Hi Falcon. I think you will get WFSB DT after WHPX DT moves though time will tell. In Groton on a single uhf WHPX DT went of the air a few weeks ago and WFSB came in. Good Luck, John

Hi Falcon. I think you will get WFSB DT after WHPX DT moves though time will tell. In Groton on a single uhf WHPX DT went of the air a few weeks ago and WFSB came in. Good Luck, John

It's more likely, but outside of tropo, I'm not optimistic. Attached is a picture from the spectrum analyzer in December. Note that I have reversed the image for clarity as UHF is reversed on this unit. While 35 is there, I don't see any sign of WFSB/33. I remember seeing blips of a signal for WFSB last summer, during tropo events.

ctdish should have more luck, but I believe it was difficult even with a quad stack on a tower (last time WHPX was temporarily dark).

Thanks to info I got form Fallon_77, I did a check of WTIC-DT and it looks like they are transmitting from the top of the tower tonight.
John

Thanks to info I got form Fallon_77, I did a check of WTIC-DT and it looks like they are transmitting from the top of the tower tonight.
John

Half power only until final work is done on Sunday.

Not sure if this has already been discussed... I did a search but don't exactly have the time to read through 200 pages. Anyway... a couple weeks ago I decided to ditch cable. I mounted an HD UHF/VHF antenna on my roof and connected it to my Vista Media Center. Since I've got an Xbox360 in my living room... the idea was to simply use it as an extender to the PC in the office. So everything's working fine... but one thing is driving me crazy.

When I scan for channels using Media Center it doesn't even provide me with an option for the 30.3 Fox WTIC and instead provides me with 61.1 I know they're supposed to be the same or whatever but... the indoor antenna that's hooked up to my living room Samsung TV (for backup purposes) is able to scan for and get that channel just fine. For what it's worth, the only 61 it picks up is the analog version... not the 61.1

I've tried giving Media Center different zipcodes in hope of 'tricking' it (thinking that my location being Wallingford had something to do with it... but nope!) If there was a way to just manually navigate to the channel I'd be ok with that workaround but so far I'm not able to do so. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Yeah. 61-1 has no signal from last night.

sorry but... that didn't really help.

Anyone?

You might do better in the home theater forum. I don't know much about media center but if you have a channel called 61.1 then the tuner is probably looking at channel 31 unless that is what the software calls the analog channel. What kind of tuner do you have some of them require a better than some TV's? Also did it come with its own software? It often will have a way of selecting a physical channel and indicating the signal strength. Another possibility is to try running TSReader and see what it sees on channel 31.
John

Are either WVIT-DT or WEDH-DT likely to make any more changes or adjustments which will increase their signal strength? At my location 61.1 is now within 4 dB or so of 3.1 and the other two are about 6 dB down from 3.1.

Are either WVIT-DT or WEDH-DT likely to make any more changes or adjustments which will increase their signal strength? At my location 61 is now within a dB or so of 3 and the other two are about 6 dB down.

My Samsung tuner is registering similar results. Tonight (Monday), WFSB and WTIC are tied at 10 out of 10 bars, WEDH is at 7 1/2 bars, but still with excellent reception, and WVIT is at 6 bars. I remember that you, Cable70 from Uncasville, and I have all noticed split-second freezes and "hiccups" on Channel 30 in the past, and we are all east of the Connecticut River.

I think that WEDH-DT is at full power and is all finished with their tweaking, but I'll defer to the two CPTV engineers who post here for the definitive answer.

WVIT/30 has their own tower on Rattlesnake Mountain that is separate from and at another location than the taller Chase tower that is host to Channels 20-1, 24-1, and 61-1. All I know about Channel 30 is that they will start broadcasting from a new studio building beginning in June. According to a January 5th Broadcasting & Cable.com article by reporter Michael Malone, WVIT's new home "will be state of the art: all HD, completely server-based", and will be one of the most advanced local television stations in the country, in the words of the general manager.

I did find on the website http://www.w9wi.com/newweb/articles/ontimesignoff.html that Channel 30 plans to end analog on February 17th, regardless of the possible passage of a federal extension bill later this week. The FCC website indicates that NBC 30 may be at 250 kW Effective Radiated Power. There is another entry giving Special Temporary Authority Effective Radiated Power at 205 kW, but that may be an out-dated entry from an earlier time.

We may just have to wait it out to see if WVIT reception improves after February 17th, in June, or never. I'm fortunate enough to get rock-steady reception from the NBC affiliate out of Springfield, Massachusetts. After seven years of having over-the-air digital channels, 22-1 has been the most reliable channel for me reception-wise.

There's no filing by WVIT. The STA is to operate at 65% power due to lightning damage. It says nothing about a date of termination.

Automated scripts are nice, but you end up with situations like that. Thus, my termination page is maintained by hand.

- Trip

Is this STA you're talking about related to their ANALOG channel 30 signal or their DIGITAL channel 35 signal? I don't bother to check analog reception here in New Britain anymore.

I own a Sanyo 26" LCD HDTV, model number of DP-26746, purchased on June 1, 2006. I presently have expanded basic cable on it, with a splitter just before the 75 ohm cable inputs. One short coax goes to the traditional VHF/UHF/CATV input while the second one goes to the DIGITAL ANTENNA input. With the QAM tuner at work, I end up receiving WFSB-DT on cable channel 91-1.

Here's what I don't get with this TV: with an indoor antenna attached to that same DIGITAL ANTENNA input, I get nearly nothing from WFSB-DT. However, when I put the same antenna onto the Insignia digital converter box sitting next to my TV, WFSB-DT comes through at roughly 2/3 on the signal meter. The other digital locals are nearly the same in terms of overall reception, in case that was needed to know.

I am presently using one of those RCA flat wing antennas that look like a giant moustache or a bat, depending on how you see the illustration on the package. I doubled the length of the existing coax by placing an inline coupler in between. I have the antenna resting above my south facing second floor window. The tips of this "moustache"/"bat" are roughly pointed east/west. It's supposed to work better if it lies flat horizontally but I have it tilted a bit upward, so it can rest on top of the window.

How is my reception right now?

WFSB "3"- About 2/3 at the absolute most
WTNH "8" - Usually good, but will dip and nearly cut out a couple times an hour
WUVN "18"- So-so, usually stable enough to watch, IF I ever need to
WTXX "20"- Strong, very reliable
WEDH "24"- EXCELLENT! Never less than 90%
WVIT "30"- Strong, very reliable
WCTX "59"- Not too bad coming from Hamden, slightly better than WTNH's signal
WTIC "61"- Strong, very reliable
WPXQ "69"- ION station from RI, stays in most of the time

The channel scan with the converter box will hesitate at channel 34, trying to lock on WHPX-DT from New London. However, since WPXQ-DT is the same thing, I won't worry about WHPX-DT. Maybe in two weeks I'll check when they move over to channel 26.

Yeah, the analog is at 65% power.

- Trip

These were in my channel line-up when I turned on the TV this evening:

Channel 8-3: Black screen, identified as WTNH-SD

Channel 8-4: SkyMax Weather, identified as WTNH-WX. This is mostly weather graphics. There was a presumably pre-recorded weather segment with meteorologist Dr. Mel shown talking, but there is no audio.

Any chance I can get some updated data on WTNH-DT? I'd like to see what the stream looks like now.

- Trip

Tripp,
When I can receive WTNH I will get another TSReader HTML for you.
John

WJAR has filed to end analog operations on 2/17, regardless of a delay. That should make WTNH easier to receive in some areas (e.g., SE CT).

http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/getattachment_exh.cgi?exhibit_id=726103

Also, WEDH and WEDW have filed applications for more power (490 vs. 465 and 91 vs. 41kW).

I would like to see WVIT move the DTV antenna to the top of the tower and increase the ERP to 500kW, but nothing yet. Hopefully, it will be more reliable when WHPX moves DTV to 26.

These were in my channel line-up when I turned on the TV this evening:

Channel 8-3: Black screen, identified as WTNH-SD

Channel 8-4: SkyMax Weather, identified as WTNH-WX. This is mostly weather graphics. There was a presumably pre-recorded weather segment with meteorologist Dr. Mel shown talking, but there is no audio.

Nice, these are presumably the old 10-4 and 10-5 with PSIP turned on, although the SD one was showing a low bitrate version of 8-1 last week. And I noticed that the weather channel now has audio but it's only on the left channel.

I really wish they would sort all this PSIP stuff out, it's a mess.

You are fairly close on the situation. Work is underway to be able to provide syndicated and other HD programming in addition to the ABC HD network feed. If I can get an estimate as to when this will be complete I'll post the details in this thread.To anyone that is interested, it appears this work might have been recently completed. I've started receiving Regis and Kelly, Jeopardy, and Wheel of Fortune in HD.

Are all systems go?

Kudos to the WTNH engineering team! I'm pretty sure this is the first OTA in CT to broadcast their syndicated content in HD, but I could be wrong on that one.

Tripp,
When I can receive WTNH I will get another TSReader HTML for you.
John

Thanks. They just applied some PSIP to the subchannels. Looks good, wonder what they'll do with the blank one. Maybe it's for WSAH-DT if they get their move to NY? Or maybe that's why there's no 8-2... ugh, I hope not.

WLNE, WNAC and WPRI have also filed to end analog operations on 2/17, so it appears that only WPXQ/69 will be left for the Providence market.

As for the Hartford/CT side, with WLNE/6 no longer a concern, maybe the FCC will finally let WEDY-DT 6 see the light of day again, but that is my own theory. The FCC seems to have their own.

I will be curious to see how effective 400W is on 6 when it is activated.

WFSB has been airing Oprah, Dr. Phil and ET (syndicated content) in HD since September. Kudos to the engineers at WFSB and WTNH and all the engineers in the Hartford market!

Kudos to the WTNH engineering team! I'm pretty sure this is the first OTA in CT to broadcast their syndicated content in HD, but I could be wrong on that one.
Seinfeld and Two and a Half Men are in HD on Fox 61, I believe.

Speaking of which, I get zero PSIP on that channel even though I get a strong signal. It's not remapped and I get no program info at all. Is this a known issue?

Just happened to be at the FCC's website (http://www.fcc.gov/) and noticed they are still proclaiming Feb. 17, 2009 as the DTV transition date. :rolleyes:

Does anybody here what will be happening with low-power Telemundo channel 50 and Telefutura channel 47? What about low-power channel 38? (I've never received channel 38 or 50 here in the south end of New Britain, and only got a weak signal in the past with 47.)

Just happened to be at the FCC's website (http://www.fcc.gov/) and noticed they are still proclaiming Feb. 17, 2009 as the DTV transition date. :rolleyes:

Um, it is. For now. Until the President rubber-stamps it :)

So, if I'm reading the ever-changing-tea-leaves right:

1) CPTV is going Feb 17, as planned. Still waiting on the FCC to pull their thumbs out on WEDY-DT.

2) WVIT has announced they're going Feb 17, but now won't, as they're still an O&O (I believe, even though NBC has announced they would like to sell it).

3) WHPX are going Feb 17.

4) WFSB is NOT going Feb 17, per Meredith (http://meredith.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=press_releases&item=473)

Everyone else is TBD.

Did I miss anything?

Um, it is. For now. Until the President rubber-stamps it :)

So, if I'm reading the ever-changing-tea-leaves right:

1) CPTV is going Feb 17, as planned. Still waiting on the FCC to pull their thumbs out on WEDY-DT.

2) WVIT has announced they're going Feb 17, but now won't, as they're still an O&O (I believe, even though NBC has announced they would like to sell it).

3) WHPX are going Feb 17.

4) WFSB is NOT going Feb 17, per Meredith (http://meredith.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=press_releases&item=473)

Everyone else is TBD.

Did I miss anything?


WFSB will probably go Feb 17th as they had analog transmitter failure and are running it at 50% power. They are not going to spend money to fix it.

On Monday evening I posted that Channel 30 would end analog on the 17th, based on information that was on a website recommended by the online column, "Northeast Radio Watch". The column gave links to that site and to Trip in VA's website, Rabbit Ears, citing that these two sites were reliable sources of what stations were turning off analog on February 17th. Trip pointed out in a subsequent post that w9wi.com runs an automated script and that the Channel 30 information was wrong. When I re-visited w9wi.com on Wednesday, they had removed Channel 30 from the list, but they added Channel 20. This also must be inaccurate, otherwise Falcon_77 would have broken the news here. Bottom line, w9wi.com doesn't appear to be as dependable as Trip's Rabbit Ears for correct information.

W9WI isn't inaccurate, in fact I use a number of his features, just that his script isn't perfect. I was made an offer to script my page and I turned it down because even though I could make mistakes, I felt a lot more confident about having picked through each one by hand.

WTXX actually did file a silent notification, just that the FCC announced a rule change so all notices up until this point are now null and have to be refiled.

- Trip

WFSB will probably go Feb 17th as they had analog transmitter failure and are running it at 50% power. They are not going to spend money to fix it.

Technically, it would make sense. It would also make sense for the Feds to not throw a giant monkey wrench into a process because of laggards.

I'm going to stick with what the parent company announces until proven otherwise :)

It would also make sense for the Feds to not throw a giant monkey wrench into a process because of laggards.

What Congress does best!

What Congress does best!

As of late Friday February 6, 2009...We were that close!...But...

The CT Commercial Broadcasters (ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC) indicated they were going to delay their analog shut off until June.

Due to that announcement, CPTV indicated they will follow the majority and also delay their analog shut off until June...

WTXX Ch 20 Waterbury may turn off on Feb 17, 2009, TBD, to allow operating the new WTXX DT-20 at Farmington and WEDW Ch 49 Bridgeport, TBD, pending FCC / attorney's meeting on Monday, may turn off on February 17, 2009 to allow operating the new WEDW DT-49 at Bridgeport.

WEDY DT-6 New Haven, awaiting FCC authorization to turn on.

WEDH DT-45 received the CP for ERP increase from 465 KW to 490 KW.
WEDW DT-49 and WEDN DT-9 ERP increases pending...

CT was acknowledged as the most DTV aware state, now it may be the most confused state as new announcements must be made to state the analog turn off has changed, for some, but not all...

I sent an email to WTXX asking them when they were going live with "This TV". Here's the response I got from Peter DiMatteo:

"We are still in the beginning stages but it should be within 90 days."

Greetings. I am new to the group and have some questions.

I am in Prospect (CT), surrounded by Waterbury, Cheshire, Bethany and Naugatuck. I am at the crest of a hill @ 900ft or so, slightly on the south facing side.

I have an attic mounted rotor-controlled Channel Master 4228 and an old Radio Shack combo, which is stationary and pointed at NYC. Both are connected to a Channel Master 7777 amp with independent UHF and VHF inputs. I also have a 1-in/4-out distribution amp with an attenuator between the 7777 output and the distribution amp input to trim the amplitude and not overdrive (though it is hard to tell where to set the attenuator).

With this setup I get the following digital channels;
Ch 2(56) WCBS: Received infrequently evenings only, but gone since the fall.
Ch 3(33) WFSB: Moderate to strong signal, but sensitive to antenna direction
Ch 4(28) WNBC: Weak but watchable in the evening, signal too low during the day.
Ch 5(44): WNYW: Moderate, sometimes weak during the day, but gone since the fall
Ch 7(45): WABC: Received infrequently evenings only, but gone since the fall.
Ch 8(10): WTNH: Strong.
Ch 9(38): WWOR: Moderate, sometimes weak during the day. Watchable.
Ch 11(33): WPIX: Got it once or twice. Weak.
Ch 18(46): WUVN: Moderate to strong signal, but sensitive to antenna direction
Ch 20(12): WTXX: Strong.
Ch 24(45): WEDH: I can see evidence of a signal, but not enough to sync
Ch 25(24): WNYE: Moderate, sometimes weak during the day, but gone since the fall
Ch 26(34): WHPN: Moderate to strong signal, but sensitive to antenna direction
Ch 30(35): WVIT: Strong.
Ch 43(42): WSAH: Strong.
Ch 49(52): WEDW: Moderate to strong , sensitive to antenna direction, gone for 2 wks.
Ch 59(39): WCTX: Strong.
Ch 61(31): WTIC: Moderate to strong , sensitive to antenna direction, but now weak.

Note that analog I get 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 11, 13, 18, 20, 21, 22, 24, 26, 30, 40, 49, 59 & 61 with varying quality, but all watchable.

So the following changes have occurred with no changes in my setup;
1 - WCBS, WNYW, WABC, WNYE have all disappeared since the fall – I would have thought that I would get better reception in the fall with the leaves off the trees.
2 - WEDW abruptly vanished 2 weeks ago.
3 - WTIC used to be fine, was gone for several days last week, and is now weak.
4 - WEDH should be watchable from my location but is just not there at all. Yet I get the other channels from the same tower. WEDY would be close to me if it is ever turned on.
Lastly, I worry that WCBS and WFSB will interfere with each other on channel 33 after the switch – but have to wait to find out.

Are others seeing similar results? Any comments as to what is causing the worsening condition?

Thanks.

1 - WCBS, WNYW, WABC, WNYE have all disappeared since the fall – I would have thought that I would get better reception in the fall with the leaves off the trees.
2 - WEDW abruptly vanished 2 weeks ago.
3 - WTIC used to be fine, was gone for several days last week, and is now weak.
4 - WEDH should be watchable from my location but is just not there at all. Yet I get the other channels from the same tower. WEDY would be close to me if it is ever turned on.


Maybe someone on the "New York, NY - OTA" AVS Forum might know why the NY channels that you listed have not come in for you since last fall. I read back a few pages here on the Hartford forum and found that WEDW did shut off on January 27th so that work could be done on the transmitter. I'm not sure if it will reappear on February 18th. WTIC changed antennas on the weekend of January 31st/February 1st. They, along with WEDH analog and digital, were not on the air that Saturday night into that Sunday past noon. WTIC is now being sent out via an antenna at the top of the tower. I don't know if the side-mounted antenna that they were using before January 31st was somehow more aimed in your direction to result in better reception for you.

I have noticed that WEDH-DT's signal is more prone to hiccups and to having my receiver pop up the "Weak or No Signal" sign for a few seconds ever since the new WTIC antenna was activated. But we just learned on this forum a few posts back that WEDH will be increasing their power. As you mentioned, you don't really need WEDH if you can get the same programs on one of CPTV's towers that is closer to you.

So there have been changes that have occurred in the last few weeks at the transmitting sites. Beyond that, I don't know the reasons for the reception issues that you are having. Many people would advise you that, for optimum reception, the antenna should be outdoors and up as high as possible rather than in the attic. But my antenna is also indoors due to lease restrictions.

If you are more than 50 or so miles from a transmitter and not line of sight, a significant signal path will be tropo scattering, This type of propagation's path loss is very variable but can cause the signal to get much stronger than predicted by static modeling programs . The most common time for this to happen in the NE is during summer evenings. WTIC changed antennas a couple of weeks ago but went to a much higher one. With both WTIC and WEDH have slight nulls in their antenna patterns to the southwest but I doubt that is your problem.
John

Thanks to all. Very helpful.

My antenna is in the attic for a different reason. My wife said, "Don't even THINK of putting THAT on the roof!"

Another observation. My Zenith converter box gets WTNH 8.1 (ABC), 8.3 (blank), and 8.4 (WTNH WX - no audio). But my digital TV gets 8.1 (ABC) and 8.4 (WTNH WX - with audio) and does not find 8.3...

very odd.

FYI Update February 17, 2009 & June 12, 2009:

WEDW DT-49 will return on February 18, 2009, right after WEDW Ch 49 turns off for the last time. A tuner re-scan will be required due to channel change.

WEDH Ch 24, WEDN Ch 53 will continue operating through June 12, 2009, and or Feds pull another...

WEDY DT-6...Only time will tell...

Rumors mill suggests WTNH Ch 8 may turn off on February 17, 2009...

Believe it when I (don't) see it...

CPTV will be testing on / off a second channel carrying "Create" on program -2 over the next week or so, getting ready to add it to the multicast.

The FCC correspondence folder for WHPX shows that they have filed to shut off analog on 2/17:
http://svartifoss2.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/corrp_list.pl?Facility_id=51980
WJAR and WPRI are also shutting off analog on 2/17. Now if only WEDN analog didn't overload my antenna amp (WEDN tends to overload my antenna amplifier unless I get it in a pattern null which really restricts my ability to aim the antenna)...

WEDH Ch 24, WEDN Ch 53 will continue operating through June 12, 2009, and or Feds pull another...

ARGGH. I guess CPTV has plenty of money to burn on wasted transmitter power (I know if WEDN NTSC stays full power until 6/12 that my family won't be contributing this year). With Connecticut having the highest ready for digital rate of any market I don't understand why CPTV needs NTSC at full power. Is there any way that WEDN analog could be transmitted at reduced power (maybe -12 dB) for the $$ and carbon footprint power savings and to keep from overloading the antenna amplifiers that those of us in southeastern Connecticut need to reliably receive the Hartford stations? I doubt any analog viewers would notice. Here in Lisbon I certainly receive both WEDN-DT and WEDH-DT at about 100% and 90% on my signal meter plus I get an acceptable picture on WEDH analog. Any viewers in Rhode Island are sure to be digital since it looks like all their other stations (except PAX) will be digital only after 2/17.

Rumors mill suggests WTNH Ch 8 may turn off on February 17, 2009...

I don't see any notice of termination this morning for WTNH so it looks like they are not shutting off analog this month.

So are there ANY commercial stations in Connecticut shutting off this month or not? What about WTXX-TV (CW) channel 20 or WCTX-TV (MY) channel 59?

So are there ANY commercial stations in Connecticut shutting off this month or not? What about WTXX-TV (CW) channel 20 or WCTX-TV (MY) channel 59?

I see only WHPX and WUVN as terminating analog this month. WTXX, WTNH and WCTX come up empty for the termination notice and the other Connecticut stations are listed on RabbitEars.Info as ending on 6/12. We should have the final list once Falcon_77 does the full search. If you search a station's FCC correspondence folder look for Notification of Termination of Analog Service; the earlier Silent Notification doesn't count.

I see only WHPX and WUVN as terminating analog this month. WTXX, WTNH and WCTX come up empty for the termination notice and the other Connecticut stations are listed on RabbitEars.Info as ending on 6/12. We should have the final list once Falcon_77 does the full search. If you search a station's FCC correspondence folder look for Notification of Termination of Analog Service; the earlier Silent Notification doesn't count.

As of the filings posted by the FCC last night, only WHPX and WUVN have filed to end on 2/17 for Hartford/New Haven (Assuming WEDW is still technically part of NYC). Perhaps there are some filings that didn't make last nights sweep, but it looks like WTXX is keeping analog for now, along with all the others.

Providence is going to end analog on 2/17, except for WPXQ/ION and WNAC, which wants to nightlight on 64 (if they can).

Assuming WHPX flash cuts back to 26, the situation should be much improved with WJAR analog 10 ending and WHPX ending ops. on 34.

Since I can easily receive analog WEDH/24 in Mystic, perhaps CPTV can re-consider WEDN's analog status, but probably not for at least another month+.

Considering its low OTA rate and high preparedness, I would have like to have seen Hartford follow Providence, but it was not to be.

Is there any way that WEDN analog could be transmitted at reduced power (maybe -12 dB) for the $$ and carbon footprint power savings and to keep from overloading the antenna amplifiers that those of us in southeastern Connecticut need to reliably receive the Hartford stations?

WHPX is the station that causes overload problems on my setup. I have a notch filter for 26, which is another reason I hope they end 34 sooner rather than later. As WEDN is a bit off the line to Farmington (from where I am at) and since I don't have LOS to it, I doubt it is contributing to overload at my location.

I wish WHPX would move to Farmington and sell their existing tower to be a DTS site for one or more stations.

As of the filings posted by the FCC last night, only WHPX and WUVN have filed to end on 2/17 for Hartford/New Haven (Assuming WEDW is still technically part of NYC). Perhaps there are some filings that didn't make last nights sweep, but it looks like WTXX is keeping analog for now, along with all the others.

Providence is going to end analog on 2/17, except for WPXQ/ION and WNAC, which wants to nightlight on 64 (if they can).

Assuming WHPX flash cuts back to 26, the situation should be much improved with WJAR analog 10 ending and WHPX ending ops. on 34.

Since I can easily receive analog WEDH/24 in Mystic, perhaps CPTV can re-consider WEDN's analog status, but probably not for at least another month+.

Considering its low OTA rate and high preparedness, I would have like to have seen Hartford follow Providence, but it was not to be.
Thanks for the update.
I also hope CPTV reconsiders for WEDN. Note only does Connecticut lead in digital preparedness but now that WEDH is at the top of Chase's tower only viewers near the Rhode Island border with a poor sight line to Hartford need WEDN. Those are the same viewers that would be receiving the major networks from Providence. Since all those stations will be digital only those folks will be watching digital anyway so WEDN-DT will cover them. In the meantime WEDN's analog signal just burns power wasting $$ and carbon footprint.

If I read the FCC notice right WHPX needs to file an STA to flash cut. I wonder how long that process takes.
Also does WNAC want to start using channel 12 for DTV? They presently use channels 54 and 64 and are out of core. WNAC 12 would interfere with WTXX as long as TXX stays on 12.
John

If I read the FCC notice right WHPX needs to file an STA to flash cut. I wonder how long that process takes.

The FCC's been granting STAs like they're going out of style (much as analog TV already has!) so it probably wouldn't take long.

In fact, they filed for that STA last Wednesday, we'll see when the FCC grants it.

- Trip

Thanks for the info. That's good news. Maybe I will find out on the 18th.
John

Thanks for the update.
I also hope CPTV reconsiders for WEDN. Note only does Connecticut lead in digital preparedness but now that WEDH is at the top of Chase's tower only viewers near the Rhode Island border with a poor sight line to Hartford need WEDN. Those are the same viewers that would be receiving the major networks from Providence. Since all those stations will be digital only those folks will be watching digital anyway so WEDN-DT will cover them. In the meantime WEDN's analog signal just burns power wasting $$ and carbon footprint.

Believe me when I say this; There is no one, NO ONE, in the world who would like to see WEDN-53 go off on 2/17/09 more than me. I've been waiting to throw the switch for more than 10 years. But, the Engineering Department had no say in the decision. It was an top management decision. We will all have to live with that decision for the next four months. Your aruments are all valid but they had nothing to do with the final decision. Go back and read jzareski's post from last Saturday (2/7/09). :mad:

I still remember the days when I had to rely on a snowy color signal of WEDN-TV for my CPTV in New Britain, since WEDH-TV channel 24 could never come in right from their old Avon Mountain site.

Hi CTDISH, John. I see from the shot of the analyzer that you are in a tough spot. I hope things get better after the analog shutdown. You dont even have 33 in the noise floor from what I see. When I did my setup I at least had 33 present, it was just being torn from adjacent 34 so I didnt give up. I will get a shot of it from my analyzer and post it up. You can see 33 stronger than 34 after I tweeked the antenna in Groton and I can see the WHPX tower across the Thames river. Talk soon, John Breton

You are talking about the cable TV tower right? How high above sea level is the Hartford antenna?
The spectrum analyzer here is an old design that raises the noise floor on the display higher than it actually is at the TV. I don't know if a better one could see 33 or not though. My location is about as good as it gets in Mystic and a few other locations in the area I have visited get much worse UHF reception. Back a few years ago WHPH-DT would sign off at midnight and I was able to get weak reception on channel 33 so I am looking forward to WHPX moving off channel 34.
John

I emailed WGBY asking if they were still going through with the switch to channel 22 and got the following reply today:

"Thank you for your inquiry into WGBY’s recent digital transition. Yes, we are planning to move to digital 22 in February. There will be a few days when our signal will not be available to complete the switch. ... As the result of upgrading our equipment we are currently in the process of installing a larger and more powerful antenna and expect to be at full power by February 17th, 2009 at which time our signal strength should be much stronger."

Hi John. I think I know your location and you do have a good spot in Mystic so thats why I was supprised to see 33 wasnt on the analyzer. The tower is an est 300 ft AMSL and the antenna is 80 ft up. It is 2-12 element Yagi combined so I can to create the null of 34. To get LOS to Avon I have to point thru the WHPX tower. I am just lucky to point the antenna 4 degrees north and the other 4 degrees south to create the null and actualy gain signal on 33. I cannot use the 33 signal without a low noise 20 dB amp. Talk soon, John

CPTV will be testing on / off a second channel carrying "Create" on program -2 over the next week or so, getting ready to add it to the multicast.


Lost in the transition noise...

Great - more 1080i multicasting. :rolleyes: Will this go onto all of the affiliates? I'd suggest maybe not carrying it on WEDW, as there's tremendous overlap with WLIW, which has no HD to make suffer with a multicast.

Lost in the transition noise...

Great - more 1080i multicasting. :rolleyes: Will this go onto all of the affiliates? I'd suggest maybe not carrying it on WEDW, as there's tremendous overlap with WLIW, which has no HD to make suffer with a multicast.

The -2 (2Mb/s) would be distributed throughout CPTV's realm.

Well, the FCC has handed the Providence stations their marching orders. Unless they can meet the "laundry list" of requirements (see the following link for info), they won't be going anywhere.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=15800974#post15800974

The "Groundhog Day" reference seems most appropriate. Maybe they can do a re-make, with Bill Murray as a TV station engineer.

Here is the full list of stations that have been advised that their "early" transition is NOT in the public interest:

http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-09-7A2.pdf

At least WSBE and WLWC got out while they could.

WNAC had been planning to operate the 26kW Non-Directional facility. Perhaps that wouldn't be allowed with WTXX not going anywhere for a while.

WNAC is replacing analog WPRI so there is some power level that they could operate at that would not cause more interference than now.
Also at 1230 PM WJAR just ran a half hour porgram saying they would shut down on Feb 17 and what to do about it.
John

I know WFSB delays the Late Late Show so they can run the company-owned Entertainment Tonight. I'm guessing they have a commercial grade TiVo to delay a hour long show by a half hour.

Every night there's a flash on the screen. I recorded a show a couple days ago, and caught a frame that shows a CBS produced NCAA basketball game with a score of Arizona St. 20, at UCLA 13 with 10:09 in the first half.

Edit: I saw it again later in the show, and it's the same image frame flashing up again.

It's too fast for a Super Bowl porn "mistake".

Is it just something screwed up with their TiVO, or are they trying to get a message in my brain to watch basketball?

The -2 (2Mb/s) would be distributed throughout CPTV's realm.

Thanks for the honest answer - was a bit snippy on my part.

Can't blame mgmt for taking this - Create is actually a great product that I watch frequently from WLIW-DT3.

I am a little confused and need some clarity. Why would congress care to change the date of the transition and knowing the cost in running both an analog and digital transmitter, why would the stations and networks want to continue both given the option. Why does a station have to shut of the analog if they want to continue broadcasting it? Im sure the FCC can charge them for the space. Wasnt this whole thing supposed to be bandwith consolidation? I would like to just get this DTV transition over with. Im going to loose my analog DX ing ability and digital dx ing is cool but conditions have to be perfect or you get crazy bit errors. I would like some opinions on what people think. Thanks, John.

I have a question about WTNH-DT and their local presentation of HD programming: While tinkering with my indoor antenna this morning, I saw Live With Regis and Kelly. Did WTNH have a 4:3 picture filling the 16:9 screen? It looked absolutely awful! I am 100% certain I didn't touch the "PIX SHAPE" button on my remote. I switched over to WFSB to check Dr. Phil and NBC for Today. Both of those shows were in HD like they usually are. I noticed the same issues with WTNH-DT with both 8-1 on the antenna and 90-3 with my TV's QAM tuner.

This is just in this afternoon from the Providence Journal:

http://newsblog.projo.com/#447990

The FCC has told WNAC FOX 64 to stay on for two weeks after Feb 17th and WLNE ABC 6 for an additional two months after the 17th to broadcast DTV transitional information and local news - no other programming.
Only WJAR NBC 10 and WPRI CBS 12 will shut off the analog on the 17th.

This idea of staying on the air after the original date is a waste of time and money in my opinion.

Anyone in Hartford having trouble with WPXQ (69-1) tonight? I normally get it with a full 90% signal. Tonight, I've got zero bars. I thought they were staying on 17 after the transition.

WPXQ-DT is on 17 right now. 8:25PM.
John

FYI Update February 17, 2009 & June 12, 2009:

WEDW DT-49 will return on February 18, 2009, right after WEDW Ch 49 turns off for the last time. A tuner re-scan will be required due to channel change.

WEDH Ch 24, WEDN Ch 53 will continue operating through June 12, 2009, and or Feds pull another...

WEDY DT-6...Only time will tell...

Rumor mill suggests...edit out...Oh forget it...Believe it when I (don't) see it...

CPTV will be testing on / off a second channel carrying "Create" (SD 2 mb/s +/-) on program -2 over the next week or so, getting ready to add it to the multicast.

FYI:
As of Friday, February 13, 2009, CPTV was waiting on receiving the STA to turn off the WEDW Ch 49 Bridgeport analog transmitter on Tuesday night February 17, 2009 at 11:59:59 PM EST. This would allow the turn on of the new WEDW DT-49 Bridgeport digital transmitter, finally back on the main antenna atop the tower, on February 18, 2009 at 12:01 AM EST.

Well, Monday February 16, 2009 is a Federal holiday.

This week in review:
CPTV's FCC attorney will notify as late as end of business day on Tuesday, February 17, 2009, if the FCC granted the WEDW Ch 49 analog turn off STA.

CPTV received the CP for increasing the WEDH DT-45 Hartford digital ERP from 465 kW to 490 kW. Change to be scheduled.

CPTV is waiting on a CP for increasing the WEDW DT-49 Bridgeport digital ERP from 40 Kw to 90 Kw.

