San Antonio, TX - HDTV - Page 134

The "meter" on most (if not all) consumer DTV products is more of a quality measuring item than pure signal strength. It reads highest when it has the lowest bit-rate errors (which usually means strongest signal with fewest ghosts and/or co-channel interference present). Considering the proximity of the KMYS tower (Lake Hills) that ought to come in well with a paper clip for an antenna there - it's the only one that decodes here (20 mi LOS according to the tvfool.com site) on a simple indoor antenna.

I've some friends off Highway 46 along Red Bluff Creek not far from the Freedom Springs Ranch airstrip - a pretty low spot with many 400' hills around. Besides a sat dish they have a large OTA antenna atop their two-floor house. I'm going to have to ask them how their DTV is there with that sytem. The last time that I visited (Oct 2004) they were using SD CRT sets.

Prometheis,

I still am planning a Hill Country visit, and you are on my list of places to go.

You can leave the FM trap "out" since I doubt you have much risk of interference from FM stations where you are.

I visited another house north of Boerne last weekend; they also had a Tru-Spec TA-25. It seemed to be performing okay on the VHF channels but quite lame on the UHF's. They had a VHF/UHF combo antenna that was in pretty good shape. The viewer had too many sets (4) on a passive splitter. Replacing the passive 4-way with a Channel Master CM3414 brought all channels up to par, with an average of 75 (relative value) for signal strength on their RCA DTA-800 converter boxes.

We have enjoyed great success with Channel Master Spartan antenna amps, which have quite well-balanced UHF/VHF response. We have one here to bring in KCWX from Stonewall to our receiving antenna at KENS.

KCWX-DT-5 does well here with a DTT901 and an ancient 1973 Archer V-100 20' AGL beamed nw thru ne (even w/o the indoor CM-7777). A TSR capture from it with an HVR-950 http://www.qsl.net/wa5iyx/kcwx-tsr.htm It also is suprisingly good off the backside of a VHF-UHF array fix-aimed s.e. with a DTX9950. I surely don't need them to increase to 80kw ERP here.

Of course, whenever we get any lightning sferics it will pixelate to various degrees - an "early warning" of bad weather that was hard to get used to not having with the other hi-VHF and UHF DTV in this market after 50+ years of WOAI-4 and KENS-5.

Can anyone recommend a good splitter to use with cable? I need one that will pass QAM as well as standard cable.

Thanks.

Time Warner gave me a free splitter and nice zero gain 8 output amplifier (signal level on the outputs is same as input). You might ask your cable co.

My apologies. I need an AMPLIFIED splitter that will pass QAM and standard cable signals. Thanks.

First, if your incoming cable signal is working correctly when connected directly (no splitters etc) to one TV you do not want to significantly increase the signal level with an amplifier. If it is not working properly have your cable co. fix it.

To work correctly the cable signal needs to stay close same level originally supplied by the cable co. The best way to do this is with a drop amp. They will pass standard and QAM signals and are bidirectional. They have miniminal gain hence my installer called it a zero gain amp. I have internet service and TWC recommended I use a 2 way splitter on the incoming line with one side connected to the amp and one side connected to the cable modem. Time Warner supplied both the splitter and drop amp for free.

My amp is the Electroline EDA-2800.
http://www.electroline.com/en/produc...ers/index.html

Here is some information on the forum.
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=813711

The original installer only put in a splitter, later I got a repair tech out the house is how I got the free stuff.

People commonly create problems with their cable system by over amplifying the signal.

On a whim I bought a basic 4-port GE amplifier at Home Depot (figured I would return it if it didn't do the trick). Works like a charm. The problem originated from a 30' cable run to a TV. The basic amp boosts the signal quite well.

1. WOW! Above and beyond amigo! Whats your preferred beverage of choice?

2. I am curious, did they have a HD TV? Did the TV tuners signal strength also increase proportionately?

3. I'm kinda gun shy of amplified splitters after the non performance we discussed on pp 126/7. I'll order CM3414 from an online store for $27 and $8 s&h maybe it'll save ya a trip (unless you just wanna get out from behind your desk that is...!)

[quote=prometheis_78063;17007208]
"...did they have a HD TV? Did the TV tuners signal strength also increase proportionately?"

The viewer had a 26" LG HDTV; signal strength, although relative values, increased from 20-25 on UHF, 35-40 on VHF to consistent values in the 60's and 70's on UHF and VHF. We saw similar proportionate increases on her two RCA DTA-800 converter boxes also.


I don't spend much time behind a desk. Can't blame you for being gunshy of amp'd splitters but they have their purpose. I still want to see your setup, as soon as I can get up that way. Beverage preference is iced H2O.

1. I switched the FM TRAP to "OUT", lost channels 4,5 ch 29 degraded from 42 to 30....FM TRAP "IN" 4,5 returned, ch 29 back to 42 on the TV tuner.

2. I ordered the CM3414 and was told via email today (Mon 8/17) its on back order for 3-4 weeks.

3. Iced water (bottled water quality) is readily available via my Reverse osmosis system.

4. The D/A converter works fine on all channels, but the signal strength on KSAT12 is minimal (12-14). Have a great week!

I guess pointing thru that slew of 100-kw FM stations at the Galm Road tower must have an effect even at your distance. They're c. 9 miles wnw of me so I don't need to beam that way for any of the local DTV. When I do the 88.3 out there chews into that KFLZ-CA-6 raster and Hispanic music. I don't normally have the CM-7777 in line for the NTSC setup.

