dead link for me! i've been looking for this too my landlord wants verizon in the house. anyone care to post a list?

stolen from dslreports.com!

503 CW — WDCW HD
here are the chanels

504 NBC — WRC HD
505 FOX — WTTG HD
506 My WDCA HD
507 ABC — WJLA HD
509 CBS — WUSA HD
522 PBS — MPT HD
526 PBS — WETA HD
ENTERTAINMENT
550 USA HD
551 TNT HD
552 TBS HD
567 Universal HD
569 HD Net
570 ESPN HD
574 ESPN2 HD
576 Comcast SportsNet
Mid-Atlantic HD
585 Big Ten Network HD
588 NFL Network HD
590 VERSUS/Golf HD
591 Outdoor Channel 2 HD
NEWS
600 CNN HD
602 CNBC HD+
619 The Weather Channel HD
INFO & EDUCATION
620 Discovery Channel HD
621 National Geographic
Channel HD
622 Science Channel HD
625 Smithsonian Channel HD
628 History Channel HD
630 Animal Planet HD
631 HD Theater
639 TLC HD
WOMEN
640 Lifetime HD
641 Lifetime Movie Network HD
HOME & LEISURE
664 Food Network HD
665 HGTV HD
669 Wealth TV HD
POP CULTURE
680 Sci-Fi Channel HD
681 A&E HD
685 Bravo HD
MUSIC
711 MHD
MOVIES
746 HD Net Movies
840 Starz HD
842 Starz Edge HD
845 Starz Kids & Family HD
847 Starz Comedy HD
865 Showtime HD
866 Showtime West HD
869 Showtime 2 HD
885 The Movie Channel HD
886 The Movie Channel West HD
PREMIUMS**
899 HBO HD
901 HBO West HD
920 Cinemax HD
921 Cinemax West HD

oh and sports add ons
1000 TVN Events
1009 Setanta Sports
1010–1015
ESPN Game Plan/Full Court

Sesame Street is now in HD on MPT.

I checked out Sesame Street yesterday. It's good to see HD programming during the daytime hours on WMPT.

I just checked the HD schedule on the WMPT website, and Sesame Street does NOT show up (it lists America's Heartland in its timeslot). Also, the schedule has quite a few TO BE ANNOUNCED programs. I wonder if this is just sloppiness by MPT's webmaster, or perhaps an indication of some slots changing to HD programming ?? :confused:

It is, but in this case, it's displacing Local Point TV, which was original and interesting. :( (If a bit repetitious... but at least it didn't run infomercials.)

And they kept the weather subchannel.

I've already watched more of RTN 7 in the past week than I ever did with Local Point TV.

Well, let me know if you see Get Smart on the schedule anytime. I see it on the RTN website, but I haven't seen it show up in WJLA schedule yet.

dead link for me! i've been looking for this too my landlord wants verizon in the house. anyone care to post a list?

http://www22.verizon.com/NROneRetail/NR/rdonlyres/9068A507-B937-4BE3-85BA-9A3EB96BECE4/0/AAHC_CLU_91808.pdf

MASN, Comcast Carriage Deal Hits Snag

Regional-sports network, cable operator at odds over carriage of Washington Nationals baseball games

By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 8/20/2008 7:05:00 PM

The two-year old deal between the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network and Comcast that settled a long-standing carriage fight has hit a snag.

The FCC Wednesday gave the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN) until Monday—a three-business-day extension—to file its response to Comcast, which was in turn responding to a program-access complaint filed against it by MASN.

A MASN spokesman would not comment on the subject of the complaint, but it appears related to the deal, much praised in Washington, that was struck two years ago between Comcast and MASN for the carriage of Washington Nationals Baseball games.

"MASN signed an agreement almost two years ago to be carried on Comcast systems," said Comcast in an e-mailed statement to B&C, "and now MASN has simply decided that it no longer likes the deal it made. Comcast has fulfilled its part of the bargain and intends to hold MASN to the deal it struck. The complaint filed by MASN is completely without merit."

A source familiar with the complaint said the issue boils down to carriage of the network in two markets, Roanoke, Va., and Harrisburg, Pa. MASN says Comcast should be carrying the games there, while Comcast says it has met the terms of the original agreement, which was carriage in 2.1 million households, and did not include carriage of the games in those out-of-market cities.

In August 2006, MASN and Comcast came to terms on carriage after a lengthy carriage fight and under pressure from the FCC as well as legislators who wanted access to the games for themselves and their constitutents.

The carriage fight was related to Comcast's contract to carry the Baltimore Orioles, and the plan by Baltimore Orioles and MASN part-owner Peter Angelos to put those games on MASN. Comcast had argued that it had the right of first refusal on those Orioles games. Angelos, meanwhile, said MASN was not a third party and that he was not putting the Orioles games out for bid after the Comcast contract expired but, instead, keeping them in house.

Comcast, in turn, had chosen not to strike a deal to carry MASN games. Angelos had the rights to the nearby Nationals under an unusual arrangement that had secured his acquiescence to a move of the Montreal Expos to Washington to become the Nationals, a move he feared would siphon fans from his Orioles team, only 35 miles or so away.

In approving Comcast and Time Warner's purchase of bankrupt Adelphia, the FCC had conditioned the deal on regional sports network program access protections, saying that the networks and their hometown games were must-have programming and that Comcast and Time Warner's market power provided opportunity to limit that access. There was even a condition related directly to trying to resolve the MASN complaint.

MASN may have been emboldened to challenge terms of that two-year-old agreement by its recent arbitration victories in a separate challenge to Time Warner carriage of its sports network.

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6589327.html

A source familiar with the complaint said the issue boils down to carriage of the network in two markets, Roanoke, Va., and Harrisburg, Pa. MASN says Comcast should be carrying the games there, while Comcast says it has met the terms of the original agreement, which was carriage in 2.1 million households, and did not include carriage of the games in those out-of-market cities.

Um, according to Major League Baseball, both Roanoke and Harrisburg are clearly within the Orioles' and Nationals' territory.

Wow, Comcast really looks like a big bully in this conflict. Does it really hurt them that much to turn on one channel across two markets? Doesn't the all-mighty MLB have power to do something to a MSO that declines to offer games to in-market areas?

You should be able to get the DC digital stations from Woodbridge with a rooftop antenna. WNVC-DT 56 has a weaker digital signal. You should read back a few posts for my summary on the WNVC 56 transition plan as the station will be going dark for analog & digital in September and is not expected to be able to go back on the air until February 17/18, 2009.

If you could post a photo of the antenna that would help. But the first step is to make sure that the antenna looks level and not knocked down by the wind or damaged. What type of antenna cable does it have? Old twinlead, RG-59 or RG-6 coaxial? You may need to replace the cable run with new RG-6. However, from Woodbridge, if getting WNVC-DT 56 and WNVT-DT 30 is your primary goal, a good indoor antenna placed high up in the room or facing the window might do the trick. If you have one or can borrow one, try a basic indoor table top UHF loop and VHF rabbit ear antenna. The Silver Sensor UHF antenna is a good UHF antenna if you can borrow one or find one at the store for a reasonable. At this time, save your money and don't buy the expensive indoor antennas with built-in amplifiers that the chain stores push.

I picked up a tabletop UHF/VHF antenna from someone who had been using it for OTA SD/HD. It only sits about five or six feet above ground but I'm able to pull in WRC, WJLA, WNVC, and WPXW. I get a weak signal on WUSA and WTTG -- some audio and video if I help the antenna by holding it -- and nothing out of WETA (though I expected it with their current output power). Picking up WNVC was the main point, but I'm confused as to why I'd pick up WJLA and not WUSA or WTTG, the latter of which actually comes in clearer.

I'm in zip 22027 and have no clue as to when FIOS will appear. Can anyone help pointing me in the right direction?

I plan on getting an hdtv end of November and will need to get hd reception then. Currently, I have Cox and by all accounts, that's probably not the best way to go.

I'm guessing I'm going to have to sign up for at least 1 year on directv or dish if fios isn't around here by then. Just trying to make a wise decision here before that long of a commitment - thanks for your help.

About FIOS, an interesting discussion with a new neighbor that just moved into the area from Tampa, Fla. He had Verizon FIOS and went on and on about how bad the service was. It reminded me of my old Directv days. I myself just moved and had to ditch Directv after more than 12yrs. I am in Frederick now with COMCAST and have to say I am pretty pleased so far. It was disturbing however to hear such a negative review from the neighbor about FIOS. I was looking forward to that service if and when it ever got installed around here.:)

Dish Launches All MPEG4 Service

August 21, 2008

Without much fanfare, after years of planning last night Dish Networks new all MPEG4 satellite service went live to customers in 21 select cities.

The new service which is being called the “Eastern Arc” service as it uses a fleet of satellites in the “Eastern Arc” of the sky. Dish Networks legacy service is now known as its “Western Arc” service.

The new Eastern Arc service offers all of Dish Network channels to new customers in 100% MPEG4. (Note Eastern Ark does not offer Latino or International channels, if a new customer wants those channels they will be setup on Dish Networks legacy “Western Arc” service. Besides using all MPEG4 technology the new service also uses Dish Networks new 3rd generation security system.

The new Eastern Arc service lets installers choose which arc they aim at, this new Eastern arc will make installs on the East Coast much easier, as many homes could not get satellite because the satellites were “treed out” with the new Eastern Arc service this should no longer be an issue. Customers getting installed on the Eastern Arc service will receive a new Dish 1000.4 satellite antenna. This new antenna was designed to hit the Eastern Arc satellites which are at the 61.5, 72.7 and 77 degree orbital locations.

Because the Eastern Arc service requires all MPEG4 satellite receivers, a new dish and updated security cards the Eastern Arc service is currently only for new Dish Network customers.

The 21 DMA’s to begin rolling out the new Eastern Arc service are as follows:

Cleveland, OH; Richmond, VA; Tampa, FL; Baltimore, MD; Columbia, SC; Green Bay, WI; Greensboro, NC; Providence, RI; Greenville, SC; Knoxville, TN; Raleigh, NC; Hartford, CT; Chicago, IL; Detroit, MI; Charlotte, NC; Dallas, TX; Nashville, TN; Minneapolis, MN; Philadelphia, PA; Washington, DC; New York, NY.

The areas served by Eastern Arc will be gradually expanded as the equipment needed for install is more readily available.

http://www.multichannel.com/blog/350000435/post/240032024.html

Wow, Comcast really looks like a big bully in this conflict. Does it really hurt them that much to turn on one channel across two markets? Doesn't the all-mighty MLB have power to do something to a MSO that declines to offer games to in-market areas?

This is too funny. Comcast calls them "out of market" yet Comcast Sports Net Atlantic is local for both markets. Harrisburg is only an hour's drive from Baltimore. How is that out of market? What's next? Annapolis?

CBS Evening News in SD on WJZ again.

CBS Evening News in SD on WJZ again.
Has CBS Evening News ever been in HD on WJZ yet?

Has CBS Evening News ever been in HD on WJZ yet?

Only on weekends.



(post #5000, again)

About FIOS, an interesting discussion with a new neighbor that just moved into the area from Tampa, Fla. He had Verizon FIOS and went on and on about how bad the service was.His opinion is certainly an outlier. Were there any specifics?

Does anybody know if FOX channel 5 in DC has reduced their analog over-the-air signal level. It seems weaker -- or at least has more noise -- here in Arlington.

His opinion is certainly an outlier. Were there any specifics?
That's odd, My sister lives in Tampa & complains about the FIOS Tampa all the time.

My dad recently canceled FIOS and went back to Comcast, both because they wanted to charge him to replace a dead battery in the UPS they installed, and because Comcast ended up saving him money. To each his own, I just wish it was an option here in DC.

Drew

The fall season is almost upon us, so I'll throw out my quarterly question: Any word on HD news from WRC, WJLA, or WTTG? I doubt there's anything from WRC, but it seemed like there had been rumbling from the other two.

I'm out of town and wondering if anyone with a TiVo and cablecard on Comcast Howard County could tell me how the total realignment went?

When it was first announced a while back, I used the online form to let TiVo know what was coming and sent them the new chart. I never heard anything back other than the autoreply.

Thanks.

I got an email from my dad in Columbia saying that his TiVo hadn't yet switched over, as of this morning... I submitted a lineup issue on his behalf, hopefully it comes through soon.

Drew

P.S. He's got a Series2, so no CableCARDs for him.

The fall season is almost upon us, so I'll throw out my quarterly question: Any word on HD news from WRC, WJLA, or WTTG? I doubt there's anything from WRC, but it seemed like there had been rumbling from the other two.
I have not even seen any rumors on WTTG or WJLA lately. Checking the local news in HD thread in the programming forum, WBOC-DT CBS 16 in Salisbury, MD has announced they will be going HD for local news soon. So Salisbury (and Charlottesville) may have as many local stations doing the local news in HD as DC or Baltimore. :p

The fall season starts on September 8 with a number of network and syndicated shows going HD (ABC evening news & Nightline, 60 Minutes, Oprah/Dr. Phil, others), so a station in DC or Baltimore might go HD local news for the fall season in September. My guess would be WTTG Fox 5 news will go HD this fall.

Meanwhile, the Ion Network has been doing this (large ugly) pop-up countdown with X days remaining to September 8 stating "New Look. New Shows. Positively Entertaining". Nothing on their website about it, but they will be starting new rerun series such as Boston Legal that week. They could be going HD (Ion announced plans last year to provide a 720p channel in the 1st quarter of 08 which never happened). Or maybe they will have a new graphics look with only 14 hours a day of infomercials.

I'm out of town and wondering if anyone with a TiVo and cablecard on Comcast Howard County could tell me how the total realignment went?

When it was first announced a while back, I used the online form to let TiVo know what was coming and sent them the new chart. I never heard anything back other than the autoreply.

