Sacramento, CA - OTA - Page 5

Life would be so much easier if I could just get my HD locals from *D.

That antenna is so cheap it's worth trying out, thanks for the suggestion. In fact it would be nice if I can place it on a self behind the TV which sits in a corner since then it won't be obvious and I don't have to worry about adding wiring to the outside of the house since we want to sell in the next year and one of the features is the house is prewired (we didn't think we needed more than 2 runs for the tivo..drat!)

I can second the recommendation for the Silver Sensor. I'm using it in Tracy, which, according to antennaweb.org, is about 40 miles, too. It's certainly worth a try (you could probably return it if it didn't work). We bought an amplifier to go with it, and never even took it out of the box - didn't need it.

Of course, you're going to be further than that - or are there repeaters closer to Modesto?

Tracey

I don't know. I am totally new to OTA antennas and haven't had much time to research yet. I'm not sure I can get a good enough signal to make it worth buying an outdoor antenna and having it installed. I want to make sure I get a better picture than I have with my *D SD locals.

Have you looked at antennaweb.org ? You put in your address (or just zip code) and it tells you what channels you should get (digital and analog) and the sort of antenna (color-coded) you would need to have. It's the best place to start looking. It tends to be on the conservative side - I can receive signals with a much smaller antenna than they recommend.

Tracey

I think Modesto is about on the edge as far as distance goes. I've seen messages here indicating some are receiving the signals.

You said, "Turlock/Modesto" though. If you are closer to Turlock and don't have a two or three story house you may need a higher mast antenna. And that might not be be sufficient for reliable reception.

I'm in the North end of turlock (part of the new development). I have a 2 story house.

Antennaweb.org gave me a page full of channels:

green - uhf KUVS 19 UNI MODESTO CA 354° 41.6 19
lt green - uhf KNSO 51 TEL MERCED CA 74° 45.2 51
* lt green - uhf KUVS-DT 19.1 UNI MODESTO CA 354° 41.6 18
lt green - uhf KTNC 42 AZA CONCORD CA 279° 62.6 42
lt green - uhf KFTL 64 SAH STOCKTON CA 279° 62.7 64
* lt green - uhf KFTL-DT 62 SAH STOCKTON CA TBD 278° 63.3 62
blue - uhf KFTV 21 UNI HANFORD CA 96° 84.1 21
blue - uhf KCSO-LP 33 TEL SACRAMENTO CA 354° 41.7 33
blue - uhf KAIL 53 UPN FRESNO CA 96° 84.0 53
blue - uhf KAZV-LP 14 A1 MODESTO CA 249° 27.5 14
blue - uhf KFSN 30 ABC FRESNO CA 96° 84.4 30
blue - uhf KACA-LP 61 DAY MODESTO CA 299° 11.6 61
blue - uhf KEXT-CA 27 TFA MODESTO CA 249° 27.5 27
blue - uhf KTXL 40 FOX SACRAMENTO CA 310° 62.8 40
blue - uhf KGPE 47 CBS FRESNO CA 96° 84.4 47
blue - uhf KFRE 59 WB SANGER CA 96° 83.9 59
blue - uhf KMAX 31 UPN SACRAMENTO CA 311° 61.9 31
blue - uhf KQCA 58 WB STOCKTON CA 309° 60.8 58
violet - vhf KQED 9 PBS SAN FRANCISCO CA 266° 89.0 9
violet - uhf KTFF-LP 68 TFA FRESNO CA 96° 83.9 68
violet - uhf KMPH 26 FOX FRESNO CA 103° 123.7 26
violet - uhf KMPH-CA 17 FOX Merced CA 74° 45.1 17
violet - vhf KVIE 6 PBS SACRAMENTO CA 310° 62.8 6
violet - uhf KVPT 18 PBS FRESNO CA 106° 101.8 18
* violet - uhf KSPX-DT 48 PAX SACRAMENTO CA TBD 310° 62.8 48
violet - uhf KTFF 61 TFA PORTERVILLE CA 112° 140.2 61
* violet - vhf KNSO-DT 5.1 TEL Merced CA 96° 84.1 5
violet - vhf KNTV 11 NBC SAN JOSE CA 227° 61.5 11
violet - uhf KNXT 49 REL VISALIA CA 112° 140.2 49
violet - vhf KOVR 13 CBS STOCKTON CA 309° 60.8 13
* violet - uhf KOVR-DT 13.1 CBS Stockton CA 309° 60.8 25
violet - vhf KPIX 5 CBS SAN FRANCISCO CA 266° 89.0 5
violet - uhf KJEO-LP 32 UAT FRESNO CA 96° 84.4 32
violet - uhf KBWB 20 WB SAN FRANCISCO CA 266° 89.0 20
violet - uhf KGMC 43 IND CLOVIS CA 106° 101.7 43
violet - vhf KGO 7 ABC SAN FRANCISCO CA 266° 89.0 7
violet - uhf KSEE 24 NBC FRESNO CA 106° 101.8 24
* violet - uhf KSEE-DT 24.1 NBC FRESNO CA 96° 84.1 16
violet - uhf KION 46 CBS MONTEREY CA 197° 80.4 46
violet - vhf KRON 4 IND SAN FRANCISCO CA 266° 89.0 4
violet - vhf KSBW 8 NBC SALINAS CA 199° 63.9 8
violet - vhf KXTV 10 ABC SACRAMENTO CA 309° 60.8 10
violet - vhf KTVU 2 FOX OAKLAND CA 266° 89.0 2
* violet - uhf KGPE-DT 47.1 CBS FRESNO CA 96° 84.4 34
violet - vhf KCRA 3 NBC SACRAMENTO CA 311° 61.9 3
* violet - uhf KTNC-DT 63.1 AZA CONCORD CA 279° 62.6 63
violet - uhf K27GZ 27 TBN MARIPOSA CA 74° 45.2 27

