Las Vegas, NV - HDTV - Page 2

So how many of use Las Vegans have cox digital HD cable? I am waiting until August to get mine (or possibly Direct TV). Just wanted to know those who have taken the plunge and how they are liking it?

Thanks,

Tim

Just got mine hooked up today. I had DTV but I went for cox because of the local chanels not needing an attena and Discovery HD. I'm happy with it so far. Discovery HD seems pretty cool.

I have created a webpage devoted to HD in Las Vegas. It can be found
here

There is also another article here that is an FAQ about Cox in HD in Las Vegas. It sounds to me the author of that message works for Cox.

Just got COX HDTV, with the SA 3100HD. Picture looks great. HD channels anyway...

I've got a question for my fellow Vegas HDTV Coxer's... do the HDTV HBOs and Showtimes ALWAYS run odd music tracks on the digital output, or do they occasionally do DD5.1?

The "lower" HBO channels, occasionally do DD5.1, so I understand that not every HBO movie has the DD feed. But I would'da thought that an HDTV presented movie would always have a DD5.1 soundtrack...

I am getting my cox HDTV on Monday (after getting my Panasonic 53wx42 today!).

Does anyone know when ABC (channel 13) will finally switch to HDTV? I know they have been playing around for a while. Also, how about the other channels?

Thanks,

Tim

Ok, I am really curious as to when Cox will offer ABC (Channel 13) in HD? With the fall season rapidly approaching, I would like to be able to see Alias and The Practice in HDTV.

Any inside word as to when Cox will be offering more HD Channels?????


Thanks,

Tim

Las Vegas now has KINC 16-1, digital Spanish station. No sign of NBC or the others?

Has anyone heard when NBC is going live? Will they be doing HD or are they going to be like ABC? Titantv says they will turn the digital channel on this Friday.

Bump. Any word on NBC or ABC?

I emailed ABC about the HD100 not being able to see a picture on 13.1. I got an email back saying this. http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...hreadid=171361

has anyone else been having problems with CBS HDTV. lately, ive been watching some programs and the sound and picture or not matched up. also, tonight, monday sep. 16, CSI is not in HD. anyone else experiencing the same thing?????????

riyatch, yep, the sound was out of sync for Thursday night CSI and Saturday's HD football game. If anyone talks to the folks at Vegas CBS, tell them that they are playing the sound for the local commercials with the video for national commercials, and also that the sound is out of sync for the programs. Both problems are probably caused by the same malfunction. I suspect they know of the problems, because they pulled the plug on the HD for all of Monday night and gave us all upscaled SD instead.

We are suddenly down to 0.01 HD stations in Vegas. PBS-HD is the only one left, and it plays the demo loop or dead air 99% of the time. By the way, what's the best way to find out when our local PBS is going to air a HD program?

thanks for the reply, i was alittle concerned that it was my the tuner in my tv. it sure would be nice of some of the other stations would start broadcasting in HD before the start of the new season. i guess its not gonna happen though.

Ok, this is getting tedious. I have sent a few emails to cox to inquire as to ABC and NBC HDTV with no response. Does anyone have any "connections" to get a reasonable response (or any response!) to Cox's future plans?

When the local ABC and NBC go HD, sometime around the year 2278, I'm sure Cox will carry them. Cox cannot give you a national ABC/NBC HD feed, since the local stations would not allow them.

Hurray, CBS-HD returned to HD for Tuesday night. The sound sync is improved, but it's still not perfect.

Well I heard some bad news from the local NBC folks. They won't be doing HD until Spring of 2003. I found out by emailing Kfridmann@kvbc.com. She said if I have any more questions to email her.

Super....

Given NBC's poor HD lineup, that is not that big of a loss. What about ABC? Any word from them?

I was taliking to ABC last week about my Sony HD100 not being able to see a picture on 13.1. I also asked him when they would be passing the HD signals. He wrote me back saying that I should take the Sony back to the store because it has problems with 720P, but he didn't say anything about when they will be passing the HD. So who all here thinks that The Good Guys are going to trade me the HD100 for the HD200.

As just announced, the Superbowl will be in HD on ABC, but not on KTNV unless they go HD before then. I think we need to start applying pressure to KTNV now. I suggest emailing or calling one person per day from the list at http://www.yourinsidelasvegas.com/contactus/

I emailed them yesterday. However, given the news about the Superbowl they NEED to get their act together by January.

Hopefully, with ESPN going HD, there will be more competition with HDNET so Cox will carry one or both of them.....

