[pdennant]

It is with great pleasure that I start a new thread for June, fifth in a series for viewers within reach of digital television stations in the Hampton-Newport News-Norfolk-Portsmouth market.


For the regular crew: Thanx for making this one of the strongest integrated (viewers and broadcast engineers working together) markets in the country.


For newbies, please review the previous threads (listed below) as many of the issues or questions you may have have probably been discussed in one of these threads.


Click here for the February 2002 thread,

Click here for the March 2002 thread,

Click here for the April 2002 thread and

Click here for the May 2002 thread.


Activity on the May thread was less than in April as most of the stations worked out their initial problems and settled into a operational normal. I'd like to keep these threads going as I expect and hope new viewers will be coming on line, in larger numbers, over the coming months. On June 10th there will be a press conference at WHRO's studios to announce a joint campaign by all of the areas local stations to promote DTV in this market. This will be an informational campaign to inform those "analog" viewers - who know little or nothing about DTV - that it exists and is worthy of their attention.


Finally, I am talking with the other Chiefs/Directors of Engineering about the possibility of another Open House event sometime this summer. I'd like to have a date where all interested parties can circulate between the various transmitter sites in one day. This was highly successful in March (WVEC & WAVY). It will probably have to be sometime in July as construction is still going on for the stations at the (consolidated) WHRO site.


Stay tuned!

 

[lking]

I've been sitting over here in beautiful White Stone, VA. learning from you guys for about three months now and frankly, I've gotten a lot of good stuff from all of you. This forum is one of the most active I have ever seen. All of you who organized this should be complimented.

I don't have a hdtv set yet but will this year. I do have an ota stb and pull in all the Norfolk area hdtv stations pretty well with a twenty year old antenna.

Just wanted to thank all of you for the interesting posts and encourage you to keep up the good work so guys like me can learn about hdtv

Larry King

 

[Ed Munson]

Hello from the land of "suits" in TV. Just wanted you to know that the OTA Gm's are hosting a press conference on June 10th at WHRO that will "introduce" DTV to the consumer. Even though articals have been written about DTV in Hampton Roads, our goal is to create more information for consumers. This summer each of us will run spots introducing our DTV signals to consumers. We will outline our HDTV plans and Cox will outline their carriage plans. I'll let you know how it goes!

 

[Jeff Smith]

I've read all of May and much of April and need advice. I get WAVY but sometimes the Tonight show flips from HD back to SD when I channel surf, and I can't seem to get it back.


Also I don't get all the stations mentioned here, so...I've decided to antenna shop first. I've been using an old RS Yagi (I think)...not to big.


If you were buying from scratch, and live in Birdneck Point ( 1/2 way between Oceana and the North End Oceanfront, What would you buy? I'm not worried about the cost, all antennas are relatively cheap. And yes, I promise to use good cable and a sturdy chimney mount as high as advised.


There are no buildings around other than houses, and they are a ways away (100+ yards to the sides and slightly behind...400 yards in front). There are a few big pine trees, but not in the way between the antenna and Driver. I live on the water, so that covers the "ground" for the first 400 yards out from my flat yard (which is 150' out from the antenna). I have used a compass to aim it.


Taking that into account, I don't know how to tell if my problem is a poor quality signal reception or multipath. It seems the CM 4228 (8 bay bow tie) is well thought of by some here, but I assume would not help multipath as much as the CM4248 (yagi...less multipath, more directional), which may be pickier in terms of position, angle, height, direction, etc.


Any advice would be greatly appreciated.


BTW, I have a high end AVS HTPC with HiPix, 9500LC CRT PJ, short cable run between antenna and PC, and great picture on the stations I do get.


thanks

 

[Earl Dunham]

Jeff, I'm no expert and others on the forum may be able to help you better. I don't really know your equipment but I am surprised that at your location and the site as you describe it you only get WAVY-DT. As far as multipath problems go look at the analog channels and see if there are any ghost. If you have those then you have multipath problems. Maybe some others could be more helpfull.

Earl

 

[Jeff Smith]

I can get CBS also, and when I've tried OTA Radio Shack combo VHF/UHF antennas in the past, one of the 3 major networks (can't remember which) always comes in snowy and slightly ghosty...so I assume its multipath.


I have read almost every related post and referred site about this for months back, and would rather buy "too much antenna" now than keep chagning/buying different ones. Ther're cheap by HT standards.


IS THERE A LOCAL DEALER THAT WILL LET YOU TRY DIFFERENT MODELS???

 

[Widwi]

I lost WVEC tonight for some reason. Anyone else with this problem?


BTW: I want to sincerely thank all of the station managers, program directors and engineers for their hard work. I have had very little if any problems with digital channels here as of late.

 

[Earl Dunham]

Jeff, same comment about no expert but a snowy picture is poor signal strength. Which should not be the case from your location. Check for good quality coax from the antenae and the TV and good connections at each end. Sometimes it's a struggle but you'll get there.

