend my promo package. The idea behind an HD-DVR that can capture OTA was to get Dish, maybe, and then get my locals in HD OTA (since Dish doesn't offer them here, yet).

I gave up on talking my wife into that Sony ... My latest quest is that I'm giving the "Home Theater PC" a try

You could look into building a home theater PC. I built a MythTV HD box 18 months ago for less than $1000 with multiple tuners and 1/2 terrabyte of storage. If you don't feel comfortable with Linux, there are Windows solutions like SageTV which handle HD.

I am actually a bit leery of HTPC's. A year ago or so, I tried to get my home PC set up with Zoomplayer and FFDshow to upconvert DVD's. After a month of playing around with it, trying different codecs, tweaking things...no matter what I did, I could never get rid of 'micro-stutters', even when my PC wasn't being taxed at all.

Thanks for the responses !

Let me know if anyone else has any ideas or good deals that might be provocative :)

Question on TWC here in Cary/Apex.
I am a tennis nut. (with that said...)

Just got back today from vacation and noticed the link from Ken in the HDTV programming forum about the usopen coverage.
LAST YEAR - I got lucky. I don't think universal HD was in the HT Suite yet so when they picked up the HD broadcast of the US Open Tennis event I got to see it free and clear via QAM reception using just my plain old BASIC subscription. Very cool.
Now with universal-hd in the HD Suite I seriously doubt I would be so lucky this year so...

What is the CHEAPEST option from TWC cable to get the HD Suite? From what I can determine I have to take a digipic package (minimum 61 and some change) along with a 6.95 option for the HD suite?
Seems I read somewhere on the forum that we can't get the digital package (15.50 option) and add in a single suite like the HD suite. Anyone TRIED?
Heck, anyone know of a current bargin deal for 6 months with TWC or such?
From looking at their 'promotions' it looks to be the SAME price as their price-sheet which is not any deal at all.
Or should I just call?
Input appreciated.
Bill
(yeah, I know I am late in checking around but until yesterday when the HD coverage was announced I held out a foolish hope that I would get lucky like last year)

From what i've heard, Neustra Tele is the cheapest way to get a digital box in your house.

http://www.timewarnercable.com/nc/programming/nuestratele/nuestrateleenglish.html?menu=NuestraTele

Then the HD Suite should be free for 1 month.
http://www.timewarnercable.com/nc/products/cable/hdsuite.html

Most of the promotions are for new customers only, which it sounds like you are not.

From what i've heard, Neustra Tele is the cheapest way to get a digital box in your house.

http://www.timewarnercable.com/nc/programming/nuestratele/nuestrateleenglish.html?menu=NuestraTele

Then the HD Suite should be free for 1 month.
http://www.timewarnercable.com/nc/products/cable/hdsuite.html

In my experience, it is not possible to add HD Suite if you only subscribe to the Nuestra Tele package. Even if the CSR tries to add it, the system does not allow it to be added. HD Suite can be added only if you subscribe to a DIGIPIC package.

Does anyone have any insight as to upcoming software updates/features for the 8300HD DVR in the Raleigh area?

I know TWC has little incentive to provide continuous updates since we're already customers, but there are SO many things I miss from my standard-def TiVO that I wish the TWC HD DVR had... ie. Record time left without going to a diagnostic screen (999). Skip duplicate recording.

Is anyone here really waiting on the Series 3 TIVO ?
As bad as TWC's DVR may be I would rather have it than pay $799 and a $12.95 fee to TIVO and pay 2 cable card monthly fees.

I know that with DISH for there 3 HD tuner box, you have to pay a $199 lease fee and that when you cancel the service you have to send the box back. But the box is useless to you if you cancel service anyway. The same with TIVO, if you cancel cable the Series 3 TIVO is useless to you. But with TIVO you are out $600 more.

I figure that for whoever is going to get the new TIVO, money is not a concern since the cost is astronomically more than any other option out there. But they must hate the TWC DVR enough to make the move and have strong enough concerns with or can't get SAT. It just seems like that if you got the money why not get DirecTv with Sunday-Ticket or DISH having just about every HD channel available. Their DVR's may or may not be as good as TIVO but they blow TWC's out of the water.
Myself, I would spend more on available channels than TIVO and cable card fees if money were no object.

I was a pretty big tivo fan, but the Time Warner 8300 is more than adequate for me. It records and plays back TV as well as my Tivo series 2.

I don't think I would even pay $300 for a series 3, since they took away the lifetime option.

I can live with one tuner and I will look into that for sure, thanks ! Probably going to give up the cable subscription unless they will extend my promo package. The idea behind an HD-DVR that can capture OTA was to get Dish, maybe, and then get my locals in HD OTA (since Dish doesn't offer them here, yet).

------

I am actually a bit leery of HTPC's. A year ago or so, I tried to get my home PC set up with Zoomplayer and FFDshow to upconvert DVD's. After a month of playing around with it, trying different codecs, tweaking things...no matter what I did, I could never get rid of 'micro-stutters', even when my PC wasn't being taxed at all.


If you feel like taking the bait, a MythTV setup sounds perfect for you. A lot changes in a year with PCs. The key is MPG2 cards, like the PVR-150, that use up like 2% of my CPU when capturing DirecTV. I have 2 PVR's attached to DirecTV boxes, and an HD-5500 doing OTA capture. If you're computer savy, you don't even need to be that linux savy. KnoppMyth is a bootable CD that will install and configure everything for you. You will need a beefy CPU to play HD back. I have a 3ghz with a cheap GeForce card ($40) that plays it back at about 50% CPU. Capture takes nothing, since the HD-5500 does all the processing.

Speaking of which, heard back from WRAL today. They're hooking me up with the bohemoth, ChannelMaster 4228. They said it would be about 2 to 3 weeks before it gets here. Less than speedy, but great of them to offer it up since I have DirecTV and can't get it in HD.

From what i've heard, Neustra Tele is the cheapest way to get a digital box in your house.

http://www.timewarnercable.com/nc/programming/nuestratele/nuestrateleenglish.html?menu=NuestraTele

Then the HD Suite should be free for 1 month.
http://www.timewarnercable.com/nc/products/cable/hdsuite.html

Most of the promotions are for new customers only, which it sounds like you are not.
wow, this is intriguing. can you get an HD box with this? presumably you get all the locals as well as the rest of std (english) cable with this? is that pricing permanent or a 6 month offer type deal?

this could be a great way to add a tuner to an HD monitor (westinghouse 1080p models anyone?) for not a lot of money.

Is anyone here really waiting on the Series 3 TIVO ?
As bad as TWC's DVR may be I would rather have it than pay $799 and a $12.95 fee to TIVO and pay 2 cable card monthly fees.

I am. I have DirecTV with the HDTiVo now, and I'm just not willing to move to a DVR with fewer recording options, less storage, and no ability to record OTA HD. I am willing to move back to cable once the Series 3 is out, but I'm not willing to go back to cable *and* use their DVR.

Oh, and it would really only be one cablecard rental charge, as TWC will provide you one cablecard *instead of* the set top box at no charge. Yes, that still makes TiVo more expensive, but for me it's worth it. For many others it won't be, and that's cool with me.

I am. I have DirecTV with the HDTiVo now, and I'm just not willing to move to a DVR with fewer recording options, less storage, and no ability to record OTA HD. I am willing to move back to cable once the Series 3 is out, but I'm not willing to go back to cable *and* use their DVR.

Oh, and it would really only be one cablecard rental charge, as TWC will provide you one cablecard *instead of* the set top box at no charge. Yes, that still makes TiVo more expensive, but for me it's worth it. For many others it won't be, and that's cool with me.
The new DirecTv HR20 (non-TIVO) box has 2 SAT tuners and 2 ATSC tuners. While possibly not having ALL the features of TIVO, I can't imagine TIVO being worth that much more money.
The DirecTv TIVO you have is known for being dog slow, so I know that would be more of a hassle than missing a feature or two.

What features does the TIVO have that is worth so much more money?
Is it possible that DISH & DirecTv's boxes have such features and you just don't know it?
I know my DISH 622 blows the TWC 8300HD away, and they add features regularly. Season Pass, NBR, Sorting, Detailed Searching, etc, all used to be TIVO only; not anymore.

All that being said, the new TIVO will only record what TWC serves up and that ain't much. :D

Any prognosis on when Capitol Broadcasting and Directv will come to a deal so Directv can broadcast WRAL and WRAZ in HD?

"Anyone having reception issues with WRAL lately?"

Last night at start of CSI Miami, 5.1 locked up on me.

BTW - Did anyone watch Star Wars the other night?

I believe it was in HD but did not look much better than what I get thru my DVD player.

-DonB2

What features does the TIVO have that is worth so much more money?

<clip>

All that being said, the new TIVO will only record what TWC serves up and that ain't much. :D

The current HDTiVo and Series3 have a few things going for them. 1- you can record OTA HD. You can't do that with TWC or the DirecTV HD20 (it apparently shipped with the OTA tuners disabled, it'll be fixed "real soon"). 2- it's a TiVo. :D 3- to get the new HD20 I have to commit to another 2 years to get it, and we really do have rain fade problems here when it rains hard. The wife is tired of that. 4- expandable. There is no other DVR on the market that allows you to expand space easily. OK the TWC one does in theory, but I have to rent it from TWC and it appears to disable certain DVR functions when you plug it in.

As for TiVo only recording what TWC puts out, I mentioned that above, but I'll mention it again. I can record HD OTA in full resolution (as long as the locals are doing too much multicasting), and everything I really want to see in HD is OTA, at least right now. I don't have to worry about DirecTV or TWC over compressing the HD just to cram more channels in.

Those are the main reasons I'm willing to spend $800 plus the monthly on TiVo. I feel it's worth it.

The current HDTiVo and Series3 have a few things going for them. 1- you can record OTA HD. You can't do that with TWC or the DirecTV HD20 (it apparently shipped with the OTA tuners disabled, it'll be fixed "real soon"). 2- it's a TiVo. :D 3- to get the new HD20 I have to commit to another 2 years to get it, and we really do have rain fade problems here when it rains hard. The wife is tired of that. 4- expandable. There is no other DVR on the market that allows you to expand space easily. OK the TWC one does in theory, but I have to rent it from TWC and it appears to disable certain DVR functions when you plug it in.

As for TiVo only recording what TWC puts out, I mentioned that above, but I'll mention it again. I can record HD OTA in full resolution (as long as the locals are doing too much multicasting), and everything I really want to see in HD is OTA, at least right now. I don't have to worry about DirecTV or TWC over compressing the HD just to cram more channels in.

