Jerry,

Thanks for the advice, I'll see if I can get ahold of one of those and try it out with it. I really think the problem lies with the receiver though, I don't see any reason for it to be dropping the stations given the fact that my UHF analog reception of much farther away UHF station is pretty good, and the rhyme & reason doesn't make any sense.

I pick up WUNF-DT 25 at 294°, when I get WHNS and WYFF They come in perfectly (signals at 281° and 276°) yet WSPA DT-53 at 282° is horribly pixellated & unwatchable. That represents basically the whole spectrum, with WYFF being on the far end and WUNF being on the other end. Given those pickups it doesn't appearl to be a directional issue, since if it was one of those end two stations should have been dropped, not WSPA in the middle.

The only potential cause I can find is this... is it possible that the antenna booster is bringing in the DT signals (in this case WSPA's) too strong and that's causing the pixellation problem?

Boosters are notoriously bad for causing problems. I strongly suggest you take it out of the circuit...don't just pull the power plug. That will answer your question. Any of the nearby stations, either analog or digital, could be overloading your booster. Also, let me note that the most reliable signal I receive (although NOT line of sight) is WSPA-DT. It is just beyond a mountain range from me.
You indicated you received WUNF-DT from Mt. Pisgah. This station is at full power; on the same tower and higher is WLOS-DT which last week increased its power, but not to full authorized power. It increased from about 10% authorized power to about 40%...or a 400 per cent increase. Are you not receiving WLOS? However, WLOS sends out a very directional signal, with very little power going SW to NW...almost none to the west. That should not cause you a problem.

Also, you might find it interesting to know that under normal weather conditions my two antennas pick up signals from 160 to 245 degrees. WLOS is the only unstable picture.

Jerry,

Any updates as to when WLOS will increase to full power.

Mike

Guys in Jerry's absense I hope some of the rest of you can help me out with my antenna problem. I'm still using my rooftop antenna (with booster) at the moment but after going through & entering every channel in the area manually (unmapped) I can now pick up UNC-TV (25), WASV (45), WHNS (57) and WYFF (59).

I'm still having little luck with WSPA (53) though I'm WELL within range for that signal. I think the booster may be overinflating that signal though as it comes in, it's just heavily pixellated the majority of the time. At other moments it will be clear though. I'm hoping to pick up a small indoor antenna to try out with WSPA since almost anything should pick it up.

I can also get a lock on WLOS-DT but it never comes in at all other than a screen or two, it's always totally pixellated. I understand they broadcast from the same tower as UNC-TV (25) however at less power. My question is this... since I pick up 25 with flying colors am I to assume that when WLOS gets up to full speed I should be able to pick them up OK as well?

Also how about ETV? I know their Spartanburg station was supposed to go live with DTV on 12/31 but they didn't and I can't turn a lick on VHF-9. Any suggestions? I'm hoping maybe the indoor antenna I get to check into my WSPA woes will fix that as well.

To all: As HDTV/DT fans, we should be thankful for local stations and their progress in the DT world. I have just returned from three weeks in the Washington DC area where under the immediate eye of the FCC the stations are lagging behind those in this area. Actually, the Baltimore area stations offered the most reliable reception from a suburb SW of DC. Several DC stations published erronous PSIP data. I know...Sinclair keeps promising HD, but their DT has helped solve a lot of problems in this area and hopefully they soon will pass on the ABC HD programming. And generally speaking, we have the cooperation of local Engineering Management staffs, and that is not true in DC.

cpalmer2k:
Call me at 828 281-3588 and lets see if I can offer any specific suggestions. I will be out much of today, but you can reach me by midafternoon.

forum folks:

I'm a business writer for The Greenville News, and I'm working on a newspaper article about local HDTV ... its progress, its deficiencies, who's the best in the area, etc. I'd like to talk to a bunch of you about your experiences with HDTV, and how you feel about local service.

I've left messages with Jerry, and hope to speak with him. But I also want some regular customers and fans of the HD wave. Anyone want to give me a call? I need to speak with you today (Friday the 9th) if at all possible.

Thanks.

