Can't WDAF grant you D* people a TEMPORARY FOX-HD waiver that's good through July 2005 (when they are expected to boost their own power locally)? They are O&O after all, and Rupert Murdoch owns D* now.

KSMO WB62 Over the Air DT-47 1080i HDTV looks great. Thank you Sinclair. :) http://www.wb62.com/

Originally posted by Eyedox
Can't WDAF grant you D* people a TEMPORARY FOX-HD waiver that's good through July 2005 (when they are expected to boost their own power locally)? They are O&O after all, and Rupert Murdoch owns D* now.

We Over the Air and satellite HDTV viewers have tried to get a temporary FOX 720p HDTV waiver but we have been turned down.

jeff,

Thanks for the info on St. Joe. I'm wondering if it would be futile for me to try to get the KC stations via antenna. I'm 50 miles away, have the KQ2 tower in the way, and have trees all around me.

Is the HD signal MUCH stronger, so it's easier to pick up from a distance via Antenna?

I think I'll probably just wait for the HD locals to be available via satellite.

Unless search has failed me, no one has gotten a cable card through time warner here in KC yet. I thought I remebered one person mentioning the tech had to come by to install it, and this is the case for me as well. I have an appointment tomorrow for cablecard and HD package installation and am looking forward to reporting the results.

I will say this, the first woman said my set wasn't "on the list" of cablecard TV's so I would have to get a set top box for much more. I assured her my set (Panny TH-42PD25U/P) was equipped with cablecard but she was steadfast. No problem, I called back and the second woman was helpful and set up an appointment. Only 1.75 a month! A deal I couldn't pass up.

Originally posted by 4MUKC
It's not beat to death yet. I am more irritated every day. I didn't get the ALCS game last night because Fox has me blacked out (per the D* CSR). I tried to send an email (it was civil) to Cheryl McDonald and it bounced back, I guess she had her email address changed and I couldn't find a new one on their web site.

WDAF has and still does treat the HD community like crap. It's likely that the only way most of us will see the Super Bowl in HD is to pressure WDAF. While they may not be able to turn up the power, they can give waivers.

The problem on the D* feeds isn't with WDAF or Cheryl McDonald, it's with D* (as for off-air HD signals, WDAF has some level of culpability, although it sounds like a miscalculation at the FOX corporate level). As has been discussed before in this and other threads, WDAF as a FOX O&O doesn't have a say in blocking the FOX-HD feed or the ALCS/NLCS playoff feeds on D* or granting waivers for you to get them from D*. As an O&O, they fall under the same blanket waiver that the NBC & CBS HD feeds are covered under.

Also note that the first level D* CSRs are clueless about what is going on with the playoff feeds and/or the national FOX-HD feeds. So you need to get up to second level support or technical support in order to get this resolved.

Based on the comments that have been posted in the ALCS/NLCS threads, it appears that there was a corruption of the D* customer database that occurred at the time of the aborted launch of the national FOX-HD feeds. You need to look at your on-line D* account information or this months bill to see if you've had FOX-HD added to your programming. You should see something like this:

Programming Service

MLB EXTRA INNINGS: 2004 Season
HD Package
TOTAL CHOICE PLUS with Locals
HBO, STARZ!, SHOWTIME, & CINEMAX
Network: FOX HD_*
Additional Receiver

If you don't see the Network: FOX HD_* listed, that is part of the problem.

In another thread, Ken H suggested looking here for ways of getting the feeds turned on:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/show...threadid=457754

This whole issue has been a mass of confusion for people in FOX O&O markets and the D* CSRs. Hopefully this will provide you with the information you need to be able to get the feeds off of D* like others here in KC and other O&O markets are currently getting. Best of luck!

housecor,

I have a buddy with a Sammy(I think) DLP that uses CableCARD. He has had no problems since having his installed. I am conflicted on that whole situation. I already have two DVRs (one standard def, and one HD), So I don't think I would have a use for a CARD tv, unless it were my third or fourth TVs. However, I have a STB on one which I never use, and my daughter only seems to watch DVDs in her room.

kcjeff - I actually didn't think to ask what an HD DVR would cost as an alternative to the cable card. Does anyone know what they run per month?

I don't record much so I think at this point I'd prefer one less piece of equipment in the signal loop, but if the price is competitive I'd consider.

It will run you ~$20 a month. $10 for the box, and $10 for the DVR "service". This includes the HD Tier which is normally ~$7.00 by itself.


Note: I'm rounding. One of the charges is $9.99, but I can never remembere which one.

Petro on 810 is talking about how he got the Fox HD broadcast last night..just FYI.

I'm able to get Fox HD via OTA in Western Wyandotte County. My signal jumps from 59 - 61.

I know my TWC has CableCard service at $1.75/mo. I was curious if Comcast was offering the CableCards yet and what their monthly charge was? I think the cable companies were mandated to have CableCards by July of this year. Anyone know on Comcast?

While we are on the topic, I'm wondering what people are paying for cable and other services from their cable company.

Right now, I've got TW in Lee's Summit. I use them for my cable, which includes the HD-DVR, the HD tier, and they throw in Showtime allegedly for free...at $64.87 per month.

I've also got them for my phone service (unlimited local and ld)...at $39.95

I've got their RoadRunner for high-speed internet for $29.95 per month.

Grand Total: $134.77.

Unfortunately, I'm not in an Everst market, so no pressure on TW there. I called them yesterday to tell them I could get ATT CallVantage at $29.95 per month, and SBC Yahoo at $26.95 per month, and would they match. No go. I haven't really hit them hard yet, but am curious what other's experience has been.

Ryan

I have all the premium channels, the HD Tier, One HD Box, One HDDVR, and a third SD box. I also have RR with 5 IP's. They threw in all the On Demand Stuff (This is NOT PPV). I pay ~120 for all of it, including taxes/fees. It used to be up around $150 or so but when Everst started up, I called and asked what they could do. Now, Everest WASN'T available in my area, but I guess since my city was KC, TWC didn't know the difference. I have ATT CallVantage.

I have one HD STB, digital cable tier, HD tier, two premium channels (HBO / Cinemax) and HSI for $120. I moved from KC to Blue Springs a year ago, and used to gripe about TW. Now w/ Comcast, I'd take TW back in a heartbeat if it were an option . . . .

Me too, I was getting so much less with comcast than TW. With Comcast I had digital (2 boxes 1 HD/1DVR), HD and HBO it was $122.

With Direct I think it's going to be about $115 but I have all the premiums and sports stuff. (don't know exact, still on my 4 months free with ST/ 6 month free HD). No regrets, get more and the quality is much better.

I really considered making the move to D*, but had two reservations. One, D* doesn't carry Metro Sports, and I'm a huge MU basketball fan, so I'd miss a bunch of games. Two, I wasn't really keen on buying the equipment, if D* would lease their equipment, I would have done it a long time ago. For the money I'm paying though, I'm not happy w/ the Comcast service at all, not to mention no Fox HD, so no Superbowl or World Series . . . .

Little worried about the MU games myself. I was kinda hoping that Comcast wouldn't actually come out and shut it off at the box. :) They did after about 3 weeks.

It did cost me a little up front, about $500 with HD, antenna and a couple of DTivos, but it's so much better. And ST is pretty cool, I was switching between 5 or 6 HD games at noon on Sunday.

The PQ on D* is much better than I got on Comcast (HD excluded, don't know that I can tell a difference on HD)

I'll agree, PQ on the standard channels from Comcast stinks, but I find that I don't watch them all that often now anyway. I think buying an HDTV has actually cut down on my TV viewing because if there's nothing good on the HD channels, then I turn the TV off or pop in a movie.

Originally posted by bladesfan1972
I'll agree, PQ on the standard channels from Comcast stinks, but I find that I don't watch them all that often now anyway. I think buying an HDTV has actually cut down on my TV viewing because if there's nothing good on the HD channels, then I turn the TV off or pop in a movie.

I have found PQ on non-HD channels with TWC is not as good as DirecTV either. I'm currently evaluating TWCKC's cable service against my existing DirecTV service. So far, the only benefit of TWC is no hardware cost. Otherwise, PQ is not as good and the monthly fees are significantly higher. Other than the HD channels, TWC is charging me $58/mo for nearly an identical tiered service I get from DirecTV for $37/mo. Not only that, but TWC will bump that $58 to $68 in 6 months and to $78 in a year.

Based on the monthly price difference, I could probably make back the hardware cost in about 1.5 years.

"Based on the monthly price difference, I could probably make back the hardware cost in about 1.5 years"

I'm going to play devil's advocate here . . . . I agree that you would make back the difference if you bought the equipment up front, because of the cheaper monthly costs. But, as we all know, technology changes at the drop of a hat, what happens if, in two years, that piece of equipment that you paid good money for is obsolete?

That said, I still hate Comcast, it's too expensive and I'm still bitter about not having Fox HD.

Cablecard installed!

The TWC tech had only installed 1 cablecard before and said to his knowledge only 15 have been installed by TWC in the metro so far. Wow, I never thought I'd be such an early adopter.

Anyway, he plugged it in and within a couple minutes a black screen popped up with my set's specific cablecard and host id #. He waited while they turned on my card by adding it on their end. They added the HD tier as well. The entire process took around 30 minutes due to a miscommunication on the host id.

He walked out and I was happily enjoying looking through my new window to the world. Wow, amazingly clear. INHD offers images that blow away anything I've seen OTA on the major networks. Truly a window experience. (and I only have a 42" Panny ED plasma!) All channels are automatically labeled too which is a nice touch.

However, the card has been flakey on some HD stations all afternoon. Some of the HD tier is just coming in sporadically. They'll freeze and I'll come back after a few seconds and they'll be fine. Only the upper HD tier seems effected so far. I made a service call and they had no idea. They said the cards are so new all they can do is send a tech and let him "fiddle with it." Greeeat.

Other issue: The set lags on certain commands since the card was installed. For example, sometimes when I punch in a channel number nothing happens for a moment. Also, the menu will pause between screens longer than it used to.

All minor pains, but just FYI for anyone considering diving into the early adopter pool. :)

P.S. I'm now watching the NLCS in HD on...drumroll...WDAF. It's nice that at least the wait is over on this one for TWC subscribers.

It's not that you don't have hardware cost on cable. You still pay a monthly rent/lease on the digital boxes/DVR. With Comcast I had a HDTV Equip Fee of $5.00/month and the DVR was 9.95 - $15 month plus the service was higher, adds up too.

I called Direct about the ALCS issue again today, got transfered to the HD/Network eligibility group. Could not explain why I'm not getting the games, said they can't do anything. He did say that they expect the Fox contract soon, and that I would get the Fox (East) feed at that time. I know CSR's don't alway know anything, but it was nice to hear.

As with a lot of other people with the 8000HD from TWC, I have been experiencing audio dropouts and blocking. I had tried the suggestions that were posted here (hard reboot, time shifting, etc), but still had problems. I finally broke down and called TWC and they sent a tech out Monday. He found that I was losing more signal between the outside splitter and my box than I should be, so he pulled the wall panel and found it had a loose (screw-on) connector. He replaced the connector with a crimp-on type, and the signal strength immediately went up. So far I have only had two dropouts total, compared to probably three or four per hour before. Just thought I would pass this along.

Originally posted by bladesfan1972
"Based on the monthly price difference, I could probably make back the hardware cost in about 1.5 years"

I'm going to play devil's advocate here . . . . I agree that you would make back the difference if you bought the equipment up front, because of the cheaper monthly costs. But, as we all know, technology changes at the drop of a hat, what happens if, in two years, that piece of equipment that you paid good money for is obsolete?

That said, I still hate Comcast, it's too expensive and I'm still bitter about not having Fox HD.


If I go ahead and buy an HD receiver at retail...299..I will still be ahead in 2 years...the lease on the cable box through the company here was 14.95/month...doesn't take long to add up.

My receivers that I've had for 6 years have more than paid for themselves, and the DD one I bought 2.5 years ago is going to be around a while.

Basically, I wouldn't let it scare you...I have nothing that has become "obsolete".

Originally posted by bladesfan1972
"Based on the monthly price difference, I could probably make back the hardware cost in about 1.5 years"

I'm going to play devil's advocate here . . . . I agree that you would make back the difference if you bought the equipment up front, because of the cheaper monthly costs. But, as we all know, technology changes at the drop of a hat, what happens if, in two years, that piece of equipment that you paid good money for is obsolete?

That said, I still hate Comcast, it's too expensive and I'm still bitter about not having Fox HD.

Well, being that we're still on the very, very, very bleeding edge of HD technology, I would say buying HD equipment today should be a decent long-term investment.

Heck, how long has component video inputs been around, and they are just now getting significant use. DVI is basically brand new to the home TV environment and HDMI is part of the HD specification, so I don't expect that to change anytime in the next 5 to 10 years.

This is just the nature of the beast when buying technology. Should I not have purchased my DLP set because there will probably be a new DLP chipset in 6 months?

For a certain amount of usability and convenience I'm willing to pay extra. At this point I'm still on the fence as to which way I want to go with in terms of D* or Cable.

TWC with everything except sports/Flix package and PPV subscriptions. 1 HDDVR, 1 SDDVR, and one digital box... $150/month

Sony KP51-WS500... $1500

Being able to watch every Chiefs HD game available, including FOX, as well as every MU basketball game... Priceless

D*TV does have lease options on hardware - you have to ask for it as it is not SOP for the CSRs to offer it. They need to compete with cable and they know this is one of the only ways to do it.