Those are the main reasons I'm willing to spend $800 plus the monthly on TiVo. I feel it's worth it.
You are right about the OTA being disabled in the HR20. I haven't heard why they are disabled, maybe buggy software and they wanted to get the hardware out the door. Like you said it will work sooner than later. The DISH 622 OTA is great for ultimate quality, but the SAT MPEG4 recordings take up less space.
If rain fade is bad for you, that could be solved with a bigger dish or TWC. I just hate the TWC solution. :(

I can't say much about the $800 up front cost, I paid $600 to take down trees so I could get DISH. :)
I would say, "As long as you are happy" but we both know that is not true. As long as your Wife is happy, that's all that matters. :D

Does anyone here have the capability to record a dish network show for me? I need to get a few episodes of a gaming tournament I was in recorded and dumped to dvd, as well as get a raw mov/mpeg copy. I will pay for your time and materials used. PM me for more info. Thanks.

The current HDTiVo and Series3 have a few things going for them. 1- you can record OTA HD. You can't do that with TWC or the DirecTV HD20 (it apparently shipped with the OTA tuners disabled, it'll be fixed "real soon"). 2- it's a TiVo. :D 3- to get the new HD20 I have to commit to another 2 years to get it, and we really do have rain fade problems here when it rains hard. The wife is tired of that. 4- expandable. There is no other DVR on the market that allows you to expand space easily. OK the TWC one does in theory, but I have to rent it from TWC and it appears to disable certain DVR functions when you plug it in.

As for TiVo only recording what TWC puts out, I mentioned that above, but I'll mention it again. I can record HD OTA in full resolution (as long as the locals are doing too much multicasting), and everything I really want to see in HD is OTA, at least right now. I don't have to worry about DirecTV or TWC over compressing the HD just to cram more channels in.

Those are the main reasons I'm willing to spend $800 plus the monthly on TiVo. I feel it's worth it.

Perhaps of interest........

CED Magazine
August 26, 2006

Cox Joins Comcast in TiVo Guide Deal
Subscribers to Comcast and now Cox will eventually be able to choose the TiVo navigational system as the primary guide for their digital cable service, thanks to a TiVo/Cox deal etched last Thursday.

Customers who choose TiVo over Cox's existing navigational system will be able to do so without a box swap, TiVo officials said. Cox's digital set-top footprint is about 50/50 Motorola and Scientific Atlanta; SA's boxes are expected to lead the deployment. Meanwhile, over at Comcast, which is about 90 percent Motorola, work continues to get the TiVo system ready for widespread deployment, probably sometime in '07.

For as long as the TiVo service has been in market, observers have wondered: Why can they not strike a mutually agreeable deal with cable providers? No great surprise: Money, in the form of per-unit licensing fees, appears to have been the hang-up. However, TiVo CEO Tom Rogers, who is considerably more "plugged in" to the cable side than prior TiVo honchos, aims to correct that.

Et tu, Time Warner Cable? That'd be a tough one, given the MSO's deep investment into its own navigational platform, know variously as "MDN" for "Mystro Digital Navigator," and "ODN," for "OCAP Digital Navigator," which is basically the MDN written in Java such that it is OCAP-compatible.

wow, this is intriguing. can you get an HD box with this?
I got an HD box when I had DIGIPIC. When I switched to the NT package, I just kept the HD box.
presumably you get all the locals as well as the rest of std (english) cable with this?
You get all the locals, including the HD ones. You don't get the so-called "Standard" channels (25 thru 77), but you still get the "Basic" ones (2 thru 24, and a few others).
is that pricing permanent or a 6 month offer type deal?
$24.95/mo is the regular price, not a 6 month offer.

Perhaps of interest........

CED Magazine
August 26, 2006

Cox Joins Comcast in TiVo Guide Deal
Subscribers to Comcast and now Cox will eventually be able to choose the TiVo navigational system as the primary guide for their digital cable service, thanks to a TiVo/Cox deal etched last Thursday.

<snip>



I guess it would be more interesting to me if that was a TWC announcement. If TWC provided TiVo's software on the 8300, then I might actually be interested. I'd just have to learn to watch shows more frequently to account for the smaller drive.

I guess I could move to get Cox. Oh wait, I might be moving to Las Vegas, which *is* in Cox territory. See, I guess the "or you can move" option really can work. ;)

QAM vs 8VSB

Is anybody in US using 8vsb? Or is the standard now QAM?

What does OTA ATSC use? Is it QAM? Or does QAM only refer to the way cable companies relay digital/HD signals?

I am just curious as to if someone had a ATSC OTA tuner and the tuner did not say it had QAM capability like some of the early SAMSUNG SIR t100 units. If the person could just plug the TWC cable into the OTA connector on the back of a non QAM tuner and decode the free TWC QAM channels?

-DonB2

QAM vs 8VSB

Is anybody in US using 8vsb? Or is the standard now QAM?

What does OTA ATSC use? Is it QAM? Or does QAM only refer to the way cable companies relay digital/HD signals?

I am just curious as to if someone had a ATSC OTA tuner and the tuner did not say it had QAM capability like some of the early SAMSUNG SIR t100 units. If the person could just plug the TWC cable into the OTA connector on the back of a non QAM tuner and decode the free TWC QAM channels?

-DonB2

All OTA TV broadcasting is in 8VSB. 8VSB is more robust but less bandwidth efficient than QAM.

Cable uses QAM, and transcodes 8VSB broadcasts signals to QAM. QAM is more bandwidth efficient but too fragile for OTA.

Satellite uses yet another modulation scheme called QPSK.

An 8VSB demodulator (more commonly refered to as ATSC) cannot decode a QAM signal. Some tuners handle both ATSC and QAM. Others don't.

If the tuner does not support QAM, it will not decode any TWC digital channels.

QAM vs 8VSB

If the person could just plug the TWC cable into the OTA connector on the back of a non QAM tuner and decode the free TWC QAM channels?


OTA uses 8VSB.

I have an older PCI card (Air2PC) which was designed for 8VSB. There was support added to the linux driver to enable QAM on this card. Even when using the QAM enabled driver, I never got good results from that card for QAM. I think it was because it could not handle the bandwidth (38Mb/s vs 19Mb/s).

Drew

I guess it would be more interesting to me if that was a TWC announcement. If TWC provided TiVo's software on the 8300, then I might actually be interested. I'd just have to learn to watch shows more frequently to account for the smaller drive.

I guess I could move to get Cox. Oh wait, I might be moving to Las Vegas, which *is* in Cox territory. See, I guess the "or you can move" option really can work. ;)

Do you have any idea how frikkin' hot Las Vegas is???? Dry heat my ass !!!!

Thanks for the 8VSB vs QAM answers,

Vegas is Hot! I guess there is a diff between Dry heat and Raleigh Humid heat. At least I did not think I perspired as much out in Victorville CA which is not too far from Vegas. But than that was years ago. Can't say as I am a fan of high humidity though.

DonB2

I got an HD box when I had DIGIPIC. When I switched to the NT package, I just kept the HD box.

You get all the locals, including the HD ones. You don't get the so-called "Standard" channels (25 thru 77), but you still get the "Basic" ones (2 thru 24, and a few others).

$24.95/mo is the regular price, not a 6 month offer.
hmm interesting. that is considerably cheaper than the Digicpic package, but the loss of 25 thru 77 kind of sucks. No ESPN, CNN, MTV, etc. and then of course no option to add HD Suite.

I wonder if you can get 25 thru 77 via an analog tuner in your TV since those are part of "standard" analog cable? Ever try that?

Perhaps of interest........

CED Magazine
August 26, 2006

Cox Joins Comcast in TiVo Guide Deal
Subscribers to Comcast and now Cox will eventually be able to choose the TiVo navigational system as the primary guide for their digital cable service, thanks to a TiVo/Cox deal etched last Thursday.

Customers who choose TiVo over Cox's existing navigational system will be able to do so without a box swap, TiVo officials said. Cox's digital set-top footprint is about 50/50 Motorola and Scientific Atlanta; SA's boxes are expected to lead the deployment. Meanwhile, over at Comcast, which is about 90 percent Motorola, work continues to get the TiVo system ready for widespread deployment, probably sometime in '07.

For as long as the TiVo service has been in market, observers have wondered: Why can they not strike a mutually agreeable deal with cable providers? No great surprise: Money, in the form of per-unit licensing fees, appears to have been the hang-up. However, TiVo CEO Tom Rogers, who is considerably more "plugged in" to the cable side than prior TiVo honchos, aims to correct that.

Et tu, Time Warner Cable? That'd be a tough one, given the MSO's deep investment into its own navigational platform, know variously as "MDN" for "Mystro Digital Navigator," and "ODN," for "OCAP Digital Navigator," which is basically the MDN written in Java such that it is OCAP-compatible.

wow, that's insane! i thought Comcast would be the only ones, and i thought it was only their motorola. This changes everything! Fingers are definitely crossed for TWC to come up with a deal like this, but given my past experiences with their corporate side, I'm not holding my breath.

Seems like deals like this would pretty much kill the stand alone TiVo market. Why spend $799 on a Series 3? Unless these cable TiVos will somehow be crippled? Certainly I wouldn't expect TiVo ToGo and other nicities. But if the scheduling and conflict management is just as good, it'd be hard to pass up.

I wonder if you can get 25 thru 77 via an analog tuner in your TV since those are part of "standard" analog cable? Ever try that?
You can receive them that way until a technician installs a filter in the box by the road.

Anyone been having issues with getting WRAL's HD broadcast in Dolby Digital ?

I'm receiving WRAL via an Over the Air signal and use to have no issues with the broadcast being in Dolby Digital but I've noticed over the weeks that I no longer get the News Broadcasts in Dolby Digital ...

Anyone?

I'll try and watch the news tonight and let you know.

Do you have any trouble picking up the PSIP info (channel number, guide, what's on etc) for OTA WRAL? I haven't been able to pick up the PSIP data for WRAL or WTVD, but it works fine for everything else.

Brian

Anyone been having issues with getting WRAL's HD broadcast in Dolby Digital ?

I'm receiving WRAL via an Over the Air signal and use to have no issues with the broadcast being in Dolby Digital but I've noticed over the weeks that I no longer get the News Broadcasts in Dolby Digital ...

Anyone?

Hmmm, I TiVo the news in HD on my HDTiVo and haven't specifically noticed that it has been any different, but I'll check tonight as well.

For what it's worth.

The virtual channel numbers for UNC on TWC now conform to the OTA configuration, 4.1-4.5.

BTW - Did anyone watch Star Wars the other night?