Thanks.

No joy on HD Tivo on Comcast Howard County. Pretty much the whole analog (well, lower numbered digital) lineup is messed up. I submittted a change (not the whole lineup, why should I do all their work for them) today.

I'm not very worried. I pretty much only use Comcast for internet and a few HD channels.

Is there something weird with Comcast in PG County right now? I don't have any QAM channels at all coming in at this moment. I'm in Bowie.

No joy on HD Tivo on Comcast Howard County. Pretty much the whole analog (well, lower numbered digital) lineup is messed up. I submittted a change (not the whole lineup, why should I do all their work for them) today.

I'm not very worried. I pretty much only use Comcast for internet and a few HD channels.
Thanks. First they had to push the new channel map to the cc's. I was more worried about that going well. Eventually TiVo and Times Mirror will catch up.

Is there something weird with Comcast in PG County right now? I don't have any QAM channels at all coming in at this moment. I'm in Bowie.

I was wondering the same thing (I'm in Greenbelt) and was wondering if it was just me. I've got no QAM reception tonight, except for a few of the odd ones (ie:high-numbered PBS-HD and TNT-HD-with-no-sound, although LOTR looks good enough to watch on there without sound atm...).

Have you been able to get Fox-HD lately from comcast? For a few months now, 5.1 has been non-existent for me - and before that it came in well (as long as my cell phone was nowhere near the cable line ...)

I was wondering the same thing (I'm in Greenbelt) and was wondering if it was just me. I've got no QAM reception tonight, except for a few of the odd ones (ie:high-numbered PBS-HD and TNT-HD-with-no-sound, although LOTR looks good enough to watch on there without sound atm...).

Have you been able to get Fox-HD lately from comcast? For a few months now, 5.1 has been non-existent for me - and before that it came in well (as long as my cell phone was nowhere near the cable line ...)I'm glad to see I'm not alone. Maybe someone will have an explanation. Sorry I can't recall whether we could get 5.1 or not lately on Comcast.

Hi All-
I'm looking for Winegard dealers in the Washington or Baltimore areas, a place I can just walk in to and get a HD-8200P or HD-7084P.

It's harder and harder to find a listing for antenna dealers in phone books, or their online equivalents...better to ask those who know: you!

Picking one up in person might end up costing about as much as paying for shipping, and safer for the antenna. I've heard some stories about antennas getting dinged up pretty good during shipping.

Anyone know of stores that carry these items in the Wash/Balt area?

Thanks a bunch-:)

Hi All-
I'm looking for Winegard dealers in the Washington or Baltimore areas, a place I can just walk in to and get a HD-8200P or HD-7084P. Try googling "Winegard Dealers" 2 dealers in Baltimore, and 1 in Stephensville MD.

Is there something weird with Comcast in PG County right now? I don't have any QAM channels at all coming in at this moment. I'm in Bowie.

I haven't checked lately but there was already something weird when I checked on Thursday. They removed the Baltimore channels and had 4 and 9 duplicated. 4, 9, Weatherplus, and Doppler 9000 were on 117 and 122. What are they doing?

Thanks!

I've used that search function on the Winegard site and found it to be inaccurate and/or out-of-date. My experience with those sorts of things has been spotty--sometimes good, sometimes bad, but often companies don't bother to keep them up-to-date. I'm hoping people with personal experience in Balt/Wash area can help fill in the gaps.

When I use their search page, for instance, it doesn't show at least one local (to me, here in Frederick) dealer that I know sells Winegard gear (but at wildly inflated prices, before anyone asks why I don't buy from them). So I know for certain the search page misses some dealers...

Ant online sells both antennas you are looking for. They have a warehouse in Waynesboro, PA. Not sure if they allow walk-in's. They are so close to you that shipping might not be too risky though.

Ant online sells both antennas you are looking for. They have a warehouse in Waynesboro, PA. Not sure if they allow walk-in's. They are so close to you that shipping might not be too risky though.

Man, they would be perfect if they let me walk-in. Not far from me at all.

Thanks for the tip!

I haven't checked lately but there was already something weird when I checked on Thursday. They removed the Baltimore channels and had 4 and 9 duplicated. 4, 9, Weatherplus, and Doppler 9000 were on 117 and 122. What are they doing?
I have not been using my basic Cable for several days, and I just checked.
I now find QAM channels on 117,118,119,124,132,133, and 134, with nothing on 122,123, and 130 as before. I recall reading a statement that Comcast was going to do some changes in late August. I suggest things will be erratic for QAM channels for the near future.

Just lost all of my recordings on my POS 3416...I'm about to throw the DVR out a window...

I have not been using my basic Cable for several days, and I just checked.
I now find QAM channels on 117,118,119,124,132,133, and 134, with nothing on 122,123, and 130 as before. I recall reading a statement that Comcast was going to do some changes in late August. I suggest things will be erratic for QAM channels for the near future.
I just rescanned my listing, and it seems that they've just moved every QAM station around again to make things interesting. Seems that there's now no QAM stations available below 81, with most of the stations at 115 and up.

Guess it's time to delete my channel-listing spreadsheet and start over .... to bad there aren't any actual listings of the QAM stations anywhere (or is there one I don't know about?).

With ATSC at least when you press the info button on the TV, it gives you the station name and program listing. For some reason, not a single Comcast QAM station sends this information though ...

The fall season is almost upon us, so I'll throw out my quarterly question: Any word on HD news from WRC, WJLA, or WTTG? I doubt there's anything from WRC, but it seemed like there had been rumbling from the other two.

WJLA and WTTG were saying that HD news would be coming "soon" about six months ago, but both have been silent on the subject for a while now. And local HD news on WRC isn't even on the radar.

I just rescanned my listing, and it seems that they've just moved every QAM station around again to make things interesting. Seems that there's now no QAM stations available below 81, with most of the stations at 115 and up. ...
With ATSC at least when you press the info button on the TV, it gives you the station name and program listing. For some reason, not a single Comcast QAM station sends this information though ...I guess it will be just a matter of time before the network channels get remapped to their actual numbers, then. When I scanned this morning, nothing appeared along side the network numbers. I didn't go to the higher numbers to check out what was going on. Just a little while ago, I did find a CW station at the same value where it had been (132-2).

Neil

Try googling "Winegard Dealers" 2 dealers in Baltimore, and 1 in Stephensville MD.
baynesville electronics. towson.md on joppa rd. i believe their no is 410-823=0082.

baynesville electronics. towson.md on joppa rd. i believe their no is 410-823=0082.

Thanks--I may use them. They're great; though I haven't been there in at least 10 years. Great old-style electronics store. I'll call them in the morning.

Thanks!

Thanks--I may use them. They're great; though I haven't been there in at least 10 years. Great old-style electronics store. I'll call them in the morning.

Thanks!

They're a little pricey though. Saw the HD-1080 there, at list price (vs. about 50% off online.) Baynesville's prices have always been a bit high, which is fine when you need something in a hurry. But lately their prices seem higher than ever. At least they're friendly!

They're a little pricey though. Saw the HD-1080 there, at list price (vs. about 50% off online.) Baynesville's prices have always been a bit high, which is fine when you need something in a hurry. But lately their prices seem higher than ever. At least they're friendly!


Hmmm...interesting. Is this the price of staying in business, in a world where things are ordered from afar at the click of a mouse button, and the number of folks doing work with actual electronic components is dwindling? Maybe.

I will check them out--but it sounds similar to what I was quoted at a mom-and-pop TV repair/antenna place here in Frederick; they were asking twice the price of online dealers. Shame it's that way; I'd really like to buy from them.

This problem started yesterday. I'm in PG county and have been using my Sony HDD500 Box to get the local HD channels off Comcast. I now get no signal for any HD channel. My buddy lives in greenbelt and has the same box , and also cant get the local HD channels. These local HD channels are supposed to come in clear with any QAM tuner, and the box has been fine until yesterday. I have another friend who has the Comcast box and he can get the local HD channels. I figured maybe they remapped the channels, so I did another scan but could not pick up any Local HD off cable. Anyone know whats going on here? We are supposed to get these Local HD channels 4 5 7 9 20 50 with any QAM tuner.

If they have been re mapped does anyone know the new numbers?

I was wondering the same thing (I'm in Greenbelt) and was wondering if it was just me. I've got no QAM reception tonight, except for a few of the odd ones (ie:high-numbered PBS-HD and TNT-HD-with-no-sound, although LOTR looks good enough to watch on there without sound atm...).

Have you been able to get Fox-HD lately from comcast? For a few months now, 5.1 has been non-existent for me - and before that it came in well (as long as my cell phone was nowhere near the cable line ...)


The problem started yesterday with me as well. I rescanned but have had no luck picking up local HD. I hooked up my antenna to get OTA, but its always a crapshoot and the OTA signals are never stable in my location.

This problem started yesterday. I'm in PG county and have been using my Sony HDD500 Box to get the local HD channels off Comcast. I now get no signal for any HD channel. My buddy lives in greenbelt and has the same box , and also cant get the local HD channels. These local HD channels are supposed to come in clear with any QAM tuner, and the box has been fine until yesterday. I have another friend who has the Comcast box and he can get the local HD channels. I figured maybe they remapped the channels, so I did another scan but could not pick up any Local HD off cable. Anyone know whats going on here? We are supposed to get these Local HD channels 4 5 7 9 20 50 with any QAM tuner.

If they have been re mapped does anyone know the new numbers?

4 and 9 moved from 122 to 117.
7 and 26 moved from 123 to 118.
I don't know about 5, 20, or 50.

4 and 9 moved from 122 to 117.
7 and 26 moved from 123 to 118.
I don't know about 5, 20, or 50.

Thanks for the information. I guess at the present time, Comcast is not including whatever information my TV needs to remap those to 4-1, 9-1, etc. Anyone know how that works?

Neil

WBOC in Salisbury, MD switches to HD news this week.

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6588019.html

Thanks for the information. I guess at the present time, Comcast is not including whatever information my TV needs to remap those to 4-1, 9-1, etc. Anyone know how that works?

Neil
I just switched from Comcast to FiOS. But before that, Comcast switched all the locals here from their 4-1, 9-1, etc... all to 112-1801 thru 115-1804 and it was like that for the final 2-3 months I was on Comcast. So I wouldn't hold out hope that it gets changed anytime soon. As I said in an earlier post, it appears to be Comcast forcing the less technically savvy user to up their service.

Good Luck.

WBOC in Salisbury, MD switches to HD news this week.

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6588019.htmlGood to hear,

It looks terrible now; even on an SD display.

ABC World News, Nightline, 20/20, Primetime going HD.

All primetime dramas, comedies, and movies, all news programs (except for ABC World News Now?), and The View will be in HD on ABC .

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=14515663#post14515663

And of course, Wheel and Jeopardy are in HD on WMAR. (But, sadly, not their local news.)

4 and 9 moved from 122 to 117.
7 and 26 moved from 123 to 118.
I don't know about 5, 20, or 50.

Thanks for the info. However I tried 117 and 118 and get no signal. I wonder if they moved them again? Did they have the same sub channel 1 for 9 and 2 for 4 as compared to the old 122-1 and 122-2?

RCN in D.C. has added ESPNU on channel 120, and has moved SoapNet to channel 98. I've also heard that they'll be going digital-only by the end of the year.

NBC's two High-Definition specialty channels for the 2008 Summer Olympic Games, the Olympic Soccer Channel and Olympic Basketball Channel, have been removed here in Prince William County on Comcast. Will Comcast add new HD networks in place of them?

Olympic channels still on in Baltimore.

ABC World News is in HD on WMAR.

CBS Evening News still SD on WJZ.

Thanks for the info. However I tried 117 and 118 and get no signal. I wonder if they moved them again? Did they have the same sub channel 1 for 9 and 2 for 4 as compared to the old 122-1 and 122-2?After rescanning, I got NBC on 117-1 and WRC-DT on 117-2, CBS on 117-3, CBS weather on 117-4. ABC on 118-1, some subchannel on 118-2, ABC weather on 118-3. WETA-HD on 118-4 and their three other subchannels on 118-5, -6, and -7. I couldn't find the other networks yet.

Neil

I went further on past 118 and wrote down what I could identify. There are religious channels and GAC on 119-x. VS on 124-19. TNT (w/o audio) on 127-5. FOX 5 was on 132-1. CW on 132-2. MY 20 on 133-1. I think MhZ1-3 were on 133-2, -3, -4. NTA (?) on 133-5. A&E on 134-2.

Neil

Thanks for the info. However I tried 117 and 118 and get no signal. I wonder if they moved them again? Did they have the same sub channel 1 for 9 and 2 for 4 as compared to the old 122-1 and 122-2?

As of 9:15 PM 8/25 I'm still getting them on 117 and 118. They changed the subchannel order to a more sensible one.

117-1 NBC4 HD.
117-2 NBC4 Weather plus.
117-3 CBS9 HD.
117-4 Doppler 9000.

118-1 ABC7 HD.
118-2 RTN 7.
118-3 7 Super Doppler.
118-4 WETA HD.
118-5,6,7 WETA SD channels.

I'm in Northern P.G. If you're in a different area your channels might be different. I found mine by tuning to the Doppler 9000 channel on my digital cable box, going into the service menu to find the frequency, then finding the channel number which corresponded to that frequency.

As of 9:15 PM 8/25 I'm still getting them on 117 1nd 118. They changed the subchannel order to a more sensible one.

117-1 NBC4 HD.
117-2 NBC4 Weather plus.
117-3 CBS9 HD.
117-4 Doppler 9000.

118-1 ABC7 HD.
118-2 RTN 7.
118-3 7 Super Doppler.
118-4 WETA HD.
118-5,6,7 WETA SD channels.


