For me, living about 30 miles from Downtown Chicago in Gary Indiana, DTV reception initially sucked, but improved overtime. I'm only talking about the reception & not the programming. I still want to get a new set of antennas as my VHF/UHF combo antenna works best for VHF reception & not as well for UHF reception. For Chicago, there are 2 VHF on the Hi-VHF (WLS-TV & WBBM-TV, though WLS-TV won't have their VHF once their new UHF is ready to go on the Sears Tower) & one Class A digital on the Lo-VHF (WOCK-CD), while WMAQ, WGN-TV, & WTTW stayed on their pre-transitional UHF channels. I've never had a problem with WLS-TV on chanel 7 & I was one the lucky few to not have a problem getting WBBM-TV on channel 3 (they're now on 12). For WLS-TV, I had problems when they were on 52 & on 44 when they were using their old antenna from when they were on 52. When they shut down their transmission on the Sears Tower, they used an existing antenna WSNS used when they transmitted from the John Hancock, & WLS-TV is using that for 44, plus they're using their backup channel 7 antenna on the John Hancock as well. I get WLS-TV on 44 much better from the John Hancock than I did from the Sears Tower. I hope once they get their new channel 44 channel running on the Sears Tower, that I get just as good reception. The only reason I get good reception now is because they're at 1000kw, but directional on the JH, while the new antenna will be 473kw non-directional, but at a higher height. The original UHF antenna was side mounted, which blocked some of the signal. Once it gets running, WLS-TV will vacate channel 7, leaving WBBM-TV the only full power VHF in Chicago, though I wouldn't rule out channel 7 being re-issued to someone else (WOCK-CD might even consider 7 as a way to get off of channel 4).
As for programming (channel numbers used in this section are the virtual numbers, while the last part was the actual channel they broadcasted on), the only subchannels I watch are Livewell Network (on ABC O&O, it's in HD, & looks horrible having 2 720p HD channels) for Advice For Life & Motion, plus the occasional Let's Dish show (Let's Dish recorded at WLS-TV studios).
WGN-TV had The Tube, which I watched that channel. I don't care for LATV, which was on WGN-TV 9.2, but is now on WOCK-CD 13.3. WGN-TV now has Antenna TV & watch that whenI get a chance. for WBS station WTTW, they took a pass on World from PBS & instead programmed locally WTTW Prime. Any program that would typically air in primetime is available 24 hours a day on WTTW Prime, andmost programs either repeat after it's shown on WTTW 11, or might not be able to fit into the WTTW 11 schedule, that it's available on WTTW Prime. I only wish WTTW Prime were available in widescreen, as some widescreen programs get cropped when they forget to set the aspect ratio to letterbox for widescreen programs (which would consist of most PBS & APT shows recorded in the last 5-6 years). The other channel is Create, which is most of the DIY craft, sewing, home repair, travel, & cooking shows from PBS & APT (most shows on Create are distributed by APT).
WCIU has made use of the DTV subchannels carrying MeTV (now national, whereas before was local), MeToo (now the local MeTV, carrying some of the shows that Antenna TV has the national rights, where MeToo has the Chicago rights to the shows), This TV, & replacing the foreign language FBT channel with U Too (carrying primarily shows that aired on WCIU the first time & giving viewers a second chance to see the same episodes again, plus some sportscasts that aren't being shown anywhere else in Chicago).
I never watch Ion Television on WCPX, but will watch Qubo for select cartoons (mainly He-Man & She-Ra on Qubo Nightowl) & from time to time, Ion Life (though I've probably watched nearly every episode of programs I like watching, like Design U, Hometeam, My Green House, which is also on Livewell Network, & a few others).
I don't like my NBC O&O's subchannels: WMAQ's Chicago Nonstop on 5.2 nor Universal Sports on 5.3. Don't completely like V-Me on WTTW 11.4, just because a lot of the shows were originally aired in English, & are dubbed in Spanish, with no option of having it in English. WYCC wastes a subchannel by having an SD simulcast on 20.2, which isn't necessary. NW Indiana PBS station, WYIN hasn't fully made use of their 2 remaining subchannels. They managed to get programming on 56.3 by having it a locally programmed PBS Kids Go channel. They however still simulcast 56.1 on 56.2 & 56.4. Like WLS-TV, WYIN runs 56.1 & 56.2 in 720p HD, but also have 2 SD subnchannels as well (WLS-TV only has 1 SD subchannel), & the only station in the Chicago market that has widescreen SD channels. So you see any widescreen shows the way they're meant to be viewed, instead of it being letterboxed or cropped on the sides. I don't watch WJYS at all, as they're brokered religious, but still infomercials in most timeslots. The simulcast of WEDE-CA 34 (still broadcasting in analog) on WJYS 62.2 has practically all programming (religious) in their timeslots, & could probably run WJYS better than the people who run it now.
