I watched some Ch. 22 HD program for a bit last night. I can't remember what it was. The picture quality was comparable to WSHM. No audio issues.

Overall, I would say that the HD locals look about as good as any of the MPEG4 movie channels. On the best day, Charter looked a little bit better. It seemed like they were using a higher bitrate. Only on a good day, though. On bad days, it looked like upscaled 480i. There were many more bad and average days than good days.

Overall, it has been a good move, and I'm saving $70/month. We'll see how the winter goes.

I watched some Ch. 22 HD program for a bit last night. I can't remember what it was. The picture quality was comparable to WSHM. No audio issues.

Overall, I would say that the HD locals look about as good as any of the MPEG4 movie channels. On the best day, Charter looked a little bit better. It seemed like they were using a higher bitrate. Only on a good day, though. On bad days, it looked like upscaled 480i. There were many more bad and average days than good days.

Overall, it has been a good move, and I'm saving $70/month. We'll see how the winter goes.

I've never had a problem in the winter. I moved to Agawam from Chicopee this spring though. We'll see how it goes. I don't like my signal levels i get at the new house. I really should call and get it checked out.

My waivers were rejected by all networks so I can't get Ch. 88.

I hope that the SD versions stay forever as a hedge against rain fade. I lost HD programming for a little while when Hannah went through and it would have been bad without the SD channels as backup.

If Fox 6 is a subchannel of WGGB, then are they sharing bandwidth?

if you get lifeline cable and you have a qam tuner then thats all the backup you need. on comcast its sd AND hd

just read above since its been a while and got the channel 45 which was translated immediately to 24-1 on my ota and something called sid the science kid is on. 1080i and amazing picture. also noticed that there are 24-2,3,4 available but not broadcasting at this time 3.27p , furthermore I discovered that on ota channel 30 has added a 3rd [30-3] channel called universal sports that has to my knowledge shown nothing but olympics coverage and right now is showing, yep, olympic coverage.

Universal Sports airs on the subchannel of all NBC O&O stations. Safe to say, their programming is still rather limited. Take the Olympics replays away and they'd have nothing.

that may well be but its still a find of interest for those who want to know what is out there on ota.

just read above since its been a while and got the channel 45 which was translated immediately to 24-1 on my ota and something called sid the science kid is on. 1080i and amazing picture. also noticed that there are 24-2,3,4 available but not broadcasting at this time 3.27p , furthermore I discovered that on ota channel 30 has added a 3rd [30-30] channel called universal sports that has to my knowledge shown nothing but olympics coverage and right now is showing, yep, olympic coverage.

Thank you for your report on WEDH DT-45 Hartford.

At this time only -1 is active. The -2, -3 & -4 were reserved for future use.

Forgot to add CPTV has been leaving on 24/7 the WEDH DT-45 Hartford and WEDN DT-9 Norwich transmitters...

I've been having some pretty serious audio problems with CBS 3 (Springfield) over the last week or so. Every so often, I will have no audio, followed by periodic bursts of static. The whole cycle (with no audio) lasts between 1 and 2 minutes (this is just a guess; I haven't timed it). This will typically occur once every half hour (or sometimes only once an hour). Then, tonight, there was a very loud tone for almost the whole broadcast of something I recorded (on my TivoHD).

I should mention that I have Comcast (and have been tuning the HD signal through Comcast), but I just thought I'd see if anyone else has been having this problem before I go and try to track it down the Comcast side of things. Moreover, the issue is *only* with CBS, which makes me more suspicious of the CBS transmission.

So, has anyone else had problems with this?

I've been having some pretty serious audio problems with CBS 3 (Springfield) over the last week or so. Every so often, I will have no audio, followed by periodic bursts of static. The whole cycle (with no audio) lasts between 1 and 2 minutes (this is just a guess; I haven't timed it). This will typically occur once every half hour (or sometimes only once an hour). Then, tonight, there was a very loud tone for almost the whole broadcast of something I recorded (on my TivoHD).

I should mention that I have Comcast (and have been tuning the HD signal through Comcast), but I just thought I'd see if anyone else has been having this problem before I go and try to track it down the Comcast side of things. Moreover, the issue is *only* with CBS, which makes me more suspicious of the CBS transmission.

So, has anyone else had problems with this?

Yes, I have been having the same problem. Yes, I get it through Comcast also.

I have Charter and have not noticed that issue at all yet. Course, there isn't much on CBS I watch these days, but the few I do have been fine...

Is there a problem with WGBY-DT or did they just change their whole schedule? Nothing is on when it used to be, my TiVo is recording all sorts of things from the HD channel that turn out to be something totally different in SD. The travel shows at 4am, for example, are gone. The repeats of HD shows are not in HD. Thought they might have had a transmitter problem or something but hadn't heard anything...

I know that on directv wggb looks all messed up like its an mpeg file that wont play smoothly. it jerks and I suppose if you looked long enough you could see a pattern of when its going to jerk. funny, channel 3 and channel 22 both look fine in hd. why isnt fox or pbs in hd? channels 6 and 61 both are sd and so is channel 57

why isnt fox or pbs in hd? channels 6 and 61 both are sd and so is channel 57I have DirecTV as well - HD20 receiver. Springfield market DirecTV channel 6 is the off-air 40.2 (which has been showing up off-air as something like 55-22 or 55-23). It is only in 4:3 format so that is what is on DirecTV. (I understand WGGB feeds their FOX programming in HD directly to cable companies - but for those of us off-air or on DirecTV it is only in SD.)

Even though 61 is provided to DirecTV subscribers in the Springfield MA market it is not received here - most likely picked up by the DirecTV head end in CT. Would be interesting to know if DirecTV subscribers in the Hartford/New Haven CT market have 61 in HD on DirecTV.

I also have channel 88 on my DirecTV HD20 -- it is WNYW FOX5 from New York and it is in HD. (I had called DirecTV some time in the past asking for FOX in HD and that's what they gave me and it didn't cost anything additional.)

I don't know why there is no WGBY-DT programming on DirecTV yet but I would suspect something would have to come soon as WGBY is shutting off its analog transmitter in the very near future.

I get channel 61 on directv. says fox61 in the lower right hand corner. always have gotten it. but its sd garbage just like channel 6. also if you have a qam tuner and cable you can get fox in hd using channel 0-0. dont ask me why but it works.

Is there a problem with WGBY-DT or did they just change their whole schedule? Nothing is on when it used to be, my TiVo is recording all sorts of things from the HD channel that turn out to be something totally different in SD. The travel shows at 4am, for example, are gone. The repeats of HD shows are not in HD. Thought they might have had a transmitter problem or something but hadn't heard anything...

I get WGBY-DT over-the-air, and have been noticing the same thing for the past couple of weeks.

While all other TV stations in the area simulcast the same programming on their digital and analog versions, WGBY used to have different programming on analog Channel 57 and digital 57-1. Also, during weekdays before 7:30PM they would have four digital channels: WGBY-DT on 57-1, World on 57-2, PBS Kids on 57-3, and Create on 57-4. After 7:30PM and all day on weekends, there would only be two digital channels: WGBY in high definition on 57-1 and World in standard digital on 57-2.

Now they show what used to be only on their analog channel on 57-1, and I've seen something on 57-1 that was rarely there before: sidebars. They are not showing programming in high definition. That is because they are now keeping their three other digital sub-channels on the air 24/7, and don't have the bandwidth to do HD.

I'm guessing that the change is because they don't want to alienate the audience that has watched them in analog when the station permanently turns off its analog this Wednesday, November 5th. WGBY has been airing advisories that have the general manager letting people know that the analog channel is being turned off well in advance of the February deadline. After Wednesday, long-time over-the-air viewers who are used to Channel 57's analog schedule will only be able to see the programs that were on it by using a converter box or a new TV tuned to 57-1. I think that the station wants to maintain continuity for people who are up to now only familiar with the analog version. The TV audience will continue to see their familiar WGBY programs at their familiar times, but the shows will be on the new delivery system: the digital version. At the same time, the long-time former analog audience will be introduced to the other WGBY sub-channels that they can now receive with their new digital tuners.

It looks like this is going to continue until February 17, 2009, when PBS plans to just feed its affiliates one programming stream that is in high definition, and stops making World, PBS Kids, and Create available for its affiliates to multi-cast. By then WGBY hopes to have taken down the analog antenna that is currently at the top of their tower, to have replaced it with a permanent digital antenna, to have left digital channel 58, and to have started broadcasting on digital channel 22 at a higher power than it now broadcasts on its temporary, lower-mounted digital antenna.

By the way, in less than a month, ABC 40 plans to permanently turn off its analog version so that it can dismantle its analog antenna and replace it with a digital one. The switch-off date is December 1st. According to the FCC website, they won't turn on full digital power until March 4, 2009. They will have a temporary low-power transmitter in use from February 17 - March 3, 2009 that will operate on digital channel 40. (They are currently on digital channel 55.)

It looks like this is going to continue until February 17, 2009, when PBS plans to just feed its affiliates one programming stream that is in high definition, and stops making World, PBS Kids, and Create available for its affiliates to multi-cast.

There are no plans to end Create or World. There is no national PBS Kids; if WGBY is doing it, they're doing it on their own.

- Trip

Thank you! That's exactly it, the former HD channel is now just a mirror of the normal analog channel. The schedule on the TiVo was never updated to reflect that so I'm constantly recording my favorite shows only to find some crappy letterboxed SD show that is unrelated. Now I understand why. I am a member and have been receiving a constant barrage of reminders about the digital switchover but it never crossed my mind that could affect the programming I enjoyed. How is this progress? PBS was a pioneer in HD broadcasts, it was the first HD image I viewed in my own home when I got my tv a few years ago. I have thoroughly enjoyed their HD travel shows, antiques roadshow, and local programming in HD ever since. I even became a member to support their HD programming. And now this, left high and dry. Gee, thanks! The DT channel also offered reruns of antiques roadshow at times I could catch it. They still produce and broadcast in HD some of the local shows like On The Menu and Making it Here, why can't they do that with the national PBS programming? <sigh> Hopefully things will change back. and SOON.

this wasnt the case on monday nite because they showed frontline in hd with no bars. it was the same thing channel 24-1 showed.

I have a "dumb" question that I hope someone more technically oriented than I can answer. The ads being run by Comcast indicate that if you have either Comcast cable or Comcast Cable and a STB, you will be OK for the digital transition. So I'm a little puzzled.

Does this mean if you bought a TV with built-in ATSC/NTSC/QAM digital tuning... that all your current analog subscribed cable channels (i.e. CNN, ESPN, Weather, MSNBC, FoxNews, DIY, etc.) which are on channels like 41, 42, 47, & 65 will be broadcast in digital format with higher numbers like 241, 242, 247, & 265 and will not require you to pay an additional fee above what you're currently paying?

I have the digital premium package (I think that's what it's called) with triple play and my only HD/Digital TV has a cablecard and I get a load of channels from 200 to 900 now. I'm about to buy a new wall-mounted 19' or 22" TV for the kitchen and it'll obviously be a LCD with built-in ATSC/NTSC/QAM digital tuning. So I'm hoping that I simply connect a cable and I'm all set and can get through the transition without having to rent a cable box. Am I correct or will I have to ruin my feng shui and figure out where I'd have to put a box. Of course, my other alternative is to try a electronic transmitter device, but I'm not even sure if those work.

I intend to use a wall mount, and have both the 110v and cable outlets right behind the set so when we mount it diagonally in a corner, you won't see anything.

I have a "dumb" question that I hope someone more technically oriented than I can answer. The ads being run by Comcast indicate that if you have either Comcast cable or Comcast Cable and a STB, you will be OK for the digital transition. So I'm a little puzzled.(snip)In the end it is more of a business question than a technical question. And certainly not dumb.

Cable and satellite providers will be carrying off-air broadcasters' signals in an SD format through 2012. (Beyond that it is anyone's guess what will happen.) This will be accomplished by either the broadcaster handing off a 4:3 format SD version of whatever they transmit on their DTV (ATSC) channels -- or the cable/satellite provider will have to do a down convert themselves.

Some cable systems today actually have three versions of a local broadcaster's signal: analog NTSC which can be "received" by any television made in the last few decades, an SD 4:3 format digital version ... which may be received by a television with appropriate QAM receiver/decoder (if it is being sent in the clear) and an HD 16:9 format (if the station is transmitting such). Again - the 16:9 HD format *may* be receivable if the provider chooses to send it in the clear.

In scenarios where the local broadcaster's signal(s) are not in the clear ... you'll need the provider's STB (set top box) or appropriate device (like a cable card) in your TV/monitor.

So the Comcast message is accurate: in approximately 104 days when most stations switch off their analog transmissions anyone who has Comcast as a provider won't have to do a thing. The local stations will still be provided as they are currently delivered.

In a market such as Springfield MA, where there is a high penetration of cable and satellite, the actual number of viewers impacted by the digital transition will be probably less than 10%.

Here's a simple rundown of the Springfield off-air situation:

WWLP
Currently on analog channel 22 and digital channel 11. The only station staying on the digital channel in use today (you don't have to rescan in Feb 2009).

WGGB
Currently on analog channel 40 and digital channel 55. Final digital channel will be 40. They will cease analog transmissions in early December 2008 and will be on digital channel 40 with lower than authorized power until March 2009.

WGBY
Currently on analog channel 57 and digital channel 58. Final digital channel will be 22. They will cease analog transmissions very soon now and in February begin transmitting their digital signals on the frequencies of channel 22 when WWLP vacates the channel.

WSHM-LP
Currently a low power translator on channel 67. Does not have to shut down like full power stations in Feb 2009. Has a construction permit to build a new digital facility that will be on channel 41. Status unknown. Probably most viewers receive this channel via a cable or satellite provider.

The other low power stations in the market, which are currently not on cable or satellite systems, have construction permits to "flash cut" to digital on the same channel at some future date.

I am a member and have been receiving a constant barrage of reminders about the digital switchover but it never crossed my mind that could affect the programming I enjoyed. How is this progress? (snip) I even became a member to support their HD programming. And now this, left high and dry. Gee, thanks! (snip) <sigh> Hopefully things will change back. and SOON.I've noticed the recent changes as well - I have DirecTV and normally watch WGBY-DT off-air. I would suggest dropping them a note, email or even a call - especially if you are a member.

As you may be aware WGBY is in the process of decommissioning its channel 57 analog transmitter. I suspect that the changes on WGBY-DT may be to help support the delivery of their signal to cable and satellite systems that pick up the channel off-air for their subscribers. I'd also expect this to be a temporary change. I'm sure you can get more accurate info direct from the station.

Since you also mentioned DVR issues - you may want to mention to WGBY the program guide. I think the other night I noticed that there was a discrepancy between the guide and programming.

You may also want to consider CPTV. They recently came on-air from Farmington CT ... WEDH-DT is on channel 45 and one of the strongest signals I get at home (northeast of Springfield MA). Note that they have a problem with their guide as well: their normal operations have had the analog transmitters down at midnight and the guide shows "off air" at that time. (They continue to feed programming to CT cable systems overnight.) Interestingly WEDH-DT is (currently) on air 24x7.

[QUOTE=RPMcCormick;15005662]In the end it is more of a business question than a technical question. And certainly not dumb.


So the Comcast message is accurate: in approximately 104 days when most stations switch off their analog transmissions anyone who has Comcast as a provider won't have to do a thing. The local stations will still be provided as they are currently delivered.

AHA! OK, then my targeted typical new 20-22 inch LCD with a built in NTSC/ATSC/Clear QAM tuner will still receive all the channels currently subscribed and now presented in analog format in cable channels 2-70-ish, and that will include all my cable news channels, the weather channel, and ESPN.

It also sounds like you're saying the numeric reference will be double digits and not triple though. I get dozens and dozens of digital channels in the 200-900 range now with the cablecard, and since I don't have a set to reference this, I can't tell if a new LCD TV would be getting the 200-900 channels without a cablecard. I thought the cablecard was strictly for the HBO type channels (which I subscribe to and get).

AHA! OK, then my targeted typical new 20-22 inch LCD with a built in NTSC/ATSC/Clear QAM tuner will still receive all the channels currently subscribed and now presented in analog format in cable channels 2-70-ish, and that will include all my cable news channels, the weather channel, and ESPN.Yes. But remember that over time any cable or satellite provider could make changes in the way they choose to deliver content.It also sounds like you're saying the numeric reference will be double digits and not triple though. I get dozens and dozens of digital channels in the 200-900 range now with the cablecard, and since I don't have a set to reference this, I can't tell if a new LCD TV would be getting the 200-900 channels without a cablecard. I thought the cablecard was strictly for the HBO type channels (which I subscribe to and get).With a cablecard you will typically get the same mapping that the cable provider's set top box subscribers will see. For example, on Comcast you may be seeing WWLP-DT on 822. If you don't have a cablecard but are receiving stations that are being provided on the cable plant in the clear in 256QAM you would most likely either get the station as a channel like 84-2 (which would be RF channel 84 and the second program) or possibly even 22-1 (which is how WWLP-DT would be identified off-air). If a cable provider decides to NOT provide locals in the clear you would need either their set top box or a system compatible cablecard to "decode" the channels you have subscribed to.

this wasnt the case on monday nite because they showed frontline in hd with no bars. it was the same thing channel 24-1 showed.

It's not that they aren't showing HD shows any more, it's that the programming now mirrors the normal PBS network feed. Using Charter cable numbers, the programming on channel 7 used to be different than the programming on 782, which showed the primetime PBS lineup but then had other HD programming overnight and weekends, like the travel shows with Rudy Maxa and Rick Steves, nature shows, and reruns of PBS programming like Antiques Roadshow at times other than 8pm when I don't have conflicts. Now all that is gone, and while you can still watch PBS shows like Frontline and AR in HD, and WGBY shows like Making it Here and On The Menu, you just get letterboxed talking heads all night for the most part. And they havent alerted the guide companies yet apparently. So hopefully this is temporary and I'll get my dedicated PBS HD channel back soon! :|

The dedicated PBS-HD channel goes away completely on 02/17/09, as in it will no longer be available off the satellite dish. Most PBS stations are in the process of phasing it out.

- Trip

this wasnt the case on monday nite because they showed frontline in hd with no bars. it was the same thing channel 24-1 showed.

It's not that they aren't showing HD shows any more, it's that the programming now mirrors the normal PBS network feed ... you just get letterboxed talking heads all night for the most part.

I was channel surfing yesterday evening to compare the live HD on all the broadcast networks and I did notice what both of you describe: after ten o'clock, Channel 57-1 did have excellent picture quality in high definition even though they had their three other sub-channels on. Normally, up to at least a couple weeks ago, when they were showing a program in HD on 57-1, they only had one other sub-channel on, World. They would take down PBS Kids and Create during those times.

Last December I received an email from the station in response to my inquiry as to why WGBY wasn't passing through "The NewsHour" in high definition. It indicated that because of bandwidth issues, WGBY would have to cut out of two other programming streams that they were running at the time, World and Create, to accommodate the bandwidth of "The NewsHour" in HD. The station did not "wish to disrupt the programming that people have come to expect during that time period on [their] other channels." They planned to offer "The Newshour" in high definition "when PBS sends [them] just one stream of programming when migrating to an all-HD channel."

I'm now puzzled by this response because, unless something has changed technically since last December, what I saw after ten last night tells me that they have the ability to show HD on 57-1 while keeping World, Create, and PBS Kids available to viewers who would rather watch those sub-channels. It also makes me wonder why they can now show HD programs after 9 or 10PM, but for some reason can't pass through HD programs earlier in the evening, when I now see the black sidebars.

I did see a crawl on their analog version last night that gave 11:59 tonight (Wednesday) as the time that analog would be shut off.

NO AUDIO ON WWLP-DT
When I turned on my TV around 6:20 this evening, I noticed that there was no sound on 22-1. Checking back at 6:30, 9:30, and now at 11:15, there is still no audio. Picture quality is excellent. One thing that I have never seen before: normally when I turn to a channel my receiver briefly superimposes the channel number, program rating, resolution, etc., on a banner across the top of the screen. Tonight whenever I tune to 22-1, the receiver is only superimposing the channel number, and it stays superimposed for as long as I stay on that channel. Normally the superimposed channel number disappears after about ten seconds.

I'm now being told that WGBY-TV analog channel 57 has now gone off the air. I could never receive a reliable signal of it here in New Britain, CT (southern Hartford County). Can anybody confirm this?

Here's a short video they put up on their website. It's with Rus Peotter, their General Manager, at the transmitter site on Mount Tom in Holyoke: http://www.wgby.org/digital/video.html

I'm now being told that WGBY-TV analog channel 57 has now gone off the air. I could never receive a reliable signal of it here in New Britain, CT (southern Hartford County). Can anybody confirm this?

Here's a short video they put up on their website. It's with Rus Peotter, their General Manager, at the transmitter site on Mount Tom in Holyoke: http://www.wgby.org/digital/video.html

This is from today's Springfield paper:

SPRINGFIELD - WGBY-TV, Channel 57 may have vanished from the screens of more than a few local television sets today, as the station made the switch to digital-only broadcasts overnight.

Late Wednesday, the station planned to stop transmitting old-style analog signals, which older television sets, using rooftop or rabbit ear antennas, receive to get programming. Instead, the station sent only digital signals, which older TVs may not be able to handle.

Anyone with cable or a satellite dish was not affected.


For months, the station and the federal government have been warning television viewers about the imminent switch to digital broadcasting and what they must do to continue receiving programming.

Most broadcasters will wait until Feb. 17 to make the change, but WGBY - the region's main public broadcasting outlet - received permission to stop sending its analog signal early because of the difficulty of working on its antenna atop Mount Tom in the middle of a New England winter.

However, WGBY, which has been transmitting both digital and analog signals in recent months, conducted tests Monday and Tuesday during its regular programming to determine how ready its viewers would be, said Ray Miller, chief engineer for the station.

"Monday, we turned off the (analog signal) for 10 seconds during a break in our local show. Beforehand, we had a screen that said, 'If you lose the picture, you're not going to be able to get us after midnight of Wednesday.' And sure enough, we got something like 17 calls. And that was just the people who were watching at that particular moment," he said.

Tuesday, following three similar tests, the station received 40 calls from people who lost reception.

"So we're expecting there will be some people caught with no reception" after today, he said.

In addition to cable or satellite TV customers, others not affected by the change included WGBY viewers with newer televisions that have digital tuners (generally sold after 2002) and those with a converter box that changes digital signals to analog signals that their older TVs can understand.

I haven't looked at my TV yet to see the difference, but since I have cable, I can't report on OTA.