Fox5 HD is 15.1
CW50 HD is 15.2
MY20 HD is 16.1

As of 9:15 PM 8/25 I'm still getting them on 117 1nd 118. They changed the subchannel order to a more sensible one.

117-1 NBC4 HD.
117-2 NBC4 Weather plus.
117-3 CBS9 HD.
117-4 Doppler 9000.

118-1 ABC7 HD.
118-2 RTN 7.
118-3 7 Super Doppler.
118-4 WETA HD.
118-5,6,7 WETA SD channels.

I'm in Northern P.G. If you're in a different area your channels might be different. I found mine by tuning to the Doppler 9000 channel on my digital cable box, going into the service menu to find the frequency, then finding the channel number which corresponded to that frequency.

Im also in Northern PG. Here is a funny thing. I can get the channels with the Sharp aquos tuner, and my LG3410a DVR tuner, but my Sony Hdd500 DVR cant pick up the signals. Channel numbers are the same for me. I will look into the Sony again, reboot the system and rescan.

Nightline is in SD on WJLA ABC7 Washington

And WMAR in Baltimore.

It looks like Comcast will finally "give" us ESPNU:

http://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/article/59824

"What won’t be announced next week, though, is a forthcoming agreement between ESPN and Comcast that will initially put ESPNU in about 7 million Comcast homes. That deal could be finalized in the coming weeks and could potentially give ESPNU full digital basic distribution of around 14 million homes on the country’s biggest cable operator. ESPNU, which is in 25 million homes, previously had failed to gain carriage on Comcast, but this deal eventually could push it to reach about 40 million homes, a critical threshold for advertising, industry sources say."

Vs. went from Bloodsport to some weird 4 channel mini split-screen display with some logo that read "Central" across the top, to then becoming a simulcast of BTN. And CNN-HD is a blank screen.

Anyone see this? On Comcast, btw.

Sounds like they were testing some Mosaic type of scheme. Dish uses this sometimes, but its never on a public channel. They put it on their Dish Home software app and cover up the borders with graphics.

Thanks Cyclone. Good to know.

Everything's back to normal, thankfully. WETA's coverage is tough to watch.

Any1 know where 4-1 & 7-1 went to on Cox in Fx Cty?

9-1 & 5-1 are still where they are supposed to be.

Im also in Northern PG. Here is a funny thing. I can get the channels with the Sharp aquos tuner, and my LG3410a DVR tuner, but my Sony Hdd500 DVR cant pick up the signals. Channel numbers are the same for me. I will look into the Sony again, reboot the system and rescan.


The Sony problem is identified.

Comcast in remapping the clear QAM channels assigned a 4 digit subchannel to the locals. The Sony tuner could not find it in the scan, but by manually tuning in the 4 digit subchannel I found all of the stations. However the TV guide scheduling software cant accept 4 digit channels so I have to schedule and record manually.

Here are the Comcast 4 digit assignments in Northern PG county for the major networks.

4 117.1801
5 132.1501
7 118.1701
9 117.1803

50 132.1502

Did anyone catch WBOC HD news?? What a huge improvement!!!! I'm only watching in SD though . Anybody have feedback on an HD display? I do see some compression issues; but not excessive.

Glen

Once again Nightline is in SD on WJLA ABC7

I'm not sure what's going on in the control room tonight...

Once again Nightline is in SD on WJLA ABC7

I'm not sure what's going on in the control room tonight...

And WMAR. Pathetic.

For the 9,000 who watch Nationals games on MASN and the very few more who watch the Orioles there, DirecTV moved MASN from 626/626-1 to 640/640-1 and MASN2 from 671/671-1 to 641/641-1 today. Comcast Sportsnet MidAtlantic was moved from 629 to 642 last week (SD and HD).

does anyone else have terrible sound on fios? live tv i have no sound at all and on demand is all sorts of choppy

this digital - HDTV thing sucks.
the way us consumers are being jerked around is unacceptable.

I'm a consumer and I've been digital for over 5 years now. No one has jerked me around yet. Its everyone who is waiting until the last minute to make the change that will be the super whiners And what? Everyone else is supposed to jump through hoops to placate them?

You don't consider moving the HD channels around as being a tad clownish not to mention the poor service we get overall from the providers.

There's a reason this thread is 6300 posts long & it isn't to complement very many entities involved in this digital shenanigan.

You don't consider moving the HD channels around as being a tad clownish not to mention the poor service we get overall from the providers.

There's a reason this thread is 6300 posts long & it isn't to complement very many entities involved in this digital shenanigan.

You are bouncing around WAY too much. This rant looks nothing like your original post.

Yes, moving channels around is clownish, but that's a different argument than the "this digital - HDTV thing sucks" that you originally went with, and CycloneGT responded to.

You don't consider moving the HD channels around as being a tad clownish not to mention the poor service we get overall from the providers.

There's a reason this thread is 6300 posts long & it isn't to complement very many entities involved in this digital shenanigan.

I get my 4-1 on 4-1, 7-3 on 7-3, etc., on my D* boxes. Direct your anger at the cable companies who keep moving the channels, not the "digital transition" in general. OTA reception has been working fine for quite a while. There will be another hiccup when some station have to switch back, but there's nothing then preventing cable companies from moving things around again.

I get my 4-1 on 4-1, 7-3 on 7-3, etc., on my D* boxes. Direct your anger at the cable companies who keep moving the channels, not the "digital transition" in general. OTA reception has been working fine for quite a while. There will be another hiccup when some station have to switch back, but there's nothing then preventing cable companies from moving things around again.

I thought I was.

You are bouncing around WAY too much. This rant looks nothing like your original post.

Yes, moving channels around is clownish, but that's a different argument than the "this digital - HDTV thing sucks" that you originally went with, and CycloneGT responded to.

Sorry if my terminology is ambiguous. But it has nothing with the conversion to digital but more the execution of it by carriers.

I get my 4-1 on 4-1, 7-3 on 7-3, etc., on my D* boxes. Direct your anger at the cable companies who keep moving the channels, not the "digital transition" in general. OTA reception has been working fine for quite a while. There will be another hiccup when some station have to switch back, but there's nothing then preventing cable companies from moving things around again.It might be more than just a hiccup when the stations change their frequencies around the transition. Looking on AntennaWeb I see there are several stations with post-transition frequencies. When will they change? Does it happen at midnight at February 16? What about folks who have Windows Media Center and have had to have workarounds because the media guides have the post-transition frequencies in them right now?

There have been a lot of problems with the transition and there will probably be more. The whole CECB business has been a mess as well.

Neil

Sorry if my terminology is ambiguous. But it has nothing with the conversion to digital but more the execution of it by carriers.

Gotcha. That was one of the reasons I switched from Comcast to FiOS. They constantly switched the channels around to the most inconvenient places 112-1804 for NBC?!?!?! 115-1904 for Fox, etc... All when they have the capability to map those to 4-1, 5-1, 7-1, 9-1, etc...?!?!?

Come on, that is total bush league. And thanks to them doing that, they lost a customer.

Lots of people here get their HD from OTA antennas. I used to for a while, but it was a bit too inconsistent for me. If the prices keep on going up, and the stations finally get their act together post Feb. 2009, I might be joining them again.

Gotcha. That was one of the reasons I switched from Comcast to FiOS. They constantly switched the channels around to the most inconvenient places 112-1804 for NBC?!?!?! 115-1904 for Fox, etc... All when they have the capability to map those to 4-1, 5-1, 7-1, 9-1, etc...?!?!?

Come on, that is total bush league. And thanks to them doing that, they lost a customer.

Lots of people here get their HD from OTA antennas. I used to for a while, but it was a bit too inconsistent for me. If the prices keep on going up, and the stations finally get their act together post Feb. 2009, I might be joining them again.

Exactly! you've summarized it.

Sorry, tripleM, I was responding to just that one post and didn't read back to take every thing in context.

yes, that shifting around of the QAM cable numbers is a mess, and the cable companies would be wise to cut it out. Now that is screwing around with the customers.

Sorry, tripleM, I was responding to just that one post and didn't read back to take every thing in context.

yes, that shifting around of the QAM cable numbers is a mess, and the cable companies would be wise to cut it out. Now that is screwing around with the customers.

My frustrations makes me less articulate!
No harm. It's just TV. haha.

WUTB is back to 720p and no stretch. Maybe some HD finally.

yes, that shifting around of the QAM cable numbers is a mess, and the cable companies would be wise to cut it out. Now that is screwing around with the customers.

Exactly. This latest move of adding a 4 digit sub channel to the local clear QAM signals has turned my SONY DVR into a VCR as far as functionality goes. Comcast had to know that. Even if they moved the channels around why coudnt they have used a 3 digit or less subchannel.

WUTB is back to 720p and no stretch. Maybe some HD finally.
Saw your post while Twilight Zone was on MyNetwork. It was upconverted SD on WUTB-DT 24 but in HD on WDCA-DT 20. So WUTB-DT still needs to get the My Network HD feed. But it may be days before another true HD program or movie is on My Network.

I just noticed that Verizon FIOS has updated the IMG software in Howard County today to version 1.6 and this fixes the green bar issue from the STB's HDMI outputs as well as a few other things less important to me. i did not see this posted in the local forum.

It might be more than just a hiccup when the stations change their frequencies around the transition. Looking on AntennaWeb I see there are several stations with post-transition frequencies. When will they change? Does it happen at midnight at February 16? ...
There have been a lot of problems with the transition and there will probably be more. The whole CECB business has been a mess as well.
The change for most stations that are changing their physical digital broadcast channels in our area will be at around midnight on February 17. Or least that is their stated plan.

We have 2 stations in the greater Wash-Baltimore that will shut down early. WNVC-DT MHz 56 in Fairfax will go dark in September for both analog and digital. WNVC-DT will have to wait for WUTB 24 to go off the air before they can start up a new digital signal on UHF 24, probably the morning of February 18. WNVC-DT did get approval to operate at 160 kW on UHF 24 which should give them a larger coverage area than their analog signal.

WMDT-DT ABC 47 in Salisbury will be doing the transition early by shutting down their analog signal on September 20, then flash their digital broadcast to UHF 47 shortly thereafter.

The big transition for most OTA viewers will be WJLA-DT 7, WUSA-DT 9, WBAL-DT 11, WJZ-DT 13 all moving from UHF to their upper VHF channels. Some may have to adjust their antennas, some may have to upgrade their UHF only antenna. WHAG-DT NBC 25 in Hagerstown will finally fire up a full power digital signal on UHF 26, so that will be improved. I'm not getting into all the changes here, but except for the question of WBAL-DT 11 with a rather weak 5 kW ERP allocation, digital OTA reception should be improved in general for the Washington DC and Baltimore DMAs.

Saw your post while Twilight Zone was on MyNetwork. It was upconverted SD on WUTB-DT 24 but in HD on WDCA-DT 20. So WUTB-DT still needs to get the My Network HD feed. But it may be days before another true HD program or movie is on My Network.

Sure wish I could get that signal down here in Forestville. The analog signal is real clear. Digital was 1% last night. wow

Nightline FINALLY in HD on WMAR.

Nightline FINALLY in HD on WMAR.
But was still in SD on WJLA-DT 7. Yoo-hoo, WJLA, you are a top 10 DMA station, shouldn't you be aware that ABC is providing Nightline in HD?

Also, Verizon Fios added ESPNU-HD this morning at channel 848. The new channel is not yet in the guide, but I found it by scrolling up through the channels. I expect ESPNU-HD will be added to the guide later today or tomorrow when they send out an updated guide.

Channel 848 is at the same QAM 81 channel (567 MHz in the diagnostics display) as the two temporary HD Olympic channels. Since Verizon showed Sci-Fi HD here and in several other markets on the temporary HD channels before the Olympics, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Verizon will add that too very soon, so we don't have to wait until the re-alignment and HD expansion gets to the Washington Metro market on Sept. 22. CNBC-HD+ and USA-HD remain at channels 879 and 884, buried in the locals plus SD channel group.

From today's Examiner. http://www.dcexaminer.com/sports/Jim_Williams_Taking_an_inside_look_at_MASN.html

Examiner » The most asked question that I get has to do with getting more Orioles and Nationals games in High Definition. Will we get more next season?

Chris Glass » The short answer in yes. I can tell you that we are ready right now to do all the Nationals and Orioles games both home and away in HD. We use the same HD remote trucks for our MASN-HD games that ESPN uses for Sunday Night Baseball — so there is no cutting corners. The key is getting a dedicated MASN-HD channel, with a backup for the over flow games. We are working hard with our cable partners to get that for next year. Right now I can say that we will have more games next year in HD.

From today's Examiner. http://www.dcexaminer.com/sports/Jim_Williams_Taking_an_inside_look_at_MASN.html

Examiner » The most asked question that I get has to do with getting more Orioles and Nationals games in High Definition. Will we get more next season?

Chris Glass » The short answer in yes. I can tell you that we are ready right now to do all the Nationals and Orioles games both home and away in HD. We use the same HD remote trucks for our MASN-HD games that ESPN uses for Sunday Night Baseball — so there is no cutting corners. The key is getting a dedicated MASN-HD channel, with a backup for the over flow games. We are working hard with our cable partners to get that for next year. Right now I can say that we will have more games next year in HD.

This is great news, and I hope they follow through. Despite the many complaints thrown at MASN, the picture quality of their HD baseball production is superb, as good as anyone out there. And as far as a dedicated MASN HD channel, they already have a dedicated slot on RCN. Seeing all Nationals and Orioles games in HD for 2009 would be a dream come true.

This is great news, and I hope they follow through. Despite the many complaints thrown at MASN, the picture quality of their HD baseball production is superb, as good as anyone out there. And as far as a dedicated MASN HD channel, they already have a dedicated slot on RCN. Seeing all Nationals and Orioles games in HD for 2009 would be a dream come true.

