St. Louis, MO - HDTV *OLD* [Text View] - Page 6

DroptheRemote

04-01-04, 09:01 AM

St Louis Tower Maps

For anyone doing the initial install of an OTA antenna, or anyone looking to fine-tune the positioning of their existing antenna, the attached ZIP file contains two maps showing the tower location for each digital station in St. Louis.

Your Right to Erect an Antenna and/or Satellite Dish

As more and more consumers purchase high-definition displays, there's increasing interest in arranging for receipt of HD programming via an over-the-air antenna or through a satellite dish.

Unfortunately with the proliferation of cable television in the 1980s and 1990s, many communities, property developers and homeowner/condo owner associations tried to undo the visual blight of antennas (and later, satellite dishes) from their local skylines. While these laws, rules or convenants were well-intended -- after all, it would be difficult to argue for the cosmetic benefits of a yagi antenna -- these actions are not legally enforceable.

The FCC has ruled -- with only a few very narrow exceptions -- that you have the right to receive over-the-air television and radio broadcasts and as a result you have a right to erect an antenna to receive these signals. This ruling also encompasses the erection of small satellite dishes.

Even if you have previously signed a lease or homeower association convenant that requires you to forego the right to erect an antenna or satellite dishes, the FCC has ruled that these types of provisions are unenforceable.

In general, there are only a few notable exceptions to this rule:

* First, the location of the antenna or dish must be an "exclusive use" area. As a homeowner or condominium owner, this would mean any part of the property over which you have control. For renters, this would also apply to balconies or patios that are intended solely for your use. The sort of rental property area that would not be covered would be general use areas, such as common passageways or rooftop areas that are clearly intended for the shared use of all residents.

* Second, the antenna or dish cannot be erected in areas that would create a legitimate safety issue, for example one that is dangling off a balcony or placed too close to electrical wiring.

* Third, there may be restrictions if you are located in a designated historical (or prehistorical) district, in which case a permit may be required.

The other major limitation is that these devices cannot exceed 1 meter (39.37 inches) in diameter.

The burden of proof in contesting your right to mount a dish and/or antenna rests with the landlord, homeowner association, city council, etc. Strictly speaking, you do not need to seek prior permission or provide prior notice, so long as the device is to be situated in an area under your control and there is no obvious safety issue.

However, before taking on the expense and effort of such an installation, you should read and review in its entirety the following summary of the FCC ruling on consumer rights to mount over-the-air devices:

http://www.fcc.gov/mb/facts/otard.html

More Information about Antennas and DTV

The Consumer Electronics Association antenna mapping program at AntennaWeb.org can help you determine the proper antenna to use, based on your own location and the distance from the local digital broadcast towers.

http://antennaweb.org/aw/welcome.aspx

Feedback to St. Louis Stations

Is there something that you're unhappy about concerning the digital broadcasts by local St. Louis stations?

Weird-looking presentation of standard-definition programming? Multiple channel bugs cluttering up those beautiful images? Somebody at the station forgot to "flip the switch" before or during the middle of your favorite HD program?

Or better yet, maybe you'd just like to send your thanks and encouragement to your favorite local station for the effort they've made so far in providing us with more and better HD programming. The cost and effort in providing digital and HD programming is significant, and it's important for the station owners and management to know that we're watching.

Well, here's the place where you can find the online addresses where you can send your comments and feedback.

KTVI Channel 2 contact:
ktvitech@fox2ktvi.com

KMOV Channel 4 contact:
programs@kmov.com
WNichol@kmov.com

KSDK Channel 5 contact:
jheskett@ksdk.gannett.com
kcreamer@ksdk.gannett.com

KETC Channel 9 contact:
letters@ketc.org

KPLR Channel 11 contact:
whatson@wb11tv.com
technical@wb11tv.com

KDNL Channel 30 contact:
jwright@kdnl.sbgnet.com

WRBU Channel 46 contact:
[no email, no web site, no HD programming]

__________________

DroptheRemote

04-01-04, 09:02 AM

* There are two ways to receive local digital/HD broadcasts in the St. Louis area. The first, and by far simplest, is to subscribe to Charter Cable. Unfortunately, Charter doesn't currently provide all of the available St. Louis digital stations. To date, Charter is only offering KTVI-DT (FOX), KMOV-DT (CBS) and KSDK-DT (NBC).

Until Charter is able to deliver a complete line-up of local digital/HD stations (or if you've already selected satellite for your subscription television service), you'll need some sort of antenna -- either indoor, attic or roof mount.

* Forget most of what you know about receiving traditional analog television via an antenna, as digital broadcasting is for the most part a different animal.

The first and most important thing to know is that digital signals, once received, tend to be highly stable. The sort of artifacts that you may recall about pre-cable antenna reception of local stations isn't all that relevant to digital reception. For example, in the digital realm there's no visual equivalent to the analog artifacts known as "snow," or "ghosting."

And in most cases, a digital signal won't slowly fade in and out as was sometimes the case in fringe analog reception areas. For the most part, with digital broadcasts you either receive the signal and have a near-perfect picture and sound, or you won't get anything at all.

In addition, barring significant topographical or architectural obstacles between your location and the transmission towers, digital signals appear to be more robust in terms of distance they can travel without degradation. While it's the exception rather than the rule, there are instances where digital OTA signals have been received as far as 120 miles from the tower.

So, just because you may have had difficulty with OTA analog signals in the past at your location, that doesn't necessarily mean you won't be able to receive digital OTA signals.

* All of the current St. Louis digital/HD stations are currently broadcasting in the UHF spectrum. The UHF channel assignments for local stations appears below:

26 - KPLR (WB)
31 - KDNL (ABC)
35 - KSDK (NBC)
39 - KETC (PBS)
43 - KTVI (FOX)
47 - WRBU (UPN)
56 - KMOV (CBS)

Today, all St. Louis stations are "simulcasting," with the traditional analog broadcasts via one frequency and the digital/HD broadcasts through another. For example, KMOV sends its analog broadcasts out as VHF channel 4 and then simulataneously sends its digital broadcasts as UHF channel 56.

As the transition to digital broadcasting progresses, there will come a time when the analog broadcasts will be discontinued and stations will only be transmitting digitally. While this switch from analog to digital was originally scheduled to take place in 2006, it's almost certain that the analog shutdown will be deferred for at least a few years.

But when that analog shutdown does occur, it's possible that one or more local stations will decide to shift their digital broadcasts to their longtime analog channel designations. As a purely hypothetical example, after shutting down its analog broadcasts, KMOV might opt to move its digital transmission to VHF channel 4.

* While the signals for digital/HD broadcasts are made up of binary data (zeros and ones), from a viewer perspective, there's nothing special about the antenna required to receive those broadcasts. As noted above, the actual transmission takes place over the UHF spectrum. That means that if you already have an old UHF-capable antenna on your rooftop or in your attic, there's a good chance that it will receive some, and possibly all, of the available local digital broadcasts. The only way to conclusively determine if that older antenna will carry you into the digital age is to test it.

However, it is possible that in order to maximize signal integrity you might need to upgrade the cable run from an existing antenna to your distribution point(s), especially if the antenna uses the flimsy ribbon-type cable connection. If you need to replace the cable for an existing antenna, RG-6 quad-shield coax is recommended. A 1,000-foot roll of RG-6 quad coax can be purchased for around $75, though it is possible to buy smaller quantities at a higher per-foot cost.

* If you're starting from scratch and need to purchase an antenna, there is some merit in selecting a UHF-only antenna. While a combo VHF-UHF antenna would likely work in many situations, a UHF-only antenna will normally give better, more reliable results. If you do have an existing antenna and it isn't capable of pulling in all of the stations in the area, there's a good chance that swapping out for a UHF-only antenna would result in better reception.

Of course, the downside in opting for a UHF-only antenna is that if any of the local stations subsequently decide to shift their digital broadcasts to their old analog channel assignment, a VHF antenna might be required to continue receiving those stations.

* Without officially endorsing one antenna over another, here are some suggestions that should work for most viewers within a 45-mile radius of the St. Louis transmission towers.

But first, bear in mind that antenna reception is one part art and one part science. What works in one location might not work across the street due to topographical or physical obstacles in the signal path at that second location. But that sort of anomaly is rare, and antenna reception is normally achievable with some reasonable effort and determination. But it is important to understand that there are no certainties and the only way to find out what can be received with an antenna in a given location is to test one yourself or arrange for one to be installed by a proven installer.

For outdoor or attic antennae, ChannelMaster sells at least two UHF-only models that you should consider -- the CM4221 (retail $25), which is a 4-bay rated for 45 miles, and the CM4228 (retail $50), which is an 8-bay rated for 60 miles. Winegard has the Prostar 1000 model PR-4400 rated for 45 miles, and the PR-8800 rated for 60 miles. Radio Shack also sells a UHF-only antenna (catalog # 15-2160, $30 retail) that is worth considering.

As a general suggestion, avoid antennas that look appear to be working overtime to not look like an antenna. While it's true that traditional antennae are unattractive and a lot of people consider them to be eyesores to be avoided at all cost, the newer streamlined, aerodynamic antennae seem to compromise reception capability in exchange for a more friendly appearance.

For indoor antennas, there are many options here as well, but the current performance leader is the Zenith Silver Sensor (ZHDTV1), which is available at most local Best Buy stores at a cost of around $40. The excellent performance of the Silver Sensor is probably in part due to the fact that Zenith actually designed the technology responsible for the transmission of OTA digital/HD signals, known as 8VSB.

Again, there's no reliable way to predict if an indoor antenna will work in your location, short of buying one and testing it. The good news here is that most of the major retailers have reasonable return policies, so it's unlikely that you'll be out major bucks if it turns out that an indoor antenna isn't up to the job in your home.

wilkemp

04-01-04, 09:13 AM

I have unplugged my STB (zenith 420), re-scanned the channels and I still get the video stutter. Is anyone else out there having the problem?

DroptheRemote

04-01-04, 09:16 AM

wilkemp,

I watched NYPD Blue on Tuesday night and there were quite a few dropouts. Not sure if this is the same thing you're seeing.

abcward

04-01-04, 09:21 AM

Question for us Charter people: DVRs are supposedly coming by June or so - is the Charter DVR our best option, or is purchasing our own DVR another option? If so, does anyone have any suggestions on make/model?

Thanks
Bruce

DroptheRemote

04-01-04, 09:39 AM

abcward,

I think the issue on HD PVRs is you're going to need to have a PVR that can read the incoming datastream from the cable company (in this case, Charter) or satellite company (DISH, DirecTV or VOOM!). I believe that these datastreams are unique and the specifics of the structure for those feeds is highly proprietary and closely held.

In the non-HD realm, a PVR could handle an RF, composite or S-Video input. In the case of HD, there aren't any consumer devices that I'm aware of that allow component inputs for recording, and in fact, this has been one of the primary points of Hollywood seeking copyright protection.

On the other hand, I don't think there's really anything to prevent a company from coming up with a PVR that was able to handle component (or RGB) inputs, but if that were to happen I think the lawsuits, restraining orders and other legal gymnastics would likely fly fast and furious and we'd probably also see more than a speed bump in the path of future HD programming, particularly for movies. I think this is Hollywood's number one nightmare.

Since cable is supposed to be moving toward a system where customers can buy their own set-top boxes at retail, it would seem that there's probably some common specification used by cable distributors. If so, maybe someone will develop a one-PVR-fits-all-cable-feeds option, but I haven't heard or read anything to indicate that's in the works.

wilkemp

04-01-04, 10:15 AM

Not dropouts, the video actually freezes for a split second, happens everyfew seconds, sort of like an annoying slo-mo. A few of us had this problem last year KDNL had done some upgrades and when they reverted back, problem was gone.

Mr_Bester

04-01-04, 11:19 AM

Re. ABC30
I had the freezes in the previous incarnation, but once they made the change, I haven't had any more. Although, I do have the Samsung T160 now instead of the Panasonic that I had the trouble with.
I watched NYPD Blue without any dropouts or stutters or anything. Great quality on my end.
Dug

WRacer

04-01-04, 06:00 PM

We have made no changes other than increasing the power a little five weeks ago. I see no drop outs or problems at the station,transmitter or home. Might be some multipath with a different power level.
Jim

tcfila

04-01-04, 08:57 PM

Jim,

Do you what the status of the KDNL/Charter negotiations on adding it to the HD lineup? As usual the Charter csr's are idiots. They said, does KDNL broadcast HD?

DroptheRemote

04-02-04, 07:49 AM

From SkyREPORT E-News:
_______________________________________________

Second Dish Issue Surfaces in SHVIA Bill

House lawmakers took the wraps off legislation aimed at reauthorizing the Satellite Home Viewer Improvement Act (SHVIA), which includes a proposed mandate requiring satellite TV companies to deliver local TV to consumers via a single dish.

The legislation, introduced in the House Telecommunications and the Internet Subcommittee during a hearing Thursday, took aim at EchoStar's DISH Network and its offering of a number of local TV channels via a second dish for a select set of markets. The bill would give satellite TV companies deadlines to place local TV channels delivered to consumers on a single dish, but it doesn't prevent the companies from delivering other types of programming via a second dish.

Several lawmakers offered support for the single-dish/locals item, including Rep. Charles Gonzalez (D-Texas). Gonzales said a number of stations in his home state are put on a second dish, including Spanish-language channels and programming aimed at Hispanic audiences.

Representatives of the broadcast community testifying before the subcommittee also voiced support for the proposed mandate.

David Moskowitz, senior vice president and general counsel at EchoStar, defended the use of a second dish for delivery of locals, saying the practice puts scarce spectrum to maximum use and allows the company to deliver local TV to a large number of markets. He also emphasized to the panel that the second dish and installation are free to consumers, and channels received on a second dish are delivered completely transparent to the viewer.

Draft House legislation for the satellite TV law renewal also includes a mandate to modify and improve the testing and waiver process for determining availability of off-air local TV channels, used to figure out eligibility for distant network signals. The draft also provides an extension of the statutory license allowing satellite TV to deliver distant network programming, though those testifying for the satellite TV business and lawmakers suggested that satellite TV should be given a permanent license for the service.

_______________________________________________

duihlein

04-02-04, 08:04 AM

From what I understand about Cable HD, the signal is sent using QAM256. Some companies are seneding this signal unencrypted for locals, but encrypting the pay/movie channels. Others are encrypting everything.

I'm not sure how Charter is handling this, but if they are sending locals unencrypted you could use a LG LST-3410A as a HD PVR.

I think a component based HD capture card (at least an affordable one) is still at least a year or two away. There is an awful lot of encoding that needs to be done to create a HD MPEG-2 stream. Look how long it is taking 2-3GHz PC's to down-convert HD to VOB based MPEG-2 or to convert AVI's to MPEG-2.

I have anumber of programs that I've recorded on my HiPix that I want to convert to DVD, but the process takes soooo long. I use Tmpgenc and it can take upwards of 24 hours. Of course, this is also doing VBR to reduce file size.

That said, it's amazing how fast technology can leap-frog itself, so there may be something just around the corner :)

Dave

rbkb

04-02-04, 09:56 AM

I just went on the KMOV/Titan TV Schedule page, and it says that we are not going to be able to see the Thursday & Friday CBS HD feed for the Masters. I read on this website that InHD will be covering the USA/CBS HD feed for these days. Unfortunately, Charter doesn't carry InHD (I think it is a Comcast sponsored station). In some markets, CBS is apparently carrying the Thur./Fri. HD feed on their OTA DT channels. Does anyone think we could convince KMOV/CBS to do this here? I bet I could convince my wife not to watch "The Young and the Restless" for two days!;)

Also, KMOV/Titan TV are still showing no HD feed in St. Louis for Saturday's Final Four. Please reassure me that this is just a "Titan TV Typo". Thanks.

BudShark

04-02-04, 12:32 PM

Originally posted by duihlein
From what I understand about Cable HD, the signal is sent using QAM256. Some companies are seneding this signal unencrypted for locals, but encrypting the pay/movie channels. Others are encrypting everything.

I'm not sure how Charter is handling this, but if they are sending locals unencrypted you could use a LG LST-3410A as a HD PVR.

Dave

Charter is encrypting all their QAM (no free & clear)

Chris

WRacer

04-02-04, 01:35 PM

Unfortunately corporate legal departments are still in the negotiation process. It's hard to say how long it will take to get a resolution, but don't hold your breath!

tcfila

04-02-04, 04:52 PM

Thanks, I appreciate the response. As for holding my breath, I learned a LONG time ago, when it comes to charter, to NEVER hold your breath.

Tim

wmschultz

04-03-04, 03:03 PM

As usual, TitanTv was wrong. The Blues game is not in HD today.