I believe it was in HD but did not look much better than what I get thru my DVD player.

-DonB2


I watched it for like 5 minutes. Looked pretty good to me. Though, I'm new to HD, so even getting DVD resolutions through my projector from a broadcast seems good.

Posg-

Been working with the engineers at PBS, and they got TWC to fix it. Apparantly, the CVCT hex codes that TWC were feeding were incorrect, so the QAM channels were not mapping correctly.

I gotta say that I was very impressed with the correspondence with the PBS engineers handling this. Last week, they also changed the UNC-KD logos to be transparent. MY plasma tv also thanks them. :)

Fmstrat ,

I think I missed the first 5 minutes :D

-DonB2

Posg-

Been working with the engineers at PBS, and they got TWC to fix it. Apparantly, the CVCT hex codes that TWC were feeding were incorrect, so the QAM channels were not mapping correctly.

I gotta say that I was very impressed with the correspondence with the PBS engineers handling this. Last week, they also changed the UNC-KD logos to be transparent. MY plasma tv also thanks them. :)
I wish Wayne (PBS engineer) would work with the Fayetteville hub to fix it down my way. I still get PBS on 90.1, 90.2, 4.3, 4.4 and 4.5 and the bug on UNC-Kids is still very colorful.

I'm watching WRAL 5.1 OTA right now and the picture is in HD but the audio will not lock on Dolby Digital.... only Dolby ProLogic ... I know it's not a Receiver issue ... all my other OTA or DirecTV HD channels are in Dolby Digital with no problems...

Daryl L - does Wayne know the situation? He wasn't really aware of the QAM channel problem until I emailed information to him. Once he knew of this, him and Jonah worked quickly with TWC Raleigh to solve it.

This situation sounds exactly what is happening in Fayettville - TWC is apparently sending the wrong CVCT hex codes.

I'm watching WRAL 5.1 OTA right now and the picture is in HD but the audio will not lock on Dolby Digital.... only Dolby ProLogic ... I know it's not a Receiver issue ... all my other OTA or DirecTV HD channels are in Dolby Digital with no problems...

Maybe the programming isn't 5.1.

When I stated "watching WRAL 5.1 OTA right now" ... that was referring to the Over The Air channel ... which is channel 5.1 ... not 5.1 surround ...

Daryl L - does Wayne know the situation? He wasn't really aware of the QAM channel problem until I emailed information to him. Once he knew of this, him and Jonah worked quickly with TWC Raleigh to solve it.

This situation sounds exactly what is happening in Fayettville - TWC is apparently sending the wrong CVCT hex codes.
No idea if Wayne knows or not. He use to post in this thread but it's been awhile. He may still read it though and see our posts. Wish he could also get TWC to stop stripping the VBI data out for TVGOS data too. ;)

YOU OUT THERE WAYNE! :D

I forget who but someone from WRAL/WRAZ post here occasionally also. Anybody heard yet if WRAL will be showing the newly HD conversion syndication of Star Trek TOS in HD come September 16th? I wanna see this.

I forget who but someone from WRAL/WRAZ post here occasionally also. Anybody heard yet if WRAL will be showing the newly HD conversion syndication of Star Trek TOS in HD come September 16th? I wanna see this.

I second that - I'm also curious what other syndication might be coming up and when we might see new episodes (ex: Southpark, Stargate, etc.)

I've looked around, but there isn't much information available as far as I can tell.
I'd think that the stations would want to publicize all of their new and/or improved shows, even the syndicated ones ...

I've looked around, but there isn't much information available as far as I can tell.
I'd think that the stations would want to publicize all of their new and/or improved shows, even the syndicated ones ...

It is very odd. Some local stations show what must be very expensive syndicated shows (Alias, Stargate, Stargate Atlantis, 24, etc) in the wee hours of the morning with no promotion at all. The only reason I knew those shows were available was because my MythTV program search found them. It would be great if they moved to the HD versions. Some shows (like SG, SGA) look great, and they are shown in 16:9 SD which fills my screen nicely when zoomed. Other shows like 24 are shown in 4:3, and look terrible. Both WRAZ and WRAL carry 24 reruns, and I've found that the WRAZ version looks much better than the WRAL version.

Drew

No idea if Wayne knows or not. He use to post in this thread but it's been awhile. He may still read it though and see our posts. Wish he could also get TWC to stop stripping the VBI data out for TVGOS data too. ;)

YOU OUT THERE WAYNE! :D
UPDATE:
I just checked for the first time today and now all five PBS channels are mapping to 4.1 - 4.5 now. Who ever is responsible, Much Appreciated. :D

UNC-Kids still has that yellow kangaroo head. :)

Anyone notice the Dolby Digital issue on WRAL's HD broadcast yet?

I'll try and watch the news tonight and let you know.

Do you have any trouble picking up the PSIP info (channel number, guide, what's on etc) for OTA WRAL? I haven't been able to pick up the PSIP data for WRAL or WTVD, but it works fine for everything else.

Brian

I'm still not getting it for WRAL or WTVD either.

Anyone notice the Dolby Digital issue on WRAL's HD broadcast yet?
I'm also getting Prologic out of WRAL. Dolby Digital for everything else. The Dan Rather special is on right now ... I'll check it again during "Numbers" and then post back if I see anything different.

I'm still not getting it for WRAL or WTVD either.
I'm getting PSIP data for all channels on my LG decoder.

I'm also getting Prologic out of WRAL. Dolby Digital for everything else. The Dan Rather special is on right now ... I'll check it again during "Numbers" and then post back if I see anything different.
"Numbers" has started and now my receiver is showing Dolby Digital on WRAL's ATSC broadcast on channel 5.1

If I get a Dvico Fusion 5 card in the Raleigh area will I get digital channels? I have the TWC digipic "standard" package with a cable box. Just wondering if the fusion card will let me get the digital (non-hd) channels that my box gets.

As long as they're unencrypted, the Fusion 5 will get them.

I'm also getting Prologic out of WRAL. Dolby Digital for everything else. The Dan Rather special is on right now ... I'll check it again during "Numbers" and then post back if I see anything different.

Thanks ...

Just wanted to be sure it wasn't just me ...

I remember that I use to get WRAL's broadcast in Dolby Digital ... I'm not sure why they've changed but it would be nice if they could fix it...

-TIM

Thanks ...

Just wanted to be sure it wasn't just me ...

I remember that I use to get WRAL's broadcast in Dolby Digital ... I'm not sure why they've changed but it would be nice if they could fix it...

-TIMIf you'll notice a few posts down from the one from me that you replied to, I stated that I was receiving Dolby Digital out of the "Numbers" program on WRAL which was in HD. It seems that they switch from program to program based on what's available to them at the time.

I just wanted to make sure that little tidbit didn't get by you. Sorry if the comment was unnecessary.

Thanks ...

Just wanted to be sure it wasn't just me ...

I remember that I use to get WRAL's broadcast in Dolby Digital ... I'm not sure why they've changed but it would be nice if they could fix it...

-TIM

I have noticed that WRAL (255 TWC) does go in and out of Dolby Digital during commercials/proms, whatever. This is somewhat annoying to me because it causing sharp increases/decreases in the volume. The other channels that broadcast a show in DD stay in DD during the breaks.

i have a dvico fusion 5 lite and TWC basic. My question is has anyone had luck getting any other QAM stations beside the locals? I was hoping to get TNT HD or ESPNHD.

I have auto-scanned but i just find mostly jewerly stations or shopping networks. Do I have to manually tune or does anybody have a list with the channel? Thanks.

Checking now WRAL-DT 5.1 news on TWC 255 is stereo, no DD5.1.

Checking now WRAL-DT 5.1 news on TWC 255 is stereo, no DD5.1.

Their news is always in stereo. The only thing that is Dolby Digital on WRAL is some prime time shows.

Ohhhhhhh, I thought Tim_in_NC was saying their news use to be in DD5.1 but not lately. I never watch their news so didn't know. I was just checking for him.

Haven't watched much CBS primetime lately either (reruns ya know) but the other night Ghost Whisperer was DD5.1 as usual.

i have a dvico fusion 5 lite and TWC basic. My question is has anyone had luck getting any other QAM stations beside the locals? I was hoping to get TNT HD or ESPNHD.

I have auto-scanned but i just find mostly jewerly stations or shopping networks. Do I have to manually tune or does anybody have a list with the channel? Thanks.

Look about 4 posts up and I think you'll find your answer.

BTW, was there a sale on those DVICO cards or something? Two posts on it in three days seems curious to me.

i have a dvico fusion 5 lite and TWC basic. My question is has anyone had luck getting any other QAM stations beside the locals? I was hoping to get TNT HD or ESPNHD.

I have auto-scanned but i just find mostly jewerly stations or shopping networks. Do I have to manually tune or does anybody have a list with the channel? Thanks.

You will ONLY get UNENCRYPTED QAM channels with any HDTV PCI card - both TNT HD and ESPNHD are now encrypted.

i was hoping they were not encrypted but thanks for the reply. i just watched prison break and vanished and fox had pretty decent quality

Ohhhhhhh, I thought Tim_in_NC was saying their news use to be in DD5.1 but not lately. I never watch their news so didn't know. I was just checking for him.

Haven't watched much CBS primetime lately either (reruns ya know) but the other night Ghost Whisperer was DD5.1 as usual.

Yes, I remember getting WRAL's news broadcast in Dolby Digital, but for some time now it's not been in DD ... Thanks for all who checked to verify that it's not something with my setup ...

I wish they could get DD back up on the newscasts ...

I forget who but someone from WRAL/WRAZ post here occasionally also. Anybody heard yet if WRAL will be showing the newly HD conversion syndication of Star Trek TOS in HD come September 16th? I wanna see this.

Looks like it will be on 28.1 starting Sunday Sep 17 but in digital SD 4:3 - not HD. I'll probably still watch/record it, but it isn't "must see"

-Jim

Looks like it will be on 28.1 starting Sunday Sep 17 but in digital SD 4:3 - not HD. I'll probably still watch/record it, but it isn't "must see"

-Jim
Thx for the info. Guess since nobody appears to be airing it in HD I'll stick with G4's saturday marathon of the full 50+min episodes instead of the cut 43+min syndications.

"28.1 starting Sunday Sep 17 but in digital SD 4:3"

Hmmm. I think that is the channel that I can not stretch the picture with.

Sure would be nice to see The Original Series in 16:9 even if it is converted.

I think I watched in in Black and White originally as we didn't have color tv yet.

-DonB

Sure would be nice to see The Original Series in 16:9 even if it is converted.

