Maybe we might just see the superbowl on KSPR via cable in HD? I knew they were installing the HD downlinks this would be a way around needing a new transmitter to get HD going.

Maybe this will help us get KSPR HD up on satellite soon. Maybe by midyear we hope.

So basically I would be better off switching to Mediacom digital cable? Mediacom is more expensive for regular channels and you dont get as many. Not to mention they raise their rates every year. Tough decision.

Mediacom doesn't offer HD locals on their system yet either. Just get an antenna. All of them will someday, just not yet. Mediacom looks like it will be 1st, Dish 2nd and Direct 3rd.

I talked to Mediacom's CS tonight and they said KY3 and KSPR would go live with HD on Feb. 1st. I always take CS with a grain of salt though :D

What HD does Mediacom carry? I have dish now and have been thinking of swtiching to cable or DirectTV depending on what dish does with its HD package...

too bad I vowed never get cable with mediacom again after some problems I had with them a few years ago. I really like my DirectTV, even though I don't get the HD package, I have my antenna hooked up and I can get 3 and 21 in HD. I just want FOX in HD really, really bad, considering almost every show I watch, including football and Nascar is on there. I could actually care less about 33 except for the Super Bowl.

What HD does Mediacom carry? I have dish now and have been thinking of swtiching to cable or DirectTV depending on what dish does with its HD package...

Right now they have: ESPN, UHD, DISC, HDNet, HDMV, HBO, SHD, SHOHD, IND (I think that's it). Coming Feb. 1 they will add local channels KY3 and KSPR, supposedly (They are showing on the guide now). I sure wish they would add TNT.

If you are coming from a dish be sure to ask for the specials. I got basic cable plus encore and starz plus and internet for $61.00 with special for moving from dish. And, I don't pay anthing for the boxes. I added HD to that for $10 afterwards.

I have read that Mediacom wanted the dish boxes in exchange but I did not have to give them mine. Besides, they weren't mine to give as I rented them.

My PQ on Mediacom is every bit as good as satellite in HD. I have a 10 foot screen and it shows any PQ problems easily.

Good luck!

So KSPR will offer HD over Mediacom but not over the air?

So your telling me that basically Mediacom is offering ABC in HD and just adding local content. hmmm

So KSPR will offer HD over Mediacom but not over the air?

So your telling me that basically Mediacom is offering ABC in HD and just adding local content. hmmm


KSPR can send their HD signal to the mediacom system using a fiber connection, they could also use this to send the signal to D* and E*. Transmitters for over the air are very expensive and this would allow them to offer HD while getting the funding together to update their transmitter.

So KSPR will offer HD over Mediacom but not over the air?

So your telling me that basically Mediacom is offering ABC in HD and just adding local content. hmmm

I have no idea how they plan to do it. I just know that KY3 and KSPR are showing up on my guide now and that Mediacom CS says that it will be pushing them down the line Feb. 1st. As for the other locals, I wouldn't hold my breath, I think they have another agenda. :mad:

I also have to say that Mediacom's digital channels look very good on my big screen. About as good as 720p HDTV!

I have no idea how they plan to do it. I just know that KY3 and KSPR are showing up on my guide now and that Mediacom CS says that it will be pushing them down the line Feb. 1st. As for the other locals, I wouldn't hold my breath, I think they have another agenda. :mad:

I also have to say that Mediacom's digital channels look very good on my big screen. About as good as 720p HDTV!

I had Mediacom digital cable when it first came out and you could definately tell it was digital. Now I have dish network and they claim all of their channels are digital but they look the same as analog to me. I may just have to switch back to Mediacom. You were saying you pay $60/month with internet, is that the full speed 4 Mbps internet or the cheaper 2Mbps?

I have been looking on Mediacom's web site... No prices or channel line up's DVR info.. NOTHING.. That seems kinda weird

They require you to call, they have the worst web site for information. Everything says call to find out more info.

I had Mediacom digital cable when it first came out and you could definately tell it was digital. Now I have dish network and they claim all of their channels are digital but they look the same as analog to me. I may just have to switch back to Mediacom. You were saying you pay $60/month with internet, is that the full speed 4 Mbps internet or the cheaper 2Mbps?

I pay $61.00 my total package (includes Encore/Starz) plus $10 for HD. The internet is actually 5Mbps. I moved from DishNetwork to Mediacom on one of their special prices. Before that I was on Mediacom and paid $90.00 for basic and 2Mbps internet. Go figure!?

Here is the channel sheet I got emailed to me.. looks like the HD has not been updated...

Well, KY3 and KSPR are now being broadcast in HD as of tonight! Hmmm, even ahead of time quoted by CS.

Well, KY3 and KSPR are now being broadcast in HD as of tonight! Hmmm, even ahead of time quoted by CS.

Wonder when KSPR will go HD OTA?

KYTV had a blurb about cableco HD carriage on the 5pm news.

KYTV-DT & KOZK-DT come in very well here in NW Arkansas, as do KHOG (ABC-HD) & KFSM (CBS-HD), transmitting from Winslow, Ark.

Wonder when KSPR will go HD OTA?

Don't hold your breath, I think they have a different agenda. But, maybe KY3 and KSPR being on Mediacom, in HD, will pressure them into following. More HD is good! :)

My only option is OTA or satellite where I live, but I think this will help us get HD sooner as more people get exposed to HD. 3 and 33 being added to mediacom will put more pressure on 10 and 27 to do something soon.

just got off the phone w/ a dish network rep and she said they will have mpeg 4 available feb 1 which will send hd locals to top 50 markets, i realize springfield is 72, but i read somewhere that dish would bump us up to the first run of hd locals because of ratio of cable to dish subscribers. anybody hearing anything different?

That is partially true. But Springfield is slated to launch later this year. They are launching mpeg4 on Feb. 1, but they will roll out a group of locals every month, expect Springfield to be towards the end of the year.

That is partially true. But Springfield is slated to launch later this year. They are launching mpeg4 on Feb. 1, but they will roll out a group of locals every month, expect Springfield to be towards the end of the year.

no hd super bowl on my 118 screen, whata waste. Too bad media com isnt out in the country.

That is partially true. But Springfield is slated to launch later this year. They are launching mpeg4 on Feb. 1, but they will roll out a group of locals every month, expect Springfield to be towards the end of the year.

I would agree, but you never know they might just add a station when they receive a feed from them. There will not be an extra charge for HD if you have sd locals.

KYTV had a blurb about cableco HD carriage on the 5pm news.

KYTV-DT & KOZK-DT come in very well here in NW Arkansas, as do KHOG (ABC-HD) & KFSM (CBS-HD), transmitting from Winslow, Ark.


I get all of those except KOZK DT here Northwest of Harrison. Not sure why I can't get KOZK. I am at 1400 feet, so elevation shouldn't be the problem.

Can someone who has HDTV via mediacom, please give us a brief rundown of what is available, what the hardware is, how the hardware performs, etc.

I'd really appreciate it. The CS reps don't know alot, and a real users impressions would be great.

Can someone who has HDTV via mediacom, please give us a brief rundown of what is available, what the hardware is, how the hardware performs, etc.

I'd really appreciate it. The CS reps don't know alot, and a real users impressions would be great.

I had mediacom in sept/oct 05, and i had the motorola hd dvr, and the res on that box was terrible, the hd channels were moderately better that sd digital channels.
They said poor res was because i was in an appartment and the signal was split too many ways. Side note, my lg 4910 hd dvr ota receiver is supposed to pick up cable hd channels w/o a subscription, i dont know if this is true, but i can tell you it is a far superior tuner than the moto that mediacom puts out.

I get all of those except KOZK DT here Northwest of Harrison...

Arkie,
What antenna + preamp are you using?
Do you have a rotor?
What OTA tuner? Built in? Set top box? Brand?

Can someone who has HDTV via mediacom, please give us a brief rundown of what is available, what the hardware is, how the hardware performs, etc.

I'd really appreciate it. The CS reps don't know alot, and a real users impressions would be great.

As far as what is available...I guess you mean, what channels are available? Please check some of my previous posts. I think I mentioned them all.

As for hardware. I have a Motorolla 6412 DVR box. I've had very little problems with it. It also allows me to record off of it by FireWire. There is a newer version, I believe it is called the Motorolla 6412 Phase III. I hear that it is a little better with the analogue channels. I don't watch many of the analogue channels as this box is in my theater room and I mostly watch the DTV and HD channels, and DVDs with it. Overall, SD just sucks on my big screen so I don't mess with it much.

Arkie,
What antenna + preamp are you using?
Do you have a rotor?
What OTA tuner? Built in? Set top box? Brand?


I have an XG91 antenna from antennas direct, a CM preamp. I have a rotor. I am using a HD Tivo tuner. Had the same problem with channel 21 when I had an HTL HD as well.

I don't think it is my setup, as I always get Fayettville/Fort Smith and have gotten all the Tulsa channels and KTHV in LR on occasion.

Channel 3 comes in with a signal in the 90's also......

I can occasionally pull channel 21, but it is not stable at all and quickly vanishes.

As far as what is available...I guess you mean, what channels are available? Please check some of my previous posts. I think I mentioned them all.

As for hardware. I have a Motorolla 6412 DVR box. I've had very little problems with it. It also allows me to record off of it by FireWire. There is a newer version, I believe it is called the Motorolla 6412 Phase III. I hear that it is a little better with the analogue channels. I don't watch many of the analogue channels as this box is in my theater room and I mostly watch the DTV and HD channels, and DVDs with it. Overall, SD just sucks on my big screen so I don't mess with it much.

Thanks AirData,

What kind of OS/GUI does the 6412 have? Have you ever used or seen a TIVO's feature set/GUI? Does the 6412 compare favorably?

Also are the dual tuners working with mediacom?

So what is Mediacom actually showing local in HD. My brother has Mediacom HD and i have DirecTV HD and I told him about KSPR going HD. He said i was full of crap.

Do i need to plan to go his his pad for the Superbowl or not?

I am also interested in mediacom I am at a point where I can go with dishes new 622
or go with mediacom and their HD DVR box I like the firewire on the mediacom box

Also are the dual tuners working with mediacom?

The Moto 6412 is a dual tuner. See this page for info and .pdf files: http://broadband.motorola.com/dvr/dct6412.asp

So what is Mediacom actually showing local in HD. My brother has Mediacom HD and i have DirecTV HD and I told him about KSPR going HD. He said i was full of crap.

Do i need to plan to go his his pad for the Superbowl or not?


KY3 and KSPR are now in the Mediacom HD channels. Just have him go to his guide and go to channels 708 and 712 and see for himself. He won't be able to view it unless he has an HD box but he will be able to hear it.

Not unless he has a HD box and HDTV :)

Thanks for the confirmation AirData. I have read the motorola sites info, but I have also read that comcast is using this same unit. And that in portions of the country, only one tuner is enabled for them. So I wanted to confirm that mediacom was using them both.

For anyone interested in what the GUI looks like for this box, go to http://www.mediacomcc.com/ on the lower right hand side of the screen is a "demo the new digital on screen guide" option. This gives you a (somewhat lame) interactive view of the GUI. I could have done without having to press menu, when they tell me too :) But it does let you know what the guide will look like.

Now if Mediacom would just get the NBA League Pass, I think it would be a no brainer switch for me...

thanks for the info. i will let him know.

also any idea if KOLR and FOX are going to pass thru the HD signal before they put it OTA?

I am starting to get a little tired of my DirecTV HD and only 2 HD locals (PBS and NBC). Might need to think about switching to (sigh) Mediacom

Thanks for the confirmation AirData. I have read the motorola sites info, but I have also read that comcast is using this same unit. And that in portions of the country, only one tuner is enabled for them. So I wanted to confirm that mediacom was using them both.

lawdawg,

If you mean by enabled that you can record one HD channel and watch another, yes, you can. The 6412 has two HDTV tuners. As I said previously, I would try the get the newer Phase III of this 6412 box. I don't know if it is available in this area yet. I'm going to try to get a second box soon, as when I got mine they said they were short on them and I couldn't get two at the time.

