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Chattanooga, TN - HDTV

241K views 2K replies 183 participants last post by  63rodder 
#1 ·
First post to the forum, thanks to others that I've already learned from. Couldn't find a Chattanooga post so thought I would start a thread.


I'm in North Georgia, between 18 & 22 miles from most towers. Just installed the Winegard 7084P in the attic on Friday and it's working great, I think. Signal runs through Hughes HTL-HD (got the $99 deal) to Sony KP51-WS500. I think the antenna is working great because I've got sw 1.06 on the receiver which means no signal meter for now. Good audio and video with no break up on either so assume I've aimed fairly well.


On to the question portion. I get WRCB, WTVC, WDEF and WTCI all fine (analog & digital). Also get WDSI (Fox) good in analog but I didn't pick up the digital signal in the channle scan. Didn't pick up WFLI (WB) digital either. Both of these towers appear to be in the same (very close) location as others I'm picking up well. Anyone in the Chattanooga area getting these channels that I can't pick up?


Also tried to do a manual channel add on the HTL-HD but it tells me the channel is unavailable. Any advice on trying to add these manually so I can try to tweak my antenna pointing?


Thanks!
 
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#2,029 ·
I was finally able to sign up for EPB's fiber optic service here in Collegedale, and they're coming out in a couple weeks to install everything. Quick question regarding wireless routers.... I currently use a Netgear wireless-G router. I have a Vizio LCD-TV (built-in wirless-N) with the Netflix App built in. The wireless-G router seems to do a decent job of streaming video to the Vizio when using the Netflix App. I'm wondering if I would notice a huge difference (picture quality, speed) if I were to upgrade to a wireless-N router. Like I said, the wirless-G does an okay job. Not sure if its worth the $$ to upgrade to wireless-N. I was looking around at wirless-N routers, and the best reviews go to the Netgear WNDR3700, naturally, the most expensive, at $149. Sorry to ramble... Thanks for anyone's tips, advice, etc. (I realize wireless-N is faster than -G when file sharing from pc to laptop; video streaming is my main concern here.)
 
#2,030 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by frogwater /forum/post/19309045


I was finally able to sign up for EPB's fiber optic service here in Collegedale, and they're coming out in a couple weeks to install everything. Quick question regarding wireless routers.... I currently use a Netgear wireless-G router. I have a Vizio LCD-TV (built-in wirless-N) with the Netflix App built in. The wireless-G router seems to do a decent job of streaming video to the Vizio when using the Netflix App. I'm wondering if I would notice a huge difference (picture quality, speed) if I were to upgrade to a wireless-N router. Like I said, the wirless-G does an okay job. Not sure if its worth the $$ to upgrade to wireless-N. I was looking around at wirless-N routers, and the best reviews go to the Netgear WNDR3700, naturally, the most expensive, at $149. Sorry to ramble... Thanks for anyone's tips, advice, etc. (I realize wireless-N is faster than -G when file sharing from pc to laptop; video streaming is my main concern here.)


I just got my 30Mb/s EPB service installed on Tuesday. It's pretty fast. As for streaming Netflix, I was able to stream a HD movie through wireless on my laptop and I only have a cheap no-name 802.11g router. I think the issue you need to worry about is a good clear signal to your TV.


I think you will be fine with what you have. Try it and if it doesn't appear to be working well, then you can upgrade.


By the way, EPB's speed is fantastic. You can open a youtube webpage and it instantly starts streaming. I always had to buffer for a few seconds or more on Comcast.


ESPN3 always gets the highest bandwidth too!


Now, to see if I can get analog TV service out of that ONT. (I doubt it... there is an LED inside the ONT that indicates what services you have subscribed to... but I'm hoping that Analog service is still available.)
 
#2,031 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Puwaha /forum/post/19309634



By the way, EPB's speed is fantastic. You can open a youtube webpage and it instantly starts streaming. I always had to buffer for a few seconds or more on Comcast.


Now, to see if I can get analog TV service out of that ONT. (I doubt it... there is an LED inside the ONT that indicates what services you have subscribed to... but I'm hoping that Analog service is still available.)

