Charleston, WV - HDTV

Wanted to get this started to find if any other people in West Virginia were on the forum and keep info up to date. Currently we have no local offerings for HDTV, we are barely digital in terms of our local stations. Charter who is our only option (not that great) transiently offered HD service earlier this year for HBO and Showtime but has since stopped due to lack of interest.

Any way anyone adding info is appreciated.

I guess this will be MY thread but just got my HLN 5065 and just got off the phone with charter communications and my HD STB will be delivered in AM for HD discovery and HD HBO. Also my BRAVO D1 ON ORDER. bIKERMAN CAN YOU HERE ME?

Just got the Scientific Atlanta 3100HD today and hooked it up via component to 50" sammy. HDdiscovery is beautiful!!!!!!, HBO stuff not appearing truly hi def yet, waiting a more recent movie. Any way though limited HD is available in Charleston

No ESPN HD news but they told me that Mark Cuban that owns the mavericks and HDnet is a large shareholder in Charter so that may be the next channel but no timeline. Charter if you call them will tell you HBO is free but HDdiscovery is 5 dollars, the box is 4 dollars and instillation is 30 dollars. I told them I was already paying more than 100 bucks a month and I could install it myself. After a lot of nonreturned phone calls Adam got me the box for 4 bucks a month, the box I installed for free, and free HBO an free HD discovery. Look into it 4 bucks a month is worth it. By the way bravo D1 on the way I will let you know. Stay in touch.

Thanks for the info justice, I have run into the same hurdles, I will be moving away for one year the returning so not ready to invest in dtrecttv yet, due to uncertainties with my temporary residence.

I was at "A Taste of Charleston" yesterday and ran into the WSAZ station manager. He said that the primetime nbc shows could be picked up in hi def with a set top box. I specifically asked him that it was Hi def and not just digital and he asked me to email him and he would send me the high def lineup.. I find this hard to beleive but I will try it. When I find out I will post the info. He also mentioned that the other stations were doing similar things and that charter would not carry them due to bandwidth limitations!

Yeah fleegs I told them I was already paying 100 dollars a month, charge 40 dollars for installation? I'm sure the guy couldn't figure out my system. Any was this is from the station manager at WSAZ channel 3 Jack Deakins

"Jay,
Attached is the NBC fall schedule with the shows that will be broadcast in HD 1080i. All NBC HD is in 1080i. In addition, several specials and sports programs will be offered this year. The 2004 Olympic Games from Athens will also be offered in HD.

This programming is only available via our over the air digital signal on channel 23. There are several "early adopter's" who report to us that they receive the DTV signal. I hope that you are able to purchase a DTV receiver with an outdoor antenna and will enjoy digital and HDTV soon.

I am still waiting for replies from other area stations that I emailed today. I will keep you posted.

More info for the charleston crowd, I called wchs since they never returned my Email and asked about HD. The answer is they are broadcasting a digital signal now but no HD. My next question was when, and the answer was "In the future", yeah no sh*t, the truth of the matter is it looks like we should look to direct tv for more stations. The other stations also have not responded but no time to call so far.

Change of plans just returned from circuit city and negotiated with them in regards to the new direct tv deal for $399 which includes a 3lnb eliptical dish, a samsung sirts160 reciever and install. The sales manager named Ty set up a deal for $450 and a 50 dollar rebate. Keep in mind the total for these regular at circuit city is close to $800. The kicker is when he rang it up the rebate turned out to be 100 dollars! WOOHOO!!!. Install is on tuesday, I had to have the reciever shipped but now I will get HDHBO, ESPNHD, HDNET, HDMOVIES, and HD showtime. I will keep you all posted. If anyone is interested I have the promotion codes from TWEETER that Ty matched though he never asked for them.

Update. I recieved and installed the samsung ts160 D*/ota reciever with a radio shack u75r uhf antenna on the roof yesterday and here are the results.
Direct TV HD has more to offer HDNET, NDNETmovies, HDHBO, HDshowtime, HD PPV, HD discovery, ESPNHD but compared to the HD cable from charter it is not quite as good quality wise which I hate to say because I HATE charter cable.
2. Our local WSAZ digital signal offers HD!!!!!!! Jay Leno last night was spectacular via my OTA portion of the samsung. The problem is my reciever drops the signal occasionally, which I still have yet to figure out. But HD is now on our local system!
3. Channel 8 and PBS also offer digital signals OTA but no high def yet.
So I think it will be a good investment once all the bugs are ironed out, if my wife can handle it.

The signal strength is 70 but the problem is I am suffering a labile signal strength. I am 40 miles from the towers and have a radio shack U75r UHF antenna. I had wchs for one day. Will try to elevate the antenna or add an amplifier. Thanks for keeping the thread going guys.

The problem here is multipath, I just raised my antenna to 15 feet off the roof (really gaudy but now get NBC with no dropouts and picked up pax. The other stations are on the same mountain but unable to get them. I question their signal strength. Anyway tonight was the first night I was really glad I got the direct tv deal. At one time the Miss Hawaiian Tropic contest was on HDNet, Trading Spaces ( I love Paige,my wife likes the show) was on HDDiscovery, Sunday Night Football on ESPNHD ( what a picture) and Law and order was in HD from our local WSAZ station OTA. Finally some choices. I will pick on the other local stations for info. It can only get better........ until my 15 foot antenna collapses!!!

Fleegs, I had to go to directtv to get ESPN HD, have not regretted it so far. Charter is very frustrating! No great solution yet though. WSAZ digital OTA really is nice

Looks like our numbers are growing, happy thanksgiving all! Any one else reeeeaaaallllyyyy excited about the possibility of watching the GATORBOWL on NBC in HD? A lot of maybes here, maybe WVU will get in and maybe NBC will cover it in HD and maybe WSAZ will pass it on in HD. But we can hope.
As for WOWK I do not get their signal at all. WCHS comes in intermittently but only in digital and not HD. NBC is perfect from my house. I am unaware of the difference in power between the local channels. I do get PAX without a problem but have never watched it.
Keep posting and thanks!

Where are you to pick up WOWK I am in charleston and I get:
1. WSAZ perfect with no drop out in HD and signal strength 80
2. WCHS intermitently (no HD available)with drop out and signal strength 20
3. WOWK never
4. PAX all the time
5. PBS sometimes but no HD signal

I have a samsung sirt 160, rooftop Radio shack UHF antenna (on a 15 foot pole!)

I think all the towers are on the same hill between charleston and huntington but I don't know broadcast strength for each station

To trip, thanks for the info, that explains why WSAZ and PAX are so clear and why every thing else is subpar (WCHS) or nonexistent (all others). This makes me think I dont need a new antenna or preamp, instead I need these weak stations to get on the ball!!!!

To Bikeman, the analog stations, are of many different qualities, we still have basic cable at this point for the locals.

Spoke to the engineer at WCHS/FOX and no plans to increase the power of their signal until "next year" no specifics, BOOOOOOO!

Spoke to the engineer at WOWK(CBS) and he is going to call me back about both power increase from tower and passing the HDTV feed from the network. He said I was the third person that called regarding these things.

Spoke to WSAZ and no info about gatorbowl being in HDTV but at this point I doubt it, but we can still hope. I also thanked WSAZ because their signal power is not only 50 times greater but they are also passing the HDTV feed which is really nice if you have not seen it. Sure they stretch their local news shows but give them credit for being so far ahead of the other locals!

Any of you guys with direct tv, the mountaineer basketball team is on HDNET today @ 1 oclock in a tournament in Wash. DC