The Firewire ports are also enabled on this box and you can copy unencrypted shows to your pc/mac. The internal modem, ethernet, and usb ports are not enabled as far as I know. The guide, I believe, is Microsoft's. It is not the best out there but it works fairly well for what I use it for. I have not had any problems with timed recordings.

Hope that helps...

Actually, I believe the guide is TVguides. Did you see the scroller last night that announced the Superbowl waould be televised on MC in HD?

Andy

AirData,

Thanks for the scoop on the HD DVR mediacom carries. I just got off the phone with mediacom, and they have no plans to carry the NBA league pass... Looks like I'm stuck waiting for Springfield Locals to go OTA :(

Actually, I believe the guide is TVguides. Did you see the scroller last night that announced the Superbowl waould be televised on MC in HD?

Andy

Andy, I believe it is made by Microsoft:

Microsoft Introduces Microsoft TV Foundation Edition 1.7, One of the First Software Platforms to Support Motorola DCT6400 Series Set-Tops With Integrated Dual-Tuner DVR and High-Definition Functionality
Enhanced Software Platform Offers Industry-Leading Digital Video Recording Functionality

NEW ORLEANS - May 3, 2004 - Today at The National Show, the National Cable & Telecommunications Association's (NCTA's) Annual Convention and International Exposition, Microsoft Corp. announced Microsoft® TV Foundation Edition 1.7, the latest update of its digital cable software platform and one of the first to support the Motorola DCT6412 set-top with integrated dual-tuner digital video recording (DVR) and high definition functionality. Microsoft TV Foundation 1.7 provides cable operators with a comprehensive and flexible solution to deploy, market and merchandize premium services such as video on demand (VOD) and high-definition television (HDTV), and provides some of the most advanced support for DVR available today, taking full advantage of the new dual-tuner capabilities of the Motorola DCT6400 advanced digital set-top platform. Microsoft TV Foundation Edition 1.7 will be on display at Microsoft Booth No. 2223.

"We are pleased to have Microsoft TV support the launch of the Motorola DCT6412 HD set-top with dual-tuner DVR," said Dan Moloney, Motorola executive vice president and president, Broadband Communications Sector. "The DCT6412 platform supports a variety of advanced applications, including Microsoft TV Foundation Edition, enabling operators to offer a single solution for such compelling entertainment options as HDTV, watch-and-record DVR and video-on-demand."

Introduced simultaneously with the Motorola DCT6412 dual-tuner set-top, Microsoft TV Foundation 1.7 enables cable operators to take advantage of the latest hardware technology on the market. Microsoft TV Foundation is a powerful and flexible digital cable software platform that is designed to promote increased consumer satisfaction, loyalty and purchasing. Foundation 1.7 builds on previous versions to enable a fluid, integrated subscriber experience across broadcast, on-demand, high-definition and time-shifted content. The software features a new video window displaying background programming while consumers are viewing static or recorded screens, and the most advanced support for digital video recording available today:

•Unique video window. Foundation 1.7 features a new scaled video window showing live, delayed, recorded or on-demand programming when consumers are viewing the guide, recorded TV or informational screens on compatible set-tops.

•Dual-tuner support. Foundation 1.7 enables simultaneous recording of two programs or viewing of one live show while recording another.

•Most advanced recording options with improved smart series recording. With Foundation 1.7 consumers can save a specific number of episodes, extend the start or end times for a show, eliminate duplicate recordings, record only first-run episodes or reruns, and more. The software will automatically adjust for changes in program start times.

•Smart progress bar. Foundation 1.7 graphically displays recording and viewing progress on screen so consumers can easily see the duration of a show, how much has been recorded and the exact point at which they are currently viewing.

•Record from pause/live TV buffer. Foundation 1.7 is flexible enough to accommodate consumers who decide to record a show after they've already been watching it by saving up to 90 minutes that have already been watched.


Foundation 1.7 also includes an improved Interactive Program Guide (IPG) supporting up to 14 days of listings for high-memory set-tops. With the Foundation platform, multiple service operators (MSOs) also can offer games and information services, including local news, weather and sports content, bringing new benefits to consumers. The Foundation platform is customizable by the MSO and scales from today's thin-client, high-definition and/or DVR-enabled set-top to future-generation devices, providing a consistent consumer experience in which cable operators can promote services as their digital video offering evolves.

"Microsoft TV is proud to be one of the first to market with support for the Motorola DCT6412," said Moshe Lichtman, corporate vice president of the Microsoft TV Division at Microsoft. "Working with such key partners as Motorola, Microsoft TV continues to deliver on our promise to continually create new value for network operators and advance the market through innovative software that enhances and simplifies the consumer television experience."

Microsoft TV Foundation version 1.7 is Microsoft's fourth DVR product, and the third with dual-tuner digital video support. It will be commercially available this summer.

Just got off the phone with MediaCom. Trying to get them to fax or email ANY information pertaining to HD. still waiting.......

But when I spok to a CSR from Springfield (at least they said they were from Springfield when i asked) she said that they are broadcasting KSPR and KOLR in HD starting tomorrow and KYTV will soon follow, within a month or so.

this has not been verified yet from the local offices. will be calling them (KSPR and KOLR) very soon today

still waiting for fax or email.......

The engineer at KOLR was unaware of them passing the signal thru to MediaCom but he did state that it was discussed late last year but he was never part of those discussions. As for OTA, he did say they would be up and running by football season, he hoped by preseason, but definately regular season.

left message with KSPR and hopefully will get a return call.

Just got off the phone with MediaCom. Trying to get them to fax or email ANY information pertaining to HD. still waiting.......

But when I spok to a CSR from Springfield (at least they said they were from Springfield when i asked) she said that they are broadcasting KSPR and KOLR in HD starting tomorrow and KYTV will soon follow, within a month or so.

this has not been verified yet from the local offices. will be calling them (KSPR and KOLR) very soon today

still waiting for fax or email.......

Huh!? KYTV and KSPR are already on Mediacom, in HD, and live today. I know, in my previous post, they had told me Feb. 1 but, they are pumping it down the line now and have been for a few days. I watched several shows last night, Surface for one...

I sure hope they are going to add KOLR and FOX...

For those of you on Mediacom - Im thinking of switching from Dish Network since its going to be awhile before they start offering our locals in HD. Does Mediacom have the Mpeg-4 tuners out yet or should I wait until they do? I would call and ask but nobody ever seems to know what they are talking about when I call.

EDIT: Nevermind, I guess it doesnt matter. I wont be switching because apparently Mediacom doesnt offer NFL Network. I dont really care about that channel right now since its mostly reruns all day long. But they are going to start carrying games next season and as a huge Chiefs fan I will be pissed if the Chiefs play on NFL Network and I dont have it.

Anybody notice how in the upper left hand corner of KOLR on DirecTV there is the word "HI" in large white letters. It is there sometimes and then for several days it is gone........ weird

I have my overscan reduced so some of you may not see it.....

At any rate, it is annoying and a potential burn in problem........

Anybody notice how in the upper left hand corner of KOLR on DirecTV there is the word "HI" in large white letters.
I've seen that a lot in their analog over the air broadcast, so it's something in their signal and not an issue specific to DirecTV.

Alright I just got the Mediacom Motorola DVR/HD receiver and I have a few questions about it.

1. Why do my standard family cable channels look so bad when running through this box? They look majorly compressed and at a far less quality. Is there any way I can change this?

2. Can you hook up an OTA antenna to this box to recieve OTA HD local channels?

Thanks.

Alright I just got the Mediacom Motorola DVR/HD receiver and I have a few questions about it.

1. Why do my standard family cable channels look so bad when running through this box? They look majorly compressed and at a far less quality. Is there any way I can change this?

2. Can you hook up an OTA antenna to this box to recieve OTA HD local channels?

Thanks.

are you not getting the locals in hd thropugh cable?

1. Why do my standard family cable channels look so bad when running through this box? They look majorly compressed and at a far less quality. Is there any way I can change this?If you're referring to analog cable channels, I've heard that that box doesn't do a very good job of upconverting analog channels. You can split the cable before it enters the box and run a coax directly to your TV. Then use the TV tuner to tune analog cable channels.



2. Can you hook up an OTA antenna to this box to recieve OTA HD local channels?No.
It does not have an 8VSB OTA tuner, only a QAM cable tuner. Use your TV's built in digital tuner or buy an external OTA tuner like this one (http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Pro-Brand-HDTV-Receiver-HD3150PLUS-/sem/rpsm/oid/136560/catOid/-15607/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do).

Alright I just got the Mediacom Motorola DVR/HD receiver and I have a few questions about it.

1. Why do my standard family cable channels look so bad when running through this box? They look majorly compressed and at a far less quality. Is there any way I can change this?

2. Can you hook up an OTA antenna to this box to recieve OTA HD local channels?

Thanks.

Is it a Phase III box? The Phase III is supposed to be better with analog.

That is one of the reason I am not switching to Mediacom right now. Their "digitial" channels look like ass. At least they do on my bro's lcd and his plasma.

i am sticking with DirecTV until such time those non-HD channels look better

That is one of the reason I am not switching to Mediacom right now. Their "digitial" channels look like ass. At least they do on my bro's lcd and his plasma.

i am sticking with DirecTV until such time those non-HD channels look better

I think he was talking about the analog channels not the digital. I have a 10' screen and the digital channels look much better than when I was on satellite and the locals looked highly compressed on satellite. If using a small screen I can see that one would not see the difference as much. But, when you take it really big the PQ shows big time. All of my Starz/Encore (which are digital) look quite good.

The analog channels in the 1st production of the Moto 6412 do look like crap (better than satellite's locals) but that has been improved with Moto 6412 Phase III, from what I've read (Don't forget, we are talking about analog so it's crap no matter what). I do not have one so I cannot tell you for sure. I do hope to get one soon.

Now, the HD on Mediacom, is about the same to me except I don't get the broken digital image like I did with satellite.

Hope that helps...

I don't think it is a Phase 3 considering how crappy the analog looks. I mean its way worse than just directly plugging in the coax to the TV. Do you think Springfield Mediacom has any phase 3 boxes? I don't understand why they wouldn't give you the option of what quality you wanted to record at.

I was wondering about OTA HD because mediacoms package doesn't include FOX or CBS.

"If you're referring to analog cable channels, I've heard that that box doesn't do a very good job of upconverting analog channels. You can split the cable before it enters the box and run a coax directly to your TV. Then use the TV tuner to tune analog cable channels."

Yeah, I will pobably do this, but I couldn't use the DVR's features this way right? So what would be the point. I still record and watch many analog channels considering most aren't in HD, and I don't understand why the quality has to be even worse through this DVR. This seems like a major oversight to me and makes me not even want to use the DVR except for the HD channels.

Is TIVO like this too, or do they look identical to normal analog straight from the coax to the TV? I may get a TIVO for DVR features, and use this Motorola box for HD channels.

I don't think it is a Phase 3 considering how crappy the analog looks. I mean its way worse than just directly plugging in the coax to the TV. Do you think Springfield Mediacom has any phase 3 boxes? I don't understand why they wouldn't give you the option of what quality you wanted to record at.

I was wondering about OTA HD because mediacoms package doesn't include FOX or CBS.

"If you're referring to analog cable channels, I've heard that that box doesn't do a very good job of upconverting analog channels. You can split the cable before it enters the box and run a coax directly to your TV. Then use the TV tuner to tune analog cable channels."

