West Palm Beach, FL - HDTV - Page 11

I also get FOX at 93% signal strength. The channel is supposed to switch to 29-1 . The problem I have is it goes analog. I have to tell the receiver I don't have a dish and then it stays digital. Prior posts have mentioned this problem. Does your 16-1 channel pixelate now and then during the daytime only and not at night ? I wonder if it is a WPBF problem.

Does anyone know why I would get pixelation on 16-1 when I get a 95-100 signal reading ?

Well i do know that the switching back to analog thing is a new bug with the 5099 update. As for the pixelation i dont know. Im not watching WPBFDT anyways since they are not passing throught the HD feed yet anyhow

Anyone in Palm Beach or Martin County have any luck with WHDT tonight?

I checked last night and I also have the 5099 bug. Does anyone know who is to blame or better yet has DirecTV or Toshiba taken responsibility? I don't watch FOX 29 much but it would be nice if everything worked as promised.

Is anyone else getting the felling that DirecTV is getting ready to hit us with an HDTV fee based package. They have already told me that HBO HD and Showtime HD are only available to HBO and Showtime subscribers. What do you think they are planning for Discovery HD and HDNet 1,2,3?

pixelation is when there was a picture, and the update was not received properly.
That is, good old digital signals was not recieved.
This can be caused by a bad signal at the mother station, OR, multiplex problems, or a dip in signal.
All of the problems results in stoppage of video updates.

All the hype about digital better than analog is mostly BS.
Yes, digital does have some good points such as better SNR and higher resolution transmissions, but in general, when trying to see a questionable signal, you just don't know what you have with digital.
If it were analog, you would see interference, ghosting, noise (snow) and partial drop outs.
At least in analog you could see the problem, and then try to correct it.

But, a good solid digital signal does give a better picture than analog.
I was just trying to explain simple problems do maginify themselves in digital.

Its not just the Toshiba STB..its all the Hughes boxes. So far it seems everyone is blaming everyone else.. Nice huh??

My signal dips from 100% to 93% and I get ittermitant pixelation. It is happening to me as I write this post if anyone can check 16-1 and let me know if its just me.

I have been watching 16-1 off and on tonight. No pixelation here. I am seeing the same results on my Mitsubishi HD5 that everyone else is having due to the 5099 update on 29-1. When do you think they will stop finger pointing and fix it?

Maybe its a Palm City/Stuart tower problem. Anyone in the North area seeing any pixelation?

I get 16-1 at 100%. The only time I see pixelation is when I start getting momentary drops of signal that go way low. I haven't figured out how far it has to dip, but when it starts happening, I've jumped to my signal strength meter and I'm losing all signal for a second or two, then it jumps back.

On a more fun note: I decided to try picking up WHDT again last night (I'm less than two miles from Port Salerno). I mounted my little uhf antenna in a precarious spot, giving me a constant 51% signal, and, bingo - there was Curt Gowdy on the tube. I don't know if the picture was 720p or 1080i (haven't seen any verfiable 1080i at home yet), but it was glorious.

I watched from 10:35 to 11:35pm. Curt Gowdy was on a show called "Issues and Events", or somesuch - and the commercial spots were filled with little video postcards of locations on the Treasure Coast (They were gorgeous!). After I&E, they played a short movie about a replica of Columbus' ship "The Nina", then played the same episode of I&E again (I couldn't sith through it a second time, no matter how good it looked )

James

Forgive me for my numerous posts. I am just trying to get a handle on what is a real mind boggler. I have the Mitsubishi HD500 and a Mits 55WS HD monitor. I receive HBO,SHO,HDTV with no problem, fabulous picture. I receive FOX 28-1 which re-maps me to 29-1 with no problem, excellent picture, no break up, 93% signal strength. Then of course it goes back to analog but that's another story. I receive 16-1 ABC at 100% strength and I consider myself lucky when the picture remains intact. I call it the Pixie channel. Now and then i get great prolonged picture but not for long. If it is not me, which if it is someone tell me what it is, than other people in the Northern area aiming their antennas west to I95 towers should be experiencing the same thing. Anyone out there.........

