Peoria, IL - HDTV - Page 63

Please pardon my ignorance, but can someone tell me what is up with the Comcast clear-QAM channels that have 4 channels in a preview mode? There are several channels (not sure which, because I'm not at home right now) that have a square of 4 channels in a live feed, with audio from just the first one. I just got a new HDTV and these popped up in the scan. Are these some type of teaser to get me to upgrade to digital to get the full list of encrypted channels?

They are used by the digital converters for their preview channels. You are only getting them because cc does not encrypt them. (we have the same ones down here) Don't get excited, you ain't gonna get anything else out of them - I always delete them out of the scan sequence after I scan any QAM TV's.

Comcast central is what it's called. Most comcast areas have them. Out here in the west burbs of chicago, they are on channels 960-963 i think. We have a news one, a kids, a sports, and another one or two. On the digital box, you can highlight the different boxes and listen to the different audio streams. My tv shows multiple audio tracks w/o the box with clear qam.

Cool, thanks

Does anyone think WEEK will ever fix the blurry picture they transmit about every five minutes or go to DD5.1. Or for that fact reenable the DD5.1 for WHOI. They by far have the worst picture on WEEK and easily the worst sound.

I just noticed i'm seeing a sub channel that don't work on my zenith dtv converter box. It seems to be tied to 31 real channel 30, shows up as wmbd 70-2 if you press guide info it shows up as wmbd-dt with a bunch of asterisk following the call sign. Are they planning on launching a subchannel or they just having weird problems?

Seeing it here too.
They have had a sub-channel planned for a while: waiting for the economics to settle. Hopefully it will be unique and not another weather or local interest sub.
Hopefully not a pay channel either.

I'f we do get another subchannel i hope its a channel worth watching as there really isn't anything decent to watch on tv anymore as it is, Can't wait, but one thing i don't like is it ruins the HD picture and the picture really isnt that good, I have an HD tv tuner hooked to my computer and i have an HD 1080p Monitor but i still say HD has less detail in faces and skin and everything else, For example back on analog you would see more features like razer stubble on faces and other flaws and now everything looks fake and perfect like a loss of detail and blurry kinda like plastic, Sure it all looks colorful and perfect but in my opinion it looks worse as we lost real details and flaws real people have, Probably do to the low bit rate and compression that we will be stuck with till the next tv revolution in about 20 - 30 years from now lol

Is WYZZ 43 having problems?
Last night and today (March 5), channel 43-1 dropped to its RF number 28 on my Zenith converter box.
It now takes at least 4 seconds to tune, and it displays 28-3
Late last night I deleted it and manually tuned it. It showed up as 43-1 as normal. Then I went to bed.
Today it was at 43-1 when I first tuned it, but then it reset to 28-3.
One more thing other than slow tuning, it now has no PSIP info.
For the last year or longer, WYZZ has usually had good PSIP info with descriptions for almost all its programs.

On another note, I also acquired 70-2 on my Zenith. I just deleted it because it was blank.
After deletion, my zenith will not manually tune past 69 anyway, so I thought it was a fluke.

We've had some microwave problems...crew is there today to check out. They did mess with the PSIP...I'm going there next week to straighten out! Please post if problem continues...I'm in St.Louis and can't monitor the signal.

Just got a message from Comcast saying I'll need to reset my DVR after an update on the 17th. Anybody know what they have up their sleeves? A wonderous new array of HD brilliance or just rebranding the same old crap with Xfinity logos?

It is just a prep to clean up the guide in preparation for the A28 guide upgrade.Our area is A25 guide right now.The new guide will make it possible for mydvr manager with watch in hd feature and setting the dvr from I-phone .Some cities have gotten the prep and been waiting for the upgrade for a couple of months. Hopefully they will get on the ball and add some HD channels to keep us happy until analog reclamation and addition of world of more.

Just got the letter from Comcast today announcing a "free upgrade" to my "Expanded Basic" package which will, of course require the use of digital adapters to receive.

As suspected from other areas that have undergone the change to all-digital (no analog channels anymore) they will supply one (real) cable box and two DTAs. I don't have to do anything right now since "No action is required at this time". They will (supposedly) let me know when and how to get my adapters.

Actually, I suspect I will get home one night and find nothing working.

Got the same letter also.First mention of world of more and dtas,it listed some sevice level changes 2 channels moving from digital starter to expanded basic;7 channels moving from digital classic to digital starter.Just have to wonder what the progression is and when we will get a date for analog removal.Do you have ESPNU and Lifetime movie and Planet green and Biography all in HD ? How about the CW ?

The DTAs have been a topic of discussion on various other forums and have been in the works for quite a while Nationally.

Individual channel movement is pretty irrelevant, just basic housekeeping. Currently the only Clear (unencrypted) HD QAM (cable's digital format) channels are WHOI, WEEK, WMBD, WYZZ, WTVP, and WGN America. Everything else is either encrypted or SD. There are about 40 Clear QAM channels, but they do not correspond to any subscription package.

