Well, I live in an apartment complex, and fortunately my balcony does provide a good view of the southwest sky, but the line of trees across from it would block the DirecTV reception.

Would D* send a tech to my place just to check if I could receive a signal? If I could, I switch in a heartbeat.

Where do you live that you can't see the south-southwest sky?

Well, I live in an apartment complex, and fortunately my balcony does provide a good view of the southwest sky, but the line of trees across from it would block the DirecTV reception.

Would D* send a tech to my place just to check if I could receive a signal? If I could, I switch in a heartbeat.

You would have to place an order and get charged the initial fees...

Well, I live in an apartment complex, and fortunately my balcony does provide a good view of the southwest sky, but the line of trees across from it would block the DirecTV reception.

Would D* send a tech to my place just to check if I could receive a signal? If I could, I switch in a heartbeat.Let's see how rusty my trig is. Got a sextant? No? Let's fake it.

This is not exact, but it should tell you if you're in definitely territory, maybe territory or no freakin' way territory.

From here, elevation to the 119 bird is about 30 degrees.
Get a compass. Turn until you're facing WSW. (From Lansing, DirecTV's 119 bird is at a magnetic azimuth of 232.)
Guess the height of the trees minus the height of your balcony. Be liberal. If memory serves, mature pines get to about 100 feet.
Guess the distance to the trees. Be conservative.
Tan(30) is about 0.6. Multiply the distance to the trees by 0.6. If the trees are short enough or far enough away, you can see the dish. Heck, if the TV ads are correct, that satellite is absolutely ginormous and you should be able to see it with the naked eye.
Turn until you're facing SW (for the 110 bird at 222 magnetic) and eyeball it. The 110 bird is a little higher in the sky than the 119 bird, but are the trees there taller/shorter? Closer/further?
Turn until you're about halfway between SW and SSW (for the 101 bird at 210 magnetic). Same deal.

You can skip the measurements if you can stand up really straight and hold your arm right at 30 degrees. Problems are that (1) it's hard to stand that straight, (2) it's hard to guess what 30 degrees is and (3) your neighbors might get the wrong idea and toss you out for being a neo-Nazi. Now, if you have a bubble level and a protractor, you're in business.

Aw, shoot. Godwin's Law...I'm done now.

Once the upgrade is complete, EL should get everything, there is previous post that has that info.

The notice I got in the mail today mentioned lineup changes for the East Lansing area (serving Alaiedon, East Lansing, Meridian and Wheatfield) are effective December 4,2007 :) According to the list there are 14 new HD channels that I currently do not have (Meridian Township) so it is a vast improvement...

Let's see how rusty my trig is. Got a sextant? No? Let's fake it.

This is not exact, but it should tell you if you're in definitely territory, maybe territory or no freakin' way territory.

From here, elevation to the 119 bird is about 30 degrees.
Get a compass. Turn until you're facing WSW. (From Lansing, DirecTV's 119 bird is at a magnetic azimuth of 232.)
Guess the height of the trees minus the height of your balcony. Be liberal. If memory serves, mature pines get to about 100 feet.
Guess the distance to the trees. Be conservative.
Tan(30) is about 0.6. Multiply the distance to the trees by 0.6. If the trees are short enough or far enough away, you can see the dish. Heck, if the TV ads are correct, that satellite is absolutely ginormous and you should be able to see it with the naked eye.
Turn until you're facing SW (for the 110 bird at 222 magnetic) and eyeball it. The 110 bird is a little higher in the sky than the 119 bird, but are the trees there taller/shorter? Closer/further?
Turn until you're about halfway between SW and SSW (for the 101 bird at 210 magnetic). Same deal.

You can skip the measurements if you can stand up really straight and hold your arm right at 30 degrees. Problems are that (1) it's hard to stand that straight, (2) it's hard to guess what 30 degrees is and (3) your neighbors might get the wrong idea and toss you out for being a neo-Nazi. Now, if you have a bubble level and a protractor, you're in business.

Aw, shoot. Godwin's Law...I'm done now.

You can save all that troublesome math by using a chain saw (or light saber, I'm not picky) while nobody's looking. That way the only calculations you need to make is which direction you're going to cut the wedges in the trees. Take a torch along with you if you use the chain saw so you can singe the borders of the wedges and tell people the trees got hit by lightning.

With a worrisome winter storm on the way this is the type of opportunity WILX needs to use to promote channel 10.2.

With a worrisome winter storm on the way this is the type of opportunity WILX needs to use to promote channel 10.2.

I'm really impressed that I haven't seen any weather alerts on WLAJ during the football games

Well, I live in an apartment complex, and fortunately my balcony does provide a good view of the southwest sky, but the line of trees across from it would block the DirecTV reception.

Would D* send a tech to my place just to check if I could receive a signal? If I could, I switch in a heartbeat.
My dish is four feet off the ground pointed straight at a tree.

Does anyone know when ESPN / ESPN2 / Discovery HD and others were turned back on for Digital Starter ? We discussed at length here and a few of us fought with Comcast when the aforementioned channels were suddenly removed from the low-level HD package earlier this year.

I was just getting ready to upgrade so as to be able to watch ESPN HD for football/basketball and noticed that they had been turned back on while channel surfing last wk.
Don't recall getting any notice from Comcast or seeing it here.
Went to Comcast web site and those channels plus other HD's which we don't get yet were also in the list.

Afraid to call Comast about it for fear they might drop them again, but looks like it is intentional - not a technical "mistake" allowing them to filter thru.

Saved myself $11/mo. by waiting. Happy Camper !

Does anyone know when ESPN / ESPN2 / Discovery HD and others were turned back on for Digital Starter ? We discussed at length here and a few of us fought with Comcast when the aforementioned channels were suddenly removed from the low-level HD package earlier this year.

I was just getting ready to upgrade so as to be able to watch ESPN HD for football/basketball and noticed that they had been turned back on while channel surfing last wk.
Don't recall getting any notice from Comcast or seeing it here.
Went to Comcast web site and those channels plus other HD's which we don't get yet were also in the list.

Afraid to call Comast about it for fear they might drop them again, but looks like it is intentional - not a technical "mistake" allowing them to filter thru.

Saved myself $11/mo. by waiting. Happy Camper !

This happened in the last couple of weeks. See this Detroit News Article (http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071120/BIZ/711200341/1001).

I had a message Sunday morning that some new HD channels had been added and that Digital Starter package and HD box are required. So it sounds like all of the HD channels are included in Digital Starter.

I noticed over the weekend that FSN Detroit HD via D* did not have the FSN HD broadcasts of the Big12/Pac10 challenge. I confirmed via other RSNs that the games were available in HD.

I have sent another email the the contact at FSN Detroit to investigate.

So, as I've stated before I'm in West Lansing.

I emailed Comcast about getting an HDMI capable box to replace my current, older HD box. Copied below is their response:

You would need to take your current HDTV box to the nearest payment
center and swap it for a DCT3416 DVR with HDMI. Please be informed that
DVR service is $11.95 per month versus the $7.00 per month charge for
HDTV.

I have read elsewhere that there is indeed a receiver with HDMI that is not the DVR model. Anyone around Lansing have this?

So, as I've stated before I'm in West Lansing.

I emailed Comcast about getting an HDMI capable box to replace my current, older HD box. Copied below is their response:



I have read elsewhere that there is indeed a receiver with HDMI that is not the DVR model. Anyone around Lansing have this?

We have both a DCH3416 DVR and a regular digital HD receiver (not sure of model number). We use HDMI on the DVR and Component Video on the standard receiver.

It appears the closest thing to an HDMI port on the digital receiver is a DVI-D port. Not sure whether an HDMI-DVI adapter cable would work or not.

It appears the closest thing to an HDMI port on the digital receiver is a DVI-D port. Not sure whether an HDMI-DVI adapter cable would work or not.

It will work

Boo to WLNS, I watched my Tuesday recording of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and they didn't use the HD feed. The HD version is 4x3, but the CBS logo is half in the 4x3 and 1/2 out. My recording was good, but not what I expected.

Hmmmm, logo half in and half out, well, since the CBS logo is placed by CBS, methinks it safe to assume that is how CBS sent it. If WLNS had not used what CBS sent, and instead used the SD feed, it stands to reason the logo would have been entirely inside the picture wouldn't it?

Boo to WLNS, I watched my Tuesday recording of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and they didn't use the HD feed. The HD version is 4x3, but the CBS logo is half in the 4x3 and 1/2 out. My recording was good, but not what I expected.

That was the HD version. The film transfer appeared to be slightly wider then 4x3 so the regular placement of the CBS HD bug made it appear the bug was half on and half off the active video area of the transfer.

The CBS bug for the 4x3 version was fully inside the the 4x3 area.

That was the HD version. The film transfer appeared to be slightly wider then 4x3 so the regular placement of the CBS HD bug made it appear the bug was half on and half off the active video area of the transfer.

The CBS bug for the 4x3 version was fully inside the the 4x3 area.

Thats what I'm saying, the version that I recorded off from 6-1, the bug was completely inside the 4x3 frame

Thats what I'm saying, the version that I recorded off from 6-1, the bug was completely inside the 4x3 frame

Ahh, gotcha. Sorry for the misunderstanding.

I noticed over the weekend that FSN Detroit HD via D* did not have the FSN HD broadcasts of the Big12/Pac10 challenge. I confirmed via other RSNs that the games were available in HD.

I have sent another email the the contact at FSN Detroit to investigate.

Boston College v Maryland is in HD on FSNHD via D* :)

After reading recent posts in the What's the next HD Channel for Comcast? (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=12449127) thread, it got me wondering:

What are the chances that Comcast subscribers will see DiscoveryHD, SciFiHD, or TLCHD in the near future in the Lansing area?

After reading recent posts in the What's the next HD Channel for Comcast? (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=12449127) thread, it got me wondering:

What are the chances that Comcast subscribers will see DiscoveryHD, SciFiHD, or TLCHD in the near future in the Lansing area?

Watch for the detroit announcement, you'll get them the same day or shortly after

Watch for the detroit announcement, you'll get them the same day or shortly after

And where should I be looking? Here in a particular thread? The media?

Thanks.

And where should I be looking? Here in a particular thread? The media?

Thanks.

Ken H keeps the detroit thread pretty updated, I always read all the Michigan Local threads, that gives me a good idea of what is out there

Ken H keeps the detroit thread pretty updated, I always read all the Michigan Local threads, that gives me a good idea of what is out there

Ah, of course. I'll start watching the Detroit threads.

Looks those 3 channels are scheduled for addition sometime in January. Here's hoping that happens as planned.

Thanks jeffbal99.

We received a postcard from Comcast yesterday that said that most of the local community channels were moving to digital channels. While this is probably a bad thing for people who don't have digital service, for those of us that do it seems like they are making room for more HD channels?

Make sense?

We received a postcard from Comcast yesterday that said that most of the local community channels were moving to digital channels. While this is probably a bad thing for people who don't have digital service, for those of us that do it seems like they are making room for more HD channels?

Make sense?

Yup

Any ideas why Fox Sports HD has been "off the air" most of the time since Comcast added the new HD channels in East Lansing and Meridian Twp?

Any ideas why Fox Sports HD has been "off the air" most of the time since Comcast added the new HD channels in East Lansing and Meridian Twp?

FSN HD is not a full time channel it is off air anytime an HD event is not going on. Only the HD events will be seen on FSN HD.

FSN HD is not a full time channel it is off air anytime an HD event is not going on. Only the HD events will be seen on FSN HD.
Thanks for the information. Looking at the Red Wings schedule, it looks like home games at the Joe are in HD but some of the away games (including the last one) are in SD.

I was reading elsewhere, can anybody confirm that MOJO HD is listed in the Comcast channel guide as MOJHD now?

Thanks for the information. Looking at the Red Wings schedule, it looks like home games at the Joe are in HD but some of the away games (including the last one) are in SD.

Here is a PDF from FSN Detroit with all of the Red Wings and Pistons HD games from FSN HD:

http://msn.foxsports.com/id/5992538

I was reading elsewhere, can anybody confirm that MOJO HD is listed in the Comcast channel guide as MOJHD now?

It is listed that way on ch. 206.

Did you D* subscribers see that D* has inverted the channel numbers that were duplicated between HD and SD so the HD channel has direct dial preference now? That makes navigating on busy sports weekends that much easier. I think it would have made more sense to make the HD channels x-1 rather than duplicating the channel numbers (and somebody please explain why they did with some HD channels but not with others) but at least they are making an attempt to fix the problem.

Did you D* subscribers see that D* has inverted the channel numbers that were duplicated between HD and SD so the HD channel has direct dial preference now? That makes navigating on busy sports weekends that much easier. I think it would have made more sense to make the HD channels x-1 rather than duplicating the channel numbers (and somebody please explain why they did with some HD channels but not with others) but at least they are making an attempt to fix the problem.

