St. Louis, MO - OTA [Text View] - Page 39

DroptheRemote

05-29-09, 09:26 AM

Anybody have any thoughts on this or know the ease (or lack) of calibration?

Mitsubishi 73" DLP (http://www.mitsubishi-tv.com/product/WD73C9)

If the TV repair shop doesn't fix my 64" Pioneer Elite RPTV soon, my wife is going to make me buy this. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to buy another big TV, but I was planning on spending the money to coat my garage floor....yes, I have a car sickness too

Kurt, thanks for the PM. My inbox is near capacity, so it's easier to answer here and maybe this is helpful to someone else...

At one point, Mitsubishi was among my favorite TVs, both for viewing and calibrating. This was during the early stages of the HDTV era, when CRTs were pretty much the only widely available, reasonably affordable choice.

Unfortunately, Mitsubishi stumbled in the transition from CRT to digital technologies, and this is clearly reflected in market share numbers, which went pretty much from the penthouse to the toilet in the course of just a few years. Part of the cause of the fall in market share was marketing strategy, led by the fact that Mitsubishi let Samsung (in the case of DLP) and others (flat panels) to get a 1- to 2-year jump on them. Mitsubishi hung onto CRT too long, or at least didn't diversify the product portfolio quickly enough.

From a calibration standpoint, I've not be a fan of recent Mitsubishi consumer TVs (specifically the DLPs) because they have omitted (or purposely limited access) to the controls needed to properly calibrate them. That might be OK if the TVs were relatively close to accurate out of the box, but Mitsubishi has never really distinguished themselves in that regard. As someone who sees a lot of different televisions, I am skeptical when controls needed for proper imaging are omitted or off limits. To me it's a sign that maybe corners were cut in order to keep costs down, and that skepticism is reinforced when the end results of calibration are marginal. Granted, all manufacturers cut corners to some extent, but building a TV that can't be properly calibrated leads me to the conclusion that it is based on inferior design, or at the very least on objectives where quality imaging is not a priority.

Before any Mitsubishi owners here take offense, let me say that I'm looking at this from a performance and calibration standpoint. Most consumers don't really care about performance (or at least it's not the main concern), and less than 10% of TVs are ever calibrated. Most people buy TVs based on the way they look on the showroom floor. Lots of consumers like the way Mitsubishi TVs look in stores (though not as many as 5 years ago), and that's fine. What I'm saying here is in response to a specific question about the scope for calibration of a specific Mitsubishi model.

Finally, there may be some good news on the Mitsubishi front, in terms of upcoming performance improvements. Mitsubishi has recently been working under contract with the Imaging Science Foundation (ISF) to address their calibration/performance shortcomings. As a result, at least some of the new Mitsubishi models will include a set of ISF-approved calibration controls.

I haven't seen one of these ISF-capable Mitsubishi sets yet, and I'm waiting to find out more specifics on which models are covered and the range of controls that are being made available. The fact that these ISF modes are being added should address many (hopefully all) of the shortcomings of recent Mitsubishi consumer TVs. But until I see what's available and how those new controls work, I can't be definitive.

I'll update on this when I hear if your indicated model will have ISF controls (I should know by Monday) and how the new models compare in terms of picture quality with previous product. Once these roll into local stores, I'll set up camp and put one or two to the test...

DroptheRemote

05-29-09, 09:34 AM

One other DirecTV tidbit that might be worth passing along...

DirecTV is "re-launching" its in-house programming channel, which it refers to as "the 101" (it is channel 101). The re-launch begins in June, though some of the "new" programming being showcased has started to appear over the past couple of days.

One of the new arrivals is "The Nine," which was one of several failed ABC series designed to benefit from the lead-in from "Lost." "The Nine" is the story of nine hostage survivors of an LA bank robbery and the show was specifically designed for a limited run of something like a dozen episodes, by which time all plot lines would be resolved. Of course, it was cancelled by ABC after a half dozen or so episodes, leaving suckers like me hanging. DirecTV is now going to show the complete series on the 101.

The other notable "new" addition is "Deadwood," which originally aired on HBO. I was never a big fan of westerns, but "Deadwood" was stellar in too many ways to count here. Definitely worth checking out, though if you like this sort of thing, I'd recommend the Blu-ray discs, which are listed at Amazon but not yet released.

Addendum: Note that "Deadwood" is most definitely NOT family viewing. Extremely coarse language, though it supposedly represents the authentic "slang of the day." One of the really amazing things about "Deadwood" is the dialogue, which has a rhythm and flow to it that is almost poetic. It's hard to describe and probably one of the reasons the series didn't find a larger audience.

DroptheRemote

05-29-09, 12:54 PM

Kurt K

05-29-09, 06:25 PM

Kurt,

I just received some preliminary info from the ISF and it appears that only the xx837 models will include ISF controls.

It's still possible that the C9 have indirectly benefitted from the ISF features in the xx837 (from the manual available online (http://www.mitsubishi-tv.com/pdf/C9-737-837_OG.pdf) (check out p.35) it appears they share the same chassis). But I suspect that the surest way to ensure the maximum scope for calibration is to consider instead the xx837 models.
Thanks for the info Doug. The only reason why I mentioned the C9 is that Costco had one on display. I may have a change of plans and get a smaller TV while my bigger one is getting repaired. When I get my 64" back, then move the smaller TV to my garage :D

TubaSaxT

05-29-09, 06:51 PM

In case you Dish Network folks haven't noticed: KPLR is now in available in HD.

FYI :)

Joseph Clark

05-29-09, 07:06 PM

In case you Dish Network folks haven't noticed: KPLR is now in available in HD.

FYI :)

Yes, I saw that with the season (probably series) finale of Reaper. Too bad the show got axed. It had really come into its own, with much wittier writing and an improved ensemble with the addition of Jenny Wade as Ben's demon girlfriend. There's an outside chance it may live on as a syndicated program, but the odds are slim.

DroptheRemote

05-29-09, 07:38 PM

Thanks for the info Doug. The only reason why I mentioned the C9 is that Costco had one on display. I may have a change of plans and get a smaller TV while my bigger one is getting repaired. When I get my 64" back, then move the smaller TV to my garage :DYeah, I thought that the C9 might be a Costco-specific model, though maybe it will be more widely available.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

Joseph Clark

05-29-09, 07:47 PM

Thanks for the info Doug. The only reason why I mentioned the C9 is that Costco had one on display. I may have a change of plans and get a smaller TV while my bigger one is getting repaired. When I get my 64" back, then move the smaller TV to my garage :D

I saw that at Costco, too. It's the first time I've seen a rear projection DLP there for quite a while. Too bad rear projection DLP seems to be fading away. It's still the best option if you can't do front projection - great screen size for the price.

duihlein

05-30-09, 02:47 PM

I saw that at Costco, too. It's the first time I've seen a rear projection DLP there for quite a while. Too bad rear projection DLP seems to be fading away. It's still the best option if you can't do front projection - great screen size for the price.

Yeah, I was going to get a 61" Samsung LED DLP, but waited too long and now I can't get it at BB and only a few sites online have it.

I still may pull the trigger, but not for more than 1300 shipped.

Dave

duihlein

05-30-09, 02:53 PM

Joseph Clark

05-30-09, 04:34 PM

Joseph Clark

05-31-09, 01:23 PM

I rejoined Blockbuster's Online rental service today after a hiatus of a few months. I know Netflix is doing very well, but for someone who lives near a store, Blockbuster seems a better option. For $20/month I get 3 movies at a time in the mail and 5 free in-store exchanges a month. Also, when I returned my first group of movies the other day and exchanged them for a couple from the store, the returns and the new rentals were reflected in my Blockbuster queue when I got home some 15 minutes later. That's pretty darn seamless. BB doesn't charge extra for Blu-ray discs, unlike Netflix. I hope BB can solve its financial woes.

DroptheRemote

05-31-09, 03:36 PM

I was able to get in on the first offering of the new Oppo BDP-83. For those of you holding off on BD and enjoy HiRes Audio (SACD/DVD-Audio/HDCD), this is a great player.

It plays everything but HD-DVD. I've got it connected to a Denon 2807 via HDMI and a Sharp 720P projector (106" screen)

Even at 720P I can see the improvement in detail for SD-DVD over my PS3.

DaveThought I would throw in my two cents on this...

I saw the new Oppo BD player last week at a client in Indianapolis. Like Dave, I was very impressed with the player, both in appearance and performance.

One thing that's great about Blu-ray players so far is that they output a very standards-compliant signal. Whenever I've done a calibration using a signal generator and then compare it with the client's Blu-ray player, there is rarely any difference at all, and the Oppo was likewise right on the mark. This is a major departure from standard DVD, where the signal output of players varied wildly, and usually in ways not beneficial to good performance. Even very expensive standard DVD players were rarely standards-compliant. Hopefully this adherence to standards will be maintained as Blu-ray becomes more popular.

Also, I'm actually a bit anal about how long it takes BD players to load and start up, and I am pretty certain that the Oppo is now the player to beat (usurping the PS3). I didn't actually time it, but I am pretty confident that from closing the tray to actually seeing something other than the "Loading..." graphic was only 30 seconds.

The other thing to note about the Oppo player is that its physical appearance is very nice. There was nothing particularly wrong with the appearance of Oppo's various DVD players in the past, it's just that they were pretty utilitarian/non-descript.

black_macleod

05-31-09, 07:43 PM

Also, I'm actually a bit anal about how long it takes BD players to load and start up, and I am pretty certain that the Oppo is now the player to beat (usurping the PS3). I didn't actually time it, but I am pretty confident that from closing the tray to actually seeing something other than the "Loading..." graphic was only 30 seconds.

That's still slower than my PS3 :D

duihlein

05-31-09, 08:18 PM

That's still slower than my PS3 :D

There are some things the PS3 does faster, there are some things the Oppo does faster. But it's all a matter of seconds. As for playback, features and performance, it bests the PS3 in many ways. And I get to use my Harmony again.

Since I got the Oppo I've been debating selling my PS3. I only use it for streaming media now.

Joseph Clark

05-31-09, 09:37 PM

Thought I would throw in my two cents on this...

I saw the new Oppo BD player last week at a client in Indianapolis. Like Dave, I was very impressed with the player, both in appearance and performance.

One thing that's great about Blu-ray players so far is that they output a very standards-compliant signal. Whenever I've done a calibration using a signal generator and then compare it with the client's Blu-ray player, there is rarely any difference at all, and the Oppo was likewise right on the mark. This is a major departure from standard DVD, where the signal output of players varied wildly, and usually in ways not beneficial to good performance. Even very expensive standard DVD players were rarely standards-compliant. Hopefully this adherence to standards will be maintained as Blu-ray becomes more popular.

Also, I'm actually a bit anal about how long it takes BD players to load and start up, and I am pretty certain that the Oppo is now the player to beat (usurping the PS3). I didn't actually time it, but I am pretty confident that from closing the tray to actually seeing something other than the "Loading..." graphic was only 30 seconds.

The other thing to note about the Oppo player is that its physical appearance is very nice. There was nothing particularly wrong with the appearance of Oppo's various DVD players in the past, it's just that they were pretty utilitarian/non-descript.

Interesting observations on the video output of Blu-ray players, Doug. As someone who reads a lot of magazines and e-zines (both consumer electronics and computer), I've come across a lot of conflicting reports about the video signal quality of various players. Your observations that Blu-ray players have a standards-compliant output seems to indicate the video signal quality should be just about the same for various units, right?

As I've read various articles, especially the ones in computer magazines, they rate Blu-ray video playback quality all over the map, from excellent, to average to fair. Not exactly in line with your observations. Of course, I don't have the test gear to measure the output as objectively as you do, but my impression of the PS3 is that it's video output is no better or worse than that of other players I've seen. That's an apples to oranges comparison, though, since I haven't seen all those players in the same context.

Although my AVRs understand all the latest HD codecs (DTS HD Master Audio and Dolby TrueHD), I still like that the PS3 decodes these internally. Also, Sony has been very good to update the PS3 with new features on a regular basis. No video or audio task seems too much for the PS3's cell processor.

I use a Harmony IR remote with the PS3, although doing so involves an extra device plugged into a USB port. It has a bit of an inelegant look to it, but it works.

The final thing I like about the PS3 is that I can plug the SDHC flash card from my HD camcorder directly into a PS3 USB port (with the adapter that comes with such a card) and watch something I just shot. It plays like an AVCHD Blu-ray movie, menus and all. Very cool. It's like having the convenience of a VHS tape in the size of a postage stamp - and no rewinding.

awh

05-31-09, 10:09 PM

Jane B.

06-01-09, 02:43 PM

Joseph Clark

06-01-09, 02:54 PM

I saw this little blurb on a satellite tech site; "Starting June 2 ABC will be delivering network programming via MPEG-4 HiDef format (8PSK). SD shows will be upconverted."

Does this mean that the picture quality on 30.1, at least during primetime, will be better than it is now? Or is this going to be a codec change from the existing MPEG2 DVB-S without any change in picture quality?

I think this probably means ABC will deliver MPEG4 to other providers (satellite, cable, etc.) for delivery to their customers. I'm not aware of any OTA tuners that can decode MPEG4 or VC1, the newer, more efficient codecs. MPEG2 was the only viable option when the digital system was established, and there's no way any network is going to start broadcasting locally in MPEG4. That's a shame, since the newer codecs would give a comparable signal with much less bandwidth, but if we had waited for them to be developed, we still wouldn't have HD in the home.

awh

06-01-09, 03:13 PM

I think this probably means ABC will deliver MPEG4 to other providers (satellite, cable, etc.) for delivery to their customers.

Yeah, I'm aware of that - it's from ABC-TV Network to their affiliates. But, I thought it might result in a better picture for the local stations to turnaround and send out.

DroptheRemote

06-01-09, 03:53 PM

Yeah, I'm aware of that - it's from ABC-TV Network to their affiliates. But, I thought it might result in a better picture for the local stations to turnaround and send out.Any local viewer benefit is probably minimal. You have to bear in mind that the broadcast stream probably still starts out as MPEG-2, and in this case gets converted to MPEG-4 and then back to MPEG-2 (and for all I know there may be additional internal code/decode iterations at the local end for things like inserting local graphics).

Regardless of format each code/decode process is going result in some minor deterioriation in image fidelity, and those effects are cumulative.

Joseph Clark

06-01-09, 03:59 PM

Yeah, I'm aware of that - it's from ABC-TV Network to their affiliates. But, I thought it might result in a better picture for the local stations to turnaround and send out.

I doubt the signal will get better. It might get a little worse, although I imagine most people won't notice much of a difference. If it gets worse, it will be because it has to undergo another decode/encode stage from MPEG4 to MPEG2 before it reaches us. I don't know how KDNL handles that signal now, though, so it already may be undergoing the same thing with MPEG2.

Jim will know how that's going to work. I'd wager he'll give us the facts.

Jane B.

06-01-09, 04:51 PM

DroptheRemote

06-01-09, 05:39 PM

Back on May 9-10 some of us had a discussion about KSDK's handling of sports that come from the network on BOTH Saturday and Sunday. This week-end I discovered that it is NOT just golf but others as well — this time it was tennis. I grew up listening and then watching the Cardinals so it is not the Cardinals but the fact that Sunday is the day that many tournaments conclude. Thus, I regard it as the wrong day that they are shifting to a station that many CANNOT GET! Does this issue both any of the rest of you?

In other words I would consider it BETTER PROGRAMING if they got to carry Cardinal games on Saturday and the network feed to the tournaments for other sports on Sunday. That is if they MUST carry the Cardinal games on weekends and someone, who's name escapes me at the moment, posted reasons why local sports carried by a network affiliate are on weekends.Jane,

To use the "hot phrase" of the moment, I empathize with you in missing the sports coverage that you expect to see. But TV and radio is ultimately not about viewers or listeners (or for that matter, empathy) -- it's about advertisers and who and how many are prepared to pay the highest fees for the finite number of broadcast hours available to any station.

Cardinal baseball in St. Louis has the same sort of local cachet as "American Idol" or "Survivor" does from a national perspective. So, no matter how many complain or how loud their voices, kSDk will ignore them and pay attention to those who actually pay its bills.

(And believe me, nobody is better at ignoring viewer complaints than kSDk. Do a search of this thread if you want to know more.)

As for the Saturday versus Sunday option, I am (confidently) guessing that Sunday afternoon is a much stronger time slot than either Saturday afternoon or Saturday evening, as people tend to be out doing shopping/chores on Saturday during the day and going out to dinner or the movies or the bars, or visiting with friends on Saturday evening. So, a Saturday afternoon/evening slot would not be anywhere near as attractive to kSDk or other broadcaster as Sunday afternoon is, when at-home viewership is probably at levels similar to midweek prime time.

