I've got to give a thumbs up for the TVMini HD and EyeTV software if your on a Mac. Very nice software package. Export to the iPod is a snap with it. The only issue I have is KNME still shows up as 5.1 for me but TitanTV has then as 35.1 and .2 so I have to change the channel after I add a recording via TitanTV.

From KNME's Web site (http://www.knmetv.org/digital/faqs.php3):

"How come I don't get KNME High Definition on DISH Network or DIRECTV?

The two satellite providers don't carry any of the local stations' High Definition signals yet. Service is expected to begin in late 2006."

.....G

G...

Lol!!

From KNME's Web site (http://www.knmetv.org/digital/faqs.php3):

"How come I don't get KNME High Definition on DISH Network or DIRECTV?

The two satellite providers don't carry any of the local stations' High Definition signals yet. Service is expected to begin in late 2006."

.....G

KNME should have wrote: "A: Satellite bandwidth is still a valuable commodity for the DBS providers DirecTV and DISH Network. Both DBS services are concentrating on offering HD locals for the four major networks (ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC) in major markets before rolling out HD locals for other networks such as PBS and CW or for independent stations."

then maybe KNME after that response should stream a 30 second commercial in a separate window (flash media) "With your contributions, we could build and launch a satellite in order to offer quality HD programming around New Mexico, Southern Colorado, Eastern Arizona and around North America. As a thank you for your $1million contribution, we'll send you a free HD satellite receiver and a lifetime subscription to the KNME-HD variety channel package. If KNME doesn't do it, who will?" :D

.... "With your contributions, we could build and launch a satellite in order to offer quality HD programming around New Mexico, Southern Colorado, Eastern Arizona and around North America. As a thank you for your $1million contribution, we'll send you a free HD satellite receiver and a lifetime subscription to the KNME-HD variety channel package. If KNME doesn't do it, who will?" :D :D :D :D :D :D Aint it the truth!

I have 2 of the EyeTV 500's for HDTV on a Mac. The software does rock. I (almost) wish Apple would buy them out and or integrate it within Front Row at the least. One of the coolest features I use all the time is the export to iMovieHD. One button and the show is sent to iMovieHD and I can edit out the commercials, add menus and burn it to a DVD.

The other really cool feature is the edit/compact within the EyeTV software itself. I went through my entire season of Lost, The Office and other various movies and specials I PVR'd and cut out all the commercials and then compacted them. I got back 100GB (thats right GB) of storage!

Lots o' fun looking for Lost clues with a tool like this.

I've got to give a thumbs up for the TVMini HD and EyeTV software if your on a Mac. Very nice software package. Export to the iPod is a snap with it. The only issue I have is KNME still shows up as 5.1 for me but TitanTV has then as 35.1 and .2 so I have to change the channel after I add a recording via TitanTV.

[QUOTE=tillyvick]Is there a stand alone DVR on the market that is able to record OTA HD broadcasts? /QUOTE]

There are two that come to mind, the LG3410a, which I use, and the two Sony models, 500, and 250. I saw a 250 at Baillios yesterday. Both brands have aggravating quirks (no Tivo, for sure), but will get the job done, but for a price. The 250 is <$600 IIRC. JR

Found this site selling the RCA DVR that was for sale a while back for only $75. Ordered one today.

http://www.beachaudio.com/product_info.php?cPath=1856_1892&products_id=74306

Isn't that one of those scam places?...:eek:

At least you're only out $75.00

Hopefully I'm wrong....

I'm currently watching "Good Morning America" in HD. Does anyone know when KOAT starting running the show in HD? I know the national feed has been in HD for quite a while but wasn't being done locally by KOAT. It's good to see it in HD finally.

Let us know how you like it. For $75 seems like you couldn't go wrong. I wonder if the HD is upgradable. 80GB is not going to record very much especially if its 1080i. If you could pop in a 320GB now were talking!

Found this site selling the RCA DVR that was for sale a while back for only $75. Ordered one today.

http://www.beachaudio.com/product_info.php?cPath=1856_1892&products_id=74306

yeah reading up on it, its more like an HDD based VCR than it is a TIVO. But then with OTA recording ability it will be fine for those CBS CW nights.

It can to QAM also so I can record the soft porn channel that is Showtime/HBO's on demand shows that come in the clear via qam tuner on Comcrap. I wonder how many teenage boys love the new SDTV with QAM they got for gift having discovered that comcrap is passing free porn.

Hopefully its Fantastic, not Comcraptastic.

lujan, are you really watching Good Morning America in HD from KOAT OTA? It wasn't that way last week. Maybe they just started. If so, HURRAY. Progress for ABQ!!!

lujan, are you really watching Good Morning America in HD from KOAT OTA? It wasn't that way last week. Maybe they just started. If so, HURRAY. Progress for ABQ!!!

Yes, I was definitely watching it over my OTA connection. It looks great and its about time since ABC has been feeding it in HD since January or February.

it would be great if dish would offer knme-hd. i will wait til it comes on if ever before changing from comcrap. i doubt if "later in 2006" this will happen but who knows? it is a scary thought that unless dish 1000.2 works here in albuq. that we are looking at 2 or 3 dishes on the roof!!!! i am actually getting used to comcrap. it takes more time to set timers as they don't have a favorites list to scroll down like dish. the good news is not having to pay $299 for the 622. our bill is $130 including high speed internet (this includes 2 hd dvr's and showtime and hbo). this will probably go up soon but we will deal with it then. come on dish get pbs hd up soon!!! i really don't want ot put up an antenna to get the missing locals.

ibglowin,

Is your EyeTV software showing KOAT as 59.94 FPS? None of the other 720p stations showed this for me.

Found this site selling the RCA DVR that was for sale a while back for only $75. Ordered one today.

http://www.beachaudio.com/product_info.php?cPath=1856_1892&products_id=74306

I think this RCA DVR does not have a tuner, so you will need to hook it up to an ATSC tuner with firewire output. The DVR only has firewire as an input.

Well Thankfully my 2003-Pre-HDCP-Pre-HDMI Diamond Series 65inch Mitsubishi has 1394 and tuner built in. I also am able to set all the timers for it with TV as I do with the Vividlogic's Firebus DVR software. I just got my tracking number for delivery on th 30th. I'm looking forward to finally being able to record OTA HDTV. If this works out maybe I will get a second unit to record two shows and once, may even be able to free myself from Comcrap TV service.

JACK8219 - If you're on Comcrap don't you already have an antenna up for CBS-HD and TheWB-HD (CW-HD)?

I'm currently watching "Good Morning America" in HD. Does anyone know when KOAT starting running the show in HD? I know the national feed has been in HD for quite a while but wasn't being done locally by KOAT. It's good to see it in HD finally.


I would imagine only in the last few weeks that KOAT has been airing GMA in HD.

ABC only made a HD feed to affiliates for Mountain/Central stations available in the last month.

you didn't think that KOAT was recording the east feed to a digital diskdrive, did ya? ;)

Not sure if that information is available with this software. Where is it found?

ibglowin,

Is your EyeTV software showing KOAT as 59.94 FPS? None of the other 720p stations showed this for me.

Hi G,
My 622 install is supposed to happen today (8-12) What transponder should 129 be peaked at? You mention 30 below but the ABQ locals are on T-27 according to the Dishchannel chart.

Moonhawk - Check signal strength on transponder 30 on sat 129. I suspect your Dish 1000 is not delivering sufficient signal strength. The ABQ locals in HD are on that transponder. I'm getting 75 on that transponder, but I have a separate Dish 500 for 129 alone instead of a Dish 1000. The Dish 1000 is very critical about aiming. The mount must be absolutely plumb and the skew must be exact. Sat 129 is significantly weaker than 110 or 119.

.....G

Not sure if that information is available with this software. Where is it found?

Press Apple, Option and I. Do the same again to take the display away. Anyways, it should show that. ABC and Fox are 720p 60 fps. I was thinking they were 30 fps at first.

I am getting curious about DirecTV's Albuquerque locals.

I saw a pair of press releases from DirecTV today about activating Seattle and Indianapolis locals. Each city only has 2 active HD locals out of the four major networks (negotiations on-going with the other major network affiliates not carried in those two markets).

Relevance -- I hightly doubt we'll see 4 HD locals when Albuquerque goes live (DISH only has 3 HD's currently). If another station(s) play hardball with DirecTV compared to DISH, we may only see 1 or 2 at the most. I can't wait to see how this plays out when Albuquerque goes live.

So, I should keep my Silver Sensor!

comcast in albuq has knme, koat,kasa,and kob. comcast claims krqe is trying to extort to much money to carry them. they supposedly are talking to get cbs on cable. as i have said before i can't imagine why dish or direct doesn't carry pbs either on a national feed or a local somehow. so i stick with comcrap. i wonder how the tivo lawsuit asking for dish to disable the dvr is going to play out. surely dish won't disable their dvrs??

as i have said before i can't imagine why dish or direct doesn't carry pbs either on a national feed or a local somehow.

DISH and DirecTV have other bandwidth priorities (to get the major 4 networks on satellite in most of the DMA's in America - each has probably no more than 10 DMAs active right now).

Unless something like the following happens:

- higher order, yet reliable modulation delivery over satellite better than 8PSK
- the FCC minimizing DBS satellite spacing to less than 9 deg to allow more Ku/Ka DBS satellites to provide programming (DirecTV is fighting this -- SES Americom is fighting for a DBS satellite 4.5 deg away from the 101 deg W slot for Home2US service)
- higher satellite frequency bands above Ka-band being used that can be reliable for program delivery
- an collaborative agreement with telcos to deliver HD services over landline to complement satellie SD services

you won't see PBS-HD or CW HD or MyNetworkTV HD or Independent station HD from any market delivered over satellite anytime soon.

So, I should keep my Silver Sensor!


exactly!

If it wasn't for the fact the HD signals don't cover the whole DMA in NM and probably most other DMA's, I'd even ask why DISH and DirecTV just don't install an off-air antenna and a 8VSB tuner module in DBS receivers to allow customers to get their HD services off-air (rather than wasting satellite bandwidth to offer them through the satellites).

There certainly is no politics/greed with off-air HD (free network/independent station digital SD/HD with an antenna if you live in a good area with regards to the transmitter for that station).

Comcrap keeps touting that KRQE wants more money to carry CBS-HD. I quess thats one more reason to move to Rio Rancho where CableOne offers CBS-HD.

On a side note I got that RCA DVR2080 in yesterday. It was a snap to hook up. Just plug a 1394 cable in to it and TV. Its actually inline with TV and PC which I use CAPDVHS on. PC sees the DVR as a 1gb drive with is far from the 80gb drive thats inside. I wonder if the hard drive is upgradeable at all.

So far it works like a VCR. I program when I want to record and it goes. The manual states it can funtion like a full DVR buffering live TV but I dont think my Mitsubishi has control functions to allow it. Not that Ive seen so far.

Hi G,
My 622 install is supposed to happen today (8-12) What transponder should 129 be peaked at? You mention 30 below but the ABQ locals are on T-27 according to the Dishchannel chart.Didn't catch your note in time. How did your install go? The ABQ locals are on T-27, but T-30 is the weakest transponder on that bird. On the 622's meter, I'm getting 74 on both T-27 and T-30 with a dedicated Dish 500 dish.

.....G

Hi G,

Install went well. Was supposed to show up 8-12 on Monday. I spent time on Sun running phone lines to both receivers so I was ready. I got a call from Dish at 12 saying the installer was running behind and would be there in a couple of hours. Sure enough he showed up at 2:00PM. He was really good. He had my DPP44 switch and had no problems with what I asked him to do (install wing dish for 129 and tie 4 slots together with the DPP44). He did a great job of installing the new Dish. He even remounted my 110/119 Dish and made it more sturdier with a universal bracket. He even properly grounded all my Dishes. Something none of the other installers ever took the time to do. This guy was a Dish employee and not a contractor. He left @ 7:00PM and still had 2 more installs to do that day!