STL

04-03-04, 08:45 PM

Anyone else getting a high frequency whine on KMOV's HD feed? It started shortly after the end of the GT-OSU game.

abcward

04-04-04, 10:45 AM

its been kinda quiet in here this month....are there two April threads?

sandblaster

04-04-04, 02:06 PM

Hi all,

Longtime lurker/rare poster here. I was wondering if anyone can recommend a good external OTA antenna that can be mixed in (or is it muxed?) with a DTV dish. I live in the vacinity of Scott AFB and curently only have one of those Terk clip on antennas that believe it or not does fine for channels 26, 31, 39 and 56. I have intermittent reception on channel 35 (though that used to be solid) and no reception on 43 or 47. On a related issue, when this setup only fed my DTC100, I was able to switch between satellite or OTA signals with no problem, however about a year ago the DirecTV side of my DTC100 quit working and I replaced it with a DirecTIVO. So where I used to have one satellite feed coming from my multi-switch split to the DTC100's satellite input and OTA input, I now have it split to one of the the DirecTIVO's satellite inputs and the DTC100 OTA input. However, when I switch to the DTC100 to watch OTA tv, I also have to swap cables at my multi-switch and bypass it in order to get usable signal. Can anyone explain what's going on? Why was I able to watch OTA tv on my DTC thru the mulit-switch when the DTC's satellite receiver worked but now I can't?

Robert Simandl

04-04-04, 03:29 PM

Originally posted by abcward
its been kinda quiet in here this month....are there two April threads?

Can't speak for everyone else, but I'm posting a lot less than I used to because I sold my HD100 to help pay for the HD DirecTivo I preordered. Hopefully I'll have it late this month or early May, but in the meantime I have no HD and therefore can't comment on most subjects here :(

abcward

04-04-04, 06:14 PM

I have a normal Charter SD receiver and the Motorola HD 5100 receiver - also from Charter.

This morning I noticed that the SD receiver had automatically changed the time due to Daylight Savings. However the Motorola has not and is not 1 hour off. Does anyone know how to fix this?

Thanks
Bruce

redwine

04-04-04, 08:21 PM

Originally posted by abcward
I have a normal Charter SD receiver and the Motorola HD 5100 receiver - also from Charter.

This morning I noticed that the SD receiver had automatically changed the time due to Daylight Savings. However the Motorola has not and is not 1 hour off. Does anyone know how to fix this?

Thanks
Bruce

I have the same combination of Charter receivers but both are on daylight savings time. I would try unplugging for a minute and see what happens.

redwine

04-04-04, 08:41 PM

OTA receivers are never advertised in the papers at retailers like BB or CC. What do you think is the reason for this?

DroptheRemote

04-05-04, 08:07 AM

Robert,

Are you aware of that DirecTV is going to be heavily discounting the HD-PVR for high-revenue customers?

Not sure you (or I) would qualify, or what sort of additional contractual commitment they might require, but the latest I've seen on this is the following news excerpt from SkyREPORT E-News:

"For its part, DirecTV has always had a warm, fuzzy view of those big spenders. To keep them spending the DBS big kahuna has announced a new program to help lock subs in via easy (AKA cheap) install offers. Under the new offers, current customers can upgrade to DirecTV HD or DVR receivers at an install price of just $49. In some cities, current subs can pay a bit more ($99) to get the DVR receiver PLUS an off-air HD antenna installed. Why is this so important? Easy. It makes for happy customers. And happy customers tend to be sticky customers which is the current name of the game."

Robert Simandl

04-05-04, 08:31 AM

Hi Doug,

I saw that Skyreport (and the one that first mentioned the $49-$99 specials last week), but that earlier report last week had a follow-up the next day that stated those prices are only for the installation and don't include the equipment itself.

They're also saying "HD receiver *or* DVR" but not "HD DVR."

You could say I already got my big discount when my 3-year-old HD100 receiver went for $750 on eBay, at least $200 more other HD100's listed at the same time. And even more surprising considering brand new HD300's are now $399 at BB/CC. Throw in my old 1978 Dawn of the Dead board game and a few old LaserDiscs, and my out-of-pocket for the HD Tivo will be zero.

So even though I didn't get any "official" discounts from DirecTV, I'm a happy camper.

DroptheRemote

04-05-04, 08:40 AM

Ah, the fine-print is a killer every time...

redwine

04-06-04, 12:46 AM

Doug,

How is your article coming along? I think we would all be interested.

Mr_Bester

04-06-04, 01:22 PM

I don't know if anyone has posted this before, but I came across the Channel 9 HD schedule on their website. It has the entire month of April.

http://www.ketc.org/whatson/HD0404CT.pdf

Who knew Boobah and Clifford's Puppy Days were in HD? My daughter will be happy.
Dug

bl7385

04-07-04, 12:11 AM

Originally posted by duihlein
To duplicate the service I have now (Dish Network top 150 + SuperStations/locals + 2 Dishplayer 7200 (40GB HD Upgrade) @ 45.00 & SBC DSL @ 29.95)) I would pay about $5 more, but less channels and no PVR/DVR.

My DSL contract is up soon and it will go to $39.00, so I'm going to move my internet access over to Charter, but since I'm keeping Dish, I'd rather not pay for Basic Cable.

Dave

Your DSL price should not go up to $39. In fact you may be able to get it for $26.95 if you extend your contract and also get other services (Long Distance, ..). SBC also offers Dish.

---In the interest of full disclosure, I'm an SBC employee

DroptheRemote

04-07-04, 01:02 AM

Red,

I just sent out my proposed articles to a couple of publications on Monday. I won't be following up on those until the middle of next week. As a result, it's unlikely I'll know anything before then.

If I get a taker, I'll definitely let everyone here know about it and when the article might appear.

Bill787

04-07-04, 08:56 AM

Originally posted by WRacer
We have made no changes other than increasing the power a little five weeks ago. I see no drop outs or problems at the station,transmitter or home. Might be some multipath with a different power level.
Jim
Jim-- I was one of the folks with a Zenith HD420, along with wmschultz (Panasonic?) and Mr_Bester and b_sing (Panasonic TUHDS 20) who had video stuttering problems last July with your signal.

It definitely started again a week ago Monday and ABC High-Def has been consistently unwatchable since. I know the root cause is a compatibility problem as others have no problem, but still very disappointing.

A word to the wise: Stay away from Zenith or Panasonic receivers

wilkemp

04-07-04, 11:43 AM

Nice to hear that I am not the only one having the problem, any idea on how to fix it other than buy another STB, don't think the wife would go for that right now. Zenith HD420, cheap RCA indoor antenna that does work fine for all stations except UPN.........

wmschultz

04-07-04, 11:53 AM

I have since upgraded to the Zenith 520 and haven't had any problems with Channel 30. My problem is with Channel 2.

wilkemp

04-07-04, 11:57 AM

Sent Charter an email concerning HD availability in StL City, response:

"Thank you for contacting Charter. We are in the final phases of the upgrade process in the city area. Much of the city has been completed. Due to several factors involved in the upgrade process we do not have an exact date as to when it will be completed. We will notify when it is completed and HDTV and High Speed Internet is available to you. As for our DVR service we recently launched that on the West Coast, and we anticipate launching it to the St. Louis Metro area in late June, or July of this year. Those boxes will also have a built in HD tuner and will be able to record in HD."

Any one in STL city have Charter HD service?

BradZ

04-07-04, 12:21 PM

OFF TOPIC,

just wanted to let my virtual STL home theater loving friends that I recently purchased an SVS 20-39 PCi sub. I know purchasing this product unheard was somewhat daunting for me, so anyone considering buying an SVS is welcome to come down to beautiful Crystal City and put it through its paces.

now, back to your regular scheduled HD thread...

abcward

04-07-04, 07:17 PM

ESPN-HD is currently showing the Detroit/Nashville NHL playoff game - however the video doesnt look HD to me - does anyone know if it is supposed to be in HD or not?

wmschultz

04-08-04, 09:15 AM

No, it wasn't scheduled to be.

If you look here:

http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/tvlistings/espnhd/index

You will see the ESPNHD schedule, but it does say it is
subject to change....

Bill787

04-08-04, 10:49 AM

Originally posted by wmschultz
I have since upgraded to the Zenith 520 and haven't had any problems with Channel 30. My problem is with Channel 2.
Nice to hear from both wilkemp and wmschultz.
Wmschultz-- Would you tell us a bit more about the 520? What features does it have which made you decide to upgrade, and what's gone wrong with ch. 2?

I miss ABC-HD but the video stuttering which has started up again with my Zenith 420 makes it unwatchable.
Bill787
(Saint Charles with rooftop antenna)

wmschultz

04-08-04, 02:30 PM

I was going to get the Sony HD200 but since it and the 520 were manufactured by LG Electronics I decided for the lower cost of the 520.

I bought it at Circuit City a little while ago and then it was listed on their
website shortly after that for $100 off so I went back and got my refund.

It is definately quieter than the Panasonic, the channels change faster and the remote response is much better. I also like the signal meter for OTA.

My channel 2 signal is terrible. I might need to get back on the roof and point my antennea a little more south than what it is. I had moved it more east during football season when channel 2 started messing up.

Fox 2 did call me back after I called them but my daughter unplugged the answering machine so I lost the message...My wife got it the first time.

I'm also in St. Chuck........

Scroft391

04-08-04, 03:02 PM

One way to fix the "stuttering" problem on ABC-HD is to have them and Charter come to an agreement so we can get it on Charter-HD. Ever since Charter-HD became available, I have stopped watching ABC-HD. I did try and watch The Practice a few weeks back on my over the air set up but it was unwatchable with the picture stuttering. It looks like I won't get to see the last few episodes of The Practice in HD before it goes off the air.

Mr_Bester

04-08-04, 06:33 PM

I upgraded to the Samsung T160 from the panasonic. I have had no problems with the samsung. I got it from that d* thread for $99.
Dug

Tom Grooms

04-08-04, 08:01 PM

zjwagner

04-09-04, 12:02 AM

Hey all, I need some advice. I just activated Charter HD today and they delivered a Motorola box with a very clunky remote. I'd like to use my remote from the 5065 sammy dlp to control the cable box, but there doesn't appear to be a code that will work. Anyone have this problem and find a fix?
Thanks!

duihlein

04-09-04, 08:08 AM

Nice, A random check of the available HD programing yielded "The Masters" on CBS in HiDef. Funny thing is that channel 4 is playing Entertainment tonight but 784 (Charter) has Augusta National in 1080i.

CBS has done this in the past for Golf. They also did it during the NCAA tournement. I wish they would do it for Football, but maybe that won't be as much of an issue this year.

Here's a schedule i found http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=388260

CBS
Thursday 4/8
Live 4-6:30pm

Friday 4/9
Live 4-6:30pm

Saturday 4/10
Live 3:30-6:30pm

Sunday 4/11
Live 2:30-7pm

USA
Thursday 4/8
Live 4-6:30pm, encore 8-10:30pm

Friday 4/9
Live 4-6:30pm, encore 8-10:30pm

Enjoy!!

Dave

oby

04-09-04, 08:15 AM

it was a real treat yesterday between 4:00 and 6:00 to watch the Masters in HD on Charter's HD channel. I would occasionally compare it to the standard feed on USA channel, and the difference is amazing. I just wish Charter would add ABC HD, and Discovery HD.

wmschultz

04-09-04, 08:47 AM

For all of you D* subscribers that haven't been following the thread in the HDTV Hardware section about the $99 HD receiver deal.......

I called yesterday to complain about the lack of HD channels and was offered Showtime and HBO (all of the channels of each) for $2 a month for 6 months.

I don't know how reliable this information is but I was also told once the new satellite goes up they will be offering more content.

wilkemp

04-09-04, 09:20 AM

Watched a little of Kingdom Hospital last nite and no stutter problem at all. Strange situation.

abcward

04-09-04, 09:40 AM

Originally posted by zjwagner
Hey all, I need some advice. I just activated Charter HD today and they delivered a Motorola box with a very clunky remote. I'd like to use my remote from the 5065 sammy dlp to control the cable box, but there doesn't appear to be a code that will work. Anyone have this problem and find a fix?
Thanks!

I too ditched the remote that came with the Motorola 5100 - however I use a Sony RM-AV3000 as my only remote. It is one with the large backlit LCD touchscreen. I would recommend it to anyone that is tired of the hassle of multiple remote controls.

A good place to start if you are looking for a specific code is www.remotecentral.com - this is THE place for remote controls and information about them.

Hope this helps!

Bruce

WRacer

04-09-04, 04:36 PM

I rebooted the HD computers...maybe that helped!
Jim

DroptheRemote

04-10-04, 08:29 AM

FYI -- There's a generic thread about Charter HD program offerings over at the HDTV Programming forum:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=389096

abcward

04-10-04, 02:38 PM

I am channel surfing this afternoon and noticed channels 882, 883, and 884 are showing baseball games that I can watch.

Is there some reason why I am getting these channels? I thought these were pay-per-view or mlb package channels.

Thanks
Bruce

DroptheRemote

04-10-04, 03:03 PM

MLB Extra Innings provides a free preview during the first week of the season.

I think it will available through games today or tomorrow, and after that requires a subscription.

Definitely a nice way to initially hunker down to a new Fantasy Baseball season...

abcward

04-10-04, 03:25 PM

Does the same thing apply to NHL playoff games? Because I can view those games too today in the 800 channels.

DroptheRemote

04-10-04, 03:29 PM

abc,

I don't really know about the NHL package, as I've never really paid any attention to it. I did check here and I'm not getting any sort of free preview for the hockey games on DirecTV.

Maybe lady luck is smiling on you...

tcfila

04-11-04, 05:45 PM

Just turned on the Masters and the picture is shifted about an inch and a half from the right side. I've seen this on Non HD programs, but never on HD programs. Anyone else having the problem?
Tim

RaceTripper

04-11-04, 05:56 PM

Originally posted by tcfila
Just turned on the Masters and the picture is shifted about an inch and a half from the right side. I've seen this on Non HD programs, but never on HD programs. Anyone else having the problem?
Tim

I'm not getting it in HD all all (channel 4). They seem to be showing it in standard def with the zoomed 14:9 mode.

If the black bars to the sides are uneven for you, you may need to adjust the X-Pos setting in the service menu for your TV, cause they're even on my TV.

Dean

starfire

04-11-04, 08:09 PM

Is anyone else not getting any signal from ABC 30.1? I usually have signal strength in the mid to high 90% range from ABC.

Thanks,
Terry

WRacer

04-11-04, 08:36 PM

FYI, KDNL-DT's transmitter failed late Saturday night. Parts need to be ordered. We'll get it back up as soon as we can.
Jim

wmschultz

04-11-04, 08:58 PM

ABC-30..

I guess you fixed that stuttering problem then, huh Jim...??

At least it isn't a problem I caused at my house. I had moved my antennae and lost all but Channel 5. I got PBS but lost everything else.

I went back out and moved my antennae back and got everything I had and lost PBS. Then I noticed ABC was missing. Without getting back up on the roof I figured I better check the board...You guys rock.. I knew there was a problem and I would find it here.

Thanks guys!

Phoenician

04-11-04, 10:22 PM

Originally posted by WRacer
FYI, KDNL-DT's transmitter failed late Saturday night. Parts need to be ordered. We'll get it back up as soon as we can.
Jim

Jim,

Thanks for the update. How come the station doesn't carry backup transmitter parts. No disaster recovery plans or procedures? I guess maybe the station doesn't think DT warrants such failsafe measures.

As always, thanks for the updates and contributions.

--phoenician

rbkb

04-11-04, 11:18 PM

Unfortunately, I had my entire family over this afternoon to watch The Masters in glorious HD. But to my surprise, when I turned to Charter Channel 784, it looked fuzzy with no 5.1. Didn't look anything like it did Thursday, Friday or Saturday. I then change to standard Channel 4, and, to my surprise, I realized that KMOV was not using the HD feed, They were stretching the SD feed on their DT station. Well, confused, I called KMOV and the engineer said that they had an HD problem, and were not able to show the Masters in HD today.

Oh, what a shame. KMOV does such a good job day in and day out with their DT station, it was sad to see that they could not produce on one of the greatest HD events.

Does anyone know when the HD signal will be fixed???

dbears

04-12-04, 05:04 PM

KMOV was having serious problems during the early rounds of the Masters. There were frequent break-up and severe pixelation. When the picture was working, it was absolutely stunning. Finally, they must've decided to go the standard definition to avoid the annoying break-ups. I was very disappointed. It was, however, a great tournament.

Mike (Da Bears)

marlowsa

04-12-04, 07:27 PM

FYI -

Charter is now selling Showtime and The Movie Channel for 4 dollars a month if you have the family tier. This includes HD Showtime.