HR20 has been that way as long as I've had it. The H20s got it with the 2042 software update, i think, 10 days ago.

Its very nice, me likey :)

HR20 has been that way as long as I've had it. The H20s got it with the 2042 software update, i think, 10 days ago.

Its very nice, me likey :)

I think I remember reading it was an option you could choose on the HR20 from the time they started adding the D10 HD channels. Us folks with the H20 have had to do some extra navigating until now.

I think I remember reading it was an option you could choose on the HR20 from the time they started adding the D10 HD channels. Us folks with the H20 have had to do some extra navigating until now.

There is an option to turn off SD channels when an HD duplicate exists (now in the H20s too). Doesn't affect the -1 HDs as they are not a duplicate :)

There is an option to turn off SD channels when an HD duplicate exists (now in the H20s too). Doesn't affect the -1 HDs as they are not a duplicate :)

And I see an option for the Guide button to go straight to the schedule grid instead of having to go through the categories first. Good job, D*! Now it will just take a while to get used to only pushing the Guide button instead of Guide and Select.

Damn weather advisory screwing up the HD on Channel 10 right now.:mad:

Damn weather advisory screwing up the HD on Channel 10 right now.:mad:

And they probably aren't even helping to promote channel 10.2 by running something like "For more details, turn to Weather Source 10 storm coverage on channel 10.2" on the crawls. This is also a case where WILX should keep 10.2 up to the minute by posting cancellations, notices of road problems and other storm-related information.

Has anybody seen the reason why D* did not make all the D10 HD channels x-1 instead of duplicating some HD channel numbers with the SD counterparts?

Has anybody seen the reason why D* did not make all the D10 HD channels x-1 instead of duplicating some HD channel numbers with the SD counterparts?

-1's are channel that are not HD simulcasts or not full time HD channels.

Food and HGTV are fulltime HD, but not the same as their primary channels. All the RSN -1s are Gametime only HDs. I'm guess that D* is pooling space on the transponders for these GTOs along with the PPV HDs. Occasionally I see HD PPV guide data on a -1 RSN.

D*s logic is that if you know the channel number for CNN, then you should be able to use the same channel number for the HD version

And they probably aren't even helping to promote channel 10.2 by running something like "For more details, turn to Weather Source 10 storm coverage on channel 10.2" on the crawls. This is also a case where WILX should keep 10.2 up to the minute by posting cancellations, notices of road problems and other storm-related information.

Totally agree.

But right after I posted earlier I went back into the other room they had removed the weather advisory bug and I was able to watch the rest of the PGA round in HD. I was very pleasantly surprised.:)

Its now been 24hrs with 5.1 surround sound and I can't believe its taken me this long to even put in the small system that I have.

Love the audio :)

Its now been 24hrs with 5.1 surround sound and I can't believe its taken me this long to even put in the small system that I have.

Love the audio :)

I may have to hook my audio up during the holidays. When I got my HDTV last year I never bothered to rewire the sound system because the speakers on this TV work, unlike my old TV. That, and I had gotten the audio system jsut as much to use as a switching box because the old TV only had a single A/V input and I have several things to plug in.

Its now been 24hrs with 5.1 surround sound and I can't believe its taken me this long to even put in the small system that I have.

Love the audio :)

Wait until you listen to great sound today when the Packers beat the Rams on FOX. FOX typically has great football audio.

Wait until you listen to great sound today when the Packers beat the Rams on FOX. FOX typically has great football audio.

and the Lie-downs lose to the Chargers?

BTW, what do we gotta do to get WLNS to pass 5.1 from CBS?

Is WILX 5.1?

and the Lie-downs lose to the Chargers?

BTW, what do we gotta do to get WLNS to pass 5.1 from CBS?

Is WILX 5.1?

Every local is at least 5.1 except WLNS. Back in the "ancient" days, I used to call WLNS all the time complaining about their poor audio. They said they didn't want to invest in new equipment because of the future digital age. Well, the digital age is here and they are still just shoving Pro Logic on us. I just don't think they have the cash.

Every local is at least 5.1 except WLNS. Back in the "ancient" days, I used to call WLNS all the time complaining about their poor audio. They said they didn't want to invest in new equipment because of the future digital age. Well, the digital age is here and they are still just shoving Pro Logic on us. I just don't think they have the cash.

Before I looked at the thread, I was watching football night in America. They did a remote with John and Al for a SNF preview and I started getting rear audio.

I'm gonna have to start writing WLNS, its a shame that low budget operations like WLAJ and WSYM can do 5.1, but the local news leader can't install equipment to pass 5.1 from the Network?

Pathetic.

I would like to update the 1st post with audio info for the locals. If you have specifics (besides 5.1), please post the info :)

I'm gonna have to start writing WLNS, its a shame that low budget operations like WLAJ and WSYM can do 5.1, but the local news leader can't install equipment to pass 5.1 from the Network?


To be fair it takes no extra equipment or money for WSYM to pass 5.1 as it does for the other stations.

To be fair it takes no extra equipment or money for WSYM to pass 5.1 as it does for the other stations.

That is true, its part of the splicer

Blah, WILX just dropped into SD and 2.0 to show school closings, during the opening kickoff.

Couldn't they have done this during pregame or commercials?

Blah, WILX just dropped into SD and 2.0 to show school closings, during the opening kickoff.

Couldn't they have done this during pregame or commercials?

Yet another time they could start boosting 10.2 and don't. If they're going to have it, they may as well make it good and useful.

Yet another time they could start boosting 10.2 and don't. If they're going to have it, they may as well make it good and useful.

I sent Gary @ WILX an email about the school closings last night and once again suggesting the promotion of 10.2.

On the CBS 5.1 front, WLNS replied to my email this morning...

Thank you for your interest, at the time we signed on, 5.1 gear was just not available, and HD gear is very expensive, you are correct about the others having 5.1, they got on board way later in the game and gear was available for them. We do not have much in the way of HD and 5.1 equipment on line right now, it’s simply a 4 input router fed by net HD and our upconverter. The “switch” that you guys refer to on the HD board actually is still a switch here, and controls that router.

This is going to change real quick, while I cannot say what or when just yet, I can say we are investing a great deal into this right now, and it will be obvious when we’re done.

I'm hoping that means WLNS is gearing up for Full HD production or at least HD graphics and no more dropping into SD.

Also, it appears that WLNS engineers may be lurking in the forums.

http://www.feebleminds-gifs.com/smiley-faces-80.gifHi if yer out there :)

Hey Gary, is WKAR ready for "The Newshour With Jim Lehrer" to go HD tonight? I was looking on the WKAR website and it looks like Newshour is on the Analog feed along with 23.2, while 23.1 has back to back travel shows.

Lehrer To Go HD - 12/12 - "The Newshour With Jim Lehrer" will go high-def on Monday, 12/17. "The new format will deliver superb video resolution and higher-quality audio, and will result in a richer experience for the increasing number of viewers who watch the program on an HD television set," according to PBS. The public TV news program is produced by Channel 26/ WETA, at its facilities in Shirlington.....

Hey Gary, is WKAR ready for "The Newshour With Jim Lehrer" to go HD tonight? I was looking on the WKAR website and it looks like Newshour is on the Analog feed along with 23.2, while 23.1 has back to back travel shows.

We're looking at February for the Newshour in HD. The notice to us about HD availability came after we had published the December and January schedules.

We're looking at February for the Newshour in HD. The notice to us about HD availability came after we had published the December and January schedules.

Damn, that was a quick reply :)

Thanks for the info :)

I read somewhere that west Michigan and the Flint/Saginaw markets now have HD locals. What is taking Lansing so long?

I read somewhere that west Michigan and the Flint/Saginaw markets now have HD locals. What is taking Lansing so long?

Market Size.

Grand Rapids is market #39 and Flint is #66. Lansing is 112 in the DMA size ranking.

Market Size.

Grand Rapids is market #39 and Flint is #66. Lansing is 112 in the DMA size ranking.

Yup, Lansing has always been mentioned on the 2nd on the new satellites, back half. I would be surprised if we had them before next winter

Market Size.

Grand Rapids is market #39 and Flint is #66. Lansing is 112 in the DMA size ranking.

I didn't realize Flint had that much larger of a market size. It would be interesting to see the number of HD viewers in each market.

I didn't realize Flint had that much larger of a market size. It would be interesting to see the number of HD viewers in each market.

Flint, Saginaw, Bay City...its a pretty big market area

"Comcast, AT&T Rivalry Heats Up"-Link to DN story (http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007712180404)

Looks like I'm not the only one who hates the Comcast b!tch with the big fake teeth

Boy, I sure am glad Comcast gave us the LOGO network the day after my wife and I celebrated our 37th wedding anniversary! Too bad we can't get ESPNU or BTN.

I am still watching an awful lot of National Football League games in SD this season. Chiefs-Lions are an example. What network? Why, CBS, and only CBS. I have yet to see an NFL game in SD on Fox, NBC or ESPN this year, or last for that matter. If CBS really were the leader in HD, it seems to me they would find a way to actually broadcast games from the most profitable sports league in history in HD. If Fox can find a way to put Atlanta @ Arizona in HD, certainly CBS can put Chiefs-Lions in HD. "CBS is the HD best" is probably the second-most repeated lie by AVS Special Ed members (Jeff excepted) behind "Subchannels cause ________".

I am still watching an awful lot of National Football League games in SD this season. You can't be watching that many because 90.83% of NFL games this season have been in HD. Through week 16 there have only been 22 SD NFL games. There will be 3 more next week.
Chiefs-Lions are an example. What network? Why, CBS, and only CBS.Why CBS? Because they only have enough coordination rooms to handle 5 HD games on doubleheader weekends and 6 on single game weekends. This is a direct result of CBS being the first on the air with the NFL in HD, starting back on November, 8, 1998.

I have yet to see an NFL game in SD on Fox, NBC or ESPN this year, or last for that matter.
Then you have not seen the 7 games FOX has done in SD this year. FOX does their SD games in widescreen, which is produced in 480i and then upconverted to 720p in LA by FOX.

These are the games FOX has done in SD:
09/16/07 Seattle @ Arizona
09/23/07 Arizona @ Baltimore
10/21/07 Atlanta @ New Orleans
11/11/07 Atlanta @ Carolina
11/18/07 New Orleans @ Houston
11/18/07 St. Louis @San Francisco
12/09/07 St. Louis @ Cincinnati

NBC and ESPN games are prime time national broadcasts and are always in HD. The last prime time national NFL game not in HD was week 8 of the 2003 season. The complexity and cost of doing 1 game each week is far lower then doing up to 8 that go to different regions.

If CBS really were the leader in HD, it seems to me they would find a way to actually broadcast games from the most profitable sports league in history in HD. If Fox can find a way to put Atlanta @ Arizona in HD, certainly CBS can put Chiefs-Lions in HD. "CBS is the HD best" is probably the second-most repeated lie by AVS Special Ed members (Jeff excepted) behind "Subchannels cause ________".

Had it not been for the leadership of CBS in broadcasting the NFL in HD, over 5 years before FOX did their first game in HD, the transition to NFL in HD would have been much slower. CBS believed in HD and did much of the ground work in the beginning in how to produce NFL and other games in HD and get that to viewers. FOX came in late and received the benefits of having others do the early work, not to mention the lower cost of equipment at the time of their entry.

You can't be watching that many because 90.83% of NFL games this season have been in HD. Through week 16 there have only been 22 SD NFL games. There will be 3 more next week.
Why CBS? Because they only have enough coordination rooms to handle 5 HD games on doubleheader weekends and 6 on single game weekends. This is a direct result of CBS being the first on the air with the NFL in HD, starting back on November, 8, 1998.


Then you have not seen the 7 games FOX has done in SD this year. FOX does their SD games in widescreen, which is produced in 480i and then upconverted to 720p in LA by FOX.

These are the games FOX has done in SD:
09/16/07 Seattle @ Arizona
09/23/07 Arizona @ Baltimore
10/21/07 Atlanta @ New Orleans
11/11/07 Atlanta @ Carolina
11/18/07 New Orleans @ Houston
11/18/07 St. Louis @San Francisco
12/09/07 St. Louis @ Cincinnati

NBC and ESPN games are prime time national broadcasts and are always in HD. The last prime time national NFL game not in HD was week 8 of the 2003 season. The complexity and cost of doing 1 game each week is far lower then doing up to 8 that go to different regions.



Had it not been for the leadership of CBS in broadcasting the NFL in HD, over 5 years before FOX did their first game in HD, the transition to NFL in HD would have been much slower. CBS believed in HD and did much of the ground work in the beginning in how to produce NFL and other games in HD and get that to viewers. FOX came in late and received the benefits of having others do the early work, not to mention the lower cost of equipment at the time of their entry.

That leadership should be showing up as HD on my TV screen, not blather on a computer screen. That was an SD broadcast at 1 pm this week, just like it was the week before.

