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Knoxville, TN - HDTV

264K views 2K replies 187 participants last post by  MRM4 
#1 ·
I received an e-mail from Bob Williams, chief engineer at WATE-TV. They already have a high powered transmitter on site at their new antenna and plan to begin full powered transmissions in June or July. The new digital station will be WATE-DT 26. There was no word on whether they plan to pass through HDTV.


In a similar vein I received an e-mail from Mr. Lee, the general manager at WBIR-TV. They plan to be on the air and to start passing through some programming in May on WBIR-DT 31 from that new tower that can be seen going up on Sharp's Ridge. I assume that means they will be passing through HDTV. NBC has Jay Leno and a few other programs occasionally broadcast in HDTV, but there is a rumor that they are going to soon be broadcasting lots of HDTV.


It's time to start putting up antennas. I live in an old house which is going on 100 years old soon. I've no choice but to put an antenna in the attic in this old house which is in a very difficult multipath area. Running cables is a major hassle so I'm starting now. Updated 12-22-05

Larry
 
#1,529 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Trip in VA /forum/post/19518138


What I'm saying is that it will not look any worse than it looks right now, because a bunch of bandwidth is already being wasted as null packets, and I doubt they will have to change the amount of bandwidth the HD gets in order to add TCN.


- Trip

So are you implying that a 720p station can add a subchannel with absolutely no change in available bandwidth for the HD channel? Aren't a certain number of null packets necessary for both channels?


I think you can probably argue it won't make any significant difference, though.
 
#1,530 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by cpcat /forum/post/19518214


So are you implying that a 720p station can add a subchannel with absolutely no change in available bandwidth for the HD channel? Aren't a certain number of null packets necessary for both channels?

No, I'm not. I'm saying this particular station can add a subchannel with no change in bandwidth to the HD, because they're already not using all their bandwidth for the HD.


Null packets are stuffing--packets that fill out the 19.4 Mbps if there's nothing in them. None are required.


WATE 6-1 is using 14.3 Mbps, and the audio is using another 0.4 Mbps. The data services (PSIP and whatnot) use a tiny bit more, a negligible amount.


19.4-14.7 = 4.7 Mbps being wasted doing nothing but broadcasting null packets. Those null packets will be subtracted and used for TCN.


- Trip
 
#1,531 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rachael Bellomy /forum/post/19517476


I had to record one episode of Bill Mahr on HBO a second time to get most of the lost dialog. The second recording had about half as many glitches as the first go...

I'm glad you mentioned this - I thought it was my TiVo.
But then I checked the Comcast DVR upstairs that I never watch and it had the same glitches, so I figured it was the cable in our area.


Sounds like it was a wider problem. For me it seemed often to be on Bill Maher on Fridays on HBO for the last couple weeks. I rarely have glitches at other times on other channels, although it does happen from time to time. For example, I record Daily Show (mon-thur 11pm Comedy Central) and I don't think it ever glitches.
I could be HBO - Maher is a live show, which unfortunately is off 'till next year.
 
#1,532 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by DaverJ /forum/post/19518253


I'm glad you mentioned this - I thought it was my TiVo.
But then I checked the Comcast DVR upstairs that I never watch and it had the same glitches, so I figured it was the cable in our area.


Sounds like it was a wider problem. For me it seemed often to be on Bill Maher on Fridays on HBO for the last couple weeks. I rarely have glitches at other times on other channels, although it does happen from time to time. For example, I record Daily Show (mon-thur 11pm Comedy Central) and I don't think it ever glitches.
I could be HBO - Maher is a live show, which unfortunately is off 'till next year.

I got the same type of glitches on other channels I watched in recent week, CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, principally, but HBO HD was the hardest hit. I haven't watched much of anything but Bill Mahr lately on HBO. Two weeks in a row his show was a mess.


If my Crumbcast service continues to deteriorate with each new round of HD channels, I'll get serious about getting another provider or going to antenna and net TV only. Come spring, if the Braves aren't on in HD, everyday, I will turn off crummycast, for sure. I'm getting tired of SD and "Intermediate Def" TV service.....not to mention that it's hard to get weather on the Weather Channel and that the History Channel hardly has any history anymore....other than Pawn Shop History...
Cable's products are getting unfathomable. Most of the channels I turn to, I wouldn't watch unless I was tied to a chair and my eyes super-glued open...



I hope that the dip in service for about two weeks was an uncommon aberration. If that sort of event gets prevalent and these little audio glitches persist, I may fire 'em...?
 
#1,534 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rachael Bellomy /forum/post/19518110


WATE had a weather subchannel for about a year. It was the most useless weather channel possible. They shut it down.

They only shut it down because they couldn't find/didn't want to pay for the 3+ hours a week of federally mandated Educational/Instructional programming. If not for that it would be on today.


And it was 100 times better than 10 Weather Plus.
 
#1,536 ·
It seems like they have finally adjusted their contrast. The picture isn't too bright and the colors are not as washed out.


