Miami / Ft. Lauderdale, FL - HDTV - Page 12

Wooooooooo
That is not good, who gave you that info in NBC ?

I used to get PBS on 2-2 until I did a soft boot.
I also sometimes got 2-1,2-2,2-3.
Now after a scan, I only get 2-1 and 2-3.
I believe they are always changing.
It depends on what is transmitting when scanned.

I don't know if you can add a digital channel without scanning.
You can add a channel number one by one by clicking on it (remote style) and it will test that channel, but ***** Just thought of something, I guess you can retest channel 17 to see if other digital channels will come in ????

I also believe that NBC is doing a half ass commitment. Just like FOX with the SD wide screen. They just do enough until they see numbers that will give them good ROI.
Believe me if they saw large returns, the antenna would be up in a month and on the air in a few.

What they need is a Neilson rating on HD.
THis attached to advertising dollars is what makes the stations determine HD involvement.

At present, CBS is the God of HDTV.

Still waiting for WB.

George33027 reported:
"It seems they must have updated the schedule and it now works with zip codes in South Florida !!!!!!!!"

Yes. Early last week, I risked inserting the zip code into my replacement receiver for the first time. And there was the local channel program information.

Actually, I do not much use the HD-5 guide, preferring the one on the adjoining DirecTiVo, which I use for viewing non-HD programming. What a wonderful, useful toy it is. And a bargain at that. Circuit City is selling them in-store and on line (search TiVo) for $99.99. with no strings and with availability to current DirecTv subscribers. It is also available from http://www.orbitsat.com The two brands are identical except for the case color; the Phillips (CC) being black and the Hughes (orbitsat) silver.

Just a second note:
Working on getting a DVD before a TIVO.

But, I tried to add local cable which is Telemedia.
The unit downloads the schedule till about 1/2 done, then goes into a reset and starts all over.
It loops like that forever.

So I have to go in and delete cable to get it back.

Also when I scan the cable (with an antenna also attached to the other sat port via a diplexor) I only get a few stations.
Then when I go in manually, I can add them one at a time.

Anyone else with the same problem with the Mits HD5 ?
(of course in the same area)

I took the dive into HDTV today when I picked up a SATHD100. I'll be setting it up tonight and hopefully will not have too many problems especially during the pointing of the dish. Is there any thinigs I should be aware of in order to make my install easy?

Ok I'm hooked up. But I'm getting only channels 2.3 and 2.4 ota. I thought I would be also getting channels 9 and 22 since I did get a antenna signal of 89. Instead the receiver displays the channel number and angl with a blue screen.

What did i do wrong?

You should be getting the following if you're close enough to the transmitters in Miami:

WPBT-DT (PBS) channel 18-1 or 18-3, remapped by your receiver to channel 2-1 or 2-3

WFOR-DT (CBS) channel 22-1, remapped to 4-1

WSVN-DT (Fox) channel 8-1, remapped to 7-1

WPLG-DT (ABC) channel 9-1, remapped to 10-1

Additionally, hardrock has reported receiving occasional test transmissions from WBZL-DT (WB) channel 19-1, remapped to 39-1.

Note that you may find that you receive no audio or intermittent, unusable audio from WSVN-DT. (They don't seem to care about the problem.)

You may also find that WSVN-DT and WPLG-DT signals will have occasional to frequent drop-outs, with freezing pictures and garbled sound from time to time. I'm not sure why this is except to note that they share the same tower location and are both on VHF assignments, which might make them more suceptible to some kinds of interference than WPBT-DT and WFOR-DT, which are on UHF channels. Also, they are not yet operating at the maximum power allocated to them by the FCC, whreas WPBT-DT and WFOR-DT ae at full power.

It is ordinarily necessary to go into the receiver's menu and make it do a DTV channel search to get all the stations locked-in. The receiver will tune in all the stations one at a time and add them to a list, usually "remapping" them to the remapped channel listed above.

Thanks David for this info. I will check it out tonight. How can i get more info about the remapping.
I was not able to get HBO 509 and HD199 from Directv even after speding an hour on the phone. They kept on telling me that I was or should be receiving it but all I kept getting was the message: Program not available in your area. Please check program guide for alternate programming when viewing DTV HD.

This of course was very disappointing. My signal strength were alteast 90.

I found adjusting the oval dish that's needed to receive DirecTV's standard-definition and high-definition channels simultaneously, via two different satellites, to be quite difficult the first time I tried it.

It's necessary that the arm that supports the dish be absolutely plumb in every direction for the elevation, azimuth and tilt numbers that the STB gives you for your particular zip code location to be accurate. Even then some minor fine adjustment may be required.

