Austin, TX - HDTV - Page 44

Yea, it's hard to believe they still use that "your screen's too big" line. My SD is horrible too. I did not notice any difference when I went from the basic HD box to the DVR box, but I noticed a huge difference when I went from a Samsung DLP to a Hitachi LCD. Unfortunately the Hitachi is worse on SD. At least I don't have rainbows anymore, but then that's another thread.

Sorry that isn't any help to you, but my message is that you aren't the only one who's very disappointed in TWC SD quality.

After going around in circles with a CSR at D* last night I got channel 88 turned on and had the baseball game in HD!

They told me I needed waivers from both KWKT and KTBC. I (calmly, if I do say so myself) explained that I do have a waiver from KWKT and that KTBC is O&O so I should not need a waiver from them (I actually have a denied waiver from KTBC). We went around in circles for a while. She kept telling me that my KWKT waiver was denied. She finally figured out that it was actually approved. Put me on hold for about 5 minutes while she talked to someone that could figure out what she needed to do to turn on the feed for me and then voila! HD baseball on Fox.

So if I get rid of TWC and get DirectTV or Dish Network I will have improved picture quality on SD channels? What are the drawbacks to satellite systems? I've heard that heavy rain causes the picture to go out.

I find that most people that suffere severe rain fade issues have low signal strength (poor dish pointing) on their setups to begin with. On top of that it has to rain cats and dogs before the rain fade issue occurs. Very rare and usually only lasts for about 10 minutes until the storm cell passes over. Just make sure your dish is pointed properly and the average signal is up there in the 90's which is not hard to do in Central Texas. My brothers dish in S. Austin was hitting 98% signal strenght easily with good quality RG6 runs. Most installers (the avg hack) looks for anything in the 70's and leave it at that, a little fine tuning makes a world of rain stability difference if you take 10 minutes to do it right.

What are people finding to be the CHEAPEST way to get Fox in HD (or even digital)? It's disappointing that I can get the other local stations in HD (or digital) and FOX looks like ass.

Unless you live within a few blocks of the tower the only way you're getting Fox HD is with TW Cable.

Once D* adds the full Fox HD channel you'll be able to get the NY feed through D*.

Longhorn, I think the SD is pretty much comparable between D* and Cable. I don't remember there really being much difference.

As for rain fade, I've had it once in the little over a year I've had D*. It was intermittent over about a 1/2 hour and it was storming like hell when it happened.

chris,

Right now, I just have the local stations through TW (the $10/mo deal). Should I be able to get any digital channels with this? I don't have a cable box from TW, but I do have a built in QAM tuner in my HDTV.

You should get Fox, KVUE, KLRU, and KEYE with the Basic TWC subscription and the QAM-enabled tuner. KXAN is scrambled onto the digital tier and I don't think KBEJ (UPN) nor KNVA (WB) has made it yet.

82.1 to 83.2 is where most of them are.

Just got a phone call from Todd at TWC. The PSIP stream has been set to allow QAM-enabled HDTV Tuners to receive KXAN over the Basic Cable feed as of this hour. I tested it and found Tony Danza's new talk show on. It's showing up on 84.3 on my set. Todd said some tuners may show it on other channels.

When you say, "as of this hour" do you mean that it was just turned on today?

I've had both cable and satellite. The total time of "rain fade" each year on satellite is far less than the "lightning fade" that I get on cable [that is my nickname for the 100% loss of cable for a many hours each year when a lucky strike hits a junction box].

YMMV, but I find a rare bit of rain fade easier to deal with.

Cheapest way is with D* - I have it now and I live in Lakeway - channel 88 is the East coast feed for Fox. Watching Red Sox - Yankees as we speak. You can either pay $1.50 a month for just fox, or 3.99/mo for all locals, including CBS HD and Fox HD network feeds since CBS and Fox are O&O in Austin.

Meaning that Todd (who's a TWC Engineer) said he'd made the change to the PSIP info a few minutes before he called me. I verified I was receiving it while I was still on the phone with him. Shortly after I hung up I made the post here.

I'm about to call them back ( I applied for the waiver on the 12th ) and demand that Fox HD gets turned on since it is O&O, and not take no for an answer. Before I do this, I'd like some confirmation that they've done this for someone else. Many thanks.

I've got Fox HD turned on with an approved waiver from KWKT and a denied waiver from KTBC.

Well, wouldn't you know it...the "HDTV specialist" that the CSR transferred me to told me that I WAS eligible for the national Fox HD feed because we're in an O&O market. I have to pay the 1.25 or whatever a month fee, but they just turned it on for me. Halleluja!!!

cool! congrats!

Ahem. No disrespect. Just asking. But WTF model of HDTV, pray-tell, has three ATSC tuners, built-in? Are you jerking me around? Where do I find it?
Cheers and Hope,
AMc

Sorry, typo meant to say a ATSC and 2 NTSC tuners. I can do side by side HD and SD split screen on my 16x9 set or side by side twin SD with the 2 NTSC tuners. Cool thing is the Sony XBR950s' allow to grow or shrink either of the 2 sides (49"/23" SD if one side is at max and the other is at the min.). Sorry for the typo I shoulda proof read it before hitting the submit button.

