http://www.examiner.com/a-583183~MASN_s_new_lineup_has_name_value.html

Ouch, that is one way to take a shot at Comcast...

MASN will not offer HD telecasts this season due in large part to channel capacity of the cable systems. The goal is for HD to come in 2008 for all Orioles and Nationals home telecasts.

MASN HD in 2008, more promises, we are getting used it by now. What I am hoping is these rich people, I mean the station owners, to get together and have a deal. Why can't stations exchange the HD feed so that way almost all sports game will be in HD, home or away. If MASN does eventually get the O's games in HD, and NESN does have the Red Sucks games in HD, then why can't fans of both markets enjoy both HD feeds.

Last night, HDnet had Tampa at Washington NHL game in HD. I couldn't watch that game in HD, instead I had to watch CSN's SD channel. Blackouts should be applied, but they should always give priority to HD.

Anyways, those are my two wishes, and I know that they won't get no where, but I am just throwing my two cents in.

I wouldn't expect too much until this number grows quite a bit:

17 Percent of US Households Have High Def Capable TV Sets (http://www.avrev.com/news/0107/11.hdtv_research.shtml)

MASN HD in 2008, more promises, we are getting used it by now. What I am hoping is these rich people, I mean the station owners, to get together and have a deal. Why can't stations exchange the HD feed so that way almost all sports game will be in HD, home or away. If MASN does eventually get the O's games in HD, and NESN does have the Red Sucks games in HD, then why can't fans of both markets enjoy both HD feeds.

Last night, HDnet had Tampa at Washington NHL game in HD. I couldn't watch that game in HD, instead I had to watch CSN's SD channel. Blackouts should be applied, but they should always give priority to HD.

Anyways, those are my two wishes, and I know that they won't get no where, but I am just throwing my two cents in.

Why couldnt you get CSN-HD?

Does WETA starve the audio stream for bits? Do I need a better antenna?WETA starves its video stream. I don't know if they do that with the audio stream, but they might.

The way digital TV works, a "better" antenna won't improve the sound.
83.1 PBS (WETA-HD)
83.5 ABC HD

Anyone get any other unencrypted QAM channels?Before the switch from Adelphia to Comcast a couple of months ago, all of the channels recorded as 25 MBps, except WETA, which showed up as 12.5 MBps.

The motion blocking was always noticeable on PBS HD... it looks as bad as D* :p

I assume it must be due to multi-casting other sub-channels, but other networks multi-cast subchannels too, right?

With the switch to Comcast, the PQ hasn't changed, but the other HD channels now are showing up as 38.8104 MBps. Except WETA-HD (Comcast channel 726) is showing up as 9.47 MBps. :eek:

Bottom line, WETA-HD is much worse PQ than all of the other Comcast HD channels. It ruins great programming like SoundStage and Austin City Limits. :(

I used to use a DVICO OTA HDTV card with a SilverSensor OTA antenna when we lived in Herndon and it worked great. We moved out to Western Loudoun 3 years ago and we're too far from the DC OTA broadcast towers, but I've never tried QAM over cable.

If I bought a QAM card (like the DVICO FusionHDTV5 (http://www.digitalconnection.com/products/video/fusion5rt.asp) or MyHD MDP-130 (http://www.digitalconnection.com/products/video/mdp130.asp)), would the QAM feed for WETA-HD from the Comcast cable be any better than what my Motorola 6412 HD DVR is displaying?

I wouldn't expect too much until this number grows quite a bit:

17 Percent of US Households Have High Def Capable TV Sets (http://www.avrev.com/news/0107/11.hdtv_research.shtml)


"...Only one-third of adults have heard of the digital TV transition, scheduled for February 17, 2009..."

I wonder how many people will be surprised in 2009 when the analog channels go dark. 33% is pathetic.

The WETA OTA picture is crap compared to what it used to be a few years ago. The problem is with the broadcast not the cable company. In 2001 the picture was gorgeous from WETA, now I never want to tune in since it's so bad.

Before the switch from Adelphia to Comcast a couple of months ago, all of the channels recorded as 25 MBps, except WETA, which showed up as 12.5 MBps.

The motion blocking was always noticeable on PBS HD... it looks as bad as D* :p

I assume it must be due to multi-casting other sub-channels, but other networks multi-cast subchannels too, right?

With the switch to Comcast, the PQ hasn't changed, but the other HD channels now are showing up as 38.8104 MBps. Except WETA-HD (Comcast channel 726) is showing up as 9.47 MBps. :eek:

Bottom line, WETA-HD is much worse PQ than all of the other Comcast HD channels. It ruins great programming like SoundStage and Austin City Limits. :(

I used to use a DVICO OTA HDTV card with a SilverSensor OTA antenna when we lived in Herndon and it worked great. We moved out to Western Loudoun 3 years ago and we're too far from the DC OTA broadcast towers, but I've never tried QAM over cable.

If I bought a QAM card (like the DVICO FusionHDTV5 (http://www.digitalconnection.com/products/video/fusion5rt.asp) or MyHD MDP-130 (http://www.digitalconnection.com/products/video/mdp130.asp)), would the QAM feed for WETA-HD from the Comcast cable be any better than what my Motorola 6412 HD DVR is displaying?

In 2001 the picture was gorgeous from WETA, now I never want to tune in since it's so bad.
Does anybody care to hazard a guess why? There's no doubt in my mind!

"...Only one-third of adults have heard of the digital TV transition, scheduled for February 17, 2009..."

I wonder how many people will be surprised in 2009 when the analog channels go dark. 33% is pathetic.Don't forget that most people get their TV from either cable or satellite. So those people won't be effected. Still, there should be some fun reading come conversion time.

Considering the political nature, I expect a whole lot of talking heads to flare up, and not to mention the whole "they (insert enemy of choice here) are trying to screw us" crowd. Especially fun will be watching the misinformation fly, as well as the complaints here from everyone who has bought a UHF only antenna, even though we have all know from day one that many channels will switch back to VHF eventually.

The WETA OTA picture is crap compared to what it used to be a few years ago. The problem is with the broadcast not the cable company. In 2001 the picture was gorgeous from WETA, now I never want to tune in since it's so bad.antennaweb.org shows I'm now closer to WFPT PBS in Frederick MD.

Maybe I'd have better luck with WFPT from OTA instead of WETA via QAM. Any opinions as to whether the WPFT HD feed would be worth buying a HD card and OTA antenna for? Does WFPT broadcast 5.1 audio?

LIST OF DC AND BALTIMORE OVER-THE-AIR DIGITAL STATIONS (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=9558248&&#post9558248)
Are people watching WMPB/Baltimore or WFPT/Frederick getting some of their HD programming in DD5.1, or is it all stereo like WETA?

The WETA OTA picture is crap compared to what it used to be a few years ago. The problem is with the broadcast not the cable company. In 2001 the picture was gorgeous from WETA, now I never want to tune in since it's so bad.

Not to mention the ridiculously inaccurate guide info PBS/WETA provides Tribune (whence the TiVo S3 and the cable company seem to get it). I've given up on trying to record anything - I occasionally channel surf to WETA-HD (eitehr cable or OTA) but switch away quickly moments later because the PQ is atrocious.

I wouldn't expect too much until this number grows quite a bit:

17 Percent of US Households Have High Def Capable TV Sets (http://www.avrev.com/news/0107/11.hdtv_research.shtml)

There was another part of that study quoted in the Wall Street Journal that said of the 24 million HDTVs in the country, half were connected to an HD source. Of the 12 million that weren't, half (6 million sets or people, I'm not sure which) thought they were watching HDTV anyway because they had an HDTV. All you people complaining about WJLA and HD news don't equal a fraction of the number who think they are watching the news in HD.

There was another part of that study quoted in the Wall Street Journal that said of the 24 million HDTVs in the country, half were connected to an HD source. Of the 12 million that weren't, half (6 million sets or people, I'm not sure which) thought they were watching HDTV anyway because they had an HDTV. All you people complaining about WJLA and HD news don't equal a fraction of the number who think they are watching the news in HD.

I think dg28 said it best:

To those of you who have "switched" to WUSA news when they went HD, as Robert says, it hasn't helped their ratings one bit. If any one of us thinks that we (AVSers) represent the views of the general public when it comes to HD, then I refer you to a statement Michael made when assessing one of his employees on "The Office" a few weeks ago..."What a total lack of self-awareness..."

Looks like DirecTV is setting up National Geographic HD on ch. 77 -

You know, it is interesting. MASN went live with DirecTV and a couple of very small cable companies.

Now for HD, they are waiting for who? Comcast?

DirecTV would find space for at least live broadcasts.

Why couldnt you get CSN-HD?

Apparently talks between Verizon and Comcast over CSN HD did not end the way they wanted it to, and who suffers, the customers of course. We are still waiting for the promised CSN HD in northern VA.

You know, it is interesting. MASN went live with DirecTV and a couple of very small cable companies.

Now for HD, they are waiting for who? Comcast?

DirecTV would find space for at least live broadcasts.

It's not a space issue for Comcast. I believe it's simply MASN evaluating the cost and deciding they don't want to do HD for now and laying this at the feet of cable and satellite operators.

MASN wouldn't answer whether they were committed to doing HD for how long ? I still haven't heard them say they were willing to commit to it. Which in my opinion is a shame. No O's HD in '07

GoIrish

Apparently talks between Verizon and Comcast over CSN HD did not end the way they wanted it to, and who suffers, the customers of course. We are still waiting for the promised CSN HD in northern VA.

I wouldn't be surprised if FIOS gets CSN-HD before Comcast Loudoun. Heh!

The WETA OTA picture is crap compared to what it used to be a few years ago.
My lovely bride, whose interest in the quality of TV programming has her barely caring if a show is in color vs black and white (much less SD versus HD) was watching WETA's showing of the "America's Ballroom Challenge" and absolutely stunned me when she said "this is a really terrible picture"

I, of course, had been biting my tongue for weeks, barely able to watch the show because of the massive pixelization.

Trust me, WETA, if my wife says your picture is terrible, you really have a problem because this is not the opinion of some videophile dandy that you can brush off because they're a tiny percentage of your viewing audience.

Trust me, WETA, if my wife says your picture is terrible, you really have a problem because this is not the opinion of some videophile dandy that you can brush off because they're a tiny percentage of your viewing audience.

Please send your observations to WETA here (http://www.weta.org/contact.php) (be polite) Maybe if they get enough feedback they will up the datarate.

Yet another SD game shown here: Maryland trashing NC State (that hurts enough typing that). Meanwhile a tripleheader over on CBSall in 1080i HD, , although the 3rd game, Ohio St. vs. Michigan, was breaking up at times on DirecTV. I know this is a network issue, but perhaps Robert has more information on this.

Yet another SD game shown here: Maryland trashing NC State (that hurts enough typing that). Meanwhile a tripleheader over on CBSall in 1080i HD, , although the 3rd game, Ohio St. vs. Michigan, was breaking up at times on DirecTV. I know this is a network issue, but perhaps Robert has more information on this.

Also, just two nights after, another game of Washington Caps on HDnet and we can't watch it in HD because CSN HD has the rights to that game. Congress, the FCC, or whoever is in charge of this should have law that say you can't black out HD for SD.

It hurts to know that you can be watching 1080i only to settle for 480i.

Please send your observations to WETA here (http://www.weta.org/contact.php) (be polite) Maybe if they get enough feedback they will up the datarate.Maybe I'm being pessimistic, but I suspect that if they did that with their current multicasting situation, the PQ of the SD subchannels would be affected too much for their comfort. Maybe they care about SD PQ more than HD PQ.

I suspect that the only way that they'll up the HD bitrate is if a subchannel is deleted. They have two localized subchannels right now, which wouldn't be missed, at least by me, if both were replaced with analog programming on 26-2, and then Create could be put on 26-3. The bandwidth from 26-4 could then be applied to 26-1.

Can't they get a 5.1 encoder in there?

Comcast Digital Cable Self-install Kit.

I commented two weeks ago that I had ordered the FREE Digital Kit for my basic Comcast cable. The kit was delivered Thursday evening, but I found it required a phone call to Comcast to activate the box, and I gave up after waiting on the phone for more than forty minutes for a connection to a technician. I called again in mid-morning Friday, and after a thirty minute hold I was connected to a technician to start the activation. The technician recorded the serial number of my box, and informed me the activitation was started and would take about forty five minutes. He said to call back if the unit was not performing after the activation time.
Sure enough the light on the box changed to red after the alloted time, and I could now determine what I had received as connected to my analog TV. I have decided that I now have a box which converts the available digital signals to analog, so that when they turn off the analog stations I can still use my analog TV. I assume that when the switch is made Comcast will provide their basic customers one of these converters, at some small fee.
The box does work, and I can now connect my TV directly to the cable input or through the digital box and receive the same cable channels. The box does offer the option to connect to channels not available without the box, but most of these require a fee.

Using this box demonstrates that Comcast is presently duplicating their analog and digital signals, which must be expensive to the company.

I have been quite happy with my digital QAM tuner for the non-encrypted digital channels, and I expect I will be returning the Digital Kit to Comcast fairly soon, even thogh it is free.

My lovely bride, whose interest in the quality of TV programming has her barely caring if a show is in color vs black and white (much less SD versus HD) was watching WETA's showing of the "America's Ballroom Challenge" and absolutely stunned me when she said "this is a really terrible picture"

I, of course, had been biting my tongue for weeks, barely able to watch the show because of the massive pixelization.

Trust me, WETA, if my wife says your picture is terrible, you really have a problem because this is not the opinion of some videophile dandy that you can brush off because they're a tiny percentage of your viewing audience.

My wife and I watched all five segments of America's Ballroom Challenge on WETA-HD via COMCAST. We saw no pixelization. IMO, WETA's biggest problems are that they no longer carry much of the national programming, and the schedule on their website has turned to yogurt.

Wizards vs. Warriors on WDCW 50 at 1:00pm Sunday. Should be in high-def on HD signal since it is a home game?????

Wizards vs. Warriors on WDCW 50 at 1:00pm Sunday. Should be in high-def on HD signal since it is a home game?????

I always check HD sports guide (http://www.hdsportsguide.com/) usually it is accurate, this time it is listing NBA/INHD. I have watched HD Wizards games on WDCW before, so I wouldn't be surprised.

Does anyone know which carriers have NBA HD?

Also, just two nights after, another game of Washington Caps on HDnet and we can't watch it in HD because CSN HD has the rights to that game. Congress, the FCC, or whoever is in charge of this should have law that say you can't black out HD for SD.

Last week there was a Caps game on both HDNet and CSN-HD and I was able to switch between the two on D*. Maybe they screwed up the blackout rules, but I was glad because the HDNet commentators were less annoying, and I like "Sounds of the Game".