Earl

 

[Earl Dunham]

Yea, I know it's late but I had Ham radio commitments that keep me up late. Did anyone notice that "Crossing Jordan" on WAVY-DT tonight was not in HD or was it me. This was the first show of the series and I had not seen it. I got hooked into this show later on in the series. Maybe the first was not in HD and was a pilot show. Maybe the regular series was in HD. Anybody know what the story was?

Earl

 

[robrien]

Earl:


The pilot show of Crossing Jordan was NOT in HD.


OB

 

[VARTV]

Thank you Ted Hand for sending me your digital station's logo. For all of the other "suits" on this forum, my name is Bob Corbin and I write for a page at VARTV.com . It's everything about Radio & TV in Richmond, Hampton Roads and Fredericksburg VA including station news, listings, descriptions, backgrounds, histories, ratings and websites. If you have a special logo that you would like to pass along that would be great. I invite you to read my page at VARTV.com . Any comments, good or bad, and/or contributions are most welcomed.....

http://members.cox.net/vartv/hdr_hm.jpg

 

[pdennant]

Quote:

I lost WVEC tonight for some reason. Anyone else with this problem?

I suspect everyone had this problem last night. Our emergency power transfer switch is having problems lately. I am leaning on the manufacturer to get things fixed but, of course, these things take time.


My apologies to everyone who was watching last night.

 

[Rinkleroot]

After installing the CM-4228 UHF antenna I'm still unable to receive WHRO-DT but it did seem to improve my Raleigh, NC signal for WRAL-DT.


This morning my system ( old antenna CM-Quantum 1162 ) picked up a new station all the way from Salisbury, Maryland WBOC-DT 21-1 which remapped to 16-1 once I entered the Salisbury zip code. I was surprised to see a signal strength of 97.


I have noticed that by entering different area zip codes on my Hughes E-86 I begin to receive a lot of new stations ( while losing others from previous zip code ) which won't come in under other zip codes.


Doug

 

[BillBibeau]

Quote:

Originally posted by Rinkleroot This morning my system ( old antenna CM-Quantum 1162 ) picked up a new station all the way from Salisbury, Maryland WBOC-DT 21-1 which remapped to 16-1 once I entered the Salisbury zip code. I was surprised to see a signal strength of 97. Doug

Hi Doug,


We had quite a temperature inversion this morning which created the situation you experienced. On the UHF and VHF amateur frequencies, I was hearing stations from PA and NJ quite well.

 

[Jeff Smith]

I don't know if this is fair to ask on the forum, but anyone here have a CM 4248 or 4228 or other good used antenna they are no longer using that they would sell?


How about a used rotator?

 

[jheimerl]

Quote:

Originally posted by Rinkleroot After installing the CM-4228 UHF antenna I'm still unable to receive WHRO-DT but it did seem to improve my Raleigh, NC signal for WRAL-DT. Doug

Doug- as soon as I have the tiniest moment of spare time, I plan to come down to see you with the DTV test set. Had it over at Dome's to visit w/John Chester the other day.


Really amazing to see all that DTV!!!


JH


PS. Bill is right, temperature inversions brought a bunch of northern stations in. Really messed up FM. Watch WBOC-DT while you can, cause 21 will be on the air in Norfolk eventually (the last (?)) full-power TV.... J.

 

[jheimerl]

-----Original Message-----

From: Beth Snader [mailto:[email protected]]

Posted At: Tuesday, June 04, 2002 5:41 PM

Posted To: dtv

Conversation: Upcoming PBS Digital Presentations

Subject: Upcoming PBS Digital Presentations



Upcoming PBS Digital Presentations: High Definition,

Widescreen Standard Definition and Digitally Enhanced


Please Note:

The list below should only be used as a reference guide, as it indicates

the original feed date and time for upcoming PBS HD

and Widescreen SD programs. Please refer to the Ops Logs within the

Traffic-Operations+ conference of PBS Express for complete

scheduling information, including APT programs, time zone delays and

within-the-week repeats. All programs listed below are

stereo, unless otherwise noted.


June 2002


(continuing from May)

EVOLUTION (R)

WGBH/NOVA Science Unit and Clear Blue Sky Productions

4/120

Tuesdays at 9:00 PM, May 14 - June 4, 2002

HD * surround sound


MARY LOU'S FLIP FLOP SHOP (PBS PLUS)

Houston PBS

30 minute episodes

Mondays at 9:30 AM, June 3 - 24, 2002

Widescreen SD


AMERICAN FAMILY

KCET and El Norte Productions

60 minute episodes

Wednesdays at 9:00 PM, June 5 - 26, 2002

(HD feed includes a separate episode at 10:00 PM on June 12, 19 & 26)

HD


THE DESERT SPEAKS (PBS PLUS)

KUAT

30 minute episodes

Thursdays at 5:30 PM, June 6 - 27, 2002

HD


MATISSE & PICASSO (R)

KERA

1/30

June 7, 2002, at 10:00 PM

HD


AFRICA, A SPECIAL PRESENTATION OF NATURE (R)

