Cleveland, OH - HDTV - Page 2

No local stations are returning to low-VHF. WJW-DT will move back to channel 8 on upper-VHF. If you get WOIO-DT now, WJW-DT should work for you.

WKYC-DT 2 is fleeing low-VHF for UHF on channel 17 as soon as their new tower is done.

- Trip

WKYC will be moving its digital transmission from channel 2 to channel 17 after its tower is completed. WOIO's digital transmission is already on channel 10 and will stay there. It has submited an application to the FCC to increase its power from 3.5 kW ERP (effective radiated power) to 10.3 kW ERP. WJW's digital transmission will be moving to channel 8 from channel 31 on June 12th. You probably do not need a preamplifier. You should be fine with a small to medium sized outdoor combination UHF/VHF antenna.

I think so. Not being cleared in primetime in the 15th TV market is not going to have positive effects on the ratings. I've noticed that "Heroes" and "Medium" scored better than Chuck did. And Chuck didn't even have House or a new Big Bang Theory as competition this week, so this should have been a good ratings week.

And I'm sure it wasn't too good for WKYC either. I doubt they got Chuck-sized audiences for their space show. They're even replaying it on Saturday at 1pm. So Chuck gets the Infomercial slot while the stupid space show gets royal treatment once more.

This is hilarious. 99% of comments at WKYC are about Chuck, not the space show. There's even a thread about this on Chuck at IMDB!

And that was a great episode, possibly one of the best. Worth staying up until 4 to watch.

Monday's NBC Shows:

rluyster,

Thank you for starting this OTA forum.

I'm certainly hoping to reduce the profile of my indoor antenna with the transition. Won't be able to tell until after Fox moves to 8.

Wow - I don't know where I got the idea that things might get worse, rather than better. Maybe I was thinking about the current situation... In any event, here's hoping things go well June 12!

Years ago when I was just a kid network prime time programming began at 7:00 or 7:30 PM Eastern (this was in the early 60's). Then the hour from 7:00 - 8:00 PM Eastern time (Monday through Friday) was blocked out by the FCC in the late 60's for "local" programming. After all these years of government mandated programming options what do we get in this 7-8 PM block? Syndicated crap that is never preempted for the type of programming that was intended for this block. So where does such true "local" programming go? Why in place of the national network's schedule.

At least they didn't show one of those comedy's that aren't funny with the phony laugh tracks. I did pick up some pointers on liquid hydrogen however.
JJK

They talk about the FCC and 'serving the public', but it seems most of this crap serves nobody but the station. Dumping network programming gives an excuse to program an hour slot with all local ads. Or in WOIO's case, paid programming. (Aside: Which WOIO should schedule instead of their news-it would make more money ) And I think they even get some compensation for the religious crap that pollutes prime time once in awhile. Last time Billy Graham was on WEWS, they ran the "Paid Program" bumper at the beginning of it.

Like any govt agency/bureaucracy, it gets in the way more than it helps.

I'm not sure what great "local programming" you guys want instead of syndicated shows. You really need the old PM Magazine back?

Also talked about this in the Cleveland TWC section, but I figured it deserved a place here too, as Cleveland TV News goes beyond the scope of TWC and also affects those with OTA. Ted Henry is retiring, can't believe that didn't get more discussion here. Or are we just more obsessed with HDTV, and not what's on the Tv?

Channel 5 has a new bug. It must have started some time this week, as it still said "news channel 5" when I watched on Saturday after the game. I like the new bug, it looks very ABC O&O like. And I have a thing for network/O&O branding. Very nice, 5. Good Job!!

Also over at 5, Ted Henry is retiring. Hard to believe, he just announced it out of nowhere yesterday. May 20 is supposed to be his last day.

My thoughts, I hope he takes Duhhhhh-Neeeeta with him. I'd really love to see Kim Gill from the morning show move to the evenings. She's a fantastic anchor not being used to her potential in the morning. And for a guy, I'd like to see WEWS woo Eric Mansfield over to 5. WKYC has really jerked him around lately, dumping the Akron Canton news and now the 7pm show is ruined with Carole Chandler gone. Eric Mansfield and Kimberly Gill would make a great team at 5 and restore professional, serious news. Or, and this is really out there, but hire Tim White. WKYC tossed him aside like yesterday's trash, bring him to WEWS. That, along with a re-branding(I'm thinking "Eyewetness News") would shoot WEWS far out of the basement they're currently in.

Gotta say, this channel keeps impressing me. Just a few back, I was constantly dogging on WEWS with all their technical problems. But they have really 360'ed in the last few weeks. The black line is gone, the HD channel has been glitch free and they have some cool, new graphics and HD commercials. If you look at the ABC/evening news commercials, the sidebars actually say: "WEWS HD" on the right and "TONIGHT" on the left.

