I've got the hdtv...currently use cox HD service...just no HD on fox. I have to figure out if i can use my cox stb with the antenna, or if I have to buy another stb. If so, which one do you recommend?

I would say, if the Cox box has an ota tuner, use that instead of buying a brand new set top box. I use satellite and an ota set top box, so I can't advise you on the compatibility or capability of the Cox box. Good luck whichever route you choose.

Btw, don't believe everything the Circuit City guys tell you. They sold me one of those god awful terk antennas when I first go my set top box. What a piece of junk! I did much better on my own and with the RCA Amplified Indoor Antenna.

A Terk is a piece of JUNK. A bent coathanger will do more for ya. :) Good luck!

I don't know of any cable boxes that do OTA also. I mean, there are some that'll tune unencrypted QAM on the cable, but none for the subscription cable that I'm aware of.

- Trip

Originally posted by jamielee
I have a waiver to get FOX east/west, and NBC east/west, however I havent got a Directv HD box yet.

If I had it Id be set.

Lets hope the DUCTING that night is high and WRAZ comes in good.


How did you get the fox waiver. I called and asked for a waiver for the fox hd channel that DTV just put up until they get their hd going. I was told no way. I don't watch their crappy channel and won't until they get hd installed.

Hey swat & ENC -

Wonder if I'd be better off dropping Cox and going with DirecTV? I had DirecTV in Charlotte and loved it, but have Cox now for the HD/DVR combo box w/out the $1K price tag. Monthly is about the same. If you have DTV, what are your thoughts?

About 3 or 4 years ago I called about national locals and they had to put in for a waiver, I called back on night about 2am and ask about the status, the CSR must of been half a sleep and she said it looks like you were approved for NBC and FOX, I quicly said Ill take it. Well 2 days later I got a post card saying I was denied for NBC CBS ABC FOX. Well I want calling back. I kept calling FOX in Morehead asking for a waiver because there signal is impossible here just 5 1/2 miles past Washington, the GM said we're testing our signal in Washington, I told him in the City its good but soon as you roll about a mile out its gone.

Has anyone been able to get FoxHD from DirecTV? Are many people successful pulling in the signal from Raleigh?

I thought if you could not get HD from a local provider you were automatically eligable for the signal Directv carries?

I understand that's how it *should* work, but didn't know if anyone had seen it actually happen.

Ken12,

Just wanted to say "thumbs up" on that big HD monitor, at least I'm assuming it's HD, on the 12 News set! I saw it the other night during the sports segment. It was awesome! Really, I never use this word, but it was P-H-A-T! *LOL*

Not that we got to see it around here unless you could pick up WTVD from RDU, but ABC News Now is off the air Jan 29th. It will continue on the ABC News website, but is off digital and cable so they can make it a more profitable venture.

Guess it will become some sort of a subscription service? Just what the world needs- another internet pay tv service!

Oh well, it was nice while it lasted. I think, in retrospect, ABC News Now had potential to do things a little different fromt the rest of the cable news networks. I especially enjoyed the simulcasts of the hurricanes that hit Florida and the burp of Mt. Saint Helens last year. Also, enjoyed the coverage of the Clinton Library christening.

Sorry ABC couldnt' make it work. Should have deviated from the talking head format in my opinion. :(

Originally posted by jspENC
I thought if you could not get HD from a local provider you were automatically eligable for the signal Directv carries?

As I understand it, the new law provides for this. However, I think they are working out the new digital DMA and it will probably take a year or more...so maybe by then we might be getting ready to get our local station in HD...hehehe:)

Originally posted by agregjones
Has anyone been able to get FoxHD from DirecTV? Are many people successful pulling in the signal from Raleigh?

Don't think so, you have to have a waiver or be in an owned and operated stations area. I think the closest O&O to us is in Greensboro. I can't pull in Raleigh and I'm about 4 miles north of Washington. I can get WRAL most of time at night.

Originally posted by 2Scoops
As I understand it, the new law provides for this. However, I think they are working out the new digital DMA and it will probably take a year or more...so maybe by then we might be getting ready to get our local station in HD...hehehe:)

You got that right, 2Scoops!!!

Speaking of moving at a snail's pace... WNCT is cutting it close with getting their PSIP up and running. They only have till next Tuesday and haven't done anything that I can tell. I read in the Savannah, Ga thread that Media General back in November was vascillating between 2 different companies for providing the equipment for PSIP and such. Wonder if that has something to do with the delay? Or maybe they are just determined to not do anything till the day they are mandated to do so by law?

You know, I'd love to have the WB ota, but maybe instead of that WNCT could at least broadcast our local FOX on a subchannel until WFXI/WYDO can get up and running on their own. Yeah, it wouldn't be HD, but it would at least be something. Either that or somebody get a hampster to run on a wheel!

Then, when WFXI/WYDO does finally get up and running on their own, WNCT could replace FOX for the WB!

2 problems solved... :rolleyes:

WNCT when I first got my HD box last year was running PSIP data. Looks like they should be going already.

Is there someone we can complain to about the poor signal that FOX is putting out? I mean it seems rediculas that even in Greenville it is weak and that no further than Washington and you can barely see it. I can just make out that 14 is on the air down here. I can hear it but the picture is covered in snow. Directv is coming Thursday, and I can't wait to see it on there!

Originally posted by jspENC
Is there someone we can complain to about the poor signal that FOX is putting out? I mean it seems rediculas that even in Greenville it is weak and that no further than Washington and you can barely see it. I can just make out that 14 is on the air down here. I can hear it but the picture is covered in snow. Directv is coming Thursday, and I can't wait to see it on there!

Channel 8 has to protect from interference other stations on the air before they came on the air so they have to protect WITN on 7, WNCT on 9 and on 8, WRIC in Richmond and WGHP in High Point.

Channel 14 on Directv is clear but its not as as the rest of them. FOX news at 10 is awful. WNCT must send the news program signal back to WFXI in Morehead City and then retransmit it on FOX 8/14.

I know WNCT has a low powered channel in Morehead to carry WNCT on because the signal is weak there, its probally true for FOX news, weak signal from Greenville studios.

They should have gone with a UHF signal to start with, but because this requires more power probably led them to the channel 8 choice right?

SHWALTER,
You have COX HD is it worth it, is it clear?

How much do you pay for HD not other cable.

You are right about the signal difference Jamielee, a couple of times I have gotten both signals where I could watch them at the same time, and 8 is so much clearer colorwise than 14. 14 looked like they were putting out the kind of color reception you would expect in the 1960's or 70's! This is the same for all shows on those 2 channels, 8 is better than 14, but 8 still isn't as good colorwise all the other stations I get.

I have heard on ENC Today that COX is too high, what are their prices like? TW down here charges $52.00 just for analog. They run about $75.00 for digital not including the few HD channels, they are extra.

Originally posted by jamielee
WNCT when I first got my HD box last year was running PSIP data. Looks like they should be going already.

Were they running programming guide information as well, jamielee? I got my stb back in May 2004. I don't remember ever seeing PSIP information on WNCT; maybe it was before then...

I agree too about the pq of 14 as opposed to 8. 14 has always seemed kind of washed out to me. Doesn't Fox have another low powered translator. I know I can pick it up on analog channel 65 up here in Greenville if I select IRC cable, I think, on my tv. Or is this just some kind of translation of the analog channel 14?

easternncnewswat, I think you might have your TV set to tune for Cable rather than over-the-air.

It was off and on for a short time. Not very long, probally around March or April

Originally posted by jspENC
They should have gone with a UHF signal to start with, but because this requires more power probably led them to the channel 8 choice right?

The operational cost difference of a UHF verses a VHF is about 5 to 7 times more.

Originally posted by jspENC
easternncnewswat, I think you might have your TV set to tune for Cable rather than over-the-air.

Not as a general rule... When I manually change it from ota to cable, I can pick up FOX on 65. Just was curious if this was a translator low powered station.

No. What you're seeing is the shift. See, Cable 14-22 are below channel 7, and Cable 23-64 are all in a part of the spectrum between channels 13 and 14. So 65 is channel 14. So Cable 76 is channel 25. This pattern continues until Cable 95-99, which use the FM band (above 6, below cable 14 I think). I'm not 100% sure, but I THINK that's right. Then 100-125 is 44-69.

Again, don't quote me, but I'm almost sure that's how it works.

- Trip

Cool! Thanx for the info, Trip!

OK now I understand. Thanks Trip!

Originally posted by jamielee
SHWALTER,
You have COX HD is it worth it, is it clear?

How much do you pay for HD not other cable.

The HD service is $9.95 for WNCT, WRAL, WCTI, WITN, ESPN, PBS, INHD, & INHD2. The quality is outstanding for shows that broadcast in HD. I also have the HD/DVR combo box for $9.95. The FOX station is awful...very snowy picture. I'm going tomorrow to get an antenna to try to pick up the signal from WRAZ in Raleigh. The monthly cost for COX is slightly higher than DirecTV, however now equipment to buy...especially the HD/DVR. I can't tell you how nice it is.

Originally posted by shwalter
I'm going tomorrow to get an antenna to try to pick up the signal from WRAZ in Raleigh.

Remember you may have to play around with the location of your antenna. I had to try mine in a lot of different spots before I found the place that allowed me to receive the RDU market (WRAL, WRAZ, WTVD, WLFL, WNCN, WRAY) as well as Greenville/Washington/New Bern (WCTI, WNCT, WITN, WUNK). Mine is actually positioned behind a loveseat on the floor on the East side of the room oddly enough. :rolleyes:

I'm just glad I can get the stations though. You might find yourself surprised with better pq than what you get on cable. That depends on whether COX cable compresses their signals. I don't know myself. I have satellite and I can tell you from watching ota, Dish Network compresses the hell out of it's channels.

Anyway, Good Luck to you!

I sent an e-mail to the Vice President and General Manager of WNCT today to see if I can find out their company/station plans for WNCT; we'll see if I get a response. In the past, she's made a point of at least acknowledging the e-mail when we've had problems with reception. I hope she'll let us know something.

Primarily, I asked her if WNCT will be passing PSIP by February 1st as required. However, I also asked her if they had any plans to offer the WB as a subchannel like another Media General station in the Tri-Cities of Tennessee. Likewise, I mentioned the idea last night about maybe broadcasting Fox until WFXI/WYDO until they get up and running. Also, I asked if they had any plans for a news/weather channel for Eastern NC. Mind you, I didn't suggest all of these at one time. I just wanted to mention all the options and see if she would take the bait. I'll let you know if anything comes of it or she replies back. ;)

Originally posted by easternncnewswat
I sent an e-mail to the Vice President and General Manager of WNCT today to see if I can find out their company/station plans for WNCT; we'll see if I get a response. In the past, she's made a point of at least acknowledging the e-mail when we've had problems with reception. I hope she'll let us know something.

Primarily, I asked her if WNCT will be passing PSIP by February 1st as required. However, I also asked her if they had any plans to offer the WB as a subchannel like another Media General station in the Tri-Cities of Tennessee. Likewise, I mentioned the idea last night about maybe broadcasting Fox until WFXI/WYDO until they get up and running. Also, I asked if they had any plans for a news/weather channel for Eastern NC. Mind you, I didn't suggest all of these at one time. I just wanted to mention all the options and see if she would take the bait. I'll let you know if anything comes of it or she replies back. ;)

Umm... Media General's WJHL does not provide WB to the Tri-Cities. WCYB does (co-owned with WCTI, not WNCT). CYB.WB is the name I think.

- Trip

Last night reception was strong! I was getting 5, 11, 17,25,26,30,50 distant digitals and 8,14,28, analog. Very unusual for me.