So how is my reception on 129? Best he could get and he peaked it twice is 67-69 on both T27 and T30. I have a tree limb that might be causing just a bit of signal blockage so I may have to do some trimming. The signal is what I would call just OK I guess. It works for the most part but I do see the occasional tearing (green pixels) for a moment but then it seems to go back to normal. Occasioonally it seems like the audio is just a tad out of sync but not enough to really notice. To me the HD LIL's are currently like what we had OTA 2-3 years ago. They were problematic and not very reliable for the most part.

Still its good to have them at least now I can record what I REALLY want on the OTA tuner and watch something else via LIL HD which is good Be nice to get KRQE but looks like we may have to wait a while for someone to blink.


I must say I LOVE the 622's (so far)! They are light years ahead in technology compared to my 921's. I had pretty stable 921's with the only major problem being stuck aspect ratios and slow responding remotes if you hadn't rebooted in a few days. Other than that they worked as advertised pretty much.

I love the widescreen extended guide! I love having a PIP that works with HD! I love having a "partial zoom" mode for the first time since I got rid of my 811 and 6000's! The wife loves the Dish Pass feature.

Both receivers did a spontaneous reboot on day one and we havn't had another one since then. No missed timers either.

The picture on the 622 is truely amazing. So much better than the 921. SD looks sharp now compared to soft on the 921's. Its like getting a new TV for $99!

Love having the new channels as well. Already recorded Backdraft off of UNIHD and Love the Voom Family channel as well. Hate to admit it but I grew up being a BIG Gerry Anderson fan and love watching the old Thunderbirds in HD. I have them on DVD as well and its unbelievable how much more detail there is in the HD conversion. Day and nights difference.

All in all were pretty happy campers with our new 622's and glad we made the upgrade.

I have been testing channels to see what SAT the Voom channels are coming in from since I have both 61.5 and 129. When I switch to one of the Voom channels and then hit Menu/6/1/1 about 50% of the time it shows 61.5 and 50% 129. I was hoping 61.5 would override 129 since I have 95% signal on that SAT but it seems like it doesn't always. I have 61.5 on input 3 of the DPP44 so not sure if I could do anything else to increase the % there. May try some switching around of the inputs to see if I can optimize it for 61.5.

Bring on HGTV HD and NGHD!

I like my 622 a lot also...

Do you notice any improvement in sound quality, especially with the music channels, or is it just my imagination? They sound much crisper and clearer to me.

Only thing I don't like is it is much harder to edit/ delete timers, and the response to doing that is slow. Sometimes the guide doesn't show timers that are there, and if I want to back up a sat HD recording with an sat SD recording (something I was doing with KOAT due to their difficulties), it automatically skips it unless I override...a laborious process.Other than that, another happy camper.

Let me know about the sound, please...thanks...:)

Great! I'm glad your install went so well. Mine did too....The picture on the 622 is truly amazing. So much better than the 921. SD looks sharp now compared to soft on the 921's. Its like getting a new TV for $99! Yes! The PQ on the 622 is MUCH better than the 921. I had a horizontal line artifact (two 1 pixel high horizontal lines at 1/3 and 2/3 screen height) that went away as well. As for switch priority for 61.5 and 129, apparently, if you tune to a VOOM, disconnect the 129 sat from the DPP44 and then run a check switch, and then reconnect the 129 sat and re-run the checkswitch, the 622 prioritizes 61.5. I haven't tried this since my DPP44 is on the roof, but this is the solution I've seen reported over on DBSTalk.

.....G

Mine is in the attic!

I can reach it fairly easy so will try that this weekend and report back with what I find. I need to make (double) sure I indeed have 61.5 on (3) and 129 on (4) anyway.

apparently, if you tune to a VOOM, disconnect the 129 sat from the DPP44 and then run a check switch, and then reconnect the 129 sat and re-run the checkswitch, the 622 prioritizes 61.5. I haven't tried this since my DPP44 is on the roof, but this is the solution I've seen reported over on DBSTalk.

.....G

Are you talking the Sirius Music channels or Rave?

Do you notice any improvement in sound quality, especially with the music channels, or is it just my imagination? They sound much crisper and clearer to me.

Let me know about the sound, please...thanks...:)

Actually I mainly listen to the Bluegrass, Acoustic channel on Dish Music, 969, but also one of the Sirius Channels...acoustic coffee house or whatever (6030?)

Definitely sounds better than before, but I also tweaked my speaker placements a little.

Mine is in the attic! I can reach it fairly easy so will try that this weekend and report back with what I find. I need to make (double) sure I indeed have 61.5 on (3) and 129 on (4) anyway. Here's the thread I referenced on DBSTalk: 61.5 and 129 on Same Switch - Make 61.5 Dominant (http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=58632)

.....G

No one has comments on 622 sound quality?

No one has comments on 622 sound quality?

There is no difference in the E* receivers sound quality. It's what you connect the 622 (or any other satellite receiver) to that makes the difference. It's the A/V receiver or the TV that makes the difference.

No one has comments on 622 sound quality?Does fine when I swap it with my 921( for my Pj room) and use the optical output... have not noticed any glitches. Recording Revenge of the Sith tonight on both HD Dvrs so I can compare...

Mine is in the attic! I can reach it fairly easy so will try that this weekend and report back with what I find. I need to make (double) sure I indeed have 61.5 on (3) and 129 on (4) anyway.I got a friend to go on the roof and I can now testify that it works. I get all the VOOMs off 61.5 and the only things I get off 129 are the ABQ locals, nothing else. It's easy to see which bird you are getting a particular channel from. Tune to RAVE for example, then hit Menu-6-1-1 and the bird and transponder are displayed on the Point Dish screen. Try it on different channels. It always shows you where your signal is coming from.

.....G

There is no difference in the E* receivers sound quality. It's what you connect the 622 (or any other satellite receiver) to that makes the difference. It's the A/V receiver or the TV that makes the difference.

Thanks...

I thought maybe there were differences in the quality of the various circuits that decompress the signal.

At any rate, it seemed the sound was a little better...either my imagination or the slight tweak in speaker placement, I suppose.

Mine is in the attic!I can reach it fairly easy so will try that this weekend and report back with what I find. I need to make (double) sure I indeed have 61.5 on (3) and 129 on (4) anyway.Weeeeeeeellll, I've learned more since my last post. After I checked the switch inputs and performed the checkswitch procedure, the VOOMs, ESPN2, UNIHD, etc all came off 61.5, but this evening I notice that they are coming off 129, so I am not convinced that there is a way to force prioritization permanently. What did you discover?

.....G

I discovered it was 95 degrees outside by noon yesterday and probably 115 in my attic so I wimped out and stayed in the house or the shade! :cool:
Supposed to cool down by the end of the week and I have Friday off so if I can drag myself up in the attic before it gets too hot I will try out the swap and test method described over on DBSTalk. I want to verify I actually have my 61.5 on input 3 anyway so it won't be for naught i suppose even if it doesn't change anything.

Weeeeeeeellll, I've learned more since my last post. After I checked the switch inputs and performed the checkswitch procedure, the VOOMs, ESPN2, UNIHD, etc all came off 61.5, but this evening I notice that they are coming off 129, so I am not convinced that there is a way to force prioritization permanently. What did you discover?

.....G

maybe you should take some time to route cables to put the connections and other equipment in a closet or the garage where its cooler. hee hee

Yea,

It should be moved closer to the attic entrance in the garage I suppose. I was trying to keep cable runs to a minimum when I first hooked everything up. The switch is in a straight line between the dish and the 4 runs to the back part of the house where the receivers are placed. I would have to add quite a bit of extra cable as the opening to the attic is about 20ft away from the switch. multipy that times 4 cable runs times 2 since there isn't any extra cable at all and I might end up having problems with signal dropouts due to adding all the extra cable.

At least I could reach the switch easily!

maybe you should take some time to route cables to put the connections and other equipment in a closet or the garage where its cooler. hee hee

And no heat stroke!

Minor news update........

I just got a E-mail from KNMD-DT channel 9 says still no plans for full power upgrades, thanks to KCHF-DT's footdraging after trying talk to KCHF-DT top managment.

I thought TV broadcasters should be helping together by radio TV cordnations.

The plan was to make KCHF-DT move the transmitter to the Sandia Crest and then KNMD-DT can upgrade it's transmitter power.

Running at 200 watts ERP over a year now it's getting pretty silly don't you think? :p

Something is in the air from KOB-DT about 4.2 in the late summer or early fall at the most. :D

Just guess what kind of channel it will be on 4.2! :cool:

6-5-06

Hello,

I just subsrcibed to DirecTV and I have 30 day free trial which I'm currently in. The HD Channels have awesome awesome! I picked up an RCA Amplified Flat-Panel HDTV Antenna for local HD channels. I'm a little concerned with the PQ and the signal. Can anyone recommend a better OTA Antenna?

I'm also debating on just getting CabelOne so I can receive all the locals in HD. The only issue i have with CabelOne is they don't have as many HD Channels such as Discovery which is a must have with HD.

I have my DirecTV reciever hooked to my Sammy DLP via HDMI.

Any advise would be great!

cjriv12

I hope KKOB-DT 4.2 is Weather Plus. I miss it from my time in San Diego. Always was nice to have fast access to the weather report.

Hello,

I just subsrcibed to DirecTV and I have 30 day free trial which I'm currently in. The HD Channels have awesome awesome! I picked up an RCA Amplified Flat-Panel HDTV Antenna for local HD channels. I'm a little concerned with the PQ and the signal. Can anyone recommend a better OTA Antenna?

I'm also debating on just getting CabelOne so I can receive all the locals in HD. The only issue i have with CabelOne is they don't have as many HD Channels such as Discovery which is a must have with HD.

I have my DirecTV reciever hooked to my Sammy DLP via HDMI.

Any advise would be great!

cjriv12Welcome to the Albuquerque forum :) ( Although I live south of Carlsbad...)

cjriv12 -- I run a sammy and D* HD10-250 from Santa Fe with a Zenith Silver Sensor -- ab't 45 miles line-of-sight -- but, it really is line-of-sight.

The Zenith is the only one worth getting -- but, get it someplace like Radio Shack or Best Buy where you can return it if it doesn't work for your location.

I think I paid around $25 for it.

Went into the attic last night after it cooled off. Pulled off the cable run on port 4. Came down and ran a check switch. Came back all OK with 110 on Port 1, 119 on Port 2 and 61.5 on Port 3. Looks like it was set up in the right order as I thought before pulling the 129 cable.

Pulled up everything thats mirrored on 129 as well as on 61.5. All channels are showing 61.5 with 95% signal strength.

Left overnight and checked channels and signal strengths again today. All the same.

Back up into the attic as we have had some nice cloud cover most of the afternoon so it's pretty cool. Reconnected 129 and came back down.

Ran check switch and came back all OK with 129 on port 4 again.

Checked all the Voom channels as well as UNIHD and now ALL channels are coming up on 129!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Before it seemed to be hit or miss but kinda 50/50. I will keep poking around but as of now, there is no rhyme or reason and it has gone over to 129 dominant it seems. Perhaps it will swing back after a while to some on 61.5 but I am really tempted to just pull 129 all together for the Summer as there is nothing but reruns and we don't have much need to watch and record 2 LIL HD programs at the same time.

Pitty, perhaps others out there have some other data or missed step. Didn't seem to work for me.