I was watching analog Channel 57 over-the-air last night starting at around 11:50. Right after the top-of-the-hour station identification at midnight, the switch-off happened and the picture went to snow (which my TV displays as a blue screen).

I was channel surfing yesterday evening to compare the live HD on all the broadcast networks and I did notice what both of you describe: after ten o'clock, Channel 57-1 did have excellent picture quality in high definition even though they had their three other sub-channels on. Normally, up to at least a couple weeks ago, when they were showing a program in HD on 57-1, they only had one other sub-channel on, World. They would take down PBS Kids and Create during those times.I've been working a lot of late hours this week - so it all is blending together. One of these last few nights was watching the History Detectives on 57-3 and the picture quality was not very good. Bug was fairly distorted. This channel was probably the worst of the group; maybe because of the programming normally run on the channel (Kids?) it has a lower bit rate?

NO AUDIO ON WWLP-DT - When I turned on my TV around 6:20 this evening, I noticed that there was no sound on 22-1. Checking back at 6:30, 9:30, and now at 11:15, there is still no audio. Picture quality is excellent. One thing that I have never seen before: normally when I turn to a channel my receiver briefly superimposes the channel number, program rating, resolution, etc., on a banner across the top of the screen. Tonight whenever I tune to 22-1, the receiver is only superimposing the channel number, and it stays superimposed for as long as I stay on that channel. Normally the superimposed channel number disappears after about ten seconds.Upgrades are in progress. A number of people reported similar issues - hopefully they have been resolved as of early AM Thursday 6 Nov 2008. Why the channel number would stay on the screen is strange though - be interesting to hear if that persists.

I've been working a lot of late hours this week - so it all is blending together. One of these last few nights was watching the History Detectives on 57-3 and the picture quality was not very good. Bug was fairly distorted. This channel was probably the worst of the group; maybe because of the programming normally run on the channel (Kids?) it has a lower bit rate?

My CRT HDTV has a screen size of 34", which I think is a relatively small size as far as HDTVs go, and I've always thought that 57-2, -3, and -4 had poor picture quality. They are in 480i, which pales in comparison to 1080i resolution, and they are displayed on my TV in the unflattering stretched mode. And, I agree with you, when you get to the last two sub-channels, -3 and -4, the picture is even more degraded than 57-2. I see a lot of video noise, or fuzz, and smearing. I think that these imperfections must be even more noticeable to viewers who have a larger screen than I. I've also seen poor resolution on 57-2, -3, and -4 even when 57-1 is not in high definition. But I have to compliment WGBY for showing something that is actually worth watching on their multi-cast channels, particularly on World (57-2). I have long ago deleted the 24-hour weather that Connecticut stations put on their sub-channels so that I don't have to encounter that "filler" as I channel up or down.

Upgrades are in progress. A number of people reported similar issues - hopefully they have been resolved as of early AM Thursday 6 Nov 2008. Why the channel number would stay on the screen is strange though - be interesting to hear if that persists.

Everything is back to normal today; the audio has returned and the channel number disappears as it should. I rate WWLP-DT as having the best standard digital picture of any television station in western Massachusetts and Connecticut. The video is extremely sharp and the colors, like red, are eye-popping. I don't know what brand of cameras they are using to tape their news in the field, but some of the SD video has phenomenal clarity.

The only negative with 22-1 is that there is a noticeable drop in audio volume when they switch from local to the NBC network, as when their 22News ends at 6:30PM and NBC Nightly News begins. I have to raise the volume at the start of Nightly, and then remember to lower it before I exit the channel at 7 to head over to CPTV for The NewsHour, or I'll be blasted with the different (but correct) volume level on 24-1 and all the other channels. I've read that the TV industry is still working on creating ATSC standards that would solve audio problems like differing volume levels on different channels and lip-sync issues, and hopes to have solutions sometime next year.

WHNB...

Are you using Comcast's STB on your HDTV or are you using the built-in tuner? Just curious as I ordered my new Samsung 22" LCD TV yesterday and it'll take a week or so to get it from Amazon (awesome price/free shipping).

My (main) computer is an iMac and I have Elgato's eyeTV module which is a small outboard tuner that has a 75 Ohm input and USB to my mac. Its about as big as a pack of cigarettes, and it also has a S-Video input as well. So I can watch TV in a window or full screen. The tuner is NTSC/ATSC/Clear QAM so I get the analogs as well as some unencrypted digital signals. Elgato's software is a little weird in that you can fiddle with station names, but it's not 100% user friendly but they are constantly updating it. They download channel info from something called TitanTV Insternet Server. They also list frequencies, so you can see if it's 597 MHz, 675 MHz, or whatever. This unit is supposed to work with a Direct TV box as well, but I haven't tried that. I wonder if I stop at Comcast's office in Springfield if they can fill me in on what current analog channels will switch over to unencrypted digital in February or sooner?

This unit is supposed to work with a Direct TV box as well, but I haven't tried that. I wonder if I stop at Comcast's office in Springfield if they can fill me in on what current analog channels will switch over to unencrypted digital in February or sooner?I have a couple of DirecTV boxes including an H20 - but there's no way that I'm aware of that it can be connected to a computer and used similar to the NTSC/ATSC/QAM tuner you described. But: at the January 2008 CES show in Las Vegas DirecTV was showing off their HDPC-20 box. The HDPC-20 connects to your DirecTV satellite dish (just like any other DirecTV receiver) and has a USB connection for your computer. Google HDPC-20 - tons of info out there (but I have not heard of any availability yet). Maybe more info elsewhere in the AVS Forums?

As for what is on Comcast - although I'm not a subscriber I understand that all the local Springfield MA stations are on as NTSC analog and both an SD and HD clear QAM as well. And that is all in place today (no waiting for Feb 2009).

I rate WWLP-DT as having the best standard digital picture of any television station in western Massachusetts and Connecticut. The video is extremely sharp and the colors, like red, are eye-popping.Part of this may be due to the fact that 16.5 mbps (currently constant bit rate) is devoted to the video encoding. 384 kbps is used for the Dolby 5.1 AC3 audio.
I don't know what brand of cameras they are using to tape their news in the field, but some of the SD video has phenomenal clarity.Panasonic P2 since the start of 2008. At the end of March the station switched over to a totally file based system - the cameras record on P2 memory cards (they look like PCMCIA cards) and video is edited and played back via computer systems. There's a slight difference in the NTSC versus ATSC colour space; I too notice on my Sharp LCD television at home the reds look brighter, hotter.

As for audio - there are really two issues here. One is quasi-local to the station where audio levels differ between different sources ... which may even include differences between each commercial, promo, etc. that is aired. These differences should be easier to resolve (like you noted between NBC Nightly News and the local news that precedes it). The other issue is between channels and that is a real difficult issue to overcome. In watching TV in the bedroom I've become accustomed to holding the remote continuously in my hand and riding the volume control. Almost every channel change (DirecTV and off-air DTV) requires some kind of audio adjustment ... and whilst watching any given channel. Of course ... this problem will be much more noticeable in an environment like the bedroom where the ambient background noise is low and there's a lot of range. If you were on a jet at 29,000 feet where the background noise floor would probably be at its worst - you probably wouldn't even notice!

WHNB...
Are you using Comcast's STB on your HDTV or are you using the built-in tuner?

I'm using an external Samsung digital tuner (model # H260F) that is connected to an HDTV made in 2003 by RCA/Thomson. The TV has a Dish Network nameplate on the front below the screen, as they were selling the set along with the necessary HD satellite tuner (model #811) for the promotional package price of $1,000, which was well below what HDTVs alone cost in 2003. The built-in tuner is NTSC-only.

Cox Cable serves my area, but I haven't had cable TV since 1994, so I'm not up on all of the latest cable technology. I had Dish Network from 2002-2006, but I had to drop it when I moved to a quieter apartment complex that does not allow satellite dishes, outdoor aerials, etc. I currently get just over-the-air locals with a Channel Master 4228 antenna that I have indoors near a window on the second floor. I supplement the local channels with Netflix DVD rentals.

I had Dish Network from 2002-2006, but I had to drop it when I moved to a quieter apartment complex that does not allow satellite dishes, outdoor aerials, etc.Check out this link:
FCC Over-the-air Reception Devices Rule (http://www.fcc.gov/mb/facts/otard.html)

Check out this link:
FCC Over-the-air Reception Devices Rule (http://www.fcc.gov/mb/facts/otard.html)

Thank you. Yes, I was familiar with the OTARD rule, but unfortunately I don't have a balcony, deck, patio, or other outdoor area where I have exclusive use. The rule also doesn't allow mounting the dish or terrestrial antenna on "common" areas like the roof or exterior wall of a multiple dwelling, which describes my situation.

Believe me, though, I don't mind this trade-off because I am living in a much nicer place than where I had been renting. I use to have to go in to work a ten-hour shift on less than three hours sleep because the unemployed tenant who lived above me would continuously stomp around every night from 1-4AM. My sleep deprivation would go on for weeks. I'm glad now to be able to sleep through the night even if it means no satellite dish! As for cable, I can't price justify the $80+ monthly cost.


Panasonic P2 since the start of 2008. At the end of March the station switched over to a totally file based system - the cameras record on P2 memory cards (they look like PCMCIA cards) and video is edited and played back via computer systems. There's a slight difference in the NTSC versus ATSC colour space; I too notice on my Sharp LCD television at home the reds look brighter, hotter.

Thanks for this information. I had a feeling that they had gone tapeless. Panasonic P2 cameras are what Hartford's Channel 3 is suppose to be getting as they upgrade to high definition. I read on tvtechnology.com that one of WFSB's first steps in upgrading is to buy an HD graphics package. On election night I noticed that they couldn't pass through CBS News in high definition because they were providing the local election results on the screen with a standard definition graphics package.

Maybe WVIT-DT (NBC) channel 35 could take a cue from WFSB-DT? Even on the digital feed, you can barely see small white lettering (such as legal disclaimers in car ads). Even in SD, the same lettering on WFSB-DT is perfect!

Has anyone been experiencing trouble with WWLP-DT OTA for the past few days?

Ever since Thursday night, my reception of WWLP-DT from OTA is just a blank black video feed with no audio. My Series 3 TiVo is still picking up a signal strength around 85% and an SNR of 22 Db. Any recordings that I have set, still record, but are just black video with no audio, even when transferring back to my laptop.

I'm finding this issue very strange, especially since it has been going on for almost five days now. WWLP DT is usual y my best HDTV reception, never has any macrobocking or drop outs.

I think I have found the source of the problem. The I am getting a signal lock, but no program lock. The same issue is happening on my tv as well. Does anyone know what might cause that? The only time I have ever seen this was when I had my tivo hooked to comcast with out cable cards and it was picking up an encrypted channel, it had the same end result. Here is the information from my TiVo's Diagnostics screen.


Tuner: 0
Channel: 22-1
Frequency: 201000 KHz
Modulation: 8-VSB
Connector Type RF
Signal Source: Terrestrial
CableCARD Association: None
Signal Strength: 81
Signal Lock: Yes
Program Lock: No
Search Complete: Yes
SNR: 26 dB
RS Uncorrected: 0
RS Corrected: 15
RS Connected: 17
RC State: Available
Current Tuning Status: Tuned: Success
Tune State: In progress
Last Used Channel Plan: Undefined
CCI Byte: N/A
Time Since Tune Start: 456 Seconds (counting)
Time Since Signal Lock: (same as above, counting up)
RCR PID: -
Audio PID: -
Video PID: -
Resolution Status: -
Pending Tune Status: No tune Pending

Has anyone been experiencing trouble with WWLP-DT OTA for the past few days?Last Thursday some upgrades were being deployed. If you have the opportunity please try to scan and see if the station returns. If it does not please private message me.

Well, I scanned the channels a few times myself while it was down to no avail. Restarting the TiVo box did not help.

I called TiVo's Technical Support and they had be repeat guided setup. After going thorugh the half hour configuration of the box again WWLP-DT returned.

It was thursday night that I noticed the channel was missing. Dunno if the upgrade had anything to do with it or not. It seems to cause a bug in the TiVo software where a full reconfiguration was needed which was strange. Just scanning channels did not fix it.

what is digital channel 22.02.it showed up on my scan the other day but nothing shows up.just wondering if anyone knew.

Those of you that get WGGB-DT channel 40.1 either via OTA, or Comcast cable can now receive ABC-HD programming in Dolby 5.1, (tm) surround. We implemented it last night. The audio levels between local news, commercials, and network should be in good shape too. If you have Dolby Surround (tm) capabilities give it a listen and let me know what you think.

Thanks!

Kelly
Interim Director of Engineering
WGGB/FOX-6

what is digital channel 22.02.it showed up on my scan the other day but nothing shows up.just wondering if anyone knew.Building out new infrastructure. A second program stream is being announced but similar to CPTV (24.2, 24.3, etc.) nothing is currently being broadcast. Reserved for future use.

Does anyone have a list of the QAM stations? All I've found is NESN on 103.1, and I think 91.2 or 92.2 was FOX. Can we pick up ESPN and ESPN2? My HD cable box on my other TV gets these stations, so they must be able to be picked up by QAM, no?

All I've found is NESN on 103.1, and I think 91.2 or 92.2 was FOX. Can we pick up ESPN and ESPN2? My HD cable box on my other TV gets these stations, so they must be able to be picked up by QAM, no?Not a subscriber so can't answer you on the list of station query. But remember that a cable box provided by your cable company works a little differently - has more functionality than a 256QAM tuner would. If ESPN was considered a channel that warranted charging additional for (like any one of the tiers) it may be sent in such a way it can't be decoded by a standard QAM tuner. OTOH, if you have a "cablecard" in your television - you should be able to contact the cable company and provide them some information ... and thereafter get the same channels that your cable provided box can receive. Lastly - sometimes the RF channel numbers where the QAM signals are change ... which means that even though today NESN is on 103-1 it could move in the future - and you'd have to rescan to find where it moved to. (When the cable company moves the channel their boxes are notified where to find it - it is transparent to viewers.)

Not a subscriber so can't answer you on the list of station query. But remember that a cable box provided by your cable company works a little differently - has more functionality than a 256QAM tuner would. If ESPN was considered a channel that warranted charging additional for (like any one of the tiers) it may be sent in such a way it can't be decoded by a standard QAM tuner. OTOH, if you have a "cablecard" in your television - you should be able to contact the cable company and provide them some information ... and thereafter get the same channels that your cable provided box can receive. Lastly - sometimes the RF channel numbers where the QAM signals are change ... which means that even though today NESN is on 103-1 it could move in the future - and you'd have to rescan to find where it moved to. (When the cable company moves the channel their boxes are notified where to find it - it is transparent to viewers.)


I subscribe to the digital cable service, w/ high definition channels. I have an HD box on my Plasma, so I am going off the assumption that the HD channels should be "fed" into my house. I found NBC, ABC, and CBS HD stations last night (though the FOX one seems to be in SD). I also found Comcast Sports Network in HD (even though I have Charter, we get this channel). I just purchased this LCD two days ago, so my channel scan was recent. Thanks for the help, though. I'll continue searching through and hopefully find it.

Those of you that get WGGB-DT channel 40.1 either via OTA, or Comcast cable can now receive ABC-HD programming in Dolby 5.1, (tm) surround.

You don't mention Charter cable, was that just an omission or is their feed not going to 5.1? It killed me to be forced to watch Lost and Boston Legal without DD. What's the point of a luxury home theater if only half (video) of it is HD? Trying to make us buy the Blu-Ray instead? ;)

You don't mention Charter cable, was that just an omission or is their feed not going to 5.1? It killed me to be forced to watch Lost and Boston Legal without DD. What's the point of a luxury home theater if only half (video) of it is HD? Trying to make us buy the Blu-Ray instead? ;)

I'm not sure, but I believe Charter is getting the WGGB-HD feed via Over The Air. WGGB and FOX-6 feeds Comcast directly via their supplied fiber, and SD only to Charter via their fiber. The WGGB programming OTA is also passing DD 5.1, but if Charter doesn't decode the 5.1 and insert it into the cable system channel, then you won't get it.

As you probably know, TV stations aren't in control of what cable companies do. If you truly want the 5.1 audio, then as a subscriber I suggest a call into Charter would be in order to ask why they aren't carrying the 5.1 surround audio from WGGB-DT 40.1.

Well I just got my answer, it was like holiday magic :) I happened to have it on ABCHD watching GMA when at 9am the screen went blank and I thought my tv bulb blew at the worst possible time. But then a surround channel test screen came up and started going through all the channels in sequence, you know "left" "right" "left surround" "subwoofer", etc. So it proved that the 5.1 is in fact working! Just like I had planned that! Too funny....

Thanks,

I'm wondering if Kelly or anyone else knows when Fox 6 will be available in HD. I am not able to get Fox 61HD OTA and DirecTV has a problem in their system that they either won't or can't fix. DirecTV believes Fox 6 is in HD even though it's not, so they won't turn on Fox 61 in HD or the generic NY Fox HD feed. I've called and emailed many times to no avail. It's very frustrating, but would be solved if Fox6 were available in HD.

I'm wondering if Kelly or anyone else knows when Fox 6 will be available in HD. I am not able to get Fox 61HD OTA and DirecTV has a problem in their system that they either won't or can't fix. DirecTV believes Fox 6 is in HD even though it's not, so they won't turn on Fox 61 in HD or the generic NY Fox HD feed. I've called and emailed many times to no avail. It's very frustrating, but would be solved if Fox6 were available in HD.

Hi Sssnnnlll,

As you mentioned, currently FOX6 is available in HD on cable, but not DirecTV yet because DirecTV gets the HD signal Over The Air. That being said, we're working on a solution before the end of the year that will have FOX6 in HD both OTA and via DirecTV.

Hi Sssnnnlll,

As you mentioned, currently FOX6 is available in HD on cable, but not DirecTV yet because DirecTV gets the HD signal Over The Air. That being said, we're working on a solution before the end of the year that will have FOX6 in HD both OTA and via DirecTV.
Thanks Kelly! The quick reply is definitely appreciated (especially after dealing with DirecTV's lack of responsiveness). That will be terrific if the plan works out as hoped.

Many of you have probably seen the announcements on WGGB that the station was turning off their analog transmissions early on December 1, 2008. Ironically enough, after a brief power interruption Saturday morning the old WGGB analog transmitter failed to wake back up. After several attempts to revive it, we declared it offically deceased it 2:30PM Saturday.

Now the work begins.. Engineers start removing the old channel 40 analog RF chain, and replacing it with new channel 40 DTV filters and RF plumbing. In the next few weeks, technicians from the DTV transmitter manufacturer will be arriving to re-tune the channel 55 transmitter(s) to channel 40. Prior to February 17th, WGGB will return to channel 40, shutting down channel 55 where WGGB-DT transmits via today. For those of you already watching WGGB-DT OTA, a re-scan of your TV channels will be required at that time.

What was amazing was the amount of phone calls from those who were completely unaware of the upcoming transition! :eek:

Thank you, Kelly, for posting the news here of the demise of the analog transmitter. By keeping the forum readers informed about Channel 40's digital progress, you greatly increase your station's goodwill. Although I am a viewer who is out-of-market, I am hopeful that WGGB might eventually provide a stronger over-the-air digital signal. Currently, there are many times when I can't receive the ABC network in digital form at all. The signals of both Channel 40-1 and Connecticut's ABC affiliate, Channel 8-1, are often too weak to reach my location. Maybe that situation will change when Channel 40-1 ramps up to full power next March.

In the next few weeks, technicians from the DTV transmitter manufacturer will be arriving to re-tune the channel 55 transmitter(s) to channel 40.

If it isn't classified information :), I was wondering what brand of digital transmitter the station uses. The reason that I ask is that I've noticed that my digital receiver gives the highest signal strengths to the channels of stations that use Thales transmitters. (This may be just coincidental.)

What was amazing was the amount of phone calls from those who were completely unaware of the upcoming transition! :eek:

Human inertia appears to be a factor here. Despite all the advisories, there are going to be people who won't be ready. They will need a "push" or "nudge", and that will come in the form of seeing only video snow on their TV screens when analog is phased out. Then they'll do something, but not before!

You're welcome WHNB!

I've relied on AVS Forum members over the years to compile the consumer impressions of the technical work guys like I do.

It's no secret about what transmitter WGGB-DT is using. WGGB-DT has combined Acrodyne, (AI), 20kW IOT transmitters currently tuned to channel 55, into a separate channel 55 antenna located on a smaller tower about 500 feet from the WGGB Channel 40 antenna and tower.

In about two weeks we'll be splitting off the combined AI digital transmitters while one continues to transmit on channel 55 as is now, and re-tune one to channel 40. Once everything is tested and "proofed", we'll put WGGB-DT on into the existing Andrew antenna used by channel 40 analog atop the higher tower. Then when the FCC gives us the thumbs-up, we'll shut down the remaining channel 55 transmitter and re-tune it also to channel 40, and in the end have a main-alternate configuration, giving the station 100% backup capabilities, and an ERP of 460kW.

With the move back to a lower frequency from channel 55, combined with an antenna pattern that leans toward your direction and a higher antenna, I can't imagine why you wouldn't be able to receive WGGB-DT. And we hope to have all this done before the February 17 date.

Regarding your comment about transmitter brand vs. reception, there shouldn't be any difference, provided the transmitter is performing within a DTV optimized condition with flat equalization across the 6 mHz passband.

What type of receive antenna are you using? I've found for distance, a Channel Master 4221, or in extreme distances of 60 miles or more, a Channel Master 4228 work well. Also I don't recommend the use of preamps, as they also amplify noise, masking a perfectly good DTV signal. Also make sure all passive or active splitters are at least 2gHz pass. Especially at channel 55, good broad bandwidth on the reception side with minimal noise is always best.

With the move back to a lower frequency from channel 55, combined with an antenna pattern that leans toward your direction and a higher antenna, I can't imagine why you wouldn't be able to receive WGGB-DT... before the February 17 date.

Great news, and thanks for the other details. I had always assumed that your temporary digital antenna was just lower down on your main tower; I didn't realize that it is on a separate tower.

What type of receive antenna are you using? I've found for distance, a Channel Master 4221, or in extreme distances of 60 miles or more, a Channel Master 4228 work well. Also I don't recommend the use of preamps, as they also amplify noise, masking a perfectly good DTV signal.

I use the Channel Master 4228, which is indoors due to apartment lease restrictions. I initially tried this antenna for the first several months that I owned it without a preamp. But, ironically, it was inconsistent reception from your station and the other station transmitting from Mt. Tom, Channel 57-1, that caused me to buy a Channel Master 7777 preamp powered by household electrical current.

