Traverse City, MI - HDTV - Page 57

Finally tracked down the Charter clear QAM channels for TC if anybody else is interested, with the help of CharterSteve over at dslreports.com:

7.1 - WFQXH (FOX)
7.2 - WGTUD (ABC)
107.1 - WPBND ((NBC)
107.2 - WWTVD (CBS)

I hadn't realized they had moved ABC and FOX down to the low numbers and just failed to see them after scanning. I'm currently having some QAM tuner/signal issue with the upper numbers, so for right now my scan isn't seeing them. I'll have to look into my options, though I assume once Charter goes all digital, these will probably drop to the lower frequencies too.

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A firmware update for my Panny TH-58PX600U fixed my tuner issue. I had no idea Charter has so many QAM channels in the clear.

Come to find out, WWTVD is actually at 107.3

For those of you that only have Charter internet and no cable tv service, the QAM channels still come in, but NOT the 7.1 & 7.2 channels. Everything starts at 75.1

75.1 TBSHD
76.2 PBS Create SD
76.4 PBS HD
107.1 NBCHD
107.3 CBSHD

Anyone with at least limited basic cable will get 7.1 FOXHD and 7.2 ABCHD also.
I try to keep a spreadsheet of the QAM channels but I almost have to update it every few weeks as Charter is always switching channel locations.

HTH
Ed

So do you get these with just Charter Internet or do you have to subscribe to the basic tier on cable? was maybe thinking of cutting the cable tv cord to save some money, but need internet and I always wondered if you can still get local's through their cable lines even though not subscribing to them just internet?

I have no charter tv package at all, just their internet service. As was explained to me by one of their techs, the internet comes thru on QAM channel 113 so they can't block out the tv part. Only QAM channels come in, there is no channel listing anywhere and they shuffle/add/remove all the time. I would have to double check, but I believe all channels in the Limited Basic are available, plus a few others like Ion, CW & Cspan 1-3) that are in the basic expanded package. Also all the music choice channels come in.

So yes, you will still get you locals if you cut your tv service and retain the internet, CBS, NBC, PBS are in HD and FOX & ABC in digital only.

Yes, you can still get the locals at a minimum, and sometimes more than that, even with just Internet service.

Always, always, run a channel scan and see what develops.

7.1 for Fox and 7.2 for ABC no longer work. I kept trying to use those as I have in the past but they quit working. I did three channel scans this afternoon and those two channels are no longer showing up for me.

This with using a Pinnacle 800i card on Win 7.

I'll see what I can find when I get the chance.

Much appreciated. I've done several channel scans the past couple of days and have sorted through all of the available and dead channels and just can't seem to locate where Fox and ABC HD channels got moved to.

CADTV using a QAM tuner should access all channels that your cable provides in-the- clear (ITC) without encryption or scrambling AND without a cable box. According to FCC regulations, all local channels must be carried ITC. However, apparently PBS is not considered local' for TC since it does not appear on any CADTV channel. Oddly enough though PBS (WCMV) along with Create appear on DTV (OTA) at 27-1 and 27-3 with an in-house antenna here in TC.

What is the most frustrating is that the CADTV channels that are ITC are not readily identifiable via some listing somewhere. To date I have yet to find any listing online that clearly identifies the ITC CADTV channels that should be received in TC through Charter cable with at least the basic tier. For instance, silicondust.com lets you put in your area code and then has two lists for zip 49684: one for Charter cable and one for digital (OTA) tv. However the list for Charter cable shows a multitude of channels that I do not receive. For instance Music Choice - up until just a few days ago Music Choice channels all appeared ITC on channel 103-nn. Now they have apparently vanished. Trying the CADTV channel 77-nn designation shown on the silicondust.com list comes up empty.

My guess is that cable wants to make as much money as it can with HD and digital tv so cable (along with all its syncophants) obscures those HD and digital channels that either are mandated as being carried ITC like the local channels or that come thru ITC like Music Choice due to technical limitations. I am also guessing that Charter/Cable has figured out how to either block Music Choice from coming thru ITC' OR Music Choice is off-air' with Charter currently.

I don't know why we can't use our QAM tuners like the old analog cable ready tuners and let us get the expanded basic channels in HD too so I don't have to use there stupid cable boxes that never work right through HDMI.

Does the FCC have regulations requiring cable companies to provide all local affiliate channels (ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox) in digital (DTV)? I can only get NBC and CBS, Charter is currently blocking DTV access of ABC and Fox in Traverse City, unless of course I rent their box. They still work in the old analog channels (3, 4, 8 & 10), but the quality of the broadcast over those channels are less then desirable. I'm considering contacting Charter support over this, I only pay for the basic 13 channels, but if memory serves me correctly basic DTV should not require anything from the cable provider. If Charter is indeed blocking those channels, I would like to know if there is an course of action I might possibly pursue if their support denies access when it is required by law.

