Chicago, IL - Comcast - Page 16

How is your audio and video connected? Are you using an A\\V receiver for switching? I'm wondering if you have, for example, the component video going to a switcher and the audio directly to the TV. Perhaps a device in the path is causing the delay.

I have noticed that the digital broadcast lags behind the analog version of the same broadcast. Maybe you are using different feeds for the audio and video signals.

I have only occasionally experience this problem, but have not seen it recently.

Mike K.

Umm, I just checked ch. 190 right now and I'm getting black sidebars. Does this mean the encoder got fixed? It doesn't look as clear as when they were upconverting everything in 720p but it seems like somethings fixed. Anybody else seeing this?

i'm wondering the same thing...anyone know?

I think it's semi-related but before the 480p encoder broke did WFLD ever pass thru DD5.1?

No, their encoder didn't do 5.1.

maybe we'll get 5.1 now[if they have a new encoder]

And they seem pretty proud of it - the channel ID reads "WFLD-DT 480P1"

On a whim last night after reading this forum I called Comcast. They said $15.99 installation plus $5 a month so I said okay. They said, will somebody be home tomorrow between 1 - 5 pm. Literally in less than 24 hours the tech showed up and installed the box. I wish everything was this easy.

He was friendly and seemed knowledgeable. He was a little disappointed when I didn't Ooh and Aah--he said how do you like this HD and I said well this is my second HDTV. So he was a bit deflated. Also, he did not bring cables. Of course, I already had some (good ones), but what if I didn't?

Observations--the only real HD I've watched so far is PBS. It is visually indistinguishable from the OTA version. The sound level is slightly different but that is unimportant. HBO looks terrific. I get the local channels (ABC, CBS, NBC, WGN, Fox and PBS) plus HBO, Showtime, ESPN and Discovery. I have found them all except Showtime and Discovery. I don't pay for Showtime so I guess that's why I don't get anything there. Have not yet found Discovery, if anyone can tell me what channel number to check I'd appreciate it.

Someone else commented that amplifiers in the line affect the signal. I have not only one but two amplifiers in series. I need both presumably because there is a very long cable run from the street to the house. Anyway, the HD channels come in just fine.

The non-HD channels come in too but there is a flaw in the picture, I will describe it as a horizontal kink in the picture. Also the top one quarter of the screen flutters. Seems like my TV (Sony KW34HD1) has some minor incompatibility, or maybe it's those gosh darn amplifiers after all. To deal with it we connected the box not only to RGB but also to an S-video input on the TV. That means a mild inconvenience, because I have to switch inputs between HD and SD. The S video input does not show the flutter, and on HD material is noticeably better than regular NTSC (I'd say approximately equivalent to DVD, or better).

For what it's worth, I already have digital cable ("Silver Package"). I think you could get this HD without the silver package but you wouldn't get HBO.

The box is silver, attractive enough, and obviously computer ready, with connections for Smart Card, USB, Ethernet, optical sound output and DVI. Technically speaking, there's a lot of sh** in there.

Anyway, the event is significant, for me because I now have HD HBO and ESPN (and Discovery I think) (in addition to local HD networks). More significantly, now that the average Joe Customer can get HD, look for this format to really take off. It's not just for us geeks any more.

I have had Comcast out at my place in Lincoln Park 3 times to fix the signal feeding to my STB. I'm losing signal strength from the back of the house into the STB, but they still haven't completey fixed this.

Anyway, I'm sure after fighting with incompetent CSR I'll get someone out to get the picture clear and enjoy the benefits of HDTV. But be weary of technicians stating they "are trained" in how to install HDTV. My installer was contradicted by his boss on his nextel several times, his battery on the signal strength meter (?) ran out, and I had to explain to him the difference between component and DVI cables. I specifically called for a box with the DVI output, but that request went for naught.

Anyone else having better luck in the near north, north area of Chicago?

I hate to rain on your parade, but WGN and Discovery aren't available in HD via Comcast.

Uh oh. The customer service rep seemed so sure.

last i head DVI was not supported on the comcast boxes (even if you have one with the interface on the back) they said tey may enable it in the future(along with the cable modem, usb ports, smart card reader, etc etc etc)

please correct me if you use the DVI and its working as it should but the box i got in lakeview doesnt even have the connection on it...

The 480P signal was put back on-line Thursday afternoon.

Unfortunately, no. The encoder itself can only do Dolby AC-3 in a 2/0 format. To do anything higher requires an external Dolby encoder which we do not have. The encoder will take an external AC-3 signal, and that external AC-3 signal can be 5.1 or 2/0 or even 1/C.

We might be adding an external encoder when we build out for 720P. We have not been given any details on what kind of infrastructure corporate wants us to have for the 720P.

The encoder is fixed. We're doing 480P for now until corporate gives us permission to do 720P.

For the All-Star game, we borrowed an encoder for the day. It only did 720P, so we had no choice for that event.

The 16:9 feeds will be reconnected after I return from vacation. I have to rebuild the signal path and some control interfaces that were dismantled during our conversion of Master Control to an all digital system and the incorporation of WPWR/UPN into our space.

well at least we'll have 16:9 in time for the bears season and the baseball postseason

Bob, good you have you here giving 1st-hand information. Thanks.

Anyone happen to see the station labeled INHD on 174?

You been boozen???

Is this just me, or is Fox's audio "switched" (i.e. left to right movement on screen is heard as going from right to left). I have noticed this on ALL TV's in my house. I have a WinTV PC Card, two TVs hooked up no DCT 2244's with coax, one hooked up to DCT2244 via red-yellow-white RCA cables, and one hooked up to a DCT2244 with a surround system using the SPDIF output (surround sound sounds SWEET ).

I have noticed this with many shows (mainly The Simpsons has the most left to right sound effects) and only with the Fox Channel located on channel 12, no HDTV yet.

Another thread in the forum states that INHD currently has a preview running and that Comcast has listed the channel on 174. However, all the posts state that the "Not Authorized" message is all that is received.

Anybody getting INHD on 174?

No,channel 174 is labeled iNHD but says not authorized.

I see it there, but nothing is shown.

I called Comcast about INHD, she said it wont be rolled out until the end of this month.


FWIW

I just called comcast and after trying to explain to them that the channel actually exists but I'm getting a "Not Authorized" message, she decided to send a hit to my cable box and see if that will do anything.

Amazingly, it worked and I am watching it right now!!!

V

Has anybody else called and tried to get Comcast to send their box a hit? I want to know if there's a good chance I could receive the channel if i call.

*edit*

I can confirm that calling Comcast and asking them to send a hit to your box brings up the iNHD signal. Try it.

espnHD's showing the whitesox game which is blacked out in the chicago area btw

I called Comcast and had them send out a 'hit' to my box (twice actually) and it didn't work for me either time.

On channel 174 I see the INHD channel label as well as what is showing, but get the black "not authorized for HD" screen.

Tom

Same thing for me. A couple hits to the box and still no INHD on 174. A service tech is coming out to the house today to figure it out. After my last experience with their poorly trained technicians, that doesn't inspire confidence. Stay tuned.

Is HD available on all Comcast systems in Chicago? I have a friend that lives in the city, about 1 mile east of the Kennedy by the Edens/Kenedy split (the 4400 block of North Keokuk 60630). He has a Sony HD set and I told him to call Comcast and get HD service but he was told by Comcast that they don't provide HD service in his area. He has cable internet so the system is HFC which I thought was s good indication that they could get HD. I'm confused