Richmond, VA - HDTV - Page 2

Wow the latest and greatest. On my Samsung T150 the first the of the line, I had to update the firmware. Before that I would get a strong signal but it would not display the program or add it to my channel line up when I scanned. After I upgraded the firmware on the box I got WTVR but I had to add it manually. On my T150 I can enter a channel number and then add it to the line up manually, perhaps the TS-360 has a similiar function. This is a problem with WTVR as more than Samsung boxes are impacted. This time around as opposed to this spring.

Anyone watch the redskins game last night (8-1)on HDTIVO? I TIVO it on SD, and the A/V dropout is no longer there, ( I just checked the first may be 10 minutes of the game).

To engineer dpt 8-1

If that is the case, for us HDTIVO owners,whatever it is , please keep it that way.

Monday night football is coming.

I have a question to all board member that I could not figure it out.

For example if I record on my HDTIVO, the SD feed like last night redskins game on HD channel ie 8-1, will the TIVO treat it as HD as far as disk space required to record such program?

Had a little trouble scanning for it tonight?? took me a second try... watched it for 'bout 10 min. good picture/no dropouts then changed channel, went back to WTVR-DT... left it on the black screen for about a minute or two and nothing but "searching for signal".

thanks steve for the suggestion though... I flip through the channels pretty fast sometimes, thought that could've been it.

also secstate, i've got 6-1 program descriptions and all in my lineup, its just that I have no picture. (unless I re-scan )

With football season upon us, it is SO disappointing that Comcast has not yet reached an agreement with Raycom to carry WTVR-DT. It's even more disheartening that Sinclair owned FOX wont even be HD ready by the END of the football season.

My question is, couldnt Comcast possibly make an agreement with another CBS or FOX affiliate, even if just for football games? For example, I know for a fact that both the Newport News and DC FOX affiliates are both HD ready. I seem to recall when I lived in Henrico years ago they used to carry FOX's DC affiliate on what was then Continental Cable. Granted I was like 5 at the time....but I have a pretty good memory. Can I get some feedback on this...is it a totally crazy idea?

The program lineup you are getting for WTVR is from DirectTV, I believe, not WTVR.

Speaking of footall, NFLTV now shows in my guide, but I get a "channel not authorized" message even though I have digital plus.

Anybody out there actually receiving it yet?

Steve,

It has also been brought to my attention that until recently when Charlottesville added a CBS affiliate that they too were picking up a DC affiliate on their cable systems, so I know it could be done. Thanks for your prompt response and hope your talks with Comcast goes somewhere.

Why don't you just get local channel OTA , I'm sure you could pick up a cheap HDTV box from ebay or walmart.

That still wouldn't solve the problem of FOX

Steve is correct about both of these. Charlottesville is not considered part of the Richmond or DC DMA's so they can actually put on two of the same affiliates from different cities since they did not have their own. Now that they do they will have to pull off DC & Richmond stations.

The question about Fox is interesting, since they will not carry HD OTA is it possible for Comcast or Directv to over local subscribers an East Coast feed? I think they answer is yes. Will they persue it? That's another matter.

If you really want to watch the NFL in HD, I would subscribe to the Directv NFL Sunday ticket package where you'll get all the HD games every week. They have good deals right now on signing up and you can possible get a free HD box out of them. Just my two cents.

Getting FOX from Hampton Roads might be out of the question... The signal is coming from Suffolk.

It's ~72mi as the crow flies from the Driver section of Suffolk to the heart of Richmond.

Two things going against you -- their antenna height is 791' and they're directional. 25-60% (depending on your exact location) of their 1000kW is being shot in your direction.

Anyone else in Richmond receive WVBT? Digital channel 29 will remap to 43.1...

Same here. I'm tempted to call Comcast and ask, but I'm not sure its worth spending an hour on hold just for a rep to tell me they don't know anything about it.

I had to call them last week to get my package upgraded. I still had an old At&t package. Less than $2 more per month, plus I also got a few more channels. I started getting it last Thursday I believe.

The Comcast channel 194 (ABCNews), is this one of the subchannels that the OTA folks are getting?

Thats news to me about ABC News Now being on 194. I was told by Comcast that it was going to 195. I dont care as long as they get it right. The stream analyzer didnt make it last week but is to be here tomorrow so we can look at 8-1 more closely to see what the stream content is doing before it hits our multiplexer before being shipped out to the transmitter. If the problem on 8-1 was transmitter related then 8-2 would be effected the same way but it is not so I am focusing back on the main encoder again. I do have a backup unit to install. Will keep you tuned in.