DroptheRemote

06-01-09, 05:54 PM

Just a quick follow-up to last week's discussion about Mitsubishi DLP TVs.

I've received pretty much full details on the new models and their improved ability to be properly calibrated. Here's the scuttlebutt:

* The only models that have what Mitsubishi refers to as "advanced calibration modes" are the xx737 and xx837 models. The xx737 models have the ability to add one "advanced calibration" picture mode per input, while the xx837 models have the ability to add two per input.

* The actual controls provided through these modes looks very promising, as they include settings for Gamma, full-range Grayscale control and what appears to be a fully functioning Color Management system.

Overall, this looks very promising, assuming the controls work as they should.

TubaSaxT

06-01-09, 08:21 PM

Left Jeff

06-01-09, 09:22 PM

Jane,

To use the "hot phrase" of the moment, I empathize with you in missing the sports coverage that you expect to see. But TV and radio is ultimately not about viewers or listeners (or for that matter, empathy) -- it's about advertisers and who and how many are prepared to pay the highest fees for the finite number of broadcast hours available to any station.

Cardinal baseball in St. Louis has the same sort of local cachet as "American Idol" or "Survivor" does from a national perspective. So, no matter how many complain or how loud their voices, kSDk will ignore them and pay attention to those who actually pay its bills.

(And believe me, nobody is better at ignoring viewer complaints than kSDk. Do a search of this thread if you want to know more.)

As for the Saturday versus Sunday option, I am (confidently) guessing that Sunday afternoon is a much stronger time slot than either Saturday afternoon or Saturday evening, as people tend to be out doing shopping/chores on Saturday during the day and going out to dinner or the movies or the bars, or visiting with friends on Saturday evening. So, a Saturday afternoon/evening slot would not be anywhere near as attractive to kSDk or other broadcaster as Sunday afternoon is, when at-home viewership is probably at levels similar to midweek prime time.

I do wish both weekend games were televised and they were still on 11, where they could be prioritized.

However, I don't think that KSDK is "selling out" to advertisers.

You kind of contradicted yourself...you say that Cardinals baseball has am "american idol" like following...well, c'mon...baseball is so popular around here that I don't believe that it is a purely ad money situation. I think its almost like badge of honor.

I am like most of the other 3+ million in the stl area. I want to watch baseball.

moman19

06-01-09, 10:26 PM

Does anybody here have a Dish Network 622/722? My OTA timers are disappearing and not recording. I sent Dish an email, but I got the usual "you are stupid, do all of these obvious things again" reply.

On DBSTalk, there was speculation that this was happening in markets where the locals recently moved from 118 to 129 (as they did here). I can't possibly see how that correlates, but who knows?

FWIW, I have both receivers and I live in West County. The transition from 118 to 129 (including the addition of KPLR) was completely transparent. No problems at all and my timers are all intact. I only noticed the changes by reading about it.

DroptheRemote

06-01-09, 11:05 PM

I do wish both weekend games were televised and they were still on 11, where they could be prioritized.

However, I don't think that KSDK is "selling out" to advertisers.

You kind of contradicted yourself...you say that Cardinals baseball has am "american idol" like following...well, c'mon...baseball is so popular around here that I don't believe that it is a purely ad money situation. I think its almost like badge of honor.

I am like most of the other 3+ million in the stl area. I want to watch baseball.TV is first and foremost an advertising medium. Yeah, there needs to be something worthwhile to attract viewers, but the only logical reason you would want to own a TV station is to sell out your advertising inventory at the highest possible rates. Nothing wrong with that, and I don't really consider it a "sell out," since you either sell ads or you die.

Same goes for radio, newspapers, the Internet or any other mass media. Look at what's happening to newspapers at the moment -- it's not a lack of news that's killing that industry, it's the continuing and accelerating evaporation of advertising revenues.

While there's no doubt that Cardinals baseball brings some "prestige" to kSDk, from the station manager's perspective the prestige gained from an association with the Cardinals and $1000 in ad sales is worth exactly $1000.

Again, that's not a criticism. It's reality.

Kurt K

06-02-09, 12:15 AM

It sure was nice of KSDK to screw up the very first episode of the Tonight Show w/ Conan O'Brien.

moman19

06-02-09, 09:59 AM

It sure was nice of KSDK to screw up the very first episode of the Tonight Show w/ Conan O'Brien.

AMATEURS! One would think that by now they would know how to correctly cue up commercials......

Thank goodness it was brief!

Joseph Clark

06-02-09, 07:39 PM

Has anyone played around with the Windows 7's virtual XP mode yet? I have a couple of programs that run under XP but have no Vista/7 support yet.

Robert Simandl

06-03-09, 07:25 AM

From this morning's SkyReport (http://www.skyreport.com):

TiVo Wins EchoStar Case

TiVo last Tuesday finally won its patent case against EchoStar when U.S. District Court Judge David Folsom ruled in favor of the DVR developer and ordered EchoStar to disable the digital recording function in most of its installed set-top boxes.

Most importantly for TiVo, the court also awarded the company an additional $103 million plus interest in its decision, on top of the $105 million EchoStar has already paid TiVo.

As for EchoStar, the court denied its motion for a stay, pending appeal.

Joseph Clark

06-03-09, 09:36 AM

Joseph Clark

06-03-09, 09:42 AM

Seriously, I wasn't worried when the Tivo suit first hit the news, but this sounds a little more menacing. While I still doubt we'll permanently lose our Dish DVRs, we've had plenty of examples lately of colossal corporate stupidity. I hope this isn't just one more in the long list.

tstolze

06-03-09, 11:47 AM

Joseph Clark

06-03-09, 11:54 AM

The suit was for older units, not the newer 622/722/922(when it's released).
All units currently in operation will operate as usual, if the models effected are installed in the future they must have the DVR features disabled.

Thanks for the clarification, Tom. It makes the news a lot less spooky. I Googled it and didn't come up with that explanation. Where did you get that info?

tstolze

06-03-09, 12:48 PM

Thanks for the clarification, Tom. It makes the news a lot less spooky. I Googled it and didn't come up with that explanation. Where did you get that info?

http://www.satelliteguys.us/dish-network-forum/153883-tivo-vs-e-65.html#post1843985

kjohnson

06-05-09, 12:57 PM

Has anyone played around with the Windows 7's virtual XP mode yet? I have a couple of programs that run under XP but have no Vista/7 support yet.

The machine I've got Windows 7 installed on doesn't support virtualization. Apparently it came out a bit to early for it. It's something I've wanted to play with since they announced it.

WRacer

06-05-09, 01:41 PM

I doubt the signal will get better. It might get a little worse, although I imagine most people won't notice much of a difference. If it gets worse, it will be because it has to undergo another decode/encode stage from MPEG4 to MPEG2 before it reaches us. I don't know how KDNL handles that signal now, though, so it already may be undergoing the same thing with MPEG2.

Jim will know how that's going to work. I'd wager he'll give us the facts.

ABC has been feeding MPEG4 with embeded audio since Tuesday. I doubt you've see any difference. MPEG4 is just for the transmission path on satellite. The receiver still spits out HD-SDI so the inplant path has not changed except that we no longer need the Dolby decoder. The 6 channels of audio now come from a de-embeder.

Joseph Clark

06-05-09, 01:58 PM

ABC has been feeding MPEG4 with embeded audio since Tuesday. I doubt you've see any difference. MPEG4 is just for the transmission path on satellite. The receiver still spits out HD-SDI so the inplant path has not changed except that we no longer need the Dolby decoder. The 6 channels of audio now come from a de-embeder.

Thanks, Jim. Is the audio change likely to have any effect on what we hear - will it mean less of the occasional flakiness we were experiencing with audio on shows such as Lost?

Left Jeff

06-07-09, 05:36 PM

This morning I got a message on my Tivo that I had "a change in my channel lineup had occured" and it added in 13-1 (WPAX, 21 real).

I didn't think that 13-1 was going on until the transition. It's a dead signal for me. According to TVfool I should have no problem picking up 13-1( after the transisition). It's well into the green. I also had "flutters" from the Carbondale pbs this morning.

I was wondering if 13-1 is actually broadcasting. Has anyone picked it up?

SHADO 1

06-07-09, 09:40 PM

I got that on my Tivo too, but from my location the tower is too far east for me to pickup. I've have noticed that a very strong signal from 43.3, but there is no video..I wonder what that could be for?

Joseph Clark

06-07-09, 10:26 PM

Joseph Clark

06-08-09, 10:14 AM

Last night I watched the extras disc from the new Blu-ray Star Trek original movies collection. It was called "The Captain's Summit" and featured Whoopee Goldberg, William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Patrick Stewart and Jonathan Frakes. If you're a Trek fan, I think you might find it funny and enlightening. The personalities really start to come through, especially when they loosen up.

I've only watched 3 of the 6 films on Blu-ray, and there's lots of controversy about what Paramount did with the transfer to HD, but I really liked the look of IV and VI. The movies are part of a boxed set. I find myself watching more Blu-ray since the regular TV season ended.

Joseph Clark

06-08-09, 10:24 AM

Here's the sales pitch for an Eee PC from Woot! (http://www.woot.com/) today. I'm linking and quoting because the link will expire when the sale is off.

Live From the Borscht Asteroid Belt

Ladies, gentlemen, and zfo’orzzxes, put your tentacles together for the filthiest insult comic in the galaxy: Frank Blrgrooool!

Thanks, everybody, thanks for that welcome. Is this a nightclub or the Intergalactic War Crimes Court? Wake up here! I’ve felt more warmth on the dark side of Neptune! You’re like a bunch of Venusians the morning after payday! I love playing here, though, I really do. How about those bathrooms? I haven’t seen such a disgusting gzzlorgl since my first wife on our wedding night!

Hey, look who we have with us in the audience tonight: it’s the Asus Eee PC! Don’t worry, Eee, I’ll try not to use any big words that your Intel® Atom N270 won’t understand! I’m not saying he’s dumb, but one day the Asus Eee PC walked in with a handful of fvornvnik dung and said “Hey guys, I almost stepped in this.”

Now, me and Eee were in the service together back during the Sklee-Kurll War, and ladies, I can tell you from experience: it’s not just the cute little 8.9” LCD. EVERYTHING on this netbook is compact. Believe me, a Jupiterian he ain’t! And don’t believe what he tells you about that internal solid-state drive – this guy drives like a nearsighted Centauran with his glasses stuck up his kshreel’kul and both of his barnaxx in his wife’s purse!

But seriously, Eee’s good for a lot of things. Browsing the Internet. Email, word processing, music and video. And if you turn your back on him while any Mercurians are around, he’s good for winding up in a pawnshop! Oooh, you Mercurians don’t like that one, huh? Let’s make a deal: I’ll stop making that joke if you guys stop stealing the stereo out of my rocketship!

Uh-oh, I think that’s my cue to get out of here. Besides, I’m late for an appointment to qwonk-onk Eee’s wife! Thank you! G’night!"

I don't know who writes this schtick, but it's always funny and sometimes downright hilarious. I check it every day just for the sales pitch. Where else can you get a company selling something with a tag line like this, "The World's Crappiest Projector"?

Joseph Clark

06-08-09, 10:35 AM

If you're in the market for a new phone, you might want to look at the new Palm Pre (if you can find one). In this piece (http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=19353), Sam Diaz says that he became interested in Sprint after hearing the Pre salesman talk about the unlimited voice, text, pictures, data, Internet, and voice-guided turn-by-turn GPS for $100/month ($70/month if you can live with 450 anytime minutes).

WRacer

06-08-09, 12:45 PM

Thanks, Jim. Is the audio change likely to have any effect on what we hear - will it mean less of the occasional flakiness we were experiencing with audio on shows such as Lost?

I don't think there will be any change in the audio. It comes from our hub in Columbus most of the time now. The audio processor is there so it's difficult to get my hands around it. Everyone let me know what issues you're hearing. We have 5.1 monitoring in the control room, but that's not the best listening environment.

Joseph Clark

06-08-09, 03:36 PM

I don't think there will be any change in the audio. It comes from our hub in Columbus most of the time now. The audio processor is there so it's difficult to get my hands around it. Everyone let me know what issues you're hearing. We have 5.1 monitoring in the control room, but that's not the best listening environment.

Will do, Jim, although I'm probably not going to be watching much broadcast TV for a while, because of the end of the regular season. Thanks again for the info.

moman19

06-08-09, 04:09 PM

Will do, Jim, although I'm probably not going to be watching much broadcast TV for a while, because of the end of the regular season. Thanks again for the info.

Ditto. Things may be slow until the Fall season returns. No rush for that at the moment. The biggest single issue I recall right up thru the end of the season was a high noise level on the center channel that "pumped up" whenever there was little dialogue. It got better as the season came to a close, but was still distracting.

Joseph Clark

06-08-09, 07:41 PM

Joseph Clark

06-08-09, 07:47 PM

When I got my Octava HDMI switcher and then added a Sony LCD to the display devices, I was having audio issues under certain conditions. That seems to be a thing of the past, and I can now recommend the Octava 4x4 Matrix switcher (http://www.octavainc.com/HDMI%20matrix%20switch%204x4.html) without reservation. I don't know what changed, but maybe it was something as simple as switching some of the gear off and back on again. Anyway, it's resolved and this little $500 device is working like a champ. It has 4 in and 4 out, with any source available to any display at any time. It also solved a problem I was having with my Radeon video cards switching to different resolutions when I went from one display to another. That was with the Octava 3x2 Cross Switch. For some time now, virtually all my switching has been flawless. This is a real problem solver of a device, and so much cheaper than its competitors.

Mr_Bester

06-08-09, 11:24 PM

The problem I remember was a thinness in the center, as though the vocal range had been limited. It didn't seem to be just a center channel volume issue. Crank it up and it would still sound thin, as though part of the richest range of the human voice had been filtered out.

That sounds similar to what I heard in the beginning of the 5/30 Pushing Daisies. Only, the center channel narrator was almost inaudible. You could just barely hear him under the background music. They switched to SD, then back to HD and it was fine from then on out. Also, the 6/6 Daisies was perfect sound and picture for me. That is the only current ABC programming that I am watching(Sorry Jim)

lostinbloomsdale

06-09-09, 08:55 AM

Thanks for that, Bob. The news went really well with my oatmeal and juice.
Will this effect the DISH Network DTV PAL DVR? I was thinking about purchasing this unit for OTA recording, pausing, etc....

Thank you

lostinbloomsdale

06-09-09, 08:58 AM

Will this effect the DISH Network DTV PAL DVR? I was thinking about purchasing this unit for OTA recording, pausing, etc....

Thank you
Oops, I was asking if the suit TIVO has against EchoStar will have an effect on DISH Network DTV PAL DVR ...

newbies! LOL

lostinbloomsdale

06-09-09, 09:36 AM

Thank you to all who assisted me in my change-over from Dish to OTA! It was a successful switch. Bought a UHF only antenna, removed the old UHF-VHF antenna from the mast that was already "attached" to our chimney, put the new one up, hooked into the already existing cables that run to our 5 televisions, and voila! we have all digital OTA channels from St Louis and it even pulled one from Cape Girardeau! NO PREAMP was needed!!
I am absolutely giddy! For the cost of one month of DISH...we are now OTA and no longer supplying income to Dish!! yee ha!
My next step is to get tivo or something...I'm going to start researching that now...
THANK YOU for giving me the confidence to try!
OK guys, I'm stumped and need help.

I have had 3 TV's hooked up to OTA since May 18th. All were getting signal fine until sometime last week (May 31-June 2) when two of them (the newest) stopped getting signal.

I have an older set hooked up to a converter box, and it is still getting signal (which tells me the antenna is fine, right?)

I have two newer sets...a Sony Bravia KDL-46WL140 and a Sharp Aquos LC-32D62U that now have no signal.

Sunday (June 7th), my husband had his fill of no TV on the newest TV's so we changed out the splitter, adjusted the antenna a bit, re-autoprogrammed both TV's and then all 3 TV's were getting signal.

Woke up yesterday (June 8th) morning, the older TV with converter was getting signal, the two newer TV's...no signal.

Notes: When we changed from Dish to OTA we used the existing cables and splitters.
The two newer TV's were originally hooked into the same Dish receiver, so have cables in common. The older TV had it's own, separate Dish receiver, so more than likely has its "own" cabling....

Any suggestions other than the obvious of trying to trace the cabling?

One other note...the converter box on the older TV says we are only getting 17% signal strength...

Thank you for your valuable time....