A lot of folks hoped that they would go back to the original film the series was shot on and open up the mat to get 16:9, but apparently they decided (maybe for good reasons) to stick with 4:3 - I'm guessing it may be because they figured the majority of the stations would be airing it in 4:3 it would sell better than letterboxing it.

Oh well ... maybe next time ...

-Jim

A lot of folks hoped that they would go back to the original film the series was shot on and open up the mat to get 16:9, but apparently they decided (maybe for good reasons) to stick with 4:3
-Jim
You might be able to catch it in HD on 48.1 from Greensboro. I watched some of the last season of Enterprise in HD when weather was just right.

BTW, is it in SD, or is it re-mastered in HD, but just restricted to 4:3?

Drew

You might be able to catch it in HD on 48.1 from Greensboro. I watched some of the last season of Enterprise in HD when weather was just right.

BTW, is it in SD, or is it re-mastered in HD, but just restricted to 4:3?

Drew

Most 35 MM film for TV production back in the days of the original Star Trek was shot on 4:3 film stock. There was no consideration for a future wide screen presentation down the road. If they present it in 16:9, it's being cropped.

"16:9, it's being cropped"

Or stretched.

-DonB2

[QUOTE=DonB2
Or stretched.



Or both.

Most 35 MM film for TV production back in the days of the original Star Trek was shot on 4:3 film stock. There was no consideration for a future wide screen presentation down the road. If they present it in 16:9, it's being cropped.


True, but they did a pretty good job on Hogan's Heros ... given that the original DVDs are available, and most HD TVs are 16:9, I'd have preferred to see a 16:9 presentation - but to each his own.

You might be able to catch it in HD on 48.1 from Greensboro.

I get 48.1 pretty well in North Raleigh (better than 17.1 actually), but from the HD Programming thread it appears that TOS is only being distributed in SD - hopefully this will change at some point in the future ... for now all we are getting is a cleaned up shortened (for commercials) version. Ah well ...

so what's the verdict on the best available non-DVR HD box from TWC at this point in time? I had to turn in a Pace 550 from my house today and pick up a box for my girlfriends house. They wouldn't let me just keep the Pace and reassign it to her account, and they didn't have any more of them, so I ended up with an SA3250HD, which definitely feels slower, if nothing else. It's on a totally different TV, so I can't really compare image quality.

I remembe the P550 was the bomb back in the day, but it's been a while and I haven't been following the box options. Any thoughts?

I just recd my free antenna from wral. Now I am trying to install in my attic but can not figure it out as I have never done it before. Does anyone know of an installer in the area and how much they wouldf charge. I just need the cable run from the attic to the 1st floor. Thanks.

I just recd my free antenna from wral. Now I am trying to install in my attic but can not figure it out as I have never done it before. Does anyone know of an installer in the area and how much they wouldf charge. I just need the cable run from the attic to the 1st floor. Thanks.

When I got mine I asked about an installer and the WRAL folks suggested Garner TV. I didn't go that route though, I installed it myself, so I don't know what they would charge. If you actually have them come out to do the install you should really just let them install outside as you will have better reception.

so what's the verdict on the best available non-DVR HD box from TWC at this point in time? I had to turn in a Pace 550 from my house today and pick up a box for my girlfriends house. They wouldn't let me just keep the Pace and reassign it to her account, and they didn't have any more of them, so I ended up with an SA3250HD, which definitely feels slower, if nothing else. It's on a totally different TV, so I can't really compare image quality.

I remembe the P550 was the bomb back in the day, but it's been a while and I haven't been following the box options. Any thoughts?
As far as I know, the 3250 is probably what you'll want. But it's been over a year since I had cable. Someone else can chime in if they know of a better alternative.

When I got mine I asked about an installer and the WRAL folks suggested Garner TV. I didn't go that route though, I installed it myself, so I don't know what they would charge. If you actually have them come out to do the install you should really just let them install outside as you will have better reception.


I actually get really good reception in my attic. Most stations are coming in at 100. Just stations like pax and I and other crap come in at like 70-80. So I am happy with the location. I just can't figure out how to get the wire down the wall. I don't think I can fit that far up in my attic.

I just can't figure out how to get the wire down the wall. I don't think I can fit that far up in my attic.

I had the same problem. Luckily, my house had a water heater in the attic with a drain pipe leading down to the crawl. We ended up moving the water heater to the garage where it wouldn't flood our house when it failed, so the drain pipe was available. I bought a drain cleaning snake and ran it down to the crawl, duck-taped the wire to it, and pulled it up through the pipe to the attic. Maybe you can find some similar misfeature. Before I found that, I was looking at buy some electrician's tape and trying to push it down through the wall. I'm really glad I didn't have to.

Drew

Does anyone know if they make a wireless adapter for cabling? That way I could not wire at all. I have outlets in my attic to power it. I don't even know if this exists though.

"I actually get really good reception in my attic. Most stations are coming in at 100. Just stations like pax and I and other crap come in at like 70-80. So I am happy with the location. I just can't figure out how to get the wire down the wall. I don't think I can fit that far up in my attic"

How are you running the cable presently to know that you are getting good reception from up in the attic. Are you running it down thru your attic door to the first floor?

Don

"True, but they did a pretty good job on Hogan's Heros ... given that the original DVDs are available, and most HD TVs are 16:9, I'd have preferred to see a 16:9 presentation - but to each his own."

I watched Titan on 22.1 over the weekend. First I tried watching it via OTA ATSC and liked the crispness of the picture but it was in 4:3 with Side bars which my Pioneer Plasma will not let me change.

I must say I find the side bars very distracting and ended up watching the SCI FI animated movie via OTA NTSC.

This makes me wonder if I will watch the Star Trek Shows if they are in ATSC 4:3.

Do the net works get it? In another year most of the viewing public will have some form of 16:9 TV.

To me watching digital 4:3 with side bars in comparable to owning a color tv and than only watching black and white shows.

Maybe I am just lucky to have a tv that does a good job of stretching 4:3 so can't speak for everyone.

-DonB2

"I actually get really good reception in my attic. Most stations are coming in at 100. Just stations like pax and I and other crap come in at like 70-80. So I am happy with the location. I just can't figure out how to get the wire down the wall. I don't think I can fit that far up in my attic"

How are you running the cable presently to know that you are getting good reception from up in the attic. Are you running it down thru your attic door to the first floor?

Don

Yeah I have it positioned in the attic and I am running a cable out of the attic and down the stairs to my TV... Needless to say the wife does not like this option.

I watched Titan on 22.1 over the weekend. First I tried watching it via OTA ATSC and liked the crispness of the picture but it was in 4:3 with Side bars which my Pioneer Plasma will not let me change.

I must say I find the side bars very distracting and ended up watching the SCI FI animated movie via OTA NTSC.

This makes me wonder if I will watch the Star Trek Shows if they are in ATSC 4:3.

The "good" news is that they claim to have made both 4:3 and 16:9 versions of the new edit of TOS ... so they *could* send it if they wanted to. The bad news is that this isn't going to happen anytime soon ... Hopefully things will get ironed out in the next year or so for syndex HD transmission ...

My Panasonic Plasma won't stretch HD either, but luckily my OTA reciever is a Sony HD DVR which will allow me to stretch and/or change output resolution so at least I have a workaround.

Yeah I have it positioned in the attic and I am running a cable out of the attic and down the stairs to my TV... Needless to say the wife does not like this option.

Ugly as it sounds, most cable installs would just drill a hole through the exterior wall and run the cable down the outside ... if you pick a good cable color and tuck it away in a corner it doesn't look too bad. You can try fishing it through the walls, but you'll probably wind up having to cut some drywall (depends on the house layout) - if you don't mind patching it isn't too bad, but it will probably cost $$$ if you have to pay someone to do it.

Luckily, I'm in the same boat as drewwho - there were two drain pipes in the attic when it was built (one for AC drip pan, one for water heater). I didn't want the water heater in the attic (now in the crawlspace) so I have an extra drain. I didn't even need a snake - I just cut the coax so it was pointed and fed it up into the attic.

If you have two drains, you might be able to reroute both the AC and water heater overflow to use the same one and then use the other to run your coax.

Do the net works get it? In another year most of the viewing public will have some form of 16:9 TV.

To me watching digital 4:3 with side bars in comparable to owning a color tv and than only watching black and white shows.

Maybe I am just lucky to have a tv that does a good job of stretching 4:3 so can't speak for everyone.

-DonB2


Personal preference I guess. If I'm watching something that's 4:3, the sidebars don't bug me. I would rather have side bars and have the picture look normal than to stretch it.

Ugly as it sounds, most cable installs would just drill a hole through the exterior wall and run the cable down the outside ... if you pick a good cable color and tuck it away in a corner it doesn't look too bad. You can try fishing it through the walls, but you'll probably wind up having to cut some drywall (depends on the house layout) - if you don't mind patching it isn't too bad, but it will probably cost $$$ if you have to pay someone to do it.

Luckily, I'm in the same boat as drewwho - there were two drain pipes in the attic when it was built (one for AC drip pan, one for water heater). I didn't want the water heater in the attic (now in the crawlspace) so I have an extra drain. I didn't even need a snake - I just cut the coax so it was pointed and fed it up into the attic.

If you have two drains, you might be able to reroute both the AC and water heater overflow to use the same one and then use the other to run your coax.

I can do that but I am trying to avoid it so I will not have to diplex it into my cable outside.

"If you have two drains, you might be able to reroute both the AC and water heater overflow to use the same one and then use the other to run your coax. "

I ran mine outside - just don't tell the better half!!!

I tried doing what another forum suggested which was to run in from attic two floors down to crawlspace via the plumbing and so on that is part of the AC lines that go up to the attic evaporator.

I looked into this and saw that it was all filled in with foam. I thought I could nick away at the foam to open up a hole but got thinking that more than likely the between floors pass throughs are also filled with foam and how would I get thru them?

-DonB2

"Personal preference I guess. If I'm watching something that's 4:3, the sidebars don't bug me. I would rather have side bars and have the picture look normal than to stretch it. "

To each their own but if there were a preference I wish the Networks would listen to me :mad: .

Not only that but I do not even have capability to change the color of the bars. I have a auto feature that is suppose to make them brighter or dimmer based on what is being viewed but I can't say as I see much difference on my Pioneer.

-DonB2

I didn't even need a snake - I just cut the coax so it was pointed and fed it up into the attic.


That was really lucky. My drain had all kinds of elbows, and even went horizontal for a while. I ended up having to shove the cable up from the crawl while my wife pulled up on it from the attic side. I thought it was going to take an hour, tops but it ended up taking most of the day (including the trip to buy the snake). Sometimes I hate two story houses..