-Mike

Wizards vs. Warriors on WDCW 50 at 1:00pm Sunday. Should be in high-def on HD signal since it is a home game?????

Should be. Keep your fingers crossed.

Using this box demonstrates that Comcast is presently duplicating their analog and digital signals, which must be expensive to the company.


That's been known for a long time and all the other cable cos, including FIOS, do it. It's even more expensive for FIOS since they have nothing analog in their pipe, where as traditional cable cos always passed along the analog feed they got.

Imagine if this was around the time Comcast decided to turn off the analogs and everyone got one of these free install kits - the activation wait time would be days. :(

Wizards vs. Warriors on WDCW 50 at 1:00pm Sunday. Should be in high-def on HD signal since it is a home game?????
Not if you're on DirecTV ;)

Penguins - Flyers game isn't in HD. Is their a switch that needs to be activated or something? I think it's broadcast in hd.

J

Does anyone know why DirecTV does not carry WETA and CW in HD? Or will this come when the new bird is launched, since "Doc Brown" is promising triple the HD channels?

Then again, "Karate Kid II" is on over on ABC-7 (vs. Arena Football on the network).

Hockey game on 4 (OTA) says HD in the TVGOS menu but it's SD. :(

Hockey game on 4 (OTA) says HD in the TVGOS menu but it's SD. :(


Whats up with that. Doesn't make sense. Supposed to be broadcast in hd. Whats the reason for the sd?

Please send your observations to WETA here (http://www.weta.org/contact.php) (be polite) Maybe if they get enough feedback they will up the datarate.Done. Thanks.

Whats up with that. Doesn't make sense. Supposed to be broadcast in hd. Whats the reason for the sd?
Who knows, maybe tech problems. On the other hand, the wizards game is HD. :)

Does anyone know why DirecTV does not carry WETA and CW in HD? Or will this come when the new bird is launched, since "Doc Brown" is promising triple the HD channels?

Then again, "Karate Kid II" is on over on ABC-7 (vs. Arena Football on the network).

Guess they wanted to save money and show the less costly Karate Kid II. :rolleyes:

Comcast SportsNet will show the Wizards game at 7:00 in HD. INHD is of course blacked out right now.

The DirecTV listing says "HD" for Penquins/Flyers.

I am wondering if WRC is having problems - portions of Friday's telecast of "Las Vegas" were not in HD, and I have seen the "Today" show pop out of HD (usually a minute or two before the local weather insert).

The DirecTV listing says "HD" for Penquins/Flyers.

SD on WBAL also. At least one city is getting it in HD. Probably an NBC problem.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=814689

HD Sports Guide (http://www.hdsportsguide.com/) says it should be in HD. NBC, WRC in this case, is being cheap and letting us have the HD feed.

The Wizards game is in HD on WDCW.

In response to the DirecTV thing for WDCW-HD
They said that it was up to the local affiliate to sign on to be carried in HD, and this was done on a station-by-station basis, and not, despite KTLA and WGN-HD being added, done as an agreement with the entire Tribune company. I'm going to try and contact WDCW and make sure they know this, and that there are DirecTV subs who would love to see it in HD.

HD Sports Guide (http://www.hdsportsguide.com/) says it should be in HD. NBC, WRC in this case, is being cheap and letting us have the HD feed.

The Wizards game is in HD on WDCW.

Like stated above, it looks to be a problem with a majority of NBC Stations.

Anyone know why WJLA showed Karate Kid 2 instead of Arena Football? Seems really stupid to me...But then again, it does not surprise me...

Anyone know why WJLA showed Karate Kid 2 instead of Arena Football? Seems really stupid to me...But then again, it does not surprise me...
I'm sure it was cheaper. It's just sooooo easy for you to spend that poor station's money, isn't it? ;)

Anyone have Comcast in Prince William? They were supposed to add NAtional Geographic HD to channel 224 on Feb. 28th but so far nothing has showed up.
It does look like DirecTV will be adding it to their channel 77.
Comcast around here must have finished upgrading their system because they are suppsoed to start offering Digital phone service and 16mbs download speeds this month. I'm hoping they also add all the HD channels that Comcast carries in other areas. And maybe they can work out a deal with HDNet so I can completely drop DirecTV soon.

I'm sure it was cheaper. It's just sooooo easy for you to spend that poor station's money, isn't it? ;)

I know, who are we to say what we want to watch. WJLA knows that we really want over a decade old movie instead of watching AFL. We are in no place to ask WJLA to spend the money we, as viewers, help generate on something interesting.

Just when you think this station can't get any cheaper, it comes back and totally redeems itself.

Anyone know why WJLA showed Karate Kid 2 instead of Arena Football? Seems really stupid to me...But then again, it does not surprise me...


We scheduled the movie 3 months ago when ABC had TBD scheduled for this weekend. Usually the first weekend after a ratings period is over becomes a dumping ground for the network. The AFL game was not scheduled to be aired in this market until mid February. By then, we had commitments to other advertisers that needed to be honored. Yes, we make more money, but we try to be sensitive to not preempting programming coming from the network, because we are only allowed a set number of preemptions a quarter.

Not a great answer, but an honest one. :)

Anyone have Comcast in Prince William? They were supposed to add NAtional Geographic HD to channel 224 on Feb. 28th but so far nothing has showed up.


We've got it out here in Western PW. Might try powering down your box and let it reboot.

I used to use a DVICO OTA HDTV card with a SilverSensor OTA antenna when we lived in Herndon and it worked great. We moved out to Western Loudoun 3 years ago and we're too far from the DC OTA broadcast towers, but I've never tried QAM over cable.

If I bought a QAM card (like the DVICO FusionHDTV5 (http://www.digitalconnection.com/products/video/fusion5rt.asp) or MyHD MDP-130 (http://www.digitalconnection.com/products/video/mdp130.asp)), would the QAM feed for WETA-HD from the Comcast cable be any better than what my Motorola 6412 HD DVR is displaying?

Clarence,

Don't know about QAM, but maybe trying for OTA with an attic or roof mount antenna would work for you.

We've got it out here in Western PW. Might try powering down your box and let it reboot.
I'll give it a try William. Thanks.

If I bought a QAM card (like the DVICO FusionHDTV5 or MyHD MDP-130), would the QAM feed for WETA-HD from the Comcast cable be any better than what my Motorola 6412 HD DVR is displaying?Don't know about QAM, but maybe trying for OTA with an attic or roof mount antenna would work for you.Sounds like it wouldn't matter how good my antenna is, the WETA-HD output has low broadcast datarate bandwidth even if I was sitting in the shadow of the tower.

I might get an external USB HD card and try WETA-HD OTA on my laptop next time I go downtown.

And then I'll try WFPT PBS in Frederick MD.

Can anybody in Frederick let me know if WFPT is even worth trying to get? Is it 5.1? The PQ can't be any worse than WETA.

WFPT-DT is identical to WMPT. They do have DD5.1, but I'm not sure how often they use it. (My old sony AV receiver used to have big blue light that lit up whenever it was decoding DD5.1. My current Yamaha, just lights up a few small "surround speaker" indicators which are near impossible to see from my sitting position).

I will say that I think that WFPT-DT's tower is a directional antenna. Meaning that it points its signal in a specific direction. The antenna itself if located right behind a weight station on Southbound I-270 just after the RT-109 exit. So its aims North and West for its signal. I am about 7 miles directly south of that tower, and my signal is no stronger than it is for towers that are 30 miles away. So I do not know how good your reception will be in No.Va. Hopefully some others in your area can testify on this.

It's not a space issue for Comcast. I believe it's simply MASN evaluating the cost and deciding they don't want to do HD for now and laying this at the feet of cable and satellite operators.

MASN wouldn't answer whether they were committed to doing HD for how long ? I still haven't heard them say they were willing to commit to it. Which in my opinion is a shame. No O's HD in '07

GoIrish

Maybe. That is what MASN is saying but then again, I was asking why. It doesn't add up to me either.

A Comcast-Sinclair cash deal would set a major precedent

Contract extended to March 10; experts predict cable operator will pay
By Hanah Cho
Sun reporter
Originally published March 2, 2007

Some analysts say any deal between Sinclair Broadcast Group and Comcast Corp. to carry networks such as Fox on Comcast's cable systems would likely include cash payments for the television programming in what would mark a major precedent in this growing industry battle over fees.

Comcast, the nation's largest cable operator, and Hunt Valley-based Sinclair, one of the country's largest television station owners, extended yesterday their current contract hours before it was set to expire. The March 10 deadline allows Comcast to continue carrying popular shows such as American Idol in the Baltimore region and elsewhere while the two continue negotiations on a new deal.

Both companies said they are having "productive discussions," even though Sinclair had threatened to pull its stations from Comcast's lineup before the extension was granted early yesterday.

Philadelphia-based Comcast maintains it will not pay for programming that is available for free over the airwaves because it would mean higher rates for its customers. In turn, Sinclair has not backed away from its subscriber fee demands.

But analysts say a payment seems inevitable, considering the recent shift toward cash in such deals.

"Comcast is going to end up paying Sinclair some cash," said Marci Ryvicker, a senior analyst at Wachovia Capital Markets, who covers Sinclair. In doing so, Ryvicker said, Comcast would "set the precedent and open the gate for the rest of the industry" in establishing retransmission payments as the norm.

Barry M. Faber, Sinclair's vice president and general counsel, said yesterday that he was optimistic the two companies would strike a "mutually acceptable economic arrangement." But he declined to elaborate on those terms.

"We were able to find creative ways to bridge the gaps that existed between us," Faber said. "Based on the things we've been able to agree on, I'm confident that we will be able to put in place a long-term deal prior to the end of the extension."

Comcast agreed but insisted its position remains the same.

"We continue to pursue our priority to protect our customers from having to pay cash for retransmission consent," said spokeswoman Jenni Moyer.


30 stations involved
The dispute between the two companies involves 30 network-affiliated stations - including Baltimore's WBFF-Fox 45 and WNUV-CW 54 - from cable systems that reach 3.4 million customers in 23 markets from Tampa, Fla., to Pittsburgh to Flint, Mich.

For decades, cable providers picked up local broadcast signals without paying cash. In exchange, cable operators compensated broadcasters in other ways. For instance, cable operators agreed to pay to carry NBC Universal's new channels such as MSNBC while retransmitting NBC stations for free. Companies such as Sinclair typically received advertising slots and better channel locations on cable systems for the free signals.

"The cable operators felt that was fair because at least they were getting some benefit for their customers in the process," said Steve Effros, a Washington-based cable industry analyst and consultant. "Now, the Sinclairs of the world are saying, 'We don't care about giving you anymore benefits.'"


Sinclair takes lead
Sinclair has been at the forefront of this growing industrywide battle. The company expects to double to $48 million this year the revenue it receives from cable operators and others who pay to retransmit its television signals.

Last month, it secured a cash deal from Mediacom Communications Corp. after pulling for almost four weeks more than 20 stations it owns in the Midwest and South from Mediacom's cable system.

In January, Sinclair cut a "mutually acceptable economic" agreement with Time Warner Cable, the nation's second-largest cable operator, for Sinclair's 35 stations. Terms weren't disclosed, but analysts estimate that the deal involved some cash.

Besides Sinclair, other station owners are looking for compensation, including CBS. Network Chief Executive Officer Leslie Moonves has said publicly that it would seek payments for its content.

With more cable operators giving in, analysts say the fight might not be about whether to pay or not, but about a price.


'How much'?
"[Comcast] may not be adverse to paying something," said Craig E. Moffett, a senior analyst of U.S. cable and satellite broadcasting at Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. "What really matters is how much cash for retransmission. More important is how much relative to what their competitors are paying."

The prospect of not being able to watch Fox had left some Comcast subscribers on edge.

Without Sinclair's WBFF-Fox-45, Carl and Lora Hobbs of Mount Airy could not watch their favorite show, 24. They were prepared to use an old-fashioned antenna to pick up the station's signal, but they won't need it for at least a little while longer.

While pleased with the extension, Carl Hobbs said he believes customers are getting stuck in the middle of a fight between two corporate heavyweights.

"We'll have to deal with the consequences," he said. "It'll be where I have to use my antenna, or my [cable] price goes up. It's lose-lose for the customer."

http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bal-bz.sinclair02mar02,0,5745396.story?coll=bal-business-headlines

And then I'll try WFPT PBS in Frederick MD.

Can anybody in Frederick let me know if WFPT is even worth trying to get? Is it 5.1? The PQ can't be any worse than WETA.
I get WFPT-DT 62 (DT=28) from the north end of Sterling, VA just fine. The broadcast tower is 15 miles from me. The station is digitally broadcasting at 30 kW for UHF 28, so it is not that powerful a signal. The broadcast pattern shown on the FCC database for WFPT is not directional. See http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/tvq?list=0&facid=40626. Check the "Service Contour Map (41 dBu)" link under the DT 28 entry to see the reception map for the station.

If you are in northern or eastern Loudoun county or northern end of Fairfax county, you have a good shot at getting WFPT-DT 62.

As for the picture quality, one has to be careful in deciding whether MPT is any better than WETA because much of the "HD" programming material on PBS is upconverted wide screen 480i/p SD. There is no doubt that the 26-1 HD sub-channel for WETA is very soft with all the SD sub-channels they have on all day long now. But MPT looks soft to me as well. Just no wow, HD! to either channel anymore. I should compare WFPT OTA, MPT via Verizon Fios (not sure which MPT station they are getting their HD signal from), and WETA when WETA and MPT are showing the same true HD programming.

We scheduled the movie 3 months ago when ABC had TBD scheduled for this weekend. Usually the first weekend after a ratings period is over becomes a dumping ground for the network. The AFL game was not scheduled to be aired in this market until mid February. By then, we had commitments to other advertisers that needed to be honored. Yes, we make more money, but we try to be sensitive to not preempting programming coming from the network, because we are only allowed a set number of preemptions a quarter.

Not a great answer, but an honest one. :)


So basically it was a money saving move...One where you put the interests of the Advertisers above those of the viewers...

So basically it was a money saving move...One where you put the interests of the Advertisers above those of the viewers...Well... it is the advertisers that pay for the light bill over there...

Well... it is the advertisers that pay for the light bill over there...
And without the viewers, how much do you think advertisers would pay?

With the ACC Tournament starting on Thursday, I wonder if one of the covering affiliates (WDCA, WHAG, & WNUV) will be broadcasting the games in HD, especially since ESPN2-HD will be blacked out.

So basically it was a money saving move...One where you put the interests of the Advertisers above those of the viewers...

Boy, that gave me a chuckle. :)

And without the viewers, how much do you think advertisers would pay?Works both ways... :-) Your point was made...