CPTV is waiting on a CP for increasing the WEDN DT-9 Norwich digital ERP from 1.25 kW to 4.2 kW.

CPTV FCC attorney requests FCC to grant WEDY DT-6 New Haven digital (0.4 kW ERP) program test authority and turn on.

Next week?...CPTV won't know until late Tuesday, February 17, 2009.

Status quo...CPTV analogs, WEDH Ch 24 Hartford and WEDN Ch 53 Norwich will remain on until June 12, 2009 and or pending other government hoops and mandates.

Rumors mill suggests...Oh forget it, seems just about every CT analog station is staying on now...except...believe it when I (don't) see it...

Z

I have a few questions..

1) WFSB 3.4 has such poor pic quality and the audio is NEVER in synch. Why even waste the bandwidth??

2) Has anyone noticed the occasional audio problem on WFSB 3.1 where you only hear background noise? I'm listening in stereo (no surround) on my STB, if I switch to the 3.2 program it is fine. This happened on several Monday nights during CBS primetime shows.

2) Why isn't WTIC 61.1 broadcasting HD in 1080i? Usually comes in at 720. With no other subchannels, they have the capacity.

3) WEDH 24.2 24.3 24.4- they have channel mapped on all my STB's/TV's but there's nothing there. I heard here that there's something in the works for 24.2, but what about 24.3 and 24.4

4) WTNH 10.4 (weather) Still no audio?? Is anyone at WTNH aware of this?

2) Why isn't WTIC 61.1 broadcasting HD in 1080i? Usually comes in at 720. With no other subchannels, they have the capacity.

Fox provides its programming to its affiliates in 720p.

- Trip

1) WFSB 3.4 has such poor pic quality and the audio is NEVER in synch. Why even waste the bandwidth??

3) WEDH 24.2 24.3 24.4- they have channel mapped on all my STB's/TV's but there's nothing there. I heard here that there's something in the works for 24.2, but what about 24.3 and 24.4

4) WTNH 10.4 (weather) Still no audio?? Is anyone at WTNH aware of this?

1) A Channel 3 engineer posted here awhile ago that the intended audience for that feed, Fairfield County, actually receives it not over-the-air, but via another means (maybe fiber/coax) that arrives at the head-end of that area's cable system. The engineer wrote that the viewers in Fairfield County don't see the extremely poor quality that is on OTA Channel 3-4. WFSB started a separate digital stream for "the gold coast" of southwestern Connecticut so that it could sell commercial time for businesses and products aimed at that locality. The ads may vary from the commercials that are on the main channel, 3-1. With 3-1 for most of Connecticut, 3-4 for Fairfield County, and 3-2 intended for Springfield, Massachusetts, the station has the potential to triple its inventory of local commercial time (and revenue). As for why 3-4 has to be put out over-the-air at all, that's a good question. It might satisfy some FCC rule about the station's total coverage area.

3) A CPTV engineer posted that, when digital Channel 24 first signed on over-the-air last year, 24-2, -3, and -4 were intentionally put up as black screen "placeholders". It was easier from an engineering standpoint because those subchannels had existed previously in the early 2000s for feeds to cable systems, and it was thought that these subchannels would eventually have content on them again in the future. It may be awhile before 24-3 and 24-4 have programming on them, so you might want to de-select or uncheck them from your set-top box or TV's master channel list. That way, you won't have to keep seeing channels with black screens as you surf up and down the channel line-up. The engineer will probably break the news here on this forum when/if 24-3 and 24-4 become active streams. He did announce here that 24-2 will soon air PBS' "Create", which has cooking, sewing, painting, gardening, travel, and other "how-to" shows.

4) Not only was there never any audio on Channel 8-4 as displayed by my Samsung external digital tuner since this subchannel first appeared, now there is no picture either (when I checked this channel Friday evening and today, Saturday). Maybe WTNH-WX is still a work-in-progress.

Right now WTNH-WX appears to be scrambled. Both the audio and video were in the clear when I last checked a week or two ago. The audio would come on my TV but not on a Dish 211 receiver so the above poster's receiver may have behaved like the 211. I wonder if the wether channel was supposed to be available to all or if that was a mistake.
John

1) A Channel 3 engineer posted here awhile ago that the intended audience for that feed, Fairfield County, actually receives it not over-the-air, but via another means (maybe fiber/coax) that arrives at the head-end of that area's cable system. The engineer wrote that the viewers in Fairfield County don't see the extremely poor quality that is on OTA Channel 3-4. WFSB started a separate digital stream for "the gold coast" of southwestern Connecticut so that it could sell commercial time for businesses and products aimed at that locality. The ads may vary from the commercials that are on the main channel, 3-1. With 3-1 for most of Connecticut, 3-4 for Fairfield County, and 3-2 intended for Springfield, Massachusetts, the station has the potential to triple its inventory of local commercial time (and revenue). As for why 3-4 has to be put out over-the-air at all, that's a good question. It might satisfy some FCC rule about the station's total coverage area.

I get the "WFSB Fairfield County" feed on Cablevision and it looks fine, no different then what the other feed looked like. There are very few actual commercials during the news at 6PM, mostly it's PSA's.

I am a little confused and need some clarity. Why would congress care to change the date of the transition and knowing the cost in running both an analog and digital transmitter, why would the stations and networks want to continue both given the option. Why does a station have to shut of the analog if they want to continue broadcasting it? Im sure the FCC can charge them for the space. Wasnt this whole thing supposed to be bandwith consolidation? I would like to just get this DTV transition over with. Im going to loose my analog DX ing ability and digital dx ing is cool but conditions have to be perfect or you get crazy bit errors. I would like some opinions on what people think. Thanks, John.

Simply Money. Do you think that existing wireless companies want to free up the bandwidth for start up wireless companies?

It looks like WGBY, the western Massachusetts PBS affiliate that can be received over-the-air in northern Connecticut, will not move to its final channel assignment, digital channel 22, and to its higher and more powerful antenna, until mid-April.

A reporter on tonight's 6PM 22News said that WWLP, the current occupant of analog channel 22, will broadcast emergency information on that channel for the next 60 days before relinquishing the frequency to WGBY/57.

Regular programming ends on Channel 22 analog at 11:35PM, Tuesday, February 17th. Then the "nightlight" service begins.

FYI:
As of Friday, February 13, 2009, CPTV was waiting on receiving the STA to turn off the WEDW Ch 49 Bridgeport analog transmitter on Tuesday night February 17, 2009 at 11:59:59 PM EST. This would allow the turn on of the new WEDW DT-49 Bridgeport digital transmitter, finally back on the main antenna atop the tower, on February 18, 2009 at 12:01 AM EST.

Z

jzareski - I have 3 Sony DVRs that use the TVGOS service for listings. Right now I am getting listings from Channel 24 one one (OTA) and Comcast Channel 7 (cable) on the other two. From the Sony DVR page and from some other sources, I've been led to believe that PBS stations will no longer be transmitting the TVGOS listings when the digital switch happens, after which the digital TVGOS will be coming from the local CBS affiliate. I have been unable to confirm from anyone at WFSB or Macrovision (TVGOS parent) whether 3-1 will be carrying this signal whenever the transition actually occurs. I got a less than informative response from Macrovision saying that I "should be all set" after the switch. What do you know from your end at CPTV? Thanks.

I don't see hartford on this list for TVGOS: http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=tvgos

I have a question about WTNH-DT and their local presentation of HD programming: While tinkering with my indoor antenna this morning, I saw Live With Regis and Kelly. Did WTNH have a 4:3 picture filling the 16:9 screen? It looked absolutely awful! I am 100% certain I didn't touch the "PIX SHAPE" button on my remote. I switched over to WFSB to check Dr. Phil and NBC for Today. Both of those shows were in HD like they usually are. I noticed the same issues with WTNH-DT with both 8-1 on the antenna and 90-3 with my TV's QAM tuner.We've just recently started getting syndicated content in HD on WTNH. Occasionally there appears to be some glitches. I know for sure, one day, we hopped back and forth from HD to SD and vice versa. They might still be working out the kinks.

I wish I still had the 2/13 episode on my HD TiVo to confirm.

I don't see hartford on this list for TVGOS: http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=tvgos

It's coming soon to a theater near you. No really, Z will have the definitive answer for you.:p

It's in the works for the Hartford market.

jzareski - I have 3 Sony DVRs that use the TVGOS service for listings. Right now I am getting listings from Channel 24 one one (OTA) and Comcast Channel 7 (cable) on the other two. From the Sony DVR page and from some other sources, I've been led to believe that PBS stations will no longer be transmitting the TVGOS listings when the digital switch happens, after which the digital TVGOS will be coming from the local CBS affiliate. I have been unable to confirm from anyone at WFSB or Macrovision (TVGOS parent) whether 3-1 will be carrying this signal whenever the transition actually occurs. I got a less than informative response from Macrovision saying that I "should be all set" after the switch. What do you know from your end at CPTV? Thanks.

FYI...Most TVGOS CBS O&Os, but Hartford CBS is not a CBS O&O...

The Meredith owned CBS affiliate in Hartford / New Haven, CT DMA decided not to carry TVGOS. GemStar through PBS National Datacast approached CPTV to place a DTV TVGOS encoder at the WEDH DT-45 Hartford transmitter.

Unfortunately, one hitch, most CT CableTV companies have transitioned to the CPTV HD direct fiber feed. More than one CableTV company indicated they would switch from the CPTV HD direct fiber feed and go to the WEDH DT-45 Hartford OTA feed if it had TVGOS.

CPTV informed PBS National Datacast of the scenarios, requesting a master DTV TVGOS encoder at the studio to feed all transmission paths and if later found necessary additional ones for the transmitters.

A work in progress...equipment coming. WEDH Ch 24 Hartford analog, WEDN Ch 53 Norwich analog and the direct fiber analog feeds remain on-the-air until June 12, 2009 with analog TVGOS, or until alternate DTV TVGOS encoder(s) are in place.

WEDW Ch 49 Bridgeport analog will go off this evening, Thursday February 17, 2009 around 11:59:59 PM EST+/-.

WEDW DT-49 Bridgeport digital will then come on, a few minutes later, Wednesday morning February 18, 2009 around 12:01:00 AM EST+/-.

A tuner rescan will be necessary as WEDW DT Bridgeport changed channels, moving from DT-52 to DT-49 (PSIP will remain WEDW 49-1) and back to the tower top mounted main antenna...yeah...We'll see if we get any reports.

CPTV operators were instructed to leave the three DTs on 24/7/52...yeah...

Checking at 12:30 AM:

I had zero signal with WVIT-DT (NBC) channel 35. [Transmitter work?]

WHPX-TV (ION) via Comcast channel 10 was a generic black screen with white letters, basically stating that the station was preparing their digital transmitter (or something to that effect). It looks as if Comcast had carried the over-the-air signal of analog WHPX.

I was looking on my analyzer and had it at the time WHPX 34 went off the air about 12:05 and been checking off and on and 35 has been there.
Comcast does get WHPX via OTA, 12:55 and not back on yet, (Yawn) time to go home and cross my fingers that my receiver re tune does the job for when they fire it back up.

Update from New Britain at about 7:20 AM, using an Insignia digital converter box, resting next to my Sanyo 26" LCD HDTV:

WUVN-DT (UNI) channel 46 must be off the air because I'm showing nothing whatsoever. Did a total scan first and then went to 46 with the tuner manually. Nothing.

WHPX-DT (ION) is now on channel 26. The signal meter is also showing a much-improved signal over what I'd get with their old channel 34 signal.

While I'm here, does anybody know if somebody will use channel 42 for digital? My box hesitates on that one channel, as if it's trying to lock on a signal.

great news on WEDW-DT - I'll be checking when I get home. I'll also confirm that D* probably muffed the channel change :) (lordy what a silly OTA bug so as not to allow scanning)

While I'm here, does anybody know if somebody will use channel 42 for digital? My box hesitates on that one channel, as if it's trying to lock on a signal.

WSAH-DT?

- Trip

I have a few questions..

1) WFSB 3.4 has such poor pic quality and the audio is NEVER in synch. Why even waste the bandwidth??

2) Has anyone noticed the occasional audio problem on WFSB 3.1 where you only hear background noise? I'm listening in stereo (no surround) on my STB, if I switch to the 3.2 program it is fine. This happened on several Monday nights during CBS primetime shows.

2) Why isn't WTIC 61.1 broadcasting HD in 1080i? Usually comes in at 720. With no other subchannels, they have the capacity.

3) WEDH 24.2 24.3 24.4- they have channel mapped on all my STB's/TV's but there's nothing there. I heard here that there's something in the works for 24.2, but what about 24.3 and 24.4

4) WTNH 10.4 (weather) Still no audio?? Is anyone at WTNH aware of this?
The tuner is "key" to getting the audio to be in sync for 3.4. Some tuners can decode it properly (like the Radio Shack Digi tuner) and some do not (for example a lot of older LG and Samsung tuners). I know that that stream is in sync though at a low quality/bit rate. Its the same reason why some of you cant see WTNH's weather channel and some of you can. The newer the generation tuner you have, the better it will decode.

As for 3.1 having "motorboating" or "rear channel" audio. CBS made a drastic move at the beginning of February and went to continuous 5.1 encoding and full time HD feeds to their affiliates and also changed their transponder size to fit more into less. Since that time, CBS has been giving their affiliates "crap" for audio. What you are hearing is CBS messing up the metadata that is encoded into the shows. What you should also see is that there is a constant 5.1 signal now on 3.1.

A work in progress...equipment coming. WEDH Ch 24 Hartford analog, WEDN Ch 53 Norwich analog and the direct fiber analog feeds remain on-the-air until June 12, 2009 with analog TVGOS, or until alternate DTV TVGOS encoder(s) are in place.
.

Thanks - that's the first concrete info I've been able to get on the subject for our area.

I know that my DVRs are capable of working with the digital TVGOS as it has been done in other parts of the country that have the digital signal active. Been holding out getting a Cablecard for one of my units in case there wasn't going to be an available TVGOS source - looks like I can make that call now!:)

I got my first digital receiver about 9 years ago and when propagation was perfect I could get WTNH DT for a few second and then nothing for weeks. Up until midnight yesterday it was intermittent at best but has been solid since WJAR analog went dark. Finally!!

Agant86 or joehorn is the weather channel from WTNH supposed to be receivable? I was getting it a few weeks ago but nothing now and TSReader shows it as scrambled.
John

Scrambled. Unscrambled weather is on WCTX-DT2

The tuner is "key" to getting the audio to be in sync for 3.4. Some tuners can decode it properly (like the Radio Shack Digi tuner) and some do not (for example a lot of older LG and Samsung tuners). I know that that stream is in sync though at a low quality/bit rate. Its the same reason why some of you cant see WTNH's weather channel and some of you can. The newer the generation tuner you have, the better it will decode.


Well, it's not as if I'm going to be watching the 3.4 channel much anyway. I've taken it out of my list so I don't have to scroll by it anymore. The tuner I have is a Zenith DTT901, which I didn't think it was really old. The other tuner that this happens on is a Magnavox which I bought at Wal-Mart.

Well, it's not as if I'm going to be watching the 3.4 channel much anyway. I've taken it out of my list so I don't have to scroll by it anymore. The tuner I have is a Zenith DTT901, which I didn't think it was really old. The other tuner that this happens on is a Magnavox which I bought at Wal-Mart.

My Zenith CECB has the audio way out of sync. My DigitalStream CECB has the audio correctly in sync.

After the Rhode Island and New London analog shut downs with my UHF antenna pointed to maximize WFSB-DT I have been receiving it on my Channelmaster STB with a quality level varying around 20% to 50% and no dropouts so far. Without turning the antenna I receive WTIC-DT, WEDH-DT and WVIT-DT solidly with >90% quality (oh yeah- I get WHPX-DT at 100% also). I adjusted my VHF-Hi antenna to optimize reception of WTNH-DT which was only a few degrees south of the UHF pointing angle (very sensitive to pointing angle- a couple degrees either way and WTNH-DT drops out entirely) but I get wildly varying quality levels for it anyway (0% to 90%) and it dropped out completely during last night's snow storm. Before the WEDN-DT switch from 45 to 9, I received WTNH-DT fairly reliably, now it seems WEDN-DT (quality is at 100% for most pointing directions, 90% to 100% when pointed for best WTNH-DT) is interfering with WTNH-DT. Since in his 2/14 update jzareski stated that CPTV was waiting for a CP to increase WEDN-DT to 4.2kW the adjacent channel interference will increase by over 5dB soon which will probably make WTNH-DT completely undecodeable for me. I have enclosed my post-transition tvfool report, what do you think is my possibility for getting WTNH-DT then? I am considering a horizontal stack of 2 VHF-Hi antennas about 6' apart to place a null at WEDN-DT, do you think that would make WTNH-DT reliable? I receive the analog WTNH signal (that tvfool shows I get with a 7dB noise margin) on channel 8 with a little impulse noise snow and no ghosts.