Rose :)

Joseph Clark

06-09-09, 10:03 AM

Oops, I was asking if the suit TIVO has against EchoStar will have an effect on DISH Network DTV PAL DVR ...

newbies! LOL

I don't remember hearing about that unit in the things I've read about the suit. Tom would probably know more, since he's a lot more active in the satellite forum than I am. My guess is still that they'll settle this without loss of signal, although it may cost Dish an arm and a leg to do it.

moman19

06-09-09, 10:09 AM

Check all cables. Make sure they are tight. Make sure EVERYTHING is tight...especially up on the roof. You might want to disconnect as many connection points (at splitters, etc.) as possible and inspect for corrosion or a poor termination. Make sure the center copper cable at both ends of each cable run is sufficiently insulated when it's poked thru the center of every screw connector. Signal strength should be fairly consistent other than during a possible downpour.

Joseph Clark

06-09-09, 10:17 AM

Since you're far away, an amp would probably help, but the cables (and their connectors, splitters) and the direction of the antenna are more likely culprits.

MoInSTL

06-09-09, 10:41 AM

Has anyone played around with the Windows 7's virtual XP mode yet? I have a couple of programs that run under XP but have no Vista/7 support yet.

Not yet. My SSD died and I decided to "downgrade" back to the the 7100 RC when it was replaced. Also, I could not get Acronis True Image 2009 to load on the later builds. So no, I haven't tried it yet.

IMO, http://www.sevenforums.com/ is the best resource ATM for 7 related questions and tutorials.

The tutorial is here:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/8247-windows-xp-mode-install-setup.html

Joseph Clark

06-09-09, 11:10 AM

Not yet. My SSD died and I decided to "downgrade" back to the the 7100 RC when it was replaced. Also, I could not get Acronis True Image 2009 to load on the later builds. So no, I haven't tried it yet.

IMO, http://www.sevenforums.com/ is the best resource ATM for 7 related questions and tutorials.

The tutorial is here:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/8247-windows-xp-mode-install-setup.html

Thanks for the links, Mo. I'll check them out. I'm curious about the Library function in Win7. Have you used that?

I'm also curious about what you think of SSD and its benefits in a PC. Is it worth the price permium SSDs carry now?

tstolze

06-09-09, 01:42 PM

I don't remember hearing about that unit in the things I've read about the suit. Tom would probably know more, since he's a lot more active in the satellite forum than I am. My guess is still that they'll settle this without loss of signal, although it may cost Dish an arm and a leg to do it.

I have not heard anything about the mentioned unit either. Seems there is some concern that if the current suit doesn't get settled in a timely fashion Tivo may try to expand to newer units. :confused:

Have not had much time lately, my oldest son and I drove 750 miles Sunday chasing storms. :cool: Witnessed some unbelievable sites and met lots of weather enthusiast.

Joseph Clark

06-09-09, 04:21 PM

I have some good news to report about an RCA "digital" antenna (on sale this week for $50 at Best Buy). I recently got my folks set up with a new HDTV (hallelujah). It's a Toshiba Regza with a built-in tuner, but their existing indoor antenna was doing a lousy job of picking up the HD locals. Rather than spend the money for an external antenna, I thought I'd try the RCA unit from Best Buy - a unique flat design with an outboard amplifier. It was pretty much hassle free. It's sitting in their entertainment center, flat as a pancake on one of the shelves. Mom hates cables showing or things sticking up in that unit, so it's a perfect solution. The recommended installation is flat, although it can be mounted flat on a wall, too.

Years ago, I tried the Silver Sensor indoor antenna without much luck in the same area, so I had serious doubts the RCA would work for them. The only station that's not coming in well is WRBU. My mom didn't even know what it was, so it's no great loss.

Joseph Clark

06-09-09, 04:25 PM

I have not heard anything about the mentioned unit either. Seems there is some concern that if the current suit doesn't get settled in a timely fashion Tivo may try to expand to newer units. :confused:

Have not had much time lately, my oldest son and I drove 750 miles Sunday chasing storms. :cool: Witnessed some unbelievable sites and met lots of weather enthusiast.

Charlie had better be careful with this suit. He could be courting disaster if he isn't smart about it. The last thing I want to see is Dish go under. There's no alternative I like nearly as much.

Did you get any footage of what you saw? Twister is one of my favorite films of all times. I saw it at least 4 times in theaters when it came out and I have it on Blu-ray. No other movie I've seen gives me as much of a sense of being in the middle of a storm.

tstolze

06-10-09, 02:10 AM

Did you get any footage of what you saw? Twister is one of my favorite films of all times. I saw it at least 4 times in theaters when it came out and I have it on Blu-ray. No other movie I've seen gives me as much of a sense of being in the middle of a storm.

I have some images on my site in the photo gallery. I started looking at HD camcorders, Newegg has a Cannon for $599 but I have other "wants" that should come first. I am researching cell phone amplifiers, I think I have the brand/model picked out. I also need a 12 volt adapter for the laptop, we had some strange behavior with the laptop while operating on the inverter, they all went away on the battery or on A/C power.

lostinbloomsdale

06-10-09, 09:46 AM

Charlie had better be careful with this suit. He could be courting disaster if he isn't smart about it. The last thing I want to see is Dish go under. There's no alternative I like nearly as much.

Did you get any footage of what you saw? Twister is one of my favorite films of all times. I saw it at least 4 times in theaters when it came out and I have it on Blu-ray. No other movie I've seen gives me as much of a sense of being in the middle of a storm.
I'll second that! When I was little, we lived about 5 miles from the river, so when it was safe, my Dad would take us outside and teach us how to watch for a tornado and the changes in the sky and air that are signs conditions are "good" for a tornado to develop. We were never afraid of tornadoes, just respectful. I've always treasured the fact that my parents had a way of making us respectful without being frightened.
We witnessed a portion of a five stall combine shed being ripped from our neighbor's property and being carried and dropped in pieces to our property....it was a WOW experience!

Kudos to you tstolze for spending memorable time with your son!

Joseph Clark

06-10-09, 10:00 AM

Here's an article on why DirecTV may be doing so well (http://seekingalpha.com/article/142143-how-directv-can-put-the-nail-in-competitors-coffins) in an economy that's encouraging some investors to take target practice at their own heads. Traditionally, if people are out of work or don't have a lot of discretionary income, they watch more TV or go to the movies.

And as some small companies try to weather the storm, there are some great deals to be had in home theater, such as this complete 5.1 home theater sound system from AV123 for about $1,200, shipped. (http://www.**********//index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=shop.flypage&product_id=294&category_id=51&manufacturer_id=0&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=37&vmcchk=1&Itemid=37) They call it the "staycation" system, because it's designed to help you stay at home and save some money in these hard times, instead of taking an expensive vacation. The system includes 2 towers, center channel, surround monitors and the infamous AV123 MFW-15 sub.

I'm not endorsing either company. I just found interesting what's happening with these two radically different companies during this recession. (And I just got up and had nothing better to mouth off about as I check my e-mail. :D)

Joseph Clark

06-10-09, 10:09 AM

Greg Rogers' review of the JVC RS-20 D-ILA front projector is up on the Widescreen Review web site. (http://www.widescreenreview.com/index.php) You have to be a Widescreen Review subscriber to access it. There's also a thread here at AVS where Greg is available to talk about the review. (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1153970) Apparently, it's Greg's new reference projector. Of course, it's going to cost you more than a ticket to the new Star Trek movie, or a Blu-ray of Twister.

Does anyone here have an RS-20? Apparently, they added a THX mode and a Color Management System, so it's possible to tame the problems the older JVC D-ILA projectors suffered from.

Robert Simandl

06-10-09, 11:37 PM

All you Battlestar Galactica fans that don't like 24 (cough, Joe, cough) are gonna have to give 24 another shot next season. Catch this news from mania.com.....

The cast continues to grow for 20th Century Fox's upcoming Day 8 of "24". HR is reporting that "Battlestar Galactica" star Katee Sackhoff will play CTU agent Dana Walsh and will have a sub-plot going with fellow newcoming agent Davis Cole (Freddie Prinze Jr.). The trade also reports this is the final major casting announcement for the next season, which began production two weeks ago for Imagine Entertainment.

She joins joins fellow new cast members Freddie Prinze Jr., Jennifer Westfeldt, Mykelti Williamson, John Boyd and Chris Diamantopoulos.

Plot Concept: The next installment of the Emmy Award-winning series starring Kiefer Sutherland will unfold in New York City, amidst the shadows of the Statue of Liberty and the United Nations. The story will center around Arman Hashemi (Anil Kapoor), a Middle East leader who comes to the U.S. on a peacemaking mission. Boyd will be a regular on the new season playing CTU systems analyst Jonah Schwartz. Westfeldt will play the recurring role of ambitious journalist Meredith Reed.

I'm looking forward to it already!

SHADO 1

06-11-09, 10:29 PM

So with the end of analog this Friday night, are the stations able to finally go to full power on the digital transmissions? Is there not one more channel change for KMOV?

Linxs

06-12-09, 12:07 AM

So with the end of analog this Friday night, are the stations able to finally go to full power on the digital transmissions? Is there not one more channel change for KMOV?

Does the change take place tonight in about hour? I was watching the tail end channel 5 newcast and I thought I heard Mike say the change takes place tonight.

moman19

06-12-09, 09:14 AM

Does the change take place tonight in about hour? I was watching the tail end channel 5 newcast and I thought I heard Mike say the change takes place tonight.

The shutdown occurred this morning at 12:01 AM. It's done. Channel 4 now only needs to raise its antenna to the TOP of the tower. It's currently on the side and hence, lower. Not sure why this was an issue with only them. I know Channel 2 built a second tower but not sure how the other channels got around this issue.

I think KMOV remains at Channel 24.

ProjectSHO89

06-12-09, 09:17 AM

The shutdown occurred This morning at 12:01 AM. It's done. Channel 4 now only needs to raise its antenna to the TOP of the tower. It's currently on the side and hence, lower. Not sure why this was an issue with only them. I know Channel 2 built a second tower but not sure how the other channels got around this issue.

Channel 9 also has to move from a side-mount to the top of the tower. Of course, they couldn't start until today's shut-off of the analog transmitter. They're supposed to be done in about 2 months with the antenna work and transmitter power upgrade.

Channel 11 will now also be able to get their DTV signal up to full power now that they don't have to feed the analog beast.

Jane B.

06-12-09, 10:17 AM

This morning KSDK drove me nuts first with lack of closed captioning which has been working fine on their digital broadcast but NOTHING this morning. There have been a few times over the years that it has not come in and a call to the station got someone in engineering to turn it on. Waited until "Today" came on as sometimes that switch also gets the captioning on. NO such luck today. So. . . I finally called (long distance from Centralia, IL so used cell which has no extra charge for LD) it took several calls to get a live person and that on their DTV Hot Line with someone that seemed unfamiliar with first Relay for phone calls by the hearing impaired and then were the closed captioning problem was (kept thinking it was MY equipment). After over 20 min. did get his assurance that engineering had been alerted and that they were troubleshooting it. BUT STILL NO CAPTIONS after several more segments and the local news break at 9 a.m. This is on ALL TVs in my home — via converter or built into the set.

My BIG frustration has been with KETC (Channel 9) as I can get their digital broadcasts ONLY on a very erratic basis and that at night. There are things that they have that WSIU (Channel 8), the other PBS station that I can get that comes in very well, doesn't have as it is local by KETC. Also, there are also some things that are on KETC at a more convenient time.

KMOV has not been a problem for me generally. There has been a little signal strength fluctuation over time but nothing major.

Both KMOV and KETC are supposed to have changes by the middle of August. I sure hope it works out by then. The postponement from February to June was a help to me as some equipment needed for my antenna improvements did not get here on time.

Jane B.

06-12-09, 10:26 AM

KSDK's closed captioning FINALLY started about 9:25 a.m. 6-12-09 after being missing since at least 6 a.m.

Joseph Clark

06-12-09, 10:39 AM

Here's an article that describes some of the uses for DTV and for the bandwidth freed up by the analog stations going away. (http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2009-06-11-analog-digital-tv_N.htm) The good: higher speed mobile devices and more reliable emergency service communications. The bad: multicasting.

Joseph Clark

06-12-09, 10:41 AM

I saw a Blu-ray player at Best Buy yesterday for $129. I think it was their house brand, Insignia, so not the latest features. Still, it shows how far the prices have dropped. Wal-mart is supposed to have one at about that price, too.

Mr_Bester

06-12-09, 11:04 AM

Joseph Clark

06-12-09, 11:18 AM

The Maganvox doesn't go on sale until the 14th, IIRC.

Kurt K

06-12-09, 11:20 AM

I just wanted to say a big thanks to 'DropTheRemote' (Doug @ Clearly Resolved Image & Sound) for the calibration of my 64" Pioneer Elite RPTV. Doug came by on Wednesday night to calibrate my recently repaired (after 2 separate trips to the repair shop) TV that was returned to me on Monday. I didn't spend the time going through the AVIA calibration DVD, as I knew I was planning on the professional calibration.

I still haven't been able to sit down and watch a movie or some good HD sports to really appreciate the better picture, but I hopefully will get to spend some time in front of the TV this weekend. I don't think my wife and kids can really notice a difference while watching the "Backyardigans" or "Seasame Street" :rolleyes:

Anyway, Doug was able to significantly reduce the overscan that is inherent with my model TV. He also nailed down the point convergance that I had problems addressing when the TV was new. He explained the steps as he went along and answered my questions.

Thanks again Doug.

kjohnson

06-12-09, 04:07 PM

A few issues I have:

1: Up until this morning I had program info for all of my DTV channels in Windows Vista Media Center except for KDNL.

2: When I attempted to do rescan, Media Center refused to download "TV Setup Options", despite several attempts.

3: My Express Card DTV tuner works fine, apart from having no TV listings at all.

Does anybody have any ideas on how to fix the "TV Setup Options" problem?

Joseph Clark

06-13-09, 10:32 AM

Mr_Bester

06-13-09, 05:23 PM

Early word about the possible return of Reaper looks to be just smoke. The show will continue in reruns starting June 21st on the CW. If you didn't catch it the first time around, you might find it a light diversion for the TV-lite summer.

The same for My Name is Earl. Both were put out of their misery earlier this week and the week before. I'll miss both shows, but I'd gladly trade both of them for 22 episodes of Chuck(unfortunately, I didn't get my 22, only 13)

Joseph Clark

06-13-09, 07:32 PM

The same for My Name is Earl. Both were put out of their misery earlier this week and the week before. I'll miss both shows, but I'd gladly trade both of them for 22 episodes of Chuck(unfortunately, I didn't get my 22, only 13)

Yeah, and those eps don't start until March! I'm glad to have 13, since cancellation seemed likely, but that's not a good situation for a show struggling with ratings to be in. Oh, well, 13 eps of Chuck is a better proposition than a full season of most shows (at least for me).

Joseph Clark

06-14-09, 07:55 PM

A heads-up for you PS3/Harmony remote owners: Best Buy has the Harmony PlayStation 3 device on sale this week for $60 (normally $100). It allows you to add the PS3 to your Harmony remote as a device. It converts IR from the Harmony to PS3 Bluetooth commands. You can remotely turn the PS3 on and off and have access to all the PS3 Bluetooth remote commands from the Harmony - simple and effective.

I discovered the source of the problem I was having recently when my PS3 seemed to develop a mind of its own. It would randomly skip ahead to the next chapter while I was watching a film. I discovered that a PS3 controller had flipped onto the edge where some controller buttons are located. I'd hit a loud section of a film and the air moving in the room against the controller would sometimes be enough to activate the chapter skip button. :eek:

moman19

06-15-09, 09:32 AM

.......Everyone let me know what issues you're hearing. We have 5.1 monitoring in the control room, but that's not the best listening environment.

Jim,

While your PQ is some of the best around, the audio quality is still poor. This morning, I was watching GMA on the Plasma with its internal speakers (DD 5.1 system off).

Even thru the display's small speakers, the background noise was extremely noticeable and it modulated while the talking heads spoke. Plainly audible was a mix of non-stop hums and buzzes that would intensify with pauses and even between syllables. It almost sounds as if there are microphones capturing all extraneous noises in the studio. Very distracting.

Sorry, but I thought you would want to know.

lostinbloomsdale

06-15-09, 09:41 AM

OK guys, I'm stumped and need help.

I have had 3 TV's hooked up to OTA since May 18th. All were getting signal fine until sometime last week (May 31-June 2) when two of them (the newest) stopped getting signal.

I have an older set hooked up to a converter box, and it is still getting signal (which tells me the antenna is fine, right?)

I have two newer sets...a Sony Bravia KDL-46WL140 and a Sharp Aquos LC-32D62U that now have no signal.

