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Fort Smith, AR - HDTV - Page 5

post #121 of 3395
1/25/06 at 12:51pm
Cox came out today to "see" my problem with the movie channels not working correctly with my D-VHS deck, and I gave them the information I gleaned from my posts here on AVForum regarding the "Image Constraint Token" value being set wrong at the head-end. I also emailed them the information.

The technician said that this past weekend they did a major conversion from getting their feeds from Tyler, Texas, to Kansas. So now we are getting our feeds from another source, it seems.
He said that there could still be bugs to work out.

I will wait only so long, or I will cancel my movie channels. (Have to cancel SD to cancel HD)

We'll see.
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post #122 of 3395
1/25/06 at 1:02pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Phototone View Post

The technician said that this past weekend they did a major conversion from getting their feeds from Tyler, Texas, to Kansas. So now we are getting our feeds from another source, it seems.

We'll see.

That makes sense. I was changing some settings on my wireless router this weekend and saw that the new provider name was ks.cox.net. I don't recall what it was before, but it was NOT that.

Also, on Sat. I had DL speeds of over 100k/s. By Sunday night I was back down to the 40-50 range.
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post #123 of 3395
1/26/06 at 6:35pm
It's good to see this thred is fairly active. I live in Van Buren, currently have Cox (sigh), and will be buying a HDTv soon. I'd like to get some OTA HD, but I really don't want a messy antenna install. How good is an indoor antenna? Is there some outdoor ones that are fairly easy in install?
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post #124 of 3395
1/26/06 at 7:40pm
For the posters wondering about Ft. Smith OTA, I'm using the Phillips MANT510 out in Lavaca and have no trouble picking up CBS and ABC. It's a powered antenna I picked up at Wal-Mart for under 30 bucks as a "trial run" and have wound up keeping it. Your best bet might be starting at Wal-Mart and trying one of the small models available in store to see what your reception is like before ordering something online.
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post #125 of 3395
1/26/06 at 8:02pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mcrendog View Post

It's good to see this thred is fairly active. I live in Van Buren, currently have Cox (sigh), and will be buying a HDTv soon. I'd like to get some OTA HD, but I really don't want a messy antenna install. How good is an indoor antenna? Is there some outdoor ones that are fairly easy in install?

A small CM 4221 is pretty easy to install outdoors, and would likely work for you in Van Buren, aimed towards Winslow area to get ABC HD, CBS HD & PBS HD.

If you have a long coax run, you may need to add a low noise preamp, like the CM 7777.

OTA also gets you sub channels that your cableco may not carry. Example: PBS has 4 sub channels. And they're free, except for the cost of the TV & antenna, of course.
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post #126 of 3395
1/26/06 at 8:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by arxaw View Post

OTA also gets you sub channels that your cableco may not carry. Example: PBS has 4 sub channels. And they're free, except for the cost of the TV & antenna, of course.

Speaking of PBS in Ft. Smith area, have any of you EVER seen a widescreen HD program from PBS here? I have seen plenty of letterbox programs but not any "true" 16:9 HD widescreen from the HD channel of PBS that Cox carries. I think the local/regional PBS station carries too many subchannels (which cox does not carry) to do any "real" HD. Just my opinion.
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post #127 of 3395
1/26/06 at 11:24pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Phototone View Post

According to a post on the HDTV recorders forum here, I may still be actually recording in full resolution, just not able to view it over the component outputs of my D-VHS deck.

Here is what was said:
________________________

It's called the "Image Constraint Token", and it's a bit in the DTCP_descriptor sent in the stream to control the 1394 output.

The stream itself is not downconverted. It's still sent on 1394 and stored on tape as 1080i or 720p. However, when the tape is played, the analog outputs on the player are downconverted.

Most likely this is not intentional. The bit itself uses negative logic (0 means "on" and 1 means "off") which tends to confuse people. Apparently, this confusion exists in the setting of the DTCP_descriptor at the head-end.

Ron
_____________________

Eureka...it is now working.
I forwarded Ron's information from the above quote, as well as a more thorough description of the issue involved to Cox Technical in an email, as well as gave the technician a print-out of Ron's two posts, and tonight, the "Image Constraint Token" is gone. I can now route my cable box via Firewire through my D-VHS deck, and feed the TV with the D-VHS deck's component outputs in full glorious HD. It is good to know that there are some people at Cox who try to get things right.
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post #128 of 3395
1/27/06 at 5:51am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Phototone View Post

Speaking of PBS in Ft. Smith area, have any of you EVER seen a widescreen HD program from PBS here? I have seen plenty of letterbox programs but not any "true" 16:9 HD widescreen from the HD channel of PBS that Cox carries. I think the local/regional PBS station carries too many subchannels (which cox does not carry) to do any "real" HD. Just my opinion.