My attic reception is great too. The only problem is WUNC. Why, why, why couldn't they put their antenna with the rest of them. Sigh.

Drew

"That was really lucky. My drain had all kinds of elbows, and even went horizontal for a while. I ended up having to shove the cable up from the crawl while my wife pulled up on it from the attic side. I thought it was going to take an hour, tops but it ended up taking most of the day (including the trip to buy the snake). Sometimes I hate two story houses..

My attic reception is great too. The only problem is WUNC. Why, why, why couldn't they put their antenna with the rest of them. Sigh.

Drew "


Wow !!!!! I am impressed that the snake:

1. Was flexible enough to change direction inside of that small diameter plastic pipe.
2. That you got a snake long enough to make it that distance.

-DonB2

Jeopardy in HD, but Wheel of Fortune isn't.

Wow !!!!! I am impressed that the snake:

1. Was flexible enough to change direction inside of that small diameter plastic pipe.
2. That you got a snake long enough to make it that distance.

-DonB2

It was a "standard" size plastic pipe. Our water heater drain has a much larger diameter than the A/C drain. It never would have worked in our A/C drain.. As to the distance, I just bought the most expensive one. It was far cheaper than a month of TWC's HD-Suite :)

Drew

Is the HD version of the National Geographic channel unencrypted? If so, what channel is it?

Is the HD version of the National Geographic channel unencrypted? If so, what channel is it?

Well, to the best of my knowledge, we don't have the NGC in HD in this area via TWC. Anyone?

Jeff

Two additional things I don't like about my down the outside of the house coax:
1. More susceptible to lightning strikes.
2. May be picking up some signal interference thru the coax.

BTW- I can't say I get the best reception on 5,11,17,50 off of my attic mounted 4228. I have moved it all over the attic and rotated it.

I think I need a rotor to fine tune channels like 11.1 which appear to be sensitive to ghosts.

I do not get 47.1 at all without manually rotating the rotor.

I get PBS off my other antenna via A/B switch.

Of course maybe if I just went up in the attic one more time and moved the 4228 to one more location, all would be right with the world of reception during winter and summer. But I doubt it, as I am down below a slight hill and there are lots of trees between me and Garner.

Also some of my reception problems could be caused by my earlier generation built in Pioneer ATSC receiver.

-DonB2

Of course maybe if I just went up in the attic one more time and moved the 4228 to one more location, all would be right with the world of reception during winter and summer. But I doubt it, as I am down below a slight hill and there are lots of trees between me and Garner.

-DonB2

I have a 4228 in my attic also. My sweet spot is right over the 2nd floor A/C unit. Something about all that duct work really helps. The antenna is perched precariously above the unit, and tied from the rafters with twine. I dread the day the A/C needs service, as I have no idea if I'll ever be able to find that same exact spot twice.

Drew

I had to get a Dish cable up to the third floor. My house is Cedar siding but the technique I used should work other materials as well.

I removed a vertical corner board and hollowed out a channel running the length of the board. I used a router but a circular saw or table saw would also work well. This brought the cable from ground level up the height that was needed.

I then moved horizontially by tucking the cable to the bottom edge of the siding with some cable clamps (plastic loop with small finish nail).

An extra long drill (from inside to outside) provided entry through the exterior wall into the area behind all the home theater equipment.

There are only a few spots where the cable is seen but because I used gray cable that matches pretty well with my paint color it's almost invisible.

If you're not good with this sort of stuff then I imagine you could find a compentent general purpose handyman who could do it for you. You may have luck with this search through www.Craigslist.com and/or www.Angieslist.com.

Also, there was a guy who used to be a regular contributor on this forum who often mentioned that he installed antennas. I don't remember his exact name but it was something like DeArguilla. You can search through old posts and find his exact name and PM him.

You could try Jaime (from the board).

Jaime Argila
jaime@carolinaht.com
919-923-7469

I have a 4228 in my attic also. My sweet spot is right over the 2nd floor A/C unit. Something about all that duct work really helps. The antenna is perched precariously above the unit, and tied from the rafters with twine. I dread the day the A/C needs service, as I have no idea if I'll ever be able to find that same exact spot twice.

Drew

I did the exact same thing. Using re-usable zip ties, it's sitting on top of the A/C unit, zipped to a metal strap that went to the rafters from the AC unit.

iTunes is now distributing the TV shows in 640x480... the purchase-by-the-show model of content acquisition is looking better... two questions... if you have the 8300HD DVR with TWC and drop all the way to basic

a) do you have to return the box or can you keep it (and use it) (I guess they will charge you a box fee in addition to the DVR fee)
b) will the box record the HD versions of the locals or will they program it not to tune those in? (even tho they will be available to another tuner)

Mike

iTunes is now distributing the TV shows in 640x480... the purchase-by-the-show model of content acquisition is looking better... two questions... if you have the 8300HD DVR with TWC and drop all the way to basic

a) do you have to return the box or can you keep it (and use it) (I guess they will charge you a box fee in addition to the DVR fee)
b) will the box record the HD versions of the locals or will they program it not to tune those in? (even tho they will be available to another tuner)

Mike

You can not use that box with basic cable. You have to have digital service to have a DVR. So you will have to return it.

No you can not record HD because you have basic and they will turn it all off by making sure you do not have a box.

My attic has a high ceiling with no interfering joists until about 8 ft up.

I assumed the higher I could go in the attic the better for reception. I also tried to getting close to the vents.

I could not come up with an easy way to make the 4228 stand on its own and than go downstairs to check reception so consequently did not check sweet spots everywhere but did attempt to take into account shortest distance and compass direction.

First mounting was by affixing the Chicken wire with some screws to whatever stud or framing that was close by.

I soon found this limiting and moved two cross braces up higher on the peak by cutting them shorter and than reinstalling them. Saved the old ones to put them back in if need me.

I than hung the 4228 down from one of these two cross braces using a steel mast. This gives me the ability to do some rotation of the 4228 for better signal strength which I have found I occasionally have to do and typically it is seasonal.

Of course I could flop the antenna anywhere in the attic buried under piles of junk and I would still be able to receive NTSC OTA. :mad:

-DonB2

Consumer Direct Warehouse
2420 Wake Forest Rd
Raleigh, NC 27608-1710
(919) 424-9086

The phone number is failing ("disconnected" message).


Anyway, does anyone know where I can find a CM4228 locally?

Thanks..................

"Where to find a CM4228 locally? ( and Consumer Direct is OOB)"

That is sure too bad!!!

I do not know any local place to get one other then the one you tried.

I got mine off of EBAY

-Don2

Lowe's had Channel Masters the last time I was in.

Apropos of nothing, and I'm not really a regular here, but just wanted to report success getting the main broadcast stations with one of those goofy silver sensors over here in SE Durham (Hope Valley Farms). 27 miles per antennaweb and a fairly treed lot, so I wasn't expecting much.

(If anyone cares, I'm receiving via an Avermedia A180 HD tuner card.)

I flicked over to Men in Trees on ABC tonight at 10.30 and found no center channel audio on the HD channel. I thought I had started watching a show with a deaf character and everyone was lip reading just to be quirky.

I flicked over to Men in Trees on ABC tonight at 10.30 and found no center channel audio on the HD channel. I thought I had started watching a show with a deaf character and everyone was lip reading just to be quirky.

Same here, no center channel audio on TWC 211. Had to watch it on 9 to get the audio. I suppose this was a local issue (WTDV). Would be interested to know.

I just sent the following to engineering at WNCN, perhaps other would want to do the same.

Is it possible to turn off digital sub-channels during Notre Dame football as well as the Sunday Night NFL game? The lack of bandwidth during these broadcasts seems to be causing a great deal of macro blocking and picture distortion. I am watching via Time Warner Cable. I see the same on both the QAM tuner on my TV as well as the Explorer 8300 cable DVR provided by TWC.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Xxxx Xxxxxx
Cary, NC


I'm not sure if it will help or not, but here is the link to the feedback page:

http://www.nbc17.com/contactus/index.html

Click the "engineering" check box and send your message.

Same here, no center channel audio on TWC 211. Had to watch it on 9 to get the audio. I suppose this was a local issue (WTDV). Would be interested to know.

My wife and I tried to watch this OTA on 11-1 with the same experience. 11-2 at the begining of the show had similar audio (w/out video of course), but after about 15-20 minutes the center channel audio came in. After 30 minutes of watching 11-1 w/ SAP (which appeared to be having issues too) we shut it off and watch POV on WUNC 4-1. Don't know if 11-1 ever got center channel audio, shows previous to this one were just fine. Even tried switching to PCM with no effect.

"I flicked over to Men in Trees on ABC tonight at 10.30 and found no center channel audio on the HD channel. I thought I had started watching a show with a deaf character and everyone was lip reading just to be quirky. "

Same issue with the better half and myself.

Finally get a show that is in HD that the better half will like and I can put up with and no audio. We also thought it was part of the quirkiness of the show and thought "Hey that is clever!" "Who needs to hear small talk anyway?" but when "Ellens old girl friend" - at least that is who the better half says that actress is - got on the plane, and I could still not hear any audio, I got suspicious.

I switched from normal stereo which BTW - was letting thru background audio but not voice, to Surround sound audio, and could still not hear any voice.

But of course the commercials worked fine!!

Ended up switching to OTA Analog channel to hear audio.

You got to wonder why 11.1 does not have a technician monitoring their own channel during a brand new prime time show for possible issues. Probably said technician has been told to monitor the competition and not their own broadcast. :(

-DonB2

........You got to wonder why 11.1 does not have a technician monitoring their own channel during a brand new prime time show for possible issues. Probably said technician has been told to monitor the competition and not their own broadcast. :(

-DonB2


My thoughts exactly. I was sitting there thinking, "Don't the technicians/engineers at channel 11 monitor there own output?" Guess they were taking a nap or watching ESPN :) He## of a send-off for the pilot of a new series.

My thoughts exactly. I was sitting there thinking, "Don't the technicians/engineers at channel 11 monitor there own output?" Guess they were taking a nap or watching ESPN :) He## of a send-off for the pilot of a new series.

I remember this happening at least once during monday night football (on channel 11) last year.. Couldn't hear any of the commentators.

I observed the same thing last night. Great music and no narration. Switching to the Radar channel on 11.2 the audio was ok or on channel 11 analog. Previously when watching Grey's Anatomy on WTVD I experienced nearly the same problem. I couldn't hear the narration as it was drowned out by the music. I checked my surround sound settings etc but no settings could fix it. I have spoken with an engineer friend at WTVD about this so they are aware of it.
Regards,

...........I have spoken with an engineer friend at WTVD about this so they are aware of it.
Regards,

They SHOULD have already been aware of it if they were paying attention to what they were sending out. If WTVD has to rely on feedback to know they have a problem, someone is not doing their job.

