Charlotte, NC - OTA - Page 11

Hey Bob, what format is FOX broadcasting their non-HD games in? The 49ers-Cardinals game was widescreen OTA but definitely NOT High-Def.
Just wondering...

By the way, the Panthers game on FOX was very good. But Sunday Night Football on ESPN-HD was still a brighter and more crisp picture.

It wasn't supposed to be, as listed here:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...2&pagenumber=1

Everything is 720p, whether native or upconverted from 480p.

The Panthers-Falcons will be shown on ESPN this Saturday night. It will also be shown locally on WSOC. Does anyone know if the feed on WSOC-DT will be the ESPN-HD or the ESPN-SD?

ESPN-SD...as WSOC does not have equipment to receive the ESPN_HD feed. While it could be gotten, I don't see it happening.

Anyone else having problems tonight? I can't seem to get ANY HD channels. I'm pretty sure the antenna hasn't malfunctioned. I can get WCNC SD (36) and 42SD?

That's what I figured. More fun from my TV, I guess...a reset brought it back to life

This thread is back online. Got screwed up after I merged in a post (and it carried in the poll that was attached).

It does have a different thread number though, so if you subscribed to the old OTA thread, make sure you update your subcription.

I don't know if it was the source, or a local issue - but today's NFL game was the worst HD game I've seen on WBTV for motion artifacts.

how is the voom ota for charlotte (matthews) area? what antenna do they usually install?

I find WBTV's reception much worse than WCCB. Especially on red-colored jerseys/shirts, the red color dances all around. Now my reception may not be as good for WBTV, but would poor reception cause this phenomenon?

Anyone else having trouble with WSOC? We were trying to watch "Lost" tonight and the signal would go from fairly steady 70% to nothing and then zoom right back up about every minute or two. Strange because WSOC usually is pretty steady. The winds had calmed way to a gentle breeze here at the time.
Thanks,
Grateful11

I had no problem with LOST tonight. Except for the usual, irritating hard cut to SD just before the end of the show.

Newbie to the thread so I would appreciate any advice. I've read all of the previous posts and most of the posts on the main AVS reception thread and would like some local knowledge on networks OTA.

I have D* HD w/ the Samsung SIR-T351 STB.
I have tried a CM4248 and a Wingard PR-9032 both w/ CM 7777 preamp. No real difference in reception.
I can get CBS, NBC, WB, UPN digital channels but no FOX or ABC.
Below is my information from antennaweb.

WJZY-DT 46.1 UPN BELMONT NC 170° 30.1 47
WCNC-DT 6.1 NBC CHARLOTTE NC 172° 30.9 22
WHKY-DT 14.1 IND HICKORY NC 210° 3.7 40
WBTV-DT 3.1 CBS CHARLOTTE NC 174° 29.6 23
WWWB-DT 55.1 WB ROCK HIL SC 170° 30.1 39
WSOC 9 ABC CHARLOTTE NC 144° 48.4 9
WCCB 18 FOX CHARLOTTE NC 144° 47.9 18

I'm in a small valley so I may be out of luck.... suggestions appreciated. I called D* about getting FOX/ABC via the sat but was told they could not provide them in my market. I can't pick them up OTA so...????

forgot to mention, I'm in Hickory NC if that is helpful.

Thanks in advance.

Nate - I live in South Charlotte and have the same antenna and pre-amp you are using. You did not mention a rotator. This antenna is excellent, but is very directional. I have been unable to set this antenna in one position and receive all signals.

From where I am, I can point it toward BT and get it and CNC. However at this position I cannot receive SOC and CCB, and vice versa.

Further, if the compass headings you provided are from antennaweb.org, you should not totally rely on these either. With this setup I've had the best results by locking the receiver on one frequency, then rotating the antenna until I get the best signal strength.

Be doing this I have been able to get all local HD's from three different antenna positions.

Hope this helps.

Regards - Gene

Gene - thank you for the information. I failed to mention I do have the CM rotor w/ remote control. It works very well.

I can get CNC and BT from the same position but have to rotate slightly for UPN or WB.

I've attempted to rotate in various directions to the S-SE-E to get ABC/FOX but no luck. I'm willing to try a new antenna and this weekend I hope to try a higher mast and different location on the roof.

