Charlotte, NC - OTA - Page 58

Their PSIP generator has crashed.. the channels you list are their native RF channels, the PSIP generator makes them show up as 46 and 55, as well as insert the EPG.

Sounds like the PSIP encoder died. Those are the physical frequencies the stations are on. Surprised that both would go out at once, but maybe they're both getting fed with the same box or something?

- Trip

I saw this, too, and I thought it was my box (DTV Pal) initially. However, knowing that WMYT and WJZY are co-owned I began thinking otherwise. You guys confirmed this...this would also affect the current time stamp on these channels, right? Can you imagine how confusing this is for most viewers, especially older ones? They don't run to the computer like we do and look at some message board to get some answers.

Eric

Speaking of virtual channels. Based upon the 'DTV's dirty little secret" article on AVS home page. Are any of the Charlotte broadcasters planning to revert to a VHF signal after the DTV transition in February?
That would really a pain for those of us who only bought UHF antenna's. WTVI's VHF DT signal is not available though my set up, and because WUNG and WNSC are UHF, I am happy with the programming options. I was not planning to join in an VHF antenna in the attic.

Nope, WTVI-DT is it. Everything in the market is on its permanent channel (though not necessarily at permanent power level) except WUNE-DT 54 (17-1) up in Linville (which returns to 17 next year).

- Trip

This is EXACTLY why I'm trying to excercise financial discipline and not spend a bunch of money on my antenna configuration and "accessories" like a pre-amp or even a new antenna. Most everyone on these boards know some stations will migrate to different channels after February, but what we really don't know is how signals will change as broadcasters move their DTV antennas to their new, permanent postions (once they remove the analog antennas). All of that will mostly NOT happen in one day--on Feb 17--but in the days and months to follow. I think it willl be at least a year from now before we realize how the post Feb 17 signals will play out.

The only thing I have done is "chop off" the VHF-lo band portion of my antenna. It's a 15-year-old VU-120 from Radio Shack, and large and heavy. I've been wanting to raise it a few feet, but only after taking some weight off it. So, last week I shortened it (leaving the VHF-hi band elements and UHF yagi. I also had to move the mast mount to its new center of balance.

Eric

Ok...I am here, what do you want to know about WSOC-DT?

WSOC-DT operates at 1000Kw ERP, to most allowed by law. It has been at 1000Kw since May of 2004.
WAXN-DT operates at 50Kw ERP, we have filed with the FCC and received approval to increase to 150Kw DA ERP after Feb 17th, 2009. The 150Kw is the most that WAXN can increase to because it protects a N+1 in Greensboro, NC (WFMY-DT).

If you have questions, ask.
I will answer any questions you have and I will try to solve any problems you have. However, I will not respond to comments: like WSOC-DT is trying to save money, Lets email and bug them! WSOC is slow in getting up to speed
people who make comments like that should know there facts before they make comments like that.

ted.hand@wsoc-tv.com 704-335-4732

Why are WSOC and WAXN suffixed -DT while WCNC is suffixed -HD on the TitanTV listings?

WSOC-DT AND WAXN-DT are the call letters issued by the FCC. There is no standard of what stations can place in there PSIP VCT file. TitanTV puts in there info what the station has in there VCT. Putting WCNC-HD is a Belo decision. It is not wrong to do so.

We use WSOC-DT for 9.1, we use WSOC-WX for 9.2 in the VCT, we ID it as WSOC-DT2, which is 8 letters. VCT ID file will only take 7.

Theo,

On Sunday night (the Jimmy Kimmel Special) and again last night (News at 11:00pm)I was watching WSOC-DT on Dish Network. There were frequent audio dropouts.

Do you know if this is a Dish Network or WSOC problem?

Thanks!

WSOC records 9.0, 9.1 OTA and 4 and 235 off TWC. Taking random checks, I could not find an audio drop out. We do not record off of Dish or Direct

Ted,
WSOC's digital signal is doing just fine...I'm getting it at 100% on my Directv H20 receiver all the way down in Richmond County (Rockingham) using a rooftop mounted CM4228 antenna with rotor and a CM 4227 UHF amplifier. Keep up the good work!!! And thanks for leading the way in broadcasting local news in High Definition in the Charlotte market!