11.1 OTA ATSC GMA- otherwise known as the Golden Girls and the new boys on the block.

Hey I miss Charlie and the original weather Guy whose name presently escapes me.

Anyway, occasionally when GMA _Fuzzy HD switches back to the local news they come back in 4:3 not HD, also they come back from a commercial and somehow switch me to 11.2 and not 11.1. I have to physically switch myself back to 11.1

-DonB2

CHecking this site:
http://www.hdtvmagazine.com/programming/broadcast-market.php?dma_name%5B%5D=Raleigh-Durham+(Fayetvlle) (http://)
shows a map.

Lets say I'm between the Raleigh and Garner labels.
(South Raleigh) (Near Lake Wheeler) (Penny Road and Lake Wheeler (the lake itself, not the road) is about where I'm at.

Ok, channel 11 is like 131 degrees from me. (going by the www.hdtvmagazine.com map)


the map above doesn't show WRAL, which I'm assuming is coming from that big tower at the station (near NCSU campus @Western X Avent Ferry)

When I go to antennaweb.org and put in my info:


* yellow - uhf WTVD-DT 11.1 ABC DURHAM NC 118° 10.3 52
* yellow - uhf WRAL-DT 5.1 CBS RALEIGH NC 115° 10.4 53


Which shows about 3 degrees of seperation.

118 is isn't so far off from 131, so I can accept that.

But I know this:
WRAL is North of me. At about a 21 degrees.

Which 115 and 21 aren't in the same ball park.

Does anyone have a map of where the towers are
(like the www.hdtvmagazine.com map) ?
Unforunately, the www.hdtvmagazine.com map above doesn't have WRAL listed.

Are the www.hdtvmagazine.com locations correct?


I think I'm too close to WRAL to be able to use the antennaweb.org information, but am looking for some advise.


I guess I'd rather have a map of tower locations (and not business addresses) so I can figure out the angles myself, instead of relying on an address interpreter at some website.

Thanks..............

CHecking this site:
http://www.hdtvmagazine.com/programming/broadcast-market.php?dma_name%5B%5D=Raleigh-Durham+(Fayetvlle) (http://)
shows a map.

Lets say I'm between the Raleigh and Garner labels.
(South Raleigh) (Near Lake Wheeler) (Penny Road and Lake Wheeler (the lake itself, not the road) is about where I'm at.

Ok, channel 11 is like 131 degrees from me. (going by the www.hdtvmagazine.com map)


the map above doesn't show WRAL, which I'm assuming is coming from that big tower at the station (near NCSU campus @Western X Avent Ferry)

When I go to antennaweb.org and put in my info:


* yellow - uhf WTVD-DT 11.1 ABC DURHAM NC 118° 10.3 52
* yellow - uhf WRAL-DT 5.1 CBS RALEIGH NC 115° 10.4 53


Which shows about 3 degrees of seperation.

118 is isn't so far off from 131, so I can accept that.

But I know this:
WRAL is North of me. At about a 21 degrees.

Which 115 and 21 aren't in the same ball park.

Does anyone have a map of where the towers are
(like the www.hdtvmagazine.com map) ?
Unforunately, the www.hdtvmagazine.com map above doesn't have WRAL listed.

Are the www.hdtvmagazine.com locations correct?


I think I'm too close to WRAL to be able to use the antennaweb.org information, but am looking for some advise.


I guess I'd rather have a map of tower locations (and not business addresses) so I can figure out the angles myself, instead of relying on an address interpreter at some website.

Thanks..............

If you use google earth..... change the filetype from txt to kmz

scsiraid,

I got the Google Earth to load.

Ok, so is that where WRAL is coming from?

Now I understand a little better.

The weird part for me is that with my directional antenna (UHF only),
WRAL and WRAZ(Fox50) seem mutually exclusive.
(When I get a good signal for one of them, the other is bad, or vice versa).

That is what I've been trying to resolve logically.

Anyways, thanks for the googleEarth file.

Are all the signals coming from that tower? Their metadata's are exactly the same.

--115
uhf WRAL-DT 5.1 CBS RALEIGH NC 115° 10.4 53
uhf WRAZ-DT 50.1 FOX RALEIGH NC 115° 10.4 49
uhf WNCN-DT 17.1 NBC GOLDSBORO NC 115° 10.4 55
uhf WLFL-DT 22.1 CW RALEIGH NC 115° 10.4 57
uhf WRDC-DT 28.1 MNT DURHAM NC 115° 10.4 27
-- 118
uhf WTVD-DT 11.1 ABC DURHAM NC 118° 10.3 52
-- 300 (chapel hill area)
uhf WUNC-DT 4.1 PBS CHAPEL HILL NC 300° 27.8 59

scsiraid,

I got the Google Earth to load.

Ok, so is that where WRAL is coming from?

Now I understand a little better.

The weird part for me is that with my directional antenna (UHF only),
WRAL and WRAZ(Fox50) seem mutually exclusive.
(When I get a good signal for one of them, the other is bad, or vice versa).

That is what I've been trying to resolve logically.

Anyways, thanks for the googleEarth file.

Are all the signals coming from that tower? Their metadata's are exactly the same.

--115
uhf WRAL-DT 5.1 CBS RALEIGH NC 115° 10.4 53
uhf WRAZ-DT 50.1 FOX RALEIGH NC 115° 10.4 49
uhf WNCN-DT 17.1 NBC GOLDSBORO NC 115° 10.4 55
uhf WLFL-DT 22.1 CW RALEIGH NC 115° 10.4 57
uhf WRDC-DT 28.1 MNT DURHAM NC 115° 10.4 27
-- 118
uhf WTVD-DT 11.1 ABC DURHAM NC 118° 10.3 52
-- 300 (chapel hill area)
uhf WUNC-DT 4.1 PBS CHAPEL HILL NC 300° 27.8 59

5,11,17,22,28,50 all transmit from the "three big towers". 4 is near Chapel Hill. Many people have better luck picking up UNC off 25 near Greenville.

Thanks for the Big 3 Tower info.

I understand now. I'm a little slow I guess.

PS

The info I got from the thread (earlier post), I was able to get a free antenna.
I sent in a copy of my d*tv bill, showing I had just acquried a HD10-250.


Here is a copy of that info:

// Previous Post
"It looks like you should do fine with a Channel Master 3022 antenna. If
you
fax proof of purchase of your HD receiver to 919-821-8679 or email it to
wral-tvengineeringinfo@wral.com, we will send you one. Cables and
mounting
hardware will be up to you.
// END POST


..........

And for anybody searching, here is a list:
TV Tower Road (aka Auburn) has the following DT stations:
WRAL
WRAZ
WNCN
WTVD
WLFL
WRDC

When I do a channel search with my CM 4228 I get 27 different channels. Is that normal. I get a shopping channel and the tube which is musc vids all day. Plus I have like 6 different PBS channels. How do I sort through the PBS channels?

Hey I miss Charlie and the original weather Guy whose name presently escapes me.
That would be "Spencer Christian". I miss the old GMA morning crew Charlie, Joan & Spencer. They had great chemistry, Whitty repartee. Now I have to look to Steve, E. D. & Brian on Fox & Friends for that chemistry and whitty repartee.

Wayne Estabrooks,

Good to see your still floating around here. Been awhile. :)

Daryl L ,

Thanks!!!

I am kinda coaxing the better half into switching to a different News morning show. Heck with all the changes I feel like I have already changed.

Not that I dislike Chris C he seems to at least be trying.

-Don

Yep, after Joan left, then Spencer I hung in through Lisa McCrea (cutie) and Elizabeth Vargus. But Diane Sawyer just isn't right to me for a morning show like GMA so I floated aroud a little till settling on Fox & Friends with an occasional flip to "Robin & Company" on HNN for the Entertainment report. :)

Hehe I actually dvr'd "The Today Show" today to check out theit HD premiere. I must amit, NBC's new set for the HD premiere looks much classier than GMA's new set for their HD premiere/broadcast last year (which looks somewhat chaotic to me) and Meridith Viera wasn't bad (never watched "The View" she was on "UGH!!").

....
Hehe I actually dvr'd "The Today Show" today to check out theit HD premiere. ...

I watched it live. If you still have it, check out when its time for the "local" weather. Apparently someone forgot to flip the switch on the HD channel because all you hear is Al Roker going "blah blah blah" :)

The second time it happened I flipped to the SD channel, where the local weather was on, but the HD still had Al Roker talking in the background.

Already deleted it but yep, I heard that. lol

Ok. I just freaked myself out. Was watching "28 Days" on TWC ch.24 when a commercial comes on advertising a movie available on ch.501 "Movies on Demand". On the top of the screen was a white box saying "Click the A to buy this movie now" which I assumed was just part of the advertising graphics. So for the heck of it I hit the A button not expecting anything to happen. BAM!!! my channel jumped to ch.501 to "She's The Man" movie listing. Did not know that could be done. Anybody already know about that feature? I sure didn't. :)

Ok. I just freaked myself out. Was watching "28 Days" on TWC ch.24 when a commercial comes on advertising a movie available on ch.501 "Movies on Demand". On the top of the screen was a white box saying "Click the A to buy this movie now" which I assumed was just part of the advertising graphics. So for the heck of it I hit the A button not expecting anything to happen. BAM!!! my channel jumped to ch.501 to "She's The Man" movie listing. Did not know that could be done. Anybody already know about that feature? I sure didn't. :)

I know they've been doing the interactive voting on News 14 but that's the first I remember hearing of interactive ads around here. Somewhere (SC maybe?) has the enhanced thing that allows TWC to drop interactive ads around the place. I think that might be part of the start over interactive service. It could be the beginning of the "planned" Start Over rollout for NC that was supposed to happen this year.

CHecking this site:
http://www.hdtvmagazine.com/programming/broadcast-market.php?dma_name%5B%5D=Raleigh-Durham+(Fayetvlle) (http://)
shows a map.

Lets say I'm between the Raleigh and Garner labels.
(South Raleigh) (Near Lake Wheeler) (Penny Road and Lake Wheeler (the lake itself, not the road) is about where I'm at.