The goal is to get the signal strength on both the 101-degree satellite and the 119-degree satellite as high as possible. But there will be a tradeoff for signal strength from one bird to the other. Are you getting signal strength in the 90s for BOTH satellites? (The one at 119-degrees carries the HDTV channels.)

Regarding DTV channel remapping, not all STBs do this in exactly the same way. I'm not familiar with how your STB does it. I have an RCA DTC100 and a Zenith ATSC tuner which work slightly differently from each other. Generally what happens is that once you have successfully tuned a DTV station via a channel search of all the stations in your area, the STB will assign a new number for the analog and digital versions of a particular station. For example the STB will initially receive WFOR-TV (analog) as "4" and WFOR-DT (digital) as "22-1" since WFOR-DT actually transmits over channel 22. But for your convenience the STB will then "remap" WFOR-TV (analog) as "4-0" and it will "remap" WFOR-DT (digital) as "4-1." That way you can distinguish between the two signals from he same station by their channel numbers, 4-0 for analog vs. 4-1 for digital.

Some DTV stations, like WPBT-DT will sometimes transmit multiple program streams. These may be identified as , for example in WPBT-DT's case, 2-1, 2-2, 2-3, 2-4, etc. But "2-0" will always be the plain 'ole analog NTSC signal.

Some STBs will call the channels things like "2-01" or "02-01" instead.

I should have also mentioned, in case you were unaware, that you'll need a VHF/UHF antenna...not just UHF...to receive WSVN-DT and WPLG-DT since they are VHF assgnments. When WPEC-DT (CBS) West Palm Bach signs-on next Spring it will be on VHF, too, on channel 13. All other South Florida DTV assignments are UHF.

I really would doubt that your are getting 90's on the 119 Tbird, That has to be the 101, The highest you ill get that 119 were the Digital Channels are will not be 90 for sure.
See the explanation from Dave he is very clear on it.

Thanks guys for the additional explaination. I will take another go at it tonight. I was on my roof with a flashlight at 10pm lastnight checking the dish. With your help I'm begininig to understand this alot better. I'm going from Err to OK very quiclky.

Does anyone within the Palm Beach area have the Sony SATHD100? Since I purchased this STB as an open box from CC I hope that the prolblem is not with the box.

Another note b4 you get on top of your house, leave the satellite signal on the TV for the 119 Satellite and tilt the dish until you find a signal, try to play with the tilt first because you already have the 101 locked, remember you need to get them both together..
Good luck it took me 45 minutes do get them both, and the highest signal on 119 is 60 & 101 96, see the difference.
Let us know..

jluzbet opined:
"I really would doubt that your are getting 90's on the 119 Tbird, That has to be the 101, The highest you ill get that 119 were the Digital Channels are will not be 90 for sure." (sic)

My readings range from 90 to 95 on six of the 119° tansponders. The others are in the upper 80's. This is with two 18" dishes.

I am assuming that he is using a oval dish not 2 round one's

Does anyone else have an Mits HD5 and Telemedia cable ???

I always take the receiver, a small TV set, two RG6 cables and a plugged-in power extension cord with at least two outlets up on the roof with me when adjusting a dish. You can view the signal strength meter from the STB via its F-connector RF output on the TV set without having to consult with someone in the house as to what effect your dish adjustment is having.

Temporarily disconnect the coax from the output of the multiswitch and connect one of the two cables you brought up with you to the multiswitch output and the other end to the STB. Then connect the other cable to the RF output (ch. 3 or 4) of the STB. Plug that into the antenna input of the TV set. In our market, which has a channel 4 TV assignment, set the RF channel switch on the STB to "3" and tune channel 3 on the TV set.

In direct sunlight, bring a big umbrella to keep the receiver and the TV set from overheating and to make it easier to view the screen.

David;
What I do is bought a long cable and added F connectors to it.
Then with a 5 inch portable light weight TV (B&W) I did the same as you. As long as the setup is set, you can then do the same.
Portable is battery powered so it is easy.

3ems:

I have an HD100 and am located in Lake Worth ... I get a signal strength of 92-96 on the one bird and 60s-70s on the other bird (with oval dish).

One thing you may want to look at is the length of your cable runs ... when I first installed I was at the 120 ft mark and I couldn't get anything from the second bird unless I ran a straight cable (bypassing the multiswitch). One way to check this is to tune your IRD to channel 376(NASA) ... if you get NASA then all is well, but if you get something that looks like PBS kids ... then your cable run is too long and the 22 khz tone isn't getting through to the Multiswitch.

