Nashville, TN - OTA

I wouldn't hold my breath.

There's reason to be optimistic. Fox is giving the most expensive (and critical) part of what's needed to the affiliates (and installing it themselves). And Sinclair has announced some major equipment purchases. But even without Sinclair's contribution, they could still show all of the network HD and switch back to SD for local commercials and non-network programming. So, bottom line, I'd bet that they'll show all of the Fox net's HD programming when it starts in September.

Now, boosting signal strength to something more than 24kw would be welcome... No telling when that'll happen, though.

-Reagan

There is some equipment that needs to be purchased by the affiliate. They need the ability to upconvert local commercials and news to 720p so that they can maintain a 720p signal. HD equipment doesn't work very well when they switch formats on the fly. That said, I've heard that Fox 17 is on track to go HD when the Fox network goes HD in the fall. I'll believe it when I see it.

Lee

Its been a month since last update anybody here anything from our fox station in nsahville yet.

If your Fox station is currently broadcasting a digital channel, the odds are VERY good that they will be passing Fox's 720p by the fall since Fox is providing all the gear to pass net HDTV, except for the transmitter.

Nope, but I've read enough from Fox, Sinclair, and WZTV that I'm confident it'll happen on time.

No hint of a power increase though, which means "probably not".

-Reagan

Yeah, I'm optimistic, but I don't have any information that you guys don't have. If you read over in HDTV Programming, there are a lot of stations that are changing their broadcast to 720p in preparation for this fall. If and when that happens, I'll be confident that we'll be getting Fox HD.

There's a post in HDTV Programming (by Reagan, I believe) that the date for WZTV to go HD is Sept 12.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...0&pagenumber=9

Lee

I suppose I don't have a reason to doubt that Fox17 will be going HD this fall, but I admit that I'm a little pessimistic. I hope they prove me wrong. The last thing that I heard was that they were following the corporate timeline.

I really hope they go HD soon. Since Fox broadcasts baseball, football and Nascar, HD would be a wonderful thing.

If they are transmitting digital now, they'll be transmitting the network in HDTV in the fall. Fox is giving them and installing the HD gear.

(edited to clarify what will be in HD after Fox supplies and installs the splicer)

Not necessarily true. Fox will go to great lengths to make sure all affiliates pass through HD, but the affiliate is responsible for having the equipment to broadcast local news and commercials in 720p and for having the microwave uplink to the tower. Fox will provide all other equipment.

Lee

Since virtually no station is xmitting news or commercials in HD this argument makes no sense. Fox is supplying the HD gear to pass the network. The station is responsible, by law, to supply the digital transmitter. The only missing piece would be the microwave link, assuming that a station even uses one.

Local stuff does not have to be produced in HDTV (720p), the stations
just have to have and up-convertor and HD encoder. These are not
horribly expensive. What's expensive is a full switching setup and
especially the suitable studio to transmitter link.

Doug McDonald

In another thread (on the hardware page), a Sinclair rep said all of their non-UPN stations would be doing HD this fall - aside from a few stragglers. Given the size of the Nashville market, we probably won't be one of the stragglers.

-Reagan

I was wondering about UPN since they're a sister station to Fox. I might actually watch some UPN shows if they're HD.

When I flip through the program guide, I see the "HD" logo after a lot of WB and UPN shows and wondered if we'd ever get them in Nashville.

Please don't fail to remember that we're counting on Sinclair to get off their ass and do something for the viewers here in the Nashville area.
Now I have heard that they have supposedly installed a new dish of some sort which is the first step in the upgrade process.
Once the local affiliate is able to receive the network signal,then the other equipment necessary for the upgrade will be installed by the network.
Once again Sinclair has showed their weakass by dragging their feet and have just began the process to pass thru the HD signal.
Sept.12 is the network launch date at this time.
I wouldn't count on Sinclair here being ready.
I was forced to move in order to get the Fox feeds I want.
Sinclair sucks and always has and the other threads on this forum recently singing their praises are f***ing crazy.
There's a thread in the Hardware section touting Sinclair's OTA ******** story.
Be my guest and go read it.
What a sack.

Sinclair likely wants to sell/lease the bulk of their digital bandwidth to OTA pay services like U$DTV

USDTV STB & $20 monthly subscription required.....

That's good news. If they're throwing the 720p switch they can't be far from the splicer.

I put my antenna up this weekend and I was able to get Fox17 during the day, but it appeared to be low power (compared to 5 and 2). Last night I had no signal. No HD content that I could see even when I could pick it up.

