[Greg T]

The idea,... if I'm correct, is that DTV was invented with HDTV in mind. When we buy HDTV sets and HDTV boxes we want HD 16:9 content. Why are local stations multi casting and reducing the rate of the main HD station? Did I miss a law?

I have TWO PBS stations in Denver. One does HD material. The other one thinks that they will be more successful if they multi cast 4 stations with 4:3 material. They think that the multi will be more appealing than HD. My ABC sends HD at 12.75 MBPS, NBC 14.75 MBPS, PBS (the HD one) at 17 MBPS, and CBS 19 BMPS. CBS and PBS look the best by far.

To me it's like buying a farrarri and renting track time on a dirt bike trail. You can do it, but it won't be pretty.

 

[redline65]

I think the law just says stations have to end analog broadcast transmissions. Which means they have to convert to digital transmissions, not necessarily HD. Maybe stations can get more ad revenue if they send out 4 feeds rather than one?

 

[Trip in VA]

Quote:

Originally posted by redline65 I think the law just says stations have to end analog broadcast transmissions. Which means they have to convert to digital transmissions, not necessarily HD. Maybe stations can get more ad revenue if they send out 4 feeds rather than one?

They always say that. HDTV is going to attract people to digital TV and it's going to keep them there. PBS's multicasting services are good though when they share time with HD or have a second 19.39 mbps channel to put the HD on with the SD feeds all on a different, dedicated frequency.


Multiple streams outside of PBS are good for two things:


1) News and Weather without breaking into regular programming.


2) Creating a second station to provide a network not available, a la WBOC-DT and UPN21.


- Trip

 

[samiam95124]

Quote:

Originally posted by Greg T The idea,... if I'm correct, is that DTV was invented with HDTV in mind. When we buy HDTV sets and HDTV boxes we want HD 16:9 content. Why are local stations multi casting and reducing the rate of the main HD

No, HDTV was invented to sneak multicasting past the FCC, and allow

the broadcasters and stantions to keep their full 6mhz bandwidth

(the LARGEST chunks of bandwidth given to ANYONE) instead of having

the new technology used to cut their signal down to 1mhz or lower

where it belonged.


The problem now is that there are a lot of crazy people like you running

around saying how good HDTV is. So the broadcasters need a backdoor

deal with the FCC so they can get multicasting established as their right.

 

[Darin]

It's really quite simple: don't watch the SD broadcasts. Stations will do whatever they believe will get them the most revenue. If using their bandwidth for four SD streams gets them the most revenue, that's what you'll get. If they find that people actually are interested in HD, and that's what they are watching, they will have incentive to provide HD programming.

 

[jdspencer]

In my area, the Fox affiliate is multicasting the low power UPN affiliate ( they own it), both in SD. I suspect my Fox will want to at least go only to EDTV so that they still have room for the UPN station. Interestingly, my PBS station is broadcasting on 42-2, I wonder what happened to 42-1. The only local that has HD content is my ABC affiliate. CBS is still SD DTV, with no intention of going HD in 2004.

 

[Trip in VA]

Quote:

Originally posted by jdspencer In my area, the Fox affiliate is multicasting the low power UPN affiliate ( they own it), both in SD. I suspect my Fox will want to at least go only to EDTV so that they still have room for the UPN station. Interestingly, my PBS station is broadcasting on 42-2, I wonder what happened to 42-1. The only local that has HD content is my ABC affiliate. CBS is still SD DTV, with no intention of going HD in 2004.

I already told you that WSKG is not broadcasting PSIP and is therefore confusing your tuner. Any station that is not transmitting PSIP will map to physical #-2 on most tuners.


- Trip

 

[jdspencer]

Right, but my post wasn't about PSIP, per se. It was to just mention what channels were broadcasting and what ones were multicasting. I couldn't care less what channel # shows up on my tuner.

 

[Trip in VA]

Quote:

Originally posted by jdspencer Right, but my post wasn't about PSIP, per se. It was to just mention what channels were broadcasting and what ones were multicasting. I couldn't care less what channel # shows up on my tuner.

You specifically asked above where 42-1 went. I answered. It is not multicasting, it is just improper setup at the station.


- Trip

 

[jdspencer]

Yeah, sorry about that. I should have just not mentioned that one.


Thanks for your info.

 

[PVR]

Multicasting sucks...


We want real HD...

 

[kenglish]

Is there really a problem with having TWO PBS stations in a market, with only ONE doing HD, and the other multicasting? Sounds like the best of both worlds....as long as you can receive both stations.

 

[foxeng]

Quote:

Originally posted by samiam95124 No, HDTV was invented to sneak multicasting past the FCC, and allow the broadcasters and stantions to keep their full 6mhz bandwidth (the LARGEST chunks of bandwidth given to ANYONE) instead of having the new technology used to cut their signal down to 1mhz or lower where it belonged. The problem now is that there are a lot of crazy people like you running around saying how good HDTV is. So the broadcasters need a backdoor deal with the FCC so they can get multicasting established as their right.

Oh PHLLEEEAASSE!! Next, the Martians will be landing to take over the planet.