Dallas, TX - HDTV - Page 4

Alas, no attic access (and similar wife issues, but hoping SS-1000 is more presentable/concealable than some...)

Hello everyone,

I am new to HDTV and I am enjoying the 1080i picture on my Mitsubishi 55613 set. I hooked up the digital audio cable that came with the TV to my Yamaha receiver, but all I ever get is 2 channel stereo. Both Mitsubishi and Yamaha tech support assure me that there are no special settings on my equipment. They both told me if the sound is broadcast in 5.1 Dolby Digital, I should get 5.1 passed through to the A/V receiver. Am I wishing for something that is not there yet? Or, is it just in very short supply?

Are there any shows that are definitely broadcasting in DD 5.1 so I can check to be sure?

Thanks for the help,
Mike

Mike...not many OTA shows broadcast in DD 5.1. NYPD Blue is one that does for sure. Most OTA shows are in Dolby Pro Logic.

Do you have cable or dbs satellite? Anything on HDNET or HD HBO is normally in 5.1

OFF TOPIC

corinthbandit:

I have a friend who is antenna shopping in your neck of the woods. What antenna are you using? I have a UHF only CM 4228, but get WFAA-DT CH 9 fine. I am unsure if that would be the case that far from the transmitters. What's your setup and signal strength?

corinthbandit,

I have SD DirecTV now but I plan on getting the new HDTiVo box soon. Right now I am getting HD from my OTA antenna. My Mitsi set has a built-in HD tuner.

Does NBC, CBS or ABC broadcast DD 5.1 when they show Hollywood movies? Last weekend NBC was showing "The Patriot" in HD. I remember the DVD has awesome 5.1 sound and I thought for sure it would be 5.1, but no it was 2.0.

Thanks for the info. I will check out NYPD Blue to see if I get the full 5.1 sound.

Mike

I'm having a difficult time recalling NBC broadcasting in 5.1. ABC more frequently broadcasts in 5.1. CBS has recently begun to broadcast more in 5.1. The Masters was great in 5.1! Of course, it just depends on the particular program. NYPD Blue is a 5.1 staple. Major movies on ABC are usually 5.1.

I have a Channel Master mounted in my attic. I wouldn't buy anything else but that's just me. I have had it for around 10 years now.

I get all locals in DFW including 21, 27, 33, 52 and so on. My signal strength always reads as very good.

Channel Master Page

Now that's what I call a reply!

A large CM Combo antenna in the attic. It looks like the UHF corner reflectors aren't even deployed. Thanks for the full service photo.

Any idea which CM model number? I hate to be picky, but we are probably going to purchase on-line, sight unseen.

Sorry....don't know the model number.

Joey_R,

I usually try catching CSI and CSI:Miami on CBS. Do you think they are broadcast in 5.1?

Also, do you think it would make any difference using a higher quality coaxial digital cable instead of the one that came with my TV?

Thanks,
Mike

I do not recall them being broadcast in 5.1. However, I would defer to the answers of the dwellers of the HDTV Programming Forum here on AVS.

Assuming the cable that came with your television has not been compromised in some way, I'm sure it's more than adequate to provide you with an excellent 5.1 signal. Cable Talk is a topic of spirited discussion on these forums, especially in the Audio area. Proponents argue they can tell a difference, while others argue that high dollar cables are all puffery and fluff. Admittedly, I lean towards the later category. I think all would agree the differences are subtle. If your cable is not defective, it is NOT the reason for your failure to get 5.1 reception.

Let's assume you are tuned into a program that is broadcast in 5.1, yet you only see stereo on your receiver. This is indicative of a setup problem on either your audio receiver or digital tuner, in this case, your television. I suspect you need to review your input setup on the receiver and audio output setup on your television. Since I have no experience with either specific (Mits TV and Yamaha Rec) device, I'm afraid I'm of little help beyond that.

bump

Thought I'd pass this along for DFW users from WFAA channel 8.

----------- Quote from WFAA -------------
I doubt we will ever switch. VHF uses a lot less power to cover the same
area. The power bills for a VHF transmitter are close to 20k per month less
than a UHF transmitter.

David Johnson
Director of Engineering
WFAA TV
Dallas, TX

-----Original Message-----
From: joegarrett
Sent: Tuesday, May 18, 2004 3:51 PM
To: Johnson, David - WFAA
Subject: Re: WFAA DTV

David, thanks for the reply. Would you have any ETA on when you would be
switching to UHF?

Thanks again,

Joe

I think it's interesting that all other broadcasters can afford to broadcast in UHF except for WFAA.

The other broadcasters are on UHF because that's what the FCC provided. Once the analog broadcasts are discontinued, the stations are free to move their digital broadcasts back to their VHF allocations. It is my understanding that most stations will do this for exactly the reasons cited above, as well as the superior coverage. Many on this forum have warned people not to get UHF-only antennas for their OTA reception (even in markets where all digital broadcasts are currently UHF) because of this.

A bigger question is when WFAA will switch to 720p, so the 2.5 Mbps wasted on their radar simulcast will have less effect on the quality of their HD broadcast.