Thanks again for the help,

Nate

Yeah, the current model CM rotor w/remote is excellent, much better than the old electro-mechanical positioners.

A good quality quad shield, un-spliced coax makes a big difference.

I should mention one more thing, though it is a bit embarassing. We moved a couple of years ago and during the move the two antenna straps (where the 75 ohm transformer attaches) were folded in parallel to the horizontal piece for transport.

After reinstallation at the new place, for several weeks I struggled to get a decent signal until I realized I had not returned the straps to their proper position, perpendicular to the horizontal piece. As in this photo attached.

I'm sure you didn't make this mistake, but just in case...

Regards - Gene

Nate- Always good to see an ASU grad here.. FOX and ABC will be tough for you in Hickory, especially if you're in a valley..mainly due to our tower
heights, as well as distance. The others are considerably closer to you.
Moving the antenna the last bit in any direction can mean the difference
as well.

Good to see you here again, Gene!

Gene/Bob,

I greatly appreciate the feedback. I will double-check the antenna straps to be sure.

Bob - no chance of a waiver??? Just kidding.

Thanks again.

Nate
"Go Apps"

FYI..
WCCB-DT's off air,(maybe on some) awaiting parts hopefully tomorrow..

So Nate..hope you haven't been working on the antenna today..

About 13 months ago "sengsational" discussed what he had to do to gang 2 directional antennas together for a single feed to his tuner. It appears that I am going to need 2 antennas (Davidson) as well.

Has any supplier come out with filter or other device to make this process a bit more simple? If not, would a starting point be to mount the antennas on the same mast and use equal length of coax to the coupler? Any and all ideas here are much appreciated.

WBTV - Please stop multicasting. You're ruining CBS's top-notch HD NFL Football broadcasts. If WBTV's broadcast was the benchmark, there'd be no 1080i / 720p debate. 720p would win hands down.

Hal, I'm in the same boat as you. I'm using the ChannelMaster 3016 in my attic and get CBS and NBC in the 90's, but I do not get good signals for ABC and FOX. I live in Cornelius and the stations are all within 20 miles, but are about 90 degrees apart. The 3016 is so large that where I have it installed in my attic, I cannot turn it anywhere near 158 degrees to get FOX and ABC. I bought a ChannelMaster 1-1 amplifier over the weekend. I didn't get a lot of time to play with it, but it didn't seem to help my weak signal at all.

I'm freaking out because I really want to get 24 and American Idol in HD - but mostly because I'm hosting a SuperBowl party and can't get more than a signal in the teens for FOX! I'm at somewhat of a low point in my neighborhood, so that may be affecting my signal strength.

HELP!

Yes, this is a serious problem. Perhaps the friendly folks at WBTV simply need to be educated about this: They need to stop multicasting when an HD program is on, especially sports. The weather subchannel doesn't hurt too much, but the third multicasted channel wrecks havoc on HD material. And what possible use does it serve anyway since it just mirrors the HD channel? Would anyone miss it if it disappeared? (Hey WBTV, that silence is deafening. Consider that a clue.)

Anybody from WBTV lurking here?

Apparently the SD sub-channel is used to feed TW and the other local cable companies their SD feed. I'm just hoping that they are working on correcting whatever problem that makes that a necessity and they haven't just resigned themselves to continuing the practice indefinitely.

I'm not sure I know what you're referring to here...(WBTV 'multi-casting'). I'm able to get 2 digital channels from WBTV...one of which looks like HD most of the time, the other just looks like a wide screen view of the program.

I'm using a Pioneer 50" plasma and the Samsung HD receiver from DirecTV...and I have a Channel Master antenna with a rotor...which I have to move from Southwest to Southeast to get all the Charlotte stations. I live in Statesville.

Help me understand what you're referring to.

John

Is anyone else having problems with WSOC? Since last wednesday I can't seem to get any reception. I switch to 9-1, the audio flickers from none to DD 5.1, DD2.0, and the sub newschannel (9-2 or whichever it is) seems to interfere and 'come in' over the 9-1 picture. Like my TV or the antenna can't get a "lock" on 9-1. Nothing has changed as far as antenna pointing that I can tell.