Depends on the TV tier you ordered. I just looked and it appears the Expanded gets 2-78 which I've seen them advertise as clear analog.


I finally broke down and hooked up a DTA to 1 of my SageTV tuners. Just so I could record Holmes on Homes. Stupid, crippled comcast box is filling up with episodes and capDVHS takes too long to transfer the shows. Next fun thing is to get a usb-uirt and a patch cable so I can tune different channels. I remember reading where someone made a direct port-to-port patch cable for those things.


Wish EPB would get this street hooked up. I'm about to the point where I don't care if they rip the yard up or not. Summer hasn't been kind to it anyway.
 
#2,032 ·
Dish Network recently pulled many of their regional Fox Sports channels along with FX, Nat GEO, etc. Last July, they pulled several Disney HD channels too. Enough is enough! I researched the HD lineups from Comcast, EPB, Dish and DirecTV and thought it might be helpful to others who are shopping around. Enjoy!


(see attachment)

 

Chattanooga HD Channel Comparrison.doc 115k . file
 

Attachments

#2,034 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by srrobinson2 /forum/post/19328961


Dish Network recently pulled many of their regional Fox Sports channels along with FX, Nat GEO, etc. Last July, they pulled several Disney HD channels too. Enough is enough! I researched the HD lineups from Comcast, EPB, Dish and DirecTV and thought it might be helpful to others who are shopping around. Enjoy!

Thanks for doing the footwork on the lineups. Nice to see it laid out in 1 place. One thing though, Does the price listed for the 3 you compared to EPB include a DVR box? I know Comcast charges about $15/mon for their HDDVR. Plus an outlet fee of about $7/mon/box if you have more than 1 digital box. Comcast also charges a per box fee for HD. EPB charges an HD fee ($4-5 I think) per account that covers all the boxes in the house and no per outlet fees. The downside is that their current tech only allows for 4 digital boxes. However, 2-78 is available for any analog TV you hook up to their ONT. Try that with Comcast or Satellite. Sorry for the rant, but I wanted to point out a few things to counter EPBfi being the highest $$ of the 4 in that table.


The trucks are on my street running the fiber this week. I plan on switching ASAP.


1) I'll save about $20/mon on service fees.

2) Internet is 30mb sync where Comcast is about 8mb/256kb.

3) I used to get extended basic in clear-QAM from Comcast. When they turned on the cypher in the DTA's I lost down to 2-13 + local HD. Principle of the thing.

4) 2-78 is sans-STB and has a better lineup than Comcast.


I'll have to go OTA to get HD on my digital tuners, but I prewired for that when the house was built. An HDPVR is being considered to grab 'premium' content from EPB.


One last complaint and I think it holds for all the content providers.... Why can I not connect an external drive to the DVR to supplement the drastically undersized drive they all come with?!?!?!
HD takes a lot of space and sometimes it's hard not to get loaded up on unwatched shows.
 
#2,037 ·
OK, from the horse's mouth at EPB. Their DVR is the 160GB model.


You need to have RG6 installed for their IPTV protocols to function properly (hope my prewire is; I only know 2 drops for certain). The ONT has 4 POT ports, 2 ethernet ports, and 1 F connector for TV. All the drops to TVs with STB's must be 'home run' pulls. 1 ethernet is used for the new 'smart' meter you'll get when they mount the ONT. The other is for your router/firewall hardware. Their POT interface is supposed to work with most devices around including fax and alarm. Installation fees are waived if you sign a contract.


Port 25 IS blocked so no Qmail/Sendmail servers or such. He said that's the only 1 though. Business accounts get the benefit of web/email hosting through EPB however.


The 'smart' meter will post power data to a website so you can keep track of your daily (shorter intervals from another source) usage.
 