For aligning my dish ... I use a satellite signal meter ... they are a little pricey ... but since I take my unit with me in the RV twice a month ... the speed of setup makes it well worth the price for me.

AgilScot

Thanks for all your inputs. Well I'm finally up and running. I got a radio shack attic antenna (out in the back yard on a broom stick) and can now pickup channels 2.3,4.1,7.1 and 10.1. I'm also listing 98. but no picture. What station is this anyway? Maybe this weekend I'll move the antenna to the attic.

Just wondering if anyone has added a satellite amp. to there unit?
Then depending on distance, how was the performance ?

As with any other amp problem, does it improve or attenuate?

Don't know if overload is a problem with the LNB to the receiver.

Question is has anyone tried this here in So. FL ?
With cable lenghts less than 100 ft?

Don't know where the overload signal strength is, using a RS Sat. amp. ?

I actually bought a dish amp when I installed my original round dish 5 years ago thinking that it would improve my rainfade situation, which it didn't. I was later told by a DirecTV rep that the inline amp is only for overcoming coax loss on cables exceeding 100 ft. My run's only 50 ft.

I am new to this forum, and have found it very helpful. I seem to be loosing lip-sync on WSVN-DT. If I change channels, and comeback to WSVN, it's ok. After a minute or so it goes out of sync. I have noticed that a few times the program on has stayed sync, but when commercials come, it goes out. I am using a Sony SAT-HD100 receiver. I get 97% signals on WPBT, WFOR, and 86% signals on WSVN and WPLG. Is it my receiver or something they are doing wrong at their end? Hope to keep in touch in this great forum.

Dave;
Thanks, but I suppose the amp did nothing, or did DirecTV tell you.

If you set up install on the receiver, and get a avg. transponder signal value, then add the amp. what is the value ????
Did it go down, stay the same, or improve.

Yes, I know that the amp is for cable loss, but an amp is an amp.
And, it needs a certain signal level at the input, and will produce an output signal. If the signal is within the ??? input parameters, it will amplifiy to give you a better signal. But if it is too large, it will do nothing, or can over load and attenuate.

So, was it a did nothing or what ???
Because when cloudy, the signal goes down, and just maybe the amp will bring it up to good levels.

And , yes, if the signal goes to almost zero in rain, Nothing will help.

W2JD,

I get BER numbers similar to yours (slightly lower up here in Lake Worth.) WSVN-DT has has audio problems from Day 1. Usually it's stuttering and dropouts more than floating lip-synce on an RCA DTC100...and no audio at all on Zenith tuners. They don't seem particularly concerned about it.

George,

I didn't see any change to my sat signals with or without the amp on a clear day. I should re-install it during a heavy rainstorm and look for an improvement then.

Has anyone called our friendly WB affiliate to see what's going on? Or did I miss a post about this?

David;
Good idea. The good news is that there is no signal overload so it does not attenuate the signal.
I bought a manual switch to switch between 2 cables. Then I made 3 small RG6 cables (12-18") and put an amp on one. Then you can switch at different times to see how it will work over time. When you start to see a lot of breakups, then switch and see how it improves.

Remember each amp has certain characteristics, and one is the output levels. This will not change. But, if the input signal is the same, you see no difference, and if the input signal goes down, then the amp "should" amplify back to the same output levels. This is probably why you don't see any higher numbers. So the test is if the signals go down, does the amp bring it back for you to get less to no drop outs.

The great news is that you don't have overload, which attenuates the signal.

Just a side note:
Digital signals are a digital representation of the audio analog wave and a pixel representation of the picture. So if you get drop outs (low signals, or multipath) the picture will not update properly and you will see the last picture or parts of it until an update is received. But in audio, the sound wave may be missing components, but you can still hear some of the audio, maybe not in its full fidelity. This is why you can hear audio while the pix is frozen on your screen.
You will hear greater losses if you are in stereo, or surround sound. This is why compression looses some of the fidelity to both audio and pix.

As Hardrock stated a while ago, you can get the same bad results from missing signals as well as multipath.
Multipath corrupts signals, which is almost the same as missing signals.

Receiving WB picture only , NO SOUND
on 39-1 and 19-1.
Ch39 remapped.
pix in 4:3, no sound.

Where is there antenna ?

Now receiveing WB in SD.

Now, does anyone know any new news on NBC ??????

Did they every get the FCC to okay the channel change ?

I know they sometimes transmit in HD, but not down here, yet.

I can't get ABC nor WSVN-DT digital in Coconut Grove with a Zenith Receiver.

Is it transmitting tonight?

I still should get a lock into this VHF signals, right?


Must be all the trees around.

The 5 channels are Ok here ...