Sacramento, CA - OTA - Page 207

Hammer - Our single-thread MPEG encoder locked up. This forced us to revert to the SD feed. Next week or two, we should have the backup encoding system installed.

Current configuration has two satellite HD receivers (main/backup) routed to a single frame sync and MPEG encoder system which then feeds the inputs of both video servers. The final configuration will have a frame and encoder dedicated to each server.

Bob

I'll check this out tonight. Looks like it worked for others.

Thanks Bob!

Just delete and rescan. No need to unplug.

S~

Thanks.

Here's something I didn't know about:
http://connectedhome2go.com/2008/04/...d-news-at-nab/

So here's a random question for Bob, et. al. is this being implimented? It sounds like a really nice extra so that legacy users with convertor boxes in 2009 don't get lot of postage stamp sized SD shows inside a 1080i 16:9 feed, etc.

Yes, it is an active issue.

Bob

I just got my coupon for a digital to analog convert box last Friday. I have an analog TV that's not tied into my Dish Network system, so I got it for that. On Saturday I went to Best Buy and got the Insignia box. I connected my CM 4228 antenna to it and I was amazed by picture quality, tuner sensitivity, and the ability to change picture size.

First, the picture on the analog TV has never looked so good. Second, on the initial scan it got 44 digital channels (they count all sub-channels as separate channels) and I have since added five more manually. Third, which is relevant to this tread, you can set the output for either a 4x3 or 16x9 screen, and there is a "Zoom" button on the remote that lets the box adjust the picture size according to "station program format", or you can set it to "letter box" or "full screen". If it's set to the automatic "station program format", HD channels are letter boxed, SD channels are full screen. If an HD channel is showing a 4x3 picture you need to go to full screen mode, otherwise you have black bars on all four sides of a tiny picture.

As for the tuner sensitivity, it beats the OTA tuner in my Dish ViP622 DVR and my new Sony XBR4 TV. I can get three Sacramento channels with it here in San Francisco, not just one. Besides KMAX, which I can get on the other two receivers, the new converter box also picks up a solid signal from KVIE and KTXL. I also get signs of signals on 35 and 46, but they're not strong enough to produce a picture.

Larry
SF

Does anyone know if the .2 Digital Television Network will be carried by any Sacramento broadcasters?

http://dot2network.com/national/

Or, Retro Television Network?

http://www.rtnville.com/

_

Dot2 actually looks like it might be promising. Only problem I see is are the stations willing to give up that much bandwidth to broadcast 2 HD channels simultaneuosly at a quality level. I see a difference in the amount of blocking between 3 and 13 in favor of 13 and 3's .2 weather probably only uses a small amount of bandwidth. When I look at a station like KTEH that has 4 sub channels, it is horrendous.

I'm also a sucker for the old shows on RTN. Someone could probably get away with less bandwidth for that one similar to what Fox did with the Tube. In fact, how about picking up RTN, Jack?

S~

"The network will launch as a standard-definition service, but, according to Schilg, will shift very quickly to high-definition because the movies are HD.

Despite some industry skepticism, the .2 Network engineers believe that affiliates can broadcast two HD signals within their one digital channel, their primarily signal at 1080I or 720P and .2 at 720P."

Source: http://dot2network.com/national/press/firstaffils

Man I'd love to see Retro TV!

Like I said... Sure they can do it. But at what expense? You're talking about cutting bandwidth in half for two HD channels.

S~

I for one, would not care to cast my eyes upon that ...

+1. As none of this stuff is likely in HD, they can run this channel on any of the locals. I'd like to see either News10 or KCRA get rid of their weather channel (do we really need two 24hr weather channels here in the valley?), and broadcast this instead.

D2TV would be nice, and could easily go on KQCA or possibly KMAX's signal without really impacting much HD programming. Their website says that the programming is interruptible, so they could still run the news in HD, which is about all that KQCA has right now.

Most of the old shows were probably shot on 35mm film, so they could and should be remastered in HD. Just because the aspect ratio is only 4x3, doesn't mean it can't be HD. It is very satisfying for me to see old stuff remastered to look and/or sound better than it ever has!
I, for one, won't be very interested unless the quality is good.

Agreed, they could be shown in HD, if someone were to remaster them. Hogans Heroes is already available in HD, but most of the rest aren't currently, and their website makes no mention of being in HD.

The more I thought about this, I realized that the only thing we're likely to see on the .2 sub-channels in our area is corporate-sponsored programming, as all of our locals are owned by large conglomerates. Hearst, Gannett, Tribune, and CBS aren't going to let one of these channels come on, not when they could provide their own programming. KRON4 looks to use RTV in SF, and they are an independent channel altogether.

Maybe KSPX could be convinced to drop ION, which is a waste of bandwidth IMO, and pick up one of these new and more interesting services.

But these new multi-cast networks provide programming, and an income stream. The last time I checked, the large networks don't like to put much money into programing (i.e. the explosion of "reality" TV).

Hola Bob,

Is NCIS going to be in HD tonight with the East Coast primary going on?

Thanks,

S~

New episodes of Reaper and Supernatural this week. Go KMAX.

NCIS will be in HD. The other two shows will be in SD.

Bob

Very good. Thanks.

S~

I hate being punished for living sacramento and not getting hd while every other cbs station around us has it in HD. Thankfully NCIS was in HD and shark is only a repeat since it looks horrible. I do laugh at the presented in HD on screen message when it is not.

I understand where you are coming from. CBS is doing a major upgrade of their HD satellite distribution system. Special feeds only available in SD should not be a problem much longer.

Bob

Hey Bob,

I know you're busy working on KOVR stuff, but any word on when you are going to be able to upgrade KMAX to 5.1?

Thanks,

S~

Bob and/or Rory,

Do any of the Sacramento area stations use translators that you know of?

Thanks,
Chris

Not that I am aware of.

By the way since I am here just FYI: A channel 10 digital transmitter has been installed at the KXTV transmitter site. It has been tested into a dummy load. I would guess it will be tested into the antenna late some night before it has to work on the air.

Would it be possible to alert us in advance of when that is going to happen? I have a very good idea of the typical amount of multipath I see on analog 10 and I'd like to see how that translates into S/N ratio on my Sony. I haven't had an opportunity to make a direct comparison like that before.

Chuck

To the best of my knowledge, there are no translators owned by any of the Sacramento stations. KMAX sold one a few years ago. Some of the Sacramento stations are relayed by translators up in Lake County, I believe, but these are owned by private groups.

Bob

Probably late this year.

Thanks boss,

S~