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post #3151 of 4324
12/4/07 at 6:28pm
An open note to KENS and this forum's Mr. Paonessa.....

Out of nostalgia for the Rankin Bass stop-motion animation style of the 60s, I was happy to see that Rudolph was being promoted as remastered in HD (Great since film lends itself well to HD remaster), so here I am watching in the beginning of the show around the time of Santa and Mrs. Claus' introduction KENS switches to the SD feed on the HD channel. This despite it's saying "PRESENTED IN HD WHERE AVAILABLE." I even have the recording to prove it. I'm presuming the Master Control Switcher just presumed it was SD since it was 4x3.

How utterly ridiculous is this to assume since it's not 16x9 that the network and all its promotional staff was wrong and simply switch to the SD feed, thus negating any advantage to watching HD feed and proving the promotional spots run locally and nationally as liars.

This presumption just chaps me. This is the same sort of logic that causes a lot of makegoods for missed spots.

SHould you desire an off air copy please advise to show the person who was switching tonight!
Thanks
Chris Wallace
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post #3152 of 4324
12/4/07 at 7:44pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Harley_Dude View Post

I spoke to someone with Engineering department at WOAI and they said they were unaware of any issues last night but that he would pull the logs. He then said it appeared they had some issues with the network feed beginning at 8:45 but that programming should have just switched to SD. I explained that was not the case and that the picture was not watchable for several minutes in a row. He suggested that we file complaints with the Programming Director to try and get a replay scheduled.

That's exactly when my problems started.
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post #3153 of 4324
12/4/07 at 7:54pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by sfmartin View Post

That's exactly when my problems started.

We actually had problems from the get-go until about 20 minutes in, then again around 8:45. The worst was at the beginning, though. Wish we had kept the recording, but needed to free up space on the DVR.
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post #3154 of 4324
12/4/07 at 9:21pm
I had problems with Heroes. It kept pixelating and the dialog was impossible to understand. It would switch to SD for a minute, then go back to HD and within another minute, would start breaking up again. Switch to SD...

This cycle went on for awhile. Just tried to watch Chuck now, which I had recorded, and it was horrible. I gave up after about five minutes and not being able to understand half the dialog.

A rebroadcast of Chuck would be appropriate.
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post #3155 of 4324
12/5/07 at 4:13am
Quote:
Originally Posted by CLWallace View Post

An open note to KENS and this forum's Mr. Paonessa.....

Out of nostalgia for the Rankin Bass stop-motion animation style of the 60s, I was happy to see that Rudolph was being promoted as remastered in HD (Great since film lends itself well to HD remaster), so here I am watching in the beginning of the show around the time of Santa and Mrs. Claus' introduction KENS switches to the SD feed on the HD channel. This despite it's saying "PRESENTED IN HD WHERE AVAILABLE." I even have the recording to prove it. I'm presuming the Master Control Switcher just presumed it was SD since it was 4x3.

How utterly ridiculous is this to assume since it's not 16x9 that the network and all its promotional staff was wrong and simply switch to the SD feed, thus negating any advantage to watching HD feed and proving the promotional spots run locally and nationally as liars.

This presumption just chaps me. This is the same sort of logic that causes a lot of makegoods for missed spots.

SHould you desire an off air copy please advise to show the person who was switching tonight!
Thanks
Chris Wallace

Yeah! What the heck happend. It looked great until someone flicked the switch. VERY DISAPPOINTED!!!
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post #3156 of 4324
12/5/07 at 12:33pm
Well, if anyone wants info on U-Verse HD quality feel free to ask...someone who can get the service! Yep, after I had AT&T switch the phone yesterday, they came today to install U-Verse only to find about 3 hours in that I am too far from my box. The limit is 2800 feet and I am about 3900 feet away. Wish they could send a guy to check that out first before going through everything else!

Good news is I can still play TWC against U-Verse and get my rate lowered.
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post #3157 of 4324
12/5/07 at 1:00pm
I'll bite.

How is the quality of U-Verse HD vs say E* or D*. They just came by my dad's house yesterday going door to door in the neighborhood trying to woo him away from his "unsightly" Dish and OTA antenna. They were claiming some intro offer of $40....

