Macon, GA - HDTV - Page 60

FCC verdict on WPGA's motion - http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_publi...-10-1286A1.pdf

Basically, WPGA did not elect during the correct time period, so they defaulted to must-carry. The later retrans agreement with Cox does not hold. So Cox cannot drop them from the system, but neither can WPGA demand channel 6. The only channel they are allowed to request is 58. I imagine there will be shuffling in the near future (though someone else will have to report it, as I don't have Cox for TV).

Interesting how they all are filed by the same six or so applicants.
Since nearly all are showing the existing local TV towers as their proposed locations, I wonder if any of the local stations have ever heard from them?

The ALMA group looks like it might be legit, as it includes a recognizable name in the Mobile, Portable and Handheld TV industry...I suspect that they are interested in mobile TV and data.

I wonder if the rest are just looking to stockpile and re-sell spectrum.
Time will tell.

Every permit that Alma has won has instantly gone up for sale on a website I follow for station sales. I don't think they're legit.

Community Television, though, is the company that owns WATC-DT in Atlanta, a religious station in that area. Three Angels is a religious broadcasting network. EICB also does religious broadcasting in assorted places.

The rest, I think, are spectrum hoarders.

- Trip

from what you said about this new channel 49, its "theoretical" coverage does reach the outter edge of Bibb County

http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/FMTV-serv...LD1326495.html

im surprised you guys haven't elected a new channel, unless that cost alot of money to do such

If they stay on channel 50, they can likely recycle the existing antenna at least, whereas changing the channel would likely require a new antenna plus tower crew to do the antenna swap.

- Trip

Or, just a buncha crazy guys with beer, from Channel 41. Man, those were the days.

Hey, Ralph. You haven't given us an update lately on DD 5.1. How is it going? Does it look like you'll have it up and running for the new tv season?

Hey Y'all:
We had Dolby 5.1 up for awhile on ABC and FOX and it was a disaster. Mainly lip sync problems. We had to turn it off. Incidently, no one on this board noticed. We had no way to monitor it, so we don't know how it performed soundwise. I was ordered to turn it off for the rating period, and I did so. When we bring it back up. it will be done in stages. First the encoders, then if no problems, the programming in surround. This is necessary to determine where in the chain the problems reside. Oddly enough, lip sync error is easy to detect, but difficult to measure. We will also genlock the encoders to the house instead of to the signal. However, we did get the switcher metering set up for Dolby 5.1, and that work is preserved. We'll get it right, but it may take several attempts. But right now, I'll be happy if I can keep the air conditioners working in this heat.

Ralph Carson
Assistant Chief Engineer
WGXA TV24/16

It will be nice if you can get the Dolby 5.1 working in time for football season to start. I'll be watching a lot of college football on FOX and ABC and NFL on FOX this Fall.

Ralph, I noticed the lip sync problem, but did not associate it with your testing DD 5.1. I don't keep my home theater receiver on all the time and thought you were just having a temporary glitch. I just tuned to a different station because it was pretty bad. If you give me some notice, I'll be happy to monitor from home (when I can) and provide feedback, if that's what you're looking for.

anyone have any info on when (if ever) the U-verse service will be available here in Macon? My parents in TN just switched, and I don't think they have any idea of what they have. Just looking on the website, it seems great.

Anyone know anything?

Thanks!

I didn't notice either, although I rarely watch any network television during the summer.

Hey Y'all:
We will have to proceed very cautiously on DD 5.1. It's the bit about viewers tuning to another channel that we can't handle. We tried to turn it all on at once, and we were chasing problems all over the plant. We might start with just turning on Dolby on Fox. We had less problems on Fox. Anyway, we've been working on a second syndicated satellite receiver system so that we can air different live syndicated High Def games on FOX and ABC simultaneously. It's coming along just fine. They make lip sync measurement systems, I'll consider myself lucky if I can get one.

Ralph Carson
Assistant Chief Engineer
WGXA TV24/16

Register is likely going to lose his station and Dish is not going to help him. He may as well sell his station to Hearst, Barrington, Nexstar, or Raycom.

Ok, when did DirecTV start broadcasting WMUM in HD? Last time I turned there it was 480i. Today it's 1080i.

It was added on July 14th.

Wow. I can't believe I missed it. Shows how much television I watch as of late. Thanks.

Supposed to be going live on 77W tomorrow. Does anybody have the equipment to receive them?

i know my mom has the Dish Network HD equipment, i can report back about it when they "do" go live with the HD feeds

I've had the equipment to receive the HD locals in Macon for the last two years. Its called an antenna.

haha, yea real clever dude, you're not the only one *holds antenna*

I'm hearing that the Macon locals in HD will be switched to "Available" this afternoon... but I'd also heard they would be available on June 30. So we'll have to wait for the uplink report.

I have all MPEG4 Dish receivers, and am on the Eastern Arc (and it took some arm twisting to get that install done). I'm all set.

Channel Package Flag Changes:
5281(13) - WMAZ [MPEG4 HD] - EchoStar8 77W TP 16 ConUS beam changed to Available (H) (Mkt:Macon, GA-Macon, GA-CBS)
5282(41) - WMGT [MPEG4 HD] - EchoStar8 77W TP 16 ConUS beam changed to Available (H) (Mkt:Macon, GA-Macon, GA-NBC)
5284(29) - WMUM [MPEG4 HD] - EchoStar8 77W TP 16 ConUS beam changed to Available (H) (Mkt:Macon, GA-Cochran, GA-PBS)
7877(16) - WGXAD [MPEG4 SD] - EchoStar8 77W TP 29 ConUS beam changed to Available (H) (Mkt:Macon, GA-Macon, GA-N/A)
7880(24) - WGXA [MPEG4 SD] - EchoStar8 77W TP 29 ConUS beam changed to Available (H) (Mkt:Macon, GA-Macon, GA-FOX)
7881(64) - WGNM [MPEG4 SD] - EchoStar8 77W TP 16 ConUS beam changed to Available (H) (Mkt:Macon, GA-Macon, GA-IND)
7883(58) - WPGA [MPEG4 SD] - EchoStar8 77W TP 16 ConUS beam changed to Available (H) (Mkt:Macon, GA-Perry, GA-ABC)

Note that WGXA (Fox) and WGXAD (ABC) will remain SD.

Nice move there, WGXA. The outside antenna has to stay.

Glad I found that out. I'm already getting WMAZ in Hd via antenna. But haven't had any luck in Dublin with the others. It won't be worth fooling with the upgrade if I cant get Fox and ABC. If my wife didnt have so much on the dvr I would probably switch to Directv. I was really hoping to watch the Dawgs and Falcons in HD this year.

WGXA's operations manager says it has nothing to do with retrans consent, and says they are not doing anything to keep Dish from providing ABC and Fox in HD.

Dish uplinked the SD versions on 77w last Wednesday. The HD versions are still uplinked, but "Not Available."

There's gotta be a reason they didn't make them available today.

You can check the HDTV Technical forum here at AVS for info on an antenna upgrade.

Is the Georgia game supposed to be in HD on WGXA?

It should be, WPCH 17.1 of Atlanta is dropping out toooo much for me and WGXA is doing SD????? so I'm fortunate enough to get the HD on WXTX 54.1 from Columbus
But it's definitely in HD

Ralph.... someone must be sleeping down there?

Please get the HD fixed for the next SEC game on WGXA 24-1. The games on 24-2 looked great in HD today.