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WCRN-LD applies to use ATSC 3.0

channel99 said:
The first Boston station to apply to use ATSC 3.0 is WCRN-LD, today - planned for July 6.
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I've been only getting programming on their 31.4 (Retro) and 31.5 (Heart) for several days.

31.1, 31.2, 31.3, and 31.6 are giving me carriers with black screens (no content). The signals all scan in, but nothing on.
 
The FCC today approved the move of WCRN-LD to ATSC 3.0 on July 6. Whether they have an engineer lined up is another question. It will be interesting to see what the signal looks like.
 
I don’t have high hopes - they can barely stay on the air. I remember once I sent them an email when Antenna TV had been out for a few days, and they replied thank you, we didn’t realize it was off.
 
Kbirdusa said:
I don’t have high hopes - they can barely stay on the air. I remember once I sent them an email when Antenna TV had been out for a few days, and they replied thank you, we didn’t realize it was off.
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Their only contacts are probably not within range of the signal and not technical. It actually had better coverage from the previous Foxboro tower. A contract engineer from New York does the technical part per a post elsewhere.

The station has been around since 2006 when the Carter Radio Network (WCRN-AM Worcester), after 10+ years of applications, got it on the air from Leicester, MA. At some point they sold it to Tyche Media in CT. There have been many moves and attempts to move it.

Perhaps another Boston station wants to get an ATSC 3.0 headstart, which could be interesting.
 
Does ATSC 3.0 not work (decode) on older HDTV's? All of my more recent "Smart" HDTV's died prematurely, I'm now using an older HDTV that I inherited from my late mom.

It was posted that WCRN-LD is running banners at the bottom of all their channels promoting their upcoming transition to ATSC 3.0, this set does not "see" them. It now gets black screens on 31.1, 31.2, 31.3 and 31.6 and now gets programming only on 31.4 and 31.5.
 
Eli Polonsky said:
Does ATSC 3.0 not work (decode) on older HDTV's? All of my more recent "Smart" HDTV's died prematurely, I'm now using an older HDTV that I inherited from my late mom.
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Only TVs with ATSC 3.0 tuners can receive ATSC 3.0. Even most TVs being sold today only have the current ATSC standard that's been used since the beginning of digital TV. Only a few high-end models of Sony, Samsung, LG, and Hisense have the NextGen TV tuner.
 
Your old HDTV set should be able to receive the regular channels that are still in ATSC 1.0.
Eli Polonsky said:
It was posted that WCRN-LD is running banners at the bottom of all their channels promoting their upcoming transition to ATSC 3.0, this set does not "see" them. It now gets black screens on 31.1, 31.2, 31.3 and 31.6 and now gets programming only on 31.4 and 31.5.
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Maybe those channels you're getting black screen on are using the newer MPEG4 codec, instead of MPEG2 like almost all channels use. Old TVs would not be able to decode MPEG4, which is why very few stations use it, even though it's more efficient than MPEG2.
 
Eli Polonsky said:
Will older HDTV sets receive nothing, or will they still be able to view in the current ATSC mode?
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Older TV's will not receive ATSC 3.0, which is one of the things that makes moving to ATSC 3.0 so complex. It is all or nothing per RF channel - ATSC 1.0 and 3.0 cannot coexist on the same RF signal. All but the smallest stations will need to have both an ATSC 1.0 and a ATSC 3.0 subchannel somewhere until they can safely shut off ATSC 1.0. Many station owners need to work together.

WCRN-LD seems to be playing again - there is now something indecipherable on the 4 unused subchannels - It's not ATSC 1.0, and of course not 3.0.
 
ATSC V1 uses 8VSB transmission but V3 uses OFDM... totally different mode..V1 rcvrs cannot decide V3 but V3 can decode V1..to view V3 on a V1 TV, you need an external box or some may use an USB Dongle though I don't know of any that does presently...or you need to buy a Nextgen TV
 
I guess I'll have to buy a new TV if I want to see any V3 or MPEG4 channels. I don't want to bother with converter boxes, etc... The only problem seems to be that, in recent years, the newer a TV set is, the shorter their functional lifespan before failing is, and that seems to be regardless of the make or brand!

Actually, that also seems to be the trend with all consumer electronics and appliances these days.
 
Eli Polonsky said:
I guess I'll have to buy a new TV if I want to see any V3 or MPEG4 channels. I don't want to bother with converter boxes, etc... The only problem seems to be that, in recent years, the newer a TV set is, the shorter their functional lifespan before failing is, and that seems to be regardless of the make or brand!

Actually, that also seems to be the trend with all consumer electronics and appliances these days.
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It is likely to be a long time before any major stations shut off their ATSC 1.0 signals. They will be stuck with squeezing in both 1.0 and 3.0 signals. The TV manufacturers are making sure of that by continuing to sell ATSC 1.0 - only sets even now.

On another note - WCRN-LD programming is gone and they are displaying only their RF channel - 30-1.
 
You cannot run V1 and V3 on the same carrier...stations going V3 put all V3 in a market on several signals then lease on other stations to carry their V1 signals as required.
 
ContinuousWave said:
You cannot run V1 and V3 on the same carrier...stations going V3 put all V3 in a market on several signals then lease on other stations to carry their V1 signals as required.
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Correct, but they still have to squeeze them all in - every station adding ATSC 3.0, and keeping ATSC 1.0 for a while, has to try to find a way to almost double the total number of subchannels. More compression? Give up a few subchannels?
 
Maybe give up some subs with V1...their money makers are the .1s which sit over on another stations carrier...I have the Houston list somewhere...talk about a mind blower
 
WCRN-LD is now ATSC 3.0 - more or less. They are still using the same limited program sources as before. I can receive it on my ATSC 3.0 capable HDHomeRun and LG large screen. The HDHomeRun displays channels 131-1, 131-3, and 131-4, while the LG shows them as 31-1, 31-3, and 31-4.

131-3 / 31-3 is labeled RETRO and is carrying RetroTV. 131-4 / 31-4 is labeled HRTE and is carrying Heartland. 131-1 / 31-1 is labeled IntrgTV, but is showing a freeze-framed France24.

It is a good way to verify the ability to receive ATSC 3.0
 
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