Ben Szobody
Business Writer
The Greenville News
phone: 864.298.4860
email: [email protected]

enoree? cpalmer?

i'm talking to you!

ben

Hello Jerry and HD Friends: I just purchased a new STB(LG LSS-3200A) replacing my old DTC100 and can say, without, hesitation, its a major improvement. Since arriving in the Rosman area , I have not been able to get any signal from Channel 4 or 7. With this new receiver, I am now getting a small reading from NBC 4(WYFF) , but its listed as "BAD" on the meter on the 3200A, since it does not list it numerically. This IS an improvement over the DTC100 as I got 'zero" reading with it. So, I have some hope that I can pick up those stations from Tyron. My question is. "Would a pre-amp , like a CM7777 help my CM4228 bowtie. I have done everything with my ant , from moving it up , over, tilts, etc. but have not tried a pre-amp.And, would this cause a problem with those stations from Mt.Pisqah that comes in so strong...Any help would be appreciated! Dan

The Greenville newspaper should have a story regarding local HDTV in today's edition. I don't have access to the paper, but if you have comments regarding the story, please post them here.

Jerry, I didn't see anything in the paper today regarding HD...if its in tomorrow I'll let you know.

Mike

Fishman:
The CM 4228 is a very high gain UHF antenna and with the CM 7777 preamp it is very likely to overload the rf section of most receivers considering you are so near the transmitters of several stations. It is my opinion that you would not improve your situation with such high gain rf amplifier. Also, I believe the 7777 is a combination UHF/VHF and that would add more total signal to your RX frontend. That having been said, the CM preamp is an excellent LOW noise amp. Hopefully one of the station engineers or a rf expert also will respond to your question. The question is what is blocking your signal from WYFF's tall tower near Caesar's Head and WSPA-DT on Hogback? I suggest you review your situation on contour maps for the area...it is just impossible to get a signal through a mountain. But there is a possibility for using a bounce...and better for using a "knife-edge signal" from a ridge line. In your case, multipath bounce from the surrounding mountains is a good potential for causing the problem...remembering that multipath (ghosting) is a major problem for DT signals. It could cancel an otherwise usable RF signal on WYFF's channel 59. WHNS-DT is not far away from WYFF and should be a good indication of receiving an usable signal from WYFF. In recent months, both WYFF and WSPA have proven to be my most reliable signals.
I'll dig out some contour maps and try to get a better indication of what you are up against...using Rossman as the starting point.

Thanks again Jerry! I have driven that roar (Hwy 276) and there are certainly lots of high terrain between my location and Greenville(Caesers Mt) and others that surround the area , so it may be difficult. Interesting that I am getting a reading from 4-1(between bad and normal on my 3200A reciver) but, 0 reading from 7-1. It is my understanding that WSPA/CBS is transmitting at full power. Guess the stations are further apart than I thought.Thanks for all the help... Fishman

nice to have you back Jerry, I think I might have narrowed my antenna problem down to multipathing. My rotor currently isn't working but I expect to get it back up & running this week, at that point I'm going to play with flipping the antenna around and see what stations I can come up with when its pointing in a different direction. If moving the antenna doesn't correct my problem with CBS I'm going to pick up a silver sensor and see if that'll do it, since I've heard that antenna is very good at eliminating multipath issues.

By the way do you by any chance know when WLOS is going to go full power? I pick up UNC-TV (25) which broadcasts from their tower fantastic, so given that I should be able to pick up WLOS-DT after they get to full power. My receiver can get a "lock" on their signal now but it's not sufficient to pull it in.

just to add a side comment I think it's a crying shame FOX 21 isn't even feeding fox's widescreen broadcast of the Panthers/Rams game today

Hello everyone.I have been lurking around here for quite awhile but only recently joined.My question is does anyone have any experience with reception issues around the Marion,Nebo areas?I have recently gotten a new STB-Samsung 160 and i have yet to experiment with an antenna for OTA.I live on Lake James about a mile from the Burke county line.Thanks in advance for any responses to my query.

Scoured both Saturday and Sunday editions, nothing about HDTV.