Yeah, I will pobably do this, but I couldn't use the DVR's features this way right? So what would be the point. I still record and watch many analog channels considering most aren't in HD, and I don't understand why the quality has to be even worse through this DVR. This seems like a major oversight to me and makes me not even want to use the DVR except for the HD channels.

Is TIVO like this too, or do they look identical to normal analog straight from the coax to the TV? I may get a TIVO for DVR features, and use this Motorola box for HD channels.
\

I had the same problem w/ that unit when i was in my apartment (displaced for a house fire for 9 months), i had mediacom come over a few times to look at it and they tried different cables, and different boxes, and i finally decided to just put a splitter on it, and run cable directly to my cable ready tv and to the box then out to tv via component. that way if i watched something live i used the cable, but i could still record shows while i was away, even though they were painful to watch, in the low res.

I may have to do that. But I think I would rather just record with my VCR. It's higher quality than this crap. I can't believe it's this bad of quality.

I may have to do that. But I think I would rather just record with my VCR. It's higher quality than this crap. I can't believe it's this bad of quality.

an expensive alternative would be to get an lg 4910 like the one i have, it does a very nice job, and although i have not tried it i hear if you have basic cable this tuner will pick up hd channels for free. I did not buy this tuner until i moved from the appartment and i cant get cable out where my house is. I use it for ota from antennae, works great i get ky hd, pbs hd, and som e other digital. i am going to try a rotor and so special cable and see if i can squeek out an abc hd signal from downtown, i dout it though.

an expensive alternative would be to get an lg 4910 like the one i have, it does a very nice job, and although i have not tried it i hear if you have basic cable this tuner will pick up hd channels for free...
Don't you mean an LG-3410 (http://www.circuitcity.com/ccd/productDetail.do?oid=124025&catOid=-15608&com.broadvision.session.new=Yes&BV_SessionID=@@@@1828638121.1138922424@@@@&BV_EngineID=cccdaddgllkijjecfngcfkmdffhdfii.0)?

That model will record OTA digital or unscrambled QAM digital cable channels. Cable systems are required to leave local HD channels unscrambled.

Ok the mediacom guy came out today and took a look at it. I had the cable going through my VCR and that was what was making the quality so bad. It looks much better now (still not like straight to the TV, but I can live with it). Also, I'm guessing I have to buy a splitter to watch a channel while recording another.

Heard from a friend that the 3rd sub channel KYTV is testing (3-3) will be a local weather channel. No wonder their HD picture quality has gone down hill lately. He was told that KYTV will keep 3-3 black during the olympics, and then add the weather channel on 3-3 after the olympics. I guess the picture quality of regular NBC HD programming doesn't matter to them - just the olympics....

Is Mediacom sending the kspr shows in HD or is it just on a digital channel

If you have a HDTV card with QAM support in your HTPC, you should be able to recieve the HD channels off of mediacom.

Edit. Make that the Local Chanels that Mediacom carries in HD. Not the premium ones.

Don't you mean an LG-3410 (http://www.circuitcity.com/ccd/productDetail.do?oid=124025&catOid=-15608&com.broadvision.session.new=Yes&BV_SessionID=@@@@1828638121.1138922424@@@@&BV_EngineID=cccdaddgllkijjecfngcfkmdffhdfii.0)?

That model will record OTA digital or unscrambled QAM digital cable channels. Cable systems are required to leave local HD channels unscrambled.

my bad you are right. That was one of the components i didnt research very well, i kind of bought it on a whim, but i have been very pleased w/ it. I bought it as a demo, great price.

I just received an e-mail from Nancy at KSFX, expect to be full power HD sometime in 4th quarter this year. No nascar in hd on FOX this year. "BOOOOOOOOOOO"

... No nascar in hd on FOX this year.
You mean no nascar in hd on KSFX this year. Nascar will be in HD on WNYW FOX-HD, ch 88 on DirecTV, for those who have the HD package and qualify to receive it.

You mean no nascar in hd on KSFX this year. Nascar will be in HD on WNYW FOX-HD, ch 88 on DirecTV, for those who have the HD package and qualify to receive it.

no waivers in sw missouri, the cheap ba$$t572ds are greedy too!

better move to NYC!!

Review of Super Bowl XL on Mediacom:

PQ was good. Sound was not too good. Had several breaks in the audio in my area. But, at least it was in HD! :)

better move to NYC!!

i'll just wait till dish has locals in hd later this year. That will be much better than moving to NYC. Seems kind a wierd that local stations, wont provide a service, and they wont allow a waiver so you can get that service somewhere else. But they will pass through that service to cable, whom also refuses to provide service in my area.

That's true you will get a jump since they are rolling out Springfield this year.

Review of Super Bowl XL on Mediacom:

PQ was good. Sound was not too good. Had several breaks in the audio in my area. But, at least it was in HD! :)

I had audio issues w/ audio as well and i was watching via dish, I assumed it was my marantz receiver freaking out or something. ( my audio was coming in faint through surround speakers after commercial break)

Stoped by mediacom today on my way home from work and asked some questions about the HD-DVR she said they were out of them right now BUT she said the new ones coming in would be series III. She quoted me $75 for 3 tvs 1 hd-dvr and 2 regular boxes that included the family teir, the stars encore pack and the HD pack plus 5mb internet.. The price is good for one year.. NOT BAD I maybe dumping dish after the olympics..

Stoped by mediacom today on my way home from work and asked some questions about the HD-DVR she said they were out of them right now BUT she said the new ones coming in would be series III. She quoted me $75 for 3 tvs 1 hd-dvr and 2 regular boxes that included the family teir, the stars encore pack and the HD pack plus 5mb internet.. The price is good for one year.. NOT BAD I maybe dumping dish after the olympics..

why after the olympics, m/c carries kytv in hd?

That's true you will get a jump since they are rolling out Springfield this year.

Who is rolling out HD locals this year? DirecTV or Dish?

[QUOTE=THX10]Who is rolling out HD locals this year? DirecTV or Dish?[/QUOTE

I dont have the link for you but dish has springfield in the top 50 markets to receive hd locals through mpeg4 spot beam, rumopr has it that it is an easier spot beam because of the limited hd availability, and the number of dish subs vs cable subs.

Like many E* announcements, it may or may not happen, so I'll believe it when I see it.

According to this screen grab supposedly from another A/V forum
http://tinypic.com/nd28v8.jpg
Springfield is on a list of possible HD cities. But notice it says Dish will make HD available in some of the following markets.... not all.

why after the olympics, m/c carries kytv in hd?

Dish has a special olympics channel during the games

It's nice to see that dish supports the special olympics.

It's nice to see that dish supports the special olympics.

:D

Well just got an install date from Mediacom here is the deal I am getting.. This is for cable only I am still under a contract for DSL

Family Cable
Digital Plus
Encore/Starz Group
HBO Group
Cinemax Group
HDTV Tier
HDTV Group
3 boxes 2 sd 1 HD-DVR

52.99 for 1 year

When I was on the phone she said that I would need dishes last months’ bill.. I also stopped by today after work to verify what I was getting and also to ask about the series III boxes.. She said they are out of DVR’s right now and would not have any till March.. They are going to give me a regular box until the HD-DVR is in stock.. And prorate the service until the equipment comes in

ok.. quick question. I have had the H10 reciever for sometime now and have been using it to get the OTA digital signals.... (not much at that) but I don't have the HD dish itself. I bought the reciever off of eBay so I only had a basic dish installed. Well, I am thinking of upgrading my dish to a HD dish so I can get the HD programming but also I plan to "move" so I can get Fox, CBS and ABC as well. My question is, will I ever need the 5 LNB dish in the Springfield area? Or, can I just go with the 3 LNB and be fine for a good amount of time. I am aware that if I were to get a 5 LNB dish I would have to upgrade to atleast an H10 to use it.

thanks

The 5LNB dish will work with all DirecTV receivers. But you can only receive MPEG4 HD channels with it using the H20 receiver, not the H10. Your H10 is not MPEG4 capable. As for HD locals on DirecTV in Springfield, they are waaay down the waiting list for that. So the 3LNB dish is all you'll need for a long time.

Go ahead and upgrade now to an H20 receiver and 3LNB dish before 2/28. That's the last day to get an H20 free (after rebate). (NOTE: DirecTV will start renting equipment instead of selling it, on 3/1/06 - just like cablecos do.)

After you get the H20 and 3LNB dish installed, then call and "move". Keep your mailing address as-is.

When the HD locals do eventually become available (5LNB dish will be required), just call and "move" back to your mailing address. Then order the 5LNB local HD dish upgrade, which will be free at that time.

Thank you for the reply. I guess I will go ahead and order the H20, will I still get the rebate even though I am already a subrscriber? And also, does anybody have a link with some good info about where and how to "move" :) Thanks again

[QUOTE=arxaw]Go ahead and upgrade now to an H20 receiver and 3LNB dish before 2/28. That's the last day to get an H20 free (after rebate). (NOTE: DirecTV will start renting equipment instead of selling it, on 3/1/06 - just like cablecos do.)[QUOTE]


Wait a sec! DirecTV is going to start RENTING their boxes? What is up with that? So if I want to upgrade my components (which is frustrating because i just bought a H10 a few months ago) i need to do it now?

Also, when/who is broadcasting in the mpeg4

Ya, I feel the same way, I just bought the H10 about 6 months ago. However, since the H20 is basically free.... after rebates, I don't mind too much. However, if I buy it from Circuit City with the $200 rebate, does it come with the upgraded dish? Or, do I have to buy that seperately, because I check DirecTV's site and you have to buy the dish for $50 with the reciever. So, it is $250 with a $200 rebate.

Yep, renting their equipment. Just like cable. If you want the free (after rebate) H20 receiver, better get one before 2/28/06.
DirecTV switching to lease business model 3/1/06:
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6301293.html

DirecTV is migrating to MPEG4 on a market by market basis, and they've already started in 12 larger markets. Requires a new 5LNB dish and an H20 receiver. Initially, only local HD channels will be MPEG4, but soon new HD networks will be added. IIRC, very long term plan is to completely go to MPEG4 for everything, probably as satellites age and are replaced. With MPEG4 and spot beams, they will be able to carry literally thousands of local and national HD channels.

But I don't think springfield will get HD locals on DirecTV for quite a while.

D* is also moving to the 5LNB dish for all new installs with HD. So you might look into that dish instead of the phase 3.

MSPin,
Interesting.

Do you have a source? I was told that 3LNB installs would still be the standard dish for HD installs in non-MPEG4 markets.

So what i need to do is the buy as many H20 and then stick them on ebay after a while. just kidding

so what will happen to mt h10 and samsung? will they still work?

Existing boxes will continue to work, and will also work with the newer AT9 5LNB dish, except they will not receive the new MPEG4 channels. NO MPEG4 channels are available in Springfield market yet, and probably won't be for a while, so you're not missing anything with the H10 & Samsung boxes, except a better OTA tuner and sharper picture with the H20. The H20's menu and guide is a lot slower than the H10 and Samsung boxes, too.

MSPin,
Interesting.

Do you have a source? I was told that 3LNB installs would still be the standard dish for HD installs in non-MPEG4 markets.

I had a copy of an email that went to installers that mentioned that in Feb. I forgot the date. All HD installs would recieve an AT9 dish. It's a smart move, it makes it a single trip instead of a second trip to upgrade later.

I saw that on another forum, but an installer (in the springfield DMA) told me he hadn't even seen any AT9 dishes yet. And he had an H20 on his list of installs for the day.

The "do it all in one truck roll" does make sense though.

I'm finding the KY3 Olympic coverage nearly unwatchable tonight 2/11/06. I find the many dropouts very irritating. So many dropouts it isn't even worth trying to watch. Anyone else have issues?