Went to their website and the cheapest package listed is the 100 channel for $59 a month. HD is extra on top of that. DVR is extra on top of that. Were they trying to pull a fast one on him? He is 76 and not quite as sharp as he used to be as they say.

So what's the scoop?
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post #3158 of 4324
12/5/07 at 3:40pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by CLWallace View Post

An open note to KENS and this forum's Mr. Paonessa...

...so here I am watching in the beginning of (Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer) around the time of Santa and Mrs. Claus' introduction (and) KENS switches to the SD feed on the HD channel. This despite it's saying "PRESENTED IN HD WHERE AVAILABLE." I even have the recording to prove it. I'm presuming the Master Control Switcher just presumed it was SD since it was 4x3.

This presumption just chaps me. This is the same sort of logic that causes a lot of makegoods for missed spots.

Thanks
Chris Wallace

I am embarrassed to say that you are exactly correct. The Master Control Operator switched away from the CBS HD feed because he thought the CBS eye was "in the wrong place." This, when every KENS-DT operating log clearly states for every operator that the network upconverts all prime time programming whether it is produced in HD or not.

Further, the log also clearly states that the Rudolph show was scheduled for air in HD, not SD.

I am not going to apologize for this operator. Instead I will present him with your correspondence and the others I have received, and I will direct him to write an apology for his error; when he has done so I will post his comments here.

I will apologize for the inability of KENS to deliver on an advertised enhancement to a perennial favorite. We are better than this and it should never be necessary for a major station to make excuses because we could not get something properly done.
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post #3159 of 4324
12/5/07 at 7:53pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ibglowin View Post

I'll bite.

How is the quality of U-Verse HD vs say E* or D*. They just came by my dad's house yesterday going door to door in the neighborhood trying to woo him away from his "unsightly" Dish and OTA antenna. They were claiming some intro offer of $40....

Went to their website and the cheapest package listed is the 100 channel for $59 a month. HD is extra on top of that. DVR is extra on top of that. Were they trying to pull a fast one on him? He is 76 and not quite as sharp as he used to be as they say.

So what's the scoop?

Not sure about the quality as I couldn't get the service...

The deal - and I think the door to door guys were giving some better intro offers than what I was going to get - was $74 for internet and tv, with 3 boxes (one of them dvr) included. HD service was 10 dollars more, but if you bundled the internet and tv together there was a 10 dollar discount. The amount of channels and variety was comparable if not better than the extended basic from TWC and variety pack I think. It is a lot cheaper than what I was paying TWC for the same services.
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post #3160 of 4324
12/5/07 at 7:57pm
btw, kind of new here. What does E* and D* mean?
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post #3161 of 4324
12/6/07 at 6:52am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ElusivEmu View Post

btw, kind of new here. What does E* and D* mean?

E* = Echostar/Dish Network
D* = DirecTV

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post #3162 of 4324
12/6/07 at 9:32am
Quote:
Originally Posted by BarsAntone View Post

E* = Echostar/Dish Network
D* = DirecTV


Thanks. Thought I knew what D* meant, then the E* threw me off. Don't think I have ever heard of Echostar.
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post #3163 of 4324
12/6/07 at 12:36pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Realthogue View Post

I am embarrassed to say that you are exactly correct. The Master Control Operator switched away from the CBS HD feed because he thought the CBS eye was "in the wrong place." This, when every KENS-DT operating log clearly states for every operator that the network upconverts all prime time programming whether it is produced in HD or not.

Further, the log also clearly states that the Rudolph show was scheduled for air in HD, not SD.

I am not going to apologize for this operator. Instead I will present him with your correspondence and the others I have received, and I will direct him to write an apology for his error; when he has done so I will post his comments here.

I will apologize for the inability of KENS to deliver on an advertised enhancement to a perennial favorite. We are better than this and it should never be necessary for a major station to make excuses because we could not get something properly done.

Thanks for the response Jerry. Any chance of getting it shown again in HD?
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post #3164 of 4324
12/6/07 at 3:26pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris Blount View Post

...Any chance of getting it (Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer) shown again in HD?

Chris, I wish there was a way but there is not.
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post #3165 of 4324
12/6/07 at 11:06pm
Can anyone here reccommend a reputable local firm for rewiring my home for a satellite installation?

