Lafayette, LA / Beaumont, TX / Lake Charles, LA - HDTV - Page 4

Does anyone know anything about the Lafayette Cox HD service? Does anyone know of any possible additions?

Ben

Hey everyone.
I have been out on vaction for a week so I am just starting to catch up on things. Looks like Fox is a no go anytime soon huh?
I noticed the Time Warner price increase stories on the news before I left town. As soon as I got home from Mexico I had a message from Time Warner that the HD DVR's were available. The Motorolla 8000's. I am going to pick one up today and give it a try. The CSR told me that ESPN HD has been added to the master service menu and should be online very soon.
Even with the price increase it is better than spending $1000.00 with dish network for a box with many problems.
I'll let you know how it goes.
Leon.

OK here is my report so far.
I picked up the HD DVR yesterday and played with it most of the night.
The HD Channels are very impressive.
The SD channels are way out of line so far. I have a cable tech coming out to look at my setup Monday morning. My lower channel numbers such as 2 -13 have rolling lines in them and a lot of snow. I have bypassed all my splitters and just have the box hooked up directly to my main line but the problem is still there. If they can not make the channels look any better then the box is going back and I am keeping my Dish Network.

I have no problems with the box itself. The menu and recording of HD are impressive and I like that you can record one show and watch another, which my dish box can not do.
Leon.

Woody, I don't know about Arcade, but neither my box, nor the three other people I know who have one, has firewire ports. I was hoping to have them also. I have the SA 8000HD box.

No firewire port.
DVI is supposed to be active with the version of software the machine is running but it can not see things at the TWC end yet so it is currently useless.

Here are my problems so far.

1. The SD stations look like crap. I have a tech coming monday morning to check the cable.

2. I can not record Discovery HD or TNT HD no matter what I do.
( It will record INHD1, INHD2, HDNET1, and HDNET2 just fine).

3. using the optical sound out the sound will just quit on HDNET about every minute or so. The only way to get the sound back is press the channel up button and then the channel down button. This will lock the sound in for about another minute before you have to do the process all over again. I have not tried using analog sound yet.

My analog channels also look bad. However, the digital non-HD channels look a little better than with my Motorola 5100 box. It may not be the case, but I think my HD channels looked slightly better on my old box also. One thing I do not like is that the SD outputs are inactive in 1080i mode with component out. Only with the PIP or Copy to VCR functions do you see anything out of the S-Video or composite outputs while in HD mode. If the box is in SD (480i) mode, the other outputs are active.

I got the Hd dvr and also can't record Discovery or TNT but Can record HBO and IHHD,hdnet...I have some serious voice sinc problems on replay slow motion when I restart the video but when I stop and press play again it sincs up..overall pretty happy with the new toy..definitely watching more HD now .less trips to blockbuster

Has anyone from Lafayette hooked Cox cable to a QAM tuner? Anything hidden?

Ben

Hi,
I'm picking up an HDTV w/in the next week and was wondering how the Beaumont area was doing for HD lately. From reading the thread sounds like TWC is pretty bad. Should I look into DishNetwork or Directv instead? How is the OTA reception in the west end area?

TIA, J.

OK TIA. Here is a very quick rundown. In the West end of Beaumont you will be able to receive KFDM Channel 6 in HD. They are on channel 21-1 for your over the air receiver. If your new tv has a built in HD tuner then you will not need a set top box to pick up this signal. If your TV is HD ready then you will need an HD reciever to pick up this station. Time Warner has not added the channel 6 HD signal to it's lineup yet.
Channel 4 and 12 are broadcasting in digital on 40-1 and 50-1 but are not HD yet. It may take a year or more for these stations to be able to afford the change over.
I currently have Dish Network and Time Warner. I am leaving the Dish Network because their HD DVR box is $1,000 up front and will probably never have our local CBS, ABC and NBC in HD.
Time Warner on the other hand will give you the HD DVR with a rental fee each month. Eventually they will add our local CBS in HD and the others as they fall in line.
Currently with Time Warner you will get
Discovery HD
TNT HD
INHD 1
INHD2
HDNET
HDNET 2
HBO HD
Showtime HD
Fox Sports Net HD (Which had the yankees in HD last night)
ESPN HD (coming this month)
CBS HD (Coming Lord knows when, but it will eventually).

I have an outdoor antenna on my chimney but you can get KFDM with an indoor antenna as well. I actually have been able to pick up Houston Stations some nights but have never been able to get KPLC, NBC in Lake Charles yet from the West end of Beaumont. Too many Trees.

Hope this helps some.
Leon.

thanks Leon. Will probably get the HD DVR from TWC.

J.

