• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

Action News 5 -- now in HD.

D

DeadElvis

WMC-TV debuts news in HD today at 5pm. First in the City.

Many of the elements -- like video packages -- are still standard def. It seems that 5 has decided to either frame those in 4:3, or zoom them to fit 16:9. No stretch-o-vision, thankfully.

Too bad channel 5 has BY FAR the worst DTV allocation in the City. Oh, well.

DE
 
I have a very tough time keeping a lock on them now. I am scared to see what is going to happen when they move the DT to 5.
 
They may not have gotten up to full power yet. I understand they either had or have a move to make. I wish they'd get their audio issues resolved. Last night the network news kept dropping audio level when they'd switch to HD then they'd switch back to standard and the audio would jump. If you listen in surround it's even worse.
 
The graphics were beautiful, but being in HD just highlights the long standing inability of the WMC-TV floor crew to properly light a set. It was a problem when I was there and it's still problem. Greg Keuhl would come in and get it looking great, then they'd mess it up again. Joe Birch looked like he had sunburn he was lit so hot last night.
 
Michael said:
I have a very tough time keeping a lock on them now. I am scared to see what is going to happen when they move the DT to 5.
Click to expand...

A lot of people feel the same way about the move back to 5. Some, though, think they might find their way to DT 10 now that WKNO has apparently lost the CP for it (WKNO-TV was to continue on DT-31 while a CP for analog 56 was going to be on DT 10). Also, keep in mind that WMC-TV has applied to operate DT-5 at almost 35,000 watts. That may help out considerably if they stay there, specially considering they were originally supposed to get 7,300. An engineer I talked to a couple years ago seemed to think it would be a significant help to have a lot of power at those lower VHF channels.
 
I am wondering where you get the information about 'KNO losing the CP for DT-10. I just checked the FCC, and they have filed for a minor mod (just a couple of weeks ago), that has been accepted for filing. 'Sounds like they're moving forward to me.

Also, if WMC were planning to move, I wonder why they would go to the trouble of amping up the DT-5 application. They sound like they have their plan in place.

DE
 
That's impressive; wish I was living in Memphis now so I could check it out. After you get used to 16:9 hi-def, the 4:3 standard broadcast just don't get it anymore.
 
DeadElvis said:
I am wondering where you get the information about 'KNO losing the CP for DT-10. I just checked the FCC, and they have filed for a minor mod (just a couple of weeks ago), that has been accepted for filing. 'Sounds like they're moving forward to me.
Click to expand...

http://www.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2008/db0403/DA-08-786A1.pdf

That's the FCC order canceling the permit for 56/10. It doesn't surprise me that they've filed for a modification as people don't often want to give their licenses up, but the FCC has made it pretty clear the permit is gone.

Also, if WMC were planning to move, I wonder why they would go to the trouble of amping up the DT-5 application. They sound like they have their plan in place.
Click to expand...

I don't know if they'll go to DT-10 or not as they haven't filed an application, but I can see why they'd try to get the best facility at DT-5 until they're told they can move somewhere else. KMBC in Kansas City is seeking DT-29 despite having initially elected DT-9. However, they've also filed to make a minor modification for DT-9 as they're not sure if they'll get 29 and don't want to get stuck with the currently allocated facility.
 
I was watching TV 5 news this morning and noticed it was in HD. The news looked real good with off air reception and on DirecTV HD. They were broadcasting in 1080i with 5.1 sound.

I have an antenna mounted on the house roof in midtown, but still only get a 65% signal strength with TV5. The other stations HD signal are coming in greater than 90%. I can even get Jackson TV 7 in HD with the antenna. The signal is about 5% and now an then chops up.

I was surprised WMC was the first to start broadcasting news in HD. I though WREG would be the first.
 
Wow. This is an interesting case. Let's walk through it...

OK. The CP for *56 is gone. The FCC writes, "Pursuant to Section 73.3598(e) of the rules, the construction permit for the new Memphis, Tennessee television station on Channel *56 was automatically forfeited." Note what is does not say. It says NOTHING about the channel *10 CP.

Notice also that the minor mod. for *10 was Accepted for Filing in June, after the dismissal of *56, as a matter of law. Now, "Accepted for Filing" means that the application is technically correct. How could that be if the CP has evaporated? The CP for *10 is still active, as evidenced by the FCC website.

So, it sounds like they lost the *56 CP, but kept *10 (post-transition), which is what they wanted all along. Strange, indeed. Could that be right?

I need to do some more reading to fully unpack this. Unique, I think.

DE
 
cant pick it up ota in hd (antenna on roof) but looks good on directv. question if stations move from their channels (like 3), will they still call it channel 3? channel mapping makes that possible right?
 
elvez said:
cant pick it up ota in hd (antenna on roof) but looks good on directv. question if stations move from their channels (like 3), will they still call it channel 3? channel mapping makes that possible right?
Click to expand...

Yes, channels will still map to their old channels. I heard they're required to map to their old channels, though I know of a few cases that shut down analog several years ago and never bothered to re-map. So, you'll just punch 3, or 3-1, on your TV for WREG.
 
I was chatting with a high-ranking employee of WKNO yesterday.

He confirmed that they "let channel 56 go," and will construct channel 10 as a DTV after transition day (though, the files I read show the CP expires after transition day; I assume they have that sorted).

He tells me it will be an easy project. It's a 1 kW transmitter that will feed into the current antenna. It's just "plug and play." Just 6 kW ERP.

DE
 
DeadElvis said:
WMC-TV debuts news in HD today at 5pm. First in the City.

Many of the elements -- like video packages -- are still standard def. It seems that 5 has decided to either frame those in 4:3, or zoom them to fit 16:9. No stretch-o-vision, thankfully.

Too bad channel 5 has BY FAR the worst DTV allocation in the City. Oh, well.

DE
Click to expand...

Funny that folks have trouble getting a lock on them in your area but thanks to skip I've picked up WMC-DT at least twice now in Grenada in the early mornings. ;)

I'm in a OTA wasteland as far as TV goes - can't put up an outdoor antenna and only get NBC and PBS. BUT it seems nightly now I'm getting ABC 24 and chs 40 and 50 from Memphis... First in analog then digital, then analog then nothing.

Digital is a strange beast.
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom