Rochester, MN - HDTV - Page 110

IOWA PBS uses subchannel 99 and the UHF channel for the IRIS network (audio only channel for the blind).

KYIN on UHF 18 PSIP is 24.1, 24.2, 24.3 and 18.99.

KTIN on UHF 25 PSIP is 21.1, 21.2, 21.3 and 25.99.

One of the religious networks mapped to 73 in the past (it may have been 3ABN), but I believe that has been stopped. I believe that the FCC has some rules in places regarding virtual channels. Most stations must use their previous analog channel number, but exceptions are made, mostly for new stations that start up and transmit on a channel that is used virtually in the market. There are a few exceptions to the rules such as KTTW in Sioux Falls (analog 17 but maps to their RF channel which is 7). I assume those are granted by waiver.

Yes, 3ABN used to map to 73, but no longer does.

- Trip

KSMQ PBS station off the air after the windstorm last night
http://www.ksmq.org/


KSMQ-TV will be off the air for at least the next couple of days.

During the wind storm last night, KSMQ-TV's 440' tower came crashing down onto our power building.

Thank goodness no one was hurt. It will take a bit of time before we are powered back up. We are cleaning up today and our insurance adjusters are working with us to begin the reconstruction process.

We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause you.

Your patience is much appreciated.

Eric Olson/ KSMQ President and CEO

This thread is really dead these days.

KIMT is running a crawl saying that on 11/29, they'll be pulled from Charter if a new agreement isn't reached.

KSMQ went back up on the air (see immediately previous post) just a few days after losing their tower, thanks to KTTC.

Just in case anyone hasn't heard, local stations in our market are now in HD on DirecTV. In addition to those previously carried, the MN Channel has been added to their lineup.

If it's the same as the Minneapolis market, you need to have a DirecTV HD receiver to get the MN Channel. Standard definition receivers can't see it.

I don't know about the Minnesota Channel via DirectTV, but over the air it is now in 16x9 format. It's still 480i, but KUDOS TO KSMQ FOR NOT DUMBING IT DOWN TO 4x3....AND KUDOS AGAIN !

FYI: Channel 10.2 (CW) is now in 720, 16x9.

Very cool!

----

Does anyone know of a way to add program guide data in Windows Media Center for channel 2.3 TPT Life (RF 23) (while still maintaining the rest of the guide data for the Rochester market)?

When setting up using my Rochester ZIP code, WMC includes the other TPT channels (those that are broadcast on RF 34), but it must assume I don't receive 2.3. It comes in most of the time, and now that it is HD, it would be nice to have guide data rather than have to set up recordings manually.

I'm afraid there is NOT a work-around for this, since there is no other channel from which I can copy the listing info.

Perhaps using a different zip code, like Pine Island's?

I live in Rochester, but use Harmony's zip code to get the ZAP2IT web page to show TV listings for both the Rochester and LaCrosse Stations.

I really appreciate your suggestion, as that simple (and now obvious) solution had not occurred to me.

Initially, after trying a variety of ZIP codes for areas north of Rochester, they all left out certain stations (KIMT if too far north, KAAL if too far east, and La Crosse if too far west).

Then, looking at a map of zip codes ( http://www.zipmap.net/Minnesota.htm ) I noticed that 55906 (NE Rochester) is much larger and stretches further north than what I was using (55901). So not only does it include the channel I was missing (KTCI 2.3) but it also include WEAU channel 13.1 which I never watch, but would receive if I bother to rotate.

I'm a bit surprised by the granularity with which these lineups are customized.

Thanks a lot for your help!

This was on the ZAP2it website ... when I actually configured within WMC using 55906, it did NOT include WEAU (but it did include KTCI, so it's still the improvement I really wanted).

Thanks again.

ZAP2it is a bit fickle.

I just tried 55906 and it includes La Crosse's channels 19.x and 25.x, but not 31.x; even though their FCC service contours are comparable with respect to the 55906 area.

Maybe the FCC Licensees specify to ZAP2it as to which zip codes their stations should be linked?

It is very strange ZAP2it consistently includes WHWC (28.x) rather than WHLA (31.x) for these parts (at least zip codes 55901 and 55906).

At least within Media Center, once I manually add the WHLA channels, I can copy the listings from 28 since they are identical (and then remove 28 from the guide lineup).

But I must believe it is a mistake since the signal for WHWC (28.x) is significantly weaker than the signal for WHLA (31.x).

Did anyone have trouble receiving channels 10.x over the last couple of days?

I haven't watched a lot of 10 live, but I looked quickly at a couple recordings made in the last day or two and did not notice any significant quality issues.

I did see 10.2 showing a black screen during the 1am hour more than once this past week, but 10.1 was coming in fine at that same time.

I'm having trouble with 10.x some days and other days 3.x or 6.x will drop out for a while. I've been going crazy thinking it's my antenna, Tivo, amp etc. Then today my wife said 10.1 went at the same time her friend in Pine Island said it did at her house too. A relative near Hayfield says they lose signal to different channels too.

Well, I should probably contact KAAL directly, but since this forum is so quiet I thought I'd be lazy and ask it here. Does anyone have any knowledge or speculation as to if/when KAAL will have HD local news? It seems like KIMT and KTTC have had it for a long time. Is this a budget problem? Is KAAL the poor little cousin of KSTP? Hubbard doing OK? I'm just wondering. Thanks.

HD news or widescreen news?

Hubbard doesnt do HD news in Mpls or Duluth.
WDIO is digital widescreen (and said at the beginning of the broadcast)
KSTP/KSTC is in 480i widescreen (confirmed by someone who works there)

dated 6/12/12

Somewhat surprising about KSTP. Thanks for the info.

Is Charter still supporting ClearQAM in Rochester?