Happy Holidays to all the Lansing area guys and good reception in the New Year!

D* added Tennis Channel HD and CSTV HD this morning

both are stretch-o-vision

whats up with WLNS tonight at around 11 pm?

In Holt, they're:
109.2: NBC-HD
109.3: PBS-HD
109.14: WILX-WX
110.3: ABC-HD
110.5: FOX-HD
112.3: CBS-HD

Non-hd:
84.5: TBS
85.7: CBC
88.9: WGN
89.1: ABC
89.2: FOX
89.3: ION
89.4: PBS
89.5: MY18
89.6: NBC
89.7: CBS
89.8: CW

I just got a TivoHD and have been playing around with QAM channels until the cablecard is installed next week. I am in the Comcast Lansing system.

After not finding the HD locals on the channels listed in the original post, I did some searching and found these assignments:

110-2 - WILX-HD – NBC Affiliate
110-14 - WILX-WX – Local Weather (SD)
111-3 - WLAJ-HD – ABC Affiliate
113-3 - WLNS-DT – CBS Affiliate

I was not able to find the HD feed for WKAR.

Any idea why these channels differ from what was previously posted? Anyone know what channel I can find WKAR on now?

Thanks,

--deathster

I received my Comcast bill today and it says channel lineup "effective January 15th 2008":

(These are all HD)
NFL
Discovery
TLC
Animal Planet
Sci-Fi
USA
TBS
Food Network
HGTV
National Geographic
A&E
FSN Detroit
ESPN
ESPN2
TNT
HD Theater
MOJO
Versus/Golf
Universal
MHD
History
CNN
HBO
Cinemax
Showtime
Starz
WLAJ
WILX
WLNS
WSYM
WKAR

The pamphlet says these changes are for Alaiedon, East Lansing, Meridian, and Wheatfield.

I was surprised to see Sci-fi HD on there. I am pleased with this lineup, especially since I can't get any sat cable.

I received my Comcast bill today and it says channel lineup "effective January 15th 2008":

(These are all HD)
NFL
Discovery
TLC
Animal Planet
Sci-Fi
USA
TBS
Food Network
HGTV
National Geographic
A&E
FSN Detroit
ESPN
ESPN2
TNT
HD Theater
MOJO
Versus/Golf
Universal
MHD
History
CNN
HBO
Cinemax
Showtime
Starz
WLAJ
WILX
WLNS
WSYM
WKAR

The pamphlet says these changes are for Alaiedon, East Lansing, Meridian, and Wheatfield.

I was surprised to see Sci-fi HD on there. I am pleased with this lineup, especially since I can't get any sat cable.

Any chance it provided channel numbers? I'm guessing that it will continue the existing numbering scheme. I will update the first post later this week with the Comcast additions. I will be guessing on the guide IDs, so please let me know the actual listings when the channels go live.

Happy New Year to everyone in the Lansing DMA, the last year was very good for national HD in the area, hopefully 08 will bring 5.1 from WLNS, HD from My Network TV, The CW on their own transmitter and HD, and some locally produced HD broadcasts.

Hope everyone has a safe and happy New Years Eve and a very happy and successful 2008 :)

Happy New Year to all. Besides Jeff's wish list, I hope there will be a nice, smooth transition to DTV in what will be the last full calendar year of OTA analog broadcasting.

WILX was a bit delayed in getting the Tournament of roses parade in HD. I was looking up the number and they switched it over. I'm hoping for no blips like that during the NHL game today.

I borrowed one neighbor kids supersoaker to clean off my dish and another neighbors dish this morning. Couldn't get enough height and pressure to get the antenna cleaned off.

HD Heaven right now...

6-1 Gator Bowl
10-1 NHL Winter Classic
47-1 Cotton Bowl (Love Pat Summerall calling games)
53-1 Capitol One Bowl
ESPNHD Outback Bowl

WILX was a bit delayed in getting the Tournament of roses parade in HD. I was looking up the number and they switched it over. I'm hoping for no blips like that during the NHL game today.

I borrowed one neighbor kids supersoaker to clean off my dish and another neighbors dish this morning. Couldn't get enough height and pressure to get the antenna cleaned off.

That's why they should be planted on the ground if at all possible. One swipe of a broom this morning and I was good to go.

Quick question, been searching and haven't found an answer. If I have a Vizio with a tuner built in, and I can pick up local HD channels at home in the birmingham area with the tv hooked up to the cable, will I be able to get HD channels in Michigan State dorms?

Quick question, been searching and haven't found an answer. If I have a Vizio with a tuner built in, and I can pick up local HD channels at home in the birmingham area with the tv hooked up to the cable, will I be able to get HD channels in Michigan State dorms?

Negative, the only HD on Campus is OTA

Rented Surf's Up on HD On Demand tonight and the pq looked lackluster. It looked nothing like Cars or other HD I've viewed from Comcast in the Lansing area.

Anybody else have similar experience with HD On Demand with Comcast. This is actually the first pay per view I've purchased; all the other HD material I've viewed has been the free stuff but it looked great.

Thanks, Al

Here are the channel numbers given for the new HD channels:

181 - NFL
191 - Discovery
192 - TLC
193 - Animal Planet
194 - Sci-Fi
195 - USA
196 - TBS
197 - Food Network
198 - HGTV
199 - National Geographic
200 - A&E
201 - FSN Detroit
202 - ESPN
203 - ESPN2
204 - TNT
205 - HD Theater
206 - MOJO
207 - Versus/Golf
208 - Universal
209 - MHD
212 - History
213 - CNN
215/300 - HBO
219/319 - Cinemax
223/339 - Showtime
227/369 - Starz
231 - WLAJ
232 - WILX
233 - WLNS
234 - WSYM
240 - WKAR

I do not know why the premium channels have dual channel numbers.

Any chance it provided channel numbers? I'm guessing that it will continue the existing numbering scheme. I will update the first post later this week with the Comcast additions. I will be guessing on the guide IDs, so please let me know the actual listings when the channels go live.

Happy New Year to everyone in the Lansing DMA, the last year was very good for national HD in the area, hopefully 08 will bring 5.1 from WLNS, HD from My Network TV, The CW on their own transmitter and HD, and some locally produced HD broadcasts.

Hope everyone has a safe and happy New Years Eve and a very happy and successful 2008 :)

I received HD signals that were solid from ESPN HD and Discovery HD, which I assume they take off a satellite...but all of the local HD signals pixelated/broke up constantly, thus were unwatchable. Anyone else have this problem or is it local to me? I assume they take the local HD signal off antennae.

Here are the channel numbers given for the new HD channels:
215/300 - HBO
219/319 - Cinemax
223/339 - Showtime
227/369 - Starz
I do not know why the premium channels have dual channel numbers.The 2XX number is the HD cluster and the 3XX number is the multichannel movie cluster. (Surf through 2XX and you surf through the HD feeds. Channel up from 300 (HBOEastHD) to 301 (HBOEastSD) to 302 (HBO2EastSD)...)

I received HD signals that were solid from ESPN HD and Discovery HD, which I assume they take off a satellite...but all of the local HD signals pixelated/broke up constantly, thus were unwatchable. Anyone else have this problem or is it local to me? I assume they take the local HD signal off antennae.

I watched all the locals OTA yesterday and they were fine. If you are getting digital breakup from MDM, it could be an issue at the headend or with your STB. Seeing that other HDs are fine, i would guess that MDM has an issue at their local encoders, getting the hd locals into QAM.

If the issue is still persisting, then call your support line and advise them of it. Hopefully others will do the same and they can track down the problem. Check with friends and neighbors that subscribe to the same services to see if its a widespread issue or if they are not having issues, it would be a bad piece of coax or splitter in your house.

Eight HD Telecasts Featured
During FSN Detroit's "High-Def Holiday"
High-definition televisions are among the hottest items of the holiday shopping season. Whether you're among those planning to make the switch, or are already enjoying the remarkable images delivered by HD telecasts, FSN Detroit has a special gift again this holiday season.

It's the second annual High-Def Holiday from Dec. 21-Jan. 2 on FSN HD, with eight high-definition games featuring the Pistons and Red Wings. FSN Detroit delivers 120 high-def games annually among the Wings, Pistons and Tigers, plus HD telecasts of FSN's national coverage of college football and basketball.

FSN HD is made available by cable providers Comcast, Bright House Networks, Wide Open West, Charter and Buckeye, as well as via satellite on DIRECTV and Dish Network.

Here's the High-Def Holiday lineup:
•Fri. Dec. 21 � Pistons vs. Memphis, 8:00 pm
•Sat. Dec. 22 � Red Wings at Minnesota, 8:00 pm
•Sun. Dec. 23 � Pistons vs. Houston, 6:00 pm
•Wed. Dec. 26 � Red Wings at St. Louis, 8:30 pm
•Thu. Dec. 27 � Red Wings at Colorado, 9:00 pm
•Sat.Dec. 29 � Red Wings at Phoenix, 9:00 pm
•Mon. Dec. 31 � Pistons vs. Milwaukee, 3:30 pm
•Wed. Jan. 2 � Red Wings vs. Dallas, 7:30 pm

Last of the consecutive HD broadcasts is tonight

Hopefully with the new houston broadcast center opening soon, we may see more HD from FSN Detroit.

We should probably start posting locations, brands and model numbers of the coupon-eligible digital boxes once they start popping up. It will be our relatives and friends coming to us who are already hooked up to ask about them.

Last of the consecutive HD broadcasts is tonight

Hopefully with the new houston broadcast center opening soon, we may see more HD from FSN Detroit.

They better have that production center hooked up with HD boards for every one of their RSNs. Either that, or dedicate one to FSD and piss on everybody else :)

We should probably start posting locations, brands and model numbers of the coupon-eligible digital boxes once they start popping up. It will be our relatives and friends coming to us who are already hooked up to ask about them.

I ordered two coupons today

I ordered two coupons today

I'm going to wait until the boxes start appearing in stores. The coupons are only good for 90 days.

I'm going to wait until the boxes start appearing in stores. The coupons are only good for 90 days.

Website had a note that they would not ship the coupons until the boxes were available

Is it just me, or does anybody else think Fox's primary camera shot at the Orange Bowl look a bit fuzzy? I don't know if the focus is off an RCH or if the humidity is getting to the camera.

why can Concast never get its billings right? i send in my payment, they send me a late payment slip, but yet they cash my check before the post mark on the late payment slip... WTF? Thank god they dont effect your credit score.

why can Concast never get its billings right? i send in my payment, they send me a late payment slip, but yet they cash my check before the post mark on the late payment slip... WTF? Thank god they dont effect your credit score.

Make the switch man, Life has been great since I removed Comcast from it.

WLNS was having an issue earlier, was channel surfing and they didn't have the Kentucky/Louisville game in HD. I flipped back 15 mins later and the HD feed was back.

I have Comcast for HSI so have basic cable because of it. This also gets me the basic networks in HD since my TV has a QAM tuner. I've been considering getting a TIVO HD DVR and going with Digital Preferred service which I believe would be 66.94/mo. I have to pay $11 for basic cable for HSI so that's really only 55.94 additional for a good selection of SD programming and a good HD lineup. The glaring omissions are a CW HD channel and the superstations (KWGN,KTLA,WPIX,WSBK,WWOR).

Directv would mean a 2yr commitment and more per month -- Dish generally means an 18 mo commitment if leasing and at the moment doesn't have USA HD and SCI-FI HD. Comcast just scares me with their lack of customer service and incompetence. I've heard the horror stories about their lack of support for things not comcast such as the tivo -- lack of inventory and long waits for cards, improper configuration of cards requiring multiple visits, improper billing/overcharging, etc. I've not heard of any plans in the Lansing area for them to use SDV but that would be bad news for tivo as would the introduction of MPEG4.

Can anybody share a recent success story with the TIVO HD DVR using comcast that would recommend going that route?

Can anybody share a recent success story with the TIVO HD DVR using comcast that would recommend going that route?

Not sure about TIVO but I went with Comcast HD DVR and it performs brilliantly. Has two tuners, easy navigation and nothing to buy. It added little to my monthly bill with their Triple Play plan.

Don't know how I ever watched TV w/o a dvr.

Al

I've heard the comcast HD DVR was very SLOW,kind of kludgy, and littered with ads on the guide data so wasn't really something I was even considering. Are you saying the comcast HD DVR isn't so bad?

I could be wrong - I went from VCR to Comcast's DVR and so am very impressed but have no other experience. It performs, however, as one might expect: click info on selected channel/right arrow to record. The "My DVR" menu is clean, neat and straight forward when checking recordings. The good thing - Comcast owns it so if it melts I get a new one.

Al

I have Comcast for HSI so have basic cable because of it. This also gets me the basic networks in HD since my TV has a QAM tuner. I've been considering getting a TIVO HD DVR and going with Digital Preferred service which I believe would be 66.94/mo. I have to pay $11 for basic cable for HSI so that's really only 55.94 additional for a good selection of SD programming and a good HD lineup. The glaring omissions are a CW HD channel and the superstations (KWGN,KTLA,WPIX,WSBK,WWOR).

