St. Louis, MO - HDTV - Page 11

Okay all you golfers. Which is higher/lower? Your signal strength or your golf score.

I hate to admit it, but my golf score, due to lack of playing, is now higher than my signal strength.

Scott

edited: changed handicap to score.

I suck at real golf -- but we could have a Tiger Woods online tournament and I may have a chance

Hah, I suck at real and fake golf, but I'm up for anything! Sounds fun since I just got my xbox.

Scott

Sounds like we got some real sandbaggers in the crowd trying to set up everyone for the kill I guess the automatic presses start now.

I have delayed posting an update this week out of fear of jinxing it.

I have had the HR20 since Dec. 9 and have gone through every pre-release firmware update that became available (about once per week). This past week running ver. 11b is the first one where I have not had a single problem. No freezes and no lost recordings. I am using the sat HD locals rather than OTA since they are supposed to take less space on the recorder, but I haven't noticed any difference in quality when I have tried comparing the two.

They still have a few minor bugs to work out, but I think it is finally ready for prime time.

Mike

Speaking of KPLR issues, I just got around to watching my recording of Smallville and Supernatural from last Thursday night.

Smallville was a 4x3 upconvert for the entire show. It's annoying enough that they start the program in 4x3 so they can superimpose the local bug for the first 30 seconds or so. But they never flipped the switch back to HD when the bug went away. And since Smallville is shown letterboxed, what we got was 16x9, letterboxed inside 480i 4x3, vertically letterboxed inside 16x9 1080i. And since my HDTV is a 4x3 CRT that does the 16x9 squeeze, I got all that letterboxed AGAIN inside my 4x3 screen.

Supernatural was fine, thank heaven.

Greetings all,

I recently discovered this forum and would appreciate some antenna advice on receiving OTA analog and digital. I'm in northern Webster Groves (near Summit and Marshall). Here's the antennaweb data on the stations I'd like to pick up:

Antenna Call Chan Netwk Comp Miles Freq
Type Sign degrees
yellow-UHF KDNL-DT 30.1 ABC 166 1.7 31
" KPLR-DT 11.1 CW 164 2.3 26
" KSDK-DT 5.1 NBC 174 2.5 35
red-VHF KETC 9 PBS 201 9.1 9
" KMOV 4 CBS 159 5.6 4
" KSDK 5 NBC 174 2.5 5
" KPLR 11 CW 159 5.6 11
" KTVI 2 FOX 202 5.2 2
red-UHF KTVI-DT 2.1 FOX 202 5.2 43
" KDNL 30 ABC 166 1.7 30
blue-UHF KMOV-DT 4.1 CBS 159 5.6 56
violet-UHF KETC-DT 9.1 PBS 201 9.1 39

I am interested in getting both analog and digital because it may be a while before I finish assembling the HD components for the Windows MCE PC-based system I am putting together, and I will also be running a coax to a TV without an HD tuner. Also, we listen to a lot of FM and since my inside dipole rig is not working very well, the outside FM antenna would be a bonus.

My target stations are within 40 degrees of one another and all are within 10 miles of my location. I am a little surprised something in the "large directional" category is recommended by antennaweb for this location, but I want to get whatever I'll need to do the job and don't have problems with putting something big and/or ugly on the roof. (I'm not sure about the spouse's opinion on that, but I'll seek forgiveness rather than permission if there's an issue.) I don't have an attic option with this house. I'd like to stay away from a rotor. I currently have no antenna as we recently disconnected DishNetwork. I hope to use the coax and roof mount left from that installation with the new setup.

On the SolidSignal site, I found a "medium directional" UHF/VHF unit, the Winegard HD7080P, that is listed as having a 40 degree beamwidth. There is also a "large directional" unit, the Winegard PR7037 Prostar, which is listed as having a 35 degree beamwidth. Other large UHF/VHF antennas, including the Channel Master models, have narrower beamwidths.

Am I on the right track? Is the SolidSignal beamwidth information accurate/relevant? Would it make sense to select a medium directional antenna with wider beamwidth over a large directional unit in order to cover the 40 degree arc? Would I be better off to consider a two-antenna configuration and, if so, with what antennas? Any observations, thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks,
Tom

I'm in. Still a novice golfer though, you can expect 108-118 from me.

cool, another golfer. 118 is pretty good. What do you shoot on the back nine?

Scott

About 130. I'm getting petty tired by then and usually the sun has already set.