Looks like most everyone except Sacramento is getting Mission Impossible 2 in HD

Hammer

Just set up my antenna tonight - Winegard PR-8800 in the attic. Strong signal for the lower channels (90's), higher channels could use a little tweaking (upper 60's). But altogether not bad for just eyeballing the antenna - I'll dial it in when the wife can watch the signal meter.

Anyway, on to the question... I threw on 10-1 to watch the Lakers lose, and it looks like it's being broadcast in 2-channel digital, not 5.1. Is that correct, or do I have some sort of tuner setup issue?

Thanks in advance for the help.

Copied from a post by Ken H.


Tech Notes:
- Native HD format is 720p.
- ABC is using the ESPN HD production team / equipment for the broadcasts.
- HD video and graphics is framed for the 4:3 analog broadcast.
- Audio is DD 2.0 with Circle Surround. Use any analog surround processing; Pro Logic, Pro Logic II, Circle Surround, CSII, Logic 7, etc.

Oh yeah, I forgot about the betamax of surround formats! "Superior" technology but noone supports it (natively). I wish ABC/ESPN would just use one of the standard adopted formats.

Was channel 58 down last night? I just set up my OTA antenna, and it was the only station I had 0 signal on. The rest of the locals had a signal strength of minimum 75 of 100.

I could not get channel 58 a little after 9 PM Tues. night in Rocklin.

That sounds like just about the time I was trying too...

This morning I noticed that 31-1 occupied two positions, one without the schedule (what I've been watching), and one with the program schedule. Looks like they're finally at full power.

Oh, and 58 was still off the air this morning.

No I still don't have a lock on 31-1 with my 811 (49%) but my DTC100 locked on it ok. 58-1 was back last night.

It's 7:50pm on Thursday - I have no audio on 6.1 (the Fleetwood Mac Soundstage) but the audio is working on 53.1 - this is on my built-in HD receiver - my problem or theirs?

Tracey

Okay I am very new to the whole HDTV thing. I currently have comcrap(sorry to any comcast employees but only 2 local channels in HD isn't cool) but been thinking about going to either DISH or DirecTV. My question is though with them is that they just pull the HD signal via OTA so would I get more channels than what I have with Comcast. I live in Manteca and no my HDTV doesn't have a builtin tuner so I would have to go with a Satellite or Cable route.

Here is my information from anntenaweb.

* yellow - uhf KVIE-DT 6.1 PBS Sacramento CA 320° 36.2 53
* yellow - uhf KQCA-DT 58.1 WB STOCKTON CA 323° 35.0 46
* yellow - uhf KSPX-DT 48 PAX SACRAMENTO CA TBD 319° 36.1 48
* yellow - uhf KOVR-DT 13.1 CBS Stockton CA 319° 34.1 25
* yellow - uhf KCRA-DT 3.1 NBC Sacramento CA 319° 34.5 35
* green - uhf KXTV-DT 10.1 ABC Sacramento CA 319° 34.1 61
* green - uhf KTXL-DT 40.1 FOX Sacramento CA 320° 36.2 55
* red - uhf KFTL-DT 62 SAH STOCKTON CA TBD 264° 38.2 62
* red - uhf KUVS-DT 19.1 UNI MODESTO CA 35° 35.3 18
* violet - uhf KTNC-DT 63.1 AZA CONCORD CA 265° 37.2 63
* violet - uhf KMAX-DT 31.1 UPN SACRAMENTO CA 321° 35.4 21

So I guess my question is should I stay with Comcast and slowly wait for more local channels to appear or go satellite and get them now. Then if it is satellite what should I look at in order to get the best picture. I have talked to a place in Tracy that offered DISH but all they cared about is the sale. So any advice would be great.

