Reno, NV - HDTV

[lfox]

KRNV and KTVN have installed new generator at their transmitter since last year. Expect reliable service.

[lfox]

Originally Posted by rotohead

KTVN (CBS channel 2) could be the most bush league big network I've ever witnessed...how many times during these bb games do they need to run that translator scroll and then show the bug and then forget to switch back to HD when they're done! Completely unprofessional IMO. Thank god the NBC station is around to make them look good. Can't believe these guys get paid to be so pathetic.

Rotohead - FYI KTVN is giving you HD on constant feeds when CBS offers it. CBS is limited in the number of HD signals they can send at any one time. The options are no HD or some HD. They chose some HD.

[JavaJohnNV]

Originally Posted by jfkowalski

The web site for PBS says that they have had a massive equipment failure for their transmission to Carson City. They are studying the problem. No word on when it will be fixed.

I live about 15 miles south of Carson City (Fish Springs), and have a 100 mile antenna in my attic. I get OTA HD for 2, 4, 8, 21, and 26. I also get it for 5 when they are broadcasting I have only had 11 for 2 days, and it was marginal

KNPB resolved their problems sometime last week. Their Carson City transmission is coming in strong.

[lfox]

How does the NCAA basketball HD broadcast look to you?

[bobodude]

I found this thread on a search and it is very interesting and seems to have a lot of responses from locals in my area. I am down in the Holbrook Jct. Can't get OTA HD so I am on D*. My question is does anyone have dedicated HT rooms that would be interested in organizing some meets in our area? Please pardon me if I am in the wrong thread and if so please direct me to one that might answer my question.

Regards,
Bobodude

[sparky7]

Anyone know if KAME has any intentions of ever showing HD baseball? I emailed them Aug. 06 and they said it was coming. After that they never answered any more emails. I guess we are lucky its in color.

mark

[drfreeze]

Have been patiently waiting for HDTV at the lake now for 3 years. Cant' squeeze a dish between the pine trees, and the OTA isnt great.

Any word on when Charter might get their act together?

[westgate]

Originally Posted by drfreeze

Have been patiently waiting for HDTV at the lake now for 3 years. Cant' squeeze a dish between the pine trees, and the OTA isnt great.

Any word on when Charter might get their act together?

i used to have a place on northwood blvd years ago. i deeply miss incline-my favorite place to live.
if i could live there again (cant because of respiratory issues and elevation), id watch the pine trees and the heck with hd.

but, good luck with it!

[rotohead]

KRNV is trying to fool the HD viewers in the Reno area by sending a 2.0 audio (stereo) and claim it's 5.1. I have done a direct comparison with a feed from the LA NBC station that does pass 5.1 signal. I used the Stanley Cup playoffs to compare and KRNV is not even close. Along with their inferior picture quality (pixelation) this sound inferiority put a damper on the Olympics.

[rotohead]

Originally Posted by sparky7

Anyone know if KAME has any intentions of ever showing HD baseball? I emailed them Aug. 06 and they said it was coming. After that they never answered any more emails. I guess we are lucky its in color.

mark

I've learned over the years that almost all the info you get from the stations and cable companies about future upgrades is all B.S. The only one that is even close to accurate or reliable in their predictions is Diectv.
I wouldn't hold your breath on HD from KAME.

[renodude]

Hi all...newbie question here.

I am moving out to the Stead area...into a two story house off of the Red Rock freeway exit more specifically. I see a few TV antennas around the area, but they are mostly destroyed..

I am wondering if OTA HDTV reception of the major locals is possible in this area with an RX antenna about 30 feet off the ground?

Has anyone had any luck receiving the DT channels for KTVN, KRNV, KOLO, KNPB, KAME, KREN, etc. out in the stead area OTA?