Sunday (June 7th), my husband had his fill of no TV on the newest TV's so we changed out the splitter, adjusted the antenna a bit, re-autoprogrammed both TV's and then all 3 TV's were getting signal.

Woke up yesterday (June 8th) morning, the older TV with converter was getting signal, the two newer TV's...no signal.

Notes: When we changed from Dish to OTA we used the existing cables and splitters.
The two newer TV's were originally hooked into the same Dish receiver, so have cables in common. The older TV had it's own, separate Dish receiver, so more than likely has its "own" cabling....

Any suggestions other than the obvious of trying to trace the cabling?

One other note...the converter box on the older TV says we are only getting 17% signal strength...

Thank you for your valuable time....

Rose :)
Well, we're up and running again.

Traced all existing (only 5 years old) RG6, 75 ohm cables to all TV's, routed all to central location inside, only have 2 lines with coupler only, removed ALL splitters. Added preamp, ran new line directly from antenna to preamp.......

All is up and running clearly. Have 18 OTA digital channels for FREE, FREE, FREE!

Thank you again for advice. I couldn't believe how many splitters I removed.

Everyone have a good week!

Joseph Clark

06-15-09, 10:20 AM

DroptheRemote

06-15-09, 10:38 AM

DroptheRemote

06-15-09, 10:56 AM

Here's a piece about HDTV and women from the NY Times. (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/14/opinion/14dowd.html?_r=1&ref=opinion) Although we don't have a lot of women who post here, maybe some men can relate stories about their wives/girlfriends and HDTV? I've heard this sort of claim before and I'm interested in where people really stand on it. The article may be tongue in cheek, but the idea is interesting.Joe, I can say that the women I encounter during the course of my job calibrating televisions are becoming decidedly more savvy about and open to HDTV. When I first started out back in 2002, I was generally met with low-level hostility due the money spent not just for the TV (on average more than 2x expensive than today) but also the money being spent on calibration.

I used to joke that I didn't really have any direct competition, but rather that the average wife or girlfriend was my primary rival, as my service was competing directly with other home improvements, shopping, vacations. etc. And yes, I regularly heard the comment, with a layer or three of snark added in, "I can't even tell the difference between HD and regular TV."

But after 3 or 4 years, I noticed a softening in attitudes, and again I think this was in part related to the overall smaller investment made in HDTV versus other household needs/wants. But I also noticed there was a greater appreciation for HDTV by women, and to some extent for the results of video calibration. I remember specifically one client who was very worried that his wife was going to be very unhappy with the post-calibration results in view of the money spent. In the end, he called me back 6 weeks later, as his wife wanted to have the TV she watched upstairs during the day calibrated.

Still, I've worked for well over a thousand customers, but only in about 25 cases was the person who hired me a woman. From this, I get the impression that more and more women do genuinely appreciate the difference in HDTV, but for most it's still a relatively low priority and not something they are avid about.

After all, it's only TV... ;)

kjohnson

06-15-09, 01:01 PM

TV listings back in Vista Media Center.

No listings for KDNL. Listings are fine on STBs. It's a Vista thing. Anybody else suffering no listings in Vista Media Center?

tstolze

06-15-09, 01:14 PM

TV listings back in Vista Media Center.

No listings for KDNL. Listings are fine on STBs. It's a Vista thing. Anybody else suffering no listings in Vista Media Center?

I had none as of late last night, I was hopeful they would get it fixed this week..

lostinbloomsdale

06-15-09, 03:42 PM

Joe, I can say that the women I encounter during the course of my job calibrating televisions are becoming decidedly more savvy about and open to HDTV. When I first started out back in 2002, I was generally met with low-level hostility due the money spent not just for the TV (on average more than 2x expensive than today) but also the money being spent on calibration.

I used to joke that I didn't really have any direct competition, but rather that the average wife or girlfriend was my primary rival, as my service was competing directly with other home improvements, shopping, vacations. etc. And yes, I regularly heard the comment, with a layer or three of snark added in, "I can't even tell the difference between HD and regular TV."

But after 3 or 4 years, I noticed a softening in attitudes, and again I think this was in part related to the overall smaller investment made in HDTV versus other household needs/wants. But I also noticed there was a greater appreciation for HDTV by women, and to some extent for the results of video calibration. I remember specifically one client who was very worried that his wife was going to be very unhappy with the post-calibration results in view of the money spent. In the end, he called me back 6 weeks later, as his wife wanted to have the TV she watched upstairs during the day calibrated.

Still, I've worked for well over a thousand customers, but only in about 25 cases was the person who hired me a woman. From this, I get the impression that more and more women do genuinely appreciate the difference in HDTV, but for most it's still a relatively low priority and not something they are avid about.

After all, it's only TV... ;)
...or
They REALLY love their husbands, who love TV....and they like to know how/why everything works....and he doesn't care how anything works...as long as it does!

Yes, that's an adequate description...and after almost 18 years of being together....

Robert Simandl

06-15-09, 10:10 PM

As if there's not enough going on in the world to get p.o.'ed about, now the FCC is TELLING broadcasters to do more multicasting....

From today's SkyReport (http://www.mediabiz.com/news/skyreport/):

Copps Calls On Broadcasters to Embrace Multicast Opportunities

Television programmers should take advantage of their extra bandwidth now that the digital broadcasting transition is passed to offer more diverse niche programming, acting FCC Chairman Michael Copps said during a conference call over the weekend.

"How is the American public going to be benefited by this?" he asked, highlighting the fact that broadcasters now have access to multicast channels that can be used to offer ethnic any multicultural programming. "I don't think we have done a particularly outstanding job of covering it in the analog age," Copps said of this diverse programming, "but I think here is an opportunity to do it here in the digital age."

If done properly, Copps added, the approach could help rejuvenate the broadcasting business.

Kurt K

06-15-09, 11:26 PM

Kurt,

Just wanted to say thanks for the quick review and comments. I hope you had a good chance to check out the results in more detail over the weekend.

I was able to check out Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals and the game looked great, and as a side benefit had the outcome that I wanted :D

I also checked out Transporter 3, again the picture looked great.

Kurt K

06-15-09, 11:33 PM

tstolze

06-16-09, 01:25 AM

Originally Posted by kjohnson View Post
TV listings back in Vista Media Center.

No listings for KDNL. Listings are fine on STBs. It's a Vista thing. Anybody else suffering no listings in Vista Media Center?

I had none as of late last night, I was hopeful they would get it fixed this week..

All is well tonight, guide data for all channels. :)

jedi35

06-16-09, 02:05 AM

Hmmm...I checked out all my OTA channels on the HR20 on the 12th and everything was coming in as good as before.

I also echo Kurt's praise of Doug's work. It's been awhile since he calibrated my 53" Pioneer, but it's still looking good today. It had been sitting dormant for months, as I've been enjoying a 1080p pj. However, I'm concerned about the hours I'm stacking up on the bulb, so I revived the second theater room. The Pioneer powered up and displayed the same beautiful picture I'd remembered. Convergence was still spot on.

Off topic...I've got some car issues. My lovely, peppy '03 Volkswagen GTI has a broken timing belt and lies waiting for the warranty company to sort things out. I might be looking at thousands in repair if the engine damage isn't covered. Things won't be ready in time for me to drive the car to MI this weekend for my summer job. Car rentals and other expenses have drained me, so I'm wanting to see if anyone has any ideas on the least expensive way I might be able to get up to Interlochen. At this point, I'd consider almost anything. Know anybody going that way? Need a second driver or just some company? Gotta love my luck with cars.

Adrian

ProjectSHO89

06-16-09, 06:40 AM

Anybody else with a D* HR20 have problems viewing OTA since the transition? I've reset and rescanned the OTA channels and verified signal strengths over 93% on everything, yet when I try to tune 2-1 or 4-1, I get the searching for signal message....5-1 comes in fine. On my other TV with built-in digital tuner, all St. Louis channels tune in just fine. What am I missing?

Kurt,

If your HR20 worked on June 11th, it should still work now as nothing changed on the 12th except to turn off the analogs. The last change around here was when channel 4 moved from UHF56 to UHF24 replacing Larry Rice's 24 which moved to UHF14.

Back then, it was necessary to delete the HR20's channel memory and perform a rescan. This allowed the new assignments to be read properly.

I've passed this tip on to a number of users, all but one reported it worked.

Kurt K

06-16-09, 08:06 AM

Kurt,

If your HR20 worked on June 11th, it should still work now as nothing changed on the 12th except to turn off the analogs. The last change around here was when channel 4 moved from UHF56 to UHF24 replacing Larry Rice's 24 which moved to UHF14.

Back then, it was necessary to delete the HR20's channel memory and perform a rescan. This allowed the new assignments to be read properly.

I've passed this tip on to a number of users, all but one reported it worked.

I agree that the channels should be working. Ironically, when I select the "analog" channel in my guide, I do get a signal and picture. Is it possible that 2 and 4 have dropped the "-1" on the HR20? I know I still use the dash numbers on my Panasonic LCD and everything comes in.

And I forgot to mention in my previous post that on Saturday, channel 11-1 was showing some infomercial on my HR-20 and a movie on the Panasonic:confused:

Kurt K

06-16-09, 11:32 PM

Well, my HR20 can no longer find 5-1 either. Is it possible the D* is just letting me see 2,4,5 and not their -1 sub channel? 5-2 can still be found.

ProjectSHO89

06-17-09, 07:07 AM

Well, my HR20 can no longer find 5-1 either. Is it possible the D* is just letting me see 2,4,5 and not their -1 sub channel? 5-2 can still be found.

My HR20-700 is still working perfectly this morning.... including all the sub-channels.

Perform the delete-all and rescan exercise since you didn't say that you have done so.

dabrooks

06-17-09, 02:36 PM

TV listings back in Vista Media Center.

No listings for KDNL. Listings are fine on STBs. It's a Vista thing. Anybody else suffering no listings in Vista Media Center?

There was a loss of stations in many cities, I experienced the KDNL loss here. Microsoft was taking reports at a website (name escapes me, though it is referenced in a post here maybe 2 months ago) and resolving one by one. The KDNL issue dragged on so I installed "Media Center TV Pack 2008" which effectively "upgraded" WMCE for Vista, and, because it uses a differnet source for programming info, resolved the issue. I highly recommend this upgrade, can easily be found using a Google search.

kjohnson

06-17-09, 03:09 PM

Originally Posted by kjohnson View Post
TV listings back in Vista Media Center.

No listings for KDNL. Listings are fine on STBs. It's a Vista thing. Anybody else suffering no listings in Vista Media Center?

All is well tonight, guide data for all channels. :)

Thanks for the heads up. I'll check the minute my machine is back up and running. I had to make an emergency hard drive purchased (Drive died while downloading the True Blood premiere).

Although I'm still having that "Download Failed: TV Options cannot be downloaded" issue.

Joseph Clark

06-17-09, 08:36 PM

So, this is no endorsement, but the deal of the day seems to be this 720p DLP projector, the InFocus X9, for $580 from TigerDirect.com. (http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4490482&pagenumber=1&RSort=1&csid=ITD&recordsPerPage=5&body=#ReviewStart) Ridiculous!

Pros: extremely bright, accurate color, sharp image.
Cons: not very flexible (no lens shift, small zoom range, limited calibration functions), black levels mediocre, contrast not great, 2x color wheel (rainbow artifacts, if you're prone to seeing them).

According to the review, (http://www.projectorreviews.com/infocus/X9/index.php)this is a great way to get into front projection, and at this price it's absurd how affordable it is. Put this image up on a 100" screen and my guess is you'd be wowed.

1tempi

06-18-09, 09:26 PM

Left Jeff

06-18-09, 10:43 PM

I have been unable to receive KETC here in the Edwardsville IL area since the trees fully leafed out this spring, so kind of figured I'd have to wait until they dropped off to get it back! But tonight I tried just pressing 39 on my remote and HSN came in instead of KETC. It didn't come in very well, but it makes me wonder - should HSN's signal be received on my TV at 38 AND 39?

Hey, I'm in Edwardsville too. I can pick up all the stations, including KETC.

HSN should definitely not be coming in on channel 39. The only thing I can think of is that tuner automatically goes to closest station?

What kind of antenna are you using? preamp or amp?

Can you do a signal strength test? What is the strength?

But just to be clear: you did receive it until just recently?

Joseph Clark

06-19-09, 12:24 PM

Again, not an endorsement, but TigerDirect.com has the Infocus X10 home theater projector for $1,322.12/shipped to St. Louis. (http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4490483&CatId=4253) This 1080p DLP is bright and sharp, has excellent color and a 4x color wheel (fewer rainbows). Still no lens shift, unfortunately, so a ceiling mount is most likely necessary. It's over twice the price of the one I linked the other day, but it's full 1080p.

Hope you guys don't mind these posts (let me know if you do, and I'll stop), but I'm always on the lookout for a good deal that will help people get into front projection inexpensively. I'm hooked on big screen home theater and I love to see that Eureka moment on peoples' faces when they realize how great it would be to have their own 100" or more theater.

Infocus isn't exactly a household name, but they're known for having really bright projectors with accurate colors and very sharp images out of the box. They also don't implement lens shift, which is the single biggest problem in terms of placement with these units. They usually need to be mounted up high, or you have to get creative and tilt both the screen and the projector to get the right angle.

Here's a review. (http://www.projectorreviews.com/infocus/X10/index.php)

1tempi

06-19-09, 08:36 PM

Hey, I'm in Edwardsville too. I can pick up all the stations, including KETC.

HSN should definitely not be coming in on channel 39. The only thing I can think of is that tuner automatically goes to closest station?

What kind of antenna are you using? preamp or amp?

Can you do a signal strength test? What is the strength?

But just to be clear: you did receive it until just recently?

I'm going to chalk it up to the leaves, although I may call the person who installed my roof antenna to see if it has shifted in the recent storms! I don't have a preamp or amp. I get other stations pretty well - just not KETC. My tuner does not pick up either KETC or HSN during an autoscan. Tonight, when I enter 38 manually, HSN displays very weekly and the signal strength is too low to register. Manually entering 39 isn't causing HSN or KETC to display, unlike yesterday.

Just thought I'd ask if anyone else was having problems before I call out the antenna guy! Thanks.

Dan in St. Louis

06-19-09, 11:12 PM

I may call the person who installed my roof antenna to see if it has shifted in the recent storms
Or if water got into the coaxial cable or a transformer or splitter.

Kurt K

06-20-09, 01:25 AM

My HR20-700 is still working perfectly this morning.... including all the sub-channels.

Perform the delete-all and rescan exercise since you didn't say that you have done so.
Well, I already did that 3 separate times when the problem first showed up. I'm heading to bed now, but I will try again in the morning.

kalon74

06-20-09, 10:57 AM

Hey, I'm in Edwardsville too. I can pick up all the stations, including KETC.

HSN should definitely not be coming in on channel 39. The only thing I can think of is that tuner automatically goes to closest station?

What kind of antenna are you using? preamp or amp?

Can you do a signal strength test? What is the strength?

But just to be clear: you did receive it until just recently?

I'm in O'Fallon and for the last month or so Channel 9 is gone. No sgnal at all. Nothing changed on my end. I get all other channels at between 90 and 100%, except for channel 30 which is around 80%. I've useed antennaweb.org to point the antenna directly at KETC's tower, but no luck. It seems their power actually dropped or something. Any hints? FYI, I am splitting and amplifying the signal to several tv's.

Jane B.

06-20-09, 11:09 AM

I'm in O'Fallon and for the last month or so Channel 9 is gone. No sgnal at all. Nothing changed on my end. I get all other channels at between 90 and 100%, except for channel 30 which is around 80%. I've useed antennaweb.org to point the antenna directly at KETC's tower, but no luck. It seems their power actually dropped or something. Any hints? FYI, I am splitting and amplifying the signal to several tv's.

I am in Centralia and KETC digital has always been iffy for me. I have the best chance of getting it at night but even then I never know until I try it. Their web site does offer some hope of improvement. So, you might want to look at http://www.ketc.org/dtv/

Jane

PS
You may want to look at this site that was given by someone in an earlier post (sorry I have forgotten who) http://www.fcc.gov/mb/engineering/maps/ it seems to give more exact location of towers in relation to your location. Putting in your city and state seems to work the best.

Dan in St. Louis

06-20-09, 05:15 PM

Any hints? FYI, I am splitting and amplifying the signal to several tv's.
Hint: Amplify first, then split.

kalon74

06-20-09, 06:17 PM

Hint: Amplify first, then split.

Actually it is spilt AND amplify :) I have a 32db amp/splitter (8db to each of 4 legs). It was all working fine until a month or so ago... Thanks for the suggestions. I'll keep at it!