Re Greenville News HDTV story, it will probably be in the Business section whenever (and if) it runs. I sent Szobody a note asking that he notify us when...

Re Scanning for channels:

I finally figured out a way to beat Samsung at it's game of not adding channels whose signal is temporarily not being received. I usually can receive six DT stations from one setting of my master antenna, but not Greenville's DT 9. Now, I start the scan with the antenna set for DT9, and as soon as approaches the end of the VHF channels, I change the antenna to its normal position to finish the scan. That way I get all available channels to load. It also works when adding DT 25 to channels 30-69...you just have to move faster. I will never figure out why Samsung came up with a design that does not ask before dropping stations' whose signal is temporarily not available.

Re WLOS / ABC:

Still no word on when Sinclair will add ABC-HD to the WLOS lineup, nor when power will be increased again. They were so pleased with the recent gain, it may be sometime before another increase. Meanwhile, both WLOS and WUNF-DT expect to be more reliable now with improved electrical power backup.

I was wondering when that station ould be on air as well. I can't get the WNTV-DT either.

Re: Greenville News HDTV story: Here is Ben's response this morning:

"The story was held at the last hour Friday night for unavoidable reasons, but is scheduled to run in tomorrow's paper. That, of course, is also susceptible to change. Thanks for your help and interest.
Ben"

The closest timeframe I can give you for Spartanburg DTV is midsummer. We are working hard to bring up the remainder of our DTV stations around the state. When I get more information, I will post it in the forum.

-Shaun

Whats up with Fox? I'm not a fan of Fox, but would like to receive it. I am picking up the channel on 57-2 on my old DTC100, but when I try on my new LG 3200A its not available on 21-1. So. I scanned again 'off air guides" and no siginal on 21-1 on the DTC100, only on 57-2. My new LG will not scan these virtual channels , so I cannot pickup up Fox. Are they not sending signals on the lower bands, like everyone else. When I press 57-2 on my LG, I get "channel not available". Appreciate any response!

Very good article on HDTV in today's paper.Glad to see the light of day shed on the status of HDTV in this market,the front page location helps a lot. Lets just hope that WLOS and WHNS are not still just blowing smoke about their HD plans. My hats off to Ben for his article.

Is that article available on line?

http://greenvilleonline.com/news/bus...4011222595.htm

This is for Wayne and/or any of the monitoring engineers at UNC TV:

Someone needs to go have a look at Linville / DT54.. I tried to watch American Experience last night.. With 100 percent signal level, I had so much pixelization and picture breakup on sub-channel 2 it was unwatchable.. Sub-channel 1 (SD) was a little better but while watching the program, something happened to the data stream which locked up my MyHD card twice.. The second time it was so bad that it somehow trashed my tuner software (I had to reinstall the app later and all was OK).. I cannot receive DT33 on Pisgah because of hills shadowing that direction, and DT44 at Concord is just a little too far away to see if the problem exists at any other UNC site. Finally, in desperation I hooked up the ole DTC 100, tuned in to SCETV DT9 in Greenville SC and had no problem after that. Of course, I had missed over half the program because of the technical difficulties. I have noticed that Linville has been getting progressively worse over the past couple of months, perhaps it may need some minor adjustment?? I'm seeing the same picture distortion issues on the DTC100 as well. Audio quality so far has been perfect and does not seem to be affected. Hope this information helps as a heads up..

Regards,
Steve

fishman

I think I'm noticing the same thing while breaking in a 3200 to replace a DTC-100, only my problem is getting ABC out ot Charlotte. The DTC will do it 50% of the time, the 3200 hasn't pulled in 34-1 yet at all. No Wildcard day or Suger Bowl in HD for me.
I haven't tried local FOX at all as I can always get 18-1 FOX out of Charlotte (with both boxes )and they are FOX WS and DD5.1.
My first impression of the 3200 is it gives up some reception range for better signal stability. Love the gude and stretch modes though.

Barney

Re WYFF-DT
The signal from WYFF-DT slowly faded away last night, starting shortly before 9 and was completely out 15 minutes later. WYFF's Doug Durkee says the cause of the problem on their end has not been determined.