It is my inderstanding that D* will do as little as possible to hook you up. Meaning stringing cable outside of the house and drilling through the exterior walls for each room where service is needed.

I am switching from TWC. Right now I have a single cable hooked up to each DVR, but I'm told I'll need 2 feeds for each DVR when switching to D*. Also I supposedly need to upgrade to RG6 cableing.

I want the job done neatly and professionally with no ugly wiring strung all over the outside of the house. Want all cable dropped from the attic through the walls.

Any help will be appreciated. I was scheduled for my install next Tuesday, but will put it off until I can get the job done right.

Thanks in advance.
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post #3166 of 4324
12/7/07 at 7:45am
Quote:
Originally Posted by derrikm View Post

Can anyone here reccommend a reputable local firm for rewiring my home for a satellite installation?

I want the job done neatly and professionally with no ugly wiring strung all over the outside of the house. Want all cable dropped from the attic through the walls.

Electricians can run cables through walls, as long as you know which cables you want where. Rather than pay a premium for a HT installer, I would suggest hiring an electrician to run the RG-59 cables to wall jacks and letting the D* installer wire everything up.
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post #3167 of 4324
12/7/07 at 11:32am
For anyone that wasn't able to watch Chuck this past Monday due to the problems on WOAI, I got an e-mail from Ken and he confirmed they will re-broadcast the episode this Saturday at 7:00 pm.
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post #3168 of 4324
12/7/07 at 11:59am
Quote:
Originally Posted by agentalbert View Post

For anyone that wasn't able to watch Chuck this past Monday due to the problems on WOAI, I got an e-mail from Ken and he confirmed they will re-broadcast the episode this Saturday at 7:00 pm.

This is almost good news. I only casually watch Chuck and last Monday ran across the unwatchable transmission. But I religiously record Heroes for later viewing. I think it was the season finale and have been too scared to see if it too was mangled. Did that say anything about Heroes?????
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post #3169 of 4324
12/7/07 at 12:02pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by agentalbert View Post

For anyone that wasn't able to watch Chuck this past Monday due to the problems on WOAI, I got an e-mail from Ken and he confirmed they will re-broadcast the episode this Saturday at 7:00 pm.

"We?" may watch Chuck but can't watch Rudolph! WHY? (No annswer required) Sure its a matter of $ & sense!
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post #3170 of 4324
12/7/07 at 8:18pm
I just got my HDHomerun QAM/OTA Tuner and I decided to do a quick bit rate comparison between OTA and TWC of our four major HD Networks. Remember this is just one snapshot taken at about 9:30 this evening. I Think the results are a bit surprising. It seems that TWC and OTA have pretty much the same bit rate.
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post #3171 of 4324
12/7/07 at 8:32pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by AllenDB View Post

This is almost good news. I only casually watch Chuck and last Monday ran across the unwatchable transmission. But I religiously record Heroes for later viewing. I think it was the season finale and have been too scared to see if it too was mangled. Did that say anything about Heroes?????

My Heroes was sorta mangled, and I missed some snatches of dialog, but Chuck was much worse. I love the show, and I'm super glad they are rebroadcasting it.
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post #3172 of 4324
12/8/07 at 7:35am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Realthogue View Post

Zagor posted this list a few months ago. I believe all the channels indicated are working in the clear on TWC, including KABB.


103-104 (WOAI-DT)
103-112 (KSAT-DT)
111-111(KABB-DT)
111-107(KMYS-DT)
112-108 (KLRN-DT)
112-155 (KENS-DT)
119-80 (WOAI Weather Plus)

Here's what I have (networks) picked up on TWC

110.1 NBC
110.2 ABC
111.1 PBS
111.2 CREATE (PBS)
111.3 FOX
112.1 MY35
112.2 PBS
112.3 CBS

110.1 and 112.1 may be vice versa; I can't tell because cartoons are on right now. There are a few more channels but I block 'em. Additionally the tuner in my Sharp picks up some music channels and some more stuff, but I block 'em as well.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ibglowin View Post

I'll bite.

How is the quality of U-Verse HD vs say E* or D*...

So what's the scoop?