Xesdeeni

On a completely different note, channel 68 is now simulcasting four SD channels. They have two PAX feeds plus two religious feeds.

Xesdeeni

I have a couple of questions maybe you can answer,

Does KDFI 27 broadcast in digital? They're not in the antennaweb.org site.
Where can I find info about each channel's broadcast format?

Thanks

KDFI shows up on antennaweb.org for me.
But as I understand it, they use such a low power that almost no-one can pick them up. I don't get a peep on channel 36, where their digital channel is supposed to be, with either of my two receivers. I have a 9' antenna in my attic, which gets most of the other channels with ease. I suppose that if I put the antenna outside the house, I might get it, but the wife won't let me :-| When I e-mailed them about this, I didn't get a response, and I haven't tried calling.

I posted a message last month at the DHTG site (http://dhtg.napurano.com/dhtgweb/dht...ML/001126.html) that showed the format and bitrate for the channels at that time (at least the ones I was interested in). Obviously channel 68 has changed, and others may have as well, but it might give you an idea.

Xesdeeni

Thanks for the feedback. I checked again and only 27 analog shows up for my address. Lewisville area.

I have a Samsung T351 (my first) and a Sony WS 51". I'm seeing most of the programming coming from 4,5,8, etc as 4:3. I thought maybe that I had something set incorrectly but then when some of the prime time shows came on I got them in 16:9 and they looked fine. So, is it normal that most programming will come in 4:3 format?

Thanks

I stopped getting 27 digital a couple of months ago. I can only pick up the analog channel here in Corinth. All other channels are fine.

Joe:

The only time programming is 16:9, is if the station is broadcasting it that way. All SD broadcasts are 4:3, even if they are upconverted or "digitized". None of the stations broadcast HD during the day except CBS (Young & Restless) and possible 21 if they are doing an HDNet rebroadcast, which they sometimes do. With these exceptions HD is only broadcast in the evenings (weekdays and weekends) and sometimes during the day on weekends (sports primarily). Keep in mind that this is still cutting edge, and FWIW sometimes unreliable. Welcome to the board.

Steve

Thanks for the feedback guys!

Anyone having trouble with UPN 21 KTXA digital signal? I am only getting the analog signal as I post this message at 7:03pm on 05/19.

Update....the digital signal seems to have returned.

I got my Voom installed on Friday (in Allen), and all the locals work great with the installed Winegard except KERA. Most of the time I just get a black screen or the "No signal" message box. Sometimes I get audio only.

From reading the boards, I assumed that 27 would be the hard one to get.

Anyone else have trouble with KERA lately?

Yes...I'm not getting the digital signal from KERA either. Started this past Saturday night....

Thanks for the reply. I have left a message at the KERA engineering department, but no reply as of yet. I'll update this thread if it comes back online, or if I get a response.

Oh well, guess I'll have to wait for PBS-HD a little longer.

Hello,

Glad to find this forum. I am a pre-newbie to Digital TV and HDTV. I have my HDTivo on order, and I am in the process of buying the display/cables/antenna/switches. . . while I wait for the Tivo to arrive.

I'm trying to determine what antenna I need to buy, I also have a general question regarding who is broadcastng a digital feed. When I go to Antennaweb, and do a search I get a huge list of channels, but most of them seem to be analog only. Here's the list:

blue - vhf WFAA 8 ABC DALLAS TX 197° 38.5 8
blue - vhf KXAS 5 NBC FORT WORTH TX 196° 38.2 5
blue - uhf KXTX 39 TEL DALLAS TX 197° 38.3 39
blue - vhf KTVT 11 CBS FORT WORTH TX 195° 38.4 11
blue - uhf KPXD 68 PAX ARLINGTON TX 197° 38.1 68
blue - uhf KMPX 29 DAY DECATUR TX 211° 19.6 29
blue - uhf KUVN 23 UNI GARLAND TX 197° 38.1 23
blue - uhf KTXA 21 UPN FORT WORTH TX 197° 38.1 21
blue - uhf KSTR 49 UNI IRVING TX 194° 40.8 49
blue - vhf KERA 13 PBS DALLAS TX 195° 38.4 13
blue - uhf KDAF 33 WB DALLAS TX 194° 40.8 33
blue - uhf KDFI 27 IND DALLAS TX 197° 38.1 27
blue - uhf KFWD 52 IND FORT WORTH TX 197° 38.1 52
violet - uhf KHPK-LP 28 UAT De Soto TX 197° 38.1 28
violet - uhf KLEG-LP 19 SPA DALLAS TX 184° 17.9 19
violet - vhf KDFW 4 FOX DALLAS TX 197° 38.5 4
violet - uhf KSEX-LP 57 IND DALLAS TX 197° 38.1 57
* violet - uhf KERA-DT 13.1 PBS Dallas TX 195° 38.5 14
violet - uhf KLDT 55 IND LAKE DALLAS TX 241° 16.4 55
violet - vhf KTEN 10 NBC ADA OK 1° 87.5 10
violet - vhf KDTN 2 PBS DENTON TX 197° 38.1 2
violet - uhf KJJM-LP 46 FMN DALLAS TX 162° 23.9 46
violet - uhf KATA-LP 60 FMN MESQUITE TX 162° 23.9 60
violet - uhf KDTX 58 TBN DALLAS TX 197° 38.1 58
* violet - uhf KTVT-DT 11.1 CBS Fort Worth TX 195° 38.4 19
* violet - uhf KXTX-DT 40.1 TEL DALLAS TX 197° 38.3 40
* violet - uhf KXAS-DT 5.1 NBC Fort Worth TX 197° 38.3 41
violet - vhf KXII 12 CBS SHERMAN TX 351° 64.6 12
* violet - vhf WFAA-DT 8.1 ABC Dallas TX 197° 38.5 9