I saw this earlier today. It would be really, really great news. But for some reason I not gonna hold my breath on this one just yet.

I saw this earlier today. It would be really, really great news. But for some reason I not gonna hold my breath on this one just yet.
Agreed on all counts. :)

But was still in SD on WJLA-DT 7. Yoo-hoo, WJLA, you are a top 10 DMA station, shouldn't you be aware that ABC is providing Nightline in HD

Top 10 market but the station is run at times like a bottom 10 market (movies pre-empting network shows, lack of HD news, late to the game getting J! and Wheel in HD, and only when they got a good deal on the needed HD recorder, and so on).

I don't expect Oprah to be in HD next month, either. Hopefully the Nightline issue is a "flipping the switch" thing

Hey guys, new to the area using FiOS in Rockville. I noticed ESPNU HD today on Channel 848.

Hey guys, new to the area using FiOS in Rockville. I noticed ESPNU HD today on Channel 848.

This is great timing. Maryland Terps football this Saturday at 3:45 p.m. on ESPNU !

:)

Hey guys, new to the area using FiOS in Rockville. I noticed ESPNU HD today on Channel 848.

ESPNU HD was supposed to launch today on RCN, but with no explanation, it hasn't shown up yet :mad:

Nightline still in SD on WJLA-DT 7, this is just sad...

Nightline still in SD on WJLA-DT 7, this is just sad...
I thought it was in SD tonight on WMAR-DT 2 as well. But as I started writing this, they either switched to HD or it was SD field reports. Still SD on WJLA-DT 7. Has anyone asked WJLA about no HD for nightline and gotten an answer? Maybe they will figure out they need to tell the late shift to throw the switch by next week.

I don't see this being anything more than "throwing a switch" DC, first in politics, last in the NL East (and hopefully not last in the NFC East), last in HD News. Sad.

I don't see this being anything more than "throwing a switch" DC, first in politics, last in the NL East (and hopefully not last in the NFC East), last in HD News. Sad.
What do you care, you're a knicks fan.

I don't see this being anything more than "throwing a switch" DC, first in politics, last in the NL East (and hopefully not last in the NFC East), last in HD News. Sad.

I've lived here most of my life & supposedly this area has the most Masters grads & PhD's living here than anywhere else in this country.

Just by osmosis, I would think some of those smarts would rub off on these operators. Maybe it's the H20...:rolleyes:

Comcast has added four Big Ten Network overflow channels at 801-804. They are labeled XTRA1-XTRA4. The main channel is at 257. I can see the overflow channels but the main channel says Not Authorized. It's also now not labeled and the schedule says To Be Announced.

I don't see this being anything more than "throwing a switch" DC, first in politics, last in the NL East (and hopefully not last in the NFC East), last in HD News. Sad.

0-6 in the NFC East.

You read it here first.

What do you care, you're a knicks fan.

Doesn't have to stop him from being a burgundy and gold fan as well. :rolleyes:

Here we go again. ABC World News is in SD on WMAR. Guess I need to send them another email.:rolleyes:

Are there any engineers at WJLA that actually monitor what format they're supposed to be airing there programs in. First Nightline, now College Football Countdown. What's going on at channel 7. It's actually in HD as I type on WMAR 2.

Doesn't have to stop him from being a burgundy and gold fan as well. :rolleyes:
I suppose, but I question those fans of LA Lakers, NY Yankees, Dallas cowboy AND Detroit Redwings types.

Comcast has added four Big Ten Network overflow channels at 801-804. They are labeled XTRA1-XTRA4. The main channel is at 257. I can see the overflow channels but the main channel says Not Authorized. It's also now not labeled and the schedule says To Be Announced.

All 4 Xtra channels had Big10 games on in SD today. The main channel 257 was "not authorized" for me. Is 257 HD? Do you need the $5 sports pack to see it? (which I do not have)

WUSA is having PSIP program guide issues. All programming is listed as "DTV Program" in their guide. It's been happing for a little over a day. I'm watching OTA.

WUSA is having PSIP program guide issues. All programming is listed as "DTV Program" in their guide. It's been happing for a little over a day. I'm watching OTA.

Should be fixed. Odd one! Thanks.

WMAR flipped the switch for World News and Nightline tonight. They're learning (I hope).

Blah blah blah, Count! :)

I follow the Skins as well as the Jets. I don't think either team will make the playoffs, though I don't see an 0-6 against the other teams in the NFC East for the Skins.

It has been a rough number of years with the Knicks. The glory days are long gone. Getting Ewing Jr. is not the answer. 35 years and counting. In my lifetime, please.

And getting back to WJLA-I miss the days when Robert would post and tell us what is going on there.

Baltimore fell two positions from #24 to #26 [DMA].

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6591274.html

Any opinions on which service? I currently have RCN, but I am moving to a new location so I have a choice to switchover if worth it. I am mostly interested in HD content; Comcast seems to have a small edge here, will this hold up?

Side note any word of either picking up FXHD anytime soon?

Whoa, Comcast in Arlington VA now has NFL Network where TBS HD used to be. Weird...

Funny, I just saw that and came to post it. Same in Alexandria. I think it's been like that since 5 or so; I heard/saw football talk while surfing but paid no attention to it until I just saw last year's SB playing. NFL-HD is as it should be.

All 4 Xtra channels had Big10 games on in SD today. The main channel 257 was "not authorized" for me. Is 257 HD? Do you need the $5 sports pack to see it? (which I do not have)

You do need to have the sports pack to see the 257 channel. I could be wrong but the channel is not HD. If it is the quality is crappy. As for the extra 4 channels, i will have to check that out and see. Usually those channels are reserved for College Gameday Packages or other sports packages. I could be wrong about that too.

Edit: Just found this info:
"On the opening Saturday of the football season, Aug. 30, the network will show six live games.

When there is more than one game airing at a time, Comcast will place additional feeds on channels 692-695" I found this on MLive.com, a Michigan website. I guess for us those channels are 801-804?

You do need to have the sports pack to see the 257 channel. I could be wrong but the channel is not HD. If it is the quality is crappy. As for the extra 4 channels, i will have to check that out and see. Usually those channels are reserved for College Gameday Packages or other sports packages. I could be wrong about that too.

Edit: Just found this info:
"On the opening Saturday of the football season, Aug. 30, the network will show six live games.

When there is more than one game airing at a time, Comcast will place additional feeds on channels 692-695" I found this on MLive.com, a Michigan website. I guess for us those channels are 801-804?

From the Big Ten Network website:

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 6TH FOOTBALL GAMES

Catch your Big Ten games on COMCAST! See below for details in your area.

12:00 PM (ET) / 11:00 AM (CT)
MARSHALL VS. WISCONSIN: channel 257
EASTERN MICHIGAN VS. MICHIGAN STATE: channel 801
NORTHERN COLORADO VS. PURDUE *: channel 802
FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL VS. IOWA *: channel 803
EASTERN ILLINOIS VS. ILLINOIS: channel 804
7:00 PM (ET) / 6:00 PM (CT)
MURRAY STATE VS. INDIANA: channel 257

* Denotes game not produced in HD.

On the website, they make it real easy to access channels by your zip code and TV provider.

Yes, you need the sports pak (now up to 5 bucks after the NFL-HD deal from last year @$1.99/mo). Main channel is not in HD. Overflow games are on 801-804 (Xtra). On Demand highlights are in HD, but the one I watched was only 3 minutes long.

Since most BTN games (if not all) are in HD, the SD versions actually look OK to me, all things considered.

Looks like Merrifield Channel 56 has gone dark!! My reception has already greatly improved!! I'm hoping things will improve even more when the rest of the strong analogs go dark!! Anybody else notice an improvement???;)

Looks like Merrifield Channel 56 has gone dark!! My reception has already greatly improved!! I'm hoping things will improve even more when the rest of the strong analogs go dark!! Anybody else notice an improvement???;)
Are you really seeing an improvement in reception? For which digital stations?

Looking at the MHz website, WNVC 56 (DT 57) in Fairfax has gone off the air. I knew they were shutting down in September, didn't realize they would do it this early. They shuffled the SD sub-channel line-up for WNVT-DT 30 which will stay on the air - http://www.mhznetworks.org/how-to-watch-mhz/index.php?option=com_news&id=65. I've posted this before, but WNVC has to shut down early so they can remove the top mounted analog 56 antenna and the side-mounted UHF 57 antenna and put up a new UHF 24 antenna.

WNVC-DT can't go back on the air until WUTB 24 turns off their analog signal next February. For anyone interested, here is the most recent explanation document attached to their FCC 387 transition filing: http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/getattachment_exh.cgi?exhibit_id=663154. WNVC-DT will go back on the air at 160 kW which should give them a larger coverage area than they have with the current analog 56 signal.

Are you really seeing an improvement in reception? For which digital stations? Or are you pulling our leg?
Absolutely,

WBOC-DT16 & 21 are coming in most of the time now; whereas they were only an occasional tropo before. I also see an improvement on WUTB-DT24, WWPB-DT31, & WWPX-DT60. WMPB-DT67 has never come in until now; but it is very weak.

I tried analog also; and discovered Virginia Public Television on Channel 58(Ruckersville??), WHAG-25, and an improved WJAL-68 from McConnelsburg, PA.

WNVC is the only visible TV tower from my roof; so I am sure the signal was quite strong here. WETA-FM is only 1/2 mile away; but there are no TV stations using that tower now to my knowledge.(I hope it stays that way!!)

I tried analog also; and discovered Virginia Public Television on Channel 58(Ruckersville??),

Yep, that's W58DK. Signal carries quite a ways. Supposedly they have a 1 kW digital signal on channel 21 up there but I have yet to see any evidence of this.

- Trip

Hi,

Is there anyone in Woodbridge, VA getting Verizon FiOS HD locals over QAM in the clear? I got a TivoHD yesterday, and before I activate the cable cards I was checking out what's available in the clear as a debugging step for my MythTV box. I get a ton of SD channels (including all the SD locals, the Music channels, and the MHz channels in the 75-* range), but no locals (at least, not in the 70-80 channel range). I've running the latest tivo software now (9.4).

Unfortunately, I don't have an HDTV with a built-in QAM tuner to test with, and my friends that do have them all have big 40"+ TVs. :)

Thanks!

Brian

Hi,

Is there anyone in Woodbridge, VA getting Verizon FiOS HD locals over QAM in the clear? I got a TivoHD yesterday, and before I activate the cable cards I was checking out what's available in the clear as a debugging step for my MythTV box. I get a ton of SD channels (including all the SD locals, the Music channels, and the MHz channels in the 75-* range), but no locals (at least, not in the 70-80 channel range). I've running the latest tivo software now (9.4).

Unfortunately, I don't have an HDTV with a built-in QAM tuner to test with, and my friends that do have them all have big 40"+ TVs. :)

Thanks!

Brian

Yes they are in the clear. I have my bedroom TV connnected to FIOS to test this out.
All the local channels show up as if the TV was connected to an OTA antenna so 4.1 shows up as 4.1 etc.

Those music channels and a few other video channels show up that I'm not familiar with but I only programmed in the local channels in memory.

Any opinions on which service? I currently have RCN, but I am moving to a new location so I have a choice to switchover if worth it. I am mostly interested in HD content; Comcast seems to have a small edge here, will this hold up?

Side note any word of either picking up FXHD anytime soon?

RCN is shutting off the analog completely by the beginning of October, in order to free up a whole bunch of bandwidth for digital and HD expansion. I haven't seen the new line-up yet, but I've heard that we should have around 50 HD channels soon, and around 100 sometime next year. RCN's Chicago line-up is probably a pretty good indicator of what we will get at first:
http://www.rcn.com/cabletv/lineups/details.php?lineup_id=IL-CHICAGO-ALL-DIGITAL

EDIT: The Chicago line-up does show FX HD, so I would guess that we will see that one eventually.

Is there anyone in Woodbridge, VA getting Verizon FiOS HD locals over QAM in the clear? I got a TivoHD yesterday, and before I activate the cable cards I was checking out what's available in the clear as a debugging step for my MythTV box. I get a ton of SD channels (including all the SD locals, the Music channels, and the MHz channels in the 75-* range), but no locals (at least, not in the 70-80 channel range).
You should be getting the digital broadcast locals mapped to their broadcast channel #s as aaronwt posted. But Tivo may be funky in this area as they designed them for cable systems to be used only with cable cards. There are two national (SD) channels in the clear: WGN at 55-100 and The Weather Channel at 66-103. If the Tivo does not show the mapped channel numbers, the HD and SD sub-channel locals are located at QAM channels:

71:* 2 local HD (WUSA CBS 9, WRC NBC 4, 2 SD subs)
72:* 2 local HD (WTTG Fox 5, WDCA My 20)
73:* 2 local HD (MPT PBS 22, WJLA ABC 7, 4 SD subs)
74:* 2 local HD (WDCW CW 50, WETA PBS 26, 4 SD)
75:* 2 locals: WNVC-DT MHz 56 and WNVT-DT MHz 30 stations (8 SD subs).
82: the 3 Ion additional SD sub-channels (not including the main Ion channel).

BTW, Verizon is having a free preview weekend for HBO and Cinemax from Sept. 5-9. In past previews, the channels were sent in the clear, so you might be able to get HBO-HD at QAM 94-x and Cinemax-HD at 110-x.

I saw the 55-100 and 66-103 channels, but there's nothing from 71-* to 74-* . :(

However, after playing with it some if I just enter "72" or "73" with the tivo remote, the HD locals come up. Some maybe something is messed up with the PSIP? Saw multiple threads on that from last year, but it was supposed to be fixed this summer.

I'll look for the HBO/SHO channels this weekend, thanks for the tip.