Here's the thread I referenced on DBSTalk: 61.5 and 129 on Same Switch - Make 61.5 Dominant (http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=58632)

.....G

....<snip>....Before it seemed to be hit or miss but kinda 50/50. Well give it a few days. What I found is that it chooses one or the other, but I don't know how it chooses. Sometimes VOOMs are coming off 61.5 and sometimes off 129. The prioritization routine seems spurious to me as well, as I pointed out in my followup message (3292) above.

.....G

What's really weird here is that its the HD LIL's that are the problems. I didn't see any problems with anything last night on Voom. I tried to watch some of Fox (House) and ABC (Boston Legal). Had audio stuttering every few minutes as well as video dropouts to the point i just gave up and swtiched over the the OTA. Problem solved.

Dish really needs to fix this before the start of the Fall season. I wonder what the difference is between the HD LIL's and other content on 129? Are they really MPEG4 and the others MPEG2 with only an MPEG4 header as others have hypothesized?

I had a 70 signal last night as well.......

....<snip>....Are they really MPEG4 and the others MPEG2 with only an MPEG4 header as others have hypothesized? I had a 70 signal last night as well.......Yes, the ABQ LILs are real MPEG4 encoded streams and the others (UNIHD, ESPN2, etc.) are MPEG2 with MPEG4 headers. No need to hypothesize about this, it's easy enough to see with the right equipment. E* is still tweaking its MPEG4 encoders. Interestingly enough, the HD LILs are pretty much fine here at my house and I use them for regular recording, often recording one LIL OTA and another off 129 simultaneously. I see very occasional pixelation, never lasting more than a second, on both MPEG2 and MPEG4 HD channels off of 129. The audio is not affected. I also get a solid lock on all the OTA stations with the 622, all except for KNME that is, I can't get KNME with my current antenna, tho' the old Winegard pulled it in just fine. Of couse the Winegard couldn't get KOB or KOAT, which are fine now with my Antennas Direct XG-91 (http://www.antennasdirect.com/91XG_HDTV_Antenna.html).

.....G

Have you thought about one of these?

http://www.channelmaster.com/pages/TVS/UHFAnts.htm

I have the 4228 with a preamp and KNME is loud and clear, I know your a little lower and a few miles further away from the towers.

Antenna roulette is not fun.

...Antenna roulette is not fun. Hehe.... I've resigned myself at this point, especially since I can no longer go up on the roof myself. The XG-91 is actually more directional and higher gain than the ChannelMaster 4228. With KNME, it seems to be about how the antenna handles multipath. The Winegard HD8200P got KNME just fine, but not KOB or KOAT. I don't have LOS to the peak from here. That's the big issue. I do love the Channelmaster 7777 preamp. Jim Gale at KNME recommended it to me.

.....G

For some depressing info for HD lovers, from Scott Greczkowski reporting from the Team Summit in Denver read this Post http://www.satelliteguys.us/showpost.php?p=582013&postcount=14
from this thread http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php?t=68018

Okay folks,

Now that the local stations have filed applications for renewal of their license (set to expire October 1, 2006), it's time for us to go into action to leave comments with the FCC about how we feel about their public service.

My targets are KOAT and KASY. KOAT because they are leasing bandwidth to USDTV over providing us with other public access digital multicasting stuff (weather radar, traffic cams, or the ABC-provided ABC News Now). KASY is being targeted because it's technically impossible for them to deliver any programming to us in HD format (since they only have enough allocated bandwidth for their channel in SD and have leased the rest to USDTV).

Here's how to file comments with the FCC regarding KOAT and KASY. for the specifics of other stations, you can look up the facility ID numbers and application numbers on the FCC web site. The mailing address to file the comments is the same regardless of the station you choose to comment about. Only the station calls, facility id, and application number change.

We have to act now or we have to shut up and take it for another 8 years, so FILE AWAY!

Robert


====

For KOAT-TV:
===========

Video Division, License Renewal Processing Team
Room 2-A665
Office of the Secretary
Federal Communications Commission
445 12th St. SW
Washington, DC 20554

Reference in your letter concerning KOAT to aid in FCC processing:

(1) the station's call sign, city and state:
KOAT-TV 7 (KOAT-DT 21)
KOAT Hearst-Argyle Television, Inc.
Albuquerque, New Mexico

(2) the station's facility ID number:
53928

(3) the license renewal application file number:
BRCT-20060601BMJ



For KASY-TV:
===========

Video Division, License Renewal Processing Team
Room 2-A665
Office of the Secretary
Federal Communications Commission
445 12th St. SW
Washington, DC 20554

Reference in your letter concerning KASY to aid in FCC processing:

(1) the station's call sign, city and state:
KASY-TV 50 (KASY-DT 45)
Acme Television LIcenses of New Mexico, LLC
Albuquerque, New Mexico

(2) the station's facility ID number:
55049

(3) the license renewal application file number:
BRCT-20060601BPI

How come you didn't mention KRQE? My gripe is with them. All the other major locals can provide digital service to E* over the satellite except for them.

How come you didn't mention KRQE? My gripe is with them. All the other major locals can provide digital service to E* over the satellite except for them.

Agree. Also, their failure to pass DD5.1.

They also refuse to pass to Comcast in digital.
JR

...

My targets are KOAT and KASY. ...

We have to act now or we have to shut up and take it for another 8 years, so FILE AWAY!

Robert


...

Can you give us the information for KRQE? I believe that they are owned by LIN Television.

File Number: BRCT-20060601ALF
Call Sign: KRQE
Facility Id: 48575
FRN: 0013921911
Applicant Name: LIN OF NEW MEXICO, LLC
Frequency: 210
Channel: 13
Community of License: ALBUQUERQUE, NM

Why not link to a word .doc we can just print out and mail directly?

As for KRQE, they seem to allow CableONE access. So we should complain about Comcrap and the satellite folks for not providing it. Don't blame KRQE for asking for repayment. Blame Comcrap for abusing its sanctioned Cable monopoly by not providing CBS HD. KRQE has a right to charge for access to a digital feed by third party providers. We get their signal free with antenna. Cable companies enjoy zero competition from other cable companies and only have to worry about dish providers. CableONE can pay the price, Comcrap is much larger they should pay for it too and provide us CBS-HD.

I think that there is partial blame on both sides of the house (I mean on both the satellite/cable providers as well as LIN TV). They are both keeping a stubborn stance and not compromising to reach a reasonable agreement to provide digital service via cable/satellite.

How much did CableOne raise its rates directly in response to them adding KRQE-DT?

If someone sets a price for their product and service thats their right and they are free to set what ever price they want. If only one out of three people purchase that, thats fine too. We can't blame them for being happy with 33%. We don't directly pay for KRQE-DT.

We do pay for Comcrap and Directv and Dish. These are the creeps we should be harrassing to provide we the customer with the services we want.

This is why I bought that RCA DVR. So I can resume recording of WB and CBS HD programming which I do not get from my Comcrap service I pay $75 a month for. I love it. It works great.

I continue to send Comcrap a daily email asking for CBS and WB along with other HD channels. Now I can update my letter thanks to Dish adding another 4 HD channels.

Speaking of Comcrap, I just flipped through the channels and see ESPN2HD!!!

Channel 254

What channels did dish add?

NFL-HD Starz-HD HGTV-HD and NGC-HD(national Geographic)

ESPN2HD is up but On-demand is down and ESPNHD is all pixelated.

Called Comcrap and they are having issues today. And ESPN2 is another tease for the Worldcup disappearing after the games faster than a ham sandwhich on a fat lady's plate.

Have to say the ESPN2HD via D* was a Hi-Def delight for the World Cup, today -- except for ESPN's stupid decision to run their top banner 10% down from the top -- effectively cutting off part of the screen image!

Now, if only KOAT don't screw up their [delayed] telecast of England v. Paraguay.

Have to head out for grocery shoppiing, right now. Hopefully, my phone call screaming at the idiots at KOAT had the effect they said it would. That is -- put the World Cup match on in Hi Def!

I'll check the TiVo when I get home; but, so far, SD only.

Anyone notice the ota guide that PBS broadcasts has been missing the CBS schedule for the past few weeks? My dvr needs that guide to schedule recordings. Wonder if this is part of their plan to squeeze more money from providers? I emailed tvguide, but no answer. JR

Well, KOAT is consistent at their incompetence. Just returned from grocery shopping.

Never got a call back. They're still broadcasting the World Cup in SD.

It took four bumps through the ABC East system; but, I finally got through to an engineer in satellite traffic. He said the feed was fine and they'd received NO complaints from any of their affiliates. He told me he'd call KOAT and try to sort out the problem.

A few minutes later, I called KOAT and they said they'd found the problem and it was "local". It was fixed and the HD was up and running.

So, of the two matches telecast in HD, today -- we got to see the last 10 minutes of the second match in HD.

I sent an email with the above subject line to the chief engineer at KOAT. That's because I've had to call Engineering several times at talk to the guy on Master Control in order to get a sports feed switched over to the HD version. I wait two minutes and if the HD's not on, I call.
"I'm not sure what happened here....we have to switch to SD when we have crawls running, as this system is incomplete...I'm thinking that the operator forgot to switch back...but he's been away for a few days, so we haven't been able to confirm this....

Sometimes the ABC folks don't feed things to us in HD...and don't give us any advance warning....this also may have been the case...the networks are having lots of fun with all of this HD stuff, these days... Frankly, sometimes I am suprised when things actually DO work well.

Daniel R Brown
KOAT Engineering Department"
.....G

Well -- all thanks to Skype -- I have no reticence about calling all over the US, now, with it being free for the rest of the year. For that matter, even at 2¢ a minute!

If it's not working for tomorrow morning's match, I'll call the satellite traffic folks in NY, 1st -- and THEY will call KOAT engineering.

Funny I can go to TitanTV.com and see all the scheduled HD shows ABC has planned that KOAT seems to screw up throwing the switch.

Has anyone managed to get a DVR from Comcrap with active 1394. They repeatedly tell me they have no ACTIVE 1394 STBs due to copy protection fears.

Mine says inactive. Rats
JR

Leno and Conan SD... wake up KOB...

Wake up KOAT. Commander in Chief is new tonight. Get some coffee or Mountain Dew so you can stay awake and throw that switch at 9pm.

I don't know about you guys, last night I was getting KASA-TV's relay station on channel 46!!

So I looked up on FCC's database showing it's from Grants and the relay station is running only 1 KW ERP from Mount Taylor! :D

Must be about 80+ miles path to Four hills, where I can see Mount Taylor.

Of course the picture is litlle weak at P2.5 in analog out of P5 scale. "P0 means no picture, P5 mean studio perfect picture"

It's kinda weard the K46GY which is owned by KTEL-LP has a little QRM "2 TV station interferences each other on the same channel" even though their transmitter's antenna is amed at Santa Fe.

Still no news on digtial channels so far......

6-14-06

Wake up KOAT. Commander in Chief is new tonight. Get some coffee or Mountain Dew so you can stay awake and throw that switch at 9pm. Yup. It's the series finale. Bye bye Mac!

.....G

Shame that it was canceled. Just as it was getting good having given up on the "Hilary '08" Theme of the early episodes with the Disaster of the week and how a woman would deal with it.

I think I'm happy to say I've never seen that show, HD or not.

Never watched CIC... Did not have ABC HD (our local version) when It came on... ( and forgot about it when it re-aired)

I think I'm happy to say I've never seen that show, HD or not.

I watched the opening episode.

You didn't miss much.

Yer basic White House soap opera...Hormones at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue....Nothing to see here, move along.....:D

Let's just say that CIC was no West Wing ;) Fun to see Gena Davis outsmart a wonderfully smarmy Donald Sutherland though!

