Austin, TX - HDTV - Page 6

I'll 2nd or 3rd (whatever it is at this point) the rec. for the Zenith Silver Sensor antenna. Far South Austin and I pick up everybody, except you know who. We need to break out the hounds and hunt down that station manager...

Robert,

I think you're doing a heck of job with this thread keeping us all up to date. I wish I could side with your statement of support for FOX, but when a local WB station has the capability to put up 500K watts, FOX corporate has ZERO excuses regarding costs, especially considering how many months past the deadline they are....AND who they are owned by.

What really burns me is that they are again asking for an additional CP waiver.

I think that we (those who live in and around Austin) have the right to demand that they transmit appropriately or ask the FCC to pull their license for their lack of service to the community. They received the spectrum ... we should have the right to demand transmission within the footprint allocated by FCC.

I think it's pretty ugly to think that 800 Watts could actually be agreed to by the FCC, but Powell doesn't live in Austin...neither does anyone else who would approve the waiver.

Let's see..there's probably...what... three or four people that could actually receive the station over the air based on 800 Watts. Actually my home theater has more wattage than that.

I doubt highly this is what the FCC had in mind when they stated the requirement for every station in the market to be transmitting digital by this time two years ago.

...and before someone flames me for that statement or thinks Fox has an excuse because of the fact that TWC will be carrying them, let's be clear that the requirement for public service is to be able to receive their transmission in the clear, over the air, within the Austin footprint...not have to pay either D*TV or TWC a fee to be able to receive it.

I'd hope we could drum up support to tell the FCC that they (FOX) are out of compliance and demand a signal test. I can't get the signal and I doubt that just about anyone else here can either, who lives more than 2 miles from the transmitter.

I think we should request the FCC to run their trucks around town for a test to see if FOX is in compliance on the same rules that affected every other station, including the majority of local stations, in one of the country's top 40 major markets.

It's embarrassing to say they should own a right to Austin digital spectrum for 2 years when not a single person outside a two block area can receive the signal.

I, for one, think the FCC should reconsider any additional waivers and force them into compliance or pull their license and give it to some other company that's willing to get in compliance and provide the public service.

One man's opinion...

Reese... well written note, and some very good points.

Rob, I echo the thanks for keeping us all up to date. Whether we agree with Fox's reasoning or not, at least we know what (terrible) reasoning is behind their current (terrible) signal strength.

Even though I am one of the few who does receive Fox OTA (in Oak Hill more than a few blocks away) I don't mind bashing them for the low power along with everyone else. I can only get it through my RCA DTC-100 STB but not my HiPix card that I could use to record.

Robert, I have to disagree with you on the picture quality of 480p. To me, it is much better than 480i and this past fall, being able to watch football games in widescreen on Fox (although I could get it through DirecTV through the Sunday Ticket as well) was definitely an improvement over SD 480i. Nothing like HD on CBS, ABC or ESPN though.

I too wish ABC did not convert 720p to 1080i -- I'd like to be able to compare 1080i to 720p through my HiPix card. Unfortunately my DTC-100 converts 720p to 1080i, so I don't get ESPN in 720p either.

And I also express my gratitude for your work to keep this thread active and informative. Dr Joe who?

Murray

Just wanted to add my experience with the Zenith Silver Sensor. I'm in Round Rock at 3406 & Sunrise, about 18 miles from the towers according to antennaweb.org. No problem pulling in all the channels (except Fox of course) and the antenna is just sitting on top of the entertainment center.

I got mine at Best Buy but Fry's had about 10 of them this past weekend.

Anyone have a "feel" for if the silver sensor (or Double bow tie) would pull anything in from 2 miles away, but at the bottom of a 200' 45 degree "cliff" between my house and the towers?

I might have to grab and try a Silver Sensor from Georgetown before I pay someone $200+ (labor only) to put a big antenna on my roof...

Anybody got news r.e. TWC 8000HD availability? Sorry if this is old news -- I've been away. BTW, the 8300HD specs look very interesting....I'd love to have one (assuming it works well, which the original 8000SD did not!!) Guess I'll believe it when I see it!

For more info on 8300HD, look here...
http://www.extremetech.com/article2/...1405051,00.asp

Just tell Daniel to get over there... his hasn't fallen off the roof (yet...)!

Peter- I'm sure you're getting sick of us bringing it up again, but
any new updates on the 8000HD availablity? It sure would be nice to
have it all set up by the Super Bowl.


Wont be then. Probably will be at the end of that week or the beginning of
the next week. Our tentative launch for HDNET and HDNET Movies will be the
4th. HD DVR will follow that.

I haven't seen anybody mention it in this thread yet, but we have been getting an occasional Spurs game in HD on TWC channel 1604 (FOX Sports HD). Last night's Spurs vs Nets looked pretty good to me. The next game is scheduled for Jan 31 at 7:00 pm vs the Raptors.

You register on this site and make your first post for this?

You haven't seen my roof. It's got one hell of a pitch to it. But if he wants to come out, say Saturday at 5pm...

According to earlier posts on this same forum, the corporate owners of the Austin ABC affiliate dictated 1080i so they upconvert. I've never heard anything more than that but it probably is as simple as "1080 > 720".

Silver Sensor in use here in north Austin. All local OTA channels received except for FOX.

On TWC 1501 (Fox) and 1604 (Fox Sports) are 720p (that's not to say that KTBC is HD, but the cable signal is sent via 720p). 1604 is HD and looks great.

Where are you guys finding the Silver Sensor for sale in Austin? I could only find Terk at Frys...

Bought a Silver Sensor at Circuit City some months ago. They're a Zenith dealer. Sears might have them as well.

Looks like Best Buy has it as well.

Best Buy lists it online, but says that none of their around here stores have it. Fry's (Outpost.com) lists it online as well, but you can't check store availability. Neither Circuit City nor Ultimate Electronics lists it on their website...Sears only has it on their website.

I'd rather buy it locally to test it...

I do not watch a lot of NBC, so I am wondering if it is worth also getting an OTA antenna along with my TWC. How is the picture quality compared to TWC feed? I guess the real question is how is the D->A converters in the 3250 boxes compared to others. I have a Mitsu with built in tuner so I would think the signal path is shorter and the D->A better. Any experience?

Also I may get Fox OTA living at Enfield and Mopac. Anyone around this area receive Fox OTA.

Thanks,
Mark

Robert, I am looking into getting a Z2 in the near future.

Wonder if you could buy it online from Best Buy or Sears, then return it to the local store if you don't like it? I'd think that at least Sears would let you do this...

Or do you mean to be able to see it in person before you buy it?

Hmm...I could probably do that. I'd jus tlike to be able to return it if I want...

Chris, I was just at Fry's last weekend and they had a couple in addition to the one I bought. Look in the far back corner by the big screen TV section, not in front near the big roof top antennae.

Jason

As of tonight, Fry's had about 10 Silver Sensors for $40 with the rest of their TV antennas. Circuit City had none and I bought the last one at Best Buy. The BB website said they had none but there was one left. It does work noticably better than the ole rabbit ears.

I'll definitely go by there tomorrow then.