Springfield / Joplin, MO - HDTV

No. My information is that they are broadcasting a VERY LOW POWER signal only to comply with the FCC. You would almost have to live directly under the antenna to get it. Don't be fooled by what you may see at antennaweb.org. Just because a station is "live" doesn't mean it is full power or even broadcasting HD content.
The only local station broadcasting a full power HDTV signal AFAIK is KYTV (NBC). They not only broadcast full power but provide all the HD programming the network provides. What they do is vastly superior to the grudging lip service paid by most of the other network's worthless local affiliates. I understand that KOZK (PBS) is set to go full power in a few days. Yay! The rest (KSPR (ABC), KOLR (CBS), KDEB (FOX), etc) have been such foot-dragging turds I refuse to watch them.

I am able to receive KY-3 HDTV down in Branson and digital UPN-15, but am not able to get 27 in Ditgital. Are they also low power like KOLR-10. Hopefully if we keep contacting KOLR they will boost their signal.

I'm not sure if this will make you feel bad, but from here in Columbia, I have pulled in KY3 on 44, KOLR on 52, and KDEB on 28. CBS and Fox appeared to be upconverts, without PSIP information. Does anyone have info on KSPR's progress?

Make me feel bad? You suck.
I don't know what these stations are thinking. The guys at the shop where I bought my TV claim KOLR and KDEB could go full power anytime. They won't because they think there is no demand. They just do the minimum the MUST do to stay out of trouble with the FCC. The TV shops tell them they have sold lots of HD ready sets and people would buy tuners if there were something to see. Classic chicken/egg crap... drives me nuts.
Same guys tell me KSPR has an FCC granted extension due to "financial difficulties". No details. No idea when it expires or what will happen when it does.

I live at Crane and KY3 is all I can get.I've had my tv 5 months now and I am very disappointed with our local channels. I run a scan about everyday and get nothing except KY3 and UPN15,so thats who I watch.I would sure like to see KY3 do there news in widescreen though.Surely the other stations will wakeup someday.Can't wait to get my 921 I've had ordered for months now.I'm tired of just Jay Leno, I want to see more HD and soon.Keep us posted with any new info on our locals.

Here is an e-mail conversation that took place between myself and a KOLR

Thanks for your interest in KOLR10 & FOX27s digital braodcast. KOLR10s
DTV
is on Channel 52 & FOX27s DTV is on channel 28. We have no immediate
plans
of broadcasting in HDTV but are currently broadcasting SDTV(standard
definition) as of mid June. We are both low power so the signal will
cover
Springfield & the immediate surrounding areas to the South, North &
East.
We have no immediate plans of broadcasting full power which would
duplicate
our existing analog (NTSC) coverage. If you have any more questions,
please
feel free to e-mail me again.


-----Original Message-----
From: Mr. Lucas [SMTP:adamlitchy@yahoo.com]
Sent: Tuesday, August 05, 2003 9:23 PM
To: david@kolr10.com
Subject: dtv

Hello,

While I've been told by people at your station that you guys have no
plans
to broadcast in HDTV (which is really crappy) I am still interested in
checking out your SDTV station, and comparing it to KY3's real HDTV
signals.

According to http://www.antennaweb.org you are broadcasting a DTV
signal on
channel 52. However, they have had that up for quite some time before
I
was told you would go live. So I thought I'd write and find out if you
were really broadcasting a DTV signal on 52. Can you help me out?

Thanks,

Thank you KOZK 21 you dune it. I've got you good here in Crane.Just hope you will pass on HD when it's available.There are 3 channels of you to,thats great. Maybe this will encourage ABC,CBS and FOX to turn up the power.

Not Springfield but nearby, Joplin. It's actually worse here, KODE and KSNF are broadcasting in what they call 480p, I hooked up a Samsung HD tuner last night and frankly it was worse than the regular 480i signal. I took the HD tuner back. Our CBS station comes from Pittsburg, KS (KOAM) and they too are only broadcasting a SDTV signal with just enough power to cover Pittsburg. No hopes to get any HD signal over the air any time soon.
-Brian

Hello...
I'm in Branson, and I've been looking into getting an OTA antenna. Is the concensus that KY3 is the only HD channel around here? There hasn't been a post since September, so I was wondering how much progress has been made. Basically, I wonder if the expense of the hardware (antenna, tuner for pc, etc...) is worth it. Would anyone in Branson be allow me to take a look?
JJ

I can now get PBS in HD in Branson, It has a lower signal strength then KY3 but comes in fine as long as my son has not moved the antena so he can watch Yu-Gi-Oh on 31. My program guide on my STB shows 27-1 and 10-1 but I have never gotten a signal on them.

crwillared...
How much did you have to spend to get HD working? What is STB?
JJ

I am on the waiting list for the HDTV TiVo and trying to figure out what antenna to use to get digital OTA. Hopefully I will have it in a month. I am just south of the Cape Fair boat dock and with a rooftop antenna get NTSC reception ok on some channels but not all. Hoping to continue NTSC reception with the antenna until DirecTV adds local channels and then use it for digital OTA but can either add a second antenna or replace the existing antenna if necessary. I am guessing I am about 70 miles from the towers but haven't taken the time to figure it out yet. Anybody have any ideas for an antenna? I have read some about Winegard and Channel Master antennas which might work. It sounds like KYTV is the only possibility now.

Chris

The antenna web predicts I won't be able to get any digital reception. I hope it is wrong.

Chris

I am too about ready to pull the plug in Springfield and upgrade my dish to HD.

Mediacom now does offer HD but it will cost about $72/month for it and they are not doing any pass-thru with local content.

For the money, it is worth to me to keep my dish, but I want more local content/stations in HD.

Is KOZK broadcasting in HD or digitial?

I know that KOLR is not and will not be broadcasting HD at all over the next couple of years because it isnt even in their budget to upgrade their equipment. Which just plain sucks.

thanks

THX10

Mediacom only offers that basic stuff right now. ESPNHD, DiscoveryHD, HDNet, HDMovie, HDBravo.

They are not, at this time, going to even offer KY3 (or any other local/nation feeds) in HD and their receivers do not double as OTA. Plus the receivers you get from the (Motorola) dont even have a DVI or HDMI input. Couple that with a price of about $72 per month minimum and their deal is just plain bad.

When you call KOLR, just ask for one of their engineers. That is what I did. You get a lot better answer from someone that understands the situation instead of someone at a front desk. It is sad that a locally owned station (KY3) is way ahead of a national owned (KOLR10) station. Guess it is better to buy local. LOL

As far as KOZK, that is great they offer HD.

So I assume it is worth it. I should go ahead and order the Sat package from DirecTV?

Chris

Well, I got an email last night from KOZK. Apparently they are broadcasting in HD from 6:00pm until 5:30am

I am not sure what format, I asked that this morning with as a followup question and to make sure it is HD and not just digital.

I also spoke with KOLR, KDEB, and KSPR. The engineers that I spoke with said that they have absolutely no plans go HD until the FCC forces them to. THis is pathetic. There are smaller markets out there with more HD stations. sigh

Just got another email from Brent Moore at KOZK. He said they do broadcast in 1080i.

SWEET. Now just need to figure out what service to get.

I have been with DirecTV for 10 years but am thinking about switching since the best they can offer me is $150 off my account.

Anyone have Mediacom in High Def?

You hit the nail on the head with that one.

It is so frustrating that our DMA is way behind other markets that are smaller.

Maybe good things will come to those who wait. LOL yeah right!

I went ahead and bought a HD D* receiver. It will be installed on Wednesday. Guess I will have to wait and see how my reception is.

When i was at Best Buy the other day, the "Zone Manager" said with a really good bi-directional antenna, we should be able to pick up the HD broadcasts out of Fayetteville.

Has anyone heard anything about this?

Fayetteville comes in very good here, about 25 miles south of Branson.

Channels 15 (ABC) and 18 (CBS).

Interesting....

might need to see what i can pick up from down there

For what its worth, I live 63 miles from Fayetteville and 62 miles from Springfield as the crow flies.

KY 3 comes in with a signal in the low 90's, while I can't get any signal at all from KOZK for some reason.

PBS from Fayetteville comes in with a signal in the 80's, while CBS and ABC have signals around 70.

Harrison is in the Springfield DMA by the way.....

Is your antenna in attic or outside?

Mine is currently in the attic and i receive signals in the 50s. I can pick up all the springfield channels in digitial, but they can break up. The 2 HD channels (KOZK - PBS and KYTV - NBC) both come in good.

My antenna is outside on a 20 foot mast, with a signal booster.

I am about 1400 feet elevation, probably quite a bit higher than the Springfield area I would guess.......

I just read here http://www.tvtechnology.com/dailynews/one.php?id=2190, that the FCC is forcing all ABC, CBS, and FOX stations in the top 100 markets to broadcast at full digital strength by June 2005.

Is Springfield a top 100 market?

Also, I haven't been able to get my HDTV tuner working yet (having to order a different brand), but from reading the posts ky3 (always watch their newscast) and the pbs station are the only ones doing HDTV right now, right?