.....G

Question for all the VIP622 users.

The only channels that are breaking up (for me) constantly are the HD LIL's on 129. I have a 68% signal on the TP as well. None of the other channels. I found that if I just hit the skip back button a couple of times the PQ then stabilizes and you can watch it just fine after that. The biggest problem channel seems to be KOAT (720P). The rest are much better. There seems to be some problem with the MPEG4 decoder doing its thing "on the fly" so to speak as the datastream comes in. Put it in a buffer where it can take it as it wants it (or can handle it) and things work much better.

Anyone else try this?

Can't really say, because I always watch recorded, not live, so it's always buffered--though maybe not in the same way?

I have a 74% signal on transponder 27. I recorded CIC last night without a single glitch. Picture perfect. It's slightly more solid than my OTA reception for KOAT, but the image is a bit softer than OTA.

.....G

I watched the series finale of Commander in Chief last night and I loved it. Looked great in HD. I will miss the show. It was encouraging to see a President trying to do the right thing for the country with integrity. What a concept. However, I read that there are a couple of TV movies planned for CIC in the future. Yeah !!!

I get mid to low 60's on my 622 on 27, I have only noticed the problems on Koat. There are threads ( started by same person) on both SatGuys and DBS Talk moaning about the PQ on StarzHD... while there are problems with every now and then some of the posters make it sound like the sky is falling...

...<snip>...There seems to be some problem with the MPEG4 decoder doing its thing "on the fly" so to speak as the datastream comes in. Put it in a buffer where it can take it as it wants it (or can handle it) and things work much better. Yes, that sounds reasonable. I pretty much never watch live TV, so I don't see this, but I'll try to watch something live and see if I'm seeing what you're seeing.

.....G

'i will miss CIC. It was a great show that had a lot of potential. I think what killed is definately the premise of the early episodes seemed too much like a commercial for you know who. It was far fetched for a Republican President to have a Female Independant as his running mate. Guess Hollywood wouldnt think of having a Republican as the main character of the show. hee hee.

The Charm of the series was in the role reversal, female president and a First Gentleman. Would have been interesting to see more of the role of the First Gentleman. Superbowl Parties with the Governors Wives. White house reuphostlered in Demin. Presidential china is made by Dixie, glassware by Solo.

I will miss CIC, one less ABC show to watch just boston Legal and Lost.

does anyone know when comcrap is going to put a guide on for espn2 HD? seems like the world soccer is on most of the time. some shows are hd and others are not. do we get to keep espn2hd after the soocer thing is over?

I called Dish this morning and if I want to upgrade to a 622 from my current 921 then I pay $200 for the new leased unit which includes installation. The representative said my current dishes (which receive 61.5, 110 and 119) are just fine and no need for a new dish. I would only get $25 to send back my 921 so I would lend it to a friend of mine that only has a 6000 on Dish so he could have the PVR capability. Does that sound about right? I would maybe take the plunge when they offer Food HD sometime within the next month.

Fred - The ABQ locals are only on 129. They are not mirrored on 61.5. If you want to receive them you will need to point your 61.5 dish to 129, or add another dish and a DP44 switch.

.....G

Ok guys while you are talking about Dish network, carrying Albuquerque's TV station.

Let have some little TV DXing fun for a change.

For those of you have OTA antenna, why not have a little fun testing to see how good is your antenna by pointing, to a very weak low power relay station from Mount Taylor near Grants.

Heres the information on this station.........

K46FI channel 46 analog relaying KASA-TV FOX running at 1 KW ERP! :eek:

Just point your antenna to the west.

Good luck getting this flea power station, and give us a TV DX report and just in case if you found other new station please let us know!! :D

Have fun TV DXing!! :)

6-15-06

Comcast told me when I called them having discovered ESPN2 that it was another "Rental" like UniversalHD which is going to go away once this soccer bs is over. ESPN simulcasts their HD. Just look at guide for the regular ESPN2.

Hey -- I'm watching over 6 hours/day of that HD. I forget what the sun looks like -- even with an HD TiVo.

I've heard some Comcast systems aren't offering HD for the World Cup.

Is it me or is KASA-DT off the air this evening (Thurs June 15)?

btw, I dont' have a steerable rooftop antenna so I can't do the Channel 46 trick.

Tried KASA-DT, this afternoon. Nada.

The TV stations were off the air are listed here.........

KASA-DT,KNAT-TV,DT,KAZQ-TV,DT and KTVS-LP may be due to power issue or something else to it.

That's the news!!! :)

6-16-06

When I checked at the same time, KASA's satellite feed via D* was working.

It was off the air for me as well last night. I figured the wind was wreaking havoc up on the crest. Was back on this AM early before I left for work.

MHD added to some Comcrash systems but not ours. Go Figure....

When I checked at the same time, KASA's satellite feed via D* was working.

Great Info!

It tells us the DirecTV LIL receive facility isn't grabbing KASA-DT off air (KASA is giving them a feed).

Was at Cottonwood walmart over here on west side yesterday. They had a bunch of Blu Ray movies for sale. Nothing really WOW though. Fifth Element, Terminator, and 50 First Dates. OOOH Gotta have those. NOT.

Give me overpriced cable TV with less HD that OTA rather than some HD Crippling Bluray or HDDVD.

S & V magazine stated that hddvd was the best looking hd they had ever seen. My one experience with bd wasn't too good, looked like 480p and it might have been. JR

Was at Cottonwood walmart over here on west side yesterday. They had a bunch of Blu Ray movies for sale. Nothing really WOW though. Fifth Element, Terminator, and 50 First Dates. OOOH Gotta have those. NOT.

Give me overpriced cable TV with less HD that OTA rather than some HD Crippling Bluray or HDDVD.
No HD DVD or Blu Rays down here yet... Have not been to Roswell in awhile, there might be some there...

Sorry for the rant, but last night was another HDTV opportunity lost...

"A Bug's Life", which was broadcast nationally by ABC not only in HD, but in its OAR, was in 4:3 last night on KOAT. How many years have they had HD capability, yet its still a crap shoot whether or not a given program will really BE in HD.

Oh well, at least the two "Toy Story" movies shown in recent weeks were in HD.

Brian

Did you call and ask them to flip the switch?

Did you call and ask them to flip the switch?

No.

I picked up a hd a1 hd dvd player a few weeks ago. I only have 4 movies at this point, but so far I've been loving it. The pq is outstanding.

They usually will, if you ask...unless your watching delayed, of course, and it's too late.

I saw that it was 4:3 and thought geez what a wasted opportunity here. We were busy headed out the door or I would have called for sure. Kinda hard to believe with all the technology we have today it still comes down to calling some local station engineer who is asleep at the switch.

I saw that it was 4:3 and thought geez what a wasted opportunity here. We were busy headed out the door or I would have called for sure. Kinda hard to believe with all the technology we have today it still comes down to calling some local station engineer who is asleep at the switch.

I did note that during the broadcast, they kept inserting a Severe T-Storm warning for the NE corner of the state.

I their defense, perhaps that had something to do with it. Then again, does their signal even reach that far?

Brian

I did note that during the broadcast, they kept inserting a Severe T-Storm warning for the NE corner of the state.... Brian Yup. According to Dan Brown (KOAT chief engineer) they don't have the equipment to run a crawl over an HD feed, so when they are running a news crawl (weather, fires, etc.) they have to use the SD feed.

.....G

As far I know KOAT-DT can go far as near Las Vegas and the rest are relay stations are analog to the N.E. New Mexico.

Minor news.......

Gallup's TV station KIAZ-LP "America One Network" will go to digital flash cut on channel 14 at 15 KW ERP.

Clovis and Portales areas........

KAZB-LP "No data on what network it is" will flash cut to digtial on channel 22 at 15 KW ERP.

It's too bad we can't get America One Network here in Albuquerque TV market. :(

6-26-06

Sorry for the rant, but last night was another HDTV opportunity lost...

"A Bug's Life", which was broadcast nationally by ABC not only in HD, but in its OAR, was in 4:3 last night on KOAT. How many years have they had HD capability, yet its still a crap shoot whether or not a given program will really BE in HD.

Oh well, at least the two "Toy Story" movies shown in recent weeks were in HD.

Brian

This is what I heard: "f-ing windows computers!"

You don't get your TV in HD - blame Bill Gates!

You don't get your TV in HD - blame Bill Gates!

:D

With Warren Buffett egging him on, no doubt!!

It's too bad we can't get America One Network here in Albuquerque TV market. :(



you're not missing much.... except for some CFL games. ;)

at least it's on large-dish satellite tv for those with such capabilities.

Anyone watch this?

The picture quality was great, but I had massive lip sync problems. The picture lagged the audio quite badly.

I was thinking it may have been an issue with HD Tivo, but I note some AVS discussion of lip sync problems with other SoundStage broadcasts. Can't say I noticed it before, but last need was way bad.

BTW, if you like Plant and/or Zep, it was a good, but perhaps not great performance.

Brian

EDIT: I dropped Jim Gale a note to ask about this.

According to TitanTV last night should have been a banner night for OTA HD movies. Lilo & Stitch, Deep Impact, Bridget Jones Diary. Something for everyone. So what the heck is going on at the engineering departments of our local stations. Only KOAT was on the ball and threw the switch for Lilo & Stich. KRQE and KOB were asleep at the wheel once again.....

On a brighter note I caught 2001 on HDNet movies last night. Very nice PQ! Can't wait to catch 2010 as well today!

Well, I got to demo the difference between HD and SD -- courtesy of KOAT.

Watching the World Cup quarter-final between England and Portugal -- it went through double overtime to a penalty shootout. The num-nums in Albuquerque must have had everything running on a timer -- or just weren't looking.

As the show ran over the final hour mark, just as the penalty kicks started -- the picture switched from HD to SD and stayed that way through the end of the telecast.

What a bunch of hicks!

Looking at the NBC site I think Bridget Jones was SD from them...

On a brighter note I caught 2001 on HDNet movies last night. Very nice PQ! Can't wait to catch 2010 as well today!

Great, now I'm not going to get one thing done around the house today because the 2 are playing back to back. :D Thanks for the heads up.

On a Comcrap note. It seems when ever I call to threaten to swtch to Satellite due to their lack of HD channels, the comcrap rep always says things like "Then you have to worry about weather effecting your signal" or "If anything goes wrong you have to wait a week for someone to come out to fix it."

The thing that gets me is everytime I have a problem that their tech cant resolve over the phone and they need to send a tech, it usually takes them at least a week to send someone out. Today my DVR from them started Playing KKOB's Audio when ever I play back any recordings or Rewind live TV. "There must be something wrong with signal coming into the house" But I can watch the program live, doesnt it record the same thing it displays? Pathetic. OTA here I come....

I have ota and comcast in order to cover all (most) of the bases. There's a new problem with ota lately in the guide needed for my dvr. CBS has been blank for a few months now. I've emailed them and tvguide, but no answers. I can still manually record CBS in half hour increments, but it is a royal PITA!.
JR

On a Comcrap note. ........ "If anything goes wrong you have to wait a week for someone to come out to fix it."


I've been waiting 3 weeks for Comcast to come out and run a new line to my house so my cable modem doesn't keep dropping the connection. If Verizon FIOS was here I would dump Comcast so quick. If Qwest could match the speeds with their DSL.... but they can't.

Anyways, with all the storms over the last week or two my satellite hasn't lost the signal. It has in the past but with our weather here it only last about 10 minutes at most. That's not enough of a concern for me to switch to cable.