With the ACC Tournament starting on Thursday, I wonder if one of the covering affiliates (WDCA, WHAG, & WNUV) will be broadcasting the games in HD, especially since ESPN2-HD will be blacked out.

It was discussed here before, a couple of days ago. A member from this forum contacted WDCA 20 and was told that MyNet20 will be having the games in HD.

I just received an email from Frank Kay of Raycom Sports that WDCA 20 indeed has the capability to broadcast the ACC Tourney in HD:

Ahsan,

We have received confirmation that WDCA will carry the entire ACC Tournament in HD from us.

Frank Kay
Director of Media Relations
Raycom Sports

With the ACC Tournament starting on Thursday, I wonder if one of the covering affiliates (WDCA, WHAG, & WNUV) will be broadcasting the games in HD, especially since ESPN2-HD will be blacked out.

Try a little search on the thread. Post# 723 (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=9905136&&#post9905136)

Try a little search on the thread. Post# 723 (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=9905136&&#post9905136)
Unfortunately that's only WDCA. I can only receive WNUV reliably, and WHAG occasionaly. Blasted off an email to WNUV, so hopefully they will supply an answer.

Unfortunately that's only WDCA. I can only receive WNUV reliably, and WHAG occasionaly. Blasted off an email to WNUV, so hopefully they will supply an answer.
WHAG-DT is still at low power and SD only, as far as I know. Unless WHAG has added HD to their weak digital broadcast signal, they won't be carrying the ACC Tournament in HD.

The head station engineer for WNUV posts here, so he can provide a reliable answer for WNUV-DT 54 status for the ACC broadcasts.

Is there any particular reason that Comcast hasn't added MY20 in HD? I thought there were must carry provisions. I may have to go out and buy an HDTV for the upstairs that has an OTA tuner so I can watch the ACC this weekend (fortuantely the wife is an UNC alumni and I've been looking for a reason to add a 2nd HDTV).

So basically it was a money saving move...One where you put the interests of the Advertisers above those of the viewers...
You missed this key phrase:

"By then, we had commitments to other advertisers that needed to be honored."

You make it sound like a choice they made. Once a contract is inked, it needs to be adhered to.

I don't understand all the WJLA hate around here (maybe I'm too new). I don't watch their news (I grew up watching back in the days of WDVM and Glenn Brenner and old habits die hard), but can't see where they're any different than any other station (other than the fact that Robert is kind enough to grace us with his presence).

I'd be willing to bet that the story is the same at just about every other TV station in town.

(on a more content related note, my CM 4221 is set for delivery tomorrow - getting the ACC tourney in HD finally put me over the fence on buying one)

WHAG-DT is still at low power and SD only, as far as I know. Unless WHAG has added HD to their weak digital broadcast signal, they won't be carrying the ACC Tournament in HD.

The head station engineer for WNUV posts here, so he can provide a reliable answer for WNUV-DT 54 status for the ACC broadcasts.

Hi guys -

I'm 95% certain that we will have the ACC tournament in HD on WNUV. I've got all of the equipment in and tested, I've got the equipment programmed and tested. I have two things that I still need to test, but I won't be able to test these until Wednesday afternoon.

Mark

WDCW in HD on DirecTV by Jan 08 at latest, probably sooner:
Received this email from 50:

Thank you for contacting us! DirecTV was able to get some of the stations
on HD DirecTV this year. All Tribune stations will be on HD DirecTV by next
January. We are hoping it happens sooner.

Please feel free to check back for an update in a few months.

Sincerely,
Tanya Pavluchuk
Programming

It is pretty, or well it used to before they applied the talent-demanded softening filters). But it has NOT helped them the SLIGHEST bit over the past year the ONLY place where it counts...revenue and ratings. In the last ratings book, their news finished 4th and 5th in most time periods.

Maybe it doesn't work for WUSA, but in Dallas apparently...

http://www.tvpredictions.com/wfaa030307.htm

Does HDTV Boost Local News Ratings?
A Dallas station says the switch to high-def news made a big difference in February.
By Phillip Swann

Washington, D.C. (March 3, 2007) -- WFAA-TV's 10 p.m. newscast in Dallas-Fort Worth got the highest ratings for its time period in February for the first time in more than five years.

Why?

Could be High-Definition TV, says Dave Muscari, the station's vice president. WFAA-TV, the ABC affiliate in the Dallas area, began broadcasting its news programs in high-def on February 2.

Muscari calls the switch to high-def news a big reason for the improved ratings for the 10 p.m. newscast. However, he adds there are always many factors involved when a station's ratings rise.

"It's been a busy 60 days," Muscari tells the Dallas Morning News. "We've launched a lot of things in a short period of time. And so, if you said, what's the one major factor in this, I think it's a combination of a lot of things."

WFAA's 10 p.m. newscast had a 8.7 household rating in February, says the newspaper. KXAS, channel 5 in Dallas, finished second with a 8.2 rating.

Gah. And here I am bitching about WJLA. Looks like the color is blown out AGAIN on WRC.

I hate them so much.

ugh, what is that, it looks awful.

WTF? NBC GET YOUR CRAP TOGETHER

This is your highest rated show! FIX THIS NOW

Wow. Thought it was my TV for a second. Looks awful. Bleeeechhhhhh.

It's like they want us to watch it wearing 3d glasses or something with all the red and blue separation, this is horrible.

so freaking annoying....this is ridiculous

The tri-color spread on WRC 4 is bizarre. The picture for WBAL-DT 11 in Baltimore is not doing this, so this problem is with WRC. But I'm getting dropouts for WBAL-DT, as I sometimes do, so that is not a viable option at the moment. Argh!

HD feed just dropped completely.

Even the weird colors were better than no HD and no Dolby Digital.

*bangs head on table*

back to HD

LOL, I love this thread ;)

The tri-color spread on WRC 4 is bizarre. The picture for WBAL-DT 11 in Baltimore is not doing this, so this problem is with WRC. But I'm getting dropouts for WBAL-DT, as I sometimes do, so that is not a viable option at the moment. Argh!
Glad I have a backup from DirecTV and the NewYork HD feed for NBC. I was afraid I was having some kind of HDMI problem until I realized the picture looked the same from Comcast as from OTA. So I watched the NY feed for most of the show.

You missed this key phrase:

"By then, we had commitments to other advertisers that needed to be honored."

You make it sound like a choice they made. Once a contract is inked, it needs to be adhered to.


Actually, they could move things around or offer them points somewhere else...

Dear Mr. XXXXX,

We have just gotten in our HD equipment in-house and installed. We have
one more test to run to see if we can show the games in HD. We have
been
working very hard all season to try to make this happen, but until
Raycom sends a test on Wednesday afternoon, we will not know for sure
that everything is set up correctly for the tournament. Hang in
there...
we are working as best we can to make the ACC tournament viewable in
HD.

Thanks for your question!
Sincerely,
Lisa Lupis
Program Director / Webmaster
WBFF / WNUV
Baltimore, MD

Dear Mr. XXXXX,

We have just gotten in our HD equipment in-house and installed. We have
one more test to run to see if we can show the games in HD. We have
been
working very hard all season to try to make this happen, but until
Raycom sends a test on Wednesday afternoon, we will not know for sure
that everything is set up correctly for the tournament. Hang in
there...
we are working as best we can to make the ACC tournament viewable in
HD.

Thanks for your question!
Sincerely,
Lisa Lupis
Program Director / Webmaster
WBFF / WNUV
Baltimore, MD

She forgot to write that the WNUV chief engineer is a very smart guy, and that she's sure that he will be able to get it going in time for the ACC tournament.

Oh well...

Mark

She forgot to write that the WNUV chief engineer is a very smart guy, and that she's sure that he will be able to get it going in time for the ACC tournament.

Oh well...

Mark
hahaha, a little self promotion? :D
Either way, thanks for getting it going for us Southern York Countians.

Comcast Digital Cable Self-install Kit.

I commented two weeks ago that I had ordered the FREE Digital Kit for my basic Comcast cable. The kit was delivered Thursday evening, but I found it required a phone call to Comcast to activate the box, and I gave up after waiting on the phone for more than forty minutes for a connection to a technician. I called again in mid-morning Friday, and after a thirty minute hold I was connected to a technician to start the activation. The technician recorded the serial number of my box, and informed me the activitation was started and would take about forty five minutes. He said to call back if the unit was not performing after the activation time.

Using this box demonstrates that Comcast is presently duplicating their analog and digital signals, which must be expensive to the company.

I have been quite happy with my digital QAM tuner for the non-encrypted digital channels, and I expect I will be returning the Digital Kit to Comcast fairly soon, even thogh it is free.

I have both a digital STB (connected to a non-cable-ready TV in one bedroom) and a QAM-equipped HDTV (my 42" Philips plasma in my bedroom) and, in practically every case (the only exception so far involves MHz Networks), digital is kicking analog's butt (where the same material is available both ways), and naturally, the QAM-powered plasma shows this best of all (as the plasma is the only TV showing both the analog *and* DS versions of the signal). In fact, CNN Digital is the most obvious of the butt-kickers, and it's not that the analog picture is bad; it's just that the digital picture is (for whatever reason) so much *better*.

However, the reason for the duplication is the large number of cable-ready (but analog) TVs in their customer footprint; a lot of these customers have zero interest in digital cable for *any* reason; hence, until the drop-dead date, they have to duplicate the carriage. (If said customers are a large enough block, they will have to maintain the duplicate coverage for a large portion of the foreseeable future; there has been some talk by those not wanting to use any sort of STB, even a subsidized or free one, of requiring just that.)

I, too, exclusively watch WUSA news because it is in HD.

Same here (no offense, Robert). I'm the only person in the house that owns an HD-equipped TV (and I had a PC with an OTA HD tuner before that). The fact that WUSA-DT now broadcasts *all* their local news in HD (and, to be quite honest, the 1080i feed absolutely kicks the fecal matter out of the analog 480i feed; yes I compare them heads-up, and I get both over Comcast in addition to OTA, so I'm comparing apples to apples) is why.

It can't simply be *age*; otherwise, how does J. C. Hayward look as good as she does compared to her longtime buddies Andrea Roane and Maureen Bunyan (Maureen is now at WJLA). However, I can understand not only Robert's position, but even that of Joe Albritton. The shame *should* be primarily reserved for WTTG-DT and WRC-DT, as both are not mere affiliates, but network-owned (and in WRC-DT's case, they are owned by that rather large lightbulb company) and neither does their local news in HD, either.

ACC Tournament in HD: http:/www.raycomsports.com/07ACC-HD.pdf Note the "official" HD affiliates list does not yet include Baltimore, but thank goodness we have Mark around for the inside information.

A few months ago, I asked four questions (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=9228544#post9228544[/url) about WJLA and WUSA in that sort of regard. With an FCC-released document (Excel version (http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-06-150A2.xls)) (pdf version (http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-06-150A2.pdf)), I have the answer to three of the questions.

(By the way, there's no note of call signs in the document, but search the document for "washington", and there's "references" to both channels 7 and 9 there. ;) )

Short version:

* WUSA and WJLA will both broadcast at 254 meters above average terrain. This is the tallest tower location in town, at least in terms of HAAT, and higher than their current analog location.
* WUSA will broadcast at 17,000 watts
* WJLA will broadcast at 15,000 watts

I don't know if either will have a directional array, because I don't know where I can go to get info on an "Antenna ID" number. WUSA has 74506, and WJLA has 74539. I suspect that means that the two won't share the same antenna, though I may be wrong.

Mr. Johnson, I don't know if you'll get WUSA, let alone WJLA, but I do know that they'll have a good clean feeling in their power bills. :cool: :o

They share tower space (to the physical right of WUSA-TV/DT's studios, from the sidewalk that goes past it), but not antenna space (which makes sense, as they are not owned by the same company; WUSA is owned by Gannett, while WJLA is owned by Albritton Communications). I have no idea if either station actually owns the tower.

A surprising fact: the WUSA-TV/DT studios are directly across Wisconsin Avenue from the Tenleytown-American University subway station (Robert, does WJLA-TV/DT still occupy the building catercorner to the tower on Tilden Street, or did they follow the studios to Rosslyn, VA?).

Same here (no offense, Robert). I'm the only person in the house that owns an HD-equipped TV (and I had a PC with an OTA HD tuner before that). The fact that WUSA-DT now broadcasts *all* their local news in HD (and, to be quite honest, the 1080i feed absolutely kicks the fecal matter out of the analog 480i feed; yes I compare them heads-up, and I get both over Comcast in addition to OTA, so I'm comparing apples to apples) is why.


I haven't watched local news in years, until I got my HD plasma, now I watch WUSA pretty much every night.

In recent weeks I've been having problems receiving both Channel 4 and Channel 11 - both of which were rock solid prior to this point. About 3-4 weeks ago, channel 11 became marginal - signal bouncing in and out. Now channel 11 is mostly fine, but channel 4 is showing breakups, pixilation, bouncing signal levels - and its driving my series 3 tivo to distraction.

I thought perhaps my in-line amp had started to pack up, so I just swapped it out. Still the same problems. I had thought about things like multipath, but everything else being broadcast from the same place as channel 4 is rock solid.

I'm in Germantown near the intersection of 118 and Richter Farm Rd. Anyone else seeing a similar pattern of disruption?

In recent weeks I've been having problems receiving both Channel 4 and Channel 11 - both of which were rock solid prior to this point. About 3-4 weeks ago, channel 11 became marginal - signal bouncing in and out. Now channel 11 is mostly fine, but channel 4 is showing breakups, pixilation, bouncing signal levels - and its driving my series 3 tivo to distraction.

I thought perhaps my in-line amp had started to pack up, so I just swapped it out. Still the same problems. I had thought about things like multipath, but everything else being broadcast from the same place as channel 4 is rock solid.

I'm in Germantown near the intersection of 118 and Richter Farm Rd. Anyone else seeing a similar pattern of disruption?

I live very near you and haven't had any problems with channel 4. I've never been able to get 11 in consistently with my attic antenna so I can't offer you much there.

I live only about a mile from you. I used to have NBC problems as well until I went with an outdoor antenna. They just seem to have reception issues. What is your antenna situation?

Cox Fairfax granted Petition for Determination of Effective Competition by FCC.

http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-07-944A1.pdf
http://www.cedmagazine.com/article/CA6421942.html

In a nutshell ... with this ruling ... the local franchise authority can no longer regulate Cox Fairfax's (basic) cable rates, equipment prices, and so forth. It also exempts them from certain other pricing regulations (like the tier buy-through prohibition).

Glad to see the franchise approval. The Verizon trucks have been stringing the fiberoptic cable for the last two weeks on the road by my house. I can't wait for the 2Mbps up speed internet (torrent junkie).