MyMonyPit

04-12-04, 09:14 PM

Well, we're finally up and running in our totally re-done family room. Thanks for some of the advice given on this forum! The fine tuning will come on down the road. We had a Dish 811 installed a couple of weeks ago. Rolled the Samsung DLP 56 inch into the room just long enough to verify it was working. Went to a couple of the HD channels and wasn't too impressed but figured I'd look closer later. It turns out the tech used an S-Video connection which will only do standard definition. I went to Ultimate Electronics this weekend and picked up a DVI cable. Monster sure is proud of their cables but since the 811 will put out 1080i and that's native for the Samsung, I figured it would be worth it. So far, it seems to be.

Installed the Channel Master 4228 antenna (Doug's recommendation) in the attic and orientated it to about 165 degrees. Antennaweb.org showed the broadcast towers between 156 and 176 degrees. My strength meter is showing:
2.1 Fox 90
4.1 CBS 93
5.1 NBC 83
9.1 PBS 94
11.1 WB 85
30.1 ABC (nothing right now)
46.1 WRBU 71

Overall, I'm pretty pleased. I'm running 100' of RG-6 without no amplifier. The HD channels are looking great! I don't say much, just lurk most of the time but I wanted to say thanks for the assist.

RaceTripper

04-12-04, 09:32 PM

Originally posted by MyMonyPit
... Rolled the Samsung DLP 56 inch into the room just long enough to verify it was working. ...Monster sure is proud of their cables but since the 811 will put out 1080i and that's native for the Samsung, I figured it would be worth it. So far, it seems to be....

The native resolution for your Sammy DLP is 720p, not 1080i. If your 811 has a switch to output 720p, you may be better off to set it to that. That's what I do with my Sammy HD STB and Sammy DLP.

BTW: I used a DVI cable for a while, and found the Sammy STB (SIR-TS160)works much better with a component cable. SD looks way better than with DVI. HD is also better (especially black levels), but not by as much.

re: Monster
I've never been able to see/hear a diffrence between Monster cables and cheaper run of the mill cables. I think Monster is like Microsoft. Their marketing has everyone convinced they have the best, but that's just not the case. If you're willing to spend more on cables, check out Transparent Cable. They really do make a significant difference in my experience, but they don't come cheap.

Dean

MyMonyPit

04-12-04, 10:00 PM

Originally posted by dwette
The native resolution for your Sammy DLP is 720p, not 1080i.

See, that shows you what I know! I changed the 811 to 720P.

Originally posted by dwette
re: Monster
I've never been able to see/hear a diffrence between Monster cables and cheaper run of the mill cables. I think Monster is like Microsoft. Their marketing has everyone convinced they have the best, but that's just not the case.

I agree. I'm not a Monster fan but I couldn't find a DVI cable locally. I tried Gateway Electronics and Radio Shack. I've heard a few others say they like the picture better with the component input. Are you using any special cabling?

RaceTripper

04-12-04, 10:16 PM

Originally posted by MyMonyPit
I agree. I'm not a Monster fan but I couldn't find a DVI cable locally. I tried Gateway Electronics and Radio Shack. I've heard a few others say they like the picture better with the component input. Are you using any special cabling?

I use Transparent Cable (http://www.transparentcable.com/index2.html) for everything (video, analog and digital audio, speaker). But like I said, it's not cheap (e.g. $175 for their entry level HP component cable). I use their Premium component cable with my Arcam DVD player and well-mastered DVDs look almost like HD. I use the entry level component cable for the STB.

Dean

BradZ

04-13-04, 10:19 AM

Did we ever get a definitive answer about CBS? It was very dissapointing to not see such a great golf tournament in HD. Was there an equipment malfunction? I haven't checked CBS since Sunday so I don't know if it's fixed yet. Whenever they make the switch like that they should put some sort of crawl across the screen saying what the problem is. The sad thing is that there are a lot of newbies out there thinking- "this doesn't look that much better than regular tv."

On a related note- if any of you have friends or co-workers that are getting into HD, do them a favor and go check out their set-up. A friend of mine had charter set-up his system and had the box linked to the tv with S-video. He was very impressed with the picture and was bragging about how great everything looked. Once I hooked it up right with components he didn't say a word- he just sat there staring.

Be a friend to a newbie and double check their set-up. (This isn't a charter bashing, DirecTV did a similar thing to my in-laws.) Until people and installers are trained on this stuff, people will never be motivated to buy into HD because they haven't seen it properly displayed.

abcward

04-13-04, 10:26 AM

Excellent idea Brad - there are far too many uninformed consumers and installers these days.

On another note - I have been recommending HDTV service to friends here or there who have big screen HDTV televisions. Too many people do not realize that 'big screen' does NOT equal hdtv.

This technology is confusing to many consumers out there - the more people that we can inform, the more people will demand HDTV content....and hopefully that means more content for all of us.

Bruce

DroptheRemote

04-13-04, 10:31 AM

BradZ,

This is TOO true (and TOO sad).

I have seen incorect connections on HDTVs two or three times in the last year when doing calibration work.

But the even more common mistake is connection of progressive DVD players via S-Video, composite or even RF.

The only good thing about this for me is that makes the post-calibration difference even more dramatic than it would otherwise be. To be fair, I haven't seen this with a Charter HD STB yet, but then I haven't seen that many customers with Charter HD either. But I'm not surprised to hear this is happening with some of their installers.

aspec2

04-13-04, 07:44 PM

Please

I was out of town and set Titan to record the last round of the Masters. Greatest back 9 I have ever seen and I watchemall. On Monday, still out of town, I checked this thread and was extremely disappointed to learn that it was not in HD. I flew in last night and checked the recording. The first couple of holes were in SD. By the time the leaders got to the 3rd hole it was 16X9 and looked pretty good. I watched it in SD in Texas and can tell you that down converted HD is still better than SD. Were that last 15 holes SD or HD?

Walt

KBryant888

04-14-04, 11:05 AM

Satellite Advice

Hello everybody, I was wondering if you guys could give me any latest offers that you have heard of as far as Satellite TV is concerned.

I will have one HDTV that will need to be connected. It would be nice to have another non-hdtv for the bedroom but that isn't a big deal.

I basically just want a basic package with the HD channels.

I am moving into my new apartment in less than a month, so I just want to get things squared away.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

-Chris
"St. Louis"

KBryant888

04-14-04, 11:37 AM

Okay I just called my apartment complex and they only offer "SBC Digital Cable"... have you guys ever heard of this?

wilkemp

04-14-04, 12:24 PM

I lived in a complex that offered SBC, it was directv service, at the time SBC did not offer any HD service, now that they have a deal with DishNetwork that may have changed. Service was good for the 2yrs I had it, a few times I lost signal and they had to come out and give me a new STB, basic Sony receiver, but overall not bad and slightly cheaper than cable at the time.

DroptheRemote

04-14-04, 12:33 PM

Yeah, when I first saw KBryant's note I thought of the DISH/SBC relationship, but his note said "SBC Digital Cable," and I didn't have time to follow up what that might be.

I'm really doubtful that this is actually a digital cable bundle, because the whole reason for SBC (or any phone company) to get into the subscription television business is to thwart cable companies that are beginning to offer a bundle of phone services.

It doesn't seem likely that SBC and Charter are climbing into the same bed together -- even though they customer service "philosophy" has an incredible degree of commonality. I've been trying to get SBC to process a change of billing address request for 6 months now without success. Apparently it is much easier to just shut down my phone than send me a bill to an address where I can receive it and pay it.

KBryant888

04-14-04, 01:54 PM

Okay I made some more phone calls and found out that they had no clue what they were taking about.

It's actually DirectTV..... I was really confused too, I am sure I will be back for some more advice, shortly. Take care.

WRacer

04-14-04, 07:17 PM

We are back on as of 5:05 PM today. And yes, we now have some back up equipment for the part that failed!
Jim

dweebe

04-14-04, 07:30 PM

Originally posted by WRacer
We are back on as of 5:05 PM today. And yes, we now have some back up equipment for the part that failed!
Jim

Thanks for keeping us posted and all of your efforts.

dweebe

04-14-04, 08:01 PM

The NFL just released the 2004 season schedule:
http://www.stlouisrams.com/Schedule/

How many regular season games do you think will be in HD? Fox is the big wildcard since there have been rumors that every NFL game will be in HD while other reports have 2 or 3.

We have four ABC/ESPN night games:
Sun. Oct. 3 @ 49ers 7:30 pm ESPN
Mon. Oct. 18 Buccaneers 8 pm ABC*
Mon. Nov. 29 @ Packers 8 pm ABC*
Mon. Dec. 27 Eagles 8 pm ABC*

We have one CBS late Sunday 3pm start that is national:
Sun. Nov. 7 Patriots 3:15 pm CBS*

That makes five so far. I wonder how many of the Fox games will be in HD?

redwine

04-14-04, 09:07 PM

A coworker/friend of mine swore his big screen TV has a picture quality which was HD. The big screen TV was HD ready which meant to him that his Dish Net. digital connection was good enough. He liked his picture until he saw "real" HD. He did not realize he needed a special HD receiver and furthermore did not want to pay more. This is the issue. People pay more for the HD TV and don't want to pay more for the HD reception.

w0zek

04-14-04, 11:03 PM

Originally posted by WRacer
We are back on as of 5:05 PM today. And yes, we now have some back up equipment for the part that failed!
Jim

Way to go! Missed your booming signal in south county. Thanks to you and your crew.

bigcrabass

04-14-04, 11:04 PM

Fox... HD.... There are two words that don't fit in the same sentence!

wilkemp

04-15-04, 09:32 AM

Reading the press release from Fox, we could possibly have every RAMS game in HD. Fox will broadcast 6 games per week in HD. I am ready for some HD Football baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

dweebe

04-15-04, 01:07 PM

Based upon the schedule (http://www.stlouisrams.com/Schedule/) from the Rams website I would now guess that 15 of the regular season games will be in HD. The only suspect might be the season ender against the Jets. It's a CBS non-national noon start game.

abcward

04-15-04, 02:16 PM

NFL ON FOX KICKS-OFF SUPER BOWL SEASON SEPT. 12th IN HIGH DEFINITION

FOX Sports Becomes First Network to Present Up To 6 Games Each Week in HD

FOX Sports’ 2004 NFL regular and postseason broadcast schedule boasts an unprecedented presentation of high definition programming. Beginning Sept. 12, the network will present up to six games in 720p high definition every week during the regular season. In addition, all nationally televised regular and postseason games, including the NFC Championship Game and SUPER BOWL XXXIX, will be offered in the 720p (progressive) high definition format, which takes 60 razor sharp, complete pictures per second, producing spectacular moving images. No other network has ever produced as many as six NFL games in HD on the same day.

The NFL on FOX’ eleventh season boasts 64 games featuring last season’s playoff teams, including: the Seattle Seahawks (13); the NFC Champion Carolina Panthers (12); the NFC North champion Green Bay Packers (11); the NFC East champion Philadelphia Eagles (10); the NFC West champion St. Louis Rams (10); and the Dallas Cowboys (10). FOX’ 2004 schedule also includes 12 games featuring the Washington Redskins’ crusade for the Lombardi Trophy, back under the direction of the last man to lead the storied franchise to glory, head coach Joe Gibbs.

Once the playoff teams are determined, the NFL on FOX presents exclusive live postseason coverage, including: an NFC Wild Card Game on Sunday, Jan. 9; the NFC Divisional Playoffs, Saturday, Jan. 15 and Sunday, Jan. 16; the NFC Championship Game on Sunday, Jan. 23 and culminates with SUPER BOWL XXXIX on Sunday, Feb. 7 from ALLTEL Stadium in Jacksonville,
FL.

This season’s NFL on FOX coverage again kicks off with three regular-season NFL Europe League contests in June leading up to World Bowl 2004, the league’s championship game, Saturday, June 12 (12:00 PM ET), live from Gelsenkirchen, Germany.

The NFL on FOX’s 2004 preseason schedule features Jeremy Shockey and the re-tuned New York Giants against the NFC Champion Carolina Panthers, led by former Giant defensive coordinator John Fox, on Thursday, August 19 (8:00 PM ET), live from Ericsson Stadium in Charlotte. Eight days later on Friday, August 27 (8:00 PM ET), Joe Gibbs and the Washington Redskins visit Marshall Faulk and the defending AFC West Champion St. Louis Rams at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis.

David Hill and Ed Goren are the Executive Producers of the NFL on FOX. Bill Brown is Senior Producer. Scott Ackerson is the Coordinating Producer of FOX NFL SUNDAY.

bigcrabass

04-15-04, 07:20 PM

I'll believe it when I see it. Wanna bet it is 480p in STL

DroptheRemote

04-15-04, 07:32 PM

bigcrabass,

I'll take that bet.

KTVI is owned and operated by FOX and on that basis I think you will see the network putting its best foot forward here.

dweebe

04-15-04, 08:19 PM

Originally posted by bigcrabass
I'll believe it when I see it. Wanna bet it is 480p in STL

I'll also take that bet. All Fox owned and operated station will be doing HD this fall. (I've seen this in numerous threads.) Here is a link that's a few years old but shows KTVI on the list of O&O stations.

http://www.newscorp.com/feg/foxReport2000/televsion3.html

DroptheRemote

04-16-04, 09:02 AM

There's a couple of interesting articles linked below.

One is about FCC discussions that would allow cable carriers to downconvert digital/HD signals of local channels to analog, so that digital signals could be delivered to non-digital TV households. If you don't think that sentence makes any sense, neither does this idea, but we are talking bureaucrats here.

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=televisionNews&storyID=4821592&section=news

The other is about the idea of pushing the target date for the shutdown of analog broadcasting to 2009. I think this is just recognition of the reality that there's no possible way of meeting the original target of end-2006. Frankly, even though there is real momentum for the transition at the moment, I think 2009 is still probably overly optimistic.

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=televisionNews&storyID=4834331&section=news

RaceTripper

04-16-04, 09:05 AM

I think the shutoff date should remain as is for now, regardless of reality. Pushing it to 2009 just encourages more procrastination for TV station bean counters.

Dean

GreatRat

04-16-04, 11:57 AM

Hi,
A newbie question. I just about setup my HDTV with dish network and OTA. I have a couple of questions:
1. I connected an outdoor antenna and no amount of twisting, turning and pointing (I had the azimuths from antennaweb.org) could get any digital channels. However with an indoor silver stream I was able to get 6 digital channels. I can't understand why an indoor antenna would perform better than an outdoor antenna. Is it the wiring (I did check it, but will check again) or something else?
2. None of the digital channels broadcast 720p (except PBS). Is this correct or am I missing something (I mean I see widescreen only on PBS, but everybody else ABC, FOX, CBS I see only 4:3)
Please help and appreciate all your help in advance.

Thanks again,

DroptheRemote

04-16-04, 12:57 PM

GreatRat,

1. No idea why you would be getting a signal with an indoor antenna (Silver Sensor, I presume) but not the outdoor antenna. It could be the cabling, but bear in mind it does take a while for antenna to find a signal and for your receiver to process it. It could be that you're twisting the mast around too quickly and the receiver never gets an opportunity to lock on. Granted, that's probably unlikely, but apart from cabling it's the only cause I can think of.

2. ABC broadcasts in 720p (as does ESPN and FOX will when it starts HD broadcasts later this summer/fall). I know that PBS is indicating that it's 720p, but I don't think that's correct. Maybe they've changed their format, but PBS started HD with 1080i. I think they might be sending out an incorrect flag for 720p, but again I'm just guessing.

When you see 4:3 aspect ratios, you should assume that the program is not in HD. This happens most frequently on local programs or network shows not available in HD. Different stations have different approaches on how they handle non-HD formatting, with some simply centering the 4:3 image in the middle of the widescreen area, others stretching it to fill the sides (making people onscreen short and fat) or zooming/cropping, where the picture is expanded until it nearly fills the sides of the screen but chops off a portion of the top and bottom.

This latter approach is sometimes referrred to as 14:9, which is a format that only exists in the overactive imagination of broadcasters who don't want to take the trouble to deal with customers who complain about black bars, even though there's still tiny black bars visible with 14:9.

DroptheRemote

04-16-04, 04:28 PM

The following news item is from today's SkyREPORT News:

DISH Targets NAB, Pushes Digital Distant Nets

EchoStar responded to criticisms from the National Association of Broadcasters concerning its digital distant networks proposal, saying in a letter sent to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Michael Powell this week that the organization's opposition to its proposal is misguided.

Earlier, NAB told the FCC that EchoStar's idea of delivering distant high-def broadcast signals to satellite TV subscribers living in areas without local broadcast HD or DTV service would not force local broadcasters to build or upgrade digital TV facilities, and would create a "nightmare" for the DTV transition.