John,
I wonder if you are getting overload from WEDN. I was able to get WVIT when WHPX was on 34 which was probably a worse adjacent channel difference. If you have a preamp on VHF try removing it.
John

Thanks, John. Yes overload from WEDN can be a problem for me but the shut-off of WHPX analog and move of WHPX-DT seems to have helped. The VHF antenna is not that far below the UHF one (maybe 4') and it might be reducing the WEDN-53 null I need to keep the amp from overloading but all my Hartford stations seem unaffected by how I point the VHF antenna. I needed the amp to receive WFSB and rather than rearranging my system (maybe to a UHF-only amp if WEDN-DT can still overload the amp after WEDN-53 is off) I guess I will just need to wait for June's shut-off before I try to improve things.

Actually I was only thinking about channel 9 but I guess you have to worry about ch 53 also. Here the worst offender causing overload is channel 17 when I point to Providence.
John

I needed the amp to receive WFSB and rather than rearranging my system (maybe to a UHF-only amp if WEDN-DT can still overload the amp after WEDN-53 is off)

Are you amplifying both UHF and VHF? Which pre-amp are you using?

I would suggest by-passing the amp for the VHF side (combine it after the Pre-Amp PIM) to see if it helps, though I recognize that WTNH is very weak and may be tough to receive w/o an amp.

great news on WEDW-DT - I'll be checking when I get home.

Can anyone report on reception of WEDW since it (presumably) moved to 49?

WUVN-DT (UNI) channel 46 must be off the air because I'm showing nothing whatsoever. Did a total scan first and then went to 46 with the tuner manually. Nothing.

Did WUVN-DT return? Also, can anyone confirm that analog WUVN/18 went dark? Thanks.

18 was never very strong here but I saw absolutely nothing there today.

WUVN-DT looks fine here in New Britain just now. I only saw their carrier on in Newington for much of Wednesday.

Can anyone report on reception of WEDW since it (presumably) moved to 49?

Does it count that we see WEDW DT-49 Bridgeport OTA at CPTV Hartford?

CPTV welcomes reports too..

WEDW DT-49 was turned on Wednesday morning February 18, 2009 at 12:03 AM EST. Lost viewers that morning needed to be reminded to rescan their DTV tuners as although the virtual channel remained 49-1, the physical channel had changed from 52 to 49. Now the virtual channel matches the physical.

WEDW DT-49 also switched from the side-mounted DT-52 antenna and back to the original main top mounted Ch 49 antenna.

During the UConn Women's Basket Ball game that following night, many thankfully viewers reported good OTA reception.

Are you amplifying both UHF and VHF? Which pre-amp are you using?

I would suggest by-passing the amp for the VHF side (combine it after the Pre-Amp PIM) to see if it helps, though I recognize that WTNH is very weak and may be tough to receive w/o an amp.
I am using the Channel Master 7777 with separate UHF and VHF inputs. WTNH-DT has not dropped out completely again since the snowstorm so maybe I am OK for now. I suppose I could run another coax from the VHF antenna to the basement and combine the signals after the pre-amp power supply if I need to. I am also using a Channel Master 3044 distribution amp in the basement with a channel 26 trap on the UHF antenna and a channel 69 trap and a Winegard tuneable trap for channel 53 between the pre-amp power supply and the distribution amp input. I planned to re-arrange my set-up including removing unneeded traps after the analog shut-off but since that is delayed I will wait until everything is finished in June before I try to improve everything.

[Edit] Well I just checked the basement TV and it was switched to analog WTNH so I checked the CM-7000 converter box and it wasn't decoding WTNH-DT. Surprisingly my D* DVR is doing a better job of receiving WTNH-DT than the converter box- for all other channels (especially WFSB) the converter box is better so I didn't expect it to be worse for WTNH. I will still wait for June to fix things since WEDN-DT will be stronger then and in the meantime my family can watch ABC in analog in the basement and on satellite upstairs. By the way, the D* box doesn't know that WHPX moved so it is unable to tune it while downstairs after a re-scan the converter box shows it at 100%. We don't watch that channel anyway but I wonder if D* missed the move of some worthwhile channels in other markets. The PSIP of WTIC is also not working for the converter box; I needed to manually tune it as 31-1 and it didn't re-map to 61-1 and no guide info is shown.

Thank you for the WUVN and WEDW updates.

I am using the Channel Master 7777 with separate UHF and VHF inputs.

Do you have an attenuator you can try on the input side of the 7777? If not, a splitter can be used as well. If the results improve with small attenuation, overload is likely. When I was using a 91XG, I noticed that overall performance was best when it was 1/3 built, vs. fully built. I eventually retired it for a 4228, but have a notch in place for 26 (and 17) now.

WUVN-DT (UNI) channel 46 (18) still comes in relatively the same for me here in the south end of New Britain. It's usually stable enough for me to watch, if necessary. There was a slight improvement for WHPX-DT (ION) channel 26 (26) by Wednesday morning. I'm guessing now that the only local station physically changing their site for digital is WTXX-DT (CW) channel 12 (20). I just wonder if the existing WTXX-TV channel 20 analog tower south of I-84 will be used by anybody for other purposes?

[QUOTE=jzareski;15876038]Does it count that we see WEDW DT-49 Bridgeport OTA at CPTV Hartford?

Using an indoor directional antenna at my house in Middletown, I do not get any signal from ch 49. The signal meter dosen't even move at all. I get some signal from ch 26, but not enough to decode anything. I also get some signal from ch 40(55) (Springfield) with it being able to decode sometimes.

I live in a pretty bad spot in Middletown, with hills to the South, and West, and no real good shot out to the North. Unfortunately, due to the fact that I'm a renter, I cannot put up an external antenna.

I just wonder if the existing WTXX-TV channel 20 analog tower south of I-84 will be used by anybody for other purposes?
I was driving through Waterbury the other day, it looks like there's other antennas on that tower, though not at the top. Possibly a cell site, or other two-way radio comms. Who knows, they may take the top part of the tower off and keep whatever else is on there as is.

Does it count that we see WEDW DT-49 Bridgeport OTA at CPTV Hartford?

At what height? :)

WEDW-DT is always a mess for me - I'm far too close (maybe 3 miles), and have an 8-bay CM4228 and 7777 preamp, in my attic (pointed to NYC, I have LOS). Always got multipath like crazy on the the analog version, too.

I'm actually hoping for WNET-DT to go up on the ESB. :)

I'm confused...

Is WTIC-DT at full power and at the top of the tower? For a few days about 2 weeks ago, I was getting a really high signal (90+) but it's dropped back to the same ol' level (60ish). If not, anyone know when it'll be moved up? As soon as the leaves pop, I have to work at pulling it in.

It's on top at full power. Very strong here in Mystic.
John

I'm confused...

Is WTIC-DT at full power and at the top of the tower? For a few days about 2 weeks ago, I was getting a really high signal (90+) but it's dropped back to the same ol' level (60ish). If not, anyone know when it'll be moved up? As soon as the leaves pop, I have to work at pulling it in.
I noticed that it was a lot tougher to pull in the last couple of days. I know that it was moved to the top of the tower a few weeks back. Maybe something's changed?

Also tonight, I noticed that I couldn't bring up WEDH-DT, but the analog was fine.

... Also tonight [Thursday], I noticed that I couldn't bring up WEDH-DT, but the analog was fine.

I was watching 24-1 on Thursday starting at 7PM. At 7:45PM, the picture froze for a few seconds, and then the screen went black and the receiver put up the "Weak Or No Signal Sign". I checked back a few times during the course of the evening, but at 10:15PM, "Weak Or No Signal" was still showing on digital Channel 24.

With analog broadcasting, there was never a doubt for a home TV viewer when a station was having "technical difficulties" at its end or when it was completely off-the-air. A viewer also could be fairly certain if the problem was due to reception issues at the home receiver's end. With digital, one is often left to guess if it's a problem with the station or with one's location, antenna, multi-path, etc. Thanks for posting about your experience with 24 last night, as it confirmed what I saw on that channel as well. Since it became available over-the-air last year, CPTV/24 has been one of the most dependable TV stations for me reception-wise. It would seem that last night's problem was at their end.

I was watching 24-1 on Thursday starting at 7PM. At 7:45PM, the picture froze for a few seconds, and then the screen went black and the receiver put up the "Weak Or No Signal Sign". I checked back a few times during the course of the evening, but at 10:15PM, "Weak Or No Signal" was still showing on digital Channel 24.

With analog broadcasting, there was never a doubt for a home TV viewer when a station was having "technical difficulties" at its end or when it was completely off-the-air. A viewer also could be fairly certain if the problem was due to reception issues at the home receiver's end. With digital, one is often left to guess if it's a problem with the station or with one's location, antenna, multi-path, etc. Thanks for posting about your experience with 24 last night, as it confirmed what I saw on that channel as well. Since it became available over-the-air last year, CPTV/24 has been one of the most dependable TV stations for me reception-wise. It would seem that last night's problem was at their end.

A problem developed in the WEDH DT-45 exciters Thursday evening. It was corrected by 6 AM Friday morning.

Hi,

Does anyone know if WFSB is planning on showing any other NCAA tournament games on their subchannels this year? In prior years, they had always tried to show at least one different game on the subchannel than on the main channels, but I think they went away from that last year.

Does anyone know if WFSB is planning on showing any other NCAA tournament games on their subchannels this year?
My guess is that they can't because then they couldn't claim their Springfield and Fairfield versions qualify for cable carry.
I know that cbs.com is advertising that all games are available for free online. That's going to be a lot of bits moving around if they send out HD.

Originally Posted by vssman View Post
I'm confused...

Is WTIC-DT at full power and at the top of the tower? For a few days about 2 weeks ago, I was getting a really high signal (90+) but it's dropped back to the same ol' level (60ish). If not, anyone know when it'll be moved up? As soon as the leaves pop, I have to work at pulling it in.


I have been having the same problem in Torrington with WTIC-DT. It is super strong at times since the change, then is weak at times. My WVIT-DT and WEDH-DT from the same location are always perfect. They may have moved their antenna up, but I'm not so sure that they are on full power yet. Anyone else seeing this on WTIC-DT?

Since a few days ago, my Sony Bravia on-screen TV guide is displaying "no listings". I have tried rescanning and when I look at the TV guide set-up page it seems that it isn't finding a TV station with the TV guide data. I use OTA not cable.
Anyone else have this problem? Any suggestions?

Since a few days ago, my Sony Bravia on-screen TV guide is displaying "no listings". I have tried rescanning and when I look at the TV guide set-up page it seems that it isn't finding a TV station with the TV guide data. I use OTA not cable.
Anyone else have this problem? Any suggestions?

I'm having the same problem with my RCA TV and my 3 Sony DVRs. I know that WEDH has gotten in the equipment to allow transmission of digital TVGOS and are working to put it online. It's possible that this is causing the analog TVGOS to stop working for the time being.

One of the engineers at WEDH posts here and over on the Comcast thread and said he would keep us up to date on the progress. I believe the plan was to keep analog active until 6/12 in addition to the digital feed when it's online...

Since a few days ago, my Sony Bravia on-screen TV guide is displaying "no listings". I have tried rescanning and when I look at the TV guide set-up page it seems that it isn't finding a TV station with the TV guide data. I use OTA not cable.
Anyone else have this problem? Any suggestions?

I have the same problem on Sony and Sharp TV's with TV Guide.

I have the same problem on Sony and Sharp TV's with TV Guide.

I'm having the same problem with my RCA TV and my 3 Sony DVRs. I know that WEDH has gotten in the equipment to allow transmission of digital TVGOS and are working to put it online. It's possible that this is causing the analog TVGOS to stop working for the time being.

One of the engineers at WEDH posts here and over on the Comcast thread and said he would keep us up to date on the progress. I believe the plan was to keep analog active until 6/12 in addition to the digital feed when it's online...

Since a few days ago, my Sony Bravia on-screen TV guide is displaying "no listings". I have tried rescanning and when I look at the TV guide set-up page it seems that it isn't finding a TV station with the TV guide data. I use OTA not cable.
Anyone else have this problem? Any suggestions?

FYI, by any stretch of the imagination involved in trouble shooting, did any or all of you initially receive the OTA TV Guide information from CPTV WEDW Ch 49 Bridgeport, which byw ceased operation on February 17, 2009?

CPTV has requested that our network investigate the reported lost of TV Guide updates, to see if it may be related only to the areas previously served by WEDW Ch 49 Bridgeport analog or if there has been an inadvertant loss of updates also affecting the OTA WEDH Ch 24 Hartford analog, WEDN Ch 53 Norwich analog and CPTV cable TV feeds.

Should know this week.

FYI, by any stretch of the imagination involved in trouble shooting, did any or all of you initially receive the OTA TV Guide information from CPTV WEDW Ch 49 Bridgeport, which byw ceased operation on February 17, 2009?

CPTV has requested that our network investigate the reported lost of TV Guide updates, to see if it may be related only to the areas previously served by WEDW Ch 49 Bridgeport analog or if there has been an inadvertant loss of updates also affecting the OTA WEDH Ch 24 Hartford analog, WEDN Ch 53 Norwich analog and CPTV cable TV feeds.

Should know this week.


I have only been using WEDH Ch 24 Hartford. The problem started last week. WEDW Ch 49 was too far for me to recieve, since I am in Newington.

I have only been using WEDH Ch 24 Hartford. The problem started last week. WEDW Ch 49 was too far for me to recieve, since I am in Newington.

Same with me. My host has always been Channel 7 or 97 (cablecard only) which is WEDH on Comcast.

I have only been using WEDH Ch 24 Hartford. The problem started last week. WEDW Ch 49 was too far for me to recieve, since I am in Newington.

Same with me. My host has always been Channel 7 or 97 (cablecard only) which is WEDH on Comcast.

FYI update:

CPTV has been informed that Macrovision / GemStar had decided to stop uploading the TV Guide data to their analog encoders after 2/28/2009, because their budget forecast only allowed for that length of time.

Origionally, analog OTA broadcasts were to have ceased on Tuesday February 17, 2009, but the government later extended that date to June 12, 2009.

So in the mean time...No further analog TVGuide updates until...

AT&T is scheduled to install the DSL network for the digital encoder updates on Thursday March 19, 2009. Then it will be up to Macrovision / GemStar to do the rest.

CPTV has been informed that...

"With the correct cable headend equipment, the Gemstar ATSC data can be converted to VBI data and the data would then be available on the basic cable tier. A DTV PAL converter box can also provide the ATSC data>VBI data conversion for Gemstar legacy equipment."

And that...

"Gemstar will definitely work with the cable systems carrying their TV Guide data once the data is available for decoding."

So there is still hope for legacy equipment.

Thank you,

FYI update:

CPTV has been informed that Macrovision / GemStar had decided to stop uploading the TV Guide data to their analog encoders after 2/28/2009, because their budget forecast only allowed for that length of time.

Origionally, analog OTA broadcasts were to have ceased on Tuesday February 17, 2009, but the government later extended that date to June 12, 2009.

So in the mean time...No further analog TVGuide updates until...

AT&T is scheduled to install the DSL network for the digital encoder updates on Thursday March 19, 2009. Then it will be up to Macrovision / GemStar to do the rest.

CPTV has been informed that...

"With the correct cable headend equipment, the Gemstar ATSC data can be converted to VBI data and the data would then be available on the basic cable tier. A DTV PAL converter box can also provide the ATSC data>VBI data conversion for Gemstar legacy equipment."

And that...

"Gemstar will definitely work with the cable systems carrying their TV Guide data once the data is available for decoding."

So there is still hope for legacy equipment.

Thank you,

Thanks for the update. I really do not care about analog TV guide myself as all my equipment is set to recive digital also.
BTW, when will CPTV pass 5.1 audio on the shows that have it?

Once again, CT gets screwed. First WFSB which is owned by Meredith Broadcasting refuses to carry digital TV Guide signal, besides compressing HD CBS signal that makes it almost unwatchable. They are not even doing local news in HD even though they moved to new HD studios in Rocky Hill. WTNH also is compressing the crap out of their HD to the point that it looks it's out of focus, not too mention their audio is always out of sync with video.

Second most expansive market in the country has the worst TV brodcasters in the nation.

Sorry for the rant.

I turned on my TV at 6 this evening to find Channel 20-2 was in my line-up. It is now airing "This", the network that shows movies and TV series from the MGM/Orion Pictures library. Previously, WTXX-DT's second channel simulcasted the programming on 20-1.

WTNH also is compressing the crap out of their HD to the point that it looks it's out of focus, not too mention their audio is always out of sync with video. quote CKNA

This is interesting. For now, when I'm on cable, (COX), I get 8-1 and 40-1. 8-1 is terrible compared to 40-1. What are they up to? Is 8-1 that bad OTA? When OTA I watch 40-1 since 8-1 is a struggle due to location. Not happy that 40 is ABC/FOX but pix quality is OK.

Once again, CT gets screwed. First WFSB which is owned by Marlin Broadcasting refuses to carry digital TV Guide signal...

