Detroit, MI - HDTV - Page 52

I referenced the audio problem with WJBK in my earlier post on the subject of DirecTV HD LiL channels. I'm not using the digital audio in my setup, but the analog audio from the H20 is full of frequent, very short dropouts, which I don't hear on any of the other three HD LiLs.

My dish seems to be pointed correctly. I'm getting 80% or more from all of the satellites. The audio dropout problem ia exclusive to the local Fox channel. I have to think they're doing something wrong. I believe others have reported this as well.

I don't know what D* uses to decode WJBK-DT, but their gear could be having fits with the wrecked PSIP, too. My 151 absolutely hates WJBK's signal. It locks it up, but if I tune away, it's another 30 seconds when I tune back.

The Zenith seems immune.

Guess I need to harass Fox2 engineering, huh?

That would be much appreciated. They probably need some harassing. Good Fox reception would be a very nice thing.

I am a newbie to HDTV and posted a question regarding a problem I have with WXYZ TV/ ABC. I live in Wayne, MI. I was not aware of this local forum here so will repost here and see if anyone has any ideas.

I've had my new Samsung 30" HDTV, model tx-r3079wh, one week now. It has a built in HDTV tuner. I am using an OTA and have good signal strenght, no drop outs. I have also tried a second antenna and it was no help. I have some really strange problems when I watch any HDTV Broadcast on the ABC network. During the broadcasts(Good Morning America is one of the worst) at times when the screen changes formats from 16:9 to 4:3(either way), like when the live broadcast goes to commercials or when it returns to the live broadcast from commercials or they switch to a remote reporter broadcast in 4:3, I hear a LOUD CRACK noise. This happens most of the time but there's more! Sometimes after the crack noise, there is NO audio and my tv shuts OFF and turns itself back ON within about 4 seconds after the crack noise!
I have not watched a HDTV broadcast on ABC that this did not happen. Good Morning America, which airs for 2 hours, this will happen about 4-5 times during the program. Not always will it turn off and back on by itself, sometimes just the loud CRACK noise is present. I have watched many other HDTV networks and have not had any problem. I Only have this problem with ABC which in my area of Detroit, MI is WXYZ-TV. This only happens with HDTV broadcasts on ABC(every one of them), regular analog broadcasts do not have this problem.

I am a newbie to HDTV but maybe this has something to do with that(from what I read) ABC Broadcasts in 720p and my Samsung is Native 1080i but also supports
480P/720P signals. I also think I read that FOX network broadcasts in 720p too, but my tv does not have this problem on FOX. Only on ABC. All other video IN sources work ok.

I called Samsung tech support and they are having a technician come out to my house tomorrow. I hope this issue can be corrected.

Has anyone ever heard of such a strange occurrance? Any engineers or technical people who can offer some information regarding this would be most welcome.

I sent email to WXYZ TV and was told it was forwarded to their engineering department. Maybe its just my TV but I am not sure of anything as of yet.

What kind of signal strength in relation to other stations? I would say problem is not with
WXYZ or ABC but with your tv set (built in tuner). Best thing is try another tv and, if trouble disappears, the problem was within your first display. It should have nothing to do with how a station broadcasts (1080i or 720p or 480i.)

I am about the same distance north of WXYZ tower as you are south. While I have noticed minor snaps on some transitions between 16:9 and 4:3, on 7 and other stations, I have never noticed anything as major as you describe. I don't watch channel 7 that much, so I might have missed it.

Some weird things happen as the engineers seem to pay less attention to hdtv than the analog channel. On L&O:SVU last week, the video froze for several minutes three different times, while the audio continued to play. I checked other stations and they were OK, and I checked (and finally watched) the analog station.

WXYZ is as strong as and sometimes stronger than other channels.

Yes this is major...really freaked us out when it first started happening. Thanks for the replies gentlemen!

Wondering if anyone else is having a problem with Comcast in the Belleville area. The analog channels have rolling lines and anything coming thru the Moto 6412 (HD or digital channels) is garbage.

I called Comcast and they siad it was a problem in the area, but they have said that before so I have reason to doubt that is the problem.

I am in Rochester Hills and I have also noticed the rolling lines with my 6412 tonight. I thought it was my TV at first, but it appears intermittently on analog and HD channels for me.

Yes the samsung tech is supposed to come here today. I have a feeling he's going to have to take the tv to the shop with him. I'll let you know what happens. Thanks for replying.

If the TV is only a week old why dont you just take it back for an exchange.?

Thats exactly what I did today! The samsung repairman came here and he said he never seen anything like it! Would have to bring into shop and would be without my set for awhile..however we both concluded it would just be better to take it back for an exchange. Now, I am waiting to see a WXYZ HD broadcast(like the RoseBowl tonight) and see if this tv has the same problem. Whats scarey is that it has the same Manufacture date as the last one did!

tyke, quick question, what kind of OTA are you using? I live in Canton and I have the same HDTV set as you. I got mine at Circuit City, no additional warranty.
Since I live in Canton, I figured if an OTA works for you with that set, should work for me. It seems the Zenith Silver Streak is the one mostly recommended, but I believe its mail order only, atleast I have been unable to find it in the Wayne area.