Thanks

Eric

Hey Eric,

You should have no trouble pulling in the Sacramento stations in Manteca, I'm in Tracy (far east side) and I get great reception with just a Silver Sensor.

As far as satellite/cable goes, I haven't had cable so I can't really comment on that. I'm currently a Dishnetwork customer - until tomorrow. I'm having Directv installed. I just felt that D* had better HD support (ie the HD-tivo). I know that E* has an HD-pvr, but I had one of the SD pvr's from them and it simply didn't compare to my Replaytv. I have an HD-tivo on order from Good Guys in Modesto, and I ordered one from circuitcity.com today, that apparently has shipped - yea!!!

I've just read too many complaints about the dishnetwork hd boxes, so I was too nervous to go with them. The lack of OTA listings in the guide for those boxes was a real deal breaker for me. I'm a little sad to leave Dish, I've had them for 8 years, and I will miss the superstations.

One advantage to going with cable, though, would be no commitment. With either satellite you're tied up for a year. Comcast doesn't offer HD in my neighborhood yet, though, so that wasn't an option for me.

HTH,
Tracey
(yes, Tracey lives in Tracy - get your jokes in now )

Can anyone else that may have DTV or DISH speak up about this? Comcast is just lacking so bad in local channels. If I could get a definate answer from Comcast about more local HD channels I would be happy but NBC and ABC are not cutting it.

Eric, I have DTV with the HD-Tivo and just love it. I have no problems receiving OTA channels from Sacramento here in Vacaville. There are a lot of rumors about DTV's HD package. DTV has announced that sometime this year they will double or triple the number of HD channels they currently have, which I believe is 6. Some people who claim to be in the know have indicated that DTV will announce some additions within the coming weeks, lets hope so.

KVIE has a program called "Sound Stage" on 6-1 at this time. The only problem with it is NO SOUND. Earlier they had something on that had only descriptive audio coming from the left channel and nothing on the right. Am I the only one having these problems with 6-1?

Rory,

If you look back through the thread, you'll see I've made similar complaints. I wasn't watching earlier tonight, and at 11:30 p.m., the sound is ok, but I've had no sound and descriptive video from the left channel (although usually with the regular audio in the center) on several occasions. I'm using an HD-Tivo.

B.S.

I've noticed bad audio on 6.1 lately, only to change to 53.1 and find it correct there. I don't know how easy that is to do on an HD-Tivo - I don't have mine yet - it's supposed to be here on Thursday - yea! Of course, if it's a recording and not live, you're going to really be out of luck.

Tracey

I don't get it. If Viacom and ComCast are a done deal as far as HDTV goes, why don't we have UPN(KMAX) on ComCast HDTV lineup now?

Currently with Comcast HD... bummed I can't get Enterprise in HD. I have no OTA experience in Pollock Pines other than FM. A 36 inch wire stuck in the back of my receiver gets all Sac FM stations clear as a bell, and some Bay Area stations to boot.

Am I dreaming thinking I can loose the Comcast box and get HD over the air?

Anyone here from Pollock Pines?

Rory,
I recorded sound stage a couple times over the weekend on my HD-tivo and I didn't get audio any time. Hopefully they will get it right while they are still showing reruns. Why did it have to happen when Fleetwood Mac was on sound stage?

Don't hold your breath for any additional locals until at least the later part of this year. They were supposed to (according to a higher-up at Comcast) add KVIE and likely KOVR during the first quarter this year, and the last I heard about KVIE is "looks like late third quarter or so". Still no word on KOVR.

s.bradford:

Can you or any of your neighbors get the Sacramento analog UHF TV stations? If the UHF analogs are receivable it is likely that you can get the DTV stations which broadcast from the same towers. The Sacramento FM stations may not be much of an indicator because they broadcast from different locations than the TV stations which are near Walnut Grove.

Thanks Rory. But I fear an antennae on a roof is a rare beast these days... in any neighborhood. I was hoping to find someone here that has tried in Pollock Pines, Camino, or even Placerville.

You can always bring a small TV and a $20 antenna outside to try. Just don't try this during thunderstorms

In any case KMAX 13.1 is on low power many of us don't get to see it on this side of the hills.