DSL in the UK -- today -- is capable of 8mbps/24mbps over copper. It ain't that Qwest can't. Like most American Telcos, they're not interested in offering better.

Speaking of disapointments and people asleep at the post me and the wife tivo'd the NBC showing of fireworks from NY that was (supposed) to be in HD guess what...thats right 4:3 and I sure woulda called but it's over and I just skipped it...going over to PBSHD at least I can Count on them to have the DC show in proper form.

I'm not the biggest tennis fan in the world; but, I noted that NBC was carrying Wimbledon -- and TiVo'd some of that [w/o checking the listing] -- and discovered they didn't do it in HD. I mean -- what's easier than tennis to do in HD?

<snip>... I mean -- what's easier than tennis to do in HD? Uh huh, if you have HD cameras on site. BBC provides the feed, and they don't have HD cameras on site. Of all the tennis grand slam events (the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open) only the final event, the US Open, is now broadcast in HD (on CBS.) FWIW, Wimbledon is also being shown on ESPN2 and the BBC is providing an excellent signal to them, so even though it's in (uncompressed) SD on ESPN2HD, it looks a whole heck of a lot better than NBC's signal. I dunno why, but it does.

.....G

I'm still pressing D* on picking up BBC World News. They're not there yet -- and won't be for a spell. But, their intent is to be the first 24/7 news service in HD.

I'm still pressing D* on picking up BBC World News. They're not there yet -- and won't be for a spell. But, their intent is to be the first 24/7 news service in HD.

Isn't HDNews already broadcasting the news 24/7?

Isn't HDNews already broadcasting the news 24/7?


Yes, they do but they do like 5 stories and then repeat them over and over. The news announcers look like they would like to put a gun to their heads most of the time from utter boredom of reading the same stories over and over. Its a great picture, just extremely repiticious (sp)

Sorry -- never even heard of it till you mentioned it.

Though, I suppose I could make a case for journalists actually going out and covering news around the world, videotaping in HD [the BBC prospectus] vs. uprezzing news service footage. Which is what I presume HDNews does.

Not that it isn't laudatory.

That argument might fly in places like Seattle etc but not here in the desert southwest.

I can count on one hand the times I have lost signal due to rain storms using DBS. If it does go out, it comes right back on usually within 10 minutes. When I had cable it would also go out at times when there was a severe thunderstorm (surprise). Only difference was it would be out for the better part of the day after that!

On a Comcrap note. It seems when ever I call to threaten to swtch to Satellite due to their lack of HD channels, the comcrap rep always says things like "Then you have to worry about weather effecting your signal" or "If anything goes wrong you have to wait a week for someone to come out to fix it."

The thing that gets me is everytime I have a problem that their tech cant resolve over the phone and they need to send a tech, it usually takes them at least a week to send someone out. Today my DVR from them started Playing KKOB's Audio when ever I play back any recordings or Rewind live TV. "There must be something wrong with signal coming into the house" But I can watch the program live, doesnt it record the same thing it displays? Pathetic. OTA here I come....

Yes, they do but they do like 5 stories and then repeat them over and over. The news announcers look like they would like to put a gun to their heads most of the time from utter boredom of reading the same stories over and over. Its a great picture, just extremely repiticious (sp)

I haven't noticed the repetition, but I also don't watch it for very long periods of time either. But, technically there is already a 24/7 news program in HD so they would be the first.

The comcast rep did offer me a week discount on HD. I should call them back and demand more. since DVR isnt working, I cant use the STB. If I cant use the STB I dont have HD Service, I dont have access to Digital Cable package, No HBO.

Wife is happy to dump comcrap altogether also. So might just happen 8/1 when rates go up and no CBS HD or CW-HD

That argument might fly in places like Seattle etc but not here in the desert southwest.

I can count on one hand the times I have lost signal due to rain storms using DBS.

A correction (as a Seattle native I had to say this ;)): Seattle has virtually no "storms" (i.e., lightning, thunder, intense rain) so satellite signal dropouts are even rarer there than here in ABQ. Waking up to a dish filled with snow is also rare. From anecdotal evidence, DBS is not as common in Seattle as here because of the low satellite elevation combined with something we don't have: tall trees. Many homes have no clear view of even 1 bird, let alone 2 or 3.

Hey all!

I am going to be moving to New Mexico in October. I am going to be in the Almagordo area ( Holloman AFB). My question is will I be able to get High Definition broudcast or is it limited to higher population areas?

How about High Speed internet?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Hey all!

I am going to be moving to New Mexico in October. I am going to be in the Almagordo area ( Holloman AFB). My question is will I be able to get High Definition broudcast or is it limited to higher population areas?

How about High Speed internet?


You should be able to get Albuquerque HD from DISH network (ABC, NBC, FOX, no CBS under carriage contract right now). I don't know if DirecTV's Albuquerque HD will be live by then and what Albuquerque stations DirecTV will have the contract to carry in HD over satellite.

As for High Speed Internet, I don't know for sure, but I would hope Qwest has done a good job of setting up the area to be able to get High Speed DSL from them.

D* tells us they'll be cranking out HD including the 4 major locals -- before the NFL season starts. That is supposed to be in MPG4 with the new receivers [which ARE out there] and the new HD DVR [which ain't, yet].

If Comcast is down there -- check their website http://www.comcast.com -- and plug in an Alamo zip to see what they offer. Speed will depend on the state and age of the glass. I have 6mbps standard and their new Speed Burst [or whatever] is supposed to allow large file downloads at 12 mbps. That's the minimum std for them, in my neighborhood, which has fairly new buried glass fibre.

Welcome to NM -- when you get here. Great hunting and hiking, mountain biking, etc. down there.

You might be able to get the El Paso DTV stations from Alamogordo.

It's about 80 miles, but the towers are on top of a mountain that splits El Paso and there is nothing but flat from there to Alamogordo.

All the El Paso DTV stations are in the lower UHF range (15,16,17,18,25 and 30) so a Channel Master 4228 with a CM7777 pre-amp should do the trick.

The DishNetwork thing will also work, probably less trouble (but the picture quality is better OTA).

how is the picture quality with dish hd for the albuquerque locals?

Decent...though some issues with ABC, but that seems to be a nationwide issue.

D* tells us they'll be cranking out HD including the 4 major locals -- before the NFL season starts. That is supposed to be in MPG4 with the new receivers [which ARE out there] and the new HD DVR [which ain't, yet].

If Comcast is down there -- check their website http://www.comcast.com -- and plug in an Alamo zip to see what they offer. Speed will depend on the state and age of the glass. I have 6mbps standard and their new Speed Burst [or whatever] is supposed to allow large file downloads at 12 mbps. That's the minimum std for them, in my neighborhood, which has fairly new buried glass fibre.

Welcome to NM -- when you get here. Great hunting and hiking, mountain biking, etc. down there.


Thanks for the heads up and I will definitly be getting the motorcycle and lots of Hi Def :D

so far so good. ESPN2HD still around on comcrap.

More news update on low power digital TV stations.......

5 Albuquerque low power TV stations has filed a Auction 85, for a digtial channel.

Stations listed here......

KTVS-LP channel 36 "REL" has filed for digital channel 20.

K43HW-LP channel 43 "Home Shopping channel" has filed for digital channel 28.

Two stations fighting for a digital channel 33, are KQDF-LP "Spanish" channel 25 and K38IM "3ABN Rel" channel 38.

KYNM-LP "Spanish Rel" channel 30 has filed for digital channel 51.

As for other low power stations may flash cut on the same channel is yet to be decided.

The stations listed here...

KTFA-LP "Home Shopping Channel" channel 48.

KTEL-LP "Telemundeo Spanish Network" channel 53 may be moving to channel 47.

K56FB-LP "Off the air" channel 56 will be on channel 39 and what kind of programing is will be is unknown at this time.

That's the news!! :)

7-10-06

Possibly the end of a bandwidth hog for Albuquerque OTA folks Here (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=7985252#post7985252)

Now that's a very good news for all of us!!!

I think they will go off the air less than 30 + or - days from now. :)

I am hoping if KASY-DT will carry sindicated Star Trek Enterprise in HDTV anytime soon? :eek:

7-11-06

Possibly the end of a bandwidth hog for Albuquerque OTA folks Here (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=7985252#post7985252)


So should we all go out to Walmart and buy their receivers to give us dirt cheap dtv receiver when they go away?

So should we all go out to Walmart and buy their receivers to give us dirt cheap dtv receiver when they go away?

They don't get any programming until activiated.

Only if they sell $50 bucks or less. :D

All we have to wait see and what happens next.

It's amost time to party baby!!!! :D

7-11-06

Are you sure, I am assuming FTA local channel not the pay channels?

Since we just posted few second apart GeorgeLV. :D

7-11-06

Are you sure, I am assuming FTA local channel not the pay channels?

Since we just posted few second apart GeorgeLV. :D

7-11-06

Yes, I'm sure. The cheap USDTV receivers are in a completely disabled state until activated. That includes the free local channels.

I am delighted to hear the USDTV has filed for bankruptcy. I guess they are paying karma for their low-handed way of stealing bandwidth from other stations that could be sending out their own programming in full-bandwidth HD.

If anyone hears of Walmart selling their receivers at a cut rate price (where one could use it as an OTA HD receiver) let us all know.

They were selling those receivers in the Carlsbad Wal-Mart awhile back... Wonder if this will improve the PQ for the E* HD Alb. channels?

I may be the lone voice here, but I really don't blame USDTV as much as I blame the stations. The stations were not forced into the deal by any means, it was a money grab.
USDTV is trying to sell a product (regardless of how it affects others) and if the stations had all refused to make the deals, they would not have been in town.
Obviously, the stations were not serving the best interests of their viewers. They are in business to make money for the station and it's owners/stockholders. They may have seriously underestimated the market or their contribution to it. Or they just didn't care and caught another revenue stream.
I guess I get too hung up on semantics from time to time, but USDTV was not really 'stealing' from the stations (or us, the viewers), the stations were selling us out. If they were pirating the bandwidth, that's one thing, but they made legal business deals that thankfully were (in the end) not profitable.
I have never really been angry with USDTV, I have focused my energy more on the stations that allowed them that toe hold in Albuquerque. Adios USDTV !!
I am hardly ever for stifling innovation, even if it disrupts my entertainment. USDTV 'could' have been 'The Next Great Thing'. We all reasoned (correctly) that it would not be. They had a chance and it didn't work, nothing wrong with that. Viva Capitalism !
The thing that was wrong was local affiliates exploiting their product (the viewership). Because, in the end the viewers are the real product for a (non-public) TV station, not their programming. Their programming is only to create an audience for their advertisers (their real customers). The stations make no direct money from the viewers, but from the advertisers.
But other than that, I do agree with you Fred. I am very glad to see USDTV riding off into the sunset.

You might be able to get the El Paso DTV stations from Alamogordo.
All the El Paso DTV stations are in the lower UHF range (15,16,17,18,25 and 30) so a Channel Master 4228 with a CM7777 pre-amp should do the trick.

I did not think you could have more than about 2 adjacent OTA digital channels--4 would really void that idea. I thought there was some cross-talk interference but still better than analog's no adjacent OTA channels but somehow analog and digital adjacency works, c.f., Alb. 9d 10d 11a. (There are gaps where it does work 4-5 6-7 and 13-14.) Of course, it works on analog cable but they can control the signal levels better.

Who's the expert?
-Ken

I did not think you could have more than about 2 adjacent OTA digital channels--4 would really void that idea. I thought there was some cross-talk interference but still better than analog's no adjacent OTA channels but somehow analog and digital adjacency works, c.f., Alb. 9d 10d 11a. (There are gaps where it does work 4-5 6-7 and 13-14.) Of course, it works on analog cable but they can control the signal levels better.