Originally posted by Trip in VA
Umm... Media General's WJHL does not provide WB to the Tri-Cities. WCYB does (co-owned with WCTI, not WNCT). CYB.WB is the name I think.

- Trip

My understanding from the Tri-Cities thread was that WJHL offered the WB to their viewers. I either misunderstood or mixed up the call letters. Thanx for the correct info, Trip.

In any event, I'll let everyone know if WNCT replies back to the message.

wcyb is owned by Bluestone the same company that owns wcti

Ken

Ken12, Do you know if Bluestone has any changes in the works? I did not know that ownership had been transfered.

No changes that I'm aware of each station is pretty much run separately.
They purchased our entire group in the fall of last year we were Lamco Communications.

Ken

Originally posted by easternncnewswat
Remember you may have to play around with the location of your antenna. I had to try mine in a lot of different spots before I found the place that allowed me to receive the RDU market (WRAL, WRAZ, WTVD, WLFL, WNCN, WRAY) as well as Greenville/Washington/New Bern (WCTI, WNCT, WITN, WUNK). Mine is actually positioned behind a loveseat on the floor on the East side of the room oddly enough. :rolleyes:

I'm just glad I can get the stations though. You might find yourself surprised with better pq than what you get on cable. That depends on whether COX cable compresses their signals. I don't know myself. I have satellite and I can tell you from watching ota, Dish Network compresses the hell out of it's channels.

Anyway, Good Luck to you!

OK...purchased the RCA Amplified Indoor Antenna. Before I purchased the HD box, I wanted to be sure I could get reception with the antenna. Well, I can't get squat. WNCT, which is right down the street, comes in extremely fuzzy, and I can't get anything else. Do I have to have an HD box to get any signal at all? I wouldn't think so. But, when the antenna is hooked directly to my tv, i get nothing. Any suggestions? Also, the antenna instructions show that installation should go from HD box to Antenna to TV. Seems like it would be from antenna to HD box to TV. How is yours hooked up?

Sorry, I just got home from work.

Ok... My RCA Amplified Indoor Antenna is first and foremost plugged into the wall outlet. There is a switch on the back of the antenna for Bypass, Amp, and Cable In. Mine is set for amp. The antenna coax is plugged into my set top box. My set top box is connected to my tv. The amp controls on the antenna are set to the highest setting.

Yes, you need a stb to get HDTV/digital signals from the stations unless your television has a built in tuner that will decode them. You should be able to get analog stations though. With this antenna I received analog, WRAL, WITN, WNCT, WTVD, WCTI, WYDO, WNCN, sometimes WLFL, WUNK, WRDC, WRAY, WEPX, WRAZ and a couple of others. Something is not right in your set up if you're not getting anything at all especially with WNCT, WITN, WYDO, and WUNK.

Ken12, is there a way you can get the current temperature reading under the clock at the bottom of the screen during Good Morning America? I really miss it when I first tune in in the morning.

shwalter, is that antenna for both UHF and VHF? If it has no antenna rods then it won't pick up anything between channels 2-13.

Directv just left out of here and no luck getting a signal due to trees. I told the guy of my FOX troubles and he thought it was funny. I am aggravated to say the least. He told me I could get New Yorks FOX. I call in and they say no go. SO I told them to take WB off my bill. I was not going to pay 6 more dollars to see just 1 channel. I can't get WB on local cable because they have it in the Expanded cable area. This is crazy!!!!! I am so frustrated with this market I could scream.
WNCT please bring us the WB>

Jspenc

The box that did the temperature (it also does a couple of other things)during GMA failed about a year ago it was quite old We talked about buying a replacement but ABC is developing a new system that was supposed to be ready approx 9 months ago but is still not ready so we have been hesitant to purchase a replacement only to have to purchase another on in a few months. We do have money in the budget for a new one as soon as it is decided.

Ken

Sounds good Ken! Looking forward to it.

EASTERNNCNEWSWAT

Originally posted by easternncnewswat
Neither... After stripping a coax, I threaded that through the sockets where the lnbf arm would attach to the dish. From that point, I added a coax to the threaded wire via a connector. No arm and no lnbf are attached to my dish. I'll have to take a pic of it and post it so you guys can see it. The dish actually sits on the floor or rather a box on the floor (in position) so I can get my signals.


Did you ever get the picture of this, Im interested in trying it out.

Did you ever get the picture of this, Im interested in trying it out.

Sorry, I haven't... I was out of town a couple of weeks for a family emergency, etc. I never got around to getting a picture of it. I have to use a friend's digital camera to get a shot of it; right now the card is full.

I'll see about getting the picture taken this weekend and maybe post it saturday night since I work that day. Sorry for forgetting about it. :o

Weird question, and I have my reasons for asking, but to those who get WCTI-DT OTA, how far out do you see program information on the program guide? Hours? Days? Weeks? Do you see any of the specific information about a program listed? What receiver do you use to look at the guide with?

I'm not seeing any guide info on my Hughes for any of the dt locals(WITN, WNCT, WCIT).:confused:

I am trying to keep at least 3 days of guide data up

Ken

Originally posted by foxeng
Weird question, and I have my reasons for asking, but to those who get WCTI-DT OTA, how far out do you see program information on the program guide? Hours? Days? Weeks? Do you see any of the specific information about a program listed? What receiver do you use to look at the guide with?

I can usually only see about a day out on ABC 12, then it goes to DTV program on my Samsung T-351. The only time I've seen program information is for TV 12 News and ACC Basketball. Likewise on UPN 48. Today, I'm not seeing anything on my programming guide for ABC 12 or UPN 48; the receiver is telling me, "No Title."

Originally posted by 2Scoops
I'm not seeing any guide info on my Hughes for any of the dt locals(WITN, WNCT, WCIT).:confused:

On my Samsung T-351, I'm getting WITN, WCTI (except for a burp with the show titles today), and WUNM. From RDU, I'm getting WRAL, WTVD, WNCN, WLFL, and WRAZ. The only stations on my guide showing, "No Data," are WNCT and WRAY (home shopping from Wilson).

Btw, the GM of WNCT never responded to my e-mail asking if their PSIP would be up and running by the Feb 1st deadline. Not sure what that means. I can't imagine they would just blow it off, but then again, you never know. *LOL*

I just checked on a DTC 100 and I'm showing guide data on UPN and WCTI

Ken

I've got my show titles back for ABC 12 and UPN 48. If you did something, Ken12, thanx! If it's my screwy receiver, nevermind! :D

Off to Wally World for the day!

Later everyone!

Today at 3pm I will be making some changes to my digital streams to make them compliant with the fcc regs. If you are already receiving us on 12-1 and 12-3 you should have to do nothing on your end If you ar still receiving us on 48 then my signal will be on 48-3 for wcti and 48-5 for upn again the will be mapped back to 12 -1 for 48-3 and 12 -3 for 48-5. What I'm going to do is turn off digital at 3pm make the changes and then bring it back up should take less than 5 min. I may lose my guide data when I bring us back up if I do bare with us I have somebody standing by to reenter it as quickly as possible.

Ken

Thanx for the head's up, Ken12!

Btw, since today is the day, has anyone been able to receive programming guide information for WNCT? So far, I'm not seeing anything on my Samsung T-351. WRAY in Wilson is branding as 42.1 instead of 30.1 so I'm assuming they're working on their PSIP and programming guide data. All other channels I'm able to receive are up and running.

I get info on channels 3,5,7,12,19,35,39
No info on 6 or 9

shwalter, did you get your set-up working?:p

Also I am looking for any store that you guys might know of that sells refurbished set-tops in ENC. I have a friend interested in dtv, but he does not want to spend over $200.00 for a new box.

Don't know of anyplace in ENC that sells refurbished stb's, but jamielee has mentioned getting clearance boxes from Best Buy here in Greenville. At least he did last summer. Beyond that, maybe give Ebay a try. Your friend might be able to find a decent one on there.

I would be hesitant in buying used settop boxes. Each new generation of boxes has new features that help with reception. I beleive walmart has some LG electronics boxes that are cheaper than 200

Ken

WE are back up I did lose guide data but we are reentering it at this time

Ken

The Wal Mart here in Greenville sells the USDTV set top boxes. I'm not sure if this is LG Electronics or not. Yesterday there was only one left on the shelf.

Ken12, that was a quick reboot. Everything looks alright on my stb. I see the guide data is already entered. :)

According to the posted note about PSIP changes causing a need for a rescan, the FCC has given broadcasters an additional 2 weeks to get PSIP up and running. I guess that would put the new deadline at Feb 15th.

No comments... *LOL* :rolleyes:

I'll pass on that good information Ken12. I didn't think a refurbished was a good idea either. I had no idea that Wal-mart sold the STBxes. I will have to go see if ours has them, if I can get in the place! The one here is always jammed with cars.:rolleyes:

Got a email from WITN, Presidential state of the union will be in HD on NBC tonight!!! 9pm

Cool! I like how these live events are being broadcast in HD now. The inauguration was awesome in HD on ABC 12!

Looks like the DUCTING for Sunday is going to be high so hopefully WRAZ will come in good, for the Super Bowl.

One things for sure, I will be watching the game from another market.

jspENC,

Are you able to pick up Fox from Wilmington or are you going to try for WRAZ out of Raleigh? I thought you could couldn't get either... Or are your crossing your fingers for ducting?

Originally posted by easternncnewswat
According to the posted note about PSIP changes causing a need for a rescan, the FCC has given broadcasters an additional 2 weeks to get PSIP up and running. I guess that would put the new deadline at Feb 15th.

According to foxeng, in a reply on this same thread, there has been no extension given by the FCC regarding PSIP. All broadcasters, including WNCT, were supposed to have this up and running by yesterday.

Is anyone seeing anything in their program guides from WNCT? I'm not and it's starting to get on my nerves! :mad:

Well, at least WCTI and WITN give a rip about their viewers and want them to be able to get the most out of their investment! :D

Btw, Ken12, will WCTI, at some point, offer detailed programming guide information? I notice WITN gives program descriptions. They are paying for one of those services that downloads the information, correct? WCTI is having the information entered manually, isn't that right? Not making a big deal out of it; I'm just glad it's there for us to see! :D

That is correct right now we are entering ours manually. The manufacture of my PSIP program is working on making it compatible with more guide data vendors and when the do I will subscribe to it that should make it better. We are trying to enter detail info manually when we have it but that is proving to be a lot harder.
In this market as far as I can tell me and pbs are the only station running with the proper pid's for their digital streams mine were wrong and that is what I changed when I went down yesterday.

Ken

I am also not aware of any extensions

Ken

Originally posted by easternncnewswat
jspENC,

Are you able to pick up Fox from Wilmington or are you going to try for WRAZ out of Raleigh? I thought you could couldn't get either... Or are your crossing your fingers for ducting?

I am going with FOX 26. It will be analog because dt is still at low power. I have an inside bow tie type UHF antenna that clips on to Rabbit Ears I might try out for 50. Sometimes it works better than the outside ariel. I think this is because you can move it around. Yesterday I went outside and turned the antenna towards 8 and it was worse than 26!:mad: Too much snow for me. I will be out of town the weekend and don't have time to fool around with the set-up, so however it comes in on 26 will be ok.:cool:

What is the penalty if any for not being legal ontime? I think that is just lazy! But then again at least they are on air.

Originally posted by jspENC
But then again at least they are on air.