Ok, channel 11 is like 131 degrees from me. (going by the www.hdtvmagazine.com map)


the map above doesn't show WRAL, which I'm assuming is coming from that big tower at the station (near NCSU campus @Western X Avent Ferry)

When I go to antennaweb.org and put in my info:


* yellow - uhf WTVD-DT 11.1 ABC DURHAM NC 118° 10.3 52
* yellow - uhf WRAL-DT 5.1 CBS RALEIGH NC 115° 10.4 53


Which shows about 3 degrees of seperation.

118 is isn't so far off from 131, so I can accept that.

But I know this:
WRAL is North of me. At about a 21 degrees.

Which 115 and 21 aren't in the same ball park.

Does anyone have a map of where the towers are
(like the www.hdtvmagazine.com map) ?
Unforunately, the www.hdtvmagazine.com map above doesn't have WRAL listed.

Are the www.hdtvmagazine.com locations correct?


I think I'm too close to WRAL to be able to use the antennaweb.org information, but am looking for some advise.


I guess I'd rather have a map of tower locations (and not business addresses) so I can figure out the angles myself, instead of relying on an address interpreter at some website.

Thanks..............

I live in your neck of the woods and have found
http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/welcome.aspx
to be very reliable in providing type of antennas needed and orientation directions. For what it is worth I have in my attic suspended from the peak a
Channelmaster 3018 (to get WUNC) stacked and combined with a Channelmaster 4228 with a channelmaster 7775 preamp w/ Radio Shack variable attenuator which all routes to the TWC distribution box (3 outputs) leading to Samsung tuners (T151 and T451) in the house. I consistently get full signal strength across all channels.

Receive
4-1,2,3,4,5
5-1,2
11-1,2,3
17-1,2,3
22-1
28-1,2
30-1
40-1,2
50-1,2,3

"Originally Posted by tommy122
My thoughts exactly. I was sitting there thinking, "Don't the technicians/engineers at channel 11 monitor there own output?" Guess they were taking a nap or watching ESPN He## of a send-off for the pilot of a new series."

The technician may get a repreive. I just checked my Newspaper tv listing and see the Men in Trees primier will be rebroadcast this Friday. :)

DOnB2

"Channelmaster 3018 (to get WUNC) stacked and combined with a Channelmaster 4228 with a channelmaster 7775 preamp w/ Radio Shack variable attenuator which all routes to the TWC distribution box (3 outputs) leading to Samsung tuners (T151 and T451) in the house. I consistently get full signal strength across all channels."

Has anyone else besides me wondered if the Channel Master Amp in a non airconditioned attic is running a lot hotter than it would be outside on the roof?

Just wondering about longgevity.

By stacked I assume you got the 3018 at a different orientation from the 4228 to receive WUNC?

BTW- Has Samsung come out with a newer version of the 451 yet?

-DonB2

Broadcast antenna discussions just reminded me. On 55 between Holly Springs and Fuquay Varina going towards Fuquay on the left is a very tall antenna I also think there are some dishes also.

Does anyone know what this antenna is used for? It is not a Cell phone looking antenna. Looks more like a tv antenna.

-DonB2

I know they've been doing the interactive voting on News 14 but that's the first I remember hearing of interactive ads around here. Somewhere (SC maybe?) has the enhanced thing that allows TWC to drop interactive ads around the place. I think that might be part of the start over interactive service. It could be the beginning of the "planned" Start Over rollout for NC that was supposed to happen this year.
Hmmmm, didn't know about the News 14 voting. Never watch that channel. Interesting.

"
By stacked I assume you got the 3018 at a different orientation from the 4228 to receive WUNC?

BTW- Has Samsung come out with a newer version of the 451 yet?

-DonB2

Yes. I oriented the antennas essentially to the antennaweb.org degree of orientation with a compass, verifiying signal strength an analog tv in the attic and the longest cable run to the T151 tuner. This allows me to get all local broadcasters analog and digital signals. I did have some signal overlap for analog channel 5, hence I used the variable attenuator to tweak it. Now I am all digital and probably could take the attenuator off. Someday the setup is going either on my chimney or roof, but I am not doing it as the roofs pitch is very steep and it is very high.

As to the T451, it appears to be the newest terrestrial tuner by Samsung ( I just checked the web site.) I doubt we will see many until 2009 when analog goes black for OTA, since all TV manufacturers are phasing in digital tuners per teh FCC mandates. For your info I am running the T451 on a Samsung CRT HDTV and the T151 on an 16 year old JVC 20" analog set (still has a great picture in the bedroom).

hbehrman ,

Thanks for checking about the SAMSUNG. I owned a 451 about a year ago and gave to my brother after I got the Pioneer Plasma with built in ATSC in Media Box.

I had read on another board that LG had comeout with a newer generation chip set which handles Ghosts better. And ghosts is a problem I have with 11.1. Trouble was it was built into the LG tvs only.

So I was curious if Samsung had maybe came out with a new STB OTA ATSC.

The STB technology appears to be on hold while the ATSC tuners are being found more and more built in to TV's.

I also have a older model Samsung it is a T100 or T150 I forget. All I know is it does not have QAM or video out, only Componenent and VGA and one color of the component does not work for some reason. But it works fine with a VGA monitor.

The main reason I don't use it much is because it needs a real strong signal source to keep locked on.

-DonB2

I live in your neck of the woods and have found
http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/welcome.aspx
to be very reliable in providing type of antennas needed and orientation directions. For what it is worth I have in my attic suspended from the peak a
Channelmaster 3018 (to get WUNC) stacked and combined with a Channelmaster 4228 with a channelmaster 7775 preamp w/ Radio Shack variable attenuator which all routes to the TWC distribution box (3 outputs) leading to Samsung tuners (T151 and T451) in the house. I consistently get full signal strength across all channels.

Receive
4-1,2,3,4,5
5-1,2
11-1,2,3
17-1,2,3
22-1
28-1,2
30-1
40-1,2
50-1,2,3

I've got a 4228 on order, and will post the results.

Thanks for the tips.

Any experience with the join-tenna to use seperate antennas for pbs and (everything else) ?
http://www.channelmaster.com/images/CouplerApps.gif
http://www.channelmaster.com/pages/TVS/Passives.htm

I'm thinking about putting the <all> antenna on one side of the house, and the pbs on the other.
Or is there a join-tenna alternative?

..

Yeah, now knowing where the signals are (via google map) the antennaweb.org info looks very reliable.

BTW- Has Samsung come out with a newer version of the 451 yet?

-DonB2
Samsung reportedly will release the DTB-H260F, a new OTA ATSC STB this "fall" for MSRP of $179:
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6354840.html
Unfortunately, still no word on affordable OTA ATSC DVR....

We hope that it will use Samsung's new Gemini "5th Gen" ATSC chip that outperformed LG's 5th Gen Prototype in tests conducted by Canadian Research Center (see 5th Gen Tuner thread).

shholliday ,

I looked into the antenna joiner you mention awhile back and frankly I was confused on how it works. As I remember you have to adjust it for frequencies you don't want.

I ended up using a remote A/B switch with marginal success as in it has limited control range of under 100 ft and I am going thru two floors to the attic via a radio link to control it.

hbehrman,

How did you join your two antennas?

-DonB2

holl_ands ,

Thanks for the info on the Samsung - that is good news.

I too would like DVR capability. Although I still don't know how I would set it up to record a Prime time show on PBS at the same time I record a prime time show on WRAL without some way of having it control my A/B switch to switch between antennas.

DonB2

anyone know what frequency range is used for digital QAM channels?

anyone know what frequency range is used for digital QAM channels?

550-860 Mhz.

I checked out Men In Trees tonight, mostly because of the discussion on the audio problem later this week. Wow, again, it was aired with no center channel audio for the first 5 minutes or so, then they flipped the switch to SD on 11.1. I was watching via TWC. I have to say, WTVD, excellent performance for an O&O station :mad:

I checked out Men In Trees tonight, mostly because of the discussion on the audio problem later this week. Wow, again, it was aired with no center channel audio for the first 5 minutes or so, then they flipped the switch to SD on 11.1. I was watching via TWC. I have to say, WTVD, excellent performance for an O&O station :mad:

same here. Coincidentally I tuned in at exactly the same point I did the other night.

No audio problems but a poor SD upconversion. Even the closed captioning didn't work correctly. Recorded the second episode thinking they would have solved it ... 60 minutes of upconverted SD again.

Has this been happening all week? Great way to start the fall season.

I checked out Men In Trees tonight, mostly because of the discussion on the audio problem later this week. Wow, again, it was aired with no center channel audio for the first 5 minutes or so, then they flipped the switch to SD on 11.1. I was watching via TWC. I have to say, WTVD, excellent performance for an O&O station :mad:

They haven't quite figured out Wheel Of Fortune either, but they keep trying..

I got my Channel Master 4228 installed.

Wow, it was well worth the money.

I'm getting all 90's or above.

The only issue I'm having is wind-fade on WRAL.
(excluding PBS of course, since its in the opposite direction for me)

..

I got the Join Tenna also. I got the "channel 59" Join Tenna. Channel 59 is of course PBS.
The good part about PBS is that it is at the end of the spectrum (59), and has not affected channel 57.

What I mean , is that with the JoinTenna you probably don't want to get a model that is set for channel X but you have another channel that is (X+1) or (X-1).
Like, we have channel 53 and channel 52, you might not want to get a join tenna for channel 52, because of "rollover".

But that's a mute issue for this area, since everything except channel 59 is coming from the same place.


So setup is
Channel Master 4228 as my "all" antenna.
Another antenna is pointed to PBS.

The Join Tenna is a channel 59 specific. Basically, its a box where one lines from the "all" antenna, and one line from the antenna pointed at PBS.
The JoinTenna blocks channel 59 from the <all> line, and ~only lets channel 59 in on the other line. One line goes from the jointenna to the hdtv device.
The other tidbit with the JoinTenna is that you want the coaxial cable that runs from <all> antenna to be the same length as the coaxial cable running from the <specific>(channel 59) antenna.


Here are the 2 antennas: (4228 shown first)
http://www.channelmaster.com/images/4228.jpg

http://www.channelmaster.com/images/3022.jpg



Another antenna, slightly smaller than the 4228 is the 3021/4221
http://www.channelmaster.com/images/3021_4221.jpg
which may be big enough. But like I said, the 4228 was about my third antenna model attempt, and I was very happy with the signal strength as soon as I put it up there.
FYI, the 4228 requires an oversized box for shipping, thus its shipping is relatively more expensive than something like the 3021/4221.
The best price I found for the 4228 was solidsignal.
The price (with s/h) on a 3021/3221 is $42, which isn't bad at all.
Here is a link:
http://www.solidsignal.com/prod_display.asp?PROD=ANC3021

Keep in mind that a big or small antenna doesn't help with windfade.
My issue with windfade is probably the amount of trees between me and the tower, so I'm gonna try at some point to increase the height of the antenna.
Though I wonder if WRAL signal-sender is the lowest of the signals coming from the tower.