Directv would mean a 2yr commitment and more per month -- Dish generally means an 18 mo commitment if leasing and at the moment doesn't have USA HD and SCI-FI HD. Comcast just scares me with their lack of customer service and incompetence. I've heard the horror stories about their lack of support for things not comcast such as the tivo -- lack of inventory and long waits for cards, improper configuration of cards requiring multiple visits, improper billing/overcharging, etc. I've not heard of any plans in the Lansing area for them to use SDV but that would be bad news for tivo as would the introduction of MPEG4.

Can anybody share a recent success story with the TIVO HD DVR using comcast that would recommend going that route?

Well, I can't comment about the Tivo HD DVR, but if you read this thread, there have been many battles with Comcast over programming, expansion, incorrect billing, rate hikes, etc.

As with any provider, the grass is always greener on the other side, but as a D* convert from Comcast, it truly is greener. I'm paying more for my HSI, but overall, my monthly bills for Video and HSI is lower after the switch. Plus I get more HD, sports, sports in HD, etc.

I looked into Tivo HD because I was so sick of Comcast raising the prices on their DVRs and STB rental fees, but I would have major out of pocket expenses for the unit and subscription fees, however, i would have ended up saving ~$5/month (this was back in August, i think).

Comcast wasn't offering M-cards at the time, which met that you would have to rent 2 S-cards and you would incur a fee for the additional card, just like a 2nd STB. (M-Card is a multi stream cable card, S-Card is a single stream cable card)

Comcast recently lowered the tier needed to get all their HD channels, you only need Digital starter now (i think thats the package) to get all the HD channels, previously, you needed digital preferred.

If you can get into a package deal, you will save the most money. I gave Comcast the chance to keep me as a customer, but they would never give me the promo rates that new customers got, even though I had been loyal for many years.

D* and E* do have contracts, but depending on what you are looking for from a video provider, each has their high and low points. Some people will save money with DBS, others pay more. The reverse is true for different people.

I can comment on the comcast DVRs...

the DCT series sucked, hard core. Very slow, would lock up left and right, then run through 10 or so key strokes. Very slow paging and generally unreliable. I got the office on Miller to hold a DCH for me. That was much more reliable, but still was clunky as a previous poster stated.

I loved the DCT when it was my first DVR, but got sick of its short comings very quickly. If you can get a DCH 3416, its your best bet, if you decide not to go with the Tivo. The DCH's have M-Cards in them, however, at the time I had mine, you still couldn't get M-Cards from the installers.

There was a time that the Comcast EPG has ads in it, but they were removed (last spring i think). I can't comment since I returned my STBs in October.

MPEG4HD from D* is great for Recording HD on the HD DVR i have. Takes up so little space, I used to hate always running out of space on the Comcast DVR. I Believe my HR20 has 320GB HD and I can replace that with a 1TB eSATA drive.

I'm much happier as D* sub with my OTA for HD locals :)

Welcome to the Lansing thread and we are glad to have ya.

Did anybody else watching WLNS HD catch the CBS HD splash screen stating "ABC Wildcard" during the commercial break at the beginning of the 4th quarter?

Looks like an engineer was asleep at the MC switch.

Also, I must add the HDNet Movies has become a favorite channel and DVR filler. I can't wait until it gets flipped to MPEG4. Commercial free, OAR, uncut, 5.1, etc.

Its just bliss watching movies like they were meant to be seen.

Did anybody else watching WLNS HD catch the CBS HD splash screen stating "ABC Wildcard" during the commercial break at the beginning of the 4th quarter?

Looks like an engineer was asleep at the MC switch.

Also, I must add the HDNet Movies has become a favorite channel and DVR filler. I can't wait until it gets flipped to MPEG4. Commercial free, OAR, uncut, 5.1, etc.

Its just bliss watching movies like they were meant to be seen.

D* just put HDNM, MGMHD, Smithsonian, UHD and a couple of other channels on one of those extra $5 subscription channels. I'm going to pass on it, not enough programming to justify the extra $5 usually. HDNM is hit and more miss as far as movies I like, I only watched UHD for Notre Dame football replays, and I was really disappointed with Smithsonian Channel's offerings.

D* just put HDNM, MGMHD, Smithsonian, UHD and a couple of other channels on one of those extra $5 subscription channels. I'm going to pass on it, not enough programming to justify the extra $5 usually. HDNM is hit and more miss as far as movies I like, I only watched UHD for Notre Dame football replays, and I was really disappointed with Smithsonian Channel's offerings.

UHD has gone down hill, far down hill.

They break for commercials, have started editing for content, no longer using OAR, etc. Its not good for a once promising HD channel. I really wish Universal had embraced it as an HD source and opened up their movie library. Rather than the constant extreme sports reruns, followed by the same Northern Exposure reruns, followed by the same 8 episodes of the failed law and order spin off about DAs.

Only positive was BSG in HD and now SciFi HD is showing that :)

UHD has gone down hill, far down hill.

They break for commercials, have started editing for content, no longer using OAR, etc. Its not good for a once promising HD channel. I really wish Universal had embraced it as an HD source and opened up their movie library. Rather than the constant extreme sports reruns, followed by the same Northern Exposure reruns, followed by the same 8 episodes of the failed law and order spin off about DAs.

Only positive was BSG in HD and now SciFi HD is showing that :)

I noticed they cut way back on the movies. I was hoping they would use it for more NBC-HD reruns too, but no.

I just got into flat panel and high def programming last month. With what's available in high def, it reminds me of my childhood when color TV first hit the market: a handful of channels at a snails-pace expansion.

We would watch the test screen just because it was in color

Al

I just got into flat panel and high def programming last month. With what's available in high def, it reminds me of my childhood when color TV first hit the market: a handful of channels at a snails-pace expansion.

We would watch the test screen just because it was in color

Al

Ha, i know how you feel. My wife and I got our DLP in June of '06, for the World Cup. I started watching the most random things, just because they were in HD. Actually, HD got us into Bull Riding. When Comcast added VSGLF last February, it was run on the weekend evenings a lot and we started watching. We went to the PBR event in GR last September and bought our tickets for this coming September as well.

LSJ has an article on the analog/digital switch today...

Linky (http://www.lsj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080107/NEWS01/801070339/1312)

Digital decree: TV stations will tune in viewers to '09 broadcasting switchover

Hugh Leach
Lansing State Journal

Michigan television stations will kick off a yearlong campaign next month to alert viewers to a coming change that could leave them staring at blank screens unless they take action.

On Feb. 18, 2009, television stations will stop broadcasting analog signals and switch to digital.

"We're fully supportive of the change and anxious to get going with the public awareness campaign," said Mike King, vice president and general manager of WILX-TV, Channel 10.

While some viewers may experience an easily fixable inconvenience, he said, the trade-off will be a better picture and better audio.

"You get a much crisper picture with digital," said David McLaughlin, store manager for Wilkins TV & Electronics in Williamston.

"With analog, you lose picture quality and the picture is snowier."

Digital signals also allow stations to broadcast several programs simultaneously, Wilkins said.

On the negative side, however, digital signals travel shorter distances.

"In Williamston, you can pull in Detroit stations with an analog set," McLaughlin said.

"You won't be able to do that after the change."

The change will not affect people with digital television sets or who are hooked up to cable or satellite, King said.

But an estimated 600,000 Michigan residents still receive over-the-air signals using antennas on older nondigital TV sets, he said.

Others might have an analog set in the bedroom, while they have a cable or satellite connection in the living room.

"These consumers need to make sure they have converter boxes for their sets," King said.

"Our concern is these people are the most vulnerable population, senior citizens and those who may not be able to afford cable or satellite."

The federal government, which is requiring the change, is making coupons available to reduce the cost of buying converters, expected to sell for $50 to $70.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration will accept requests for up to two $40 coupons per household toward purchase of the boxes.

Tony Wilhelm, director of consumer education for NTIA, said the agency expects to have enough coupons to satisfy demand.

"We think the high number will be 26 million," he said.

"Low end is 10 million."

King said installation of the converter boxes should not be difficult for most people, but an effort will be made to have volunteer groups - such as the Boy Scouts - available to help if necessary.

Contact Hugh Leach at 377-1119 or hleach@lsj.com.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Get converted
Beginning Feb. 18, 2009, television stations will stop broadcasting analog signals. An older, nondigital television without cable or satellite service will need a special converter box to receive a picture.

• The boxes are expected to cost $50 to $70. Each household can request two $40 coupons at no charge to help pay for the boxes. There are four ways to request a coupon:
• Apply online at www.dtv2009.gov.
• Call the coupon program's 24-hour hot line, (888) DTV-2009 (888-388-2009), TTY (877) 530-2634.
• Mail a coupon application to P. O. Box 2000, Portland, OR 97208-2000.
• Fax a coupon application to (877) DTV-4ME2 (877-388-4632).
• The program is being administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration on the Web at www.ntia.doc.gov.


Source: Associated Press

Just the basics that we all know, but its good to get this info to the masses. This should have started a year ago, but better late than never.

Jeff, you're right about the coupon program and publicity that should have been started earlier. All the people who are saying the switch will be delayed another time better think again. The Feds are chomping at the bit to sell the spectrum and bidders can't wait to get it. I've seen several mentions of the spectrum being sold in newspapers over the last week and potential uses for it. There was a mention in the Jackson paper from an AP story about how it could be used for wireless Internet. I saw another story somewhere in the last week (maybe the Detroit Free Press) where they say it might be used for emergency frequencies. Every time I see one of those stories they mention the DTV switchover as though it were a routine thing instead of one of the biggest transformations in TV in the seven-decade history of the industry.

Can anybody share a recent success story with the TIVO HD DVR using comcast that would recommend going that route?

I have a TivoS3 (this model records HD, like the TivoHD). I have two cable cards (in the TivoS3) from Comcast. The first one is free and the second is $1.50 a month. I also have the Comcast DVR.

The Comcast DVR has the following problems for me:
- Playback can often be choppy for no reason. Randomly FF and RW pause can sometimes fix it.
- As few as 12 1hr HD shows can fill up all the space on the DVR. It has a 120 or 160GB HD. This is not enough for me. After one week (before the writer's strike) I would often be using 85-90% of my drive space.
- The search is horrid.
- It ignores settings like "Record only first-runs" for no reason.
- The guide data is completely lost on power loss.
- The time line bar is just what I like to call a "best guess" on Comcast's part about where you are on in the show.
- Hitting two or more buttons at the same time can cause the box to freeze.

My Tivo has an add-on hard drive giving me up to 98hrs of HD and 900hrs of SD recording. The other problems associated with the comcast box are significantly improved or solved by having a Tivo.

The tricky part is getting Comcast to install and activate the cable cards correctly. If you know how cable cards work, what each number means, and where they go you can help Comcast install it and tell the tech what to do, and what to say on the phone to the head office. If not then you may be looking at many many trips out to your house.

I would never go back to just using the Comcast DVR now that I've used the Tivo. The downfall of the Tivo is upfront cost, monthly fee, and dealing with cable cards.

I have a TivoS3 (this model records HD, like the TivoHD). I have two cable cards (in the TivoS3) from Comcast. The first one is free and the second is $1.50 a month. I also have the Comcast DVR.

The Comcast DVR has the following problems for me:
- Playback can often be choppy for no reason. Randomly FF and RW pause can sometimes fix it.
- As few as 12 1hr HD shows can fill up all the space on the DVR. It has a 120 or 160GB HD. This is not enough for me. After one week (before the writer's strike) I would often be using 85-90% of my drive space.
- The search is horrid.
- It ignores settings like "Record only first-runs" for no reason.
- The guide data is completely lost on power loss.
- The time line bar is just what I like to call a "best guess" on Comcast's part about where you are on in the show.
- Hitting two or more buttons at the same time can cause the box to freeze.

My Tivo has an add-on hard drive giving me up to 98hrs of HD and 900hrs of SD recording. The other problems associated with the comcast box are significantly improved or solved by having a Tivo.

The tricky part is getting Comcast to install and activate the cable cards correctly. If you know how cable cards work, what each number means, and where they go you can help Comcast install it and tell the tech what to do, and what to say on the phone to the head office. If not then you may be looking at many many trips out to your house.

I would never go back to just using the Comcast DVR now that I've used the Tivo. The downfall of the Tivo is upfront cost, monthly fee, and dealing with cable cards.

Great info here...

Have you tried to get a M-Card to save the $1.50 of the 2nd S-Card?

Great info here...

Have you tried to get a M-Card to save the $1.50 of the 2nd S-Card?

I have a TiVoHD with 2 S-Cards. I was not able to get an M-Card installed in the Lansing area. This was about two months ago.