*LMAO* Truer words have probably never been spoken!!! :D

Funny story... Today, I e-mailed the engineer at Fox8/Fox14 to ask him some questions about HDTV. I went under the guise of being a total newbie to the world of digital tv; to some degree I still am... Anyways, asked all about what digital assignment Fox8/Fox14 was on since I couldn't "tune" them in. Did I need to try another channel, etc?

Just checked my e-mail and it was returned to me as being an invalid e-mail address. Now, I know this is probably a slight oversight by the webmaster, etc. However, this just leads me to come to the same conclusion about the management of Fox8/Fox14- it stinks! Peeyew! :eek:

Sorry to dis 'em, but I gotta call a spade a spade!

I get 50 here in Washington on good nights. I have gotten as far a SAVANNAHA GA 1 time, and Greensboro and Columbia SC.

Seems like in the winter ducting is low, in the summer I was recieving far off stations every night.

The furthest I ever got was Norfolk and/or Wilmington. Wish I could get those full time though... *LOL*

The ducting works best with humidity in the air. I got an analog WB and Pax from Jacksonville Fl two nights in a row last summer. SO I know there is nothing wrong with my antenna! Its 8/14's poor signal that's my problem.
I also get unc-2 and Sky 4 often at night.

Your right easternncnewswat, the engineer of 8 left out the h in his email address. Maybe you should send him an e-mail and ask what type of antenna he recommends to get their channel 21 signal.:D

Ken12,

I have an interesting question for you after watching ABC's superb HD Inauguration and State of the Union coverage. I noticed with both of these broadcasts and some of the other network(s) coverage that they are mixing HD and SD material.

Now my question has to do with the SD material being broadcast. I noticed on these news broadcasts and some sports broadcasts, they, the networks, are adding graphics on both the left and right side of the screen. For instance, during the SOTU, ABC News has this headline border on the left and the ABC News logo on the right. Likewise, NBC used the American Flag to fill out their SD broadcast.

Have you heard of any affiliates doing this sort of thing during their local news broadcasts that are upconverted SD to HD? Has WCTI considered doing this during their news broadcasts? Or do most stations just assume that viewers are going to use the zoom on their set to eliminate the black left and right borders?

Personally, the more I have seen this graphic bordering that ABC is doing during it's live events, the more it grows on me. Granted it would be nice to have an all HD newscast, but financially I realize this is not feasible for most stations as of yet.

What's your take on it?

We use grey side bars on all 4:3 material.

Originally posted by foxeng
We use grey side bars on all 4:3 material.

My stb gives me 3 options; letterbox, full, and zoom. I mostly use full unless I'm watching the local news. For that I zoom cause I want a full picture even though the anchors, etc. look distorted. Here lately, after seeing the filler graphics during the Inauguration and SOTU as well as some sports broadcasts, I'd much rather watch it in full with graphics on either side if it's not HD. At least it fills out the picture with something.

I don't mind the grey bars so much when I watch WB22 from RDU; letterboxed or full. It is softer on the eyes than the black. However, during their newscasts, I usually zoom cause graphics, etc aren't chopped. I've often wondered why that is?

I recently saw a post in the RDU thread where someone had noticed that WTVD didn't have the black bars on the left and right as far in as the other stations in their market. He was wondering why this was? I have to admit, I used to watch Oprah on WCTI zoomed because she didn't look as "fat" as she did on WTVD! *LOL* :D

Now that WTVD has dropped ABC News Now and gone back to SD simulcasts on 11.2, I watch Oprah there and then change over to WCTI for the news. Can't have it all, you know? Personally, I'd rather have ABC News Now with better content. Maybe after the retool, it'll come back...

The following is a response from the GM of Fox8/Fox14 regarding their DT plans:

Although we are well into our digital plans, we do not have a timetable for completion at this time. We will begin with a standard digital signal on WFXI 8 and proceed from there. Unfortunately, that means you will not have HD soon in Greenville. I am sorry to be so vague, but unforseen delays have put us behind schedule. Please feel free to contact me anytime for updates.

Well, the future looks grim for the time being, which we already knew. At least he was willing to respond back about what was going on. Sounds like Fox8 will be SD when it does eventually come on. At least we know that no miracles are in the works. :(

8/14 must have some equipment issues, and maybe that is the holdup. The only thing about 8 I like right now is the HI FI stereo signal they have. I just look forward to any improvements they can give us. I think they may have some STL issues to work through on 14. They seem to have a hard time sending a clean signal to Greenville from Morehead City.

Signals are strong today! I am getting 5, 11,17,and 50. I just hope this happens on Sunday.:cool:

Signals are strong today! I was able to pick up WUND 2 (PBS) from Columbia, NC, WRDC 28 from RDU and WUNC 4 (PBS) from Chapel Hill. I even had a blip from one of the Norfolk stations earlier this morning!

I e-mailed WITN, WNCT, and WCTI about the possibility of producing news in High Definition and/or filling out the screen like the networks did last night during the SOTU address and here are the responses from WNCT followed by WITN. WCTI hasn't responded as of yet, but Ken12 has already explained that it may be a few years or more before the news is produced in HD on channel 12.
____________________________________________________________

Thank you for your comments and the kind words. We will consider your suggestions as we look to expand our operations in the future.


Regards,

Vickie Jones, VP/GM
WNCT TV
____________________________________________________________

Thank you for your comments.

Like yourself, I have developed a preference for programming produced in high definition format. That said, right now just a few television stations across the country have the facilities to produce news in high definition. To be able to do this the station would have to completely rebuild our studio production facilities as none of the existing analog equipment will pass digital content. My best estimate would be that an average broadcast television station would need to invest somewhere between
$5 - 7.5-million to do this.

In addition, this would be following the expenditure of several million dollars to get a digital transmitter and antenna in service. Quite an expenditure for upgrades that have no impact upon our advertising revenue. However, I believe that those stations that don't get on the "digital bandwagon" are going to be left behind in the near future and very well may not remain viable entities as the public continues to adopt digital television.

Needless to say, at some point we will begin the transition to digital production equipment, most likely a few pieces at a time as various equipment is replaced. Right now we are in the process of installing a digital video server that will allow us to switch and air digital programming and commercials.

I just hope I get to see that day before I am due to retire in another 15 years!

Thanks for your interest. We look forward to offering more and more programming in HDTV.

Michael Riddle
program/operations manager
WITN-TV

____________________________________________________________

I like how WITN's Mike Riddle was very forthcoming about cost, etc. for producing the news in HD. I don't think most viewers realize that it is very expensive to produce programming in HD. It isn't just the programming, but the cost of equipment, etc. that will make it difficult for medium to smaller markets to offer news in HD. But I guess that's true with almost any business.

Anyway, thought some of you might find this stuff interesting.

WNCT is now passing PSIP. Program guide information is there as well as show rating, etc. Detailed programming information too! Woohoo!!!!!!

Is everybody seeing WCTI on 12.1 and 12.3 tonight?

For some reason my screwy receiver is reading it as 48.1 and 48.2 again! :mad:

I am now getting PSIP on WNCT as well as WECT dt 6.1

Cool! Things are looking up!!! :D

Looking at your post on HD news, I guess WRAL will be sticking with it's graphics and studio design for a long time after spending all that $! I had no Idea of the costs of running such technologies. :D
Also WECT now has about the same 3d graphics as WNCT for their weather reports!
One thing I like about WECT and WSFX is they come on at the top and bottom of the hour and announce that they are on DTV channel 6.1 and 26.1 I think this might help get people interested in picking up digital signals.

I really didn't realize it cost that much to produce HD news either. I guess that thing about the analog equipment not being able to pass HD answers my question about filling out the left and right side with graphics too. I wouldn't think that would be difficult to do, but what do I know? I'm not in the biz, so it stands to reason, what seems simple to me is actually a complex thing for a station to do.

jspENC, are you seeing WCTI on 12.1 and 12.3 tonight?

Yes I am getting WCTI on 12.1 and 12.3 I am watching NCST on ESPN getting massacred!

*LMAO* Thanx for the info...

I know it's gotta be my Samsung box. When I had that problem a few weeks ago, I posted in the hardware section about my problem. Someone there mentioned that my box may be having trouble decoding the PID's, which Ken12 mentioned yesterday. Funny thing is that it just happened today. I would think it would have happened yesterday.

It must be this box though. Earlier tonight, I was watching Fox50 and it suddenly reverted to 49.1, 49.2, and 49.3. About the time it switched back, I went to WNCT and found that their psip info was up and running. It sounds crazy, but this always seems to happen when another station starts running their PSIP. This only started happening once the other stations started bringing PSIP online! From May last year to the last month or so, it never happened!

I mean, I'm no engineer or anything, but maybe going from one station to another is what's throwing it off. I don't know, but I'm about ready to put this thing on Ebay and either get a new digital receiver or a hdtv with a receiver built into it! This is annoying as hell!!! :mad:

Ken 12,

Are you manually entering your program data on your EPG or do you have a service that you are downloading the data from?

Yea it sounds wild, just as you get used to one channel arrangement things go crazy on ya!:eek:

jspENC,

That's exactly it! Just as soon as I get used to everything being perfect, I get thrown for a loop. There is one fly still in the ointment. I'm wondering if this is affecting my stb. I have one other station I'm receiving that is not branding/passing PSIP. 42.1 or 30.1 in Wilson, Shop At Home, was branding as 30.1 up until Feb 1st with no EPG data. Now, it is branding 42.1 with no branding whatsoever. I'm willing to lay odds that when it reverts back to 30.1 with branding, EPG or not, WCTI will kick back in my stb to 12.1 and 12.3. Isn't that zany? Maybe I should just eliminate that channel and see if WCTI will kick back for me...

foxeng, I'm not sure if Ken12 is on here tonight, but he's mentioned in the past that he has someone manually entering the data.

easternncnewswat,
Did you get an e-mail answer back about a sub-channel like WB coming to WNCT yet?

Originally posted by easternncnewswat
The following is a response from the GM of Fox8/Fox14 regarding their DT plans:

Although we are well into our digital plans, we do not have a timetable for completion at this time. We will begin with a standard digital signal on WFXI 8 and proceed from there. Unfortunately, that means you will not have HD soon in Greenville. I am sorry to be so vague, but unforseen delays have put us behind schedule. Please feel free to contact me anytime for updates.

Well, the future looks grim for the time being, which we already knew. At least he was willing to respond back about what was going on. Sounds like Fox8 will be SD when it does eventually come on. At least we know that no miracles are in the works. :(

Being he has no timetable, ask him for a waiver so that you can enjoy Fox HD programming on the Fox HD feed from D* and see how he responds.

Nah jspENC,

She never responded back to that e-mail. She only responded back to my e-mail last night suggesting graphic filler on the left/right side of the newscast like the net's did during the SOTU. I did mention a subchannel and programming guide data in the e-mail as well. We got the programming guide data, but no comment on the subchannel. I posted her response up above, if you didn't get to see it. Maybe it'll happen... I think they have plans for something, but what, I don't know. Maybe they don't either! *LOL* J/K!

Originally posted by 2Scoops
Being he has no timetable, ask him for a waiver so that you can enjoy Fox HD programming on the Fox HD feed from D* and see how he responds.

Yeah, I bet that would get a big fat, "YOU CAN KISS MY KIESTER, SON!" *LMAO*

Maybe they (WNCT)want to surprise us! *LMAO*;) I am sure they are reading this board after that weather coincidence!

Speaking of *LMAO*, my stb just kicked WCTI back to 12.1 and 12.3!!! Maybe it has to do with gravitational pull, the weather, and other crap... This box is screwy as hell, man.! I'm telling you, never recommend a Samsung T-351. *ROTFLMAO*

Originally posted by jspENC
Maybe they (WNCT)want to surprise us! *LMAO*;) I am sure they are reading this board after that weather coincidence!