The strange thing about the reception of WGGB-DT and WGBY-DT at my location in East Windsor is that both channels can come in for weeks at a time without a problem, but then suddenly either one or the other or both will not come in at all or alternate between picture and no picture every few seconds. Weather does not seem to be a factor in every instance.

Maybe my reception problems will be short-lived now that both Mt. Tom TV stations are in the process of upgrading their transmitting facilities. Thanks again for the update!

Great news, and thanks for the other details. I had always assumed that your temporary digital antenna was just lower down on your main tower; I didn't realize that it is on a separate tower.



I use the Channel Master 4228, which is indoors due to apartment lease restrictions. I initially tried this antenna for the first several months that I owned it without a preamp. But, ironically, it was inconsistent reception from your station and the other station transmitting from Mt. Tom, Channel 57-1, that caused me to buy a Channel Master 7777 preamp powered by household electrical current.

The strange thing about the reception of WGGB-DT and WGBY-DT at my location in East Windsor is that both channels can come in for weeks at a time without a problem, but then suddenly either one or the other or both will not come in at all or alternate between picture and no picture every few seconds. Weather does not seem to be a factor in every instance.

Maybe my reception problems will be short-lived now that both Mt. Tom TV stations are in the process of upgrading their transmitting facilities. Thanks again for the update!

You're welcome!

My experience is that 9 out of 10 times, the station operation, especially power level, has little to do with the quality of DTV reception. Unfortunately the DTV and set-top box manufacturers saw fit to name the signal quality meter on their devices "signal level". Countless numbers of consumers I've helped have asked when the TV station will be increasing power because they either get inconsistent or low readings on the "signal level" meter. This meter actually measures the quality of the received bitstream which generally has little to do with the stations field strength.

Usually the reason for low or inconsistent signal level readings with DTV is due to something known as multipath. You probably remember the old days of ghosts in analog TV. Ghosts are an analog example of multipath. What happens in multipath reception is when the signal from the station reflects off a natural or man-made object(s), there is a slight delay at the receiver between the direct signal and the reflections which effectively cancel or distort the signal enough that, in the case of DTV, not enough bits can be adequately decoded.

The conditions in your case with a high-gain antenna used indoors is a prime candidate for multipath. A certain car could move in a parking lot and cause reflections at certain frequencies, someone could be moving furniture around, or a nearby delivery truck could park in another space causing a reflection. I actually had a similar situation in an apartment near Seattle, using the same antenna. Finally I had to place the antenna out on my deck with a tripod for better reception, but still needing to aim it to get certain stations.

Back to my field strength comment.. I was able to receive the DTV station I used to work for in Seattle with a 4228 antenna atop a hill 263 miles away in Astoria, Oregon with no preamp.

Good points about multipath and the true definition of signal strength. I'm going to take the optimist's view that my reception will improve once WGGB and WGBY move off those high UHF digital channel numbers. The majority of the area digital channels either reach my screen unaffected by multipath or are hampered only momentarily by it. While the digital versions of channels 40 and 57 have been unwatchable for up to six weeks at a time before returning to a viewable state, the third station coming from that northerly direction, Channel 22, rarely has so much as a pixel drop-out 99.9% of the time. (Maybe partly due to the fact that it is actually on the VHF band and its tower is on a mountain that is closer to my location.)

I'll keep reading this forum for news of the completion of the work on Mt. Tom, and will post if I notice any improvement when the transmitters are re-tuned, the power is bumped up, and the higher antenna's pattern is in use. If reception is still problematic, it won't be a big deal for me. While it would be nice to have each of the major networks represented in my channel line-up in case there is something that I want to see, 90% of my TV viewing is watching DVDs that I've either bought or rented. That's not because of reception problems, but because there's not much on in the way of off-air programs that I want to watch :).

Took them long enough, but Charter is finally adding a number of HD channels in their newly revamped package deals. Coming in the next weeks are HD versions of channels like Animal Planet, Food Network, HGTV, FX, Weather, FoxNews, Learning Channel, NGC (already turned on), Versus, Golf, Discovery Channel. The odd thing is they just dumped Mojo for some reason and replaced it with the Smithsonian channel. Nice too, but I liked Mojo and watched a bunch of shows on there regularly. :(

Prices aren't really changing, so if they can provide top notch picture quality for all these I will be very happy...

DirecTV customers from the Springfileld area previously received Springfield (WSHM) as the SD channel and Hartford (WFSB) as the HD channel, although it was always mislabeled in the DTV programming guide as WSHM HD.

Today, I am getting WSHM on both channels, therefor no CBS in HD. I called DirecTV and they indicated the problem was not with them, but with what they are being fed. They told me to call the station, which I did and left a message.

Just wondering if anyone knows more about this. As of now, there is no Fox HD (addressed in an earlier post) and now CBS HD on DirecTV in the Springfield area - frustrating especially since those are the primary NFL networks.

DirecTV customers from the Springfileld area previously received Springfield (WSHM) as the SD channel and Hartford (WFSB) as the HD channel, although it was always mislabeled in the DTV programming guide as WSHM HD.

Today, I am getting WSHM on both channels, therefor no CBS in HD. I called DirecTV and they indicated the problem was not with them, but with what they are being fed. They told me to call the station, which I did and left a message.

Just wondering if anyone knows more about this. As of now, there is no Fox HD (addressed in an earlier post) and now CBS HD on DirecTV in the Springfield area - frustrating especially since those are the primary NFL networks.Actually - it appears DirecTV has fixed what has been broken ever since they made HD locals available in the Springfield market. When they launched the local HD stations back on 01 Oct 2008 there were two channel 3's on your DirecTV receiver: even though the program guide said WSHM the HD version was actually WFSB ... but WFSB is not the CBS affiliate for Springfield.

The DirecTV SD analog stations are received at WWLP. WSHM-LP channel 67 is received there and put up on the DirecTV satellite as the SD CBS feed for the Springfield market. The DirecTV HD (ATSC fed) stations are received at WGBY. There is no WSHM HD or ATSC station - what we are now seeing on the other DirecTV channel 3 is WFSB-DT 3.2 (which is the WSHM-LP feed). If you have the ability to receive WFSB-DT and WSHM-LP off air you can easily match up the source channels with what you can see on DirecTV.

So basically what DirecTV did was change the WSHM HD receiver that is in the WGBY DirecTV colo from 3-1 to 3-2. Hence why the programming on one of the Springfield DirecTV channel 3's went from WFSB-DT (HD) to WSHM-LP (SD).

Meredith has a construction permit to build a new facility for their CBS Springfield station WSHM (versus just converting the existing station). It will be WSHM-LD (low power digital) on channel 41 from Montgomery MA - or at least that is what the FCC filings indicate. Once that comes live I would expect the DirecTV HD head end at WGBY to switch their receiver to 41-1 and we'll see an HD feed for WSHM-LD.

In some ways this is very similar to the situation with FOX: channel 6 on DirecTV is really WGGB-DT 40-2 ... and there is no local off-air HD FOX station (40-2 is in SD).

In the greater Springfield area WFSB-DT has a great signal - have you tried receiving them off-air with your DirecTV HD receiver? WTIC-DT is also pretty strong as well.

As I noted in a previous posting - some time ago I called DirecTV and they provided me WNYW FOX5 New York in HD on DirecTV channel 88 for no additional cost. I'm not sure they would do that for you with WFSB-DT ...

Lastly - although I'm not a subscriber I understand that Meredith directly feeds Comcast an HD version of the WSHM programming. That may also be true for WGGB feeding an HD FOX to the cable companies. This would account for why some people can view CBS HD content in the Springfield area - it is a direct feed and not available off-air. HTH ...

Actually - it appears DirecTV has fixed what has been broken ever since they made HD locals available in the Springfield market. When they launched the local HD stations back on 01 Oct 2008 there were two channel 3's on your DirecTV receiver: even though the program guide said WSHM the HD version was actually WFSB ... but WFSB is not the CBS affiliate for Springfield.

The DirecTV SD analog stations are received at WWLP. WSHM-LP channel 67 is received there and put up on the DirecTV satellite as the SD CBS feed for the Springfield market. The DirecTV HD (ATSC fed) stations are received at WGBY. There is no WSHM HD or ATSC station - what we are now seeing on the other DirecTV channel 3 is WFSB-DT 3.2 (which is the WSHM-LP feed). If you have the ability to receive WFSB-DT and WSHM-LP off air you can easily match up the source channels with what you can see on DirecTV.

So basically what DirecTV did was change the WSHM HD receiver that is in the WGBY DirecTV colo from 3-1 to 3-2. Hence why the programming on one of the Springfield DirecTV channel 3's went from WFSB-DT (HD) to WSHM-LP (SD).

Meredith has a construction permit to build a new facility for their CBS Springfield station WSHM (versus just converting the existing station). It will be WSHM-LD (low power digital) on channel 41 from Montgomery MA - or at least that is what the FCC filings indicate. Once that comes live I would expect the DirecTV HD head end at WGBY to switch their receiver to 41-1 and we'll see an HD feed for WSHM-LD.

In some ways this is very similar to the situation with FOX: channel 6 on DirecTV is really WGGB-DT 40-2 ... and there is no local off-air HD FOX station (40-2 is in SD).

In the greater Springfield area WFSB-DT has a great signal - have you tried receiving them off-air with your DirecTV HD receiver? WTIC-DT is also pretty strong as well.

As I noted in a previous posting - some time ago I called DirecTV and they provided me WNYW FOX5 New York in HD on DirecTV channel 88 for no additional cost. I'm not sure they would do that for you with WFSB-DT ...

Lastly - although I'm not a subscriber I understand that Meredith directly feeds Comcast an HD version of the WSHM programming. That may also be true for WGGB feeding an HD FOX to the cable companies. This would account for why some people can view CBS HD content in the Springfield area - it is a direct feed and not available off-air. HTH ...
Thanks for the quick reply. I can only get 40.1 (channel 40) and 40.2 (channel 6) over the air from the DTV line. I do have an internal antenna connected as well and can also get 22 and the channels from 57, but can't get 61 or 3. I am located in Easthampton which is right under Mt. Tom, so it's tough to get good reception here.

I certainly didn't expect to lose local channel HD capability when I went to DTV from Charter, but that sure is the case. As of right now, no CBS HD, no Fox HD and no public television HD. I did previously call DTV about getting the national feeds and they said I can't - even for a non HD "network" like the CW, where they don't even offer a local channel.

For that BIG reason and the fiasco with DTV's "pseudo-HD" quality transmissions (that I know they are working on, but...) you shoulda stayed with cable eh? Now that Charter is adding another 8 or so HD channels I'm definitely staying put for now...

I don't work with Channel 3, but have seen something like this elsewhere. But before I reveal, a couple questions:

1. Do you notice the audio problems mainly during HD shows, in Primetime, etc?

2. When you hear the noise, or the audio goes away, does it typically come and go when either going into a commercial break or a local non-HD show?

Sometimes when DTV stations switch their audio encoding from Dolby 5.1 surround to stereo and back, some cable boxes go nuts and exhibit the symptoms you're describing. Unfortunately CBS recommends the station switch their Dolby encoder from 5.1 to stereo at these transitions, but when the audio bitstream sync is lost, cable boxes also lose sync and either drop the audio, or you hear hissing and screeching noises until it re-syncs.

If this is indeed the syptoms, unfortunately the solution for the TV station doesn't come cheap.

Kelly

If you're in the Springfield MA market and have DirecTV HD I would be interested in hearing feedback as to whether you have noticed any issues with the HD locals for WWLP channel 22 and WGGB channel 40. This would be using an H20 or maybe even the H21 receiver. I have the H20-600 and it is connected to a Sharp Aquos with an HDMI cable.

On 01 Oct 2008 DirecTV updated the feed for the Springfield MA market providing for the first time HD locals via satellite. If you go into your favourites you will notice that there are two channel 3's, two channel 22's, two channel 40's, etc. By default when this service was made available you may only have one local channel (in your favourite) - you may need to add the second one manually as I did. The first would be the HD feed whilst the second would be the SD feed (stepping up in channel order).

For the first couple of weeks things looked (and sounded) good. But then it started degrading. This affects both WGGB and WWLP. Sometimes the sound is missing. Sometimes there is a stutter and the audio is fine. (By stutter if you watch something that should cleanly scroll across the screen it will appear jerky or jumpy.) And sometimes audio will be badly out of sync.

One of my colleagues has a similar setup and sees the same thing I do ... and I have heard of a couple of other reports as well. But other people may not be seeing the problem?

If you do experience it - it may be well worth the call to DirecTV. Although they surely monitor the feeds into their system - I don't think their monitoring alerts them to this kind of problem. IMO it basically makes watching these channels worthless - hence why you may want to consider placing both the HD and SD channels in your favourites so you can bounce back and forth if the HD programming quality is disrupted.

BTW: it is not an issue with the stations in question as my H20 also has ATSC receive capabilities and I can tune with the H20 off-air HD without any problems. And I have asked friends who receive the HD locals via Comcast and they have not reported any similar issues.

When DirecTV first started providing the Springfield HD locals, WGGB was badly out of audio synch for me (on an HR-20 and an HR-21). They seem fine now. WWLP was fine at the beginning, but for the last week or two, the audio is badly out of synch in the morning for me--it seems to be fine in prime time.

When DirecTV first started providing the Springfield HD locals, WGGB was badly out of audio synch for me (on an HR-20 and an HR-21). They seem fine now. WWLP was fine at the beginning, but for the last week or two, the audio is badly out of synch in the morning for me--it seems to be fine in prime time.I noticed that yesterday (Tue 16 Dec 2008) and this morning things looked pretty good all around. It is likely a few calls to DirecTV resulted in some changes? Appreciate any additional feedback.

I noticed that yesterday (Tue 16 Dec 2008) and this morning things looked pretty good all around. It is likely a few calls to DirecTV resulted in some changes? Appreciate any additional feedback.

I've had major sync problems for the past 2 weeks, but finally today it seems OK. I've called there about 10 times in the past 2 weeks. Let's hope it's fixed for good.

The new problem (at least here in Easthampton) is that Channel 3 HD is no longer HD. It is the SD WHSM being fed both into the Channel 3 HD and SD slots. Previously, we received WFSB on the HD slot. I called and they told me the issue is with WFSB/WHSM. I've got a call in to the WFSB/WHSM chief engineer, Victor Zarrilli (860-728-3333 x 1662), although he is on vacation right now. I'd bet the issue is really with DirecTV rather than WFSB, but who knows.

We also don't have a FOX HD here either on DirecTV since they are just picking up Fox6 which is not yet in HD along with an SD version of Fox61. One of the DTV technicians told me they were originally supposed to be giving us Fox6 in SD and Fox 61 in HD, but they messed it up in their system.

Maybe if enough of us call, we can get these things fixed too.

I've had major sync problems for the past 2 weeks, but finally today it seems OK. I've called there about 10 times in the past 2 weeks. Let's hope it's fixed for good.Interesting. I have had the same kind of problem. When I previously called DirecTV they told me they had no reports of problems with the HD locals and to reset my box, etc.
The new problem (at least here in Easthampton) is that Channel 3 HD is no longer HD. It is the SD WHSM being fed both into the Channel 3 HD and SD slots. Previously, we received WFSB on the HD slot. I called and they told me the issue is with WFSB/WHSM. I've got a call in to the WFSB/WHSM chief engineer, (snip). I'd bet the issue is really with DirecTV rather than WFSB, but who knows.Look back a few posts in this forum where I believe I tried to address this. The Springfield MA CBS affiliate is WSHM-LP (note callsign correction). They are currently analog only and transmit on channel 67 from Mt. Tom. There is no off-air HD CBS affiliate for Springfield MA today. There will likely be one once they build WSHM-LD operating on channel 41 digital.

The fact that we had on the HD DirecTV channel 3 the WFSB HD programming was likely an error on DirecTV's part - or at least that is where I would put my money. Currently the DirecTV channel 3 HD is WFSB-DT channel 3.2 whilst the DirecTV channel 3 SD is WSHM-LP channel 67. It is easy to compare the two DirecTV channel 3's to their off-air equiv.

We also don't have a FOX HD here either on DirecTV since they are just picking up Fox6 which is not yet in HD along with an SD version of Fox61. One of the DTV technicians told me they were originally supposed to be giving us Fox6 in SD and Fox 61 in HD, but they messed it up in their system.This is a similar issue to the channel 3 one noted above. By default DirecTV receives local signals off-air and then uplinks those signals to the satellites for their subscribers. Currently FOX programming for Springfield MA is being broadcast on WGGB-DT 40.2 and that is what is being provided on the DirecTV system. If WGGB had a way to feed DirecTV via some other mechanism (similar to what is done with the cable systems) then it may be possible to get FOX in HD even though there isn't any off-air transmissions (today).

You are correct about DirecTV 61. I would have expected to see two channel 61's on our HD receivers. There may be both technical and business reasons why there isn't - noting that WGGB is now the FOX affiliate for the Springfield MA market. FWIW - I called DirecTV some time (years?) ago and they gave me WNYW FOX5 from New York City in HD on channel 88 and I still receive it today.

You are correct about DirecTV 61. I would have expected to see two channel 61's on our HD receivers. There may be both technical and business reasons why there isn't - noting that WGGB is now the FOX affiliate for the Springfield MA market. FWIW - I called DirecTV some time (years?) ago and they gave me WNYW FOX5 from New York City in HD on channel 88 and I still receive it today.

Thanks for the complete response. I tried a couple times to get them to grant me channel 88 and they won't and that was even after I provided them with an email from John Gormally the president/owner of WGGB explaining that they don't yet have an HD option (which Kelly confirmed on this board). Frustrating to say the least.

Speaking of frustrating - voice sync on 22 is woefully off once again this morning and the picture is jumping like a bad youtube video. Unwatchable.

Does anyone have a list of the QAM stations? All I've found is NESN on 103.1, and I think 91.2 or 92.2 was FOX. Can we pick up ESPN and ESPN2? My HD cable box on my other TV gets these stations, so they must be able to be picked up by QAM, no?

I manually went through Charters channel lineup yesterday quickly with my new Tivo and here is what i got for unscrambled QAM channels. Please add others if you know of them I may have missed a few.

QAM Channels
86.1 CBS Hartford HD
86.2 CBS weather LD
86.3 CBS Spfld LD

88.9 – on demand
89.2 – CSN HD
90.1 – Fox 6 Spfld HD
90.3 – NBC 22 Spfld HD

102.1 PBS WGBY HD
102.2 – FOX 61 HD
102.3 – PBS WGBY
102.5 PBS WGBY
102.6 PBS WGBY
103.3 NESN HD

BTW I also do OTA with a basic Radio Shack roof antenna and I get
3.1,3.2,3.3
8.1
18.1,18.2,18.3
20.1
24.1
30.1,30.2,30.3
40.1,40.2
57.1,57.2,57.3,57.4 (most of the time) - thinking about an pre-amp to help..
61.1

What stinks about tivo is they don't have guide info for QAM but they do for OTA so this is why i have it.

I manually went through Charters channel lineup yesterday quickly with my new Tivo and here is what i got for unscrambled QAM channels. Please add others if you know of them I may have missed a few.

QAM Channels
86.1 CBS Hartford HD
86.2 CBS weather LD
86.3 CBS Spfld LD

88.9 – on demand
89.2 – CSN HD
90.1 – Fox 6 Spfld HD
90.3 – NBC 22 Spfld HD

102.1 PBS WGBY HD
102.2 – FOX 61 HD
102.3 – PBS WGBY
102.5 PBS WGBY
102.6 PBS WGBY
103.3 NESN HD

BTW I also do OTA with a basic Radio Shack roof antenna and I get
3.1,3.2,3.3
8.1
18.1,18.2,18.3
20.1
24.1
30.1,30.2,30.3
40.1,40.2
57.1,57.2,57.3,57.4 (most of the time) - thinking about an pre-amp to help..
61.1

What stinks about tivo is they don't have guide info for QAM but they do for OTA so this is why i have it.

Just so you know, WGGB-DT is currently working on converting the existing FOX 40.2, (currently SD), switched over to HD somewhere around January 15th or earlier.

Behind the scenes, this means a substantial investment in equipment and redesign, as having two HD streams on one OTA signal takes some effort to make everything fit.

Assuming that DirecTV can make the changes and pass through the OTA signal from WGGB, the FOX HD issue should be resolved.

Speaking of frustrating - voice sync on 22 is woefully off once again this morning and the picture is jumping like a bad youtube video. Unwatchable.Something happened overnight. I noticed the same thing - either no audio or bad sync and video jump. DirecTV is now working on it - OTA is fine.

BTW I also do OTA with a basic Radio Shack roof antenna and I get 3.1,3.2,3.3 - 8.1 - 18.1,18.2,18.3 - 20.1 - 24.1 - 30.1,30.2,30.3 - 40.1,40.2 - 57.1,57.2,57.3,57.4 - 61.1Welcome to the forum Troasti. Interested to see you are getting OTA 8.1 (on channel 10) and 20.1 (on channel 12) but no 22.1 (on channel 11)? If you don't mind mentioning - what town are you in?

Behind the scenes, this means a substantial investment in equipment and redesign, as having two HD streams on one OTA signal takes some effort to make everything fit.

Oh no.

Well, all, enjoy your ABC-HD while it lasts. If any of the stories I've heard are true, you'll not want to watch either 40-1 or 40-2 when it's all over.

- Trip

Oh no.

Well, all, enjoy your ABC-HD while it lasts. If any of the stories I've heard are true, you'll not want to watch either 40-1 or 40-2 when it's all over.

- Trip

I suspect you won't see the difference Mr. Eeyore.

Just so you know, WGGB-DT is currently working on converting the existing FOX 40.2, (currently SD), switched over to HD somewhere around January 15th or earlier.

Behind the scenes, this means a substantial investment in equipment and redesign, as having two HD streams on one OTA signal takes some effort to make everything fit.

Assuming that DirecTV can make the changes and pass through the OTA signal from WGGB, the FOX HD issue should be resolved.

Kelly - thanks a lot for the update. That's pretty close to the estimate you gave me a couple of months ago. It will be great for those of us with DirecTV and no Fox HD alternative.

I suspect you won't see the difference Mr. Eeyore.

I won't see a difference since I don't live in the area.

I know that WKYT in Lexington was doing HD on CBS and CW, both in 720p, and they just dropped CW-HD back to SD because it all looked so terrible.

Best of luck, of course, maybe the newest equipment is capable of doing a better job. My bigger question is how you're getting around the Fox splicer.

- Trip

Welcome to the forum Troasti. Interested to see you are getting OTA 8.1 (on channel 10) and 20.1 (on channel 12) but no 22.1 (on channel 11)? If you don't mind mentioning - what town are you in?