In its letter, EchoStar disagreed with the NAB assertions. "Such arguments are misguided, and should not dissuade the commission from pursuing EchoStar's proposal as a practical, immediate means of spurring the transition," the company told Powell.

"The proposal is simple: If a household today cannot receive a DTV local network station, that station's authorization should be conditioned on the grant of a narrow waiver allowing the household to receive a distant DTV signal of that same network via satellite. The NAB cannot persuasively portray this pro-consumer idea as running counter to the public interest."

EchoStar has been at the FCC and before Congress lobbying for the digital distant networks service. On Capitol Hill, the company has used hearings on renewal of the Satellite Home Viewer Improvement Act to make its case for digital distant nets.

jedi35

04-17-04, 05:14 AM

Hello St. Louis,

I think that some of you might find this info inappropriate for this forum and I'll be happy to start a new thread somewhere else if this is a problem. However, I felt that those of you with Charter HD service(or those who might get it later) would be interested in this. I've basically had to eat just about everything bad I've said about cable companies in general after my recent experiences with Charter. About a month ago I signed up with Charter since my neighborhood(Ferguson, near the airport) recently got upgraded with fiber optic cabling in preparation for hd and high speed internet. I'm getting a couple of free months of digital service and all the movie channels, and there were no installation fees. That in itself didn't excite me since I already have (sd)directv, but I wanted hd channels other than the OTA channels. After finding out that there was a big demand, a shortage of hd boxes and a waiting list, I called to get on the list, with no promise of how soon I would get my hd box. After only about 3 or 4 days of waiting, I got a call from Charter telling me that the new boxes were in, and how soon did I want it. Great!! I was watching hd cable about a week after I first signed up. And I must add that Charters' hd has blown me away with the quality. I'm running component cables into my 53" Pioneer crt rptv.

The Motorola 5100 hd box has dvi out and firewire ports(and a built in high speed cable modem), but I was told that "All" those things were inactive, and was given no certain date as to when or if they might be active. Now comes the great news.....I called Charter today and had a nice long informative conversation with a rather knowledgeable csr(I know, very strange for a cable company). I could tell that this guy was really getting into all the tech talk. I asked about the firewire ports, and he told me that on April 1 Charter did a firmware update to all St. Louis 5100 hd boxes to activate the dvi outputs and firewire ports!! Can you believe that?? For customers with hd boxes that didn't have these ports, they could call in and request updated boxes. Now, since my tv doesn't have dvi, I'll try to test that with my Sony lcd computer monitor at a later time. But I hopped on the chance to test the firewire port, since I do have a JVC 30K d-vhs deck, which already has a fw connection to my Sammy T165 OTA tuner. With the rep on the phone, I went into the theater room to hook things up using the Sammy's 4 pin fw cable. Then it hit me....the 2 fw ports on the cable box are 6 pin ports. No game. So, I did some calling around, and came up with a $9 cable(6 pin to 4 pin) from a computer cable shop on Page Blvd. and hooked the Motorola up to the Sammy's second fw port. This was easier and looks better than having a cable sticking out of the front of my dvhs deck.

I expected the JVC to react in some way to the new connection, but I didn't see anything at first. I didn't get any on-screen notices, and in fact didn't get any audio or video from the cable box through the firewire connection. I'll spare you the details of the different tests and processes that I ran through, but the end result is that I eventually found the the JVC had added another I-Link channel number to its tuner lineup for the cablebox, and was indeed able to record Charter's HDNet channel in glorious HD!! It works. I still have to try recording the other hd channels, especially HBO and SHO. I'll have to say "hats off" to Charter for getting this going already. I didn't expect this for quite some time. On top of all this, I just got their high speed internet service( not throught the 5100's modem, which is still inactive), and for $40 monthly, I'm getting almost 4 megs of bandwidth. It's scary!! SBC was hitting me for $50 monthly for over a year, and I was only getting about 690k at my home.

There is one issue that I know of that does need solving with this new cablebox recording capablility. It seems that things work fine if you start the recording manually, which means that you have to be right there at home. What about time shifted recording that activates your d-vcr? There is an IR blaster port on the back of the box, but the manual says that it works in conjunction with the normal timer recording functions of your vcr. Well, the I-Link channels( there's one for each firewire device you have connected to the JVC)are not accessible through the JVC's timer setup. I go in through the Sammy's timers to timeshift record, but there is no firewire control menu feature on the 5100. Any ideas?? Sorry this is so long, and I'll post this somewhere else if there's no interest in this kind of info.

bigcrabass

04-17-04, 08:31 AM

My comments on Fox have to do with their lake of embrace with the HD format. Let's face it guys, they have not shown a propensity to HD. All of the other networks have, and in fact have multiple shows that are airing. FOX is years behind in programming and experience with this format.
Bill

John Kotches

04-17-04, 08:47 AM

Bill,

On the other side of the coin, they can leverage all of the knowledge and pain that other networks have gone through to their advantage and in all likelihood the gear has gotten cheaper.

I don't doubt that this year in the late summer or fall that Fox will start broadcasting 720p. THey'll get too much hell from the FCC if they don't.

CHeers,

Lucky1

04-17-04, 09:06 AM

Charter told me they would give me a DCT5100 box, but I looked on the bottom and it says 6208. The box matches the pictures of the 6200/6208 on the Motorola website, but the romote they gave me does not match the pictures. So if the 6208 has the built-in DVR feature does Charter have to enable it before I can use it? If not, how can I get to it without the right remote?

jedi35

04-17-04, 10:32 AM

Lucky1,

After some further experimenting, I did finally come up with a connection configuration that allowed my JVC d-vhs deck to properly identify my Sammy T165 tuner and the cablebox. Strangely enough, the cablebox is being identified as the DCT-6200. The rep that I talked to said that the new boxes with the hd pvrs in them will being coming in June or July. Of course, that could be wrong, and maybe you got an early version.

pjohearne

04-17-04, 12:18 PM

OTA question I Got the DTV HD package a couple of weeks ago and had a atenna installed. Everything seemed great I got all the stations on the first try. Lately evrything works great during the day but at night i have serious dropout problems on channel 4. Has anybody else had a problem with 4? last night when i was having the problem my signal strength was jumping from 50's to 0 and back again. What should my signal strength be. Any ideas ?

Thanks for the Help

Pat

DroptheRemote

04-17-04, 01:53 PM

Pat,

It sounds like you might have a multi-path problem. A lot of people report this happening on a seasonal basis, with some suggesting that leaves sprouting on trees can actually create some obstacles to the signals. I don't know if this is actually the cause, but I do know that I had no problems with KDSK during the winter, but the occasional dropouts I was seeing last summer have recently returned.

The signal strength meters vary from one brand to another, so it's difficult to suggest any firm guidelines for what you need to achieve. Maybe check all of your locals and see what the lowest level is for a station where you get a good signal, then use that number as your target for KMOV until you can get a better idea of what the cliff point is for your STB.

hizhonor

04-17-04, 02:04 PM

Also in Ferguson, I too can't say enough good things regarding Charter and getting HD up and going. I've had it since late January and am very satisfied with everything I see.

They were out recently to track down some channel assignment issues, and replaced my box with a "two way" 6200 in anticipation of the the interactive features finally being enabled.

Steve

E.Bisky

04-17-04, 04:37 PM

I live on the Illinois side of St. Louis area. I called up Charter to sign up for HDTV and they told me I would be put in some waiting list. Well, it has been over a month now and no one has called me.

Anyone else had this problem??

Also, I was just wondering how better HDTV looks over the Digital channels that Charter offers?

thnx

-EB

DroptheRemote

04-17-04, 05:04 PM

EB,

There's no comparison between digital cable and true HD -- think Polaroid snapshot vs. 35mm studio portrait.

I'd suggest that you call Charter and find out why you're still waiting. I haven't heard anything like these sort of delays in the past.

dweebe

04-17-04, 05:25 PM

Originally posted by bigcrabass
My comments on Fox have to do with their lake of embrace with the HD format. Let's face it guys, they have not shown a propensity to HD. All of the other networks have, and in fact have multiple shows that are airing. FOX is years behind in programming and experience with this format.
Bill

You can be a crabass; that's you're right but here's a good quote from foxeng in the announcement thread who is the Chief Engineer at a Fox station in the Carolinas.

Thanks sangs and everyone else who either publicly or privately believed in FOX. As I have said many times before, when FOX makes up their mind to do something, they go all out. If they can find a way to make a dollar with it, they go after it. For the 9 years my station has been an O & O, that has ALWAYS been the case. FOX is frugal as hell with the money, but when they say go, THEY MEAN GO!

I assume that means they'll also be pimping HD heavily this fall; almost acting like they freaking invented it. They can beat their drum as much as they want: just give me football (and 24) in HD.

According to foxeng in that same thread, Fox will be handling the instals in the O&O stations instead of leaving it to the guys at the station. Supposedly they've already converted a few stations with few problems.

DroptheRemote

04-17-04, 06:39 PM

Dave,

I agree completely with your statement about FOX -- when they decide that they're going to do something, it's usually "balls to the wall" and "good luck to you" if you happen to be in their way.

This, I think, is more generally a trait of Rupert Murdoch/News Corp companies, but it certainly applies to FOX.

I would add as supporting evidence the fact that FOX, when it announced its HD plans a month or so ago, went to some length to talk about 720p and how they believed it was the best choice. I think this sort of talk goes well beyond giving lip service to HD. Whatever you might think of the 1080i vs 720p debate, it seems like they've given this a lot of thought and have every intention of doing it right.

That said, the final proof is in the product, but I think there's plenty of reason to be optimistic that they will deliver.

E.Bisky

04-17-04, 08:59 PM

Originally posted by DroptheRemote
EB,

There's no comparison between digital cable and true HD -- think Polaroid snapshot vs. 35mm studio portrait.

I'd suggest that you call Charter and find out why you're still waiting. I haven't heard anything like these sort of delays in the past.

thnx, ill give them a call

aspec2

04-18-04, 12:00 PM

Pat

I had that problem with KMOV. After trying several things I found that, even though the tower was in the middle of the line of towers, I had to tweak the antenna slightly. You know, just a little erp on the dial. My signal strength has gone up approx. 8 points on all channels except Fox. Fox went away. Glad I moved the control out of the attic because it looks like it will get much use during football season.

EB

I know the problem well. Charter was supposed to change my cable box in October. I got one of the original boxes. I confirmed the appointment in their automatic phone system. In December I call to find out when they were going to show up. I was told they had no boxes but someone would call on the 18th of January when they arrived and set up an appointment. In March I called and was told by a CSR that I could just take my box to the local office and they would exchange it. I disconnected and went to the office. I was told that they had no boxes but would set up and appointment for delivery. Amazingly they showed up on time and traded my box. Not only that but everything in the box except the NIC works. DVI-D, and both firewire ports. Now if I can only get my projector to sync on the H3D card I will be in heaven.

Walt

E.Bisky

04-18-04, 12:41 PM

Originally posted by aspec2

EB

I know the problem well. Charter was supposed to change my cable box in October. I got one of the original boxes. I confirmed the appointment in their automatic phone system. In December I call to find out when they were going to show up. I was told they had no boxes but someone would call on the 18th of January when they arrived and set up an appointment. In March I called and was told by a CSR that I could just take my box to the local office and they would exchange it. I disconnected and went to the office. I was told that they had no boxes but would set up and appointment for delivery. Amazingly they showed up on time and traded my box. Not only that but everything in the box except the NIC works. DVI-D, and both firewire ports. Now if I can only get my projector to sync on the H3D card I will be in heaven.

Walt

hahah, wow, that long. Well, I will give them a call tomorrow to see what is going on. So they just exchange the cable box? I thought someone had to come over and install it, or do you get a choice? I would have no problems installing it myself and would actually prefer it (unless I would need to run new wires haha)...

thnx again

-EB

abcward

04-18-04, 01:25 PM

so....if what is being said about Charter's HD boxes are true and DVI is enabled - should I go the DVI route of connecting the cable box to my HDTV?

Pros/Cons?? Doug, any input?

Thanks
Bruce

wmschultz

04-18-04, 01:47 PM

Another Sunday, another NASCAR race that the signal keeps coming and going on Fox....I am hating this Station. I called the Engineers again and left another message.

This crap is getting old. My Signal is fluctuating from 0 to about 75%...It makes it really hard to watch because it keeps "Locking up"...Uugh.

wmschultz

04-18-04, 02:49 PM

Now what the H#$! is going on? KTVI isn't passing through the network feed of 480P Widescreen. They are friggin' upconverting the standard broadcast...........

At least my email that I sent to their Engineering Department didn't get kicked back because their email box is full.

wmschultz

04-18-04, 02:49 PM

wmschultz

04-18-04, 03:01 PM

And just like that, after my post the 480p widescreen comes back....If you Fox Engineers are out there listening....Please fix the signal...

Tom Grooms

04-18-04, 04:09 PM

Bruce, It really depends upon your display device. With a CRT RPTV you probably wont notice a difference with the digital transmission (DVI) because your TV will process the signal and convert it back to analog.

What display device are you hooking it up to?

abcward

04-18-04, 06:08 PM

Originally posted by Tom Grooms
Bruce, It really depends upon your display device. With a CRT RPTV you probably wont notice a difference with the digital transmission (DVI) because your TV will process the signal and convert it back to analog.

What display device are you hooking it up to?

I have a 51" Toshiba, model 51H83.

Link: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=1051826206626&skuId=5341793&type=product&productCategoryId=cat03006

DroptheRemote

04-18-04, 06:11 PM

Bruce,

I agree with Tom on DVI. Unless you have a digital display device (DLP, plasma, LCD or LCOS), you're unlikely to see any major improvement in image quality over component video.

Most current CRT televisions are converting DVI inputs to component video when the DVI signal enters the set. Ideally DVI would be converted to RGB and sent directly to the CRTs, but from what I can tell, this isn't happening in most cases.

Perhaps this will change as DVI becomes more mainstream, but then again CRT television production may be winding down and if so, major design changes are unlikely to be a high priority for manufacturers.

Tom Grooms

04-18-04, 06:33 PM

Bruce, Your display (much like my Hitachi SWX20B) has a native resolution of 540P/1080i. Basically, everything you send to your set (minus 1080i HD) is reprocessed and displayed as 1080i or 540p. I cant tell the difference between 540p and 1080i on my ISF calibrated display.

In the end, it's all converted back to analog anyway so you might not notice any gain between component and the DVI interface. I didn't. I don't notice a difference between sending it a 480i vs 480p on DVD sources either. It all goes through the TV's deinterlacer.....

wmschultz

04-18-04, 07:45 PM

This is my last post on the subject, but Fox 2's signal sux. I am so sick of attempting to watch Fox on my Digital TV. Maybe I will just give up until they upgrade to 720p, but who knows....It will probably suck then, too.

I have a Zenith 520 that I use to decode the signal and a Mitsubishi 65613 HDTV to decode the signal and they both have problems.

If anyone has paid any attention to me B&$^H than you will know that I have problems pulling in this station. I have a 180inch VHF/UHF antenna that is mounted on my roof and I get all channels with the exception of PBS.

Currently I am pointed at about 145 degrees or so with no trees or anything. My house is the highest house on the street.

I have tried re-aiming my antenna but that doesn't help..I just don't get it.

Doug, I do have another question..Is it typical to have DVI overscan more than RGB? Just a question. BTW, I sold my Sony so I really do have a
Mits 65613 now, I sure do miss the 720p....

DroptheRemote

04-18-04, 08:36 PM

wmschultz,

Sorry to hear that you're having so much trouble with KTVI. In view of the fact that KTVI has a proven track record for non-responsiveness to viewer issues, it might be worth sending a private message to foxeng, the East Coast Fox engineer, who actively contributes to the HDTV Programming forum here at AVS. Perhaps he could give you some ideas on how to escalate your issues with KTVI.

On DVI, there is a lot of inconsistency with DVI signals, and overscan is one of the issues that comes up a lot. The problem appears to be that there are several flavors of DVI and even more interpretations of how to handle those incoming signals. These problems are compounded in the interaction between video sources sending a signal that is inconsistent with what the display is expecting.

It's still early days on DVI and I think a lot of this will get sorted out, but it does make you wonder why this stuff has to be so difficult.

One other point worth making about DVI and digital displays. There seems to be a early misconception among consumers that once we're in an all-digital display world with all-digital sources that we're all going to looking at images that are 100% faithful to the original signal. I can understand the logic in that conclusion, but the fact is manufacturers are continuing to "process" and "enhance" these digital signals, introducing all kinds of undesirable artifacts.