Marlin Broadcasting owns WCCC-FM 106.9 of Hartford. I think you meant Merideth Broadcasting. :rolleyes:

Marlin Broadcasting owns WCCC-FM 106.9 of Hartford. I think you meant Merideth Broadcasting. :rolleyes:

Sorry, that is what I meant.

WFSB which is owned by Meredith Broadcasting refuses to carry digital TV Guide signal, besides compressing HD CBS signal that makes it almost unwatchable. They are not even doing local news in HD even though they moved to new HD studios in Rocky Hill.

When WFSB moved to Rocky Hill they got all new cameras but they were SD cameras. For some unknown reason, they did not equip their brand new facility with HD cameras.

Thanks for the update. I really do not care about analog TV guide myself as all my equipment is set to receive digital also.
BTW, when will CPTV pass 5.1 audio on the shows that have it?..

5.1 on the list but not yet a priority...
Honestly, we're minimally waiting for the last two analog OTA channels to go dark at the end of day, Friday June 12, 2009.

The PBS network, although at times provides surround, has delayed twice (Dec'08 and Mar'09) the audio configurations for HD distributions until further notice. Until the PBS network finalizes the configurations and provides 24/7 HD surround feeds, CPTV is unlikely to offer it as an occasional service.

CPTV will be conducting some unannounced surround sound testing with "loaner" equipment as it is made available.

When WFSB moved to Rocky Hill they got all new cameras but they were SD cameras. For some unknown reason, they did not equip their brand new facility with HD cameras.


Are you sure? Where the heck did they even get SD cameras. In pro equipment the only SD cameras left are small handhelds, that you can buy new. Their studio shots look like they are being downconverted from HD. They could at least do SD widescreen, if it is really the case.

We do not even have one local station doing news in HD. I mean this is embarrasing. There are many smaller markets than Hartford/New Haven around the country that have at least one channel doing local news in HD. Welcome to Connecticut, home of the cheapest, uncaring and unprofessional TV operators in the country!!!

Welcome to Connecticut, home of the cheapest, uncaring and unprofessional TV operators in the country!!!

I hope you don't really mean that.

FYI...

The CPTV Macrovision / Gemstar digital TVGuide encoder was placed on-line this afternoon, March 20, 2009, around 1:37 PM EDT.

Macrovision / Gemstar confirmed reception of the 3 data pids on the WEDH DT-45 Hartford over-the-air RF Feed at 2:18 PM EDT.

The OTA pid numbers are (hex) 110,111,112.

The CPTV digital TVGuide encoder feeds:
WEDH DT-45 Hartford (24-1)
WEDW DT-49 Bridgeport (49-1)
WEDN DT-9 Norwich (53-1)
WEDH 24-1 Comcast CableTV direct HD fiber feed. Comcast CableTV hands off this feed to other CT CableTV companies.

By 4:30 PM EDT, messages were left with both Comcast CableTV Berlin Head end and Cox Manchester CableTV Head end that the service was now available.

All cable companies that use either the OTA and / or the direct HD fiber feed must configure their equipment in order to pass the TVGuide date to their customers. This may take a few days. Other CT CableTV companies will be notified next week of the available service.

Digital TVGuide capable DTVs & DVRs usually download guides at night when they are "off".

Please respond here if either of your digital TVGuide capable DTV and or DVR wakes up in the morning or two, if not earlier, with updated digital TVGuide information.

Thank you for your patience.

FYI...

The CPTV Macrovision / Gemstar digital TVGuide encoder was placed on-line this afternoon, March 20, 2009, around 1:37 PM EDT.

Macrovision / Gemstar confirmed reception of the 3 data pids on the WEDH DT-45 Hartford over-the-air RF Feed at 2:18 PM EDT.

The OTA pid numbers are (hex) 110,111,112.

The CPTV digital TVGuide encoder feeds:
WEDH DT-45 Hartford
WEDW DT-49 Bridgeport
WEDN DT-9 Norwich
WEDH 24-1 Comcast CableTV direct HD fiber feed. Comcast CableTV hands off this feed to other CT CableTV companies.

By 4:30 PM EDT, messages were left with both Comcast CableTV Berlin Head end and Cox Manchester CableTV Head end that the service was now available.


Please respond here if either your digital TVGuide capable DTV and or DVR wakes up in the morning or two, if not earlier, with updated digital TVGuide information.

Thanks for the update. Looking forward to getting listings (and the correct time!) on my Sony DVRs. Will advise if I start getting data.

For channel 24-1, you note that it's being sent as a "direct HD fiber feed." I assume that the data is also being transmitted OTA on 24-1? Although I think the Sonys prefer a cable channel for TVGOS, I do have an antenna connected to it as well. I'm not sure what you meant by "The OTA pid numbers are (hex) 110,111,112."

This evening, I noticed that my STB was including program listings for WEDH-DT 24.2, but there was no video or audio there. Do I have to do a rescan, or was this just a fluke? I thought that CPTV was going to be adding programming to their subchannels at some point. Is this a good sign of it coming along soon?

Anyone else notice that there were no program info listings on WVIT-DT tonight (Friday). My box kept coming up with no information from about 9:30 PM thru 11:30 PM when I turned it off.

FYI...

The CPTV Macrovision / Gemstar digital TVGuide encoder was placed on-line this afternoon, March 20, 2009, around 1:37 PM EDT.

Macrovision / Gemstar confirmed reception of the 3 data pids on the WEDH DT-45 Hartford over-the-air RF Feed at 2:18 PM EDT.

The OTA pid numbers are (hex) 110,111,112.

The CPTV digital TVGuide encoder feeds:
WEDH DT-45 Hartford
WEDW DT-49 Bridgeport
WEDN DT-9 Norwich
WEDH 24-1 Comcast CableTV direct HD fiber feed. Comcast CableTV hands off this feed to other CT CableTV companies.

By 4:30 PM EDT, messages were left with both Comcast CableTV Berlin Head end and Cox Manchester CableTV Head end that the service was now available.

All cable companies that use either the OTA and / or the direct HD fiber feed must configure their equipment in order to pass the TVGuide date to their customers. This may take some time. Other CT CableTV companies will be notified next week of the available service.

Digital TVGuide capable DTVs & DVRs usually download guides at night when they are "off".

Please respond here if either of your digital TVGuide capable DTV and or DVR wakes up in the morning or two, if not earlier, with updated digital TVGuide information.

Thank you for your patience.

My Sony TV already downloaded listings from 24.1. I use antenna.

Thanks for the update. Looking forward to getting listings (and the correct time!) on my Sony DVRs. Will advise if I start getting data.

1) For channel 24-1, you note that it's being sent as a "direct HD fiber feed." I assume that the data is also being transmitted OTA on 24-1?

2) Although I think the Sonys prefer a cable channel for TVGOS, I do have an antenna connected to it as well. I'm not sure what you meant by "The OTA pid numbers are (hex) 110,111,112."

1) Yes, if you viewing OTA WEDH DT-45 Hartford, it would be 24-1.
For OTA WEDW DT-49 Bridgeport, it would be 49-1.
For OTA WEDN DT-9 Norwich, it would be 53-1.
For OTA WEDY DT-6 New Haven, it would be 6-1...IF it was on. Still pending FCC approval.

2) Depending on the operators of the various Cable TV franchises, for example, for the Comcast Cable TV Hartford franchise, it is WEDH HD 24-1 on a DTV or DVR w/out cable card or w/out a Comcast provided Cable TV STB or "240" with a Comcast provided Cable TV HD STB.

The pids are for those viewers that have autumn wave USB ATSC (8vsb) tuners and TS reader applications, or equilivant,...for the curious OTA minds that want to know...

The Cable TV companies would look for these PIDS and assign them to their muxes associating the data to their cable PIDS, as you know, digital cable tv channel locations are mostly virtual now.

My Sony TV already downloaded listings from 24.1. I use antenna.

Excellent...

This evening, I noticed that my STB was including program listings for WEDH-DT 24.2, but there was no video or audio there. Do I have to do a rescan, or was this just a fluke? I thought that CPTV was going to be adding programming to their subchannels at some point. Is this a good sign of it coming along soon?

CPTV has been conducting several unannounced testing of the -2 service since last week, the EPG information is now test running 24/7. CPTV is expecting to add the SD service as early as late next week.

Video, audio and EPG testing is required to determine that the mux rates do not exceed the available bit rates associated for each service and the psip along with the EPG are correctly updating.

CPTV's PSIPs announce the presents of -2, -3 and -4 services, even when they are dark, as CPTV found it was much easier to add, change and remove those services at will with out usually requiring a rescan of a viewers receiver or STB.

The -2 service being added is "Create"..."The TV channel for cooking, arts & crafts, gardening, home improvement, and travel"...

More information on the -2 service may be found at:

http://www.createtv.com/

My Sony TV already downloaded listings from 24.1. I use antenna.

I now have good reason to get my antenna on the roof. It's been sitting in the basement since I've moved. If I can get bridgeport here by the shore in West Haven (still no New Haven, damn FCC), I'll hook it to one of my Sony DVRs. I'll leave the other on cable so I know when Comcast starts passing the guide data. I'm still waiting for the Comcast head-end tech to get back to me on a work related issue. When he does I'll try to get info.

Anyone else notice that there were no program info listings on WVIT-DT tonight (Friday). My box kept coming up with no information from about 9:30 PM thru 11:30 PM when I turned it off.

Not sure what WVIT has been doing lately, but I've had issues with both video and audio from time to time. Audio has sounded like it was coming out of a tin can as well as pixilated video. :confused:

CPTV has been conducting several unannounced testing of the -2 service since last week, the EPG information is now test running 24/7. CPTV is expecting to add the SD service as early as late next week.

Just out of curiosity, how have you found the technical quality of Create to be? I've never been able to sit down and watch it, since I cannot receive the local station which carries it at school and nobody carries it at home, but I've had more than one person use the phrase "20-year old video tape" when describing it. What's your opinion on it?

- Trip

Are you sure? Where the heck did they even get SD cameras. In pro equipment the only SD cameras left are small handhelds, that you can buy new. Their studio shots look like they are being downconverted from HD. They could at least do SD widescreen, if it is really the case.

We do not even have one local station doing news in HD. I mean this is embarrasing. There are many smaller markets than Hartford/New Haven around the country that have at least one channel doing local news in HD. Welcome to Connecticut, home of the cheapest, uncaring and unprofessional TV operators in the country!!!According to this article from 10/2008, WFSB is close:

Hartford/New Haven (Highest Market in the nation without HD Newscast)

WFSB: They are ready to go HD, Meredith has a few stations in HD, they moved to the new building for HD, the set, and graphics are ready.

WTNH: They may have HD ready graphics, set I'm not sure, but as with the sisters well be waiting for a while. Lin is very slow on the HD front.

WVIT: They picked up the HD ready graphics from NBC and there not being sold so its the best time to add HD, set is not ready. They may wait till the new building which is unfortunate, because it would help there dropping ratings.

WTIC: FOX 61 has made so many changes and HD will come the new tribune is giving stations HD, but tribune will need to give them a new set before HD because the graphics are already ready.

http://televisionnewsmedianewengland.blogspot.com/2008_10_01_archive.html

Not sure what WVIT has been doing lately, but I've had issues with both video and audio from time to time. Audio has sounded like it was coming out of a tin can as well as pixilated video. :confused:
I was watching L&O last week and there was a distinct popping or snapping noise during the first 20 minutes or so. It happened on both OTA and Dish provided channels...

My Sony TV already downloaded listings from 24.1. I use antenna.

My Sony DVRs (the two that have antennas anyway) are getting VBI data and I'm getting sporadic listings already. My host channel is still blank in the diag screen but the one DVR that was off by 26 minutes now has the correct time. Hoping Comcast can come through as my third box does not have an antenna input.

z - thanks for all the updates; keep 'em coming! It has certainly taken a lot of the guesswork out of what's been going on w/TVGOS recently.

Just out of curiosity, how have you found the technical quality of Create to be? I've never been able to sit down and watch it, since I cannot receive the local station which carries it at school and nobody carries it at home, but I've had more than one person use the phrase "20-year old video tape" when describing it. What's your opinion on it?

- Trip

Honestly Trip, I haven't watched it either. Create is a SD product from APT, NETA & PBS with the SD quality on par with other PBS offerings.

The "20-year old video tape" when describing it probably results more in the fact that PBS stations are adding it to an existing HD multicast, requiring the bit rates of both to be derated during the station mux and if on cable tv, additional bit derating by the cable tv muxes.

The data pipe is limited for any PBS station that wants to maintain a full time competitive HD main channel rather than revert to SD during non-prime, currently most CT Commercial stations are not 24/7 HD, while maintaining a full time sub channel, that moves, talks in stereo, and requires EPGs., etc...

The HD is derated to provide bits, those bits provide enough SD to get the messages across. After all, if you note the micro blocking, then the producer didn't work hard enough for you not to notice...

The initial -2 SD bit rates being tested are not intended to be flatting on 40 in and larger DTVs, that's why CPTV is doing unannounced testing to evaluate the trade offs and adjusting rates for the "best" compromise. No bit rate, HD or SD, is final.

More information on the -2 service may be found at:

http://www.createtv.com/

I know all of that better than most people, but I've heard this from people who know what they're watching. Like I said, I haven't seen it myself, but the people I speak with can tell the difference between high compression and poor quality video. I would want to see it myself before making any kind of judgment, I just figured you as someone involved in putting it on the air might have an opinion on its quality. I like getting lots of opinions on such things. :)

I know of a station out west which actually dropped Create citing that it looked poor coming off the satellite. (KTCI)

- Trip

A former WTNH employee (Christmas lay-offs, nice job LIN) once told me that there was a plan/idea to buy HD pro-sumer camcorders (of the $4,000 variety) for the studio to replace the broadcast quality SD studio cameras. That's how bad they want HD but LIN won't give them the budget for HD studio cameras. I would much rather watch SD from real broadcast cameras than low-end crappy HD. Thankfully the idea was abandoned.
I believe their Broadcast Pix server-based switcher/CG can handle HD right now. Not sure about any of their broadcast/transmission equipment. Also, I have heard that there are plans for a new set in the works. I'd imagine it would be HD.

According to this article from 10/2008, WFSB is close:

WTNH: They may have HD ready graphics, set I'm not sure, but as with the sisters well be waiting for a while. Lin is very slow on the HD front.

http://televisionnewsmedianewengland.blogspot.com/2008_10_01_archive.html

Two comments:

1. It is beginning to sound as if anyone who went out and bought a good TV receiver might as well have saved the money and bought a clunker, the way they are playing with (degrading) the signals.

2. WFSB signal strength seems to be down quite a bit at my location in Vernon. It is about the same as WVIT and way down from WEDH and WTIC. Any info, or is it on my end?

... WFSB signal strength seems to be down quite a bit at my location in Vernon. It is about the same as WVIT and way down from WEDH and WTIC. Any info, or is it on my end?

At 9:20PM Saturday, WFSB's bit stream on my Samsung tuner registers 8 out of 10 bars, down from its usual 10 out of 10 bars. WVIT is also at 8 bars. WEDH is at 7 bars, and WTIC comes in at 10 out of 10.

WRNT-48 is now showing old TV shows... in English! (are we still allowed to discuss analogue transmissions here..lol..)

PBS has Create on the second sub channel for at least Hartford and Norwich.
John

PBS has Create on the second sub channel for at least Hartford and Norwich.
John

Yes. It was turned on this morning. Plans are now to leave it active and monitor mux bit rates overnight. It is the -2 service.

Being sent to CPTV DTVs OTA, WEDH DT-45 Hartford, WEDW DT-49 Bridgeport & WEDN DT-9 Norwich.

Also feeding the Comcast CableTV direct HD fiber feed, TBD when it be added to their systems.

Cox indicated it will add it after analogs go dark, June 13, 2009.

WRNT-48 is now showing old TV shows...

From the FCC website, WRNT-LP:

broadcasts from the WCCC radio tower on Albany Avenue in West Hartford,

plans to flash-cut from analog channel 48 to digital channel 48 on or before April 18, 2011, with permission granted on April 18, 2008,

will broadcast from a side-mounted directional antenna that will be 288.6 meters above mean sea level with 1 kW ERP (1,000 watts),

will have a digital coverage area that extends from just south and west of Springfield to Southwick to Winsted to Windsor Locks down to Manchester and Middletown, and includes parts of Meriden and Bristol, and all of Hartford and New Britain [Coverage Map: http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/FMTV-service-area?x=LD1239328.html],

is owned by R & S Broadcasting of Wethersfield, which also owns another low power station, WESA, channel 34, broadcasting from a tower east of Springfield.

WESA-LP:

covers central northern Connecticut from the Granbys to Enfield and down to Bloomfield, with coverage ending just north of Hartford, [Coverage Map: http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/FMTV-service-area?x=LD1239121.html]

will flash-cut to digital channel 34 by May 14, 2010, at 3.5 kW ERP,

was showing country music videos when I checked it on Sunday, and a B&W movie at 5:45PM today.

