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Sioux City, IA / Sioux Falls, SD - HDTV

216K views 2K replies 137 participants last post by  rhubarbpieguy 
#1 ·
I have been posting in the Des Moines forum but I thought it was time for a Siouxland thread. I have a Hitachi 61" with an integrated digital tuner. I have an all channel antenna with a rotor to pick up the local ABC and NBC digital feeds. On other local forums the engineers from the local stations contribute and I hope that happens here. That way we can get accurate information about the digital transmissions. I encourage anyone in Siouxland to share their experience with HDTV and OTA digital reception.
 
#481 ·
What has happened to KDLT's high-def signal? I get a strong digital signal, but not in HD - for at least a couple of days now.


Any idea what's going on?
 
#483 ·
Just got my new Sony HD set and new antenna setup outside. I live on the north side of Sioux City and am able to get all of the local stations, as well as some Sioux Falls stations in HD. The problem I am having, like I see others have had is that I get a great picture on KPTH DT 44.1, but no sound. I am using the tuner on my Sony, and get sound on all other stations, and even KPTH SD chan 44. I have went through all of the settings that I can see that might make a difference, but have had no luck and I am starting to get pretty ticked off since about 70% of the shows we watch on local stations are on FOX. Anyone found a way that works to get sound? Anyone from KPTH out there willing to offer any feedback? IMO, it seems like KPTH could care less about their customers as I too have emailed them with some basic questions in the past, and have yet to get any sort of reply from them. Pretty sad IMO as FOX has great programs!!


*EDIT* Never mind... LOL I hit the Guide button on my remote by accident, this brings up a channel guide as well as a section called Alternate Audio. If I select 2. English or 3. English I get sound, if I leave it on the default of 1. English I get nothing. What a crazy place to locate this setting. I hope that KPTH makes the changes needed so that their sound works with the standar settings just like everyone else does. Hope this helps others with new Sony Grand WEGA TV's out.



--


Anthony
 
#486 ·
My stereo receiver says it's 5.1.


But the "standard" sound (non 5.1) sounds wrong - like everything was recorded in a closet. The 5.1 sounds ok, but I don't know if I am getting anything thru the rear speakers.


SNL will be in HD on Saturday - let's hope they have everything tuned up by then.
 
#488 ·
The last few days I can not seem to get KTIV's DT signal. I can get all of the others, and even KDLT DT out of Sioux Falls. I don't know if it's just the signal or what, but there were days when the weather was a little bad and I would loose the KTIV signal but KDLT would be clear as day.


I do agree with Husker though, the sound is messed up. Most of the sound is coming out of only the left front and left rear speakers...


If Dave from KTIV is still reading this, hopefully he can post some info on what's up with KTIV's DT signal.
 
#489 ·
I received the following email from Dave Madsen:


Sorry, everybody. KTIV-DT is off the air while we try to determine what the problem is with the transmission. It may be a day or two before we're back up an operating. Sorry for the inconvenience.


Dave Madsen

Station Manager

KTIV-TV, KTIV-DT, KXWB-TV

email: dmadsen@ktiv.com

Phone: 712-239-4100, ext. 201


I received this on October 4
 
#490 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by bbdotsd /forum/post/0


I received the following email from Dave Madsen:


Sorry, everybody. KTIV-DT is off the air while we try to determine what the problem is with the transmission. It may be a day or two before we're back up an operating. Sorry for the inconvenience.


Dave Madsen

Station Manager

KTIV-TV, KTIV-DT, KXWB-TV

Phone: 712-239-4100, ext. 201


I received this on October 4

Thanks for the info Bill. Hopefully they get things worked out as it's pretty sad that when we get a small storm I can't get KTIV DT from a tower about 15 miles away but I can get a close to perfect signal from KDLT DT which has a tower that is something like 80 miles away lol.
 