I came across a perfect example of this last week in a PR brochure authored by Philips Consumer Electronics:

http://www.press.ce.philips.com/upload/attachments/cebit2003/Viewing_Experience_Brochure.pdf

If you're interested, check out page 5 and the section on Sharpness & Resolution. My favorite excerpt here is:

"...the value of each individual pixel is altered to better match with the surrounding pixels resulting in a TRUE NATURAL picture." (emphasis added)

It's hard to see how truth in consumer electronics advertising can get much more perverse.

Although it's a completely separate issue, Philips' built-in backlight feature, Ambilight, is another example of silly marketing nonsense trumping sound engineering. See page 7 of the same brochure for illustrations of Ambilight in action.

redwine

04-18-04, 11:51 PM

DVI or not. I have a LCD projection TV and still prefer the component cables since it allows me more control. The DVI connection has slightly more vibrant colors but I can't control sharpness or contrast. A true plasma or direct LCD digital might make a real difference.

KBryant888

04-19-04, 04:59 PM

I'm moving to a new apartment in a few weeks and finally found out what the service will be. It's DirectTV through SBC Home Entertainment

Link: http://www.sbche.com/sbche/main.nsf/dtvchcard

This seems to be expensive for me. I have seen DIRECTV offered for $29.99/month for total choice but theirs is $39.99/month for total choice and local channels.

They basically just have one big dish for the complex, and then that dish connects to all the other small dishes in each individual apartment.

I guess I have two questions.

1) Anyway I could get my price down?
2) They said that they don't offer HD service yet, how can that be? Anything I can do about that?

Thanks oh so much.

DroptheRemote

04-19-04, 06:47 PM

KB,

I think the $29.99 is for new customers only and only applies to the first 6 months of service. Maybe there's a way that you can still get that deal, but I think it might require that you're dealing with DirecTV rather than a third party like SBC.

Otherwise, the $39.99 seems reasonable, based on the information from DirecTV:

http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/packages/base.dsp

I suspect that the dish and/or the multiswitches used for the buildingwide distribution of the satellite signals are not capable of passing the HD signals and that there might need to be an upgrade of some type.

I didn't do my own install, so I'm not well-versed all the ins and outs of satellite, but my 5x8 multiswitch (model MS-58) has ports that are specially designated for access to the HD (or third LNB?) channels. I also had to have 22 Khz tone generators installed for use with my triple-LNB dish.

It's possible that there's a similar issue (possibly on a larger scale) with the way your apartment building system is configured. Maybe someone better versed in satellite install/configuration specifics can correct me or connect the dots further.

KBryant888

04-19-04, 07:30 PM

Yeah, hopefully someone else will respond to my post. I doubt I would be able to convince my apartment management to upgrade their receiver.
Can I still get an HD Receiever and use an indoor antennae to get local HD channels?

DroptheRemote

04-19-04, 08:16 PM

KB,

I see no reason that you couldn't get an OTA receiver for use with an indoor antenna.

Before heading down that road, though, I'd doublecheck to make sure that you won't be required to have a DirecTV receiver in your apartment. Again, I don't know much about the SBC version of this product, but I've had friends in the past who had DirecTV supplied by a central system and they still needed a DirecTV receiver to view it. Your arrangement might be different, but I'd definitely try to determine that first.

If so, you might be able to use an HD DTV receiver for receiving the SD sat channels and then use the same box for the OTA HD receiver for your indoor antenna. That would also have you nicely situated if/when your building is in a position to pass HD channels from the sat.

As far as arm-twisting your apartment manager, you'll likely need to recruit your fellow tenants and hit him/her in volume.

pwl

04-19-04, 09:58 PM

I have an update on the DVR from Charter HDTV in STL

Although price is not confirmed yet, Charter will be offering a DVR product superior to Tivo this July. Some of the features are listed below.

Charter DVR will let you:

· Record and store 30 - 50 hours of programs

· Watch one program while recording another

· Add Picture-in-Picture to any TV

· Rewind, Pause and Instant Replay Live TV

· Easily search any program you're looking for

All on one High Def ready box!

redwine

04-20-04, 12:01 AM

Does anyone know if there is a technical (bandwidth limitation) reason why Charter can't provide more HD channels or is it all due to political/financial reasons? Starz and Cinemax and Discovery and the rest of the locals are in HD. What has to happen to get what we all want and are willing to pay for? I want Charter to spend more energy on HD offerings and less on DVR boxes.

John Kotches

04-20-04, 08:29 AM

Phlip,

Will it have a firewire port which allows you to archive programs from the PVR to D-VHS?

Cheers,

StLouG

04-20-04, 08:58 AM

Originally posted by redwine
What has to happen to get what we all want and are willing to pay for? I want Charter to spend more energy on HD offerings and less on DVR boxes.

I feel that Charter, just like any other big business, is not going to do anything that is not advantages for their company. For us to get Charter to do what we want all of us might have to start a letter writing campaign or get our message of dissatisfaction to them in some type of manner.

wilkemp

04-20-04, 09:31 AM

Does your apartment have a private balcony or patio? If so you may be able to install your own satellite. The FCC passed a ruling concerning an individuals rights as far as having your own dish equipment in apartments,condos, subdivisions with homeowner associations. Designed to keep HA's from banning people from putting dishes on their own homes but does expand those rights to include leased and rented properties.

I THINK, you should check out the FCC's website.

dweebe

04-20-04, 10:57 AM

Did anyone see the "Contact 2" piece last night on the KTVI 9pm news concerning digital TV? As I figured it would be, it was one of the worst pieces of news I had ever seen. The piece was all over the place and didn't offer any good information to the uninformed.

No history, no even basic explanation of digital and HDTV, no explanation that digital TV DOES NOT neccessarily mean HDTV, no mention of other network doing HDTV or that Fox will be doing HDTV. All they showed were some expensive plasma screens that cost $10K+ not saying that you could get a decent HDTV for $1500 or even less.

I wish I would have taped the piece so I could point out every error.

KBryant888

04-20-04, 11:35 AM

"Does your apartment have a private balcony or patio? "

I just found out the my balcony has some branches above it, so it won't have direct access to the south. Oh well, no HD for me. Thanks anyway guys.

abcward

04-20-04, 11:40 AM

Originally posted by Dave Beebe
Did anyone see the "Contact 2" piece last night on the KTVI 9pm news concerning digital TV? As I figured it would be, it was one of the worst pieces of news I had ever seen. The piece was all over the place and didn't offer any good information to the uninformed.

No history, no even basic explanation of digital and HDTV, no explanation that digital TV DOES NOT neccessarily mean HDTV, no mention of other network doing HDTV or that Fox will be doing HDTV. All they showed were some expensive plasma screens that cost $10K+ not saying that you could get a decent HDTV for $1500 or even less.

I wish I would have taped the piece so I could point out every error.

Here is the transcript from Fox 2's website:

HDTV

Will you be able to watch your television in two years? The Federal Communications Commission has mandated that all TV stations become digital because the signal will provide consumers with a higher quality picture. In contact 2, Margie Ellisor shows the big changes heading our way.

A FCC mandate calls for all TV broadcast signals to be 100 percent digital by 2006. Yet, only one in ten Americans own a digital television. So, will your old TV still work in two years or will you be left without a picture? Sean Wargo, Consumer Electronics Assn., “We do know that at some point, analog spectrum gets turned off and that consumers who are relying on that, for their primary signal, would be required to buy some sort of new technology so they can still receive broadcasts.” While the deadline looms near, broadcast industry and policy leaders at the HDTV summit in Washington D.C. are saying the change-over will occur when most American homes can receive digital programming. But consumers aren't waiting; sales of digital equipment are expected to increase 40 percent this year. The high-definition digital picture offers ten times the resolution of analog TVs and the number of available broadcasts are multiplied.

Technology experts say you have three options for high definition television. Robin Raskin, technology expert, “One is projection TV. It's the least expensive, but probably the bulkiest. The other two are plasma and LCD, so thin that you can hang them on the wall with gorgeous pictures.” There's been high consumer demand for sets at the high end of the market. Pioneer's 'Pure Vision' plasma has a 50 inch screen and displays a billion colors, at a cost of $14,500 dollars. Its makers call it the Ferrari of high definition. Also at the high end, 'LG Electronics' is launching a 42 inch LCD HDTV and a 55 inch later this year. The picture is bright and clear with a 176 degree viewing angle. The $10,000 dollar price tag is much cheaper than consumers would have paid a few years ago. Both TVs are fully integrated, so there's no need to buy a separate box to receive HDTV programs. “The great thing about the digital signal is you can make the TV the center of your home entertainment. The Epson living station has a built in photo printer so I can be watching TV and print the screen that I like or I can be watching my own family photos on my HDTV printing the photos I like, all using a single remote.” The Epson uses LCD projection technology and costs under $4,000 dollars.

Experts say the increasing amount of HDTV programming adds to consumer demand. One of the leading services, 'Voom’, offers more than 30 channels of HDTV. Despite all the digital TV talk, don't throw away your old television just yet. “Your old TV will work for a while. As a matter of fact, until 85 percent of the country can receive digital signals, your analog TV’s going to be fine and even after that, you will be able to buy a set-top converter.”

For more information on the conversion to digital television, visit www.www.fcc.gov.

DroptheRemote

04-20-04, 12:27 PM

I used to be a journalist, so I know how difficult it can be for a general assignment reporter to be thrown into the deep end of something like digital television with the need to deliver a story on a short deadline.

The key problem with these sorts of stories, especially when done by local television stations, is the inability to quickly develop and make contact with the range of sources needed to provide a well-rounded picture. As a result, you get a skewed story, because the sources most willing to talk are those who have an agenda, and the reporter often isn't in a position to understand that or know how to provide some balance to it.

But what bothers me most about this story is the fact that it "scare mongers" in the lede ("Will you be able to watch television in 2 years?") and then concludes that there's nothing to worry about ("Your old TV will work for a while.").

To me this is, at best "show biz" masquerading as jourmalism, and at worst is just flat-out dishonest. If you want to be a journalist, then inform people; if you want to be a drama queen (or king), send your resume to James Lipton ("Actors Studio").

jedi35

04-20-04, 03:46 PM

While Charter may not have all the hd channels that you can get elsewhere right now, I'll have to admit that I've been very impressed with their efforts lately. It takes time to work out deals with programming companies, and they are doing it. They've recently added ESPN-HD, and I've been told that they are very close to adding Discovery. Eventually, they'll have all the digital locals and other channels that are missing. Patience. Actually, hd in my neighbohood wasn't expected from them until this summer, and they not only gave it to us ahead of schedule, but we now have high speed internet up and running(also projected for this summer). I'm surfing the web at almost 4 megs of bandwidth for less money than my dsl fee( I was only getting 690 with SBC).

After I was told that my firewire ports were active, I tested them and they are working, with a small problem on some non-hd channels. I'm not too worried about that. Also, I checked the dvi port, and that's working too. Now, I've got to get a dvi projector!!

DroptheRemote

04-20-04, 05:42 PM

Interesting story on HDNet vs. INHD:

http://cableworld.com/cgi/cw/show_mag.cgi?pub=cw&mon=041904&file=hdnetsgain.htm

Probably the most interesting tidbit is that Mark Cuban is considering going to uncompressed 1080p HD for future delivery direct to PVRs...

DroptheRemote

04-20-04, 07:21 PM

Another story, this one on Comcast adding INHD, for its 11th HD channel:

http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2004/Apr/1033463.htm

tcfila

04-20-04, 07:24 PM

I know this is off topic for HD, but don't know where else to ask a St. Louis only question...

Has anyone had trouble with their High Speed Internet? Ever since the change to 3 Megs, I am getting alot of "page cannot be displayed". After several refreshes of IE, the page loads. I've contacted charter and they don't know what is causing it.

Tim

abcward

04-20-04, 07:45 PM

Originally posted by DroptheRemote
Another story, this one on Comcast adding INHD, for its 11th HD channel:

http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2004/Apr/1033463.htm

Any rumors about Charter ever adding INHD?

duihlein

04-20-04, 08:18 PM

Has anyone had trouble with their High Speed Internet? Ever since the change to 3 Megs, I am getting alot of "page cannot be displayed". After several refreshes of IE, the page loads. I've contacted charter and they don't know what is causing it.

I too have noticed the issue. I also just built a new PC and thought the issue might be something in WinXP/IE6.

I have also seen a thread regarding Charter stacking HD channels on a single frequency causing compression artifacts:

www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=392947 (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=392947)

He also links some screen shots that have resulted. Hopefully this is not something that can't be fixed, but it may explain why they are slow to roll out lots of HD channels now.

Dave

BudShark

04-20-04, 10:26 PM

If Charter adds INHD and INHD2, I would sign back up just for the HD baseball - they carry my beloved Padres in HD... :)

Chris

abcward

04-21-04, 10:23 AM

I wish we still had our Charter insider, or better yet, I wish Charter did something similar to Dish's Charlie Chats. That way we could know what was being worked on next.

John Kotches

04-21-04, 10:31 AM

Doug,

Uncompressed 1080p HD? How will it be delivered / stored?

The magnitude of bandwidth and storage are simply unattainable.

1920h x 1080v x 24 bits of color x Frames/second is the bandwidth required. So excluding the frame rate, we have about 50 Megabits/second. At 24p that's ~1.2 Gigabits/second. At 30p, that's ~1.5 Gigabits/second. At 60p, it's ~3 Gigabits/second.

Storage on a PVR, assuming a 250 Gigabyte Drive, which translates to 225 usable? That's about 1800 Gigabits of storage. So, uncompressed we would chew up a 250GB drive in:

1500 seconds at 24p (25 minutes)
1200 seconds at 30p (20 minutes)
600 seconds at 60p (10 minutes)

A typical OTA 1 hour TV Show sans commercials runs for 48 minutes. We would need somewhere between 500 GB and 1.25 TB to store an episode of TV. That's just the storage side.

Now, we have to deliver that, and to go 1:1 (aka Real time) that would mean 1.2 / 1.5Gbits/second. Sorry, again not practical. Even at 100 Megabits/second we're talking 10 hours+ to download 1 hour of video.

Unless Cuban is talking about swapping/selling hard drives it isn't realistic in the forseeable future.

Cheers,

DroptheRemote

04-21-04, 10:42 AM

John,

The same issue occurred to me when I read that part of the article, but I didn't actually take the time to break down the math.

It also occurs to me that what Mark Cuban might be referring to is "uncompressed compressed HD," meaning that the 19.2 signal (or the equivalent for 1080p) would not be further compressed or "bit groomed" by cable or satellite distributors bent on cramming in more shopping channels.

Still, that would require a lot more network bandwidth than the typical consumer has in the US, but based on some things I've been reading, it's not outside the consumer broadband capabilities available in places like Scandinavia, parts of northern Europe, South Korea or Japan.

Unfortunately, the reference in this article isn't a direct quotation, so it's possible that the reporter is simply misrepresenting what Cuban actually said or intends.

StLouG

04-21-04, 10:54 AM

Originally posted by John Kotches
Doug,

1920h x 1080v x 24 bits of color x Frames/second is the bandwidth required. So excluding the frame rate, we have about 50 Megabits/second. At 24p that's ~1.2 Gigabits/second. At 30p, that's ~1.5 Gigabits/second. At 60p, it's ~3 Gigabits/second.

Cheers,

What kind of language is this? Guys like you and Doug as well others on this site amaze me with your knowledge of HD and electronics.

abcward

04-21-04, 10:57 AM

StLouG, I think they're flirting with you.... protect yourself!

wilkemp

04-22-04, 10:34 AM

Well finally, Charter HD has made it to my home. Tech didn't quite know what he was doing could only get the channels to work thru RF cable, since I was at work asked my wife to tell him to just leave it as is and I would check it out when I got home, he kept saying it was my tv. Box was set to 480i output, few changes and WOW! HDNet is stunning the best PQ I have seen. HBO & Showtime are very good depending on what's being shown. Nice not to have to fiddle with an antenna for what locals we have.

ABC, Discovery where are you?

Non-HD channels are ok, Digital are better than Analog, some movies on premium channels actually look pretty good, better than viewing with the old box. That is most likely due to the fact I went from RCA input to component.

The more HD I get the more I want. Just waiting for Friday to check out ESPNHD, their SD strectch mode is horriffic!

At this time I have Digital with HBO & Encore, new service added HD for $9.99 & Showtime w/TMC for $4

Not bad Charter, you have begun to mend some bridges, only took 9 months.

jedi35

04-22-04, 06:13 PM

wilkemp,

Welcome to the Charter HD family. I'm enjoying it very much. As I posted on the previous page, I've been informed that they are very close to signing Discovery HD, and I'm sure others will follow. it's just a question of time. Yes, I hate that awful stretch mode on ESpN HD too. In fact, I thought that something was wrong with Charter's feed of that channel, since I never seemed to catch anything in true HD. A Charter csr told me to check the ESPN website for hd scheduling, and I did finally see that hd is happening, just on a limited schedule. I guess that has nothing to do with Charter.