Scott is correct, as to the current use of *'s. As members join forums, and see the use, they naturally presume there's a reason, and follow suit.

Years ago, when BBS (bulletin board systems) began, it was considered outside the ethics of posting to use proper nouns...a person's name, or name of a company, etc., in a post. The forums were much smaller then, and only the regular members would know, who or what, the poster was referring to.

It was unheard-of to post your true-given name in any public forum. Thousands of posts, I signed, K*.

The asterisk is also used to emphasise a word, as in, "the picture had *great* quality."

Currently, the D*, C*, etc., is used out of habit, or simply because it is faster to type.

I'm an idiot. I forgot to switch my receiver's audio setting to the OTA input yesterday. Golf picture & sound is awesome OTA today. Looks like Tiger is about to work his magic again. I would love to see one of the young guys pull it out, but Tiger is in in their head.

You don't use the same input for OTA and SAT?

Yeah, Tiger is going to be tough to beat coming in. I'm loving seeing Torrey Pines in HD.

Scott

Jim Nantz just announced that "every one" of the CBS Golf tournaments will be in HD this year. Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Scott

That's a relief. I can sleep better when it is true 1080i. Nothing provides a better nap than hearing the
birds chirping out of the rear speakers.

Anyone receiving the digital locals (HD) over SAT via DTV in MPEG4 (HR20)....do the analog (SD) locals remain available??

OK, back to my original question from last night---they don't look the same as someone has suggested. The SD broadcast as viewed on the HD channel number is clearer and sharper than the picture quality on the SD channel. Why is this?

The signal on 781 is upconverted to 1080i by KPLR, 11 is not.

There are two stores in the area that may be better in terms of pricing.
Skywalker Communications
9390 Veterans Memorial Pkwy
O'Fallon, MO 63366
(800) 844-9555
(314) 272-8025
Fax (314) 272-8214

Antennas Direct
1699 West 5th Street - Suite F
Eureka, MO 63025
877-825-5572

You may want to check out the hardware forum for joined antennas. 40 degree difference...ouch! Did you check just for UHF or all of them? There is a radio button for displaying UHF only at antennaweb.org

I know Skywalker accepts returns and two CM 4221's may do the trick. They are 4 bay mid-range. Last time I checked they were a mere $20 each. I have not tried this as one works fine for me. I'd read up at the hardware forum here at AVS.

Thanks. I understaqnd that. Does CHarter do the upconversion or the broadcasting station?

Yep. They sure do. It is quite annoying for those of use with a H20 or HR20.

You get 3 channel 2s, 4s, 5s, and 30s if you have the OTA hooked up.

KPLR does it. It is like 11-1 OTA. It is upconverted.

Your opinion on the hr 20 sir has it gotten better and do you get lockups or freezes and how about ease of use to record and setup.

I like the HR20. All of my recordings have been successful. I have it in my main viewing area. There are
problems, but the TIVO's had problems when they first hit the street. I have no problem
recommending one.
I actually think I am getting a second one some time this week.

Of course, I have only paid $22 for the one I have, and I think I might be paying $22 for the other one I am getting.
So, it is easier for me to let the little things go.

EDIT: If you go to DBSforum.com I use the same screen name. There is a lot of HR20 info there, too.
But it sounds like you have read about it somewhere already.

Be advised that the official way to measure beamwidth is at the -3 dB points, or 0.7 times the received voltage. The antenna doesn't stop receiving because a transmitter is outside the beamwidth, it just has less gain.

I'm going to guess that within 10 miles of the transmitters neither the beamwidth NOR the gain is going to matter that much. If it were me, in your location? I'd try the one Mo recommended for about $20.

Is there a direct phone number for retention, or do you have to go through the main number? Can you provide it? I'd like to let them know what I think about not having ABC and CBS in HD.

I have heard other say all they did was speak "cancel service" into the automated menu system.

Scott

Dial 1-888-Get-Charter, listen to the prompts, and press the button for "cancel service". You will get a fast, courteous, understanding friend on the line faster than you can say D*.

Also, here is my response to your question on the Moxi thread from yesterday

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=9606300&&#post9606300



PS. The "*" was for you Scott

DLSDO,

Thank Y*

Scott

LOL.


BTW, my understanding of the *s is becuase E* = Echostar. People started typing D* for DirecTV, but it doesn't make sense, really. After a while, people came to accept D* for DirecTV. I remember many complaining about it on the TiVoCommunity forum.