#491 ·
Does anyone here know when KPTH plans on offering a HD signal here in Sioux City? About 80% of the local shows I watch are on FOX and it would be great to be able to watch them in HD.


I have tired emailing them several times, but never get any kind of reply, which is really starting to tick me off. It reflects very poorly on a business in my mind when they refuse to send you any sort of reply to your questions. Maybe someone from KPTH reads this forum and can offer some input here...



Thanks,
 
#492 ·
KTIV update Dave Madsen email received 10/11/05


Sorry, all...KTIV-DT is off the air. We discovered some problems in the system and we're working to get it corrected. The issues appear to be with some of the equipment that is mounted up on our tower, so it requires a special climbing crew and replacement parts to get it fixed. Of course, weather affects the ability of the climbing crew to do their work, so it may be several days before we are back on the air.


Dave Madsen

Station Manager

KTIV-TV, KTIV-DT, KXWB-TV

email: dmadsen@ktiv.com

Phone: 712-239-4100, ext. 201
 
#493 ·
I am currently using a terk over the dish antenna and I only get KELO and KDLT every now and then. I live in the southeast part of town around 26th and Sycamore. Orginally I tested the Dish Network 6000 (Temp setup) with the OTA module and my signal strength was great, but after I ran the wire about 50 feet with 2 splices my signal is horrible. Would rabbit ears work better? Any thoughts and suggestions are more than welcome.


Thanks in advance
 
#494 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by bdavis007 /forum/post/0


I am currently using a terk over the dish antenna and I only get KELO and KDLT every now and then. I live in the southeast part of town around 26th and Sycamore. Orginally I tested the Dish Network 6000 (Temp setup) with the OTA module and my signal strength was great, but after I ran the wire about 50 feet with 2 splices my signal is horrible. Would rabbit ears work better? Any thoughts and suggestions are more than welcome.


Thanks in advance

Your biggest problem, owning anything with the name of terk. If you gotta set of ears laying around the house, I would try that. KELO, KSFY, and KDLT should come in clear as a bell with any kind of wire as you are really close to the tower.~ColAvsFan
 
#495 ·
I recently moved to Sioux Falls and acquired a DirecTV HD reciever and an over the air antenna for local HD broadcasts. I am able to get KDLT, KELO and KSFY in HD, but I am not able to receive KTTW. I live in town (2 blocks east of Minnesota, a few blocks south of 26th) and I am getting increasingly frustrated by my inability to get FOX in HD while living in town.


I am a total newbie and purchased a one piece "high definition amplified outdoor antenna" at Radio Shack. Would I find more success with a boom antenna with multiple elements, or am I out of luck regardless of what I do until June 2006 when KTTW upgrades their HD broadcasting capabilities?


Thanks in advance.
 
#496 ·
We're able to get KTTW at work with a directional antenna in the NW corner of Sioux Falls, up by SE Tech. So I'm surprised you can't get it in central Sioux Falls- is your line of sight to the S blocked by something?


That being said, at home in Brandon I don't have a prayer of getting KTTW. For that I'll have to wait until next year when they (hopefully) upgrade their transmitter.
 
#497 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by steelersfan75 /forum/post/0


I recently moved to Sioux Falls and acquired a DirecTV HD reciever and an over the air antenna for local HD broadcasts. I am able to get KDLT, KELO and KSFY in HD, but I am not able to receive KTTW. I live in town (2 blocks east of Minnesota, a few blocks south of 26th) and I am getting increasingly frustrated by my inability to get FOX in HD while living in town.


I am a total newbie and purchased a one piece "high definition amplified outdoor antenna" at Radio Shack. Would I find more success with a boom antenna with multiple elements, or am I out of luck regardless of what I do until June 2006 when KTTW upgrades their HD broadcasting capabilities?


Thanks in advance.


Remember that FOX is on VHF 7 and really low signal so that RS omni-direction antennae may not do the job. Also if you aren't above the trees, you may have a hard time getting a signal because of your line of sight.