The left-hand dots indicate DTV. When I sort to show digital stations I get:

* violet - uhf KERA-DT 13.1 PBS Dallas TX 195° 38.5 14
* violet - uhf KTVT-DT 11.1 CBS Fort Worth TX 195° 38.4 19
* violet - uhf KXTX-DT 40.1 TEL DALLAS TX 197° 38.3 40
* violet - uhf KXAS-DT 5.1 NBC Fort Worth TX 197° 38.3 41
* violet - vhf WFAA-DT 8.1 ABC Dallas TX 197° 38.5 9

Fox is the only major network missing on the digital list, but it seems that the list MUST be wrong. For example, there are a lot of posts talking about upn 21's feed of HDNET. Does antennaweb think I'm too far away to pick up the digital signal from some of these towers? Any insight would be appreciated.

As far as my antenna needs, I am hoping that an attic mounted UHF Antenna will do the trick (probably a CM 4228). I know that ABC is on channel 9, but I like the relatively small size of the UHF antennas and was hoping it would get the job done. I know Joey R says he gets ABC just fine with a similar attic/UHF set-up. If he reads this, I'd love to know whether he is using a separate VHF or if the low end of the UHF is picking it up.

If need be, I was thinking of getting a pre-amp that supports separate uhf and vhf antennas and trying directing an old set of rabbit ears towards the tower for the vhf feed.

Any thoughts or recommendations will be greatly appreciated.

I've noticed that AntennaWeb loses channels for some reason when you can actually see them. When I checked for a friend, who actually lives a bit closer to the antennas than I do, he had fewer channels. You look like you are only a couple of miles further away than I am. When I type in my zip code and look only at digital channels, I get:

* yellow - uhf KDAF-DT 33.1 WB Dallas TX 206° 38.2 32
* green - uhf KDFW-DT 4.1 FOX Dallas TX 210° 36.4 35
* green - uhf KDTN-DT 2.1 PBS Denton TX 206° 38.2 43
* red - uhf KFWD-DT 51.1 IND FORT WORTH TX 210° 35.9 51
* red - uhf KUVN-DT 23.1 UNI GARLAND TX 210° 35.9 24
* red - uhf KSTR-DT 49.1 UNI IRVING TX 206° 38.2 48
* red - uhf KPXD-DT 68.1 PAX Arlington TX 210° 35.9 42
* red - uhf KTXA-DT 21.1 UPN Fort Worth TX 206° 38.2 18
* red - vhf WFAA-DT 8.1 ABC Dallas TX 210° 36.4 9
* violet - uhf KDFI-DT 27.1 IND DALLAS TX 206° 38.2 36
* violet - uhf KERA-DT 13.1 PBS Dallas TX 208° 36.0 14
* violet - uhf KMPX-DT 30.1 DAY DECATUR TX 236° 20.4 30
* violet - uhf KXTX-DT 40.1 TEL DALLAS TX 209° 36.0 40
* violet - uhf KTVT-DT 11.1 CBS Fort Worth TX 208° 36.0 19
* violet - uhf KXAS-DT 5.1 NBC Fort Worth TX 209° 36.0 41

I get all of these channels with my TV's built-in tuner and with a MyHD card (MDP-100), except channel 27. 51 and sometimes 68 are a bit weak in the MyHD card, and now and then I have trouble with 51 on the TV. All of this is with a Channel Master antenna ($35 at Fry's) in the attic of my new house. I'm sure there is interference from the roofing, but the wife won't let me put the antenna outside :-|

(Note that channel 2 is no longer a PBS station.)

Xesdeeni

Thanks for your input Xesdeeni. That's a big help.

Now, If anyone could comment on the reception of ABC (channel 9) with a UHF only main antenna I'd appreciate it. Once again, I'm in Allen near Custer and Mcdermott. Spousal pressure dictates that I'll be placing my antenna in the attic, and I am hoping to get away with a UHF-only antenna like the ChannelMaster 4228. I guess I can go with a UHF/VHF antenna, but I don't want to wrestle with an 8 foot antenna if I can get the only VHF channel without the hassle.

BTW- I'm aware that hypothetically stations may switch the DTV signals back to their old VHF frequencies once the FCC allows them to ditch the analog feed. I'm willing to cross that bridge when the time comes.

Thanks,
Andy

VOD coming soon!!!! I was on the phone ordering the Mot. HD DVR (install to be Friday am.) and the rep was telling me that VOD would be available this summer! He also said that approx. 40% of the programing would be free! Even better..... if true.... Does anyone have the inside scoop on this?