Des Moines, IA - HDTV - Page 141

I started noticing this during the NCAA Tournament and am seeing it again now during the NBA Playoffs on TNT viewed on Mediacom.

I'm seeing this on both my TVs: a Sony KDS-55A2000 and a Sony KDL-55EX710 using two different Mediacom HD receivers.

Whenever there's a period of fast-motion during a basketball broadcast on TNT (I also saw this on TruTV's NCAA broadcasts), the frame rate will seem to dip and things will get "choppy".

You can notice this very easily when the camera swings from left-to-right or right-to-left as a team takes the ball upcourt (more noticeable on a fast break, too). Another time I see a lot of it is whenever they do an Iso cam on one player as he runs up court to get back on defense. Anytime there's intense fast motion, it almost feels like an encoder or decoder can't keep up and things get weird.

Has anyone else noticed this too? It was very noticeable during the NCAA Tournament as I'd see it on TNT and TruTV, but not so much on TBS and definitely not on KCCI/CBS.

Watching the 6 PM newscast tonight. Studio shots definitely appear to be HD now. Still looks like a lot of the remotes are VERY soft -- they have to be 480p.

Super Doppler HD looks pretty awful scaled up to HD resolution, but the rest of the weather charts look very nice.

It's the same graphics package they've been using since they went to the 16:9 480p broadcast a few years ago.

Overall, it seems like the only thing that's new is the studio shots in HD, the better weather graphics, and Super Doppler HD output is sharper and clearer. Remotes still soft, same graphics package, same studio. Ho hum. Color me surprised, I expected more than just studio shots in HD for being the last to launch.

I was a KCCI devotee for years, but WHO's newscast is just so professionally done with a slick graphics package, great weather graphics, and all remotes in HD. WHO's newscast looks like something you'd expect to see in a Top 10 market. KCCI's looks like they put in just enough effort to say "See guys, we're in HD now."

KWWL went HD a year ago in the Cedar Rapids market for studio shots, but at least they revamped their set, revamped their graphics, and revamped the weather graphics. Remotes were still 4:3 SD, but with as much effort as was put into the rest of the HD upgrade, I'd argue KWWL did a lot more to get ready for HD than it appears KCCI has, so far.

I wouldn't be so harsh on KCCI, but with as good as their ratings are, and being "Iowa's News Leader" in Iowa's largest market, this HD launch is overshadowed by many other stations in this state, including WHO, KWWL, KWQC, heck, even WOI.

I think the new KCCI HD newcast looks real good, but sounds real bad. Is that sound coming out of an empty can of Del Monte peaches or what ?? Reminds me of some of those 96 kbs mp3's I used to download and delete because they sounded so crappy.

You both pretty well summed up my thoughts. Even when the audio is clear, it sounds like their studio is a big steel garage.

I don't know why they bothered with HD at all. They've long since proven their viewers either don't care or notice the difference.

I will never understand how they generate the ratings they do.

The weather graphics are quite different now than they were just a week or two ago. The news graphics are a bit different as well, it seems. They put these into use a few days ahead of the official HD switch.

A few weeks ago, they went to an eight-day forecast, but the little forecast thumbnail I have my computer update on my desktop each day still pulled a five-day forecast from them. As of Monday, that same URL now pulls the eight-day, and it bears the new graphics look. (WHO's is here.)


I'm glad I'm not the only one who noticed the poor sound quality. It was tinny on both my HDTV and SDTV, using over the air signal or Mediacom analog cable signal, respectively. Not as bad as those OnStar commercials with the terrible tinny recordings of emergency calls, though.

The SDTV is in my bedroom, where I tend to listen through earbuds so as not to disturb my wife. The tinny quality was quite noticeable. The commercials sounded normal.

I didn't notice if the Ames "Live Link" content still had its usual ground loop hum in it, like it has for many months.

This evenings KCCI news was an improvment, the sound was much better, about as good as you could expect. WHO had sound problems at the beginning of their HD broadcasts as well, with the little beeps every couple minutes. I still prefer WHO news with Bachman. I especially think WHO has the better saturday and sunday morning news broadcasts. KCCI has always been the weaker in sports coverage, and still is with WHO having strong sports personalities that are more fun to watch. Bachman comes off as more professional to me as well, with his "insiders with john bachman" on Sun mornings.

Those "beeps" weren't problems, they were an intended effect to go with a graphic change.