I seem to remember reading that Comcast raised the internet from 384 kbps to 768 kbps in areas where Fios has gone live to try retain customers? Can anyone confirm this?


http://www.sys-con.com/read/345500.htm

Baltimore County Residents to See More Choice, Competition as Verizon Obtains Cable Franchise
County Council Approves Franchise Covering 312,000 Households; Verizon Will Begin Rolling Out FiOS TV Mid-Year

By: PR Newswire
Mar. 6, 2007 01:49 PM
Digg This!


TOWSON, Md., March 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Residents of Baltimore County are a major step closer to having some long-awaited choice for their cable television services, thanks to a vote by the County Council Monday night (March 5) authorizing Verizon to offer its fiber-optic-powered FiOS TV.

The cable franchise covers approximately 312,000 households in Baltimore County. Verizon plans to begin offering FiOS TV by mid-year to parts of the Owings Mill, Cockeysville and Reisterstown areas.

Verizon is providing FiOS services on the nation's most advanced digital, all-fiber-optic network. Only Verizon's FiOS network has earned the certification of the independent Fiber to the Home Council for providing fiber all the way to customers' homes.

"This agreement represents great progress for Baltimore County consumers who are eager for a true competitive choice in video service providers," said William R. Roberts, president of Verizon Maryland. "FiOS TV offers an innovative, reliable and competitive alternative to the incumbent cable provider - powered by our lightning-fast fiber-optic network.

"Maryland residents are saying 'yes' to FiOS TV and FiOS Internet services in rapidly growing numbers, and we're eager for Baltimore County consumers to join the FiOS family."

Baltimore County joins numerous other Maryland jurisdictions that have awarded franchises to Verizon, including Anne Arundel, Howard, Montgomery and Prince George's counties and more than 30 independent municipalities. These franchises cover approximately 1.2 million households.

More than 291,000 households in 12 of these jurisdictions now can order FiOS TV, and that number is growing rapidly.

In addition to Maryland, Verizon currently offers FiOS TV in parts of nine other states: California, Delaware, Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia.

FiOS TV offers a broad collection of all-digital programming, 20 or more high-definition channels, 8,600 video-on-demand titles and more. It is delivered over Verizon's fiber-to-the-premises network, which has industry- leading quality and reliability. Fiber delivers amazingly sharp pictures and sound, and has the capacity to transmit a wide array of high-definition programming that is so clear and intense it seems to leap from the TV screen.

In addition to FiOS TV, Verizon's fiber network also allows the company to offer consumers and businesses crystal-clear voice service and high-speed FiOS Internet Service at download speeds of up to 30 Mbps (megabits per second) and upload speeds up to 5 Mbps.* FiOS Internet Service currently is available to many consumers and small businesses in the Owings Mill area of Baltimore County.

* NOTE: actual (throughput) speeds will vary.

Has anyone heard an update about Arlington getting digital simulcast again? My analog reception is extremly poor, to the point where I don't even get about 1/3 of the channels below 100. Techs have come out but can't do anything about it. A return to ADS is my only hope!

She forgot to write that the WNUV chief engineer is a very smart guy, and that she's sure that he will be able to get it going in time for the ACC tournament.

Oh well...

Mark

Hey, Mr Smart Guy Chief Engineer! :) :) :)

The CW sitcoms on WNUV were in glorious 4:3 this weekend. With very stylish gray bars on the sides, of course. What up wid dat?

Hope it is back by the next Smallville.

The shame *should* be primarily reserved for WTTG-DT and WRC-DT, as both are not mere affiliates, but network-owned (and in WRC-DT's case, they are owned by that rather large lightbulb company) and neither does their local news in HD, either.
Oh, but they will..

NBC 4 has said that they would be upgrading sometimes in 2007, as part of a corporate mandate to upgrade the O&Os to HD. (The same goes for CBS 13 in Baltimore, although maybe not in the same timeframe)
FOX 5 has put in an equipment order for an ALL-HD newscast, and, judging by the looks of some of the shots, have installed most of it.

It can't simply be *age*; otherwise, how does J. C. Hayward look as good as she does compared to her longtime buddies Andrea Roane and Maureen Bunyan (Maureen is now at WJLA).
JC Hayward....
She's a great newscaster, and I'm sure a great person, but she has become the laughingstock of my HD viewing. She doesn't seem to have aged as gracefully as the other two (although one is still hiding behind (I want to say, composite?) SD.

"Home Team" will be tonight's ABC-7 pre-emption, making four in the last ten days. Will that be enough money raised in extra local ad dollars to purchase the needed HD equipment down in Rosslyn or is the money just going into someone's pocket?

Robert - what is the explanation for tonight from Albritton (and I appreciate the response back to the forum about why the Arena game and NBA pre-game were not shown vs. a bad 1980s movie sequel)? It looks as though the "Videos" show is a repeat, but the constant pre-emptions don't make WJLA look good.

Hey, Mr Smart Guy Chief Engineer! :) :) :)

The CW sitcoms on WNUV were in glorious 4:3 this weekend. With very stylish gray bars on the sides, of course. What up wid dat?

Hope it is back by the next Smallville.

Hey! I like those grey bars!

Anyhow - unless someone changed it and didn't tell me, CW has never supplied HD signals on the weekend. Hence, I am unable to supply them to you.

If that changes, it's pretty easy for me to change that though.

Mark

What is your antenna situation?

I've got a pair of fairly large Yagi's in the attic - one pointed at DC, the other at Baltimore. Since the Yagis have pretty good side and back rejection, a simple splitter/combiner has worked pretty well for me over the years.

Both channel 4 and 11 seem to be coming in fine today. With luck murphy's gremlins have moved on from my house.

In recent weeks I've been having problems receiving both Channel 4 and Channel 11 .... showing breakups, pixilation, bouncing signal levels - and its driving my series 3 tivo to distraction. ... Anyone else seeing a similar pattern of disruption?I've had very similar issues with WRC (don't have enough signal for WBAL reception) for a while now.

WRC broadcasts on channel 48. while WBAL broadcasts on 59. These higher UHF frequencies are more susceptible to multipath-related dropouts, especially in heavier wind conditions, like those that we've been having recently, but not today, at least as much as it was.

I've got a pair of fairly large Yagi's in the attic - one pointed at DC, the other at Baltimore. Since the Yagis have pretty good side and back rejection, a simple splitter/combiner has worked pretty well for me over the years.

Both channel 4 and 11 seem to be coming in fine today. With luck murphy's gremlins have moved on from my house.

'at 'would be Murphy's Leprechauns. Don't get your stories confused ;)

I'm considering combining a new outdoor antenna from RadioShack (15-2187 - it's a something-else-quite-good clone - some ADX1000) through a combiner with my indoor Silver Sensor for more rock-solid reception on those windy/snowy days. Good idea, or bad, folks?

In Ashburn., 20+ miles LineOfSight to Tenleytown, way more to Baltimore!

Hey! I like those grey bars!

Anyhow - unless someone changed it and didn't tell me, CW has never supplied HD signals on the weekend. Hence, I am unable to supply them to you.

If that changes, it's pretty easy for me to change that though.

Mark
You should check your sister station WDCW-DT 50 on Sunday. They play CW programs in HD on Sunday afternoon from 4 to 7 or 8 PM, IIRC. Mostly repeats of the sitcoms, from what I have noticed. I'm pretty sure this is a CW network feed that is available to affiliates. Didn't WB used to do this or was it UPN?

BTW, I've been meaning to get back to you on the closed captioning problem with WNUV-DT. I see CCs for some of the local programming, but neither of my ATSC receivers (Samsung SIR-T451, Sony HDD250 DVR) show CC for the prime time CW network programming. The CCs are there for the same programs on WDCW-DT 50. But I have not checked recently to see if this has changed.

Is WDCW showing up as encrypted via QAM for anyone else with Comcast in Arlington?

Hey! I like those grey bars!

Anyhow - unless someone changed it and didn't tell me, CW has never supplied HD signals on the weekend. Hence, I am unable to supply them to you.

If that changes, it's pretty easy for me to change that though.

Mark

My mind must be going. I was sure I've seen the CW sitcoms in HD on the weekend before.

Maybe something clicks automatically?

My mind must be going. I was sure I've seen the CW sitcoms in HD on the weekend before.

Maybe something clicks automatically?

I am not sure what people watch on the CW, nothing really interesting ever on that channel, except for Wizards and Caps games.

I am not sure what people watch on the CW, nothing really interesting ever on that channel, except for Wizards and Caps games.

Smallville.

Smallville.and Supernatural :D

I am not sure what people watch on the CW, nothing really interesting ever on that channel, except for Wizards and Caps games.
Veronica Mars
Gilmore Girls
Supernatural
Everybody Hates Chris

I watch more on The CW than I do on FOX, but maybe that's just me :D


---------
And, yes, The CW supplies thier Easy-View block in HD on Sunday from 5-7 PM. (It's actually kind of scary that hardly anyone knew that, The WB did it for years)

Is WDCW showing up as encrypted via QAM for anyone else with Comcast in Arlington?


I did a scan last week and it came in - it was 113.something for me if I recall correctly.

Glad to see the franchise approval.Just as long as you realize you're selling yourself down the river against long-term choices. Verizon's conned Congress into letting them exclude the fiber wiring from having to be shared with other services. And if you let them lie to you and insist they pull down your copper wiring you'll have to actually PAY to have it reinstalled in order to get choice again. So be sure you're willing to sell your soul to get fiber...

I am not sure what people watch on the CW, nothing really interesting ever on that channel, except for Wizards and Caps games.


I watch more stuff on CW than I do FOX. Smallville, Everybody Hates Chris, One Tree Hill, Beauty and the Geek.

Hey, Mr Smart Guy Chief Engineer! :) :) :)

The CW sitcoms on WNUV were in glorious 4:3 this weekend. With very stylish gray bars on the sides, of course. What up wid dat?

Hope it is back by the next Smallville.

My daughter watches Reba at 7:00 and 7:30 on Sun. evenings and they were both HD before, this past Sun. they were SD with gray bars. The episodes were reruns, but reruns are always HD, if they are in primetime.

My daughter watches Reba at 7:00 and 7:30 on Sun. evenings and they were both HD before, this past Sun. they were SD with gray bars. The episodes were reruns, but reruns are always HD, if they are in primetime.

Oh, SUNDAY! See, I consider Sunday the beginning of the week, so that's why I misunderstood...

Actually, I forgot that the CW has HD programming on Sunday evening (I'm always watching The Simpsons, et al, my other channel). Fortunately, I do have the timer set for Sunday. I'm not sure what's happening. I've checked everything except the master control switcher contacts (which I can check at 3:00 this afternoon) and the HD receiver (which I just rebooted). I'll make sure it's working by tonight.

Mark

BTW, thanks for the input. I'm not sure why no one from master control (or anyone else from work, for that matter) mentioned it to me...

Dear markbulla,

Thanks for reading and responding in the forum. I have a question, and forgive me if this has been asked before, why do broadcasters put grey bars up with SD content instead of dropping down to 480p? It would make life easier for consumers so we wouldn't have to keeping hitting the stretch button when changing channels.

thanks

[

BTW, thanks for the input. I'm not sure why no one from master control (or anyone else from work, for that matter) mentioned it to me...[/QUOTE]

Thanks for being here, and answering questions.

Oh, SUNDAY! See, I consider Sunday the beginning of the week, so that's why I misunderstood...


Ah, a simple miscommunication. Good! I didn't think I was crazy and I didn't think you were out to lunch either.

ACC Tournament in HD: http:/www.raycomsports.com/07ACC-HD.pdf Note the "official" HD affiliates list does not yet include Baltimore, but thank goodness we have Mark around for the inside information.

I just tested (and fixed - it's a good thing that I checked it...) the HD switch system that I installed for the ACC tournament, and it worked. I feel confident in saying that we will carry the tournament in HD on WNUV.

Mark

I just tested (and fixed - it's a good thing that I checked it...) the HD switch system that I installed for the ACC tournament, and it worked. I feel confident in saying that we will carry the tournament in HD on WNUV.

MarkAny way you can come down here and "fix" WTVZ?? :D

Is WDCW showing up as encrypted via QAM for anyone else with Comcast in Arlington?

I did a scan last week and it came in - it was 113.something for me if I recall correctly.

Thanks Red Dog, but last week the CW was fine. It was in the clear at 729 MHz, at 113-9, but since last night it's been showing up as encrypted or scrambled for me on a couple of different QAM tuners. Anyone else?

Oh, SUNDAY! See, I consider Sunday the beginning of the week, so that's why I misunderstood...

Actually, I forgot that the CW has HD programming on Sunday evening (I'm always watching The Simpsons, et al, my other channel). Fortunately, I do have the timer set for Sunday. I'm not sure what's happening. I've checked everything except the master control switcher contacts (which I can check at 3:00 this afternoon) and the HD receiver (which I just rebooted). I'll make sure it's working by tonight.

Mark

BTW, thanks for the input. I'm not sure why no one from master control (or anyone else from work, for that matter) mentioned it to me...

Well... I checked everything except the HD receiver (which I rebooted earlier), and everything worked, so I guess I'll probably stay late and figure out what the problem is (if it still exists). The HD receiver was picking up another HD signal earlier with no alarms (CBS sometimes uses the same transponder for their own distribution), so I think that's working.

Mark

Some receivers only change modes after a scan. WMPT changes modes twice a day and there are always complains that their signal is bad when in fact it is the receiver. If the signal is bad a channel scan would not fix the problem.


Dear markbulla,

Thanks for reading and responding in the forum. I have a question, and forgive me if this has been asked before, why do broadcasters put grey bars up with SD content instead of dropping down to 480p? It would make life easier for consumers so we wouldn't have to keeping hitting the stretch button when changing channels.

thanks

Well... I checked everything except the HD receiver (which I rebooted earlier), and everything worked, so I guess I'll probably stay late and figure out what the problem is (if it still exists). The HD receiver was picking up another HD signal earlier with no alarms (CBS sometimes uses the same transponder for their own distribution), so I think that's working.

Mark

Mark,
Just as a note, I believe that the Monday evening CW lineup was also in SD instead of HD. I remember it because when I started watching Everybody Hates Chris, I noted it was not in HD and watched something else.

I just tested (and fixed - it's a good thing that I checked it...) the HD switch system that I installed for the ACC tournament, and it worked. I feel confident in saying that we will carry the tournament in HD on WNUV.

Mark

BTW, before it happens, I should mention that we're right in the middle of the spring sun outages. Because there is no backup satellite for the HD signal, we'll lose it for about 15 minutes or so. This will occur around 1:45 each day. We will be switching to the upconverted SD signal during the outage time.