I talked to an engineer at WNPT (one of my favorite stations) and they are only doing HD 7am-6pm and at very low power. I could get a "decent" signal on them yesterday before they shut down. Is Fox 17 doing the same thing? Testing days only with lower power?

The guy at channel 8 didn't hold out much hope for higher power anytime soon (hard to get the bux with a publically funded station) but did say there would be more hours of HD operation soon.

If the answer to the FCC HD mandate is going to be answered by low power transmissions then maybe I better make plans to move my antenna up onto the roof of the house?

Thanks!
Dennis

You're confusing HD with DTV. Neither Fox nor NPT are passing through any HD content. They are on the air with a digital (DTV) signal. The FCC does have provisions that allow stations to be at certain power levels until certain dates, so I doubt they'll increase the power unless they have to. The FCC does not mandate that anyone broadcast in HD...only that they broadcast a digital signal.

As far as Fox goes, I've recently noticed that the Sept. 12 date that Fox 17 keeps telling us is the same date that the Fox network will begin giving them HD content. I hope it's true that they will be HD by 9/12, but I have to wonder if their plans aren't really firm yet, so they keep telling us that they'll be HD by the time the network goes HD. Like I said before, I'll believe it when I see an HD broadcast (preferably at more than 0.5 kW)

Lee

I was not confusing HD with DTV, since I figured the daytime content on both was NOT an HD source I was not surprised to get a digital signal with SD content

Can you confirm that Fox is also in low power (the 0.5kw figure you mention) and do they only test during the day?

From where I live, Fox and PBS are at opposite ends of the arc I have to cover. If both keep on in low power - assuming they eventually pass HD content 24/7 - then I will not be able to optimize my antenna aim for the best signal strenth on both.

I should be able to get some NFL this fall in HD via D*, maybe if WZTV is not on the ball by then I can get an HD waiver and watch the local game in HD off the sat?

I can get 2 and 5 HD (DTV) in my basement with a single UHF back-of-set bow tie. I wish the others were that easy

Thanks!
Dennis

I'm new to OTA and not up to date with the FOX upgrades with the exception of WZTV. If the spicer is not installed will we be able to receive the HD feed?

Jerry

The splicer is integral to Fox's net distribution so every station will end up with one.

I was exaggerating. They're actually at 24 kW for their digital signal. The actual power that these stations use on their digital broadcast confirms what you're seeing.

ABC (2-1) - 946 kW
CBS (5-1) - 405 kW
PBS (8-1) - 44.8 kW
Fox (17-1) - 24 kW

You can look up their permit info at:
http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/tvq?call=WZTV

Lee

Thanks for the info, Lee

I have not gotten home from work lately in time to catch NPT before they pull the DTV plug - and I know they are off at 6pm. I have not seen anything on ZTV either - and I had a signal when I put the antenna up (and it has not moved) so I am assuming they are shutting down at night during this test phase as well. They are even LESS power than NPT, but as a commerical station should be able to "afford" to pump that up when they get the rest of their stuff ready to go

Dennis

Ok, I checked all of the locals (that I care about) and it looks like this to me - please correct me if I am wrong:


http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/tvq?call=WZTV

17 (Fox) has a "construction permit" to go 1000kw ERP on channel 15 for HD, but are doing 24kw ERP - no wonder I don't get a solid signal

http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/tvq?call=WNPT

8 (PBS) is 935.6 kw construction, but is doing 44.8 kw now

http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/tvq?call=WSMV

4 (NBC) is licensed (and broadcasting) 42.4 kw ERP (that does not sound like much to me, but it is VHF)

http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/tvq?call=WTVF

5 (CBS) is licensed (and broadcasting) 405 kw ERP

http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/tvq?call=WKRN

2 (ABC) is licensed for (and broadcasting) 946kw ERP (we should be able to get them on a wet string)

http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/tvq?call=WNAB

58 (WB) is licensed for 350kw ERP and is broadcasting 18.4 kw now (another one hard to get at this power)

http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/tvq?call=WXUP

30 (UPN) is licensed for 1000kw ERP and appears to be broadcasting 7.6kw ERP (might need a bigged antenna to lock this one until they crank up the power)

http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/tvq?call=WNPX

28 (Pax) is licensed for 733 kw ERP and is broadcasting 650 kw ERP


Did I read all of that correctly?

Thanks!
Dennis

I think so. I'm surprised that NBC is such low power, but I guess VHF must not require as much power as UHF.