Brian

You should be getting the digital broadcast locals mapped to their broadcast channel #s as aaronwt posted. But Tivo may be funky in this area as they designed them for cable systems to be used only with cable cards. There are two national (SD) channels in the clear: WGN at 55-100 and The Weather Channel at 66-103. If the Tivo does not show the mapped channel numbers, the HD and SD sub-channel locals are located at QAM channels:

71:* 2 local HD (WUSA CBS 9, WRC NBC 4, 2 SD subs)
72:* 2 local HD (WTTG Fox 5, WDCA My 20)
73:* 2 local HD (MPT PBS 22, WJLA ABC 7, 4 SD subs)
74:* 2 local HD (WDCW CW 50, WETA PBS 26, 4 SD)
75:* 2 locals: WNVC-DT MHz 56 and WNVT-DT MHz 30 stations (8 SD subs).
82: the 3 Ion additional SD sub-channels (not including the main Ion channel).

BTW, Verizon is having a free preview weekend for HBO and Cinemax from Sept. 5-9. In past previews, the channels were sent in the clear, so you might be able to get HBO-HD at QAM 94-x and Cinemax-HD at 110-x.

FiOS TV Expands In Baltimore County

Service Now Available to More Than 700,000 Homes In Maryland

By Todd Spangler -- Multichannel News, 9/3/2008 10:29:00 AM

Verizon Communications is offering FiOS TV to 22,500 additional consumers and small businesses in parts of northeastern Baltimore County—bringing more competition to Comcast in the area—expanding the service’s Maryland footprint to more than 700,000 homes passed.

The telco said FiOS TV now is available in parts of Carney, Cub Hill, Fullerton, Overlea, Parkville, Perry Hall, Rosedale and Towson. Elsewhere in Maryland, Verizon offers FiOS TV and Internet service to more than 700,000 other homes and businesses in Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Howard, Montgomery and Prince George's counties.

http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6592504.html

WBOC-DT16 & 21 are coming in most of the time now; whereas they were only an occasional tropo before. I also see an improvement on WUTB-DT24, WWPB-DT31, & WWPX-DT60. WMPB-DT67 has never come in until now; but it is very weak.

What does your TV Fool plot look like? Are you using an amp or pre-amp? It sounds like something in your system was overloading due to the close tower. Note that this might be a temporary fix as 24 will be there by 2/18/09.

For some of the stations in my area, they are currently broadcasting their main digital signal on UHF but in February say they will revert to their VHS frequency in February. I am using a Samsung SIR-TS160 Direct TV receiver to tune off the air digital broadcasts. When this revision takes place, will I still be able to tune the station?

Thanks,

Steve

What does your TV Fool plot look like? Are you using an amp or pre-amp? It sounds like something in your system was overloading due to the close tower. Note that this might be a temporary fix as 24 will be there by 2/18/09.Falcon 77,

I can't use a pre-amp now; but hope to be able to use the HDP-269 after the transition. I am still getting a very small amount of overload; but with careful antenna placement it isn't too bad. If I raise the antenna just 6 inches; WJZ-DT13 disappears. 13 comes in best now with the antenna pointed away from DC/Baltimore; towards Annapolis. (A sure sign of overload from DC)

How much power will WNVC be using after the transition? I thought it was only 160kw. If so, the chances of overload will hopefully not be as much of a concern.

Glen

If your antenna is a VHF/UHF antenna or is a UHF antenna with enough gain for upper VHF stations to work, you should get the stations making the switch to VHF. The ATSC tuner will scan from channel 2 to 69. But you should has asked this in the HDTV Technical forum or in your local thread.

Topics merged. Do not start new topics in this forum, use existing topics.

Has WMDT reduced power on their digital signal? The reason I ask is because when I moved my antenna it went up to about 40% but instead of WMDT 47-1,2 from Salisbury, I got WFUT 68-1 from New Jersey. Also, the listing for WMDT digital signal has been removed from the tvfool.com callsign list.

Has WMDT reduced power on their digital signal? The reason I ask is because when I moved my antenna it went up to about 40% but instead of WMDT 47-1,2 from Salisbury, I got WFUT 68-1 from New Jersey.
WMDT-DT 47 has a modest digital power on UHF 53 of 25 kW to start with. According to the station's website, they are still planning to shut down the analog 47 signal on Sept. 20, but the digital broadcast on UHF 53 will continue until they fire up a digital 350 kW signal on UHF 47 several days later. No mention of running the UHF 53 signal at reduced power.

We have had a large high pressure system sitting over the mid-Atlantic region; good weather for atmospheric ducting of TV signals. WFUT-DT 68 city of license is Newark, NJ, but the digital antenna appears to be on the Empire State Building, somewhere around 180? miles from Forestsville, MD. Pretty impressive DXing range for UHF 53. You should have tried to get other stations in NYC. You will probably be back to getting WMDT-DT on UHF 53 tonight.

How much power will WNVC be using after the transition? I thought it was only 160kw. If so, the chances of overload will hopefully not be as much of a concern.


160kW, while a ways from 1000kW, is not very low and should be considerably stronger than the prior 1230kW analog signal. Remember that ATSC power is measured differently than NTSC power (average vs. peak). As such, I would expect the overload effect to be twice as problematic, post-transition.

Have you tried attenuators to see if they help?

WMDT-DT 47 has a modest digital power on UHF 53 of 25 kW to start with. According to the station's website, they are still planning to shut down the analog 47 signal on Sept. 20, but the digital broadcast on UHF 53 will continue until they fire up a digital 350 kW signal on UHF 47 several days later. No mention of running the UHF 53 signal at reduced power.

I also don't see any notes that WDMT was going to run 53 at reduced power or turn it off before 9/20, but perhaps this is now needed? Or maybe it is a temporary 1-day turn-off. Is the analog signal still there?

If they have to have a tower crew do something with the channel 47 antenna, there's a chance they could reduce power on DT-53 so the crew doesn't get cooked by the RF, but I can't imagine that happening until after the analog goes away.

- Trip

Channel 24 (WUTB) appeared to be in HD last night during The Twilight Zone. I was pleasantly surprised.

Also, both WUTB and WMPT have been coming in much better OTA for the past several months. No issues at all and they both were very spotty before. I live in Pikesville.

Scott

Finally!!!:eek:

Very cool.

That leaves just WFDC and WHUT left as the only SD only Digital channels. :D

Very cool.

That leaves just WFDC and WHUT left as the only SD only Digital channels. :D

What about WPXW, have they ever broadcast anything in HD?

hehe, I kinda have a mind block on them. But you are right, ION is supposed to go HD soon. So we have to keep an eye on them as well.

WMDT-DT 47 has a modest digital power on UHF 53 of 25 kW to start with. According to the station's website, they are still planning to shut down the analog 47 signal on Sept. 20, but the digital broadcast on UHF 53 will continue until they fire up a digital 350 kW signal on UHF 47 several days later. No mention of running the UHF 53 signal at reduced power.

We have had a large high pressure system sitting over the mid-Atlantic region; good weather for atmospheric ducting of TV signals. WFUT-DT 68 city of license is Newark, NJ, but the digital antenna appears to be on the Empire State Building, somewhere around 180? miles from Forestsville, MD. Pretty impressive DXing range for UHF 53. You should have tried to get other stations in NYC. You will probably be back to getting WMDT-DT on UHF 53 tonight.

Tried Philly stations with no luck. Only a fluctuation between 4 and 19% for WPVI. WBOC is becoming a normal channel for me to receive. Last night it was at 92%. Later that night, however, when I turned my antenna back to the normal position, I completely lost WJZ-DT. Seemed like it was a problem with my antenna cord and not the station but I just wanted to know if anyone else has had problems with 13's signal?

But you are right, ION is supposed to go HD soon
That would be positively entertaining if they did.

That leaves just WFDC and WHUT left as the only SD only Digital channels. :D
Not quite. In the Washington DMA for the full power stations, you left out WPXW-DT Ion 66, WWPX-DT Ion 60 (12) out in Martinsburg, WNVT-DT 30, WNVC-DT 56 (silent), and I would guess WJAL 68 in the Hagerstown market if WJAL-DT has ever fired up the interim digital UHF 16 signal.

With the countdown clock to September 8 on the Ion stations, I emailed Ion about whether that meant to a HD broadcast. Unlike other networks, Ion actually responds to emails, but the answer was that they are still in the process of launching the HD network, but can't provide an official date. So don't hold your breath for Ion HD.

The last person at ION I talked to said that it wouldn't be a single switch to HD, that it would be station by station. Not sure that that makes sense in my mind, but I'd love to be proven wrong. My local station was slated for "sometime next year" which could mean 12/31/09.

- Trip

I just flipped through the channels and WRC came up with a third subchannel, dubbed "Universe." No audio, airing sports footage. I remember hearing something about a subchannel for Olympics coverage but that's a little late, of course, and I thought that was for cable. Did I miss an announcement?

Not quite. In the Washington DMA for the full power stations, you left out WPXW-DT Ion 66, WWPX-DT Ion 60 (12) out in Martinsburg, WNVT-DT 30, WNVC-DT 56 (silent), and I would guess WJAL 68 in the Hagerstown market if WJAL-DT has ever fired up the interim digital UHF 16 signal.


WJAL DT-16 is indeed up--it's fairly strong around there but doesn't make it down here. I accidentally got WHRO-DT while trying for it earlier in the summer, but that was of course due to tropo enhancement.

Just watching the Skins and wishing that WRC could find a way to sync the sound with the video for any of their network's live HD broadcasts.

Just watching the Skins and wishing that WRC could find a way to sync the sound with the video for any of their network's live HD broadcasts.
Atleast you have 5.1 sound. Lovely WBAL is broadcasting in 2.0 Stereo! First the Olympics and now another season of Football.

Everybody Loves Raymond is in HD on WUTB. So they are able to do syndicated HD.

I just flipped through the channels and WRC came up with a third subchannel, dubbed "Universe." No audio, airing sports footage. I remember hearing something about a subchannel for Olympics coverage but that's a little late, of course, and I thought that was for cable. Did I miss an announcement?
I think this is UniverseSports or something like that. NBC is putting this on NBC stations as a new SD sub-channel. This is first I've noticed it on WRC, so WRC-DT must have started 4.3 up today. Just in time to degrade the HD picture quality for the Redskins game! :rolleyes: Time to flip to WBAL-DT 11, although that has a sub-channel as well [and 2.0 sound. oh well].

I am not getting sound for 4.3 either, so they have some more work to do.

HDNet and HDNet Movies Announce Affiliation Agreement With Comcast

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1063418

I am not getting sound for 4.3 either, so they have some more work to do.

I also discover NBC 4.3 today. I have sound. I had similar happen to me back in March 2008 when CBS simulcast different NCAA March Madness games on 9.1 and 9.2. I lost sound on 9.1 and sent an email to the CBS technical director because I had 9.1 sound on 4 ATSC tuners but one did not. I posted this back in March:


"A couple weeks ago I had no sound from local CBS 9-1. Sound was ok on 9 analog and 9-2. After a week I emailed the Tech Director and he replies no problem but when I get home from office it is fixed same day. I email him to say it was fixed and then he admits they were using a "new (on loan), more efficeint, ATSC encoder" to multicast the NCAA finals. He says "We must have had some settings that your Toshiba did not like."

Is there a problem with WRC OTA? I can get it over FIOS but OTA there is a blank screen and no audio on 4.1 and 4.2 while 4.3 has video but no audio. My signal strength is 80 which is normal.

Everybody Loves Raymond is in HD on WUTB. So they are able to do syndicated HD.
The Thursday night movie on My Network is in HD on WUTB-DT 24 (and WDCA-DT 20) if anyone wants to check the HD picture on WUTB-DT.

Good news about Comcast finally coming to an agreement with HDNet and HDNet Movies. Lots of good movies in excellent HD quality, OAR, and no commercials on HDNet Movies for the Comcast subscribers in the area to look forward to. Although Comcast is likely to recompress HDNetM.

Something must have changed with the additional sub channel on WRC. I did a channel scan and then 4.1 came up. It was fine last night. Was 4.3 added today?

Is there a problem with WRC OTA? I can get it over FIOS but OTA there is a blank screen and no audio on 4.1 and 4.2 while 4.3 has video but no audio. My signal strength is 80 which is normal.
WRC-DT 4.1 was fine a second ago, now just went to a blank screen, then back to the NBC HD feeed. If you are having trouble, try a rescan. Some ATSC tuners may not handle a new sub-channel properly without the rescan.

Is there a problem with WRC OTA? I can get it over FIOS but OTA there is a blank screen and no audio on 4.1 and 4.2 while 4.3 has video but no audio. My signal strength is 80 which is normal.

OTA i'm using a MyHD card for some reason audio is fine picture is garbled on 4-1.4-2 and 4-3 are fine. On comcast there was a blank screen did a rescan now WRC is gone.Good thing i can get Baltimore 11-1

4.3 started up today.

having the same audio problems with it as everyone else.

Same problems here with WRC. I had to reboot my TIVO HD to get it to tune in for some reason it got stuck on the grey screen on 4-1.

So which is better PQ for the main channel? 11-1 with 2.0 audio and only 1 subchannel or 4-1 with 2 subchannels and 5.1 audio. Even if both had only 1 subchannel, would 11-1 actually look better because they were using less bandwidth with just 2.0 audio instead of 5.1 audio? Or doesn't it work that way?