TWC ... RoadRunner HSI, digital cable, HD DVR, HD package, HBO package, Encore package, VOD, for $70 in Shawnee.

**************USDTV ALERT*****************

My local Walmart here in Oak Grove MO is selling USDTV Over the Air receivers. Hopefully no television station here in the Kansas City metro area has sold off part of their station HDTV full-bandwidth to support a USDTV rollout. The way I understand this thread http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=429351 USDTV lowers the HDTV picture quality of the stations that sell part of their bandwidth to USDTV.

Full-power and full bandwidth gives us Over the Air HDTV viewers the best quality picture for our HDTV's at home. Please KMBC, KCTV, KSHB, KCWE, KCPT, KSMO and WDAF keep Kansas City Over the Air HDTV picture quality the best in the nation. Thank you. :)

I don't know if this is a good place for this post...excuse me if not.

I currently have DirecTV with ultimate TV, and am receiving the local channels through that subscription (no antenna).

I've been reading here, and am somewhat confused, and I called a CSR at DirecTV, and they said I cannot get any HD local stations through them. Thought I'd ask here before I call them back, so:

I have decided I cannot get FOX, maybe any at all, in HD from D*.

But of the others (NBC, ABC, CBS), is anyone getting a feed of them, in HD, even if not local?

Ewingr- I have Dish Network. On Dish Network only CBS-HD is available. ABC-HD, NBC-HD, FOX-HD, WB-HD, UPN-HD and PBS-HD are not available for now from Dish Network.

Local HD feeds are only available via Over the Air and local cable (if carried).

DirecTV probably is FOX-HD and NBC-HD? as far as I know. Does your local cable company carry any local HDTV feeds?

Cable tells me none at all. Lawrence Cable, in my opinion, is worthless.

Since the post, I called Direc again, and they tell me that NBC and CBS only are available in HD.

I was hoping ABC (didn't expect Fox based on reading here) would be available, albeit not local.

Ewingr- How far is Lawrence from the downtown Kansas City area? A DirecTV HDTV receiver and a outdoor antenna just might get you the Kansas City local digital stations.

Actually, I am getting some of them. But, right now, I don't have VHF, so can't get ABC; Fox...well, you know; but I am getting the others.

Ultimately, I guess I was hopeing for the ABC if I get DirectHD.

I think I can change pre-amps, and get the VHF working. I suspect that's what I'll be soing.

Then, I need to decide about a HD Tivo and DirecTV HD...irrespective of what DirecTV can do with locals or national feeds.

Ewingr- I may be alittle mixed up but I seem to recall that somewhere I heard that KMBC9 DT-07 is weak in some direction to lessen interference on another station transmission for now. Maybe KMBC has done some digital signal strength test in your area and might be able to let you know if KMBC DT-07 is present in your area. Best of luck on receiving Kansas City local HDTV signals.

Originally posted by jeffdbs
**************USDTV ALERT*****************

My local Walmart here in Oak Grove MO is selling USDTV Over the Air receivers. Hopefully no television station here in the Kansas City metro area has sold off part of their station HDTV full-bandwidth to support a USDTV rollout. The way I understand this thread http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=429351 USDTV lowers the HDTV picture quality of the stations that sell part of their bandwidth to USDTV.

Full-power and full bandwidth gives us Over the Air HDTV viewers the best quality picture for our HDTV's at home. Please KMBC, KCTV, KSHB, KCWE, KCPT, KSMO and WDAF keep Kansas City Over the Air HDTV picture quality the best in the nation. Thank you. :)

**This is huge news that we ALL should be discussing now.**

Why is Wal-Mart in Oak Grove selling USDTV receivers? Is there USDTV available now in the KC area?

This just seems really odd because no one has said anything about it. Why sell the receiver before the service is available? Sounds too risky for the average *wal-mart* customer.

As far as this anti-USDTV sentiment goes, I don't want to see reduced HD quality, BUT on the other hand, I don't mind seeing the cable companies get more competition which drives down prices. Obviously this argument doesn't apply to people who are not cable/satellite subscribers, but simply watch TV OTA.

P.S.: usdtv.com only shows Albuquerque, Las Vegas, the Salt Lake City Metro areas as being the areas where you can get USDTV now.

On another note, keep in mind if USDTV works, it does put A LOT of ATSC receivers (USDTV receivers are OTA tuners that also tune these USDTV channels) into homes that would probably never get one unless they had to. I don't know if that means anything to anybody, but I thought I'd share it...

Originally posted by pappy97
Why is Wal-Mart in Oak Grove selling USDTV receivers? Is there USDTV available now in the KC area?

WalMart is selling the USDTV receivers nationwide now with the 4th generation chips. You do not have to have a USDTV subscription for the receiver to work. The box puts out SD and HD so if you have a HD set, you can connect the RGB lines up and display a HD signal or connect a SD set to the video or S-video out and still receive digital OTA signals even if USDTV is not in your area. The USDTV receivers are suppose tobe the first on the market with the new 5th generation chips (first of the year) and the price is stated to be $150 for the box down from the $199 they are now.

When the those new boxes come out, I know many people who are going to buy it even though they have no interest in the USDTV service. (including me)

Originally posted by jeffdbs
Ewingr- I may be alittle mixed up but I seem to recall that somewhere I heard that KMBC9 DT-07 is weak in some direction to lessen interference on another station transmission for now. Maybe KMBC has done some digital signal strength test in your area and might be able to let you know if KMBC DT-07 is present in your area. Best of luck on receiving Kansas City local HDTV signals.

I have been told by another poster here from Lawrence that he received channel 7 very well in the Lawrence area. So, hopefully, I will succeed. I will post back once I make the effort with my results.

Originally posted by js615
D*TV does have lease options on hardware - you have to ask for it as it is not SOP for the CSRs to offer it. They need to compete with cable and they know this is one of the only ways to do it.

Well, in about another two weeks I'll be calling D* to cancel. At that point they'll transfer me to their retention department where I'll be able to negotiate. The results of that negotiation will determine whether I stick with them or not. My problem is that I would need to get the HD DirecTivo unit, which retails for $999, some sell it for $899. I'll be lucky if they'll give me anything on that. I've heard some getting $300 to $400 credits, but its sporadic on what they'll give you.

Originally posted by foxeng
WalMart is selling the USDTV receivers nationwide now with the 4th generation chips. You do not have to have a USDTV subscription for the receiver to work. The box puts out SD and HD so if you have a HD set, you can connect the RGB lines up and display a HD signal or connect a SD set to the video or S-video out and still receive digital OTA signals even if USDTV is not in your area. The USDTV receivers are suppose tobe the first on the market with the new 5th generation chips (first of the year) and the price is stated to be $150 for the box down from the $199 they are now.

When the those new boxes come out, I know many people who are going to buy it even though they have no interest in the USDTV service. (including me)

Okay, so when they get these 5th generation chips, how will these receivers compare to others in the OTA tuner market?

I helped my dad buy a Samsung SIR-T351 back in January, and if this 5th gen USDTV receiver has better PQ and sound (that Samsung has issues with DD5.1 sound), I'll get it for him.

Anybody know where I can find the listings of which games FOX will show in HD? TitanTV doesn't show this weeks game in HD.

Did anyone see the latest TWC commercial talking about their HDTV package that implied Cinemax HD was one of the available channels? Just creative advertising or is that for real?

Originally posted by foxeng
WalMart is selling the USDTV receivers nationwide now with the 4th generation chips.

Thank you foxeng for the information on the USDTV receivers. After reading the thread on USDTV and seeing USDTV receivers at the local Wamart I just panicked. I will sleep better tonight. :)

Originally posted by pappy97
Okay, so when they get these 5th generation chips, how will these receivers compare to others in the OTA tuner market?


5th generation 8VSB chipset news http://rfupdate.broadcastengineering.com/ar/broadcasting_newgeneration_dtv_receiver/index.htm

Originally posted by pappy97
Okay, so when they get these 5th generation chips, how will these receivers compare to others in the OTA tuner market?

No one has really seen then in mass yet, but the few people who have say that it is the difference between black and white and color. In places no signal was possible before, the 5th generation picks up the signal with no problem. It is all the talk in the industry and is greatly anticipated by all.

The trick is the 5th generation chip uses the multipath to decode the signal where the older receivers try to reduce the multipath to decode and as has been well documented here on AVSForum, usually fail quite miserably.

Oh the irony! FOX bragging during the Chiefs broadcast that it is being shown in 720p and 5.1 surround and the majority of us Chiefs fans in the Kansas City area who have HD sets are watching a SD broadcast. Thanks for nothing WDAF!

WDAF must be run by politicians:eek:

Jerky, just spoke with Comcast customer service, neither the rep nor the supervisor knew anything about what you've been telling us regarding the DVR release...namely that they are being tested here in town and will be available the last week of October. In fact, after checking with her supervisor, the rep told me "There's no time frame...we haven't had them shipped to us from corporate, and it could be some time in the first quarter of next year, but we just don't know." Arrrrrrrrrrgh!!!! Please tell me she's totally clueless! Please tell me I can go over to the Olathe office by the end of this week and pick one up! (I can dream, can't I?)

I asked about the HD-DVR boxes at the Olathe office Friday -- the rep said that they got the boxes in, but there's a bug in the guide. They said they expect to have them ready around Thanksgiving.

It's always a couple of more weeks with Comcast.

Anybody heard anything more about Independence Comcast's HD-PVR ?

OK....
The rep was probably thinking of VOD (Video on Demand) and not DVR. It is true there is a glitch in the new guide software that has been delaying DVR. I would like to think people would rather wait and receive a working, mostly problem free product vs what Time Warner did with their HD DVRs. I have yet to hear a solid date in regards to when they'll be available. Local Comcast has received a number of the boxes, however they can't make them available until corporate Comcast says it's ok. The other side of that is that the number they got is relatively low compared to the expected demand. So it remains to be known -how- available they'll be when they are released. I did hear possibly not till mid November, but that one was speculative per who i heard it from. Unfortunately right now, the shots are being called by corporate Comcast. Also, this situation isn't something that is only happening to Comcast in the Kansas City area, this is a nationwide thing.

Aaron Barnhart has got more HDTV news today in the Kansas City Star. Aaron must be getting alot of letters on WDAF FOX4 low power digital output. http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/entertainment/9990611.htm

Awesome article Aaron ... hits on KSMO-DT (WB-HD) lacking on cable providers, and WDAF-DT (FOX-HD) low power output. Bravo! Now is anybody listening out there??

I was able to get a single tuner DVR last week from Comcast.
Somehow a guy I work with talked to someone at corporate and they put it in the computer that he should be given one. I went with him to the Independence office. They were pissed and didn't want to give him one, but because the computer said so, they did it. Well, since I was standing beside him, I said I want the same thing and they couldn't refuse.
I think they only have three left after they gave me one.

It isn't as good as the dual, be a heck of a lot better than nothing.
The other rumor I heard was that they may be only giving out the duals for retention offers. So in other words, sounds like we all need to "cancel" our service sometime in the next few weeks. They have a waiting list, but they wouldn't add me to it and said they weren't going to really use it.
Something about 1500 people want one and they only have 250.

I put a query into Comcast's website about 62 & 29. I got a call from a guy a day later. He said they unfortunalety had no plans, and he didn't know why. He also said that a building was blocking the Fox single.

The number i heard was closer to 500 DVRs. The thing about them only being available for retention is a possibility, but that's info they're still waiting on from corporate.

well I got my antenna up in the attic it is a Terk TV38. I get most of the channels, but I still don't get WDAF, I knew they had low power, but also don't get PAX, which isn't a huge loss. And I don't get WB62 which surprised me because of all the attention that they are getting by recently going HD. So I guess my question is how much power are these stations currently putting out. I saw the first post on this thread, but was wondering if they have changed? Thanks

Anyone here in the KC area live in an APT and have luck with DTV? I have been trying all kinds of antennas, I think I am having multipath issues. I have to "shoot" through the building at the towers. Any suggestions?

Originally posted by HuskerT
So I guess my question is how much power are these stations currently putting out? WDAF-DT FOX and KSMO-DT WB are both broadcasting at very low power. My brother-in-law also lives in Olathe and has a nice big roof mounted antenna with a booster, and he still cannot receive either of these stations. I think WDAF is 1.1kw and KSMO is 9kw power. They should be at a megawatt.

Originally posted by Ewingr
I have been told by another poster here from Lawrence that he received channel 7 very well in the Lawrence area. So, hopefully, I will succeed. I will post back once I make the effort with my results.

JeffDBS is correct. KMBC-DT does use a directional transmitting antenna but I've looked at the pattern and we put a good signal over Lawrence, (approx: 258 degrees azimuth from the xmtr tower). Providing you have a VHF capable antenna you shouldn't have any trouble getting us over the air. TI

Originally posted by jeffdbs
Aaron Barnhart has got more HDTV news today in the Kansas City Star. Aaron must be getting alot of letters on WDAF FOX4 low power digital output. http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/entertainment/9990611.htm

Great article and exactly what we need - some press!

Originally posted by mws6468
Anyone here in the KC area live in an APT and have luck with DTV? I have been trying all kinds of antennas, I think I am having multipath issues. I have to "shoot" through the building at the towers. Any suggestions?

Welcome mws6468 :) Are you using and indoor or outdoor antenna? What type of receiver are you using to receive the Over the Air(OTA) Kansas City HDTV digital channels? The way I understand the multipath issue is that the receiver plays a very important role in reception. Type of antenna, direction to the towers and good shielded RG-6 cable also help in reducing multipath problems. Are all the OTA K.C. digital channels having multipath problems? This forum is full of good people who have worked out problems when starting to receive local digital channels and now have a solid digital picture. We are here to help.