The sun outage occurs because we're in the northern hemisphere looking "down" (to the south) at the satellites that are over the equator. Twice a year, when the sun is south of the equator, it ends up directly in line with our satellite dish and the satellite. Because of the movement of the sun during the day, the sun outages occur at different times during the day, so most networks use two satellites to send programming - only one of which is out at a time.

Dear markbulla,

Thanks for reading and responding in the forum. I have a question, and forgive me if this has been asked before, why do broadcasters put grey bars up with SD content instead of dropping down to 480p? It would make life easier for consumers so we wouldn't have to keeping hitting the stretch button when changing channels.

thanks

Our HD encoders don't allow us to do that.

Mark

Well, after many calls and confirmations, it is finally clear now. Another member contacted FiOS and was told that FiOS made a mistake with adding CSN-MA HD to northern VA and MD lineup. Here is what the rep sent him.

Thank you for your patience. I just got word back from my supervisor and unfortunately, that was an error in our channel lineup card. The channel lineup card we have on the website is up to date with all the channels we are currently offering in your area until further notice. If you'd like to place a suggestion or request for improving our channel lineup please go to our website verizon.net/fiostv and click on "About FiOS TV" on the menu (left side of the page). Once there, on the right side you'll see a picture with the words "Love your FiOS TV? Share your input here". Click there and fill out the survey. I apologize for the inconvenience and for the incorrect information you had received.

Sincerely,


I am not surprised at all, FiOS got off to a great start and instead of trying to compete in its current markets, it is expanding to more markets.

Well, after many calls and confirmations, it is finally clear now. Another member contacted FiOS and was told that FiOS made a mistake with adding CSN-MA HD to northern VA and MD lineup.

And you (and plenty of others here) compounded that mistake by *assuming* they meant CSN-MA HD when the channel lineup that Verizon mailed out said CSN-Philly HD channel 829.

I noticed recently WUSA changed their 9 news now HD slogan from "the first and only local news in high definition" to "the first..."

is there another station that's prepping to do local HD news?

And you (and plenty of others here) compounded that mistake by *assuming* they meant CSN-MA HD when the channel lineup that Verizon mailed out said CSN-Philly HD channel 829.


Well first, that is because when I received the letter and called them, I was told they meant CSN MA. Second, MD area received the letter that said CSN MA and some people posted the mailing on another forum (MD channel lineup (http://www.dslreports.com/speak/slideshow/17918846?c=1132154&ret=L2ZvcnVtL3JlbWFyaywxNzkxODQ2Mw%3D%3D) ).

Well first, that is because when I received the letter and called them, I was told they meant CSN MA. Second, MD area received the letter that said CSN MA and some people posted the mailing on another forum (MD channel lineup (http://www.dslreports.com/speak/slideshow/17918846?c=1132154&ret=L2ZvcnVtL3JlbWFyaywxNzkxODQ2Mw%3D%3D) ).


that's correct -- those of us in howard county with fios received a mailing from verizon with CSN-HD MA on channel 829 (that particular channel lineup sheet is right next to my pc).

it would be nice to get it sooner rather than later, even if it's not right now.

Well first, that is because when I received the letter and called them, I was told they meant CSN MA. Second, MD area received the letter that said CSN MA and some people posted the mailing on another forum (MD channel lineup (http://www.dslreports.com/speak/slideshow/17918846?c=1132154&ret=L2ZvcnVtL3JlbWFyaywxNzkxODQ2Mw%3D%3D) ).
Thanks for the clarification.

Well first, that is because when I received the letter and called them, I was told they meant CSN MA. Second, MD area received the letter that said CSN MA and some people posted the mailing on another forum (MD channel lineup (http://www.dslreports.com/speak/slideshow/17918846?c=1132154&ret=L2ZvcnVtL3JlbWFyaywxNzkxODQ2Mw%3D%3D) ).Is that lineup for real?

I know that the CSN-HD could be wrong, but if thats a Baltimore area lineup its way out of wack. It has Baltimore HD affilates, but then in the Local Plus area (usually containing digital subchannels) is has WUSA Radar, WJLA Weather, WETA channels... Plus it has WUTB on the line up. Any FiOS Balt area customers want to chime in and clear up whats really on up there?

Won't get home until halftime of the Maryland game today, so I hope some folks can give us a report on the Raycom HD coverage on 20.1 and 54.1 for the early game (FSU/Clem).

Is that lineup for real?

I know that the CSN-HD could be wrong, but if thats a Baltimore area lineup its way out of wack. It has Baltimore HD affilates, but then in the Local Plus area (usually containing digital subchannels) is has WUSA Radar, WJLA Weather, WETA channels... Plus it has WUTB on the line up. Any FiOS Balt area customers want to chime in and clear up whats really on up there?

I am not too familiar with MD so I could be wrong, but this lineup is fir Anne Arundel/Howard County. Baltimore's lineup could be different.

Also, if FiOS is adding more channels, and like most of us though that they cleared up channels from 810 to 824 for that, then why is that MD lineup has locals channels there? I think FiOS has made a mistake somewhere and it is in way over its head.

Won't get home until halftime of the Maryland game today, so I hope some folks can give us a report on the Raycom HD coverage on 20.1 and 54.1 for the early game (FSU/Clem).

It just started and the PQ is great, much better than CSN-HD. The sound however keeps breaking up. Is it just my set or anyone else experiencing that as well?

It just started and the PQ is great, much better than CSN-HD. The sound however keeps breaking up. Is it just my set or anyone else experiencing that as well?

Mine is good.

Mark

Mine is good.

Mark

Mine is 4:3 now, I think it is a problem with MyNet20.

Mine is 4:3 now, I think it is a problem with MyNet20.

Makes me feel better about all of the time and effort that I went thru to get it right! I've had 0 problems so far on WNUV.

Remember though, there will be a time that we have to switch off the HD and go to an upconverted SD picture during the sun outage. It's too early for that to be the problem down in DC, though.

Mark

How come they aren't showing the ACC games in HD on Comcast MyNetwork20???

How come they aren't showing the ACC games in HD on Comcast MyNetwork20???


Comcast doesn't carry 20.1 on its cable systems. You need to go OTA to get it.

WDCA FIOS DC area - The sounds seems to be breaking up when they go to commercial, and eventually clears up after they return to the game...maybe they are doing some work when it goes to commercial. Otherwise it's fine.

Sound issues aside, I think this was the first time I was able to directly compare the same programming on a 720p station (20-1, Fios 805) and a 1080i station (54-1). It looked distinctly sharper on 54-1, even though I have the Tivo's output set to 720p fixed, and my set is an EDTV. Maybe this originated as a 1080i signal, and WDCA's cross-conversion just isn't as good as the Tivo's?

Sound issues aside, I think this was the first time I was able to directly compare the same programming on a 720p station (20-1, Fios 805) and a 1080i station (54-1). It looked distinctly sharper on 54-1, even though I have the Tivo's output set to 720p fixed, and my set is an EDTV. Maybe this originated as a 1080i signal, and WDCA's cross-conversion just isn't as good as the Tivo's?

It is indeed 1080i off the satellite.

Mark

Looks good, Mark, even if the Terps don't. Nice job.

Sound issues aside, I think this was the first time I was able to directly compare the same programming on a 720p station (20-1, Fios 805) and a 1080i station (54-1). It looked distinctly sharper on 54-1, even though I have the Tivo's output set to 720p fixed, and my set is an EDTV. Maybe this originated as a 1080i signal, and WDCA's cross-conversion just isn't as good as the Tivo's?
I agree, using OTA, 54.1 looks better than 20.1, and the sound is definitely better. I'm glad I can get both of these stations because it gives me a backup in case one of them develops a transmission problem (like the sound problem on 20 during the FSU-Clemson game).

I agree, using OTA, 54.1 looks better than 20.1, and the sound is definitely better. I'm glad I can get both of these stations because it gives me a backup in case one of them develops a transmission problem (like the sound problem on 20 during the FSU-Clemson game).
I spent a few minutes comparing the two channels and agree that the picture quality on WNUV-DT 54 looks better than WDCA-DT 20. This is for OTA. I only get WDCA-DT 20 via Verizon Fios (Washington Metro line-up), so the comparison is strictly OTA. This is on a 42" 1024x768 plasma, so the difference between 720p and 1080i should not be that obvious. I may mess with the output settings on my two ATSC receivers tonight to see if I can get a better picture for WDCA.

However, Mark, I'm getting closed captions for the game on WDCA-DT 20.1 on both ATSC receivers (Samsung SIR-T451, Sony DHG-HDD250), but none for WNUV-DT 54.1. There are captions for the analog WNUV 54, BTW. This is unexpected because the last I looked I never got captions for 20.1, so maybe they fixed something. I imagine you are rather busy, but maybe you could look into it. The pattern is that I sometimes see captions for the local programming on WNUV 54.1, so that part works, but not for the CW network programming. WDCW-DT 50.1 has captions for the national CW programming, so the CC data is there. Maybe the fact that the digital captions are not getting passed for the syndicated ACC feed is a clue you can use to hunt down the problem. Good job on getting the ACC in HD in the first place!

It looks great, Mark - that's for all the hard work!

I'm getting Dolby Digital from 54.1 and not from 20.1 which is why the sound is so much nicer. WNUV's PQ is definitely much better too (both OTA, so I'm comparing apples to apples).

I just need to futz with the antenna a bit, my new CM 4221 is doing a great job, but I still need to tweak it a bit to get WNUV solid.

Now if my Hokies will look this good tomorrow night, everything will be good!!!

Since Dish killed the local guide for 811 users who don't subscribe to local channels, I'm thinking about getting a Samsung ATSC tuner.

Can anyone tell me if Baltimore/Washington channels send out an advanced program guide in PSIP, or give me an idea of what to expect to be included in the PSIP data?

Thanks much for any help you can provide.

Bonus Coverage on the Deuce right now, though no HD

edited -

WDCW-DT 50.1 has captions for the national CW programming, so the CC data is there. Maybe the fact that the digital captions are not getting passed for the syndicated ACC feed is a clue you can use to hunt down the problem. Good job on getting the ACC in HD in the first place!

Sorry about the closed captioning problem. I'm checking on it.

Mark

It just started and the PQ is great, much better than CSN-HD. The sound however keeps breaking up. Is it just my set or anyone else experiencing that as well?

I also had sound breakups on both of my Direct tivos on 20.1 ota. Many of them. Putzed around with the antenna direction, but that didn't seem to help. Sound was fine on channel 20 off of the sat, so seems to be something to do with local broadcast.

I also noticed a problem with sound levels of the games (seemed low) and the commercials (high), something like 15db difference.

The picture was fine. Glad that 20 is finally starting to get HD. Maybe now I won't automatically groan when I see a game scheduled on it.

Mike

On Wednesday morning Comcast did a software download in Baltimore City that made several changes to my Motorola DVRs:


The Main Menu consolidated onto one page instead of two.

The ability to make and label up to five favorites lists (using an on-screen keyboard).

After hitting Guide button and Favorites button, the guide only displays favorite channels.

Mini-guide can be set to display two channels or three channels.

A timed screen saver (only covers the 4:3 area of the screen).

HD programs labeled as HD in the guide.

Hitting Rec button records everything in the buffer istead of starting at the current time.

A menu comes up after hitting My DVR button, brings up a menu of all DVR options, not just the list of recordings.

Manual recording can be set to "Mon-Fri".

A "Welcome to On Demand" screen after hitting the On Demand button.

"New" or end dates displayed for On Demand selections instead of "LC" (Last Chance).

A time bar while watching On Demand, just like the one for watching broadcasts and recordings.

Faster response time for On Demand controls.


Most of the changes are listed above. Here's a web page about the "improved guide":

http://www.comcast.com/improvedguide/

And the user guide:

http://www.comcast.com/MediaLibrary/...VodOspg_46.pdf

Firmware is version 16.35.

On another note, DVR rental has gone from $10 to $12 a month. (Coincidence?)

Marcus:

Thanks for the list.

Note that "Hitting Rec button records everything in the buffer istead of starting at the current time." has always been available.

Now that I'm watching Duke/NCST on ESPN2, it seems like the color was a bit washed out coming from WDCA. The ESPN2 broadcast is much better picture-wise than the WDCA broadcast, but I'm not going to complain too much since it seems like only ESPN can get college basketball right, and even they only manage it some of the time.

Anyone with the Baltimore station want to compare the ESPN2 broadcast to this afternoon's games?

Sorry guys - My PSIP generator just took a dump. I'm on the backup, but everything isn't set right...

I hope that people are still getting the game...

Mark

Looks great here, OTA.

Sorry guys - My PSIP generator just took a dump. I'm on the backup, but everything isn't set right...

I hope that people are still getting the game...

MarkEverything is good OTA here in Odenton!

Edit:I swear that wasn't there when I started!

Edit 2: PQ still kicks 20.1's tail and Mark, you're the only one that has DD working right (from here, at least).

54 has 5.1, 20 does not. ?

54 has 5.1, 20 does not. ?
That's what my receiver is telling me.

That's what my receiver is telling me.

We have a 5.1 simulator. It takes the stereo in and magically makes 5.1 out of it. If it detects 5.1 coming in, it just passes it through.

It's an expensive box, but it does a good job.

Mark

We have a 5.1 simulator. It takes the stereo in and magically makes 5.1 out of it. If it detects 5.1 coming in, it just passes it through.

It's an expensive box, but it does a good job.

MarkIt's well worth it today - you sound much, much better than your cousin to the south...

Two subjects:

I have not had a chance to see any of the ACC tournament games as of yet--too busy trying to catch up on this thread ;). But I've got to say, I could have predicted that WNUV would absolutely smoke My20 in their HD presentation. I'm surprised nobody who watched the Redskins-Giants game back in December has commented here. I was fortunate enough to get that game on NFL Network through FiOS but the OTA on Fox5--or was it My20 (same thing)--was washed out and not anywhere near the NFL Network quality for what should have been an identical feed. I'm glad I kept my OTA setup. I know where I'll be watching the tournament--and it darn sure won't be on My20.

Switching gears, I had a chance to catch some of the Wizards-Warriors game last Sunday on 50. I'm again surprised that nobody has commented on the horrendous PQ. Almost every time there was any transition shot, the picture became blurry and there was what I would term macroblocking throughout the game. The color didn't even look right--like it was slightly washed out. Is CSN HD's feed that poor? Say it ain't so. I'm thinking it's something in WDCW's equipment that's causing the degraded PQ. Can any CSN-HD viewers comment on the PQ when watching through their Comcast system? Thanks.

Mark, can you comment on what data rate the OTA signal is delivered at? Are there any broadcast standards for data rate?

Bill, I remember tried to record some Wizards material last year on WB50, and the PQ was terrible too. Now CW50 doesn't have a sports dept and just broadcasts Comcast's production. But I don't why it looks so terrible.

