Abilene, TX - HDTV - Page 35

If you guys still have the HD locals, that is great for you. Mine are still gone, they didn't "come back" as mentioned above. Today the KERA-HD is also missing (87.1.) Maybe they are "testing" in Sweetwater and not Abilene? Which channel numbers do you have them on now?

I have all the locals plus KXVA back now..
KTXS ABC- 704
KRBC NBC- 705
KXVA FOX- 706
KTAB CBS- 710

Also..KERA PBS is 90.1 for me

I'm guessing that whatever is going on in Sweetwater is temporary just like it is here. Do another channel scan and see what you get..

Do you just have basic/extended basic, or digital cable on Suddenlink and receive the HD locals? I used to be able to pick up all the HD locals with just the basic subscription, but they keep relocating every few days (always in the high digital range, channels 68.x and up... last found on 704.0, 705.0, etc.) Now all I can find is KRBCDT on 11.1, KTABDT on 11.2, and KTXSDT and KXVADT are nowhere to be found in Sweetwater.

It may be a situation where they are trying to relocate the locals to the lower numbers, but it seems odd that they only moved two of the four and the others are gone.

(I did find KERAHD on 90.1 as you suggested, relocated from 87.1, thanks for that information.)

Ok, here is what I have found..
When I did my last scan I locked in to the normal 704, 705 etc....BUT, something strange happened. What I mean is that I also got an exact duplicate of each one with some kind of signal (and channel station flagging) but no picture/sound....but also no "channel not available" that my tv gives me for channels that have absolutely nothing. For example:
If I punch in "7-0-4" it takes me to the blank channel that is nevertheless flagged as "704 KTXS"....but if I hit the channel channel up button it takes me to "704 KTXS" that actually has the digital broadcast. The same happens with 705,706 and 710. It could just be my tv acting up...but then again it could be Suddenlink trying to throw off QAM users and "encourage" us to rent a HD box.

edit- this is with expanded basic...no box of any kind.

Hi. I'm with Suddenlink. I have checked into your question about the HD Channels in Sweetwater. The local HD broadcaster channels were moved on May 27. They can now be viewed with a HD TV set with a digital QAM tuner or through a Suddenlink HD/DVR as our channel lineup indicates. The channels are as follows, with the first channel number being the broadcaster's location on our standard lineup (only viewable with a digital QAM tuner TV) and the second being Suddenlink's corresponding channel on our local line up:

KRBC HD - 11.1 and 705
KTAB HD - 11.2 and 710
KTXS HD - 12.1 and 704
KXVA HD - 12.2 and 706
KERA HD - 90.1 and soon to be 713

Also, because KTXS is still broadcasting on channel 12, there may be some interference if your cable drop or our cable plant has a problem spot and is allowing this signal into our plant. If this is the case, it may be required to visit your home to repair the problem. If you experienced problems with TBN (previously on channel 12) then this same problem will emerge with the new lineup. This should be alleviated on June 12 when the final digital broadcast transition occurs. Until then, please feel free to contact me at tina-AT-Suddenlink-DOT-com and I would be happy to work with the area manager to troubleshoot issues for you.

Hey guys, has the guide info on KXVA-DT been corrected for Dish subscribers? I talked to one of their engineers last week to inform him of the situation and was wondering if the problem had been corrected.

-ML

nope

Well, I guess this confirms my suspicion of Suddenlink employees cruising this forum and doing a search for posts mentioning their company name. Question for Suddenlink Help- do you know what Pabel (Peter Abel, your VP of corporate communications) was talking about when he said that basic/expanded customers would be getting digital duplicates of all channels in June? The local Suddenlink office doesn't seem to know anything about it when we take Peters advice and contact them about getting it sooner..

What the hell. Why is the NBA Finals not in HD tonight? Not in HD on the Dish Network feed or OTA.

I'm not too happy right now with KTXS.

