Las Vegas, NV - HDTV - Page 3

Hey NBC Shiva, any chance that you will run HDTV through your fiber optic feed to Cox (even before getting the OTA done)? I am currently enjoying CBS HD offerings through Cox and can't wait for the other stations to jump on board.

Hmm....I guess not.

Bump. Bump. Bump.

Anything new on the Vegas HDTV front? Is Cox now fat and happy?

Tallen,

I started Cox service here in Vegas (actually Henderson) last Saturday, and, so far, I'm very pleased with the service.

Can someone confirm or deny if other local stations will be adding HD to their broadcasts next month? It seems I read this somewhere, but I'm not sure if this is true...

Well I got an email from FOX that said they will be testing in the middle of November (I don't remember the exact month). I haven't heard anything new from ABC or NBC or WB.

I now am getting 2 new digital channels.

22.1 is WB and
29.1 is analog channel 33.
Neither seem to be in HD though.

Thanks for the update. Right now I am only hoping for ABC to get HD before the Superbowl..

Me too. I also hope NBC goes digital soon.

are you guys getting the new channels all the time ota or is it just during certain times of the day? im not getting anything on those channels yet. ive played with the antenna and still nothing.

I think the new channels are on all the time. I did get an email from them saying that they are running on low power.

still not getting 22 and 29 but now im getting channel 5? fox. its not in HD though, just like abc.

I got these pieces of info via email from Jack Smith at kvvu (FOX):

"Our target for digital transmission testing is Nov. 10th.The 15th for programming..."

"Our digital channel will not be on COX at this time. Programming will be the same."

Anyone know anything about any other locals slated to be carried by Cox in HD?

Does anyone know if Fox will be passing the digital feed (Fox Widescreen) or if they are passing the analog stuff like ABC, WB, and 33.

I am not certain, but I think that they will be passing the Fox "High Resolution Widescreen" signal. I don't have anything to back up that statement though.

I'm now getting channel 732 ABCHD. Don't know when they started sending their signal. Looks like we'll get the Super Bowl in High Def.

Nov 15th was the day to add new channels to the lineup and move around some of the channels and frequencies to prepare for more service launches. Some of the biggests moves were the Game Show Network to digital (which was STOPPED because of customer feedback) and the addition of new HD channels. ABCHD was launched on channel 732, and NBCHD was SUPPOSED to be launched, but was not ready at the last minute. COX was ready to do a digital box swapout for Henderson customers with old analog boxes that output on ch 2 to the new digital boxes with different outputs. For some reason though, the NBC feed was not ready the day of the launch, but will be available on COX as soon as it is ready.
Here is the current working lineup again:
700 Discovery HD
710 HBOWHD
711 HBOEHD
720 SHOWHD
721 SHOEHD
730 CBSHD
731 PBSHD
732 ABCHD

Cox doesn't do any conversion to digital. All digital signals are transmitted from the source and retransmitted on their system as 256QAM. If a local station doesn't broadcast in HD, the feed to COX will also not be in HD. Part of the channel lineup was to clear the frequencies needed to broadcast more HD channels and interactive services.

Good news? New testing of VOD (Video On Demand) services has started (ch 998), with a-la-cart programming available like PPV purchases at any time of the day. I don't think this will cover HD, due to the bandwidth and storage needed, but there is always hope.

sorry for not posting in a long time
I'll keep trying to get the "inside scoop" for COX HD in LV
Vegggas

KVBC is waiting for ONE remaining part before we fire up ATSC channel 2. We are estimating this will be done by Thanksgiving. For the forseeable future, only standard definition signals will be broadcast or provided to Cox.

Thanks for your patience.

Paul Heine
Research Director
KVBC-TV

That is unfortunate. I greatly prefer to get my HD via cable, it is much less hassle than when we got HD OTA. Now that we got rid of our OTA HD tuner, both NBC and FOX are going to be broadcasting digital but not providing that signal to Cox.

Paul,

That is unfortunate. I subscribed to Cox hoping to get all of the locals in HD sooner rather than later. Is there anything we can do aid in the transition? Is it a Cox problem?

