Little Rock, AR - HDTV - Page 4

If I lived in a north facing apartment, I probably get cable HD if they carried all the locals.

I assume you do not have a south-facing balcony. If you do, your apartment can not prevent you from putting a dish on your patio. See the FCC fact sheet.

Cable modem service is awful where I live. The speed can be good, but reliability is not as good as DSL, and often slows to near dialup speeds in the evening. And when it goes down, there's no dialup backup, at least there wasn't when I inquired about it. Perhaps there are too many cable modem customers in my neighborhood. I also needed dialup access when traveling.

Anyway, I have DSL, which is only $29.95/month, and includes free nationwide/backup dialup access.

mjw1755,
Which channels can you get with your antenna? And when you re-aim it, what channels are added, and what channels do you lose?

illumin8,

ESPN is not a PPV channel. It sounds like your subscription got hosed. Call comcast and have them turn it on again.

A friend of mine with an HDTV and analog basic cable just called comcast to ask about HD & ESPN-HD availability. Comcast told him if he paid $5 a month, he could get an HD box that would pickup two local channels KTHV & KATV, and that other stations (fox, UPN, NBC, WB) would be added in the future, IF they ever go HD.

They also said ESPN is available right now as a "free preview". So it sounds like it will become a pay channel on comcast before long.

WRT your somewhat blurry SD channels, there may be an RF Loop through on the back of the HD box. IF it's there, you can connect the cable directly to your TV's Ant. input from the back of the box, without splitting it again. This will allow analog chanel viewing on the TV when the STB is turned off. According to other threads in this forum, some of these STBs have this feature enabled, but others do not.

mjw1755,
You might have better luck with a less directional antenna, like the CM 4221. The CM 4221 is a good one for aiming "in the middle" of two towers, or towards a hill. Although designed as a UHF-only antenna, it often works well for VHF channels 7-13. It will probably pick up channel 11-1 (really ch 12) with no problem. But when PBS channel 2 goes digital (on lowband VHF channel 5) this fall, you'd need to add a separate VHF antenna, or you can add your existing antenna to the mix (see next paragraph).

Since your reception is weak, adding LOW NOISE preamp may help you. The CM 7777 is a good one. It has 2 coax inputs and an internal combined/separate switch option for connecting a single VHF/UHF antenna on one coax, or separate VHF & UHF antennas.

If I were you, I would try a CM 4221 aimed at the sweet spot and connected to the UHF input of a CM 7777 preamp. Then, aim your existing combo antenna at Redfield and connected to the VHF input of the preamp.

The CM 4221 is ~$30. The CM 7777 is ~$65, but definitely worth more than discount store amps, due to its very low noise rating. Noise kills digital signals.

(NBC) KARK-DT, channel 32 (aka 4-1) is having problems with their digital channel. The MCO is aware of the problem and said someone was "on their way to the transmitter" to fix it.

It's been pixelating for several days now....

I really wish they would add the equipment needed to pass NBC network HD programs. Maybe the fact that comcast refuses to carry non-HD OTA digital stations will make KARK (and other foot-dragging local stations) speed up their HD conversion.

I solved the KARK pixelization problem.
I quit watching them

A buddy of mine with an HDTV and basic analog cable recently heard about comcast's HD service here in LR, so he gave 'em a call. They told him he could just come in, pick up the HD box and take it home. It only raised his bill $5 a month, so he thought he'd give it a try.

He picked up a box, brought it home and promptly called me to connect it for him (he is not tech-savvy at all). When I looked at the box, the first thing I noticed was it had no component output jacks, so I knew they gave him the wrong STB.

When he called comcast about this, they said "oh, you can't pick up an HD box - we'll have to install it", so he set up an appointment for a particular morning. They showed up right on time (~5pm that afternoon) and connected a Moto DCT5100 HD STB. The installer did not leave my friend a STB user manual or even a "quick check" guide.

Shortly after the install, friend calls to tell me that the picture looked no better than his analog cable. I asked him what input he was using and he said "CH 3 - that's what the guy told me to watch it on" (comcast repair also told him to use CH 3, when he called to complain about the picture). I told him, "No, you need to switch to component HD input". So he tried that, but the picture was severly off-color and there was NO SOUND. So I go over to his house to see WTF was wrong.

When I checked the back of the STB, I found the component video OUT was connected there correctly. But the L+R AUDIO cables were connected to the Audio IN Jacks on the STB, instead of Audio OUT!. I grumbled and moved the cables to the correct jacks. This fixed the lack of audio, but the the video color still looked horrible.

On the back of the TV, I found that the Pr video component cable was connected to an unused AUDIO-IN jack! No wonder the picture looked off-color! I cussed comcast again and moved the plug over to the Pr IN jack.

That fixed the picture, but he still couldn't control the sound using the comcast-supplied remote. He had to use his TV's remote for that. I realized that the installer didn't program the STB universal remote to control his TV. I did a quick Google and found the setup info & codes for the DCT5100 remote. Finally, everything worked.

After all these problems, and after seeing the slow, primitive ad-filled guide on the DCT5100, I have no desire to ever try HDTV from comcast in Little Rock.

(The only upside to this story is my friend is also getting all the non-premium digital cable channels including HD for only $5 a month. He's supposed to just get the 3 HD channels for his $5. Normally, SD digital cable without HD is ~$15/mo extra, including SD box rental. )

Anyone else having audio problems with KATV-DT 7-1?
I get audio on all the digital locals (including 7-2) except 7-1. It's been out for over a week.

I called the station, but they're clueless. They don't even have a way to monitor the OTA audio from the studio!

allen,
I can't get it to work on my TS160? It worked fine until a week or so ago.

