Hartford, CT - OTA - Page 18

My thoughts?? IMHO, the PQ from CBS was piss-poor. It appeared to me that it was MOSTLY in SD, and there was only 2 or 3 HD cameras. The HD cameras looked just okay for HD, but the SD sucked. I don't really like 1080I for sports anyways.

What were those idiots at CBS thinking? If it wasn't our "Home Team" playing, I would have watched a DVD instead.

I sure wished that ABC had the rights. They would have done it RIGHT with ALL HD cameras. 5.1, and 720P.

I found the PQ not quite as good as CBS usualy is. Good but not great. The rest of the playoffs on CBS were better. Sound qualtiy was not as good either when comparied to regular season games that were on DirecTV's special NFL Sunday Ticket HD channels. The 5.1 in some of those games was great. Crowd noise all around..good clear center. You could hear the announcers of the stadium in the fronts and rears. Last nights was ok, but not great. I had to really crank the volume to get any kind of good sound.

Well, Scott. I think the installer was right. For about $42 you got basic + expanded basic to get the channels he said you won't get. Than add the digital & HD stuff you wanted and it adds up to what you got billed for.

I guess it all depends on what you're willing to pay for...

Just to clarify, I asked him to verify that the $42 rate he was quoting me was the total amount that I'd be charged (not including taxes). So, he definitely wasn't right, though I agree that it looks like he was quoting the cost of Basic plus Expanded Basic.

Scott

After watching channel 3 in analog on Charter cable for so long with lousy picture I have no complaints about the HD signal we got. I watched The District Saturday night even though I never saw the show before to see how the quality was and was blown away. After watching HBO and Showtime the last few months I think the picture was much better than them and only a step below DiscoveryHD. Now if Charter doesnt get us the networks by the summer I am going back to Dishnetwork and putting up an antenna. DD5.1 would of been nice but at least they straightened out the audio sync before the game. Too bad they turned it off already, would of like to watch CSI Miami tonite before they shut it off.

I'm with you. I've had Charter HD service since November 2002. Since then they've added Showtime HD, and if CBSHD is gone tonight I won't be pleased. I'll also give them until the summer to get the locals up or I am switching to dish. I already have an application in for the waiver.

I am a Cox customer and I also have an OTA reciever. Out of curiosity I swiched back and forth between OTA and Cable during the superbowl. I was unable to see or hear a difference in the sound or picture between the two sources. I just hope that Cox can get all of the networks on before next season, as I can only sporatically get WTNH from here. I kind of irks me that I can get WGGB from Springfield without much problem, but they don't broadcast in HD.

Everything looked fine here in Farmington on OTA. PQ was great with no audio dropouts or pixellization. I'm one of the lucky ones who gets WFSB-DT solidly. I was pretty bummed out that the DD 5.1 never made it. Especially after hearing a few blips on Friday night.

My big complaint is the need for fireworks in indoor stadiums. A potentially spotless HD picture was spoiled by a haze until the late second quarter.

Agree on the fireworks, waste of money & viewing quality.

Heard from Engineer at WFSB, they were having an audio sync problem on Friday with DD5.1, so they didn't turn it on for the game, too bad. They are continuing to work on it this week - hoping we get it for the grammy's.

"My big complaint is the need for fireworks in indoor stadiums. A potentially spotless HD picture was spoiled by a haze until the late second quarter."
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If you thought it looked bad on HDTV, you should have seen it in SD. I turned away from the game during halftime only to come back in the 3rd Quarter to what looked like fog in the stadium. Only found out much later what all I missed (i.e., costume malfunction) Also, thanks for the feedback on OTA PQ. Still not clear to me from other posters whether WFSB was at full power. Hopefully, by Spring they are and I can get the signal with a full outside antenna setup.

Chris

No way they were at full power. I could not get a picture. The signal strength was in th 20's. I would not count on WFSb going to full power any time soon.

I just got my comcast cable HDTV box installed (DCT-5100) but I have a question on some programming. (I live in New Britain, hartford area) Mainly, I thought we were supposed to get INHD1 and 2? Tonight, I saw NESN from 6:00 - 12:00 and possibly beyond on the INHD1 feed even when the programmin guide said ring of fire was supposed to be on after 10:30. Is this normal? I'm all for NESN on the network, I loved the hockey game in HD, surreal, but they just switched to ESPNews and streatched it horribly. Also, was WTNH and ESPNHD working last night, my reciever had a blank screen that said ONE MOMENT PLEASE, This channel will be available shortly. It's had that message up all night. Is WTNH supposed to be active, along with ESPN-HD, and also INHD2?

(BTW, all other stations looked SUPERB in HD, PBS surprised me with a lot of stunning visuals)

We used to have INHD2, which covered all the NESN programming, but for some reason, when WFSB was turned on, INHD2 disappeared. So now, you will see the games on INHD1, regardless of the supposed feed. I also noticed ESPN being broadcast on there which I thought was odd. The comment on ESPN being stretched, that is how they broadcast most of their non HD material. They stretch it to fill the screen. Let me assure you that's when it's HD material, it looks superb. You should definitely be getting WTNH, and ESPN-HD. IF not, then it could be your cable run, either too long, or maybe too many splits. (I had a similar experience when trying to split the cable signal) You can also try resetting the box, by unplugging it, and letting it reset itself, or call comcast and they can reset it for you over the phone.

I also noticed that Comcast now has StarzHD and CinemaxHD. Now if we can just get FOX in whatever Enhanced format they are showing, it rounds out a good selection of HD material. Enjoy....