Mike

kalon74

06-20-09, 06:24 PM

I am in Centralia and KETC digital has always been iffy for me. I have the best chance of getting it at night but even then I never know until I try it. Their web site does offer some hope of improvement. So, you might want to look at http://www.ketc.org/dtv/

Jane

PS
You may want to look at this site that was given by someone in an earlier post (sorry I have forgotten who) http://www.fcc.gov/mb/engineering/maps/ it seems to give more exact location of towers in relation to your location. Putting in your city and state seems to work the best.

Good news that they seem to be making enhancements and it will be done withing 2 months. I seem to remember reading something a few months ago about upping the power a little and raising the antenna as well. I hope that will do it for me!

moman19

06-21-09, 10:56 AM

I am in Centralia and KETC digital has always been iffy for me. I have the best chance of getting it at night but even then I never know until I try it. Their web site does offer some hope of improvement. So, you might want to look at http://www.ketc.org/dtv/

Jane

One would think they could at least keep this page current. The following info below from their web site is sadly outdated:

"What digital options does Channel 9 offer?

*
9.1 - KETCHD
*
9.2 - KETC Kids: 24-hour PBS programming for children
*
9.3 - KETC: Digital simulcast of analog channel
*
9.4 - KETC Create: 24-hour how-to and lifestyle programs"

The main channel is now 9.1. The national PBS HD feed that used to be on 9.1 is sadly no more. 9.3 is now PBS World.

Dan in St. Louis

06-21-09, 05:51 PM

I was trying to watch the British GP race on 2.1 this afternoon and periodically the screen would go black and the "information block" naming the channel, resolution, etc appeared in the upper left, just as it does when I first switch to a new channel. Samsung DLP receiver direct from OTA antenna with 9 to 10 bars of signal strength.

Has anyone had problems with 2 intermittently dropping out, or is this my set?

Thanks!

Left Jeff

06-22-09, 07:57 AM

ProjectSHO89

06-22-09, 08:00 AM

cool.

55-1, Fox from Spirngfield, IL was coming in this morning. A nice strong signal. Tivo signal strength was around 52. I guess that's not really "sper strong", but it was steady and usually anything above the low 40's comes in without breakups.

I guess it's the summer sun.

Pre-dawn tropospherics, more likely. The signal will likely go away as soon as the sun comes up and charges the atmosphere a little bit.

Kurt K

06-22-09, 09:34 AM

Well, I guess the 4th times a charm. After deleting and rescanning my OTA, I'm once again seeing 2-1, 4-1 and 5-1. The only thing I did differently this time is I redid the satellite stuff in the receiver also (which I know should affect anything OTA). Anyway, I'm up and running again.

Joseph Clark

06-22-09, 04:41 PM

Anyone here have the Palm Pre? I've been checking it out at Best Buy and the Sprint store, and the Web browser just blows my Instinct out of the water for speed and quality. My contract is up the first of July, and I'm thinking about switching. The apps are not iPhone-like yet, but neither were the iPhone's when it debuted. There's an awful lot to like about the Pre, including it's incredible screen.

DroptheRemote

06-22-09, 07:09 PM

Joseph Clark

06-22-09, 07:42 PM

Joe,

I had been limping along with a Palm Treo 650, which I really liked, but time had clearly passed it by.

So about 10 days ago, I bought the Pre at Best Buy. Loving most things about it. I agree with you on the lack of apps, but there's already a major OS hacking exercise going on, so I expect there will be quite a bit of stuff happening even before the SDK is released to developers at the end of the summer.

I'll try to come back shortly with my take on the early pros/cons, but feel free to fire away if you have any specific questions.

Thanks, Doug. I've been very happy with my Instinct, but the one area where it clearly lags is the Web browser. The Pre WebOS is just beautiful and the browser loads and runs so much better than the Instinct's. Also, the Pre screen is amazingly. Sprint's Navigation program looks to be the same as the Instinct's - a real plus with its real time traffic updates as a part of the service.

One area where I lag far behind is Instant Messaging - I'm a real messaging-retard. How do you like it on the Pre? I understand Pandora is one of the free apps. Have you tried that? There are also rumors that Slingplayer is coming to the Pre. Have you heard anything there?

I got a short hands-on at the Sprint store today, and spent most of my time in the browser. It was seductive. I know the app situation is light, since the Pre was just released a few days ago, but everything I've read says that will change quickly.

DroptheRemote

06-22-09, 11:12 PM

Joseph Clark

06-23-09, 12:05 AM

Joe,

To answer your specific questions:

I don't do much instant messaging, so I haven't really investigated this area. I played around with Twitter in the waning days of my 650, but blew a gasket when I found that all the stupid, pointless Tweets I was receiving was costing me 20 cents a pop. With the Pre at least, instant messaging is part of the all-in data plan, but I still don't see a lot of point in either IM or Twitter. Sorry that I can't be more help there.

I have heard that a Sling app is in the works, but don't know any more than that. I only discovered Pandora last week when I first dived into the Pre, and I love it. One of my concerns about the Pre going in was that it's only 8GB storage, but with Pandora, I don't see the need for loading much, if anything, in the way of MP3s. I've already created the 100 maximum Pandora "stations," and while it might be nice to have a hundred or two more, I think 100 is enough. Also, I have Pandora set for high quality, and that generally works well when I have access to the 3G network, but it drops out and cuts off completely when I'm off the 3G grid. Unfortunately I don't have 3G coverage at home, though it looks like a tower upgrade is in the works. The Pre does work well with my WiFi at home.

The browser is very good, and I'm especially pleased in how it works with Google Reader (I'm an RSS addict). One mixed blessing on the browser is that it currently doesn't support Flash, but there was an announcement earlier today that it will ultimately support the upcoming Flash 10, probably sometime in 1Q 2010.

I agree with you on the Sprint Navigation. I used it twice last week for a couple of jobs in remote areas of central Illinois and it was superb.

However, there is one big drawback on Sprint Navigation, though it seems the source of the problem actually lies with Synergy, the supposedly unified Contacts management system included with the Pre. The problem is that SN only allows you to use contact addresses for those contacts that you have entered via the Palm Profile part of the database. This means that if I enter a contact in Gmail, that contact cannot be accessed via SN -- unless I re-enter the contact record as a Palm Profile contact.

Worse, if I create my new contact record as Palm Profile contacts, the contacts don't sync back to my Gmail contacts, so I have to recreate them in Gmail. I thought (apparently in error) that the whole point of Synergy was that it would aggregate and sync my contacts for me, so that I didn't need to think about where contacts live and/or where they should be created. The aggregation part works OK in the Pre Contact Manager, but making use of those contacts in the various Palm applications is restricted, and therefore flat-out useless.

I'm not sure that I fully understand the ins and outs of the Contacts issue, so it's possible that I am missing something. But from what I've read on the various Pre forums, I'm not the only one that finds this lacking. Getting this fixed so that contacts are synced more logically and made universally available for all Pre apps looks to be very high on a lot of initial wish lists.

On the other hand, the eMail application is excellent. I have five primary eMail accounts, and for the past couple of years I have been using Gmail on the web as my eMail aggregator, and I've been really pleased with how it works. The key benefits of Gmail for me is the excellent spam management (it's virtually invisible) and the use of Labels.

I initially set up my Pre eMail on an account-by-account basis, but this proved to be a bit awkward and the spam that leaked through was a show-stopper. So, I took a step back and restricted my eMail accounts in Pre to just GMail (in IMAP mode). The way I have Gmail configured now, my eMails are filtered and assigned labels for each of my five accounts and each appears in my Gmail Inbox. I then have my Gmail inbox as one of my Pre "favorites," along with other Gmail folders for my individual accounts (so that I can still look at eMail on an account-by-account basis) and the system folders such as Drafts, Sent Mail, Spam, etc. This configuration allows me to pretty much replicate on the Pre the way I use Gmail via a normal browser.

In addition, I can "hide" all of my other Gmail folders. For example, I have prospect folders organized by state, and while I don't need access to these on an everyday basis, when I do need them they are critical. In the Pre application, they are readily accessible but they're invisible until I need them. That keeps things nice and organized.

Also, with IMAP, when I read or delete an eMail on my desktop PC via Gmail, it will show up as read or deleted on the Pre (and vice versa). And that works for all my eMail accounts, not just Gmail. Brilliant!

One other thing to bear in mind about the Pre and apps is that it can make use of virtually all of the iPhone web apps that were created before Apple opened up its system, published an SDK and opened up the Apps Store. Of course, those iPhone web apps tend to be a bit one-dimensional, and that's no doubt why Apple broke down and opened up the iPhone API to developers.

Let me know if you have any follow-up questions.

Thanks for the reveiw, Doug. The 'Contacts' issue is strange. I haven't seen a reference to it in the reviews I've been reading over the last couple of weeks. It's supposed to be a real strength of the Pre. I'm sure that's one of those version 1.0 issues they'll work out.

I've heard the word "brilliant" applied to several Pre ideas. The main developer worked on the iPhone. I read that Apple is grousing about their IP rights, but I think they might have a real fight on their hands if they decide to take Palm to court. Apparently, Palm has a whole bunch of patents they might enjoy slapping Apple around with if they're pushed. That could be interesting in and of itself.

I don't tweet or message, either, but I think I might like to educate myself to the process for the sake of some relatives I have in other cities. I think it might actually help me stay in touch better. As you point out, the beauty of the Sprint plan is that it includes texting, photos, IM, Internet, phone, EVERYTHING - for $99/month, $69 if like me you don't go over 450 minutes on the phone. That includes the voice guided GPS with live traffic updates, too. Those things cost a lot more with other carriers.

I've just started to read about Pandora, and I got a chance to try it out today at the Sprint store. I think you're right about not having to worry about MP3s on the device if you have Pandora. Killer free app.

I've read a few things about the possible Slingplayer support. I hope they add it. Talk about a real killer app. Having access to my Dish DVR from anywhere is extremely attractive. Now Dish has to resolve its Tivo issues and get the 922 out.

The WebOS browser is just a joy to work with. I know a lot of people are happy enough with the Instinct browser, but for me it's the weakest link in the device. If the Instinct had something close to the Pre's browser, I wouldn't even be looking at the Pre. I don't really need enough of the extras the Pre brings to the table - but that browser - Wow! And it's just at version 1.0!

OK, my only on topic comment is that the last Episodes of Eli Stone are airing. Check out Saturday evenings. I think they have 3 more before it's officially adios. They're also re-airing Castle, right before or after. If you didn't catch it, Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic have a Booth and Bones kind of on-screen chemistry that I really like. I also think it's the best work Nathion Fillion has ever done on TV. Castle is returning in the fall.

I didn't notice any sound issues on KDNL, Jim, while I was watching these shows.

DroptheRemote

06-23-09, 11:02 AM

Joseph Clark

06-23-09, 02:18 PM

On the potential for an intellectual property donnybrook between Palm and Apple, I'd hate to see that happen.

The whole point of patent (and copyright) is to spur innovation (and the creation of unique content). While IP holders definitely deserve reasonable protection for truly unique and valuable ideas and works, the current state of intellectual property review and administration too often produces results that retard innovation and development to the detriment of the consumers it is supposed to benefit.

Patent grants have become way too broad and copyright has been stretched well beyond the life of the author to the point where it more resembles an inter-generational trust fund. Likewise, the "fair use" rights of consumers are under hostile attack on all fronts.

If this sort of thing is of interest to you, I highly recommend the Techdirt blog, which monitors the world of intellectual property in an amusing and always informative way.

Techdirt: http://www.techdirt.com/

Techdirt RSS: http://feeds.techdirt.com/techdirt/feed

I agree completely about the patent laws. Seems they're being abused to stifle the innovations they're supposed to protect. That needs to change. I don't want to see a legal battle between Apple and Palm, either (though it would be interesting). And much as I dislike Apple's premium prices over the years, the competition has been great for the computer industry in general.

I do get irritated when people seem blinded to other products when Apple introduces something like the iPod or the iPhone. There are cheaper alternatives that actually do some things better. For instance, there are news pieces that say things like, "The Palm Pre, not even close to an iPhone," then go on to document several things the Pre does better than the iPhone. Huh?

Robert Simandl

06-24-09, 09:48 PM

Testing one two three....

Trying out my new $150 netbook from zipzoomfly. Actually it's now a $180 netbook since I realized very early on the 512mb of ram wouldn't cut it, and replaced it with 2 gigs from crucial.com. Still seems a bit sluggish... this ain't one of the new netbooks with an Atom processor, it's the original first EeePC with a 900mHz Celeron and a 7" screen.

Posting this message courtesy of a neighbor's unsecured wireless router :D

wmschultz

06-25-09, 08:57 AM

Posting this message courtesy of a neighbor's unsecured wireless router :D

http://www.wisegeek.com/is-it-stealing-to-use-someone-elses-wireless-internet-service.htm

DroptheRemote

06-25-09, 10:18 AM

http://www.wisegeek.com/is-it-stealing-to-use-someone-elses-wireless-internet-service.htmBy any rational definition, this is not stealing.

Theft means that someone has made it impossible for you to make use of your property by removing it from your control. Likewise, it doesn't wash that an open Internet connection is akin to an open door that gives you the right to enter and abscond with your neighbor's plasma TV. That would involve physical trespass, which is, of course, illegal.

Rather, leaving open an Internet connection is like leaving a basket of food in the public square at night and expecting it will be untouched by the time you feel hungry tomorrow. If you're lucky there will be some left for you, but any expectations for the security of your food in that scenario relies too much on hope and too little on reason.

All that said, while there are several open Internet connections nearby me at this very moment, I don't find them attractive or useful, for the very reason that they are unsecured.

Just my two cents...

RaceTripper

06-25-09, 10:44 AM

Joseph Clark

06-25-09, 11:17 AM

Blockbuster will rent you a Blu-ray disc for $1.99 for one day, including new releases. (http://www.homemediamagazine.com/blockbuster/blockbuster-kiosks-offer-199-new-releases-including-blu-ray-16183) I also read the other day that they expect $50 Blu-ray players by next year. Not surprising, since we've seen them already for as little as $99.

Joseph Clark

06-25-09, 11:24 AM

Toshiba apparently is ready to go Blu-ray, despite the failure of its HD DVD format. (http://www.homecinemachoice.com/blogs/dvd+addict/toshiba+may+back+blu+ray+after+all+were+keeping+options+open +says+chairman+25+06+09)

Reminds me of a Sony ad late in the VHS/Beta war. It covered 2 magazine pages and read: "Never, never, never..." (turn to see the next page) "never better - Sony VHS." After they lost the VCR war to the VHS camp, Sony had vowed never to release their own VHS recorder. In the end they had to stop pouting and join the party.

wmschultz

06-25-09, 07:10 PM

RaceTripper

06-25-09, 07:15 PM

I actually have :DYou so bad. :p

Robert Simandl

06-25-09, 08:07 PM

BTW, I just posted that as a test of my new netbook's wireless capability. Once I saw that it indeed worked, I signed up with AT&T to use their wireless hotspots around town. Couple that with my own wired network at home, I have no need or intention of leeching off my neighbor's unsecured network. So there....

RaceTripper

06-25-09, 08:18 PM

tstolze

06-26-09, 03:08 AM

I side more with Doug on this. I'm of the opinion that if you are concerned about someone utilizing your wireless/ISP bandwidth then you need to learn to secure your network, or have someone do it for you.

I've seen wireless access points that are not only open, but that have open admin access. I could have locked those people out of their own wireless if I wanted to. :rolleyes:

A few years back, a buddy and I used to look for shared printers on open networks....I believe a few printers were sharing thoughts with the owner! :eek:

Seemed scary that they figured out how to share the printer, but couldn't secure the network...

DroptheRemote

06-26-09, 08:53 AM

Speaking of bandwidth, I saw this earlier today on Techdirt and it made me wonder about Charter and its recently introduced bandwidth limits:

If You're Going To Meter Broadband, Shouldn't You At Least Make Sure The Meters Work? (http://techdirt.com/articles/20090625/1913105366.shtml)

So, I'm wondering if anyone has had experience with Charter broadband where they've gone over the bandwidth cap. I'd be specifically interested to know if you were previously aware of the cap limit, if you actually believe you exceeded said cap, and finally how much the "penalty" fees amounted to per GB or whatever measure Charter uses.

I've been treading lightly on the downloads the past couple of months, and I've also been out of town a fair bit, so I haven't gotten caught in the net -- yet. Only a matter of time, I think...

Joseph Clark

06-26-09, 10:46 AM

Robert Simandl

06-26-09, 10:47 AM

Sorry Doug, my Charter connection goes completely DEAD far too often for me to get anywhere near the caps even if I tried!