Oh, Mendu, looks like you got in before me with the same thought. I have just one tree in my way towards FOX and this summer the signal was bad and as the leaves fall, my signal gets better every day.


I have the 40" boom, 17 element RS antennae that I am not using at present. PM me if you would want to try that pointed right at FOX. I believe I could get a signal with it last winter. But I was direct wired to a reciever, no splitters.
 
#498 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by bdavis007 /forum/post/0


I am currently using a terk over the dish antenna and I only get KELO and KDLT every now and then. I live in the southeast part of town around 26th and Sycamore. Orginally I tested the Dish Network 6000 (Temp setup) with the OTA module and my signal strength was great, but after I ran the wire about 50 feet with 2 splices my signal is horrible. Would rabbit ears work better? Any thoughts and suggestions are more than welcome.


Thanks in advance

Might check your splices first to make sure there is not problem there. Not sure if an signal amplifier would help if your splices are OK. Here is an amplifier I used that Best Buy has. If it did not work, you could probably return it. I'm using it to boost channels 114-121-124 though my whole house system so I can watch D* sat on on my cable connections. My signal went from extremely weak to great.


RCA Digital Bidirectional RF Amplifier - Model: DT100M


The TERK dish antennaes are very sensitive to orentation also. I had one years ago and would have to rotate it to different positions on my dish to get each channel clear. So you end up with a compromise of signal strength with it.


I'd try rabbit ears if you got them, as KELO, KSFY, KDLT, PBS HD and WB-SD should all come in pretty good where you are. Might have to try a boom antennae for FOX though.
 
#499 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by BVfan /forum/post/0


Remember that FOX is on VHF 7 and really low signal so that RS omni-direction antennae may not do the job. Also if you aren't above the trees, you may have a hard time getting a signal because of your line of sight.


Oh, Mendu, looks like you got in before me with the same thought. I have just one tree in my way towards FOX and this summer the signal was bad and as the leaves fall, my signal gets better every day.


I have the 40" boom, 17 element RS antennae that I am not using at present. PM me if you would want to try that pointed right at FOX. I believe I could get a signal with it last winter. But I was direct wired to a reciever, no splitters.

Thanks for the offer of the antenna. I may take you up on it. We are situated at a low point and we are surrounded by towering trees, but I would be willing to try a different antenna. The trees are such an issue that they prevent me from getting local channels through DirecTV because that area of the sky is obstructed. I just may be out of luck until KTTW upgrades the signal.
 
#500 ·
email from Dave Madsen KTIV

1) We've just been informed from NBC that when there is a problem with severe weather at the main network transmit site in New York, they switch to a transmit site in Burbank...but the Burbank site doesn't have HD facilities. So, if you were wondering why there wasn't an HD signal recently, that MAY have been the problem.


2) Sometime during the day on Wednesday, we are going to turn off KTIV-DT for some additional testing. It will probably last 4-5 hours, but we think we can get it done during the day so it doesn't affect Wednesday night's HD programming.


3) Again a reminder...if you're having difficulty with the KTIV-DT signal, please contact our Chief Engineer, Dick Herr. He needs to hear from you the specifics of the kind of problems you're having. Dick's email is rherr@ktiv.com , or you can call him at 239-4100, ext. 206.


Dave


Dave Madsen

Station Manager

KTIV-TV, KTIV-DT, KXWB-TV

email: dmadsen@ktiv.com

Phone: 712-239-4100, ext. 201
 
#501 ·
Does anyone else hate how weather-related crawl lines basically mean no HD for a given night?


KELO-HD was KELO-SD the past 2 nights because they felt the need to run their school closing crawl line 24/7. I sure hope they're considering upgrading that equipment to handle HD (get some 5.1 audio equipment while you're at it, guys!).


KDLT was in SD last night too - I didn't see any crawl line, but I'm assuming they ran something earlier and just left it in SD for the remainder of the night. Boo hiss.
 
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