Hey guys. Quick update on WTIC, for those who don't know. Right now, they're "targeted date" to go live is March 31. So, if WTIC and WVIT are both accurate in their dates, we should be receiving two new local DTV stations in a 24 hour span between 3/31 and 4/1. But really, what are the chances that either of them will even make these dates? Maybe they will be in competition to beat the other. Oh well. Later guys.

I just got some bad news . I had gotten a few recommendations on here for installers and finally found a company that does it in Connecticut, American Satellite in Middletown. I called them a few weeks ago and they said they charge $750 but they give you a 12 foot channel master antenna and pre amp and automatic router and all this stuff so it sounded like a nice setup but they didn't know if Old Saybrook would be able to get CBS HD. They said they where doing an install in Madison and to give them a call back in a few weeks. So I called last night and they where not able to pick up New York or Hartford from Madison and its only 10 miles west from me and just as far south from Hartford so I guess there is no way I will get CBS HD via OTA at the current time. He did say that WFSB is transmitting at 50k watts and will be switching to 1 million watts and then there is a lot better chance that it will work and they are supposed to be doing that within the next 60 days so to call back in a month and check.

-Joe

Has anyone heard any rumblings about the WB network being added to Comcast? My wife and I like a couple of their shows (Smallville and Reba come to mind).

Scott

Not likely...Channel 30 has been giving dates and missing them for over 2 years now. And Fox (61) is no better they are still pending FCC approval last time I saw any info on them. And channel 3's transmitting at low power is criminal. The FCC should grow some hair and fine these stations for non-compliance. Ok, I took my pills so I'm calming down. But as a somewhat earlier adopter of this OTA HD I'm very disappointed in these local channels. Channel 8 (10) in New Haven and the WB channel (20?) are the only ones that seem to take any pride in doing the right thing.
Jay

Just an FYI, the WB station was admonished last year & threatened with a fine because of lack of movement - you can find the admonishment letter on the FCC site. They went full power shortly after that.

Thanks Joe, I have been trying to find an installer for southeastern CT, called many many places, and until now no luck.

Does anyone know of an installer in my area for a OTA antenna on a single family ranch. I just hate heights.

C

I don't know where you are, but Eastern Video in Manchester did satellite installation. They also do OTA and do work all over New England.


Pete

Arnold Chase said that some of the stations had to get new channel designations because the original ones were too close to each other. Maybe we should contact Lieberman and Dodd to see if they can encourage the FCC to speed up their approval of the new channel numbers.


Pete

"He did say that WFSB is transmitting at 50k watts and will be switching to 1 million watts and then there is a lot better chance that it will work and they are supposed to be doing that within the next 60 days so to call back in a month and check."
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No one can gaurantee it, but you should be able to get WFSB DT when it goes full power, assuming you have the right antenna setup. You might want to see how well their analog signal comes in, thought that is broadcast OTA on 3 (UHF) and the DT signal will be on 33 (VHF) I believe. Now, I've been waiting and following this board for 8 months to see when WFSB goes full power (at which time I'll put up an antenna), and nada yet. My fear is that when all the cable company's have the signal via fiber, they won't bother to up the OTA signal to full power.

Chris

Some of you are spending too much time posting and not enough time experimenting...I get WFSB from Madison, usually over 50% on my Samsung TS-160 with a $29 Radio shack VHF/UHF boom just sitting in the rafters in my attic....I also get WTNH and WWLP...so I have all three majors in HD....only downside now is no DD5.1 yet for WFSB. I am actually worried about increased ghosting when WFSB goes full power.

In Old Saybrook, you should have no trouble with WFSB when they go full power with a decent attic antenna, assuming your house is not in a hole...I'd try that before I spend $750 with anyone.

We don't have an attic, its a 2 story house and the upstairs is fully finished with 3 bedrooms. I can't really run cabling or mount things outside, I'm not physically able due to my health and the rest of my family is a woman and two children so I have no choice but to hire an installer. It's kind of odd that they couldn't pull CBS HD in at all from Madison with that $750 setup of a 12 foot channel master with pre amp but you can with something in your attic.

-Joe

"I get WFSB from Madison, usually over 50% on my Samsung TS-160 with a $29 Radio shack VHF/UHF boom just sitting in the rafters in my attic.."
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Vix,

I don't know what to make of that statement. I'm in Southern Killingworth and have tried many times with my $12 rabbit ears to get WFSB with no luck . I don't even get the analog signal too good with it. I also have the Samsung TS-160 box. I get WTNH perfect. Contrasting your situation with what Joe was told by the installer who put up a full antenna setup in Madison, something doesn't add up. I've seen posts here by people less than 10 miles from the WFSB tower say they can't get it. What gives?

Chris

Right now I am getting at 8:30 prime time

WFSB (CBS) at 63%
WWLP (NBC) at 77%
WTNH (ABC) at 77%
WTXX (WB) at 77%
WCTX (UPN) at 20% (but no breakups)

With a RS VHF/UHF boom in the attic pointed at about 330 Deg. If I rotate it to about 60 deg. I loose most of the channels but can then pick up the PBS at Norwich. I am near the killingworth corner border with durham.

I think one of the problems may be by using the pre-amps..they are usually a cause of problems....I am running straight down a RG-6 coaxial about a 80 feet run into the basement and straight into the SAT box. There is a very significant problem with ghosting here in this part of Ct. unless you are on one of the very few hills. I would not use a preamp...get one of the booms and fiddle with it up in the attic...for Joseph, I don't know what to suggest, except maybe trying something temporary in the house just to see if you can pick up anything at all, with two stories, you should be able to rig something to see what you can get, giv eyou an idea, before you dump big money on something that may not work...think of buying a $30-40 RS boom and just tryi it out to see how it works...maybe you can even take it back afterwards.

Vix,
What is your elevation? Sounds pretty high considering your coverage area with a attic antenna.
Jim