Same here very disapointing

I watched it on WNBC-DT and there were no dropouts. The audio got out of sync a couple of times though.

Were there both audio & video dropouts? Or just video? Or was it just pixelization?

Be sure and let the station know you were having problems. Email the Chief Engineer and General Mgr. at:
http://www.ky3.com/contact

Were there both audio & video dropouts? Or just video? Or was it just pixelization?

When I say "dropouts" I mean the loss of audio and video (black screen) for differing lengths of time from a fraction of a second to several seconds. They were extremely frequent, I don't think I saw a single complete race or performance uninterrupted by technical difficulty. I also saw instances of pixelization but that was not nearly as frequent or annoying.

That's what I thought you meant, both audio & video dropouts.

I did not see any dropouts while watching the olympics on DirecTV HD channel 82 (WNBC-DT NY), but there may have been some before or after I was watching.

I'm finding the KY3 Olympic coverage nearly unwatchable tonight 2/11/06. I find the many dropouts very irritating. So many dropouts it isn't even worth trying to watch. Anyone else have issues?


It was bad. I had to turn it over to the SD DirecTV feed.

It was bad. I had to turn it over to the SD DirecTV feed.


Yeah it was bad, but at least it was also happening during those STUPID "human/emotional my dog died and i couldnt train" segments.

I just ended up turning it off and going to bed.

Though the UHD feed isnt bad.

The pairs figure skating was the only time I saw issues on WNBC on D*, it didn't seem to be an issue for a long time though, just about 20 minutes maybe tops.

Just returned my H10 for a H20. It does seem to have a better OTA receiver. It is picking up some of the weaker signals that the H10 couldnt get before.

It does have a slower menu, but i can live with that.

I do have a question. What is that BBC thing that came with it? something about low ka band stuff.

KEEP IT in a safe place. You'll need it if you ever upgrade to the new 5LNB dish for local HD via satellite.

Will Do

Last night, 2/12/06 looked pretty good HD OTA. I don't know what the problem was the night before. I certainly hope that little bit of spitting snow didn't cause all that mess. If it did, digital is doomed. ;)

I have not yet watched the olympics, on kytv, but the limited hd programming I have watched, I have noticed to have a tendancy to be pixelated???

Last night, 2/12/06 looked pretty good HD OTA. I don't know what the problem was the night before. I certainly hope that little bit of spitting snow didn't cause all that mess. If it did, digital is doomed. ;)

At my location in west Springfield (about 1/4 mile past city limits, just east of highway 160), I can only pick up KOZK's PBS-HD broadcast during the time of year when there are no leaves on the trees. As soon as spring comes, and the leaves fully bloom out, I get so much pixilation that the picture is unwatchable, and that's with a rooftop antenna mounted above the top of my chimney.

PLM

At my location in west Springfield (about 1/4 mile past city limits, just east of highway 160), I can only pick up KOZK's PBS-HD broadcast during the time of year when there are no leaves on the trees. As soon as spring comes, and the leaves fully bloom out, I get so much pixilation that the picture is unwatchable, and that's with a rooftop antenna mounted above the top of my chimney.

PLM

have you tried a rotor? I was complaining to a guy that works @ the shaq and he reccomended a rotor. I am not sure I want to invest the time & resources though if my dish will p/u hd locals in the NEAR future

have you tried a rotor? I was complaining to a guy that works @ the shaq and he reccomended a rotor. I am not sure I want to invest the time & resources though if my dish will p/u hd locals in the NEAR future

Haven't considered one, yet. With only NBC and PBS broadcasting HD locally, it's just not worth the effort considering no guarantee of success. At some point when more local HD is broadcast OTA, I might consider it.

As far as satellite, I have a DirecTivo HD unit, and am really mixed about giving it up to get Springfield's HD locals from DirecTV (apparently Mpeg4 will be used by DirecTV to broadcast Lilo HD, and only the new, non-Tivo-based units will be able to receive MP4 broadcasts). I have heard some discouraging stuff about DTV's non-Tivo DVR, and have been a Tivo user since near the beginning of Tivo availability. Decisions, decisions....

PLM

I have not yet watched the olympics, on kytv, but the limited hd programming I have watched, I have noticed to have a tendancy to be pixelated???
I had not noticed with other programming but during the Snowboarding last night I noticed a tendency for the picture to blur during the runs and it looked bad. When shown in slow motion it was fine. Skating seemed fine too. Does fast action normally have issues?

have you tried a rotor? I was complaining to a guy that works @ the shaq and he reccomended a rotor. I am not sure I want to invest the time & resources though if my dish will p/u hd locals in the NEAR future
I can't imagine what good a rotor would do for either of you. If the antenna is pointed toward Fordland you should be good. I live in Ozark and have the cheapest antenna from Rat Shack in the attic. Signals come booming in... 95+.

...during the Snowboarding last night I noticed a tendency for the picture to blur during the runs and it looked bad. When shown in slow motion it was fine. Skating seemed fine too. Does fast action normally have issues?
It often does on stations that choose quantity over quality. KYTV-DT is attempting to do 1 HD channel (NBC) + 1 SD channel (UPN) in the bandwidth originally intended for ONE HD channel with no multicast channels. There just isn't enough bandwidth to do decent MPEG2 HD and multicasting too. Scenes with lots of motion take more bandwidth and if there's not enough bandwidth, you end up with loss of detail and/or pixelization.

KOZK has the same problem only worse. It will get worse on KYTV too, when the olympics end and they start another sub channel for news/weather on 3-3.

Complain to the stations engineers and general mgrs. via their web sites.

[QUOTE=arxaw]It often does on stations that choose quantity over quality. KYTV-DT is attempting to do 1 HD channel (NBC) + 1 SD channel (UPN) in the bandwidth originally intended for ONE HD channel with no multicast channels. T




I heard on KSGF radio that UPN and The WB are slated to be eliminated very soon.

UPN & WB networks are merging in September. New network will be called "CW"
Article here (http://money.cnn.com/2006/01/24/news/companies/cbs_warner/?cnn=yes).

Not sure where they'll end up being broadcast locally. Hopefully, not on a KYTV-DT sub channel.

UPN & WB networks are merging in September. New network will be called "CW"
Article here (http://money.cnn.com/2006/01/24/news/companies/cbs_warner/?cnn=yes).

Not sure where they'll end up being broadcast locally. Hopefully, not on a KYTV-DT sub channel.

I am pretty sure an NBC affilliate would not broadcast a CBS affilliated station, but who knows in springfield, IE ksfx & kolr

It often does on stations that choose quantity over quality. KYTV-DT is attempting to do 1 HD channel (NBC) + 1 SD channel (UPN) in the bandwidth originally intended for ONE HD channel with no multicast channels. There just isn't enough bandwidth to do decent MPEG2 HD and multicasting too. Scenes with lots of motion take more bandwidth and if there's not enough bandwidth, you end up with loss of detail and/or pixelization.

KOZK has the same problem only worse. It will get worse on KYTV too, when the olympics end and they start another sub channel for news/weather on 3-3.

Complain to the stations engineers and general mgrs. via their web sites.


That is true, but the issue he saw with snowboarding was not related. The snowboarding event uses a smaller HD camera on a crane in Tureno. Due to the sun and reflection of the snow the bluring seen was due to the camera. It's a white balance error and is common with many cameras. With some of the smaller HD cameras it is more obvious.

Interesting. I didn't see the snowboarding and didn't know about the smaller cam. Thanks for the info.

I do know though, that KYTV-DT HD PQ was obviously worse when they were testing an additional sub channel (3-3) before the olympics. And KOZK's HD channel is barely DVD quality, due to multicasting.

I am now getting true 5.1 from KYTV? I used to only get 2.1 anyone else notice this?

I am now getting true 5.1 from KYTV? I used to only get 2.1 anyone else notice this?

Yes I did, it's the first 5.1 dd I have saw on KY3. I hope it continues after the Olympics.

i have noticed something interesting since i fired up the H20.

21-2 comes in at 720p instead of 1080i. First I thought I had the setting wrong, but it is all native. ESPNHD and ESPNHD2 are 720p and all other HD is 1080i except for 21-2.

Dont know why but i really dont care since it is better than nothing.

Also i have noticed some blurring on some of the events, but i have also noticed it some on UHD as well when they run the Olympics. But the pq seems to be better on UHD over KY3

"Better than nothing" is a good way to describe the PQ on 21-2.

"Better than nothing" is a good way to describe the PQ on 21-2.


I agree. I would rather have 720p all day than 480

Just cancelled dish. Now I guess I'll be going a couple weeks with no tv until Mediacom gets their mpeg-4 receivers in. Cant wait to check out some of these locals in hi-def. :)

My mediacom install is sat. No DVR until march :-(

They told me no hi-def mpeg-4 receivers until March as well. I guess they'll get those and the DVR's in at the same time.

Just flipped on the tube this morning and I noticed that TNTHD is now on channel 75 with DirecTv.

yep.

D* added TNT-HD on 2/17.

Well, I just ordered my H20 from DirecTV today. Had to buy the dish, was only $50. I bought it from DirecTV, and not through Circuit City who wanted to charge me $100 for the dish and $150 for the installation on top of the $200 for the reciever. I politley said stick it... and went online and ordered it from DTV's website. Free installation on Sat. Now I just have to "move" :) Good to see that TNT was added though, so NASCAR in HD all season for me I hope :)

Well my cable is installed.. I did get a DVR but its a series II I will be trading it for a series III when they get them in... As for the picture quality lets just say you know when you are on the analog channels :-) Hopefully the series III will improve the picture.. As for the HD channels they look pretty darn good if not better than dishes. The digital channels look about the same with dish having a slight edge. The GUI for the boxs is not as configurable as dishes but OK. Overall considering a $30 monthly difference in price I am pleased for now :-)

... Now I just have to "move" :) Good to see that TNT was added though, so NASCAR in HD all season for me I hope :)
TNT-HD is a welcome addition, but I wish they wouldn't stretch the 4:3 upconverts.

Remember if you "move" out of the Springfield DMA (http://www.truckads.com/Affiliate/Springfield.htm#map), you will get the big 4 networks in HD from NY (free if the address qualifies and you sub to the HD package), but your locals will change too. And if the locals for the city you "move" to are on spot beams, you *may* not be able to view them. There are some places that will qualify for the big 4 nets in the Springfield DMA, allowing you to keep your Spgfld locals. Check low lying addresses in the counties farthest away from Springfield using this eligibility site (http://directvdnseligibility.decisionmark.com/app/AddressForm.aspx).

Well my cable is installed.. I did get a DVR but its a series II I will be trading it for a series III when they get them in... As for the picture quality lets just say you know when you are on the analog channels :-) Hopefully the series III will improve the picture.. As for the HD channels they look pretty darn good if not better than dishes. The digital channels look about the same with dish having a slight edge. The GUI for the boxs is not as configurable as dishes but OK. Overall considering a $30 monthly difference in price I am pleased for now :-)

What were you paying for dish??? When I compared the two the cable was about $8 a month more for the same package I was getting on dish.

Well my bill was $67 Without a DVR I wanted to upgrade to the new mpeg4 622 HD DVR I was going to have to pay $299 for the box and my monthly bill was going up to $85. My main problem with dish is the new medal HD packages which is required when you upgrade to one of the mpeg 4 boxes I just had the basic HD package NO voom channels the medal packages include the voom channels which IMHO don't add much content. Also you pay 299 for the 622 and you still have to pay a monthly lease fee for the box you paid 299 for if you want to buy it outright it costs 750

So $53 a month looked pretty good :-)

Dish sounds like a ripoff.