About the ACC, I also add my voice that WNUV is superior in PQ and Audio by a considerable margin over My20. Mark your hard work has paid off. My Dish 622 was locking up around 9pm when trying to tune in 54.1. Typical of PSIP issues in the past, so I'm glad to hear there was an issue on your end (ie my box isn't broken).

Mark, can you comment on what data rate the OTA signal is delivered at? Are there any broadcast standards for data rate?

Currently, because I no longer have a second digital channel, my encoder is pretty much running flat out at 17-18 Mbps (I have to set a range of data rates due to the software that I have in the encoder). The total data rate for ANY digital channel is 19.36 Mbps, which includes the video, audio, PSIP and whatever other data you are sending. You have to share that 19.36 Mbps between all of your digital subchannels. If you only have one channel, it all goes there.

There are no standards for data rates for HD channels or SD channels. How the picture looks really depends on how much motion there is in the picture. I could send out an HD test pattern at, say, 1 Mbps, and after a second or so, you probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference between it and a test pattern that I sent out at 17 Mbps. It makes a difference in a basketball game, though.

Mark

Sorry guys - My PSIP generator just took a dump. I'm on the backup, but everything isn't set right...

I hope that people are still getting the game...

Mark

PSIP is fixed. Had to take apart the PC and reseat the card.

Mark

PSIP is fixed. Had to take apart the PC and reseat the card.

Mark
Just wanted to mention that although I noticed the PSIP issue, it did not impact my ability to pick up the game(s) OTA. Thanks a lot for your work on bringing this game to us! I really appreciate it, and I'm sure others do as well. I'll be sure to tune in tonight when the Hokies dismantle Wake. :)

As a sidenote, I noticed that the channel was appearing as 40-3 when the PSIP was presumably broken. Whether it's a coincidence or not, the channel switched over to calling itself 54-1 at precisely the moment that RLF ceded control for a local commercial break (ie, the grey bars appeared instead of the black ones). I know RLF does their syndication a little differently than other programs, hopefully that information is useful (unless it was a coincidence)...

Just wanted to mention that although I noticed the PSIP issue, it did not impact my ability to pick up the game(s) OTA. Thanks a lot for your work on bringing this game to us! I really appreciate it, and I'm sure others do as well. I'll be sure to tune in tonight when the Hokies dismantle Wake. :)

As a sidenote, I noticed that the channel was appearing as 40-3 when the PSIP was presumably broken. Whether it's a coincidence or not, the channel switched over to calling itself 54-1 at precisely the moment that RLF ceded control for a local commercial break (ie, the grey bars appeared instead of the black ones). I know RLF does their syndication a little differently than other programs, hopefully that information is useful (unless it was a coincidence)...

It was a coincidence.

I was screwing around with stuff during the commercials so that it wouldn't impact your viewing of the game, if something went wrong.

Don't tell the boss, because the commercials pay the bills. Fortunately, what I did made it better during the commercial, not worse.

Mark

Is anyone picking up the TK show on News Channel 8? If so how are you pulling it in?

Don't tell the boss, because the commercials pay the bills.
Your secret is safe with me. :cool:

Interesting - ESPN2 is blacking out ESPN2HD, but not regular ESPN2. I was actually hoping they would simulcast ESPNU on ESPN2 so I could catch some of the Big XII quarters this afternoon.

Comcast and Sinclair Enter into Four-Year Extension of Analog and Digital Carriage Agreement

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/070309/clf119.html?.v=8

It's not a space issue for Comcast. I believe it's simply MASN evaluating the cost and deciding they don't want to do HD for now and laying this at the feet of cable and satellite operators.

MASN wouldn't answer whether they were committed to doing HD for how long ? I still haven't heard them say they were willing to commit to it. Which in my opinion is a shame. No O's HD in '07

GoIrish

I'm very upset that MASN won't have HD in 2007. I asked them how HD customers should feel good about MASN taking over the Orioles when we lose 50-60 HD games this year. Of course, they gave no response.

Rich N.

The funniest thing is that they are young RSN. You would have thought that the would have bought HD equipment from the beginning to keep from having to replace it in a few years.

The Business of Television
Comcast, Sinclair Reach Retrans Deal
By Mike Farrell MultiChannel News 3/9/2007

With barely one day to spare, Comcast and Sinclair Broadcast Group reached a retransmission-consent agreement for Sinclair stations representing about 3.4 million of the cable operator’s subscribers Friday.

While terms of the deal were not disclosed, Comcast said it did not pay cash for the right to carry Sinclair’s television signals.

“Comcast has achieved its objective of not paying cash for broadcast carriage that would need to be passed on to our customers,” executive vice president David Cohen said in a prepared statement. “Consistent with our existing agreement with Sinclair and all of our other retransmission-consent agreements, comparable value is being exchanged.”

The four-year deal -- it expires March 1, 2011 -- also calls for Comcast to carry digital-multicast channels Sinclair is currently broadcasting in Richmond, Va., and Baltimore, as well as certain other multicast channels in Comcast markets that the stations may broadcast in the future.

And the new deal involves advertising and co-marketing agreements, including Web opportunities, as well as advertising and cross-promotion opportunities on both companies’ properties.

“We have always been willing to discuss exchanges of value with broadcasters,” Cohen said in an interview. “Those exchanges of value vary from deal to deal. We have had with Sinclair an existing exchange of value where we’re paying cash but receiving marketing and advertising benefits back from Sinclair that are of comparable value to the payments we’re making. We were able to make a deal consistent with that model.”

Comcast’s existing deal with Sinclair was set to expire March 10. If the two parties hadn’t reached an agreement, Comcast was in danger of losing the right to carry Sinclair’s 37 stations in 23 markets -- mostly affiliates of Fox, MyNetworkTV and The CW -- in markets such as Baltimore; Pittsburgh; Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.; Nashville, Tenn.; Richmond, Va.; and Tampa. Fla.

Cable operators across the country were keeping a close eye on the negotiations. Sinclair -- just off a three-month battle with midsized cable operator Mediacom Communications, where Mediacom agreed to pay an estimated 40-50 cents per subscriber, per month for stations representing about 50% of its total footprint -- has been one of the more aggressive station groups pressing for cash for retransmission consent. Several operators have said in the past that if Comcast agreed to pay cash for the Sinclair signals, it would represent a paradigm shift in retransmission-consent negotiations.

Operators apparently have dodged that bullet for now.

“I think you can draw a deeper line in the sand,” Cohen said. “Those who would say that there is a sea change occurring in retransmission consent are premature in their assessment.”

While terms were not disclosed, Sinclair had more to lose in a protracted battle with the nation’s largest cable operator. Sinclair stations represented just 15% of Comcast’s total 24.2 million-subscriber footprint, while the Comcast markets accounted for more than 30% of Sinclair’s total advertising revenue. In addition, Comcast carries another Fox station in the Baltimore-Washington, D.C., market, so losing Sinclair’s Baltimore Fox affiliate would have had little effect on the cable operator.

http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6423098.html?display=Breaking+News.

I noticed recently WUSA changed their 9 news now HD slogan from "the first and only local news in high definition" to "the first..."

is there another station that's prepping to do local HD news?
If there is, it would be either WRC-DT NBC 4 or WTTG-DT Fox 5. But there have little concrete information for either as to when they will go HD on local news.

WRC is an NBC owned & operated (O&O) station. NBC announced last fall that they were upgrading the local news for all their O&O stations to HD, starting with their flagship WNBC station in NYC which went HD at that time. But the upgrades were to take place over the next 18 months or longer, and the report was that WRC was near the end of the upgrade list. WRC did a studio lighting overhaul last December while they moved to the backup studio and indicated that this was part of an upgrade process for going to HD. The only public word since then was that the switch to HD would not happen for a while.

However, NBC has announced that their nightly news program with Brian Williams will be going HD in March. You would think that they may want their Washington DC affiliate news operation to have HD capability for breaking news stories and live feeds. But I don't know if there is much interaction between the WRC local news operation & their field equipment and the network news operation.

It was reported last summer that WTTG was buying HD equipment for their local news operation. But I think that was it for any concrete info on them upgrading to HD for the local news programs.

If there is solid information on when either of these stations will upgrade to HD for the local news, I expect it will be posted here rather quickly. Of course, the first we learn about it may be the day the station switches to HD for local news.

<edit>

However, Mark, I'm getting closed captions for the game on WDCA-DT 20.1 on both ATSC receivers (Samsung SIR-T451, Sony DHG-HDD250), but none for WNUV-DT 54.1. There are captions for the analog WNUV 54, BTW. This is unexpected because the last I looked I never got captions for 20.1, so maybe they fixed something. I imagine you are rather busy, but maybe you could look into it. The pattern is that I sometimes see captions for the local programming on WNUV 54.1, so that part works, but not for the CW network programming. WDCW-DT 50.1 has captions for the national CW programming, so the CC data is there. Maybe the fact that the digital captions are not getting passed for the syndicated ACC feed is a clue you can use to hunt down the problem. Good job on getting the ACC in HD in the first place!

Captions galore on 54.1!

Turns out that I got a box a couple of months ago that would fix my captioning problem that I forgot about until we got the bill for it today.

Basically, it takes the captioning data from our analog channel and inserts it into the HD encoder, bypassing all of the rest of the switching/processing/etc. equipment.

Geez - you look at the last couple of days on this forum, and it looks like all I do is read and post to it...

Mark

Captions galore on 54.1!

Turns out that I got a box a couple of months ago that would fix my captioning problem that I forgot about until we got the bill for it today.

Basically, it takes the captioning data from our analog channel and inserts it into the HD encoder, bypassing all of the rest of the switching/processing/etc. equipment.

Geez - you look at the last couple of days on this forum, and it looks like all I do is read and post to it...

Mark

Now what will you put your lunch on?

Interesting - ESPN2 is blacking out ESPN2HD, but not regular ESPN2. I was actually hoping they would simulcast ESPNU on ESPN2 so I could catch some of the Big XII quarters this afternoon.

NO blackouts here as far as I know, eve for the ACC games which I thought Raycom and Lincoln Financial would have exclusive rights to. I also stopped watching WDCA MyNet20 since ESPN and ESPN2 HD have the ACC games and they look MUCH better. I didn't know until I switched to ESPN HD and saw the hardwood floor, when you watch it on MyNet20, you won't recognize it.

Captions galore on 54.1!

Turns out that I got a box a couple of months ago that would fix my captioning problem that I forgot about until we got the bill for it today.

Basically, it takes the captioning data from our analog channel and inserts it into the HD encoder, bypassing all of the rest of the switching/processing/etc. equipment.

Geez - you look at the last couple of days on this forum, and it looks like all I do is read and post to it...

Mark
Mark, yes, the captions are there on both ATSC receivers for WNUV-DT 54.1 OTA! I just checked it. Thanks for fixing it, although this is obviously a work-around approach. Now you have two years to figure out what is wrong with the digital signal path for the CC data before the analog feed goes away! :D

I did some more picture comparison when I realized that I was getting the ACC game in HD on no less than 3 channels: WNUV-DT 54.1 OTA (1080i), WDCA-DT 20.1 OTA & Verizon Fios (720p), and ESPN2-HD via Verizon Fios (720p)! Three different HD channels all with slightly different times on the feed. Wild.

The game looked sharper with better colors on ESPN2-HD than it did on WDCA-DT 20.1. ESPN must have better converters or a better setup than WDCA for dealing with a 1080i signal source. Anyway, my ranking for the picture based on a short comparison of all three with a considerable amount of channel and input source flipping: 1. WNUV-DT 54.1, 2. ESPN2-HD, and clearly trailing although still ok HD, 3. WDCA-DT 20.1.

The Comcast-Sinclair deal was just mentioned on WBFF news.

so on my h20 and hr20 there is no HD feed from wdca 20??

am I missing something?

D* says I am crazy and they need to send one of their crack techs out... uh no, I don't think so...

anyone know what is going on? the sd version is there, but no hd feed :confused:

sweet no blackout on ESPN2-HD...yet *fingers crossed*. UVA gonna rock this!

Question: The 54-1 feed is clearly superior to the 20-1 feed for OTA. Is this due to 720p vs. 1080i or due to bitrate?

Cool. ESPNU simulcast on ESPN2 during the blackout.

I am getting the same "Channel Not Purchased" on WDCA HD right now like Johnny - am on the phone with DirecTV. The nice lady in India had me reboot the receiver, to no avail. Now I have someone else here looking into it. All the other HD channels are working except ESPN2 (legitimately, with the blackout).

This has to be on DirecTV's end, not mine. They have something messed up with this ACC tournament.

UPDATE: No luck. I lost all channels for awhile, now everything is back except WDCA-HD.

Cool. ESPNU simulcast on ESPN2 during the blackout.

So much for that. C'mon ESPN - just give us the constant U feed.

Got the same message- 721- channel not purchased. Of course I came here to check things before I make a call to cust. service. It must be on their end, which is a relief to me. Switching to OTA till they get it straight.

I got a better idea - lift the ESPN 2 blackout instead of the Raycom crap which I have had to put with since I moved into an ACC market in 1989. Call D* and ask to speak to a tech in the US. The guy I talked to was named Rick in Oklahoma City.

But Raycom is in HD this year- I actually think the HD is better quality than what we get on ESPN.

sweet no blackout on ESPN2-HD...yet *fingers crossed*. UVA gonna rock this!

Uh oh.................tide is turning, and the wolves are howling!!!!

ESPN in HD beats Raycom in SD right now. DirecTV really screwed this up. You can't impress upon them the problem is on their end. I don't have a OTA alternative. Starting to sound like a good idea.

I kept telling them last night's game was coming through just fine (bangs head on well).

GO PACK - if only they played like this earlier in the year, they'd have an at-large bid to the big dance.

UPDATE: And the WDCA-HD problem continues

damn- my bad- yeah no way I would want to watch 48" of SD from Raycom. You should just switch over to the ESPN2 game with Gtown and ND- just to get your eyes back in HD mode.....

And WRC is messed up again this week with "Las Vegas" - no HD feed right now.

Off to the Big East. DirecTV customer service went down the toilet when they outsourced most of their call center help over to India to save money (which is now in Hughes execs' wallets!)

Interesting - ESPN2 is blacking out ESPN2HD, but not regular ESPN2. I was actually hoping they would simulcast ESPNU on ESPN2 so I could catch some of the Big XII quarters this afternoon.

I have both Verizon FIOS and COMCAST. Verizon has the ACC Tournament on both ESPN2HD and WDCA-HD. Meanwhile, ESPN2HD is blacked out on COMCAST. Ironically, WDCA-HD is a station that COMCAST does not carry.