Must be a cableco problem.

KAFT-DT does true 16:9 1080i HD on KAFT-DT 13-2, usually at night. When they do HD, they shut off the other sub channels (13-1, 13-3 & 13-4) to give all bandwidth to the HD broadcast on 13-2. The extra sub channels go black on OTA.

I also get the Springfield, MO PBS affiliate OTA (KOZK-DT), and it does not shut off multicasting while doing HD. The difference is striking. KOZK's compressed 1080i looks more like 480p widescreen, especially on scenes w/ lots of motion. KAFT-DT's HD broadcasts look like true HD.

Invest in an inexpensive outdoor OTA antenna and aim it at Winslow, AR.
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post #129 of 3395
1/27/06 at 9:09am
It's rare that there is a PBS HD program on it seems, so you may just not be looking for it at the right times.
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post #130 of 3395
1/27/06 at 9:16am
Check titantv.com or zap2it.com for HD program times on KAFT-DT.
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post #131 of 3395
1/27/06 at 11:24am
Quote:
Originally Posted by mcrendog View Post

It's good to see this thred is fairly active. I live in Van Buren, currently have Cox (sigh), and will be buying a HDTv soon. I'd like to get some OTA HD, but I really don't want a messy antenna install. How good is an indoor antenna? Is there some outdoor ones that are fairly easy in install?

I'm located in Springdale and use an indoor antenna without any problems. My suggestion is when you buy your HDTV, purchase an indoor antenna and try it out . Return it if doesn't work. You have nothing to lose.
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post #132 of 3395
1/29/06 at 6:23pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by jim9251 View Post

Talked with my local Cox office today. Cox is adding M-HD, a high def music video channel to its hi-def package at no extra charge, and will be adding "a lot" of hi-def channels here in 2006. They wouldn't tell me what or when, but said I will be very happy. The folks here have been honest with me in the past about upgrades, so no reason to doubt them.

i've heard from other people in neighboring states that cox plans to add the national geographic channel HD feed in their areas when it starts (february or march maybe?) of this year, so i would bet that that channel will be one of the first new ones we get.

speaking of, in relation to cox selling off a chunk of its midwest/southern operation that was reported on a couple of months back, northwest arkansas was listed as one of the excluded areas that cox was going to keep, but has there been any confirmation on exactly how much of this area would remain with cox and not be sold?
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post #133 of 3395
1/30/06 at 8:27am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Xayd View Post

i've heard from other people in neighboring states that cox plans to add the national geographic channel HD feed in their areas when it starts (february or march maybe?) of this year, so i would bet that that channel will be one of the first new ones we get.

speaking of, in relation to cox selling off a chunk of its midwest/southern operation that was reported on a couple of months back, northwest arkansas was listed as one of the excluded areas that cox was going to keep, but has there been any confirmation on exactly how much of this area would remain with cox and not be sold?

Well they are keeping the Fort Smith/Van Buren service area, as well as the NW Arkansas area (Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers, Bentonville metro area) for sure.
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post #134 of 3395
1/30/06 at 8:52am
what about eureka springs & berryville? inquiring friends want to know....
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post #135 of 3395
2/1/06 at 11:27am
Quote:
Originally Posted by arxaw View Post

what about eureka springs & berryville? inquiring friends want to know....

Well, I have a vacation home in Eureka Springs, and I have Cox Cable there and I am still getting a bill for service from Cox for my Eureka Springs cable service, and I have received no notification of any service change, so I surmise that Eureka Springs/Berryville is considered part of the NW ARKANSAS service.
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post #136 of 3395
2/1/06 at 11:29am
I notice today Cox in Fort Smith/Van Buren has added MTV-HD. Signal looks good, although it is not what I like to watch in HD. (I am a movie fan)
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post #137 of 3395
2/2/06 at 7:33pm
I guess everyone is too busy watching MTV-HD to comment on it?
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post #138 of 3395
2/4/06 at 7:10am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Phototone View Post

I guess everyone is too busy watching MTV-HD to comment on it?