I think I'll stay with DirecTV because although you do have to subscribe to their HD tier to get a free HD receiver (after rebate), you don't have to keep the HD tier - you can unsubscribe to HD after a month and just keep the TotalChoice Basic package.

Subscription package requirements may change in March, when D* switches to a lease plan, but it will not affect existing customers who already own their HD equipment.

Anyone with mediacom notice that ky3 is 2.1 but OTA its 5.1... Also The picture quality of the HD on mediacom is awesome... No HD-Lite here :-)

Anyone with mediacom notice that ky3 is 2.1 but OTA its 5.1... Also The picture quality of the HD on mediacom is awesome... No HD-Lite here :-)

Quit your braggin, dish is never gonna hook the rest of us up :)

Quit your braggin, dish is never gonna hook the rest of us up :)


Well Mediacom may beat Dishs HD but they walk all over Mediacom on SD quality..

I have noticed that the picture on KY3 OTA has been better the last few days. At least a lot better than when the Olympics began.... much less pixeliation. Anyone else notice this....... oh and the 5.1 only seems to be on the comercials most of the time.... about blows me out of the water when they break for commercial, which is every 5 minutes btw... I think it was about every 1.5min for the Daytona 500 :P

Anyone with mediacom notice that ky3 is 2.1 but OTA its 5.1...
Do you mean DD 5.1 audio vs 2.1 from your cableco? If so, complain to the cableco.

I have noticed that the picture on KY3 OTA has been better the last few days. At least a lot better than when the Olympics began.... much less pixeliation... That's because KYTV turned off 3-3, which was a test channel carrying an SD version of their programming. Attempting to run 2 extra SD sub channels plus a 1920x1080i full HD channel just won't work well. The bandwidth just isn't there to do it correctly with MPEG2. So, KY3 turned off 3-3 so people wouldn't bitch about pixelization in the olympics.

The bad news is after the olympics are over, KYTV will be putting NBC's WeatherPlus (http://www.nbcweatherplus.com/weatherplustv/index.html) station on 3-3. So back to crappy HD on KY3. Complain to KY3's CE and GM (http://www.ky3.com/contact). Let them know how much better their HD looks with 3-3 turned off.

Just ordered directv instead of mediacom. I had to pass on mediacom because I called and they said they have no plans on adding nfl network anytime soon. Also, I saw what their sd channels look like at a friend's house and it almost made me puke. Im getting the directv total choice plus with hd tier for 21.99 for the first 3 months, then 52.98 after that. They are also putting up an off-air antenna for 49.99 but its mine to keep. at least I'll be able to pick up 2 locals in HD.

Do you mean DD 5.1 audio vs 2.1 from your cableco? If so, complain to the cableco.

Yup the audio is 2.1.. And the ladies down there probley know my name by now :-)

Just ordered directv instead of mediacom. I had to pass on mediacom because I called and they said they have no plans on adding nfl network anytime soon. Also, I saw what their sd channels look like at a friend's house and it almost made me puke. Im getting the directv total choice plus with hd tier for 21.99 for the first 3 months, then 52.98 after that. They are also putting up an off-air antenna for 49.99 but its mine to keep. at least I'll be able to pick up 2 locals in HD.

Has D* came out with its mpeg 4 HD DVR? I looked on the web site but could not see if the current HD DVR was MPEG 4 or 2.

That's because KYTV turned off 3-3, which was a test channel carrying an SD version of their programming. Attempting to run 2 extra SD sub channels plus a 1920x1080i full HD channel just won't work well. The bandwidth just isn't there to do it correctly with MPEG2. So, KY3 turned off 3-3 so people wouldn't bitch about pixelization in the olympics.


It still looks like crap as far as I'm concerned. I'm completely underwhelmed. I see lots of pixelization every night in any and all events... not just fast action as I first thought. Frankly, if this is as good as HD gets I don't give a damn about it.

Bring back analog!!! Digital SUCKS!!

Yup the audio is 2.1.. And the ladies down there probley know my name by now :-)

:-)

Just ordered directv instead of mediacom. I had to pass on mediacom because I called and they said they have no plans on adding nfl network anytime soon. Also, I saw what their sd channels look like at a friend's house and it almost made me puke...

If you get the H20 receiver(s) and have any questions, here's a link to the DirecTV H20 Offical Thread (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=7184036#post7184036).

Has D* came out with its mpeg 4 HD DVR? I looked on the web site but could not see if the current HD DVR was MPEG 4 or 2.

The girl I spoke to said it was mpeg-4, so it better be. Im kind of worried because she kept insisting that I didnt need an off-air antenna to pick up our locals in hi-def. After I demanded she ask her supervisor, she came back on the line and said "yeah, you were right. You do need an off-air antenna." :rolleyes: So she obviously didnt know crap.

EDIT: Sorry, I didnt read your post thoroughly. I chose the standard HD receiver without DVR. She said it was mpeg-4 but I dont know about the HD-DVR receivers.

The MPEG4 HD DVR is not available yet. Only MPEG-2 HD DVRs. The only D* MPEG4 receiver available right now is the H20, and it doesn't record. And even if MPEG4 DVRs were available, Springfield HD locals aren't on D* yet. That's why you still need an antenna to view local HD.

I've got Mediacoms HD DVR and I just got my HDTV today! How can I tell if the DVR is a series II or Series III? My standard def channels pretty much look terrible. I've heard that on the series III DVR's they look better.

I've got Mediacoms HD DVR and I just got my HDTV today! How can I tell if the DVR is a series II or Series III? My standard def channels pretty much look terrible. I've heard that on the series III DVR's they look better.

Couple questions.. Does it have 2 tuners? Also does it have a HDMI or DVI output...

Thanks

It has 2 tuners and it has a DVI output.

It has 2 tuners and it has a DVI output.

it is a 6412 Series II

So, the main difference in the series 3 is a HDMI output instead of the DVI, and better standard definition picture quality?

I wonder is Springfield Mediacom will be getting any series 3 in any time soon. Or do they even rent them out at all?

I wonder is Springfield Mediacom will be getting any series 3 in any time soon. Or do they even rent them out at all?

That is my understanding.. Here is a good info site for the 6412
D V R C H A T T E R . com

anybody having any luck w/ good deals for upgrading to mpeg 4 w/ dishnetwork, they offered me $50 and $5/ month rental for 1 mpeg 4 receiver.

anybody having any luck w/ good deals for upgrading to mpeg 4 w/ dishnetwork, they offered me $50 and $5/ month rental for 1 mpeg 4 receiver.
Threaten to cancel and they'll give it to you for free. It may sound harsh but it works. I called to cancel and they offered me a free mpeg-4 upgrade and the hd-tier channels for $5 a month for a whole year. I still cancelled. :D I wasnt under contract though, so if you are that probably wont work...

I just had my H20 upgrade installed this morning and the installer put up a 3LNB dish. I asked him about the 5 LNB's and he said they have only installed 4 so far, and that they can't be roof mounted because of the size and weight. They either have to be pole mounted or mounted to concrete. This sucks for me, because of the way my house is situated I can only mount on the roof, or in the front yard, which is not happening. However, I am pleased with the reciever, the quality is better than the H10, but the slow menu's are annoying.

BrodyPenn,
Looks like Springfield is not even on the list (http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=127160&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=820591&highlight=) for D* HD locals yet. So you won't need the larger 5LNB AT9 dish until at least sometime in late '07 or possibly '08. And by then, most Springfield HD locals should be OTA at full power, so you can get them OTA in full HD resolution of 1920x1080i with an antenna, vs only 1280x1080i on D*. That's 2,073,600 pixels OTA vs 1,382,400 pixels on D*.

When Springfield HD locals finally do become available on D* in '07 or '08, and if you've "moved" and want to get the 5LNB dish at that time, you'll have to "move" back home to get the 5LNB dish installed. Otherwise, they'd send the installer to your "service" address to do the 5LNB dish upgrade.

Anyone using a tuner card in a HTPC.. I am going to purchase one and wanted to know if anyone has used the FUSION HDTV 5 on mediacom to pull QAM?

I just installed a MYHD-130 today. I receive abc (33) and nbc(03) over QAM and the picture is excelllent. I also recieve a few on-demand channels, but since they start randomly, they are pretty worthless. But getting to see Las Vegas, and Lost in Hi-def will be sweet.

I just installed a MYHD-130 today. I receive abc (33) and nbc(03) over QAM and the picture is excelllent. I also recieve a few on-demand channels, but since they start randomly, they are pretty worthless. But getting to see Las Vegas, and Lost in Hi-def will be sweet.

Are you using beyond TV for your frontend?

Nope, I use Xlobby as the front end for my entire theater (DVDs ripped to hard drive, music, etc.) For MY-HD recordings, I'm using the browser interface within xlobby, to point to the 250 gig drive I bought to use with the MyHD. It is a quick, proof of concept screen at this point, and I'll pretty it up, so it looks like the rest of my setup.

I'm making manual reservations to setup recording, because TitanTV (the out of the box guide, recording setup for the MYHD) does not support QAM. It's not Tivo, but it's not that bad either. There are only specific shows that I want to record, and the fact that we only have 2 HDTV local QAM stations in Springfield, narrows the available shows somewhat.

My hope is that by the time that we get full HD locals (Fox,WB,CBS) here, the MyhdAuto program will be perfected and integrated into the MYHDs built in GUI/Guide. Odds are the MyhdAuto's progress will outpace our HD local rollout...

Does Beyond TV work with QAM scheduling?

quick check of Beyond TV site, tells me MYHD won't work with it. MYHD is a hardware only encoder/decoder, and does not have any BDA drivers.

Thanks for all that info. Off to do more research on Xlobby I am currently using Meedio for my frontend but it does not support the MyHD card due to the driver issue you stated above. Therefor I have been looking pretty hard at the Fusion HDTV also.

your welcome. Might save you some research, xlobby does not "support" myhd either. It does not have any guide/scheduling features. It is more of a GUI for accessing programs, and media managment.

It is more basic than meedio, beyond tv, etc. But I selected it because I can easily change the layout of the themes. I need to do this, because I am running a 2.35:1 scope screen. The layouts/themes that everyone designs are are for 16:9 screens, and as such don't fit my screen (elements chopped off.) I tried using meedio, but the theme editor was rather un-intuitive for me. Xlobby, while basic, made more sense to me.

If you are looking for a TiVo like expeirience, using a HDTV card in you PC, I think the fusion line is your best bet. The MYHD line will probably never be supported by apps like beyond tv, sage, etc. The flipside is that, from my reading, the MYHD cards are much more stable and problem free than the fusion line.

.. I also stopped by today after work to verify what I was getting and also to ask about the series III boxes.. She said they are out of DVR’s right now and would not have any till March.. They are going to give me a regular box until the HD-DVR is in stock.. And prorate the service until the equipment comes in

By the term "series III" are you referring to the new Tivo Series III box with cablecard capabilities?

If so, I just spoke to a customer service rep. (after reading your message) and told her if there was any possibility that Mediacom might be offering the Tivo Series III HD recorder as one of their boxes, I would be very interested in switching from DirecTV. She said they had no information about any other brand than the current Motorola units.

Can you verify if you were referring to the Tivo Series III boxes or not? If so, who at Mediacom is saying they may soon be available?

If I have misunderstood your post, please accept my apologies. I am very anxious to have a realistic alternative to DirecTV that allows recording in HD, multiple tuner recording, and more local HD than I currently get (Mediacom is at least offering ABC in HD if I understand it correctly). I am in despair that DirecTV will not offer local HD anytime soon, and then only if the stations are broadcasting OTA HD. And they will not be offering their Mpeg4-based local HD with Tivo hardware, which I'm keen to continue using.

PLM

They are talking about the series 3 Motorola box that offers HDMI output instead of DVI. I really doubt you'll ever see Mediacom renting Tivo based boxes.