WDCA HD is coming thru now - for a infomercial. I asked over on a DirecTV forum and someoone there thinks it is a incorrectly applied sports blackout. Let's see what happens later today.

UPDATE
Both WDCA and ESPN-HD are available today. Go figure. Picture looks better on ESPN and production more professional than Raycom. Yes, Vitale is doing color, but Mike Patrick is far superior to Tim Brandt.

And the Pack are one game away from the big dance

EDIT: Coming in at 86.4 now.

Not coming in for me. I hadn't tuned it in since the last run of America's Next Top Model. I had it at 113.10 then but now it just shows a blank screen. 113.9 doesn't work, either. Anyone know more about this?

Thanks Red Dog, but last week the CW was fine. It was in the clear at 729 MHz, at 113-9, but since last night it's been showing up as encrypted or scrambled for me on a couple of different QAM tuners. Anyone else?

World Music Awards is in SD....

Clearly they were supposed to be HD.

(This is actually the first thing I've felt mildly compelled to watch on MyNetworkTV. At least it's a start)

Let me explain.

I was flipping through the channels during the 11 PM news programs, and when I got to Fox 5, I noticed some interesting stuff going on over there.

The first thing of interest is that there was a "Fox 5" logo at the bottom right of the screen. This is the same logo that I usually see during primetime programming. That programming is delivered via the Fox splicer system in NY. Remember that the splicer can deliver many different feeds of different programming all at once, all in HD. WTTG probably has its own downlink from NY, especially since the station is an O&O. The fact that WTTG is an O&O also gives them the added benefit of being able to do as they please concerning uplink and downlink to and from NY.

And the news looked sharper than usual tonight compared to previous nights when I caught glimpses, even if it was SD. Usually, it's somewhat blurred, due to a poorer-quality upconverter at the local level, which manifests itself with all the other SD material played from the WTTG studios.

Yes, I can tell the difference. I'll use WJLA as an independent example. With them, even if it's SD material, I can tell the difference between whether or not it's flipped to the "local" setting, so they can insert local ads and promos. Tonight during The Sixth Sense, there were premature flips to the "local" settings, and when that happened, the PQ of the ABC show promos, et al, got blurrier, and there was added bass in the sound. I've always noticed those two symptoms at WJLA, and it's due to older, mediocre equipment at the station.

Anyway, back to Fox 5. Even with my SDTV, the upscaler at WTTG delivers slightly blurry content compared to SD material coming from NY. Fox HQ has VERY good upscalers, as shows like Nanny 911 have the sharpness of a conventional HD show. Only, it's filmed in widescreen SD. Another SD show, "Trading Spouses", which is filmed in 4x3, looks spectacularly sharp for SD. I've never seen Fox 5's news look as sharp as it did tonight. It was about on par with Trading Spouses, which is impressive for live material.

I believe that WTTG is testing their HD uplinking capabilities to NY, and that when they feel that it'll work well for HD, they'll flip the HD switch at the studio level.

So, WTTG may be going HD for their local news VERY soon, and WUSA, through its mole, has found out. That's why WUSA doesn't have their voiceover saying that they're the "first and only" local news in HD anymore.

Let me explain.

I was flipping through the channels during the 11 PM news programs, and when I got to Fox 5, I noticed some interesting stuff going on over there.

The first thing of interest is that there was a "Fox 5" logo at the bottom right of the screen. This is the same logo that I usually see during primetime programming. That programming is delivered via the Fox splicer system in NY. Remember that the splicer can deliver many different feeds of different programming all at once, all in HD. WTTG probably has its own downlink from NY, especially since the station is an O&O. The fact that WTTG is an O&O also gives them the added benefit of being able to do as they please concerning uplink and downlink to and from NY.


The same thing happened around 2 months ago. But, this time, the newscast looks so much sharper than last time, fueling the rumors of HD equipment being present at the station now. I emailed FOX 5 about it, hopefully I'll hear back from them.
And, if you look at the DCRTV post concerning FOX 5's equipment order last summer, it quotes a WUSA employee (when they changed to 9 News Now) saying that they had to change their branding because they weren't going to be the "First and ONLY" in HD anymore. They knew about it long beforehand, and that must have been how that equipment order got leaked.

I've noticed that over the last few days that Discovery HD via Cox has not looked as sharp as usual. Lots of jagged edges. Anybody else noticed this?

I just ran into this problem today and was wondering if it has happened to anyone else. I live in the Baltimore, MD area and can no longer seem to tune channel 24-1 WUTB-DT after viewing any other digital channel. For example, if I'm view another digital channel and I use CH+ or CH- to reach 24-1 the screen remains black as though there is no usable data in the signal. The same happens if I enter "24-1" then hit the "TUNE" button. The antenna level I get on that channel has a strength of 84% - 86%. Hitting the "DISPLAY" button on the remote shows evertying grayed out where it normally displays the video signal type(480p, 720, 1080i, etc).

However, if I hit the "D/A" button to switch to the analog tuner then hit "D/A" again to switch back to the digital tuner, channel 24-1 now shows up correctly with a 720p video signal and audio. But if I use CH+/CH- or directly tune to another digital station then try to tune back to 24-1, I get no usable data in the signal again. Hitting "D/A" twice to cycle from digital tuner to analog tuner to digital tuner allows 24-1 to show correctly again. Turning the TV off, letting it sit for a while then turning it back on hasn't fixed the problem.

I wonder if it's related to the Daylight Saving Time switch. I've no clue how the ATSC signal format works, but maybe all the other stations are broadcasting the new correct time in their stream but channel 24-1 is still broadcasting the old time in its stream. Maybe this in turn is messing up the ATSC tuner and only cycling the tuners resets the time glitch.

I'm cross-posting this in "The Official JVC - ILA - XXG787/887 Owners Thread" forum since I'm not sure if this is an issue with my JVC ILA 52787 or the signal that channel 24-1 WUTB-DT is sending out.

I have gotten two things in the mail now indicating that I should have NGC-HD on my system. I also went to the Comcast website and looked up the channel line up for Howard County and it lists NGC-HD on the channel line up. Yet it still has not appeared on the Howard County system.

Does anyone know the status of when we can expect to see NGC-HD on Howard County Comcast cable system? Multiple phone calls to Comcast have yielded no answer.

Odd, why is ESPN blacked out now (1pm?) They aren't supposed to start showing the game until 1:30, and are showing other programming (college gameday). How can they be blacked out from showing non-ACC content?

-Mike

EDIT: bizarre, my guide says the game starts at 1:30pm on the Tivo, but obviously it's started now (1:07). I wonder if espn or D* got the wrong info somewhere. 20.1 looks ok, i guess over D*. Oh well.

Sunday's NHL HD game, Bruins vs. Wings, in not in HD on WRC-DT. It's a good I have other sources because it is being show in HD in Richmond, Detroit and Seattle. I hope WRC fixes this problem before they drop the puck for the 2nd period.

Does anyone else on D* have problems with WUSA breaking up when switching camera angles? I'll see some garbage near the top and bottom of the screen that's not related to normal motion artifacts. It only seem to happen with their college basketball coverage, and it's really annoying.

No other channels do this, I wonder if it's something with my (relatively new) HR20 and MPEG4, but I've only seen this on WUSA while watching basketball (WDCA's ACC coverage doesn't do this).

Am I going crazy?
-Mike

However, if I hit the "D/A" button to switch to the analog tuner then hit "D/A" again to switch back to the digital tuner, channel 24-1 now shows up correctly with a 720p video signal and audio. But if I use CH+/CH- or directly tune to another digital station then try to tune back to 24-1, I get no usable data in the signal again. Hitting "D/A" twice to cycle from digital tuner to analog tuner to digital tuner allows 24-1 to show correctly again. Turning the TV off, letting it sit for a while then turning it back on hasn't fixed the problem.
I thought WUTB-DT 24 was an SD only station. Were they previously sending out a 480i signal? Can anyone confirm this? If they switched to a 720p signal, I wonder if the problem is that the TV tuner still has the station as an 480i SD only in it's internal database. What happens when you selected digital tuner only and enter channel 41 - the actual broadcast channel for WUTB-DT?

The usual step is when you get this type of odd behavior when tuning trying to tune to a digital station is to do a re-scan. If the TV has an update scan option, try that first. If a full re-scan does not clear the entry, what sometimes works is to disconnect the antenna, do a channel scan to clear all stations; then re-connect the antenna and do a full scan.

If WUTB-DT MNT 24 is sending out a 720p signal, perhaps this explains earlier posts about local cable in Baltimore adding it to the HD tier. For those few who can get the 550 Watt signal for WUTB-DT 24 OTA, could you check WUTB-DT this week to see if the My Network programming that is HD this week is sent out in HD by WUTB-DT? MY Network has revamped their schedule, cutting back on the telenovel soaps, so they won't have HD for some of their prime time programming, so check the schedule.

What's up with that?

Did anyone else experience several audio dropouts on WUSA tonight during the end of the NCAA Selection Show?

They weren't the "hard" audio dropouts that used to happen on 7 and 4, but more soft cutouts that would quickly go back into place.

What's up with that?

They ahve been pretty lax lately with their showing of HD stuff. Seems they can only get weeknight shows right, and that is not always the case.

I thought WUTB-DT 24 was an SD only station. Were they previously sending out a 480i signal? Can anyone confirm this? If they switched to a 720p signal, I wonder if the problem is that the TV tuner still has the station as an 480i SD only in it's internal database. What happens when you selected digital tuner only and enter channel 41 - the actual broadcast channel for WUTB-DT?

The usual step is when you get this type of odd behavior when tuning trying to tune to a digital station is to do a re-scan. If the TV has an update scan option, try that first. If a full re-scan does not clear the entry, what sometimes works is to disconnect the antenna, do a channel scan to clear all stations; then re-connect the antenna and do a full scan.

If WUTB-DT MNT 24 is sending out a 720p signal, perhaps this explains earlier posts about local cable in Baltimore adding it to the HD tier. For those few who can get the 550 Watt signal for WUTB-DT 24 OTA, could you check WUTB-DT this week to see if the My Network programming that is HD this week is sent out in HD by WUTB-DT? MY Network has revamped their schedule, cutting back on the telenovel soaps, so they won't have HD for some of their prime time programming, so check the schedule.

Thanks for the suggestion. I ran the Auto Tuner setup and it added channel 41-1 and removed 24-1. I can now switch to 41-1 WUTB-DT whenever I like and it works fine. The 41-1 channel is broadcasting in 720p according the station display info. I'm currently watching WUTB's simulcast of WTTG's Fox 5 News at 10 and the quality certainly seems better than it used to be. It looks as though WUTB is getting a 480p signal from WTTG and upscaling that to 720p. You can tell by how the image is horizontally stretched. I don't get WTTG-DT OTA so I'm not sure how they normally broadcast the news. I'll post back monday or tuesday after I get a chance to see if the My Network programming is show in actual HD as opposed to just a low-def signal upsampled to 720p. I've often wondered why digital stations show up in the channel scan using their analog version's station number when the digital station number is actually something else. Case in point up until now WUTB was available via 24-1 when it was actually being broadcast on 41-1.

Darn UVA (with an inflated 4 seed) gets the early game on CBS out of Columbus, OH on Friday according to cbs.sportsline.com. Will probably MMOD it and then catch it on DVR when I get home. Or does anyone know of any sports bars with HD in Falls Church at which I could take an extended lunch break?

<edit>
I've often wondered why digital stations show up in the channel scan using their analog version's station number when the digital station number is actually something else. Case in point up until now WUTB was available via 24-1 when it was actually being broadcast on 41-1.

The reason that the stations do it is simple: it's required by the FCC.

If 24.1 is only showing up as 41.1, they must be having an issue with their PSIP data or settings.

Mark

Great news for local college hoops fans. DC is guaranteed 5 games instead of the usual 4 1st Round Thursday with GW playing at 5:10 p.m.

Also Thursday:
Maryland vs Davidson, 12:20
Georgetown vs Belmont, 2:55

The reason that the stations do it is simple: it's required by the FCC.

If 24.1 is only showing up as 41.1, they must be having an issue with their PSIP data or settings.

Mark

I wonder if PSIP is "standardized" enough to be properly implemented by all the stations and set manufacturers. I know that on my set, sometimes stations map properly, provide guide info, and sometimes they don't. Today, I plan to take the set in for a repair issue and discuss this with a tech expert with the set's manufacturer.

I wonder if PSIP is "standardized" enough to be properly implemented by all the stations and set manufacturers. I know that on my set, sometimes stations map properly, provide guide info, and sometimes they don't. Today, I plan to take the set in for a repair issue and discuss this with a tech expert with the set's manufacturer.

What is supposed to be sent out from the station is standardized.

What the receivers use to tune in the channel is not. When a station has a PSIP problem, some receivers have issues, while others do not, depending on what the PSIP problem is. I don't have enough info to tell you what receivers have problems with which part of the PSIP, though.

Mark

Two subjects:

I have not had a chance to see any of the ACC tournament games as of yet--too busy trying to catch up on this thread ;). But I've got to say, I could have predicted that WNUV would absolutely smoke My20 in their HD presentation. I'm surprised nobody who watched the Redskins-Giants game back in December has commented here. I was fortunate enough to get that game on NFL Network through FiOS but the OTA on Fox5--or was it My20 (same thing)--was washed out and not anywhere near the NFL Network quality for what should have been an identical feed. I'm glad I kept my OTA setup. I know where I'll be watching the tournament--and it darn sure won't be on My20.

Switching gears, I had a chance to catch some of the Wizards-Warriors game last Sunday on 50. I'm again surprised that nobody has commented on the horrendous PQ. Almost every time there was any transition shot, the picture became blurry and there was what I would term macroblocking throughout the game. The color didn't even look right--like it was slightly washed out. Is CSN HD's feed that poor? Say it ain't so. I'm thinking it's something in WDCW's equipment that's causing the degraded PQ. Can any CSN-HD viewers comment on the PQ when watching through their Comcast system? Thanks.

It aint so. CSNHD's broadcasts of Wizards games are nearly flawless, whereas WB50s HD Wizards games are a ton blur and macroblocking.

Did anyone else experience several audio dropouts on WUSA tonight during the end of the NCAA Selection Show?

They weren't the "hard" audio dropouts that used to happen on 7 and 4, but more soft cutouts that would quickly go back into place.

For the first time in the two weeks that I have owned a D* HR20, I noticed audio issues while watching both the Selection Show and another channel (sorry, cannot remember). The sound would kinda buzz, but in a digital sense (obviously), not an analog static-y way. Sorry for the lame description, but I know what I'm talking about:) It reminds me of how computer audio sometimes get jumbled for a brief moment. It would last for about a quarter to a half second, then the audio would be fine again. This happened 6-7 times I'd say during the Selection Show, and it seemed like I noticed it most with Greg Gumbel.