Joseph Clark

06-26-09, 11:07 AM

"For 74%, the main attraction of the cinema is the large screen." (http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/movies/2009/06/25/2009-06-25_filmgoers_still_love_movies_on_big_screen.html)

That's the conclusion of an online poll about why people would rather go to a movie theater than watch something at home. I've been claiming that for over 30 years. The missing link for most between the home and the theater is the size of the screen.

The inescapable conclusion here? Projectors are the first and most important step toward having an experience that rivals one at a public theater. Put a big, big screen in the home with a projector, take away the expense and discomfort of a typical public theater, and there's no contest. Home theater wins.

BTW, the article points out that despite the perception that a public theater is a place to make out, few people actually do that. YMMV.

wmschultz

06-26-09, 01:22 PM

BTW, the article points out that despite the perception that a public theater is a place to make out, few people actually do that. YMMV.

I don't know...back in the day I missed a few movies :cool:

Robert Simandl

06-26-09, 11:52 PM

Sorry Doug, my Charter connection goes completely DEAD far too often for me to get anywhere near the caps even if I tried!

Funny I just went off on Charter this morning. When I got home from work tonight, my PC's desktop looked like this:

http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/2695/charterdesktop.jpg

Pretty sad when my neighbor's unsecured wi-fi gives me a more reliable connection than the top dollar 16meg "service" I pay Charter for! :mad:

Joseph Clark

06-27-09, 12:00 AM

Happens all the time to me, too, Bob.

Robert Simandl

06-27-09, 12:16 AM

tstolze

06-27-09, 02:41 AM

Sad thing is, those error messages on the right side of the screen are from the software that notifies me when I've sold something on Amazon. It checks once every hour, so my connection's been dead nearly every hour for the last ten hours!

It took me nearly 15 minutes to print a shipping label at fedex.com tonight because my connection died THREE TIMES during the process.

So does anybody here actually LIKE their high speed internet provider, and if so, who is it? Thinking about dumping Charter again....

Thanks!

I think all providers have issues, some respond better than others. I have Centurytel , with you being in St. Peters you are either served by ATT or Centurytel. Both will offer service without a phone line, if it's ATT, check out Uverse, if you can live with only 2 HD feeds. Centurytel partners with Dish. Centurytel offers up to 10/768, Uverse offers 18/1.5, this can be slower depending on your TV bandwith usage. Each line is provisioned at 25 down, so if you are watching 2 hd feeds you may get 12-15 down. I left Charter due to billing issues, I had little problem with the service for the 12 months I had them.

Joseph Clark

06-27-09, 07:19 PM

Here's a neat trick:

Go to Bing and enter the search word "monitor." (http://www.bing.com/?FORM=MFEHPG&PUBL=Google&CREA=userid1743go51d367c64cb6b50c6d8b0b7fe5f35618)

At the top of the search results, look for the little gold medallion after TigerDirect.com "Get 15% Cash Back!!" If you don't see Tigerdirect.com, click the refresh button until you do. Click on the link that says, "Bing cashback." You have to enter the TigerDirect.com web site using this method.

Once in TigerDirect, do a search on "Infocus X10." Add it to the cart. Go to your cart and enter your zip code. You should get a final number of about $1,322.12. Subtract the Bing cashback amount and your total after is $1,117.12. That's the cost for a 1080p DLP projector delivered from TigerDirect to St. Louis.

Be sure to read the Bing cashback terms of service, since you have to set up an account with them for this to be valid. Set up your account (do this before finalizing your order) and make sure you abide by all the other rules. 1080p for just over $1,100. Add an inexpensive 100" screen, darken the room, and you have your own personal big screen home theater for the cost of many 42" LCDs. Sweet!

Try other keywords, such as "laptop," if you're not in the market for a projector. 15% off for those, too. I think you can get up to $2,500 off products in a year using this technique.

Nuzy

06-27-09, 11:08 PM

Sad thing is, those error messages on the right side of the screen are from the software that notifies me when I've sold something on Amazon. It checks once every hour, so my connection's been dead nearly every hour for the last ten hours!

It took me nearly 15 minutes to print a shipping label at fedex.com tonight because my connection died THREE TIMES during the process.

So does anybody here actually LIKE their high speed internet provider, and if so, who is it? Thinking about dumping Charter again....

Thanks!

I've had AT&T DSL ever since we moved into our house, so a little over 7 years. Other than when the power goes out, I have NEVER lost my internet connection - no BS (even then I get it back as soon as I crank up the generator). It's been rock solid for that long. You can't get the speed you're looking for, but you asked if anyone liked their provider, I'm one of them. Unfortunately, I think the highest speed is something like 6 down, but that's plenty adequate for my purposes.

reuthermonkey

06-29-09, 11:29 AM

The first thing I thought when I heard about the bandwidth caps all the ISPs started throwing at us was that it flies in the face of all the dire predictions about Blu-ray and DVD rental decline. Those who see us doing all our TV and movie viewing online probably didn't count on 100GB/month download limits. I shouldn't have too much to worry about with the Charter limits, if they can keep track of my actual usage, since I don't download much. But, I'm going to have to watch my bills a lot closer now. I don't trust them to be able to do that.
Your logic is backwards. The *reason* ISPs are capping their service is to ENSURE there is no demise of Blu-ray. Their costs of providing bandwidth have absolutely plummeted, yet they've raised their prices and instituted caps. Want evidence that bandwidth is getting dirt-cheap? Check out Verizon's FIOS pricing and speeds.

As for the data caps, they are a direct attack at very consumer-friendly services like Xbox Live and Netflix which provide High-Definition content at prices low enough to stifle adoption of Blu-ray (and can even compete with Cable TV subscriptions). The premise that Blu-ray will be a success is dependent on it being the sole medium for High-Definition film content. You ever wonder why the RIAA is all over the news suing everyone they can, yet the MPAA has gone quiet the past few years? They used to be right there with the RIAA, but they're suddenly out of the news. Why? Because they know that working with the ISPs to set caps is much, much easier. A 100GB cap means you can only watch about 10 movies a month on that internet connection. Most consumers won't want to use up that much bandwidth on what they're told is a "limited" resource.

reuthermonkey

06-29-09, 11:32 AM

So does anybody here actually LIKE their high speed internet provider, and if so, who is it? Thinking about dumping Charter again....

When I lived in KC, I used to LOVE Time Warner Cable. Great speeds, no caps, stable, and much better prices than Charter.

After I moved to STL, I chose ATT because of everything I heard about Charter. While the speeds are slower, they're fast enough for everything I need, and they're much cheaper than Charter. Stable, and no caps too.

Joseph Clark

06-29-09, 11:38 AM

Your logic is backwards. The *reason* ISPs are capping their service is to ENSURE there is no demise of Blu-ray. Their costs of providing bandwidth have absolutely plummeted, yet they've raised their prices and instituted caps. Want evidence that bandwidth is getting dirt-cheap? Check out Verizon's FIOS pricing and speeds.

As for the data caps, they are a direct attack at very consumer-friendly services like Xbox Live and Netflix which provide High-Definition content at prices low enough to stifle adoption of Blu-ray (and can even compete with Cable TV subscriptions). The premise that Blu-ray will be a success is dependent on it being the sole medium for High-Definition film content. You ever wonder why the RIAA is all over the news suing everyone they can, yet the MPAA has gone quiet the past few years? They used to be right there with the RIAA, but they're suddenly out of the news. Why? Because they know that working with the ISPs to set caps is much, much easier. A 100GB cap means you can only watch about 10 movies a month on that internet connection. Most consumers won't want to use up that much bandwidth on what they're told is a "limited" resource.

Huh?

jdiehl

06-29-09, 02:07 PM

Anyone here have the Palm Pre?

I've been looking very hard at it (currently own a Moto Q9C and had the original MotoQ before that).

After much consideration, I'm going to wait for the Palm Pre 2 sometime next year (or whenever), or if they have a firmware update to fix alot of the current showstoppers/deal killers for me:

-no internet tethering (this is my #1 complaint, as I use my MotoQ on a daily basis to tether to my laptop in places where I can't get free wi-fi or I don't want to be on my corporate network). Yes, it has a 5GB monthly limit on the "unlimited" data plans, but I've rarely even approached 1GB even with daily surfing and streaming stock quotes running for 8hrs. Not having this capability would mean adding a $60/month data card for my laptop. Or, adding a 3rd line (keeping the MotoQ on it) and paying $20/month and using my MotoQ as a tethering device all of the time.

-the keyboard is small/cramped. I send about 4000 texts and 100's of emails from my phone each month, so this is a biggy. Both sides of the keyboard are hindered by the plastic case that it's contained in, making it difficult to reach those keys with adult male sized thumbs.

-no onscreen keyboard. This is a big deal with the browser (when viewed in landscape mode). So you rotate the phone to see the webpage more like a desktop monitor, but now you have no way to type anything in without flipping it back and using the flipout keyboard?

-no expansion slot (8GB might seem like alot now, but whatever internal memory you start out with on the current "it" device, you usually fill it up eventually)

-no flash support in the browser. This might change with updates, but I use the Skyfire browser on my MotoQ (Win Mobile 6.1 OS) and it has full Flash support allowing me to view pretty much any website (full desktop versions). ie. places like YouTube without having to use a dumbed down mobile website/app.

Two things that I can't even believe they left out, but will hopefully add with an update:

-no video recording (why upgrade with a really nice camera in the phone, but limit it to still pictures? Just plain stupid)

-no voice dialing. Wow, just wow. In this day and age, to not be able to voice dial is unexecusable. I'm guessing this won't go over to well in California or other stats with hands-free motoring laws. I couldn't imagine having to go back to actually pulling up a contact, finding the number I want, and then hitting something to dial that number. In the car, or wherever I have my bluetooth headset on (or if I'm using speakerphone), it's so easy to just naturally speak an instruction and have the phone dial the correct number. I think this is a Microsoft app though, as part of Windows Mobile, and maybe that's the holdup in that Palm doesn't have an app that compares (yet)?

Anyway, that's my 2 cents after playing with the Pre for a couple of hours at the Sprint Store and Best Buy. Very impressive piece of hardware, and a good start to an iPhone/Blackberry/Windows Mobile alternative, but not quite ready for primetime IMHO (like many 1st generation gizmos that are a little late to the party). For now, I'll stick with my trusty MotoQ9C (that's made several 3-4ft drops to concrete and has always survived) and wait for a Palm Pre v2.

Joseph Clark

06-29-09, 03:59 PM

***********************

OFF TOPIC Warning: Skip this if an OT post will bother you.

***********************

Thanks for the perspective. I've tried it out at Best Buy and Sprint, also, and I have some of the same concerns. I'm still deciding if I want to put up with those issues or wait for the next iteration. It's an enticing phone, and I've read that most of those issues are being addressed. Some people have managed to tether the phone to their laptops already, although Sprint will no doubt have some things to say about that. Technically, it's not a problem - just a matter of Sprint working out the details. The voice dialing issue is surprising. I'd have thought they'd make it a top priority.

Anyway, I have a few days before I decide if I want one. My Instinct is a really good phone, and it does things like voice dialing already. I'll probably wait.

Robert Simandl

06-29-09, 09:10 PM

Well, decided to dump the Asus EeePC (too slow, screen too small, wi-fi not reliable) and got an Acer Aspire netbook today. 10.1" screen and an Atom 1.6gHz processor. Even with half the RAM the Eee had after I'd upgraded it, this thing smokes the Eee.

Got this at Costco, they have a deal going where if you sign up for AT&T's laptop connect data plan ($60 per month), you get the netbook for $149. The 3G hardware is actually built into this netbook, it's not an add-on card like you see in those AT&T commercials. A bit pricey on the monthly rate, but now I have reliable internet while I wait for Charter to fix my landline internet Wednesday morning... see my post a day or two back for details on THAT sordid little story.

Posting this via the AT&T 3G laptop connect service. So there!

Jhamps10

06-29-09, 10:57 PM

ah speaking of network outages, what a wonderful time for Dish Network to have an outage of STL locals..... right in the middle of primetime programming! It's really making me think going back to cable (never thought I'd say that in my life) at least Charcrap sold Flora, IL a long time ago.

Joseph Clark

06-30-09, 10:36 AM

Court clears way for Cablevision to offer remote-storage DVR (http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ct-cablevision30-2009jun30,1,2500854.story)

Here's a story on a Supreme Court ruling that might allow us to store our shows (legally) on the computer for later viewing. Interesting read.

Joseph Clark

06-30-09, 10:43 AM

I've decided to wait to buy the Pre. I love the browser, but my Instinct actually has some features the Pre lacks and probably won't have for a few months, like voice commands. I'll probably still end up with it, but just not quite yet. Probably the single most surprising omission is the lack of voice dialing. I had an old Palm PDA phone for years that did voice dialing.

ferl

06-30-09, 11:38 AM

Joseph Clark

06-30-09, 11:44 AM

Why the disclaimer all of the sudden? Perhaps any post that is actually "ON TOPIC" should carry an "ON TOPIC" banner:)

I'd claim I'm posting so much off topic stuff because it's summer and there's not much OTA to talk about, but you know what BS that would be. :D

reuthermonkey

06-30-09, 12:06 PM

Huh?
Let me put things more simply:
1. Years ago, the MPAA was in the news prosecuting people and such, just like the RIAA is. However, that's very, very bad press, and most consumers don't like the RIAA approach, so the MPAA chose to solve their piracy issue in a different way: Go to the bandwidth providers!
2. A few years ago, the MPAA goes the large ISPs and says "we want you to implement better DMCA policies and kick pirates off your networks."
ISPs say "we'll work on the DMCA stuff, but we won't kick our customers off our networks for you.
3. More recently, the MPAA and Cable Operators (like Time Warner and Comcast which happen to also be the largest broadband ISPs) notice that they can knock out two (or more) birds with 1 stone. Just implement data caps!

-Data caps solve the MPAA's piracy problem: With low caps, pirates either pay more for their higher consumption, or are kicked off networks.

-Data caps solve the Cable upgrade costs: Upgrade to Docsis 3.0 by taxing your users twice. Get the marketing sweetness of better speeds than DSL, while keeping consumption down like the slower speeds do.

-Data caps solve the MPAA's AND Cable's competition problem: Netflix streaming, Xbox Live, PlayStation Network/Store and other alternative sources of HD entertainment on the net all compete with Blu-ray, driving down demand for the "premium" HD content via Blu-ray. The above online services in addition to services like Joost and Hulu ALSO compete with cable's lucrative Video On Demand racket, as well as traditional cable services.
-The caps also stifle competition for VoIP access - why pay a lot less but risk hitting your data cap when you can get Cable VoIP service for 2x the price, but which is exempt from the caps?

Data caps are not a result of a lack of bandwidth. If they were, you'd see Verizon's much faster Fiber internet with the same caps that Cable is trying to implement. They're not because bandwidth is cheap.
No, Data caps are a result of profiteering. While consumption has gone up thanks to online video services, the cost to provide bandwidth has dropped even more.

You claimed that data caps are proof that Blu-ray will succeed. They are anti-competitive. Your thought process outlined in your post falls right in line with what the Studios and Cable want: Avoid online services for fear of hitting overages, and stick to the status quo - Blu-ray backed by the studios, and overpriced cable services.

Joseph Clark

06-30-09, 04:07 PM

You claimed that data caps are proof that Blu-ray will succeed. They are anti-competitive. Your thought process outlined in your post falls right in line with what the Studios and Cable want: Avoid online services for fear of hitting overages, and stick to the status quo - Blu-ray backed by the studios, and overpriced cable services.

That's not what I said or what I believe. I don't think you understood my thought process very well - thus my "Huh?"

What I was trying to say was that the oft-proposed idea that downloads will one day replace the sales of DVD and Blu-ray doesn't mesh well with the CURRENT caps that ISPs are placing on Internet service. I think it's pretty clear that existing severe caps will make people think twice about lots of data intensive video downloads. I wasn't claiming that Blu-ray will succeed - just that caps provide one more reason, in the short term anyway, that people won't be moving en masse away from Blu-ray and DVD. Certainly the US is behind much of the rest of the world when it comes to high speed broadband service, and I think market forces will push us eventually away from the low caps. As you point out, the costs (for providers) of higher speeds have dropped dramatically and will continue to do so. There's no technological reason for high speed broadband to remain artificially high.

I'm afraid in the long term that people will become as happy to download low-quality "HD" video over the Internet as they have been to download low-quality audio (MP3s, etc.), and that Blu-ray will suffer the same fate as CDs. That's what I don't want to see happen, but I'm afraid it will, when lower high speed broadband prices allow people to download HD video that's "good enough" but far below what Blu-ray can deliver.