Originally posted by technicalitalian
JeffDBS is correct. KMBC-DT does use a directional transmitting antenna but I've looked at the pattern and we put a good signal over Lawrence, (approx: 258 degrees azimuth from the xmtr tower). Providing you have a VHF capable antenna you shouldn't have any trouble getting us over the air. TI

Thanks TI. I need to get off my heiney and get that VHF amp.

Well sorry i was veg at first... here is what antennaweb says for me

* red - uhf KSMO-DT 62.1 WB KANSAS CITY MO 61° 18.1 47
* red - uhf KPXE-DT 51.1 PAX KANSAS CITY MO 75° 14.4 51
* red - uhf KMCI-DT 36.1 IND LAWRENCE KS 87° 13.0 36
* red - uhf KSHB-DT 41.1 NBC KANSAS CITY MO 87° 13.0 42
* red - uhf KCPT-DT 19.1 PBS KANSAS CITY MO 62° 17.4 18
* red - uhf KCTV-DT 5.1 CBS KANSAS CITY MO 55° 12.2 24
* red - uhf KCWE-DT 29.1 UPN KANSAS CITY MO 59° 15.7 31
* violet - uhf WDAF-DT 4.1 FOX KANSAS CITY MO 53° 11.6 34

I am using a good heavy RG6 that came with a sat setup i got a few years ago. The receiver is the 811 from Dish. Antenna radio shack 15-1634 (omni directional). I am very limited for space, and my "balcony" faces west, well that is the wrong direction :(

I can get CBS & UPN pretty well, last night anyway. Other channels are hit and miss.

is everyone in KC working today?:p

Anyone in the area know of good antenna installers?

I just paid my D* installer a little extra, not that he did that great a job.

Originally posted by 4MUKC
I just paid my D* installer a little extra, not that he did that great a job.

i have Dish Net. so they do not install OTA

Ask your local Radio Shack geeks if they have any leads for antenna installers since they sell the equipment.

Originally posted by mws6468
I am very limited for space, and my "balcony" faces west, well that is the wrong direction

Anyway to get a vhf/uhf directional antenna pointing northeast towards downtown Kansas City? Maybe in the attic or outside on the roof. I am thinking all you need is the right direction (if possible) with a vhf/uhf antenna to receive K.C. digitals.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by mws6468
[B]Well sorry i was veg at first... here is what antennaweb says for me

Antenna radio shack 15-1634 (omni directional). I am very limited for space, and my "balcony" faces west, well that is the wrong direction :(

Omni directional is a very bad phrase when it comes to DTV reception. the multipath you are receiving must be quite high.

This is chancy but it may work: if you purchased a directional VHF/UHF antenna and pointed it towards a tall building near you, (if one exists) you may get signals as a bounce off the building from the KC towers. Don't be surprised if you have to turn the antenna from horizontal to vertical since the bounce can change the polarity of the received signal.

Put your pool hall skills to work, i.e. the angle of incidence is equal to the angle of refraction......TI

PS: be sure to keep the receipt for the antenna just in case it doesn't work.

To: mws6468 & HuskerT

I live in Olathe around BlackBob & 127th. I receive KSMO-DT-47 / 62 using a Radio Shack VU-75 mounted in the attic. It shows up at 50% of the total signal strength on the display of the Samsung SIRT-151. I agree with previous people. Stay away from RF amps and omni-directional antennas. Bigger is better.

For people that are in apartments, I have used a Radio Shack antenna #930-0998. It works quite well indoors. I recently traveled to St. Louis with my SIRT-151 and RS #930-0998 antenna to use on my sisters' and brother in-laws' MITS 1080 61" HDTV monitor. We put the antenna on top of a bookshelf away from the set-top box and monitor and was able to watch games 1 & 2 of the World Series on KTVI-DT-2. My brother in law will be subscribing to Charter's HDTV service this week!

WDAF will only show up as an occasional blip on the RF signal strength meter. The last two weeks I have had RF detection for up to 10 seconds but no picture or info. I wonder if WDAF is pushing that 1,100 Watt transmitter a little. Push Harder! Harder!

You can look at earlier posts of mine on this thread to see a screen shot of KTWU-23 Topeka, KS as received in Olathe. Full power HDTV is a wonderful thing to behold!

Good luck in your reception efforts.

Thanks for all the suggestions, last night I tried a CM 4221 w/ a preamp, it was not as good as the RS I was using. Next week I will try a directional ant trying to get a reflected signal. I guess it is time to call a Realtor and look at moving :rolleyes:

If I find any solutions I will post them. :D

I also live close to 127th and Blackbob in Olathe.

Today I replaced my 6 year old Radio Shack antenna with a Channel Master 4228 8 bay bow tie antenna. I did this to get a more stable signal on KSMO WB 62-1. It worked!! I am now receiving 5, 9, 19, 29, 38, 41, 50, and 62 in the "Good" range (On a scale of Bad--Normal--Good).

The thing that I didn't think about was analog 4. This is a VHF-Lo frequency for which this antenna was NOT designed for.

If you're listening WDAF, I can just barely get your analog signal and I don't even get a blip from your digital signal. I will not be watching your station until you TURN UP YOUR DIGITAL POWER!!!!

I live at 151 and blackbob and have a terk tv38 in my attic and can't get fox or wb. I had it installed and don't have any idea what he did to get power but at one point I was only getting 5 and 9, so I guess I just have to wait until those stations get a power boost.

I am not receiving any OTA signal from channel 5 right now (11:38am). Anyone else experiencing this? I always get a nice strong signal from them. I will be upset if I don't get to watch the game in High Def today!

Gshoe- I am in Oak Grove and I am receiving KCTV5 (DT-24) ok.

Whoo. It showed up right at game time. Great game! Thought the Defence may let it slip away for a while.

Originally posted by Gshoe
Whoo. It showed up right at game time. Great game! Thought the Defence may let it slip away for a while.


Oh my goodness what a game. The Kansas City Chiefs in the Superbowl? Sometimes good things do happen. :)

Yeah, I can see it now. Chiefs in the Superbowl, and most of KC will not be able to see it in HD. :rolleyes:

I don't know that this is the proper place to post this but, I have a RD5000 modified dish 6000 for recording HD direct to hard drive that I want to loan out from the end of Nov till sometime in April. This is a $1000 modification and software package best played back on a MYHD card and I ONLY WANT TO HAVE IT OUT LOCALLY. I want the party to record some items for me and airmail the hard drives overseas to me probably 3-4 times costing them about $100-130 total.. Its a cheap way to try out some high depreciation equipment and see if you are interested in investing in a system on your own. I'll loan the Dish 6000 and the asociated computer. Possible deposit is negociable. Interested party must have thier own Dishnetwork subsciption.

Look in the HD recorders section for informaion on the system.

Larry
Shawnee
cptkcmuscl@yahoo.com

Originally posted by hdtimmy
Yeah, I can see it now. Chiefs in the Superbowl, and most of KC will not be able to see it in HD. :rolleyes:

This would be a public relations nightmare for WDAF. Kansas City football viewers buy HDTV's for the playoffs and the Super Bowl only to come home and find there is no signal on DT-34 for most of the Kansas City television viewers. It would be real nice if WDAF would please give Kansas City television viewers some updates on WDAF upgrade to full-power digital broadcasting. :)

I've been reading here for a while but never posted before. I have had some questions lately though so I had sign up. I have a couple of questions:

KSMO, they are now broadcasting HiDef, at least so I have heard. Why isn't Time Warner picking that up? Any news from anyone one that. It just seems weird. Time Warner Cable, the Warner Bros. network. Aren't they part of the same company?

Also, I have been out of town for a couple of weeks and noticed something new with TWC. on the channel guide, KCTV has a star next to the CBS eye logo. Does anyone know what that is for?


Thanks, and keep up the great discussions on the local HD scene.

Originally posted by newski
KSMO, they are now broadcasting HiDef, at least so I have heard. Why isn't Time Warner picking that up? Any news from anyone one that. It just seems weird. Time Warner Cable, the Warner Bros. network. Aren't they part of the same company? Unfortunately, KSMO is not O&O by The WB, which IS the same company as Time Warner Cable. So the retrans rights to KSMO-HD must be negotiated between KSMO's corporate owners and TWC corporate.
The best thing you can do is to go to www.twckc.com and the CONTACT US section, and keep requesting the channel over and over. You can also email them at cable-info@kc.rr.com ... They DO listen to the feedback and it gets forwarded to the powers at be. Do the same thing for the local WB affiliate .... www.wb62.com ... or emailing Sinclair at comments@sbgi.net ... Hopefully enough of us on this forum will help out and do that. I've been at it since KSMO went HD a few weeks ago.

Hello all. This is my first post in this thread. I am still in the process of purchasing an HDTV and getting everything set up. I know I will need a receiver and perhaps subscribe to a satellite HD service (since I do not have cable as an option). I live in DeSoto, KS just south of K-10. What antennae will I need to pull in the OTA channels? What channels can I expect to receive? Any hints would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Tim

Welcome newski and tblankenship. tblankenship-Dish Network, DirecTV and Voom HD satellite providers all have built in Over the Air digital turners. All that is needed is a VHF/UHF directional outdoor/attic antenna pointed toward the Kansas City downtown area. Using RG-6 shielded coax cable and a ground block will help keep the signal in good shape from your antenna to your new HDTV receiver. You are just going to love the picture and sound on the new Over the Air Kansas City digital channels.

From the WDAF FOX4 DT-34 website- "Although WDAF is not currently broadcasting in high power, our projected date is mid-2005". I still have hope that the WDAF engineering team will somehow or someway make a historical leap to full-power digital broadcasting much sooner. I know it has been said that WDAF full-power is not possible before mid-2005 but this is television engineers so I feel anything is possible. :)

Originally posted by jeffdbs
I still have hope that the WDAF engineering team will somehow or someway make a historical leap to full-power digital broadcasting much sooner.

I won't bet on it.

:D And that is right from a TV engineers mouth... er... keyboard!!

Originally posted by hdtimmy
:D And that is right from a TV engineers mouth... er... keyboard!!

If WDAF says mid 2005, then it is mid 2005. They obviously have a plan in the works and it will take until then to make it happen.

Just as a general rule (I have no idea what WDAF is planning or when, honest, I haven't talked to anyone from there in many, many months), you can't hang steel or antennas and transmission line in the middle of winter and building antennas run about 20 weeks lead time and transmitters run about 8 to 16 weeks lead time and just to get a tower delivered runs about 4 to 6 weeks if the company has nothing to do (which they don't). Once a tower is delivered you are still looking at 8 to 12 weeks to get it assembled and stacked with good weather. I know in our own winters here in NC, we don't stack steel from about December to March and we have mild winters compared to you guys.

Mid 2005 is completely reasonable based on the above.

That really is depressing, I have lots of contempt for WDAF and Fox over this crap. If our local UPN, WB and PBS stations can be available OTA there is no excuse for a Fox O&O station to be operating at no power.

Unless the FCC is just really slow updating the DB, it seems that they didn't bother to request a new STA, they expired in Oct.

http://svartifoss2.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_list.pl?Facility_id=11291

I hope they get fined.

Originally posted by foxeng
If WDAF says mid 2005, then it is mid 2005. They obviously have a plan in the works and it will take until then to make it happen.

Just as a general rule (I have no idea what WDAF is planning or when, honest, I haven't talked to anyone from there in many, many months), you can't hang steel or antennas and transmission line in the middle of winter and building antennas run about 20 weeks lead time and transmitters run about 8 to 16 weeks lead time and just to get a tower delivered runs about 4 to 6 weeks if the company has nothing to do (which they don't). Once a tower is delivered you are still looking at 8 to 12 weeks to get it assembled and stacked with good weather. I know in our own winters here in NC, we don't stack steel from about December to March and we have mild winters compared to you guys.

Mid 2005 is completely reasonable based on the above.

Thanks foxeng for the information. I am still thinking positive that WDAF may be able to raise their digital stick on their analog tower, lengthen the cable, plug the cable into the digital transmitter, turn the power output dial toward full-power and also set the bandwidth to full 720p HDTV. And then us Over the Air Kansas City viewers will finally at last get to see FOX 720p programming, FOX Sports and local WDAF4 programming and news on DT-34.

But I am no television engineer so I tend to think that a solution is possible in time for the Super Bowl and ignore what probably is the real time frame- mid 2005. Again thanks for your input.

I know it takes time to do a major DTV project, but my beef is that FOX4 knew that they were going to have to do something major back in 2002. Why didn't they act on it then?

A different station (KSHB41) that was on that same tower was faced with the same situation that FOX4 is faced with. They quickly drew up new plans and were on the air a year later with full power on a brand new tower.

FOX4 should have been on the air with full power on a new tower in 2003 along with KSHB41. Talk about two different reactions to the same problem from two different companies (Fox and Scripps Co.).

Uhhh ... cuz they're lazy and cheap? :)

wish we could have voted on that yesterday!

Originally posted by hdtimmy
Yeah, I can see it now. Chiefs in the Superbowl, and most of KC will not be able to see it in HD. :rolleyes:

Most of the KC area has TWC, so they will be able to see it the Superbowl in HD.

Just because you cannot see it in HD doesn't mean "most of KC" will not be able to see it in HD.