EDIT: It is in HD now. Thanks to whoever fixed it over there

Until everything on a given network is filmed and broadcast in HD....someone will have to switch between HD and SD manually. Of course this isn't just a KTXS problem or Abilene...when I lived in DFW a few years back, stations there had problems as well. I don't understand why the process can't be automated however..

While that is true Joemama, and I am right there with you of not understanding why it can't be automated or for that matter just left on the HD side, that was not KTXS's problem on Sunday.

They were running a weather scroll on the bottom and they apparently still do not have the ability to broadcast in HD and run a scroll like KTAB and KRBC do. They did this same thing during the Indy 500 and the weather wasn't even at severe levels for anyone close to us. It has really hacked me off at times but there is little we can do besides call and bug the hound out of them while they are screwing up our programming.

I've taken to calling and complaining every time it happens. I found the Indy 500 one particularly annoying. Right after the race was over, like during the victory lap I believe, they went back to HD.

[quote=sprint67;16605393]While that is true Joemama, and I am right there with you of not understanding why it can't be automated or for that matter just left on the HD side, that was not KTXS's problem on Sunday.

I noticed similar complaint about the same thing in Albuquerque last year I believe. One of their forum members works for the NBC station there and he said it was more complicated than just flipping a switch. Theirs is automated but something about the format they receive along with a couple of other things affects how they are broadcasting. I'm sorry I can' remember what all he said but will look it up when I have time.

They've gone and done it again tonight as well. Game is not in HD on Dish or OTA again. I realize that it is more than just flipping a switch, but this weather update cutting off the HD is lame. KTAB, KRBC, KLST, and KSAN all don't have this problem, so why does KTXS?

I've expected KTXS to be better than this with their HD, but at this point, they're not much better than KXVA, and that is saying something.

I know I'm in the minority here on this one but I really do think KXVA's HD looks better than KTXS, not to mention KXVA had DD5.1 and KTXS only has DD2.0. KTXS may have been first but they have been passed by all the other three.

ABC very recently changed their satellite distribution system, and a number of stations across the country have been having audio problems. Many of them dropped to SD just to make sure they had audio over the air while these problems are sorted.

Of course, if it's weather warnings, that's another issue all together...

- Trip

Yeah Trip in the case it is weather warnings.

I think KTXS, for whatever reason, still has the same attitude toward HD as they did when they first started it. Something like "It is nice and we are first but it really isn't that much different so it isn't any big deal if we have to shut it off for a few hours or so." I understand it takes money to buy the equipment to run the weather warnings in HD but if the other two stations in your market can do it don't you think you should be able to also?

Again, I have talked at length to KXVA's Engineers.

They are broadcasting their FCC assigned TSID of 3655. The problem is that they are currently broadcasting at reduced power granted by an FCC STA (Special Temporary Authorization) and they are not embedding all of their PSIP info in their signal. Their new PSIP generating computer will be installed at the same time as their new full power transmitter. They are waiting for their new owners to authorize the purchase of the new equipment and they have no guess as to when this will happen. The STA expires in August and they will, almost certainly, file for an extension for who-knows-for-how-long.

Until then, they will continue to operate in 'limp-along' mode.

On a related note, Suddenlink cable has implemented a 'work around' for the problem to get the gude to display correctly. Their CE actually met with the Suddenlink people on this and they showed him their solution (which was rather complex) and he said "it was over his head" on how they did it.

They are working with Dish to try and do something similar for a temporary fix until all the new equipment is installed and on line.

All I can say is - Be Patient.

-ML

So true. Don't even try to watch Good Morning America in HD over the air. I would say maybe 50% is in HD. They can never remember to 'flip the switch' after they break in for their morning snooze.

Also KTXS needs to monitor over the air CW. In the morning at 10 am they will show the beginning of The cosby show and then go to infomercial for 30 minutes. Also during the day it constantly cuts out, and I live in Abilene.

Sorry for the delay in responding. This change will happen, but something has caused a minor delay (in July now rather than June). I'm trying to get more clarity.