I'm in EL but my house is on a decent sized hill facing CT (where I point my antenna.. I get all CT stations flawlessly (8.1, 20.1, 24.1. 30.1, 61.1) but have issues with 57 and 40 depending on the time of the day (issues between 1pm-5pm) Maybe when the sun is in front of the signal? Part of the reason I have trouble with SPFLD stations is the hill is bigger behind me towards mount Tom.
I have a UHF antenna and I know 22.1 is actually on 11 so that's part of the reason why I don't get it but like I said CT comes in perfectly so I really don't need it. I would love to get 59.1 out of CT for the mynetwork but no such luck. I was thinking about getting a Pre-Amp to see if it would help me with 57 and 40 during the day when i have issues.. Thoughts? Maybe its not really a correctable issue.

So let me get this straight: You can get WTNH-DT from New Haven on VHF channel 10 but you can't get WWLP-DT from Springfield on VHF channel 11? Did you ever move your antenna some to see what type of signal you could get with WWLP-DT? Could it also be possible that WTNH on channel 10 is affecting the reading you get with WWLP on channel 11?

Troasti: thanks for the update. Some Springfield stations are NNW of you on Mt. Tom (WGGB 40, WGBY, 28, 67). Others are west of you on Provin Mountain (WWLP 22, 43, 51).

As for your antenna: if you're getting WTNH-DT and WTXX-DT (which are on VHF channels 10 and 12 respectively) you shouldn't have any problems getting other VHF stations. Do you receive WEDN-DT PBS Norwich CT? Should show up as 53.1 and they transmit on digital channel 9.

As for receiving WCTX-DT 59.1 they transmit on digital channel 39 from the same location as WTNH-DT 8.1. Peak up your antenna on 8.1 and see what you get. Many viewers in the Springfield MA area have had troubles trying to receive 59.1 because it is adjacent to WGGB on 40. Some people have also reported receiving WCTX-DT after WGGB turned off their analog transmitter. It will be interesting to see if the distant WCTX-DT can be received once WGGB-DT returns to the air on channel 40.

I wouldn't bother with a preamp just yet - why not wait until the stations north of you come up to full power on their final channels and see how your reception is. Sometimes adding a preamp causes more problems than it helps. And with the list of stations you are successfully getting ...

KML-224: doing a quick look at MapPoint it would appear that troasti is about 10 miles east of WWLP-DT and 50+ miles NNE of WTNH-DT. I sincerely doubt that WTNH-DT is causing the problem with WWLP-DT. (BTW: they are sister stations.) More likely is the WWLP-DT signal is so strong there may be multipath issues. One way to resolve this is to use an antenna that has good rejection off the back/side to minimize multipath.

To RPMcCormick: Yes, I'm aware that LIN Broadcasting owns WWLP, WTNH and WCTX. :)

To the others in the Springfield/Chicopee/Holyoke DMA: Did WWLP-TV/DT ever consider having Mount Tom in Holyoke as their site at any point in the station's history? As for their Provin Mountain site in Agawam, the best view I seem to get of it is about Exit 11 (Birnie Avenue) of I-91 South in Springfield, soon after leaving Chicopee at the I-391 curve.

Did WWLP-TV/DT ever consider having Mount Tom in Holyoke as their site at any point in the station's history?So I had typed up a nice / long reply but after I clicked Submit Reply the browser sat with its wheels spinning and the post never made it. :(

Here is an abridged version: WHYN had its radio presence on Mt. Tom before the TV station. If my memory is correct the tower registration database says the oldest tower up there (probably for the FM) is circa 1948.

WWLP received the second high-power UHF license from the FCC. Both WWLP and WHYN-TV were sort of racing to get on the air in the spring of 1953.

WWLP leased property on Provin Mountain - later purchasing the parcel outright. Up until 1999/2000 WWLP had most of its operations atop Provin, noting that in the beginning they had an office on Chestnut Street in Springfield as well as a sales office in downtown Hartford, CT. In the end - a remote downtown sales office and everyone on Provin were consolidated into the current Chicopee facilities.


As for their Provin Mountain site in Agawam, the best view I seem to get of it is about Exit 11 (Birnie Avenue) of I-91 South in Springfield, soon after leaving Chicopee at the I-391 curve.Provin is only 640 feet ASL as compared to Mt. Tom which is above 1,000. WWLP makes up for it with a taller tower to get aproximately the same height above the terrain. Other viewpoints include: westbound on the Mass Pike in Chicopee going down the hill to the CT river, on routes 10 & 202 in Westfield as well as places on Route 20 in Westfield. And of course - taking off at Bradley to the northeast and making the big left-hand turn towards Chester.

Again this morning additional problems with DirecTV HD for both WWLP (jittery video and intermittant audio) and WGGB-DT (slight jitter in the closings scroll). No problems seen in the off-air signals.

Recommendation: if you witness this behavior and are willing to make the call - ring DirecTV on 800-494-4388. If you are able to compare the off-air signal to the DirecTV signal be sure to let the rep on the phone know. That should trigger a warning ticket. And if you have the time to post something her noting the the problem that will let station engineers also become aware of the severity and frequency of the problem.

I know that WKYT in Lexington was doing HD on CBS and CW, both in 720p, and they just dropped CW-HD back to SD because it all looked so terrible.A quick Google on WKYT shows at one point they were running a third subchannel in addition to CBS and CW. Are they still?


... maybe the newest equipment is capable of doing a better job.Right: not fair to compare unless you are compairing the same thing. Was WKYT running CBR for each of the three streams? Or doing statmux? Are they using the latest generation MPEG encoders versus something five or six years old?

They had an SD radar subchannel, but the capture I have shows 3 Mbps of null packets anyway, so it might not have mattered. It was some high-dollar stat-muxed thing that Gray was trying out, they also tried it in Waco but I don't follow that thread closely enough to know how that worked out. Almost everybody who could watched a CBS from Louisville or Cincinnati if they could get it.

http://www.rabbitears.info/screencaps/ky-lex/24914-0_0.htm

It's not the only one, just the only one that has recent, documented complaints (most people just stopped complaining knowing there's nothing that can be done). I've heard complaints about KALB in Alexandria LA doing NBC and CBS both in HD.

We'll just have to wait and see. When it starts, I'm sure there'll be plenty of reports here to read. =)

- Trip

Troasti: thanks for the update. Some Springfield stations are NNW of you on Mt. Tom (WGGB 40, WGBY, 28, 67). Others are west of you on Provin Mountain (WWLP 22, 43, 51).

As for your antenna: if you're getting WTNH-DT and WTXX-DT (which are on VHF channels 10 and 12 respectively) you shouldn't have any problems getting other VHF stations. Do you receive WEDN-DT PBS Norwich CT? Should show up as 53.1 and they transmit on digital channel 9.

As for receiving WCTX-DT 59.1 they transmit on digital channel 39 from the same location as WTNH-DT 8.1. Peak up your antenna on 8.1 and see what you get. Many viewers in the Springfield MA area have had troubles trying to receive 59.1 because it is adjacent to WGGB on 40. Some people have also reported receiving WCTX-DT after WGGB turned off their analog transmitter. It will be interesting to see if the distant WCTX-DT can be received once WGGB-DT returns to the air on channel 40.

I wouldn't bother with a preamp just yet - why not wait until the stations north of you come up to full power on their final channels and see how your reception is. Sometimes adding a preamp causes more problems than it helps. And with the list of stations you are successfully getting ...

KML-224: doing a quick look at MapPoint it would appear that troasti is about 10 miles east of WWLP-DT and 50+ miles NNE of WTNH-DT. I sincerely doubt that WTNH-DT is causing the problem with WWLP-DT. (BTW: they are sister stations.) More likely is the WWLP-DT signal is so strong there may be multipath issues. One way to resolve this is to use an antenna that has good rejection off the back/side to minimize multipath.

RPMcCormick thanks for the reply..
I have the radio shack u75 antenna which is pretty basic so I didn't expect a lot going in. I'm not able to receive 59.1 digital although the analog is sometimes watchable. As far as 22.1 is concerned I've never cared to attempt to correct since 30.1 comes in perfectly. If what you are saying is true it probably is a multipath issue (when i tune in 22 analog it is seriously ghosted) To answer your question I do not get in 53.1 but again it wasn' an issue since I get 24.1 PBS which i believe is the same station. Can you explain to me what is going to happen to digital reception (for better or worse) when the stations go to full power in Feb? I know 57 has already shut off analog so does that mean they are full power? If so it hasn't helped my reception. 57 is probably the only station I would care to attempt to tweak reception for since they have 4 subchannels with decent programming. Again the issue I'm not sure is correctable since they are behind me with a large hill in front of them (although I'm not sure why the only issue I have with 57 is between the hours of noon and 4pm or so can anyone explain this?) Maybe a better antenna would help. Are there any other networks out there besides PBS, ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, CW that people are getting OTA locally? Does anyone else in this forum have Charter or Tivo and tune QAM?

Okay - lots of questions - so instead of quoting them all I will serially answer them as best I can.

If you are encountering ghosting on WWLP analog (UHF channel 22) that is a form of multipath ... so it would be plausible that you are having similar problems with the reception of WWLP-DT on VHF channel 11.

As for WCTX and WCTX-DT (59 and 39 respectively): they are collocated with WTNH and WTNH-DT (channels 8 and 10). I figured if you had a decent lock on WTNH you may be able to receive WCTX as well ... but if the WCTX analog signal is weak that alone may account for difficulties in reception of WCTX-DT (which isn't that much lower in frequency). With a strong signal on the adjacent channel 40 many tuners will have difficulty pulling in the distant and weaker signal from WCTX-DT.

As you may know - CPTV after many years of awaiting FCC approval did some swapping of channels in Norwich and Hartford. I live northeast of Springfield and WEDH-DT (on 45) is one of the strongest signals I get - they are transmitting from Rattlesnake Mountain. WEDN-DT is newly moved to digital channel 9 (which I am unable to receive).

As for digital reception after the February transition: you really have to look at that on a case-by-case or station-by-station basis. Some stations are changing channels and/or power levels. WGBY-DT is still transmitting on channel 58 from Mt. Tom. Once WWLP vacates channel 22 then WGBY-DT will move to channel 22 digital. I would expect you should notice the difference as the frequency will be much lower and the power increased. Currently WGBY-DT is indeed transmitting four program streams - but in my opinion the quality on two of them may be fine for some programming (like cartoons) but is severely degraded for others. It was much better when in the evening they only had two program streams. I'm a DirecTV subscriber so I can't say first-hand but I understand that WGBY programming viewed by cable subscribers (who are probably watching a direct feed from WGBY) is much better than what I see off-air.

I can't explain why the time of day would be effecting your reception - it shouldn't. But you could be having issues even with things like traffic which may be either helping create multipath conditions or interjecting other noise (especially with VHF stations) that interfere with the signal quality.

To find out what you may be able to receive at your home location you can try one of these web sites:

http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/welcome.aspx
Click: Choose an antenna
Only need to provide street address, city, state and zip.
Untick boxes, answer other questions and click: Submit

http://ota.winegarddirect.com/
Enter your address, click: Show TV stations

http://tvfool.com/
Click: Start Here
enter information, etc.

Here is a typical list of digital stations that may be seen in the greater Springfield MA area:

ABC: WGGB-DT, WTNH-DT, WCDC-DT
CBS: WFSB-DT
CW: WTXX-DT
FOX: WGGB-DT, WTIC-DT (FOX6 is in SD only)
ION: WHPX-DT (difficult)
MYN: WCTX-DT (difficult at best)
NBC: WWLP-DT, WVIT-DT
PBS: WGBY-DT, WEDH-DT, WEDN-DT
UNI: WUVN-DT (SD)

I have left out of this list:

- Boston stations some of which may be receivable in the eastern parts of the Springfield DMA,

- low power stations that will eventually transition to digital some day (WESA-LP, WDMR-LP, WRDM-CA, WSHM-LP, WFXQ-CA)

Okay - lots of questions - so instead of quoting them all I will serially answer them as best I can.

If you are encountering ghosting on WWLP analog (UHF channel 22) that is a form of multipath ... so it would be plausible that you are having similar problems with the reception of WWLP-DT on VHF channel 11.

As for WCTX and WCTX-DT (59 and 39 respectively): they are collocated with WTNH and WTNH-DT (channels 8 and 10). I figured if you had a decent lock on WTNH you may be able to receive WCTX as well ... but if the WCTX analog signal is weak that alone may account for difficulties in reception of WCTX-DT (which isn't that much lower in frequency). With a strong signal on the adjacent channel 40 many tuners will have difficulty pulling in the distant and weaker signal from WCTX-DT.

As you may know - CPTV after many years of awaiting FCC approval did some swapping of channels in Norwich and Hartford. I live northeast of Springfield and WEDH-DT (on 45) is one of the strongest signals I get - they are transmitting from Rattlesnake Mountain. WEDN-DT is newly moved to digital channel 9 (which I am unable to receive).

As for digital reception after the February transition: you really have to look at that on a case-by-case or station-by-station basis. Some stations are changing channels and/or power levels. WGBY-DT is still transmitting on channel 58 from Mt. Tom. Once WWLP vacates channel 22 then WGBY-DT will move to channel 22 digital. I would expect you should notice the difference as the frequency will be much lower and the power increased. Currently WGBY-DT is indeed transmitting four program streams - but in my opinion the quality on two of them may be fine for some programming (like cartoons) but is severely degraded for others. It was much better when in the evening they only had two program streams. I'm a DirecTV subscriber so I can't say first-hand but I understand that WGBY programming viewed by cable subscribers (who are probably watching a direct feed from WGBY) is much better than what I see off-air.

I can't explain why the time of day would be effecting your reception - it shouldn't. But you could be having issues even with things like traffic which may be either helping create multipath conditions or interjecting other noise (especially with VHF stations) that interfere with the signal quality.

To find out what you may be able to receive at your home location you can try one of these web sites:

http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/welcome.aspx
Click: Choose an antenna
Only need to provide street address, city, state and zip.
Untick boxes, answer other questions and click: Submit

http://ota.winegarddirect.com/
Enter your address, click: Show TV stations

http://tvfool.com/
Click: Start Here
enter information, etc.

Here is a typical list of digital stations that may be seen in the greater Springfield MA area:

ABC: WGGB-DT, WTNH-DT, WCDC-DT
CBS: WFSB-DT
CW: WTXX-DT
FOX: WGGB-DT, WTIC-DT (FOX6 is in SD only)
ION: WHPX-DT (difficult)
MYN: WCTX-DT (difficult at best)
NBC: WWLP-DT, WVIT-DT
PBS: WGBY-DT, WEDH-DT, WEDN-DT
UNI: WUVN-DT (SD)

I have left out of this list:

- Boston stations some of which may be receivable in the eastern parts of the Springfield DMA,

- low power stations that will eventually transition to digital some day (WESA-LP, WDMR-LP, WRDM-CA, WSHM-LP, WFXQ-CA)

Thanks for all of the helpful info!

I manually went through Charters channel lineup yesterday quickly with my new Tivo and here is what i got for unscrambled QAM channels. Please add others if you know of them I may have missed a few.

QAM Channels
86.1 CBS Hartford HD
86.2 CBS weather LD
86.3 CBS Spfld LD

88.9 – on demand
89.2 – CSN HD
90.1 – Fox 6 Spfld HD
90.3 – NBC 22 Spfld HD

102.1 PBS WGBY HD
102.2 – FOX 61 HD
102.3 – PBS WGBY
102.5 PBS WGBY
102.6 PBS WGBY
103.3 NESN HD

BTW I also do OTA with a basic Radio Shack roof antenna and I get
3.1,3.2,3.3
8.1
18.1,18.2,18.3
20.1
24.1
30.1,30.2,30.3
40.1,40.2
57.1,57.2,57.3,57.4 (most of the time) - thinking about an pre-amp to help..
61.1

What stinks about tivo is they don't have guide info for QAM but they do for OTA so this is why i have it.

Thanks alot, man! I think ours are slightly different. My NESN is 103-1. I know my NBC is 90-2 if I remember correctly (compared to your 90-3), I will check. I know I also get Comcast Sports Network. I will check the numbers, sounds like first numbers are correct, and the decimals after are inconsistent between our locations.

Anyone who's interested, the new Charter HD lineup went live a couple days ago, though my TiVo guide hasn't updated to recognize them yet so I have to tune them manually. If you are in the same boat you may not realize they are even there yet. They were scheduled for 1/1 so I'm thinking maybe that is when the guides will update...

Directv switched back to the WFSB CBS feed so we have HD again!

Directv switched back to the WFSB CBS feed so we have HD again!

Awesome! Hopefully all the calls mattered. It looks like the NBC22 feed is actually working properly as well at this moment although the ABC40 feed is still choppy at best. At least things seem to be starting to move in the right direction. If we can get the ABC issues resolved and get an HD feed for Fox, we will be in business.

It looks like the NBC22 feed is actually working properly as well at this moment although the ABC40 feed is still choppy at best.I'm getting tired of calling - it is a crap shoot as to whether WWLP-DT and WGGB-DT are acceptable on DirecTV's HD locals. For example, the rebroadcast of the Olympic opening show on Sat 27 Dec 2008 most of the time had no audio and had the jitter. The fact that it seems to affect both WWLP and WGGB would tend to indicate the issue is within the DirecTV plant.

I'm getting tired of calling - it is a crap shoot as to whether WWLP-DT and WGGB-DT are acceptable on DirecTV's HD locals. For example, the rebroadcast of the Olympic opening show on Sat 27 Dec 2008 most of the time had no audio and had the jitter. The fact that it seems to affect both WWLP and WGGB would tend to indicate the issue is within the DirecTV plant.
Both WGGB (40) and WWLP (22) are really bad today. I emailed them this morning (no response) and I just called. They said they are aware of the issue and the engineers are working on it. Not sure what that means, but I would think the more of us who call them to tell them it's a problem the better the chance at a resolution.

Both WGGB (40) and WWLP (22) are really bad today. I emailed them this morning (no response) and I just called. They said they are aware of the issue and the engineers are working on it. Not sure what that means, but I would think the more of us who call them to tell them it's a problem the better the chance at a resolution.

Both channels are working fine as of right now - keep your fingers crossed! Now if these keep working and we get Fox in HD, we'll really be in business.

Any update on when Fox 6 will go HD-originally was set for December, or so I was told, and I read here 1/15 or sooner.

I got a notice from Charter that they are upgrading their digital network in February and that my cablecards will cease to function. They need to come install some tuning adapter before then in order for me to continue getting proper service. Anyone know what this is all about, what impact it will have to my Tivo or hdtv tuning, and what might it mean for the future HD offerings (more bandwidth will be made available so lots more capacity with the new setup, etc.)?

Thanks

I got a notice from Charter that they are upgrading their digital network in February and that my cablecards will cease to function. They need to come install some tuning adapter before then in order for me to continue getting proper service. Anyone know what this is all about ...Hmmm ... first I have heard of it. A quick Google didn't turn up much - but take a look at the fine print at the bottom of this Cable Card FAQ (http://www.charter.com/customers/support.aspx?SupportArticleID=15) on the Chater web site:

† CableCARDs will not provide access to digitally encrypted
channels in areas where Charter has implemented Switched Digital
Video (SDV). In SDV areas, HDTV CableCARD customers will need
an HD Receiver to view digitally encrypted channels. Customers
using a CableCARD TiVO device will need to install a Tuning Adapter
to view digitally encrypted channels.Maybe call their local office and find out what's going on? Although I'm not a subscriber I'm an inquiring mind ...

Well I found there is a whole page on Charter's site and a whole section on Tivo's site about it. This is a good overview: http://www.tivo.com/setupandsupport/technicalsupport/compatibilityhelp/Switched_Video_Cable_Details.html

Basically they are moving to Switched Digital Video, which means that when cable customers tune a channel the headend receives a signal and will start delivering that channel to your neighborhood, or will reset the timer on the expiration of the channel if it's already available to you. When no one is still watching a given channel, it will no longer be sent over the wire so that more bandwidth is available on your local lines.

But since cablecards are one-way devices, they cannot send that signal to the headend so cannot tune the channels properly. Only the most heavily used channels that will be on the wire all the time would be watchable. So cablecards will no longer work with Charter cable and most others as they are all moving to this technology.

Tivo series 3 and others rely on cablecards, it's the only method supported, you can't hook them to cable boxes or antennas or anything else. So this will kill them, and they worked with several companies like Motorola and Cisco to develop set top boxes that will integrate with the Tivos via USB and will handle the 2-way communication with the headend. So this will let the Tivos work as they have with only slight impacts and negatives, like having to rely on this external device and provide power to it and slowed tuning, etc.

But this means my 3-year old tv that uses a Cablecard today will be useless and I will have to get a set top box for that if I want to continue to use it to watch live tv. This sucks! Two new components to go on my cramped hot shelves, two more components to have to provide power to, reduced tuning speed, risk of not having bandwidth available for a channel I choose to tune so might not even be able to watch what I pay for, additional charges for having a stb instead of a cablecard, and no immediate benefit to me at all! Are cable companies really trying this hard to make themselves irrelevant? Where the hell is FiOS????

Well I found there is a whole page on Charter's site and a whole section on Tivo's site about it. This is a good overview: http://www.tivo.com/setupandsupport/technicalsupport/compatibilityhelp/Switched_Video_Cable_Details.html

Basically they are moving to Switched Digital Video, which means that when cable customers tune a channel the headend receives a signal and will start delivering that channel to your neighborhood, or will reset the timer on the expiration of the channel if it's already available to you. When no one is still watching a given channel, it will no longer be sent over the wire so that more bandwidth is available on your local lines.

But since cablecards are one-way devices, they cannot send that signal to the headend so cannot tune the channels properly. Only the most heavily used channels that will be on the wire all the time would be watchable. So cablecards will no longer work with Charter cable and most others as they are all moving to this technology.

Tivo series 3 and others rely on cablecards, it's the only method supported, you can't hook them to cable boxes or antennas or anything else. So this will kill them, and they worked with several companies like Motorola and Cisco to develop set top boxes that will integrate with the Tivos via USB and will handle the 2-way communication with the headend. So this will let the Tivos work as they have with only slight impacts and negatives, like having to rely on this external device and provide power to it and slowed tuning, etc.