I'm hearing that Everest will have FOX HD in time for the superbowl...

Levi

Originally posted by levikc
I'm hearing that Everest will have FOX HD in time for the superbowl...

Levi

Great news Levi. :)

Time Warner may be the biggest cable operator (302, 000 subs) , but large parts of the city don't have access Olathe, Independence, Blue Springs, and parts of Lee's Summit are Comcast. That's just immediate metro, when you push out to the WDAF viewing area it's most of us that might not have the Super Bowl.

I still hope that Direct can get the contracts with Fox signed.

Hi everyone, great message board. Thanks to Wildcat Nation for the recommendation. Can some of you experts look into this question I have about Kansas City's HD service options.

I am getting a new TV during the holidays and am looking into upgrading my satelite service to HD. As I understand it I will need to get a HD receiver and an off-air antenna to receive the local HD broadcasts because DirecTV doesn't have the bandwidth to handle all the different local HD channels across the country. For those who have an off-air antenna, how well does it work?

I live in Olathe and my only other option is Comcast. I don't particularly like their service, but will consider them if they are the better option. All thoughts on HD and a good service provider all welcome.

Reading this board has me even more excited to watch my first HD sporting event. I can't wait.

Thanks in advance.

You'll find an HD satellite reciever will work great. Not only can you get the HD offerings from Dish or DirecTV you can get the over the air (OTA) channels with an antenna. I would recommend getting a good quality one and mounting it outdoors if possible. To find out what type of antenna you need go here (http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/welcome.aspx).

In the KC metro area you will be able to receive digital signals from all of the networks except WDAF Fox. (Unless you live next to their tower at 31st & Southwest Trafficway.)

If you already have DirecTV and want to upgrade to an HD receiver you should give them a call and ask for the current upgrade promotions. You can usually get the receiver at a huge discount, free install of the triple lnb dish and other price reductions for a few months - as long as you sign up for the main package for 1 more year. The HD DVR/Tivo is also available. An upgrade promotion for it was linked to the NFL Sunday ticket a few months ago.

Originally posted by videohot
I don't know that this is the proper place to post this but, I have a RD5000 modified dish 6000 for recording HD direct to hard drive that I want to loan out from the end of Nov till sometime in April. This is a $1000 modification and software package best played back on a MYHD card and I ONLY WANT TO HAVE IT OUT LOCALLY. I want the party to record some items for me and airmail the hard drives overseas to me probably 3-4 times costing them about $100-130 total.. Its a cheap way to try out some high depreciation equipment and see if you are interested in investing in a system on your own. I'll loan the Dish 6000 and the asociated computer. Possible deposit is negociable. Interested party must have thier own Dishnetwork subsciption.

Look in the HD recorders section for informaion on the system.

Larry
Shawnee
cptkcmuscl@yahoo.com

Email has been sent. :)

Is there a place in the Overland Park/Kansas City area to view and demo the current crop of under $4000 home theater projectors? Even with as much research as I do here at AVSforum, I would still like to see a few (set up correctly of course...) personally. Any information would be very helpful. Thanks.

Levi

Originally posted by 4MUKC
Time Warner may be the biggest cable operator (302, 000 subs) , but large parts of the city don't have access Olathe, Independence, Blue Springs, and parts of Lee's Summit are Comcast. That's just immediate metro, when you push out to the WDAF viewing area it's most of us that might not have the Super Bowl.

I still hope that Direct can get the contracts with Fox signed.

Has any Comcast customer bugged them about getting WDAF digital feed the way TWC does?

Why just put the heat on WDAF? If you live in Comcast country, you should put heat on Comcast as well.

Originally posted by levikc
Is there a place in the Overland Park/Kansas City area to view and demo the current crop of under $4000 home theater projectors? Even with as much research as I do here at AVSforum, I would still like to see a few (set up correctly of course...) personally. Any information would be very helpful. Thanks.

Levi

Let us all know if you find somewhere. I know there are some home theater installers in the area, i just looked in the yellow pages :)

Originally posted by pappy97
Has any Comcast customer bugged them about getting WDAF digital feed the way TWC does?

Why just put the heat on WDAF? If you live in Comcast country, you should put heat on Comcast as well.

From what I have read here and elsewhere Comcast would have to have a fiber run like TW does, and havelooked into it. I can understand why they would be hesitant to spend the money when WDAF will have to broadcast at full power in a few months.

It wouldn't matter, I'm not going to subscribe to cable for 1 channel. I have checked with Comcast on just getting the HD channels and it was $30 (+ tax). I fired them, and with D* and an OTA. I get 7 of 8 channels on the OTA. I place the blame on WDAF and Fox corporate, they have treated the HD community like crap and continue to do so.

FYI for anyone running a cablecard through time warner. Every Wednesday I get a test of the cable broadcast system that scrolls across my screen on every channel and won't stop. TWC is aware of the issue and the only solution is to remove the cablecard and unplug the TV for a few seconds. This must be done every Wednesday they broadcast this worthless message. My guess is there won't be a fix anytime soon either because the cablecard communication is one way so they can't get confirmation that the message already scrolled across the screen. Very annoying. Just a heads up for anyone considering the cablecard route. Oh, and my sporadic freezes on the upper HD tier (1500-1505) which includes ESPNHD are still occuring. Hopefully the release of a new card soon will resolve these issues. Are cablecards expected to offer 2-way communication down the road?

FOX HD is officially up and running on Everest!

Levi

Originally posted by mws6468
Let us all know if you find somewhere. I know there are some home theater installers in the area, i just looked in the yellow pages :)

I'm pretty sure those places are very high end, not the "best bang for the buck" DIY type we like here at AVS...

Levi

does anyone know of a local supplier of antennas? I want to try one like the DB2 (http://www.antennasdirect.com/db2_bowtie_antenna.htm).

Thanks for the info above, but I have one more question. If I upgrade my service through Directv, will they install the OTA when they come out to install the new dish?

Also, does anyone know the current deal they are offering for HD upgrades?

Thanks Again.

Most of the Direct installers I have talked to will install a OTA for an additional fee. I ordered a dish mount mast/antenna and had them install it with my dish.

FOX HD via DirecTV might be happening soon. Check your service listing if you currently subscribe to the HD service. If you live in the KC metro area HD Fox has most likely been added - at no additional charge. This showed up during the HD broadcasts of the MLB playoffs and World Series but it also indicates you are eligible for receiving the Fox HD signal in their owned & operated markets. (i.e. WDAF FOX 4 the only non-HD broadcaster in KC... unless you live at 31st & SW Trafficway)

I called DirecTV and they wouldn't confirm any timing but it sounds like the agreement between Fox and DirecTV might be finalized soon. They did acknowledge that the FOX HD programming package was for the network feed and that the channel would be in the 80's like the CBS and NBC HD channels. With Fox's new season finally starting I wouldn't be surprised to see it happen within the next few weeks. Let's hope it finally happens.

I got my HD DVR installed today from Direct TV. It works fantastic. They also installed an antenna on my roof for the OTA channels. Strange thing, I get all of the channels with a better signal from the roof-top antenna than my Zenith Silver Sensor with the exception of CBS (channel 24). I get a signal of 40-60 on the roof top antenna (it looks to be a Winegard GS-1000), and a signal of 85 through the Sensor! Sometimes the signal for CBS goes away with the Winegard (reception drops). I think it may be a tree across the street. In any case, it appears they installed the Winegard in a good overall direction. I get signals from towers to the north and south of channel 24 just fine. My question is this: Can I split the antenna signal just before going into the tuner and receive signals from both the Winegard and the TV-top Silver Sensor?

Another issue that may be of interest to Direct TV folks, when I called to get my HD service activated I asked for the national feed for Fox and they gave it to me no questions asked. I now receive channels 388 and 389 from Fox.

Originally posted by Gshoe
My question is this: Can I split the antenna signal just before going into the tuner and receive signals from both the Winegard and the TV-top Silver Sensor?


My advice on this question would be for now to just use an A-B switch to toggle between both antennas. Using the signal from both antennas at the same time will probably cause problems. Can you repoint the outdoor antenna to see if the signal improves on KCTV5 DT-24?

Can anyone receive KSMO WB in Olathe? I'm living off at 119th right east of I-35. I can receive all other HD channels except for WB. I'm very disappointed that I can't see Lord of The Ring HD on my 96" projector! :mad: I have the DVD, just wonder how much better is the HD.

From,
Moses

Maybe it is just me but tonight I noticed that KSMO WB62 DT-47 audio is in Dolby Digital 5.1. WB HD "Lord of the Rings" looks and sounds good on DT-47. I just wish everybody in Kansas City could see KSMO WB62 DT-47 by Over the Air or from the local cable providers. Hopefully KSMO-HD will increase their power output and reach a deal with the local cable providers very soon.

When I watch monday night football on HDKMBC, I get these constant volume changes. The volue will suddenly go way down and then slowly return to normal over a period of a few seconds.

Anybody have any idea what might cause this? Is it Comcast or my tv or my box? It's driving me nuts.

kc_moses, I am basically on 127th just East of I-35 and I am getting it in just fine.

I have a Channel Master 4228 on a tripod mount on my roof.

Did anyone else notice the CBS game yesterday afternoon with no commentary?

Building a new home here in OP. I have access to TW. Totally new to HD viewing.

I currently have DTV & Tivo's and LOVE the service and PQ for SD viewing.

Is it worth going back to TW (after I swore to God I would never give them another dime) or can DTV and an antenna do the job. I have to say the PQ of TW SD programming was horrible...very pixilated. Has anything changed in the last year in regards to the PQ? Is HD HD regardless of source?

I'm at 147th & Metcalf, reception OTA is good from a few neighbors that have it, up fairly high, clear shot to the North, West & East. House is just roughed-in so attic antenna would be quick & easy.

Originally posted by escrowdog
Building a new home here in OP. I have access to TW. Totally new to HD viewing.

I currently have DTV & Tivo's and LOVE the service and PQ for SD viewing.

Is it worth going back to TW (after I swore to God I would never give them another dime) or can DTV and an antenna do the job. I have to say the PQ of TW SD programming was horrible...very pixilated. Has anything changed in the last year in regards to the PQ? Is HD HD regardless of source?

I'm at 147th & Metcalf, reception OTA is good from a few neighbors that have it, up fairly high, clear shot to the North, West & East. House is just roughed-in so attic antenna would be quick & easy.

escrowdog,

If I were you, I'd stay with D*. Within a year, you should be able to receive all the HD locals OTA with no problem (all but WDAF and possibly KCPT and KSMO now). The reviews on the D* HD Tivo have been mostly positive, and it looks like D* will be adding more HD channels soon, including local HD.

To keep your options open, make sure you're wired in all your TV locations with good quad-shield RG-6 cable, each home-run back to an accessible location, so that you can distribute either OTA, cable, or modulated SAT signals throughout the house. You may want to run TWO RG-6's to each TV, just in case you want a D* receiver at each location. Run RG-6, and possibly a rotor cable, up to the attic. It might not hurt to run two RG-6's up there, also, just in case you need two different antennae for some reason. It's always safer to put in too much now, rather than waste a whole weekend later!

Brad

Originally posted by mws6468
Did anyone else notice the CBS game yesterday afternoon with no commentary?
I did. It was kinda nice. I noticed this during golf (I think the Masters) this spring too.

I live in Grain Valley, MO and I'm about 16 miles from the towers. I have a $13 Silver Sensor indoor antenna mounted outside on the top of my chimney. I get all the channels except for Fox channel 34 which only .1% of the area can probably receive anyway.

I'd stick with DTV and get an HD box. Go ahead and throw up a good VHF/UHF antenna in the attic although I think you could save a butt load of money and go my route. If in doubt, go to www.antennaweb.org and see what antenna they say you need.

Anyone else care to add anything?

Originally posted by escrowdog
Building a new home here in OP. I have access to TW. Totally new to HD viewing.

I currently have DTV & Tivo's and LOVE the service and PQ for SD viewing.

Is it worth going back to TW (after I swore to God I would never give them another dime) or can DTV and an antenna do the job. I have to say the PQ of TW SD programming was horrible...very pixilated. Has anything changed in the last year in regards to the PQ? Is HD HD regardless of source?

I'm at 147th & Metcalf, reception OTA is good from a few neighbors that have it, up fairly high, clear shot to the North, West & East. House is just roughed-in so attic antenna would be quick & easy.

I'm really happy with TWC. I don't know if where you're building is Everest area or not, but if it is, you can get a very good deal. You might be able to get it if you say you're changing from D* too. TWC has more HD channels currently available than D*, and the HD-DVR for $5/month extra, which is fantastic. D* has NFL Sunday Ticket, which is nice (especially if your team is not the Chiefs).

Both have their positives and negatives. I've done a lot of research and decided TWC was better for me, but I can understand both sides. It might be worth calling and seeing what kind of deal TWC can offer you, and making a judgment based on that.

Need some help, I think. I just moved from the Harrison & Dennis area in Olathe to just east of 119th & Blackbob in Olathe. I had a Terk TV55 antenna which I could get most channels with signal strengths between 68-84%, but could not get KSHB & PBS. I replaced that with a Channelmaster Stealthtenna and am now getting KSHB & PBS and all around 82-94%. But I somehow lost KMCI, it's not a big deal, but according to antennaweb.org, it's coming from the same place that KSHB is. How is it that one antenna can get a channel and not a different one that gets better reception on all other channels? I'm diplexing my Sat line and antenna line into a Dish 811. Would a power booster help if put inline before the first diplexer?

Does anyone know if Time Warner Cable here in Kansas City has the new Scientific Atlanta Explorer 8300HD boxes yet? They are better than the 8000HD's because they are smaller, they have HDMI (copy-protected video & audio) instead if DVI (unprotected video only, no audio), Serial (SATA) ATA connectors (to add external hard drives), and 1394 firewire connectors for exporting HD shows from the DVR to a D-VHS VCR or future HD-DVD-R/W. I call first box when it's in! :)

I have the same trouble with the volume on MNF. It's not your cable company because I have Dish network and get KMBC with an OTA antenna. It's been doing it from the beginning of the season.

Originally posted by avalanche93
But I somehow lost KMCI, it's not a big deal, but according to antennaweb.org, it's coming from the same place that KSHB is. How is it that one antenna can get a channel and not a different one that gets better reception on all other channels? I'm diplexing my Sat line and antenna line into a Dish 811. Would a power booster help if put inline before the first diplexer?

avalanche93-How about trying taking the diplexers out of the shielded RG-6 cable and see if KMCI returns. Have a straight shielded RG-6 cable run from the Over the Air antenna to a groundblock and then straight into your HDTV set-top-box. IMHO sharing the cable run with a satellite signal may cause problems.

Just a quick note, don't want to take up to much time. I have been running a Home Theater design and calibration business in Kansas City this year. Business has been slow to take off, and one of my customers recommended this as a good place to post. I am also more than happy to answer questions and provide help online to people. I am ISF and HAA certified and have a full compliment of Sencore equipment.

Thanks for the time,

vtecno_geek,

Thanks for offer help and network here. He he... since you offer us to pick on you brain, I have a quick question, I got a sound pressure meter from RadioShack. How do I get the most out of it?

From,
Moses

On TWC do I need 2 RG6 lines into the DVR like the Tivo's for multiple recording viewing like DTivo?

Also, if going with the antenna INSIDE the roof, do I need something more powerful than the YELLOW as recommended on the antenna website? Any recommendations appreciated.

Location: 147th & Metcalf, OP. Fairly high up.

Am I getting anything better or worse with TWC vs. OTA as far as picture quality? Does TWC send ALL the locals in HD? Meaning, do I still need an OTA setup if I have TWC? I have to say the PQ of TWC standard def. stuff was HORRIBLE when I had it.

Originally posted by escrowdog
On TWC do I need 2 RG6 lines into the DVR like the Tivo's for multiple recording viewing like DTivo?


The TWC DVR(s) have a single coax input. They do any necessary signal splitting (recording/watching different/multiple channels) inside the box.

This applies to the SA8000 and the SA8000HD and the Upcoming SA8300HD.

Originally posted by escrowdog
On TWC do I need 2 RG6 lines into the DVR like the Tivo's for multiple recording viewing like DTivo?

Also, if going with the antenna INSIDE the roof, do I need something more powerful than the YELLOW as recommended on the antenna website? Any recommendations appreciated.

Location: 147th & Metcalf, OP. Fairly high up.

Am I getting anything better or worse with TWC vs. OTA as far as picture quality? Does TWC send ALL the locals in HD? Meaning, do I still need an OTA setup if I have TWC? I have to say the PQ of TWC standard def. stuff was HORRIBLE when I had it.

Picture quality wise, it is pretty much the same. TWC has all but UPN and WB in HD, so you would need OTA to get that. Keep in mind TWC is the only way (right now) to watch FOX in HD in the KC area.

Speaking of TWC, I have been harassing them with email almost every day about adding UPN-HD and WB-HD to their HD package. I hope they get so sick of me, that they just add them already. :)

Thanks for the help.

Pappy,

Are you seeing any weird artifacts on your SD programming with TWC? When I had it before, up on the "digital" tier, the darker scenes would be littered with large blocky "pixels". Down on the lower channels I didn't see, but up on Speed and OLN it was aweful. Any action shots, water shots (like fishing shows) would be almost unwatchable.

Still concerned about that. That and I have two Dtivos that I own.

Moses,

The best use for an SPL meter, that doesn't have any RTA capability, is to ensure that the sound level for each speaker and the sub are the same at your primary listening location. You should look for the test sounds on Avia or DVE, and run pink noise to each of the different speakers. The SPL meter will not help you with timing, but it should allow you to get pretty good results for tweaking the levels.

You can also use it as a poor man's RTA for subwoofer tuning. If you get a source disk with 1/8 octave bands of pink noise (I use the one from Stereophile magazine). You can take measurements at each of the different increments and see if you have any spots that need work. If you figure out you have any holes or spikes, then you would want to play with subwoofer placement, listener placement, and possibly crossover frequency. Play around and let me know what the results are, I would be happy to give you advice once you have some numbers.

The Geek

jeffdbs - thanks for the tip. I ripped the diplexers out of the mix and ran a line straight into the receiver. It helped, a little. Now KMCI comes in intermittently. I've gotten as good as 78-82% but most of the time it's not strong enough to get anything. I think some antenna pointing might be in order. Anyone have any thoughts?

Thanks!

--- Well, I realized I hadn't returned the power booster so I put it in line and now I'm getting KMCI pretty reliably around 70-82%, and even KSMO showed up in the 60-70% range! Thanks for the help!

Originally posted by vtecno_geek
Just a quick note, don't want to take up to much time. I have been running a Home Theater design and calibration business in Kansas City this year. Business has been slow to take off, and one of my customers recommended this as a good place to post. I am also more than happy to answer questions and provide help online to people. I am ISF and HAA certified and have a full compliment of Sencore equipment.

Thanks for the time,

vtecno_geek... do you do any antenna installation?

Originally posted by vtecno_geek
Moses,

The best use for an SPL meter, that doesn't have any RTA capability, is to ensure that the sound level for each speaker and the sub are the same at your primary listening location. You should look for the test sounds on Avia or DVE, and run pink noise to each of the different speakers. The SPL meter will not help you with timing, but it should allow you to get pretty good results for tweaking the levels.

You can also use it as a poor man's RTA for subwoofer tuning. If you get a source disk with 1/8 octave bands of pink noise (I use the one from Stereophile magazine). You can take measurements at each of the different increments and see if you have any spots that need work. If you figure out you have any holes or spikes, then you would want to play with subwoofer placement, listener placement, and possibly crossover frequency. Play around and let me know what the results are, I would be happy to give you advice once you have some numbers.

The Geek

Hmm.... this is sort of beyound my level. I don't have Avia. I'm using a HTPC to drive my HT. I'm using M-Audio Revolution 7.1 sound card, it has test tone for individual speaker. I'm using a HK AVS525, its remote can be used to measure speaker distance and adjust itself, but I didn't get good result out of it. That's why I bought the SPL meter. I guess I will give the meter a try when it slow down for the holiday season. Thanks again!

From,
Moses

Did anybody else notice Comcast's new program guide today? It looked a lot like the one Direct TV and Dish use. I didn't get to play around with it much but it looked pretty good:-)

Comcast also told me that the HD DVR's should be in by Monday.....lets keep our fingers crossed.

The new guide on the Comcast digital boxes is early! Technical issue forced the head end techs to push the new software out 2 days early. Local Comcast received a small number of the dual tuner HD DVR boxes. As a result, they'll only be available for retention and comcast's dish-buy-back promotion when they're allowed by corporate Comcast to do so. I wasn't able to get a date as to when they expect that to happen. I havn't heard anything about when more shipments are expected, but the total release of the DVRs is being delayed due to the manufacturing limits of Motorola. When the DVRs are available, they'll be 9.95/mo. That does include the 5.00 for the HD box. That's all i've got so far.

Originally posted by mhw02580
Did anybody else notice Comcast's new program guide today? It looked a lot like the one Direct TV and Dish use. I didn't get to play around with it much but it looked pretty good:-)

Comcast also told me that the HD DVR's should be in by Monday.....lets keep our fingers crossed.

mhw02580, what type of person was it at Comcast who told you they should be in by Monday? Was it the regular CSR, or was it someone on the technical side or perhaps in marketing or sales? The reason I ask is because I called right after I read your post and got the standard "sometime by the end of the year" line.

MWS6468,

I am not really doing any antenna installs yet, maybe in the near future if demand is there. I would recommend talking to the guys at Continental Video.

Moses,

The SPL meter is really not going to do any good other than for setting levels. It can't help you with timing, and it can't help you with individual channel EQ other than for the Sub channel. Check your soundcard's test tones and see if you can do pink noise at 1/3 or 1/8 octave. If you can, run from 22hz to 120hz in the smallest part octave setting, and write down each dB reading. Your reference should probably be 70dB at 80hz from your listening position. Then you can play with the subwoofer placement and the crossover setting if you have a dip or peak at a specific octave range. The goal would be to get it as flat as possible in the bass range.

Bob, I think it was just a CSR. He seemed pretty knowledegable about the HD DVR's. He said they just got trained on them a few days ago and they are just waiting for a shipment any day now.

Well... I see KMBC chickened out and isn't showing "Saving Private Ryan". That sucks as I don't get the Topeka ABC station, which is showing the movie, in HD on my cable. I own the movie on DVD but was really looking forward to seeing it in HD. Thanks alot FCC!

Yes I too was looking forward to "Saving Private Ryan" in HD on KMBC9 DT-07. But I understand KMBC must be careful after Janetgate. It would be real nice if someday KMBC could save the ABC HD satellite feed to a tape or hard drive for later local broadcast.

Anyone else having problems with KCTV-DT? It takes about 15 seconds to come up on my Samsung 351 and instead of being channel 5-1 it is now 24-1.

Never mind as it seems to have been corrected.

What direction does everyone have their antenna pointing? I had mine professionally installed, but he put it at 0 degrees. I noticed on the antenna website that our channels are between 25 and 50 degrees, so I split the difference and now I get all channels except 41-1 it comes in and out very weak, but 38-1 comes in great I don't quite understand. I also don't get 4-1 but that is expected at this time. any suggestions? I might move closer to 50 degrees and see if that helps but I don't want to lose any other channels.

Originally posted by HuskerT
What direction does everyone have their antenna pointing? I had mine professionally installed, but he put it at 0 degrees. I noticed on the antenna website that our channels are between 25 and 50 degrees, so I split the difference and now I get all channels except 41-1 it comes in and out very weak, but 38-1 comes in great I don't quite understand. I also don't get 4-1 but that is expected at this time. any suggestions? I might move closer to 50 degrees and see if that helps but I don't want to lose any other channels.

Who did you have install your antenna?

Ultimate Electronics. they put it up at 0 degrees and I have adjusted it to 38 degrees, I might adjust to 45 degrees, but fear I might lose 62-1 again.

I just stopped by the Independence Comcast office to inquire about the HD PVR's. The CSR gave me the same info that I have been getting for the last week. They have just a few HD PVR's in for beta testing with Comcast employees. They are still waiting for a large shipment to come in since they were delayed because of a software glitz. They haven't decided yet who will get first crack at the new units, because there will not be that many and already thousands have expressed interest. There is no waiting list. She did say that they may give the first batch out to Dish swappers and maybe some customer retention cases, so it sounds like to me we may be hosed until the first of the year. I am really frustrated with Comcast. I really wanted to get this DVR before the holidays to show off some hi- def programing to people in my new home theater. Once again Comcast has let me down.
Greg

Originally posted by Gojhawks
Well... I see KMBC chickened out and isn't showing "Saving Private Ryan". That sucks as I don't get the Topeka ABC station, which is showing the movie, in HD on my cable. I own the movie on DVD but was really looking forward to seeing it in HD. Thanks alot FCC!

Wouldn't do you much good to get the Topeka ABC, KTKA, because they have no plans that I know of to do HD anytime soon.:(

Originally posted by jeffdbs
Yes I too was looking forward to "Saving Private Ryan" in HD on KMBC9 DT-07. But I understand KMBC must be careful after Janetgate. It would be real nice if someday KMBC could save the ABC HD satellite feed to a tape or hard drive for later local broadcast.

The morning paper says that KMBC asked ABC for permission to show the movie after the 10 o'clock news, but apparently were turned down.

It seems that KMBC was worried about the language in the movie. Heck, I hear worse language on 435 driving to work in the morning!

Originally posted by mike51
The morning paper says that KMBC asked ABC for permission to show the movie after the 10 o'clock news, but apparently were turned down.

It seems that KMBC was worried about the language in the movie. Heck, I hear worse language on 435 driving to work in the morning!

"hear worse", or say worse :D

Originally posted by gps
I am really frustrated with Comcast. I really wanted to get this DVR before the holidays to show off some hi- def programing to people in my new home theater. Once again Comcast has let me down.
Greg

I understand that, I gave them 8 months. Everything was always coming soon, and yet it never came. They are expensive, customer service is terrible and had constant quality problems with the service. I hope that all this extra time on software bugs means that they will have much better software on the dual dvr's, because I used the single and it was terrible.

Comcast *IS* terrible. Why don't they sell Independence and Olathe to TWC and stay back on the east coast. Philly and Chicago can HAVE them. I made sure when I moved from Olathe to Shawnee that I could get Time Warner ... my bill was cut by 1/3 and I got better programming. More HD, HD-DVR, RoadRunner High Speed Internet, HBO, Encore, VOD, Digital Cable, Music, etc ... all for $69 a month. Take that, Comcast. :)

Jerky, what's your take on the above post from gps in which he quotes Independence Comcast saying some of the DVR's will be used in some customer retention cases? Does that mean that if I call up a CSR and threaten to drop Comcast in favor of Dish unless I get a DVR that I'll go to the top of the list? What exactly is customer retention? Will we see DVR's this month?