Who's the expert?
-Ken
Channels 15, 16 and 17 are all broadcasting at or near 1000kw, ch 18 is at 363kW. They are FOX, NBC, ABC and CBS stations in that order. I guess it works.

I quess thats the joy of Digital TV. Your receiver knows who's bits those are and can decode them properly. Thats why the extremely bad analog reception of one station still allows perfectly clean DTV reception.

I quess thats the joy of Digital TV. Your receiver knows who's bits those are and can decode them properly. Thats why the extremely bad analog reception of one station still allows perfectly clean DTV reception.

You can do this by co-locating you transmit site, and in a lot of cases using the same antenna to transmit from. Plus, the mask filters for the digital signals are rather steep. Preventing out of channel interference. You can do other things to improve adjacent channel interference, like locking the transmitters crystal frequency to GPS.

5 Albuquerque low power TV stations has filed a Auction 85, for a digtial channel.



Anyone know why a lot of those small-budget stations do not pool resources on getting a digital channel allocation and sharing a DTV encoder (3-4 services per digital channel)?

It seems like the expense to upgrade to digital terrestrial delivery would be quite less by sharing resources.

I think they want to have their own main digital channel and may add more sub channels "Home Shopping channels mean more=$$$$$" on their own.

However I am hoping they would add more enteresting channels regardless of SDTV or HDTV like for example A-!,TELEMUN-2,MTV-2 and local high school sports or City public access channel for people can't afford to get cable TV.

Who's know what will happen next! :)

7-16-06

Hi, all.

I'm waiting for my new HDTV to arrive in the mail. I ordered a Sony KDS-60A2000 direct from Sony. It should be here soon. So psyched.

I currently have Dish Network (SD only), and I'll be upgrading to HD when the TV is here. According to AntennaWeb, I have no chance of getting OTA reception.

I have a few questions about the Alb locals on Dish Network...

I see on several posts discussion about the Alb Station engineers "throwing the switch" from SD to HD when HD broadcast content is available. Does this also effect the local channels via Dish Network. i.e. if the OTA signal from Alb showing Jay Leno is in SD (instead of HD), will the Dish Network feed of Alb channel showing Jay Leno also be in SD (instead of HD)?

Any word on when/if Dish Network will be offering Albuquerque CBS? I want to see some Broncos games in HD, and I think they usually are on CBS...

You should have no problem with OTA from Pojoaque with a good deep fringe UHF antenna and a good preamp. I am in White Rock and get them all just fine OTA. We have members in Espanola that can pull in everything as well from there except perhaps KNME and that could be just just that particular OTA access point.

You will need something like a Channel Master 4228 antenna as well as a good Channel Master preamp (UHF only) or similar. A good mast may also help depending on your location.

As for Dish HD locals, its the same feed as the OTA so if someone is asleep at the wheel in engineering, you will see the same thing. If you call the local station and ask for engineering and remind them to "do their job" politley they will flip the switch (unless there is a problem of sorts with the feed or their equipement.

Welcome to the world of HDTV and hope this helps!


Hi, all.

I'm waiting for my new HDTV to arrive in the mail. I ordered a Sony KDS-60A2000 direct from Sony. It should be here soon. So psyched.

I currently have Dish Network (SD only), and I'll be upgrading to HD when the TV is here. According to AntennaWeb, I have no chance of getting OTA reception.

I have a few questions about the Alb locals on Dish Network...

I see on several posts discussion about the Alb Station engineers "throwing the switch" from SD to HD when HD broadcast content is available. Does this also effect the local channels via Dish Network. i.e. if the OTA signal from Alb showing Jay Leno is in SD (instead of HD), will the Dish Network feed of Alb channel showing Jay Leno also be in SD (instead of HD)?

Any word on when/if Dish Network will be offering Albuquerque CBS? I want to see some Broncos games in HD, and I think they usually are on CBS...

And occasionally the Network switch man falls asleep... ;)

As far as CBS on the Alb. locals via satellite. It's all about $. E* doesn't want to pay as much as KRQE (whoever ownes it this week) is asking. Also, there's some question from KRQE's owners about some of E* business practices that are being questioned. Not sure on the details.

I posted inquiries to both KRQE, and Dish Network.

I got a reply from KRQE's Frank Lilley. He had no news. Said the talks with Dish Network were "on going" and still no timeline as of right now.

Later, I also got a reply from Kevin Hubbard of Dish Network Public Relations. He said there were "no announcements at this time" regarding HD local launces in Santa Fe. He said to monitor the Dish Network website for updates.

Thats why I keep my D* alive the Albuquerque HD locals are supposed to be coming up... I wonder when the KRQE FCC license is up ( Public Comments might get the ball rolling )

... I wonder when the KRQE FCC license is up ( Public Comments might get the ball rolling )

Lookie what I found in a dusty corner of the fcc website (see attachment). It appears their license expires 10/1/2006...

Gotta love the internet!

I called and talked to "Eddie" at Comcast of Albuquerque.

I told him I would like a firewire enabled HD tuner box. He said they did not have one to give me.

I asked him how long before they could get one? He said never.

I told him the FCC required them to provide me with such a box. He said that the FCC required the boxes have firewire, but did not require the port to be active. I told him that was not true and offered to provide him with the FCC document. He said it did not matter, that comcast would never get any boxes with firewire enabled.

I found a form on the City of Albuquerque website for cable company complaints. Here is what I put in the form:

Section 76.640 of this FCC document:

http://www.fcc.gov/mb/engineering/part76.pdf

Specifies that a cable company must supply a customer with a firewire (ieee 1394) enabled HD tuner box, if the customer requests it.

Comcast in Albuquerque has refused to provided me with a firewire enabled tuner box.

My latest call to Comcast requesting such a box was answered by Eddy at ext 6060.

Please let me know when this can be resolved.

Thanks,

John

I wonder how long it will take them to get back with me?

John

Lookie what I found in a dusty corner of the fcc website (see attachment). It appears their license expires 10/1/2006...

Gotta love the internet!Good find ! lets all complain E* and D* folks( I'm sure KRQE will give them fits also ) ... I will post this in the SatelliteGuys Alb. thread (http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php?t=57310) also... Thanks

my usual complaint about dish is no knme-hd (or national pbs hd feed). i am stuck with comcrap until dish puts pbs hd on. comcrap does not have cbs-hd either so this is a wash but pbs-hd seems like a no brainer to include on dish. the old argument of not enough bandwith seems lame after seeing the dish's other hd channels. it appears they could put on one more GOOD channel compared with some of the other hd channels if they really are limited by bandwidth. as soon as dish puts up pbs-hd i will subscribe. i know i can somehow go online to find the pbs-hd feed and don't wnat to try an antenna because of restrictions on the house next door. so i guess i am screwed for now.

Yet another Black Mark against KRQE Here (http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php?t=71806)

Lookie what I found in a dusty corner of the fcc website (see attachment). It appears their license expires 10/1/2006...



yep, most if not all NM station licenses expire 10/1/2006. i've sent my letter in about KOAT and am getting ready to send my letter in about KASY.

comment deadline to the FCC is september 1, 2006. If noone speaks up now, you have to wait 8 years to send off a letter to the FCC (barring the fact you don't find a violation of the FCC rules by the television station, in which case you can complain and try to get them fined for the infraction).

the latest revision of my Albuquerque HDTV channel chart is now online:

http://www.nmia.com/~roberts/albuquerque-hdtv.html

I'll try to update it quarterly from now on (there has been a little bit of activity since Feb 2005 when I did the first version).

Yet another Black Mark against KRQE Here (http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php?t=71806)

I can't believe KRQE is playing hardball and threatening suicide with their move.

The 10pm news brings in money with the proper number of eyeballs.

It's a slam dunk for KRQE 10pm news - they could retire Dick and Ericka and Mike and Bill and Van and Greg, tell the college kids to find work in other markets, and replace all of them with dogs, cats, hamsters and monkeys and still have the #1 10pm news in town (CBS lead-in viewership makes it trivial to be #1 right now for late news, despite what KRQE wants you to think about them and the whole trust BS marketing they do!)

by cutting off eyeballs through hardball retrans agreement action, they are threatening to lose viewers for 10pm newscast, thus money and position (I could see them going to 3rd place at 10pm depending on which cable/satellite systems they lop themselves from).

I wonder if someone at LIN has an agenda (tank the 10pm news and then fire GMs and anchors and whoever for "incompetance") and put in who LIN wants to run the show, get back on cable/satellite with free or dirt cheap retrans agreement fees, and then get the news back to #1 in the market.

Scott at SatelliteGuys got this this evening...The following is from an email which will be going out Monday to all Dish Network retailers from Charlie Ergen regarding Distant Networks.

While SatelliteGuys.US was the first to post this information, we encourage all other forums to spread the word and encourage our members to write congress and tell them we want a choice. We do have a powerfull voice, lets use it!

In addition the www.savemychannels.com website is now active.
Quote:
As you may have already heard, a group of network broadcasters are trying to force DISH Network to stop delivering distant network channels to our customers.

Distant network channels are the ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX broadcast channels customers get from us by satellite that originate outside their community. For example, if customers live in rural Texas and purchase New York, Los Angeles, Denver or other network channels from us, they are at serious risk of being shut off. This would NOT affect or upset in any way our ability to offer local network channels to local markets, and the good news is that we offer local channels by satellite to over 96% of the United States. Nor would it affect any other programming we offer.

The problem is a court case that has been going on for eight years. We strongly believe consumers have the right to choose their TV viewing experience, and should be allowed to watch televised news and other information originating outside their hometown. They are free to choose to read The New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, or any other newspaper regardless of where in the United States they live. These same choices should be available for TV news. Unfortunately, the broadcasters were able to get a special interest law passed that prohibits this, except in very limited circumstances. And now the broadcasters are trying to take even that limited choice away from our customers.

We fought hard for years to allow our customers the choice to receive televised news and other information originating outside their hometown.
This is particularly important in times of national or local emergency.
During Hurricane Katrina, when local channels went off the air, DISH Network provided distant network channels to relief stations, police and fire stations, military installations and thousands of displaced families. Similarly, after 9/11, DISH Network supplied distant network channels crucial to relief efforts.

While we have reached reasonable settlements with hundreds of stations over the years, a small group of broadcasters continues to stonewall – to the detriment of our customers. A recent court decision clearly favors the self-interests of these broadcasters over protecting the rights of hundreds of thousands of consumers who choose to receive their network channels by satellite. Unfortunately, broadcaster special interests used their big money to preserve a law that takes away customers’ freedom of choice.

You can help stop this by immediately going to www.savemychannels.com, which will assist you in contacting and emailing your Congressmen and asking them to fight for our subscribers’ rights to keep their distant network channels.

Our goal is to avoid disruption to our customers who currently receive distant networks, and we continue to try to reach fair settlements with the broadcasters and to lobby members of Congress. If necessary, we will take our case all the way up to the Supreme Court.

We will continue to keep you informed of significant developments. In the meantime, please go to www.savemychannels.com today to help our customers save their distant channels.

Try this link if the above doesn't work http://www.savemychannels.com/atstake/

I just hope we can overturn the stupid law, that's prevent us from watching out of town local news and back up of any local Albuquerque stations that's forget to pass a live or primtime HDTV feeds.

I hope the day comes where we can enjoy any citys that we want to watch by your culture taste as always want! :)

To support free flow of informations please go to..... www.savemychannels.com/atstake/

And remember weather you are Directv,Dish,Free to air sat, dish user and Comcast you do have the right to voice your concern about this issue!!