In other news, I'm having Voom installed at this very moment!! The installer is down in the basement finishing up, and we've already connected the receiver to the new dish. I should be up and running soon. I've been told that the box needs some new download (with fixes and channels) that should happen in the next day or so. He also suggested that I stick with my indoor Radio Shack antenna, since I'm having success pulling in my digital locals anyway(I get everything but UPN). He didn't think that Voom's rooftop would do any better, and it might be worse. More later.

redwine

04-22-04, 10:59 PM

jedi35

Do you know if one can self-install VOOM or is it against their rules?

John Kotches

04-22-04, 11:06 PM

Alright gang, I need a little help here, but it's not the usual type ;)

Does anyone have a Pioneer DV-59AVi or DV-47Ai? I have a review sample coming in with Firewire, and it would be nice to test some cross brand compatability out with one of the Pioneer players. I'd only need it for a couple of hours to run some tests, maybe a lot less if it doesn't work :D

If that's the case, feel free to send me a PM and we'll discuss the specifics.

Cheers,

jedi35

04-23-04, 12:26 AM

redwine,

Voom does not allow anyone to install the eq. themselves. It seems that the included service plan has to specify that. Sorry.

Well, my installation got done and I've been glued to my couch for several hours watching Voom channels. Some of the SD stuff looks really bad. I was excited about getting the Tennis channel(SD), but the match I saw today was awful. It had lots of pixelization and crap. However, I realize that it could be coming from the programmers that way, and other matches might look better. Or, maybe the new download I'll be getting will have some effect on some channels. On the other hand, the HD channels look great. I think that Charter's HD box has the edge, but Voom is still up there, and my mind is spinning from so many choices. I'm a violinist, and I saw my first classical concert in hd today. Unbelievable. All in all, I say Voom is a keeper. I got the va va voom pagkage with everything, and yes I'll be keeping Charter HD too, since I can record through firewire. Man, I've got to order some digital tapes. Anybody know of a sweet deal somewhere? I think that when Voom comes out with their pvr box, I'll let cable go, but they must provide firewire for my d-vhs.

Another thing. The 5.1 sound coming out of the Voom box is really nice!! I mean, the quality is quite good, and the mix of sound going around the room is popping out at me, better than Charter's and my RCA sat. box. The rear channels are quite active now, and it's very obvious that they are in stereo. Even listening at lower volume levels is fun now, because I still hear these sweeping effects going from front to back, sideways, back to front, and diagonally. Way cool.

abcward

04-23-04, 09:22 AM

Glad to hear we finally have some actual VOOM customers. And I have a couple questions for those people:

1) what are the actual costs for VOOM? Initial costs and monthly costs if you could please.

2) VOOM's SD channel offerings look slim [example- no ESPN]. Could you comment on their total programming packages? Are there as many holes as it appears?

Thanks!

Bruce

Jym

04-23-04, 01:12 PM

Does anyone know if the DVI connection on the DCT5100 is HDCP-DVI or un-encrypted or plane computer DVI?

I just read that Charter has turned on the DVI connection on the DCT5100 and I would like to connect to my 503CMX via DVI.

Also, one of my Charter boxes was one of the very first so it did not include a DVI connector. How hard is it to get Charter to replace? Is there any charge?

-Jym-

jedi35

04-23-04, 05:20 PM

abcward,

The Voom deal is pretty sweet for now. Go to voom.com for more details, but in a nutshell: you don't have to buy the eq. if you don't want to. You can lease a single receiver and dish for about $9.50 per month, and you pay for your programming. No installation costs, and a 2 year service plan is included for leasers(I'm not sure for buyers). If you choose to buy, then it's $499 instead of their initial $750 price, including installation. There are 2 programming packages, as well as add-on plus packs of premium movie channels at $14.50 each:

Voom(basic) at $39.90
Va Va Voom(everything) at $79.90

So you pay for one month of programming in advance plus your eq. leasing or purchase, and you're up and running. The website will tell you about fees for adding leased or purchased boxes. They include 40 cable favorites in the packages, but I agree that it feels a bit slim next to other satellite offerings. I could be missing the SciFi channel bigtime, but I get it on cable and on my other sat. system. But, I was delighted to finally get the Tennis Channel with Voom. The installer told me that ESPN HD is coming quite soon. There are some other cool sports HD channels as well.

Jym,
I thought I had the 5100, but it turns out that I have the 6200(they look the same). I would imagine that Charter's firmware upgrade on April 1 activated all firewire and dvi ports on boxes that have them. My 6200 has a listing in the service menu that says that HDCP is not enabled, but you know that one day they will activate it. I connected my Sony computer monitor just fine to test it out. Depending on supply, you may have to get on a waiting list to get a new box. I got lucky and only had to wait a few days. When I asked, I was told that I could not just come in a swap the box out. Charter need to come out and bring it to you/install it. They claim that it cuts down on service visits due to improper connections. But they will hit you with a service call fee, and I think it was around $40. Sorry.

I mentioned earlier in the thread that I was not happy with the SD quality on some channels, especially the Tennis Channel. However, last night I got into some user menus, and was pleased that the Voom box has some nifty aspect ratio controls. You have what appears to be a nicer selection of choices of how the box will handle 4:3 material on a widescreen, and vice versa. I was watching the stretched mode(yuck), and I have now selected pillar box, which is indeed a bit smaller, but the images are tighter and look a lot better on SD. Actually, they are now looking better than my RCA sat. receiver.

redwine,

It appears that I may have given you some bad info. I was reading the lit. that came with the Voom box, and apparantly(it's a bit unclear) you CAN buy eq. that is compatible with the Voom system, and install it yourself, and pay them for the Voom service and access card. Now, what eq. that is, or if it's even available now is a big question. The manual states that if you do that, all warranties are canceled. Specifically....."Pg. 36 section 3b: We(Voom) shall have no responsibility for the condition or repair on any Equipment provided or purchased by you". That whole paragraph talks about that subject. It seems that it's all on you if you provide your own equipment. I'd love to hear more from them about this. I hope all this info is helpful to you guys.

marlowsa

04-23-04, 11:17 PM

Originally posted by tcfila
I know this is off topic for HD, but don't know where else to ask a St. Louis only question...

Has anyone had trouble with their High Speed Internet? Ever since the change to 3 Megs, I am getting alot of "page cannot be displayed". After several refreshes of IE, the page loads. I've contacted charter and they don't know what is causing it.

Tim

I have the 3Mb D/L and it has been great for the past 2 weeks. I am getting about 360Kb per second consistantly.

jedi35

04-24-04, 01:06 AM

tcfila,

I've had the 3 meg service for a few days now, and I'm getting almost 4 megs when I run bandwidth tests. I've gotten around 400kb/s on the few downloads I've done so far. It scared me. Surfing has been pretty fast, and when it hasn't loaded right away, I figured that it was because of the website, not the cable. It sounds like you already know that everyone is bottlenecked by the slowest link, and your problem seems like something different it happening. I haven't gotten any messages of pages that can't be displayed yet. I'd stay all over Charter about it.

jedi35

04-24-04, 01:11 AM

Sorry if this seems a bit off topic, but I'm continuing to sing the praises of Voom. My package includes 2 HBO HDs, and 2 SHO HDs as well. One of the HBO HDs ran Star Wars: Attack of the Clones in HD and I just caught the end of it while I was flipping. I couldn't believe it. Wow, the picture was great!! My mission now is to catch that again in it's entirety. If I could only find it on Charter's box I could tape it on d-vhs.

Jefftra

04-24-04, 11:39 PM

I have had Directv HD for the past year with the Hughes HIRD-E86 HD receiver. I cancelled the service because I am sick of messing with antenna issues on my local digital channels. So my plan is to take advantage of charters new customer deal. Basic analog cable for 24.99 for 12 months. My question is can I simply plug the cable into the Hughes box so I can have my cable and My local digitals on one input. And if I can do that why couldn't you order their HD service and save the 8 bucks a month and use your own receiver. The manual says you can combine cable,sat, and antenna all on this receiver but I won't know until they install next week.

jedi35

04-25-04, 01:29 AM

Jefftra,

Some things to check on. Make sure that your Hughes box can decode HD cable and not just analog cable to be sure. If it can do HD cable, then there are only 2 other things to consider. 1) I saw a post where a guy claimed that his box shutdown and wouldn't do cable or anything else after he canceled his sat. subscription. A valid access card might be needed just to get your box going on anything else it's capable of. Check it out. 2) Be aware that Charter cable only carries digital channels 2, 4 and 5 right now. You'll miss all the rest of them until Charter completes the deal to add them. So, it seems that you won't be totally escaping your antenna issues.

More Voom news. Last night I got around to hooking up my indoor antenna to the Voom box for my digital locals. What's cool is that even before I hooked things up, the local channels were already programmed into the Voom tuner, even 46-1. I can't even get my Sammy T165 to register the existence of this UPN station. Is anybody actually getting this channel? My installer told me that he's only seen two of his installs (out of all he's done)to actually get it. I've heard mixed things about how well the Voom box picks up digital locals, but I'll have to say that I'm impressed with my setup. I'm getting a very solid performance on all of them, just like with my Sammy. But I still can't get UPN, however. If the power ever gets up to a decent level on the UPN tower, atleast I'll be able to easily test for it since it's already locked into the Voom tuner. Another nice thing is that the local program guide is right there when you need it, whereas my Sammy has to search the air for awhile before I can pull up the guide. Go Voom!!

Robert Simandl

04-25-04, 06:34 AM

Hi Jedi,

My Hughes box picks up 46-1 fine and dandy, as did my previous Sony HD100.

The station I don't get is 24-1, which TitanTV says does exist, but neither the Hughes nor the Sony ever actually received. Not that I care, since I'm sure even a digital transmission from that channel would look like a 6th generation VHS tape.

DroptheRemote

04-25-04, 01:03 PM

First reviews of the TiVo-HD are trickling in. I'd normally try to link to an AVS discussion on this, but there's only a few not very insightful comments so far on the AVS sticky thread. This is from tivocommunity.com:

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?threadid=171422&perpage=20&pagenumber=1

Lots of complaints about lack of native-resolution support, but I guess some people are simply destined to find fault and be unhappy.

Then again, I'm unhappy with the $1000 price tag and will be waiting for something around $500...

RaceTripper

04-25-04, 01:11 PM

My wife and I are dying to get a HD-Tivo for our HT, but I can't see spending $1000 for a first-generation unit that likely has bugs and/or other issues.

I'll wait till they mature a bit more and hit the sub-$500 range.

Dean

Robert Simandl

04-25-04, 03:58 PM

I sold my Sony HD100 a few months back to help pay for one of these suckers, but didn't get my preorder in til March 5. So I've probably got another month to wait for mine. I would have loved to see a "variable" mode like the Sony had (480i goes out as 480i, 480p, 720p, and 1080i all go out as 1080i), but it looks like I'lll be hitting the output buttons along with the channel buttoins when I surf...

BTW, I ended up buying an HTL-HD to tide me over 'til the Tivo gets here! A sure sign that I'm in dire need of a LIFE in addition to a need for HD.....

wschwart

04-25-04, 08:33 PM

Has anyone else noticed ESPN-HD freezing up every once in a while on Charter? This happened this afternoon during the NBA game and tonight on the baseball game. The picture freezes and the sound goes mute. It is annoying to see a pitcher start to pitch and then the next thing is a commercial.

abcward

04-25-04, 10:53 PM

Originally posted by wschwart
Has anyone else noticed ESPN-HD freezing up every once in a while on Charter? This happened this afternoon during the NBA game and tonight on the baseball game. The picture freezes and the sound goes mute. It is annoying to see a pitcher start to pitch and then the next thing is a commercial.

I have been watching the baseball game for the last hour - this freezing seems to occur for me every 5-7 minutes. Really irritating stuff.

Mr_Bester

04-25-04, 11:05 PM

It looks like a charter issue, I haven't noriced it on D*
Dug

redwine

04-26-04, 12:14 AM

Jedi35..did the VOOM install combine the OTA and satellite signals over the same cable or run two cables? I read on a VOOM board that it is better to run over separate cables.

I have a dual LNB Dish on my roof from a previous house owner and I am thinking of converting it to VOOM since I read it was the same satellite location. I am currently using Charter so I should be able to use the same intra house cables and use the existing dish cables to hook into them.

Joseph Clark

04-26-04, 12:49 AM

Originally posted by jedi35
Jefftra,

Some things to check on. Make sure that your Hughes box can decode HD cable and not just analog cable to be sure. If it can do HD cable, then there are only 2 other things to consider. 1) I saw a post where a guy claimed that his box shutdown and wouldn't do cable or anything else after he canceled his sat. subscription. A valid access card might be needed just to get your box going on anything else it's capable of. Check it out. 2) Be aware that Charter cable only carries digital channels 2, 4 and 5 right now. You'll miss all the rest of them until Charter completes the deal to add them. So, it seems that you won't be totally escaping your antenna issues.

More Voom news. Last night I got around to hooking up my indoor antenna to the Voom box for my digital locals. What's cool is that even before I hooked things up, the local channels were already programmed into the Voom tuner, even 46-1. I can't even get my Sammy T165 to register the existence of this UPN station. Is anybody actually getting this channel? My installer told me that he's only seen two of his installs (out of all he's done)to actually get it. I've heard mixed things about how well the Voom box picks up digital locals, but I'll have to say that I'm impressed with my setup. I'm getting a very solid performance on all of them, just like with my Sammy. But I still can't get UPN, however. If the power ever gets up to a decent level on the UPN tower, atleast I'll be able to easily test for it since it's already locked into the Voom tuner. Another nice thing is that the local program guide is right there when you need it, whereas my Sammy has to search the air for awhile before I can pull up the guide. Go Voom!!

UPN has been coming in fine on my Dish 6000, HiPix and MyHD systems for months, since my antennae upgrade. I'm scheduled for a Voom install this coming Friday morning. It will be interesting to see if UPN shows up.

I've read mixed reports about SD channels, some saying they look better than Dish and some saying they look awful. I still have SD Dish to do a direct comparison, so I should be able to report on that issue. Will also have the VaVaVoom hidef channels for direct comparison to Dish HBO and Showtime.

I almost bought a Dish 921, but the delays saved me. Since it now looks like the FireWire will never be activated on that unit, I'm glad I didn't find one. We'll see if Voom delivers on its promise of a FireWire enabled DVR in the next few months. After the Dish 921 and Superdish disasters, I'm not holding my breath.

DroptheRemote

04-26-04, 08:49 AM

In Embracing Digital Recorders,
Cable Companies Take Big Risk

Viewers Flock to the Devices,
But Advertisers May Flee;
Debating Ad-Skip Feature
Time Warner's 'Meteorite'

In late 2002, Comcast Corp. Chief Executive Brian Roberts warned cable-industry executives that a new technology was putting their livelihoods in danger. The technology: digital video recorders, such as TiVo, that let consumers store dozens of TV programs and zip through commercials.

A consumer who uses such a device "is getting all that content and recording it real easily, paying nothing extra to get it and stripping out the advertising," Mr. Roberts told an industry gathering.

But now Mr. Roberts is singing the praises of the digital recorder. Comcast, the nation's largest cable provider, is installing the device in customers' homes as quickly as it can. So are other top cable operators such as Time Warner Inc.'s Time Warner Cable unit. So far, only about 3.5 million homes have the recorders, but they are spreading fast.

Full story (requires paid subscription):

http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB108292985324892853,00.html?mod=home%5Fpage%5Fone%5Fus

Comcast to Test Digeo Set-Top Box

Plan Marks Latest Signal
That Paul Allen Start-Up
Is Credible Microsoft Rival

Comcast Corp. plans to test an advanced TV set-top box designed by Digeo Inc., the latest sign that the Paul Allen-backed start-up has become a credible competitor to Microsoft Corp. in the cable field.

Comcast, the nation's largest cable service in terms of subscribers, will announce today a commercial trial using about 40,000 of the devices, which are manufactured by Motorola Inc. using a Digeo design called Moxi. Charter Communications Inc., a cable company controlled by Mr. Allen, also is announcing plans to launch a Moxi-based service in Rochester, Minn., after a trial there.

The devices make use of Digeo's software for navigating through TV channels and managing other entertainment options, including digital video recording, games, stored photos and music. The Moxi design, named after a Silicon Valley company Digeo bought in 2002, is styled as a "media center" along the lines of a flood of new gadgets being designed by computer and consumer-electronics companies. The device uses the Linux operating system and the Intel Corp. chip design used in personal computers.

