El Paso, TX - HDTV - Page 38

That's only an application. Can't be on the air since there's no FCC approval.

- Trip

Okay, here is a dumb question which I know has probably already been asked. Why is it that a station (Ch. 14.1) will be in 4:3 picture mode when the "info" button tells me that it is 16:9? Is it that the station is to blame? Some channels automatically go to widescreen (Ch. 9.1 local news). Also, I don't understand why 22-1 is in widescreen while 22-2 is 4:3. Am I supposed to change the pic size or isn't this automatic? With all of the complaints here about the local stations, I am getting the feeling that is it the stations and not my TV. Thank you for your responses.

Lots of content is not available in widescreen. When that occurs, the station inserts black bars on the left and right to preserve the aspect ratio and then upconvert it to HD.

There's only enough bandwidth for one HD feed per channel, thus 22-1 is in HD but 22-2 is in SD.

- Trip

I wish there were some Syndicated HD, so far we have little, like only Oprah is in HD, but I want like Seinfeld, Wheel of Fortune, Entertainment tonight, etc.

After June, will there be be more bandwidth so that 22 will be HD on all channels or is that the way it will be? In other words, is this temporary or permanent?

Stations have 19.39 Mbps to play with now. That amount will not change after the transition.

So, permanent.

- Trip

After the mandatory cut-off date (Now June 12th) the FCC will be accepting applications for new digital telvision stations on the in core (7 to 50) channels that were released by existing stations on a non-interfence basis.

True, but it won't increase the bandwidth on existing stations.

By the way, I hear a subchannel is coming to KTSM (and other ComCorp Texas stations). 9-2 will be "Estrella TV" (yet another Spanish subchannel) whenever that launches in a few months.

- Trip

Sometimes KTSM also shows Ellen in HD. I also wish there were more Syndicated HD like Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune, and Seinfeld.

+1 I have emailed KDBC many time but never got an answer lately. a year ago it was they needed more equipment for syndicated shows. They have new owners even though they still show Pappas at the end of the news casts so maybe they will get more money for syndicated shows. This extension to June 12 sucks, ties up money stations could use for doing this. I'm tiered of all the promos put them on analog signal so those with digital don't haave to watch them.

The White House wants your opinion on The DTV Delay ACT Bill
President Obama wants to hear what the public has to say, you can comment here

http://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing_room/dtv_delay_act/

Forgive me if this has already been answered. Has KCOS gone dtv yet? I am only getting the old analog station. The hdtv says " 13" no "13-1" and is a pretty weak picture quality. Or is it just my antenna?

I find this very interesting:

When Congress postponed the mandatory transition to digital TV until June, it also gave stations the option to stick to the originally scheduled date of Feb. 17.

That means the shutdown of analog signals, which broadcasters had hoped would happen at nearly the same time nationwide, could now unfold in a confusing patchwork of different schedules.

Lawmakers wanted to address concerns that many households that receive TV signals through an antenna are not prepared for the switch. They were also mindful that a government fund has run out of money to subsidize digital converter boxes for older TVs.

Dozens of stations around the country now say they are going to take advantage of the option to drop analog broadcasts this month.

Many others are on the fence. The total number is likely to be in the hundreds, a substantial chunk and maybe even a majority of the country's 1,796 full-power TV stations.

The House voted Wednesday to delay the mandatory shutdown until June 12. The Senate passed the measure unanimously last week, and the bill now heads to President Barack Obama for his signature.

Live in Las Cruces near Mesilla and am able to receive KCOS digital 13.1+ signals using my rooftop mounted antenna. They say they are operating at reduced power until the "official switchover"!

You didn't mention where you live. KCOS has been digital for a couple of years. 13-1 carries HD programing, 13-2 carries the digital version of the old analog signal and 13-3 carries the analog. There is also a signal but no programming on 13-4

I live in Mesa Hills, the top of Mesa Hills Drive. All other stations come in pretty well, just seems that KCOS is still rather weak. If anything, I may be too close to the transmitter. I have a amplified antenna in the attic (otherwise it would blow away up here, LOL) I only get just the one channel 13 now, no others.

It is possible that it is your line of sight to the antenna, I have set up some systems in that general area and KCOS is always a problem, if I am not mistaken, and someone can correct me if I am wrong, I believe the KCOS antenna is the southern most antenna on the mountain, closest to scenic drive. Also check out www.antennaweb.org, you can input you address and some other information and it can help determine what kind of antenna and which direction to point it in for the best results for each station. Hope this helps.

Channel 13 has announced several times that they will run on lower power, but I was thinking the regular analog channel, it's confirmed I'm getting very snowy signal on this channel but on the 3 digital ones is fine..

I also thinking that all the other locals will reduce power to analog if they aren't shutting it down completely after Feb 17... maybe except 26 an 65, they don't want to lose all Juarez Viewers.

Well it seems that KVIA finally went HD with their news over the weekend, after months of doing widescreen news.





They even did a story about their new Switcher. The weird things is that whenever something isn't HD, there is a black bar at the bottom of the screen.



They also said that they're not switching off their analog signal until the new transition date June 12th.

KTSM has told the FCC that they plan to turn off analog on the 17th.
http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/prod/cdbs/f...ibit_id=726487

Also KCOS is only showing 13-1 right now.

KTSM might want to wait until they get rid of this crackling problem they have before shutting down the analog transmitter. Some weeks ago I noticed intermittent sound pops during prime time.

Tonight when I tuned in at 7:00 PM I noticed them again. They got worse and worse until it sounded like someone was frying bacon in my TV. I have three tuners (a Vizio TV, an Insignia Digital to Analog converter, and a PC capture card) all of them had the same problem to varying degrees. I like bacon but this has got to go.

It appears that KCOS has made the same changes that most PBS stations around the country are doing. The HD channel (13-1) is now the local PBS station and the same as the old analog channel 13. Just like the commercial networks, some shows are in HD and others are in SD. Yesterday, the transitions were seamless between local inserts and the HD news at 6:00pm.
As mentioned above all of the sub-channels are off. They may add some new sub-channels in the future, most PBS stations offer Create or Spanish children's programming.

KRWG is already airing Spanish-language V-Me, so I doubt KCOS will pick that up, though I've seen stranger things. Create or World are possibilities.

- Trip

At this time, KTSM will maintain analog service after Feb 17th.
The decision was made after all other El Paso stations decided to stay on.

Got this from KFOX about when they are going local HD.
Frank,

We have the equipment on order and hope to have things up and running in
March or April. As you can imagine there are quite a few station doing
the same thing.
Thanks for your email.

John Witte
Vice-President/General Manager

KFOX-TV
6004 N. Mesa
El Paso, TX 79912

www.kfoxtv.com
john.witte@kfoxtv.com

Ph: (915) 833-8585
Fax: (915) 833-8973

KVIA has added the letters HD to their logo for the news.

Just a heads up for anyone interested in ATT Uverse. Just because their website says your eligible, and even if customer support says you eligible, there is no guarantee. I was overseeing an installation in a new housing area on the west side this week, and all was going well until the ATT technician checked the signal on the line. It was no where near the strength needed for Uverse. So no Uverse at that house.

Whoo-Hoo!
We just got First-Run in the guide (and thus the option is now in series recordings) here in TWC-ELP.
You may want to check your series recordings.

No guarantees it will always be right but it worked pretty well in Kansas City (someone types this stuff in just like the newspaper TV listings -- sometimes things change).




v/r,
C-F

Can anyone confirm reception of the El Paso HD Locals from Dish? they were turned on yesterday...

I noticed them this morning. Channels (4,7,9,14) are now listed in Dish's guide as HD channels. The channels are mapped to the #-0s slots on the guide.

So with the Dish VIP receiver and OTA, can now record 3 hidef network programs at same time (if only there was that much content worth TIVO'ing).

Thanks, wanted to make sure might have to "move" to El Paso to get more "localized" news and weather