Oh yeah, and Abby Hamm is leaving WKYC morning. Can the week get any better?

Let's hope all the locals are as diligent gearing up for the DTV switch for June 12th.

I think that's what the sidebars are for. Lately I've noticed more HD news promos on WEWS, which I take to mean that they're getting ready for the DTV switch by using the DT channel as the main channel, rather than just upconverting the analog channel outside of network and HD syndicated programming.

Anybody have a status update on that tower? I built myself one of those youtube coathanger antennas, and while the other major station all have over 90 signal strength, I can't get WKYC at all. I've had enough issues I'm ready to dump Time Warner, but would still like to be able to watch NBC occasionally.

If you mean RF channel 52, I have no idea, I doubt any new channel 52 DTV transmitter would be built now, since channel 52 is "out of core" and would have to sign off soon.

If you mean virtual channel 52, I suspect WGGN-DT in Sandusky (actual channel 42). They've been around for awhile, but they recently moved to a new transmitter site with a considerable power increase.

Yeah, I'll bet WGGN was it. It had a sub-ch coming in as well. But both were unwatchable (understandable transmitting from Sandusky) and I have not seen them since. Probably atmospherics + tower tweaking that day.

You may well get a signal boost for WKYC after they are on their new tower, don't give up yet. Can you get WVIZ?
I'd suspect WVIZ is still the worst as far as signal strength, though they have been boosting their power lately.

We are all hoping for 3 & 25 to have much improved signal strength when they move to the new WKYC tower and go full power.

For reference, I'm in Brunswick 12 miles from the antenna farm, here's my TVFool report http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...7c72e8a631520e

I actually hooked up an older unused 12 ft outdoor antenna in my living room just to test and see if I could get it. I was able to get better reception on WVIZ's Digital channels, they were mostly watchable with some dropouts, and signal strength in the 50's and 60's. WKYC however, the HD Tivo shows a brief moment where it says the signal strength is 55, then fades to nothing with the message "No Digital Signal Found."

I'm also having issues getting WOIO without dropouts. I'm really ready to dump TWC, and don't watch many channels, so OTA was something I was looking to switch to. I'm not to far from the towers, I shouldn't be having these issues. It's frustrating, this shouldn't be so difficult.

Once the new tower is finished, your problems with WKYC and WVIZ should be a thing of the past. Those stations will be UHF at full power, like many of the others.

WOIO-DT, however, is likely to stay as it is for the forseeable future. Their request for a power boost is tied up with the Canadians and I don't know how long it will take to get it resolved.

Your antenna will certainly work better outside, too.

- Trip

I'm in Strongsville, a bit closer (but not by much) to the antenna farm than you. I get 3 & 19 & 25 (the weakest Cleveland area OTA signals).
Until a few weeks ago 25 was my only real problem station.

But then I do use an amplified outdoor antenna, Winegard MS2000 (saucer, very low profile, very discrete):
http://www.solidsignal.com/prod_disp...ROD=JC-SMS2000

Toby, Thanks for your input, I'm still trying to decide what to do. I like the idea of that MS2000, but while TVFool says I should need a Yellow antenna to get all the channels, yet Antennaweb says I would need a Red antenna (medium directional) for 3, 19, and 25. My experience is telling me that I'll probably need all the help I can get, and not sure if the MS2000 is enough (most places list it as a "green" antenna.)

Did you get yours locally, or though the internet? I'd love to be able to get it from somewhere that'll allow me to return it if it's not enough.

MCM Electronics has a selection and they will ship them UPS even though they are oversize.
JJK

Plus, MCM is in Centerville, Ohio.

Mine was from online. I wasn't trying to suggest that you buy that particular model, but was rather pointing out that you probably don't need a huge skeleton type antenna to pick up the locals.

You could also go for a much larger directional or omni-directional and place it in your attic for the ultimate in low profile.

They seem to be at about 300' so far. Still got a good distance to go.

They have been stuck at that height for some time now. I get to see the tower often during the week and it seems to me like no work is being done since the initial section went up.

I also saw the WJW tower go up several years ago. I don't recall it taking as long as the WKYC tower, and in the case of WJW there had to be additional safety factors in place. Unlike nearly every other tower up here, WJW's is very close to the street with little or no buffer zone to neighboring houses or the streets below.

Skraut:
Many years ago as it was related to me antenna design was kind of make something and see if it works. If it doesn't work make something else. If it does work then write the theory for it. Coat hanger theory is very popular.
JJK

Getting an improved WGGN from Strongsville is not that far of a stretch. I think their new tower is between Norwalk and Ashland, which would give you this FCC TV Service Area map: