Miami, FL - HDTV

[cubsrock]

No new channels and No new messages in Coral Gables....I hope you get TLC today in Broward.....

[BDCat]

TLC HD now up and running on channel 425 (Comcast in Broward).

[cubsrock]

I am going to be at work all day today, so I cannot check in Miami Dade. Can anyone in Miami Dade can check to see if we get 423 (CNN) 425 (TLC) or 429 AMC on Comcast?

[Doom878]

Called the wife and the box just gives ??? so no placeholder yet.

[cubsrock]

Just checked...no new channels today here in Coral Gables. That puts Broward 3 up on us now.....(CNN, AMC, and TLC).

[hooked01]

Miracle of miracles, I (S. Broward) have TLC-HD today and at the same time there's a message on the box saying so!

[gaborm]

I have the list of all QAM channels for Broward Comcast. Below is a quick overview, as soon as I get home I'll post the details (like pid, vid and such).

I kept the format as CSV (comma separated) if anyone wants to put it in Excel or OpenOffice Calc.

Starting with HD:

Channel,Call,Comcast Ch#,QAM Ch#,Frequency,Service ID,Transport Steam ID,PMT PID,PCR PID

PBS HD,DWBPT,440,1850,591000,220,10393,49,2048
CBS HD,WFORD,433,1853,591000,212,10393,51,2176
ABC HD,DWPLG,431,1861,597000,210,10528,48,1984
NBC HD,WTVJD,432,1862,597000,211,10528,49,2048
FOX HD,DWSVN,434,1871,603000,213,0,49,2048
CW HD,WSFLD,435,1924,633000,214,10273,48,1984

Other clear QAM channels:

Channel,Call,Comcast Ch#,QAM Ch#,Frequency,Service ID,Transport Steam ID,PMT PID,PCR PID

PBS,WPBT,2,1001,651000,101,10540,48,1984
NBC,WTVJ,6,1002,651000,102,10540,49,2048
Univision,WLTV,9,1003,651000,103,10540,50,2112
CW,WSFL,11,1004,651000,104,10540,51,2176
Telemundo,WSCV,13,1005,651000,105,10540,52,2240
ION,ION,16,1006,651000,106,10540,53,2304
PBS Miami,WLRN,17,1007,651000,107,10540,54,2368
PBS Palm Beach,WXEL,20,1008,651000,108,10540,55,2432
My33,WBFS,3,1009,651000,109,10540,56,2496
Lease,Lease,76,1046,675000,76,10467,56,2496
TV Guide,TVGN,18,1048,675000,18,10467,55,2432
C-SPAN,CSPAN,14,1054,681000,14,10532,50,2112
C-SPAN 2,CSPN2,104,1055,681000,15,10532,52,2240
Superstation WGN,WGN,25,1055,681000,25,10532,55,2432
QVC,QVC,5,1055,681000,5,10532,49,2048
EWTN,EWTN,243,1171,753000,291,10508,57,2560
Comcast Community Programming,CCAST,12,1142,735000,12,10505,49,2048
NBA League Pass Preview,NBAPC,750,1190,765000,750,10510,48,1984
Speed,SPEED,40,1131,729000,271,10196,56,2496
OnDemand Preview 1,VOD,1,1811,567000,101,9011,1616,1617
OnDemand Preview 2,VOD,1,1831,579000,101,9201,1616,1617
Create,WPBTC,202,1851,591000,221,10393,48,1984
V me,WPBT3,201,1851,591000,223,10393,50,2112
NBC Weather Plus,WTVJ,216,1866,597000,250,10528,50,2112
LATV,LATV,209,1869,597000,209,10528,51,2176
Government Access Programing,GA,78,1878,603000,278,0,48,1984
BECON,WBEC,19,1940,645000,210,10539,55,2432
CBS,WFOR,4,1941,645000,201,10539,52,2240
FOX,WSVN,7,1942,645000,202,10539,54,2368
ABC,WPGL,10,1943,645000,203,10539,48,1984
TBN,WHFT,21,1944,645000,204,10539,49,2048
Mega TV,WSBS,22,1945,645000,205,10539,50,2112
Telefutura,WAMI,23,1946,645000,206,10539,53,2304
GenTV,WGEN,8,1947,645000,207,10539,51,2176

Bonus question:
Should I open a new topic for "Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, FL - Comcast" or it does not matter and keep the info burried in a thread with thousands of post?