WRNT-48 is now showing old TV shows... in English! (are we still allowed to discuss analogue transmissions here..lol..)
Barely visible here in Middletown off South Main St.

I don't get a useable signal at all here in the south end of New Britain. Then again, many signals coming from or near Avon Mountain have always given me problems.

TVGOS Update: I installed my outdoor antenna over the weekend and began receiving the digital TV Guide On Screen data OTA to one of my Sony DVRs. Then today, the New Haven Comcast system began passing the data on cable channel 24.1 as well to my other DVR.

So far, neither DVR seems to know exactly what to do with the data. They are TVGOS version 8.xxx machines and the current version is 9.xxx. While they have an ATSC tuner/slicer that will receive the data, they will not set a host channel from digital streams. So, I have to retune to 24.1 every time it changes channels to record something. Also, one unit didn't have a channel grid and won't receive that data via the digital stream. I'm hoping Comcast will purchase and install the equipment to generate the analog VBI, but I won't hold my breath.

cheneyp - What's your TVGOS situation with your Sony DVRs?

TVGOS Update: I installed my outdoor antenna over the weekend and began receiving the digital TV Guide On Screen data OTA to one of my Sony DVRs. Then today, the New Haven Comcast system began passing the data on cable channel 24.1 as well to my other DVR.

So far, neither DVR seems to know exactly what to do with the data. They are TVGOS version 8.xxx machines and the current version is 9.xxx. While they have an ATSC tuner/slicer that will receive the data, they will not set a host channel from digital streams. So, I have to retune to 24.1 every time it changes channels to record something. Also, one unit didn't have a channel grid and won't receive that data via the digital stream. I'm hoping Comcast will purchase and install the equipment to generate the analog VBI, but I won't hold my breath.

cheneyp - What's your TVGOS situation with your Sony DVRs?

I have listings through Sunday for two of my Sonys that already had listing grids.

On the third unit - I had done a reset of the TVGOS system before the digital host was available so I had no grid. I am not getting (as far as I can tell) the digital host over Comcast so I have a pair of rabbit ears receiving Ch 24.1 (45.3) OTA. It gets a crappy signal in the room it's in so it took until yesterday to update to the latest patch (08.06.44) and get the correct clock. Today, lo and behold, I was asked what cable service I had when I pressed the guide button. I now have a grid with "No Listings" but I'm hopeful that they will populate overnight. Host is shown as 0:45-3 which is 24.1.

The unit I have hooked to cable did not have the channel grid. Once I realized that cable was passing the TVGOS data, I "forced" the VBI search for a host channel on 24.1. I left it for a few hours and came back to the channel grid and 24.1 as host, as you did. A few more hours and I have almost all listings for a week with descriptions and ads. The unit even began giving names to the manual recordings I had set up. Now we'll have to wait and see if the host channel sticks.

I have listings through Sunday for two of my Sonys that already had listing grids.

On the third unit - I had done a reset of the TVGOS system before the digital host was available so I had no grid. I am not getting (as far as I can tell) the digital host over Comcast so I have a pair of rabbit ears receiving Ch 24.1 (45.3) OTA. It gets a crappy signal in the room it's in so it took until yesterday to update to the latest patch (08.06.44) and get the correct clock. Today, lo and behold, I was asked what cable service I had when I pressed the guide button. I now have a grid with "No Listings" but I'm hopeful that they will populate overnight. Host is shown as 0:45-3 which is 24.1.

The unit I have hooked to cable did not have the channel grid. Once I realized that cable was passing the TVGOS data, I "forced" the VBI search for a host channel on 24.1. I left it for a few hours and came back to the channel grid and 24.1 as host, as you did. A few more hours and I have almost all listings for a week with descriptions and ads. The unit even began giving names to the manual recordings I had set up. Now we'll have to wait and see if the host channel sticks.

Good to hear the feedback that the CPTV digital OTAs and CPTV digital CableTV TVGuides are being received and updating.

CPTV confirms that Macrovision is not providing analog updates to the CPTV analog OTA and CPTV analog CableTV feeds.

CableTV operators will pass the CPTV digital TVGuide to their subscribers and as option may (should) also convert it back to analog, on any analog channel if they so chose, for legacy analog TVs/VCRs/etc.

At the moment, CPTV confirms that there is no TVGuide data being re-inserted into the CPTV's Comcast analog CableTV channel 7 or the simultaneous SD digital channel.

I know CPTV is optimizing the resolution on the subchannel but has anyone else noticed a large drop in PQ yesterday? Any movement was very pixelated on my XBR960 last night and it was much better a few days ago.

Hi - I live in Glastonbury in flat area near main street close to East Hartford line.

Right now I just have a Rabbit Ear VHF and UHF Loop in my attic, from which I feed two tv's using an unamplified splitter. Using this mickey mouse approach, and after some fiddling with orientation, I get good reception on the following digital channels:

3.1 CBS WFSB (and other sub ch's)
8.1 ABC WTNH
18.1 WUVN (and other sub ch's)
20.1 CW WFSB (and other sub ch's)
22.1 WWLP
24.1 CPTV WEDH (and other sub ch's)
30.1 NBC WVIT (and other sub ch's)
61.1 FOX WTIC

but poor reception (only ok on clear days) on:
59.1 MYTV WCTX

I'm thinking that if I step up to a better antenna in the attic, instead of the rabbit ear and loop that I currently have there, that I should be able to pick up 59.1 MYTV WCTX better, plus maybe some Springfield digital channels as well.

Does anyone have a recommendation for a fairly cheap VHF/UHF antenna that they have had good success with in an attic? I don't want to use a rotor, so I'd be looking for something that has pretty reasonable multi-directional pickup properties.

I've searched AVS forum and the web but feel somewhat overwhelmed with the multiple options/opinions, so would really appreciate a recommendation from someone who is also local to the Hartford area. PS: I know that the best solution would be a roof mount, but for now I prefer to stick with attic.

Thanks...

I know CPTV is optimizing the resolution on the subchannel but has anyone else noticed a large drop in PQ yesterday? Any movement was very pixelated on my XBR960 last night and it was much better a few days ago.
Looked OK this morning during Ask This Old House....
What are you expecting HD?

No... I wasn't expecting HD. :rolleyes: At the time, the picture was severly pixelated when there was any movement. I know: 1) CPTV frequents this forumn and 2) that they were adjusting picture quality. So I thought it might be helpful to provide a bit of feedback.

WTIC-TV will move out of the "Stilts" Building (One Corporate Center) and into a high definition studio in the newsroom of The Hartford Courant on Broad Street later this year. This is the result of WTIC-TV, WTXX-TV, and The Courant merging into one operation under one roof.

The HD studio is scheduled to be built starting "later this summer", according to the deputy editor of Broadcasting & Cable.com, Michael Malone. WTIC-TV eventually will also start a noon and 6PM newscast.

With Channel 30's news possibly going hi-def in June when they move into their new building, and the newscasts of Channels 61 and 20 going HD maybe by late fall, Channels 3 and 8 might feel the competitive need to follow suit or trump the other stations by going HD before them.

No... I wasn't expecting HD. :rolleyes: At the time, the picture was severly pixelated when there was any movement. I know: 1) CPTV frequents this forumn and 2) that they were adjusting picture quality. So I thought it might be helpful to provide a bit of feedback.

Hello,

CPTV was adjusting the -1 and -2 bit rates during the day time throughout the past week. On a few days, the muxes and or exciters would choke, stopping all services until bit rates were reduced.

Friday, March 27, 2009, was the last day of adjusting the -1 and the -2 bit rates.

CPTV is monitoring both services through out the day, but at this time the current rates appear to be the best compromise.

Thank you for your report.

Sorry to go off topic for a minute here folks, but I'm looking for some help. If any of you have DirecTV, and DirecTV Tivo units, have you been experiencing freezing screens and reboots on them?

Many CT DirecTV Tivo users had this happen in October of 2007. Something was corrected then by DirecTV, but it's now happening again to my two DirecTV Tivos, and I was wondering if it was happening to others too. Thanks.

Good to hear the feedback that the CPTV digital OTAs and CPTV digital CableTV TVGuides are being received and updating.

CPTV confirms that Macrovision is not providing analog updates to the CPTV analog OTA and CPTV analog CableTV feeds.

CableTV operators will pass the CPTV digital TVGuide to their subscribers and as option may (should) also convert it back to analog, on any analog channel if they so chose, for legacy analog TVs/VCRs/etc.

At the moment, CPTV confirms that there is no TVGuide data being re-inserted into the CPTV's Comcast analog CableTV channel 7 or the simultaneous SD digital channel.

The CPTV legacy analog equipment downloads were restarted by Macrovision on Monday April 6, 2009.

The analog units for OTA will be operating until June 12, 2009, when analog OTA is anticipated to be be turned off Friday night at 11:59 PM.

The analog unit for the Comcast direct fiber feed will remain in use for as long as Comcast continues to use it in support of their analog tier.

Hi All,

I just finished installing my roof mounted CM 4228HD with 7777 pre-amp in Willimantic, CT, 06226.

WFSB, WTIC, WEDN are all coming in great. However, WVIT is patchy at best. I think I read elsewhere that WVIT is currently having issues with their tower/not running at full power. Can anyone confirm this?

Thanks for any clarification, I appreciate your help!

Matt

I don't see that WVIT is any different from normal. Right now I get it at a signal strength of 85. WFSB is 75 and WTIC is 95. I am located in Mystic.
John

I just finished installing my roof mounted CM 4228HD with 7777 pre-amp in Willimantic, CT, 06226.

... I think I read elsewhere that WVIT is currently having issues with their tower/not running at full power. Can anyone confirm this? ...

As far as I can tell from the FCC website, some of Channel 30's equipment that maintained power to transmit their analog version was damaged last year by a severe thunderstorm, and "pending repair or replacement of the affected equipment, the Station has been forced to reduce analog broadcast operations to approximately 65 percent of authorized power". Their digital transmitting equipment was apparently unaffected.

I have the same antenna and pre-amp as you have (but it is indoors near a window). In East Windsor this afternoon, Sunday, my Samsung tuner rated WVIT-DT at 10 out of 10 bars, the highest rating. Usually, any rating 8 bars or higher means perfect reception for me. Since February, digital Channel 30 normally comes in at 8 bars.

It's possible, but not definite, that sometime after analog shuts off on June 12th, the station might decide to remove the analog antenna at the very top of their tower and replace it with a new digital one. The existing lower-mounted digital antenna could then be used as the emergency back-up. The FCC site indicates that Channel 30's analog antenna is 451 meters above average terrain versus 434 meters for the side-mounted digital antenna. I don't know if that 17 meters difference would result in better reception for some viewers.

Thank you both for the info.

CTDish - I assume you're pulling in the Farmington WVIT tower? (Is there another one?) Mystic is a lot further from Farmington that Willimantic, what kind of set up do you have? (If you don't mind me asking!)

WHNB - I hope the station does replace the old analog antenna after June! From my house I have a clear view of, well a big old hill. I need all the help I can get!

Best,

Matt

I think it would mean a gain in viewership if it were to be atop rather than side-mounted. As for WVIT-DT being on channel 35, do they have to be directional to anybody?

Well, all I can say is WVIT-DT (30) comes in horrible for me as does WTIC-DT (61). Constant pixillation and freezes.
I live on the eastern side almost right next to both antennas within line of sight. Granted I'm using a <$10 set of rabbit ears on the first floor, but it seems to me I should get something better.
Digital channels 3,18,20 and 24 are no problem.
Maybe I'm just too close?

I have that problem with WEDW - too close and my preamp (CM 7777) not helping.

Try off-axis, why not?

I think it would mean a gain in viewership if it were to be atop rather than side-mounted. As for WVIT-DT being on channel 35, do they have to be directional to anybody?
I'm assuming that the top mounted antenna is tuned for ch 30- the side-mount is tuned for 35. Possibly after the analog goes dark, they will switch the top mounted antenna to one tuned to ch 35 and maybe use the side-mount for a backup.

I believe that most TV xmit antennas only are useful on the channel that they are tuned for. Wider band ones can be bought but they are likely to have less gain than an equal sized single channel antenna.
John

WVIT would probably have to null somewhat to the northeast because WZMY in Derry , NH has its digital channel on 35, but at only 7 kw its probably not much of an issue.

Interestingly, WVIT is coming in flawlessly tonight. Solid and stable. Any suggestions as to what could be my variable? It's never been this good.

Thanks again!

Matt

Favorable propagation like tropospheric ducting. it will eventually go back to normal.

I haven't been here for months.....just posted this on the antenna thread, but thought I might get some suggestions here.
Over the winter, I got some plans and (don't laugh) built my own attic antenna. I previously had a TV top amplified rabbit ear thing. Well, here in New Haven county,(Oxford-Naugatuck-Middlebury line) I'm surrounded by hills, and frankly, getting in all kinds of stations is not really important, as I don't watch much - just the occasional news program or kids' show, so I don't want a rooftop antenna.

With this new antenna in the attic, I can position it to get WTNH New Haven and Channel 30 in New Britain (which I was never able to get before). If I reposition it, I get WTNH and the PBS Bridgeport station. I'd like to get in PBS, but the Hartford one doesn't seem to show up..Obviously New Britain and New Haven are totally opposite directions.

Question....a)if I get a splitter and attach my TV top antenna to the attic antenna, will I possible get in the PBS station (i.e. do TV top antennas "work" at a greater distance from the TV)? This station was fairly strong when it came in..
b)would it be preferable to attach a splitter to another attic antenna (I don't want to make another one..maybe one of those DB2 ones?)

My other option is to just go up the attic and reposition this one every time I want a specific show. At least I can watch the Kentucky Derby on Saturday!
Thanks.
Christina

You could try combining the antennas and it might work but usually all of the stations will get weaker than they had been when received separately. A jointenna can add one channel from a separate antenna with less loss but cost about $35. I would expect WEDH to be stronger than WVIT. Have you tried doing a rescan or manually selecting channel its physical channel of 45? Also for another month analog channel 24 is still on.
John

[

My other option is to just go up the attic and reposition this one every time I want a specific show. At least I can watch the Kentucky Derby on Saturday!
Thanks.
Christina[/QUOTE]

Is the attic walk up? If so perhaps you can mount the antenna on a pole and place it near the opening. When you want to turn the antenna just give the pole a twist. Another option is to have the pole extend into a closet below. Same idea, just mark off the direction on the cieling and point.
I have a DB2 on a mast at just about gutter height on a ranch home. I placed the pole near a window. Now I just open the window and turn the pole. (Gloves in winter.) Works fine.

[

My other option is to just go up the attic and reposition this one every time I want a specific show. At least I can watch the Kentucky Derby on Saturday!
Thanks.
Christina

Is the attic walk up? If so perhaps you can mount the antenna on a pole and place it near the opening. When you want to turn the antenna just give the pole a twist. Another option is to have the pole extend into a closet below. Same idea, just mark off the direction on the cieling and point.
I have a DB2 on a mast at just about gutter height on a ranch home. I placed the pole near a window. Now I just open the window and turn the pole. (Gloves in winter.) Works fine.[/QUOTE]

I'm glad to know that other people go through kookiness to get in channels!
Thanks.
Christina

With this new antenna in the attic, I can position it to get WTNH New Haven and Channel 30 in New Britain (which I was never able to get before). If I reposition it, I get WTNH and the PBS Bridgeport station. I'd like to get in PBS, but the Hartford one doesn't seem to show up..Obviously New Britain and New Haven are totally opposite directions.

I have built quite a few antennas and almost all the antennas I have are in attics. Not preferred, but if it works ok, why not? My parents' house in Mystic has an attic mounted 4228, which works well enough (depending on the day). In CA, my attic antennas are very reliable.

What kind of antenna did you build? A 4-bay bow-tie build is quite common, but is designed for UHF and may not work well for WTNH.

Farmington vs. New Haven doesn't seem to be very far apart from Oxford (about 50 degrees). However, WTNH is on VHF/10 vs. the UHF Farmington stations. This can work to your advantage, however.

Have a UHF antenna pointed towards Farmington and an upper VHF antenna pointed to New Haven and then combine them with a UVSJ (these are about $4 + shipping):

http://www.solidsignal.com/prod_display.asp?prod=UVSJ

WCTX shares the WNTH tower and is weaker and UHF, so if you want MyN, it may not work out.

Also, I would suggest checking your TV Fool plot and posting it here.

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29

This can help us determine your prospects for reception from the various sites and whether a pre-amp would be a good idea. It appears that the signals are too strong for a generic Oxford plot, but if hills are a factor, this could change considerably.

Not to worry, kookiness is what makes OTA so much fun. :D

I built an 4 bay bowtie.

WTNH is not the problem..in fact that is the only station I get no matter where I point the thing. It's getting Channel 30(NBC) vs Channel 49 (PBS) that is the problem. It's either on or the other, depending how I point the antenna. So if I just put another antenna up there do I necessarily need the UHF/VHF Band Separator, or just a regular splitter?

How do I post my TV fool info here? I have the file saved as a Photoshop or Paint file - can't seem to copy it.