I hope somebody has some surprises in store for us! Now that everyone is running PSIP, I don't have anything to look forward to anymore... Or bitch about- except my box, but that's a different story!!! *LMAO*

I emailed VStorm at 9 yesterday morming saying that the FCC deadline for PSIP was Feb 1 and why wasnt WNCT showing it, never got a response but I see that 9 now has titles.

Its nice to turn to every channel now and have data.

jamielee, you got them on the run!:D

I dont know about that!

http://home.cogeco.ca/~dxinfo/tropo.html



This is a link for troposheric ducting forcast in this area.

Is anybody having difficulty decoding WNCT's digital signal today? I'm picking them up and it is branding on 9.1 with Caption, HD, etc. However, I'm not getting an audio/visual at all. Is anybody else able to pick them up? Before I left home at 10:30, they were coming through fine, but now I'm not getting anything... Anybody else?

FYI-

Just got off the phone with Bertie Cartwright, engineer for WNCT, regarding my problem with channel 9. He said they had to change their PID's the same way Ken12 did the other day at WCTI. He had me do a rescan of my channels; the one thing I didn't think of. Also, the easiest way to correct the problem! *LOL* I can now receive WNCT again.

He wanted me to let you guys know in case any of the rest of you have trouble decoding the signal that this may be the reason why. He said to try a rescan and see if that corrects the problem.

He was a really nice guy and very helpful in resolving the problem. Likewise, he said for us to keep watching and contact him by e-mail or phone if we experience any more problems.

jamielee, he mentioned that he didn't realize that they weren't passing PSIP until your e-mail yesterday! He said that they had that going for a while long ago; another thing you mentioned. You were right about them doing that nearly a year ago.

Moral of the story, I guess, is that it pays for us to let the guys know when we're having a problem!

Had to rescan mybox as well, only got a black channel.

I had to rescan when I got in today. I came on here and found out from you guys what the problem was! Isn't that something all that time WNCT didn't know they had a glitch.:D I am getting FOX 26 really good today too!

Hope everyone was able to enjoy the Superbowl ota! Had a stronger than normal lock on Fox 50 here in Greenville. Hopefully, the signal carried further than normal?

I've updated my web page if anyone is interested in taking a look. It's at http://home.earthlink.net/~gvillegeo/dtv%20enter.htm

Originally posted by easternncnewswat
Hope everyone was able to enjoy the Superbowl ota! Had a stronger than normal lock on Fox 50 here in Greenville. Hopefully, the signal carried further than normal?

My signal on Fox 50 varied between 30 and 93% so I finally gave up on the HD broadcast. Even when it appeared not to drop below 60% on my Samsung TS160, it still broke up constantly. I'm using a preamp from Channel Master, picking up some but not most of the channels off of the same tower. I believe I'm reaching beyond the stretch of my $23 Radio Shack outdoor antenna.

My next attempt will be with a CM 4228 or a DB4 from antennasdirect.com.

No luck with 50 for me either. I could get 17 ok, but 50 would not lock.

Ken12, did you have an HD signal for the game, or did you watch on analog?

I had a great signal on FOX50 from the Bells Fork area.

I had bought a new antenna and installed it on Saturday. After research on the Internet I found that the Yagi Hi-Gain UHF antenna offers the highest DB gain on the UHF band. Prior to installing that antenna I was getting readings in the 56% - 59% for FOX 50.... after installation I was hitting as high as 80%. That antenna locked in and held the signal.... $79 at
antenna-direct.com. No amp... just a good RG6 feed to the tuner. I alson noticed yesterday that AJ McMurphey's has one of these on their roof...have not been inside to check out television sets that they use.

Only problem I had was that I was getting a locked signal on WB22, but when I tune to that channel the screen is blank. Will have to try running the antenna input to my hdtv set's built-in tuner instead of the satellite tuner to see if I get better results.

WB22 is the hardest station for me to lock on; I usually get around a 60% signal from them. Occassionally, I'll get it as strong as 70-80% but that's when the atmosphere is just right. Last night, happened to be one of them. I was pulling Fox 50 at 90%; the highest I've ever got them. Usually, they range 70 - 80% for me.

FYI just in case you are experimenting during this high ducting today, WWAY-DT 3.1-3.3 is off the air due to a tripping circuit breaker.

WRAL now has VIPIR radars along with our channel 9 and WTVD. It looks like a lot of copy catting! :rolleyes:

Channel 14 looks like crap, the STL is screwed up bad. Somebody over there needs to get off their A@#!!!! This is pathetic:mad:

Hi guys just read this entire thread---- so glad I found this site-- Upgraded my stuff to a hd TV and Dtv for programming plus an ota antenna --
I WANT FOX programming to watch the NASCAR races --- so you guys at fox 8/14 get you act in gear-
Is there any way to get fox 50 out of Raliegh --- I live in the Swansboro area ---- what would be the best antenna set up to try and get fox 50 - how high would antenna need to be to overcome curvature of earth - ??
I did talk to Don Fisher this week about HD programming - all he would say was that fox 8 would be in digital in april - when asked about HD he said there was some options but would not elaborate ----

So how about a waiver---- or do we need to start bugging our congressmen and senators phone lines ---- or do we as consumers need to complain to FOX corperate ?? These are some of my thoughts ----- any help in antenna to try and get the Daytona 500 in HD would be appreciated---

Welcome Griff! It's good to see others in Onslow County are in to HD! About Fox 50, you are over 100 miles away, and it would be impossible, unless you wanted to put a tower about 200 ft in the air.
I don't think waivers are allowed anymore, but not positive. I wonder if 8 will be at low pwr in april or full?
Fox can't seem to handle analog, it will be interesting for sure to see what happens with dtv...

JSPENC --- thanks guy glad to see someone else with HD that has been in the trenches for a while --- FOX 14 was a disaster tonight --
I have looked into antennas - thinking about trying a 91xg uhg antenna ----- with preamp to see if I can get fox 50- I see from your post that you can get it some time ?? How high up is your antenna --- I can easily get up to about 30 ft ---- I,ll have to check math for curvature acording to antenna .com I am 101 miles from the fox 50 tower -- iffy at best- seems like you have tried some of this stuff----
Heck I,m willing to spend the money to try - if I knew more about this - what would bre the best UHF antenna for the case--- how about Fox out of wilmington and HD there??
Thanks we need to talk !!!

I would think Fox out of Wilmington would better be a more feasible option for you, Griff. My folks in New Bern can only barely get Fox 50 and that's on a good night...

jspENC, I just saw the VIPIR radar thing on Fox 50's 10 o'clock news... I guess I'm just not a fan of the radar sweeps, but interesting that they got it and they mentioned that it's live, which I believe is in error. I think their radar is live, but the other 5 from NWS isn't. But anyways, still pretty cool nonetheless.

Fox is going digital in April? That's pretty cool! At least you guys will be able to get it even if it's low power. I know there's bound to be no way we'll get it in Gville!

I am getting Fox 14 digital by sat.------ signal fades in and out last night even off the Sat. -------- OTA channels have low signal strgenth 10-67% with the little wingard omidirectional antenna that DTV put up--- HD signals break up------
I did some research on curvature of the earth and the math works out to be 7.98" per mile - the Wraz TV antenna is 2000 feet up ???- that part of the equasion I have to work on today---- I am at 24 feet above sea level-- so I am assuming that if I get above the tree line I should have a clear shot at the antenna ??????
Fox eng - is there anything I can do to help you guys get HD up and running---?????

Ducting was good last 2 nights,
Got DT WRAL5, WTVD11, WNCN17, WRAY30, WRAZ50, WWAY3, WECT6

DT15 16 29 39 kept trying to come in but didnt, cant wait till summer when ducting is good alsmost every night.

Griff, Fox from Wilmington will be HD sometime this summer at full power. You may have a fairly decent chance getting them on channel 26.1. My antenna is about 30 ft high, but not pointed directly at Raleigh. I am using a $26 radio shack yagi for 26 analog in Wilmington and 3.1-3.3 , 6.1 and 39.1-39.5. If you cn pick these up then you should be able to get 26 when it comes up. I also use the Radio Shack VU -90 antenna for our locals. At the time I bought it only cost $25 but I may replace it sometime this year and see if that helps me, but right now I can get Richmond VA station 8 on good days! I use an indoor Channel master Amp.
About Fox, last night comparing analog signals 8 looks too light. Maybe too much contrast. 14 looked better, but awful when that STL went crazy, 26 looks too dark, but better than any other. 50.1 actually worked for a little while last night, and it was beautiful!

Originally posted by Griff Thomasson
Fox eng - is there anything I can do to help you guys get HD up and running---?????

First off my FOX station is already HD. Second I do not work for WFXI/WYDO. I work for the FOX owned and operated station in the Greensboro-High Point-Winston-Salem market.

Sorry, can't help you out there.

What I am thinking about doing is putting up a is a UHF long range D8B from antenna connection and a Vhf antenna for lower VHF channels - mount this on a roof top mounted mast apporx 30-40 feet off ground - that will be my best chance of getting the races in HD on fox-- what do you guys think--- last night my off the air signals were all over the place so the little wingard omi directional has got to go-----
foxeng---- thanks ----glad to know that you guys are on the ball---- my hats off to you----- we love fox - if we didn,t I wouldn,t be going nuts trying to get it !!!!

Ok so I,m nuts-------- so be it - I am going to try a 91xg long range antenna along with a vhf antenna and see what happens - Just ordered the antennas ----
Line of site issues are that the Wraz tower is 1989 feet up in the air --- curvature of earth is 8 inches per mile - no hills by topo map from Garner to here-- so if I get above tree line - may be able to get fox 50- if not fox 26 for sure-

foxeng is you analog channel 48?

Ken

Ken,
channel 12 analog looks dark right now at the start of the big game.

Originally posted by Ken12
foxeng is you analog channel 48?

Ken

No. 48 here is......................................UPN! (Serious, UPN 48, WUPN-TV, Sinclair, their DTV is 33) Our analog is 8 (yeah, FOX 8) and our digital is 35.

Ive gotten your analog station all the way down here more than once foxeng! I was surprised that a Fox channel would have news in the mornings. I have also gotten CBS 2 from that area. Rosemary the noon anchor on 2 used to be in Wilmington, and I was surprised she was in that area.

Originally posted by jspENC
Ive gotten your analog station all the way down here more than once foxeng! I was surprised that a Fox channel would have news in the mornings. I have also gotten CBS 2 from that area. Rosemary the noon anchor on 2 used to be in Wilmington, and I was surprised she was in that area.

We were ABC for years before we were FOX. We signed on in 1963 with ABC and remained ABC until 1995 when the group that owned us was bought by FOX and we changed. Since WFXI signed on in the late 80's, that is why they don't get into the western part of the market well and need channel 14. That is so they don't cause us interference since we were on first and if you live in the western part of the market, you will receive us at times.

I went to work for the station in 1992 and even then we had a one hour news block from 6 to 7AM, then GMA from ABC, and News at 5to 5:30PM and 6 to 6:30PM and then 11. After we went FOX we expanded the morning news from 6 to 8 and later to our current 5AM to 9AM and added a noon news and we had been doing 5 to 6:30PM for news for several years before FOX bought us and we moved the 11pm news to a full hour at 10. We do almost 40 hours of local news a week, more than any station in the state. We have been in a news sharing agreement with WCTI for years and if you see stories from the Triad, they are from us. Watch closely for the FOX mic flag. We try and remove those for the stations we share with, but sometimes it doesn't work out that way. I think I had previously mentioned that Jamie Turner on WCTI and her husband Alan used to work at the station. She was a reporter/anchor and Alan was videographer. Alan is out of the biz now. He hurt his back and couldn't really tote all that equipment anymore. He runs a store in New Bern last I heard. They both know me very well.