Full story (requires paid subscription):

http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB108293302339193033,00.html?mod=todays_us_marketplace

abcward

04-26-04, 09:38 AM

So, if the problem is with Charter, does anyone have ideas who we should contact?

If you remember the last problems we had were with CBS-HD and ESPN-HD. After CBS was contacted by a few of us here, they got on the horn with Charter and resolved the problem. At the same time the ESPN issue was resolved as well. That may mean that both channels were having the same issue.

We dont have a local ESPN contact to contact.... so any ideas who we can get to look into this new issue?

Thanks
Bruce

wmschultz

04-26-04, 12:54 PM

I don't think the ESPN problem is strictly a Charter problem. I have noticed during the past week that ESPN will blink off and come back on. Mine doesn't "freeze" it just goes black and then comes back on. Kind of like a long blink..It is really annoying. I bet it is ESPN doing something on their end.

jedi35

04-26-04, 03:12 PM

redwine,

My Voom installer thought that since I was alreay getting all my locals but 46-1 ok, that I shouldn't mess with Voom's antenna. He said that Voom's would do, at best, about as well as my indoor, and it might be worse. So, a single cable feeds my box. I did remember reading the post you mentioned, and was prepared to ask for 2 cable runs if we went with the rooftop antenna.

Joseph Clark,

I'm interested in finding out what antenna upgrade you got that allowed you to get 46-1. I notice that you are out in St. Peters, and I am near Lambert Airport. I think I'm closer to UPN's tower that you, but you can actually get the 46-1 signal. This frustrates me. Also how did you hear of a Voom box comng out with firewire enabled dvr? I'd love to hear more. I think that the SD resolution on Voom is some of the best I'v seen on alot of channels, but some don't look as good as others. I was able to improve the look of the Tennis Channel by choosing "pillar box" for 4:3 material on a widescreen tv. I would indeed recommend this setting for all SD viewing.

DroptheRemote

04-26-04, 03:26 PM

jedi,

The issue with receiving 46-1 is that it is located further south and to the west of all the other transmission towers for stations in St. Louis -- in effect, it is off-axis from the other towers. Also, I think that it is probably operating at lower power than the other station transmitters, which makes receipt more challenging.

You can see the tower location by going to the first page of this month's thread and downloading the tower maps that are available in the Local Resources message that I post here every month.

Also, there's little practical reason to sweat not being able to receive UPN, as WBRU is not passing any HD and there are no indications that this is going to be happening anytime soon. Further, I recall reading elsewhere that the UPN network has cancelled both UPN shows that the network was making available in HD -- Jake 2.0 and Enterprise. But again, as WRBU lacks the equipment necessary to pass network-origin HD, this is a moot point.

Joseph Clark

04-26-04, 03:45 PM

Originally posted by jedi35
redwine,

My Voom installer thought that since I was alreay getting all my locals but 46-1 ok, that I shouldn't mess with Voom's antenna. He said that Voom's would do, at best, about as well as my indoor, and it might be worse. So, a single cable feeds my box. I did remember reading the post you mentioned, and was prepared to ask for 2 cable runs if we went with the rooftop antenna.

Joseph Clark,

I'm interested in finding out what antenna upgrade you got that allowed you to get 46-1. I notice that you are out in St. Peters, and I am near Lambert Airport. I think I'm closer to UPN's tower that you, but you can actually get the 46-1 signal. This frustrates me. Also how did you hear of a Voom box comng out with firewire enabled dvr? I'd love to hear more. I think that the SD resolution on Voom is some of the best I'v seen on alot of channels, but some don't look as good as others. I was able to improve the look of the Tennis Channel by choosing "pillar box" for 4:3 material on a widescreen tv. I would indeed recommend this setting for all SD viewing.

Actually, I'm in south St. Louis, and probably a lot closer to the UPN tower than you are - proabably why I'm able to get it. Also, I misspoke about the Voom DVR. It apparently won't have FireWire capability. I believe Charter's box will have FireWire, but until they get more channels, that's out. Anyway, archiving is limited to the OTA programs right now. With dual layer disks promised sometime in June, that should mean any broadcast hour show should fit on one DVD, if you have MyHD or something similar.

As I type, my Voom installer just answered a call I put in about Friday morning. He sounded pretty experienced and was very responsive to my concerns - a good sign based on the horror stories some have. He told me he is doing 3-4 a week (been doing them about 3 months) and others he knows are doing 1-2. Voom must be taking off in a big way here. Another encouraging sign.

jedi35

04-26-04, 07:22 PM

Doug,

I see your points. Well taken. I was just hoping that I could see some Enterprise episodes in digital SD atleast, which should look better than analog. I guess I won't ever see that in my house.

Joseph,

Oops, now I see that it was someone else in St. Peters who posted that UPN was coming in for him. I'm curious as to who's doing your Voom install. it'll be interesting t see if Voom is referring all St. Louis installs to one business, or if they've chosen a few different ones. I'm certainly interetsed in your outcome on Friday and what you think of the service. Right now, in addition to Voom I also have Charter's hd box and record through firewire to my JVC 30K d-vhs deck. Today I taped Batman Forever on HBOHD. Cool. Why did I feel sneeky as if I needed to have my hand slapped? Maybe because there was no enforced copy protection activated to keep me from doing it. I don't know how long this will last, but I'm going to order a bunch of tapes right now!! Charter's selection isn't all that bad right now: HDNet, HDNet Movies, ESPN, HBO, SHO, and 3 of our digital locals.

Robert Simandl

04-26-04, 07:51 PM

I'm in St. Peters also, and 46-1 comes in fine and dandy on my new HTL-HD. Had no problems picking it up on the old Sony HD100, either. This is with the yagi that's been sitting on my roof since 1998.

Joseph Clark

04-26-04, 07:57 PM

Originally posted by jedi35
Doug,

I see your points. Well taken. I was just hoping that I could see some Enterprise episodes in digital SD atleast, which should look better than analog. I guess I won't ever see that in my house.

Joseph,

Oops, now I see that it was someone else in St. Peters who posted that UPN was coming in for him. I'm curious as to who's doing your Voom install. it'll be interesting t see if Voom is referring all St. Louis installs to one business, or if they've chosen a few different ones. I'm certainly interetsed in your outcome on Friday and what you think of the service. Right now, in addition to Voom I also have Charter's hd box and record through firewire to my JVC 30K d-vhs deck. Today I taped Batman Forever on HBOHD. Cool. Why did I feel sneeky as if I needed to have my hand slapped? Maybe because there was no enforced copy protection activated to keep me from doing it. I don't know how long this will last, but I'm going to order a bunch of tapes right now!! Charter's selection isn't all that bad right now: HDNet, HDNet Movies, ESPN, HBO, SHO, and 3 of our digital locals.

The company doing my Voom install is CF Communications - 314-713-8921. Installs overall are handled by Installs, Inc. and they told me to contact them directly if I had any issues with the local installer. Glad you reminded me that Charter has HDNet and ESPN. I was thinking of staying with Dish just for those channels, but that won't be necessary past my obligation. Thanks also for the heads up on the ability now to record from Charter to a JVC 30k. I've been archiving OTA stuff to the JVC for some time now, and I already get a basic Charter package and the cable modem service. What is the monthly charge for the HiDef service and a FireWire capable box?

redwine

04-26-04, 09:00 PM

jedi35 and Joseph Clark,

Can you currently rent any D-VHS movies anywhere? I see some internet mail order companies but wondered if any rental place stepped up yet. I would get a D-VHS just to watch HD movies before they made it to HBO etc.

Joseph Clark

04-27-04, 12:11 AM

I don't know of any D-VHS titles available for rental. I think the market is just too small. Only a handful of titles are even available. I got the D-VHS mainly to archive to tape until I can figure out how to get the tapes to some format of HD disc. Some on the forum have done it, but so far I haven't been able to navigate the software enough to do it consistently.

On seeing Enterprise in digital on UPN, I can say it's really not worth it. It's just not that much better than the analog.

jedi35

04-27-04, 01:35 AM

Robert,

Yes, it was your post I saw about how well you are receiving UPN. It sounds like it's not worth my worrying about right now, since the quality is not that great and the tower's signal is weak.

redwine,

I think Joseph is right. There doesn't seem to be much of a market for rental d-vhs tapes. I like the idea of owning the tapes instead of renting them anyway. Charter's firewire port activation just opened up a whole new world.

Joseph,

OK, you've got the same installation company as the one I got. They are good. I'd see if I could get Chris to do the job if they allow requests. He did an excellent job for me. He was knowledgeable, and best of all, creative. He understood that I wasn't crazy about having holes drilled in my roof, since I'm renting, and he came up with another option that got the dish up on the roof in a clean line of site. As for Charter's hd service, it's about 9 or 10 bucks a month for the basic package that includes HDNet, HDNet Movies, ESPN, and 3 of our digital locals. If you already subscribe to HBO or SHO, their hd versions should automatically activate with the hd package. If you don't have them, then they can be added for about 10-15 bucks per channel, I think. The hd receiver rental is around 9 bucks for the first one, and I think it's less for additional ones. I don't think that you can purchase it. Oh, and they'll hit you with a $40 hd installation visit fee just to bring the box out to your house(you can't go pick it up yourself). All in all, I got free installation when I first signed up, the first month of service free, and now I have one hd box( ask for the Motorola 6200, or better yet the 6208 if they have it yet), Basic, Expanded, the Big Movie Tier, HBO, SHO, Cinemax Pack, Starz Superpak, remote control, etc. all for about $73 per month. I have recently added Charter's high speed cable, and put that on top of my Voom bill, and you've got one heck of a monthly fee for entertainment and internet. Yikes!! Also, do you find that there are occasional attacks on your computer by hackers trying to activate trojan horses over the cable modem connection? I've got Norton Firewall 2003 and it notifies me of these attacks that have been blocked, but I don't think that this happened when I had dsl. Do you think that this is just what happens when you have an "always on" connection?

Robert Simandl

04-27-04, 06:59 AM

Yeah, other than Enterprise there is absolutely nothing on that channel (46) I watch. Well, if they have a non-national Rams preseason game or two I suppose I'll have to grumble and watch that i just remind myself that just a few years ago, 46 was a Home Shopping Channel and we had no UPN at all.

As for the hackers, I'd say that's the downside of the always-on connection, though the notices from the firewall program dropped dramatically when I got a router with built-in hardware firewall.

DroptheRemote

04-27-04, 08:04 AM

It looks like the ESPN-HD problem is not a Charter-specific problem, as it's also being reported seen on DISH:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?threadid=394749

usersrdum

04-27-04, 11:28 AM

I am located in Eagle Pines subdivision off of Hwy94 and Heimsath road in St. Charles. My question is I'm going to be getting a antenna for OTA when I get my HD Tivo. What I'm concerned about is I have High Tension power lines about 150 to 200 yards away running perpendicular to the location of my OTA stations. I also have these towers behind me which I hope should not effect me at all. These are the BIG power lines with the tall metal towers.

They seam far enough away that they won't be a problem...but what do I know.

Thanks for any info.

wmschultz

04-27-04, 11:37 AM

I'm pretty sure you are all sick of me talking about FOX 2's transmission issues but I called them yesterday.

I talked to Maintenance Supervisor and he indicated that if maintenance needed to be done it would be on a Sunday but it would be early. He also stated that thier power is at 100%, 99% of the time.

He gave me a phone number that I could call on Sunday if the issue comes up.

What kills me is that Saturday I was able to watch the Busch Series race with a locked signal strength of about 80%, then come Sunday it would fluctuate the entire time. It seem to never really get above 50% and would actually drop all signal.

If someone lives out by me, let me know. I am at Kisker and 94 and I have reaimed my antenna several times.

Bill

jedi35

04-27-04, 12:11 PM

wmschultz,

I haven't seen all your posts, but have you tried an indoor powered antenna like the Zenith Silver Sensor, or a Radio Shack hdtv antenna? Both of those are doing a great job for me, and they have outperformed anything I've had on my roof(Terk, Wineguard, etc.). My Voom installer said that the signals could bounce around abit more inside your house and give the indoor antennas a better chance to pick them up, whereas outside the signals could spread more. Just a thought.

Robert,

Oh, I'd forgotten about the option of using a router. Would that reduce my bandwidth/speed any?

wschwart

04-27-04, 12:30 PM

The Freeze on ESPN-HD is not the same as the blink. At least with a blink the signal will come back very shortly. With a freeze you lose at least 15 seconds - you have a nice picture and no sound, but it is a still image. I missed the real time coverage of the only goal in last night's hockey game.
A lot can happen in a game during 15 seconds and sure enough it foze when the SDharks were in front of the Colorado net. When the freeze was over the SHarks were celebrating the goal. At least I saw it on a replay.
I have sent an e-mail to Charter. It will be interesting to see what kind of response I get.

abcward

04-27-04, 01:03 PM

response? from Charter? thats a good one...

Bill787

04-27-04, 01:10 PM

Originally posted by Bill787
Jim-- I was one of the folks with a Zenith HD420, along with wmschultz (Panasonic?) and Mr_Bester and b_sing (Panasonic TUHDS 20) who had video stuttering problems last July with your signal.

WRacer (Jim)--
My stuttering went away right before your transmitter failure, and this might have been a happy result of the master computer reset you mentioned. But since your return-to-air on 15 April the stuttering has been chronic.

I realize my long-term plan needs to be getting rid of the badly designed Zenith HD420, but wondering if you would consider another reset on the chance that it's relevant to my problem.

With thanks for all the good work,

Bill777 (Saint Charles with rooftop antenna)

wschwart

04-27-04, 02:37 PM

I did get a response - sort of. The usual form letter that says to check all your connections and to reload your cable box. What a fine bit of customer support! I'll wait some more in case a miracle occurs and someone actually reads the content of my note and responds.

abcward

04-27-04, 03:15 PM

In my experience, you will NEVER get a response from Charter, other than the 'the problem is on your end, not ours' type of response.

Funny how they can ignore that multiple users are having the same issue... Thats Basic Troubleshooting 101 there.

BudShark

04-27-04, 04:54 PM

Well considering that Charter is owned by a founder of M$FT, I'm shocked that their customer service behaves this way...

I could continue, but I'm sure everyone gets the point... I'm getting extremely frustrated here.

Dish Network stinks (Engineering, and customer response)
Charter stinks (Engineering, and customer response)
Voom isn't mature enough, but initial reports are they are spotty at best
DirecTV seems to be the best, and is pricing their service to match. Plus they are in a state of change (TiVO, new ownership, locking down box development, etc...)

What to do... what to do... Someday, somehow we will get a service provider with decent boxes, ala carte options, and a clear direction.

WRacer

04-27-04, 07:11 PM

Bill 787,
I can try rebooting it again, but I'm not sure that's the problem. We are still on a temp exciter, which could be the issue. If you'll call me I can discuss some options.
Jim
314-259-5757

StLouG

04-27-04, 08:10 PM

Originally posted by WRacer
Bill 787,
I can try rebooting it again, but I'm not sure that's the problem. We are still on a temp exciter, which could be the issue. If you'll call me I can discuss some options.
Jim
314-259-5757

Take a look at this customer service and then look at charter's so called customer service. You will see a world of difference and charter could take a lesson from WRacer and KDNL. I tip my hat to them. :D

abcward

04-27-04, 08:23 PM

Originally posted by StLouG
Take a look at this customer service and then look at charter's so called customer service. You will see a world of difference and charter could take a lesson from WRacer and KDNL. I tip my hat to them. :D

Having Charter taking a lesson would first mean that they would actually have to show any sense of caring about our needs. Too bad it has to be this way...they actually offer a decent product at a very competitive rate. If they only started offering a bit more customer service...

Joseph Clark

04-27-04, 09:47 PM

Originally posted by jedi35
Robert,

Joseph,

I have recently added Charter's high speed cable, and put that on top of my Voom bill, and you've got one heck of a monthly fee for entertainment and internet. Yikes!! Also, do you find that there are occasional attacks on your computer by hackers trying to activate trojan horses over the cable modem connection? I've got Norton Firewall 2003 and it notifies me of these attacks that have been blocked, but I don't think that this happened when I had dsl. Do you think that this is just what happens when you have an "always on" connection?

