Hartford, CT - OTA - Page 17

Hi, I'm an HDTV newbie. Just got my Comcast Motorola 6200 hooked up about a week ago. I've only watched a couple of things with it (I have to set up my DLP SVGA projector and move some furniture around whenever I want to watch something on the big screen), so I'm trying to get a feel for how the Superbowl will work. Will the game action be in HD and all cuts to the announcers be in SD or will that be in HD, too? I'm expecting that commercials will all be SD.

Regarding the audio, part of me is almost hoping that they don't try to rush the 5.1 in. I'd rather have working stereo instead of intermittent or completely non-working 5.1. Of course, if they can do the job right in time for the game, I'd obviously love to have it.

Scott

Great Web Site to Track CT Cable TV rate and channel changes!

Check out this web link to the CT Department of Public Utility Control (DPUC). It lists all of the cable company filing which are made in advance of notices to customers, it appears. Looks like a great way to stay on top of what the cables are planning in terms of line-up changes and rate changes. Only issue is that it just lists the date and the franchise. You have to follow the link to see what the actual filing is. My understanding is that even though they are not rate regulated, they do have to file tariffs with the DPUC notifying them of all customer affecting changes. Even though I have Direct TV, I'm going to keep my eye on Comcast-Clinton to see what's going on.

http://www.dpuc.state.ct.us/DPUCUndo...iew&ExpandView

Chris

Chris,

This is a great site - thanks for letting us know about it.

I'm noticing at 5:30PM that the audio is out of sync on over-the-air WFSB-DT, channel 33-02, their high definition channel. The voices follow the lip movements by a few seconds. Signal strength is 81%.

On channel 33-01, which is a feed intended for Springfield, Mass., the audio is in sync with the picture.

Today is the first day I'm getting WFSB-DT (on cable) and the first thing I noticed was the audio sync problem, and its been happening all night. I though it might have been from the cable company's re-transmission of the signal, but based the fact that you're getting the same problem OTA, the problem must be from FSB. I know they are working on installing Dolby 5.1, so I hope they get that done and as well as the sync problem fixed before Sunday.

I cant believe Charter got WFSBDT in time for the game. They just sent me a email Thursday saying that they weren't going to be able to get it. I wonder if they signed a temporary agreement or if it will stay on. Hope it is still on for CSI Miami Monday.

Cox got a one day agreement with WFSB to carry the Superbowl, the pregame, postgame and then Survivor. I had WFSB on CH 715 in the morning yesterday, but by early afternoon it was gone. The E-Mail I had waiting when I got home from work explained the one day agreement. One day is a good start. Now we just need to get it the other 364 days a year.

pmalve

Charter's agreement is a temporary one as well. At least we'll see the SB in HD, but I know I'll be disappointed when they turn the switch off.

I see other people noticed the audio sync problem last night, but around 10:50pm during the Handler the audio went to 5.1 for about 2 minutes. Not very good 5.1 either...No center and the rears were just like an echo...but it read 5.1 on my Anthem. So there are trying to get it ready.

Also, I had the oportunity last night to compare the OFA signal of WSFB with the DirecTV CBS-HD. The OFA was slightly better with just a bit more detail. This was definatly noticable on JAG where they would display the Green Lettering what time and where they are during the show. The lettering had some shimmering/jaggies on it over DirecTV where the OTA signal lettering was very sharp and clear.

I think DirecTV is compressing the signal more after it gets the feed from WCBS. It was still good picture, but just not quite as good as OTA.

I saw the audio sync problem on 3-1 last night. Audio on 3-2 (stretched upconvert) was fine. I'll have to keep an eye out for 5.1 tonight. COOL!

I saw a full page ad for COX cable in the Courant today in regards to the HD SuperBowl. It did say you needed an HD subscription and the right box, but did not mention that an HD-ready TV was needed.

Technically you don't need a High Def TV to see the content. Of course it will not be a true High Def picture, but it will look better than a standard analog signal. It is all in the box setup. If you connect through an S-video cable and go into the user settings menu of the box and specify a 480i output you should be able to see the content in 480i. Obviously this isn't really what you want to do, but if you don't want to spend the money for a High Def TV, and you must see the Discovery HD content, than this is an option. Also the High Def content will be letter boxed on a 4:3 TV or you can zoom it and loose some of the sides and fill the screen.