When TW & Comcast current agreement is up (6/1/2006) either company can request the split of the KC/Houston areas that are currently in split ownership. Most business people have speculated that Time Warner would get the Kansas City market and Comcast Houston. Would suck if 90% of the metro became Comcast.

When I took my boxes into the Independence office it was the first time they really wanted to do something. A manager came over to talk to me and asked if I had already signed the contract with D*. Probably have a better chance of getting it with a threat!

4MUKC... check your PM please :D

The word i heard was that they would first be for Dish Buy Back ppl and retention. I hadn't gotten a date as to when that would happen. They're expecting to get a shipment (don't know how big) at least once a month. Also wasn't able to get a date as to when the next shipment is coming. The software in the Dual Tuner DVRs is identical to the new software that is now on everyone's HD boxes (and standard boxes), with the DVR portion of things added of course. The single tuner DVRs will get the same software by the end of the year due to some software bugs that are still being worked out.

Did you guys see this?


http://kansascity.bizjournals.com/kansascity/stories/2004/11/08/daily44.html?jst=b_ln_hl


It says that KCTV bought KCMO(The WB).

Do you think this will mean WB in HD on Comcast soon?

Originally posted by mhw02580
Did you guys see this?


http://kansascity.bizjournals.com/kansascity/stories/2004/11/08/daily44.html?jst=b_ln_hl


It says that KCTV bought KCMO(The WB).

Do you think this will mean WB in HD on Comcast soon?

IMHO this is good news for Kansas City digital viewers. KCTV5 has been very strong with 1080i HDTV. WB is also 1080i HDTV so KCTV5 hopefully will turn up the power on WB62 DT-47 and get WB digital HD programming on the local cable companies as soon as possible.

I guess will will just sit tight and wait to hear from DogOfMadness on the switchover digital plans of KSMO. DogOfMadness please help get WB HDTV on the local cable companies as soon as possible and turn up the Over the Air power on DT-47.

Does this mean KCTV gets KSMO broadcasting tower? So many questions to ask but I for one is seeing good news for all of us HDTV viewers here in the Kansas City television market with the KCTV/KSMO merger. :)

KCTV will operate KSMO similar to how KMBZ operates KCWE - 38. It's all designed to shave overall operating costs by having one group operate two stations. It will be interesting to see if the FCC will ever allow the licenses to be aggregated too. It's not likely with the fears of ownership concentration.

Originally posted by DTSfan
KCTV will operate KSMO similar to how KMBZ operates KCWE - 38. It's all designed to shave overall operating costs by having one group operate two stations. It will be interesting to see if the FCC will ever allow the licenses to be aggregated too. It's not likely with the fears of ownership concentration.

The current rules that have been on the books for years allows a company that already owns a station in a market, and the population is large enough, companies can own a second station and it doesn't count toward the ownership cap. The number of these duopoly's in a market vary from market to market depending on size of the market. Companies usually don't go into these types of agreements without knowing ahead of time if a duopoly is possible or not and Sinclair loves duopoly's. They have duopoly's in 95% of their markets. That is how they are able to own 60 plus stations and have a much less ownership cap number (somewhere in the 20's) than FOX's 35 stations which puts it at the 39% limit (with only 5 duopoly's in the 28 markets FOX is in). PAX is the same way. That is how PAX can own 60 stations and only be at 30% (all of their stations are UHF's which count even less toward the limit) of the limit. It is really the little guys playing to make more money than the big guys and they do it with duopoly's and still look l like they are WAY below the limit. It is a numbers game. The big guys get the grief for being such money hungry people, but in reality, the small guys worship the dollar more than the big guys.

Second week in a row the Chiefs game is the odd game out and not in HD on CBS. Of course if they would win some more games they might be picked for HD coverage. Someday there will be enough HD trucks to go around. Until then we watch the Chiefs 4x3.

When the Chiefs keep losing games that they should be winning, the networks don't want to waste time putting them in HD. I am a huge Chiefs fan but they keep pissing these games down their leg, and it's frustrating as hell. They are currently losing to the Saints, because of turnovers, penalties, etc.

Originally posted by foxeng
The current rules that have been on the books for years allows a company that already owns a station in a market, and the population is large enough, companies can own a second station and it doesn't count toward the ownership cap. The number of these duopoly's in a market vary from market to market depending on size of the market. Companies usually don't go into these types of agreements without knowing ahead of time if a duopoly is possible or not and Sinclair loves duopoly's. They have duopoly's in 95% of their markets. That is how they are able to own 60 plus stations and have a much less ownership cap number (somewhere in the 20's) than FOX's 35 stations which puts it at the 39% limit (with only 5 duopoly's in the 28 markets FOX is in). PAX is the same way. That is how PAX can own 60 stations and only be at 30% (all of their stations are UHF's which count even less toward the limit) of the limit. It is really the little guys playing to make more money than the big guys and they do it with duopoly's and still look l like they are WAY below the limit. It is a numbers game. The big guys get the grief for being such money hungry people, but in reality, the small guys worship the dollar more than the big guys.

Thanks for the additional information. I'm familiar with the rules. My comment was referring to what the article in the Business Journal said:

"Des Moines-based Meredith (NYSE: MDP) also has an option to buy the WB station's license from Sinclair at a later date for $6.7 million, if it is allowed by the Federal Communications Commission.

Meredith spokesman Art Slusark said current FCC rules prohibit one company from owning two television station licenses in the same market. "

I think Sinclair is in the process of ultimately selling off some properties - including the license - where permitted. Its shares have been hammered and they decided to not roll-out their centralized "local" news to KC. Probably because this deal was in the works and it has been doing poorly where it has been launched.

The media concentration rules are all a joke in my opinion. When you analyze the alliances, agreements and other cross-ownership relationships the concentration is often there regardless of who owns the license. Just look at who owns large groups of stations - Tribune, Hearst - all old newspaper empires, or the networks - CBS/Viacom, NBC/GE, ABC - who all have agreements with the NY Times, Washinton Post, etc.

What the FCC should do is totally open it up and quit trying to define "local" markets. One way would be to reverse the current rules that prohibit satellite users from receiving network feeds if a local signal is available. Some of us want to receive both and should be allowed to do so.

Originally posted by Jerky
The word i heard was that they would first be for Dish Buy Back ppl and retention. I hadn't gotten a date as to when that would happen. They're expecting to get a shipment (don't know how big) at least once a month. Also wasn't able to get a date as to when the next shipment is coming. The software in the Dual Tuner DVRs is identical to the new software that is now on everyone's HD boxes (and standard boxes), with the DVR portion of things added of course. The single tuner DVRs will get the same software by the end of the year due to some software bugs that are still being worked out.

Jerky, thanks for your response, but you didn't answer the main part of my question. What exactly is customer retention and how does it work? If I call and tell them I'm going to drop my service and go to satellite, will they give me a dual tuner DVR (when they're available?)

I found a glitch the other day, and I'm probably not the only person experiencing it.

I've got several series set up to record weekly at a certain time (ie. record all episodes of "Andy Richter" on Monday at 8:00 pm on HD-Net). I noticed these stopped a few weeks ago. I looked into it, and I think it has to do with the time change for Daylight Savings Time. If you notice your series don't record anymore, delete the old setup and re-do it. I think this should fix it.

Thanks for the update squeak ... I personally have checked my episodic shows and they seem to be unaffected by the time change. Everything has been recording as usual. I wonder if it is your box or just certain suburbs?

Local HD reception is possible in Olathe.. except Fox (Channel 34-1). I have an antenna in the attic pointing parallel to I-35. I use r-6 cable to distribute it to all tv's and to the audio receivers in the house. I use a samsung sir-t151 to decode the digital broadcasts. I am able to pick up all other local hd channels.

I do ocassionally get "pops" on channel 7 (ABC).

A majority of the evening programming is in HD now. It is fantastic, as compared to sd broadcast, even digital sd broadcast (such as the recent Griefs games).

I am unable to pick up Topeka stations with this setup

Welcome hawktigr :) Glad to have you here at the local Kansas City HDTV forum.

Qustion for those on Comcast with High Definition ! ! :confused:

Is it my system ? or has Comcast's high definition channels looked like garbage lately ?
Tonight, I see noise and little white sparklies on every Hi-Def channel plus, OTA local digital channels as well. I also have experienced pixelization and dropouts lately too. I'm pretty sure it's not my system. I even have a Channel Plus RF amplifier to boost my incoming signal. Anyone else experiencing these problems ? If so once again Comcast has delivered an unacceptable product that I pay for. :mad:

Greg

Everything looks good here. Maybe you've got a loose connection somewhere.

PS:Olathebob check your private messages.

Originally posted by gps
[B]I'm pretty sure it's not my system. I even have a Channel Plus RF amplifier to boost my incoming signal.

Greg

I do not have cable but is an amplifier needed on a cable company feed?

Originally posted by jeffdbs
I do not have cable but is an amplifier needed on a cable company feed?

If installed when the signal strength is good, an amplifier can cause more harm than good. When a larger number of tv's exist (4 or 5+) an amplifier can improve signal strength and therefore picture quality. The key is to make sure you install the correct type of amplifier which is compatible with your cableco's headend. An incorrectly matched amplifier can cause issues with picture quality, and bi-directional communications tasks like VOD or PPV.

I know on most Time Warner installations, I have had to pull amplifiers out because of incompatability. It especially causes problems with the HD channels and with Cable Modems. I would try pulling it first, and then see what you get. If it is the same or worse, let us know, and I will try and think of something else to try.

I had major pixleation issues when I installed my projector and tv's in my basement. TWC thought that it was my cabling inside so they installed their own amp and all new ends on all my cables. Turns out it was their equipment outside all along, but I got all new ends and a free amp out of the deal. However, the amp does help the HD signal when you have a lot of splitters.

Originally posted by jeffdbs
I do not have cable but is an amplifier needed on a cable company feed?

I had some problems early on with the Comcast. They sent a tech over and noticed I was getting a -10db loss at the point of my splitters. I put the amplifier in and had not had any problems till recently. It seems like whenever they add a new hi-def channel I lose some quality. I noticed when it more when Comcast added the Hi-Def special events channel (I forget which number). I guess the amp could be incompatible but it's a channel vision amp which is good quality.
Greg

Does TWC in KC have the SA8300HD available? If so, does it have the DVI output enabled? I read that the DVI output was going to be enabled before the end of the year. Does it have an HDMI output, and is it enabled yet?

Do either the SA8300 or the SA8000 allow for the recording of two shows at one time? I am currently using UltimateTV (with DirecTV). I am moving in a few months and I am trying to figure out what I should do for television service. I am getting an HDTV around May, as I am just standard def right now. I was going to go with DirecTV and hope that they would be offering locals in HD by then, but figured I shouldn't hold my breath. So now I am looking at getting TWC. Being able to record two things at once is very important to me.. as I am quite used to it with my UltimateTV.

Gregorykai

Gregorykai,

The SA 8300HD is not available yet through TWC. The HD-DVR they're using is the SA 8000HD, but the only HD output enabled is component - if I'm not mistaken, mine doesn't even have a DVI output (I'm not at home now to confirm). The 8000HD is a dual-tuner DVR, meaning that yes, 2 things can be recorded at once, or you can watch 1 thing while recording another. Both tuners are HD. I'm VERY happy with the unit - there are a few minor glitches, but no showstoppers IMO. I'm sure if you need people's specific thoughts/gotchas on it, you can search this board for 8000HD and get plenty of opinions. As I understand it, there aren't as many features as Tivo, but I still love mine. I believe TWC has the best overall offerings (particularly as far as HD goes), FWIW. Hope this helps! Good luck - let us know your thoughts.

Originally posted by squeak49
Gregorykai,

The SA 8300HD is not available yet through TWC. The HD-DVR they're using is the SA 8000HD, but the only HD output enabled is component - if I'm not mistaken, mine doesn't even have a DVI output (I'm not at home now to confirm). The 8000HD is a dual-tuner DVR, meaning that yes, 2 things can be recorded at once, or you can watch 1 thing while recording another. Both tuners are HD. I'm VERY happy with the unit - there are a few minor glitches, but no showstoppers IMO. I'm sure if you need people's specific thoughts/gotchas on it, you can search this board for 8000HD and get plenty of opinions. As I understand it, there aren't as many features as Tivo, but I still love mine. I believe TWC has the best overall offerings (particularly as far as HD goes), FWIW. Hope this helps! Good luck - let us know your thoughts.

Gregorykai,

my 8000HD does have a DVI out, but as squeak49 said, its not enabled. I am also a TiVo user and I do find the interface (specifically the remote) to be frustrating but more than made up by the ability to record two HD shows at once while watching a third.

I recommend it. And I look forward to the S-Video and DVI working at some point...if TWCKC sees fit to enable it.

Enjoy,
hciv

gps, are using DVI? I have heard that sparkles can come from bad/too long DVI cables.

I need help! Does anyone know who I need to contact about using a warranty that was purchased with my TV from Brandsmart off of 87th in Lenexa. Or could someone steer me in the right direction? Now that they no longer exsist, I don't know what to do.

Originally posted by mdbarke1030
I need help! Does anyone know who I need to contact about using a warranty that was purchased with my TV from Brandsmart off of 87th in Lenexa. Or could someone steer me in the right direction? Now that they no longer exsist, I don't know what to do.

Did you use a Mastercard, Visa, American Express or Discover card? If so my brother-in-law had the same problem but with Brandsmart out of business he went through his credit card company warranty policy for a buy back.

Originally posted by mdbarke1030
I need help! Does anyone know who I need to contact about using a warranty that was purchased with my TV from Brandsmart off of 87th in Lenexa. Or could someone steer me in the right direction? Now that they no longer exsist, I don't know what to do.

I think that the warranties that they sold were through GE. I looked through all my papers after I saw BrandsMart was going out of business and didn't find anything specific.

I had seen this address as a contact for people who had items in for service when they closed.

BRANDSMART in care of Robert Kumin PC at 5800 Foxridge Suite 306, Mission, KS 66202.

If you are able to find out more, please let us know.

I financed the TV thru Wells Fargo (18mo. same as cash), not that that has any say in the warranty. I have a copy of the warranty and there is nothing on it that says who it is thru other than Brandsmart themselves. I will continue to research and let everyone know what I find out. Thanks

Thanks everyone for your info. It's a relief for me to hear you can record two shows (even HD shows) at the same time. Now I just hope they enable that DVI output. I think it was on the Home Theather SPOT that someone said that TWC had plans to enable the DVI, so hopefully that will happen soon or at least by the time I get my HDTV. :) I will keep you all informed on what HD Service I end up going with.

Thanks again for your help.

Gregorykai

mdbarke1030,

The warranty is through GE, and you can contact their extended warranty department to find out who else in the area is authorized to service your product under that warranty. The 50% buy-back was through Brandsmart only, and thus is sadly no longer an option.

Thanks,

Originally posted by sega19
gps, are using DVI? I have heard that sparkles can come from bad/too long DVI cables.

Sega19,
I have a good short DVI cable, but the telltale sign Was that I was seeing on both the component input of my tv and the dvi input. Interesting enough, last night looked pretty good. I'm not sure if it was just an isolated problem or what.
Greg

Is there any source of video test patterns available on HDTV in the KC area? I'm soon to get DirecTV HDTV programming, but it would be helpful in tweaking my TV to have something over the air. I know HDNet used to show HDTV test patterns occasionally, but does anyone know if they still do?

The patterns that would be useful are color bars, pluge, grayscale, etc. It would be GREAT if one of our local stations would broadcast these at some point during the broadcast day (maybe for some period after signoff). It would be a great tool for those of us who have built-in ATSC tuners.

Originally posted by KC-Technerd
Is there any source of video test patterns available on HDTV in the KC area? I'm soon to get DirecTV HDTV programming, but it would be helpful in tweaking my TV to have something over the air. I know HDNet used to show HDTV test patterns occasionally, but does anyone know if they still do?

The patterns that would be useful are color bars, pluge, grayscale, etc. It would be GREAT if one of our local stations would broadcast these at some point during the broadcast day (maybe for some period after signoff). It would be a great tool for those of us who have built-in ATSC tuners.

Here ya go...........http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=470626&highlight=hdnet :)

Just note that the HDNet test patterns are 1080i only, so they wont work if you want to tweak 720p.

Thanks jeffdbs.

That will be great for setting up my DirecTV receiver. I'm still hoping that one of our local stations will start providing these as well. It would be helpful for anyone who has a built-in tuner, and input independent adjustments on their display device. I would suspect that at least some of the stations broadcasting in HDTV have signal generators for this purpose, in order to calibrate their own equipment in-house.

Originally posted by vtecno_geek
Just note that the HDNet test patterns are 1080i only, so they wont work if you want to tweak 720p.

I'm wanting the patterns to set or verify brightness (black level), picture (peak white level), and color saturation. I don't believe that any of these settings on my display are available separately for different resolutions, but only for different inputs (even settings in the service menu). My display is an LCD projector, and displays everything scaled to 768p. I would think that nailing down the 1080i test pattern would get me very close on 720p, and acceptable on 480 material.

It certainly would be nice to have a 720p test pattern available however.... (hint hint hint to those at KMBC).

Your display may not store seperate settings from the user menu, but it is possible on most devices (including Sony LCD's which is what it sounds like you have) to store seperate values based on resolution from inside the service menu. I have done it on my own Sony GWIII 60" and on several other products from different manufacturers.

I had a GE warranty from Brandsmart that I used last year on my Toshiba. I'm pretty sure it was Overland TV that did the service. You might call them and ask about your GE warranty. The main board went out on my 36" cinema series. Didn't cost me a dime thank God.

I had no idea that ALL the Brandsmarts went out...I just noticed the one out on 135th had gone. I guess it's no surprise. Even though they always made an attempt to meet or beat prices, it was a matter of time before the internet and Costco ran them in the ground. Although it was always fun to go in and overhear some of the audiophile goofballs reviewing the latest $2000 speakers and how "lifelike" they sound. :D

I have noticed that when KSMO is passing through their network HDTV stream that the audio will blank out shortly after the 1st commercial break and again at around 35 minutes past the hour. If I switch stations and come back to KSMO, the audio is fine. I have a Samsung Sirt-151 OTA. There is no problem with the video. They provide a superior 1080i video signal. This does not happen on any of the other stations.

Are there any engineers from KSMO on this forum that might know what would turn my audio off at 5 and 35 minutes past the hour on HD broadcasts only? Please don't tell me it is the broadcast flag!

We were experiencing audio lockups on the Warner Brothers HD sat receiver last night and had to revert to an older version of software.

Turn_it_up ... I was wondering when you were going to stop lurking and finally post. ;) I won't use your real name until you do first, just in case you want it kept private. Welcome to the forum officially! Also, thanks for getting WB-HD up and running in glorious 1080i. I am hoping you might help us get KSMO-DT on Time Warner Cable soon. I can't pick up your signal OTA over by K-7 in Shawnee, and am missing Smallville. Tell your corporate owners that we are eagerly awaiting this channel on TWC (and a power boost OTA). Thanks again for your hard work and for checking in on the forum.

Originally posted by turn_it_up
We were experiencing audio lockups on the Warner Brothers HD sat receiver last night and had to revert to an older version of software.

turn_it_up..........Nice to have your professional input here at the local Kansas City HDTV forums. Now if we could just hear from the WDAF engineering team on the status of the WDAF upgrade to full-power HDTV. :)

Thank you for your quick reply turn_it_up!
My wife and I are Smallville and Reba fans and we appreciate the very clear HD picture your station provides.

Originally posted by Eyedox
Turn_it_up ... I was wondering when you were going to stop lurking and finally post. ;) I won't use your real name until you do first, just in case you want it kept private. Welcome to the forum officially! Also, thanks for getting WB-HD up and running in glorious 1080i. I am hoping you might help us get KSMO-DT on Time Warner Cable soon. I can't pick up your signal OTA over by K-7 in Shawnee, and am missing Smallville. Tell your corporate owners that we are eagerly awaiting this channel on TWC (and a power boost OTA). Thanks again for your hard work and for checking in on the forum.
Makes me sound like some kind of stalker. ha ha
Thanks, we value input from the forum.

Tom

Is anyone here NOT happy with their HD signal from Time Warner?? (or SD for that matter). Does anyone here have the All You Can Eat deal with phone, RR & cable?? If so, what are you paying?

I went ahead and ran double RG6 to my main TV's (for Tivo) and to the attic incase I end up staying with DirecTV in the new house. TW sounds like the way to go, but I guess I'm still not convinced my SD viewing is going to be as good as DTV.

The Broncos-Saints game is being broadcast in HD today by CBS. I'm receiving SD OTA. I tried to call the engineers at KCTV and no one answers the phone. They must be asleep.

Originally posted by escrowdog
Is anyone here NOT happy with their HD signal from Time Warner?? (or SD for that matter). Does anyone here have the All You Can Eat deal with phone, RR & cable?? If so, what are you paying?

I went ahead and ran double RG6 to my main TV's (for Tivo) and to the attic incase I end up staying with DirecTV in the new house. TW sounds like the way to go, but I guess I'm still not convinced my SD viewing is going to be as good as DTV.

I would guess you won't find many unhappy with TW. Sure things could be improved (anything can be improved), but it's a good service.

When it comes to HD, things are good. I don't have any problem with HD viewing.

SD is a problem, but it's really a cable thing, and not a TW thing. That problem being that the "basic" channels ARE STILL SENT ANALOG (I don't know of any cable providers anywhere in the USA that are 100% digital) and they stink in terms of PQ. This isn't a problem for the major locals, ESPN, or TNT because you can just watch the digital version in the HD lineup. But if you want to watch MTV, it's analog MTV. Analog Fox News. Analog CNN. Analog VH1, etc, etc.

If you care about the PQ of those channels, then TW is a bad choice. DTV (Compressed digital) is better, and of course BUD (uncompressed digital) is the best for those channels.

I personally don't care about the PQ with these channels so I enjoy what TW gives me.

Pappy,

Thanks for your honest reply. I do watch mostly Discovery, HGTV, Speed, Fuel, History, etc...so the PQ does matter to me on those channels.

hmmmm...more to consider. We do own two DTivo's as well.

What was really peaking my interest were the reports of $99/mo deals for cable, phone & internet...extra for more digital boxes or HD boxes. Still a hell of a deal.

Originally posted by pappy97

SD is a problem, but it's really a cable thing, and not a TW thing. That problem being that the "basic" channels ARE STILL SENT ANALOG (I don't know of any cable providers anywhere in the USA that are 100% digital) and they stink in terms of PQ.


Keep in mind the reason behind this. If TWC (or ANY cableco) was to go entirely digital, then EVERY tv connected would need a convertor box (or be cablecard compatable). There would be no more "just attach the cable to the wall and to the tv for channels below ~80). Now, you and I wouldn't care (I would welcome it) but I'm sure they would have pretty bad backlash from a somewhat large portion of their customer base.

Anyone have a Tivo connected to the - wall without a box - to catch those shows on network tv while allowing you to watch something else via the convertor box? That would go away. Anyone running their cable through their TV first then to their box to support PiP? That would go away. Anyone have a TV in their guest bedroom hooked just to the wall and recieving "basic" cable? That would go away.

I'd love to see an entire digital offering, but don't look for it anytime soon. It will be customer driven (TW would LOVE to do this, it would free up HUGE amounts of bandwidth) and the demand just doens't exist at this point.

Craash-

You hit the nail on the head. Add to that the fact that analog "lifeline" cable will be the savior (for many years to come, probably) for those who get all their TV OTA now, but don't want to upgrade to OTA digital. It will still cost them something per month, but no one-time outlay for one or more ATSC receiver/converter box(es).

Brad

Originally posted by Bradtothebone
Craash-

You hit the nail on the head. Add to that the fact that analog "lifeline" cable will be the savior (for many years to come, probably) for those who get all their TV OTA now, but don't want to upgrade to OTA digital. It will still cost them something per month, but no one-time outlay for one or more ATSC receiver/converter box(es).

Brad

Agreed. It still boils down to the fact that HD viewers, and those that desire a better pq, are a smaller number than those with pq further down their list of priorities - i.e. price or number of channels.

So does anyone have feedback on the Comcast dual-tuner DVR yet? I'm still sitting on DirecTV w/Tivo AND Comcast HD, and hoping that the new box will be my DirecTV killer.
The new guide software on the plain ol' HD box is IMO a gigantic improvement over the old clunky interface... seems from previous posts this is what we'll see on the dual-tuner DVR.
Any info is appreciated. Thanks!

I have yet to hear as to when the dual tuners will be widely available.

My little thank you list this year.

Thank you KCPT PBS for being the little station that open our eyes to local HDTV here in Kansas City. KMBC ABC gets a big thank you for bringing primetime HDTV to Kansas City. Thanks KCTV CBS for your big heart in bringing CBS HDTV to Kansas City. KCWE UPN I am thankful is run by the good people at KMBC. Thank you goes to the quiet people at KSHB NBC who just get the job done in bringing NBC HDTV to Kansas City. Thank you to KSMO with WB HDTV on the air and now with KSMO joining with KCTV good times are ahead for CBS/WB HDTV. And yes I am thankful for WDAF FOX HDTV being seen by some of the Kansas City television viewers.

My biggest thank you goes to all the local Kansas City HDTV viewers(Aaron Barnhart from the KC Star also). Kansas City local HDTV viewers are the best local HDTV viewers in the nation and our best days of local HDTV viewing are ahead of us. :)

Originally posted by jsuhr
So does anyone have feedback on the Comcast dual-tuner DVR yet? I'm still sitting on DirecTV w/Tivo AND Comcast HD, and hoping that the new box will be my DirecTV killer.
The new guide software on the plain ol' HD box is IMO a gigantic improvement over the old clunky interface... seems from previous posts this is what we'll see on the dual-tuner DVR.
Any info is appreciated. Thanks!

The new guide SW is a huge improvement, but it's also causing a few problems . . . Is it just me, or is anyone else experiencing significant pauses (10 seconds or longer sometimes) when trying to bring the guide up on screen? It almost acts as a system "hiccup" as it's trying to retrieve data, but it can be slightly annoying. Also experiencing the same thing when trying to change channels sometimes, but the problem is most often associated with bringing the guide up on screen. Is anyone else having this problem?

I'm having the same problem too. My guide seems like it freezes up on me all the time for about 15 or 20 seconds. It's very annoying and I hope Comcast fixes it soon.