Yup. There's a thick soup of intermod there, which certainly can inhibit the V reception. I still want to visit the Lake Hills/Bandera/Pipe Creek areas with my little corner reflector and spectrum analyzer to see what else is going on. Maybe next week...

Jerry, happy to have ya visit! I get ready for work (4-12 pm) at 2:30, leave the house by 3.

P.S. Off on Mondays

Has KCWX-DT-5.1 been trying to do something fancy with their audio lately ? On a DTT-901 feeding A/V lines to a mono set using just left audio some of the syndicated programs and local commercials have sounded like they were done in a hollow room. DT-5.2 ("This" network and the local-insert commercials there) was OK. I'm too lazy to hook up my HVR-950 and run TSR-Lite on them to analyze it

Not that I know of. I checked the station's off-air presence last night and again today (before I saw your email) and heard no discrepancy, but I will check it again at home on different equipment. Here at the studio I heard no anomalies in the OTA delivery earlier today or just now. I tried the same thing you did, feeding only left-channel audio from a DTT-900 to a mono monitor, but I suspect that show had mono audio or stereo with very little separation. The audio phase indications showed very little difference in left and right content - almost a straight vertical line.

As "Smallville" opened just now, everything sounded ok (even with left-channel audio sent to a mono monitor) here at the studio so I am not so sure about what happened to you. What time did you notice the anomaly?

One other thing to keep in mind is that some of the CW HD shows have 5.1 audio. When this is downmixed to deliver stereo or even mono audio through an inexpensive STB, the results are directly proportional to the quality of the Dolby audio solution designed into the demod. Listening to half of a downmix might sound a little strange; I haven't tried that yet, actually. To send one STB output only to a mono monitor I would select mono audio out in the STB setup menu, mixing down all the channels.

Thanks for checking it out. I'd only noticed it on some programming the past 2 days -
today it was Judge Hatchett and Family Court W/Penny but not on the 700 Club. As I mostly concentrate on their sub 2 I can't be sure which other programs may have been behaving similarly. I didn't check to see if the DS DTX9950 was acting likewise. In using CECB's since Apr last year with one A line to mono TV sets I've never come across this sort of audio abberation on any ATSC signals.

That's especially unusual since these are only stereo shows. Keep an ear on them, though; there may be a satellite receiver with audio phase reversal on one channel. That'll play hob with conversion to digital and back.

Macbillybob,

Did you get your cable situation worked out yet? I had a somewhat similar incident last winter. The cable would get so bad I would lose all services but regular cable (HD,Internet,Phone). The rub was that it only happened when the temp was below 50 degrees or so. Well, here in SA, that only happens at night during the winter normally so that is when all my problems occurred. TWC would come out at 9 or 10am and no problem found so they would basically chase a problem they couldn't see. Well after about 5 or 6 house calls, a lot of headaches, totally new cable/outlets/splitters, a month and a half, and a lot of hair lost talking to tech support, I finally convinced them the problem was before my house and they ended up replacing an amp in the node that was malfunctioning with the weather changes.

I am now actually having another problem that is starting to look the same way - but I am prepared! I have a small monitor that I take to the pedestal (just happens to be in my back yard), hook up one of my cable boxes straight to the tap, and read the diagnostic screen. They won't replace one more inch of cable in my house if I have a say, dang it!

Have not had the problem lately. (last couple of weeks) The cable guy told me he had seen this in other areas of the city, not just this neighborhood.

The cold weather problem in San Antonio is more prevalent than you know. Large parts of the network have old technology including nodes and amplifiers that need to be upgraded. Unfortunately, it's easier to replace a defective amplifier than upgrade a subnetwork.

I have experienced the same cold weather problem for at least 10 years. I'm at the end of a network. When the temp falls below 30 degrees, I start getting blocking and pixelization, freezing, and eventually loss of channels. This is d/t signal suck out often d/t a bad amplifier at the node. It's so predictable that I can tell what the outside temp is just by watching HD.

I've been told by TWC engineers that my area needs new network equipment but the amount of business does not justify the cost.

Recently, I've noticed a lot of freezing and unavailable channels on the HD stations. I suspect this is d/t the same problem. Of course, they never find anything with remote access and by the time you get a service guy out the problem is gone. Very frustrating. I am probably switching to satellite when my current agreement expires.

Some updates to the KCWX saga http://home.swbell.net/pjdyer/fred-2.htm#dt5sub

See that KENS-DT-.2 is now with "estrellaTV", but the PSIP and EPG are still showing VIPIR 5 3D for it. Sub 3 has the live radar display.

There was a rush to get the Estrella preview/promotional reels on the air late Monday, and the PSI guide info was neglected. Today you will see "Muy Pronto Estrella TV." We are running a two-hour, 23 minute loop of excerpts from Estrella programming on KENS 5-2. Original debut was scheduled for September 7, but due in part to the Los Angeles fires, the launch has been pushed back by a week to September 14.

Silent Vipir 5 Doppler radar imagery remains on KENS 5-3.

Anyone noticing lip-synch issues with KABB?

Last night on a show or news. Can't remember which. Not watching tonight tho.

KABB lipsynch-- It's really bad tonight on their news broadcast.

Yeah last week I noticed lip sync mismatch during 2 episodes of 2.5 men, both episodes. Couldn't watch anymore after that

Hooked my new toy this afternoon, sadly I got nothing on any channel using the RCA DTA800 D/A converter. Returned to my passive 4 way splitter all's well again....(sigh) Looks like I have to return it

Before you return it, let's put an analyzer on your antenna. I have been itching to see what's wrong out there for a while, maybe now's the time. I have another viewer not far from you with another problem, so maybe we'll hit both of you on Monday.