"Also, I had the oportunity last night to compare the OFA signal of WSFB with the DirecTV CBS-HD. The OFA was slightly better with just a bit more detail."
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How are you able to get the CBS-HD feed from Direct TV? Do you have a waiver from WFSB? Must have gotten it some years ago? I see CBS HD East and West in the D* program guide, but alas, it will not come up on my TV. Get a message to call customer service.

Chris

I have had DirecTV since 1995 and subscribed to what was then the "Prime something" package which gave me the networks for $5/month. Then about 3 years later they passed that law which permitted that from happening. But those of us who were subscribers since 1997 and before were grandfathered and I got NY locals since. Pretty cool. And it only cost me $1500. That was the cost for 2 RCA receivers and a dual LNB dish back then. I see the ads for free units for 3 rooms and cry...

Anyone hear any news about Comcast giving out the 6200 in CT? I REALLY want the firewire

Comcast has WSFB-DT at 5.1 right now. Audio is still out of sync.

Edit: 9:03 It's gone. Still out of Sync.

Edit: 11:00 No 5.1, but the audio is in sync.

Hi Madpoet, The 6200s are available in CT. I got one. DVI on the back isn't working yet, but was told it would be in Feb.

Hrm... need to go down and hound my local office then! With my HTPC and firewire out, I will be an HD archiving fool

I live in the "shadow" of Meriden mountain in the "foothils" I can get Long Island stations (don't remeber the channels) (analog), 26 from New London (analog...but who cares) 8 DT (and HD) 59 DT (no HD yet) and nothing that comes from the Northwest because of that damn mountain...no even a scintilla of signal from 30 (analog), 24 (analog), 20 (analog or digital), 3 (analog or digital) and they won't grant a waver because I'm in their primary coverage area....grrrr! Nothing I can do...any help out there? BTW antenna is a Ch Mstr 4228 w/ rotor DTC-100 rcvr. no preamp because the FM stations on top of Meriden mountain "blow its brains" with signal and any amp get significantly overloaded!

Anyone getting WFSB-DT in 5.1?

Have you tried a FM trap? I just did a google search and this is the first one that came up.

FM trap

No 5.1 here @ 4:30, not OTA or Cable. I cannot tell the difference between the OTA and Cable picture or audio. DiscoveryHD and INHD2 are in 5.1 now though.

DiscoveryHD on cable? Which cable company do you get HD from, cuz I don't think Comcast has it in my area yet (Hartford/New Britain).

Have not tried an FM trap yet. Do you know the insertion loss? I assume this trap goes before the amplifier at the antenna end. I will have to wait until the snow gets off the roof before I can try this. Its kind of like a ski slope (expert level...black diamond) up there right now. As far as I'm concerned the first provider (either Cox or Direct TV) that can get me locals and the satellites in Hi-Def packaged one service gets my biz! No one can yet!

So, for those of you who watched or tried to watch the Super Bowl via WFSB OTA HDTV signal, how was it? Was the PQ good, not to much macro blocking, audio drops, etc? Was it in DD5.1? As a D* subscriber, I have not invested in a full outdoor antenna setup yet. Just wondering if WFSB is up to full speed yet before I make a decision to set up a full size antenna, rotor and pre-amp, ...... or switch back to Comcast. Feedback appreciated. Thanks,

Chris

We watched the entire Super Bowl here in Cheshire OTA on WFSB. PQ was great. Only a couple of dropouts during the entire 4 hours ... nothing to complain about. I don't know if WFSB increased their power (or just the conditions) but I have been receiving a solid signal from them the last 3-4 days.

The sound was 2.0, not 5.1. Audio sync was fine, much better than the 5.1 on ABC last year. Overall a great HDTV experience.

Allen

Simsbury (Hartford?) Comcast needs to get their pricing info figured out. I just got my latest bill and they're charging me a lot more than they claimed they would. It will be interesting to see how this conversation goes. I'm not sure if I posted my woes in this thread or a different one, but for some background I originally had basic "lifeline" cable (about $11/month including taxes). I called to get HDTV thinking that I should be able to get the HDTV locals for about $7 more a month. Was told repeatedly that I needed a digital package in order to get HDTV.

After much discussion, I was eventually offered a package for $29.83/month (including taxes) that would have (AFAIK) consisted of basic lifeline cable, HDTV, and the digital plus package. This would not have included the extended basic channels. I agreed to that.

When the installers came out they told me that I'd be missing out on several good channels including ESPN (which meant no ESPN-HD). They claimed that for about $42 plus tax I could get those extra channels. Because they claimed that it would cost me an installation fee for them to come back to add them but would cost nothing to drop the extra channels, I don't really watch much ESPN but I figured it would be nice to have the Hi-Def version for a month, so I said "why not", I'll try it out and probably downgrade after a month.

Well, I got the bill today and as best as I can figure it (it's of course confusing), the final bill is as follows:
$ 9.62 (Basic)
$ 0.38 (Community Access Fee)
$32.65 (Expanded Basic)
=====
$42.65
$ 9.45 (Digital Plus)
$ 7.25 (HDTV box/remote)
=====
$59.35
$ 9.38 (taxes, etc.)
=====
$68.73

So, instead of $42 plus tax, it looks like it's $59 plus tax. Based on the cost rundown, it seems like the $42 the installer quoted me lines up with what basic plus expanded basic would have cost, not taking into account the digital plus and HDTV box rental. It also looks like the initial rep I spoke with who quoted me the $29.83 was accurately giving me a true cost (for Basic cable, Digital Plus, and the HDTV box rental), though if I'm to believe many people here, she was still incorrect in insisting that I needed Digital Plus in order to get HDTV.

There are a few (literally, probably three or four) channels I'd really like from Expanded Basic and we like to listen to the Jazz music channel while we eat dinner, but am I alone in thinking that the prices for these packages is insane (the Expanded Basic in particular)? If I can get Basic cable plus the local HDTV channels for about $17 plus tax, those other channels hardly seem worth $51 extra.

Sorry for the rant.

Finally, one question I have for the group here...AFAIK, the Motorola 6208 (or 6408) hasn't been rolled out in CT yet, but when it is I should be able to get that without needing a digital package, right? Based on comments I've seen from people in other parts of the country, it sounds like there's a $10/month charge for this box. Anyone know if that is on top of the regular $7.25 HDTV box rental fee or if that takes the place of that fee (with the net result being that you're just paying about $3/month for DVR "service").

Scott

Unrelated to my rant, I just wanted to compare notes with other Comcast subscribers:

1) The Superbowl was not in 5.1.

2) The Superbowl was mostly Hi-Def but there were several camera angles used that were obviously upscaled standard-def. These views filled my 16:9 screen which leads me to believe that they were, in fact, chopping off the top/bottom of the 4:3 image and zooming it to fill the 16:9 screen. If true, I would have instead preferred that they centered the 4:3 image (in its entirety) in the center of my 16:9 screen with either black bars on the left/right or that goofy mulitshaded blue background that they used for filler in other segments. Thoughts from others?

3) Are any channels/shows on Comcast HDTV being broadcast in 5.1? I've only had my box for about a week and I haven't watched much HDTV content since it requires using my projector and pull-down screen and for my standard def TV, I watch most everything timeshifted using my TiVo.

Scott

I live in Meriden and am a customer of COX. I havent posted much in this room as I am new to the whole HD thing. As a subscriber to COX I recently had my hd set top box installed and received Discovery HD, ESPNHD, 2 INHD channels and HBOHD. No local channels available yet, however COX was nice enough to work something out with WFSB 3 so that we had the Super Bowl in HD. Simply awesome. Hopefully an agreement can be reached so that its up and running with all the local channels all the time. My question is...... Is the HD reception from OTA different (better or worse) than the cable feed of HD programming? I have my set top connected to my surround sound receiver with the fiber optical and WOW was the sound awesome! Sorry I cant get too technical with what box I have. Thanks.

I received WFSB-DT via Charter as they entered into a temporary agreement to carry the channel for the Super Bowl (the channel is gone this morning). PQ was very good with very few dropouts, but for some reason, the feed was switched to SD for the haltime show. It then switched back to HD at the start of the 3rd qtr. Reading other posts, halftime was in HD so I wonder why FSB made the switch.

Audio was unfortunately in 2.0 but there were no sync problems. I had hoped they would have 5.1 working by then but from what I understand, it should be up and running sometime this year!