Buffalo, NY - HDTV - Page 3

As you can see from my previous message, I haven't been able to pick up WIVB from here in Rochester, NY, so I tried another way. I went to a house in Mendon, NY, where I was able to hook up to an antenna in an attic. I was able to get a signal in the 20-30 range on my HiPix without an amplifier. When I hooked up the amplifier, the signal was gone. This was about 9:30 pm tonight.

Can anybody help me - was anybody receiving and watching WIVB around 9:30 - 9:45, and how strong was the signal?

Thanks in advance for any help you could shoot my way.

Ron

What type of Amp were you using. Check its Specifications. Its possible that the amp wont pass or amplify anything above 450 MHZ. Ch-39 is around 622 MHZ.

OK, here's the latest. I got Radio Shack's UHF antenna with the best specs: 33 elements, UHF only, range up to 100 miles. It has similar specs to ChannelMaster's best UHF-only models. (As a matter of fact, the model number is 150-2162, and Radio Shack has discontinued it, and is letting them go for $4.99 to get rid of them. They were originally $40, so it's a great time to get a good antenna.)

I'm about 65 miles from the transmitter, and from on the ground, I got the bare minimum (5 out of 100). When I got on the roof of the garage, I was able to get a signal of 73! Here's where I need help... even with a signal that strong, my HiPix card tuner still didn't give me a picture. All I got on 39-2, 39-3, and 39-4 was a solid green screen. My questions are...

1. Could anybody please tell me if WIVB was broadcasting tonight (Sunday) between 8:30 and 8:50? I've seen times when they were broadcasting the carrier, but they didn't modulate it with anything, so the screen was blank. Did you see a picture during that time?

2. Is anyone else tuning WIVB with a HiPix card in their HTPC? If so, what does it mean if the screen is all green?

3. Another question for the HiPix crowd - what is the minimum signal strength that you need to get a reliable picture?

This is what this hobby is all about. With a little help, I"ll be there with the rest of you.

Thanks in advance,

Ron

Ron, I don't know anything about the HIPIX card or what it takes to get a signal, but I would think that in the 70's would be plenty strong enough. The digital signal has been on with all 3 channels all evening since 8. I have been watching "A Time to Kill". The picture quality is excellent. Is there anything different that you did at your dad's from what you are doing now? Hang in there. I know you will get it sooner or later. Jim

Well, I'm on the roof again, but this time, I'm not getting any signal. It is Wednesday, July 10, about 8:30 PM. Can someone please tell me if WIVB is on the air?

I got a signal strength in the low 70's on my HiPix card this past Sunday, so I thought I'd try it again, but I see nothing. There have been cases where WIVB didn't go on right at 8:00 PM, so is that the case now?

Thanks in advance,

Ron

PS - is someone could please private message me your phone number, I'd like to talk to you.

Its 850PM and they are definitely on the air. I can see the signal, nice and strong on a Spectrum Analyzer, and you cant get more accurate than that.

For all of you that have been so helpful in my experimentation...

With a 40" UHF-only antenna, 15 feet in the air via a mast, I was able to get WIVB from Buffalo, NY. I live about 60 miles from the broadcast antenna. My HiPix card was able to detect / tune all three sub-channels. The signal strength was only in the 30's, but I was watching 1080i and listening to AC3 audio.

I think the thing that did the trick was the CM7775 mast-mount preamplifier. Next on the list of things to do is to see if I can get a stronger signal by going higher outdoors. I had a signal in the low 70's with a larger antenna (100" UHF-only antenna) on top of my garage, but my wife said it looked like a ray gun up there. That should be a rock-solid picture. Next, I'd try the 100" boom in the garage rafters. If that is a strong signal, I'll go with that one because it'd be out of the weather, don't have to worry about crows, hawks, etc sitting on that boom.

I must have looked like an idiot out there with a 15 foot mast stuck in a Christmas tree stand on the driveway, but hey, it worked.

Who else out there is getting WIVB here in Rochester? I know there is at least one other person who is using a roof antenna (lives in Ionia, as I recall), but I'd be interested in anybody else's success stories.

Ron

Ron,

I wish I had someone like you in my neighborhood. We could use a little excitement.

I live in Pittsford and get a solid signal on 39-(2-4). I use a roof mounted CM 4228 w/CM7778. At first I had problems when I ran the antenna feed to my DTV multiswitch and then a diplexor at the TV. I had to run the antenna feed directly to my Zenith STB to get enough signal strength. I'm still tweaking things trying to get the signal to work through the multi switch/diplexor.

Skip

Anyone receiving WIVB this evening 7-27?

I tried up until about 9:15 and didn't get a signal on 39-2. Let me know if anyone did.

Did anyone pick channel 33-1 last night ?

33-1 was on all evening, but pixelization was pretty bad. They have a long way to go- let's hope they learn faster than WIVB!

Stop it guys! Now I'll have to go out and buy myself a RCA DTC100 to watch HDTV in the Falls.

The really scary thing is that Erie PA has two HDTV stations on the air.