I haven't noticed any problems but I only use it for HD programming... I'm used to gigantic guide-related pauses on my DirecTivo anyway, though, so I may not realize it if I were having problems.
FWIW, I did speak to a Comcast CSR this week and she said local testing of the dual-tuner units was going very well and they should be widely available by Christmas barring significant hitches (but aren't there always significant hitches?).

Well, got to watch some TWC on a Samsung 60 DLP over the holiday. The HD was stunning...the SD was pathetic. Now obviously all of it was magnified by the size of the display and the fact I was floored by the HD. But I have to say, some of the SD channels were downright unwatchable and the rest were very mediocre...pretty much like I remembered it.

I'm looking at an ED plasma display, the Panny, and have read it does a better job handling the SD than what the HDTV's do. But I dunno, not sure any TV is going to make TWC SD look better?

Originally posted by escrowdog
The HD was stunning...the SD was pathetic.

Seeing HDTV will change forever how a person looks at a regular 480i (SD) television picture. Full-bandwidth HDTV razor sharp image is the future of broadcast television. So for me when I need to watch a non-HDTV television program I use our 14" television. Someone correct me if I am wrong but I believe a 27" television screen or lower is best for viewing SD programming.

I believe a 27" television screen or lower is best for viewing SD programming.

SD via DirecTV on my 36" Toshiba Cinema Series is awesome...zero complaints. As a matter of fact when I had TWC I thought the picture was going bad on it, all of our TV's looked bad, blurry, heavily artifacted (is that a word?). Once DTV was installed I was floored at how good ALL the TV's looked, even my 15 year old JVC monitor in the bedroom.

We tried to watch some football on the 60" HD, but some of the locals were cutting out on Thanksgiving day via TWC. But, there was some other HD shot video material running about DisneyLand & some freestyle MX...WOW! I don't think he's really taken the time to tweek that big Sammy either, just let the installers do the setup and left it. Still amazing. Not quite as "3D" looking as my neighbors well tuned 50" DLP Sammy, but very good. Needless to say, I'm looking forward to it!

Thanks for everyone's input here, it is greatly appreciated!

Originally posted by escrowdog
SD via DirecTV on my 36" Toshiba Cinema Series is awesome...zero complaints.

Thanks escrowdog for the information on DirecTV. I have Dish Network. I will check out DirecTV because I feel Dish Network SD quality has gone downhill lately with all the local cities being added to the Dish Network fleet of satellites.

turn_it_up Tom -
Do you have any information on the current status on what's taking Time Warner Cable and KSMO so long to sign an agreement for HD carriage of your 1080i signal? You are the only major network (I don't really count UPN) NOT on their HDTV tier locally and your signal is too weak for me to pick up with an antenna. So I am stuck missing my Smallville in HD. :( Any insight is greatly appreciated.

I would imagine with the JSA between Sinclair and Meredith there are plenty of things to work out. I have heard no real news about cable carriage of our DTV. When it comes up we'll keep you posted.

BTW- At k-7 and Johnson Drive I can receive KSMO DT with an amplified indoor antenna. (I might just be lucky)

technicalitalian,

RE: KCWE-DT 29-1

For the past two weeks, "Veronica Mars" has had stuttering sound during the entire episode. It is still watchable, but very annoying. Can you look into this pretty please??

The stuttering sound only occurs when on network, local sound is fine.

Eyedox, this is an excellent show worth catching in HD, even though it is on UPN. ;)

What's the deal with ABC not broadcasting the Big 12 Championship football game this Saturday in HD? I see that CBS will be doing the SEC Championship in HD? I feel slighted. Another example of getting overlooked because we don't live on either coast, just fly-over country.
--Gary

At least according to this thread (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=473748) , the Big XII Championship game will be broadcast in HD.

hdtimmy ... I think Enterprise is also a good HD show on that network. I haven't seen Veronica Mars yet but have heard good things. Earlier, I meant that UPN does not have very much HD content to choose from right now, so there is no real hurry to get them on the HDTV package for Time Warner Cable. WB on the other hand, has quite a few shows that I like which are in HD. So come on already corporate giants!! :)

turn_it_up ... thanks for the insight. I will try an amplified indoor antenna and see if I have any luck with KSMO-DT reception. Any particular brand/model that you were using when you successfully picked it up at K-7 & Johnson Drive in western Shawnee?

As for the Big 12 tournament ... I am so bummed that my Iowa State Cyclones were so close this year. If either Nebraska or ISU would have won at home this last weekend, we would have gone. Oh well. I am still going to go to the game Saturday night. I will get to watch the game in HD (as long as I have my contact lenses in). :)

With my antenna, I am receiving all the normal (not FOX of course) HD channels clearly except for WB 62-1. It comes in, but with a lot of noise in the picture. I live in DeSoto, KS in Northwest Johnson County. I'm using an RCA DTC210 DirecTV tuner. Do others have this problem?

By the way, this is a great thread.

Originally posted by tblankenship
With my antenna, I am receiving all the normal (not FOX of course) HD channels clearly except for WB 38-1. It comes in, but with a lot of noise in the picture. I live in DeSoto, KS in Northwest Johnson County. I'm using an RCA DTC210 DirecTV tuner. Do others have this problem?

By the way, this is a great thread.

Welcome to the forum, tblankenship. I'm a little confused by your post....Do you mean KMCI-38.1 (independent) or KSMO-62.1 (WB)? You should be able to receive 38.1 pretty easily, as it is at full power. WB-62 is currently at 9.0 kW ERP, and IS difficult to receive for some. I live west of K-7 in Shawnee, and get a pretty reliable signal on 62 with an amplified antenna in the attic, so I guess I'm lucky. When you say "noise in the picture," do you mean pixelization? I do get occasional dropouts and pixelization on 62, but it's very watchable.

Brad

Bradtothebone, thanks for clearing my description up. I'm away from my system this week and was trying to describe it from memory. You are correct that I am having problems with 62.1, not 38.1. I'll try to analyze it more fully once I get home.

By the way, what antenna amplifier are you using?
Tim

Is there anything going on with 29 (UPN), I haven't messed with my antenna/anything for a while and I stopped picking it up a couple of weeks ago. Enterprise is about all I watch there, so I haven't worried about it too much.

I knew I couldn't be the only one having problems picking up KSMO-DT. ;) I asked my brother-in-law down in southern Olathe (159th St) if he can receive it with his large amplified rooftop antenna, and his TV "sees" a signal for KSMO-DT but cannot resolve it to show a picture or sound. Maybe his Mits HDTV is incompatable with the PSIP info KSMO is sending out. Unless 9 kw just doesn't go as far as it used to (as my grandfather used to say). :)

I see that www.antennaweb.org does not list KSMO-DT for me, so maybe I should take that as a hint.

That's nothing .... when you punch in WDAF-DT 'FAUX 4' into Antennaweb, it just laughs at you hysterically and then the program crashes. :)

Originally posted by Eyedox
I knew I couldn't be the only one having problems picking up KSMO-DT.

We have all got to hang together and solve the reception problems of some of the local digital broadcasters. For myself KSMO-DT is one of the strongest signal I receive but WDAF-DT is to no avail. If at all possible an outdoor/attic small VHF/UHF directional antenna along with RG-6 shielded coax cable going into a ground block. Then run the coax cable straight into your digital receiver from the ground block. Hope this helps. Best of luck is needed until all Kansas City digital broadcasters are up to full-power and full-bandwidth HDTV. :)

I've sent e-mails two weeks in a row to Comcast through their main web site regarding the DVR rollout in the Kansas City market....and have been ignored twice. That's unusual for them. In the past, I've at least received a form letter response within 2 days...sometimes the response has even been written by a live human who addressed my specific request.

It's frustrating to see the 6412's becoming available all over the country...16 Comcast cities at last count on the national thread. I called today and got the standard "maybe sometime next quarter" response. I was also told "they had some problems with them and they're trying to work the bugs out." Did Kansas City just get a bad batch? How is it 16 other Comcast markets got boxes that work...or at least were able to fix the bugs by now? It's been two months now since the local CSR's have been using the "working the bugs out" line.

Anyone have any ideas how to get through to someone locally who can answer these questions....someone beyond the CSR level who will give us some straight answers? A name and phone number or e-mail address would be great!

I have just purchased a new DVD Player (Denon 3910) with DVI output. Having only one DVI Input on my Sony 60XBR950, I previously had my Pioneer HD cable box plugged in via DVI. I must admit, that even though I am a tweak, I had not played with the Pioneer DVI vs. Component. I wanted the 3910 hooked up DVI to check it out, and I moved the Pioneer over to component. Much to my surprise, the component input looked considerably better. I had calibrated both inputs, and was surprised that the component out looks that much better than DVI on the cablebox. The DVD player is the opposite, the DVI looks better.

I am guessing the Pioneer just has an inferior digital output stage, but don't know for sure. Anyone else done any comparrison testing?

Guess my excuse (no DVI) for not getting the SA HD-DVR is probably no longer valid and I should move on it :)

Originally posted by olathebob
I've sent e-mails two weeks in a row to Comcast through their main web site regarding the DVR rollout in the Kansas City market....and have been ignored twice. That's unusual for them. In the past, I've at least received a form letter response within 2 days...sometimes the response has even been written by a live human who addressed my specific request.

It's frustrating to see the 6412's becoming available all over the country...16 Comcast cities at last count on the national thread. I called today and got the standard "maybe sometime next quarter" response. I was also told "they had some problems with them and they're trying to work the bugs out." Did Kansas City just get a bad batch? How is it 16 other Comcast markets got boxes that work...or at least were able to fix the bugs by now? It's been two months now since the local CSR's have been using the "working the bugs out" line.

Anyone have any ideas how to get through to someone locally who can answer these questions....someone beyond the CSR level who will give us some straight answers? A name and phone number or e-mail address would be great!

My experiences with Comcast here in Lee's Summit has also been the same. The CSR's are clueless. They do admit they have been trained on the units and some units are being beta tested, but no one seems to have an idea when the HD PVR is going to be released. Once again Comcast has lowered the bar for HDTV cable.
Greg

The freezing problems with the new guide software in Comcast digital boxes is a nationwide problem and Motorola is working on a fix now. don't know when it'll be pushed to the boxes.

I do know that the dual tuner DVRs were rolled out nationwide at the same time, and everyone got the same initial shipment. It's possible that those service areas that have the DVRs available to anyone, have received priority shipments due to their size, or they're service area is small enough that the amount they got initially is enough for their demand. I don't know, just an educated guess on my part. Unfortunately, still no word as to when they'll be widely available.

I spoke with management at Time Warner Cable today. They state that they are not going to be adding Universal HD anytime soon, and are first working on getting Cinemax HD added first. Which makes sense, since Time Warner OWNS that channel anyway. Also, no word on their end yet on the negotiations with KSMO's parent company (Sinclair?) on carriage of the WB in HD locally.

Originally posted by Eyedox
I spoke with management at Time Warner Cable today. They state that they are not going to be adding Universal HD anytime soon, and are first working on getting Cinemax HD added first. Which makes sense, since Time Warner OWNS that channel anyway. Also, no word on their end yet on the negotiations with KSMO's parent company (Sinclair?) on carriage of the WB in HD locally.

Eyedox,

Thanks for the update. It's nice to know they're still looking at adding HD channels. Did they mention anything else, like StarzHD? Or whether they'll carry ESPN2-HD from day 1? For my money, that and the rest of the locals in HD are the priorities. Regardless, they still have the best HD available in the area.

Also, if anyone cares, last night I noticed the HD loop on TWC channel 1400 is not just that same 10 minutes of programming - it actually has some content on it now.

Originally posted by tblankenship
Bradtothebone, thanks for clearing my description up. I'm away from my system this week and was trying to describe it from memory. You are correct that I am having problems with 62.1, not 38.1. I'll try to analyze it more fully once I get home.

By the way, what antenna amplifier are you using?
Tim

Tim,

Sorry it took so long to get this info: I have a Permacolor Model 10G207 VHF/UHF mast-mount preamp. It has 26 dB of gain (adjustable). I got it at Electronics Supply, 4100 Main. I think it cost about $40, but it was a long time ago (3+ yrs). Works great. A lot of guys use Channel Master amps, available from Warren Electronics (warrenelectronics.com). I'm going from memory, but I think it's the model 7777 that's the good one. Hope this helps.

Brad

Originally posted by gps
My experiences with Comcast here in Lee's Summit has also been the same. The CSR's are clueless. They do admit they have been trained on the units and some units are being beta tested, but no one seems to have an idea when the HD PVR is going to be released. Once again Comcast has lowered the bar for HDTV cable.
Greg

I know. My DirecTivo is going up on ebay as soon as I get one of these boxes (assuming I am relatively happy with it, of course), and I doubt I'm the only one. Seems to me they have a lot to gain by getting these widely to market ASAP, though I understand our area isn't necessarily the biggest fish.

Originally posted by squeak49
Did [TWC] mention anything else, like StarzHD? Or whether they'll carry ESPN2-HD from day 1? No mention of Starz-HD but I would be willing to bet that ESPN2-HD will be added immediately in January since TWC knew about the second channel being developed when they were negotiating the first ESPN-HD channel with Disney. Cross your fingers!

Guess what? The Big 12 Title game on ABC is not in HD at least in Kansas City. That differs from someone posted here.

--Gary

Guess what? The Big 12 Title game on ABC is not in HD at least in Kansas City. That differs from someone posted here.

--Gary

Guess what? The Big 12 Title game on ABC is not in HD at least in Kansas City. That differs from someone posted here.

--Gary

I guess someone finally threw the switch -- HD now! I waited wasn't too patient, oh well.