Well I got Fox hd turned on tonight but the waiver submitted for CBS on Oct 3 was denied. The rep thinks that the waiver did not specify HD so they are going to resubmit it so here goes waiting another 3 weeks. They said the waiver also goes to KENS in San Antonio which is probably about 75 miles away. There is no way I can get a signal from them. I had previously called them in SA and I got a return phone call stating they do not grant any HD waivers end of conversation. If anybody has had better luck with CBS HD please help me. What department finally got it switched on for you?

Thanks for the help

Tell the idiot DirecTV rep that KENS is 75 miles away and they are being impossible if DirecTV is requiring them to sign off on Austin waivers which is not even their market. Shouldn't matter if its HD or not at that distance. I am surprised you are wanting a CBS (KEYE) HD waiver as their OTA is quite decent in South Austin with the most basic smallest tv top antenna. Silver Sensor here and I'm near Circle C. I get near full signal strength at 90%+ here and KEYE is not even at full power yet. What's so special with your situation that you think that they'll grant a waiver for that channel to your case? I can understand FOX, their signal strength sucks but KEYE is one, if not the best here in Austin.

Hey Driver,
Right on. In fact, my CBS- OTA feed(42-1) is way better than my CBS-D* feed(80). In my neck-of-the-woods, anyways. (78703).
Cheers,
AMc

The signal strength on the Sat is totally different than signal strength on OTA. ie: Satellite vs. Terrestrial antenna. 80 is kind of low unless its overcast I guess.

On a clear day my brothers setup in Circle C would get in the HIGH 90s. His house was wired with high quality RG6. I just tested mine and with all the bad weather we've been having tonight, right now its hovering between 77-88 for DirecTV depending on which transponder I select. Outside I can't even see the moon it's so overcast. I used commercial grade Quad Shield RG6 for the runs to my DirecTivo. I don't think anyone should have any problems attaining similar signal quality here in Central Texas.

Has anyone heard anything about WB (HD of course) making into Time Warners lineup? Now that I have the 8300 I could complete the list of shows that I watch in HD as they were meant. No, I'm not talking about Reba but Smallville. If no, I may shake the tree and let y'all know.

WB is in negotiations I beleive, UPN on the other hand (Enterprise anyone?) is a long way off as they are'nt even digital at this point. I beleive the TW rep I spoke with said UPN rebroadcasts here in Austin through 24's transmitter system or something like that. It'll likely be a year or two before there is even a digital OTA signal to receive much less a TWC one.

colin204,
I too live in South Austin and was denied by KENS for the waiver. The link on DirecTV where you put in your address shows that I get a grade B signal from KENS when I put in my full address or the zip code + 4. If I just put in my zip code (78749) KENS does not come up as a signal that I receive.
I got DirecTV to send me a form requesting that a signal test at my location be performed. If KENS is going to be so adamant about refusing waivers, then I want them to have to deal with the cost and inconvenience of conducting a test to show that I cannot receive KENS even with a Channel Master 4224 (not sure if that is the right model number or not) on top of my 2 story house.
If this doesn't work, I will "move" to my son's apartment who lives about 2 miles North of me. His address shows no KENS signal available using the DirecTV link.

Others,
I am quite pleased with KEYE's OTA signal and am just wanting to get the national feed as a backup. Also, I have an older DTC100 and you have to switch from SAT to OTA to get the locals and at times this seems to much for others to comprehend when using the remote control. I never even had locals through DirecTV until recently when they offered them free for 6 months. I will probably keep it once the free period is over if Fox HD is up and running on DirecTV. I can get FOX OTA about 95% of the time, but it would be worth it to me to pay a few dollars more per month to get it 100% of the time.

Murray

colin204,
I too live in South Austin and was denied by KENS for the waiver. The link on DirecTV where you put in your address shows that I get a grade B signal from KENS when I put in my full address or the zip code + 4. If I just put in my zip code (78749) KENS does not come up as a signal that I receive.
I got DirecTV to send me a form requesting that a signal test at my location be performed. If KENS is going to be so adamant about refusing waivers, then I want them to have to deal with the cost and inconvenience of conducting a test to show that I cannot receive KENS even with a Channel Master 4224 (not sure if that is the right model number or not) on top of my 2 story house.
If this doesn't work, I will "move" to my son's apartment who lives about 2 miles North of me. His address shows no KENS signal available using the DirecTV link.

Others,
I am quite pleased with KEYE's OTA signal and am just wanting to get the national feed as a backup. Also, I have an older DTC100 and you have to switch from SAT to OTA to get the locals and at times this seems to much for others to comprehend when using the remote control. I never even had locals through DirecTV until recently when they offered them free for 6 months. I will probably keep it once the free period is over if Fox HD is up and running on DirecTV. I can get FOX OTA about 95% of the time, but it would be worth it to me to pay a few dollars more per month to get it 100% of the time.

Murray

I have tried the silver sensor with no luck and do not want to mount an antenna on the roof. As far as them granting a waiver I thought that since KEYE was O&O by CBS you could get the station without a waiver?

Colin