Christina

TV Fool has a link that you can post to here instead, which makes it easier. Look for it below the following line:

If you would like to share these results with others, this page can be referenced as:

Do you have a reflector on the 4-bay or is it bi-directional? WEDH/45's pattern is restricted in your direction, which is probably why you can get WVIT and not WEDH (WVIT is not as restricted to the SW).

Are you using an amp?

I would not recommend using a splitter as a combiner, but it can sometimes work if you have a lot of patience. I use one in CA to pick-up a San Diego station in addition to LA, but trial and error is required and may not work to your satisfaction.

Just look out for your house construction. I have aluminum siding on my house and in my walk up attic I had to move the antenna to the middle of the attic so I wouldn't be pointing at the side will with aluminum siding. Now it points out the roof part with shingles and it works fine.

TV Fool has a link that you can post to here instead, which makes it easier. Look for it below the following line:



Do you have a reflector on the 4-bay or is it bi-directional? WEDH/45's pattern is restricted in your direction, which is probably why you can get WVIT and not WEDH (WVIT is not as restricted to the SW).

Are you using an amp?

I would not recommend using a splitter as a combiner, but it can sometimes work if you have a lot of patience. I use one in CA to pick-up a San Diego station in addition to LA, but trial and error is required and may not work to your satisfaction.

OK, here, the link, for what it's worth...

No amp. There is a reflector.

May I ask, why not use a splitter? Does this cause too much loss of signal?


http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d7f144002d5268b

Anybody else here seem to be having intermittent problems with WTNH-DT? I live in New Britain's south end. Their signal is giving me problems. I use an RCA flat wing indoor antenna (about $15 at Walmart). I rest it horizontally on top of my south-facing second floor bedroom window. Here's what I get on most days:

WFSB HARTFORD - CBS - 2/3 to 70%
WTNH NEW HAVEN - ABC - 2/3...today it's barely 40% with breakups
WUVN HARTFORD - UNI - 2/3 to 70%
WTXX WATERBURY - CW - about 80%
WEDH HARTFORD - PBS - Rarely less than 85%
WHPX NEW LONDON - ION - About 50%
WVIT NEW BRITAIN - NBC - Rarely less than 85%
WCTX NEW HAVEN - MY - Can vary, at at least 80% today
WTIC HARTFORD - FOX - Rarely less than 85%

Although I have a Sanyo 26" LCD HDTV, these results are with an Insignia converter box, attached to my TV's Video 1 input. I bought the TV on June 1, 2006 and, thankfully, still works fine. Sometimes, the Insignia box gets WFSB-DT a bit better than the TV does. Maybe it has better circuitry?

Anybody else here seem to be having intermittent problems with WTNH-DT? I live in New Britain's south end. Their signal is giving me problems. I use an RCA flat wing indoor antenna (about $15 at Walmart). I rest it horizontally on top of my south-facing second floor bedroom window. Here's what I get on most days:

WFSB HARTFORD - CBS - 2/3 to 70%
WTNH NEW HAVEN - ABC - 2/3...today it's barely 40% with breakups
WUVN HARTFORD - UNI - 2/3 to 70%
WTXX WATERBURY - CW - about 80%
WEDH HARTFORD - PBS - Rarely less than 85%
WHPX NEW LONDON - ION - About 50%
WVIT NEW BRITAIN - NBC - Rarely less than 85%
WCTX NEW HAVEN - MY - Can vary, at at least 80% today
WTIC HARTFORD - FOX - Rarely less than 85%

Although I have a Sanyo 26" LCD HDTV, these results are with an Insignia converter box, attached to my TV's Video 1 input. I bought the TV on June 1, 2006 and, thankfully, still works fine. Sometimes, the Insignia box gets WFSB-DT a bit better than the TV does. Maybe it has better circuitry?

Does the Sanyo have an ATSC tuner? If so, why use a converter box?

My television does have both types of tuners, analog and digital. It already has expanded basic cable with no cable converter hooked to it. That's why the Insignia converter box is hooked up with a traditional red/white/yellow A/V cable instead of a coaxial. As for why I have the box? So I can compare my results with others here, plus it gets WFSB-DT a bit better than my TV does.

The real reason I have the box is that, should my grandmother lose her cable on her older TV, a Goldstar model from the mid 1990s, she'll still be able to get some service.

OK, here, the link, for what it's worth...

No amp. There is a reflector.

May I ask, why not use a splitter? Does this cause too much loss of signal?

Your actual signals are much weaker than I would have expected, considering you can get WVIT in the attic. To put it in perspective, anything in the pink is usually difficult to get in an attic.

I think you will want to go with a commercial antenna vs. homemade and a pre-amp would be in order if not for WSAH, which wants to move to the ESB. This is a tough location. If you weren't getting anything already, it would be difficult to recommend trying anything else (as the odds are so low).

The problem with using a splitter as a combiner is that the antennas will interfere with each other, effectively causing multi-path problems since the signals will be out of phase if pointing in different directions and w/o equal cable lengths, etc.

I don't mean to retract my earlier optimism, but my parents' house in Mystic has signals about 15-20db higher for the desired Farmington locals.

Your actual signals are much weaker than I would have expected, considering you can get WVIT in the attic. To put it in perspective, anything in the pink is usually difficult to get in an attic.

I think you will want to go with a commercial antenna vs. homemade and a pre-amp would be in order if not for WSAH, which wants to move to the ESB. This is a tough location. If you weren't getting anything already, it would be difficult to recommend trying anything else (as the odds are so low).

The problem with using a splitter as a combiner is that the antennas will interfere with each other, effectively causing multi-path problems since the signals will be out of phase if pointing in different directions and w/o equal cable lengths, etc.

I don't mean to retract my earlier optimism, but my parents' house in Mystic has signals about 15-20db higher for the desired Farmington locals.

Thanks for the advice on the splitter...on the Antenna forum, EscapeVelocity recommended two antennas with an A/B switch...might that help with the multi-path problems? I think I saw an A/B switch today in RS but it didn't look anything like the splitter...

Christina

The A/B switch will work fine. The predicted signal levels are very pessimistic compared to my location and Falcon_77's. The actual levels at your location would seem to be higher. A good preamp will likely show improved reception and except for its cost, is easy to try. When PBS gets the channel 6 Xmitter running it should be receivable at your location with a rabbitear antenna added to your UHF antenna.
John

The A/B switch will work fine. The predicted signal levels are very pessimistic compared to my location and Falcon_77's. The actual levels at your location would seem to be higher. A good preamp will likely show improved reception and except for its cost, is easy to try. When PBS gets the channel 6 Xmitter running it should be receivable at your location with a rabbitear antenna added to your UHF antenna.
John

Ah, so the channel 65/6 transmitter isn't running yet? (sorry, I haven't read through all the pages here..).

Question about a preamp. Dumb one, I guess. Would the preamp be up in the attic, where I'd have to run some kind of cord down to a plug, or would it attach at my converter box?
Thanks.

The preamps come in two parts. The amplifier connects with a short run of cable (think about 3-4 feet) to the antenna. It gets its power from the coax that runs to near the converter box. A power supply feeds power up the cable to it. This supply is located near the TV where AC is available.
John

Since the channel change of WGBY to CH 22 transmit I have been unable to get them. A rescan gave me CH22 and 40 but no 57-1. WGBY has told me the signal is now stronger, so I don't think it's a receive problem. They were great before the change. Now I wonder if it's something about a PSIP problem.

So the question is does anyone have any problems with WGBY CH 57-1 since it moved to the CH 22 transmit frequency.

(snip)Now I wonder if it's something about a PSIP problem. So the question is does anyone have any problems with WGBY CH 57-1 since it moved to the CH 22 transmit frequency.Couple of ideas: my DirecTV H20 receiver has fits with WGBY-DT now ... showing two 57-1, two 57-2, etc. I suspect this is because some information is coming from DirecTV from the program guide - and some information is obtained from doing an off-air antenna scan. One of the 57-x works whilst the other does not. No problems on other ATSC receivers.

Not knowing what you have for receive equipment - can you directly enter the channel number, like 57-1? If your tuner is old - it may indeed have a problem regarding PSIP decode. Many old ATSC tuners would allow you to enter a channel as its RF assignment ... for example, if you entered 58-1 you would have gotten WGBY-DT (before its move to rf channel 22 frequencies). If that's the case - today you'd have problems because WWLP-DT (rf channel 11) is sending 22-1 in its PSIP info ... by chance do you have a separate ATSC tuner you can test with?

Lastly - depending on where you are ... there is another station on rf channel 22: WLWC-DT in New Bedford MA (CW for Providence RI). Slight possibility that you may have interference from WLWC ...

Here's what I tried. Complete scan with no antenna. No channels found. Attached antenna and put in 22 (57 DT). The reply was no program found. If I put in a channel with no signal say 32, the reply is no signal. So my guess is the tuner saw a signal but no program. Then I tried 33 and it found WFSB 3-1. So right now I think my 2008 Panasonic LCD TV cannot decode the PSIP of CH 57-1, but it could before the change to 22. Located just south of Hartford with a double bow tie pointed North. Getting 83% from CH 40 (on same rock).

Since the channel change of WGBY to CH 22 transmit I have been unable to get them. A rescan gave me CH22 and 40 but no 57-1. WGBY has told me the signal is now stronger, so I don't think it's a receive problem. They were great before the change. Now I wonder if it's something about a PSIP problem.

So the question is does anyone have any problems with WGBY CH 57-1 since it moved to the CH 22 transmit frequency.

Funny you should mention this as I rescanned and my digital converter boxes picked up WGBY 57.1.... OK. Yet my ATSC tuner on my Sony TV now has WGBY has channels 22.3, 22.4, 22.5, 22.6 But doesn't show the station name WGBY in the display header.

It seems the PSIP ino confuses some ATSC tuners.

Funny you should mention this as I rescanned and my digital converter boxes picked up WGBY 57.1.... OK. Yet my ATSC tuner on my Sony TV now has WGBY has channels 22.3, 22.4, 22.5, 22.6 But doesn't show the station name WGBY in the display header.

It seems the PSIP ino confuses some ATSC tuners.

Sony TVs do not remap stations that are manually entered. You need to do a new scan.

- Trip

Here's what I tried. Complete scan with no antenna. No channels found. Attached antenna and put in 22 (57 DT). The reply was no program found. If I put in a channel with no signal say 32, the reply is no signal. So my guess is the tuner saw a signal but no program. Then I tried 33 and it found WFSB 3-1. So right now I think my 2008 Panasonic LCD TV cannot decode the PSIP of CH 57-1, but it could before the change to 22. Located just south of Hartford with a double bow tie pointed North. Getting 83% from CH 40 (on same rock).

So here's the latest. It's not PSIP. I dug out my Radio Shack Accurian tuner and got a glimmer of signal. I then switched to a silver sensor indoor antenna and found a spot where I got a fair signal. Then I went to the Panasonic with the silver sensor and got enough signal to see the station and ID 57-1 to 57-4. Went back to my outdoor antenna and nothing. So my DB2 antenna has a problem with the switch to transmit channel 22, which is suppose to have more signal than before. Maybe not directional enough. RF is strange stuff. I still get 40 DT and 22 DT, which is a VHF transmit station on the UHF DB2 antenna. Back to the lab.

How is reception of the Springfield/Chicopee/Holyoke stations in your area? I'm in the south end of New Britain. My Insignia digital converter box slows on channel 22 while doing a channel scan, as if it's trying to lock on WGGB-DT (ABC). I get nothing with WWLP-DT (NBC) channel 11. I've never seen anything from WGBY-DT (PBS) at all.

How is reception of the Springfield/Chicopee/Holyoke stations in your area? I'm in the south end of New Britain. My Insignia digital converter box slows on channel 22 while doing a channel scan, as if it's trying to lock on WGGB-DT (ABC). I get nothing with WWLP-DT (NBC) channel 11. I've never seen anything from WGBY-DT (PBS) at all.

Channel 22 (Digital) is WGBY, not WGGB. WWLP is on 11 and WGGB is on 58 until they switch over to 40- which i think is happening in June.

OK! Thank you for the update! Again, my box detects a trace of a signal, but won't show call letters and things like that unless it locks on it.

Channel 22 (Digital) is WGBY, not WGGB. WWLP is on 11 and WGGB is on 58 until they switch over to 40- which i think is happening in June.Yea, confusing with similar callsigns and close channel numbers. WGGB-DT is not on 58 but 55.

WWLP (NBC)
analog was 22 - now off air
digital is 11

WGBY (PBS)
analog was 57 - off air for some time
digital was 58 - recently moved to 22

WGGB (ABC)
analog was 40 - off air for some time
digital is 55 - will be moving to 40

WSHM-LP (CBS)
low power analog on 67 from Mt. Tom
has construction permit for digital 41 in Montgomery MA

I built an 4 bay bowtie.

WTNH is not the problem..in fact that is the only station I get no matter where I point the thing. It's getting Channel 30(NBC) vs Channel 49 (PBS) that is the problem. It's either on or the other, depending how I point the antenna. So if I just put another antenna up there do I necessarily need the UHF/VHF Band Separator, or just a regular splitter?
Christina
Pardon me for joining this so late in the thread. Congratulations on your persistence. I thought you might have given up on trying to get the Hartford stations. Frankly, I'm impressed that you were able to get WVIT. I would imagine that the receive level is right on the knife edge of the SNR for your receiver and you will experience pixelization and dropouts from time to time.

Although I question the difference in the TVFools numbers when comparing WVIT and WEDH, the receive level for WVIT should be a bit higher than WEDH which would explain why you can not receive WEDH - it's below the threshold. If you could slowly rotate the antenna while watching the signal strength meter (or whatever your receiver has) you might find a sweet spot, like a reflection, that might give you a little bit better level for WVIT. Then do a manual search for WEDH. It might show up. By peaking for WVIT you will also be peaking for WEDH as from your location they are almost perfectly in alignment.

Personally, I'd stick with WEDW - virtually the same programming. Come June both WEDW and WEDH will be increasing power but WEDH will be insignificant for you. And as John mentioned, if the FCC grants the license, WEDY will be on and you could just point at WTNH and get both.

You can PM me for any CPTV specific information as I don't visit this site too often.

Marc

Mike - Got the grill ready for when you get back to the right coast.

Marc - that's good to know re: WEDW and power - thought that it was at it's "future state" already with the switch from 52 to 49.

Not that I couldn't get it with a paper clip, but still, good to know :)

My Insignia converter box hesitates on two or three channels, so achingly close to locking on them. One is the WPXQ-DT (ION) from Rhode Island, which I could get if I move my indoor antenna ever-so-slightly, but then I'd lose WHPX-DT. Besides channel 17 (WPXQ-DT), my box hesitates on channel 22 (WGBY-DT) and channel 42 (WSAH-DT from Bridgeport?). I can't move my indoor antenna any higher and a roof antenna isn't going to fly with my grandmother owning the house.

My Insignia converter box hesitates on two or three channels, so achingly close to locking on them. One is the WPXQ-DT (ION) from Rhode Island, which I could get if I move my indoor antenna ever-so-slightly, but then I'd lose WHPX-DT.

I only wish I had that problem with ION, though the situation should be improved with WHPX having moved back to 26.

WHPX and WPXQ have the same programming anyway and in Mystic we have to fight one or both to get our "locals."

WPXQ-DT on 17 is much stronger than analog 69 was. Lower UHF channels seem to be quite a bit more effective at greater distances while not having impulse noise concerns.

If only both would move closer to the main antenna "farms," ignoring COL issues, of course.

Agreed on that one! Yes, I do get a slightly better signal with WHPX-DT on channel 26 as opposed to their old channel 34 assignment. I wonder if WPXQ-DT could work in a place like Rehoboth, MA? As for the channels almost popping in, I failed to mention WEDN-DT from Norwich. My box hesitates there, too. However, since WEDH-DT is always one of my two strongest signals (WVIT-DT is the other), I won't move my antenna for WEDN.

Anyways, with WHPX-DT off of channel 34, you should do better now with either WVIT-DT and or WFSB-DT.

Marc,
If you are reading this I worry that WEDW might interfere with WLNE here. If you want to turn the xmit antenna to steer a null in this direction it would be nice.
KML-224 et al,
When WHPX was on 34 I had very little success with any of the Hartford UHF and kept my antenna aimed a Providence. Now I find WVIT WEDH and WTIC are stronger than the Providence channels. WFSB is much weaker than the rest and not receivable with a single UHF yagi. I have to buy $100 dollar filters to lower the levels of channels 17 and 26 to get the UHF network stations from either Providence or Hartford.
John

Really? Even with WFSB-DT being transmitted with 1 million watts? I'm surprised to hear that. Come to think of it, Avon Mountain would be a bit further away for that area than Rattlesnake Mountain would.

1000 kW won't get as far as 100 kW if the 100 kW is 700 feet higher.

Height is much more important than power level.