But this means my 3-year old tv that uses a Cablecard today will be useless and I will have to get a set top box for that if I want to continue to use it to watch live tv. This sucks! Two new components to go on my cramped hot shelves, two more components to have to provide power to, reduced tuning speed, risk of not having bandwidth available for a channel I choose to tune so might not even be able to watch what I pay for, additional charges for having a stb instead of a cablecard, and no immediate benefit to me at all! Are cable companies really trying this hard to make themselves irrelevant? Where the hell is FiOS????

"Tivo series 3 and others rely on cablecards, it's the only method supported, you can't hook them to cable boxes or antennas or anything else." - This ISN'T true. I have a Tivo Series 3 HD and I use an anteanna for my HD stations (I can actually get quite a few from Hartford and Springfield) and analog cable. Tivo has inputs for both cable and anteanna and a digital tuner as well as a QAM tuner so you can get all the networks in HD over cable if you chose too. The only issue with QAM using tivo is it doesn't have guide data which is why I use an antenna. I have basic cable but you could get expanded for more $$. My cable bill with 10MB internet and Basic Cable from Charter is 45$/month. I actually also have Netflix and with a netflix account ($8.99) you can watch streamed movies over Tivo and some are even in HD.

"Tivo series 3 and others rely on cablecards, it's the only method supported, you can't hook them to cable boxes or antennas or anything else." - This ISN'T true.

You're right, I shouldn't have included antenna, the one other method it supports that I never use because I get no signals here. I meant that it can't take RCA inputs from dvd players or security cameras or cable boxes or any other tuner, so you are stuck with cablecards if you want to get encrypted digital cable.

I already hated Charter for their flagging of every non-network program as protected so I can't transfer anything to my PC, and now that they have rendered useless my tv tuner, bumped up my costs for JUST CABLE to over 125 bucks, added two new powered devices to my entertainment center, and reduced my service level by going to SDC, I am feverishly looking for an alternative because Charter is a horrible cable provider in every possible respect now...

I hear rumors on another board that WGGB switched to dual 720p this morning. Any confirmations?

- Trip

I already hated Charter for their flagging of every non-network program as protected so I can't transfer anything to my PC, and now that they have rendered useless my tv tuner, bumped up my costs for JUST CABLE to over 125 bucks, added two new powered devices to my entertainment center, and reduced my service level by going to SDC, I am feverishly looking for an alternative because Charter is a horrible cable provider in every possible respect now...

You also forgot to add:
The picture quality of a typical low-end Charter STB is much worse than a high-end TV with a built-in tuner/scaler + CableCard.
After 12 months, you need to PAY for the honor of using an inferior quality STB vs a TV/CableCard.
The purpose of the Charter SDV change is to free up bandwidth so they can shove more paid OnDemand and interactive stuff down your throats and this new content will make them take even MORE of your money.

Alternative:
Short term = Verizon 7Mbs DSL internet service with a price guarantee (no increase in the monthly fee for as long as you are signed up to the service) + either DirectTV or Dish network with HD pack and HD locals. A Netflix ONDEMAND subscription + (Tivo/PS3/Netflix Box) will allow you to stream movies ondemand for a fixed monthly price if you like that kinda thing.

Long term = FIOS and IPTV

Longer Term= When "true2way" (Google it) TVs come out in a few years you can purchase one and then switch back to Charter without the need for a Charter STB because someday FIOS will eventually do something equally arrogant to anger their customers and make them jump ship too.

Short term = Verizon 7Mbs DSL internet service with a price guarantee (no increase in the monthly fee for as long as you are signed up to the service) + either DirectTV or Dish network with HD pack and HD locals. A Netflix ONDEMAND subscription + (Tivo/PS3/Netflix Box) will allow you to stream movies ondemand for a fixed monthly price if you like that kinda thing. Long term = FIOS and IPTVVery few places that I am aware of in the 413 area code and Springfield MA television market can get that speed level from Verizon DSL. Typically the maximum is 3.0 mbps and of course what you actually get is less than that often based on distance from where the DSL is generated. Also note that Echostar (the operator of the Dish network) does not carry any local stations (SD or HD) for the Springfield market. DirecTV is the only satellite provider that does. Lastly - although FiOS is available in a lot of areas it has yet to make it into the 413 area code / western Massachusetts. I am not aware of any Verizon plans to bring FiOS out here any time soon.

In Massachusetts cable television licenses are issued by the city or town where you live. Most have cable TV commissions (or something similar). In addition to sharing your comments with the cable operator serving your town these commissions may be interested in your feedback as well.

Here is a typical list of digital stations that may be seen in the greater Springfield MA area:

ABC: WGGB-DT, WTNH-DT, WCDC-DT
CBS: WFSB-DT
CW: WTXX-DT
FOX: WGGB-DT, WTIC-DT (FOX6 is in SD only)
ION: WHPX-DT (difficult)
MYN: WCTX-DT (difficult at best)
NBC: WWLP-DT, WVIT-DT
PBS: WGBY-DT, WEDH-DT, WEDN-DT
UNI: WUVN-DT (SD)

I have left out of this list:

- Boston stations some of which may be receivable in the eastern parts of the Springfield DMA,



A little late..
Out here in Brimfield (west side) with a Antennas Direct Clearstream4 pointed towards Boston and a Channel Master 7777 amp for OTA digital I get..

(All the signal strengths are on my Panny plasma's signal meter)

PBS: WGBH, WGBX, WGBY and WEDH 24.1 all in the 70-80% except GBY is 50% Should be better when they move to UHF 22

CBS: WFSB(80%) and WBZ is at around 50%, but I think the WVIT analog is killing it, can't wait for the Analog shutdown to see if it's better

NBC: WHDH(70%), WWLP(50%) and WVIT(70%) - WWLP I heard is got at full power

ABC: WCVB(80%), WGGB(80%) and WTNH not sure on call letters, but it's 8.1(70%)
CW: WLVI (70%)

FOX: WGGB DT2

Univision.. I think 18 and 27 (don't watch them.. so no clue of the call letters)

I just canceled Charter cable at the beginning of the month and have been VERY happy with my OTA reception. It kills me they wanted $40 for limited basic analog cable when I get all these in HD for free.

I'm hoping with the switch in February I'll get more stations.
My TV has scanned WSBK -38 but I don't get it, same for some Providence stations.
For Fox, I'm wondering if I'll get the Hartford Fox-61 or Boston Fox-25 because both will be on UHF 31 and the online guides (like Tvfool.com) say I will get both signals in my location.

It Appears that 40-2(OTA) is now broadcasting at 720 p . When I went last night to check at 8pm , The show was not in full HD . I don/t know if WGGB can show full HD on both (40-1 , 40-2) at the same time. Also I hope that Directv can now show FOX6 in HD. Now we wait to see if 41-1 (CBS) ever puts up a high power antenna .......

Last night the FOX6 OTA signal (40-2) was coming through at 720p, but the HD programming wasn't coming through as HD and DirecTV was only broadcasting the channel at 480i. DirectTV made a change overnight and now it's coming through at 720p instead of 480i. If Fox6 can make adjustments to broadcast HD content, DTV should be set up now to accept it and pass it through. A pretty big step for Western Massachusetts DTV customers!

Very few places that I am aware of in the 413 area code and Springfield MA television market can get that speed level from Verizon DSL. Typically the maximum is 3.0 mbps and of course what you actually get is less than that often based on distance from where the DSL is generated. Also note that Echostar (the operator of the Dish network) does not carry any local stations (SD or HD) for the Springfield market. DirecTV is the only satellite provider that does. Lastly - although FiOS is available in a lot of areas it has yet to make it into the 413 area code / western Massachusetts. I am not aware of any Verizon plans to bring FiOS out here any time soon.

In Massachusetts cable television licenses are issued by the city or town where you live. Most have cable TV commissions (or something similar). In addition to sharing your comments with the cable operator serving your town these commissions may be interested in your feedback as well.

Actually, Verizon is just starting to push their 7Mbps service (advertising) in the area, so I assume that there are potential customers in urban and suburban areas (Springfield and neighboring towns) that can achieve 7Mbps rates. Being a cheap SOB I will probably get the 3Mbps plan anyways.

As for the locals, I am considering DirectTV for the reason stated above, but I can also receive all HD locals OTA except for WWLP-DT and I can substitute that with WVIT-DT. So for me Dish Network is also an option.

I will consider forwarding my comments to my local Cable commission. Thanks for the suggestion.

i think the advertising of verizon's 7mbps service is just a blanket ad that covers all of mass. i live in west springfield and i cannot even get verizon dsl . i am stuck paying 45 dollars a month to comcrap for there internet. I wish verizon would roll out some fios out here,i think people would flock to it.just need out individual towns or cities to apply for the contract.

i think the advertising of verizon's 7mbps service is just a blanket ad that covers all of mass. i live in west springfield and i cannot even get verizon dsl . i am stuck paying 45 dollars a month to comcrap for there internet. I wish verizon would roll out some fios out here,i think people would flock to it.just need out individual towns or cities to apply for the contract.

instead of bitching and moaning about comcast you should know that they have doubled internet speeds around the area for FREE. so you should be getting 12mbs per second soon if now right now. so maybe you should be grateful for what you have instead of wishing for something that doesnt yet exist. you do not have to pay 45 bucks to comcast to get their [that IS how you spell the word] 6 mb speed. you can pay less and get less. I am no comcast fanboy but facts is facts.

I hear rumors on another board that WGGB switched to dual 720p this morning. Any confirmations?

- Trip

Yep! The guys are still tweaking some up-stream HD video settings to accommodate DirecTV's ability to receive FOX6-HD OTA, but that should be completed in a few days.

Unlike other attempts at running two HD streams/channels, I believe you won't see any degradation on HD programming for ABC40 as compared prior to adding the FOX6 in HD. The trick is not using statistical multiplexing, but rather fixed rates, carefully allocated. Current ATSC tuners seem to display more artifacts which appear to the viewer similar to low bitrate artifacts when the bitrate is constantly changing under the control of a stat-mux.

Unlike other attempts at running two HD streams/channels, I believe you won't see any degradation on HD programming for ABC40 as compared prior to adding the FOX6 in HD. The trick is not using statistical multiplexing, but rather fixed rates, carefully allocated. Current ATSC tuners seem to display more artifacts which appear to the viewer similar to low bitrate artifacts when the bitrate is constantly changing under the control of a stat-mux.

If that turns out to be true, it'd be very interesting to learn and runs counter to everything logic would dictate. That said, given the QUALITY of some of these receivers, I wouldn't be surprised to find out it's true.

Hopefully some folks on the forum here will post their thoughts on how it looks. I'd be very curious to find out. Perhaps someone could do a side-by-side comparison of 40-2 and 61-1?

- Trip

If that turns out to be true, it'd be very interesting to learn and runs counter to everything logic would dictate. That said, given the QUALITY of some of these receivers, I wouldn't be surprised to find out it's true.

Hopefully some folks on the forum here will post their thoughts on how it looks. I'd be very curious to find out. Perhaps someone could do a side-by-side comparison of 40-2 and 61-1?

- Trip
I think Fox6 is still tweaking because so far Fox HD content such as House is coming in with a reduced size (black frame around the picture). The quality of the picture looks good, but it's not yet filling the screen. Obviously I am not a real techie, but hopefully the feed will be true HD sometime soon then the comparison to 61 (which I can't get in my location) can be done.

Does this mean Fox6 will actually use the HD feed ALL THE TIME now? For example, Sunday night animation block they don't use the HD feed which drives me nuts. Sure the cartoons are not really HD programming, but the commercials are! And the cartoons DO look better with the HD feed, colors are much more bright and picture much sharp. You can tell they don't use the proper feed because you end up with a Fox logo in the 4:3 frame and then another one outside in the pillar area. And like I said, the commercials including the previews for other Fox programming should be in HD but aren't. I wonder if Fox has any rules about that, like their affiliates must always use the HD feeds if they broadcast in HD. Maybe I'll write to corporate and complain...

The reason I ask is it's getting to be very important, starting on Feb 15th The Simpsons will actually be in HD for the first time. Fox 6 better not still be using the SD feed that day or they will be seeing me in person on their doorstep. It's not just the video but the audio too!

Are there any plans in the works for the stations to be able to generate their own HD signals? What are the barriers and costs of that? I am sick to death of having to watch morning shows like GMA or Today in SD every time it snows because the local stations have to insert their closings info and they can't do that in HD. Also even on normal days, they have the jarring transition to SD and back every time they pause for local weather reports. Is this something that might ever be addressed?

Does this mean Fox6 will actually use the HD feed ALL THE TIME now? For example, Sunday night animation block they don't use the HD feed which drives me nuts. Sure the cartoons are not really HD programming, but the commercials are! And the cartoons DO look better with the HD feed, colors are much more bright and picture much sharp. You can tell they don't use the proper feed because you end up with a Fox logo in the 4:3 frame and then another one outside in the pillar area. And like I said, the commercials including the previews for other Fox programming should be in HD but aren't. I wonder if Fox has any rules about that, like their affiliates must always use the HD feeds if they broadcast in HD. Maybe I'll write to corporate and complain...

The reason I ask is it's getting to be very important, starting on Feb 15th The Simpsons will actually be in HD for the first time. Fox 6 better not still be using the SD feed that day or they will be seeing me in person on their doorstep. It's not just the video but the audio too!

In all cases where there is Standard Definition programming, whether it because the producer hasn't switched to HD production, or if its older programming in SD, one needs to up-convert to HD by adding the black pillars on each side and converting the format. It will take years to weed out all the SD programming, plus much of the local equipment still only outputs 4:3 SD, so it needs to be up-converted as well.

Regarding an update on when the FOX HD programming will be on 40.2, it should be any day now. We had an issue with an encoder setting that was fowling up DirecTV, but that seems to be resolved. After chasing our tails with DirecTV insisting the problem was on our end, turns out it was really their issue. Now we need to put everything back to the original design and FOX prime programming will be available in HD on 40.2!

Kelly, thanks for the update. I'm looking forward to receiving Fox6 in HD via DirecTV. I just got the notification from DirecTV this week that my distant HD networks are being shut off in late February.

In all cases where there is Standard Definition programming, whether it because the producer hasn't switched to HD production, or if its older programming in SD, one needs to up-convert to HD by adding the black pillars on each side and converting the format. It will take years to weed out all the SD programming, plus much of the local equipment still only outputs 4:3 SD, so it needs to be up-converted as well.

Thanks, but what I am saying is that Fox does the conversions and offers an HD feed for the Sunday night programming block right? I used to watch it on WTIC. Like I said, you can tell the difference because commercials are still in HD, the Fox network logo is off in the pillar area not the 4:3 frame, the picture looks sharper and brighter, and the audio often comes in with 5.1 even if it's been converted. But Fox6 is using the SD network feed on Sundays instead so that none of hte commercials or promos are in HD like they should be, even if the cartoons themselves are an SD source. If they continue this pattern on the 15th they will not be broadcasting the new HD Simpsons and I will be very very angry.

The other piece is the local production. If they actually upconverted they wouldn't have to switch the network feed to SD would they? The pattern is that shortly before the local weather break, they cut from the HD to SD network feeds then roll to the studio for their live news update, then back to the show after which they cut back to the HD feed. Same thing for local commercials, and the risk is that Fox6 and ABC especially have been very poor at it and will forget to hit the button to switch back to the HD feed, so a show will come back from a commercial and stay in SD for minutes or even entire segments because someone forgot to hit the button. Very very annoying and frustrating. I was hoping they were in the process of getting the proper equipment to avoid having to do that...
Thank you for your reply!

Anyone notice this past week on ABC40 DT (via Comcast) that the picture and sound were out of sync (slightly) on network HD (eg Greys Anatomy/Private Practice, etc). Didn't notice this going on at the time on 40-2 Fox.

John

Anyone notice this past week on ABC40 DT (via Comcast) that the picture and sound were out of sync (slightly) on network HD (eg Greys Anatomy/Private Practice, etc). Didn't notice this going on at the time on 40-2 Fox.
John

Same thing on Charter, it's been very frustrating. I can adjust the delay on my receiver but then every other channel is off. I figured it would be temporary but it's been this way a long time now!

I'm really glad to see fox 6 is now in hd. That means I can get most of my favorite shows in HD now OTA.

Only thing is, what is up with the window boxing with the HD shows? I can't zoom in on it. It's like the AR is still 4:3 and letter and pillar boxing is being added. Even though the HD content centered in the middle looks much better then it did before.


When is this going to be fixed?

After watching AI and Fringe last night. It appears more as if Fox 6 is now throwing the HD switch. So what we are seeing is the SD fox feed up scaled to 720 and pillar boxed. And in terms of shows like house, 24 and fringe fox sd airs them wide screen letter boxed. So, what's the point of going 720p if the network is only sd up scaled?

I'm hoping this issue gets taken care of soon=)

I'm a new member to this great site located in Longmeadow MA.

I installed a Phillips MANT940 in the attic this last weekend to test the DTV signal on my HDTV with built in digital tuner. I can receive CBS 3.1, UNI 18.1, PBS 24.1, Fox 61.1 perfectly. I can get WWLP 22 analog marginally with ghosting, but cannot pick up any of WWLP 22.1 digital channel 11.

Do I need to also install a VHF antenna and joiner? Anyone else having issues with WWLP digital reception? :confused:

> Do I need to also install a VHF antenna and joiner? Anyone else having issues
> with WWLP digital reception?

I have the same problem. I live in Leverett, and can get every digital station in CT, including the ones in New Haven and Waterbury, but cannot get WWLP digital. I get the analogue signal quite well, however.

-- Rob

> Do I need to also install a VHF antenna and joiner? Anyone else having issues
> with WWLP digital reception?

Yes - WWLP-DT broadcasts on VHF high band Channel 11. A UHF only antenna won't work.

Same thing on Charter, it's been very frustrating. I can adjust the delay on my receiver but then every other channel is off. I figured it would be temporary but it's been this way a long time now!

Well as of today 40-1 DT (ABC40) is gone from Comcast (at least not being sent in clear). Guess that's one way to fix problem.

John

Nice! When did WWLP start broadcasting Wheel and Jeopardy in HD? I just noticed it for the first time tonight that it is no longer sd.

Well some things get better, some worse ;)

Fox6 actually used the proper HD network feed last night, so there is great hope for the premiere of the Simpsons in HD next week (Unless the dang Nascar goes long and preempts it again!!).

But ABC40 is a mess this morning. Watching GMA has been a rollercoaster ride. They keep switching between SD and HD, the audio sync is off by a huge margin - at least 5-10 seconds, and they aren't cutting the audio back to the studio for anything! Must be having technical issues or someone is seriously asleep at the switch. The break for local news and weather is useless as the audio stayed with GMA's feed so you couldn't hear the studio, only see it. And local advertisers are going to have to get their money back as the local commercials also could be seen but not heard, they were still running the network audio so you were watching local commercials but hearing the national ones. Oooops!

Last Saturday night during the Bud Shootout Fox6 got it right with the HD feeds and the HD/SD switches during commercials. The picture quality wasn't great, so I tuned to Fox61 OTA, and there was no difference. Keep this up, Fox6, so I can swing my antenna away from WTIC and towards all of the Western MA stations.

I'm a new member to this great site located in Longmeadow MA.

I installed a Phillips MANT940 in the attic this last weekend to test the DTV signal on my HDTV with built in digital tuner. I can receive CBS 3.1, UNI 18.1, PBS 24.1, Fox 61.1 perfectly. I can get WWLP 22 analog marginally with ghosting, but cannot pick up any of WWLP 22.1 digital channel 11.

Do I need to also install a VHF antenna and joiner? Anyone else having issues with WWLP digital reception? :confused:

> Do I need to also install a VHF antenna and joiner? Anyone else having issues
> with WWLP digital reception?

Yes - WWLP-DT broadcasts on VHF high band Channel 11. A UHF only antenna won't work.

I actually have a UHF only antenna and get 22.1 no problem...

Anyone having signal issues with WWLP digital? I get nothing for the last few days.

For me in Brimfield they are the worst.. I get WGGB at around 80% and WGBY around 50% on my panny plasma meter.

RobM

Yip. Still no WWLP 22.1 received yet, but I have a Channel Master CM3016 (VHF/UHF) arriving this week and will hopefully pull in WWLP.

Dropping cable box off at Comcast tomorrow. Small riot with family about doing this but they don't pay the bills - Bank of Dad does! Have a new digital TV in bedroom that makes the SD and HD OTA DTV look great. I have worked out that my payback after investing in new antenna and TV (after cutting cable) is 3 months.

Why, Fox6, why?? Why did you bother to open a new local affiliate when you suck at it so badly?? You are screwing all of the viewers in the area who are forced to watch your garbage feed instead of WTIC which we used to receive before you came to town. You've had plenty of time to learn how to do your job and get it right, but alas, you still can't. I am going to write to the Fox network and plead the case to get you dropped, you are giving Fox a bad name. A pile of complaints will hopefully have SOME impact. And I am going to lobby my cable provider to drop you as their HD feed and go back to WTIC. I can't take it any more.

Saturday night, the new COPS was inexplicitly not shown in HD. Unbelievable. Reality tv is only as real as the picture projects. But then the killer was Sunday. I started off pleasantly surprised, the "driving in a circle" nonsense actually ended early so there was no interruption to the primetime programming for a change. Then the Simpsons debuted in glorious High-Def and all was well. There were some compression artifacts even in a cartoon which might be Fox6's fault solely due to the split bandwidth, but being the first episode I wasn't going to draw any conclusions. But then at 8:26, before the final segment, the idiots cut over to the SD feed and the Simpsons was suddenly letterboxed for the rest of the episode. The rest of the animation block also used the SD feed, and king of the hill was also letterboxed. WTF!?!?

I have one of the largest collections of Simpsons memorabilia, affectionately known as "Simpsacrap", in the world and was naturally excited about this premiere. Had a bunch of people over and planned to keep this episode for the collection as the first HD cartoon in history. But now Fox6 has poisoned my recording and the enjoyment of the end of the episode.

It's like they hired a troop of monkeys to man the control room and they just randomly flip switches all day.

All I know is that Fox6 is absolutely useless as a HD provider and needs to go away. Soon. Give us back a reliable Fox station PLEASE!!!

To further illustrate how useless Fox6 is as a company, they can't even get their website and email to work! They suck at everything! I tried to email them my complaint via their web site, and it bounced!
550 5.2.1 <pphelps@wggb.com>... Mailbox disabled for this recipient

John Gormally <gormally@comcast.net>

All I know is that Fox6 is absolutely useless as a HD provider and needs to go away. Soon. Give us back a reliable Fox station PLEASE!!!

I lived in Chicopee (2004)when I first got my Sony 34XBR960 which was back when Charter had basically nothing in HD (not that they have much now).I used to get WTIC quite reliably with the set located on the ground floor,a south facing window and a Radio Shack powered antenna.In fact,I got WTSB reliably as well.Don't know if this info might help.