I've checked all my STB audio settings, rebooted/reset the receiver, etc. but nothing helps.

Any ideas as to what might be causing this problem only on 7-1?

Thanks for the suggestions.
I've tried the "no antenna" scan/rescan, but that didn't help.

I suspect it's something in the data stream that's changed that's affecting the TS160. There are other threads in the forum about lost audio on the TS160, and it's often been with ABC affiliates.

KATV is clueless; they don't even have an DTV OTA monitor in the studio. My next step is to contact Steve Samsung support.

WRT KARK problems, they've been SNAFU off & on for over a month. Pitiful.

Allen,

I called Samsung Tech Support. They said the problem was with the station. Even after telling them that friends of mine with other brands of STBs could pick up the audio, they refused to budge on their diagnosis. I guess I've reached a dead-end.

Any more ideas?

Hi Azanon, and welcome to AVSForum.

Your decision should be based on what HD channels you want, as well as long term cost.

Comcast HD package offers:
One brand and type of SetTopBox. No choice. No DVI or RGB outputs. No VCR control via program guide. One set of audio jacks on the box. An Ad-cluttered program guide.
CHANNELS:
HBOHD & ShowtimeHD (with subscription to the standard definition channels of those channels)
A *lot* of HBO & Showtime HD programming is upconverted - not true HD
ESPNHD (occasional HD - mostly games)
KATV-DT 7-1 (ABC)(HD primetime & sports)
KTHV-DT 11-1 (CBS)(HD primetime & sports)

Choosing DirecTV gives you:
Choice of STBs from several manufacturers. Most have DVI outputs and component outputs, and some have RGB out. All have multiple audio out jacks and one button VCR recording via the D* program guide. NO advertising in the channel guide.
DirecTV CHANNELS:
HBOHD & ShowtimeHD (with subscription to the standard definition channels of those channels)
ESPNHD (occasional HD - mostly games)
DiscoveryHD (HD 24/7 - no upconverts)
HDnet (various HD programming 24/7)
HDnet Movies (movies in HD 24/7)
HD PPV ($5 per movie)
With the DirecTV box and antenna you would also get:
KATV-DT 7-1 (ABC)(HD primetime & sports)
KATV-DT 7-2 (480i)
KTHV-DT 11-1 (CBS)(HD primetime & sports)
KTHV-DT 11-2 (local live view radar)
KARK-DT 4-1 (NBC)(KARK is not yet HD)
KLRT-DT 16-1 (FOX)(HD sometime in 2004)
KASN-DT 38-1 (UPN)(HD when UPN begins....?)

You can get a standard multi-sat DirecTV system installed at no charge. Your extra costs would be the HD STB, and installation of an antenna, if you want an outdoor/attic antenna professionally installed. Antennaweb.org shows that in your zip code you could probably get all the channels with only an indoor VHF/UHF antenna. This one from Radio Shack would probably work at your zip code. It you can get all the stations without rotating it, you could just put it up in the attic. Outdoor antennas may also be installed in the attic, but better results are usually obtained outdoors. Your HOA can NOT prevent you from installing a dish or outdoor antenna. See:
http://www.fcc.gov/mb/facts/otard.html

With the difference in costs for comparable programming & digital cable STB rental vs DirecTV, my 3 room DirecTV system paid for itself in less than 18 months. Now I'm saving ~30 bucks a month and I get more HD channels.

If you have an outdoor/attic antenna installed, your costs will be higher of course, but you still eventually come out ahead cost-wise with DirecTV.

Azanon,

If you go with DirecTV, call Broadway Satellite at
501 945-3553 to set up installation of a BASIC standard definition "multi-sat satellite" system and OTA antenna. A basic system costs a DOLLAR, if you agree to keep TotalChoice basic programming for a year.

The OTA attic/outdoor antenna, if needed, will cost more of course. Broadway Satellite use multi-sat dishes exclusively, which is what you need for HD.

AFTER the system is installed, purchase a DirecTV HD receiver (Zenith & Sony, both made by LG Electronics, currently have the best OTA tuners). Circuit City carries these STBs. Buy locally, in case the box has problems, so you can return it with no hassles.

Replace the standard def. box with your new HD box. Call DirecTV to have the HD box activated and the SD box deactivated. Also tell DirecTV to activate the "HD programming package", or add it youself at the DirecTV web site. Sell the old box on eBay or keep it for a spare. THERE IS NO 12 MONTH COMMITMENT to keep any specific SET TOP BOX connected, as long as you keep your TotalChoice basic programming for a year.

No HD-locals are planned anywhere by DirecTV. They currently don't have the satellite capacity to carry them. They could, if they changed to a newer encoding method, but that would require changing out every existing D* set top box!

The OTA digitals are so good, I have no intention of paying $5 more a month for the locals on D* which will be heavily compressed and much lower picture quality than OTA.

How far are you from Shinall (not chenal) mountain? That's where CBS is located. I easily get CBS and ABC, with an attic antenna pointed toward Redfield.

Being so close to Shinall, you could likely just aim a VHF/UHF antenna S/SE toward Redfield (towards ABC) and get all the Redfield and Shinall stations.

If you're really concerned with OTA reception, I would get one of the Zenith/Sony (both made by LG) DirecTV boxes. They have the best OTA tuners. I have a Samsung, BTW.

The reason I suggested ordering a basic D* system, is Broadway Satellite may not do a free install on an HD system, since most of those customers have more money than sense

You can always call and ask them if they'll do a basic HD install for free. If not, just order the basic free SD setup + antenna, and then later, swap out the box for the HD box you buy on your own.

The "Insectia" series on DiscoveryHD is fantastic.