On a side note, I had Comcast come out and fix out line for our limited service. I kept it to save money on their internet package. I programmed all the channels I could get through them and saw both on Comcast and via OTA on my DirecTV receiver that 8-2 seems to have a much better picture.
 
#1,539 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by jeffloby /forum/post/19585706


I have been out of the OTA scene for a couple of years. I am receiving WBIR on 10.3 and 10.4 now. Is it my TV scan or did they move.

WBIR transmits RF on 10.3 and 10.4. Occasionally a converter box or tuner will not receive the correct data to virtually display those 10.3 and 10.4 signals to their correct locations of 10.1 and 10.2.
 
#1,542 ·
Just a heads up for DirecTV customers in Knoxville, TN that you could possibly lose WTNZ FOX 43.

Quote:
Raycom Media, this station's parent company, is currently in good faith negotiations with DirecTV to ensure the continued availability of this television station and the popular news and entertainment programs you enjoy on DirecTV. We are hopeful of a positive outcome and will keep you informed on the progress of the negotiations. There is a possibility we could cease being carried by DirecTV on January 1 if these negotiations fail.


If that happens, we are prepared to stream our local news live on this website.

More info on wtnzfox43[DOT]com
 
#1,544 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by hotshot
Apparently they forgot they already broadcast over the air for free. lol
Or wait an hour and watch almost the exact same newscast on WATE.


Funny that they said NOTHING about Fox programming, like House, NFL, NASCAR, MLB, etc. but instead mentioned local news?


To be honest, if they must have a 10pm newscast then they should do like in the Tri-Cities. There WCYB produces the 10pm newscast on WEMT, but they have separate anchors (except for the weekend weather guy) and the Fox station's newscast is an hour.
 
#1,546 ·
hello all! I live in Maryville by Blount Hospital. I was wondering what stations besides the locals you folks are picking up. Any fringe stations from surrounding markets? Which markets? Also, I am looking to get an OTA antenna, and have done a little research. Seems the Winegard 8200u and the ChannelMaster 4228(HD) get pretty good reviews. Does anyone have experience with either of these two? Or, does anyone have some recommendations....i am guessing I will need a combo as one of our locals is still on the VHF Hi band (please correct me if I am wrong). Thanks for everyone's help!
 
#1,547 ·
I'm also in Maryville and I have the Channel Master 4228 mounted in my attic and pointed toward Knoxville.I pick up all the local stations,channel 20 which I think is out of Crossville,and several Ion channels(54.1,54.2,etc.) but I'm not sure where they are out of.I dont think you need an antenna for UHF and one for VHF as the 4228 picks up both.Check out the Channel Master website if you havent already.
 
#1,548 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by MACINTN /forum/post/19753341


I'm also in Maryville and I have the Channel Master 4228 mounted in my attic and pointed toward Knoxville.I pick up all the local stations,channel 20 which I think is out of Crossville,and several Ion channels(54.1,54.2,etc.) but I'm not sure where they are out of.I dont think you need an antenna for UHF and VHF as the 4228 picks up both.Check out the Channel Master website if you havent already.

Channel 20 comes from Buffalo Mountain in Anderson County. That's the mountain that has a flock of wind turbines on it. Channel 54 is on Cross Mountain, farther north and a bit more east. Cross Mountain is right on the Anderson, Campbell County line. A good sized ridge along Alcoa Highway prevents me receiving it. My mom who lives just north of the offending hill picks up 54 just fine. I heard 54 might get a tower on Sharp's Ridge....??? Cross Mountain is a bit far north for some of us to get well. Cross Mountain is the highest mountain on the northern plateau....well it was...they may have taken so much coal and rock off the top that it isn't anymore... ???



So, 20 and 54 both broadcast off of mountains that are higher 3000' . The height helps but, apparently, the farther south you go, progressively smaller ridges can block 'em. That's the case for me anyways.
 
#1,550 ·
ok thanks. I checked the website and did some more research and apparently the cm 4228hd does pick up both. MACINTN, do you have the older version or the newer one with the "HD" suffix? I read that the the older ones do quite a bit better than the newer, redesigned "HD" (also made in mexico, go figure). Thanks again for the helpp
 
#1,551 ·
Just curious...anybody in Knoxville or Johnson City TN areas receive any Asheville, NC - Greenville/Spartanburg SC stations? Supposedly 13-WLOS would reach Knoxville area when they completed their antenna upgrade. Or perhaps WSPA-7. Any results? Back in analog days folks in Johnson City area could even receive WBTV-3 from Charlotte with a good antenna. Just wondering.
 
#1,552 ·
Mine has been up since the digital conversion took place.I would guess its the older one without the HD designation.I also think it was manufactured in the US.I would like to know how the new (HD) design differs from the old one as it looks the same to me on the site.


Ok I did some looking,my older model 4228 was only rated for UHF signals and the HD rated for both UHF and VHF,however I do pick up the locals that broadcast in VHF.
 
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