#2,038 ·
EPB came out and did the install yesterday. Took close to 3 hrs since they had to route the ethernet cable clear across to the other side of my house, in the basement, where my router is. Went perfectly smooth, and I'm now 30 up/down internet, and i LOVE the DVR and add'l set-top box which can access the DVR and play anything I've got recorded. The DVR is a Cisco, Model# CIS430, and according to the spec sheet I just found, it can be equipped with a hard drive anywhere from 80gb to 320gb:
http://www.homepna.org/products/memb..._datasheet.pdf

The installer did say he had to disable the ethernet port on the back, b/c people found out they could use it to pull 30.
 
#2,041 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by TN_Bulldog /forum/post/19468653


Can anyone provide pictures of the equipment that EPB installs? I have seen photos of the STB but I've been looking for pictures of the interior of the ONT (Optical Network Terminal) but have not found any.

Mine is locked with those little one-use locks. What are you looking for specifically? I remember what it looked like on the inside if you are just looking for general information.
 
#2,042 ·
The installer is coming this Wednesday to install my service. I"ll be there for installation, but won't really be able to use any of it until the day after Thanksgiving, as I'm moving in the house it is being installed in then. Least I"ll have all my stuff on day one.


I'm so glad to be getting rid of Comcast. I have their digital starter package with 1 HDDVR and 1 HD Box. With internet that is lucky to pull 6 down ad 2 up. Bastards charge me 130 bucks a month. I get EPB's best channel package, a quad DVR, and 4 boxes for the same damn price. Also 30 sync internet that doesn't lag spike with neighborhood use!
 
#2,043 ·
Hello, just looking for an update from anyone in the know. WDEF has been doing local news in HD for some time now. Does anyone know anything about WRCB, WTVC and WDSI? I just find it very strange that channel 3 shows syndicated and commercials in HD but not their newscasts. (and they are giving away HDTV's on the news) Then I find it even stranger that channel 12 has local news in HD and some commercials but not the syndicated programs. (Dr. Phil, 700 Club, etc.) And for channel 9 I always thought of them as the leader in town, but they do not have anything, nothing local in HD. Network programs only. Luckily we have been grandfathered for years to the LA and New York stations on sat and have access to syndicated programs in HD. Yes, the Doctors, Jeopordy, Wheel of Fortune, Oprah are all in HD and they look great.

Does anyone receive the channel 44.1 on outside antenna? I know it is WHYB but where is the tower. I pick it up here in Cleveland about 75% of the time.

Any replies would be welcome and thank you on these forums for all of the information you provide.
 
#2,045 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by bearman3336 /forum/post/19500532


Does anyone receive the channel 44.1 on outside antenna? I know it is WHYB but where is the tower. I pick it up here in Cleveland about 75% of the time.

Any replies would be welcome and thank you on these forums for all of the information you provide.

I get the channel in a "valley" so to speak in East Brainerd (just off of Shallowford road.) I use a homemade Gray-Hoverman antenna to pick up all the local Chattanooga stations. I've got it mounted on the side of my deck about 8 feet off the ground. My CW and Fox signal is a little spotty, but I don't watch much from those stations really. Too bad there is no guide information for the channel in Media Center though. I've reported the issue to Microsoft on the Green Button forums, but I'm not holding my breath on that one.


The only channel that I can't get is WNGH (GPB) out of North Georgia. That's too bad, because my kids really love the Sprout subchannel they have. And mostly because this station's transmitter is in the complete opposite direction from all the Signal Mountain based transmitters (where all the local Chattanooga stations broadcast from).
 
#2,046 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by HemiCuda70 /forum/post/19500961


Puwaha: where did they put the splitter? I assume your install was multi-drop.

I didn't get the TV service if that's what you are asking. I only got the 30Mb/s internet service, and use an antenna for local stations.


The installer just ran a Cat5 cable to my wall jack where I had a previous run of network cable that I patched into my homebuilt Linux router. I need to upgrade that router as I only get 20Mb/s throughput when it's the headend (it's an old Pentium III with a couple of no-name 100Mb/s NICs and one of them is an ISA card, I think... yikes!) I have another low-power Via C7 motherboard that I'm going to use where I can put in 1Gb/s cards and that might speed up my throughput. If I hook a computer directly up to the service, I get the full 30Mb/s.