Picked up a LG HD Tuner/ HD DVD player yesterday at CC just to see what it would do. Its got a QAM tuner on it I wanted to see if COX had any free digital channels on the system, heres what were unscrambled.

UNCTV
UNCKD
UNCED
UNCNC
WRALHD
WRAL NEWS
WITNHD
WNCTHD
WCTIHD
INDEMAND PPV PREVIEWS

Here on the Washington system subs cant get WRAL but it is on the system, and its available free with the qam tuner.
You can add logos to your channels, it appears its a old Directv logo index as it has Directv logos in the options,
only thing I dont like is you have to have cable hooked or Ant, not both and I couldnt find where you could get analog cable or ant to pass thru, only digital. $399 DVD quality is near HD.
Best buy has a Samsung 451 thats $249 that says qam capable, may try that one 1/2 the price.
WCTIHD

I just read on the dish forum site where our locals are just temporarily on 72.5 and will be moving over to another sat. once it is launched later this year. Is this correct?

Final channel elections are in!

WRAL-48
WTVD-11
WNCN-17
WLFL-27
WRDC-28
WRAY-42
WUNP-36
WRAZ-49

WUND-20

WITN-7
WFXI-8
WNCT-10
WCTI-12
WYDO-14
WUNM-19
WUNK-23
WPXU-34
WEPX-51

WWAY-46
WECT-44
WSFX-30
WUNJ-29

- Trip

JSP I understand the same thing , That the reason is that this sat. at 72 does not have the capacity "band width" was what I was told -- to carry the HD stuff - the new sat will---
Still waiting for my antennas to arrive--

Just got me a DIRECTV HD DVR, man Ive waited 2 years for this!!!

Cool Jamielee,
Did you take back the HD DVD box? Do you have both directv and cable? I was at CC tonight and saw they had a directv HD DVR for $900 is that really how much they all cost!?
What HDTV set do you have?

The HDDVR is $999.
I have Directv, have basic cable $6.46month on to save me $10 a month on my High speed internet thru Cox.
HSI is $39.95 month for Cox cable customers and $49.95 for non customers. Dont use cable for TV just HSI.
I have a samsung 32" flat screen HDTV

Value Electronics has a deal for users of the satelliteguys.us forum where you can get the HD DVR for $799.

http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php?t=47729

The HD DVR I was looking at was a CC open box value. Still you would only save $100

No PSIP on WUNM or WPXU.

Don,t know if this will do any good but I just filed and excutive complaint with News Corp about our local mess ----
My antennas will be in tomorrow see what theyw ill do---- suppose to rain so it may be a few days before I can get them up----
Stl feed of 14 was very pro quality------ for Daytona - bummer ---

Hope you have good luck griff, I wonder if we should all file a complaint? If you get a response let us know, it is just rediculas. I am getting such good signals out of all other stations...

WCTI audio seems monural though, I am only getting sound out of the middle speaker on my Pro logic receiver... on UPN as well. WWAY audio is much better.

7, 9 19, 35, 39 all have great audio engineers if you are reading.:)

Originally posted by jspENC
Hope you have good luck griff, I wonder if we should all file a complaint?

Well, not to burst any bubbles, but complaining to News Corp definitely isn't the answer. You're at the corporate level and unfortunately we're not dealing with an O&O of Fox, which is a subsidiary of News Corp, I believe.

If we're going to complain to anyone, we should complain to whoever it is that owns Fox 8/14. And even then, I don't think it'll make much of a difference. I think it's pretty obvious that the corporate parent of Fox 8/14 is interested in investing in these station(s). Wonder if 8 really will come on the air in April? Time will tell...

Btw, did WITN change something about their Live Doppler 7 on 7.2? For some reason it just looks different to me... More texture or something? I realize it's zoomed right now, but maybe my eyes are playing tricks on me.

Grammy's looked really awesome on WNCT tonight; audio was better on WRAL though.

Did anybody see that promo for TV 12 News at 11 on Sunday night? I caught the tail end of it during Desperate Housewives where it said they were going to show high definition sonograms? Is WCTI going to broadcast a segment of their news in HD tonight? Or are they being tricky, tricky with their advertising? *LOL*

tricky tricky... The ad definately said high definition 3d images... tsk tsk tsk

*ROTFLMAO*

:D

Actually, it might be an answer. The way I heard it, Fox had wanted as many stations as possible to have an HD Super Bowl. I was told that Fox was eventually going to set a deadline for it.

It's not like HD is that terribly expensive for Fox stations. Fox is PROVIDING much of the necessary equipment for them, like the splicer and the satellite and whatnot. I was told by my local affiliate they were doing HD because Fox provided much of the expensive equipment!

- Trip

7.2 does have a different doppler background. It is not as dark and the terrain is not shown. I kind of liked the old map better.
Interesting what trip said about FOX, I wonder if ours is the last one not on air?

I doubt our Fox is the last on the air, but then again... :rolleyes:

Thanx for letting me know I'm not crazy and the Live Doppler 7 is different.

Sometimes they have it with out the roads on it, it looks clearer that way.

easternncnewswat,

Your website is really good. I forgot to mention earlier I checked it out. I wish I could get my new motorola 100 to pick up RDU stations better, of course my samsung would not get them either... only when I turned the antenna at the right time. I sold my other set to a friend and bought this motorola because I thought it might have a better tuner, but it does not.

Thanx jspENC,

I'm still trying to work on some design elements for my website and get some more news elements worked into it too. The thumbnails weren't really working for me on the previous version of my web page. I've tried to make the pages load as quickly as possible for those that may come across it that are still on dial up, like me. Quite hard to do actually when I've got that many screenshots. I had screencaps of the intro to Star Trek Enterprise that I really wanted to put on the WCTI UPN 48 section, but I didn't want to drag down the page loading since I have so many WCTI screencaps anyway.

I really wish I could get some more channels myself, but I actually bought an outdoor antenna about a month or so ago and it was a lot more directional than my current set up. I was having trouble locking on to almost everything. Still, if a few more of the RDU channels would go full power, I might be able to pick them up.

Maybe as those new tuners come out, they'll be able to pick up more channels- no matter how weak the signals are coming to you.

This is so strange, I get Wilmington stations at a stronger level than our stations except WECT. WWAY at 90% WUNJ at 100% WECT nothing at all!

WITN 65% WNCT 60% WCTI 60% WUNM 70% No pixelation on any except the strongest station which is WUNJ. It will drop from 100 to 0 for no reason! Any ideas on what could be causing this anybody?

Eastern - Like your web site !! What antenna did you try ?? I talked to the people at antenna web and they recommended the 91xg ultra long range UHF antenna ---- I have figured out how to get it up 40 ft in the air - see what it will do ------
From my past experience when you complain directly to coperate about a franchise - they take it seriously --- see what happens ----
I agree with JSP good signals from all the other stations - so why not our local fox !!!! They have spent a fortune on getting the top programming but it,s not worth a flip If we can,t get it ---

Griff, I actually don't have an antenna per se... I'm using a simple coax cable hooked to the remains of a dish satellite minus the lnbf arm. That coax runs into, now, a 12 dB amplifier to stabilize my signals. I can get the same channels minus the amplifier but it, the amplifier, seems to give me a constant signal with fewer breakups. Sounds a little wacky, I imagine, and jamielee has been on me to post a picture of it, but I haven't made the time to do it yet. Yeah, yeah, I know, I'm a total slacker! *LOL* :D

Prior to that, I used a 45 dB amplified RCA set of rabbit ears, which gave me the same channels minus WB22 and often WCTI 12 and 48. This other set up works for me.

Both were (are) placed behind a loveseat in my living room on the floor under a window that faces the southeast. This is the only "sweet spot" I've found in my house that gives me all the channels at once.

Thanx for the words about my website. I hope to add some more stuff to it soon!

I'd like to get myself an outdoor antenna, but I think I'm going to hold off on that until the next house. Planning a move to the Norfolk/Virginia Beach area in the next year or so. Like everything that could/may change. Just have to see how things pan out.

In that event, if I move, I'll be playing with the Norfolk channels and seeing if I can pick up Richmond and maybe anything from NC. One things for sure, if I move, I'm gonna miss the hell out of WRAL and their HD and even SD presentations via multicasting.

I hope your antenna, 40 ft up in the air, works for you. I may need some advice from you if I make the move to Virginia to see if I can get some NC stations!!!

I do think the more of us that call/e-mail/write to Fox, whether local or national, we do seem to get some movement from them. If we could organize our protest, maybe we could get faster movement and not just a simple crawl.

Does anybody have their STB hooked up to Dolby Digital SS? I am wondering if UPN carries this. I need an optical cable before I can hear it. I know CBS ABC NBC UNC carry it.

Guys - my antennas came in this afternoon -- the 91XG from antennasdirect .com is impressive ------- have not mounted it yet - it was raining this afternoon - bummer -- when Direct TV installed my OTA antenna they used a combiner for Vhf and uhf and the sat signal then a spliter and filter in back of reciever - I am going to seperate those two lines and use a peramp on UHF ant-----see what I get-------
People were raving about the Bud Shoot out in HD whaaaaaaa whaaa $#@^%$#@! local fox -----

Jsp I just picked up an optical cable today , I,ll get it in and see what I get --- my ANTENNAS CAME IN TODAY FROM ANTENNAS DIRECT,COM THE 91XG ULTRA LONG RANGE uhf IS AN IMPRESSIVE PIECE OF HARD WEAR SEE HOW IT WORKS - IT WAS RAINING SO DID NOT GET TO TRY IT OUR ----
%$# caps lock---- Direct TV installed my ota antenna and used a signal combiner vhf/uhf and sat signal - I,m going to seperate the two out and run seperate lines and a pream from the antenna -- I,ll see what I can get --

Ken 12,
I tought I remember you saying you had a HD TiVO, try this on yours for me.
try to record channel 13 (UPN sat), when the info comes up tell me if it says channel 12.3 WCTIDT, my new HD TiVo will not record the Directv feed on ch 13, it shows Antenna 12.3.
let me know.

WNCT must be working on Sound issues, they flipped the switch off for HD for a few seconds, and all the sound was coming from my right front speaker.

I'll check it tonight to make sure but I have used it to record UPN on 13 before don't remember any issues.

Ken

Ken12,
Does UPN have Dolby Digital sound during Primetime?



WNCT's audio is shifting from left to right on my Surround Sound... At least I can hear it good though.

Ken go to ch 13 press recorf, once the info appears look at the ch number in the info, mine shows WCTIDT3.

I was manually typing in the numbers and I hit 48-3 I get ABCHD, 48-5 UPN48

Originally posted by jspENC
WNCT must be working on Sound issues, they flipped the switch off for HD for a few seconds, and all the sound was coming from my right front speaker.

I noticed this during Y&R earlier this afternoon. I was about to get hacked off and then it went back to HD! *LOL*

Btw, updated my front page on the web page and added a couple screencaps of WRAL's VIPIR radar. Also a couple of news items about Weather PLUS and ABC News Now that I found out yesterday.

I must admit I am addicted to Y&R. I have been watching for about 20 yrs! And it is in HD!

