Detroit, MI - HDTV - Page 356

No, they want you to get CBC HD and you will.

Be patient. Remember, up to this point you haven't missed one NHL game in HD yet. After tomorrow that will probably be a different story.

My guess is that other channel changes will be made with the addition of CBET-DT, and maybe they're not ready quite yet. It shouldn't be that much longer. I hope.

Yes, I actually already knew all the things you noted before, but I still notice that the picture qualtiy (PQ) isn't as good as it initially was back in September. However, it does look better today than it did on Monday. I'm comparing my recordings of the same shows from various dates, not just going on memory. I'll just say that I'm very picky about picture quality. I notice when SD subchannels (bandwidth parasites that they are) are turned on/off just by how much better/worse HD channels look . . . anyway, I'm still happy they finally went HD. I don't think the PQ issues I'm seeing are due to low bandwidth. I think I can describe my observations best by saying that their HD looks very much like WMYDDT, when I was really hoping the quality would be better than that, and it initially was. I can't wait until Sep 11 2012, I'm assuming they'll re-air Diverted (The 2009 made for TV movie about passengers forced to land in Canada after the 9-11 terrorst attacks). Then I can compare the exact same footage, to see if they've ultimately optimized the PQ for the 16Mbps they use. Until then I'll drop it (unless I see another significant change, good or bad).

for tomorrow (11/12) my comcast guide is showing the SEC game of Kentucky @ Vanderbilt schedules for Noon (12:21 kick)..

Audio on WXYZ 7.1 from the ESPN pregame studio show sounds very bad. Almost like something's way out of phase. In mono, there's a definite doubling of the audio. Surround sounds awful. Local commercials are fine. Can't wait to hear the game.

NHL schedule doesn't have a 3pm game today. CBC schedule has the normal doubleheader today, Ottawa @ Toronto 7pm, Calgary @ Colorado 10pm.

I am looking forward to this.

For the first time on the US side of the Detroit area...

Live on the CBC, Hockey Night In Canada in HDTV
In 720p DD5.1

Watching CBET-DT in Wixom with an outdoor directional antenna, 100% solid. 46" Sony 1080p LCD.

Currently introducing the newest members of the Hockey Hall Of Fame, including Detroit Red Wing Mark Howe. Foster Hewitt Award winner Mickey Redmond is in Detroit, doing the Red Wings game tonight.

What an awesome picture of HNIC on CBET HD!!!! I am amazed...

Getting a solid lock of 9/10 bars on my Samsung up here in the Holly area!!!

Next Saturday...Sorry, my mistake

Anyone else noticed CBET-DT local programming has no center channel output? Dialog is only coming out of L+R. National segments sound good, only local broadcast segments that suck. This happens during local news and ads.

Hoping this gets resolved soon, as well as the TVGuide info on the 28th.

Comcast Update:

The next phase of Project Cavalry in Michigan begins in mid January. Elimination of analog Limited Basic channels will start in the Hartland and Hillsdale areas, both of which are 550 Mhz systems. Other areas will follow and it's expected to take until sometime in 2013 to complete.

At some point in the near future after this occurs in each area, they'll get more HD channels and enhanced services.

thanks for the update, Ken!!
Much appreciated...

Noticed a new channel on my comcast/westland lineup..BYUtv on 390....

Looks like BBC World News was also added on 387.

From what it says at Wiki, although the HD feed has been up in North America since October, it isn't available as yet to providers.

Hey all, I have about had it with my satellite bill, rarely home to even watch it, considering putting a main antenna on my roof and just using whatever comes in digitally to feed my 3 tvs.

I live in Northville MI maybe 30 miles northwest of detroit and on my main tv I have this $5 mini 6 inch antenna I bought on a whim (no power and just sitting ontop of the tv) but it brings in 3 channels solid, the channels it brings in are more clear than thru my directv hookup too!

So I am thinking ditch directv get a nicer powered unit for the roof, then if possible split that signal and have it just feed all 3 of my hdtvs with digital signal.

Curious what might be my best choice for antennas and what equipment I would need to properly split that signal to run to my 3 hdtvs (if that is even possible).

I would even pay someone to install it all vs paying another satellite bill, just want to make sure I am buying the right equipment for the job so this is where my help question comes in to you guys/gals.

Bill

With a small fixed directional VHF/UHF antenna, mounted outdoors and as high as you can get it, you should easily be able to get channels from Southfield where most of the Detroit area HD stations are located; ABC, CBS, FOX, MNTV, NBC, PBS, The CW.

WADL-DT (4 SD channels) is in Mt. Clemens and should also be doable since it's in the same general direction as Southfield, from your location in Northville.

ION is located in Chelsea, CBC & TVO are located southeast and east of downtown Detroit/Windsor. For those you may need the rotor, and maybe a medium or large antenna.

If you go for the gusto and get a large antenna & rotor, you may be able to get redundant major network stations (ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, PBS) from Toledo, Flint, Lansing, or an additional Canadian station or two from Sarnia.

As for 3 TV's, that shouldn't be an issue. You may need a distribution amp (located inside where the coax enters the residence) or a preamp (mounted on the antenna mast and powered by the coax cable, you'll also need a second cable to control the rotor). The larger the antenna, the less need for the preamp as opposed to a distribution amp.