To further illustrate how useless Fox6 is as a company, they can't even get their website and email to work! They suck at everything! I tried to email them my complaint via their web site, and it bounced!
550 5.2.1 <pphelps@wggb.com>... Mailbox disabled for this recipient

Dude, you need to calm down before you pop a vessel..

First of all, many of the local small and medium markets don't have the capabilities to record-delay syndicated HD programming. Professional HD recording and play-out is very expensive, and required a lot of technical infrastructure. Perhaps you haven't noticed, but the country is in a recession at the moment.

I believe King of the Hill and some other programming is fed in standard definition earlier in the day or even week. Also, how do you know that the particular King show wasn't being broadcast by FOX in SD?

Before you launch into raging textual tantrums, it's always good to know all the information.

Regarding the E-mail address you were trying to use, there is nobody at the station with that name, so it's not a technical problem with their E-mail.

Dude, you need to calm down before you pop a vessel..

First of all, many of the local small and medium markets don't have the capabilities to record-delay syndicated HD programming. Professional HD recording and play-out is very expensive, and required a lot of technical infrastructure. Perhaps you haven't noticed, but the country is in a recession at the moment.

I believe King of the Hill and some other programming is fed in standard definition earlier in the day or even week. Also, how do you know that the particular King show wasn't being broadcast by FOX in SD?

Before you launch into raging textual tantrums, it's always good to know all the information.

Regarding the E-mail address you were trying to use, there is nobody at the station with that name, so it's not a technical problem with their E-mail.

It seems to me that the expense of being a major network station should have been thought about before taking on the responsibility. As viewers I think we should get the latest technology. This all could have waited until the money was available to do it right. First get an HD server and the rest of the equipment, then launch.

Most existing stations don't have HD servers. This equipment's very expensive, and in a sub-100 market, the money probably isn't there.

At home, I'm in market #67, and exactly 1 local station does HD syndication. In this economy especially, the money is not there for HD syndication.

- Trip

Dude, you need to calm down before you pop a vessel..

No, I will not. This is very important to me. I spent over $10,000 on a home theater and over $125/mo just for cable programming, and I expect more. TV is my "thing". Yours may be sailing or fishing or cave spelunking, but don't begrudge me my interests. I have been very patient with the new station, they have been on the air for how long now? NO MORE.


First of all, many of the local small and medium markets don't have the capabilities to record-delay syndicated HD programming. Professional HD recording and play-out is very expensive, and required a lot of technical infrastructure. Perhaps you haven't noticed, but the country is in a recession at the moment.

You missed my whole point entirely. The next poster got it though. They came in with a crappy, inferior, cheap station and due to the rights laws forced out a regional competitor that had a much better signal to offer. Now we the viewers suffer for their greed and cheapness. They had no right to force themselves into the market with useless equipment and operators and deprive the viewers of something that had.

It would be like if a new bus company started in springfield in place of Greyhound, which was forced to leave the market. This new bus company has grand plans, but in the mean time they only have patched up 60s vans and repainted school buses with the same bench seats and comfort. Times are tough, so they can't afford any better right now, what kind of monster are you for expecting more? Just get in the van and shut up! Oh, and the drivers just got their licenses, don't know the area, and can't see too good anyway, so don't expect to get there on time. Yes you will still get to your destination, but you paid the same price for the ticket and had the worst experience possible. THIS is what Fox6 is, don't you see??

I believe King of the Hill and some other programming is fed in standard definition earlier in the day or even week. Also, how do you know that the particular King show wasn't being broadcast by FOX in SD?

KotH was not the point, I just used it for illustration that the signal they used was still not the HD network feed. The key was the Simpsons which was in HD for the first time in history and Fox6 ruined it. KotH just happened to follow it so I mentioned it.

Before you launch into raging textual tantrums, it's always good to know all the information.

I DO have all the information and I don't appreciate the comment at all. You obviously didn't read the note closely because you got the details on the show and the email issue all wrong.

Regarding the E-mail address you were trying to use, there is nobody at the station with that name, so it's not a technical problem with their E-mail.

Again you missed the whole point of my comment. I went to THEIR web site. I clicked on THEIR feedback link on THEIR web site. I typed in the comment and hit submit on THEIR WEBSITE. I did not come up with this email address on my own nor send it with my own email program. However, what I received in my inbox was the error message I pasted in my email. Like I clearly said in my complaint, it's not only television they stink at, they can't run a web site or email either! I guess it works out well for them, they suck at what they do but there is no way for anyone to tell them that so ignorance is bliss!!

Most existing stations don't have HD servers. This equipment's very expensive, and in a sub-100 market, the money probably isn't there.

At home, I'm in market #67, and exactly 1 local station does HD syndication. In this economy especially, the money is not there for HD syndication.


Not sure what syndication has to do with this discussion, unless I am missing the point of your note? The Sunday night primetime animation domination block of Simpsons, King of the Hill, Family Guy, and American Dad is HD primetime network programming, it is not syndicated. While three of the shows are not produced in HD yet (Only the Simpsons just started Sunday) the network still provides a HD feed of the block such that the shows are upconverted and the commercials and preview and promos are in HD. Advertisers pay big bucks I imagine to put HD commercials in primetime and I am sure Fox corporate will not be happy to hear that Fox6 is not providing that.

If that is not what you meant by HD syndication, then please educate me. Thanks!

I lived in Chicopee (2004)when I first got my Sony 34XBR960 which was back when Charter had basically nothing in HD (not that they have much now).I used to get WTIC quite reliably with the set located on the ground floor,a south facing window and a Radio Shack powered antenna.In fact,I got WTSB reliably as well.Don't know if this info might help.

Thank you for the suggestion, and I wish it were that easy. I am stuck at the moment. I live in an RF shielded house, you can't even get cell reception in here. Aluminum siding and chicken wire plaster walls. <sigh> I am near the river so at low ground. I rent, so can't mount a permanent antenna. I can't get satellite tv for the same reason. I have to rely on cable. Yes, Charter stinks really bad especially now that they just screwed me over with switched digital which made my three cablecards useless. But they added a bunch of HD channels last month and have a decent selection now. Not the best by any means, but much better than it used to be.

Thank you for the suggestion, and I wish it were that easy. I am stuck at the moment. I live in an RF shielded house, you can't even get cell reception in here. Aluminum siding and chicken wire plaster walls. <sigh> I am near the river so at low ground. I rent, so can't mount a permanent antenna. I can't get satellite tv for the same reason. I have to rely on cable. Yes, Charter stinks really bad especially now that they just screwed me over with switched digital which made my three cablecards useless. But they added a bunch of HD channels last month and have a decent selection now. Not the best by any means, but much better than it used to be.

I feel your pain riker. Reception isn't good in that area with an outdoor antenna. Fortunately i can pull in Fox 61 real good now that i moved..:o

Not sure what syndication has to do with this discussion, unless I am missing the point of your note? The Sunday night primetime animation domination block of Simpsons, King of the Hill, Family Guy, and American Dad is HD primetime network programming, it is not syndicated. While three of the shows are not produced in HD yet (Only the Simpsons just started Sunday) the network still provides a HD feed of the block such that the shows are upconverted and the commercials and preview and promos are in HD. Advertisers pay big bucks I imagine to put HD commercials in primetime and I am sure Fox corporate will not be happy to hear that Fox6 is not providing that.

If that is not what you meant by HD syndication, then please educate me. Thanks!

It seems to me that the expense of being a major network station should have been thought about before taking on the responsibility. As viewers I think we should get the latest technology. This all could have waited until the money was available to do it right. First get an HD server and the rest of the equipment, then launch.

Emphasis mine. That's what I was referring to. No arguments with the Sunday night lineup arguments.

- Trip

Thank you for the suggestion, and I wish it were that easy. I am stuck at the moment. I live in an RF shielded house, you can't even get cell reception in here. Aluminum siding and chicken wire plaster walls. <sigh> I am near the river so at low ground. I rent, so can't mount a permanent antenna. I can't get satellite tv for the same reason. I have to rely on cable. Yes, Charter stinks really bad especially now that they just screwed me over with switched digital which made my three cablecards useless. But they added a bunch of HD channels last month and have a decent selection now. Not the best by any means, but much better than it used to be.

Wow, you spent $10K on a home theater in a rental? Was this a full-blown theater room or just equipment that you can take with you if you move?

Emphasis mine. That's what I was referring to. No arguments with the Sunday night lineup arguments.
- Trip

Thanks, Trip. Sorry for the confusion.

Wow, you spent $10K on a home theater in a rental? Was this a full-blown theater room or just equipment that you can take with you if you move?

Yeah, just on A/V equipment that would move with me. I had a very bad experience at the movie theater and just decided to boycott them forever and never go to the movies again. It was bad enough with the ticket cost and late start time and outrageous concession prices. Toss in the people factor, with cell phones and talking, and I wanted to commit mass murder every time I went to the movies. Then to top it all off, they started showing actual commercials, for like Nike and Visa and such, which approached the edge. The deal breaker was when they started to have the folks from the Jimmy Fund shake the can and beg for money during every showing. I mean it's annoying enough just to have to either look like a jerk for not donating or spending even more money at the movies, but the kicker was they would show this video of dying, starving children to get you to donate, then turn off the lights and say Enjoy the Show! I'd be like, are you kidding me, you just depressed the hell out of us with this video and ruined the whole point of the escapism of the movies and why we were willing to shell out $20 to do it, you people are absolute morons and I never went back and never will.

So I became an early(ish) adopter of HD tech, when the tv alone cost $5000. Add in the high-end receiver, quality 5.1 speaker system, ht remote, blu-ray player, cables, hd tivo, etc, and it all adds up. I can't even imagine adding in projector, screen, lighting, seats, etc, for an actual theater room. Some day though!

But I am very happy with it, except for when the HD programming gets all screwed up by incompetent local affiliates! heh ...

I thought WGGB-DT was going to start transmitting on channel 40 instead of 55. I picked them up on 55 today. When are they changing RF channels and tower height/power?

WGGB had a scroll on the other day, they are changing back to 40 in March, I don't recall the day.

RobM

WGGB had a scroll on the other day, they are changing back to 40 in March, I don't recall the day.

RobM

Would this be why Comcast recently dropped the WGGB HD channel from their clear lineup? (It was on 40.1 but disappeared a couple of weeks ago). They still have the HD versions of CBS3 on 87.1, Fox6 on 87.2 and WWLP on 22.1 so it's not like they all went away. I hesitate to call their support and try to explain to someone over in Shri Lanka or similar locale.

John

Has Charter switched to scramble for NESN(use to be 103.3) and CSN(89.?) on QAM?

I helped a neighbor setup his new TV and when I had cable those 2 channels had been broadcast in the clear with the locals.

Thanks,
RobM

Hi everyone.. I posted a while back about OTA reception... I'm thinking about upgrading my antenna to improve reception. Right now I have the cheapo UHF radio shack. Paid 22 bucks for it in the fall and it looks like its gone up.
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103088

Right now I get flawlessly:
3.1,3.2,3.3
8.1
18.1,18.2,18.3
20.1
24.1
30.1,30.2,30.3
61.1

Most of the time:
40.1,40.2

Not often:
57.1,57.2,57.3,57.4
59.1

Never:
22.1, 26.1?

Any suggetions on an Antenna? A CM? DB2? A pre-amp? I'd prefer not to use a rotor. BTW I'm in EL on near the Enfield line. Thanks!

Hi troasti,

I'm fairly close to your locale being in Longmeadow. I started with a Phillips UHF antenna from Walmart that I installed in the attic and got the following statations

3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4
18.1, 18.2, 18.3
24.1
30.1, 30.2, 30.3
40.1, 40.2
57.1, 57.2, 57.3, 57.4
61.1

However, I couldn't get 22.1 and then discovered that their digital transmission is actually on VHF channel 11 (current analog signal is UHF channel 22).

So I have installed a CM3016 (VHF/UHF) antenna in the attic, without masthead preamp, feeding 25ft to a distribution amp/4way splitter. I now get 22.1. Plan to install the antenna outside this weekend on an old Dish satellite mounting pole.

Bottom line is to get 22.1 you will need a VHF antenna and point it at WWLP. The following site will give you the directions www antennaweb .org

Cheers,
Cut The Cable

Right now I get flawlessly:

3-1, 3-2, 3-3
8-1
18-1, 18-2, 18-3
20-1
24-1
30-1, 30-2, 30-3
61-1

Most of the time:
40-1, 40-2

Not often:
57-1, 57-2, 57-3, 57-4
59-1

Never:
22-1, 26-1?

Any suggetions on an Antenna? A CM? DB2? A pre-amp? I'd prefer not to use a rotor. BTW I'm in East Longmeadow on near the Enfield, CT line. Thanks!

I'm in the south end of New Britain, CT. I don't get a hint of Springfield here on digital whatsoever. Surprised to hear about your experience with WWLP-DT. I would expect you to get digital 3 (33), 18 (46), 30 (35) and 61 (31). Surprised to see you're getting WTNH-DT (ABC) channel 10 and WTXX-DT (CW) channel 12 up there. Especially with both of them being a VHF high channel like WWLP-DT! [WTXX-DT will eventually move to channel 20.] Lastly, WHPX-DT (ION) of New London is now on digital channel 26, since their analog signal went off on Tuesday night. I now get a slightly stronger signal on channel 26 compared with their old channel 34 one.

I'm in the south end of New Britain, CT. I don't get a hint of Springfield here on digital whatsoever. Surprised to hear about your experience with WWLP-DT. I would expect you to get digital 3 (33), 18 (46), 30 (35) and 61 (31). Surprised to see you're getting WTNH-DT (ABC) channel 10 and WTXX-DT (CW) channel 12 up there. Especially with both of them being a VHF high channel like WWLP-DT! [WTXX-DT will eventually move to channel 20.] Lastly, WHPX-DT (ION) of New London is now on digital channel 26, since their analog signal went off on Tuesday night. I now get a slightly stronger signal on channel 26 compared with their old channel 34 one.

yes its odd that 22.1 (11) is so difficult to me. If I switch to analog 22 its watchable but has some ghosting. I think part of my issues is I am on the backslope of a large hill which faces CT. This is probably why I have such an easy time with the CT stations (3.1,8.1,20.1,24.1,61.1). Maybe a UHF/VHF antenna will solve my issues with 59.1, 26.1, 22.1 and 57.1. Are there any other stations people in my area area able to pull in? From CT or MA?

Well as of today 40-1 DT (ABC40) is gone from Comcast (at least not being sent in clear). Guess that's one way to fix problem.

John

Yup, gone gone gone. I rescanned VMC and could not find it in the clear anymore

Well... I finally resolved my Comcast problems. I had subscribed a couple of years ago with the tripleplay for $99, then it went up to $129, and they recently told me it was now $184 for my package. So... I switched to basic cable ($5.90) and Vonage and right off the bat my Comcast cost will drop to about $50, Vonage about $40, so I'm saving almost $100/month. But here's the kicker...

The sales rep at Comcast told me that if I wait 90 days, I can return as a doubleplay or triple play customer. I asked her if the marketing people were insane or brain-dead because they were hustling a long-time customer who pays his bills and playing favorites with unknown customers. She said its just policy they have to follow.

For the time being, I'm OK with the 20-odd channels included in the basic package, and Vonage seems to work just the same as Comcast. It'll be interesting to see what my lineup looks like when everything is digital.

Don't you just love Comcast?

I can get WWLP 22 analog marginally with ghosting, but cannot pick up any of WWLP 22.1 digital channel 11. Do I need to also install a VHF antenna and joiner? :confused:Indeed WWLP-DT is on RF channel 11 and you should have a VHF antenna to receive that. Other VHF stations include WEDN-DT on 9 from Norwich CT and WTNH-DT on 10 from Hampden CT. If you are having ghosting problems with the analog reception that means you may be receiving some of the signal direct from the transmitter in Feeding Hills ... and some of it from reflections. That kind of problem can cause the lack of reception of a ATSC (DTV) signal. You should point your antenna just a little bit north of due west - you are likely only +/- 7 air miles from the transmitter.

Has Charter switched to scramble for NESN(use to be 103.3) and CSN(89.?) on QAM? I helped a neighbor setup his new TV and when I had cable those 2 channels had been broadcast in the clear with the locals.Check back a page or two in this thread. Although I'm not a Charter subscriber it has been reported by local subscribers that they've been notified of Charter moving to switched digital video (SDV). If that is the case that may explain why the loss of some stations that used to be in the clear 256QAM. More on sdv can be found here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switched_digital_video).

Yup, gone gone gone. I rescanned VMC and could not find it in the clear anymore

Stopped by the local Comcast office today to point this out and the guy acted dumbfounded that any HD channels were viewable w/out a STB (which he offered me for an additional $11 or so per month). I declined and will just watch less ABC. OTA not an option at my location since blocked by Notch. Prob someone at 40 would be interested in the situation but not sure who.

John

Stopped by the local Comcast office today to point this out and the guy acted dumbfounded that any HD channels were viewable w/out a STB (which he offered me for an additional $11 or so per month). I declined and will just watch less ABC. OTA not an option at my location since blocked by Notch. Prob someone at 40 would be interested in the situation but not sure who.

John

Love it. The Comcast rep is unaware that the FCC requires every cable operator to carry the unencripted ClearQAM for all local stations.

Love it. The Comcast rep is unaware that the FCC requires every cable operator to carry the unencripted ClearQAM for all local stations.

I called Comcast to return my SD cable box and replace it with a CableCard. I know that they need a truck roll to set up the CC but the woman I spoke to INSISTED that I could bring my box back to the local center and pick up a CC to install myself. Naturally, she was wrong....at least I got them to waive the technician visit charge for my trouble....

You almost HAVE to research something before you call Comcast as they often don't have a clue...

Love it. The Comcast rep is unaware that the FCC requires every cable operator to carry the unencripted ClearQAM for all local stations.

Update - WGGB DT1 (ABC40) is back on 40-1 today. Ended up emailing an address on their web site last week and got a reply from a station engineer - apparently some buttons got pushed somewhere. Also noted some juggling around of other ClearQAM channels. WGGB DT2 (FOX6) is now on 40-2 and WSHM DT1 (CBS3 Springfield) is on 41-1. At least for the time being.

John

Thanks for the update. Just rescanned and found them again

Update - WGGB DT1 (ABC40) is back on 40-1 today. Ended up emailing an address on their web site last week and got a reply from a station engineer - apparently some buttons got pushed somewhere. Also noted some juggling around of other ClearQAM channels. WGGB DT2 (FOX6) is now on 40-2 and WSHM DT1 (CBS3 Springfield) is on 41-1. At least for the time being.

John

Are they in HD or do you need a Comcast digital converter box to get the HD?

Are they in HD or do you need a Comcast digital converter box to get the HD?
There are 13 ClearQAM channels with call letter designations, and another 17 which have no designations but are digital re-broadcasts of analog stations. If you have a Digital set capable of receiving ClearQAM, you should get all 30,
and you would not need Comcasts Digital Setop Box.

There are 13 ClearQAM channels with call letter designations, and another 17 which have no designations but are digital re-broadcasts of analog stations. If you have a Digital set capable of receiving ClearQAM, you should get all 30,
and you would not need Comcasts Digital Setop Box.

Also - they're only HD when carrying network content in that format - ie evening news, prime time, sunday PM sports, etc. Locally generated stuff, re-runs and daytime junk aren't.

John

There are 13 ClearQAM channels with call letter designations, and another 17 which have no designations but are digital re-broadcasts of analog stations. If you have a Digital set capable of receiving ClearQAM, you should get all 30,
and you would not need Comcasts Digital Setop Box.

Do you have a list of the clearQAM stations on Comcast in Western MA? 30 you say?

Do you have a list of the clearQAM stations on Comcast in Western MA? 30 you say?
Here you go:

Digital Clear QAM:
20.1 wtxx dt cw
22.1 wwlp dt nbc
40.1 wggb dt cbs
40.2 wggb dt fox
41.1 wshm dt cbs
41.3 wshm dt3 spfld now
44.2 wgbh dt pbs
44.3 wgbh dt2 pbs
44.4 wgbh dt3 pbs
57.1 wgby dt pbs
57.2 wgby dt2 pbs
57.3 wgby dt3 pbs
57.4 wgby dt4 pbs

Digital Re-broadcast/Analog:
71.9 hsn
71.10 qvc
74.2 wvit nbc
75.105 wfsb cbs
77.6 necn
82.4 wgby pbs
82.5 wggb abc
82.6 wshm cbs
82.7 wwlp nbc
82.8 wggb fox
82.10 wsbk ind
83.2 tv guide
83.5 weather channel/local
83.6 wedh pbs
83.11 wtic fox

Not included are public access and spanish

Here you go:

Digital Clear QAM:
20.1 wtxx dt cw
22.1 wwlp dt nbc
40.1 wggb dt cbs
40.2 wggb dt fox
41.1 wshm dt cbs
41.3 wshm dt3 spfld now
44.2 wgbh dt pbs
44.3 wgbh dt2 pbs
44.4 wgbh dt3 pbs
57.1 wgby dt pbs
57.2 wgby dt2 pbs
57.3 wgby dt3 pbs
57.4 wgby dt4 pbs

Digital Re-broadcast/Analog:
71.9 hsn
71.10 qvc
74.2 wvit nbc
75.105 wfsb cbs
77.6 necn
82.4 wgby pbs
82.5 wggb abc
82.6 wshm cbs
82.7 wwlp nbc
82.8 wggb fox
82.10 wsbk ind
83.2 tv guide
83.5 weather channel/local
83.6 wedh pbs
83.11 wtic fox

Not included are public access and spanish

Thanks for that!