I just got back from the opening of the South Texas State Fair.
Time Warner had a booth in the exhibit hall so I stopped in. I got some good news from them.
First of all ESPN HD will be added any day now. They have hooked up the necessary equipment and are testing the software for the channel right now. So soon we can enjoy the Sunday night NFL games in HD.
Second they told me that they have a tech from Scientific Atlanta that has moved to Beaumont in order to make sure the transition to the HD DVR's goes as smoothly as possible. They said that he knows about the audio sync problem that we have and that he is working hard to fix it.
Third they said they are working hard with Channel 6 to carry the HD signal for CBS, but that channel 6 still wants to charge them too much money to carry it. I'm not sure about this one as it goes against what I was told by Channel 6. I will call my buddy at channel 6 soon and try to get to the bottom of this. It is ridiculous that Time Warner can work this out in all the other major markets but not ours.
Leon.

Just currious. What kind of HDTV are you getting?

Arcade, bought the 30" Sanyo at Walmart. Pretty good set, but will probably get something bigger before my 90 days are up. Know of any decent deals for a RPTV around here?

I have not been looking lately but I would certainly check out Circuit City's "Open Box" buys. You can get some very good prices that way

I have the Samsung 50" DLP and I love it. They also make it in a 46" version and a 60" version.

Arcade...DLP's out of my league just yet. I could spend it, but there's other things I'd like to get besides a TV. I returned the 30" Sanyo today and bought a 42" Samsung (HCN4226W). Overall pleased with it, about the right size for us. Almost bought the Tosh 46H84, but I got the Samsung for a steal as it was a floor model. Wish we had an OTA tuner built in, as we were spoiled watching HD OTA the last few days. Am currently waiting to get an HD STB from TWC. Was pretty disappointed in them as they charge an arm and a leg for their service. Anybody have the TWC HD DVR? HD pack from TWC? Either any good? Right now, I was just going to go with just the regular HD STB and then look at the HD package and the DVR later as I am just getting my feet wet.

-J

Yea. I know what you mean. I got my DLP with my tax refund check. I have never paid that much for a TV before but I figure it will last me many many years. The HD picture on it is simply the best I have seen.
You should be happy with your set as Samsung makes very high quality products. Oddly enough when I was looking at buying mine a Toshiba was my second choice as well.
I have the HD DVR and the HD pack. I know it is not cheap but it is still less than Dish Network would have been for the same setup. I also have Road Runner Cable modem from Time warner so my cable bill this month should be pretty pricey. Once they add ESPN and CBS in HD I will be very happy.

Has anybody heard anything about when the TWC CBS HD feed will be available?...and I wonder what's up with the tnt,dsc recording glitch...they keep saying any day on the ESPN..and I am encouraged by the relatively rapid rollout of the HD PVR's..

I sent an email to Channel 6 for their HD engineer.
Below is my letter and then his response about CBS being added to Time Warner. If anyone has "Uncle Larry's" email like he suggest then please send him the same question.






Has there been any headway in getting your HD signal on Time Warner Cable?
I have talked with people from Channel 6 that have told me that Time Warner is free to put on your signal any time they want.
Then when I talk to Time Warner they tell me that you guys want too much money to carry it.
Who is correct and how much longer do you think this will go on?
How can cities like Austin, San Antonio, Houston, and Dallas get all of their HD Stations on cable and we can not get even one?
Maybe getting your signal on Time Warner will give ABC and NBC a kick in the rear to get their act together.
Thanks,
Leon.




Leon:

I am going to have to step on a few toes here in order to give an accurate answer to your question.

1. Channel 6 answer:
Whoever told you that cable is free to pick up our signal was only partly right. They can pick up our signal any time they want to, but they can not put it on their system without our permission.


2. T/W answer:
I'm not involved with the money side of this debate, but let's say that we wanted 10 cents per subscriber. I don't even know that it is based on subscriber, but let us assume that it is, since it would make sense. And don't pass the 10 cents around as gospel. I have no idea what "uncle Larry" thinks is reasonable.

So, T/W pays us 10 cents, and passes that 10 cents on to you. Would you be willing to pay an extra 10 cents/month? Before you jump down my throat for increasing your cable bill, please remember that they are paying us nothing for my analog channel 6 signal, but they are charging you for it. It's just hidden in the "basic cable" bill.

I have a problem "giving" our signal to cable so they can charge you for it. Cable pays (per subscriber) for the major channels on their system (CNN, ESPN, HBO, etc), and pass these charges to you (with a profit margin added; they do need to maintain their equipment). Some of the channels on cable (and satellite, for that matter) cost the cable system nothing (and that's the main reason they are there).