[rotohead]

Originally Posted by rotohead

KRNV is trying to fool the HD viewers in the Reno area by sending a 2.0 audio (stereo) and claim it's 5.1. I have done a direct comparison with a feed from the LA NBC station that does pass 5.1 signal. I used the Stanley Cup playoffs to compare and KRNV is not even close. Along with their inferior picture quality (pixelation) this sound inferiority put a damper on the Olympics.

Well so far the US Open broadcast has been better than the Stanley Cup.
The audio has been 5.1 (or NBC's version of it anyway-weak) and the PQ has actually been above average for NBC. Kudo's. Keep it up.
The problem i was seeing with the Stanley Cup broadcast from KRNV was a 5.1 signal but only a stereo output (2.0) no matter if it was Directv, Charter or OTA. Checked them all. And not the first time I'd seen this from KRNV in the past. Most other broadcast to other markets for the Cup got 5.1 output (LA market for example). My worry, with the Olympics around the corner, I was dissappointed with that possibility.
Maybe the Cup was a quirk or they upgraded equipment. The Open has been better than the broadcasts of the last few years for NBC. Still have a ways to go to catch up with CBS, Fox and for the most part ESPN.

[renodude]

Here's an update to my question about OTA digital in the Stead area off of the Red Rock exit.

Holding a smallish VHF High Band antenna in my hand (about 6 feet off the ground) I am able to get the analog versions of KOLO and KRXI (big surprise, right) pretty darn well. I can get the KRNV analog barely (no sound) and nothing on channel two or anything else. I am not surprised I don't get KTVN analog with this antenna as it is not designed for that frequency.

I have not hooked an amp up or taken the antenna to the roof yet (about 30 feet up)...

Is there any hope for me to get any HD ota?

[renodude]

Why oh why does NBC's HTDV suck so badly? I can't stand to watch sporting events on NBC in HD due to the compression...

[aphex187]

Originally Posted by renodude

Why oh why does NBC's HTDV suck so badly? I can't stand to watch sporting events on NBC in HD due to the compression...

Are you watching on OTA, DirecTV, Dish or Charter?

[s2k2vidguy]

Anybody having receiving QAM channels over Charter? I recently purchased a TV tuner card for my PC that is capable of receiving QAM signals that are in the clear (unencrypted) but it can't find any. To confirm it wasn't a problem with the card I plugged in my Sony HDTV which has a QAM-capable tuner (I know because I've watched QAM channels on it before--it's now wired to a Moxi box) and it couldn't find channels. Using the diagnostic menu on the Moxi, it looks like that the local HD's over Charter are now encrypted.

Can anyone confirm? Could this be a problem just with my node (seems hard to believe)?

[rotohead]

Originally Posted by s2k2vidguy

Anybody having receiving QAM channels over Charter? I recently purchased a TV tuner card for my PC that is capable of receiving QAM signals that are in the clear (unencrypted) but it can't find any. To confirm it wasn't a problem with the card I plugged in my Sony HDTV which has a QAM-capable tuner (I know because I've watched QAM channels on it before--it's now wired to a Moxi box) and it couldn't find channels. Using the diagnostic menu on the Moxi, it looks like that the local HD's over Charter are now encrypted.

Can anyone confirm? Could this be a problem just with my node (seems hard to believe)?

I just checked my QAM feeds from Reno/Charter and everything is the same as it's been for the last few years. Check this site for QAM channel numbers. You many have to manually input them.

http://www.renohdtv.com/

Good luck,

[s2k2vidguy]

Originally Posted by rotohead

I just checked my QAM feeds from Reno/Charter and everything is the same as it's been for the last few years. Check this site for QAM channel numbers. You many have to manually input them.

Tried that too. In fact, my TV still has the QAM channels mapped. No good. Any idea why the Moxi diagnostic page for the tuners would note, while tuned to a local channel, that the encryption status is "Encrypted S 12"?

[rotohead]

Sorry, I've never dealt with a Charter box. That's weird...I checked all my channels on a LG STB that I've had running QAM Charter for over four yrs and all channels came through. Is there a way to 'hard boot' it? Unplug it for a good long while and then restart. Lot's of problems are solved doing that to Directv boxes. Wish I could help more.

[s2k2vidguy]

Originally Posted by rotohead

Sorry, I've never dealt with a Charter box. That's weird...I checked all my channels on a LG STB that I've had running QAM Charter for over four yrs and all channels came through. Is there a way to 'hard boot' it? Unplug it for a good long while and then restart. Lot's of problems are solved doing that to Directv boxes. Wish I could help more.

I thought it was weird, too, considering the last time I used the TV without the Moxi unit was only about a year ago. I also thought they were required under FCC rules to retransmit the HD locals in the clear. The Moxi box works fine. I could try hardbooting the TV to see what happens, but my guess is it won't do much good. If the TV won't tune, there's no hope getting the tuner card to work. I suppose I could do the unthinkable--call Charter and ask--but all they'd probably do is try to sell me another HD box for $10/month. Thanks for your help.

[lfox]

KRNV's HD suffers pixilation because they are running two multicast channels in addition to the HD. There is not enough bandwidth to get good HD during high on screen action.

I too have noticed the LR stereo feed with their 5.1. The big complaint I have is that my receiver can't do surround from a simple LR feed becuase the station signal tells it not to (the receiver is expecting 5.1channels of audio.) They did this years ago, then went to true stereo and things were OK. Now back to forced LR in 5.1.

The Olympics will be interesting. I hope they adjust the bandwidth to favor the HD and either really do 5.1 or go back to simple stereo.

Did anyone but me notice KOLO has started zooming and cropping their picture? They even did it in the British Open HD feed cutting off what would have been good picture area.

As to the QAM issue. I can't imagine why your Sony TV hooked directly to the Charter cable in Reno (where HD is offered) is not working. It is not encrypted and it is available at any level of video service. I am not surprised that they are not allowing their own Moxi box to find the channels without their permission. I have the moxi but have always taken a bigger HD package so I have no idea how it functions without it.

Charter is not required to offer the broadcast stations in the clear but under current contracts they do.

[s2k2vidguy]

As nice as Charter's current retransmit agreements may be, I've got two devices that cannot receive local HD channels in the clear because they are now encrypted. I should take my devices to a friends house across the street and one five miles east of me to see if there is any difference. I find it hard to believe that encryption on the same system can be node specific, but I suppose it is not beyond capability.

[lfox]

Originally Posted by s2k2vidguy

As nice as Charter's current retransmit agreements may be, I've got two devices that cannot receive local HD channels in the clear because they are now encrypted. I should take my devices to a friends house across the street and one five miles east of me to see if there is any difference. I find it hard to believe that encryption on the same system can be node specific, but I suppose it is not beyond capability.

I just checked my pre cable card Zenith. I can receive all local stations in HD in the clear on Reno Charter and the local multicast channels. The channel numbers are in the 100 range. 103-2 is KTVN. It has to be some other issue stopping your abilty to receive them. Could you have over split the signal? Is your TV hooked directly to Charter (no box in the middle). It should work.

[s2k2vidguy]

I still have the QAM channels mapped on my TV from when they used to work, and have verified them against http://renohdtv.com. The cable is split only once at the ground block. I have plugged the cable directly into the TV to try to get the QAM channels working. It shouldn't be a signal problem as the cable box from Charter can tune the channels just fine.

As I've noted previously, if I enter the tuner diagnostic menu on my Moxi box while tuned to what should be in-the-clear QAM channels (locals) it states that they are encrypted. The only logical conclusion is that the channels must be encrypted out in Verdi, but not in Reno. Disappointing, but not impossible. When I get a chance, I'll try using the Moxi at a friends house closer to downtown to see if the encryption status is the same.

Edit: I noticed that the QAM channels listed on the Web site do not match your listing for KTVN. However, I did a search for channels on my TV and no luck.