Yeah, me too. I used to spend the summer with my grandmother as a kid. That was back in the day when we only had 3 channels; what else could you watch on tv during the day? *LOL*

I'm actually surprised that Y&R's sister show, B&B, hasn't began airing in HD. I remember reading not too long ago that when they redid their opening credits that they were going to shoot them in HD. Don't know if that happened or not, but neither they nor the show is aired in HD. And it's produced by the same people. Kinda weird!

Anyone else watch American Idol on fox 14 sat feed - kept losing signal- not the sat.. as sat signal was 95% time to complain again--and again
Did not have time to get antennas up today---- swamped with work-

Not me, Griff... Watched it ota on Fox 50. Did notice a couple of blips during the broadcast. Maybe it came from the network source.

I watched on analog WSFX 26. It is just FOX 14 that has those black snowy patches that come and go, it is a bad feed from the Morehead City Office, not directv.

Thats what I thought - that it,s a bad feed out of Fox 14- sat signal was good --- taking time off this afternoon to get my antennas up----

Jamielee

That is what is happening on my HD Tivo also I bet that is going to be a tough problem to make Directv understand and then even harder to get them to fix.

Ken

Yahoo got my antennas up today - can,t wait to try them out --- got to study the manuals before - lol - learned to read directions first LOL -----
Question we have a devation of about 7 deg,s north mangetic heading - havent look at the marine charts lately to see what it is does anyone remember--
PS forgot to mount the preamp on top of mast --- Grrrrrr going to try it and see whith out the amp----- see what it does ---

Well guys I tried --- ended up with antennas 36 feet off ground --- 7-9-12 and pbs all come in now at 75% or better - still playing with that---- I can get fox 8 great picture no sound---- fox 26 will not lock in analog -- so I guess I,m stuck with fox 8/14 - Bummer --
Still have to go back and add uhf preamp on to mast head-- see what that does --

Is that Fox 8 analog or digital? You should be able to get WWAY dt 46 if you aim for the SSW. It is the stongest signla in my area, and I am 61 miles from the Transmission site. Pax 34 dt is also in that direction.

Jsp----- Thats fox 8 analog that I,m picking up and I can get wway with great signal--- also the pax station comes in well---- I will play around with it some more tonight-
I put in the digital optical cable yesterday on my sound system big difference---

You are getting it all now Griff, I cannot get WECT dt 44 or 6.1 and have talked with people in the Wilmington area and they tell me they have a tough time with it, so maybe they are having issues or not at full power, but just looking at the relative field polar plot the signal is so directional toward the west of Wilmington we may never get it... PAX for me is a bit weak, but they may be at low power too. Also I find that when I unplug my amp WNCT and WITN come in at 100%, but the others go out, then when I plug it in 7 and 9 drop down... maybe I am over amplifying those since they are so strong anyway.

FCC rules and regulations will require stations in the Top-100 markets (Raleigh, Norfolk) to go to full-power with their digital signals in June.

I used some contacts to try and find out if WRAZ FOX50 in Raleigh is currently or planning to go full power.......... here is the reply that I received from the Chief Engineer..........

"The answer to you question is: yes and no. WRAZ is at it's full licensed power of 200kW, but we have received approval to raise that to 1MW in June. We are currently building out the transmitter to do this, so look for more power in June!"

Thanks for asking,

This is great as I often receive WRAZ at fairly high strength as is. Even in the middle of the day I normally have little or no pixelation.

I want Easterncnewswat to post his dish antenna pic!

Me too, Ive asked before he said he would try.

Ok, so here's some pics I was able to take with an old Quickcam. The picture resolution is not that great but hopefully you will get the general idea of what I've done.

Eventually, I'll be able to borrow that digital camera from my friend and take some higher quality shots...

Sorry, I'm going to do this one at a time, I guess...

One more to go...

Final...

And that gets you all the channels? I think I will try it with a pie tin and see what happens.

I told you guys I must have a really "sweet spot" in my house!!!

Like I've said, right behind my love seat is the one place that I can put that thing and get all the channels from around here and RDU! Well, at least the ones that I have the screencaps for on my homepage... I'm still crossing my fingers that when WRDC UPN 28 goes full power that I'll be able to pick it up too. I'm getting between 0-40% on that one but can't lock it in. Funny thing is, I can usually pick up PBS from Columbia with 40%. :confused:

I did add some screencaps from Fox 8/14 and Pax 38, but they are analog signals and I think that's obvious from the color, clarity, etc. of them.

Anyways, that's my setup. I'll still try and post some higher quality pictures eventually so ya'll can get a better look at it.

Btw, WNCT's audio seems to have improved greatly! WCTI's doesn't seem to be as good tonight as it has been...

WCTI's audio sounds like the analogs which is monural. :(

Guys - I have been under the weather ---- out of it for two days ---
Eastern how did you attach coax - could not see very well in photo , I have a old dish in the garage --- may have to try it ---
Watch the bush race off fox8/14 off Sat today , very poor picture quality - it really shows up on a 61" screen-----
We have always loved fox,s coverage of Nascar but I have to say can,t wait for the second half of the season to see the races in HD-----
From reading other forums It seems that fox has provided much of the equipment to its affiliates - do you guys get the same read on this ----???????

Yeah, sorry the quality of the pics were so lousy! It's just a simple coax bridge/connector that I used to connect the coax to the dish. I actually entwined a stripped coax wire through the holes where the lnbf arm connected to the dish. That end connects to one end of the bridge/connector, another connects to the other end and runs into my amplifier. I'm really going to try and get some better pics up for everyone to see as soon as I can borrow that digital camera from a friend.

I've read the same stuff about the Fox Network offering up a lot of equipment to cover the cost of it's affiliates moving to HD. Maybe because this market rank is so low, they've just gotten around to making it available to WFXI/WYDO. Who really knows except the people at Fox 8/14? They aren't exactly forthcoming with what their problems have been... The GM just said to me that it was unforseen problems and left it at that. Moreover, he had inferred to me that he didn't have any idea when they would sign on digitally. That's why I was so surprised to find out that WFXI would be on by April. Hopefully, it'll happen quickly!

Update _-------- I had requested a waiver from DTV to get Fox broadcast DTV channel 88 - it was denied by the FCC based on the fact that I can get ALL available HD programming over the air - Folks that just not so------
I filed a complaint with Direct TV to look into the quality of the feed from fox 14/8 - I am also filing a complaint with the FCC------
We all need to complain to Direct TV about the fox 14 siginal quality---- they at Direct TV have been unaware of and signal problems with Fox 14 --- signal breaking up ect ---- you guys know what I mean--- watching the race coverage from Daytona - on speed channel and FX -- as compared to Sat. feed of fox 14 -----difference is night and day-----
Time to call Robert Grady out congressman and let him know what is going on - !!!!!!!!

I am under the weather too Griff, so don't feel bad. This flu has many down! I am going to try a homemade antenna as soon as I get straightend out. I am glad I'm not alone with being fed up with FOX 8-14! WNCT and WITN signals are EXcellent all around, sound and pic. Good work going on at that facility.

Ken12, any info from Directv on the signal issues on the Directv feed???

What kind of reciever is at the site in Greenville. Also tell us how the site operates what equipment is used and how its sent to DTV.

Here is some contact information if anyone else wants to complain - FCC web site click on consumers at bottom of page and then click on complaint -----
Our rep. is Walter B. Jones ( Not Robert Grady brain fart on my part ) his address and phone # are as follows ..
1105-C Corporate Drive
Greenville, NC. 27858-4211
Phone # 1-800-351-1697
BWT Direct TV was unaware of any signal problems from WYDO fox 14 ---
JSP sorry your under the weather too------ !!!!

I agree with JSP that WNCT and WITN have done an excellent job !!!!!!!!

Anyone watching The Daytona 500 in HD on FOX???

This is another reason why WFXI-WYDO sucks.

Cant wait till July when NBC takes over Nextel cup. Then we can watch it in HD.

Originally posted by jamielee
Anyone watching The Daytona 500 in HD on FOX???

Since you asked. Yes.

Originally posted by Griff Thomasson
Here is some contact information if anyone else wants to complain - FCC web site click on consumers at bottom of page and then click on complaint -----
Our rep. is Walter B. Jones ( Not Robert Grady brain fart on my part ) his address and phone # are as follows ..
1105-C Corporate Drive
Greenville, NC. 27858-4211
Phone # 1-800-351-1697
BWT Direct TV was unaware of any signal problems from WYDO fox 14 ---
JSP sorry your under the weather too------ !!!!

Griff,

You may want to check out the Programming forum and hit the Fox HD upgrade thread. Pretty interesting reading about what is going on with Fox upgrades across the nation. I just posted a response since somebody wanted to know what people in other small Fox markets are dealing with. We're not alone, but getting closer and closer all the time! *LOL*

Is everybody sick right now? It looks like the flu has finally hit Eastern NC... I've felt like crap the past 3 days! :(

Hope no one else has this bug--- it is kicking my tail ----
Got a very nice reply from News Corp by e-mail today saying that they were going to bring this to the attention of affilate relations people - see what happens !
Daytona 500 off sat. feed of fox 14 was fuzzy---- feed broke up twice - not sat but station feed ----- great race - can,t wait till the second half of the season ---
I have done all I can do to get fox in HD---- spent big bucks putting up new long range antennas ---- squalked to everyone I know to complain to so now I,ll just have to wait and see what happens
Others hope you enjoyed the race in HD!!!!!!

Griff,

Did you not have any luck with your long range antenna picking up WRAZ? Or WSFX out of Wilmington?

WRAZ is not at 1000kw yet, so when that happens maybe we will get it from time to time! WSFX is going to be so directional to the west of Wilmington that I am having doubts about them now.,, Since WECT is the same way and I cant get them. They are really leaving people out with DT that can get analog easy! WECT analog is on a 2000 ft in a inland area and the dt is on a 900' near the coast. at 575 kw and very directional...

Eastern---- I put up a 91xg - ultra long range uhf antenna from antennaconnection best gain for - long distance ---- I used shielded cable and have it up 37 feet off the ground ---- I have it mounted on a router-SP-- I did forget to put the preamp on the top of the mast and have to add that back on - me being sick the last 3 days have not gotten to it ---
Fox 26 I could get in analog but not strong enough --- to be usable --picked up fox 8 good picture but no sound --- still want to play around with it some more and see what I can get - when I feel better---
Yesterday it was the bed and Nascar----
Guys we have had a big screen home theater set up in our bed room now for 10 years - this is an up grade for us - love the Samsung 61" DLP - new Panasonic surround system-- Our Kids say it,s the old folks pad - LOL
We built all the new stuff in a cabinet set up and have all wiring run through walls ect- for a neat installation ---
When I feel better I want to try your antenna as I have an old dish in Garage -

I was in Bed all day too yesterday, and got no nascar clearly, but watched some anyway. I watched basketball on ABC 3.2 HD and the starz channels that D* had on for the weekend!


Griff---That is strange that you cannot get audio on channel 8. Maybe you need to run another set of audio cables from the TV to your receiver?

Hey y'all

First allow me to introduce myself. My name is Kevin and I'm a graduate student at ECU. I don't have a plasma TV nor digital cable/satellite. I watch TV on my computer and I use ATI TV Wonder with DScaler for SDTV and ATI HDTV Wonder and Samsung TV 5.2 indoor antenna for DTV/HD.

With this 20db amplified antenna i'm able to pick up WRAL, WTVD, WNCN and WUNK but that's all the channels i can pick up.

How come I can't pick up local stuff like WNCT, WITN and other local channels? could it be the location of the antenna?

I live in Pirate's Cove (E. 10th Street, across from Bojangles). My room is on the ground level and I have the antenna on the top of the shelf.