Here you go:

Digital Clear QAM:
20.1 wtxx dt cw
22.1 wwlp dt nbc
40.1 wggb dt cbs
40.2 wggb dt fox
41.1 wshm dt cbs
41.3 wshm dt3 spfld now
44.2 wgbh dt pbs
44.3 wgbh dt2 pbs
44.4 wgbh dt3 pbs
57.1 wgby dt pbs
57.2 wgby dt2 pbs
57.3 wgby dt3 pbs
57.4 wgby dt4 pbs

Digital Re-broadcast/Analog:
71.9 hsn
71.10 qvc
74.2 wvit nbc
75.105 wfsb cbs
77.6 necn
82.4 wgby pbs
82.5 wggb abc
82.6 wshm cbs
82.7 wwlp nbc
82.8 wggb fox
82.10 wsbk ind
83.2 tv guide
83.5 weather channel/local
83.6 wedh pbs
83.11 wtic fox

Not included are public access and spanish

thanks for the leg work, much appreciated. I get all those and have for quite awhile but just realized that wgbh was boston and not just repeated wgby. its not a bad deal from comcast to get these for less than 6 bucks. now with ota I get all the pbs in the area [ ch 24.1 is cptv with 3 inactive subchannels ] and spectacular picture. there should be a sticky of lineups like this for every area in the hdtv forums. and as a heads up, IF you can still find hdtvs with TWO antenna hookups by all means get them. they are very rare now.

thanks for the leg work, much appreciated. I get all those and have for quite awhile but just realized that wgbh was boston and not just repeated wgby. its not a bad deal from comcast to get these for less than 6 bucks. now with ota I get all the pbs in the area Actually, WGBY is part of the WGBH Educational Foundation - as is WGBX-TV in Boston. Locally in the Springfield market the 'GBH program stream on WGBY-DT includes four sub-channels: 57.1 WGBY HD, 57.2 World, 57.3 Kids and 57.4 Create. In Boston WGBX (channel 44) airs programming not aired by WGBH as well as additional programming, including 44.2 World, 44.3 Create and 44.4 Kids. That is why on the local Comcast systems you are seeing the 44-dot channels. I'm not sure what rates are being sent over the cable system versus over the air on WGBY-DT. I don't live in a town with Comcast service - but in visiting friends who have Comcast and comparing Comcast 44.x channels versus 57.x channels over the air I think the cable quality is better. Bottom line: Comcast is providing you (one way or another) the PBS affiliate programming that you would also get OTA.

30 QAM!!
Man.. Charter really suxs! Thank god all I have is Internet from them now.

yes they do 'suxs'. yeesh. they are also bankrupt.

Strictly off-air DTV.

I saw several PSAs on 40.1 from March 1 through March 3 telling us to rescan on the morning of March 6th. Figured they were going to make the big move from 55 back to 40. But then on March 4th and 5th no more PSAs. Another goof up? Will look tomorrow AM and see if anything happened.

And - give me a break, 40 is carrying two HD streams from one channel. Both channels suffer video and audio quality reduction. Thank goodness for 8.1 from New Haven and 61.1 from the Waterbury area, although technically outside of the market are transmitting full HD and top notch audio.

And on another topic, the Ch 22 tower is 30 miles away and LOS. My Ch 22 analog signal is and always has been P5. But 22.1 (11) is nowhere. I am north of Springfield and watch 3.1 Hartford, 8.1 New Haven perfect. Several messages into 22 engineering with no answer of any kind. Assume either they don't exist or are too embarrassed to answer. Can only guess what the problem is. Have seen many complaints on various forums. Some say digital power is low, others that the antenna isn't right.

40 is still on 55 for me this morning.

I have the same issues with 22 out here in Brimfield. But I get the Hartford and Boston NBC stations perfectly.. unless it's raining hard.

Strictly off-air DTV.

I saw several PSAs on 40.1 from March 1 through March 3 telling us to rescan on the morning of March 6th. Figured they were going to make the big move from 55 back to 40. But then on March 4th and 5th no more PSAs. Another goof up? Will look tomorrow AM and see if anything happened.

And - give me a break, 40 is carrying two HD streams from one channel. Both channels suffer video and audio quality reduction. Thank goodness for 8.1 from New Haven and 61.1 from the Waterbury area, although technically outside of the market are transmitting full HD and top notch audio.



Actually channel 40 had planned on switching back to 40-DT from 55 originally by the February 17th deadline. When the FCC pushed back the analog turn-off to June, they would not allow WGGB to fire up channel 40-DT full time until the official analog turn-off. The reason being that there is a DTV-to-Analog co-channel interference concern to another station also on channel 40.

Regarding your comment about degraded video and audio with the addition of the FOX to 40.2, there should not be any differrence with the two combined for a couple reasons; The bit rate for ABC was not changed from the way it was prior to adding FOX in HD. Same with FOX, at least at what the bit rate was for what cable was being fed. Same story for audio.. That being the audio is being encoded for both stations using Dolby 5.1(tm) encoders running the standard 385kb audio rate.

One trick that we learned in the process which reduces artifacts when combining two progressive scanned video streams, is not to use statistical multiplexing with variable bit rates. Much of the degradation you see on other stations, especially with LCD displays, is from the decoding process trying to keep up with varied video bit rates. WGGB locked down the rates, so your TV doesn't have trouble keeping up.

Thanks for the update. When I still found 40-1 on digital channel 55 after March 5th, I figured that it was due to those post-February 17th FCC rules that put just about everything on hold.

What I genuinely don't understand, though, is why the station would go ahead and air the recent (and frequent) crawls about the channel re-locating from 55 to 40 on March 5th and the need for the viewer to re-scan on that day, if the station was aware a few weeks back that the FCC wouldn't let them make the move. I know that they do have to meet a quota for crawls and DTV transition announcements, and perhaps they were following the schedule of crawls under the original February 17th deadline rules. But it seems that the recent crawls would have been more accurate had they announced the June 12th date rather than March 5th.

Thanks in advance for shedding any light on this. Perhaps there is more of a back-story to explain why this was done. On the surface at least, the logic escapes me.

You're welcome! I'm done with my part at the station, but from what I understand they had hoped the FCC would give them permission to relocate back to channel 40 in advance of the new June deadline. After consideration the FCC decided that indeed no, WGGB would have to wait till the other analog station went off in June.

As you mentioned, even though WGGB already received permission to discontinue analog transmission back in December, all full power stations are still required to do all the crawls and information about the turn-off of analog, even if technically it's already been done.

Kelly KOMO,

Thanks for your informed comments on this thread. Regarding 40 DT, you carefully stated that the Fox bitrate is at least as good as a cable bit rate, and that the ABC DT is the same as before the addition of the fox channel. I suppose I can see how all this is true even though I often receive superior picture and sound from ABC channel 8 New Haven and FOX channel 61 Hartford. I guess I'm lucky have a choice between a variety of stations to get the best performance. Although not always, sometimes the difference is quite dramatic.

I can't wait until all the co-channel interference is gone, and everyone is on final channel assignments at full power in June so that we can find out just how good TV is going to be in Western MA.

Kelly KOMO,
Thanks for your informed comments on this thread. Regarding 40 DT, you carefully stated that the Fox bitrate is at least as good as a cable bit rate, and that the ABC DT is the same as before the addition of the fox channel. I suppose I can see how all this is true even though I often receive superior picture and sound from ABC channel 8 New Haven and FOX channel 61

Apparently the way they get around it is to not bother to broadcast HD on Fox when they don't feel like it. The monkey running the controls CONTINUES to mess up on a daily basis. The Simpsons again this week was butchered, they came back from a commercial for a brief moment then cut over to a SD local commercial right over the network feed, then when they realized they were idiots cut back to the simpsons, cutting out a large chunk of the programming in the process. And when they cut back, they left it on the SD feed so AGAIN had to watch the end of the Simpsons in letterbox SD. MORONS.

And then on the other night I watch Fox, Wednesday, their grand champ show of shows American Idol was not shown in HD, or at least not the end of it that I got in the Hell's Kitchen recording which also was shown in it's *entirety* in SD. Who knows what else they butcher on nights I don't watch Fox. So it's easy for them to get away with multiplexing when they are too clueless to keep the HD signal on the air in the first place!

And I would love to know if they use the same monkey for the ABC operations because they aren't much better. They did the same thing to Lost this week, where it came out of commercial and stayed in SD which should be an arrestable offense for a show like Lost! Come on people, hire competent operators or fold up shop and leave it to the professionals!!

Apparently the way they get around it is to not bother to broadcast HD on Fox when they don't feel like it. The monkey running the controls CONTINUES to mess up on a daily basis. And when they cut back, they left it on the SD feed so AGAIN had to watch the end of the Simpsons in letterbox SD. MORONS.


And I would love to know if they use the same monkey for the ABC operations because they aren't much better. They did the same thing to Lost this week, where it came out of commercial and stayed in SD which should be an arrestable offense for a show like Lost! Come on people, hire competent operators or fold up shop and leave it to the professionals!!

As I mentioned, I was a technical consultant for the stations so I can't address your rants. That being said, I would be cautious about calling the master control operators "monkeys". Several of the MCO's are African American's, and calling people names like that only punctuate your mean-spirited and now potentially racist comments in this forum. Even if I were in a position to consider your comments, the terminology used in your posts completely negate any point you're trying to make.

Oh my, this is as bad as the weirdos that came out of the woodwork over that Post cartoon. Only the people who READ it as racist are the racists. It was as far from my mind when I wrote that as possible. I of course have no way to know who works in the control rooms so could not have been implying that in any way. It's been a standard joke slash hyperbole for hundreds of years to compare poor performers to monkeys, nothing to do with race whatsoever, just cluelessness. If you can think of a better animal to use in such situations and can get it accepted as the new comedy standard across the universe, then please do so. I would be happy to refer to them as titmice or hammerheads or peruvian tree slugs, whatever would make a funny and obvious comparison to dumb things. So get back to me when you are successful ok?

Oh my, this is as bad as the weirdos that came out So get back to me when you are successful ok?

I don't believe that demeaning or calling people names accomplishes anything. Perhaps talking about people as you do makes you feel powerful, but to me it comes off as immature and mean spirited.

So no, I won't be getting back to you with any suggestions.

If they were actually on here and we were talking constructively one on one, I would not be so exotic. But when you are beyond frustrated and they consistently screw it up over and over, day after day, and you wonder just how it could be that bad or that hard, you come here to rant with what you assume are fellow sympathetic "victims" and it just feels good. I was not so colorful in my actual complaint to the station which did get a warm and hopeful response...

Oh my, this is as bad as the weirdos that came out of the woodwork over that Post cartoon. Only the people who READ it as racist are the racists. It was as far from my mind when I wrote that as possible. I of course have no way to know who works in the control rooms so could not have been implying that in any way. It's been a standard joke slash hyperbole for hundreds of years to compare poor performers to monkeys, nothing to do with race whatsoever, just cluelessness. If you can think of a better animal to use in such situations and can get it accepted as the new comedy standard across the universe, then please do so. I would be happy to refer to them as titmice or hammerheads or peruvian tree slugs, whatever would make a funny and obvious comparison to dumb things. So get back to me when you are successful ok?

I would have been offended if you called them chipmunks....:eek:

has anyone checked out the subchannel 20-2 yet? It looks like its the "This" network. Mostly only movies, kid shows and some old shows like mr. ed. Not bad. Does anyone know of any other networks that plan on adding sub-channel programming?

has anyone checked out the subchannel 20-2 yet? It looks like its the "This" network. Mostly only movies, kid shows and some old shows like mr. ed. Not bad. Does anyone know of any other networks that plan on adding sub-channel programming?

I can pick up 20-1 and 20-2 they are the CW network from Waterbury if I'm correct?

I think DTV is bit like the introduction of color TV. I have noticed that a lot of programs are in HD with 5.1 sound and expect in time they will all be HD except maybe for the sub-channels. I'm getting more impressed with DTV and think it offers the networks and even cable channels (e.g. WeatherChannel) huge opportunities......they just need to get rid of all the damn "paid programming"!

OK. Everything you wanted to know about THIS TV on channel 20-2.

http://www.this.tv/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_TV

This TV (also referred to as "This TV Network" or just "this" in on-air promotions) is a general entertainment television network designed for digital television subchannels. The network is a joint venture between film/TV studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Chicago-based Weigel Broadcasting Co., and launched on November 1, 2008.

The "This TV" name was chosen as a branding and marketing avenue for the network and its stations, with proposed slogans such as "THIS is the place for movies," "THIS is what you're watching," and "It doesn't get better than THIS!".

I've heard that RTN is on a low-powered station in Hartford. WRNT-LP 48 perhaps?

Dot 2 has pushed their launch date back two or three times. If it was me, I wouldn't want to sign up with a network until they have something on the air. But Dot 2 says they won't launch until they have 30% of the country covered. Seems like a chicken and egg problem.

This TV, on the other hand, launched with only two affiliates. They now cover 60% of the country.

- Trip

does any one know if or when channel 22 will put anything on this .it has been up for months now and nothing.just wondering if anyone knows what,or when it is going to go liv.

Do mean when will WWLP have their subchannels in service 22.2 ......

I see that 57 is moving from RF 58 to RF 22 on April 27th. We have seen promises before and been let down, at least by 40. This time it actually makes a big difference because right now 22 keeps their analog transmitter on with converter box PSAs and then local news when it is on. Sound is unbelievably distorted, probably not spec, but I have not heard a peep from anyone in 22 technical, so I often wonder whether they are there, or so underfunded that they are overwhelmed. Anyway, another very interesting thing appeared for about 20 seconds the other day on 22 between the Spanish and English cycles of the converter box PSA - the coverage map was put on the screen!!! and on it was an annotation that some people in the northern part of Franklin county may have trouble receiving the digital signal !!!!! Wow - and good grief. I am astounded that someone is paying attention. With 22 analog going off April 27th I guess they will officially loose all forms of advertising revenues in a hunk of Franklin county, even the distorted ads on the news.

Waiting for a better day, but always watching the air signal.
Tommy

The thing that irks me the most about the whole digital transition is that WWLP has dropped back to their old VHF-hi band channel 11 frequency. If it wasn't for WWLP I would only have needed a UHF antenna.

The other thing is their damn transmitter location on Mt Proven.....they could have moved it to Mt Tom and then we would only need to have one antenna pointing there for 40, 57 and 22.

Maybe WWLP-TV had chosen Provin Mountain in Agawam, because it was further away from Burlington, VT and WVNY-TV (ABC) channel 22?

The thing that irks me the most about the whole digital transition is that WWLP has dropped back to their old VHF-hi band channel 11 frequency. If it wasn't for WWLP I would only have needed a UHF antenna.

The other thing is their damn transmitter location on Mt Proven.....they could have moved it to Mt Tom and then we would only need to have one antenna pointing there for 40, 57 and 22.

A Channel Master 4228 would likely work for you quite nicely.

yes sorry that is what i meant

The thing that irks me the most about the whole digital transition is that WWLP has dropped back to their old VHF-hi band channel 11 frequency. If it wasn't for WWLP I would only have needed a UHF antenna.

The other thing is their damn transmitter location on Mt Proven.....they could have moved it to Mt Tom and then we would only need to have one antenna pointing there for 40, 57 and 22.

I use a double bow tie UHF antenna and get WWLP DT with no problems. I'm just south of Hartford, CT. Try your UHF antenna. You may be OK.

My location has my reception located at 3 points of the compass. Currently use a CM3016 to WWLP and DB2 to Hartford.

It looks like WWLP has ended analog broadcasting. On Friday evening and today, Saturday, I noticed that (analog) Channel 22 is now video snow. I think that the switch-off may have happened just before midnight on Thursday, April 16th. Springfield now has no (full-power) over-the-air analog channels, as 57 turned off analog last November and 40 ceased analog last December.

Since 11:35PM on the original date for the analog turn-off on February 17th, analog 22 was airing "enhanced nightlight service" - a continuous loop produced by the National Association Of Broadcasters that advised viewers in English and Spanish how to hook up a digital-to-analog converter box, how to select a preferably outdoor antenna, and how to scan for digital channels. It interrupted this loop daily to show both local and NBC network newscasts. The FCC required that the station broadcast the nightlight service on analog Channel 22 for sixty days.

Today on their digital version during a local news promo, the graphics identified the station only as WWLP-DT. Previously, the station identified itself as WWLP-TV/WWLP-DT (meaning analog as well as digital).

Now the stage is set for PBS 57 to take over the channel 22 frequency a week from Monday on April 27th. For over a month now, Channel 57-1 has not come in for me over-the-air, except for one occasion when my tuner gave it a bit stream rating of only 1 out of 10 bars. Hopefully the change to a lower frequency, the move to a new antenna at the top of their tower, and a different antenna pattern will bring about better reception for viewers who have had trouble pulling in the digital channel broadcasting from the current lower-mounted and lower-powered antenna.

If reception greatly improves after April 27th, it may also mean that ABC 40 will come in better when it makes a similar move on June 12th. 40 has not come in at my location in over a month. Thank you, Tommy3141, for posting the April 27th date here, otherwise, I never would have known.

WGBY comes in out here in Brimfield fine at about 50%.. WGGB is rock solid at close to 90% on my Panny plasma's meter. WWLP.. is horrible. I can barely get them. I get Boston's WHDH better! My antenna is a clearstream 4 with a channel master 7777 amp pointed towards the Boston towers because WGGB and WGBY are so good I had no reason to point to Springfield. But even with a set top HDTV antenna pointed towards Springfield it's the same, WGGB and WGBY are great and crap for WWLP.

To be honest.. I haven't tried my Clearstream without the amp to see if the amp is over powering WWLP's signal.

WWLP-DT is announcing a second sub channel 22.2 in the event that something is offered in the future - you won't have to rescan to find/get it. This is similar to what CPTV in Hartford CT is doing.

The other thing is their damn transmitter location on Mt Proven.....they could have moved it to Mt Tom and then we would only need to have one antenna pointing there for 40, 57 and 22.WWLP has been on Provin Mountain since the station's inception in 1953. The station owns the facility. Mt. Tom used to be owned by channel 40 and was subsequently sold off (and some space leased back to them). Bottom line: there would be a significant cost to move the WWLP-DT transmission facility to Mt. Tom -- and on-going costs as well.

A bit of history: before the times of the ratings markets we have today - the WWLP signal covered a large part of Connecticut and they even had a Hartford sales office.

Did WGBY-DT move to 22 today? If so, how's the signal?

- Trip

Maybe WWLP-TV had chosen Provin Mountain in Agawam, because it was further away from Burlington, VT and WVNY-TV (ABC) channel 22?I believe WVNY-DT is on channel 13 (moving from channel 22). In reality - Burlington VT is over 250 km from Springfield MA ... so the difference between Provin and Mt. Tom (about 18km) wouldn't matter much! WLWC-DT is also on channel 22 in Fall River - and that's only about 150 km from the Springfield area.

Anyway, another very interesting thing appeared for about 20 seconds the other day on 22 between the Spanish and English cycles of the converter box PSA - the coverage map was put on the screen!!! and on it was an annotation that some people in the northern part of Franklin county may have trouble receiving the digital signal !!!!! Wow - and good grief.The map likely came from this public source:
http://www.fcc.gov/dtv/markets/

These are produced by the FCC based on what the FCC has authorized each station. See the aforementioned FCC web site for more information about how these maps were produced.

The thing to remember is that in may rural areas people would watch television with a picture that was certainly not optimal, e.g., snowy and/or with ghosts. With digital it is all or nothing -- so in some areas where people may have watched a degraded analog signal they may not be able to receive the digital signal ... or receive it without a receive antenna upgrade.

WWLP-DT is announcing a second sub channel 22.2 in the event that something is offered in the future - you won't have to rescan to find/get it. This is similar to what CPTV in Hartford CT is doing.

Please God Let it Be RetroTV.

Well I rescanned tonight I didn't notice any difference. No more or no less.

As for those wanting WWLP you need a VHF Hi band antenna as well as your UHF for all other stations.

I currently have a DB2 pointing towards Hartford and a CM3316 towards Mt Proven mounted on a old 70 inch 'satellite' pole on my roof line. These feed into a masthead amp.

My station list is as follows:

3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4 (CBS)
8.1, 8.2, 8.3 (NBC)
18.1, 18.2, 18.3, 18.4 (Spanish)
20.1, 20.2 (WTXX + This TV) http://www.this.tv/
22.1 (WWLP - NBC)
24.1, 24.2, 24.3 (PBS CT)
30.1, 30.2, 30.3 (NBC + Universal Sports) http://www.universalsports.com/
40.1, 40.2 (WGGB ABC + FOX 6)
57.1, 57.2, 57.3, 57.4 (WGBY PBS)
59.1, 59.2 (WCTX My TV) http://www.mynetworktv.com/
61.1 (FOX)

Overall reception has been good. HD programming is nice but scary. Watching House in HD is eyeball popping......actors look well...natural....normal...wrinkles, pimples, blood shot eyes and all...:)

I went looking for the new WGBY DT channel and got zip. It was strong before the change. 40 and 22 still OK. Was there a power change with the channel change? Located just south of Hartford CT. Thanks for any info

I went looking for the new WGBY DT channel and got zip. It was strong before the change. 40 and 22 still OK. Was there a power change with the channel change? Located just south of Hartford CT.WGBY-DT is transmitting from the same location on Mt. Tom -- they were previously on DT channel 58 and now DT channel 22. (Still UHF but lower channel number.) Not sure if they are at their full power or not. One of my receivers (DirecTV H20) is not happy with the change: I see duplicate 57-x channel numbers. Other receivers successfully remapped to the correct 57-x channels after a rescan. As a last resort - you could see if you could reset your box to its defaults (e.g., no known channels) and then start rescanning and see if it will find the 57 subchannels. Note: I've had some problem with decoding 57-3 ... not sure if it is my DirecTV box or something with the WGBY-DT PSIP.

Up here on the hill in Shutesbury MA, the change over from WGBY went fine. Now WWLP is totally off, no digital reception, and with the 'BGY move, no analog. The FCC map is understating a problem. It shows a few little dots where people cant get WWLP, but it's really a larger area. I have sent in my complaints but no one listens, probably because we are not in a dense watching area. Odd that they have lost viewers who used to have them as P5 signal and now get nothing at all. According to the FCC those of us in this situation should settle for "another NBC affiliate". Connecticut NBC is ok for network (perfect digital signal from further away) but useless for news, weather and sports. For some bizarre reason, station's weather forecasts are available only on a state-basis with no mention of Massachusetts weather from a Connecticut station regardless of their coverage. Therefore the FCC and WWLP have reduced local weather, school closings and emergency information from two to one station (WGGB). Seems like a reduction rather than an increase in service to the public. What really surprises me is that no one from WWLP is on this forum. Sorry for my (final) rant on the subject. I know cases like mine probably represent a small percentage of the public, and there are bigger problems with the change.:(

Up here on the hill in Shutesbury MA, the change over from WGBY went fine. Now WWLP is totally off, no digital reception, and with the 'BGY move, no analog. The FCC map is understating a problem. It shows a few little dots where people cant get WWLP, but it's really a larger area. I have sent in my complaints but no one listens, probably because we are not in a dense watching area. Odd that they have lost viewers who used to have them as P5 signal and now get nothing at all. According to the FCC those of us in this situation should settle for "another NBC affiliate". Connecticut NBC is ok for network (perfect digital signal from further away) but useless for news, weather and sports. For some bizarre reason, station's weather forecasts are available only on a state-basis with no mention of Massachusetts weather from a Connecticut station regardless of their coverage. Therefore the FCC and WWLP have reduced local weather, school closings and emergency information from two to one station (WGGB). Seems like a reduction rather than an increase in service to the public. What really surprises me is that no one from WWLP is on this forum. Sorry for my (final) rant on the subject. I know cases like mine probably represent a small percentage of the public, and there are bigger problems with the change.:(

For WWLP are you using a VHF hi band antenna or using your old UHF antenna? The issue with WWLP is that they switched from UHF channel 22 back to VHF channel 11 when they went digital. I couldn't pick them up until I installed a VHF antenna co joined with the UHF one that picks up every other channel.