Thanks

I swapped out my Brighthouse Moto6412 last night for the latest version with HDMI and a SATA port. HDMI works great, it's nice to have fewer cables in my setup. I'm still using digital coax for audio to my receiver. My Sony 34XS955 has a digital audio out, but I'm not sure if that's only for audio from the TV's ATSC/QAM tuner or not. Hopefully that's another cable I can pull out! Will report back.

The latest 6412's menu has HDMI setting options. From what I've read, it's best to choose the color decoding option of YC 4:4:4 (which was the default) as opposed to RGB, I'm not really clear on this. Anybody?

Also as a little anecdote of how Brighthouse techs aren't the brightest (pun intended)... My brother picked up the digital service and the DVR from them after seeing it in my setup. He definitely noticed an improvement in PQ on HD broadcasts, but he just wasn't blown away. Finally made it over there to check out what was up, box was set to output 480p. The veil was lifted for him and he was a happy guy.

Skanhome,

I posted an issue with Fox a few weeks ago, and I'm currently experiencing it again. I live close to Lowes/WalMart in Lyon Twp, so we are a similar distance.

I'm using an aplified set of UHF rabbit ears, and I pick up all the stations you do, except that I can only sometimes get channel 28 in Flint, if I really move the antenna around and the conditions are right.

I haven't been receiving Fox for about a week now again, and I don't think it's simply due to my reception. My signal meter says 78-79, the same as all the other channels (4, 7, 20, etc).

If DrDon can get a hold of someone in engineering at Fox2, that would certainly be helpful. My aunt works for Fox2 and also lives in White Lake, but she doesn't have HD at her house. She did invite me to send her an email and have it forwarded to the engineering director, who I understand also lives somewhere out near us.

I will do the happy dance the day Windsor goes HD.
CBC's olympic coverage is the best in the world and they do their level best to show all the important events LIVE.

I'm getting the same. The DTV light is on and the signal meter is the same as the other channels that are coming in fine.

Hopefully there will be a fair weather weekend coming soon, so I can get an outdoor antenna up. I know this won't help with the FOX situation, but it will help for the long run. The BCS games looked fantastic in HD, but I was getting a long stretch of severe pixelation, so I went back to the satellite. I'm sure the metal framing in the basement isn't helping...

For what its worth, I live in Brighton, actually about half way between Brighton and Howell. I have a Channelmaster antenna mounted in my garage attic and pick up Fox2 with no problem. I'm using a MyHD card in my HTPC and signal strength is north of 80%. Audio and video are fine.

Good luck!

That's my long term goal. I saw an article on a dual-core HTPC and that got me going on planning my setup. I got my STB off of ebay for under $70, so I figured I would test it for a few before looking into a PCI card.

Unless you are doing some major rendering or video editing, dual core isn't really necessary for HTPC use.

You can get 1080i out of a mid-2 GHz processor, 128 meg video card and 512 megs of ram

You may be waiting a long time to do that happy dance. CBC only has the rights to the 2006 and 2008 games. They lost the rights to CTV/Rogers for the 2010 (in Vancouver) and 2012 games.

I agree. My HTPC is a 3.0 MHz P4 with 256MB RAM and an nVidia GeForce 6800 video card with 128MB RAM. HDTV and DVD playback work great. Both 1080i and 720p with a Sony HS51 projector setup. I also do some video rendering without difficulty. I've been very pleased.

Chuck

I recieved a letter last week from Comcast informing me of a price increase. While PBS Kids Sprout is a nice addition to the line-up I was hoping for a little more for the $7.00 dollar a month a increase.

Is anyone in the know with regards to the addtion of ESPN2HD?

Is this an extended basic or digital tier channel?

i think it is 128

It was more of an inspirational thing than a blueprint. We had a brownout that claimed the life of our vcr, and I think I stumbled upon the article the next day.

I swear this OTA antenna thing with my D* H-10 is driving me nuts.

I have a DB2 antenna, roof-mounted, which gets everything here in Motown in great. Ch. 2, 4, 20, 56, 62 are all strong and come in great (86-93% on the D* antenna meter).

Question...what could possibly be the problem that I don't get Ch. 7? There is nothing in the way and all the towers are basically north of me (I am in Dearborn, under 14 miles from all of 'em).

The signal bounces up to 69% and holds for a bit, then falls out to 0%, then 30%, then up and back down.

I am frustrated by this multipath thing. Should I get a signal attenuator? Could 7's signal be TOO strong? I am at wits end. I am not ready to go to the D* H20/5LNB and don't want cable again if I can help it, but I am tired of this antenna thing.

Any assistance or suggestions welcome!!!