Knoxville, TN - HDTV - Page 59

I've found it very interesting that WATE has been so secretive about their HD. WBIR set a firm date, promoed it for two months, and tweeted and Facebooked photos of set construction every day. WATE hasn't even allowed staff to confirm they're doing HD until the last month, and they still won't mention a date. One reporter said it would be next week, but now the company line is that it will just be "soon."

I like a lot of the people there, but the fact is they're a distant third place, and they need to create buzz. Being super-secretive about the biggest thing they've done since hiring Gene Patterson isn't the way to do that. They should have taken the WBIR approach and worked to get viewers excited about the change.

Folks, I'm going to be passing through Knoxville on my way to Chattanooga on Sunday and probably again on the way back whenever exactly that is (Tuesday or Wednesday). I intend to look specifically at WVLT given the complaints I read here; anything else I should examine closely?

- Trip

Can you do anything about the traffic snarls?

No... and in fact, the only complaint I had about today's drive was traffic around Knoxville. As someone from the middle of nowhere, I'm not really used to traffic of any kind, let alone the kind that cuts across four lanes of traffic to get to an exit.

Part of my setup was not working so I couldn't take the close look at WVLT that I intended to take. I'll try to have my setup fixed by my return trip so as to get what I need.

- Trip

WATE 6 News is in HD now.

I'm assuming the CW 20 News at 10 will be as well.

I heard last night they went to HD on their news. I didn't get to see it, but will take a look at it tonight.

I stopped in over at the new service center at Downtown West, and I was told that not all areas have the new HD channels yet. They said it will probably be area wide by the end of the year. They said that the ones that still have the full expanded lineup in analog (2-99 channels) have still not been switched over once they are removed then you get the new HD channels automatically they said. They are apparently also doing it node by node on the switchover, in fact one of the employees that was working in there said she still had not been switched over and she lives in the same general area (North Knoxville/Halls).

I checked and I am still receiving channels 2-99 in analog so that must be why I don't have them yet...


If you still can receive the full expanded lineup channels 2-99 in analog then your area still hasn't been switched over yet either.

Ah, there it is. Thanks for digging for that info. I won't miss 2-99, I rarely record/watch anything below channel 300, except for BBC America at times.

The CW 20 News at 10 is still in SD currently. They have cut off the sides to a 4:3 frame not even letterboxed the 16:9 AR...

are there any good HT designer/builders in town these days?

I'm not sure if I like how 6 is now presenting its news. They frame the shots very tightly with each anchor making Gene Patterson's head look enormous. And HD doesn't do Lori Tucker any favors.

Okay, so here's what I observed about the Knoxville area stations during my very quick pass through the area:

- WVLT is using a very aggressive statistical multiplexer. It looks like 8-1 gets as high as 12.5 Mbps, but often is in the 10 Mbps range. I think 8-2 is capped at 8.5 Mbps, and I saw it go as low as 3 Mbps.

- WTNZ has added Mobile DTV.

- WBXX is now operating at 14 Mbps, with the rest being left empty. I would wonder if it is the precursor to a subchannel, but Lockwood doesn't have subchannels on any of its CW stations, so I'm skeptical unless it's some type of group deal.

I didn't notice anything else too terribly interesting.

- Trip

Is this why Channel 8 has such terrible macroblocking? The Amazing Race, which has fast action, camera pans and quick editing, is like watching a checkerboard at times.

The stat muxer itself probably isn't responsible, but the low bitrates employed to run two HD feeds at once probably is.

- Trip

Another complaint about WVLT. In recent weeks on prime time shows, they come back from local commercial break and wind up lapping over several seconds on the show. I've seen that on shows most nights of the week, so it's their problem. Anyone over there to send an email to so a complaint can be lodged?

Ahhhhhh, that explains it. I thought you had previously said your analogs had been turned off with every elses. My mistake.

I know some areas had their analogs turned off weeks before the new HD, other only a few days.

Could be, but their macroblocking was horrible way before they took 8-2 HD.

Young Broadcasting is dropping the Country Network on WATE 6.2 and on all other stations, Nov. 1. Young is coming out of bankruptcy. Maybe they used the TCN revenue to pay for HD news. The Country Network was only on WATE a few months. It is a slickly produced channel. I hope WBXX will pick it up. They are not currently multicasting.

I wish WVLT would dump their sub so their signal would become much better. It's downright pathetic.

Not to sound like a broken record, but I am beginning to despise WVLT. The PQ during today's Dolphins-Cowboys game was terrible. I need to find a way to get a CBS channel from either Chattanoogs or Johnson City. I can't take it any more.

PQ was subpar for CBS on that game I thought
watching the D* new York feed for what it's
worth.

Good luck with trying to get Johnson City if you live in Knoxville. Apparently there is a new low power station in Pigeon Forge on the same RF frequency and
they are directing their signal right at Knoxville.

Unless, of course, WJHL got approval to change frequencies. But since they and their local rival both applied for the same channel (29) it might be tied up at the FCC for a while.

The channel 11 signal in Pigeon Force is currently not on the air, though it could certainly be an issue in the long term.

- Trip

I think it went on the air today. There was an announcement about it in the Knoxville paper.

I guess WSPA-7 Spartanburg doesn't quite reach up that way. But supposedly WLOS-13 from Asheville may go that direction. But not CBS.

WSPA definitely doesn't make it since WMAK is on the same channel.

- Trip

It seems like WVLT PQ has been a little bit better over the last several days.

They were off the air for me for a couple of hours last Saturday morn.

I have also noticed this. I came here to see if I am going crazy. Apparently not.

Hi all, just recently discovered this forum.

A few months ago, I added a home theater system in my basement (which is really a semi-basement, you can walk directly outside). I'm hooked up to basic cable, but I flip the input for local broadcast so I can get HD (too cheap to pay for cable HD).

I'm on my second indoor antenna, an RCA digital flat antenna. I now seem to be able to get 10.1 and 10.2 with no problem (my Antennas Direct Clearstream flat antenna often had problems getting that VHF station). However, I still cannot receive WMAK 7.1. What gives with that station? According to TV Fool I'm only 5.2 miles from the transmitter. I live in Halls, near the intersection of Emory Rd & Norris Fwy. I can get most other local stations (6.1, 6.2, 8.1, 8.2, 10.1, 10.2, 15.1, 15.2, 15.3, 20.1, 43.1, 43.2, 48.1).

So, given my location, would a better indoor antenna be able to capture 7.1, or is the only option for that station an outdoor antenna? My TV & antenna are right above the fireplace, so I don't think I have an outdoor antenna option. Also, does anyone know if there are plans for station power increases?