Has anyone else had success getting an M-Card?

Just went down to the Lansing Comcast office with the intent of asking about M-cards for a potential Tivo HD DVR purchase. The line was almost out the door and these were not happy people. I decided not to queue but did talk to one of the people leaving (a little 80 yr old lady) who recommended jumping to DirecTV.

I've had more than my share of comcast problems with HSI but everything is currently working. I'm basically happy with the current comcast channel line up but would like to see CW-HD added. The big advantages that cable has is that there's no contractual commitment and Tivo can be used with it assuming you can get the cable cards installed/provisioned correctly. If they're not providing M-cards yet though -- this means additional fees (a/o fee and a cable card fee) and more potential for provisioning issues.

DirecTV requires a 2yr commitment if using an HD-DVR and their latest HR21 receivers don't have an OTA tuner nor do they have HD LIL for Lansing. If I could be guaranteed an HR20 with the OTA support, I'd seriously consider this an option now.

Dish network wants an 18 mo commitment for leased equipment and has less HD than DirecTV. They're receiver seems superior and does offer OTA HD but doesn't have either USA-HD or SCIFI-HD yet. They do at least however offer a superstation package which DirecTV doesn't have.

So, still not sure what to do...

Just went down to the Lansing Comcast office with the intent of asking about M-cards for a potential Tivo HD DVR purchase. The line was almost out the door and these were not happy people. I decided not to queue but did talk to one of the people leaving (a little 80 yr old lady) who recommended jumping to DirecTV.

Thats a very common opinion around many people when they are in the Comcast office

I've had more than my share of comcast problems with HSI but everything is currently working. I'm basically happy with the current comcast channel line up but would like to see CW-HD added. The big advantages that cable has is that there's no contractual commitment and Tivo can be used with it assuming you can get the cable cards installed/provisioned correctly. If they're not providing M-cards yet though -- this means additional fees (a/o fee and a cable card fee) and more potential for provisioning issues.

Won't see a CW-HD in out area until WLAJ breaks the CW out onto its own transmitter and channel.

DirecTV requires a 2yr commitment if using an HD-DVR and their latest HR21 receivers don't have an OTA tuner nor do they have HD LIL for Lansing. If I could be guaranteed an HR20 with the OTA support, I'd seriously consider this an option now.

Yup and they will be on the leading edge of HD that entire time. Also, at CES , D* is showing off the AM21, the USB OTA adapter add-on for the HR21, check out DBS talk tonight for more details and pictures

Dish network wants an 18 mo commitment for leased equipment and has less HD than DirecTV. They're receiver seems superior and does offer OTA HD but doesn't have either USA-HD or SCIFI-HD yet. They do at least however offer a superstation package which DirecTV doesn't have.

they've announced more HD channels in 2008, so you'll see them up there eventually

So, still not sure what to do...

Whatever satisfies and give YOU the most bang for your buck. Everybody has favorites in video services. I used to be Comcast's biggest supporter and D*s biggest critic, but the tables have turned because of the upgrades and commitment D* has shown to HD and video services. Comcast is pushing bundles and raising prices, that just doesn't interest me.

Looks like WILX is having some major issues...

at 9:12pm, both digital channels went buh-bye and haven't been back.

I don't have an analog tuner hooked up to check that out.

We had 10.2 up because of the oncoming storm and just went to searching

Edit in:

only a 10 minute outage, they are back

First time since I got D*, I'm getting rain fade with the current storm with its heavy rain and lightning

Damn, getting zero's across the board for all sat locations, both tuners on the HR20and the H20, but OTA is fine on both

KUs on 101, 110, and 119 are starting to come back a bit, readings in the 40s-60s. KA birds are still 0s

First time since I got D*, I'm getting rain fade with the current storm with its heavy rain and lightning

Damn, getting zero's across the board for all sat locations, both tuners on the HR20and the H20, but OTA is fine on both

KUs on 101, 110, and 119 are starting to come back a bit, readings in the 40s-60s. KA birds are still 0s

Yep, the worst of the cloud deck is going right over Lansing. A deck that thick will get in the way. At 40 mph easterly it shouldn't last for long.

Hey Gary, is WKAR ready for "The Newshour With Jim Lehrer" to go HD tonight? ....

WKAR will air Newshour in HD (on channel 23.1) starting 02/04/08 at 6 PM.

WKAR will air Newshour in HD (on channel 23.1) starting 02/04/08 at 6 PM.

You da man :)

anyone else noticed that WSYM had some issues with the storm last night? My HD feed was messing up, so i switched the audio over to cable, and had the display be HD (even though it was breaking up, its still better than cable) and the cable feed even went down for a few seconds.

anyone else noticed that WSYM had some issues with the storm last night? My HD feed was messing up, so i switched the audio over to cable, and had the display be HD (even though it was breaking up, its still better than cable) and the cable feed even went down for a few seconds.

I had a couple of breakups, just for a few seconds, but nothing like WILX going completely offline for over 10 minutes ;)

...[DirecTV's] HR21 receivers don't have an OTA tuner nor do they have HD LIL for Lansing. If I could be guaranteed an HR20 with the OTA support, I'd seriously consider this an option now.Ah, apparently you've not seen Will Shakespere's lesser-known "As You Don't Like It" (or "No ATSC For You")

Dramatis Personae:
FUDD.....................DirecTV salesman
MLCARSON..........disgruntled potential customer

Act the First:
(FUDD is behind a counter. MLCARSON enters stage left and approaches.)

FUDD: May I hewp you, siw?

MLCARSON: Verily! Comcast sucketh big horse chestnuts! I am told that you have in your service a constellation of magical criers hovering over us in the sky. Word on the streete is that I need but procure from you a "Dish" and a "Box" and all the world's poor players will strut and fret on my 42" plasma shadow box. Prithee make haste, good sir and sell me such a Dish and Box!

FUDD: Vewy good, siw. You must awso choose a "package" of pwayews to see and must pay - monf by monf and in hawd coin - fow youw Dish and Box to bwing you these mewwiments. (Shows MLCARSON price list)

MLCARSON: (Reads) Hah! I am not dissuaded! This "Choice Xtra" has everything I get from Comcast and for less...less!...than I send to Philadelphia. But wait! (Points to price list) What is this note here? You do not have my local stations in high-definition? What madness is this?

FUDD: Yes, siw. You wive in Wansing - a patheticawwy smaww metwopowitan awea and one fow which the DMA wambwes on, digit aftew digit. It wiww be some time befowe we wiww bwing wocaw-into-wocaw to Wansing, and that's even if Sea-Waunch doesn't bwow up any of the new biwds in the pwocess.

MLCARSON: (Enraged) Madness! Madness, I say! In God's name, man, do you not know that American Gladiators has returned to the air! American Gladiators! With the prospect of Knight Rider to come! (Reaches across counter, grabs FUDD by lapels) How, how I ask you! could you expect me to take this dish and box if you do not have my locals in HD! (Releases FUDD, gathers himself. Speaks to himself increasingly calmly) But wait. My local stations waft free through the air. All this box need have is a dirt-cheap ATSC tuner and all is saved! (to FUDD) Tell me, man. Does this box tune ATSC?

FUDD: Weww, no siw. De owdew modew had an ATSC tunew but this new box (holds up HR21) doesn't. I'm afwaid that customew (points to rabbit, exiting store with HR20) got the wast owd box.

(MLCARSON flies into blind rage)

MLCARSON: Enough! Enough of this insanity - I will hear no more! Fool, when the snows have fallen heavy and melted and the titans of consumer electronics gather in Nevada I will return! When I do, you will tell me that DirecTV has put down the hash pipe and has decided to release an ATSC tuner that integrates with the new box!

FUDD: (Horrified) But, siw! Dat kind of jewwy-wigged cwap nevew wowks! Dewe's no way I can get my bosses to make such a device - it wouwd be wike an admission that excwuding the tunew in the fiwst pwace was stupid.

MLCARSON: You will try, sir. And the new piggyback box will sit right on top of this "HR21" and look like it belongs! (FUDD shrinks in terror) And it will hang off the HR21's USB port and transfer files that way! (FUDD crosses arms over face at the heresy) And...it will have integrated guide data. None of this manual time-and-channel recording twaddle!

(FUDD bawls openly)

MLCARSON: I go now, but I will return. Disappoint me not, or I will order a ginormous can of ACME whup-azz and open it up on you. (Storms out)

(Curtain)

Act the second:
(FUDD stands calmly behind counter. MLCARSON enters, pulling 50-gallon drum with "ACME" stencilled on side.)

MLCARSON: (to FUDD) Well, what say you! CES is well underway! Will you bring me CSI: Bismarck and Law & Order: Parking Enforcement in glorious high definition? Or do I open this can?

FUDD: Dude, chill. Sixty bucks...be out in February. (http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/09/directv-intros-two-atsc-tuner-am21-to-piggyback-hr21/)

Winnie, that was beautiful!! I'm in tears from laughing so hard, bravo, bravo :)

Looks like Comcast is reclaiming a ton of bandwidth from the analog cable system.

When the 4 new HDs roll, 8 analogs are being moved to digital...

12 Government Access (moves to 915 effective 1/15/08) News & Info
15 Educational Access (moves to 902 effective 1/15/08) News & Info
16 Public Access (moves to 916 effective 1/15/08) News & Info
17 Local Origination/MGTV (moves to 900 effective 1/15/08) News & Info
18 Educational Access (moves to 903 effective 1/15/08) News & Info
19 Religious Access (moves to 924 effective 1/15/08) News & Info
20 Educational Access (moves to 904 effective 1/15/08) News & Info
21 Educational Access (moves to 905 effective 1/15/08)

Edit in:

Just reread Winne's story and I'm still rolling, f'n awesome stuff there. Early candidate for post of the year...

FUDD: Dude, chill. Sixty bucks...be out in February. (http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/09/directv-intros-two-atsc-tuner-am21-to-piggyback-hr21/)

And the HR21 price is dropping to $199 tomorrow.

And the HR21 price is dropping to $199 tomorrow.

I missed something. Did D* get rid of the H-20 and HR-20?

I missed something. Did D* get rid of the H-20 and HR-20?

They have very few in stock, I believe only the HR20-100 is still being manufactured, however, in very limited numbers. Everything is going with the H21/HR21. My installers told me I was very lucky in that they would most likely not be getting an H20/HR20's in stock back in the end of October.

They have very few in stock, I believe only the HR20-100 is still being manufactured, however, in very limited numbers. Everything is going with the H21/HR21. My installers told me I was very lucky in that they would most likely not be getting an H20/HR20's in stock back in the end of October.

That sucks donkey d!cks. I like having the integrated OTA tuner so I don't have to keep constantly flipping between inputs. I know they're trying to push the HD locals but they aren't on yet here.

That sucks donkey d!cks. I like having the integrated OTA tuner so I don't have to keep constantly flipping between inputs. I know they're trying to push the HD locals but they aren't on yet here.

Hence the creation of the AM21 USB ATSC add-on tuner for the HR21 and eventually H21

Greetings all,

I live in Charlotte and have difficulty receiving WKAR's digital channels. My setup is:

Rooftop antenna (not sure of the exact antenna model, but it's Channel Master's second biggest) with rotor on a single story house

D* HR20-700 DVR

Olevia 537H TV

WKAR's digital reception is very intermittent - sometimes as good as any other station, other times not received at all. Sometimes received even with the antenna pointed in the opposite direction, other times not received with the antenna pointed correctly. Needless to say, I can't set the DVR to record anything because I never know whether it will be received or not. For instance, Antiques Roadshow is now available in HD and was aired Monday night on both the SD analog and HD digital channels. I was stuck watching in SD because the HD channel wasn't being received. However I was able to watch Pioneers in Television last week in HD without any problem.

I did talk to Gary Blievernicht last fall, before I found this forum, after the following occurred, but he had no firm answer:

I watched the first 2 nights of The War last September with the antenna connected directly to the TV - no problem. The third night a severe thunderstorm occurred, which, as I found out later, knocked WKAR off the air briefly. The show was interrupted, and I tried in vain to get it back, finally running the TV's scan feature several times over the next few days with no results, and ended up having to watch the rest of the War episodes in analog SD. Then I tried switching the antenna to the DVR and set it up to receive the Lansing channels, which includes 23-1 thru 23-4. I received nothing for several months, trying 23-1 every few days, until several weeks ago when I caught an Antiques Roadshow episode, then a Pioneers of Television episode a week ago last Sunday. Wanted to watch Antiques Roadshow this past Monday night, as mentioned above, but it was back to no reception.

I have no problem with digital reception of 6, 10, 47, and 53 from Lansing, and also receive 3, 8, and 41 from Battle Creek/Kalamazoo/Grand Rapids. Any help appreciated - I'd be happy to supply any necessary information. Thank you in advance.