-John

My Dish 622 is able to tune into 4.3, but like others, I have no audio.

http://www.universalsports.com

Does anyone know why WMDO-47 would even bother having a digital station on VHF channel 8. Their measly 200 watts seems almost worthless when wedged between 2 full powered VHF analogs. Who can even receive them? Is this signal just for the local cable companies to use? FWIW, I do have to admit that their picture is "amazingly" good when it does comes in here; only 6 miles away.

could anyone tell me if i understand correct a lot of the dc and Baltimore stations will be going to VHF after Feb Transition. I am in the Hagerstown area and receive a pretty good picture on the upper VHF channels with a 6 element Winegard now discountinued. I was going to get a new Winegard 7-13VHF only 1713 but they only rate it for like 25 miles but it is like 3-4db higher gain than I use know. I am really concerned when I look at the power out puts for the new digital stations some seem less than they are using now is that just a digital thing or I am probably not reading the charts correct. I guess I am just checking with the experts on this before I purchase a new Antenna for the VHF like I said I am getting 7 9 11 and 13 pretty good right now but am concerned I may lose them after the transition. I have a xg 91 for the UHF that I just put up and am receiving the Balt UHF decent after a year of trying. can anyone educate me or point me in the right direction on how and what the VHF signals will be like after transition. Thanks

Does anyone know why WMDO-47 would even bother having a digital station on VHF channel 8. Their measly 200 watts seems almost worthless when wedged between 2 full powered VHF analogs. Who can even receive them? Is this signal just for the local cable companies to use? FWIW, I do have to admit that their picture is "amazingly" good when it does comes in here; only 6 miles away.

It's coming in just fine here, but does flinch occasionally. Hopefully this isn't an indication of how I'll get 7 & 9 next year but rather due to 7 & 9 being analog right now. I'm also ~6 miles from the tower.

Does anyone know why WMDO-47 would even bother having a digital station on VHF channel 8. Their measly 200 watts seems almost worthless when wedged between 2 full powered VHF analogs. Who can even receive them?
Ah, so WMDO-LD 47 is on the air on VHF 8. I was wondering about that, don't get a blip for the station out here in Sterling, but my upper VHF antenna is aimed at Martinsburg for now (for WWPX-DT 60 on 12). The reception for the digital signal on VHF 8 should improve next February, once WJLA-DT 7 and WUSA-DT 9 switch to digital broadcasting on VHF 7 & 9. 198 Watts for digital VHF 8 is not that weak, here is the nominal coverage map for WMDO-LD but this won't apply until analog 7 & 9 at 316 kW go away: http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/FMTV-service-area?x=LD1192933.html.

could anyone tell me if i understand correct a lot of the dc and Baltimore stations will be going to VHF after Feb Transition. I am in the Hagerstown area and receive a pretty good picture on the upper VHF channels with a 6 element Winegard now discountinued. I was going to get a new Winegard 7-13VHF only 1713 but they only rate it for like 25 miles but it is like 3-4db higher gain than I use know. I am really concerned when I look at the power out puts for the new digital stations some seem less than they are using now is that just a digital thing or I am probably not reading the charts correct. I guess I am just checking with the experts on this before I purchase a new Antenna for the VHF like I said I am getting 7 9 11 and 13 pretty good right now but am concerned I may lose them after the transition. I have a xg 91 for the UHF that I just put up and am receiving the Balt UHF decent after a year of trying. can anyone educate me or point me in the right direction on how and what the VHF signals will be like after transition. Thanks

A few will be returning to VHF, but many will remain on UHF. There was a post a while back where someone outlined all of the moves. I put some of that info in the very first post of this thread. I guess its time to update it.

Here is news item from 8/8/2007.

8/8/2007: dcrtv: DCRTV has an update from the latest FCC documents on where our local channels will broadcast from when analog cutoff happens in 2009.

Back to original channel:
WJLA on 7, WUSA on 9, WBAL on 11, WJZ on 13, and WDCW on 50

Remain on current digital channel:
WRC on 48, WTTG on 36, WFDC on 15, WDCA on 35, WMPT on 42, WUTB on 41, WETA on 27, WHUT on 33, WBFF on 46, and WNUV on 40

Change to a new digital channel:
WMAR on 38 (WJZ's current digital channel), WPXW on 34 (WUSA's current digital channel), and WNVC on 24 (WUTB's current analog channel)

When the low powered stations finally go digital, a low-powered digital broadcast channel allocation will become prime broadcast spectrum real estate, because digital broadcast signals can reliably be tuned even when an adjacent channel is 26 to 28 dB stronger. Washington low powered analog 47 and 49 are unwatchable now with WRD's digital 48 overwhelming them, but they will be able to provide reliable multicasting to the metropolitan portion of the market when they go digital.

In the meantime, I don't know how these stations make any money. It is possible that being a broadcat channel gives them a leg up on getting onto certain local cable systems. Does anyne know if any of the local, low powered broadcast analog channels are being carried on any local cable systems?

In the meantime, I don't know how these stations make any money. It is possible that being a broadcat channel gives them a leg up on getting onto certain local cable systems. Does anyne know if any of the local, low powered broadcast analog channels are being carried on any local cable systems?

WZDC and WMDO are carried by RCN in DC, the only local cable company I have any experience with. I don't think anyone carried WWTD when it was on the air, and I'm not sure anyone carries WDDN.

Actually, now that I think about it Comcast DC must, too. They are the only company serving my neighborhood and I can pick up WZDC audio on their frequency from their leaky cable on my VHF/UHF transceiver (along with a bunch of other channels higher up that make 70cm ham operation impossible *grumble*)

From what I've heard WZDC makes a good amount of money but couldn't care less about their OTA coverage since they are on area cable systems.

Does anyone know if the Georgia Tech - Boston College game will be in HD on WDCA tomorrow? According to the guide, it doesn't look like it, even though they carried ACC basketball produced by Raycom in HD earlier this year. I know they've carried Nationals' games live in HD in the past, but not recently (that is, the past few games produced by MASN in HD that were supposed to be aired on WDCA in HD, were not).

According to:

http://www.hdsportsguide.com/cfb/

Raycom is indeed showing the GT-BC game in HD. Hopefully that means WDCA will have it in HD.

Drew

I know it's been reported here, but this is from DCRTV says (wait a minute, maybe he got the news from here...)
4 Adds Universal Sports - 9/5 - Channel 4/WRC has started a second standard-def digital subchannel. Universal Sports, on "4.3," will run old Olympics events plus upcoming Tour De France cycling coverage. NBC/Universal-owned WRC already carries NBC Weather Plus among its digital offerings.....

I mean really, WRCDT's signal is degraded enough already, what is it going to look like now? And is anyone really going to watch old Olympic events and Tour de Farce on a subchannel with little bandwidth, i.e., horrible PQ.

Its funny, when I send a email to dcrtv, they pretty much quote me verbatim. I had said that it was Tour de France^H^H^H^H^H Germany, but he put france in the topic anyway. The Tour De France is on Versus exclusively. I've sent him a correcting email and he's going to change it.

As far as macroblocking goes, they don't care and we all know it.

Just checking now and I have 4-3 with video and no audio. Also, what kind of signal are people getting for WMDO 47 (8)?

HDNet and HDNet Movies Announce Affiliation Agreement With Comcast

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1063418

Finally!! I've missed these two channels ever since Comcast took over Adelphia a couple of years ago.

Of course, the devil is in the details. What bit-rate will they be broadcast at and how much more I'll have to pay to get 'em.

could anyone tell me if i understand correct a lot of the dc and Baltimore stations will be going to VHF after Feb Transition. I am in the Hagerstown area and receive a pretty good picture on the upper VHF channels with a 6 element Winegard now discountinued.
If the Winegard (YA-6713?) upper VHF antenna works now for the analog upper VHF channels, I would keep it and see what happens next February. Expanding a bit on CycloneGT's post: the short answer is that you should be ok for WJLA-DT 7, WUSA-DT 9, and WJZ-DT 13. It is WBAL-DT 11 that is a question mark for long range reception.

The power numbers are computed differently between analog and digital & digital is more efficient insofar as the transmitter are concerned. For upper VHF 7-13, around 12-15 kW digital ERP (Effective Radiated Power) is approximately equivalent in coverage range to a 316 kW analog ERP. We will have 5 stations in the area on upper VHF after the transition (2/17/2009).

WJLA 7: 316 kW analog, post on 7: 13.6 kW, has filed for 30 kW ERP, but FCC has not responded to that yet.

WUSA 9: 316 kW analog, post on 9: 12.6 kW. If you look at the service contour maps for analog 9 (http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/FMTV-service-area?x=TV279283.html) and post-transition 9 (http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/FMTV-service-area?x=DT1242839.html), you will see they are almost identical.

WBAL 11: 316 kW analog, post on 11: only 5 kW. This is the question mark station for the long range OTA viewers in the area. WBAL has not filed for increased power, although they probably could have.

WWPX Ion 60 in Martinsburg: currently on VHF 12 at 23 kW and will stay there. WWPX-DT has filed a petition to move to UHF 51 and a new antenna location, but the odds of this getting granted are not good (WETA-DT 26 also wants to move to UHF 51 after the transition). Comes in fine at 48 miles with a Winegard YA-6713.

WJZ-DT 13: analog 316 kW, post on 13: 28.8 kW with a directional antenna pattern.

I am having very strange problems with WETA DTV (all subchannels). This actually began some time on August 30th with just one of my ATSC tuners, a Kworld 340U USB ATSC tuner stick. (I had a brief period on Sept 2nd of normal operations.) My Kworld tuner stick works quite well, and continues working well, with all channels in the DC area except WETA. All WETA channels have gone from 6 bars (the max) down to a variable 0-3 bars, and I see no video nor sound nor PSIP data. Rescanning for new channels makes WETA disappear entirely. I also have a DTVpal on the same antenna, and it can still tune in WETA without difficulty.

Does anybody know what's going on? I used the WETA email form to send them this same question, but so far nobody has answered it.

I just noticed that WJZ-DT is showing CBS Evening News in HD tonight. This is the first time I've seen them do this in HD on the 7pm version during the week. Did they have to get some delay equipment or did they just remember to flip the switch tonight?

Like some here, I noticed last night when tuning to the Redskins game on WRC OTA that a new subchannel has been added. Frankly I have not noticed a diminution in PQ but did not devote much time to viewing. However, the audio synch now seems much worse to me than I have noticed. I don't know if that's as a result of the new subchannel and also how widespread it may be. I caught a little of the Republican convention and noticed some audio synch issues with it but I think that was on more than one network. The one important issue I wanted to post was that when I attempted to change my TV's settings to Just Scan (no overscan), I did not have the option. It was grayed out. That indicates that they are not broadcasting in 1080i. Wouldn't that be rather noteworthy? Now when I tune to 4.1 my information just says 16:9 and not 1080i. I also notice that when tuning to 4.1 from another channel that the time to tune the channel is now inordinately longer than previously. Again, I did a little A/B between 11.1 and 4.1 for PQ and did not notice any difference.

Like some here, I noticed last night when tuning to the Redskins game on WRC OTA that a new subchannel has been added. Frankly I have not noticed a diminution in PQ but did not devote much time to viewing. However, the audio synch now seems much worse to me than I have noticed. I don't know if that's as a result of the new subchannel and also how widespread it may be. I caught a little of the Republican convention and noticed some audio synch issues with it but I think that was on more than one network. The one important issue I wanted to post was that when I attempted to change my TV's settings to Just Scan (no overscan), I did not have the option. It was grayed out. That indicates that they are not broadcasting in 1080i. Wouldn't that be rather noteworthy? Now when I tune to 4.1 my information just says 16:9 and not 1080i. I also notice that when tuning to 4.1 from another channel that the time to tune the channel is now inordinately longer than previously. Again, I did a little A/B between 11.1 and 4.1 for PQ and did not notice any difference.

Something is wrong with the signal on 4.1 since they added the new sub. All i get is a garbled mess on 4.1 the audio is fine.All other channels are fine even 4.2 and 4.3.:rolleyes:

It sucks when watching ABC in this area and you know that you're getting something that looks more like Wide screen SD rather than HD.

For example:
Here is a post by "icemannyr" of how an ABC affiliate with none or one subchannel would look
Original Post (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=14553295#post14553295)
http://img356.imageshack.us/img356/2047/snapshot200808290000wk3dr4.th.jpg (http://img356.imageshack.us/my.php?image=snapshot200808290000wk3dr4.jpg)

And heres what it looks like on WMAR and WJLA

http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/9800/vlcsnap2366335fs7.th.jpg (http://img181.imageshack.us/my.php?image=vlcsnap2366335fs7.jpg)

I was stunned when I saw the first picture, never have I seen ABC HD look so clear.

About ready to remove local NBC from my channel listings. (Not like NBC has anything to watch anyway.)

So my S3 stopped getting 4-1 and 4-2 yesterday, but I didn't reboot.

This morning, they were coming in, but I decided to reboot anyway (4-1 info wasn't showing resolution data).

After the reboot, I can tune into them all, but when I bring up the guide (or Setting/Channels), it's like it gets stuck at 4-1. In the guide, it won't scroll up past 5-1. I I type 4-1 in manually, it won't scroll down past 4-2.

Same in settings/channel listing. I can't scroll down past 4-2. I can type in 4-3 manually, and then scroll down (or any other number past 4-1).

What did NBC do to completely screw this up???

I fixed my problem(I never had a guide problem on non reception of 4.1 and 4.2) by doing a new channel search on my three Series 3 boxes and two TiVoHD boxes with cable cards. After the new channel search, the WRC channels were fine. I noticed the problem on Thursday.
My other two TiVoHD boxes that are only connected to OTA never had a problem. So for some reason my 4 boxes on FIOS and one box on Comcast all have cable cards and all had problems when WRC added 4.3
About ready to remove local NBC from my channel listings. (Not like NBC has anything to watch anyway.)

So my S3 stopped getting 4-1 and 4-2 yesterday, but I didn't reboot.

This morning, they were coming in, but I decided to reboot anyway (4-1 info wasn't showing resolution data).

After the reboot, I can tune into them all, but when I bring up the guide (or Setting/Channels), it's like it gets stuck at 4-1. In the guide, it won't scroll up past 5-1. I I type 4-1 in manually, it won't scroll down past 4-2.

