Springfield / Joplin, MO - HDTV - Page 12

Any other DirecTV customers notice ESPN2 in HD?

Kinda nice.

Hi Everyone. This is a great forum. Thanks for the information. I also am upset that only two stations in the market are really doing HDTV. It also reminds me of the NAB ads that the locals ran about 10 years ago when the digital service was being created.

I got a call from my grandmother at work and she said I "had" to call this toll free number because the government was going to make channel 3 start charging for their newscasts. That night I watched for the ad and quickly found it. The ad claimed that unless people called local stations might not be able to continue to broadcast for free. Many of the locals ran the ad or similar ones and it was quite convincing...and misleading.

Viewers were asked to call a toll free number where you gave your name and address so you could receive more information. What they didn't tell you was by calling and giving information your name was being added to a petition and a letter to the FCC demanding that they give the new digital spectrum to exisiting stations...without charge. It further demanded that the local broadcasters be allowed to use the spectrum as they felt rather than specifying that it be used exclusively for HDTV. Quite legally the local stations can use part of their bandwidth for paging services, informational services, wireless phone services, etc.

So in essence the local stations participated in a coordinated effort to trick people into giving their names and addresses to the FCC on a petition and letters rather than send information about the proposals. (In my opinion, they lied.) To add more insult, we now have stations that would rather use their digital frequencies for a pay service instead of HDTV...directly breaking their implied promises. So much for free TV.

My suggestion? Write to the local stations who are dragging their feet. Respectfully point out that they are trustees of public airwaves and that they are failing to do so by delaying HDTV in our area. Be sure to request firmly that your letter be added to the public file for public inspection and license renewal purposes. Point out that they should carry through with what they promised. I don't view financial reasons as a valid excuse. Perhaps if the stations owned by groups sold off a couple of stations they could afford to do what all broadcasters are supposed to do...serve the public need.

While you're writing, be sure to send a note to thank 3 & 21 for their leadership and committment to viewers.

I don't know why I can't get KOLR-DT! I should post a screenshot of the crappy picture that Mediacom delivered to me of the Chiefs game today! Fuzzy with a interference lines!

Brad

"Kinda nice" is a good way to put it. I wouldn't call the soft, down-rezzed picture from D* as true HDTV any more. More like FOX widescreen (480p) before FOX went HD.

Very interesting techpuppy,I haven't saw the ad.

In my opinion, if our locals don't start doing HD soon they will just continue to lose viewers like me.
Why should I watch their crummy picture when I have 20 channels of eye popping picture. I hope to have 40 channels of HD by this time next year to chose from.

It's sure been great watching all the nascar raceing in HD since the 1st of July.Our local Fox had better hurry because Feb. will be here before you know it, and I will watch my raceing on Fox out of LA again if KSFX don't get us a signal up that we can receive. I believe NBC has the Daytona 500 next year, thanks to KY3 we can watch it in HD.

From the posts on here, it seems fewer and fewer people are trying to pick up the Digital OTA stations. Satellite certainly seems the way to go if you want an abundance of HD channels.

Maybe KOLR and KSPR are going the way of the Dodo Bird or one-room schoolhouses!

I'm located in Battlefield MO, if I put an antenna in my attic, would I be able to receive KOLR-DT and KSFX-DT, or are they still so weak it would be pointless to bother?

Funny thing is I get crystal clear KYTV-HD and PBS-HD with nothing more than a cheap set of amplified rabbit ears in my basement next to the distribution splitter.

I live near Battlefield and have one in my attic. i do get the signals but they are a bit weak. Channel 10 and 27 that is

I've had Dish Network for about a year, I have the HDTV package, but of course don't get the locals in HD, not even KY3 and PBS which I think is stupid. I live in central Springfield. Does anyone think it would be worth it to get an antenna to pick up the locals in HD and if I did would I get KOLR and KSFX? Also, what would you suggest for an antenna?

I would probably try a set of rabbit ears JonnyG24, before I spent much on an antenna. I would think you should be able to at least see 3 and 21 with them. I think we will have all our locals doing full power within a year if not sooner. It is worth it to see your locals in HD.

Do you have the 6000,811,921 or 942 HD receiver? They will all pick up your locals when you hook an antenna to them.

Do you have the Voom pack? I will be glad when we get the other 11 channels.

Has anyone with directv sucessfully been able to get waivers for springfield stations, that allow them east or west coast feeds of CBS and ABC in HD?

Thinking about getting a HDTiVO, but it's not really as appealing, if I can't watch CSI and Lost in HD. So far I'm just bittorenting those types of shows and watching them the day after. It's not real HD, but better than watching the SD/4x3 crap that KOLR and KSPR 33 put out...

I hate to beat a dead horse, but if you want all the network HD, ABC NBC, CBS, FOX, PBS, from BOTH coasts, BEV is the real deal.

Also Sunday Football ticket in HD for only $179.00

Andy

How's the SimSub situation on BEV? Does it degrade the quality of the HD signal?

I know Starchoice does simsubs differently.

Does the Bev setup/option have anyway to add a DVR? While I'd like HDTV there is no way I can go back to waiting/watching commercials again.

I have the 811 reciever. Bare with me because I don't know a whole lot about HD hardware, but do you just connect the rabbit ears to the reciever? And what is the Voom pack? Also, when I tried to get the DVR package and HD, they told me I couldn't have it, becuase the equipment is too expensive. Is that BS, or standard procedure? Thanks for the help MRuss.

Lawndog BEV has the 9220 it is the same reciever as the Dish 942. Expensive but a decent DVR.

Johnny G. If you are a new subscriber you can get the 942, It is $250 when you subscribe to lease the box. It's around $700 to buy. Voom is a group of HD channels, they are on the 61.5 and 129 satellites. You will need the Dish 1000 to recieve them from 129. or a second Dish 300 to get them from 61.5.

If you call the retention dept at dish they should offer you the $250 lease, people have also had success with canceling and resubscribing to get the $250 lease.

s

I agree with lawdawg that once you have a dvr you just can't watch tv without it. I have the 942 and I am pretty happy with it. I had to pay the full price of 699.00, but I'm glad I did.

I will add a little to MSpin for Johnny, I'm not sure if the dish 1000 is available yet but I think dish may charge 50.00 to install what you need to pickup voom and 5.00 more per month you get 10 more channels of HD.My favorite of the 10 is Rave,Guytv, and equator.I also like the news and weather.

I would like to have Bev, but I will probably just have to wait on our own locals as my pocketbook is just to thin. I couldn't do without a dvr and the cost of the 9220 would be to much.I'm not sure how it would work if they require a phoneline connection like dish does.

Thanks for the help. Ok I tried to use rabbit ears to pick up 3 and 21, but My signal goes to 49 and then back to 0, so the channels won't lock. What antenna should I get?

JonnyG24, go to http://www.antennaweb.org and enter your address for a rough estimate of the antenna you need at your address.

If your signal is bouncing around from 49 to 0, you're likely getting multipath interference from a nearby hill or building. On analog tv, multipath shows up as "ghosts" in the picture. On digital, multipath can often prevent your receiver from getting a lock on the signal. A directional antenna usually helps with multipath interference.

The Dish 1000 is available now, in limited quanity. If you don't need a superdish or any internationals at 61.5 then it's the only way to go. They are $100 to buy.

100.00 is not bad for the dish 1000 with the LNB'S on it. The expence now would be buying what switches you will need. A DP34 is about 70.00 I believe. I have always done all my own work, but it would still probably be cheaper to give dish 100.00 and let them install what you need. I curruntly have a dish 500,and 300 with 2 DP34 switches.

Now to our locals, has anyone heard anything from 10,27 or 33 giving us some full power?
I may do somemore E-mailing to them and see if they will give us a timeline. Last I heard was before March on channel 10.

CBS and FOX are saying Full power HDTV by Mid 2006 right now

Currently running at 3 kw digital right now

Let me see, 33 says that their news and information is targeted soley to Springfield. They even brag that their news programming is based entirely on what people in Springfield need. Hmmm. Why do they have a full power TV station? Don't all of the residents (and consumers) in their coverage area deserve news and information? Or is it okay to ignore everyone else by taking up a full power license with only local concern? Perhaps 33 should simply go low power (as they have with digital) and let another licensee truly serve the public of the area.

KOAM (cbs) is now broadcasting HD 5.1 in Joplin.

Springfield 33 programming is based on what they think people in the springfield market need. That includes everyone in the DMA, Nixa, Ozark, Branson, Willard, etc. They don't just focus on springfield. There is nothing wrong with centering your broadcast around the largest population in the DMA. But they don't ignore everything else in the area, especially major stories.

They also don't have a low power digital license. They have a license for 1000kW digital but are running on a temporary low power permit until they complete construction on a high power digital antenna.

MSPIN and others,

I didn't say they had a low power digital license. But, let's face it, they're not using the power they are licensed to use and so only cover a very local area. not the market.

The remarks about their Springfield oriented programming comes from their own on-air promos. They're the ones making the claim. Ozark, Willard, Branson and Nixa don't comprise the market, population wise it's not even a majority of the market. It takes a truly major story for them to cover anything outside of the Springfield-Branson corridor. If there is a major story outside of Springfield they usually just read the information with a graphic. (It's cheap).

From the channel 33 website, "Springfield 33 KSPR has a mission. We want to be Springfield's news station. This is why we make it a point to focus all of our editorial, community outreach and sales efforts within the immediate metropolitan area."

33 dropped their mid day newscast in favor of the informercial of the day and even last night while ABC was promoting continuing coverage of Hurricane Rita, 33 was right in their with the latest informercials.

So my point is that since the station leads the way in not being a trustee of the public airwaves why should it be surprising they're still not full power digital? Why do they take up a full power license allotment when they don't provide programming for the area? It just seems like a waste of resources. When 33 does get its act together I anxiously await vitamins, books and real estate schemes in hi-def. Other than some network programming 33 acts like a low power tv station as far as what they broadcast.

They are not taking up anything, they have a license they use it. Anyone else can apply for a license in the region. There is a lot of open frequency space in this area. The problem is money. Does anyone else have the money to build a tower, aquire a license, build a station, and start offering programming. Springfield 33 isn't preventing anyone from starting a new station. Do I watch springfield 33? Only for about 4 shows. They don't have a mid day newscast because they are a waste of money. Newscasts are traditionally the biggest waste of money for networks. The infomercials are annoying and I wish they would offer something of value but they don't. They are required to broadcast at full power by the FCC, but they have a temporary permit like KSFX and KOLR to broadcast at low power digital. If you want to blame anyone talk to the FCC for granting these temporary permits.

KSPR does not serve the public interest of the six counties in AR either, that are also in the Springfield DMA.

The owner's address for mailing KSPR complaints is here.

Send FCC complaints to Rick Chessen at the FCC via email:
rchessen@fcc.gov
(DTV task force chirman)

Fortunately, having "moved" a long time ago, I qualify to get FOX-HD (plus the other big 3 out of NYC) via DirecTV, as part of the HD package.

Hi MSPIN, ARXAW and others.

MSPIN: I don't know where you got your information, but: There are no new licenses available. The FCC froze all applications for new stations years ago for TV, FM, AM. So there are no open frequencies in this area or anywhere else in the U.S. available for application. So, yes, 33 does take up space. The FCC has stated they don't intend to offer new licenses until after the digital broadcasting fiasco is over. Well, they didn't use the word "fiasco"...

Newscasts are among the most expensive, yet most profitable programming on TV stations. That is, of course, assuming they do a half way decent job and attract an audience.

Since 33 isn't really serving the area perhaps they would like to become a lptv and sell off their full power license. This would be more in keeping with the FCC's original guidelines on serving the public. They would still cover the metropolitan area, get some cash, and allow someone else to serve the area.

My guess is that we'll never agree about 33. I've enjoyed the discussion, but I'm afraid it's probably getting a bit off topic for this forum.

ARXAW: Thanks for the info! I'll put it to use. I don't expect much of a response from 33, but at least it would be taking my complaint directly to the source.

You are right, analog is frozen. But digital is not frozen yet. They do offer some licenses currently even with the digital fiasco (it really is a perfect word) The problem is the licensing procedure will take many years. They have to start out as a low power station until the digital low power distribution begins.

Springfield 33 is an ABC affiliate, it will never lose it's license or step down to low power. People still want their MNF. Maybe newscasts are profitable, I don't know about local. I only know about national news they hurt the bottom line.


An independent station would not serve the area as well as springfield 33 does. ABC is one of the big 4, they don't lose licenses.