No problem, just wondering if this was still in the works or not. It's really no big deal since it will be the same channels we have now...just in digital. Digital (non HD) is marginally better looking/sounding than analog..but for some of the channels it will be just what they need to look acceptable on a large screen.

I got a quick ? I live in Anson and have direct tv what kind of antenna would I need to get locals. I looked on the antweb site but still have no clue what it all means here are the compass listings
all my tvs have the digital built in just clueless on a antenna

DTV Antenna
Type Call Sign Channel Network City, State Live
Date Compass
Heading Miles
From RF
Channel
* yellow
uhf KTXS-DT 20.1 ABC SWEETWATER, TX 201° 26.9 20
red
uhf KIDT-LP 44 MNT ABILENE, TX 339° 12.6 44
blue
uhf KPTA-LP 63 IND SNYDER, TX 203° 28.3 63
violet
uhf KIDB-CA 35 MNT ABILENE, TX 218° 31.8 35
* violet
uhf KTAB-DT 24.1 CBS ABILENE, TX 146° 37.8 24
* violet
uhf KRBC-DT 29.1 NBC ABILENE, TX 146° 37.8 29

Greetings all;

Is there a website (say, a government database -> listing) that provides the Suddenlink -> Abilene -> QAM channel assignments? (and for that matter, analog channel assignments as well). NOT the Suddenlink Cablebox numbers, as they are "remapped" - but the numbers as they work in my digital TV. I live in an apartment, and "expanded basic" is provided.

Thank you.

They are the same numbers as the SD locals and show up right next to the SD locals in the guide but say "HD" next to them like other HD channels do. If he has the HD package he should be seeing 009-00 that's in SD and just above that it should show 009-00 with "HD" next to it. Should be fairly obvious. The one caveat maybe being he might not have a satellite pointing where the HD locals are (don't know how that would effect the guide info). When I set mine up the HD locals were at the 61.5 location while the SD locals were at the 129 location. I think that's changed somewhat but since I have a satellite pointed in both directions anyway it didn't effect me I can't say what he should have now.

If he had an antenna, the locals would have a -01, 02, 03 next to it. Like in addition to two versions of 009-00, there would be an 009-01 next to them that would be highlighted in yellow.

The Abilene locals in SD are on SAT 129. The locals in HD are on SAT 61.5. Call 1-800-333-DISH(3474) and get a technician to come over and change it for your dad. They might do it free of charge, but they will likely charge you approx. $30.

I doubt it..the only chance you have is if some individual keeps track of the changes on a regular basis. In other words, this thread is as good as any source. Even though QAM tuners are common on newer HDTV's...most cable companies don't want to publically admit that such a thing exists. For example: people who rent a normal digital box (non-HD) can't get the locals in HD whereas QAM users that only have basic/expanded can. A lot of people that have a tv with a QAM tuner don't know what it is...and even if they did, many wouldn't bother with it since it requires frequent channel scans to keep up...and has 3 numbers with a dot or dash added in. For example, my elderly father doesn't have fingers that are dextrous enough to punch it all in quickly enough to get the correct channel.

Thanks for your reply. As it turns out, it's not quite as annoying to keep track of as I thought... I knew that Suddenlink Abilene was going to "finalize the channel lineup" in mid june, I rescanned after that, but then they changed it again, so I rescanned a second time... its been "stable" since then. BUT from your reply, I will just have to keep my eyes open in case remapping occurs again. It doesn't take all that long to set up.

I've only been in Abilene about 3 years now but I've been using QAM ever since I got here. There have been several minor shuffles and a few major ones not too long ago....at one time we had ESPN HD and TNT HD but it didn't last very long. Also, at one time we had digital duplicates of almost ALL the basic/expanded channels, and according to pabel above we should be getting that again soon.

I'm west in Snyder. Have there been any recent changes in the Suddenlink QAM? Over the last day or so I've lost most all my locals. They seem to be there, but pixelated. Signal and Symbol qualities remain good.