Same in settings/channel listing. I can't scroll down past 4-2. I can type in 4-3 manually, and then scroll down (or any other number past 4-1).

What did NBC do to completely screw this up???

I fixed my problem(I never had a guide problem on non reception of 4.1 and 4.2) by doing a new channel search on my three Series 3 boxes and two TiVoHD boxes with cable cards. After the new channel search, the WRC channels were fine. I noticed the problem on Thursday.
My other two TiVoHD boxes that are only connected to OTA never had a problem. So for some reason my 4 boxes on FIOS and one box on Comcast all have cable cards and all had problems when WRC added 4.3

My TivoHD's and S3's are all on FIOS with CC's. I'll try what you said and report back.

After the reboot, I can tune into them all, but when I bring up the guide (or Setting/Channels), it's like it gets stuck at 4-1. In the guide, it won't scroll up past 5-1. I I type 4-1 in manually, it won't scroll down past 4-2.

Same in settings/channel listing. I can't scroll down past 4-2. I can type in 4-3 manually, and then scroll down (or any other number past 4-1).


This is a bug in the latest Tivo software. I'm OTA only and have a Tivo HD unit, and had the same problem with 54-1. The guide would go to 2 to 54, then from 2 backwards thru 66 to 54. Strange.

My fix was to run thru the guided setup on the Tivo again. It will clear out your channel listings and reload the guide data. Then you need to go into your Channel list and reselect the channels you receive (may not need to for Fios service, but I did for OTA -- I remove all the analog channels and weather/spanish subchannels).

-John

So anyone getting sound yet on 4-3 Universal Sports with the Zenith CECB boxes? I have the older model (DTT900) and this is the only channel without sound. All my other tuners (Tivo HD, Samsung DTB-H260F, Digitalstream DTX9900) decode the audio, no problem.

-John

I fixed my problem(I never had a guide problem on non reception of 4.1 and 4.2) by doing a new channel search on my three Series 3 boxes and two TiVoHD boxes with cable cards. After the new channel search, the WRC channels were fine. I noticed the problem on Thursday.
My other two TiVoHD boxes that are only connected to OTA never had a problem. So for some reason my 4 boxes on FIOS and one box on Comcast all have cable cards and all had problems when WRC added 4.3

Well, this only works if I uncheck 4-2 and 4-3 in the Channel List. Then the Guide works fine.

If 4-2 is checked (channels I receive), then the Guide gets stuck at 4-2. If I page up/down in the guide, it won't go past 4-2.

Whatever. I don't care about 4-2 anyway, so I removed it from my channels I receive. And 4-3 looks like it's a bike channel or something, buh bye.

(The setting/channel list is still buggy, as it gets stuck as well. If I page down it stops at 4-2. I have to type 4-3 to even see it, and I have to type 5-1 to get past the 4- channels.)

Cleary NBC is doing something screwey with their PSIP data, since 4-2 was fiine a couple days ago.

I guess that's why NBC/WRC is in 4th place now?

I am glad to see I am not the only no longer able to watch WRC-DT.
I use vBox ATSC tuners in a VMC environment and up until a few days ago 4.1 had no issues - now it seems I am SOL in that I can no longer see video or hear audio.
From VMC the signal strength for this channel is solid but still fails when selecting the channel.

Has anyone found a resolution to getting WRC-DT 4.1 again?

I'm not having any guide problems on my TiVo. 4.1, 4.2, and 4.3 are in my channel list without causing any problems for my boxes.
I do notice audio on 4.3 today, not that I'll be watching it anytime soon.
I just needed to make sure I got my TiVos set up for OTA recordings since FIOS is having the channel re-alignment in a couple of weeks, so I had make sure I duplicated my Season passes from OTA in there are guide problems the week of re-alignment.

Well, this only works if I uncheck 4-2 and 4-3 in the Channel List. Then the Guide works fine.

If 4-2 is checked (channels I receive), then the Guide gets stuck at 4-2. If I page up/down in the guide, it won't go past 4-2.

Whatever. I don't care about 4-2 anyway, so I removed it from my channels I receive. And 4-3 looks like it's a bike channel or something, buh bye.

(The setting/channel list is still buggy, as it gets stuck as well. If I page down it stops at 4-2. I have to type 4-3 to even see it, and I have to type 5-1 to get past the 4- channels.)

Cleary NBC is doing something screwey with their PSIP data, since 4-2 was fiine a couple days ago.

I guess that's why NBC/WRC is in 4th place now?

I am glad to see I am not the only no longer able to watch WRC-DT.
I use vBox ATSC tuners in a VMC environment and up until a few days ago 4.1 had no issues - now it seems I am SOL in that I can no longer see video or hear audio.
From VMC the signal strength for this channel is solid but still fails when selecting the channel.

Has anyone found a resolution to getting WRC-DT 4.1 again?

I'm in the same boat with VMC and FusionHDTV7 tuner. Oddly, the FusionHDTV software receives WRC (all 3 sub-channels) just fine. Must be PSIP problems.

All WETA channels have gone from 6 bars (the max) down to a variable 0-3 bars, and I see no video nor sound nor PSIP data. And it's fixed again just like it was (briefly) on August 2nd. I hope it stays this way.

So anyone getting sound yet on 4-3 Universal Sports with the Zenith CECB boxes? I have the older model (DTT900) and this is the only channel without sound. All my other tuners (Tivo HD, Samsung DTB-H260F, Digitalstream DTX9900) decode the audio, no problem.

-John

I have the exact same problem with my DTVPal (ver. 103 software). I can get the other WRC channels fine, but the audio on 4-3 is hosed -- every few seconds a bip or burp will interrupt the silence along with surprise bursts of a few seconds of clear audio every couple of minutes. I am pulling down 85-90 percent signal strength. It's annoying as all hell. :(

I'm not having any guide problems on my TiVo. 4.1, 4.2, and 4.3 are in my channel list without causing any problems for my boxes.
I do notice audio on 4.3 today, not that I'll be watching it anytime soon.
I just needed to make sure I got my TiVos set up for OTA recordings since FIOS is having the channel re-alignment in a couple of weeks, so I had make sure I duplicated my Season passes from OTA in there are guide problems the week of re-alignment.

Strangely, my upstairs (older) S3 seems to be working fine, with all three subchannels. My HT one (newer) only works if I uncheck all but 4-1.

There's clearly something odd about the way they're doing the PSIP though, for so many people to be having problems.

Here is how my ATSC receivers are behaving with the new subchannel 4.3:

Dish 622 (OTA): No Audio
Dish 722 (OTA): No Audio
DishPal Conv. Box: Occasional blips of audio, but inaudible
Samsung TV: No Audio
Sharp TV: Audio OK

I'm in the same boat with VMC and FusionHDTV7 tuner. Oddly, the FusionHDTV software receives WRC (all 3 sub-channels) just fine. Must be PSIP problems.
I'm using a MyHD MDP-130 i have no psip problems or audio problem on 4.3.Signal strenght of 85 even with this heavy rain. Picture on 4.1 is a garbled series of diagonal rectangles. I hope they fix this before tomorrow nights Chicago Indy game :rolleyes:

The Georgia Tech vs Boston College game on Raycom is up in HD in Baltimore on WNUV 54. In SD in DC on WDCA 20.

I wonder what WRC-DT 4-3 is doing that there's no audio. This sounds exactly like the problem my PBS station had when they signed on. My computer's tuner card gave me audio, but pretty much everyone else in the market had no sound. They had apparently hooked up the analog signal directly into the encoder, with no PSIP (mapped to 3-2) and no Dolby audio encoding. From what I understand, a lot of receivers look for that Dolby audio flag or something in order to decode the audio.

The WRC guys should talk to the guys down at KXAS in Dallas, they added Universal Sports and had the same problem but had it resolved the same day.

- Trip

The Georgia Tech vs Boston College game on Raycom is up in HD in Baltimore on WNUV 54. In SD in DC on WDCA 20.

I wonder what WDCA's problem is. The Nationals game was in HD last night, and ACC basketball was in HD earlier this year. Sounds like someone forgot to flip the switch, or didn't even know the game was going to be in HD in the first place. Typical for around here :mad:

I used TSReaderLite to look into the WRC PSIP and I think I see the problem. The Transport Stream ID in the PAT is wrong.

PAT Version Number: 2
Transport Stream ID: 1 (0x0001)

PMT PID 48 (0x0030) - Program 3 WRC-1
PMT PID 64 (0x0040) - Program 4 WRC-2
PMT PID 80 (0x0050) - Program 5 WRC-3

Instead of 1 as it says in the PAT, it should be 529 as it says everywhere else. For example, in the PMT for the first sub-channel.

Channel 3
Service Name: WRC-1
TSID: 529 (0x0211) NTSC: 04 ATSC: 48 DC WASHINGTON
Channel Number: 4.1
Carrier Frequency: 0
Modulation Mode: ATSC (8 VSB)
Source ID: 1
Descriptor: ATSC Service Location Descriptor
Service Location Descriptor:
PCR PID 0x0031
Stream Type 0x02 (MPEG-2 Video) ESPID = 0x0031 Language =
Stream Type 0x81 (AC-3 Audio) ESPID = 0x0034 Language = eng

Now how do we get WRC to take action?

I used TSReaderLite to look into the WRC PSIP and I think I see the problem. The Transport Stream ID in the PAT is wrong.



Instead of 1 as it says in the PAT, it should be 529 as it says everywhere else. For example, in the PMT for the first sub-channel.



Now how do we get WRC to take action?

Fire their engineer? It's amazing that we're now years into the HD ATSC game, and at least here in DC, the broadcast engineers seem like they were:

a) Regularly drunk
b) Blind and deaf
c) Transferred from the word-processing team
d) Told how to spell HD and still couldn't get it right

Sounds like a "you know you're a broadcast engineer from DC when..." list.

I don't think that's the problem. I was sent a capture of WRC-DT this morning, and I think the problem lies in the fact that 4-3 has MPEG-2 Audio instead of AC-3 audio.

- Trip

I don't think that's the problem. I was sent a capture of WRC-DT this morning, and I think the problem lies in the fact that 4-3 has MPEG-2 Audio instead of AC-3 audio.

- Trip

There are multiple problems. The sound problem might be MP2 v AC3. But the PSIP problem is real, and is what's causing so many guide/tuning issues.

Wait just a second, I'm looking at the capture I was sent... jswclw, are you seeing the resolution on 4-1 as 1280x1080i? That's a new one to me, should be 1920x1080i...

- Trip

I wonder what WDCA's problem is. The Nationals game was in HD last night, and ACC basketball was in HD earlier this year. Sounds like someone forgot to flip the switch, or didn't even know the game was going to be in HD in the first place. Typical for around here :mad:

Switch was flipped, thankfully, right before GT's first touchdown. :D

Wait just a second, I'm looking at the capture I was sent... jswclw, are you seeing the resolution on 4-1 as 1280x1080i? That's a new one to me, should be 1920x1080i...

- Trip

:confused: Yea, that looks dorked up also! I see...

Elementary Stream PID 49 (0x0031) MPEG-2 Video
MPEG Video: Bitrate 65.000 Mbps Resolution 1280 x 1080i
MPEG Video: Framerate 29.97 fps Aspect Ratio 16:9 Chroma Format 4:2:0

It's pretty late in the game to be having these issues!

BTW...I just tried calling the main WRC number...No one's home.

Nice work, WUSA. Had to break in for your weather update with such perfect timing as to make us miss the final game of Federer-Djokovic. Did you look at the score? Could you have waited just a minute to see if the match was going to be over? YEEESH.

Sound came in last night for 4-3. Also, PSIP info was available for all three. I do notice that when I go to 4-1 it doesn't come in right away like it used to. For a split second I get the screen that says "currently off air".

Nice work, WUSA. Had to break in for your weather update with such perfect timing as to make us miss the final game of Federer-Djokovic. Did you look at the score? Could you have waited just a minute to see if the match was going to be over? YEEESH.

I saw this also. My lovely bride had to chastise me for using bad words.

I'm in the same boat with VMC and FusionHDTV7 tuner. Oddly, the FusionHDTV software receives WRC (all 3 sub-channels) just fine. Must be PSIP problems.

What exactly are PSIP issues and why does it seem to be affecting just VMC?
Have you been able to resolve this or have an idea of what we can do?
If you check signal strengths from VMC are you seeing good solid bars as well?

I can't get audio with my Sony Grand Wega with OTA antenna only so it is the broadcast signal. I get 4.1 and 4.2 perfectly clear and I'm 60 miles out with the 4228 in the attic.

Wait just a second, I'm looking at the capture I was sent... jswclw, are you seeing the resolution on 4-1 as 1280x1080i? That's a new one to me, should be 1920x1080i...

- Trip
MPEG Video: Bitrate 65.000 Mbps Resolution 1280 x 1080i
Thank you both that seems to be the problem for me. If i change resolution from 1920x1080i to 1440x1080i or to 720p i get a picture. The card reads WRC 4.1 as 1280x1080i. I get all 3 subs with no problems just reduced resolution on 4.1

Does anyone that receives WMDO-DT47 have issues with the tuner going back and forth between virtual channels 47 & 1? My Zenith DTT-901 picks up the signal with full strength; but it can't decide which virtual channel number to use. I'm wondering if it's them; or the tuner is having a hard time decoding because of adjacent channel issues. The Channel Master decoder would not even stay locked onto it.

Any guesses:confused:

It sounds like a flaky PSIP encoder.

- Trip

It sounds like a flaky PSIP encoder.

- TripThanks Trip,

I'm guessing the PSIP encoder is on their end?? I don't really watch the channel; but I still can't get over how good their PQ is. It makes my 15 year old TV look like it's brand new.