I just moved here, had my Charter HSI hooked up, but the only QAM channel my Panasonic HDTV's built-in tuner detects in the clear is 105.1, which is obviously the video overlay for their cable box's PPV channel. This same TV found all ClearQam channels correctly at my old place in Indiana just last week. The internet service works just fine, FWIW.

In Rochester I currently have Charter for internet and for grins I have their basic cable as well.

They use QAM256 in the clear for the following:
2.1
2.2
2.3
3.1
3.2
5.4
6.1
6.2
10.1
15.1
15.2
15.4
47.1
47.2
plus others

Some of the channels they're coming in on are 72, 74, 77, 82, and 83.

If you have only Charter's internet service, you might not get them.

Tobias, What tuner are you using, out of curiosity?

Also, how much is basic/month? (Can't seem to locate on their website)

The cable is currently going to a 2004 vintage Sony HDTV. But I don't really watch the TV via cable. I use antennas for local and LaCrosse channels. When I got the internet service, the additional cost for basic cable was something like $10 more, and at that time I knew that the music channels were carried in the clear, so I thought it would be worth it to pay the few bucks extra for the (reduntant) TV service.

Since that time, the music channels have now become encoded. They're included with the basic service, but one now needs a cable box to decode them. Plus, the basic service has increased in price since then.

So whenever I get around to it, I'll probably drop the TV service and just use their internet service.

I should say this...I used Charter's internet service I think from about 2000 to 2004. It was badly unreliable at that time. I then switched to DSL and was very pleased with it. It never so much as burped for 7 years. But it was limited to 1.3MB down at my location, so to get decent movie streaming, I had to go back to Charter. In the last two years, their internet service has been excellent. It's not gone down once. So kudos to Charter's current internet service.... and kudos again!

Thanks Tobias. I may go the antenna route in the end. What stations have you had success in pulling in OTA? What antenna setup are you using? I am in NW Rochester, not in a valley, but not completely clear of the elevation changes either, so I doubt a simple indoor (non-attic) antenna will suffice.

Answer Man: Hospital cranes are interfering with TV signal
Rochester Post-Bulletin
March 16, 2013
Page A2

Oh, Wise One: What is the problem with KTTC losing their feed? I was watching the morning news and they lost their feed for more than 30 minutes. They never mention as to why, when they come back on the air, almost as if they don't know it happened. — David D., Rochester

I wasn't aware of this, and I certainly hope it hasn't interfered with my boss' cameo every morning on KTTC's morning show. Ordinarily I wouldn't deal with a technical glitch of this kind, but KTTC's general manager, Jerry Watson, had this fascinating explanation, and it's a problem that remains unresolved:

"This problem first popped up about six months ago," he said by email. "Our over-the-air broadcast signals would just dissolve and go away, then just as mysteriously would come back. We noticed the interference for several minutes, which is the first time the interruption lasted more than a few seconds.

"It took a long time for us to figure out what was happening. Our engineering team eventually tracked it to direct interference from two construction cranes high above Saint Marys Hospital. Whenever the cranes swing around in a certain way, they move right into the path of KTTC and KXLT television signals being beamed from our Signal Hill studios to our microwave relay tower at Simpson, blocking them."

Watson said they informed the hospital and the contractor about the problem, apparently without success. "We have recently, and at significant expense, purchased and installed additional transmission equipment, attempting to re-route the TV microwave paths, only to find the cranes still block those paths. So now we are back to square one, trying to figure out how long the cranes will be between us and our transmitter, and what other options we have, if any."

Sounds like a very hairy problem. I'm checking with Mayo communications to see what they know about it.

I'm curious about this as well. Charter bill just went way up and I now have a couple of PCs available to use as HTPCs, so thinking about cancelling my plan that has like everything (for a whopping $215/mo) and cutting back to just the basic networks.

Will the channels tune clear w/ just internet still, or does Charter block them now and I will need to pay for basic tv too?

How much is basic?

I live NW on Ridgeview Dr, what kind of setup would I need for OTA if I chose to go that way? Not sure if indoor antenna could work or if need to do outdoor (and how hard is it to install an outdoor/rooftop antenna?)
Edited by Gronnie - 3/23/13 at 2:14am

I called Charter, and the cheapest plan that the rep said she could sell me, as a new customer, was $52.99/month. I of course said,"No Thanks."

Charter has a lifeline package for $25 a month. About a month or so ago I chatted with a Charter rep because my buddy was getting the same line at the local office

Joshua: Thanks for giving me the opportunity to help you today! My name is Joshua and I'll be taking care of you. How can I help?

me: I was trying to get some information on just getting cable. I moved to a new location and wanted just basic cable but the website doesnt list any pricing for that. I really dont need anything else but basic or lifeline cable.

Joshua: Charter most affordable cable plan is TV Select and costs 59.99 per month + 5 per cable box.

me: so there is nothing like lifeline cable available? When I look at the channel chart online there is a basic which is the locals and a few extra channels. I really don't need all the extra channels.

Joshua: Our Basic package includes access to all your local channels such as news and government in your area. With channels such as NBC, ABC, CBS, just to name a few. This option does not require any box or additional equipment.

Joshua: It will cost 24.99 per month for about 12-20 channels that can be picked up using a tv antenna in most cases.

me: I can't use a tv antenna where i am. I am about 65-70 miles from the stations so none of them come in. So it would be 24.99 a month if I decided to go with that option then?

Joshua: Plus a 19.99 install.

me: ok. thank you for the information. I will think about it and probably call next week to order. I would be able to order by calling the main number on the website (1-877-581-3485)?

Joshua: 888 438 2427 is our number but there are many numbers online

me: ok thank you for the information. I really appreciate it

Now i know Charter is changing some stations to digital so they might try to get a box thrown in there too