By the term "series III" are you referring to the new Tivo Series III box with cablecard capabilities?

If so, I just spoke to a customer service rep. (after reading your message) and told her if there was any possibility that Mediacom might be offering the Tivo Series III HD recorder as one of their boxes, I would be very interested in switching from DirecTV. She said they had no information about any other brand than the current Motorola units.

Can you verify if you were referring to the Tivo Series III boxes or not? If so, who at Mediacom is saying they may soon be available?

If I have misunderstood your post, please accept my apologies. I am very anxious to have a realistic alternative to DirecTV that allows recording in HD, multiple tuner recording, and more local HD than I currently get (Mediacom is at least offering ABC in HD if I understand it correctly). I am in despair that DirecTV will not offer local HD anytime soon, and then only if the stations are broadcasting OTA HD. And they will not be offering their Mpeg4-based local HD with Tivo hardware, which I'm keen to continue using.

PLM

They are talking about the series 3 Motorola box that offers HDMI output instead of DVI. I really doubt you'll ever see Mediacom renting Tivo based boxes.

OK - I was afraid it would probably be something like that. I had never seen the term "Series III" applied as a phrase one would automatically associate with any brand except the Tivo, but then again, I've led a sheltered life :-)

Thanks for the reply.

PLM

Well what a interesting day this was. The tech from directv came out today to hook everything up. I ordered the H20 receiver because it is mpeg-4. The 3 sat dish that they put on the roof isnt. So the dish that was on his work order is a big 40 lb. dish that they're not allowed to put on a roof. The only way it can be installed is on a poll in your yard. Plus they charge you $75 for that. I was going to do it but we didnt have a clear line of site so I had to go with the roof 3 sat dish. Its all fine and dandy but when directv starts nation-wide locals in HD, my roof dish wont pick them up. From what my tech, and 3 other techs I spoke to on the phone from directv said, if you want locals in HD from directv in 2007 or whenever it is, you have to have a poll mounted dish in your yard. No line of site and your stuck with the off-air antenna route. Had I known all this I would have just went with mediacom. I must say though, the SD channels look 100 times better than mediacom and a little better than dish network.

I'm new to this forum and to HDTV. I was wondering how much of KY3's broadcast is actually in DD 5.1. I recently built a Media Center PC with an HDTV tuner in it. I noticed that the other night "Medium" was showing up in DD 2.0 on my receiver and so was Law & Order: SVU last night. I'm just wondering if my system is not configured right or if they are sporadic about broadcasting in 5.1.

I'm new to this forum and to HDTV. I was wondering how much of KY3's broadcast is actually in DD 5.1. I recently built a Media Center PC with an HDTV tuner in it. I noticed that the other night "Medium" was showing up in DD 2.0 on my receiver and so was Law & Order: SVU last night. I'm just wondering if my system is not configured right or if they are sporadic about broadcasting in 5.1.

I'm think I remember seeing 5.1 on KY3 before (maybe during the olympics???), but only once or twice. Most shows seem to be in 2.0, as in Medium and L&O, as you've noted.

Given our paltry choice of HD in the area, I guess we should be glad to get what we can get. At least my receiver does a decent job of simulating 6.1/7.1 from the 2.0 broadcasts.

PLM

... From what my tech, and 3 other techs I spoke to on the phone from directv said, if you want locals in HD from directv in 2007 or whenever it is, you have to have a poll mounted dish in your yard. No line of site and your stuck with the off-air antenna route. D* is coming out with a smaller 5LNB dish later this year that weighs a lot less and may not require a pole mount. By the time Springfield locals get added, the new smaller dish may be available. See the new dish in the .pdf file of the first post of this thread over at sat guys (http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php?p=491714&highlight=weather#post491714).

...At least my receiver does a decent job of simulating 6.1/7.1 from the 2.0 broadcasts... I connected the analog audio L+R cables and switch to DPLII when a broadcast is DD 2.0. Also use DPLII when DD 5.1 gets out of sync on some OTA or sat channels.

DPLII sounds very good.

are these mpeg 4 tuners giving a better sd pq than the mpeg 2, or are they only better in hd stuff?

D* is coming out with a smaller 5LNB dish later this year that weighs a lot less and may not require a pole mount. By the time Springfield locals get added, the new smaller dish may be available. See the new dish in the .pdf file of the first post of this thread over at sat guys (http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php?p=491714&highlight=weather#post491714).

well thats good news. I wonder how much they're going to charge me to upgrade to that dish...

trbizwiz,

Almost everyone has reported better picture quality with the H20 on all channels, both HD & SD. Changing from the Samsung HD boxes, I noticed a significant improvement in all channels. The picture appears less "soft" than before. YMMV, of course, depending on what display you have and how it's connected to the H20.

The improved PQ and improved Springfield OTA reception are the only reasons I bought another H20 to replace my 2nd Samsung receiver.

There are tradoffs: I hate the clunky GUI and slow guide, and this box does not receive analog OTA channels using an antenna - only digital.

There aren't any MPEG4 channels available in this area yet, so I can't comment on MPEG4 PQ...

Be aware that as of March 1, you must still pay an up front fee for an H20 or upcoming MPEG4 DVR, but you will no longer own the equipment. It is leased just like a cableco box and must be returned to D* if you cancel service or change equipment.

I have dish now w/ the old mpeg 2 boxes now. And apparently i have an 18 month contract, w/ about 14 months left. So I guess, I will just have to buy the receiver out right, they wont give me a deal. I guess it was smart on their part to lock me in for 18 months w/ old technology, so i am stuck for a year and a half at no cost to them.

I'm think I remember seeing 5.1 on KY3 before (maybe during the olympics???), but only once or twice. Most shows seem to be in 2.0, as in Medium and L&O, as you've noted.

Given our paltry choice of HD in the area, I guess we should be glad to get what we can get. At least my receiver does a decent job of simulating 6.1/7.1 from the 2.0 broadcasts.

PLM
I thought I saw KY3 in 5.1 during the Olympics one night, but it was when I was getting my system all set up. Then the next night it was in 2.0 so I thought something was wrong on my end. Thanks for the reply.

Im thinking about buying an antenna to pick up local hd channels KYTV-DT 3.1, KSPR-DT 19.1, and KOZK-DT 21.1 in Springfield. Im debating between the Terrestrial Digital DB8 and the Terrestrial Digital LacrosseA Amplified Multi-Directional HDTV antennas. I know antennasdirect.com is highly recommended by many people on these forums, but I found both of these antennas at affordablehdtv.com for a LOT less. Can someone with any experience on either of these antennas or websites give me your opinion? TIA.

I would get a Channel Master CM 4228 (http://www.warrenelectronics.com/antennas/4228.htm). Roughly same gain as the DB8 for the channels used in Springfield, for only 40 bucks + shipping at warren electronics.

Comparison of some commercially available antennas HERE (http://www.hdtvprimer.com/ANTENNAS/comparing.html).

Thanks for the links. Have you used the CM 4228? From what I read, it is just about as good as the DB8 but it is directional while the DB8 is multi-directional. I liked the idea of having a multi-directional antenna because I dont have to have it aimed perfectly, movement from wind probably wont affect it as much, and I may be able to pick up more channels.

The higher the gain, the higer the directionality. If you want something less directional, choose an antenna with less gain. How far are you from the transmitters?

I'm not currently using a CM 4228, but I know people who are, and are pleased with the antenna. YMMV

I've been planning on ordering one from warren elec. to replace the antenna that came with the house I moved into several months ago. CM4228 will also work fairly well for highband VHF channels 7-13. KOLR will likely move back to high VHF 10 from UHF 52, when analog goes dark and channels 52-69 must vacate that space.

According to antennaweb.org Im about 22 miles and I have to point my antenna east. When using a directional antenna, do you need a compass or can you get good results from just eyeballing it?

At that distance I would just get a CM 4221. Must less precise aiming needed. A compass isn't needed if you roughly know the direction of the towers. Either align for semi-decent analog reception or tune to a digital channel and tweak the antenna for highest and steadiest (non-fluctuating) signal strength.

Thanks for all the info, you've been very helpful. One more question and I'll leave you alone - Is there a tool for measuring the digital channel reception I can use while Im on my roof trying to align my antenna? I'd hate to have to keep climbing up and down from my roof to check my tv reception. I would just ask my wife to tell me out of the window but her idea of good reception probably isnt the same as mine.

A standalone SS meter would be too expensive.

If your tuner's signal strength meter has an audible beep, turn up the TV volume, open a window and listen for the beep to change as you move the antenna. If no audible meter, you need a 2nd person to help you. Use a cellphone on the roof to talk to the helper.

Have you determined the compass direction to point the antenna from antennaweb? That should be really all you need w/ a multidirectional antenna. Enter your address & 9-digit ZIP at http://www.antenaweb.org
(UNcheck the "ok to contact me" boxes so they won't send you junk mail)
On the results page, choose digital channels only and note the compass direction in degrees shown there for the channels.
Click the Street map for a graphic.

Yes I just did that. 3.1 is 97 degrees, 19.1 is 89 degrees, and 21.1 is 98 degrees. So I concluded that I should aim it between 93 and 94 degrees to pick them all up. Im using the H20 from directv but Im not sure if it has a signal strength beep or not.

EDIT: Okay I just purchased the 4228 from Warren electronics. Its probably more power than I need, but Ive read a lot of great reviews on it and I like the idea that it has at least some VHF capabilities. Warren electronics was the cheapest place I could find it, but Im kind of worried because they dont tell you how much the shipping is until after they charge your cc. Thats kind of ridiculous because if they wanted they could charge me so much it may end up being cheaper somewhere else.

Since KSPR-DT (ABC) is low power and KYTV-DT (NBC) & KOZK-DT (PBS) are full power, I would start by aiming directly at the weakest channel - KSPR-DT, or about 90° (exactly due East). If you have a multi-directional antenna like a CM 4221, a few degrees either way may not make any difference.

Where the antenna is physically installed may make more of a difference. Like cell phones or FM radio, sometimes just moving the antenna a few feet away from its present location can make a world of difference if you happened to have installed it in a "dead" spot.

Yes I just did that. 3.1 is 97 degrees, 19.1 is 89 degrees, and 21.1 is 98 degrees. So I concluded that I should aim it between 93 and 94 degrees to pick them all up. Im using the H20 from directv but Im not sure if it has a signal strength beep or not.

EDIT: Okay I just purchased the 4228 from Warren electronics. Its probably more power than I need, but Ive read a lot of great reviews on it and I like the idea that it has at least some VHF capabilities. Warren electronics was the cheapest place I could find it, but Im kind of worried because they dont tell you how much the shipping is until after they charge your cc. Thats kind of ridiculous because if they wanted they could charge me so much it may end up being cheaper somewhere else.

I've used Warren in the past and their shipping has always been reasonable and very fast. It will cost more to ship the 4228 than the 4221, which is 1/2 the size and weight of the 4228. But you will get an email telling you how much the total will be. If you want to cancel, just call 'em Monday morning. They won't bill your card until the antenna is shipped.

Where the antenna is physically installed may make more of a difference. Like cell phones or FM radio, sometimes just moving the antenna a few feet away from its present location can make a world of difference if you happened to have installed it in a "dead" spot.

So I should hook the antenna up first and find my reception before I drill any holes in my roof for the mount.

Any word on the weatherplus channel?I think I would like it if we can get rid of UPN.

Also is 33 broadcasting HD OTA at low power or just digital?

So I should hook the antenna up first and find my reception before I drill any holes in my roof for the mount.
It's not usually not practical for the typical homeowner to do with a large antenna and no portable OTA test equipment. Most professional installers (what's left of 'em) would also likely just install the antenna, and try other methods if reception was bad.