JT01

JT01,

You could try out one of the four bay "bow tie" type antennas just pointed at WKAR-DT. Fulton Radio Supply on S. Penn. in Lansing sells them. They don't sell the Channel Master line like you see referenced by a lot of people on this site (cm4228, I think is the four bow tie model #), but they have a model that looks about the same and works OK. WKAR-DT can be hard to get, my daughter and son-in-law north of Potterville have trouble with it also. I get them well, but I live on a hill.

The only other thing I can think of is you could try is a preamp on the antenna.

JT01,

You could try out one of the four bay "bow tie" type antennas just pointed at WKAR-DT. Fulton Radio Supply on S. Penn. in Lansing sells them. They don't sell the Channel Master line like you see referenced by a lot of people on this site (cm4228, I think is the four bow tie model #), but they have a model that looks about the same and works OK. WKAR-DT can be hard to get, my daughter and son-in-law north of Potterville have trouble with it also. I get them well, but I live on a hill.

The only other thing I can think of is you could try is a preamp on the antenna.

I think the preamp would be a better first try just due to cost. A new 4 bay antenna could be very pricey.

If you do decide to upgrade/replace your antenna, then look into www.dennysantennaservice.com. They are up in Ithaca, but if the antenna you purchase doesn't preform the way you need/want it to, they will give you a full refund or replace it with a different model to make sure your are happy.

Can you post a www.tvfool.com analysis for your location?

Also, D* added The 101 as a full time, Moeg4 HD channel yesterday

[QUOTE=jefbal99;12763021]I think the preamp would be a better first try just due to cost. A new 4 bay antenna could be very pricey.

Will try a preamp if necessary.

If you do decide to upgrade/replace your antenna, then look into www.dennysantennaservice.com. They are up in Ithaca, but if the antenna you purchase doesn't preform the way you need/want it to, they will give you a full refund or replace it with a different model to make sure your are happy.

I've heard of Dennys before - they sound good, but would prefer not to have to replace the antenna unless nothing else works.

Can you post a www.tvfool.com analysis for your location?

I went to this site, did the analysis and saved it as a PNG file. Not sure how to post it on this site - please advise. Thanks to all for the help.

JT01

The large UHF antennas are available from MCM, the prices are reasonable, I have tried several, I would recommend the vertical style bow tie rather than the old UHF log periodic, as the bow style have excellent rejection qualities, which cancel out a lot of the reflected signals (ghosting in analog) which seem to confuse my older receivers. You can look at them at mcminone.com

I went to this site, did the analysis and saved it as a PNG file. Not sure how to post it on this site - please advise. Thanks to all for the help.

JT01

after clicking the reply button, you have three sections: Reply to Thread, Additional Options, and Topic Review. In Additional options, click manage attachments. A new window will pop up and you will be able to browse your local machine for the PNG file and then attach it to the post.

jb

after clicking the reply button, you have three sections: Reply to Thread, Additional Options, and Topic Review. In Additional options, click manage attachments. A new window will pop up and you will be able to browse your local machine for the PNG file and then attach it to the post.

jb

File is attached - let me know what you think - thanks again.

JT01

FYI...

Heartland Video Systems is sending a field service tech Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday, January 14, 15, and 16 to perform upgrades to our digital television equipment. During these upgrades, there will be momentary service interruptions of a few seconds at a time. These interruptions will effect WKAR-DT channels 23.1 23.2 23.3 and 23.4.

The equipment to be updated:

Primary multiplexer
Redundant multiplexer
Primary system controller (Ncompass)
Redundant system controller
HD encoder 23.1
SD encoder 23.2
SD encoder 23.3
SD encoder 23.4
and the spare HD/SD encoder

FYI...

Heartland Video Systems is sending a field service tech Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday, January 14, 15, and 16 to perform upgrades to our digital television equipment. During these upgrades, there will be momentary service interruptions of a few seconds at a time. These interruptions will effect WKAR-DT channels 23.1 23.2 23.3 and 23.4.

The equipment to be updated:

Primary multiplexer
Redundant multiplexer
Primary system controller (Ncompass)
Redundant system controller
HD encoder 23.1
SD encoder 23.2
SD encoder 23.3
SD encoder 23.4
and the spare HD/SD encoder

Gary,

Will the viewer notice anything gained with these upgrades?

Gary,

Will the viewer notice anything gained with these upgrades?

I'll let you know on Wednesday.

Well, slap me and call me Shirley, the artist formerly known as Millennium Digital (now BroadStripe) has been quietly adding HD channels. Last week when I was looking at their lineups, I didn't notice anything, however, this week there are 6 new HD channels.

258 - Showtime HD
402 - Universal HD - HD Tier
403 - FSN Detroit HD - Expanded Basic
404 - National Geographic HD - HD Tier
405 - Food Network HD - Expanded Basic
406 - HGTV HD - Expanded Basic

Winnie, that was beautiful!! I'm in tears from laughing so hard, bravo, bravo :)

Looks like Comcast is reclaiming a ton of bandwidth from the analog cable system.

When the 4 new HDs roll, 8 analogs are being moved to digital...

12 Government Access (moves to 915 effective 1/15/08) News & Info
15 Educational Access (moves to 902 effective 1/15/08) News & Info
16 Public Access (moves to 916 effective 1/15/08) News & Info
17 Local Origination/MGTV (moves to 900 effective 1/15/08) News & Info
18 Educational Access (moves to 903 effective 1/15/08) News & Info
19 Religious Access (moves to 924 effective 1/15/08) News & Info
20 Educational Access (moves to 904 effective 1/15/08) News & Info
21 Educational Access (moves to 905 effective 1/15/08)


Not so fast, says a US District Court Judge. Looks like we won't be getting those new HD channels today after all. Hopefully this gets resolved soon!

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080115/NEWS06/801150419

:mad:

When the 4 new HDs roll, 8 analogs are being moved to digital...


Four new channels? I thought they were supposed to add 18 new HD channels today.

Four new channels? I thought they were supposed to add 18 new HD channels today.

No, four new HD channels were supposed to be added to the Lansing lineup today:

Discovery HD
TLC HD
Animal Planet HD
Sci-Fi HD

I'm not sure where you heard 18 new HD channels.

I'm referring to the Alaiedon, East Lansing, Meridian, and Wheatfield lineup.

Did east lansing get an upgrade today? I forgot to check on my way out, probably not though. There was an asterisk next to the HDs that said "coming soon with digital upgrade"

Did east lansing get an upgrade today? I forgot to check on my way out, probably not though. There was an asterisk next to the HDs that said "coming soon with digital upgrade"

I'm fairly certain that the upgrades were contingent on moving the local-access channels to digital channels (making room for more HD channels).

See the news article I linked above -- that has been delayed by a Judge.

Another reason I'm very glad I got away from Comcast. I would have to guess that the old TCI network got some HD channels today as they had been having infrastructure upgrades this past fall. As for the 4 new HD channels, I'm not sure if their roll out was dependent on the analog bandwidth that would have been freed up from moving the Public Access stations to digital.

Can anybody confirm or deny that any new channels are available today?

There are no new channels. Cable and internet was out for a long period yesterday, however when it came back on no new channels were added and my cable modem still says 550Mhz.


Can anybody confirm or deny that any new channels are available today?

Comcast.com channel listings have more channels listed for EL than yesterday.

Comcast.com channel listings have more channels listed for EL than yesterday.

The Lansing lineup is the same on Comcast.com. No extra 4 channels yet.

This sucks - people are now complaining about the lame government access channels being moved to the 900's, which everybody knew was going to happen. Hello - conversion to digital!! So our 4 awesome new HD channels are on hold. I'm not sure if this has been pointed out in any of the news articles I've seen. Comcast tries to improve their HD lineup and gets held up for something the other providers don't even offer. I'm no defender of Comcrap usually and will probably move to Directv soon, but this is lame. I want my Discovery HD - Bring on Planet Earth!! and Battle Star Galactica in HD!!

Hey kids, I'm gone until next Thursday on vacation, keep the thread alive and play nice :)

(Hopefully Comcast can get the PEG channels moved and the new HDs will pop on)

I've got the DVR set for plenty of HD recording while I'm gone and a day of recovery to watch before going back to the office :)

Go Pats, Go Pack, Sparty On and enjoy the snow while I'm on a sunny beach in Puerto Plata :)

Gary,

Will the viewer notice anything gained with these upgrades?

Well, Shirley, this was mostly a roll up to current revision levels on a whole bunch of software and bug fixes. The statistical multiplexing we use to mix four services into a single channel should be more reliable.

Anyone else having problems with reception on Comcast (East Lansing/Meridian) right now?

Yes, very crap-tastic dropouts on analog cable in EL right now... but it could be just my place.

I doubt it's just you, since digital is bad in Meridian at the moment.

Hey kids, I'm gone until next Thursday on vacation, keep the thread alive and play nice :)

(Hopefully Comcast can get the PEG channels moved and the new HDs will pop on)

I've got the DVR set for plenty of HD recording while I'm gone and a day of recovery to watch before going back to the office :)

Go Pats, Go Pack, Sparty On and enjoy the snow while I'm on a sunny beach in Puerto Plata :)

Vaya con cerveza...

since yesterday I lost my extra digi channels that I was recieving over basic comcast. I'm not in lansing, more south, but its dissapointing. I was recieving many channels through qam on 21-x,x,x,x and 22-x,x,x(up to 10 channels at times). They were strange though as they would randomly pause, ffwd, rwd, ect like it was someone else's dvr?? weird because they also were different stations all the time.

since yesterday I lost my extra digi channels that I was recieving over basic comcast. I'm not in lansing, more south, but its dissapointing. I was recieving many channels through qam on 21-x,x,x,x and 22-x,x,x(up to 10 channels at times). They were strange though as they would randomly pause, ffwd, rwd, ect like it was someone else's dvr?? weird because they also were different stations all the time.

The channels that would randomly rewind and such were others on demand streams. You may want to rescan as things most likely got shuffled around with the channel additions and changes taking place. However, only the basic channels should be in the clear, everything else is a bonus and may be taken away without notice.

The four new Comcast HD channels showed up today despite their not being able to move the analog public access channels into the digital realm.

Any new channels in East Lansing/Meridian yet?

No way - so the channels are there now in Lansing? Nice. can't wait to get home and check them out. Maybe my rant was premature.

nothing in EL yet.. unless i need to do something to reset eveything on my box.

i want discovery hd dammit!

Yeah, still no change in Meridian.

Update: Spoke to Comcast rep on the phone. The HD channels are still listed as "Coming Soon", but there's no more specific details available.

I wonder whether Comcast is holding off our upgrade because of Meridian's role in the PEG lawsuit...

I'm skipping town for a few days. The winners get to eat the losers in the meantime.

is up with comcast - There's super pixelation going on, especially for sports. Most of it is unwatchable. Its even going on in the non digital channels. Anybody else getting this?

I've had sound drop out for a few seconds every few minutes as well as frequent image disruptions in Meridian for about a week now.

Comcast was unwatchable last night - video/sound drop outs constantly. This has been going on and getting increasingly worse all week in Grand Ledge, at least at my home.

Tech comes today, which scared the **** out of my cable, so it straightened up before he arrived, naturally. He could find nothing wrong and said there was no common problem like mine being reported. Just to give him a good demo, I dvr'd my attempt at watching the Office last night - looked like a jig saw puzzle.

Al

Pretty bad In GR as well. You are not alone.

Fish

my on demand streams are officially gone since the 15th. Its dissapointing even though they were free and random for the 1st couple weeks of my qam TV arriving, I autoscaned and nothing, and do regular scans on those channels where they once were and no hits at all, Oh well.

btw does anyone else w/ comcast have random probs w/ cbs hdtv? I get some lines across the screen(which I would call noise not sure if thats the correct term?) and sometimes the audio is slightly garbled for a couple seconds at a time randomly.

Anyone having problems with accessing OnDemand on Comcast in Lansing? We picked up a digital box last weekend, and it's very hit or miss.

We press the button to go to OnDemand, the screen says "Welcome to OnDemand", then inevitably we get an error and a message to call tech support if it continues.

*sigh*

--deathster

Our cable and modem has been in and out during the day all week while I assume they work on it. It might be related to your on-demand (which I haven't used in a while) problems. We still have no new channels in east lansing, but they did say the upgrade would go from Dec. to June.

Racing season is underway. The green flag is out at the Rolex 24 at Daytona. Fox even carried the first hour. Speed Channel has several hours of coverage yet to come, and ol' Speedyvision finally turned on the HD for us.

Does WLNS support Gemstar-TV guide data yet? Heard the new Sling TR-50 would use it when it gets released this summer.

Anyone else in East Lansing or Meridian getting NBATV for free right now? Auto-search on my QAM tuner picked it up last night, and when I checked my cable box, I found it's on there, too. Not getting the rest of the sports tier (NFL, etc.), just NBATV. QAM has been getting the Travel Channel all month as well, and I don't think that's even supposed to be offered around here.