As for any other HD channels, I can't say since I do not subscribe to any Digital package and do not have any boxes currently.

We are basically scr**ed with the CW. As long as WHOI has it on their subchannel (19.2) they have the ability to block Comcast (or Satellite) from bringing in a distant signal. The only way to get The CW in HD would be for WHOI to supply a land-line feed for exclusive use by Comcast, which is probably impossible since they would not have the ability to insert local content, ads, syndicated shows into the HD signal. Or for WHOI to seek retransmission fees for the CW and for Comcast to decline: then they could contract an alternate source and bring it in.

You could put up a 150' tower and maybe pick up KGCW, which appears to be broadcasting in HD but uses a directional antenna pointed directly away from the Peoria market. (RF ch41, Call # 26.1)

If you examined recent billings and statements from Comcast, you might have noticed that the analog "Expanded Basic" package was priced virtually the same as the equivalent digital pack, making it possible for them to offer the "upgrade" for "free". (because they are already charging you for it)

Could try for WBUI-23.1 (RF 22) out of Decatur for CW HD...you'd also get THIS TV on 23.2

I was just curious about the CW because I don't live in Peoria but our lineup and channel adds are usually the same as theirs.Last addition we did not get ESPNU,Biography,Planet Green,Lifetime Movie. We got KGCW,KLJB,(Fox)Wqpt(PBS)all in HD .already had WTVP(PBS) from Peoria area. Talked to a csr today she claims Springfield area should get analog repo/world of more October 22nd 2010.

26 Quad Cities CW will be marginal at best. I live about 30 miles north of Peoria and put up a really big TV tower. Get all the Peoria stations and Quad City stations on a regaular basis with the exception of 26, which comes in about 25% of the time. They also do have This TV on their .2.

Another alternative for the CW in HD is to get a big dish and an HD MPEG receiver you can get both the east and west coast feeds that way, you can also get This TV on a big dish

With a modest outdoor antenna, KGCW and THIS TV are received well. I can get all the Peoria channels with the exception of WAOE very well. Is anyone else having the same problem? It shares the same tower as WEEK that comes in very well here. I know that for some reason KGCW's signal is nulled towards Galesburg and Peoria. Why? Which station on RF-41 are they protecting?

Thanks!

WIFR in Rockford, I think.

- Trip

That was very surprising, such as when WYZZ went into stereo giving how late it was in the analog days. They must've received some used equipment from a defunct PBS station or something, idk.

I've always thought that WAOE was still owned by 4 Seasons Broadcasting, but is operated by Granite Broadcasting, owners of WEEK, though a joint service agreement. Granite also operates WHOI, which is still owned by Barrington Broadcasting.

Just the same as WYZZ, which is still owned by Sinclair, is operated by Nexstar, owner of WMBD, through an independent service agreement.

The only independent station we have is WTVP, owned by River Valley Communications. They seem to be doing okay now, but I don't know about WQPT in the quad, who's future was very uncertain the last I knew. I had always thought that they should somehow merge some of their operations with WTVP or Urbana's WILL. But I don't know how that would work with PBS stations & the law.

I'm thinking about dropping my Comcast cable altogether. if I do that, will I still get a QAM signal in order to get local stations in HD or do I need to keep Comcast's basic service?

If you shut off all service you will lose all channels. If you keep Comcast internet you will most likely still get the clear QAM channels (I think doing so is technically illegal though).

Since Comcast Peoria is preparing to go all-digital, there is no absolute way to know what will be encrypted and what will be in the clear after the switch.

After the switch only the local over the air broadcast channels will be available on quam, everything else will be encrypted. You might want to check about dropping your cable because the price of internet service will go up, usually about the same cost of having basic cable . Having cable and internet bundled basically gets you free basic cable.

The channels available now in clear QAM will still be in clear QAM after the switch.

The expanded basic channels that switch from analog to digital will be encrypted and you will need a DTA, QAM tuner with cable card, or Digital cable box from Comcast in order to still get those channels.

according to WEEK tonight on their 10pm news they announced that World Of More will be coming to Peoria.with more twice as much HD Channels and more faster internet speeds

Yep it looks like they want people to start calling in about it now. Looks like they will be dropping the analog channels in November. Customers will get one digital cable box and 2 DTAs included in their monthly service charges, anything above that will cost more.

Man am I glad I went to D* 2 years ago. Hopefully when Comcast pulls this at my parents house I can get them to switch too.

So what new HD chanels can we expect from this upgrade?

Just got our official Xfinity letter stating action required by 11/16/10 without digital device you will only get channels 3-22 and 72 . I ordered a DTA online through www.comcast.com/digitalnow website and got a confirmation e-mail moments later. Look on the world of more website for the list of channels that were added in other places. Now if they could just find a way to speed things up, it's a long time till November analog removal and month or more for HD additions .