That was my thought process, although it obviously wasn't very clear to you. It won't be the last time I express myself poorly, or that others misunderstand what I'm trying to say. Also, I wasn't making any predictions. I'm not so good at that.

Better you understand now my process of thought thus have I made it complexer and more wordy?

Oops. I forgot. OFF-TOPIC POST!

ferl

07-01-09, 10:07 AM

[QUOTE=Joseph Clark;

Oops. I forgot. OFF-TOPIC POST![/QUOTE]

Remember that all posts are assumed to be OFF-TOPIC. We could drop the necessity to identify the post and simply make an attempt to stay ON TOPIC.
That's a thread killer, HUH! (Thanks Joe, I borrowed your HUH.
In an effort to circumvent this issue, one can start each post by asking a question related to Local HDTV Info and Reception > St. Louis, MO - OTA.
Such as,
Anyone else having 5.1 issues on 24-1?
Then one could move on to the meat of the post and discuss cell phones, computers and peripherals, operating systems and toasters. Wait, if the WB runs the old BSG's then toasters may be a relevant post.

Alert!! You can get 50% off a Happy Meal today before 9 AM if you approach the counter and yell "I'm a celebrity, get me out of here".

Back to the meat of the post. I've just started working a 4 to midnight shift and feel like I have no life other than TV and the internet. I'm craving human interaction so this thread is as close as I can come. Here at home it's just me, the dog and a 19 year old daughter. Ever tried interacting with a 19 year old female?

Seriously, Will any of us be getting BBC America July 20?

tstolze

07-01-09, 11:33 AM

Ever tried interacting with a 19 year old female?
\

Well, ummmmmm, yea, but it's been about 20 years! :D

Thought I would pass along what seems to be a good product from Skywalker. I recently purchased a 1 to 4 HDMI distribution amplifier. Has worked perfect so far. I am now able to watch my Dish 722 in three rooms over hdmi, although all have the same programming on them...

ProjectSHO89

07-01-09, 03:22 PM

Ever tried interacting with a 19 year old female?

Well, when my wife and I were both 19, 30-something years ago, yeah, I tried alot.

When my daughter turned 19, of course, it was my job to KEEP her from interacting with 19 year-pld guys....

Robert Simandl

07-02-09, 12:28 AM

Guy from Charter came out to my house today to look into my constant disconnect/no signal issues. Said the signal on the lines is fine, my modem is the problem.

So I have a Motorola Surfboard 5101 on its way from Amazon. I'll let ya know what the results are if you're interested... and even if you're not. :D

Nuzy

07-02-09, 09:12 AM

I just got through 3 of 4 recorded episodes of Merlin last night. If you are into fantasy / scifi kind of stuff, which based on previous discussions here I think a few of you might be, it's really a pretty decent show. I don't analyze my television shows quite to the level Joe does ;), but if you are looking for an entertaining show this summer with decent acting you might want to check it out. Kind of a neat premise too about Merlin and Arthur before they rules Camelot. I believe it's on Sunday evenings at 7pm - can't recall which channel, but I think it's on 5.

am75757

07-02-09, 09:31 AM

You can get your EPG data from two sources. First source is something called PSIP from your local broadcastin service AKA channel 9. This should provide atleast 12 hrs of content The other is is TVGOS (tv guide on screen) which is broadcast by CBS affiliates. Here is a description PSIP vs TVGOS from a DTVPal thread.
--------
The DTVPal DVR features an electronic program guide (EPG) with 8-days of program information from TV Guide On Screen (TVGOS), when available. TVGOS is distributed by CBS affiliates across the country, and should be available to 90+% of the U.S. population by February 17. You can check here to determine whether TVGuide service is currently available in your area. If TVGuide service is not available, the DTVPal will display the more limited program information -- typically 24-72 hours worth -- offered by your local broadcasters via PSIP. If TVGuide service is available, but does not have information for a particular channel, then the PSIP information from that broadcaster will be shown instead.
-----------

Does kmov the cbs affiliate not have the TVGOS data for 2-1 and 30-1 to broadcast?
I know this is from awhile back, but I am experiencing the same thing. My DTVPal DVR is not picking up any digital TV Guide On-Screen information in the St. Louis Area. Has any one else been able to get TVGOS in St. Louis after the digital transition?

Joseph Clark

07-02-09, 07:47 PM

Here's an article that explains the direction that a lot of local OTA broadcasters are taking with the allocation of their bandwidth. (http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/307399-Broadcasters_HD_Squeeze_Play.php) The short story - we'll more than likely see even further degradation of the quality of local OTA programming in the future as stations try to squeeze more revenue from that 6mhz band. Which leaves Blu-ray as the best hope for pristine quality programming for the foreseeable future. It's ironic that the golden era of HD broadcasting is in the past. That's not how this was supposed to work.

Dan in St. Louis

07-05-09, 02:48 PM

WRacer

07-06-09, 06:14 PM

Joseph Clark

07-06-09, 07:23 PM

Jim, I'm watching the Watkins Glen race on both a big Samsung DLP receiver, and on a computer monitor. There seems to be too much blue on the TV and too much magenta on the computer. It especially shows up as blue tar strips and asphalt patches on the track. Did ABC lose their color balance?

Could it be there's a problem on your end, Dan? Sounds like your 2 displays are showing the same material 2 different ways. I haven't watched anything but Eli Stone and Castle on ABC lately, but the color has been good on both. The Eli Stone series finale is Saturday, BTW - the last of 4 new episodes. I'm sorry to see this quirky show canceled. Reruns of the original 10 eps of Castle look to continue through the summer. It'll return in the fall.

In case you hadn't heard, Chuck will not air again until March of 2010. I'm just glad it's coming back at all, but putting that much time between it and viewers doesn't bode well for the show.

Dan in St. Louis

07-06-09, 09:11 PM

Could it be there's a problem on your end, Dan? Sounds like your 2 displays are showing the same material 2 different ways.
Not so very different. Blue and magenta are pretty close together on a color wheel. I trust the computer monitor more because I keep it calibrated with a Pantone i1.

I agree with Jim that it was something in the ABC broadcast, since the commercials run during the same show had good greys and blacks.

Thanks for your input, guys.

Robert Simandl

07-06-09, 11:21 PM

In case you hadn't heard, Chuck will not air again until March of 2010. I'm just glad it's coming back at all, but putting that much time between it and viewers doesn't bode well for the show.

Dunno about that Joe... that's what ABC does with LOST and it doesn't seem to hurt the ratings a bit. Fox did the same thing with 24 (your favorite :D ) a few years back and it's ratings went UP.

BTW, just got done installing my new Motorola Surfboard 5101 cable modem. OMG, the internet FLIES with this thing. Apparently some (but definitely NOT all) of my problems with Charter the last few years were really coming from the Linksys modem and not Charter itself.

http://www.speedtest.net/result/511737354.png (http://www.speedtest.net)

Joseph Clark

07-07-09, 12:07 AM

Dunno about that Joe... that's what ABC does with LOST and it doesn't seem to hurt the ratings a bit. Fox did the same thing with 24 (your favorite :D ) a few years back and it's ratings went UP.

BTW, just got done installing my new Motorola Surfboard 5101 cable modem. OMG, the internet FLIES with this thing. Apparently some (but definitely NOT all) of my problems with Charter the last few years were really coming from the Linksys modem and not Charter itself.

http://www.speedtest.net/result/511737354.png (http://www.speedtest.net)

How much are you paying for over 16mbps down, Bob?

As for Chuck, I sure hope you're right, but it's hiatus during the writer's strike didn't do anything to help its ratings. Lost and 24, I think, are more secure because of all the buzz that surrounds them. Most people don't know about Chuck. It hasn't captured a wide audience.

I've ben watching the Blu-ray discs of the first season of Lost and they're really good. It's one of the best looking shows on television. The Hawaiian settings don't hurt, nor do the frequent closeups of Evangeline Lilly. Watching her is not just visually pleasing, though. After seeing these shows again, I think she's doing some of the best work I've seen on television. The Blu-ray commentary by the producers says she had no speaking roles before they cast her for Lost. That's amazing. Some actors can't do what she does after years in the business, much less right out of the chute.

Joseph Clark

07-07-09, 12:09 AM

BTW - I upgraded to Firefox 3.5 recently, and it's definitely faster. Page loads are much snappier now.

Robert Simandl

07-07-09, 07:55 AM

Currently paying $54.99 a month for the 20meg internet connection... includes $15 a month discount for the promotional period.

New modem hasn't solved ALL my problems apparently... woke up to no less than FOUR "could not connect to server" error messages from my Amazon Order Notification software this morning.

moman19

07-10-09, 06:23 PM

WOW! Nothing new for three days?????

WRacer

07-10-09, 06:38 PM

Here's something...

Made changes to release time and gating on audio processor. Should sound better!

Joseph Clark

07-10-09, 08:08 PM

Here's something...

Made changes to release time and gating on audio processor. Should sound better!

Release time and gating? I'd guess they have something to do with horse racing or prison. No idea what they have to do with audio. :D

Seriously, Jim, we know you're always working on making the station better. Thanks.

SHADO 1

07-11-09, 01:12 AM

Has anyone have any experiences with the Pioneer Kuro plasmas? I saw one today and I almost tripped on my jaw as it hit the floor. I'm thinking of replacing my 42" Toshiba HM42 plasma with one of the 50" Kuro displays. This by far has the best picture I have seen on a flat panel...and this was not even the Elite series.

DroptheRemote

07-11-09, 08:40 AM

SHADO,

The Kuros are pretty much the best thing going in flat panels, though I am hearing (but yet to verify) that the new Panasonics come pretty close.

Be aware that Pioneer is exiting the TV business later this year. I don't think that should be a concern from a support/repair standpoint, but it should be due to the fact that supplies are dwindling. If you want a Kuro, you should move quickly, as I suspect that there won't be any available in a few months.

You may also benefit from knowing that Pioneer sells three lines of Kuros -- the Elites (PRO models), the PDP models and the KRPs.

The KRP models (50- and 60-inch) are a relatively new addition to the line. I believe these were originally targeted for the custom install market, but ended up being sold more widely. The KRPs are monitors, in that they do not include an onboard digital tuner or speakers, though both can be added. In other respects, the KRP models are quite similar to the Elites, particularly from a user controls/calibration standpoint. However, the KRP models as they come from the factory do not include the ISF Day/ISF Night modes that are available on the Elites.

SHADO 1

07-11-09, 09:23 AM

Thanks for the info Doug. I was looking at a PDP model. It look just as good as the Elite but about $2000 less.

DroptheRemote

07-11-09, 10:12 AM

Chuck,

The non-Elites are nice in terms of picture quality, but they are limited in terms of adjustment, both from a user menu standpoint and also from a calibration standpoint. They can be calibrated, but essentially it's limited to just grayscale adjustments, while the Elites (both via the user menu and the ISF modes) are far more adjustable. Likewise, the KRP models are just as adjustable via the user menus as the Elites, though they lack the ISF modes as they come from the factory.

If you don't absolutely need to have an onboard tuner or speakers, I would suggest you seriously consider one of the KRP models. I believe that they are as capable in picture quality terms -- via the user menus -- as the Elites, at considerably fewer dollars.

Then again, if you're completely happy with the PDP picture quality as seen in the store, then that's maybe the best way for you to go.

moman19

07-11-09, 11:58 AM

.....Seriously, Jim, we know you're always working on making the station better. Thanks.

A huge Ditto!. You da' Man!

moman19

07-11-09, 12:02 PM

I also heard that Pioneer was going to get out of the plasma business. Then I heard that they weren't really and instead were going to have Panny build displays to their specifications and brand them as Pioneer.

Is this true? If anyone can make a plasma display that rivals a Pioneer, I guess it would be Panasonic. With a little tweaking and better QC, who knows??????

DroptheRemote

07-11-09, 02:13 PM

Pioneer will be completely out of the TV business (plasma or otherwise) once the last model of the current lines has been sold.

SHADO 1

07-11-09, 03:28 PM

Doug,

I did not think about just getting the monitor, as I'm currently using Tivo HD. Thanks for the info.

DroptheRemote

07-11-09, 05:26 PM

Chuck,

That's right -- if you have cable or satellite, or some other means of getting OTA, the built-in tuner is not necessary. Personally, I think built-in tuners are borderline dumb, as most people don't use them and they only drive up the selling price that everyone pays.

Anyway, I think the KRP models are very nice, and in my opinion a definite step up from the non-Elites.

Good luck on the shopping front.

DroptheRemote

07-11-09, 05:35 PM

Has any one caught "Warehouse 13" on the newly christened SyFy Channel? In case you haven't heard of it, the jumping off point of the show is one of the closing shots of the original Indiana Jones movie, where the Ark of the Covenant is quietly stowed away in some massive in-the-middle-of-nowhere government facility. Warehouse 13 is essentially that place, and the show's plots will likely revolve around items yet to be brought in from the wild, as well as those already cataloged that may go missing.

It's probably no BSG, but I like the setup and characters, and I thought the pilot was good, though the ending seemed more than a touch overdone. Still, I think it has very interesting potential, and one good thing about non-network channels like SyFy or FX or USA is you know they are going to give the show a fair shot, rather than pulling the plug after 8 weeks and leaving you hanging.

Anyone else?

Joseph Clark

07-11-09, 05:52 PM

Nuzy

07-11-09, 10:52 PM

Nuzy

07-11-09, 10:58 PM

Here's a short AVS thread on Warehouse 13. (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=16808473#post16808473) I think it has some potential, along the lines of Stargate, although the small size of the ensemble cast isn't promising. Small ensembles limit the payroll, but they restrict the storytelling, too. It's an interesting premise, though - lots of stories could grow from it.

Joe - ok, I have to finally ask, sometimes (well, not sometimes, pretty much always), it seems as if you analyze your tv viewing way too much :p Yes, bad acting can certainly kill a show, but do you ever watch a show just for the pure entertainment of it? You must have been a theater professor in a past life!

Mike

Joseph Clark

07-12-09, 12:18 AM

Joe - ok, I have to finally ask, sometimes (well, not sometimes, pretty much always), it seems as if you analyze your tv viewing way too much :p Yes, bad acting can certainly kill a show, but do you ever watch a show just for the pure entertainment of it? You must have been a theater professor in a past life!

Mike

I am not a film critic. I am a human being. I... am... a... man!

Seriously, though, I taught video production at Webster University (and a lot of my students were film majors). I'm also a life-long movie buff. Analysis (and sometimes over-analysis) of movies and TV is an occupational hazard. But, I don't think that's an impediment to enjoying shows. If I think something is bad, I just find it easier to say why. Same thing for good shows.

Joseph Clark

07-12-09, 01:37 AM

Hey, Jim, I put your improvements to the sound on KDNL to the test with tonight's opening of Castle. I still had the first broadcast on my Dish 622, so I was able to do a simple A/B between them. Tonight's broadcast was better - music cleaner and dialogue a little crisper. It wasn't a huge difference, but it was better. Thanks for the heads up, and, again, thanks for doing the things it takes to improve our viewing experience here in St. Louis. It's appreciated.

Joseph Clark

07-12-09, 02:32 AM

I watched the rest of the Castle ep and was all set to erase my original when the weather info forced you to switch to SD for one scene tonight. When are they going to give you the gear you need to insert weather alerts over HD sources?

The sound was definitely better, throughout the show. I noticed it especially at the end, with the music they used to close out the show.

BTW, Castle may just ease the cancellation of Eli Stone for me on ABC. The final ep of Eli aired tonight, with at least a little closure for us fans. I'll miss it.

Nuzy

07-12-09, 02:37 PM

I am not a film critic. I am a human being. I... am... a... man!

Seriously, though, I taught video production at Webster University (and a lot of my students were film majors). I'm also a life-long movie buff. Analysis (and sometimes over-analysis) of movies and TV is an occupational hazard. But, I don't think that's an impediment to enjoying shows. If I think something is bad, I just find it easier to say why. Same thing for good shows.

I see - thanks for the background information! It all makes sense now :)

ferl

07-13-09, 09:03 AM

Here's a short AVS thread on Warehouse 13. (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=16808473#post16808473) I think it has some potential, along the lines of Stargate, although the small size of the ensemble cast isn't promising. Small ensembles limit the payroll, but they restrict the storytelling, too. It's an interesting premise, though - lots of stories could grow from it.

I got around to watching Warehouse 13 lat night and thought it was watchable. Isn't this just The Librarian, without Bob Newhart?

Joseph Clark

07-13-09, 10:25 AM

I got around to watching Warehouse 13 lat night and thought it was watchable. Isn't this just The Librarian, without Bob Newhart?