Ahh, the comforts of home...

Got back in at 1am on Thursday, but haven't been to the PC much. Had a death in the family that had to be dealt with when I got home, then spent the weekend getting the house and life back in order. Now back to the office grind...

Glad to hear that the Comcast subs finally got some more HD channels and that Comcast didn't wait for the PEG move (cept EL/Merdian).

Didn't notice anything new on D* for HDs from when I was gone. Still awaiting the Outdoor channel and Travel channel to pop up in HD.

It was weird, but I didn't miss HDTV at all while I was gone. I know, shocking :)

Not many changes from the last almost two weeks, had some D* reception issues last night...

TP 1-2 on 103b/c were about 20pts lower than the rest of the TPs and TP2 would drop to 0 many times. It appears that my box went back to a national release rather than the CE that I was on. I didn't realize this until Sunday night and I was too tired Friday or Saturday to worry about downloading the new releases.

Its nice to be home, but I miss the beach and ocean.

What are the chances EL viewers can watch the Superbowl in HD.... any chance comcast will add Fox before sunday?

What are the chances EL viewers can watch the Superbowl in HD.... any chance comcast will add Fox before sunday?

There is always a chance, but I wouldn't hold my breath

argh, i left my antenna on the balcony during the world series and don't really feel like buying a new one for the game. Its pretty absurd.

It's about time you showed back up, Jeff. I was beginning to think we needed to send a search party out.

It's about time you showed back up, Jeff. I was beginning to think we needed to send a search party out.

See #923, wonderful vacation, followed by family issues :)

Its all good now, just awaiting the birth of my first nephew in the next week or so.

Before Comcast carried WLAJ in HD, I had to hang my antenna out my front window during bad weather. I would bring it in after the Saturday evening game, then take it apart and dry it out. Worked great all along and i recently gave it to a co-worker to try out on a new HDTV.

I would think with EL adding more HD channels, that WSYM would be one of the first to go live. Its one of the Big 4 and carries the NFL, what more could you ask for?

Spent more than a few hours at the swin up bar, my wife is pictured center :)

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=100710&d=1201638135

My TV's QAM tuner just started picking up FOX in HD on channel 12-5 here in Meridian. Interestingly, I'm not getting it through my cable box, even after power cycling.

I'm also now getting WSYM over QAM in East Lansing. Woohoo!

Just did a full rescan and there are now a lot more channels on QAM, including many duplicates. Obviously there's still some reorganizing ahead. Most will probably disappear over the next few days.

Also, WLAJ is gone right now, both QAM and analog

Very interesting, maybe ya'll are going to get the superbowl in HD.

Comcast may actually surprise me for once

wow, that is great news, at the very least I can just unhook the cable box for the game. rock on.

I haven't been around this thread in a while since everything seems pretty stable OTA wise from Lansing. Sorry if this has been A&A before, but what's up with 23-4? I watch on my HR10-250 and it's basically stop action video. I though I had a hard drive problem when I tuned in the other day.

I don't watch 23-3 or 23-4 very much, but they seem fine the few times I have watched them. My old receiver displays 23-5 as audio only, but I never hear any audio on that sub channel.

My East Lansing Comcast QAM Channel scan turned up some new channels (including multiple instances of some channels):

12.1 ABC HD - 720p
12.2 Fox HD - 720p
17.1 On Demand channel
26.11 "Leased Access" Color Bars
73.1 SkyTeam Weather
73.2 NBC HD - 1080i
73.3 WKAR HD - 720p
87.1 Meridian Township
87.2 East Lansing Public Schools
87.3 Create Channel
87.4 PBS World
87.5 WKAR 4
87.6 Public Access
87.7 Detroit Public TV
87.8 City of East Lansing
87.9 City of East Lansing #2
87.10 "Leased Access" Color Bars
88.2 Super Station WGN
88.3 TV Guide Channel
89.1 Fox (non HD)
89.2 ABC (non HD)
89.3 Shop America
89.4 Unknown (Showing Infomercial)
89.5 ABC (non HD) Possibly ABC News or ABC International News?
89.6 CBS (non HD)
89.7 WKAR
89.8 CW
106.3 C-Span 3
108.8 Color Bars
109.1 WKAR HD - 720p
109.2 CBS HD - 1080i
110.1 Fox HD - 720p
110.2 ABC HD (this may be ABC News only) - 720p
111.1 NBA Season Pass Promo Channel
113.1 NBC HD - 1080i
113.2 SkyTeam Weather

Hmm, that's interesting. Most of the channels I'm getting now are the same as yours, but some of my channel numbers are different and I'm getting a few extra channels that you don't list. Although technically I'm in East Lansing, I'm right on the border with Meridian, so maybe I'm getting their lineup.

Has anyone in EL had WSYM pop up in the EPG on a Moto box?

this is all very good news.

Word is meridian got their HD upgrade, pretty much everything on the new channel guide from what I heard. Still nothing in EL besides the new QAM stuff.

Any word on whether or not Comcast will pick up Speed Channel's new HD feed when it launches next week?

It'd be nice to have for speed weeks in Daytona...

Any word on whether or not Comcast will pick up Speed Channel's new HD feed when it launches next week?

It'd be nice to have for speed weeks in Daytona...

I read over on DBS that it won't be available to MSOs until March 1st at the earliest.

I'm in Meridian, and as of this morning I haven't gotten anything new (aside from FOX on QAM). Aren't East Lansing and Meridian the same Comcast franchise? They should get new stuff at the same time. I think it's just going block by block right now as Comcast upgrades the infrastructure.

Sorry if this has been A&A before, but what's up with 23-4? I watch on my HR10-250 and it's basically stop action video.

I'm not seeing any problem with 23.4 here. Let me know if it continues to be a problem for you. Gary Blievernicht garyb@wkar.org (517) 432-3120 x 201

I My old receiver displays 23-5 as audio only, but I never hear any audio on that sub channel.

Next time you do a full channel scan the 23.5 should go away. We had it up for a while on a test basis, but many receivers just could not find an "audio only" service that we turned it off.

If 23.5 does not go away when you do a channel scan, if you set is like mine, an older Samsung, you might have to do a full factory reset to make it go away.

FOX finally showed up my cable box, but there's still no sign of the other HD channels we're due.

fox is up in EL on the guide as well.

Awesome for the EL folks getting WSYM. Super Bowl, NASCAR, MLB, very good :)

It's nice, but I'll be happy when we finally get the rest of the HD stations that Lansing has. The only cable stations we get in HD here are ESPN and ESPN2 (not counting the HD-only MOJO, MHD, and HD Theater).

Any word on whether or not Comcast will pick up Speed Channel's new HD feed when it launches next week?

It'd be nice to have for speed weeks in Daytona...

Speed already has had HD programming. They carried the Rolex 24 in HD last weekend.

Speed already has had HD programming. They carried the Rolex 24 in HD last weekend.

And AMA supercross, but only live. The replays have been in SD.

Some of the Rolex cameras looked like a 16x9 SD upconvert, but I was very happy to see the coverage in HD.

Can't wait for the 7th with Speed goes live in HD from Daytona for the Bud Shootout stuff. :)

Gary,

Yes my old tuner is a Samsung TS-T165 that I use with firewire to record to D-VHS tape and my PC. I will try another scan or just see if I can remove the channel. Now that you folks have added the new sub channels I can get a whole one hour program on one DVD.

Any word if WHTV will be going HD?

Thanks for all the info,
Mark

Any word if WHTV will be going HD?

Thanks for all the info,
Mark

I write them an email about every 3 months and have never once gotten a hint of a reply. I would have to make a guess that My Network TV just doesn't have enough HD to warrant the investment.

The OTA Pistons games that WHTV shows are HD in Detroit (from WDIV and WMYD), but I don't know what would be needed infrastructure-wise to get these to the other OTA stations.

I'm still waiting for the "big changes" at WLNS that their engineering dept emailed me about in the middle of December. To quote, "This is going to change real quick, , I can say we are investing a great deal into this right now, and it will be obvious when we're done."

I haven't seen a single change yet, but I don't watch much on CBS besides the sports coverage. I might start watching the news again if they wnet HD for the newscast.

Time for a follow up email.

And AMA supercross, but only live. The replays have been in SD.

Some of the Rolex cameras looked like a 16x9 SD upconvert, but I was very happy to see the coverage in HD.

Can't wait for the 7th with Speed goes live in HD from Daytona for the Bud Shootout stuff. :)

Yeah, the mobile cams with the pit reporters looked upconverted, but all the stationary cams pointed at the track were 720p. Looked good. It's a shame there isn't a good short-track series around like the ASA was. That would be great to see some beatin' and bangin' in HD. That's why I love when Cup gets to Bristol. To me, that Saturday night 500-lapper at Bristol in August, that's NASCAR at its finest.

D* Mega March Maddness package went on sale today for $69.99.

I bit and ordered, will be spending the first few days of the NCAA tourney working from home and rolling in the HD goodness of 4 different HD feeds :)

The OTA Pistons games that WHTV shows are HD in Detroit (from WDIV and WMYD), but I don't know what would be needed infrastructure-wise to get these to the other OTA stations.

The HD feed of the Pistons games are carried on fiber to WMYD or WDIV. The SD feed is on satellite for all the other stations to receive. Either all the stations would have to be able to receive the fiber feed or the HD feed would have to be put on the satellite (this option is more likely). Both options are expensive and most likely can not be economically justified outside of the home (largest) market.

The HD feed of the Pistons games are carried on fiber to WMYD or WDIV. The SD feed is on satellite for all the other stations to receive. Either all the stations would have to be able to receive the fiber feed or the HD feed would have to be put on the satellite (this option is more likely). Both options are expensive and most likely can not be economically justified outside of the home (largest) market.

Damn, maybe I'll just have to move to Detroit to get the HD locals

Just got an automated call from 888-266-2278 (Comcast, I assume) saying that WSYM is now available and that we can watch the Super Bowl on Sunday. I already knew that, but it's interesting that they called. I don't know if they called everyone in East Lansing and Meridian or whether it's because I had called about it last week.

I received a similar call, so it probably went to everyone.

Well, I emailed the WLNS engineering contact and I think we have a bit of a game on our hands...


XXXXX-

Hope the last 6 weeks have been good to you and WLNS. I just wanted to follow up on our email exchange from the middle of December and check on the "great deal of investing" that WLNS is doing regarding HD and 5.1 audio.

I haven't noticed any changes in any of the broadcasts that I watch (which is almost all CBS Sports related), however, there may have been some improvements that I missed.

You really peaked my interests with the note you had about "obvious" and "real quick" changes, so I've been trying to keep an eye out for something, anything.

Can you share any additional information with the masses? Any breadcrumbs that may lead us on the path to WLNS' ultimate goals?

Thanks so much

jb

I got a reply..

Well, the first week, we had to move this……..
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=101023&stc=1&d=1201906868


I told him that it definitely qualified as a breadcrumb and he said that he'll send me a much better one next week.

I'm very interested to see what comes next week

Rumor has it that WLNS laid off 19 people last week.

Rumor has it that WLNS laid off 19 people last week.

19? That's a lot of whacking...

Rumor has it that WLNS laid off 19 people last week.

damn, thats gotta be a significant part of their workforce

Young Broadcasting has been hemorrhaging cash, and their largest stations KRON in San Fransisco is now for sale.

I live in East Lansing and have a DVD recorder with a QAM tuner. I just did a channel scan to see if I could pick up Fox for the Superbowl and now I have no digital channels at all. Anyone else have anything like this happen?

No problems here, erikd; I just scanned on my Visio VX32L, and it's all still there.

Saw a Comcast PSA on WSYM that the HD channel was available on 234 just in time for the Super Bowl

I figured it out. My DVD recorder needed a firmware upgrade. Why the tuner couldn't pick up the channels after 4 months of working just fine, I don't know...

Unfortunately, I missed the Superbowl in HD, but at least everything is back to normal!

So I was just sitting here watching the NHL Network and my mind started wandering...

What if the Fox Spurts Network, now know as FSN, had never come to be or taken off. PASS might still be around and I wonder what kind of coverage they would have? Being that they would have their own MC facilities and complete control of production from beginning to end, might that RSN be an HD leader like NESN, YES, etc?

Getting FSN Detroit on cable was awesome back in the day because my family couldn't afford the premium price for PASS. My uncle had PASS and it was always a real treat to go to their house and see the Tigers or Red Wings or CCHA hockey. Does anyone from the PASS generation think that they might have been an industry leader for HD coverage?

Reading the History of PASS over at wikipedia, I think we would have started getting HD much sooner and would have fulltime HD coverage, studio shows, highlights, replays, etc. PASS was sold to the same group that owns WDIV (NBC in Detroit) and they were merged. WDIV has been an HD channel for quite awhile. They started HD broadcasting in March of 1999 and in November of 2002 became the first station in Michigan to locally produce HD programming with the Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Just my musings as I am sitting here tonight, pondering my HD obsession.