Yes, it's the box that controls the mapping. It sounds like it's resetting itself over and over, I've heard that some map to 1-1 out of the box, and then have to be set to the channel in question, in this case 47-1.

- Trip

Both substitute programs on CBS (CSI: NY) and ABC (Movie) are SD. Makes you wonder if the afternoon shift at My 20 headed over to Rosslyn or up to Broadcast House.

Both substitute programs on CBS (CSI: NY) and ABC (Movie) are SD. Makes you wonder if the afternoon shift at My 20 headed over to Rosslyn or up to Broadcast House.
The ABC substitute movie and CBS program were reportedly SD for the east coast, not just in DC. ABC obviously grabbed an SD version of the movie off of the shelf.

still no sound on 4.3 this morning. 4.1 and 4.2 have never had any issues. Why don't one of you guys that live close go down there and tell them the problem? They don't answer the phone. I'm sure that their advertisers would want it fixed!

still no sound on 4.3 this morning. 4.1 and 4.2 have never had any issues. Why don't one of you guys that live close go down there and tell them the problem? They don't answer the phone. I'm sure that their advertisers would want it fixed!

The sound issue is likely due to MPEG vs. AC3 sound. Some devices can't play sound from MP2 sound channels, but they're fine with AC3. If this is your issue, I don't expect it to change, unfortunately.

The PSIP issue has lots of unintended side effects, mostly with tuning, so hopefully they fix that soon.

still no sound on 4.3 this morning. 4.1 and 4.2 have never had any issues. Why don't one of you guys that live close go down there and tell them the problem? They don't answer the phone. I'm sure that their advertisers would want it fixed!

maybe we could email them?

Barrage them with e-mails about the sound issue. Call as well. I don't know why they'd refuse to fix it; I know KXAS had the same problem and it took less than a day to straighten it out.

I'm wondering if the issue isn't necessarily that the audio is in MPEG-2 so much as the output looks to me as though the audio is actually in AC3 and the PSIP is telling receivers that it's MPEG-2. Look here:

http://www.rabbitears.info/screencaps/dc-dca/47904-0_0.htm

This is the TSReader output I was sent from WRC-DT. In the PMT, it shows the audio under Program 5 (WRC-3) as being AC3. Scroll down to the TVCT and it says MPEG-2. I honestly don't know for certain, but that could have something to do with it.

- Trip

The sound issue is likely due to MPEG vs. AC3 sound. Some devices can't play sound from MP2 sound channels, but they're fine with AC3. If this is your issue, I don't expect it to change, unfortunately.

The PSIP issue has lots of unintended side effects, mostly with tuning, so hopefully they fix that soon.

I don't understand all the technical aspects but it should work. I'm a huge Cycling fan and I was so happy to see a local station that broadcasts real sports events, but no sound? Like I said, I'm sure their advertisers would be pissed. I would pull my ads and demand money back, this has to be breach of contract somehow.

Sure hope it is fixed soon.

I need to make a sig similar to yours but mine will say
"free tv since the 70's":)

I called and emailed again. I guess I'll just do it everyday. They'll love me!

I checked out 4.3 on one of my analog sets that's hooked up the the Digital Stream DTX9950 and the audio works.

So, my basic technically challenged mind tells me, they are broadcasting analog audio and not digital so I guess nobody's digital sets are getting the sound.:mad:

I checked out 4.3 on one of my analog sets that's hooked up the the Digital Stream DTX9950 and the audio works.

So, my basic technically challenged mind tells me, they are broadcasting analog audio and not digital so I guess nobody's digital sets are getting the sound.:mad:

ATSC is only digital, by definition.

A) They are likely confusing MP2 and AC3, and broadcasting one while the PSIP is saying the other. Which might confuse some devices more than others.

Or,

B) they are broadcasting MP2, and only some devices can decode it.

I'm guessing (A) given the PSIP data we've seen, and just some devices are smarter than the dumb engineers at WRC, and look at the audio stream and not the PSIP data.

Ok - I know WRC 4 changed something a couple of days back...but even I am surprised by what has happen this AM when I turned on my TV after a couple of days away on a business trip.

Everytime I flip over from another local HD station: 4 HD is either splitting the picture with a huge green bar on the right side & the actual HD pic on the left - like a split screen or off center 4:3.

OR

it is freezing the prior local HD station in a split screen @ the bottom & broadcasting the 4 HD on top portion of screen

OR

If I am flipping from a non-HD channel to 4 HD, it is giving me a garbled unwatchable pic.

All my other OTA HD stations are running great. I am on Cox Basic Cable with a no box & using a Samsung HDTV.

I hate the BS from these local stations.

Ok - I know WRC 4 changed something a couple of days back...but even I am surprised by what has happen this AM when I turned on my TV after a couple of days away.

4HD is either splitting the picture with a green bar on the right side & the actual HD pic on the left when I flip over from anther HD station.

OR

If I am flipping from a non-HD channel to 4HD, it is giving me a garbled unwatchable pic.

All my other OTA HD stations are running great.
I hate this BS from these stations.

Where do you live? I am having no issues at all with WRC, except sound on 4.3

Where do you live? I am having no issues at all with WRC, except sound on 4.3


Chantilly. Western Fx. Cty by Dulles airport.

TrippleM,

The problem you are experiencing sounds a lot like something that would be caused by the PSIP data saying that the picture is 1280x1080 rather than 1920x1080 as it should be. That is just one of the problems in the PSIP.

Bottom line, it depends on your receiver H/W and S/W as to how you will be affected by these errors. I my case, I cannot see or hear any of the 3 programs in channel 4.

They definitiely go to get these problems cleaned up. It really shouldn't be this difficult.

jeff - I figure as much. Very frustrating.

is anyone having any luck in the baltimore area getting Fox 43 out of York PA?

I just moved down here from that area, and found out that when the ravens play at the same time as the eagles, even though they're on different networks, fox 45 down here doesn't show the games. I'm in Middle River, and i've got a Winegard SS-2000. I am able to pick up just enough of 43 analog to give me hope, but not enough to actually see anything (I do get sound though). I can't get a lock on 43.1 at all. Right now I've got the antenna mounted in the attic, but taking it out on the roof today didn't seem to make a difference (though I need to try it again with a helper). My cousin about 10 miles north of here in Forest Hill can get 43.1, so I'm fairly hopeful that with a large enough antenna I can get it. Do you guys have any suggestions? I'd have a hell of a time going all year without my Eagles, but I'd go without sooner than buy Sunday Ticket. I'm not against buying another antenna either, or mounting outside if I had to, but I'd really rather keep the antenna in the attic if at all possible.

is anyone having any luck in the baltimore area getting Fox 43 out of York PA? How close do you live to TV Hill in Baltimore? WBFF-DT, and WPMT-DT are on adjacent channels. This will probably be your biggest obstacle for receiving WPMT. You will more than likely need a highly directional UHF only antenna (91-XG) mounted on the roof to overcome WBFF.

How close do you live to TV Hill in Baltimore? WBFF-DT, and WPMT-DT are on adjacent channels. This will probably be your biggest obstacle for receiving WPMT. You will more than likely need a highly directional UHF only antenna (91-XG) mounted on the roof to overcome WBFF.

About 12 miles from TV hill. I'm to the northeast of it, so luckily to get signal from York I don't really have to aim anywhere near it.

Beyond that, if I were to get a 91-XG, what do I do for VHF, and, what makes the 91-XG any better than a 4228, or a larger winegard antenna?

is anyone having any luck in the baltimore area getting Fox 43 out of York PA?

I just moved down here from that area, and found out that when the ravens play at the same time as the eagles, even though they're on different networks, fox 45 down here doesn't show the games. I'm in Middle River, and i've got a Winegard SS-2000. I am able to pick up just enough of 43 analog to give me hope, but not enough to actually see anything (I do get sound though). I can't get a lock on 43.1 at all.
The problem of receiving WPMT-DT Fox 43 in York, PA in Baltimore proper was discussed here at great length a while back. The problem is that WPMT-DT digitally broadcasts on UHF 47 while WBFF-DT Fox 45 in Baltimore broadcasts on UHF 46. This creates an adjacent channel problem for those located close to the WBFF-DT transmitter where the WBFF-DT's signal overwhelms the weaker WPMT-DT signal.

However, you are in Middle River MD and may be far enough away from Baltimore for WBFF-DT's signal to not be a serious problem. Plugging in 21220 for the zip, puts you around 48 miles from WPMT-DT and 46 miles from the DC stations. That is pretty far for the Square Shooter SS-2000 antenna which is medium range at best. I would look at getting a better antenna setup. Maybe a Channel Master 4228 8 bay bowtie on a rotator for UHF and upper VHF if you have enough room in the attic for it. See http://www.hdtvprimer.com/ISSUES/erecting_antenna.html for info and details on a bunch of different antennas. If your house is at a higher elevation, the Philadelphia stations at 78+ miles may also be within range of an outdoor rooftop antenna setup. Check tvfool.com's signal analysis tool for your exact location.

About 12 miles from TV hill. I'm to the northeast of it, so luckily to get signal from York I don't really have to aim anywhere near it.

Beyond that, if I were to get a 91-XG, what do I do for VHF, and, what makes the 91-XG any better than a 4228, or a larger winegard antenna?You live close enough to Baltimore that just about anything should pick up WJZ, & WBAL.

As far as the 4228 or any multiple array antenna goes; they are great antennas; but do not provide enough signal rejection from the sides. The 91-XG, and the 4228 are the best consumer grade UHF antennas out there. No combo antenna can match their performance. The 91-XG is preferable for close in areas when excessive mutipath or maximum signal rejection are your top priorities. I tried a 4228 here; and it performed miserably.

Beyond that, if I were to get a 91-XG, what do I do for VHF, and, what makes the 91-XG any better than a 4228, or a larger winegard antenna?
The AD 91-XG is lighter than the CM 4228 and has less wind load, which is a factor if mounting outdoors. Check the UHF gain chart for the 91-XG, CM 4228 on the antenna site link. The 91-XG is UHF only, so people combine it with a VHF only antenna, often the Winegard YA-1713 upper VHF antenna. However, if you ever want to try to get the Philly stations, WPVI-DT ABC 6 will be switching to low VHF 6 next February 17.

The problem of receiving WPMT-DT Fox 43 in York, PA in Baltimore proper was discussed here at great length a while back. The problem is that WPMT-DT digitally broadcasts on UHF 47 while WBFF-DT Fox 45 in Baltimore broadcasts on UHF 46. This creates an adjacent channel problem for those located close to the WBFF-DT transmitter where the WBFF-DT's signal overwhelms the weaker WPMT-DT signal.

However, you are in Middle River MD and may be far enough away from Baltimore for WBFF-DT's signal to not be a serious problem. Plugging in 21220 for the zip, puts you around 48 miles from WPMT-DT and 46 miles from the DC stations. That is pretty far for the Square Shooter SS-2000 antenna which is medium range at best. I would look at getting a better antenna setup. Maybe a Channel Master 4228 8 bay bowtie on a rotator for UHF and upper VHF if you have enough room in the attic for it. See for info and details on a bunch of different antennas. If your house is at a higher elevation, the Philadelphia stations at 78+ miles may also be within range of an outdoor rooftop antenna setup. Check tvfool.com's signal analysis tool for your exact location.

You live close enough to Baltimore that just about anything should pick up WJZ, & WBAL.

As far as the 4228 or any multiple array antenna goes; they are great antennas; but do not provide enough signal rejection from the sides. The 91-XG, and the 4228 are the best consumer grade UHF antennas out there. No combo antenna can match their performance. The 91-XG is preferable for close in areas when excessive mutipath or maximum signal rejection are your top priorities. I tried a 4228 here; and it performed miserably.

As it is now, my ss-2000 picks up all of the Baltimore channels with no problems no matter what direction I point it. Would this be the case with a 91-XG (can I get away with no rotor?) also, even though it is a UHF antenna only, would I have any issues getting 2, 11, and 13, or would I need a supplementary antenna?

As it is now, my ss-2000 picks up all of the Baltimore channels with no problems no matter what direction I point it. Would this be the case with a 91-XG (can I get away with no rotor?) also, even though it is a UHF antenna only, would I have any issues getting 2, 11, and 13, or would I need a supplementary antenna?

Answered part of my own question (I think).

If I understand tv fool correctly, nothing digital in my area broadcasts under real channel 29, so vhf really isn't a problem.

If I'm wrong, please point that out though.

Also, FWIW, I'm 2 miles north of where antennaweb puts the middle river zip code on the map, so my chances should be even better from here than what it tells you from there.

As it is now, my ss-2000 picks up all of the Baltimore channels with no problems no matter what direction I point it. Would this be the case with a 91-XG (can I get away with no rotor?) also, even though it is a UHF antenna only, would I have any issues getting 2, 11, and 13, or would I need a supplementary antenna?It may pick them up without a rotor; but you would have to try. I can pick up the DC stations with mine pointed in almost any direction; but I am only 4 miles out. I actually pick up Baltimore (40 miles out) with it pointed elsewhere; but not nearly as good as DC.

If it doesn't work for Baltimore, you can always use it in conjunction your SS-2000 with an inexpensive A-B switch.

WJZ, & WBAL will be going back to VHF in FEB '09.

It may pick them up without a rotor; but you would have to try. I can pick up the DC stations with mine pointed in almost any direction; but I am only 4 miles out. I actually pick up Baltimore (40 miles out) with it pointed elsewhere; but not nearly as good as DC.

If it doesn't work for Baltimore, you can always use it in conjunction your SS-2000 with an inexpensive A-B switch.

WJZ, & WBAL will be going back to VHF in FEB '09.

Noted on WJZ and WBAL. I see that now that I click 'post transition'. I guess I'll order a 91-XG and go from there. I appreciate the info.