Looking forward to talk with you guys in the future.

*P.S* I forgot to add this but I'm having tourble viewing UNC-HD. I've got around 80% signal strength but I get black screen and no sound. You guys know what's up with that?

Kevin,

Glad to have you with us... Welcome!

I'm not surprised that you can pick up the RDU stations... I, consistently, have better reception from them than my locals. Even WITN, WNCT tend to break up on me. I don't if that's because I'm too close to the transmitter, my antenna set up or what.

Dtv reception is VERY directional. As I've said more than a few times on here, I have a single spot in my home where I'm able to pick up all the channels. You may want to play around with the location of your antenna and see if that will give you better luck. I had to play around a lot before I found the "sweet spot!"

The ATI card I have in my computer is not the most antenna savvy, meaning I don't get very good reception. Your's is a newer model I'm sure so it probably get's better reception. I've heard of situations where signals overload and that may be why you can't get a signal from WITN, WNCT; you may want to try an attenuator, I think is what it's called. Maybe one of the other guys can give you more detail on that. :)

You'll be hard pressed to get WCTI. Ken12, who frequents this board and is the chief engineer over at 12, doesn't recommend an indoor antenna. This far North, he suggest and outdoor antenna. I can get it reliably, but I've got a freaky home made indoor antenna that freaks everybody on here out! *LOL* :p

I've noticed some weird breakups with UNC the past couple of nights; particularly the subchannels. Maybe there is an issue in their system.

Good Luck and try playing around with your antenna. Like a lot of things, it's all about location, location, location!

Welcome banshee,

Last night both PBS 19 and 39 were breaking up for me too, my signal meter would jump up and down and pics would freeze, Dont know if it's my end or theres. Wild about 7 and 9 being trouble up there because I have 100% and people down in Wilmington get them stronger than their own stations! Dtv is very tricky and using RG-6 coax is the only way I have found that will lock in signals without breakup. Outdoor antennas are much better too for the most part.

Kevin, your reception probably has everything to do with the part of Greenville you're in. I'm in Ayden, south of Greenville, and pick up 7 and 9 flawlessly. WCTI is still hard to pick up from here but I can point the antenna towards Raleigh and pick up everything but WLFL and UPN.

I'm using an external antenna roof-mounted with a preamp.

Kevin welcome ------- grab an antenna and come play - LOL -
Had a very interesting conversation with Congressman Jones office today ---- seems that all of eastern NC can not get Fox in HD ---- especially the troops ---!!!!!! They will be contacting the FCC on my behalf------
Basic guide line for waivers 3 things
see fcc response on programming forum ----
What would a grade B signal be -----?????

Hmm... Maybe George Bush should have us invade WFXI!

Sorry, I had to say that...

Originally posted by Griff Thomasson
What would a grade B signal be -----?????

Simply put, if you live within a viewable signal (not PQ), then you are within Grade B. End of Grade B is no signal.

Originally posted by foxeng
Simply put, if you live within a viewable signal (not PQ), then you are within Grade B. End of Grade B is no signal.

foxeng,

Could you answer a question for me? I have Dish; have since I lived on the OBX back in '97. Moved here to Greenville in 2003. I still have my East/West CBS and NBC. Lost my ABC & FOX East/West last year when our locals came online.

How come I didn't lose all my East/West? Mind you, I'm not complaining... Could it be the CBS and NBC were grandfathered or was it that the local station just didn't care or was it at the network level?

Clue me in... That's really been nagging me. I just assumed WCTI and WFXI wanted to jerk it away, no offense to anyone who works there, but that didn't make sense because it wasn't like a waiver was filed over a year and a half after I moved! So, what gives?

Thanx

Originally posted by easternncnewswat
foxeng,

Could you answer a question for me? I have Dish; have since I lived on the OBX back in '97. Moved here to Greenville in 2003. I still have my East/West CBS and NBC. Lost my ABC & FOX East/West last year when our locals came online.

How come I didn't lose all my East/West? Mind you, I'm not complaining... Could it be the CBS and NBC were grandfathered or was it that the local station just didn't care or was it at the network level?

Clue me in... That's really been nagging me. I just assumed WCTI and WFXI wanted to jerk it away, no offense to anyone who works there, but that didn't make sense because it wasn't like a waiver was filed over a year and a half after I moved! So, what gives?

Thanx

I really don't know but here is some history that might help explain.

Dish has been historically reluctant to pull DNS of networks if the local stations do not complain because Charlie doesn't want to loose the income. That is why he is so behind the HD DNS. He sees at as a way for extra money. He has been fined by the FCC several times for not playing by the DNS rules. If you can receive your local analog network stations with an outside antenna, then by the DNS you are not entitled for the distant stations. It is my understanding that the DNS waiver is only good for a specific location and if you move, the DNS is nullified. If that is indeed the case, when you moved, to Greenville, you should have lost the DNS stations since you are well within Grade B of all four major network stations, (WITN and WNCT at Grifton, WCTI at Trenton and WYDO in Greenville). I was born and raised in Kinston before cable came to the area and I know what TV was like the in 60's before WNCT moved over to WITN's tower and increased height and WCTI was WNBE and was on the tower behind their building in New Bern.

We had a VHF only antenna on the roof and picked up 7,9, and 12 with no problems and picked up WRAL with some noise when they were on the tower behind their building on Western Blvd in Raleigh, YEARS before the Auburn towers went up. I used to watch "Unka Paul and All His Friends" in the morning on WRAL and then watch WhITNey Hobo on WITN in the afternoons. I remember in 1964 when my father went to Greenville and bought our first color TV, an RCA console. We had had a black and white Philco which got moved to my room! He bought it in Greenville because no one in Kinston had a color TV in stock. He bought it to watch Disney's "Wonderful World of Color", the predecessor of "Wonderful World of Disney" on WITN. It was about the only color show WITN had at time except for Bonanza and it was YEARS before the WITN studio had color cameras. WNCT nor WCTI ran hardly any color programs and when they did, it was network only. In those days CBS nor ABC did color because RCA held the patent on color and they owned NBC so CBS and ABC didn't want to put money in NBC's pocket by buying color equipment. It was a very sorted affair! If I remember correctly it was years after WITN went local color that WNCT and WCTI (it was WCTI by then) went local color. I remember seeing Slim Short on "Carolina In The Morning" on WNCT and Romper Room on WNBE/WCTI in black and white long after we bought that RCA color TV.

I remember going to the WITN studios to be on the "WhITNey Hobo Show twice. Once when I was 4 and again when I was 6. (That would make it 1964 and 1966) and there were NO color cameras there then and the studio lights were so bright you couldn't see anything! When the cartoons came on, they had to turn all of the lights in the studio off so you could see the old Conrac black and white monitors. Even after they installed color studio cameras, there was a Jesse Jones Sausage with the singing pigs in a parade commercial that always ran between the last cartoon and the 6 o'clock news and it was in black and white for years after the color cameras came in.Amazing what is imprinted on a pre-teen mind!

Boy, did I get off topic! My point was that even in the 60's, Greenville had good TV coverage and that was before all the tall towers and good TV receivers so a DNS really isn't needed.

I was reading over at tivocommunity forum under the HD DVR thread and they were talking about a ATTENUATOR at Radioshack, they showed a adjustable attenuator for $9.99, I went to radioshack they didnt have it but they had a inline one for $3.99, I got it and added it, All signal remained the same , however WCTI was at at 65-72 signal, it jumped to 85-88.
A attenuator helps with multipath issues, dropped signals, caused by to strong of a signal.
One guy over there said he added the adjustable one and turned the knob and watched his signals rise.
I was worried about loosing RDU, but they were showing last night. Im going to try the Greenville Radioshack friday for the adjustable one.

Originally posted by foxeng
I really don't know but here is some history that might help explain.

Thanx foxeng for the info about DNS and what tv was like in Eastern NC in the past. I suspected that Charlie was either breaking the rules or I was grandfathered. Now I have a better idea of which one it is! :D

Thanks for that story Foxeng! I have heard all the past TV stuff before from my family several times. They always complained about antenna reception back then and how hard it was to ge a clear signal. Funny thing is I was told that channel 6,7,9, and 11 WTVD had the best signals and that WBNE was not on the air until about the 70's.

Now we know that WFXI and WYDO are the tough signals to get!

Ken12, The color reception last night for the basketball game was excellent. I just wish that JP sports would do away with the old analog way of shooting games.

Originally posted by jspENC
Funny thing is I was told that channel 6,7,9, and 11 WTVD had the best signals and that WBNE was not on the air until about the 70's.

We got 11 and 6 but they were very fuzzy, 6 being wose than 11. When 12 came on, it was WNBE and around 1970 it changed call letters to WCTI so technically, WCTI didn't come on until the 70's, but WNBE was on before!

On the WCTI website is a short history of the station with pictures. Whom ever kept all of that memorabilia needs to be congratulated. Most of the stuff around here from that time period is gone.

Yea lets invade WFXI- LOL---- even the UN could do a better job there - LOL
Got my preamp installed today , have not had time to really play around with it but signals are coming in stronger ----
JSP I do not have sound on any analog channels ----- don,t understand that - what I have is DVI from reciever to TV plus component audio cables - plus digital fiber optic cable - I have a component cable from TV audio out to my theather system - plus the digital fiber optic ---- don,t see where I could run another cable ???? Don,t understand this ---

foxeng,

You and I might have been on the hobo show at the same time.:) Man I remember going on that show a few times. Heck if we heard someone was going we would tag along just to go. I got an Esso gas pump one time and played with that thing forever.

Originally posted by foxeng
I really don't know but here is some history that might help explain.

Dish has been historically reluctant to pull DNS of networks if the local stations do not complain because Charlie doesn't want to loose the income. That is why he is so behind the HD DNS. He sees at as a way for extra money. He has been fined by the FCC several times for not playing by the DNS rules. If you can receive your local analog network stations with an outside antenna, then by the DNS you are not entitled for the distant stations. It is my understanding that the DNS waiver is only good for a specific location and if you move, the DNS is nullified. If that is indeed the case, when you moved, to Greenville, you should have lost the DNS stations since you are well within Grade B of all four major network stations, (WITN and WNCT at Grifton, WCTI at Trenton and WYDO in Greenville). I was born and raised in Kinston before cable came to the area and I know what TV was like the in 60's before WNCT moved over to WITN's tower and increased height and WCTI was WNBE and was on the tower behind their building in New Bern.

We had a VHF only antenna on the roof and picked up 7,9, and 12 with no problems and picked up WRAL with some noise when they were on the tower behind their building on Western Blvd in Raleigh, YEARS before the Auburn towers went up. I used to watch "Unka Paul and All His Friends" in the morning on WRAL and then watch WhITNey Hobo on WITN in the afternoons. I remember in 1964 when my father went to Greenville and bought our first color TV, an RCA console. We had had a black and white Philco which got moved to my room! He bought it in Greenville because no one in Kinston had a color TV in stock. He bought it to watch Disney's "Wonderful World of Color", the predecessor of "Wonderful World of Disney" on WITN. It was about the only color show WITN had at time except for Bonanza and it was YEARS before the WITN studio had color cameras. WNCT nor WCTI ran hardly any color programs and when they did, it was network only. In those days CBS nor ABC did color because RCA held the patent on color and they owned NBC so CBS and ABC didn't want to put money in NBC's pocket by buying color equipment. It was a very sorted affair! If I remember correctly it was years after WITN went local color that WNCT and WCTI (it was WCTI by then) went local color. I remember seeing Slim Short on "Carolina In The Morning" on WNCT and Romper Room on WNBE/WCTI in black and white long after we bought that RCA color TV.