Yo, WILX, you have a perfectly good weather channel and just refuse to use it to full effect. Two opportunities that got missed Wednesday:

-Closings could be scrolled continously, or at least repeated frequently, on 10.2. Think of how many people would take advantage of that, especially if you do it consistently.
-In the news and weathercasts, a simple mention such as "for the very latest information anytime, tune to WeatherSource channel 10.2 for updates."

I've been emailing with John at FSN Detroit, inquiring about possible HD expansion with the new Houston Control center opening...

Looks like we will be getting a few more Tigers games in HD this summer (75 up from 60ish), however, no away game additions to the Pistons or Red Wings this spring.

He noted that 22 networks are controlled through that facility.

I guess I will just have to hope for the coming fall...

Young Broadcasting has been hemorrhaging cash, and their largest stations KRON in San Fransisco is now for sale.

I did a bit of reading yesterday and they are losing cash because of how much they paid from KRON. They are projected to take up to a 40% loss on what was paid for the station back in 1999. They set an industry record paying $823 million, heck they even had to sell a station in Wisconsin just for the down payment. Two other stations were sold in '02 and '04 just to help make the payments on KRON.

Hopefully they can balance their budget once this sale completes.

I put out another feeler to the engineering contact at WLNS, hoping for another breadcrumb :)

Yo, WILX, you have a perfectly good weather channel and just refuse to use it to full effect. Two opportunities that got missed Wednesday:

-Closings could be scrolled continously, or at least repeated frequently, on 10.2. Think of how many people would take advantage of that, especially if you do it consistently.
-In the news and weathercasts, a simple mention such as "for the very latest information anytime, tune to WeatherSource channel 10.2 for updates."

What percent of viewers in the Lansing DMA can receive digital channel 10.2 ?

What percent of viewers in the Lansing DMA can receive digital channel 10.2 ?

Anybody with Comcast or BroadStripe Digital cable has it in their lowest package, along with anyone with an ATSC tuner and UHF antenna

Looking like 75 out of the 150 Tigers games produced by FSN Detroit will be in HD this year

Looking like 75 out of the 150 Tigers games produced by FSN Detroit will be in HD this year

Where did you find this info?

Where did you find this info?

My contact at FSN Detroit, I'm waiting to hear back on when the final tv schedule will be published.

Edit in:

SD Schedule at 3pm today, HD in two weeks

Anybody with Comcast or BroadStripe Digital cable has it in their lowest package, along with anyone with an ATSC tuner and UHF antenna

Yes except.....

To receive 10.2 from Comcast or Broadstripe you need their STB or you need to have a digital cable (QAM) receiver

Yes except.....

To receive 10.2 from Comcast or Broadstripe you need their STB or you need to have a digital cable (QAM) receiver

Having digital cable usually infers having a STB or QAM tuner. How else would one see a digital cable signal?

Tigers FSN Schedule

What percent of viewers in the Lansing DMA can receive digital channel 10.2 ?

The point is that if they are going to have the channel, promote it and use it. I'm not saying discontinue the regular news and weather services on 10.1. I'm saying use 10.2 to its full capability and promote 10.2 so whatever the percentage of people that do get it will be aware of it and tune to it. Sponsors find that important.

I have to agree with cornell_lingus. I didn't even know that the channel existed until I was looking at my Comcast Channel Lineup brochure (to see what HD stations I'm still not getting). Now I find it quite convenient, especially with all the snowstorms.

Having digital cable usually infers having a STB or QAM tuner. How else would one see a digital cable signal?

That is my point. They don't see a digital cable signal. Witness the recent opposition to Comcast's attempt to move the PEG channels into the digital tier.

That is my point. They don't see a digital cable signal. Witness the recent opposition to Comcast's attempt to move the PEG channels into the digital tier.

It would be a great way to start educating the masses on the analog/digital switch in the upcoming year. Dedicate a few pages on their website to info on digital TV, ATSC, UHF, etc. Make a note that for more info on receiving WILX WeatherSource, go to the website and serach for XXXXX keyword.

Have a listing of the reception methods for OTA, Comcast, BroadStripe, and any other provider they've linked up with. On the OTA page, have all the info I listed above.

They would really be killing two birds with one stone

Tigers FSN Schedule

Follow up...

For the second consecutive year, the Tigers will have all but one of their games televised in their local area between FSN Detroit, FOX national and ESPN.

Though rainouts or postponements could change matters, the only game currently on the schedule that won't be on television is a Saturday afternoon contest on Aug. 2 against Tampa Bay. Because the game starts at 6:10 p.m. ET, it falls inside the FOX network's exclusive broadcast window, and they did not put that game on their broadcast schedule.

FSN Detroit, featuring the broadcast team of play-by-play voice Mario Impemba and analyst Rod Allen, will air as many as 151 games this season, including at least 75 in high definition on FSN HD. Three April and May games that conflict with the Detroit Pistons or the Red Wings are slated to air on FSN Plus, an alternate channel made available through cable and satellite providers.

The Tigers' season opener will also be simulcast over the air in Detroit on WJBK-TV 2. Eight Saturday afternoon games will be broadcast regionally as part of the FOX network package, including in Detroit on WJBK-TV 2, but there is no dedicated local over-the-air package.

The Tigers currently have at least two appearances on ESPN Sunday Night Baseball -- April 6 against the White Sox and April 27 against the Angels, both at home. More Sunday night games are likely to be added when ESPN begins to plan more of its schedule.

The Spring Training schedule will include four FSN Detroit broadcasts, all of them 1 p.m. ET starts: March 17 against the Reds, March 21 versus Toronto, March 23 against Cleveland and the Tigers' Grapefruit League finale on March 27 against the Phillies. The March 17 and March 27 games will be rebroadcast at 7 p.m. ET.

Not surprisingly, Tigers games have been a huge draw in the local television market. Last year's games on FSN drew an all-time high 7.5 average household rating. In the summer months from June through August, they've been the most watched programs in the Detroit market in each of the past two seasons, beating both cable and broadcast shows in prime time.

I have no clue why they wouldn't just push the Aug 2nd game back to 7:35pm and get it outside of the Fox window. Gotta be a reason

Very surprised that there are no local OTA games this year, just the national broadcasts on Fox.

Looks like it's a Tampa Bay issue (that's who/where we're playing on Aug. 2). While that's our only 6:10 start of the year, the Rays have a half-dozen 6:10 Saturday games on their schedule.

Looks like it's a Tampa Bay issue (that's who/where we're playing on Aug. 2). While that's our only 6:10 start of the year, the Rays have a half-dozen 6:10 Saturday games on their schedule.

That's just bloody crazy...

i know their team sucks, but they can't even drum up enough support to get their Saturday evening games on TV? They must really be trying to draw that crowd to the park.

That's just bloody crazy...

i know their team sucks, but they can't even drum up enough support to get their Saturday evening games on TV? They must really be trying to draw that crowd to the park.


I have no clue why they wouldn't just push the Aug 2nd game back to 7:35pm and get it outside of the Fox window. Gotta be a reason


Not crazy at all. Ratings for Saturday night games are not exactly great and by having the games start an hour before the Fox window ends they can attract people to the park who may not go to the park for a 7 o'clock game. They are just catering to the demographics of their population base.

few more breadcrumbs from engineering at WLNS...

First they had to move the existing equipment

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=101637&stc=1&d=1202502672

Then they had to move this junk

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=101638&stc=1&d=1202502672

and were left with a big empty room

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=101639&stc=1&d=1202502672

Stay tuned for next weeks installment of "As WLNS Turns..." (hopefully in HD :))

Funny, that doesn't look like Martha Dixon's Country House...

When is CSTV getting actual HD? That fish-eyed stretch-o-vision was driving me batty tonight.

When is CSTV getting actual HD? That fish-eyed stretch-o-vision was driving me batty tonight.

I don't watch their HD channel on D*, it gives me a headache. I'm hooping with the channel changing over to CBS College Sports Network and production moving to the CBS facilities in NYC, that we will start seeing some real HD.

I emailed my engineering contact at WLNS yesterday, hoping for more breadcrumbs regarding their technology investments/upgrades, but got no reply. Hope he wasn't part of the 19 that got cut.

Loved the Truck race in HD on Speed last night. Few audio issues, but still very nice :)

I was very impressed with D* Nascar Hotpass in HD (besides the initial audio issues). Watched almost all of the race on Tony Stewart's channel, very cool. But I won't be home enough this summer to justify the $79 (i think thats the price, maybe $89), so I won't be a full time sub, but very cool technology.

I made a deal with the wife...I get both the LCD and DLP in the living room for the first weekend of March Madness. I bought the D* package to get all the games in HD, it will be a college basketball orgy :)

I just need to come up with another H2X and LCD and it will be perfect :)

Not HD related, but I read in the LSJ this morning that WLAJ is undergoing another major shakeup. The new chick they brought in back in Sept to revamp the news dept has resigned amid fraud accusations from a financial services company she was running a few years back.

WLAJ news anchor Suzanne Page resigns as allegations surface
Former client says her business took almost $150,000

Mike Hughes
Lansing State Journal

There has been a sudden shift in news anchors at WLAJ, Channel 53.

Arriving is Bill Younkin, a newsman from WOIO in Cleveland, who had his first shift Monday.

And gone is Suzanne Wang-ler, facing accusations of taking a financial services client's money. She had her last local newscast - using the on-air name Suzanne Page - on Thursday.

"She resigned for personal reasons," said Jim Lutton, the new WLAJ general manager.

That resignation came as Detroit TV station WXYZ, Channel 7, aired a news report saying that in the Detroit area, Wangler:

• Has been accused by a former financial services client of taking almost $150,000.

• Pleaded guilty last summer to driving under the influence and child endangerment.

• Pleaded guilty in 2005 to retail fraud after employees said she tried to shoplift more than $600 in merchandise.

Wangler could not be reached for comment. She declined comment when confronted by WXYZ reporter Heather Catallo.

Lutton - who took over as WLAJ's general manager after the Feb. 6 resignation of Jim Wareham - said the accusations don't involve her time at WLAJ.

"She resigned ... to take care of those issues, which come from a couple years ago," Lutton said.

Wangler became the WLAJ anchor in mid-September 2007. She was returning to a city where she was once considered a key news asset.

In 1990, Wangler was named weekend co-anchor at WILX, Channel 10. Her name was already well-known locally. She was married to John Wang-ler, a University of Michigan quarterback.

In 1993, it was rumored Wangler would return to WILX as a main news anchor when Kathy Schmaltz's contract wasn't renewed.

That fell through.

Wangler worked at Detroit TV stations, wrote a book titled "A-Maizing Tailgating: Wolverine Cuisine" and spent time outside the news business.

Her latest troubles involve a financial adviser firm called Suzanne & Co.

Les Pingilley told WXYZ that Wangler was to invest more than $170,000 that he received from a divorce settlement. He said she took $149,083 of it.

The Royal Oak police have considered charges, the report said, and the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office is deciding whether to issue charges.

I made a deal with the wife...I get both the LCD and DLP in the living room for the first weekend of March Madness. I bought the D* package to get all the games in HD, it will be a college basketball orgy :)

I just need to come up with another H2X and LCD and it will be perfect :)


Well if you can't find another HDTV, get the Mega March Madness online. Not HD, but a great way to keep tabs on the other games and decide what to watch on the big tv.

WXYZ Article (http://www.wxyz.com/content/news/investigators/story.aspx?content_id=4a70ff1a-e197-4fa5-8172-23be7ebd2058) about the $150k fraud. Has more information, looks like this lady is a crook and up shits creek with no paddles in sight.

Well if you can't find another HDTV, get the Mega March Madness online. Not HD, but a great way to keep tabs on the other games and decide what to watch on the big tv.

Not a bad idea, us my laptop for work and the wifes for the other games :)

Not a bad idea, us my laptop for work and the wifes for the other games :)

One year I could not be home for the first round so a few friends and I rounded up some computers and put 3 computer monitors and a TV together so we could see all the games. It was a very productive day.

I don't watch WLAJ news often so I was surprised when I saw her on a broadcast while a few weeks ago. She looks like she's been chewed up and spit out several times over. There have been some hints that she has some substance abuse problems. I notice that the news stories aren't mentioning her marriage to John Wangler. Are they divorced, separated or what?

All 162 Tigers games will now be televised. FSN will JIP the August 2 game versus the Rays at 7:06 PM after the FOX exclusive window ends.

All 162 Tigers games will now be televised. FSN will JIP the August 2 game versus the Rays at 7:06 PM after the FOX exclusive window ends.

Thats awesome, the FSN Detroit HD 75 game schedule is due to be announced this afternoon

Comcast left a notice on my door saying that they're working on upgrading my "neighborhood". Does anyone know how local/quick this is? Should I expect to get new HD channels in a few days or several weeks?