A friend of mine had it, switched immediately back to TWC; lots of artifacts on HD in his experience. The internet speeds seem lower than cable (maybe 5Mbps). IMO, I'd pass-go until something better comes along. I'm on $47 a month total for standard cable service (+ local HD via QAM) and HSI. When my $30 a mo Internet promo expires, I'll hop over to Earthlink unless TWC will keep me with the current deal. Complimentary Usenet is a definite bonus to TWC.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Zagor View Post

I just got my HDHomerun QAM/OTA Tuner and I decided to do a quick bit rate comparison between OTA and TWC of our four major HD Networks. Remember this is just one snapshot taken at about 9:30 this evening. I Think the results are a bit surprising. It seems that TWC and OTA have pretty much the same bit rate.

This is rather surprising. Do they transcode maybe? Cable has always seem inferior to OTA to me.
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post #3173 of 4324
12/10/07 at 8:44am
Quote:
Originally Posted by hakujin View Post

Here's what I have (networks) picked up on TWC

110.1 NBC
110.2 ABC
111.1 PBS
111.2 CREATE (PBS)
111.3 FOX
112.1 MY35
112.2 PBS
112.3 CBS

It looks like TV tuners of different manufacture use different designations for the clear-QAM channels received. For example, 112-155 is what shows up on all of the DTV receivers we have looking at TW cable (one Mitsubishi, a Sony and two Circuit City "Prima" cheapies.) 112.3 makes sense for KENS, however, because your tuner is pulling several stations out of slot 112 and the KENS-DT service number for our main channel is 3, even OTA.

It looks like your receiver is assigning its own service number to the stations it sees within the major channel.
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post #3174 of 4324
12/10/07 at 1:04pm
I just received this from PBS. We will indeed record the HD feed and use it on 9.1. We will also have HD live pledge breaks tomorrow night and all prime time programming will be true HD by fall 2008.

Dear PBS Stations -


We are pleased to announce that The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer will enter the digital age as the broadcast goes High Def on Monday, December 17, 2007.

High definition offers many benefits to The NewsHour and to our viewers. The high def widescreen format enables us to deliver a broadcast with superb video resolution and higher-quality audio, and will result in a richer experience for those increasing number of viewers who watch the program on a HD television set. The transition also furthers the goal of PBS to deliver the majority of its national programming schedule in a high definition, widescreen, digital format. The NewsHour's transition contributes an additional 260 hours of national programming to reaching that objective. Additionally, The NewsHour and PBS will produce approximately 24 hours of live, high definition primetime coverage of the 2008 Democratic and Republican &nb sp;National Conventions this summer.

To enable the transition, WETA, the co-producer of The NewsHour, has built a new state-of-the-art digital control room, constructed new NewsHour sets and installed new cameras and related digital editing equipment. WETA secured a generous grant to help fund the new studios and equipment from the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), under the Public Telecommunications Facilities Program.

Although this is an exciting development, this transition is not without its challenges. We at The NewsHour want to make the transition a smooth one.

The percentage of households with HD television sets is still relatively small, ranging from a low estimate of 14% (Nielsen, Nov. 2007) to a high of 36% by the end of 2007 (Consumer Electronics Assn.). Numbers are expected to grow briskly over the next year, fueled by the Summer Olympics and the increasing availability of HD programming. However a large number of our viewers will continue to receive the program via standard definition analog signal.

Standard Definition Signal

To avoid disruption, PBS will continue to feed The NewsHour in standard definition (SD) on the same channels and at the same times it is currently fed. However, starting on Dec. 17, 2007, the standard definition NewsHour feeds will be down-converted from HD to SD at PBS master control and will appear to viewers in a letterbox format. Viewers watching The NewsHour on analog channels may find the switch to letterbox format jarring. We encourage you to alert viewers to this change.

High Definition Signal

PBS will offer three HD feeds of the NewsHour to PBS stations via the DT3A HD feed channel at 1800, 1900 and 2000 (ET) each weeknight. As specified by PBS. The NewsHour HD feeds will be in a 1080i HD, full screen, 16:9 video format, with stereo audio and accompanied by new 16:9-oriented graphics.

Most original field video produced by The NewsHour will be shot in HD, and we expect to be at the 100% level by spring. Video from some outside sources, archived material, etc. will likely be in SD for quite some time. In those instances, the 4:3 SD video will be pillar boxed (colored bands on the left and right sides of the screen) in order to fit the 16:9 HD format.

The percentage of HD to SD video on the program will gradually increase, but in the near term the broadcast will contain a combination of full screen HD and less-than-full-screen SD images. This combination of material is consistent with live HD broadcasts currently being produced by such networks as ABC, CBS, NBC and ESPN with little viewer complaint. Although your viewers may well be familiar with the mixed format by now, we encourage you to alert your staff about these changes to anticipate any viewer and member concerns.


We hope that stations who can, will air the program on both their digital and analog channels.

NewsHour Broadcast to feature behind the scenes preview of HD transition

To both promote our transition and also to help viewers better understand the transition, The NewsHour will broadcast a segment offering a behind the scenes look at our transition to HD reported by NewsHour Senior Correspondent and Media producer Jeffrey Brown on Friday, December 14, 2007.

The video will be on our Online news exchange site, and you're welcome to transfer it to your website. Answers to questions about our HD broadcasts are there and available, as well. Just go to www.pbs.org/newshour/.onix

Cognizant of the challenges, we're enthusiastic about the NewsHour's transition into the digital age, so that beginning next Monday, our viewers can watch the program in the most vivid format possible.

With best regards,

Les Crystal
President
MacNeil/Lehrer Productions
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post #3175 of 4324
12/10/07 at 3:59pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by petegon View Post

...We will indeed record the HD feed and use it on 9.1. We will also have HD live pledge breaks tomorrow night and all prime time programming will be true HD by fall 2008...

Congratulations, Pete! PBS leads the way again!
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post #3176 of 4324
12/10/07 at 7:35pm
Tonight the same type of cut out happened around 9:20 during Journeyman. I've sent them a message via their "reception problems" link on their website (and given them the link to this forum). We'll see if I hear anything back.
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post #3177 of 4324
12/11/07 at 10:36am
Quote:
Originally Posted by petegon View Post

Most original field video produced by The NewsHour will be shot in HD, and we expect to be at the 100% level by spring.

Super news. I'll call in my pledge tonight!!

In an earlier post, you mentioned that your digital transmission power was limited to a low level by the FCC. Do you expect an increase sometime in the future?
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post #3178 of 4324
12/11/07 at 2:22pm
Tuesday evening December 4, KENS-DT began the broadcast of "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" in HD, only to cut away to the SD version after a few minutes. The cutting back to SD was an operator error. As promised, here is the apology from that opreator:

"Dear KENS-DT viewers;

Please accept my sincere apology for my actions during the December 4th CBS HD broadcast of Rudolph The Red-Nose Reindeer. Although the show was digitally remastered for High Definition it aired that night in Standard Definition. I take full responsibility for the disappointment I caused to our loyal viewers. I have always held our viewing public's enjoyment in high regard; I have been proud to offer them the best of our ever-changing technology. Needless to say I failed to deliver on my high standards as a broadcast professional. Please be assured that I will be diligent in my effort to avoid any future errors.

Respectfully,
R. M."

I have reiterated our policy on CBS HD broadcasts to all operators at KENS. It is our sincere hope that no one will switch away from any HD program unless we cover breaking news or we experience technical difficulties.
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post #3179 of 4324
12/12/07 at 2:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by pirspilane View Post

Super news. I'll call in my pledge tonight!!

In an earlier post, you mentioned that your digital transmission power was limited to a low level by the FCC. Do you expect an increase sometime in the future?

Yes. We will ask for more power after Feb. 2009. The FCC a very busy at the moment and our lawyer said that they wont approve any changes until things settle down in 2009.
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post #3180 of 4324
12/13/07 at 2:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by petegon View Post

Yes. We will ask for more power after Feb. 2009. The FCC a very busy at the moment and our lawyer said that they wont approve any changes until things settle down in 2009.

Here is a question for Pete at KLRN...

Any news on when PBS and/or KLRN will be available in HD on Direct TV? Your signal is the only one I can't pick up over the air... amazingly enough.
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