Contact AVS member Umatter2Charter via Private Message for support. Be sure to include your name and address so they can contact the proper area support.

Thanks Ken for the direction, much appreciated!

That's why I get paid the big bucks......

Please let me know how they respond. For service related issues this approach usually works quite well for Charter.

As clearly pointed out below if Rosco_CoF gets NBC & CBS HD in TC ITC then his set gets ABC & Fox.


What is obvious is that cable learned from the first go-around years ago how to milk every cent along with stores like BstBy that lead you to believe that the digital cable package is the only way while taking their cut. As recently as 2008 there was still hope with ala carte pricing as an example of a better cable model for consumers - Google FCC ala carte commissioner. A Nielsen study noted that the average cable user pays for 85 channels while only watching 16! FCC Commissioner Martin says in a letter from August 2007 that Cable companies often point to the increased number of channels being offered as an explanation for the increase in prices. This explanation, however, ignores the fact that most of these channels are not actually being watched. Alas, Martin is gone, played out as a deviant sucker attempting to cleanse cable media, while the ala carte cable idea was swept under the rug with the HDTV 2009 roll-out and consumer frenzy.




So this is how it works? Instead of a cable co. like Charter taking initiative for real customer service and simply publishing either online or with inserts/adverts about the HD QAM ITC channels, we rely on either other forum users like DocCasualty, websites like silicondust.com OR private messages to a member called Umatter2Charter??

He has been of tremendous help, we're still trying to nail down the problem, it may exist somewhere else.

Some mild tropo last night and this morning brought your WWTV and WCMU way down here in Northern Illinois. It was so strong I watched the 11:00 news (which was 10:00 for me).
If I could ask, what does "9 & 10 News at 11" mean? Where's 10?

Channel 10 is in the Upper Peninsula but airs the same programming as 9 which is in the lower peninsula.

Thanks! I hope the guy who fell off the ladder is ok.

9&10 News at 11 is our local news show. As you probably know that CBS airs 3 hours worth of a combination sitcom/hour dramas/reality during the 5 day work week. So here in Northern MI that late news airs at 11pm. WCMU is our local PBS affiliate. How strong was both WWTV and WCMU signal? WWTV website is www.9and10news.com and WCMU website is www.wcmu.org. You always could do a Wikipedia search for both as well. Hope this helps you.

Both were coming in very strong- more than enough to watch comfortably. WWTV has become a fairly regular tropo hit this year, as I upgraded to a Winegard 1713, and there are no RF 9s around here to get in the way. WGVU on RF 11 also comes in a lot more.
WCMU is a bit of a surprise because it was able to overcome WKOW on RF 26. WKOW is my farthest 24/7 station at 85 miles, but it is quite strong at my location, and it is rare for me to see anything on 26 while DXing.

To explain it a little bit more. The 9 and 10 are the stations that the news is on. Channels 9 and 10 both run the same programming and share the news broadcast. What it is 9 is located in the Northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan and 10 is in the Eastern Upper Peninsula. 4 and 7 are the same way in the area.

Tonight I have WCMU once again (193 miles with no other Michigans except WTLJ, which is easy).
What are you feeding that thing?

That means you didn't get WWTV (9&10 News), in tonight. Where is WTLJ from? Must be down state.

Who knows what Central Michigan University is putting out for power on WCMU. You may want to call them (1-800-727-9268 I think) or just email them by going to their website www.wcmu.org.

Yeah WTLJ is Grand Rapids, but it's on RF 24 which is a "clear" channel in my area...so it is the "gateway" station that tells me tropo is coming in from across the lake.
But WCMU has co-channels, and none of the other usual suspects from Michigan was present. Weird that it's just WCMU and no others. Whatever they're doing it must be working.

7&4 News is now SD widescreen. Not HD, but it at least fills up the screen. Weather graphics need work as there is a lot of video noise.

Are you viewing it on Charter or Over-The-Air? I flipped the channel from 695 (USA HD) to 784 (NBC HD) and to 4 (NBC SD) then I didn't see anything during a Paid Programming show.

OTA. I'm referring to their news broadcasts, not the entire channel. They even made a point to say "7&4 News now in widescreen" with a graphic at the beginning of their broadcast tonight.

Noticed that 9&10 is now using their logos to the sides of the standard def news cast as stations do when they have a standard def when doing HD, so I'm wondering is 9&10 is getting ready to become HD for their newscast? I seen 7&4 and yes it is standard widescreen, better than before but wish they would go HD.

I saw that too for 9&10 NEWS. I flipped the channel from 697 (FNC HD) to 780 (CBS HD) and saw the logo and call letters on the sides. At least it is a moving background on the sides instead of a still background. Who knows they may end up going full HD someday. Just wonder if 9&10 will do the same for the 7am to 9am (Michigan This Morning), along with 7pm and 10pm newscasts on Fox 32.