Screw the NAB, and their fat cats members for treating us like that! :(

7-23-06

Couldn't agree more. Ten years ago I had the distant channels, then the rules changed and I had to get a waiver. CBS and ABC were no problem, but then Mike Burgess, GM at KOB, refused to go along. I assume everyone got the same treatment....just one of a number of other wonderful decisions he's made at that station. I guess you don't have to work for the man to suffer his indignities.

So anyway, I had to take the usual measures in response. Got a P.O. Box in Quemado and told them I was living there. That worked until KOB or someone picked up on the fact that they have repeater down there, so being in the boonies was no longer an excuse for being able to watch Letterman an hour or two early (or late).

Time for another fix. Well, I was working for an attorney, and took a title from an RV from a file, copied it, modified it to show me as the owner, and sent it in to DTV. So I got my channels back.

That worked for a long time, but more recently I had to take additional measures, which I can't go into now (at least until the statue of limitations has passed).

I can forgive everything except them having made a 'criminal' out of me.

I can forgive everything except them having made a 'criminal' out of me.


Ah YOU made yourself a criminal dude. Don't pass the buck. You can't blame them for following the law when you're the one breaking it. Thats like blaming Companies for forcing illegals to break into the country. We only have a right to TV via Antenna nothing else. Forging documents and lying to your Satellite provider is fraud as you well know so don't blame them for you being a criminal. (no quotes needed)

If comcast didnt charge so much I wouldnt have to steal cable from neighbor. It's not my fault.

You're starting to sound like Comcrap's CSR'. "If you get Free HDTV, thats illegal, you need a Cable Box for HDTV." I'm "stealing" hdtv from Cable by having an OTA antenna. lol

Hear! Hear! Take some responsibility for your own actions,

The more criminals like you cheat the system, the more providers will fight against you hurting the rest of us.

I send Comcrap a letter everyday in hopes they will step up and pay for KRQE-DT and give us CW-HD. Thats all I can do short of dumping comcrap altogether.

Yeah, I'm a criminal all right. Look at me. Look at the damages I've caused. Look at the people I've hurt. Look at the food I've taken out of the mouth of.....wait...who is it exactly that's the victim here? It must be someone...or why would the law exist in the first place?

Next thing you know, I'll be fast-forwarding through commercials. Imagine that....not viewing those sponsors' ads! After they paid for the program! God, how I wish I hadn't used my real name here!

Anyone who follows the law so blindly, like a religion, without considering the consequences or the moral justification for it, deserves to be exposed for the imbecile he or she is. They may not be the reason we have so many bad laws to begin with, but obviously they're to blame for them remaining in place. They either vote for the wrong people (witness our current moronic president) or they don't vote at all. It's also why we end up with so many archaic laws. Nothing dies a harder death than bad tradition.

And then there are those who pretend to follow it, but resent it when others don't bother to make the same pretense. Imagine that....the President can say sh#t but we can't show it on TV or we'll pay a $250,000.00 fine!

I'll keep an eye out for you santimonious, law-abiding citizens on my way home tonight....while I also watch you drive over the speed limit, throw your gum wrapper out the window, not use your turn indicator, or come to a complete stop at every sign. Thank God for you fine, upstanding models of character. What kind of nation would this be without your perfect vigilance?

And....whatever would I do for amusement otherwise?

I'm saying that the responsibility lies with you. You're blaming others for the fact that you did illegal things.
If you don't like a bad law, work to get it repealed. And if you do break that law, you don't have to advertise the fact and invite criticism.

And would you keep your inputs to this forum about HDTV in New Mexico. I will after this is posted.

"Forging documents and lying to your Satellite provider is fraud as you well know so don't blame them for you being a criminal. (no quotes needed)"

Let's see if I've got this straight: I paid DirectTV... and that's fraud? DirecTV couldn't possibly care less if I do or don't own an RV or live in Quemado. So why in the world would you?

And where did you see me accuse them of calling me a criminal? It's the FCC and/or KOB that might call me that, I suppose. Or you, with no real skin in the game. But ultimately it's a complete no harm, no foul situation; the only people who are hurt are those who are so paranoid or so socially pious that they consider an act criminal whether or not an actual harm has occurred.

Poeple like you ought to all get together hang out in a building on Sunday with some kind of symbol it, so the rest of us know where to watch out for lunatics. COME ON....use the head your parents gave you (but not the outdated ideas they tried to fill it with afterwards) and stop supporting crazy rules and expect the rest of us to play along!

Answer I got from Pete Domenici:

Thank you very much for contacting me with regard to media diversity. I am glad you took the time to share your thoughts with me on this important issue.

The thoughtful input of New Mexicans has always been and continues to be of the utmost importance to me as your U.S. Senator. I have always believed that it is essential to know what is on the minds of the people it is my honor to represent in Washington, and I assure you that I will keep your concerns in mind.

Again, thank you for contacting me. I hope you will continue to keep me apprised of the issues most important to you.

Sincerely,
Pete V. Domenici
United States Senator

PVD:LC

Not even good boilerplate. He should hire a spammer.

I got the same thing too...... :p

Lazy way for politican to send canned E-mails.

But then again, how you can handle so many E-mail messages in one day? :)

7-24-06

I called and talked to "Eddie" at Comcast of Albuquerque.

I told him I would like a firewire enabled HD tuner box. He said they did not have one to give me.

I asked him how long before they could get one? He said never.

I told him the FCC required them to provide me with such a box. He said that the FCC required the boxes have firewire, but did not require the port to be active. I told him that was not true and offered to provide him with the FCC document. He said it did not matter, that comcast would never get any boxes with firewire enabled.

I found a form on the City of Albuquerque website for cable company complaints. Here is what I put in the form:



I wonder how long it will take them to get back with me?

John


The answer to "how long" turned out to be 2 hours. The city did not call me back, but a Comcast representative responding to my complaint to the city. I now have a firewire enabled SA3250HD box.

John

Good job on the Firewire box.

Too bad they didnt provide a SA8300 DVR

I got the same thing too...... :p

Lazy way for politican to send canned E-mails.

But then again, how you can handle so many E-mail messages in one day? :)

7-24-06Yup... there is one at SatelliteGuys where it looked like the Sen. actually made an attempt to address the subject of the e-mail... :)

Good job on the Firewire box.

Too bad they didnt provide a SA8300 DVR

I tried one of their SA8300HD DVRs, but took it back after a week. It was so pathetic, it made a Tivo look good. MythTV may be a LOT of work to setup, but it blows every other DVR software away.

John

The answer to "how long" turned out to be 2 hours. The city did not call me back, but a Comcast representative responding to my complaint to the city. I now have a firewire enabled SA3250HD box.

John

John,

Do you have an address for the city or number to complain to? Comcast came out to my place last Thursday to replace the RG-59 coming from the street because my cable modem won't hold a connection. Well they did but not all of it. They only replaced up to the house and not the cable along the house to where they split off to all the runs into the room. The contractor also had a leaky trencher so there is hydraulic fluid all over the street. My street was redone a year and a half ago so it now the whole street looks nice except for in front of my house. There is also hydraulic fluid that leaked on my driveway, tractor tracks in the driveway, etc.

Basically they did a really crappy job. I called Comcast and filed a damage report last Thursday but they still haven't called me back.

Brad

John,

Do you have an address for the city or number to complain to? Comcast came out to my place last Thursday to replace the RG-59 coming from the street because my cable modem won't hold a connection. Well they did but not all of it. They only replaced up to the house and not the cable along the house to where they split off to all the runs into the room. The contractor also had a leaky trencher so there is hydraulic fluid all over the street. My street was redone a year and a half ago so it now the whole street looks nice except for in front of my house. There is also hydraulic fluid that leaked on my driveway, tractor tracks in the driveway, etc.

Basically they did a really crappy job. I called Comcast and filed a damage report last Thursday but they still haven't called me back.

Brad

http://www.cabq.gov/

On the right side of the page, there is a drop-down selector labeled "Tell Us About:". One of the options is "Cable Service Complaint". That takes you to a form where can describe your problem.

After you hit submit, it says that the issue will be looked into right away. That seems to be true, since I got a call from Comcast within a couple of hours after filling in the form.

I am a little surprised at your situation. I had something similar happen a year ago (not as bad, however), and when I called to complain, they had a supervisor out to my house within two days.

John

[QUOTE so there is hydraulic fluid all over the street. My street was redone a year and a half ago so it now the whole street looks nice except for in front of my house. There is also hydraulic fluid that leaked on my driveway, tractor tracks in the driveway, etc. [/QUOTE]

I get the same thing from the city trash trucks. Called to complain and suggest they do some maintenance, but no reply of course.
JR

Dish Distant Networks Chat Postponed Again...
Dish Network has postponed the Distant Network chat AGAIN this time until Mid August, in addition they have taken down their savemychannels.com site. No reason for the delay or take down has been given.

We understand a great number of folks visted the savemychannels site when it was up and they were amazed by the responce since the site was not meant to be public yet. Thank you to all who responded to our call to action!

From the Frontpage at SatelliteGuys... Thanks to those who responded...

I get the same thing from the city trash trucks. Called to complain and suggest they do some maintenance, but no reply of course.
JR

time to bump it up to the mayor's office. I'm sure he wouldn't like the fact that Solid Waste is ignoring complaints from citizens about that department being sloppy in how they go about their work.

Last weekend my wife and I took a drive to Sandia Crest. We went on the Turquoise Trail through Cerillos, Madrid, etc... Anyway, I got a picture of the towers. I presume a few of these are what we get our signals from. After being up there, and looking down towards Santa Fe. I'm hopeful that I'll be able to get a signal with the proper antenna. My TV is supposed to arrive today (a day late) and I have the Dish Network HD upgrade scheduled for this friday afternoon...

PS: I had to rotate the antenna pic from a "portrait" presentation to "landscape" because the upload software on this forum has size restrictions. The picture must be 800x640 (or less). So, if you have a picture that is 600x800, then it will reject the picture... pendejo.

dg -- if you have decent line-of-sight, you won't have a problem. Though, unless you're on a hilltop or ridgeline in Pojoaque, I don't think that's possible.

I'm 47 miles l-o-s and get away with a Silver Sensor sitting on my amp! But, I can walk out into our side meadow and look straight at the top of Sandia Crest.

I CANNOT see Sandia Crest from the roof of my house... I did some playing around with Google Earth. According to GE, my house is around 6750 ft. Also, I ran a line from my house to the towers on Sandia Crest, and along that line, there are many hills in between me and the towers. I think I would need to be about 50-75 feet above my house to have line of sight.

A friend at work has a deep-fringe channelmaster uhf with a pre-amp. He will let me try it out to see if a signal is possible...

Check out www.antennaweb.org -- just remember to UNcheck their newsletters, etc..

Well, I don't have decent LOS (Santa Cruz valley in Sombrillo - about 57 miles from the crest.) I BARELY scrape by, but with a high gain directional antenna and a good preamp, I can get everything except KNME perfectly. Here's a plot that Gay Dybwad did of my LOS.

.....G

Check out www.antennaweb.org -- just remember to UNcheck their newsletters, etc..

Yeah, I did that last Christmas when I started seriously thinking about getting an HDTV. AntennaWeb says I won't get any digital channels. I used to have an antenna installed and I could receive the major networks (analog) but none had a clear picture. Some were better than others, but even the best signal had snow and multipath problems.

I think some of our stellar locals have bumped their power a bit since Xmas. And digital has one advantage over analog -- if you can lock on a signal, the picture is either there or not. And if it is -- you're golden.