THanks,

TIm

As mentioned earlier by Paul, KVBC will not be broadcasting in Hi Def, just Standard Def. Those same signals will be delivered to COX for retransmission on their system on channel 733. This is listed as a Hi Def channel and is capable of the bandwidth needed for HD resolution but only transmits what is given to COX by the station - In this case, a Standard Def signal. Those with OTA should be able to find the digital feeds currently out there and see that not everything that is digital is Hi Def.
The FCC mandates that stations have to go DIGITAL, but doesn't say they have to go Hi Def. When KVBC has more material available, they may begin transmitting those signals so that local viewers can see the programming, but the expense of the equipment is still quite high.
Currently the SA3100HD is the only box available in Las Vegas for decoding 256QAM HD signals, but the output is locked at 1080i. Consider that CBS transmits SD signals most of the time outside of the primetime lineup and I think that we will see a comparative signal with KVBC when they go live, just no HD lineup. At least they are not going the route of ABC with 720P. It just looks like they just zoom on the picture to achieve an acceptable resolution for retransmitting. Although it is 720P, which natively should be good, most of it was "upconverted" from SD, then downconverted back down to 1080i.

I just mentioned that the SA3100HD box was the only box available for now. As with other markets, Vegas will be letting the customer buy their own box in the future, just like the cable modems. Current customers should be grandfathered in with the lease (and option to buy). The industry is leaning towards the electronics retailer (Best Buy, Circuit City, etc.) to make bulk national purchases from the manufacturer to provide savings to the customers. Current SA3100HD box prices to COX are actually about the same as for individual customers - at about the $500 mark. Hopefully a national sales purchase and competition will drive down prices and we will all win in the long run.
But I digress... This could turn into its own thread.

Vegggas

Any one have problem getting a true HD on Cox cable ABC-HD? Pic looks like zoom all the time. Ch.732 all the rest are fine .

---What do the OTA guys get at 1080i and/or 720p?---

I'm thinking that the signal is being converted at the STB to 1080i like all other channels.
Here is one possibility: Original 720p signal comes down the line and the STB takes the progressive signal and interlaces it, essentially making it 1440i. The STB output is fixed at 1080i, so the overlapping signal is "cropped" above and below the STB's range, so we we se a "zoomed" picture.

True 720P looks awesome if it's filmed and distributed in that resolution. The conversion to 1080i reduces the original amount of data, so there is a some loss.

Tomorrow I will see if I can email the head engineer at the COX MTC for a better explanation.

vegggas

That would be great if we can buy the box. I just want Cox to make a package so it doesn't cost $60 to get 5 or 6 HD channels. I don't need the other hundred channels. I get those via Directv and I have a one-year commitment so I can't switch. I also live too close to Black Mountain that another part of the mountain gets in the way. Anyways does anyone know any antenna installer that knows what it takes to get HD signals.

Just got my HD setup going with a Hughes receiver for Directv and and an outside antenna for local digital. I am setup near Flamingo and Eastern and the digital signals are very good except for Ch 13, which is a disaster. I talked to an engineer at 13 and he told me the signal was going out strong? It sure isn't HD!! Channel 10 signal is outstanding. Now if they would only starting broadcasting some HD. At least to keep my wife from reminding me that the cost is hardly worth it!! Benspal

As far as I know channel 13 isn't broacasting HD yet. They are just broadcasting an upconverted image. Channel 8 is in HD. Channel 10 is too last time I looked. Channels 5, 33, and 21 are broadcasting an upconvert too. The only true HD stations OTA (over the air) here is 8 and 10.

Anyword as to when Channel 13 will broadcast HD? It better be before the superbowl!!!

I've asked several times but I've never gotten an answer.

Due to a vendor's delay, KVBC's ATSC transmitter won't be able to go on the air for a number of days. The FCC has granted an extension till mid-December, but we will not hesitate to fire up the transmitter as soon as we are able.

Again, for the forseeable future, our signal will be in standard definition.

Thank you for the update and the clarification that the signal will be Standard Definition. Cox will still carry it on their system as a High Def channel (733), but like most of the other local stations there will only be standard def material available (i.e. 480p).

Vegggas

Can anyone tell me when and where Ch 5's digital signal is located? I notice they are using "dt" with their ID. Thanks.