Robert,

I'm not the best person to speak to about Internet security, but I can tell you this. I consulted with one of the tech support people at Webster University where I teach. Specifically, I was concerned about keeping out attackers, first with my DSL connection and now with Charter high speed cable. I was all set to install the Norton package, too. He told me that he uses Norton Antivirus and a hardware firewall. I had been using a Linksys 802.11b wireless router, but it was causing too big a drop in my connecition speed (about 1/3 to 1/2 less). After he told me that, I upgraded to a Netgear 802.11g router. It is connected directly to the cable connection. I then run it to a gigabit switch to which I have all my systems connected - three desktops with gigabit cards and a wireless laptop. When I run Norton Utilities and do the Internet security check, it now tells me I'm safe from intruders (it's a utility that connects to their systems and tries to get to your computers behind your router). I feel pretty secure with this setup now. If anyone has better suggestions about security, I'd love to hear them.

Sounds like the Charter route may be a little more expensive than I originally thought, since it may not include HBO and Showtime. How about Discovery HD Theater? Although the amount of reruns is frustrating, I'd love to be able to record some of those shows.

Joe

Saluki

04-27-04, 10:41 PM

This STL Charter thread is very informative for a non-tech newbie such as I. I am looking to make the HDTV plunge fairly soon & have learned a lot reading these forums. I am leaning towards picking up one of the new Samsung DLP sets when they come out late summer.

Anyway...I was hoping my St. Louis brothers (& sisters) could help me out with some total newb questions.

First off, I currently have analog Charter. I have the signal split with a Radio Shack splitter/amplifier that works great - one line to our main set & the other to a basement tv for the kids. If I go with high-def Charter, can I still split the signal to the non-HDTV set? Would I now have digital cable in the basement & just need a Charter box for that set?

Also, with Charter hdtv service, what would I need an OTA antenna for? Is it for PBS & KPLR only?

Thanks in advance.

BudShark

04-28-04, 12:16 AM

Yes, you can still split the signal. The analog and digital feeds are both carried on the same line. You could do HD to the main set, and keep the existing set as is - or you could add a digital box to the second set. If you didn't want the digital channels downstairs, no need for the 2nd box.

Charter is missing ABC, PBS, WB HD channels. Those are the biggies that you would be missing out on.

Chris

redwine

04-28-04, 12:43 AM

Joseph, Linksys causes a 1/3 to 1/2 drop in connection speed? Charter cable is the slow link in any home network. Any 802.11 wireless is still faster than the Charter link to the internet.

Charter has problems but I have been using the On-demand feature lately and love it. Movies and programs when I want to watch....it is great and only on cable for now. If it was in HD I would be in heaven.

Joseph Clark

04-28-04, 01:40 AM

Originally posted by redwine
Joseph, Linksys causes a 1/3 to 1/2 drop in connection speed? Charter cable is the slow link in any home network. Any 802.11 wireless is still faster than the Charter link to the internet.

Don't know why this happens, but it does. I get significantly greater throughput with the Netgear router. I know the theoretical maximum numbers for 802.11b and 802.11g, and I don't understand why it would matter. Without the Linksys router in place, I tried using a Linksys 10/100 switch. It caused a serious hit, too.

BudShark

04-28-04, 07:06 AM

There has been a large number of reported problems with the Linksys causing loss of speed on anything greater than 1mb.

Also - a personal word on caution on Linksys (despite owning several of their products) - they 'change' their hardware in mid cycle. If you ever look at a linksys box (say their 802.11b wireless router) you will see a v.2 or v.3 or whatever after the model name on the box (lower left corner). This is actually a hardware model, not a software model.

In the case of their 802.11b products, this hardware model was actually a different chipset from a different vendor - and the version 1 and 2 products performed signifcantly worse than the v2.5 and v 3 products. Just an FYI.

I wonder if HD manufacturers do this too? (Just keeping on topic! :) )
Chris

DroptheRemote

04-28-04, 07:36 AM

SkyREPORT E-News: NDS Ready for More DirecTV Deals

NDS Group, News Corp.'s TV technology unit, boasted about its contract renewal with DirecTV for conditional access technology during a conference call highlighting fiscal third quarter results Tuesday. And the company's top executive, president and CEO Abe Peled, said he hopes to do more business with the U.S. satellite TV giant.

Peled said NDS is working on other offers aimed at DirecTV. Some of the work includes making progress on interactive TV applications that could one day show up on the satellite TV service: ValueTV, NDS's iTV service offering T-commerce and TV game applications; and XTV, the company's "personal TV" system supporting PVR functions and other advanced TV applications.

Peled stressed that no new deals are yet in place with DirecTV concerning those items. In addition to conditional access technology, NDS has another avenue into DirecTV with its acquisition of Thomson's MediaHighway business, which supports middleware items for the satellite TV company.

Today, PVR services for DirecTV come from TiVo.

NDS reported revenues for the fiscal quarter were 57.6 million pounds ($103.23 million U.S.), an 11 percent drop from the same period last year.

abcward

04-28-04, 09:23 AM

Just saw a commercial today - new customers of Charter's internet get a 1-year free subscription to mlb.com's All Access service [a $99 value].

I hate seeing offers like that for new customers when I've been a customer for ages. Dangle gifts to new people, but completely ignore the people who have been paying for years.

Do you think we could call up and complain and get the same free mlb.com as an existing customer?

Also, has anyone heard any more details on when Charter will offer the HD PVR?

Thanks
Bruce

DroptheRemote

04-28-04, 09:31 AM

Bruce,

The only thing I've seen recently on Charter's DVR is what was included in the WSJ article from earlier this week about Comcast's plans. The article referred to the fact that Charter is test marketing their DVR in Rochester, MN and that once those trials are complete it plans to offer the service there.

That's hardly definitive, but I would GUESS that you won't see anything from a Charter DVR until at least the Rochester test is completed and the rollout has begun there. If the HD package tests are anything to go by, it could be many months between the conclusions of test marketing and offering of the DVR service in the STL market.

Maybe someone else has more recent or detailed info.

Also, I agree with you on the "sweet deals" offered to new customers while ignoring the base of subscribers who have been paying executive and staff salaries all along. Of course, Charter is hardly the only offender on this score, and the same applies to other cable companies, DISH, DirecTV, and no doubt in time to VOOM...

duihlein

04-28-04, 09:42 AM

Has anyone with a Charter STB w/firewire tried connecting to their PC to record the HD stream?

I'm a current Dish subscriber, but with the current DVR921/SuperDish fiascos I'm seriously considering switching providers before the start of the NFL season. I currently record OTA with a HiPix and can archive to a JVC HD30000 via firewire. I'm very happy with the setup, but it's only OTA.

Have there been any indications if firewire will be included in Charters HD-PVR?

Has anyone tried connecting a LG-3410A to a Charter STB and tried to record VIA firewire?

If anyone out there has a STB with firewire, but does not have a pc with firewire, I'd be glad to offer up my laptop for testing.

With the Dish DVR921 firewire support ending and DirectTV's lack of firewire from the start, it looks like the next milestone for me to look forward to is Charter's DVR release. If I remember correctly the last rumor hinted at June/July for release.

Thanks

Dave

duihlein

04-28-04, 09:58 AM

Looks like Charter has begun deploying their HD-PVR.

money.cnn.com/services/tickerheadlines/prn/sfm066.P2.04232004231810.15538.htm (http://money.cnn.com/services/tickerheadlines/prn/sfm066.P2.04232004231810.15538.htm)

Hopefully we'll see reviews soon...

Dave

abcward

04-28-04, 10:03 AM

I wonder why Charter never tests new equipment in St. Louis - that would seem easier to be able to monitor that way [and better for us!]

DroptheRemote

04-28-04, 10:09 AM

Bruce,

I suspect that the engineering center is probably somewhere other than St. Louis and that's why the tests typically take place elsewhere.

Again, I'm just guessing, but in the case of an organization like Charter, where the company is a product of several different mergers and acquistions, it's not unusual for core functions of the company to be spread around different cities, typically because one particular piece of the amalgamation was more advanced in engineering, accounting, marketing, etc. and the risk of moving those parts and losing the people that makes them work is judged to be a risk not worth taking (or simply too expensive).

And sometimes these sorts of decisions come down to lower wages in one center vs. another, whether unions are present, right to work, etc.

Saluki

04-28-04, 11:50 AM

Originally posted by BudShark
Yes, you can still split the signal. The analog and digital feeds are both carried on the same line. You could do HD to the main set, and keep the existing set as is - or you could add a digital box to the second set. If you didn't want the digital channels downstairs, no need for the 2nd box.

Charter is missing ABC, PBS, WB HD channels. Those are the biggies that you would be missing out on.

Chris

Thanks for the info. It is going to be a bit of a bear to run antenna wire from my set to the attic I have a feeling. Is there any guesstimate on when Charter may add the above networks to the HD lineup? What is the holdup?

DroptheRemote

04-28-04, 12:34 PM

Saluki,

There's no reliable estimate -- or even any estimate -- of when Charter will offer a full complement of the digital/HD locals. They aren't saying "when" or for that matter "if."

There's also no clear idea on what's causing the delay. One obvious issue is money -- many local stations expect to be paid for cable access to their digital feeds.

Another possibility is that cable companies in general have been resisting the idea of carrying more than a single digital channel. In other words, they're not interested in carrying the subchannels, such as those that appear on PBS (9-1, 9-2, 9-3). Whether they see this as potential competition or it's merely a matter of bandwidth constraint/clutter, or some other reason, isn't clear.

However, the ABC network has an overall strategy for making use of digital subchannels, even though KDNL isn't doing that here. Maybe it's coincidental that KDNL/ABC is one of the AWOL digitals, and maybe it isn't.

Saluki

04-28-04, 01:43 PM

I am in Clayton (very close to downtown Clayton). Any idea on how well an antenna in the attic would work here for ABC, PBS & WB?

DroptheRemote

04-28-04, 02:29 PM

Saluki,

It's virtually impossible to make any prediction for reception success in a given location until it's actually attempted. There are any number of variables that can effect over-the-air reception of these signals, including both natural and man-made objects that may partly or completely obscure the signal between you and the individual transmission tower(s). Weather and climatic conditions, while a more variable consideration, can also be a factor in achieving good reception.

That said, I would expect that in your location that you have a very good chance of successfully receiving the ABC, WB and PBS signals without serious degradation. On the other hand, I suspect that it's probably no better than 50/50 that you would be able to receive and lock in on the UPN signal.

Unfortunately, the only way you'll know is to set up an antenna, aim for the towers and see how it goes.

I appreciate that that's not the definitive answer you might have been hoping for, but that's the reality that others he have experienced in their own installations.

As an aside, I lived in London for nearly a decade and during that time became acquainted with a frequently used phrase that perfectly sums up these sorts of situations:

"Suck it and see."

I still can't help but wonder how that saying originated or how it came into everyday use. :D

abcward

04-28-04, 02:32 PM

As an aside, I lived in London for nearly a decade and during that time became acquainted with a frequently used phrase that perfectly sums up these sorts of situations:

"Suck it and see."

I still can't help but wonder how that saying originated or how it came into to everyday use

LOL - I gotta get that on a tshirt

Saluki

04-28-04, 02:45 PM

Doug-

Thanks for the info. I think I will survive okay if I'm only missing UPN.

As I get closer, I would like to talk to you about the possibility of helping me out with this install. I looked at your website briefly. Do you do full installs including antenna mounting/fishing cable, etc. in addition to the calibration work?

DroptheRemote

04-28-04, 05:11 PM

Saluki,

I don't actually do antenna and dish installations, but I can definitely help you with other aspects of your home theater, including consulting/sourcing of components, component connection and setup, and video calibration.

Send me a private message and we can arrange to talk offline about your needs and determine how I might be able to help you.

Lucky1

04-28-04, 06:39 PM

Originally posted by duihlein

Has anyone with a Charter STB w/firewire tried connecting to their PC to record the HD stream?

Dave,

I have Charter's HD box with Firewire ports. Charter told me the firewire ports should be active so I hooked up my laptop. Windows XP finds new hardware, but it comes up as "unknown device" and it asks for a driver disk.

When I signed up for HD they told me I'd be getting a DCT-5100, but I looked on the bottom and it says it's a DCT-6208. From what I've read here I'm assuming that's the PVR version. :cool: However, the remote they gave me does not look like the remote for the 6208 shown on the Motorola website so I'm still a little confused.

I think my software version shows a date of 2002 if I remember right. I'm guessing what they've done is dumbed down the 6208's until they are ready to roll out the PVR service. Then they will push out the new software to all the compatible boxes at that time. Anyone else have any thoughts or information on this?

duihlein

04-28-04, 07:14 PM

Lucky1,
Did you have the AV drivers loaded?

I can currently dump files to/from my JVC HM30000, but I had to load a driver first.
I'll try to dig up the directions for this and post shortly.

Dave

abcward

04-28-04, 07:18 PM

Has anyone heard any reviews on Charters Telephone service? I just had a Charter representative knock on my door and offer an insanely cheap price to switch to it.

Any feedback online/or/offline would be appreciated.

Thanks
Bruce

Tom Grooms

04-28-04, 07:58 PM

Ive had charter phone service for over a year, never had a problem. Well, once a contractor cut a cable down the street and my Internet, TV and phone were all down for an hour.

Great price too.

Enjoy!

Robert Simandl

04-28-04, 07:58 PM

Though I'd never go back to their cable TV service, I did switch to their phone service, and noticed no difference from the phone service provided by GTE/Verizon, other than it's been $15 a month cheaper.

Crash_Corrigan

04-28-04, 10:33 PM

I'm a Directv customer with a Hughes E86 HD STB and a D* SD Tivo. I'm having trouble with reception of SAT B (119) due to some tree tops across the street partially blocking the signal. It's very frustrating. I'm paying for the HD package and most of the time HBO HD and HDNet constantly break up. In the winter I can get all SAT B transponders up to the 80s on the signal strength meter, but during the other three seasons when the leaves are out, most of the transponders on B come in in the 50s, 60s, 70s during clear weather. And, in bad weather the signal strengths drop into the 30s and 40s and I lose HBO HD and HDNet completely.

I'm thinking about replacing my standard Terk Phase III elliptical dish with a Channelmaster Gainmaster Phase III dish in hopes of getting better reception of Sat B when the leaves are on the trees.

Does anyone know of a retailer here in the St. Louis area that stocks the Gainmaster or will I have to go the mail order route?

I wish I felt confident that the larger Gainmaster dish was going to be a permanent solution to my problem, but I'm not sure what will happen as the trees grow and the leaves between my dish and the satellite become fuller and thicker. I assume that the signal will weaken as the trees grow taller and I don't know by how much.

The Gainmaster dish is not cheap. The upgraded dish and triple LNB pack and multiswitch are going to cost over $200 (based on the info I found on the Solid Signal website). It looks like I can't reuse the triple LNB array/multiswitch module in my current Terk dish.

Unless I can get better reception of SAT B, I don't feel like I'm getting my money's worth from the HD Package. I'd like to solve this problem before I shell out big bucks for the HD Tivo later this year.

Any help is appreciated.

redwine

04-29-04, 12:04 AM

Joseph Clark or BudShark.

I have been using Linksys for years now. I used their router/hub with my DSL about 4 years ago and am currently using the 801.11b with a Charter cable modem for a year. I have a v3. Should I be worried? Where did you check your speeds for comparison? I have so far been satisfied but with the low costs of these routers I would easily buy a Netgear if it made a big difference.

jedi35

04-29-04, 07:07 AM

I was gone for a bit due to a computer tower switch with my girlfriend. I'm back on and older PIII 500mhz running W98SE. I was surprised at how easily I wa able to get my Charter cable modem up and running again. I simply plugged in the ethernet cord. That's all. I was greatly disappointed to find that my super speed of almost 4 megs dropped instantly to about 1.5 on the older computer and operating system. But, I visited dslreports.com, did a tweak test, downloaded and changed a few settings in DRTCP. Now, the cable modem reports speeds at up to almost 5 megs!! Wow!! Maybe I'll stick with this klunker a bit longer.

Joseph,

There is no Discovery HD THeater on Charter right now. I'e been told by a Charter rep that they are very close to signing it on.

Doug and duihlein,

I've been told by more than one Charter rep that the boxes with hd pvr service with be available sometime this summer. I'm keeping my fingers crossd about firewire. I wouldn't want to give that up. It's funny how quickly one can get spoiled.

As I continue to enjoy the Voom service, I've noticed that there is a bit of a bug in the software. A buddy of mine tipped me to this fact. Sometimes the tuner does funny things, like not changing channels properly, or eve screwing up the channel order every now and then. When these things happen, I just unplug the box and reboot. That usually takes care of it. Hopefully a future firmware upgrade will fix this. You've got to remember that this service is brand new. Now that I have all this HD service coming into this house, what do I find myself watchng most of the time? The Tennis Channel, which is in SD. I love it!!

How much should I expect to pay for the Netgear 802.11g router? Any good sources?