I never saw The Librarian. It premiered at a time when I had stopped going to most movies at regular theaters.

WRacer

07-13-09, 12:12 PM

Joseph Clark

07-13-09, 12:23 PM

The equipment for HD weather alerts was received last week...hope to have it in service by the end of the month.

Very cool.

tstolze

07-14-09, 11:09 AM

I do not keep an eye on Blu-Ray player pricing, but thought some might be interested: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882226009

Also for any Uverse users or potential users, I heard they have started testing a slight bump in the household download sync speeds from 25 to 32, and upload from 2 to 5. Rumor is this will open up a third hd stream as well as allow higher internet speeds.

moman19

07-15-09, 09:36 AM

Has anyone else noticed the recently poor HD quality of all Fox network events? It doesn't matter if it's Channel 2 via satellite or OTA. Nor does it matter if it's the national Fox network, FSMW or Fox News Channel. In all cases, HD image quality varies and can be poor at times. Watching last night's All Star Game was a prime example. I don't want to say that some scenes were pixellated or victims of motion. Rather, they just appeared "grainy" or "noisey" at times. In a way, it simply looks like they are not using all the bandwidth that's available. This appears to be network related because the local news looks much better than the network feed.

Take a look at talking head shows like Glenn Beck or O'Reilly. At times, patterns in the background or men's ties and hair seem to twinkle with artifacts. And how much motion can there be with talking heads??? This ain't basketball!

PQ just looks crappy across many Fox channels and I have no clue who to write to about this.

Robert Simandl

07-15-09, 10:28 AM

Far as broadcast Fox network via KTVI, it's not really anything new. Fox network broadcasts with a pretty low bitrate to begin with, presumably so affiliates can multicast another channel. Problem with that approach is, even if the affiliate doesn't multicast, we still get the lower quality picture anyway.

Mr_Bester

07-15-09, 11:03 AM

You really shouldn't get the strobing effects on backgrounds or ties since fox is 720p, should you? Also, on the all star game, that horrid camera shot of the pitcher's face was an uprezzed pos...

moman19

07-15-09, 11:03 AM

I understand their twisted logic, but why would that result in poor PQ on FNC and FSMW? Several HD shows are really bad at times.

Joseph Clark

07-15-09, 11:15 AM

I gave up on the Fox issue a long time ago. I emailed them about it. I even went so far as to send frames (in the form of jpeg's) from an episode of Bones that showed very clearly the effect of the low bit rate. It showed blocking and general image degradation right after a cut. Never heard back a word.

It just reinforced for me how rare and wonderful it is to have someone like Jim from KDNL watching out for our interests in St. Louis. For all the TALK about quality programming from "Fox HD" and "The HD Leader," we have someone in our local television community who really cares about those things. That shows a professional integrity and character we see all too infrequently these days.

Joseph Clark

07-15-09, 11:22 AM

From my understanding, the local Fox affiliates have little control over the image that comes from the network. They simply splice in local graphics, and the image sent from the network is passed through pretty much unmolested. We can blame the network for that (and it's probably why the local stuff looks so much better). What's less excusable is that they're so unresponsive to their viewers. I didn't learn about how the Fox graphics are handled from anyone here.

moman19

07-15-09, 11:35 AM

It's sad. I don't know if you guys ever catch Glenn Beck or O'Reilly on FNC, but at times it looks like Claymation. The artifacts are astonishing. It comes and goes like something else is contending for bandwidth. I may as well watch on You Tube!

I know it can't be me or my setup when this is only limited to Fox events.

Linxs

07-15-09, 09:04 PM

Don't know if anyone noticed yet but Directv now has Channel 9 in HD.

Dan in St. Louis

07-16-09, 03:53 PM

Don't know if anyone noticed yet but Directv now has Channel 9 in HD.
Too bad the OTA video stream for 9.3, the "World" feed, gets only 2.25Mbps. The cartoons (9.1) get 10.44Mbps!

black_macleod

07-16-09, 03:56 PM

Too bad the OTA video stream for 9.3, the "World" feed, gets only 2.25Mbps. The cartoons (9.1) get 10.44Mbps!

That's wrong .. why? :)

moman19

07-16-09, 04:46 PM

9.1 is the Primary KETC HD channel on all my tuners. Cartoons are in SD and on another sub.

Jane B.

07-16-09, 08:23 PM

I have been very disappointed in what I can get from KETC since the switch. I am in Centralia, IL and before the switch they were quite easy to get. Now they are a real problem — sometimes great (currently in the low 70's according to my DTVPal) but I never know when I am going to get it or not. Daytime is the time that it is usually completely missing.

So. . .then tonight is one of the times when they are asleep at the switch for captioning on Donneybrook!! And. .. . there is NO way to call their attention to this after the office closes at I think it is 5pm. Someone just found it!!! But — 10 minutes into a half hour program!

Thanks for listening.

Jane

Dan in St. Louis

07-17-09, 10:49 AM

9.1 is the Primary KETC HD channel on all my tuners. Cartoons are in SD and on another sub.
"Primary" it may be, but the last 3 times I tuned it cartoons were playing.

reuthermonkey

07-17-09, 12:27 PM

"Primary" it may be, but the last 3 times I tuned it cartoons were playing.

then you're watching during the daytime or on weekend mornings. Those are the only times I see cartoons on 9.1. The rest of the time its the usual public broadcast fare - news, shows, etc.

That said, I wish they'd lower the bitrate on KIDS even more (to 1.8-2mbps) merge DIY and World programming onto a single sub, and up the bitrate to semi-hd quality.

Joseph Clark

07-17-09, 05:51 PM

Here are 2 great deals (one of which I already talked about before):

WD 2TB internal SATA hard drive for $180. (http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/products/System_Drives/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=bsd&cs=14&sku=A2488823) (Enter the Code: XTHR0RQRXJHQ12 for $20 off the $199 sale price.)

Infocus X10 1080p projector for just under $1,100, shipped to St. Louis.

Infocus is a well-known manufacturer of front projects, noted for their excellent brightness and color out of the box. The company recently sold, and low-cost projectors such as this probably won't be around for much longer. They plan to target the custom install market in the future. The price can only be gotten if you enter through the Bing cashback link. Enter Bing (Google it) and type in "monitor." If you don't see a tiger direct link with Bing cashback after it, hit refresh until you do. Hit the Bing button. You'll be redirected to their site, where you can do a search on Infocus x10. Add it to the cart and you should see a Bing cashback discount of about $123 subtracted from the total. The sale is good only for another couple of days.

Note that the x10 has no vertical lens shift, so you have to mount it up high or down low, and it has a long throw lens. You have to put it much further back from the screen to get a decent size. Think twice if your room is small, unless you want to settle for a smaller screen size.

ProjectSHO89

07-17-09, 10:29 PM

I have been very disappointed in what I can get from KETC since the switch. I am in Centralia, IL and before the switch they were quite easy to get. Now they are a real problem — sometimes great (currently in the low 70's according to my DTVPal) but I never know when I am going to get it or not. Daytime is the time that it is usually completely missing.

...
Thanks for listening.

Jane

Please realize that they had engineering work to do that could not be started until after June 12th and that, as part of the engineering work, they have to take steps to protect workers when the workers are on the tower during the workday. At those times, the signal will be lesser due to either turning down the power or switching to a backup antenna. I don't know which strategy they use, but its one or the other (or both, perhaps).

Additionally, daytime during the summer is the poorest for long-range UHF reception due to atmospheric conditions.

moman19

07-18-09, 10:51 AM

Please realize that they had engineering work to do that could not be started until after June 12th and that, as part of the engineering work, they have to take steps to protect workers when the workers are on the tower during the workday. At those times, the signal will be lesser due to either turning down the power or switching to a backup antenna. I don't know which strategy they use, but its one or the other (or both, perhaps).

Additionally, daytime during the summer is the poorest for long-range UHF reception due to atmospheric conditions.

Is this speculation or fact? It's been more than a month since June 12 and one would think the work would be done by now. Granted, I don't know what this work entails. Also, while ERP can obviously affect the distance of the signal, I doubt that atmospheric conditions affect UHF propagation that much between Centralia and South County.

Trip in VA

07-18-09, 10:57 AM

You're assuming the work started promptly on June 13. Most tower crews were booked and had waiting lists, so thinking it might be delayed is certainly not a poor assumption to make.

There's no FCC filings about when the tower crew is supposed to arrive, so without calling and getting an answer from the station, there's no way to know. The only thing the FCC filings say is that they hope to be on the top-mounted antenna by August 18.

- Trip

ProjectSHO89

07-18-09, 08:42 PM

Is this speculation or fact? It's been more than a month since June 12 and one would think the work would be done by now. Granted, I don't know what this work entails. Also, while ERP can obviously affect the distance of the signal, I doubt that atmospheric conditions affect UHF propagation that much between Centralia and South County.

It does indeed affect reception....

Hope KETC's improves help out.

tstolze

07-21-09, 01:38 PM

Joseph Clark

07-21-09, 03:04 PM

Do we have any HD camcorder owners onboard?

I likely will be purchasing within the next month, currently looking at a Canon VIXIA HF S100. It is a price level above what I would like to pay, but seems the reviews are more consistent than the $500-$600 units.

Thanks!

I have the Canon HF10, which is a model or 2 behind what you're looking at, except that mine has built-in memory instead of just an SDHC flash slot. Having the built-in memory isn't that big a deal, though. If I had it do over, I'd get the flash only version. Your model, IIRC, has one higher quality HD recording mode (25mbps?). Mine stops at 18mbps. At that rate, the quality of the HD video is really good.

I love the convenience of flash recordings, although editing software still has a ways to go to catch up with the ease of use of HDV. I'm sure you have a computer powerful enough to handle editing the streams, Tom. It takes considerably more horsepower to edit AVCHD than it does HDV streams. I use PowerDirector 7. The workflow is still a bit of a problem for me with long recordings (such as the ones I've done for church), simply because of the way AVCHD stores the video on the flash drive. The cool thing about it is that I can plug the chip directly into my PS3 and play it like a Blu-ray movie. It creates the menu system as it's recording. I put an SDHC USB flash reader into one of the PS3's USB slots and boom - instant playback on my HDTV (or computer monitor).

I've seen the HF100 (an HF10 without the built-in memory) at places like Newegg for under $500. That model is the 2008 equivalent of the HF S100. It, too, is limited to 18mbps, but the HD quality is really good. I have some recordings, too. If you'd like to check them out and see the camcorder, let me know.

mgr_stl

07-21-09, 04:17 PM

Joseph Clark

07-21-09, 04:39 PM

I'm finishing my basement as we speak, and hoping to get an entry-level 720p projector for the new digs. Can you guys recommend a good, local place to view projectors in action and speak to someone that knows what they're talking about? I'd like to make sure neither my wife nor I are susceptible to the "rainbow effect."

Also, if anyone has suggestions on a particular model I'm all ears. FYI - We're looking at spending less than $900.

Thanks!

That's a tall order these days. It's hard to find a place to view projectors. I was just in the American in Fenton and they didn't have a single projector showing. You might try a Magnolia Best Buy (there's one on Eager Rd. and one in Chesterfield, I think). But, I'd call before going out, because the last time I checked they had almost nothing in front projection either. The Sound Room and HiFiFoFum used to have a fair selection of projectors up, but I haven't been there lately. Also, they usually had more higher end projectors. Best Buy has several models, but usually not much on display.

AVS has a sub-$3,000 section for projectors, and there are a few options at your price point. If you go with an LCD, of course, there won't be any rainbows. RBE is a problem with DLP projectors.

As to finding someone who knows what they're talking about, that'll be even harder. I suggest doing your due diligence in the sub-$3,000 section before you look to get some ideas of what the options are.

tony9

07-21-09, 09:26 PM

I just found THIS STL local forum page .......... I've been on the AVS plasma & BD player forums many times ......... fabulous for info and help.

I was wondering if anyone in the area has had their HDTV pro calibrated ??

I've read the many happy reports from others who've stated its a procedure WELL WORTH the expense. I've never seen a pro calibrated plasma in person. I'm on the fence about spending the extra cash for a (slight ?) improvement. Both of my Kuro's look fabulous now, of course PQ is all subjective to the individual eye. But from reading the forums, I've learned owners can achieve the precise PQ that HDTV is suppose to be delivering. A properly ISF calibrated display would verify the PQ is fine tuned to perfection. Of course the source material of the programming plays into account. I've also read about the ControlCAL procedure that any individual can learn to do on their own.

Any remarks or advice is welcomed. I've had two price quotes, $300 & $400 per display, from two local calibrators. I'm VERY happy with all my gear and the PQ performance of the Kuro displays is outstanding - but I'm trying to convince myself spending $600 more would be worthy.

(if my OT earnings earnings weren't so slow for this year, it would be a much easier choice) :(

my gear:
Kuro 5020 - upstairs wall mounted
DirecTV HD DVR & Starchoice HD (Canada)
Pioneer receiver
Paradigm speakers

Kuro KRP-500M - downstairs using an older Pioneer swivel stand
DirecTV HD DVR
JVC XV-BP1 blu ray player
Yamaha receiver
Pioneer DVR-460h recorder
Paradigm speakers(reference & monitor series).

YES - all the Fox channels display inferior HDTV PQ - especially the regional sports channels. Compared to the ComCast sports regional's, its night & day difference in HD quality. I've read a few articles stating that the Fox network (and DirecTV) piggyback (compress) too many signals down too few transponders to save money and fulfill the advertised HD channel line up they promise. I'm glad to see that KETC is finally in HD on satellite (some programming).

mgr_stl

07-21-09, 09:38 PM

Joseph Clark

07-21-09, 11:32 PM

Well, I just got back from the Magnolia at Best Buy in Manchester (at 141) and things did not go as I hoped. In my imaginary world, the "sales expert" would have told me that my setup was ideal for a projector, convinced my wife that we should buy one today, and walked out with a new toy! OK, I didn't expect quite that much, but here's how things went...

First off, out of the four guys I wrangled near the Magnolia room, only one of them knew how to lower the screen for the projector. They only had one projector set up (a $3499 Mitsubishi), and once it was fired up I started peppering the one guy that seemed to know what he was talking about with questions.

My first question had to do with RBE. He said that RBE is a thing of the past that I should not worry about whatsoever. Said that in his twelve years selling these products that he's never had a customer return a set due to RBE. Also said there were studies done that proved that RBE was all in people's heads. I've never seen RBE and never personally known anybody who's experienced RBE, but given all the testimonials online this surprised me quite a bit.

Once I told him about my situation (11 foot viewing distance, zero ambient light, $750-$1000 price range) I asked what he thought. He was pretty emphatic about recommending a "regular TV" (my words, not his) as opposed to a projector. He stressed bulb life a lot due to the fact that I think we'll be using this everyday, and mentioned that I might go through 1-2 bulbs a year with significant use.

His recommendation was to buy a upper 40 - lower 50 inch TV.

I'd love to hear any of your thoughts on this. I really don't have enough first-hand experience with this to know if he's totally wrong, totally right, or somewhere in between. Price is a really important factor in all of this for me, and I really don't think we'll be able to spend more than $900 on whatever we decide on.

RBE is NOT just in peoples' heads. It's real with DLPs. I'm not bothered by RBE, though I can see it. I've written several posts in which I talk about how I become desensitized to RBE after watching for a while, but some people don't tolerate it well. Again, if you have a problem with it, you have several LCD options that won't have RBE at all. That said, he may be telling the truth about not having a return in the time he's sold them. Most people don't notice RBE unless you show them how to see it, especially with the faster color wheels (4x and higher).

He's also right about the cost of bulbs. They can be expensive - $200 to $500 each. Find out the cost of the bulbs for the projector you're interested in and calculate how much you'll be watching. Then do the math. It can add up. I'm on my 3rd lamp for my Sharp DLP, at about $450 a pop. Sometimes special deals are out there for a free lamp with the purchase of a projector.

You won't have to buy a lamp for an LCD or plasma. For $900, you're probably not going to be able to get much more than a 50" flat screen, probably 720p. At that size, you probably won't be able to tell the difference between 720p and 1080p anyway from a normal viewing distance. I had trouble seeing pixels from 12' away on a 109" screen at 720p.

Sounds like I'm agreeing with the Best Buy guy quite a bit, doesn't it? Truth be told, he probably wasn't too far off on most of what he said (except for that crapolla about RBE being in peoples' heads). Still, if you're going to be watching HD a lot, I think you'd be MUCH happier with a front projector. If there's any way to do it, you'll really enjoy the big screen experience. There just isn't anything better for movie watching. The offer is still open if you want to come over with the wife and check out a big home theater screen. Once she sees one, she may be sold. :D