[lfox]

Sorry about my error. KTVN-HD is 103-5.

[rotohead]

This a.m. Directv pulled the plug on my west coast DNS feed for my HD, NBC/ABC/FOX channels. I was and still am getting the Reno local HD channels, actually getting the Reno channels from three different sources...
1)Directv local HD for CBS, NBC, ABC and Fox
2)Charter QAM HD
3)OTA through my Directv HR10-250 (antenna pointed at Slide Mt so only get CBS, ABC and NBC since I don't have LOS.

The reason I'm bummed is the DNS LA feed from D* was by far the best PQ and audio of the four sources, by far. The least amount of picture breakup, true 5.1 sound. The Directv feed of the Reno channel is considerably poorer PQ and, even though indicator lights on a audio reciever will show a '5.1 signal' coming from the Reno stations it's only stereo. The Charter QAM feed was the next best, very similar to the Directv HD feed. Then the worst source by far is the OTA feed of NBC, terrible. The mulitcasting (4.1, 4.2, 4.3 etc) makes the picture quality almost unwatchable. Just a joke imo compared to any other station and compared to any other source.
Fortunately, I still have the SD feeds from both east and west coast stations which I watch on my old CRT tv in the bedroom.
The feeds of the Olympics look OK with Jim Lampley and Jimmy Roberts in the studio footage but anything that has motion, like all the rest of the events are so broken up it's just terrible.
And I have fairly good equipment I'm viewing on. A top of the line Panasonic plasma 58 inch and both component and hdmi cable, back lighting, Directv's best receiver (HR21). KRNV should be ashamed of it's product and not try to fool us by saying it's a 5.1 audio signal when it's really just 2.0. But ohhh, they have their HD news studio...worthless. Who cares to watch talking heads in HD. I'll have to get over it, I know, but still sucks.

[rotohead]

Since I've gone thru a few system configuration changes lately I thought I should check my Charter QAM feeds on a basic cable package. The QAM clear channels that I've had for three years are gone now and the only two I can find is KOLO Channel 8 - 105-193
KTVN Channel 2 - 105-195
Last week I watched a number of programs on channels 103-5 (CBS) and 105-8 (the only HD PBS feed that's available to me). Those are gone. All others are encrypted. Seems Charter is pulling the plug on QAM clear channels too. Great less product for more money. Again.

[SierraTech]

I spoke with Charter Technician in December 2007, stated it was going to be part of the Digital Cable Service in early 2008, because Incline's population is too transient, for them to justify the cost. Sound's like poor excuse to me, and I guess they still don't have HDTV on the digital cable, because several people I know pay a lot $$$$$ for digital cable and the picture quality is poor (a lot of "Highly Compressed" stations, and no HDTV). It's interesting to note that even the untrained eye picks up the digital compression artifacts (could be due to the size of the Plasma or LCD monitors which exacerbates a poor image to look even worse).

Apparently Reno has HDTV as part of their Basic, the way it should be.....

I may try and squeeze a dish to receive between the pine trees.....

[lfox]

KTVN does transmit true 5.1 when available from CBS. They drop the 5.1 signal back to stereo and don't fake the 5.1 when it is not available. I do not have a DirecTV receiver set up in 5.1 so I don't know for sure that they pass it, they should. Charter does.

[lfox]

As of 8/18/08 here are the local HD channels in the clear on Charter in Reno for QAM reception. They have moved. Probably in preparation for the launch of about 6 new HD channels in their pay HD tiers:

KTVN CBS HD 105-195
KRNV NBC HD 84-187
KNPB PBS HD 84-185
KOLO ABC HD 105-193
KRXI FOX HD 100-205
KAME MY TV HD 104-190
KREN CW HD 91-212

All of the local stations' SD multicast channels are available as well if you seek them out. I found The Weather Channel, music channels, the local gov channels, C Span and a few others. See if these channel numbers help.