I'm still in careful watching mode with this HR20 to make sure it is a good box, so my heart dropped a bit when we heard this. I know we were recording at the time; I was recording the Selection show (and watching it) and the Paris-Nice race on VS.

So, I do not know if what I heard was a D*, HR20, or my connections issue.

Anyone else?

Did anybody else watch the Maryland vs. Towson Lacrosse game on Saturday? I recorded it, and when I watched it, WMAR switched out to coverage of the NASCAR race with 3 minutes left in the 3rd period of the game. They never went back. I only recorded the OTA feed, so maybe the re-transmission was different.

I contacted WMAR and they told me the game was aired in it's entirety.

Now, either I'm crazy, or WMAR is wrong.

Anybody else notice this?

What is supposed to be sent out from the station is standardized.

What the receivers use to tune in the channel is not. When a station has a PSIP problem, some receivers have issues, while others do not, depending on what the PSIP problem is. I don't have enough info to tell you what receivers have problems with which part of the PSIP, though.

Mark

Maybe you can help with this one.

I've heard that the FCC requires cable companies to pass through the PSIP data on their unencrypted QAM channels.

But since they can have subchannels from different broadcasters on the same physical QAM channel, whose virtual channel number should they use, and how should receivers react to it?

It aint so. CSNHD's broadcasts of Wizards games are nearly flawless, whereas WB50s HD Wizards games are a ton blur and macroblocking.

That is great to hear, because I thought the GS Warriors at Wizards game on CW was horrendous. Every time there was a motion, the blur was really bad. I thought that all CSN HD games looked like that. Now if I could only get CSN-HD, it would be nice.

I noticed that my Panasonic VCR's did not change time yesterday. They are set to auto time mode, which I believe uses a signal encrypted in PBS signals. Did anyone else have problems w/ non-digital equipment? Do you suspect an equipment issue and/or a WETA issue?

Thanks.

Maybe you can help with this one.

I've heard that the FCC requires cable companies to pass through the PSIP data on their unencrypted QAM channels.

But since they can have subchannels from different broadcasters on the same physical QAM channel, whose virtual channel number should they use, and how should receivers react to it?

Sorry - I've never looked into that. I really have no idea.

It's a good question, though.

Mark

I noticed that my Panasonic VCR's did not change time yesterday. They are set to auto time mode, which I believe uses a signal encrypted in PBS signals. Did anyone else have problems w/ non-digital equipment? Do you suspect an equipment issue and/or a WETA issue?

Thanks.VCR? What's that?

What is supposed to be sent out from the station is standardized.

What the receivers use to tune in the channel is not. When a station has a PSIP problem, some receivers have issues, while others do not, depending on what the PSIP problem is. I don't have enough info to tell you what receivers have problems with which part of the PSIP, though.

Mark

But if some receivers properly decode this info and others don't it seems to me that the broadcasters will have a major issue on their hands when the shutoff occurs. If you are advertising yourself as Network 25, but on some sets you are mapped to channel 25-1 and on others you are not mapped and appear as 31-1, then your branding initiatives become iffy at best.

The broadcasters and the manufacturers need to solve this issue and do it soon wouldn't you say?

Has WUSA or WJZ (or even WCBS) announced which NCAA first round games they were planning on showing?

The WUSA site only lists "NCAA Tournament" game (or something like that).

Is it safe to assume WUSA will show G-town, GW, UVa, UMD, and Va Tech? Are any at the same time?

The broadcasters and the manufacturers need to solve this issue and do it soon wouldn't you say?

The broadcasters are doing their thing properly. Some of the recievers in the world don't work well outside of the lab, and are more sensitive to errors. If we were not holding up our end of PSIP, no one would get the signal.

This is not a widespread issue, just some recievers are not built as well as others. You can't expect a Hyundai to run at 150 mph like a Porsche, but they are basically the same machine, operating under the same principles.

I've heard that the FCC requires cable companies to pass through the PSIP data on their unencrypted QAM channels.

But since they can have subchannels from different broadcasters on the same physical QAM channel, whose virtual channel number should they use, and how should receivers react to it?
If they pass the PSIP data through, then the PSIP data should map to the broadcast station number. Just the same as OTA, I would think, but the station source PSIP data field presumably has the broadcast channel number, such as 35, and that would be different for the cable signal.

Verizon Fios apparently passes the PSIP though for the major local digital stations. I hooked up a recently acquired Samsung DTB-H260F ATSC receiver with QAM capability and did a channel scan for the Fios signal to see what showed up. The local HD stations were mapped to the broadcast channel, WRC-DT showed up at 4.1, 4.2, WTTG-DT showed up at 5.1, got 7.1, 7.2, 9.1, 9.2, 20.1, 26.1 and so on. Made it easy to find the local HD stations and their sub-channels using a clear QAM tuner. However, the rest of the channels, including the Univision channel 14 which is a digital SD station showed up at packed QAM channel numbers like 66.something. Got 100s of sub-channels that I could not tune to, so this is a messy process.

However, when I did a scan with my older Samsung SIR-T451 receiver, it did not map the HD stations. Figuring out where all the unscrambled channels are is time consuming, more so when trying it out with different receivers. I started on putting together a list of unscrambled local QAM channels for Verizon Fios. I should finish that effort and post it.

Can't speak for what the FCC actually requires. When I was on Loudoun Adelphia, I did a clear QAM scan and the local channels did not get remapped. But maybe the newer ATSC/QAM receivers have newer software for handling PSIP data via QAM that the earlier generation model does not. All very complicated. I'll have to read up on PSIP data format to understand what info it provides.

I have both Verizon FIOS and COMCAST. Verizon has the ACC Tournament on both ESPN2HD and WDCA-HD. Meanwhile, ESPN2HD is blacked out on COMCAST. Ironically, WDCA-HD is a station that COMCAST does not carry.

Actually, WDCA-HD will be added to Comcast Cable in PW County this Wednesday along with a ton of new channels. Don't know about the rest of the Balto/Wash area, but I got the mailing a few weeks ago and they have been in our area doing fiber work in the last few months. DIY, nat'l geo-HD, espn2-hd, CSN-MA, etc (recalling from memory) are to be added as well as digital phone.

Thanks for the suggestion. I ran the Auto Tuner setup and it added channel 41-1 and removed 24-1. I can now switch to 41-1 WUTB-DT whenever I like and it works fine. The 41-1 channel is broadcasting in 720p according the station display info. I'm currently watching WUTB's simulcast of WTTG's Fox 5 News at 10 and the quality certainly seems better than it used to be. It looks as though WUTB is getting a 480p signal from WTTG and upscaling that to 720p. You can tell by how the image is horizontally stretched. I don't get WTTG-DT OTA so I'm not sure how they normally broadcast the news. I'll post back monday or tuesday after I get a chance to see if the My Network programming is show in actual HD as opposed to just a low-def signal upsampled to 720p. I've often wondered why digital stations show up in the channel scan using their analog version's station number when the digital station number is actually something else. Case in point up until now WUTB was available via 24-1 when it was actually being broadcast on 41-1.
WUTB-DT MNT 24 should not be showing up as channel 41-1. The station is putting out an incorrect PSIP header; possibly with an incorrect field. You or someone else who actually receives the weak DT signal OTA should contact them and let them know that they need to double check their PSIP settings.

Looking at the My Network schedule, tonight they are showing IFL Battleground (??), which I guess is some sort of pro wrestling show. The odds of this being in HD are very small. Tuesday night is two hour block for their new telenovel soap series which should be available in HD. I would expect it to be HD on WDCA-DT 20. But we don't know if WUTB-DT is ready to pass on a network HD feed yet. All we know is that apparently they are sending out a 720p sub-channel. If they do start passing on HD, we will have another HD station in the Balt-DC area, albeit one with a very low power signal. Besides it's My Network, which has been getting lower ratings than a lot of cable channels.

Has WUSA or WJZ (or even WCBS) announced which NCAA first round games they were planning on showing?

The WUSA site only lists "NCAA Tournament" game (or something like that).

Is it safe to assume WUSA will show G-town, GW, UVa, UMD, and Va Tech? Are any at the same time?

I don't know if anyone has realized it, but GW plays at 5pm on one of the days (Thursday?).

Historically, that is always when the east coast news will come on for local/natl.

However, with GW playing then, I'd have to believe they'd override their newscasts?

However, wusa's webpage doesn't say...

The broadcasters are doing their thing properly. Some of the recievers in the world don't work well outside of the lab, and are more sensitive to errors. If we were not holding up our end of PSIP, no one would get the signal.

This is not a widespread issue, just some recievers are not built as well as others. You can't expect a Hyundai to run at 150 mph like a Porsche, but they are basically the same machine, operating under the same principles.

Well, WJLA-DT comes in fine on my cheap receiver with channels mapped to 7.1, .2, .3 and program guide info. Are you speaking for all of the stations in the Baltimore and Washington market or just yours?

From what I've read online, there are at least (5) manufacturers who make PSIP HW and SW. Does every station buy their PSIP HW and SW from the same vendor or is there a split? Do all those vendors have properly functioning SW or do they sometimes send out updates to correct/fix bugs? Is it not possible that there are also some problems on the broadcasters' side? If not, then why have there been issues discussed in the past on these forums where a station engineer made a PSIP change and suddenly folks couldn't get the channel or it didn't map?

OK. Let's assume that the broadcasters are all doing things properly and that I have a cheap receiver. Then why do you suppose that the cheap receiver decodes some channels correctly and others not? And when the masses of Americans switch over to the Digital Age in 2009, don't we suspect that a lot of us will do so with "cheap" receivers?

Has anyone got a list of the receivers (cheap or otherwise) that are compatible with the streams that are being put out by the different broadcasters and their different HW and SW all being configured/set-up by different engineers?

It seems to me that the very concept of PSIP and the sheer amount of HW/SW involved makes it possible for an error to occur in more places than just in the "cheap"receivers.

Hi everyone,

I'm having an audio sync problem I assumed is the fault of the OTA tuner in my Hitachi 42HDT79, but Hitachi swears it is a broadcast problem.

I live in Carroll County MD 21784 and can easily pick up both Washington and Baltimore OTA signals with my Radio Shack outdoor antenna and Channel Master preamp, both about 12 years old.

I recently started using the monitor out set to "TV tuner" to record signals from the Hitachi tuner to a DVD recorder and discovered that if I tried to watch another source, such as DISH Network, while the DVD was recording an OTA program from the monitor the OTA audio would go out of sync-quite drastically by the end of an hour program.

Even without recording to the DVD, I find that if I surf between a satellite program and an OTA program and I watch the satellite program for any length of time, the OTA program will be out of sync when I return to it. The audio stays in sync as long as I continue to watch OTA only.

So far, I've noticed the problem on the DT signals of WRC, WBAL, WJZ, WDCA, and WBFF.

As I stated at the beginning, Hitachi swears the problem is in my reception of the OTA signals or in the stations' broadcasts but not in the Hitachi tuner.

Does anyone know if this could be a "broadcast issue" as they claim?

"Does anyone know if this could be a "broadcast issue" as they claim?"

From what you describe it does not seem to be a broadcast problem. It certainly appears to be a hardware related problem where the hardware gets out of sync. Several years ago Samsung had a problem with the sound getting out of sync on their HLN model DLP sets they finally issued a hardware fix. To me it appears the delay is different on the satellite feed and when you go back to OTA it does not re-sync.

If they pass the PSIP data through, then the PSIP data should map to the broadcast station number. Just the same as OTA, I would think, but the station source PSIP data field presumably has the broadcast channel number, such as 35, and that would be different for the cable signal.

If I understand you correctly, then if the cable company does it right, different subchannels on the same QAM channel can cause the receiver to map them to different broadcast station numbers?

Looks like Comcast isn't as careful in setting this up as Verizon is. My DTB-H260's
QAM scan missed a subchannel which my SIR-T451 found by (I think) ignoring the PSIP data.

Has WUSA or WJZ (or even WCBS) announced which NCAA first round games they were planning on showing?

The WUSA site only lists "NCAA Tournament" game (or something like that).

Is it safe to assume WUSA will show G-town, GW, UVa, UMD, and Va Tech? Are any at the same time?


I believe it is safe to assume that. None are in the same timeslot.

I bet that WJZ shows these same games except for GW, since that is in the odd timeslot (only areas of local interest get those games).

What is interesting is that if GW and GTown both win, they are scheduled for the same timeslot on Saturday, so I don't know what WUSA would do in that case.

FiOS Construction Locations Mar 1st thru Mar 31st

Anne Arundel County Schedule

http://www22.verizon.com/about/community/md/files/aacomar.doc

Baltimore County Schedule

http://www22.verizon.com/about/community/md/files/bacomar.doc

Howard County Schedule

http://www22.verizon.com/about/community/md/files/hocomar.doc

Montgomery County Schedule

http://www22.verizon.com/about/community/md/files/mocomar.doc

Prince George's County Schedule

http://www22.verizon.com/about/community/md/files/pgcomar.doc

From Sue Baldwin at WUSA 9

Thursday's games are as follows:

On 3/15/07, W*USA 9 will air the following games on our analog and
digital channels:

(same game will air on both)

Daytime Games (scheduled 12:10-7pm)

Game #1 12:20pm Maryland vs. Davidson

Game #2 2:45pm Georgetown vs. Belmont

Game #3 4:55pm Vanderbilt vs. George Washington

Nighttime Games (scheduled 7pm-12mid)

Game #1 7:10pm Duke vs. VCU

Game #2 9:40pm North Carolina vs. Eastern Kentucky

Friday's games are not yet confirmed.

Did Ms Baldwin indicate which games would be in HD?

Did Ms Baldwin indicate which games would be in HD?


All are supposed to be HD, but with this crazy stuff I'm hearing in the thread in the programming subforum, who knows.

All games are boradcast in HD. The only time you may not see a game in HD is when the channel you're watching switches from its scheduled game to another game.

All games are boradcast in HD. The only time you may not see a game in HD is when the channel you're watching switches from its scheduled game to another game.


Not according to the sticky thread in the programming sub-forum.

"Does anyone know if this could be a "broadcast issue" as they claim?"

From what you describe it does not seem to be a broadcast problem. It certainly appears to be a hardware related problem where the hardware gets out of sync. Several years ago Samsung had a problem with the sound getting out of sync on their HLN model DLP sets they finally issued a hardware fix. To me it appears the delay is different on the satellite feed and when you go back to OTA it does not re-sync.

Thanks. That's what this layman had assumed.

The reason that the stations do it is simple: it's required by the FCC.Most stations would do it as long as they were allowed to -- because they build their branding around their analog channel assignments.