Up here on the hill in Shutesbury MA, the change over from WGBY went fine. Now WWLP is totally off, no digital reception, and with the 'BGY move, no analog. The FCC map is understating a problem. It shows a few little dots where people cant get WWLP, but it's really a larger area. I have sent in my complaints but no one listens, probably because we are not in a dense watching area. Odd that they have lost viewers who used to have them as P5 signal and now get nothing at all. According to the FCC those of us in this situation should settle for "another NBC affiliate". Connecticut NBC is ok for network (perfect digital signal from further away) but useless for news, weather and sports. For some bizarre reason, station's weather forecasts are available only on a state-basis with no mention of Massachusetts weather from a Connecticut station regardless of their coverage. Therefore the FCC and WWLP have reduced local weather, school closings and emergency information from two to one station (WGGB). Seems like a reduction rather than an increase in service to the public. What really surprises me is that no one from WWLP is on this forum. Sorry for my (final) rant on the subject. I know cases like mine probably represent a small percentage of the public, and there are bigger problems with the change.:(

That's the reason I left Charter.. They took most of the Boston stations away a few years ago and replaced them with Hartford.. no news or weather for my area from them. When the Boston stations do.

For WWLP are you using a VHF hi band antenna or using your old UHF antenna? The issue with WWLP is that they switched from UHF channel 22 back to VHF channel 11 when they went digital. I couldn't pick them up until I installed a VHF antenna co joined with the UHF one that picks up every other channel.

Cutthecable, I have a very good antenna with VHF gain and a preamp pointed directly at Proven Mt. The same antenna receives 8.1 quite well much, much further away. Everyone around me for several miles doesn't get 22 (11). The guy at the local radio shack, for what its worth, said that he has heard plenty of complaints. There must be some kind of multipath, or maybe because we are above the horizon for their antenna, its pattern is bad up here in the hills, or maybe both. If it doesn't clear up on June 12th I'm gonna put a spectrum analyzer on the line and see what I can. In any case, there should be a lot more of the lost signal icons in my area of the FCC map. Oh well...:(
Tommy

Cutthecable, I have a very good antenna with VHF gain and a preamp pointed directly at Proven Mt. The same antenna receives 8.1 quite well much, much further away. Everyone around me for several miles doesn't get 22 (11). The guy at the local radio shack, for what its worth, said that he has heard plenty of complaints. There must be some kind of multipath, or maybe because we are above the horizon for their antenna, its pattern is bad up here in the hills, or maybe both. If it doesn't clear up on June 12th I'm gonna put a spectrum analyzer on the line and see what I can. In any case, there should be a lot more of the lost signal icons in my area of the FCC map. Oh well...:(
Tommy
Tommy, I don't know where you are located, but could the problem be this?
WTXX is on channel 12 until June 12th, when it goes to RF channel 20. WTNH is on channel 10. Seems to be bit of close spacing, don't you think? Maybe after WTXX goes to channel 20, channel WWLP will come in better.

Down here in Middletown, I used to receive very marginal recpetion of WTNH (10) and now cannot get them at all. I wonder if WWLP (11) is interfering with the digital decoding. Someone at the FCC was asleep at the wheel when they assigned these channels so close to each other.

Tommy, I don't know where you are located, but could the problem be this?
WTXX is on channel 12 until June 12th, when it goes to RF channel 20. WTNH is on channel 10. Seems to be bit of close spacing, don't you think? Maybe after WTXX goes to channel 20, channel WWLP will come in better.

Down here in Middletown, I used to receive very marginal recpetion of WTNH (10) and now cannot get them at all. I wonder if WWLP (11) is interfering with the digital decoding. Someone at the FCC was asleep at the wheel when they assigned these channels so close to each other.

The channel assignments are close, but from Middletown you should have no problems getting WTNH. What antenna are you using? Are you using a rotor?

Cutthecable, I have a very good antenna with VHF gain and a preamp pointed directly at Proven Mt. The same antenna receives 8.1 quite well much, much further away. Everyone around me for several miles doesn't get 22 (11). The guy at the local radio shack, for what its worth, said that he has heard plenty of complaints. There must be some kind of multipath, or maybe because we are above the horizon for their antenna, its pattern is bad up here in the hills, or maybe both. If it doesn't clear up on June 12th I'm gonna put a spectrum analyzer on the line and see what I can. In any case, there should be a lot more of the lost signal icons in my area of the FCC map. Oh well...:(
Tommy

For me.. channel 8 is also great out here in Brimfield. It's about 70% on my Panny Plasma's meter.

WTNH-DT channel 10 making it all the way to Brimfield, MA? Lucky you! I'm in the south end of New Britain, CT (10 miles southwest of downtown Hartford) and I don't get even a trace of Springfield. Do you get anything from WCTX-DT (MY) channel 39 there at all?

DTV (more accurately ATSC) should work fine with stations on adjacent channels. In real life what has been found is that when you have a strong local station on one digital channel and a weaker distant one on an adjacent channel ... many (most?) DTV receivers have problems decoding the weaker, distant channel.

For example: in Hartford you have ATSC signals on channels 31, 33 and 35. If you are north of Hartford (or even in western MA) you may have had difficulty receiving the digital channel 34 from the CT coast.

Likewise: WGGB-DT will be on digital channel 40 ... and in CT WCTX-DT is on digital channel 39. Although I had no problems receiving WCTX analog 59 their digital signal is next to impossible to receive because of the higher power local signal on channel 40.

Being able to receive the distant WTNH-DT (on digital channel 10) but not receive local WWLP-DT (on digital channel 11) is the opposite of what I described above: the fact that you can decode WTNH-DT means that WWLP-DT is not interfering with 8.1, etc.

The pre-amp may help with some of the distant stations ... but depending on the actual issue sometimes a preamp makes local reception worse - for a number of reasons including overloading the front end of the DTV receiver.

A spectrum analyzer may show you something about the issue ... and then again it may not. If there is bad multipath - it may not show up on a spectral display ... but it would be evident when attempting to look at the decoding of the ATSC signal. If enough reflected energy comes to your antenna a little bit later than the main signal it can cause cancellations that the tuner can't overcome. Sometimes pointing the antenna in a direction other than that directly at the TV station's transmitter site can help.

Tommy3141 - I think I tried to send you a private message ... if you didn't get it please send me one off the list. Thanks.

The FCC has always maintained that digital would have adjacent channel issues if signal strengths had wide variations. Basically, they only work properly if they're co-located or close to co-located.

- Trip

WTNH-DT channel 10 making it all the way to Brimfield, MA? Lucky you! I'm in the south end of New Britain, CT (10 miles southwest of downtown Hartford) and I don't get even a trace of Springfield. Do you get anything from WCTX-DT (MY) channel 39 there at all?

Nothing for 39. From what I have read they are tough to get even near Springfield.

But.. it makes me wonder. I didn't realize they are on 39.. this might be why I can't get WSBK TV 38 which is on UHF 39 from Boston. My Panny has once tuned WSBK in.. it saved it on a channel search.

Same issues with Fox 25 in Boston and Fox 61 in Hartford.. I use to get 61 once and a while. But since Fox 25 went full power I get neither. Both are on UHF 31. Thanks FCC!!

Yes, WCTX-DT (MY) is on channel 39. They transmit from Madmere Mountain in Hamden, the same site as WTNH-TV/DT (ABC) channel 8/D 10.

As for Springfield/Chicopee/Holyoke, I did a rescan on my Insignia converter box earlier today. The scan hesitated on both channels 9 and 11, but especially channel 11, as if it was trying to lock on it. Could it be WTNH-DT is interfering with both channel 9 (WEDN-DT of Norwich, CT) and channel 11 (WWLP-DT)?

Also, if VHF isn't as good for digital broadcasting, why do I have all of this nearby?

WEDN-DT (PBS) channel 9 - Norwich, CT [37 mi to Norwich with a Bozrah site]
WTNH-DT (ABC) channel 10 - New Haven, CT [26 mi to New Haven with a Hamden site]
WWLP-DT (NBC) channel 11 - Springfield, MA [33 mi to Springfield with a Agawam site]
WTXX-DT (CW) channel 12 - Waterbury, CT [15 mi to Waterbury with a Farmington site] *

* WTXX-DT will move from channel 12 to channel 20 on June 12, 2009.

Please note the quoted mileages are straight-line point A to point B, New Britain, CT to xxxx, courtesy of the distance calculator at indo.com.

Could it be WTNH-DT is interfering with both channel 9 (WEDN-DT of Norwich, CT) and channel 11 (WWLP-DT)?In answering the question about whether one station is interfering with another - you have to take into consideration what the actual signal level would be at your end - distance is only part of the equation. (A more distant station could have higher power than a closer one making it equal or stronger.) A good tool to show you the info you'd be interested in looking at is TV Fool:

http://www.tvfool.com/

Click: TV Signal Locator (on left hand side)

Choose: Address
Enter your address info and estimate for antenna height above ground level.
Click: Find Local Channels

You'll get a circular graph that shows the signal level and channel number for each station. The longer (or closer to the centre) each line is the stronger the signal.

There will also be a table under the graphic that is sorted by the predicted received signal strength. Look in the Pwr (dBm) column. Numbers are negative - closer to zero is stronger and the more negative you go the weaker the signal. (A reduction of 3 dB is 1/2 the signal level and a reduction of 10 dB is 1/10 the signal level.)

Unfortunately the database is not totally updated yet - as it still shows WEDN-DT on 45 ... it is really on channel 9 and WEDH-DT is now on 45.

The Insignia is a good box - rebranded Zenith / LG and has one of the better (best?) chipsets in it. I have the best luck with this tuner. When it pauses longer than normal on a channel it is trying to lock/decode ... but looking at the TV Fool numbers I wouldn't think that the WTNH-DT transmissions would be causing issues with channels 9 and 11.

The channel assignments are close, but from Middletown you should have no problems getting WTNH. What antenna are you using? Are you using a rotor?
The antenna is the problem, along with location. I'm using an indoor set top (rabbit ears for VHF). I also have a hill blocking me to the southwest, I can't get WTNH or WCTX. Since I'm a renter, I can't put anything on the roof. I had been receiving WTNH fairly well until recently though. Now I cant pull it in at all.

I just did a scan again...with the same results here in New Britain, CT: "NO SIGNAL" with WWLP on channel 11, some hesitation but not enough signal to lock with WGBY on channel 22 and the same results with WGGB on channel 55. Also, what's this with WSHM-LD ("CBS 3") having a site in Montgomery, MA on channel 41? Would that even reach Springfield?

Again, I'm using an Insignia (made by Zenith) converter box, with no analog pass-through, with an RCA flat wing indoor antenna, resting horizontally atop my second floor south-facing bedroom window.

Also, what's this with WSHM-LD ("CBS 3") having a site in Montgomery, MA on channel 41? Would that even reach Springfield?WSHM-LD channel 41 digital from FCC database:
http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/tvq?list=0&facid=168233

WSHM-LD service area from FCC web site:
http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/FMTV-service-area?x=LD1248359.html

Also, what's this with WSHM-LD ("CBS 3") having a site in Montgomery, MA on channel 41? Would that even reach Springfield?

And again, adjacent channel to WGGB-DT which will be on Channel 40. Hello FCC? Anyone paying attention there??

WGBY-DT is transmitting from the same location on Mt. Tom -- they were previously on DT channel 58 and now DT channel 22. (Still UHF but lower channel number.) Not sure if they are at their full power or not. One of my receivers (DirecTV H20) is not happy with the change: I see duplicate 57-x channel numbers. Other receivers successfully remapped to the correct 57-x channels after a rescan. As a last resort - you could see if you could reset your box to its defaults (e.g., no known channels) and then start rescanning and see if it will find the 57 subchannels. Note: I've had some problem with decoding 57-3 ... not sure if it is my DirecTV box or something with the WGBY-DT PSIP.

Thanks to all on this forum for this info. - I was wondering why I lost WGBY-DT 57 until I found this. After re-scan, all is good with some new ones: all the New Haven - Hartford - Springfield DT channels plus
49-001,002 (PBS Bridgeport), 54-001,002,003,004,005 (Church Channel E.NY?), 69-001,002,003,004 (ION TV - one of these ID'ed Block Island RI tonight but that can't be right, suspect it's New London CT). Thanks.
Antenna here is a modified Hoverman UHF collinear (no reflector) with VHF dipole oriented NE-SW about 50 ft. up the tower (~1000 ft. asl), plus EDA 2100 drop-amp indoor.

As I suspected as the trees around the neighborhood have leafed out a lot over the last week my reception has gone down. Most noticeable is that WCTX-DT 59-1, 59-2 has started to pixulate and breakup. The stations signal comes from New Haven so I've been lucky I guess. The changes at Mt Tom to 57.1 and 40.1 has improved reception a lot. As of today I receive 30 digital channels - free. :)

I used my free DTV Coupons and purchased the CM-7000 converters for the old TVs in the kids room. This converter is the best and www.solidsignal.com has the best service and lowest costs.. If you haven't got your coupons don't waste anymore time go to www.dtv2009.gov

69-001,002,003,004 (ION TV - one of these ID'ed Block Island RI tonight but that can't be right, suspect it's New London CT).

That's WPXQ-DT (ION) channel 17, licensed to Block Island, RI. They're the ION station for the Providence/New Bedford DMA. Their old analog channel was 69. Their transmitter is in western RI, not too far form the Connecticut line. I pick them up at least once a week here in southern Hartford County.

That's WPXQ-DT (ION) channel 17, licensed to Block Island, RI. They're the ION station for the Providence/New Bedford DMA. Their old analog channel was 69. Their transmitter is in western RI, not too far form the Connecticut line. I pick them up at least once a week here in southern Hartford County.Actually they have a pretty good signal. From the FCC database - here is a map that shows the transmitter location:
http://tiger.census.gov/cgi-bin/mapgen/gif?lon=-71.785000&lat=41.494722&iwd=750&iht=750&mark=-71.785000,41.494722,bluestar,WPXQ_BLOCK ISLAND_RI&on=water,miscell,counties,places,CITIES,&off=streets,GRID,shorelin&ht=0.5&wid=0.5

Although the city of license is indeed Block Island RI the transmitter is not located there! But it does cover the city of license - here is a map that shows the 41 dBu service contour:
http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/FMTV-service-area?x=DT1079103.html

And not too difficult to receive with an outdoor antenna atop many of the hills of Franklin, Hampshire and Berkshire counties of western Massachusetts - at distances of upwards of 150km.

I hope this is the right place to post this. I have Comcast in Springfield and WGGB HD looks like crap. I generally don't watch the channel but some of the NBA playoff games are on it and they look like total garbage. I hooked up a firewire card to my Comcas supplied DVR and ran TS Reader and it is showing the bitrate as being about 8.5mbps. Can someone tell me if this is a station issue or a Comcast issue? I currently don't have an antenna set up to try to get the channel OTA.

Cut-the-cable drop Comcast for antenna. :)

Are you sure that blue circle is correct? I live in New Britain, CT and I'm a couple of miles west outside of that. Hmmmm!

I hope this is the right place to post this. I have Comcast in Springfield and WGGB HD looks like crap. I generally don't watch the channel but some of the NBA playoff games are on it and they look like total garbage. I hooked up a firewire card to my Comcas supplied DVR and ran TS Reader and it is showing the bitrate as being about 8.5mbps. Can someone tell me if this is a station issue or a Comcast issue? I currently don't have an antenna set up to try to get the channel OTA.

Your question contains simplistic statements but little specifics.

First of all unlike 1080i, a bitrite of 8.5mbps with 720P will not cause a noticeably degraded image. I'm not currently in the Springfield, MA. area at the moment, but are you sure that WGGB was in HD programming mode at the time or merely up-converting the SD signal from ABC? It's usually pretty easy to tell, in that there will be "pillars" on each side of a 4:3 image.

Remember just because you're watching the digital channel does not mean the signal is HD at the time.

When I was working at WGGB, I did notice that the Comcast feed indeed had more artifacts than the OTA version which is what I watched at home. It wasn't as horrible as you present, but from what I've seen across the country that isn't unusual frankly. It's not that the cable companies do any additional compression, but in the process of demodulation of the ATSC encoded feed then conversion to QUAM, which is what is sent down the cable, there is some slight degradation.

I was getting wwlp on 22.1 and wggb on 40.1 through comcast no antenna.
For the last few weeks they kept going in and out all the time. (like bendog2784 said) Use to work flawlessly here in Westfield, MA. (both hd) Now they don't come in at all, I rescan and can't find them anywhere else. Any ideas?

Check your cable (F) connections. Make sure there isn't water or poor ground connections. Also make sure your cable is a good quality RG6 type. (Steer clear of Radio Shack coax) Old RG59 will change characteristics with temperature now that it's getting to be warmer weather.

Also if you're using passive splitters, make sure every spigot is terminated with either a piece of equipment or 75 ohm termination resistors. Make sure your passive splitters at at least rated to 2Ghz.

It's not that the cable companies do any additional compression, but in the process of demodulation of the ATSC encoded feed then conversion to QUAM, which is what is sent down the cable, there is some slight degradation.My understanding is that the 256QAM delivery of the local market stations on Comcast is bit-for-bit what is being fed from the station ... and that all stations are feeding Comcast directly via fibre. Comcast wasn't doing any rate shaping, etc.

I was getting wwlp on 22.1 and wggb on 40.1 through comcast no antenna. For the last few weeks they kept going in and out all the time. Now they don't come in at all, I rescan and can't find them anywhere else.In addition to Kelly's comments suggesting you check your coax cables, connections and splitters ... I've asked a couple of friends to see where the locals are showing up in the clear on the Comcast system. (I don't have a current 256QAM RF channel listing.) There's a slight chance that they moved them to a different RF channel - and there may be an issue with your tuner/TV being able to tune the RF channel that they are on.

Based on your comment about them dropping out (and then totally lost) I'd put money on the cabling issue. If it is affecting the locals in the clear - it may be affecting other channels as well (especially the higher frequency ones, which are not necessarily in "channel" number order). You could consider calling Comcast and explain the intermittant issue -- if it is something from the drop to your house they would probably roll a truck and fix that for free ... not sure where the demac is or if they'd charge you to look at wiring that may not be theirs inside your house or apartment. Good Luck!

After re-scan, all is good with some new ones: ...54-001,002,003,004,005 (Church Channel E.NY?)
That is WTBY-TV in Poughkeepsie:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WTBY-TV
It transmits its digital signal on RF channel 27.

I was getting wwlp on 22.1 and wggb on 40.1 through comcast no antenna. ...Use to work flawlessly here in Westfield, MA. ... Any ideas?
OK - that was quick! A friend just checked using an LG LST-4200A tuner in an adjacent town, same Comcast system:

WWLP 22.1 NBC is on 86-2
WGGB 40.1 ABC is on 86-1
WGGB 40.2 FOX is on 87-1
WSHM xx.x CBS is on 87-2
WGBY 57.1 PBS is on 84-1
WTXX 20.1 CW- is on 84-5

All clear 256QAM and in HD.

I just received the May 14 issue of EDN magazine and found this interesting article on problems with ATSC reception. It is available free, on-line at this link:

http://www.edn.com/article/CA6656302.html

This should be of help with troubleshooting off-air issues.

Thanks for all you suggestions!!!! I checked the connections, tightened some, and looked for 'pinches', and it fixed the problem!

Since WGBY switched their OTA DTV broadcasts from channel 58 to channel 22 recently, even with signal strength levels on my Magnavox STB hovering in the 70-80 range, I am now getting occasional pixelation and tiling on all DTV channels, but mostly on 57.1. Antenna is RadioShack VU-75 with a RS inline 10dB amplifier, on a 25' mast and rotator. Location is LOS ±12mi to transmitter site.

Any clues as to why this might be happening?

I am now getting occasional pixelation and tiling on all DTV channels, but mostly on 57.1. Antenna is RadioShack VU-75 with a RS inline 10dB amplifier, on a 25' mast and rotator. Location is LOS ±12mi to transmitter site. Any clues as to why this might be happening?Could be a lot of things ... one idea: something may be overloading the preamp which could cause issues for many/all frequencies (channels). Can you bypass it for testing?

Do you have problems with both VHF and UHF stations? Or is it limited to just UHF? (WWLP-DT is on VHF channel 11.)

Do you have any reception issues with the CT network affiliates? They transmit their digital signals on 31, 33 and 35. I think they are about the closest in frequency to WGBY-DT.

Have you noticed worse reception since the leaves came out?

Could be a lot of things ... one idea: something may be overloading the preamp which could cause issues for many/all frequencies (channels). Can you bypass it for testing?

Do you have problems with both VHF and UHF stations? Or is it limited to just UHF? (WWLP-DT is on VHF channel 11.)

Do you have any reception issues with the CT network affiliates? They transmit their digital signals on 31, 33 and 35. I think they are about the closest in frequency to WGBY-DT.

Have you noticed worse reception since the leaves came out?

Like an idiot, I should have made sure my brain was engaged before my fingers were. What I should have said is that

"Ever since WGBY switched to DT 22.x, I now get pixelation and tiling on "57.1" most of the time, even with signal levels in the 70-80 range; I get it to a lesser degree on 57.2, 57.3, and 57.4."

Dumbass! I plead being a noob here. Sorry!

1. Yes, I can bypass the amp; It's an inline bullet, so I'll have to rig up a 1' piece of cable with female F-adapters. I'll try it when I get some time. :)

2. I really don't have problems with VHF or UHF stations. My location is ±4mi west of Provin Mountain, so WWLP just booms in no matter which way the antenna is aimed. The antenna is pointed away from Mt. Tom, towards Connecticut.

3. The only issues I have with CT DTV affliiates is that I can't get WTNH, WTXX, or WCTX at all. WEDH, WVIT, WTIC all are perfect. And...

4. Now that the leaves have come out, I can no longer get any of the Univision channels on 46.x. Last summer, all of WFSB's 33.x stations were impossible, but not this year.