I remember going to the WITN studios to be on the "WhITNey Hobo Show twice. Once when I was 4 and again when I was 6. (That would make it 1964 and 1966) and there were NO color cameras there then and the studio lights were so bright you couldn't see anything! When the cartoons came on, they had to turn all of the lights in the studio off so you could see the old Conrac black and white monitors. Even after they installed color studio cameras, there was a Jesse Jones Sausage with the singing pigs in a parade commercial that always ran between the last cartoon and the 6 o'clock news and it was in black and white for years after the color cameras came in.Amazing what is imprinted on a pre-teen mind!

Boy, did I get off topic! My point was that even in the 60's, Greenville had good TV coverage and that was before all the tall towers and good TV receivers so a DNS really isn't needed.

I storngly dissagree with no DNS needed anymore. I have no problem here at my location in TN. May I add however if it wasn't for digital signals then my pix here, in analog, is nothing to brag about either. My brother however in Huntington WV has problems a plenty. He has 2 transmitters within 10 miles and can't get a a watchable pix from either. He upgraded to the best ghost killer antenna and still has 16 legged horses etc.. He's within 30 miles of most transmitters and and gets maybe 1 channel watchable. There are many areas in the US for location problems may be in a grade A or grade B areas and still can't get a good signal. Digital is helping some but not all. Networks want a monopoly on their coverage area then they should make sure their coverage area is covered 100% which is almost impossible. If not then they should be allowed DNS or locals any way then can get it. It's bad enough they have to pay for it when we get it free. Waivers for DNS should be on a case by case basis. I'm not sure of what the locals are scared of. Everyone I know would much rather watch local network feeds if they can get them. I'm sure an occasional game not covered by local network isn't going to make the station bankrupt if they watch a DNS signal.

I also lived in Richmond VA with transmitters within 30 miles. This is a large city where you think there be no OTA problems. You could get most very well (did need and outdoor antenna) but the local FOX and UPN were very difficult to get a good pix even this close in. Almost all where multipath problems and with digital these problems have almost been eliminated but some do still exist.

Almost forgot from the hills of Cumberland MD where I was brought up. You still can't get a watchable network signal OTA. Some places no cable. So if not for sat DNS then there would be nothing. Sorry but DNS is needed and will be needed in some areas forever. Unless of course the local networks want to go to the expense of building a transmitter on every hill top.

The new local network protection law (I call it) should be repealed for this reason. It does not effect me now but I've been there and no what having no network TV is like. It leaves the little man without networks legally.

I totally agree Jimc.

Griff, I cannot understand it either. I guess you will just have to play around until you can hear something... LOL!

Originally posted by jimc705
I storngly dissagree with no DNS needed anymore.

If you need a satellite to receive a DNS station because you can't (for whatever reason) not receive your local stations OTA, and your sat provider has your local stations available to you on their sat, you don't need DNS. The current rules reflect that in the SD world (HD is still being worked out with the digital white area stuff).

D* is moving very fast to complete all 210 markets with SD LIL and is about to start offering HD LIL. E* is trying to keep up. When that happens, you don't need DNS because you will have your local station available to you on the same sat system as a DNS. The days of DNS as we know them are very quickly coming to an end.

And I hope the high prices that people are paying for CATV are going to end! I hope that once people realize they can get HDTV OTA with smaller UHF antennas that cable will lose a lot of customers. Then maybe the prices will change... Higher or lower is another ?
I also hear TW is going up in May again after just going up this past December!

Hey guys, foxeng said someone here may be able to help me out.

My brother lives in Kinston and I just sent him my old MDP-120 in hopes of him picking up some HDTV ota. Since he's a big time Nascar fanatic, what are the chances of him picking up a Fox affiliate broadcasting in HD, using an outdoor antenna of course?

Also, what are his other options regarding OTA reception (sorry I don't know the area that well, I was only 2 when I lived there).

foxeng said he needed to shoot for Raleigh regarding Fox, anyone in Kinston able to get them?

Many thanks!

Fox out of Raliegh is the only station in eastern NC broadcasting in HD---- I am a big Nascar fan living on the coast and I can,t get it in HD--- Some guys in Greenville can get it should be able with a good antenna get fox 50 out of Raleigh - especially when they go to full power---

Originally posted by jamielee
I was reading over at tivocommunity forum under the HD DVR thread and they were talking about a ATTENUATOR at Radioshack, they showed a adjustable attenuator for $9.99, I went to radioshack they didnt have it but they had a inline one for $3.99, I got it and added it, All signal remained the same , however WCTI was at at 65-72 signal, it jumped to 85-88.
A attenuator helps with multipath issues, dropped signals, caused by to strong of a signal.
One guy over there said he added the adjustable one and turned the knob and watched his signals rise.
I was worried about loosing RDU, but they were showing last night. Im going to try the Greenville Radioshack friday for the adjustable one.

I got an adjustable attenuator at the Radio Shack by Wal-Mart on Thursday for around six bucks. It didn't really work for me, but I'm doing the indoor antenna thing; might work better for an outdoor antenna. It really squashed all my signals to the point of them being unwatchable. May try it with the antenna in some other areas of the house, but I'm not holding out much hope. Darn it! :(

Originally posted by foxeng
If you need a satellite to receive a DNS station because you can't (for whatever reason) not receive your local stations OTA, and your sat provider has your local stations available to you on their sat, you don't need DNS. The current rules reflect that in the SD world (HD is still being worked out with the digital white area stuff).

D* is moving very fast to complete all 210 markets with SD LIL and is about to start offering HD LIL. E* is trying to keep up. When that happens, you don't need DNS because you will have your local station available to you on the same sat system as a DNS. The days of DNS as we know them are very quickly coming to an end.

I think it's a shame that DNS is coming to an end. Not just because I've had access to them in the past, but it's a matter of conveinence for me.

A lot of times I work second shift and it's nice to be able to come home and watch something on the West coast feed. Yeah, I know there are vcr's and pvr's and all that, but it's just nice to turn on the tv, hit the grid, and see that show that you wanted to see earlier in the evening already in progress. Too, I'm a sucker for news around the nation and like seeing what other markets are doing. But that's just me...

After all, I still watch my locals for news, info, and prime viewing when I'm at home. Personally, locals ota look better than satellite. It's just nice to have the option of catching something at a later time.

That's really the only thing I like about what Pax is doing with their digital bandwith; East/West feeds. I'd love for other networks to latch on to that kind of idea. That's just an idea that I find appealing; utilize your bandwith for compelling reasons and to serve an unserved audience. There are a lot of people out there that work 2nd and 3rd shifts.

Anyways, just my opinion.

Eyewitness HD went down during first part of Y&R and then came back up... LOL!
They scared me for a minute, I would have been irate if I missed it in HD!

Just curious, how far out does the WITN-WNCT signals carry clearly on a daily basis? If you visit the forums and are a good ways from Greenville fill me in! I am wondering how many tune in to WNCT at lunch for Y&R, particularlly towards the West. I know they come in strong out in Sampson County seeing it for myself. Also dt comes in strong down in Wilmington.

WRAL 5.3 is now active with a CBS mega march madness multicast slide.

I saw that too jamielee! Got a pic of it posted on my website. TitanTV is advertising 5.3 and 5.4. Wonder if they're going to bring it online too for the games? I can't wait to see their multicast. The one thing that seems to be a consensus on is that WRAL is one of the best stations when it comes to pq and multicasting! Should be interesting to see.

Originally posted by easternncnewswat
I saw that too jamielee! Got a pic of it posted on my website. TitanTV is advertising 5.3 and 5.4. Wonder if they're going to bring it online too for the games? I can't wait to see their multicast. The one thing that seems to be a consensus on is that WRAL is one of the best stations when it comes to pq and multicasting! Should be interesting to see.

In the past, WRAL has run alternate 4 regional games in SD on WRAL-DT and the "local" regional game on WRAL-TV and the and ran the HD game on their fiber feed to TWC in Raleigh. I don't know if they will do that again this year or not. WFMY here in Greensboro just last week put up two more subchannels (for a total of four) and the bet is they are going to do the same thing for the first time.

Originally posted by foxeng
In the past, WRAL has run alternate 4 regional games in SD on WRAL-DT and the "local" regional game on WRAL-TV and the and ran the HD game on their fiber feed to TWC in Raleigh. I don't know if they will do that again this year or not. WFMY here in Greensboro just last week put up two more subchannels (for a total of four) and the bet is they are going to do the same thing for the first time.

Well, maybe that explains why WRAL HD is now broadcasting in Standard Definition. They must be going to add another channel for March Madness. It's kind of a bummer though; it was strange watching the morning news and it wasn't in High Definition. I hadn't realized how much I'd gotten used to their HD newscast.

[edit] oops nevermind...

i'm having trouble with 5.3

picture would only show for like 3 seconds then freezes

I dont get any Raleigh Durham channels, but I am going to get a channel Master outdoor amp. If anyone can recomend a good one please do! Griff, what amp are you using? I had a RS mast amp, but lightning took care of it, and it was a piece of crap to start with........

They must be having some issues with 5.3; I'm not getting any audio currently.

I wonder why eywitness 9 has not prepared to multi-cast the games, they should have the equipment to do it ready to go right? Half there viewing area is towards the west, so I'm sure people will be watching WRAL first over WNCT if they dont turn the games on....

I don't know why WNCT isn't multicasting March Madness. I always assumed WCTI was our ACC station. They seem to be the one's that show the games the same time WRAL does; WCTI shows ACC games on UPN 48.

Maybe there is some contractual obligation/stipulation that is preventing WNCT from multicasting. I can't see what, but I'm not in the biz either, so who knows, right?

Ken12 has let us know WCTI isn't going to do anymore multicasting until encoding software gets better, if even then. The FCC kinda put a "end" to multicasting opportunities with the vote just recently. At the very least, they delayed or stymied it.

I'm surprised, though, that WNCT hasn't made some move to mulitcast something. Kinda odd in my opinion. Or good depending on your preference.

foxeng or Ken12, I got a question for you if you happen to drop in...

Now that WRAL is going into multicast mode for March Madness, I noticed their primary channel 5.1 is now broadcasting in SD. Why don't stations, or your stations from your perspective, broadcast SD shows in SD mode and HD shows in HD mode. Does that require a lot of rebooting of equipment, programming, reconfiguring, etc? Is that why stations upconvert SD shows with the black/grey slides on the side?

Thanx for the info... Just curious.

Eastenncnewswat, CBS stations have exclusive rights to March Madness, no other stations can carry them but 5 and 9 in this area.
Raycom stations can carry basketball games that are covered by JP sports, or can pass it off to another ACC station if they choose to in a particular market. Like in Wilmington Raycom owns WECT 6 and carries games, but if they choose they can pass it off to WWAY 3 which also carries games, and WSFX 26 carries games too. I'm not quite sure who gets the option first, but thats generally how it works.
Also CBS does carry some ACC teams on the weekend during the regular season.
I guess WCTI is the only station in this market who choose to offer games! Thanks WCTI for letting us watch some b-ball!

YUP! :D

ok i went to the ecu game tonight and i was on the big lcd screen like three times because i was standing at midcourt, ground level with the mingie maniacs. WCTI, WITN and WNCT were among the cameras that we were cheering in front of.

I'll check out the footage banshee!

Cool, banshee! Have you had any luck acquiring better signal reception since you first posted a few nights ago?

Fox 8/14 are watchable tonight but poor. It makes me sick to go from a dt signal that is so good to a piss poor analog!