[cubsrock]

WGN....that is great! Thanks for the QAM post....

[Yardy]

Not all QAM tuners are the same and therefore a particular channels may show up on a completely different frequency depending on the tuner. For instance, none of my qam channels are on the same frequencies listed above by gaborn. Even within the television brand, qam tuners may be different.

[gaborm]

I think those numbers are not frequencies. As I said I'll post the channel details when I get home.

BTW, I am using a Pinnacle HD Pro Stick, the latest version (i think 801e) with clearQAM support (picked up at Best Buy yesterday). The software coming with it plays/displays and records even the HD channels without problem, and can record directly to DiVx or record to DVD using the computer DVD drive. I need to setup the EPG and I'll report back (possibly with screen shots) how it is going.

[gaborm]

updated the list with detailed channel information (all I could get out of pinnacle tv program)

[cubsrock]

Tuesday check-in - No new channels for Comcast in Coral Gables.......Anything in Broward?

[Doom878]

They changed my channel 1 yesterday for former Adelphia. Now it's the same as pushing the Guide button on the remote. Other than that nothing new.

[cubsrock]

TLC-HD 425 was added today in Coral Gables.....

[Doom878]

Excellent. I got A&E, TLC, and HGTV so it looks like Adelphia has finally caught up with linear Comcast HD. Now they just have to fix the HD on Demand to be fully compliant. Just in time for my new HTIB!!!

[BDCat]

Presently I have Comcast service with HD, HBO and Cinemax for four TVs (one is HD), no internet or phone service. Periodically I go through the exercise of comparing my present service with the DirecTV and Dish. Of course DirecTV added a bunch of HD channels awhile ago and Dish also added some 20 new HD channels yesterday. Of course they also took away most of the old Voom channels!

From a cost perspective (standard pricing) Comcast remains the least expensive with DirecTV being the most expensive but there is only a $10 per month difference so it is not a big deal. To this point it has mainly been an exercise with no real intent of switching. But now things have changed! Comcast PQ has gone down hill and the others had added quite a bit more HD.

Dish’s latest offering includes all the channels I want, including at least one that isn’t on DirecTV as yet (The Travel Channel HD) so I am starting to think a little more seriously about changing.

Being completely unfamiliar with dish installs I am wondering:

1. Is it necessary to have two dishes to receive all channels?
2. How much of the cable cabling can be salvaged and reused or is it necessary to rewire the entire house?
3. If the house is rewired will it be as neat and tidy as with cable or will there be coax cables strung around the outside of the house with holes drilled into the necessary rooms?
4. Do the DVRs require multiple inputs (one for each tuner)?
5. If you have switched from cable have you ever regretted doing so?
6. Any installations “gotchas” you can think of?

Thank you for any responses, they will be/are appreciated.

[Grampaw]

Bryan,

Best place to get all the answers is satelliteguys.us web site.

I can answer a couple of the questions;

Yes, currently you need two dishes, but, Dish is working on getting the East Coast on one dish (postponed by loss of AMC-14 satellite).

When I got my Dish service the installer used the existing cables to distribute to 4 TVs, (2 HD, 2 SD).

Walt

[isyp]

Bryan,

In the event you decide to look at DirecTV:

1. You can get all the channels with the newer 5LNB dish.
2. I've had 2 DirecTV installs in the past 5 years. One ran all new cabling and the other recycled the existing when it was available.
3. I've had good and bad experiences with Cable company installers and Satellite installers, depends on who does the install. In rooms where I was picky I've done the install myself.
4. The DirecTV DVRs require an input for each tuner and depending on the model have another input for an antenna to tune HD locals via OTA where available. I have marginal success with indoor rabbit ears in Plantation.
5. I've had no regrets switching from cable. I miss MOJO on Comcast a little but HDNet makes up for it. Cable can't bring me Sunday Ticket either.
6. A couple of gotchas: Although the new dishes are better than the old ones DirecTV still suffers from reception issues when it rains (mosty at the beginning or end of a storm from my experience). The standard install includes 4 cable runs even though it's commonly sold as 4 rooms. If you want 2 DVRs in 1 room you've blown your cable runs and have to pay extra for more.

Again my experience is with DirecTV and not Dish. Their installers may treat things differently.