I often can pick up the Erie analog stations but I cant even detect any of their DT signals even when the analog ones are beaming in. Where are they located on the UHF band and are they only on in the Evening hours. I've Dx'ed a signal from Cleveland on ch-31 but cant get Erie. Thankfully the 2 Buffalo DT signals are consistently strong.

No Pixelization here, 33-1 coming in very strong in Lockport. Can't wait for more HD content on NBC! Won't be staying up for Leno every night...

Using my Silver Sensor, don't have to move it for CBS/NBC, it is on the first floor behind my TV...

I just moved to Rochester from Boston and, man, can I relate to this post. Much of the pixillation you guys may be getting may be from multipath problems...what used to be ghosting for analog signals. Sometimes getting an antenna with a very narrow "sight" helps from getting bounced signals off of trees, hills, etc. I only mention this since getting any consistant signal should give you a picture and multipath may cause your STB to constantly switch which signal it receives, leaving you pictureless as it constantly switches from signal to signal.

So, the antenna which works for you may not work for the guy across town.

Also, some STB's do better than others with this problem. I have the old Panny-50 and always had problems with, ironically, the strongest signal I got. Thought I'd mention this since it is a common problem.

I do have a question, though. Does WROC grant HD waivers to receive HD-CBS via Dishnet? I'll be living in Honeoye and I doubt I'll be able to have the luck alot of you have had with the Buffalo stations.

Jeff- I can't answer your WROC question, but I can address your WIVB-DT topic. I have had some success picking up WIVB-DT from the Ionia/Mendon area, which is about 10 miles east of Honeoye Falls... and 15 miles north of Honeoye. Welcome, & Good Luck!

I live in Pittsford a few miles east of Rochester. I consistently pull in both Buffalo HD stations with the roof mounted Chanel Master 4228 and Channel Master 7778 pre-amp. I have the Zenith 1080 STB which brings the channels in as 2-1 and 39-2. 2-1 was 33-1 for awhile. Not sure what's going on there.

How much is the zenith Set-Top, and where do you get it?

$700 @ www.gochnauers.com. I think many people are waiting for it's replacement.

Wow, lets see, in Canadian Dollars that would cost me about $1050. Way too expensive at this point in time. And I'm sure tax on top of that.

Living in Belleville, Ontario, Canada. Using a Hughes E86, a 4 bay bowtie with booster, on the 7th floor of a highrise. I'm able to pick up WIVB-DT on 33-1 through 33-4, which includes WNLO and Doppler radar. Signal strength comes in between 90 and 100 most evenings. Of course, there is the pixilization that occurs when they are adjusting their signal, but I'm very impressed with the signal strength. I am 115 Miles East of Toronto.

I'm receiving WGRZ, NBC on channel 33-1 for the first time tonight. Now if we can just prod the rest of the Buffalo nets into going digital. Rochester? Snorrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

I live about 10 miles SE of Rochester in the town of Perinton. I have an RS U120R (13+dB gain) antenna and an RS preamp (30 dB gain) which is about 25 feet above ground and can not receive Buffalo DTs. I get 51 PAX very clear which is in Batavia. I am not as high as I would like to be, I think about 526 ft above sea level. I know there are elevations higher than me between me and Buffalo, but I was hoping I could either of these. Is this a lost cause or what? I do not want to go much higher in elevation as it will distract from the neighborhood. Does anyone have any ideas? Thanks in advance.

Mike Horrocks

Well I was able to receive Buffalo 39 last night. The signal strength varied from 25 to 70. Below 34 the signal cut out. The antenna height was 503 ft above sea level plus 25 feet off the ground. I raised it another 5 feet today and will see if there is any improvement. I could not get Buffalo 33. I called WIVB DT engineering department today. They indicated they are running only half power, about 380-400KW and will go to full power 780KW next year. Also, regardless what the titan TV guide says, they are still only transmitting during prime time.
Mike

I live in Pittsford a few miles east of Rochester. I consistently pull in both Buffalo HD stations with the roof mounted Chanel Master 4228 and Channel Master 7778 pre-amp. I have the Zenith 1080 STB which brings the channels in as 2-1 and 39-2. 2-1 was 33-1 for awhile. Not sure what's going on there.

Skip,
I could not get anything last night with the antenna 5 feet higher. Either the x-y location change made a difference or they were not on last night?
Mike

Mike,

I didn't watch TV last night and I'm heading out of town for the weekend. If you haven't already you should check this site out for the proper compass orientation. Sounds like you've already figured out they only start at 8pm.

http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/welcome.asp

I was monitoring WGRZ last night on 33-1 and I also was able ot receive it on 2-1. The only problem was their insistance on changing power at different segments as I watched. For a long time, it stayed constant at 79% but then would drop way down into the teens or below. It did not seem like a terestrial event but just them playing with the signal. WIVB was peeking out at 100%, at the time, and the signal was hovering in the low 90's most of the evening. I wish WIVB would stay on longer than 3 hours a night. At least we get some action on WGRZ after 11PM!

Horrocks, that's a lot of gain you've got and it may actually be too much. Have you tried it without the amp?

John,
I have a 10dB down gain adjust which makes it just worse. I think there are too many obsticles between me and the tower.
Mike