Typical music video channel except it's in HD, the picture quality is good. But the content is boring. They do have concerts, but the COX guide doesn't list individual shows, just the generic channel information.
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post #139 of 3395
2/4/06 at 9:22am
Yeah, I find it booring also, and I wish Cox would add some more HD channels with some "meat" to them, such as TNT-HD.
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post #140 of 3395
2/4/06 at 8:23pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by rheff View Post

For the posters wondering about Ft. Smith OTA, I'm using the Phillips MANT510 out in Lavaca and have no trouble picking up CBS and ABC. It's a powered antenna I picked up at Wal-Mart for under 30 bucks as a "trial run" and have wound up keeping it. Your best bet might be starting at Wal-Mart and trying one of the small models available in store to see what your reception is like before ordering something online.

I got this indoor antenna. I can get ABC ok, but that's it. When I visited www.antennaweb.org and put in my whole address, it said that the only digital OTA channel was ABC 40.1. When I only put in the zip code it gave me more channels. I really thought I could get CBS OTA. Perhaps I'll have to get an outdoor antenna, but I really have no idea how to get the signal in the house. I have a new house, perhaps I can run it through the cable box I have outside???
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post #141 of 3395
2/5/06 at 5:42am
Quote:
Originally Posted by mcrendog View Post

I got this indoor antenna. I can get ABC ok, but that's it. When I visited www.antennaweb.org and put in my whole address, it said that the only digital OTA channel was ABC 40.1. When I only put in the zip code it gave me more channels. I really thought I could get CBS OTA. Perhaps I'll have to get an outdoor antenna, but I really have no idea how to get the signal in the house. I have a new house, perhaps I can run it through the cable box I have outside???

You can often get more channels than antennaweb shows. I get 3 more channels than they say I can get. They base the estimate on elevation and terrain for your specific address.

To connect an outdoor antenna, you need to run RG6 coax cable (Rat Shack or Homey Depot) from the outdoor or attic antenna to your ANT-IN jack on the TV or other tuner. If you have cable, you cannot combine the antenna and cable signal on one coax.
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post #142 of 3395
2/5/06 at 12:38pm
This is my first post so forgive me if it doesn't look right. I'm in Springdale and have been picking up 40/29's HD broadcast on 29-1 via OTA for quite a while, but a few weeks ago it went away. In looking on their site this morning, while desparately looking for a way to get back "online" for tonight's Super Bowl, I saw several references to this. One said I should get the signal on 15 (15-1???) and another said 40-1. Anyone picking up their HD signal? What channel? Any help would be provided since I have people coming over shortly ...
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post #143 of 3395
2/5/06 at 2:59pm
I get their HD signal here in Harrison on channel 15 with an antenna......


signal strength typically in the 70's.......
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post #144 of 3395
2/5/06 at 4:06pm
Is the Super Bowl on? Has it been on all day? Can't seem to get it here ...
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post #145 of 3395
2/5/06 at 4:53pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Theoliver View Post

Is the Super Bowl on? Has it been on all day? Can't seem to get it here ...

If you can't get KHOG, go into your TV's (or set top box tuner's) setup menu and do a re-scan of local over the air channels.

ABC should show up as "29-1". It is actually broadcast on RF channel 15, but the station "remaps" it to make it display as "29-1" in your onscreen channel banner, to match their analog channel #29.
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post #146 of 3395
2/6/06 at 11:14am
I was suprised that I could get HD through Cox without a cable card or box. I just went through the channels and found ABC and CBS HD feeds somewhere around 120. So I am going to return my OTA receiver. I found the Cox feed of the Super Bowl to be the same quality as I was picking up OTA.
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post #147 of 3395
2/6/06 at 1:57pm
Per FCC rules, cablecos cannot scramble the main OTA local HD channels on their systems. They must be left "in the clear" for viewing with a regular QAM tuner. No box or cablecard rental required.
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post #148 of 3395
2/7/06 at 3:52pm
Unfortunately for me I've "rescaned" the channels in my Samsung DTV box 3 or 4 times and it will not pick up 29-1 or anywhere else. Can't figure out why since I used to get it and my buddy who lives in my neighborhood is getting it, albeit with a different antenna (Terk amplified). Maybe I need to buy one of those, but I don't have anymore inputs on my Samsung. Anyone know whether you can have 2 OTA antennas and "splice" or "reverse split" them into one coax cable to be input into my Samsung receiver?
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post #149 of 3395
2/7/06 at 4:21pm
If you're not getting any OTA channels, you just need a good outdoor antenna. You don't need to connect 2 antennas to the same input. The small outdoor antenna below should work well for KFSM-DT, KAFT-DT & KHOG-DT:
http://www.warrenelectronics.com/antennas/4221.htm
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post #150 of 3395
2/7/06 at 4:27pm
That's almost exactly what I have now. I'm getting the three CBS feeds as well as PBS and some others. For some reason I've lost ABC and can't figure out why.
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