Providence, RI - HDTV

Is there any yet?

This thread will be pretty weak if it is dedicated just to RI stations that will broadcast in digital... We'll keep waiting and waiting... so far the deadline just keeps getting pushed back.

I live in Southern RI and can get all of the Boston digital channels with my OTA and an amplifier. Do you think any RI station will be able to maintain and troubleshoot a fuly functional digital TV station? I look through these threads at what Bob Hess (Boston) does to keep up and I am a little hesitate to think anyone here can do it....!

Who knows....

Mitchman

Wjar can't even respond to a email Q I sent regarding HDTV. Thank god for Boston!!

It apparently exists now.

Bob Hess reports WPRI is testing in the Boston thread.

Just got it tonight- 3 PSID's. an HD- currently SD while awaiting the HD gear from CBS, a Wx (regional radar) and an SD.

I'mon the East side of Taunton near Middleboro and the recpetion is Rock solid.

Tim

100% on my Hughes, 93% on MyHD, can't wait for the quality to increase, but atleast they are on the air.

Jim

What channel is WPRI-dt ? I can get stations from 80 miles at night so I may have a shot. Are they at full power 24/7 ?

13.1, they are definitely not at full power I believe.

Jim

I'm able to pull in Channel 13 here in Cambridge. I couldn't lock the signal with my Silver Sensor, but the $3 Rat Shack bowtie out the window did the trick, albeit with frequent dropouts. (For comparison, analog 12 is pretty much unwatchable).

I bet with a proper VHF antenna it wouldn't be too difficult to pull the station in.

I only saw "Montel Williams" this morning, and most of those talk shows are sporting close to VHS quality anyway. I wasn't particularly impressed, but I don't think that's a good source to be comparing the two stations with. I'll look again when there's the same thing on both stations.

WBZ always looks good, even with the analog upconverts, and is much easier to pull in.

12-1 is quite soft to me as well, however that may be due to a lack of equipment at PRI's head end.

I just heard that Fox will be doing HD in 2004.

Tim

---------- e-mail from ABC6 Program Director ------------
You are receiving this email because you expressed an interest in WLNE-DT broadcasts. You may remember that my last update indicated that we hoped to be on the air in August. Unfortunately, that will not occur. Construction delays, as well as delays in equipment delivery, will push back the construction process into the fall, possibly as late as November. Although we do have our DTV transmitter, and many of the other items we need to begin broadcasting, we still await the manufacture of our antenna - obviously a critical component!

As a reminder, we will be broadcasting our DTV signal from Rehoboth. (Analog Channel 6 will continue to be broadcast from Tiverton.) Initially, we will pass through all ABC network programming that originates in the 720p HDTV format. We will upconvert local and all other programming into the digital format, so our entire line-up will be available on WLNE-DT, channel 49.

Thank you for your patience,

Kingsley Kelley
ABC6/WLNE

Has the PRI signal changed at all of late? I have not been able to recieve WPRI DT in about a month now. I did recieve it initially without issues.

I wonder whay it takes so long to get teh transmitter- I can understand installationissues and the like, but the antanna is still a fairly simple piece of hardware!

Tim

I think even if WPRI get's their HD receiver, it will still look like cr@p, those subchannels are killing them.

Jim

Anyone care to speculate when Cox might bring HD cable to RI?

I guess I'll need to look at the antenna again. Mine's pointed toward Needham too. and AFAIK, unchanged from when I did recieve PRI.

Tim

Hmmm, Cox Cable and HD, Maybe in 2 years, just a guess.

BTW, I booted them as of July 1st when they dropped the $10 discount on the package deal, they are lame for Video IMO, cable modem and phone, well that is their strong point.

Jim

WPRI DT is still on the air.

Jim:

They haven't dropped my discount. Did you make a change to any of your services, that is the only way I know of that would make you lose your discount.

They sent out the notice that if you did not have the extended basic package (or higher) that as of July 1st that they would not offer a $10 discount (I only used them for the basic package (up to channel 25) which was $10.70/month and they gave a $10 discount which netted it for .70/month) Since I only was using them for locals (I have D*TV), I tossed them.

Jim

Although this is not a new problem, but in Southern RI I am amazed how the Fox (25.1) Signal is all over the place. SOme nights it's strong signal (60-70) and last night it's 28-30 and unwatchable.

I know weather and atmospheric conditions play a part - but I am convinced it's the Fox station doing it. I don't know. Their signal just sucks.

Mitchman