James,

Congrats on your success picking up WHDT-DT.

WHDT previously reported that they would be broadcasting a 720p signal. Last time I spoke to Gunter he was touting the exceptional quality of NATIVE 720p over 1080i.

I can't wait to see their broadcast. I just hope they aren't bull****ing again about going full power in June or July.

I live west of 95 on Jog and I don't have any pixcelation problems with 16.1. What should I look for to see if I have the Fox 29.1 problem?

I think that it depends on the receiver that you have and if that receiver has taken the "5099" update. My Mitsubishi has this problem. If I enter 29-01 then all I get is the standard analog channel 29 (WFLX). If I enter 28-01 then it will briefly say "channel unavailable" then it will switch to 29-1 digital - for a minute or two, then it drops back to analog. I can go into the "dish setup" and select "No Dish" and enter channel 28-01 and I will get the WFLX digital feed without dropping back to analog.

Previous posts in this thread tell why this is happening. I hope that it is resolved soon.

I didn't receive FOX shows in widescreen tonight on WFLX (Malcolm, X-files). Picture was great, but not widescreen. Anyone else?

I'm glad to hear that was a 720P signal converted (by my receiver) to 1080i. I figure that means at native 1080i picture might be even sharper! I can't wait to see one! What I saw on WHDT was pretty, but, you can always ask for more, right!

I didn't have any luck on Saturday trying to pull them in again, I don't know if that means they're not broadcasting over the weekend...

James,
I think you and I are the only ones North of Palm Beach on this thread. I called the WPBF and told them about my problem. They said they would begin to look into it. Any info on your end would be a great help. I notice if my signal meter stays at 100% and stays there I have no problem, as soon as it fluctuates at all even just a little the channel drops in and out. This happen quite often. Do me a favor and give it a check once and awhile see what you see so I can send more info to the station. Palm Beachers are not having this problem at all. It would be a great help if you notice anything. Thanks
Carl

Carl7b,

I'm off on the road on a work trip. Once I get back, I'd be happy to help in any way I can.

What I've noticed so far with WPBF on my set:

It's pretty easy for me to get a steady 100% signal, just, never in the same spot as I get a good signal on WFLX

When the signal fluctuates, in my location, it seems to fluctuate a lot. I.e. I either get 100% steady, or I get 100%,6%,21%,51%,3%,100%, etc...

I haven't proved this yet, but it seemd to me that 50% is my threshold, anything less, and the picture starts to break up.

Other points: The levels on WPBF's signal seem high. Volume is high, colors are very saturated...

James

I am also having problems with ch16. It seems to come and go with wide fluctuations in signal strenght every few seconds. It does not make a lot of sense. they must be having some hardware problems. Where is the transmitter site?.

I was not able to pick up ch59 at all.

Sandy

Sandy,

Here's a map to WPBF's transmitter:

http://100kwatts.tmi.net/cgi-bin/tvt...80-23-42&rad=0

Coordinates are 27° 7' 17" N 80° 23' 42" W

I am also having problems with their signal. Relocating my antenna about 6 inches lower and 18 inches further North has helped tremendously.

WPBF's signal should improve once they go full power to 1000 kw. They are currently operating with a Special Temporary Authority at 670 kw. The FCC granted their STA on April 22, 2002.

On March 26, 2002, they were granted a 6 month extension beyond May 1 to go to full power.

thanks Hardrock. No wonder I was having problems. My directional antenna was aimed at the Miami antenna farm. Ch 16 is NNW in the completely oposite direction. I think I will stick with ch9.

Sandy,

I should have left well enough alone myself and stuck with WPLG; but, I want to have a back-up for ABC when WPBF starts passing HD - reportedly within the next 4 to 6 weeks.

David, we can wait. I have been waiting for at least 15 years - since I saw High Definition at the Smithsonian in Washington DC.

Hang in there and best of luck.

Hi All.

Is it just me, or, are WPBF-DT's sound and color levels way high?

Hi all,
Does anyone know when the local station for NBC will start digital transmitting, Ours WTVJ is not in the horizon ....