Well I just got my 4228 today. Its been raining all day so I havent put it on the roof yet, but I did set it up in my living room and Im picking up 3-1, 3-2, 3-3, 21-1, 21-2, 21-3, 33-1. Only 3-1 and 21-2 are HD though. Im hoping when I get it set up on my roof I can get 19-1. My guide shows that Im picking up 10-1 and 27-1 and it shows American Idol and The OC on 27-1 as HD. But my signal strength is only 5% and I cant get a picture. I didnt think KOLR and KSFX were broadcasting in HD yet.

One more thing - I switched from composite to hdmi and my HD channels actually look worse. With the HDMI you can see pixelation on faster moving scenes and the picture looks "grainy". The HDMI cable is "Accoustic Research" brand. From what Ive read, its a good cable. Anyone have any suggestions?

Glad your 4228 arrived so quickly. Looks like it should work fine on the roof or in maybe in your attic - if you can get it in the attic. They are kinda large!

Don't you mean you switched from component to HDMI? Anyway, some TVs actually look better using component. Use your eyes and use the connection that looks the best. But save the cable in case you ever need it IF D* is forced to use HDMI content protection by content providers. Content protection turns off HD on the component connection.

You said it looks grainy? What is your (artificial) sharpness control set on? For HD, sharpness should be turned all the way down or very low.

Well I just got my 4228 today. Its been raining all day so I havent put it on the roof yet, but I did set it up in my living room and Im picking up 3-1, 3-2, 3-3, 21-1, 21-2, 21-3, 33-1. Only 3-1 and 21-2 are HD though. Im hoping when I get it set up on my roof I can get 19-1. My guide shows that Im picking up 10-1 and 27-1 and it shows American Idol and The OC on 27-1 as HD. But my signal strength is only 5% and I cant get a picture. I didnt think KOLR and KSFX were broadcasting in HD yet.

One more thing - I switched from composite to hdmi and my HD channels actually look worse. With the HDMI you can see pixelation on faster moving scenes and the picture looks "grainy". The HDMI cable is "Accoustic Research" brand. From what Ive read, its a good cable. Anyone have any suggestions?

"Composite" cannot show an HD signal. As the previous poster mentioned, perhaps you meant component.

I thought that HDMI was a purely digital (1's and 0's) signaling standard. As long as the cable can accurately deliver 1's and 0's in the right order and at the right speed, I don't see what difference the brand or type of HDMI cable can make. Can anyone comment? Am I wrong?

PLM

Duh, brainfart. Yes I meant component. :o I just realized what my problem is. When I switched my tv to HDMI, it reset all my picture settings to default. So Im going to set them to what they were on my component connection and see if that helps.

EDIT: It helped the grainy look, but its still pixelated. It looks too..."digital". On component it looked great and on the newer, supposedly better HDMI technology its pixelated. Go figure. I also just noticed Im only getting 21-2 in at 720p.

arxaw - I doubt it will fit into my attic openening, like you said it is pretty big. I didnt realize it was that big when I ordered it. I bought a tripod to mount it on my roof so I hope it will be secure enough. Since this thing is so directional, if I wanted to buy a rotor later on would it still work with a tripod? Or will I have to get some other kind of mount?

Heres how my setup looks right now. :p

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v121/chaotic646/DSC02372.jpg

Chaotic646, I have a setup like yours, but I have my 4228 mounted on a rotor. I live in Rolla and am able to pick up 3-1 on occasion.

chaotic,
it'll look *much* better on the roof :)

If it's windy where you live, you'll probably need something more substantial to mount the 4228. It is susceptible to wind loading. Contact Warren Electronics about mounting & rotors. They are very helpful.

BTW, the dimensions of the 4221 and the double-twin 4228 are posted on their web site (http://www.warrenelectronics.com/antennas/4228.htm)

Well I just got my 4228 today. Its been raining all day so I havent put it on the roof yet, but I did set it up in my living room and Im picking up 3-1, 3-2, 3-3, 21-1, 21-2, 21-3, 33-1. Only 3-1 and 21-2 are HD though. Im hoping when I get it set up on my roof I can get 19-1. My guide shows that Im picking up 10-1 and 27-1 and it shows American Idol and The OC on 27-1 as HD. But my signal strength is only 5% and I cant get a picture. I didnt think KOLR and KSFX were broadcasting in HD yet.

One more thing - I switched from composite to hdmi and my HD channels actually look worse. With the HDMI you can see pixelation on faster moving scenes and the picture looks "grainy". The HDMI cable is "Accoustic Research" brand. From what Ive read, its a good cable. Anyone have any suggestions?

do you live in springfield, 33-1 is supposed to be very low power in city limits only?

Duh, brainfart. Yes I meant component. :o I just realized what my problem is. When I switched my tv to HDMI, it reset all my picture settings to default. So Im going to set them to what they were on my component connection and see if that helps.

EDIT: It helped the grainy look, but its still pixelated. It looks too..."digital". On component it looked great and on the newer, supposedly better HDMI technology its pixelated. Go figure. I also just noticed Im only getting 21-2 in at 720p.

arxaw - I doubt it will fit into my attic openening, like you said it is pretty big. I didnt realize it was that big when I ordered it. I bought a tripod to mount it on my roof so I hope it will be secure enough. Since this thing is so directional, if I wanted to buy a rotor later on would it still work with a tripod? Or will I have to get some other kind of mount?

Heres how my setup looks right now. :p

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v121/chaotic646/DSC02372.jpg


is that big screen in the back ground a dlp projection or crt. crt is analog technology, and will look better over component cables, those upconverting dvd players don't look very good on crt tv's either.

trbizwiz - Its aToshiba 57H84 CRT Rear-projection tv. If component looks better on CRT's, why would they put HDMI inputs on them? Im not saying you're wrong, that just seems strange to me.

About the 33-1, with my antenna in my living room Im picking up 33-1 with a 96% signal strength. 19-1 doesnt even show up on my guide though. Maybe they are going to use 33-1 for HD instead of 19-1?


arxaw - They told me this tripod would be fine. What kind of mount is more secure than my tripod? I guess I could run guy wires from it but I really hope I dont have to. As far as the rotor goes, I looked into it some more and I definitely will not be doing that. I would rather just try to sell this one and get the multi-directional DB8.

If warren told you it would be ok, then it should be. They know better than I do!
The 4228s I've see around here are on tower masts or bolted to the end of a roof peak ^ with 2 or more guy wires. But generally antennas need to be higher here, as we're on the fringe of 2 markets.

Your receiver shows 33-1 because it gets the guide and channel info from DirecTV, which remaps the channel to KSPR's analog channel. OTA-only tuners get their channel banner info from the station OTA. Evidently, the station is using the actual RF number in the PSIP channel banner info.

HDMI is added to all HDTVs now because of the copy protection crap. If networks decide to, they can shut down or downrez analog (component connections) for viewing an HD program. Whether they ever do that remains to be seen. But right now, if component looks better (and it does on a lot of TVs, especially CRT types which are analog displays), use it.

About the 33-1, with my antenna in my living room Im picking up 33-1 with a 96% signal strength.

Are you in city limits, I have the xg91 from antennaes direct, and I cant get 33-1, I was wondering if that 4228 would work better. I am out by halltown, maybe there is no hope for me out here, just too far???

Yeah I live in Springfield just off of West-Bypass. I installed my antenna on the roof today and Im getting 100% signal now on 33-1. Im also picking up 10-1 and 27-1 but only 75%-78%.

Yeah I live in Springfield just off of West-Bypass. I installed my antenna on the roof today and Im getting 100% signal now on 33-1. Im also picking up 10-1 and 27-1 but only 75%-78%.

Glad you got the antenna up and you're lucky all those stations are coming in. 75-78% is fine if it's not bouncing around too much.

I figured the 4228 would work... :)

Its not bouncing around but sometimes it gets a little blocky. Actually 27-1 was doing it pretty bad last night. Hopefully they will be turning up the power soon.

You were right this 4228 rocks. Its not as directional for me as you explained, probably because Im so close to the towers. I just had to point it east and got great reception. I even tried pointing it SE and NE and the reception didnt drop out at all.

Here's a comparison of KSFX 27-1's power and tower height vs KYTV-DT:
KSFX-DT Effective Radiated Power= 3.8kW Tower Height above avg. terrain= 585 ft.
KYTV-DT Effective Radiated Power= 967kW Tower Height above avg. terrain= 2041 ft.
KYTV-DT's power is 250 times stronger and their tower is 3½ times taller than KSFX-DT.

Reception of weak stations on low towers will vary with weather conditions and even time of day. Your reception may also change when the leaves come out on the trees. But you are picking up more stations than most people in Springfield can. A little tweaking of your antenna aim *may* help with the weaker stations like 27-1. Or it may not....

Yeah I think I'll get back up their today when the wife gets home and see if I can pick up 10-1 and 27-1 a little better. Since all my other channels dont drop out at all from moving the antenna, I should be able to concentrate on the weaker ones. To be honest, even when 10-1 and 27-1 are coming in clear I cant tell a difference between those and the normal 10 and 27. They look the same to me.

I don't know if they are HD yet. May be SD digital only right now. Not sure, since I can't pick those weaklings up 50 miles away...

Yeah they are SD digital. But I thought they would still look better than 10 and 27 analog.

EDIT: Okay, now Im kind of worried about my install. I bought all of my accessories needed to properly install from warrenelectronics. But the biggest ground rod I could find on their site was 4'. I have my antenna and my grounding block both running to the 4' ground rod but now Ive been reading on a couple different sites that you need an 8' ground rod, and it needs to be bonded to "the central building ground". I dont even know where my "central building ground" is. One of the papers that came with my antenna says to ground the antenna mast and grounding block to a 4'-8' ground rod as close to the antenna as possible but says nothing about a "central building ground". Do you guys think I'll be okay with my antenna mast and grounding block running to a 4' ground rod and nothing more? Or do I need to try to find an 8' ground rod and connect it to my "central building ground"?

I would leave the existing ground rod, but bond (connect) it to the main house power ground, which is usually a ground rod located below your electric meter box, if the meter is ouside. If you don't bond the separate ground rod to the main power ground, you risk setting up what's called a "loop current" or stray voltage created by the different locations of the two grounds. Loop current can feed into your electronic equipment through the coax and may eventually damage it. It's also against electrical codes to have a separate ground source that's not bonded to the power ground.

Grounding an antenna will not protect it or your equipment from a direct lightning hit.
The purpose of the ground is to prevent a static charge from building up on the antenna when wind blows through it. Static buildup makes the antenna more attractive to lightning.

Satellite dish antennas must also be grounded in the same way.

Well that sucks really bad. I ran my antenna coax down the opposite sde of my house than the sattelite/power ground so I could use a shorter cable. If I would have ran it down the side of my house the sattelite was on, I would have needed over 100' of cable to reach my H20, and probably a preamp. The way I did it, I only needed 40' and I have a 100% signal with no preamp. I guess I could run another ground wire from my antenna ground rod, underneath my house, to my power ground on the other side.

... I guess I could run another ground wire from my antenna ground rod, underneath my house, to my power ground on the other side.That would be the best way, especially if it's the shortest route between the two ground sources.

Today, to my surprise a QC guy from directv showed up. He said he had to check my installation. He told me the guy who installed my dish didnt weatherproof the connectors, or ground my dish properly.

He also said the KA KU 5 lnb dish CAN be roof mounted with roof braces. The installer told me the only way he could install the KA KU would be to pole-mount it and that would cost me $75. I declined so he put the 3 lnb dish up.

I guess this guy is going to be in a heap of trouble now for a terrible install and lying to me. Directv is supposed to send someone out Wednesday to take down the 3lnb and put up the KA KU.