They, thankfully, got rid of it eventually.

I did go on to say that the weather graphics are different, and they do look nice. I was more referring to the news graphics, which to my eyes still look like the ones they changed to when they went to the 16x9 broadcast.

And again, these are all nit-picky things that most stations would get the benefit of the doubt on. KCCI just doesn't get the benefit of the doubt because they're a DISTANT 3rd in their market to go HD and they're far and away a ratings juggernaut. I expected more out of KCCI because I felt like they had more time and more resources.

Other stations in smaller markets (KWWL and KWQC) had much more dramatic HD overhauls, and even stations with poor ratings (WOI) seem to have done more in their HD conversions.

And again, WHO set the bar so high for an HD conversion in one fell swoop that it's almost unfair to compare anyone to them. I still say WHO's newscast looks and feels like a Top 10 market's newscast. It's so slick and professional and the HD throughout just looks great.

Anyone else hearing 'popping' sounds on ABC5 w/ DirecTV? Specifically, during Shark Tank.

I'm trying to gather info on what HDTV OTA receivers can pick up the IPTV XX.99 subchannel.

If you have a rig that pulls in IPTV from an antenna, could you see if your tuner can pick up one of the XX.99 subchannels below? It should be audio only, probably sometime before noon daily.

I do know that my TiVo HD, Channel Master CM 7000 and Zenith DTT901 digital to analog converter boxes do not decode the audio.

The following tuners have been reported to work. If yours is not listed, and works, please post it here.

DigitalStream DTX9950 digital-to-analog converter box
Accurian handheld DTV
LG TV

Channel 11.99 - Des Moines
Channel 12.99 - Iowa City
Channel 21.99 - Fort Dodge
Channel 24.99 - Mason City
Channel 27.99 - Sioux City
Channel 32.99 - Waterloo
Channel 32.99 - Council Bluffs
Channel 36.99 - Red Oak
Channel 36.99 - Davenport

Thanks!

On 11.99 (Des Moines IPTV), my Sony KDL-55EX710 (LED HDTV's built in decoder) picked up the signal and decoded it just fine.

This is the Reading Service for the Blind, right?

Thanks Brew! Yes, it's called IRIS and they usually read articles for the blind before noon every day.

Good to know your TV decodes it.

Here's the boxes they distribute to decode it (I just found this out today)

http://www.rrs1100.com/

A lot of Samsung TV's will decode it, too. I have one at work that does, but I don't remember the model offhand.

I can get 11.99 on two DigitalStream converters: models DTX9950 and DTX9900D. Also on a Panasonic DVD Recorder DMR-EZ17.

Thanks tanglecord for verifying this!

Anybody else having problems with 5 tonight?

I've completely lost OTA. Not that big a deal as I have it on DirecTV, but figured I'd ask.

KCCI has a video on its website about this. It doesn't mention a date ("soon"), but it says MeTV will be on 8.2 (no word on the fate of Weather Now).

http://www.kcci.com/video/28156641/detail.html

A June 10th posting on MeTV's Facebook page (posted by MeTV) claims that it will begin on July 1, and affirms the 8.2 assignment.

The latest teaser they ran this morning listed that MeTV will also feature "Weather every hour". Everyone is welcome to draw their own conclusions... and I'm thinking this will be the end for Weather Now. Not that KCCI's weather team really updated the local forecast segments that much anyway...

I think OTA TV just got a whole lot better with ME-TV. The original Hawaii Five-o, Bob Newhart, MTM, MASH and Marshall Dillon too ? Leaving the house just got a whole lot harder.

OH MY GOD.......they are showing 2 back to back episodes of TAXI tonight at 9PM on ME-TV. I have never seen such a fine array of classic TV shows, better than TV Land ever was. They have Cheers, Perry Mason and Twilight Zone too, and just about every good TV show there ever was except for the original Star Trek and the Jeffersons. It's not even fall yet, and I am starting to build a cocoon around me and my TV set.

What? It's on?

*checks*

Oh. Yes it is.

Any word of any of the DSM locals getting Mobile DTV up and going? Its basically a lower bit rate of the digital channels, however they can work in a car at speeds of up to 100mph with a 60 mile range. More info can be found here:
http://www.ezdigitaltv.com/Mobile_Digital_TV.html

Can anybody relate their experiences with WOI OTA reception using a "7-up" antenna? I'm in the Boone area and have an opportunity to pick one of these up, wasn't sure if it was worth it... Other option would be to pony up for a red zone full-on antenna twice the size (but is designed to handle lo-VHF).

I realize the rig isn't designed for 5.x, and I only watch RTV 5.2 for the old shows anyway. Just trying to see if it is worth putting up on my roof to replace the 30-year old rig that came with the house (used twinlead, it's not hooked up to the TV at all).

Being in north Boone, I'm in the Light Green/Red zone when it comes to WOI reception, so I wasn't sure if this would be worth my time and effort. Two story house with no easy access to the roof save a big ladder (which I'd have to borrow/rent).

That MeTv promo with the Lucy gang singing "Y'all come" includes a clip of Kirk being stopped by a force field. Star Trek is coming to MeTV this fall (no definite dates given). Along with several other classic series, including some that had been airing on RTV.

http://metvnetwork.com/fall.php

But which shows will be knocked off the schedule to make room for the new ones?

As for The Jeffersons, that's a Sony property and if it were to air, it'd be on Antenna TV. For the time being, you can see minisodes of The Jeffersons (episodes edited down to four or five minutes) on the Sony site, Crackle.

http://www.crackle.com/c/The_Jeffers...160910%26fx%3D

Will be happy to see Star Trek added to the lineup, and perhaps Lost in Space, but the other shows they are adding do not excite me much. I'm sure they will bump off something I like better, hope it's not anything in their weekday prime time lineup up to and including Cheers, or TAXI on sunday nights. Hope they keep Dobie Gillis and Gomer Pyle USMC late sunday nights and Twilight Zone and Marshall Dillon later on weekday late evening. Surprised Gilligan's Island isnt on after Dobie Gillis for late sunday nights.

Ive been watching the old gunsmokes from the 50's for the first time and hope they keep "Marshall Dillon" in the lineup. I think Dennis Weaver did a great job with the Chester character.

The new schedule starts Monday, September 26.

http://metvnetwork.com/metv_national.pdf

Don't forget to subtract an hour for Central Time.
I can't be certain, but it looks like MeTV will be showing the 4th season hour-long episodes of The Twilight Zone on Sunday nights.
For those who like Lost in Space, don't miss the first episode (I assume Me will broadcast them in order), where Dr. Smith, instead of a comical coward, was an evil saboteur.

Yes, kudos for the hour long Twilight Zones AND putting Columbo in the 7PM slot for sunday nights, RIP Peter Falk. Good that they moved TAXI to weeknights, more TAXI is a good thing. The original Star Trek and Lost in Space is a great addition. ME-TV is cool, book 'em Danno.

Many old shows and cartoons come to mind that could make classic TV even better. Like sat or sun mormings run Davey and Goliath, Scooby, Flintstones, Superfriends, Herculoids, GI Joe, Johnny Quest, Land of the Lost. Bullwinkle is OK but they need to show Fractured Fairytales, Commander McBragg, Klondike Cat, Mr. Peabody and Sherm, Go Go Gophers, Tennessee Tux, Underdog, and mix it all up in an hour long time slot and call it Bullwinkle & Company, or Underwinkle.

Maybe sometime in the afternoons they could show some classic gameshows like Match Game, Price is Right, Card Sharks, Jokers Wild, Tic Tac Dough, Password or Pyramid. Some other shows I havent seen forever that might make good filler.......WKRP, One Day at a time, Welcome Back Kotter, Eight is Enough, perhaps the late 70s drama series "Family" or maybe Facts of Life or Little House on the Prairie. Would like to see METV, Antenna TV, and RTV pick up some of these shows.

And let us not forget the very hot nurse Rankoozie, and a young doctor named Gates that lived in the hospital parking lot, in a rusty RV named "The Titanic". I'm talking of course about Trapper John MD. Great show, much more watchable than Daniel Boone or 3 hours of Lucy, in my opinion.

MeTV will be yanking Rawhide and "Marshall Dillon" (but not Gunsmoke) from their schedule this month. Here's a notice from their website.

What do you mean by "but not Gunsmoke"? Isn't Marshall Dillon just the rerun title for Gunsmoke?

Me-TV's notice treats them as two separate shows. Marshall Dillon is the title for the half-hour program and Gunsmoke is the hour-long show. Marshall Dillon (the show, not the character) will be leaving Me-TV, but Gunsmoke will remain on their schedule.