Boston, MA - OTA - Page 20

Gentlemen,

What DTV channels can I get in Malden, please ? I had CM 4028 installed with rotor this morning and Panny STB locked on 31-2. But the screen was totally black. I thought there should be 5-6 DTV stations available (that what antennaweb.org shows)

thanx !

You should be able to get the following:

(1) 19-1, 19-2, 19-3, 19-4 (WGBH-only on Thursday from 8-4PM and Friday from 4-8PM)

(2) 20-1 (WCVB-on 4-midnight daily)

(3) 23-1 (Ch.66)

(4) 30-1 (WBZ)

(5) 31-1 (WFXT)

(6) 42-1 (WHDH)

Also WLVI is scheduled to go digital Jan. 1 but I forgot what channel they will be on.

I also sent WCVB a e-mail about my disappointment in their decision. They need people to by HDTV sets to watch their programming, but they do not want to air their DTV programs. Very irresponsible. First WFXT, now WVCB. Hopefully WBZ will not fall into WCVB's mentality. So far WBZ/CBS seems to have embraced DTV. Kudos to WBZ....

---Andy Garabedian

I think that a major problem here is that the local newspapers do not bother to list DTV stations. The average person probably doesn't know that programs are being broadcast in HDTV, so why spend the money for an HDTV receiver?

I have sent an email to the Globe ombudsman about this and I suggest others complain also.

My email to the ombudsman received no reply, including no automated reply, which makes me wonder if this operation is still alive. Also, the boston.com contact page (http://www.boston.com/help/contact_manager.shtml) lists no obudsman. Maybe I should send to the Arts Editor.

- Michael Bate

You can click on "Feedback" on that page. It said: "We will respond to all inquiries within two business days."

It looks like NBC will be broadcasting the Winter Olympics in HDTV (http://www.nbcmv.com/pw2/main/dnr.cg...query_id=55562).
We should ask WHDH if they will also broadcast in HDTV or do the same as the Tonight Show?

Go to http://www.whdh.com then click Contact to send whdh a message on what you think they should do.

This is this reply I got from Channel 7

As you know, at this time WHDH broadcast digital in SDTV (480i) format. I have budget proposals before management/ownership to purchase the equipment that will allow us to pass through NBC's HD shows. I am crossing my fingers that this budget will pass, and WHDH will soon be able to offer HD in the future.

Thanks for your patience,
Jim Shultis
Director of Engineering

I think LOTS of email may help the budget but I've been wrong before.

I think that not only channel 7 but also channel 5 which I have sent several with no reply. Lets face it these are 2 bit stations that don't care about anything other than there bottom line just like the rest of corporate America.

That's a start anyway. Now if they could just increase their signal strength so us poor slobs down here in S.E. Mass can pick it up on a regular basis. Living in a condo, I can only use an indoor antenna and while I can get useable signals on WCVB and WBZ, I can only get 20-30% on WHDH which is useless. Sometimes if the atmospheric conditions are right and all the stars are lined up properly, I can get a 50% but that's rare.

I'm perplexed by this comment. If they didn't care about the bottom line they would most likely be out of business quite quickly. Your right, just like the rest of corporate America, if you don't watch the bottom line then you go belly up to nobodys benefit. I think they are taking the prudent path, even if we don't like it, to stay in business.

Yes, we all want HDTV, and we all want it now. Let's show them a positive way that HDTV can help their bottom line and that should persuade them. ..

Benj,

thank you very much. I was able to get 30 (WBZ4 1080i FULL but it really comes as 4X3 with black bars on the sides on 16X9 screen) and 42 (NBC 480i). Maybe my location "prohibitive" of getting other channels. Will try to scan tonight again

WBZ (30-1) is broadcasting an upconverted 1080i signal. Watch during primetime (8PM-on) and most of 'BZ's programming is full 1080i hidef (w/o black bars). WHDH (42-2) transmits a 480i signal only.

Its good that youre getting 30 (WBZ-4) and 42 (NBC-7). ABC-5 which is channel 20 is now only broadcasting in the evenings, so try after 4 or 5pm. Fox-25 which is 31 on the digital lineup is actually broadcasting on such low power that I doubt even people in their transmitting tower could receive it. I used to get Fox in the upper 80s till they started to do something with their tower. Then they said it would be back up in a week and its been low now for more than a month. I only get occasional blips from them.

Sal

Steve:

I agree completely that these stations have to watch out for their bottom line. But let's not forget that these stations are already transmitting on one set of frequencies and have essentially been given (at taxpayer's expense) another set of frequencies to broadcast a digital signal on with the understanding that they would be doing so 24/7 by the end of 2002. Now, they are crying poverty and the FCC has agreed they can back off. It's really a pity that they have so quickly cut down their hours. It's also a pity that NBC and it's local affiliate have never even paid lip service to broadcasting an HD signal, despite that being the intent of the new broadcasting spectrum. If they had paid for this extra frequency alotment, I would be much more lenient in my views of what they are doing with it.

SMK

Yes I agree, but in all reality, it did not cost us taxpayers anything, it is just unrealized or defered revenue for the government. However, it does cost them real money to broadcast both signals and there was significant up front cost for new transmission equipment. Until there are enough digital receivers for them to shut off the NTSC transmission they are strapped with double the overhead cost of transmission.

Regardless of what you and I would like, this is what they have to deal with.

Let's consider this. Everyone complains about WHDH not broadcasting HD. The number I see being thrown around is about $100,000 to transmit the digitial signal for a year. If the cost to WHDH of an HD encoder is $75-90,000, would you prefer a full 24 hour SD digital broadcast or lessened hours and have them put the money saved into getting the encoder? (assuming they would)

Regards,

But Benji......let us not forget "The Young and The Restless" which is broadcast in glorious HDTV every day, M-F, from 12:30-1:30 PM.

Bob

Good news for Directv subscribers in Boston area.
The winter olympics games will be HD on NBC and HDNet.
http://www.tvinsite.com/broadcasting...y=breakingNews

Just contacted "station management" at WHDH through their web site. I said that this would be a great opportunity to begin repairing their reputation among the Boston HD community and possibly even win back some viewers (albeit temporarily) like me who have abandoned their network in favor of HD programming on other networks.

But I ain't holdin' my breath......

Just prior to going asleep last night, I checked, as I always do, the signal strength of WFXT's digital feed.

Every other night over the past few months, the signal has been zero for me. Last night it was up to 20%. I did not have time or desire to get into the attic and adjust my antenna.

Does anyone know if they are back up?

mikep

Sorry Bob Hess, how could I forget Y&R?

This is not likely since at this point in time, WHDH doesn't even have the necessary hardware to pass thru an HD signal. Paraquoting from an earlier post, the station Chief Engineer is lobbying to get HD equipment into the station's budget. Don't hold your breath...

This is why I said it is good news for DirecTV subscribers who get HDNet free.

Has anyone else been having audio problems on 23.2? 23.1 is ok for me but 23.2 have been having audio problems on my setup. I have no audio problems on 2.2, 2.3 when they are broadcasting.

Though they were one of the first DTV stations in the area on line, I didn't know anyone wathed Channels 23.

Tim

I'm not a big fan of tv shopping either but want to know if my tv is having problems or is it the station.

I used to watch 23 when they were still WHUB and broadcasted The Next Generation and BU hockey games. Now I tune in every now and then to make sure they havent switched to showing something else. You are right, audio is bad on the second channel... even the picture sometimes has "sparklies" in it.. kinda like when you watch a mis-aligned C-band signal.

Sal

Thanks Sal for the info.

I remember Barney Miller too. Pretty ecclectic mix. Sorry it changed.

Tim

Does anyone know if AT&T cable is offering HDTV in the Boston area?