And digital has one advantage over analog -- if you can lock on a signal, the picture is either there or not. And if it is -- you're golden.

exactly -- it's the same reason I love digital in the satellite tv world. A lot of c-banders complain more and more as analog signals disappear, but I like digital better as a satellite signal locked here looks as good in my sat shack as it does at the uplink (well, after the encoding stage at the uplink and before the transmission to the satellite at least).

Bad news! I just heard that Lin Television (the owners of KRQE) have now purchased KASA. This is the company that has prevented E* from broadcasting KRQE's digital station over the satellite and I understand cable as well. Does this mean we are going to lose KASA on satellite on the digital station?

Bad news! I just heard that Lin Television (the owners of KRQE) have now purchased KASA. This is the company that has prevented E* from broadcasting KRQE's digital station over the satellite and I understand cable as well. Does this mean we are going to lose KASA on satellite on the digital station?
Yeah, Cablewithaview posted this at Satguys yesterday, but with the dishnet outage I forgot about posting it here.. http://www.tvweek.com/news.cms?newsId=10442 Bad news if they take it off, we need to write the FCC as KRQE's up for renewal...

OK this is weird.

Is anyone else having signal problems with KOB for about the last week ors so??

I currently have 5 TV's in the house that have OTA HDTV Tuners or Cards. I have 2 Dish Network 622's and both of them are having the same problem of locking onto KOB. I used to get 88+ signal but now its 33-50. I may get a lock for a second or two but thats about it.

All the other ABQ OTA DTV stations are coming in just fine on the 622's so I don't think the antenna needs repeaking and here is where it gets weird.

All 3 of the Computer HDTV tuners are picking up KOB just fine, no problems. Even the Kitchen Tv that has an Epson HDTV set top box connected to it is picking up KOB just fine. Its just the 622's.

Anyone have any ideas? I put in a call to Sean Anker to see if they are transmitting at reduced power but havn't heard back from him.

I suppose it could be the OTA tuners in the 622 but to have both doing the same thing on one channel only at the same time is very weird indeed.

Thanks for any ideas.

I recorded Leno last night. No dropouts. Signal strength of 68-72 on my Vip622.

.....G

I don't watch KOB very much in the summer, but the last time I did watch the news on KOB, I was having dropouts. So yes, there is something going on with the signal and the 622s.

Was that on the OTA or Dish HD via 129?

I recorded Leno last night. No dropouts. Signal strength of 68-72 on my Vip622.

.....G

Bad news! I just heard that Lin Television (the owners of KRQE) have now purchased KASA. This is the company that has prevented E* from broadcasting KRQE's digital station over the satellite and I understand cable as well. Does this mean we are going to lose KASA on satellite on the digital station?

The way I can see things going:

We'll lose KASA-DT on satellite when the carriage deal comes up for renewal (I'd have to believe raycom signed a contract with DirecTV/DISH that extends out somewhat and is not a month-to-month thing).

I think the Tube may be gone once the current carriage contract signed by raycom ends (LIN is not an owner group that I'm aware of that signed on with THE TUBE)

I would believe that once KOB's contract with KASA for newscast production ends, KRQE will provide newscasts to KASA.

Was that on the OTA or Dish HD via 129?Oh, you're right! It was off the sat feed on 129 tp8. KOB's OTA ATSC signal is gone.

.....G

http://usdtv.com/customer_service/

Bravo!

Does anyone have the Comcast High-Def PVR in Albuquerque? Do you use the component or HDMI output from the unit? If the HDMI works then does the sound and video come over the connector? Thanks, Fred.

The Witch is Dead! :)



http://usdtv.com/customer_service/

http://usdtv.com/customer_service/

This has been on their site since they annouced the filing...

The signal is still coming through, though I don't know for how long.

Spawnman

Does anyone have the Comcast High-Def PVR in Albuquerque? Do you use the component or HDMI output from the unit? If the HDMI works then does the sound and video come over the connector? Thanks, Fred.

I briefly had one of their SA8300HD units. I never actually tried to use the HDMI, but the manual makes a big deal about the fact that the digitial audio is transmitted over that interface.

The HDMI interface is designed to automatically configure the audio output for a format supported by the television or monitor attached to the DVR through the HDMI connection. This automatic configuration is only performed the first time the DVR is connected through the HDMI interface to a compatible TV. When the automated process is finished, the DVR sets the audio output format to either Dolby Digital or Other (Linear PCM). The selected format is provided to all digital outputs. As a result, in cases where the TV does not support Dolby Digital decoding, you may want to override the automatic setting in order to provide Dolby-formatted content to a Home Theater Receiver connected to the digital output on the DVR. In addition, if the DVR is connected to a different TV you may need to manually set the output to a format that the new TV supports. To override the automatic configuration or to change the audio output format used on the HDMI interface, complete the following steps: .......
John

Sean Anker immediately replied to my inquiry this morning:

We are on our low power backup pending repairs on the main transmitter. We hope to have resolution this week. It's not just you!

Thanks for the note, Sean Anker .....G

the hdmi connector to my samsung dlp only worked for a week before shutting the tv down completely with a black screen. i disconnected it and went with component and all is well. picture looks the same to me. also i think if you use hdmi it diconnects sthe optical out that could go to your a/v receiver. i think hdmi as configured on the sa hd-8300 at this point is no good. hope this helps.

He still hasn't replied to me. Good to hear were not crazy (or just seeing things). Well we may be crazy.....

We were out last night and I flipped on the news at 10:00 and 4-01 was back on strong (around 88%+) so looks like they may have it repaired for now.

Interestingly the Dish HD version from 129 was a green pixelated crappy mess that no amount of jumping back or changing channels would clear up.

Its weird that my 622's couldn't lock and hold on the low power back up signal but all of my other (3) tuners in the house had no problems. I was thinking the 622 had a better tuner since its brand new but some of my other stuff is going on 2+ years old and works better that the 622's tuner.

Sean Anker immediately replied to my inquiry this morning:

.....G

Yeah, it looked fine here too last night. He must have repaired the xmitter yesterday. The Vip622 has a fifth generation ATSC tuner chip so it's interesting that older tuners locked on KOB's backup signal and the 622 didn't. This is still all black magic anyway. It's a wonder it works at all. :D

....G (another ATSC pioneer)

Breaking News!!!

Last night I tuned in KASY-DT is now broadcasting in HDTV upconverted from 480i in full screen mode!!

I think USDTV is finaly out for good! :D

8-2-06

Does this mean that we will be seeing Star Trek Enterprise in HD on our UPN KASY-DT???

Does this mean that we will be seeing Star Trek Enterprise in HD on our UPN KASY-DT???

No. The only place you'll be seeing Enterprise in HD is on HDNet. Local stations won't have the ability to distribute syndicated programming in HD for a while.

I forgot to mention about KASA-DT being sold to LIN Broadcasting company, anyway, I just thought the FCC rules says you can't own two VHF major networks stations at the same time.

So I am guessing they may have to drop FOX from KASA-DT and go Ind, in order not to break the FCC rules.

If it does happen the FOX network may to have find a new home maybe to KASY-DT or buy out KCHF-DT or KNAT-DT.

Now however the station can own two major network is by owning 1 VHF and 1 UHF.

It will be interesting to what happens next! :eek: :)

8-2-06

I forgot to mention about KASA-DT being sold to LIN Broadcasting company, anyway, I just thought the FCC rules says you can't own two VHF major networks stations at the same time.

So I am guessing they may have to drop FOX from KASA-DT and go Ind, in order not to break the FCC rules.

If it does happen the FOX network may to have find a new home maybe to KASY-DT or buy out KCHF-DT or KNAT-DT.

Now however the station can own two major network is by owning 1 VHF and 1 UHF.

It will be interesting to what happens next! :eek: :)

8-2-06

From what I could google, the sale is structured as a local managment agreement until they get FCC approval.

I think USDTV is finaly out for good! :D

Not yet. Still getting all my channels. Not sure for how long though but it's definately still up.

Spawnman

This might be a silly question but does everyone here pay to access the USDTV channels or is there a way to do so using an ATSC tuner?

This might be a silly question but does everyone here pay to access the USDTV channels or is there a way to do so using an ATSC tuner?

They're encrypted, you need to pay to get them. The guide channel and the audio streams used to be tunable with a regular ATSC tuner, but at least in Las Vegas, those have been encrypted also.

No. The only place you'll be seeing Enterprise in HD is on HDNet. Local stations won't have the ability to distribute syndicated programming in HD for a while.

Syndicators (King world at least) are going to be distributing their feeds in both SD and HD starting this fall (Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune will be in HD at least , other syndicated shows in HD will be announced at some future time). If Enterprises' syndicator is going to deliver a HD version of the show, then there is no reason our local station will not be able to show it in HD unless it's a case of terrestrial digital signal bandwidth not allocated for HD (the KASY situation - unless that's been changed by now according to a post I saw a minute ago).

I forgot to mention about KASA-DT being sold to LIN Broadcasting company, anyway, I just thought the FCC rules says you can't own two VHF major networks stations at the same time.

8-2-06

I'm sure the 2 on VHF can be okayed through a waiver unless there is some reason I haven't figured out why yet that the FCC has the 1 VHF/1 UHF rule.

I believe the TV duopoly rules also say you can't own more than one station that is in the top 4 of the market. It's hard for me to see LIN getting a waiver for this (I would make the case that having KASA and KRQE in this market represents having two out of the top 4 stations in the market).

If that 2 stations in top 4 in the market rule is correct, I could see that being a dealbreaker and maybe LIN would have to try to acquire a CW or MNTV station instead if they want a duopoly in this market.

http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,640200042,00.html

Looks like it's here for at least awhile longer

Spawnman

Is anyone having problems with KOAT digital signal today. It is going up and down on my Dish PVR? Thanks.

No problems with KOAT this AM but KOB died last night during Leno and seems to be off still this AM.......

Is anyone having problems with KOAT digital signal today. It is going up and down on my Dish PVR? Thanks.

I wrote to comcrap the other day regarding CBS-HD and the NFL now that pre-season games are here. This is their response.


Thank you for your recent email regarding CBS in HDTV.

Unfortunately, due to contract negotiations, we are unable to carry CBS at this time. Comcast will continue try to obtain more programming in the future.

We apologize for this inconvience.

Thank you for choosing Comcast.

1: Since its just a matter of Comcrap not wanting to pay KRQE's price, its a matter of being unWILLING to carry CBS not unABLE to. :mad:

2: Do Not Try to add new channels. ADD them. :mad:

3: We don't have a choice with cable providers, so I didn't choose comcast. I've merely chosen not to have a dish yet. :mad:

Im definately planning to move up to Rio Rancho and Cable One service area now. They go out of their way to get ESPN2 in time for that world cup crap that almost no american could care about. But for NFL they cant step up to the plate and pay up even though they just raised our rates.

So just go pick up an OTA set top box and by pass Comcrap alltogether. Better signal anyhows....

Thankfully my TV has a built in ATSC tuner. Unfortunately no DVR and no ESPN. Unfortunately I dont have room for a Dish on my patio in my apartment here or I would have Dishnetwork already.

I get all the Locals Free via OTA Rabbit Ears. But I love DiscoveryHD, and ESPN-HD, and wife is addicted to DVR.

Thankfully my TV has a built in ATSC tuner. Unfortunately no DVR and no ESPN. Unfortunately I dont have room for a Dish on my patio in my apartment here or I would have Dishnetwork already.

I get all the Locals Free via OTA Rabbit Ears. But I love DiscoveryHD, and ESPN-HD, and wife is addicted to DVR.

I wouldn't rush to Dish. They also do not carry the KRQE-DT over the satellite. Contract negotiations as well. I think the problem lies with LIN TV, the company that purchased KRQE and now is purchasing KASA.