West Palm Beach, FL - HDTV - Page 31

Just got an email from WXEL with plans for their digital programming (with the usual caveat of course - subject to change):

- subchannel with channel we see now
- subchannel with PBS KIDS
- subchannel with Florida Network (government programming)
- subchannel with content yet to be determined

pogo

Dave,
First, I'd like to say Hi to all the locals and say how much I'm enjoying WPEC's HD broadcasting. The NFL playoffs have been heavenly! Please pass along our gratefulness to the WPEC engineering team.

A friend in Boca has been trying to find the NEC code for the proper way to ground an outside antenna.
Could you give any insight into how they should be grounded?

Hi Tom H,

The NEC code for antenna receiving equipment (i.e. tv's) can be found in Article 810-21 for proper grounding conductors. It basically states you need to ground the outer braid conductor to an earth ground via a water pipe, building steel or a driven ground rod. Radio Shack & Home Depot sell an inline F59 connector with a screw to attach a ground lead to a grounding conductor for about 3 dollars. You will also need two RG 6 or 59 male connectors depending on your cable to splice the cable to the grounding connector. This is an excellent way to protect your investment and preventing a static discharge ruining your inside equipment!

Mark T

Thanks for the grounding information Mark & Dave, its greatly appreciated!

Dave,
It's nice to see that the WPEC engineers have toned down the side 4:3 bars to a shade of gray, instead of black, to help with potential "burn in".
It looks as though they've chosen a 10IRE shade of gray, but a few more IRE's higher would be a bit more beneficial.
I understand that it might be more objectionable to some viewers, because of them being more noticeable, but at least WPEC is aware of the potential "burn-in" issue and is trying to alleviate it.

Thanks again,

Dave,
You're probably already aware of this, but I just noticed your clock is about five hours fast. Reception is pretty good.
Rudy

I am willing to bet that the clock is showing GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) or UT (Universal Time).

Is there an occasional flicker in WPEC's broadcast of the AFC Championship game or is it my TV?

Ansek:

I'm watching the game on 4.1 (WFOR) and I am getting a haze(loss of contrast?) appearing and disappearing, mostly present, not present on commercials. Is this what you are seeing?

No, what I am seeing is best described as an occasional incomplete picture. If you could imagine a partially drawn pictures where the missing components are black. It the blackness makes the image apear to flicker. It is almost like the bit stream drops for half a frame.

I do not notice the haze you mention but, I will look out for that too.

Yeah I noticed something similiar ANSEK. On my DST-3000 it looks like pixelation but its only for like a frame then everything is perfect again. I will switch to the WFOR broadcast to see if I see the haze.

*EDIT*
I dont see any haze on WFOR but I did see the same drop out/pixelation on WFOR so it appears to be a network feed problem and not just a station specific issue.

I watched most of the game with 99.5% great reception. I had a very occasional almost flicker-like dropout and a couple of times with some slight pixelation. No haze noticable. I am running a Samsung 160 fed by a Zenith Silver Sensor pointed out the window of my first floor apartment in Delray. (Can't get clear line of sight north, so I am limited to mostly stations to the south of me.) Hope the feedback helps.

To Dave or anyone else who may have some answers here in the WPB area:

I just hooked everything up today...the new HDTV (went with the Sony KP-57WV700 btw...it's great so far), the Sony HD-200 receiver, and the Zenith Silver Sensor antenna. I just have a couple of issues thus far...

1) For some reason, when I did the initial auto channel search after inputting my zip code, only 25.1 (WPBF) and 28.1 (WFLX) came up in my integrated program guide. 13.1 (WPEC) was not picked up, and as I understand it, I live about 3 mi. away from the antenna farm just south of Lantanna Rd.. + US441 (I can see the towers from my window). I read that many people in other areas much further away than me are still able to pick up WPEC with the Silver Sensor even though it's technically a VHF station...any advice?

2) When I turned off the Sony HD-200 satellite receiver and then turned it back on about 1/2 hour later, it did a reboot and re-scanned all the channels...what's up with that?

Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks.

Actually, this appears to be a known HD200 problem. See the thread relating to it under HDTV Hardware.

Anyone getting FLX or UPN signal in West Palm Beach area. I got FLX strong last night, and tonight not a blip on my signal meter. UPN is the same. PEC comes in as if I were in the station - 100% strength.

My wife wanted to watch American Idol in upconverted format...

David,

Got it now...just repositioned the Silver Sensor antenna and rescanned the channels as you said, and voilla! Thanks. I take it there's nothing that can be done about the black 4:3 side bars; in order to avoid possible burn-in, I'm trying not to watch those signals that cannot be stretched to 16:9 or are that not native 16:9 HD for the first 100 hours. I have my tv set to Wide Zoom, although the STB seems to override it with the Panoramic stretch mode (which actually seems more pleasing to the eye anyhow), but some still come in 4:3 like the OTA signals....anything I can do?

Yes, I too noticed that WFLX - Fox-D says "no signal" although it came up on my program guide.

Thanks.

Click the "Format" button on the HD200 remote control until the STB is in 480p mode. Then click the "Wide Mode" button until you are in "Cropped" mode. This will output a 4:3 signal to the TV that you can then use your TV's stretch functionality to stretch to preference (Wide or Wide Zoom).

Thanks Ansek. I've been playing with it all evening; just getting used to all the different settings. I'm getting WPEC-DT and WPBF-DT with decent signals from Hypoluxo Rd. + Hagen Ranch Rd. I noticed that since WPBF outputs in 720p that I have found the "Variable1" format setting on my HD200 receiver seems to automatically adjust it as per the signal (and cable is upconverted to 480p). I don't think I'll mind watching the commercials in 4:3 HD with the black side bars; I just want to limit that for the first 100 hours to prevent burn-in (plus I have the contrast and brightness turned very low). Thanks again!

FLX and UPN still down for me...anyone getting a signal from them?

Does anyone see any NBC-DT activity?

Anyone else notice that WHDT seems to be sending a signal? I actually got it in my scan somehow even though it peaks the signal at like 12 on my DST-3000. They finally coming online now?

A lot of talk lately on the silver sensor so thought I'd chime in.

I'm in Boca (almost to the Boca/Deerfield line) and I can pick up WPEC 12-1 with a good signal and, get this, I have the SS pointing south out a window on the south side of my house.

I'm also receiving 7-1 WSVN Fox and 10-1 WPLG ABC (super bowl!)...aren't these VHF signals?

I'd like to get 25-1 WPBF like I'm getting WPEC but I get nothing.

Anyhow, the SS works well for me but I have a question...I have the SS set vertically in its stand rather than horizontal. It seems to pickup these stations much better this way. Do others have it set vertically? And would this also contribute more to the SS being very sensitive to the direction it's pointing?

Thanks. Dave

I tried mine both ways and couldn't get a thing vertically. I only have a south facing window in my ground floor apartment, but I get CBS4 MIA/FLL really well. Also WB, UPN and PBS, plus 3 Latin stations. I was shocked it worked so well in this situation.

I've actually been getting WHDT-DT 59 for a couple months up here in Hobe Sound.
So far all they seem to be broadcasting is foreign news and a shopping network.