UNC-TV's digital services changed across the state this morning, and here are the changes:

UNC-TV (WUN?-DT1) is now in HD, with mixed HD/SD programming
UNC-KD is now at WUN?-DT2
UNC-NC is now at WUN?-DT3

UNC-HD and UNC-ED are now available only from Time Warner Cable and certain other providers with fiber-optic links to UNC-TV facilities. Cable providers which pick up and retransmit the OTA signal (Charter in Boone, Hickory, and other areas, as well as possibly some other providers) are subject to the OTA service limitations above.

Trip you're in the Charlotte thread too! Hahaha...

Hey Ted... Hope all is well... I meant to post this the other day. Was getting a faint signal from WSOC in Virginia Beach... Not enough for a picture though...

He's gotta lean-yur on it..

I'm everywhere. =)

- Trip

I'm checking the Honolulu HI and Barrow AK threads...

Barrow AK doesn't have HDTV.

I don't think I've posted in the Honolulu thread since they're usually only talking about cable, though I have a lot of posts in many other threads. =)

So, in a desperate attempt to keep this on topic, WHKY-DT had their maximization approved by the FCC the other day. They want to transmit at 950 kW from a taller tower just southwest of Hickory, and will a much less-restrained directional pattern. Who knows when it will be built.

- Trip

Seems like the equinoctal propagation has been pretty good; at my low-lying apartment location, I was actually able to pull in WAXN and WHKY, which typically don't come in at all here. Usually, I'm limited to the Dallas TX's, WCCB, WUNG, and WNSC.

Hey Robert...Hope all is well back Hampton Roads

According to an FCC map this site looks to be Bakers Mountain. If so, history repeats itself for the Long Family (owners of WHKY-TV-DT). In FM's infancy, the Long's had one of the first FMs in the Carolinas. It initially transmitted from this site with something like 200kw. I understand the signal went well into bordering states. This station is now WLYT 102.9, Charlotte.

Eric

According to today's Charlotte Observer WCCB will be debuting its news in HD tomorrow (Sunday, September 28).

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/505/story/215747.html

It also says that WCNC will be a while on making the switch to HD.

I noticed WCCB's news promos tonight were in letterboxed widescreen. I didn't have the sound on at the moment, so I couldn't tell whether they were talking about HD news, but I figured it must be a sign they were getting close.

I just saw WCCB's HD news debut during halftime of the Dallas / Washington game. It looked pretty good! I'm looking forward to 10pm tonight.

My reception on WCCB is a chancy proposition this time of day, but fortunately it fell into place during the second quarter.

Wow...I was right about Fox Charlotte beating WBTV and WCNC to the punch in presenting local HD programming!

BD, your whole body must ache from running all those new wires. But we really appreciate it! LOL!

Appreciate the kind comments. There are a lot of us here with aches and pains from this project, of which we aren't close to being done yet.
I must give kudos to the engineers,production,graphics,and news department here (and many others) who are responsible for what you see.

We'll only get better from here on out.

Bob,

The 10:00 news looked great.

I noticed that the live field shots were widescreen, but most of the other "local" non-studio video was 4x3. Will it continue to be that way, or will that change?

The Honda Concord ad was the first local commercial I have seen in HD on any station.

I agree that the Fox ten o'clock news looked terrific. I guess I had assumed that it would be the same-old-same-old in 16:9 format. I was blown away by the new studio sets. Definitely grabs your attention.

I also noticed that 18.3 weather also changed to 16:9 yesterday, still SD, of course, but in the proper digital screen format.

A J

Help please!! I've been having occasional hiccups with my DirecTV HR20 DVR that I was finally able to pinpoint, and it's related to WCCB. (My new favorite HD news station!)

Every so often while watching a program from "My Playlist," the picture and sound would freeze and not respond to most remote commands. I could stop the program and return to the list. "Resuming" the same program would cause it to play from the beginning instead of where it froze. After this sequence happened several times, pressing play on ANY previously recorded program would cause it to jump right to the "do you want to delete?" screen. I would usually reboot the DVR and silent mumble about how much I miss my old Tivo...

Lately, I noticed a pattern. When these lockups happened, the tuner was always on 18-1. Sometimes recording a program, sometimes buffering live tv, but always on 18-1. The past two monday nights trying to watch MNF delayed while recording "Prison Break," Saturday afternoon switching from live baseball to view a recording of Sesame Street for my son. And then yesterday, after the conclusion of the Cowboys/Redskins game to watch "Football Night in America" on the playlist. When I tuned away from 18-1 and restarted the program everything was fine.

Thoughts?

Bob, have you heard of this problem before?

Thanks for your help!