The installer left a "dry loop" of coax bundled outside the ONT box on the side of the house. I put a connector on it and tried to see if there was any analog service "magically" left on, but my analog tuners didn't detect anything. When I was able to look inside the ONT, there were labeled LEDs that indicate what services are active, my TV light wasn't on, so they are able to control that remotely pretty well. It's not like the old days with Comcast where they left all their analog and basic cable channels open, unfortunately.


But I'm more than happy with the EPB internet service. The speeds are just amazing. Netflix streaming is faster than popping in a DVD. The buffering process is literally 1 second or less. ESPN3 service is a delight as well. I get to see pretty much anything that ESPN is broadcasting on their tv stations. There are a few hiccups on this service still, though... but not show-stopping. Youtube is so fast that it plays as soon as your browser finishes loading all the page. No buffering at all. I don't do much Hulu, but my wife uses it a lot now.


"Other" types of downloads are so quick that getting the HD and BluRay versions of items are 30 minutes to a couple of hours instead of weeks now.


If there's another show or sports event I want to watch live, I go to channelsurfing.net. I'd consider my "cutting the cord" experiment to be highly successful. My wife is extremely pleased with the Netflix experience now, which makes it easier to tolerate losing her HGTV, TLC, Lifetime, etc. channels.


I get free home phone service via a home built PBX virtual machine and using Google Voice with SIPgate. Having your own PBX with voicemail kept local instead of somewhere out in the cloud with GV or SIPGate is tremendous, and you get rolodex, music on hold, and tons of features that even my office phone system doesn't have. All it took was a $50 VIOP adaptor, and following the guide at nerdvittles.
 
#2,047 ·
Sounds great. I'm using an old HP Vectra Linux firewall/server/router/etc. NIC's are PCI I think. I'm curious to see if it can handle the speed after what you said. It's only a P2-450.


I'm concerned about my wiring though. Not holding my breath that the builder's Sub would have used RG6. My contact at EPB said his hardware needs it. It would suck to have to abandon it. The main TV is in a nook over the fireplace. That run will be a PITA if it needs replacing. I do have enough spare keystone hardware to add his cat5 and an ATSC run for my Media Server though. Going to see how a Winegard HD-1080 works out. Hoping WNGH isn't too far off angle to pick up. Have you tried using 2 antennas and a combiner?
 
#2,048 ·
Here's a pic (rotated left) of some of the guts of the EPB ONT.


Battery backup is above it.


Link1: meter interface

Link2: internet

Line1-4: POTS, obviously

F Conn: Analog TV

RG6 coil below: IPTV


They will either run analog and IP separate or use a diplexer to combine to 2. I was told the ONT doesn't like a lot of 'load' on the coax. If you have a lot of analog jacks you might consider an amp.
 
#2,049 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by HemiCuda70
Hoping WNGH isn't too far off angle to pick up. Have you tried using 2 antennas and a combiner?
I haven't tried that yet. I don't think I can even pickup WNGH at my location. I've tried at ground level just playing with my home built antenna, and couldn't get even a 50% signal. But that same antenna works fine at ground level for the Signal Mtn. stations.


My big radioshack special antenna, I just got back from the in-laws recently, so I might try it on my roof. I'm in a valley in between two ridges, so I think I'm pretty lucky to pickup the Signal Mtn. stations.
 
#2,051 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Goku2057 /forum/post/19493016


The installer is coming this Wednesday to install my service. I"ll be there for installation, but won't really be able to use any of it until the day after Thanksgiving, as I'm moving in the house it is being installed in then. Least I"ll have all my stuff on day one.

So, what's the verdict on EPB HD vs Comcast HD? Any less pixelation? Comcast's compressed HD drives me nuts when I'm not 15ft away from the screen.


EDIT: Fiber is in the ground. Waiting on the ONT installers.
 
#2,053 ·
Signal quality is slightly above to slightly below the large silver Comcast DVR depending on the channel. rumor has it they are working on getting better, higher capacity equipment 'in the future.' Whatever that means.


In the mean time, does anyone know if the HD CW feed is offline and when it'll come back up? I see it in the channel scan, but get "no data" from the HD side.
 
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