We're actually pretty lucky around Raleigh, with most signals coming from the same area. I'm helping a friend in Nashville (TN) and their towers are all over the place.


Ok, there's my setup....................

I'm using a 3021 for my UHF, and another Channelmaster for VHF (this antenna does ONLY VHF). Unfortunately (?) - I need to use a preamp for the UHF - but I get WONDERFUL OTA reception on all the NTSC stations locally (at least after I point the VHF at channel 4). Perhaps the larger 4228 would make the preamp unnecessary.... I do live in a bunch of trees just east of Youngsville.

I found an interesting site:

Click Here for HAAT Values (http://www.fccinfo.com/CMDProFacLookup.php?sCurrentService=TV&tabSearchType=Within+Search&ArchiveRecords=N&sKilometers=22&sLatitude=35-45-59&sLongitude=78-42-47&sZip=27606&PHPSESSID=8e7513f2395ec9bfd219bd4bcafea872)

OR

Another HAAT (http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/tvq?state=NC&call=&arn=&city=Raleigh&chan=49&cha2=69&serv=&type=0&facid=&list=2&dist=&dlat2=&mlat2=&slat2=&dlon2=&mlon2=&slon2=&size=9)

I hang out on the TiVoCommunity forum, and someone from the Raleigh area posted that TWC told them that with a CableCard you could not get the digital simulcast channels, only the analog channels. Can someone with a cablecard in their TV confirm or refute this? Or someone who *knows* for sure.

I know TWC has been very bullheaded about CableCard deployment and the new S3 TiVo, but I'd rather have folks get mad about actual things rather than incorrect information from CSRs. ;)

I hang out on the TiVoCommunity forum, and someone from the Raleigh area posted that TWC told them that with a CableCard you could not get the digital simulcast channels, only the analog channels. Can someone with a cablecard in their TV confirm or refute this? Or someone who *knows* for sure.

I know TWC has been very bullheaded about CableCard deployment and the new S3 TiVo, but I'd rather have folks get mad about actual things rather than incorrect information from CSRs. ;)

Im the one who reported it over there. I asked the question based on 'snow' and 'lines' I was seeing in a cablecard equipped TV which werent present when using the SA8300 attached to the same TV. (I had ordered the CC to play with the technology and get ahead of the S3 'rush' having one card in hand).

Perhaps somebody else here can 'confirm' my experience.

Here is the interchange with TWC... Their first answer seemed 'uninformed' but when I went back to ask the question more directly.. the answer seemed to be fairly direct. I would LOVE it if this turned out to be wrong but I dont think so based on my own observations.

Inquiry:
<BR>> Ok.... you confused me with the answer... Analog simulcast doesnt make
<BR>> sense and is a term that Ive never seen used before. TWC has 2-98 as
<BR>> standard analog for compatibility with standard TV's plus a digital
<BR>> simulcast for better quality in a digital environment. I can distill
<BR>> the question a little and ask it this way.... With a cablecard are
<BR>> channels 2-98 standard NTSC Analog or are they QAM Digital?

Submitted: by @nc.rr.com
___________________________________________________________
Response:
I apologize for the confusion. When using the Cable Card channels 2-98 are standard analog NTSC. All channels are digitally simulcast for customers with digital converter.

I just sent the following to engineering at WNCN, perhaps other would want to do the same.

Is it possible to turn off digital sub-channels during Notre Dame football as well as the Sunday Night NFL game? The lack of bandwidth during these broadcasts seems to be causing a great deal of macro blocking and picture distortion. I am watching via Time Warner Cable. I see the same on both the QAM tuner on my TV as well as the Explorer 8300 cable DVR provided by TWC.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Xxxx Xxxxxx
Cary, NC


I'm not sure if it will help or not, but here is the link to the feedback page:

http://www.nbc17.com/contactus/index.html

Click the "engineering" check box and send your message.

Here is the response I received:

Sorry it's taking me so long to reply, but we did give your request to the General Manager. Since you are the only one reporting this problem, I'd highly suggest you try to get someone at TWC to check your feed. I haven't chatted with the guys over there lately, but if there were multiple reports, we'd both be getting them. As we said earlier, check those connectors and splitters, because they have fixed every complaint on TWC thus far. I doubt shutting down 17-2 would make much difference, and I know we'd never shut off 17-3. It only had an affect during the Olympics during the certain events, which did max out the bandwidth due to extremely high speed motion. I haven't watched the Notre Dame games, but the NASCAR races have been fine OTA. I'm setting my 8300 in the office to record it to see if I can confirm what you're seeing.

Well, they will listen. Please note: ...Since you are the only one reporting this problem, I'd highly suggest you try to get someone at TWC to check your feed.

Am I the only one? If not, please send information to WNCN.

Jeff

How do you know that TWC is not rate shaping the locals?

How do you know that TWC is not rate shaping the locals?

I don't. Does anyone else see the problem?

Even though most were watching football, this weekend, this is to let you know about audio problems this weekend on UNC-HD. On Saturday we experienced a loss of audio with hiss and static during the 8 PM show due to equipment failure. On Sunday night during the Nature show, the 5.1 feed from PBS has the channel 1&2 audio interchanged with the channel 3&4 audio so surround appeared only on stereo TV with no dialog. We regret these technical problems.

TWC Raleigh has very very recently added CGMS "copy never" flags to its premium on-demand channels, as I discovered last night. That includes HBO, Showtime, CineMax and TMC on demand offerings.

Are we are approaching the end of legal home time-shifting from cable. :( :mad:

So we ran the cable on saturday for my antenna. I will never do that again. That sucked hard. The worst part was my attic has that spray fluffy crap in it and it makes you cough like crazy. But we got the cable from the attic to the garage. Then we ran it around the ceiling and thorugh the wall behind the box and under my stairs. I am very luck my friend had the tools or we were screwed.

TWC Raleigh has very very recently added CGMS "copy never" flags to its premium on-demand channels, as I discovered last night. That includes HBO, Showtime, CineMax and TMC on demand offerings.

Are we are approaching the end of legal home time-shifting from cable. :( :mad:

I think it's an over reaction to say that adding copy never flags to on-demand is the "end of legal home time-shifting." The channels in question are, by default, capable of time shifting since they are on-demand. If something is available on-demand why would you need to record it? BTW, since you're on-demand fee generally only licenses you for one viewing (or one viewing period), recording it so you can watch it again and again doesn't count as an answer in my book (although others are welcome to, and probably will, disagree).

"Even though most were watching football, this weekend, this is to let you know about audio problems this weekend on UNC-HD. On Saturday we experienced a loss of audio with hiss and static during the 8 PM show due to equipment failure. On Sunday night during the Nature show, the 5.1 feed from PBS has the channel 1&2 audio interchanged with the channel 3&4 audio so surround appeared only on stereo TV with no dialog. We regret these technical problems. "

I watched Nature show at 8pm using ATSC OTA and stereo only. The audio was fine in stereo. I did not try Surround sound.

I did have one weird thing happen which is totaly unrelated. Somehow I bumped the power switch on the Home theatre remote during the nature show and turned on the home theatre in FM stereo NPR, and heard symphony music playing. At first I thought it was part of the Nature show. Clueless me !!!!


BTW- Why is the prime time PBS shows shown in digital only? One would think the prime time shows would also be on 4.2 HD during prime time.

-DonB2

If something is available on-demand why would you need to record it?
Because it might not be available on-demand when I want to watch it just once, unless it is available on-demand forever.

I have time-shifted recordings that are years old that I have not watched yet. :o

Erik,

I got thinking about this last night and have problems with it also.

It is like the Networks think in this reverse pyramid mode. In other words one lowly person is going to record a show and diseminate it out to hundreds maybe thousands of individuals for free.

I realise that some of this is already being done over the web, but darnit I think the average person may at the most give a copy to a close relative, or watch it a second time themselves, but in general the average person does not diseminate it out to thousands of people.

If you wait for Networks to show reruns or encores of a show you may be dead in the grave before a show is aired again.

I introduced someone to MONK. They liked the show and then two weeks later was the last episode of Monk.

I said well now that you have been introduced to Monk you can watch all the previous seasons that are being rebroadcast. Boy was I wrong about that!

The only shows so far that are being rebroadcast are last seasons show, not earlier seasons.

-DonB2

Studio 60 was a very good show last night. I hope the upcoming episodes will be as good.

And NO I did not record it.

-DonB2

"The Join Tenna is a channel 59 specific. Basically, its a box where one lines from the "all" antenna, and one line from the antenna pointed at PBS.
The JoinTenna blocks channel 59 from the <all> line, and ~only lets channel 59 in on the other line. One line goes from the jointenna to the hdtv device.
The other tidbit with the JoinTenna is that you want the coaxial cable that runs from <all> antenna to be the same length as the coaxial cable running from the <specific>(channel 59) antenna."

Where did you purchase the antenna Joiner. I would like to get one myself so I can get rid of my A/B switch.

I would have got the joiner along time ago but could not figure out what I needed at the web site I went to a year or so ago.


Did you get this one from the channel master site?

Model
0585-3

Channels
50-69



-DonB2

http://www.warrenelectronics.com/Antennas/joiners.htm
scroll to bottom

One warning:

When I tried to use an ~amplified <all> antenna and a non amplified <59> antenna, JoinTenna didn't like that. PBS had a totally bad flucuating signal.

But having the non amplified 4228 and the non amplified 3022, it works good.

It takes 2 weeks to get it, because they build to order, because the specific-ness of the channel I guess.

http://www.warrenelectronics.com/Antennas/jointenna.jpg

Model
0585-3

Channels
50-69

You don't pick "channels 50-69", you pick a single channel. (Just to be clear).


So its a
0585-3 ......... Channel 59.

..

"You don't pick "channels 50-69", you pick a single channel. (Just to be clear).


So its a
0585-3 ......... Channel 59."

Thanks as that was the main issue I was unclear about.

Both my antennaes are amplified.

I can amplify the 4228 after the Join Antenna but the Square Shooter that I use for PBS has a built in amp.


Don

do all your amplification BEFORE the jointenna - i.e. the jointenna is the last piece before your TV / distribution system.

You do all realize that UNC moves from channel 59 to channel 25 on 2/17/09 don't you???

You do all realize that UNC moves from channel 59 to channel 25 on 2/17/09 don't you???

I think he'll recoup his investment in the next three years. ;)