Thirteen/WNET

8/60

Sundays at 8:00 PM, June 9 - July 28, 2002

Widescreen SD


IN SEARCH OF ANCIENT IRELAND

Thirteen/WNET & Café Productions

3/60

Wednesdays at 8:00 PM, June 12 - 26, 2002

Widescreen SD


THOMAS EAKINS: SCENES FROM MODERN LIFE

WHYY

1/60

June 16, 2002, at 10:00 PM

HD


NOVA "Japan's Secret Garden" (R)

WGBH

1/60

June 18, 2002, at 8:00 PM

HD


July 2002


THE JUMPING GAME (PBS PLUS)

WUFT

1/60

July 1, 2002, at 3:30 PM

Widescreen SD


AMERICAN FAMILY

KCET and El Norte Productions

60 minute episodes

Wednesdays at 9:00 PM, July 3 - 31, 2002

HD


THE DESERT SPEAKS

KUAT

30 minute episodes

Thursdays at 5:30 PM, July 4 - 25, 2002

HD


REDISCOVERING GEORGE WASHINGTON

WETA & Manifold Productions

1/90

July 4, 2002, at 9:30 PM

HD


THE BATTLE OF HOOD AND BISMARCK

Channel 4 UK/ITN Factual

1/120 (also available as 2/60)

July 21, 2002, at 9:00 PM

Widescreen SD


GRAND CANYON, A "NAKED PLANET" SPECIAL (R)

Wall to Wall Television

1/60

July 31, 2002, at 10:00 PM

Widescreen SD


August 2002


AMERICAN FAMILY

KCET and El Norte Productions

60 minute episodes

Wednesdays at 9:00 PM, August 7 - 28, 2002

HD


NOVA "Cracking the Code of Life" (R)

WGBH

1/120

August 27, 2002, at 8:00 PM

HD * surround sound


September 2002


AMERICAN FAMILY

KCET and El Norte Productions

60 minute episodes

Wednesdays at 9:00 PM, September 4 & 18, 2002

HD


STAGE ON SCREEN: BECKETT ON FILM

Thirteen/WNET

1/90

September 15, 2002, at 10:00 PM

Widescreen SD


NATURE "Showdown at Grizzly River" (R)

Thirteen/WNET

1/60

September 29, 2002, at 8:00 PM

Widescreen SD


October 2002


OVER ALASKA

KCTS

1/60

October 1, 2002, at 9:00 PM

HD


SECRETS OF THE DEAD III "Mystery of the Black Death" (w.t.)

Thirteen/WNET

1/60

October 30, 2002, at 8:00 PM

Widescreen SD


November 2002


EXXONMOBIL MASTERPIECE THEATRE'S AMERICAN COLLECTION

"The Ponder Heart" (R)

WGBH

1/120

November 3, 2001, at 9:00 PM

Widescreen SD


NATURE "The Polar Bears of Churchill with Ewan McGregor" (R)

Thirteen/WNET

1/60

November 10, 2002, at 8:00 PM

Widescreen SD


SECRETS OF THE DEAD III "Titanic's Ghosts" (w.t.)

Thirteen/WNET

1/60

November 20, 2002, at 8:00 PM

Widescreen SD


SECRETS OF THE DEAD III "The Great Fire of Rome" (w.t.)

Thirteen/WNET

1/60

November 27, 2002, at 8:00 PM

Widescreen SD


December 2002


NATURE "Cloud: Wild Stallion of the Rockies" (R)

Thirteen/WNET

1/60

December 22, 2002, at 8:00 PM

Widescreen SD


NATURE "Song of the Earth with David Attenborough" (R)

Thirteen/WNET

1/60

December 29, 2002, at 8:00 PM

Widescreen SD


Last updated on June 4, 2002


---------------------------

Beth Snader

Sr. Program Associate

PBS Programming

703-739-5402
[email protected]

---------------------------



BTW- the WHRO digital STL is in, so we hope to have our BIG dish feeding the tranmitter later in June. Demo of the old analog studios began this week.


JH

 

[Widwi]

I just caught the tail end of the news story WAVY TV-10 had on about digital television in Hampton Roads. Now, This is the kind of exposure I was talking about! Thanks WAVY. Is there any chance they will rebroadcast the story, so I can catch it all?

 

[Theo1080]

There was a DTV press conference at WHRO today (June 10). All Hampton Roads station were attending. WTKR, WAVY, WVEC all did stories on it during there '90' block at 5pm. GMs from all eight station spoke, COX Cable, Domes A/V, Circuit City had speakers also.




Ted Hand, CPBE

DE

WTKR-DT

 

[obxdiver]

It was great to see that the local news broadcast finally included a story about DTV in Hampton Roads. I hope to see much more in the future. I think an in-depth story is required to really educate the analog viewers. For someone who is thinking of buying an HDTV, they should know more about how to receive the local digital broadcast.

Its a big learning curve that will overwhelm many people to the point that they will regret thier decision to buy now.


Thanks to all the local affiliates....keep up the good work