Isy

[JeffBowser]

Rain fade can be next to non-existent, or a major pain in the arse, depending on your installer's skill in aiming the dish for peak signal levels. Don't let your installer cheese out on good aiming.

[BDCat]

Walt, Isy and Jeff, thank you all very much for your responses and insight! It is really appreciated!

It is good to hear that existing wiring might be able to be used. I have read that the splitters used for cable won’t work with satellite and will need changing, at the very least.

So far as rain fade goes, it is my understanding, as Jeff says that it only becomes a real issue if the dish is not aligned correctly! Of course, no experience!

I had been leaning towards Dish because of the Travel Channel HD and the Voom channels but now Dish has just removed the Voom channels (added 22 and removed 15). Their HD only package is also attractive except that my wife considers Life Style a “must have” and non-negotiable! Of course, it is in the AT250 package! (I had been hoping to persuade her that the Voom Ultra channel was an acceptable substitute for Fine Living). The one cent Cinemax deal is also worthwhile!

Anyway, I guess it is time to re-evaluate things. I wish DirecTV would move the MPEG2 channels over to MPEG4! If Comcast can get rid of the excessive macro-blocking/pixelating and drop-outs that seem to show up on virtually any channel at anytime, I could stay with them a little longer.

Thanks again, guys!

[JeffBowser]

Re DirecTV and MPEG4 - all new HD channels are in MPEG4, as are our locals. DirecTV11 is nearing final orbit, and will be broadcasting by September, at which point, I expect a transition of the remaing MPEG2 to MPEG4. Dish, on the other hand, lost AMC14 last month, so they are currently behind the game.

Rain-fade - it will happen, don't get me wrong, but it happens far, far less often (for me, less often that my cable went out) if you have a good aim.

[igotthatfire247]

Can anyone tell me why I can't get any of my new LOCAL HD stations? I know they were tweaking the satellites a couple of weeks ago, because it would come in/out.

Now I don't get anything but an extension on the screen. Anyone else?

Broward County, Florida here.

[JeffBowser]

What provider service are you talking about ?

[michael1248]

Anyone know when Channels 4, 7, and 10 are going to "Un-Stretch-O-Vision" their pictures?

Do we have to wait until February/2009 when everything goes digital?

[jstrazz]

I hear through the grapevine that Channel 7 is about to go HD with their local news. Channel 10 is building a new studio. As for Channel 4, I don't know what's going on with them. For now, I only watch NBC 6 HD and will continue to do so even after everybody makes the switch.

[jstrazz]

Originally Posted by michael1248

Anyone know when Channels 4, 7, and 10 are going to "Un-Stretch-O-Vision" their pictures?

Do we have to wait until February/2009 when everything goes digital?

I hear through the grapevine that Channel 7 is about to go HD with their local news. Channel 10 is building a new studio. As for Channel 4, I don't know what's going on with them. For now, I only watch NBC 6 HD and will continue to do so even after everybody makes the switch.

[MartyS]

Originally Posted by michael1248

Anyone know when Channels 4, 7, and 10 are going to "Un-Stretch-O-Vision" their pictures?

Do we have to wait until February/2009 when everything goes digital?

Feb 2009 is not the date for Hi Def... it's the date for digital. Currently, I get 4,7 and 10 in digital from my antenna... so stretch-o-vision will be there until they go HD... and most likely only for their HD broadcasts. I don't think they'll ever pillar box a SD (digital) broadcast, since most people aren't smart enough to know that just because it fills the 16:9 screen doesn't mean its HD.

That said, all the Palm Beach stations that Have HD local broadcasts do pillar box or screen their SD broadcasts, and don't stretch anything. That I like and wish all the stations would do what Channel 6 is doing. That's the right way to handle a digital SD broadcast on a 16:9 screen.

[hefeweizan]

I live in an apartment in miami fl and cannot get directv bc my apartment faces northeast...bummer...
should i get comcast or dish(if this is even an option)?

[slimoli]

Facing northest makes cable your only choice.

[vikajakub]

Don't you feel the way Comcast sends their monthly bill is a joke ? There is no breakdown of any fees, no package name, what is included etc. Just total plus tax. When I called them to have exact list of all charges, they sent me to their local billing office for printout as they have nothing to mail other then this bill. I feel this is highly misleading to the consumer, but easier for Comcast as nobody will question anything they do not show on the bill.