Darrell Cheney
WRIC TV

Sorry,

I was reading that you all were fuzzzing about CBS.

BTW, 8-1 was so bad A/V dropout during the Monday night preseason, unwatchable. But I switch to 13-1 (from suffolk) and the signal was fine, so obviously it's not all HDTIVO problem, and it does not happen to all ABC affiliate either, it's got to be something deep in the system of 8-1.

Darrell -
Welcome back.

As you know, I've had the audio dropout issue on WRIC-DT ever since signing up for Comcast several months ago on my Moto 6208 cable box.
I recently hooked up an OTA box (Samsung TS360) to a Zenith Silver Sensor and get 8-1 in perfectly - no dropouts at all. Note this is the same TV. I live in Glen Allen about 15 miles from the tower, according to antennaweb.

Since other viewers have had issues with other OTA boxes (HD-Tivo?), it could be an incompatibility with your signal and some receiver boxes, but not all. This may be generally related to the issue with some boxes (mine included) not being able to tune in Digital CBS OTA.

I seem to remember there are 18 different ATSC (?) Digital broadcast formats - could it be related to some boxes' ability to receive certain formats? I find it interesting that I have a box that receives it perfectly, and one where the audio is perfectly awful - both on the same TV.

True, but there is an issue that will have me changing out my main encoder today and that is the fact that the sd encoder running the ABC NewNow signal that Comcast is now carrying on 194 has been flawless. This clears my microwave path equipment and my hd transmitter from the 8-1 problems. The only thing left is my main encoder. I just received the stream analyzer this morning and getting ready to go back and plumb it on the output of the encoder directly to see what it says about the stream structure.

Darrell Cheney
WRIC TV

All us Comcast subscribers will keep our fingers crossed and hope the process of elimination eventually leads to a cure to the WRIC-DT dropouts.

Meanwhile, I did get NFLTV, but only after Comcast told me it wasn't possible.

Long story short, because I was an ATT customer I was grandfathered under a lower rate for digital plus HBO. Saves me $7 per month, and I'm not complaining.

When NFLTV showed in my lineup but with a "not authorized" message, I called. The first Comcast CSR I spoke with told me that because the new channel required a different subscription code, I would not get NFLTV, NBATV or Fox Sports unless I kicked in the extra $7 to "upgrade" to the package I already have.

When I explained I was already getting NBA and Fox, he said that was a mistake, and advised me not to press the issue or I might lose them.

The more I thought about it, the sillier I thought that sounded. I called back and got a second CSR. Before I could even get into the details of the earlier call, she had hit my box and I was watching NFLTV.

I've been through several such episodes recently, including a fight to get a $10 "AV upgrade" charge off my bill for a Dolby Digital box I turned in when I got my HD DVR. At that time, the first CSR told me I was still getting Dolby Digital service so I had to pay the extra charge. In other words, I was paying $20 for the same box and same service that was costing everybody else $10. I had to call back and demand a supervisor to get that one removed retroactively and permanently.

I won't even go into the $80 per month recurring charge Voom put on my credit card for an install that never took place and service I never received. Visa is fighting that one for me, Voom claimed they weren't charging me even though I was holding the bill in my hand.

I know this isn't a forum for billing rants, but this stuff can quickly turn into a comedy of errors if you don't pay attention and kick up a fuss when they screw something up.

On the other hand, HDTV is an addiction and I'd sell plasma or pick up aluminum cans in the alley to support my habit.

Dear Mr.Cheney

First of all , thank you for your ever presence on this board. We need more guy like you.

Would it not be the easiest way to communicate with engineer dpt @ 13-1, hampton road, my HDTIVO box does not seem to have any problem with A/V dropout from 13-1. I live in Hopewell, I could get the signal from suffolk as good as signal from Richmond, OTA.

I could get all but 43-1, what is the direction of 43-1 or 29 from your place? Is it within 10 degree of the rest? Because if so the signal must be awfully weak.


I am in Hopewell, 50 mi from suffolk, 20 mi from richmond.

Ok, we have switched out the primary encoder today. Please let me know what you get for reception please. We also made some adjustments to the stream settings.

Darrell Cheney
WRIC TV