I was just flipping channels today and noticed that KTNV (ABC) fixed channel 13.1 so it works with my Sony HD100 now. Maybe they got the rest of the equipment they needed to pass the HD. I will try to find out when the next HD show is and find out. I'm also going to send Ron an email and thank him for fixing the problem on Monday if it still is working.

Hey LVThunder, if you have a good relationship with Ron (he hasn't responded to my emails) can you ask him if he knows when ABC will be broadcast through Cox HD? thx.

"Cox E-care" is a load of BS. These guys are very poor at returning e-mails. Anyone at cox reading this needs to clean this up. This is good reason to go to a dish.

He only replied to me when I was asking about the Sony. When I asked about when they will be starting to pass the network 720p signal he either ignores that email or just doesn't answer the question. I'll ask again when I send him that thank you email. As for Cox they will probibly wait until ABC is passing the HD.

I love the warm fuzzy informative email responses from cox:

>>>>>>
Thank you for contacting Cox Communications. Cox is committed to
providing the best Customer service possible.

Cox Communications does have plans to add more channels to our HDTV
channel line-up. Unfortunately, at this time, we do not know exactly
which programs will be added. If you have any further questions, please
contact us at (702) 383-4000 or correspond through email.

KVBC has been trying to get our ATSC signal on the air for the past several months. Unfortunately, vendor difficulties have postponed our debut date several times. Not only are you upset, as viewers, but local radio stations are livid, as our workers on the tower on Black Mountain require that the FM stations reduce their power to only a fraction of normal.

Our engineering department is top-notch and we should be on the air with a digital signal in the next 30 days, if current timetables don't slip.

Paul Heine
Research Director
KVBC-TV
Las Vegas

That's great news. I have a question. You say a digital signal in the next 30 days. Will that you be passing the HD feed.

Thanks,

My understanding is that our first effort is to get an ATSC signal over the air and our work on Black Mountain completed ASAP.

HD programming, either generated or passed through, will come later. I'm not privy to the timetable. Incredible expenses take time.

NBC Shiva, thanks for the info! Once you go HD, you might look into hiring a monkey to throw the switch. This is something that KLAS CBS overlooked and it shows. Rarely do they get through a whole show without dropping to upscaled SD (lately, anyway.)

I can't pull in analog KVBC NBC well (nor FOX-5.) Is this because your signal strength is reduced at present, or do I need to start looking for a better antenna? (I'm already using a big ugly Radio Shack antenna with a 12 foot wing span or so.)

By the way, if KVBC still has any choice in the matter, you/they should look to have the digital channel number changed. Channel 2 has reception problems that you know more about than I, and the Feds plan to shut down the low channel numbers (2-6?) in a few years, so KVBC will get booted off Channel 2 and 3 eventually anyway.

I can't speak for KVVU. KVBC is currently running at reduced power, and will do so for as short a period as possible. We can't fry the engineers who are working on the towers and multiple antennas needed not only for broadcast transmission, but for studio-transmitter links.

The FCC makes channel assignments. As holder of the license for analog channel 3, we are the most subject to multi-path distortion of any broadcast station in the valley. Add to that, Cox and most VCR's use channel 3 to output their signal, which frequently trashes our signal at the viewer's antenna input. Our pending ATSC transmission on channel 2 has Cox concerned about older converter boxes near Black Mountain.. seems they fear the signal wil fry the ancient circuits. We are working with all of these concerns as best we can.

As you know, in Las Vegas you play the cards you are dealt, or you fold. We choose to play.

If you wish to get a better signal for recording purposes, you might find a value in Cox basic cable. It's under $10 a month. We deliver a fiber optic feed out of our control room to Cox, so they get just as good a signal as the one we send to our transmitter.

I use Cox's digital cable for my home system, and that converter box gives me a reasonably clean SVideo feed. Other viewers I speak with in my duties at KVBC tell me that they are pleased with KVBC's signal via DirecTV. As you know, most DSS boxes offer SVideo or better.

DISH doesn't carry Las Vegas stations yet. They've been saying "coming soon" since 1998, and their latest promise http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_ho.../19365120.html claims they will do so in a matter of weeks. However, the FCC rejection of the DISH/DirecTV merger may be blamed for a delay.

It is in our business interest to have the cleanest, clearest signal in as many homes in Clark, Lincoln, and Nye counties in Nevada as possible. Home theatre fans have an advocate at KVBC-TV. Can you say the same for the other broadcasters in Las Vegas?