- Trip

That is very true. You really can't make up for significant blockage with power.
John

I tried a few things to get WGBY back. Since the channel change they are gone. I shortened my antenna cable to 40'. If I peak on CH 40 (same TX site) I get a meter reading of 92%. Zero from WGBY. A slight move of the antenna to the West produces a reading of 30 to 52 % but it's not stable. Probably a reflection. I'll keep fooling around, but I think I took a good loss of WGBY signal since the move to CH 22 at my location.

Marc,
If you are reading this I worry that WEDW might interfere with WLNE here. If you want to turn the xmit antenna to steer a null in this direction it would be nice.
John

John, do you really think that WEDW will effect WLNE in Mystic? WLNE is 6+ dB more and 100+ degrees on the back side. It's so low power the electrons will drown coming across the river.

I guess most of the time WLNE will be OK. How does the coverage compare with the old analog channel 49 xmitter. The path to here was better than the one to the lower site for channel 24. Pre digital I occasionally would watch channel 49 if 53 was off air. So with a little coastal tropo it could take out WLNE.
John

I could see hints of WEDW last summer. However, that was with a 2nd antenna pointed towards NYC.

In my case, WLNE is impossibly weak and I have yet to receive a hint of it, so I'm not very concerned about it, even if the rare tropo event makes the situation worse.

John, do you really think that WEDW will effect WLNE in Mystic? WLNE is 6+ dB more and 100+ degrees on the back side. It's so low power the electrons will drown coming across the river.the electrons

Attached is (are) a few of the electrons that could tread water.
John

I was flipping through the channels today and caught a text screen that ran before an ad of "Deal or No Deal" on NBC30. Out of idle curiosity, I'm trying to figure out what the various pieces mean and I thought some of you folks might be able to lend a hand. The screen said:

HDL5325
WHR10538
DEAL FRI TDY 430
:15
Kill: 5/15/09

I have no idea what the first two lines are.

The third line sounds like "Deal or No Deal", "Friday", "Today" 4:30pm. Deal, Friday, and 430 line up accordingly on the schedule, and I'm assuming TDY means that ad is to be run the same day the show is to air.

The :15 could mean it is a 15 second spot, which it was.

The "Kill" line could mean to not air that ad past that date anymore, since the show would have already aired.

Anyhow - it was a bit interesting to get a peek behind the curtain.

the electrons

Attached is (are) a few of the electrons that could tread water.
John

Wow! I'm impressed. I should have brought a hammer with me when I was at WEDW last week and beat on the antenna; maybe fine tune it a bit for you. Says a lot for the old RCA antenna.

What's WLNE look like when you swing the antenna around the other way?

Here is what I get on 49 pointed at WEDW and then at WLNE. The spectrums are inverted. The level is not much different from when I took the TV picture on the other post. I was not getting a picture today and but when I did get it would fade out from time to time. If I believe the attunators on my Tek 451, the levels are about 16dB different.
John

John

Here is what I get on 49 pointed at WEDW and then at WLNE. The spectrums are inverted. The level is not much different from when I took the TV picture on the other post. I was not getting a picture today and but when I did get it would fade out from time to time. If I believe the attunators on my Tek 451, the levels are about 16dB different.
John

John

I'm assuming the photo with the lower level is WEDW. What were your settings for span (5 MHz/Div?) and amplitude (5dB/Div?). The 451 doesn't do averaging so you can't measure SNR; you would have to estimate the SNR. Looks like <10dB for WEDW at the time you did the measurement which would explain the lack of a picture. Does your receiver show SNR in manual tune?

Speaking of TSReader, tune in WEDH and WEDN and see what the Mux Bitrate reads over a period of a couple minutes and let me know.

You keep giving me things to do. At least WEDH and WEDN are easy to receive. I will try using the ON Air GT next time I aim at WEDW and look at SNR. Tektronix claimed that the display level is about 8 dB per grad when it was made, but that was years ago. The 451 won't do ensemble averaging but does have a low pass video filter to smooth out the display. The noise floor on it is higher than the one seen by the TV because the front end has no bandpass filter, so the SA passes the image frequency and another band that is simultaneously processed because of harmonics in the LO.
John

You keep giving me things to do. At least WEDH and WEDN are easy to receive. I will try using the ON Air GT next time I aim at WEDW and look at SNR. Tektronix claimed that the display level is about 8 dB per grad when it was made, but that was years ago. The 451 won't do ensemble averaging but does have a low pass video filter to smooth out the display. The noise floor on it is higher than the one seen by the TV because the front end has no bandpass filter, so the SA passes the image frequency and another band that is simultaneously processed because of harmonics in the LO.
John

I just sent you a PM.

Channel 30 will give a preview of its new HD facility during tonight's (Tuesday) 11PM news.

WVIT also has recently started running promos with graphics announcing "Coming Soon ... State Of The Art ... Built For You ... The Most Advanced Television Station In Connecticut ... The Only Connecticut News In HD ... NBC 30 Connecticut HD".

The move to the new building (and local hi-def broadcasting) is scheduled for June. Maybe tonight they will give the exact date.

Thanks for the update! I mean the following as a joke, but will any pieces of the existing 1950s studio be auctioned off for charity or anything silly like that? Ha! :)

Thanks for the update! I mean the following as a joke, but will any pieces of the existing 1950s studio be auctioned off for charity or anything silly like that? Ha! :)

Some on-line articles mentioned that the existing studio's exterior bricks have value because they are considered "antique", and they will be sold once the building is torn down to make way for a parking lot for the new building. A great photo of the outside of Channel 30's current home, taken before I-84 was built, was put on a postcard and is the third picture down on the webpage http://www.hartfordradiohistory.com/Misc_Photos.html
The caption reads that the photo is from the early 1960s. With all the bunting on the building, possibly it was the occasion of Channel 30's tenth anniversary in 1963. I wonder if the actual TV studios are in the front part of the building or in the long extension in the rear. The Hartford Radio History website has many historic photos and articles about Connecticut's radio and television stations, and welcomes information and photographs.

The segment that ran last night during WVIT's news did not indicate the exact date of the move. But judging from the shot of the new and far-from-finished newsroom area, it looks like it might be more towards the end of June rather than earlier. The anchor desk can be moved around a large area to different sets, depending on the program being done. The director of technology spoke of 30's upcoming change from 4:3 to 16:9 widescreen camera shots. The news anchors told how the station waited until the last minute to order the equipment so that it would be state-of-the-art.

The new building is just ten feet behind the present one. A few weeks ago I looked at the station from the bird's-eye view on Google Earth, but apparently those satellite photos aren't very recent. Google Earth showed the current station building with its worn black flat roof, but the photo showed no sign of the new building. In the picture, the sloping area behind the present studio was still in the process of being leveled with fill.

One quick note, speaking of WVIT: During the evening news, Gerry Brooks mentioned another DTV test coming on Thursday, May 21st, for the remaining analog broadcasters in Connecticut. The 5-minute tests will take place at 7:25 AM, 12:25 PM and 6:25 PM.

As for the Hartford Radio History site, I check that site a couple of times a day. It is wonderful and have it on my list of favorites. The post card you mentioned may very well have been from the 10-year mark of channel 30. After checking, the last section of I-84 in Connecticut to be finished and opened was between Plainville and Farmington in the late 1960s.

John Ramsey does a great job with the Hartford radio history website. It's a fairly new site and it is already quite comprehensive. And it's pretty up to date. He already has the ownership and call letter change of Radio 104 back to WMRQ.

Hey CPTV guys - mind updating the tribune guide data (assumed) for WEDW? Still only showing 49.1 at zap2it. Causing issues for those of us reliant on DirecTV's crappy non-scanning / non-psip OTA tuners.

Hey CPTV guys - mind updating the tribune guide data (assumed) for WEDW? Still only showing 49.1 at zap2it. Causing issues for those of us reliant on DirecTV's crappy non-scanning / non-psip OTA tuners.

CPTV regularly updates and corrects information provided to the listing services. Most, including Tribune, also call with follow up emails, quite regularly. Experience indicates most appear to publish paper and or electronically the corrections at a snail pace.

During the recent past several months, during the Macrovision / GemStar / TVGuide scenario, where CPTV now provides again both the digital OTA and Cable TV listing services for the Hartford / New Haven DMA zip codes, it has been a snail pace to convince all of them that there is no "Digital 32.5/Virtual 24.5" channel", and to please correct all information ASAP...

Currently DTV is actual RF channel.
DT is PSIP virtual channel.
Service -1 is CPTV HD.
Service -2 is Create.
Service -3 & -4 dark. Future TBD.

Hartford DTV 45
WEDH DT 24-1
WEDH DT 24-2

Norwich DTV 9
WEDN DT 53-1
WEDN DT 53-2

Bridgeport DTV 49 The only CPTV channel that is "on-channel".
WEDW DT 49-1
WEDW DT 49-2

Hopefully on June 13, 2009 (FCC TBD)
New Haven DTV 6
WEDY 65-1
WEDY 65-2

Thanks - had a feeling you guys were on the ball - these D* non-scanning tuners REALLY stink.

...

Hopefully on June 13, 2009 (FCC TBD)
New Haven DTV 6
WEDY 65-1
WEDY 65-2

Is there a reasonable / good / great chance of this? I'd be happy, if so (as WEDW actually is just waaaay too strong for me...)

TVNewsday.com is reporting that WSAH, the TV station that was licensed to Bridgeport but is now considered a New York City station, will no longer be a home shopping channel as of July 1st. Its main channel will become a 24/7 affiliate of the Retro TV Network, which currently shows mostly Universal Studios TV series from the 1960s-1980s. The programs include Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Dragnet, Quincy, Emergency, Adam-12, Laredo, and Leave It To Beaver.

While WSAH is presently available over-the-air on digital channel 42 to southwestern Connecticut viewers, it was reported quite awhile ago on "Northeast Radio Watch" that WTNH, Channel 8 of New Haven had reserved one of their digital subchannels for WSAH to lease. The agreement would take place if the FCC allowed WSAH to move its broadcast antenna from Connecticut to the top of the Empire State Building. So the possibility exists that eventually Retro TV might be on a sub-channel of WTNH, assuming that it doesn't conflict with Retro's affiliation with Hartford's low-power station, WRNT.

Wait...WSAH-DT 43-1 would also be WTNH-DT 8-2? Is that what you're saying?

OK...with a week to go, how is your reception in Hartford/New Haven? I'm in the south end of New Britain. I don't receive a thing from Springfield/Holyoke whatsoever, although that might change soon. Does one station give you more problems than any other? Me? Avon Mountain has always been troublesome. WFSB-DT (CBS) is nearly always there and them having a 1 million watt signal helps. WUVN-DT (UNI), also from Avon Mountain, is usually good but cuts out once in a rare while. I have no problems with any of the Rattlesnake Mountain broadcasters (WTXX, WEDH, WVIT and WTIC). WTNH-DT (ABC) is usually good but has these dips in their signal at times. However, WCTX-DT (MY) is from the same site as WTNH and they're a solid 75 to 80%. Lastly, WHPX-DT (ION) from New London is decent. If I move my RCA Batwing indoor antenna a hair, I would also get WPXQ-DT (ION) from Block Island/Providence.

OK...that's how I'm doing. How about you guys?

Wait...WSAH-DT 43-1 would also be WTNH-DT 8-2? Is that what you're saying?

Yes, it's a possibility. The whole idea of WSAH renting one of WTNH's subchannels was so that Channel 43 could continue to have approximately the same footprint in Connecticut even after it is allowed to move its antenna to New York City.

I looked at the service contour maps for WSAH-DT on the FCC website. The coverage map for their signal if broadcasted from the Empire State Building shows that it would only reach into Connecticut as far east as Danbury and Bridgeport. The signal would basically only cover the "tail" of the state. The other coverage map with WSAH broadcasting from the current tower (owned by Comcast) in Seymour, CT shows that WSAH's signal extends as far north as Southwick, Mass., and covers most of western Connecticut.

By leasing one of Channel 8's subchannels, WSAH's current coverage could be maintained because WTNH also covers the same area (plus a little more). While it does seem unusual to have the same programming service on the two partially overlapping stations, WSAH is technically in DMA #1 (New York City), and WTNH is in DMA #30 (Hartford/New Haven). Time will tell if the Retro TV Network does show up on WTNH-SD.

OK...with a week to go ... Does one station give you more problems than any other? ...

Despite five different antennas and three different receivers since February of 2002, there always seems to be the same list of stations that have given me reception problems. I have always had trouble with WTXX. I have tried to watch the This Network on 20-2 and have gotten one hour and forty-five minutes into a movie without a problem, and then the picture will break up into long horizontal bars. The bars on the top and bottom of the screen will be from a scene that has transpired a minute previously, and the center of the screen will have frozen bars from a more recent point in the program. The audio will become a constant stream of hiccups, making the dialogue completely unintelligible. Hopefully the situation will improve when 20 moves to its higher antenna on the Chase tower and its antenna pattern becomes more omnidirectional. I don't expect to ever receive WCTX or the Ion affiliate from New London. WGGB from Springfield is currently too weak to come in, but that may change when it moves to a higher antenna and leaves digital channel 55 for channel 40.

Thank you Mister Hartford/New Britain! (LOL) Anybody else here with their current reception issues?

Despite five different antennas and three different receivers since February of 2002, there always seems to be the same list of stations that have given me reception problems. I have always had trouble with WTXX. I have tried to watch the This Network on 20-2 and have gotten one hour and forty-five minutes into a movie without a problem, and then the picture will break up into long horizontal bars. The bars on the top and bottom of the screen will be from a scene that has transpired a minute previously, and the center of the screen will have frozen bars from a more recent point in the program. The audio will become a constant stream of hiccups, making the dialogue completely unintelligible. Hopefully the situation will improve when 20 moves to its higher antenna on the Chase tower and its antenna pattern becomes more omnidirectional.
Also, with WTXX moving to RF channel 20, things might improve. I don't know about others on this list, but I have had more problems with the VHF channels (WTNH on 10 and WTXX on 12) than with the UHF ones. Hopefully WTXX will clear up when they are on RF 20 after June 12th.

From my location, I have had difficulty with the Springfield stations (although 40 was screaming in here a few weeks ago, but there was a line of thunderstorms in the area, so that might have been attributed to favorable conditions) and with WUVN (though I have no real use for that channel). Most of the Hartford stations come in reliably though, for the most part.

Thank you Mister Hartford/New Britain! (LOL) Anybody else here with their current reception issues?

Since WGBY 57 went to CH 22 I have lost them, location Wethersfield. I have been in contact with them and they are looking into possible problems with their new antenna for CH 22. Hope they return. CH 40 from same location still strong.

At least you're getting something from Springfield/Holyoke. On occasion, the signal meter on my Insignia converter box will move a bit, but it's never enough to get a picture to pop on.

I am in New Haven (East Rock) with a rooftop antenna and am currently pulling in all major networks (CBS, ABC, NBC, FOX, CW and MYTV) with the exception of CPTV- I had received 24.1 for quite some time and 49.1 periodically and then I started receiving both plus .2 x2 (Create). Now nothing.

Is EDY coming online? If so, might this cause me more harm than good? My antenna is stationary and I may be having issues with my preamp but why am I picking up all these other stations crystal? Where is my CPTV?

Any idea how far out the old analog channel 65 signal got? Here in New Britain, even on evenings with UHF coming in from Boston, Long Island or Philadelphia, I never received a trace of WEDY-TV.

Any idea how far out the old analog channel 65 signal got? Here in New Britain, even on evenings with UHF coming in from Boston, Long Island or Philadelphia, I never received a trace of WEDY-TV.

http://www.fcc.gov/dtv/markets/
Click: Hartford-New Haven, CT
Scroll down to WEDY.
You should be pleasantly surprised!

http://www.fcc.gov/dtv/markets/
Click: Hartford-New Haven, CT
Scroll down to WEDY.
You should be pleasantly surprised!

Be forewarned that the FCC's low-VHF coverage plots are rather exaggerated.

- Trip

I've heard nothing but bad things about VHF-low and digital TV. I'll believe it when I receive it...IF that happens.

I am in New Haven (East Rock) with a rooftop antenna and am currently pulling in all major networks (CBS, ABC, NBC, FOX, CW and MYTV) with the exception of CPTV- I had received 24.1 for quite some time and 49.1 periodically and then I started receiving both plus .2 x2 (Create). Now nothing.

From where you are, you should receive WEDH rather well, they are Rattlesnake with 61 and 20 (and 30 on the other tower) Here in Middletown, WEDH is the one I can get the best from there.

Can't you get WEDW-DT from Bridgeport in New Haven at all?

OK - I can already see my first post-transition problem.

Friggin WTNH's audio on national sports (EG the NBA finals) is just horrid. It's compressed, has no spread to the surrounds, it's muddy, etc. A total mess. It's been this way for a while now.

FYI - I can compare it to WABC OTA, and it's not even close. The audio is night and day different. This is a problem, as I'll likely lose WABC when it goes to 7 (I have a 4228/7777 combo, so it's likely asking too much for a UHF antenna to go to 7)

What does analog 7 look like now.
John