Before I got off the phone with them, I asked if they were going to reimburse me for my inconvenience. The lady put me on hold and came back online with her supervisor. He asked how I wished to be reimbursed, and I said "I dont know, how about this season of NFL Sunday ticket half-off?" He said "How about this season of Sunday ticket for free?" :D

This whole experience has been a big hassle, but that made it worth it. The only reason I bought this 4228 and put it up was because I didnt want the KA KU mounted in my yard and I wanted to somehow pick up HD locals when they are all available. So I guess the money I spent on the 4228 and all the accessories to install it will basically pay for my free Sunday Ticket. :o

Anyone wanna buy a 4228? :p

I'm glad the lazy installer got caught up with. NFL sunday ticket thing's not bad either. Whenever you've been treated wrongly and it's obvious, when you ask them for compensation, they will nearly always give you some freebies. Sometimes, they'll offer something without you even having to ask. Not too long ago, they gave me 6mos free showtime for having to sit on hold for a LONG time.

I would keep the 4228. There will probably be channels on there that won't be on the 5LNB for a long time. And the picture quality will be better OTA, too.

Yeah I guess you're right. Plus sometimes when its raining or snowing heavily the dish loses signal and that antenna may come in handy.

As for the freebies, I doubt it costs them anything to allow my dish to pick up those Sunday Ticket channels for a few months.

The funniest part about the whole thing is the QC guy asked me about my antenna and I told him I put it up. He said besides the ground everything looked awesome, especially for me having no training and he offered me a job. I guess they are trying to get rid of their contractors and they're hiring 16 techs in the next couple months. I had to decline though because I cant stand spiders. :eek:

well im gonna give that 4228 a try, if it works better i guess ill give the xg91 to my brother he lives in springfield. I just want to get fox and cbs as soon as they become available in hd.

chaotic646,
What did warren charge for shipping the 4228?

$18, but I also ordered 50ft of coax and a 4 foot ground rod so I dont know how much it would be for just the 4228. It was all packaged in the same box.

Update on 10, 27 HD:

We won't be up in March but we are working on the project & will be up
this year. Are hope is that we are up before NFL football season. You
can check with us anytime as there is nothing on the web to keep you
posted on this project.

-----Original Message-----
Sent: Sunday, March 12, 2006 1:26 PM
To: dsmith@kolr10.com
Subject: Channels 10-1 and 27-1


Hello. I emailed KOLR 10 around June of last year (Not sure if it was
you or
not) and asked if you guys had any plans on adding hi-def for 10 and 27. I
was told that everything should be ready to go by March of 2006. Do you
know if this is still going to happen? Also, is there anywhere I can check the status without having to call/email?

Thanks,

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

That would be great if they got it going by football season.

$18, but I also ordered 50ft of coax and a 4 foot ground rod so I dont know how much it would be for just the 4228. It was all packaged in the same box.

Thanks for the info. I've ordered stuff from warrenelectronics.com before and had fast service. That seems like a reasonable amount to pay to ship all you ordered.

Yes the shipping was very fast. They shipped it 2 days after I ordered it, and I received it within 48 hours.

I sent e-mail to KSFX the other day asking if they may be on dish before they go full power OTA. They returned saying dish, directv or mediacom could pickup their HD signal anytime they wanted.

This makes me think equipment is in place to pass along an HD signal when someone will pick them up.

Good info MRUSS, does anybody have contacts at mediacom? Maybe we can get a converstation started between the parties. I'd love to watch prison break in HDTV.

Yes the shipping was very fast. They shipped it 2 days after I ordered it, and I received it within 48 hours.

THEY ARE BACK ORDERED NOW, I HAVE BEEN WAITING 2 WEEKS, THEY SAID MAYBE 7 MORE DAYS. SHIPPING $13

I know this is totally off the subject, but can anyone in the Springfield area recommend a good, reasonable ISF calibrator? Ive found several on the AVS forums but none of them live around here and obviously want extra money to travel here. I figure an ISF calibration is expensive enough as it is, no need in paying for travel expense too if I can find a good one closer to Springfield.

You can find one here (http://www.imagingscience.com/isf-trained.cfm).

I sent e-mail to KSFX the other day asking if they may be on dish before they go full power OTA. They returned saying dish, directv or mediacom could pickup their HD signal anytime they wanted.

This makes me think equipment is in place to pass along an HD signal when someone will pick them up.


What? You can pick up an HD signal on directv? Please explain becuase I can't and have also been denied a waiver.

THX10,

If you have been denied a DNS waiver and can't get a station's weak OTA signal, email a complaint to your US House (http://www.house.gov/) & Senate (http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm) representatives. "CC:" a copy to the station's General Manager. Sending it snail mail, noting who you CC: it to in the letter would be better.

Or just move your DirecTV service address to a town that qualifies for HD DNS channels.

THX10,

If you have been denied a DNS waiver and can't get a station's weak OTA signal, email a complaint to your US House (http://www.house.gov/) & Senate (http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm) representatives. "CC:" a copy to the station's General Manager. Sending it snail mail, noting who you CC: it to in the letter would be better.

Or just move your DirecTV service address to a town that qualifies for HD DNS channels.

KC HD locals are up on satellite, and my son lives up there and he has cable. I will have my new 622vip receiver next week and I'm thinking about opening another account on it in KC at his address. I might be working up there and living with him for a few months, who knows.
I don't know if it would be worth it or not but I would sure like to see the races in HD again.

KC HD locals are up on satellite, and my son lives up there and he has cable. I will have my new 622vip receiver next week and I'm thinking about opening another account on it in KC at his address. I might be working up there and living with him for a few months, who knows.
I don't know if it would be worth it or not but I would sure like to see the races in HD again.



OH TO SEE THE CHIEFS IN HD W/ NO BLACK OUTS WHEN RAMS ARE ON CBS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OH TO SEE THE CHIEFS IN HD W/ NO BLACK OUTS WHEN RAMS ARE ON CBS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Actually its the other way around. The Chiefs game is blacked out when they play on Fox if its the same time as the Rams play. Fox = NFC, CBS = AFC. But I hear you loud and clear. Im thinking about getting Sunday Ticket just so I wont have to go sit at some smoky sports bar when the Chiefs game is blacked out. I would have been pissed last season though when Sunday Ticket didnt carry that Friday night KC Vs. Miami game. I had to drive to a sports bar an hour and a half away to see it.

Actually its the other way around. The Chiefs game is blacked out when they play on Fox if its the same time as the Rams play. Fox = NFC, CBS = AFC. But I hear you loud and clear. Im thinking about getting Sunday Ticket just so I wont have to go sit at some smoky sports bar when the Chiefs game is blacked out. I would have been pissed last season though when Sunday Ticket didnt carry that Friday night KC Vs. Miami game. I had to drive to a sports bar an hour and a half away to see it.


i figured the kc locals would have the chiefs on no matter what, i know that the springfield station managers get their priorities mixed up sometimes though. And yes that miami/kc deal sucked, but it sounded like a good game on the radio, and i got some work done at the same time, although if my wife finds out i got something done during a chiefs game, they may all get blacked out LOL.

Oh yeah you're correct the KC locals would carry the Chiefs no matter what. I thought you were talking about Springfield locals. In Springfield, if the Chiefs and Rams play at the same time on FOX they show the Rams. If they both play at the same time on CBS they show the Chiefs. I wish the Rams would go back to LA because we never had to worry about it until they moved to St. Louis. :rolleyes:

Oh yeah you're correct the KC locals would carry the Chiefs no matter what. I thought you were talking about Springfield locals. In Springfield, if the Chiefs and Rams play at the same time on FOX they show the Rams. If they both play at the same time on CBS they show the Chiefs. I wish the Rams would go back to LA because we never had to worry about it until they moved to St. Louis. :rolleyes:

A...M...E...N...

Does anyone know which towns around here are able to "automatically" get HD locals via east coast feed because of their location?

I was on the phone with a rep that wanted to get this done, but every bfe place I could think of was in a local market.

If Direct would help us out like that it would sure save us time, money and hassle buying these big freakin antennas that we will only use a small number of months.

Thanks

Does anyone know which towns around here are able to "automatically" get HD locals via east coast feed because of their location?

I was on the phone with a rep that wanted to get this done, but every bfe place I could think of was in a local market.

If Direct would help us out like that it would sure save us time, money and hassle buying these big freakin antennas that we will only use a small number of months.

Thanks
I dont know of any, but I dont think they even have to be towns around Springfield. Im pretty sure you can change your service address to anywhere in the country.

Does anyone know which towns around here are able to "automatically" get HD locals via east coast feed because of their location?
mugipper,

Some addresses (http://www.whitepages.com/10001/search/ReverseAddress?housenumber=&street=main+st&city_zip=Eminence&state_id=MO) in Eminence, MO (Shannon County (http://www.truckads.com/Affiliate/Springfield.htm#map) Zip 65466) qualify (http://directvdnseligibility.decisionmark.com/app/AddressForm.aspx).

Check your Private Messages in the User CP (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/usercp.php?).

Just an update, I think this has been posted before. I like to E-Mail the local stations not offering HD at least once every couple months. Here is the last response I recieved.

"At this time, plans are for both KOLR10 and KSFX to be broadcasting full-power, high definition signals by September of this year. Thanks for your interest.

Dean Wasson "

Can't wait.

Just an update, I think this has been posted before. I like to E-Mail the local stations not offering HD at least once every couple months. Here is the last response I recieved.

"At this time, plans are for both KOLR10 and KSFX to be broadcasting full-power, high definition signals by September of this year. Thanks for your interest.

Dean Wasson "

Can't wait.

SWEET, but i'm not holding my breath

Looks like weatherplus is on.Picture quality is pretty bad.

Looks like weatherplus is on.Picture quality is pretty bad.


Brilliant planning, put on an extra channel to decrease your available bandwidth, broadcast it in poor quality, and to top it off better services are available up to the minute via the internet. Well at least they are giving us medium definition programming some of the time, although not the local news or most of the other regular programming.
Sorry that sounded a little bitter.

Just what we need; another subchannel to make 3-1 NBC-HD look worse :(

I kinda like weatherplus, if they will remove UPN maybe it won't hurt us so bad. Does anyone know what will happen with UPN this fall when they merge with WB?

Anybody else getting the Cardinals game on ESPN2 HD? It is blacked out for me. If so, I may have to "move" back to springfield.

Fox Sports Midwest has listed 17 Cardinals games that are to be broadcast in HD this year. Does anyone know if I can get these games through Dish Network?

I doubt it. I was able to get the game on FSN last night, but the ESPN and ESPNHD was blacked out. If it is the same on Sunday Night Baseball I will call and find out what is going on. Last year I watched the Cardinals every time they were on ESPN, even when it was on FSN as well.

Fox Sports Midwest has listed 17 Cardinals games that are to be broadcast in HD this year. Does anyone know if I can get these games through Dish Network?

I haven't heard anything about Dish carrying any HD from Fox Sports. Rupert will probably put that on Direct TV first.

I did see a Dodgers/Braves game on Dish Network HDPPV channel the other night, so it might be on that.

I can get more digital channels! Woohoo!

My gf found KOLR-DT flipping through the channels today and I can also get KSPR-DT. I'm not sure if they're HD as no HD content was broadcasting at that time, but thank God I can finally get something besides KY3 and KOZK! Not that there was anything wrong with those fine stations.

BTW, I live in south Springfield and am using an indoor Terk amplified directional antenna.

Again, today was the first time that I was able to get digital KOLR and KSPR channels in South Springfield.

I can always get KSFX, KYTV and KOZK. I have trouble with KOLR on a windy day, however, I was picking up KSPR last week for a couple of days, only 50% signal, but it was coming in. That only lasted a couple of days though, as now I can't get it.