There is also a technical issue that I don't like with the way cable would "carry" our signal. The cable company wants to carry only our primary channel (digital channel 6.1). Anything else we have on our digital channel is stripped off and thrown away. This means that you could not watch our digital channel 6.2 (live Doppler radar) when connected to cable. This may not bother you too much, but it bothers me.


The big cities you mention are "giving" their digital signals to the cable system. I would assume that the competative pressures of having 8 or more stations in a single market would account for the stations "giving their signal away".

Who's correct? I will have to let you decide for yourself. Of course, I think we are correct.

How much longer will this go on? I wish I knew.

Fell free to email "uncle Larry" directly with your question if you wish. Only he can provide you with a progress report concerning cable negotiations.


Richard Kihn
Chief Engineer
KFDM-TV/KFDM-DT

I also sent an email to KBTV channel 4 to see if they had any news about an HD broadcast from them.

Pasted below is their great reply:


NOT AT THIS TIME------



Looks like Beaumont getting NBC in HD will be just short of hell freezing over.

Hello-
I have been lurking for the past month trying to get up to speed on the HDTV situation in Southeast Texas.
This week I will be visiting my Dad in Colmesneil, north of Woodville Texas to install a HDTV system for Directv and OTA. We are trying to get CBS and Fox in HD OTA for football due to the weird blackout rules on satellite. It is going to be tough getting KFDM-DT at 62 miles with only 55 KW and 900 ft height. I may be able to get KYTX-DT (licensed to Nacadoches, but closer to Jacksonville) at 128 KW and 1500 ft. at a 82 mile distance better for CBS. I will have a Channel Master 4228 antenna and a 7777 preamp - with the mast to be determined. But my question is about the Fox affiliate in Lake Charles. TitanTV lists the Digital version as available on channel 30, but doesn't list the analog on 29. The last post I saw here was that they are at 100 ft with 200 watts. So is this just a Titan TV quirk, or did they go High Power HD?

Dale

Hello Dale,
I think this is a Titan TV quirk. I still cannot get it in Port Arthur.

Anybody else getting more breakups for KFDM channel 6 since they moved to 6.1 from 21.1, or is it just me?
I still have a strong signal from them but I get a lot more pixels and sound drops since them moved the signal.
Also anyone know why they moved the signal in the first place?
Leon.

I also have the breaks in the signal. As far as the channel labeling, it is still channel 21, they must be sending different PSIP (Program and System Information Protocol) info. About a month ago I updated the firmware on my SIRT-151 to handle the so-called broadcast flag. After the update is when my STB started displaying 6-1 & 6-2. Maybe it was just coincidence that the PSIP change happened at the same time.

Here is the response I got from Gary Underwood from Time Warner Cable about ESPN and CBS being added to their line up. Just thought I would share it with all of you.
Leon.





We are tentatively scheduled to debut ESPN HD on or after November 15th. There are a few technical issues we are working through, and when I know the exact date I'll share it with you. The channel will be on Digital Channel 773 as part of our HD Tier. The tier includes HD Net 1, HD NET Movies, IN HD 1 and IN HD2. The tier is $9.95 by itself, or as low as $5.00 depending on which DigiPic Package your purchase. As far as KFDM's HD feed goes, we are still talking with them about access to their HD signal but for right now we have no immediate plans to add it to our lineup.

Thanks for your inquiry. Write back if you have any additional questions.

Just in case any of you still care about new Time Warner Info. I just got back from the "Chamber" Business after hours that was hosted tonight by Time Warner. They had all the latest technology up and running at the Black Cat Lounge on Crocket Street.
First of all they said that ESPN will be going live this week. YAY!!
They are close to reaching an agreement with CBS to air their HD signal as well. They said the talks are moving in a positive direction. They are also working with ABC channel 12 to get the rights for their HD signal whenever it goes live. They said poor NBC channel 4 would be awhile as they are having some financial difficulties at the moment.
They told me that the new SA 8300 HD DVR's would be in very soon as well. These units will replace the SA 8000's that we have now and will fix the sound problems that the 8000's have. Such as when you FF and press play sometimes the sound will be out of sync with the picture.
They also had a new feature running where you can play games on your TV with the remote. This feature will be available for free for a couple of months so everyone can try it out. It has the ability to let you play games against live opponets across the country. All this while live TV plays in the corner so you can watch and play at the same time. They had a Tetris type game going at the show and said it will come with 8 games to start with.
I told the tech that some people can not record TNT and Disc. HD and she said they should have it fixed quickly.
All in all it was a pretty good show with lots of new information to pass along.
Hope this helps some of you.
Leon.

ESPN-HD added to the line up today!
Channel 773 Beaumont TWC.
Leon.