See the first post of this topic for a list of local stations and Rabbit Ears.com for even more info on distant stations. Also, go to TV Fool.com and enter your info.

Digital TV reception is all trial and error. Generally speaking, reception is line of sight and after 60 miles the curvature of the earth prevents reception, but you won't really know what you'll get until you try it.

Thanks for the reply here, wondering since there is stuff in all directions from me if i shouldn't consider just getting an omnidirectional type unit? That way too I wouldn't have to fiddle with it to get it pointed in JUST the right direction correct?

I was looking around online and the omnidirectional Winegard MS2000 sure seems like it would do the job unless there is a huge disadvantage to using an omnidirectional like this (to me seemed much simpler than having to aim or rotate it to get other stations).

If I used this omnidirectional I would just get a post and try to get it up on the backside of the house above the roofline and just forget about it in terms of adjustments.

Bill

Nope.

An omnidirectional antenna will not work nearly as well as a directional antenna. It usually works for stations relatively close, roughly 20 miles. In your case that would work for the stations in Southfield, but not much more.

It would work better if it was mounted over 20' off the ground, and that way you may get more stations, but a directional antenna would probably still be better.

Some additional considerations based on my experiences are:

Trees in the line of sight from my antenna to the Southfield broadcast towers are probably responsible for much more frequent signal breakups when the leaves are up than when they are down. 56.1 was semi-useless this past Summer.

Use a secure mast. My reception of 4.x and 56.x are seriously broken up when there are substantial winds no matter where the leaves are. My antenna has two brackets the top one about 5 ft below the top of the mast. It vibrates when strong winds.

I strongly recommend a rotator. 20.1 is useless when my antenna is positioned for the other stations. My antenna is a "fringe" UHF/VHF and quite large. If I replace it I would get a "deep fringe" monster.

If you are in Farmington Hills, then you are less than 10 miles from most of the towers. The "fringe" antenna may be part of the problem as it may be too powerful. I am in Livonia almost at the Plymouth border (so about 10 miles away also) and I have a small antenna in the attic of the garage aimed at about the middle of the antenna locations and don't have a problem. Fringe antennas are needed for farther away locations (30 miles or so). You may be getting way too strong of a signal and getting multipath from other stations causing the problems. Remember that while they are still called 4.1 and 7.1, they are actually in the UHF spectrum in the lower 40's along with 56.1 and 62.1, so you could be getting interference with the other stations.

As far as 20.1, keep in mind that they are on the same tower as 56.1 and 62.1, so if you get one, you should get all 3 without any rotation.

At least you will get CBC HD and HAVE NHL HD, Charter has neither and I doubt we will get them anytime soon. I would love to be "stuck" with Comcast compared to Charter

I, too, live in Northville and maybe I'm just lucky but I'm using a cheap knockoff version of a Lava 2805 sitting on a shelf in a second story closet and I get all the locals plus CBC(9.1) and TVO(32.1) w/o using the built in rotor. It's looking through several walls but still has flawless reception 98% of the time.

This unit has a built-in amp and can power several TVs. I picked it up from Buy.com in August for <$30 shipped, but can't find that deal now. The Lava runs ~$60.

My location, 8 Mi. & Taft Rd., does have fairly high elevation.

In any case, good luck!

Not being a Comcast customer, I wonder exactly "Limited Basic" entails - is that the package of about 60 channels, most of which disappeared on the Detroit (city proper) system about two years ago, or is this the roughly 12 channels that remain (the local full-service stations, but not 38, access channels, two C-spans, HSN, QVC and WGN America). Is this to say all analog is being cut?

No. Most analog channels have already been eliminated in all Comcast service areas. Take a look at this list as an example, keeping in mind the Limited Basic channels noted with a '1' are already digital, leaving 17 analog channels: http://www.comcast.com/MediaLibrary/...%29_Lineup.pdf




Yes. All analog channels will be eliminated.

The National Association of Broadcasters has argued that the FCC's spectrum reclamation plan could leave big cities along the border with Canada and Mexico -- Detroit, for example -- without any U.S. over-the-air TV if Canadian and Mexican channel reservations are taken into account...

http://www.multichannel.com/article/...ction_Plan.php

In addition to a price increase for internet service, my latest bill had the following information (I know that that BBC world news is already active):

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Effective January 24, 2012: The following Digital Starter HD channels will be added: Bloomberg HD Ch.988*, Sprout HD Ch. 993*. The following Digital Preferred channels will be added: BBC World News Ch. 387, BYUtv Ch. 390, and OxygenHD Ch. 980*. WCMZ Ch. 17 will be added to Limited Basic and require Comcast digital equipment. The following channels will be removedfrom Premium service: HBO Family HD Ch. 269 and MoreMax HD Ch. 273. BBC America Ch. 114 will move from Digital Preferred toStandard Basic.

Pete

Still no mention of Fox Soccer channel in HD

or cbc in HD, and any additional sports channels in either SD or HD

As I've posted here for months before CBC HD was on the air, Comcast will be adding it, soon. Just because the above info doesn't reference it, doesn't mean it won't happen.

CBC carries a lot of sports, and other programming simply not available to most Americans, as does TVO. They would both be great additions to Comcast, and no rights issues to be concerned with. I'm thinking Comcast won't add them simply because they can't make money from them and bandwidth comes at a premium these days.