Austin HD TV question

[jras20]

On Off the air HD-TV in Austin, if anyone here has a converter, I would like to know if one of the channels has local weather radar 24/7? That would be really the only reason why I would want HD TV is to have a local radar to tune to when I need it?
Thanks

 

[Horns]

KXAN has it on one of their sub-channels. Their radar is the "cheap" version though, it isn't the best. But, I believe it is live 24/7.

 

[-juan-]

Before you buy one, check in with your local TV stations because some stations might be giving them out for free! I was able to snatch one free of charge from KPRC here in Houston. All I had to do was send in the postage with a couple of questions (forgot where I got it from though) and in a Month (I know, I know, but hey, it was free), I received a small black box with the big KPRC logo.
The receiver was really nice and it also receives the subchannels from every station!
As for weather, ABC, NBC, and KHOU have it on their Subchannels here in Houston!

 

[julesism]

The WX sub channels were removed in Austin at the beginning of the year. When I asked the folks at KXAN why, the response I got was because of new FCC requirements for E/I programming on the digital sub channels:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E/I

Austin used to have KXAN radar on 36.2 and 54.2 and KVUE's WeatherVue on 24.2

I just did a rescan on my plasma with a built-in ATSC and on an old Voom box. Currently, the only subchannel that I can receive in the Austin market is 18.2 KLRU-P (KLRU SD).

 

[jras20]

hmmm well guess theres no reason why I need to update right now.
Thanks for the update!

 

[X-Man]

Speaking of HDTV in Austin I'm surprised that KTBC hasn't put My Network TV on it's sub digital channel like 7.2 since the fact that Fox owns the network, you think they would've done that filling the niche when the old KVC Ch. 13 went off the air years ago and hopefully they'll do so.

 

[mmnassour]

Speaking of HDTV in Austin I'm surprised that KTBC hasn't put My Network TV on it's sub digital channel like 7.2 since the fact that Fox owns the network, you think they would've done that filling the niche when the old KVC Ch. 13 went off the air years ago and hopefully they'll do so.

There are two issues with that. My Network TV in Austin is affiliated with KNVA, though I'm not sure how much of the programming is currently running there. Secondly, KTBC has no plans whatsoever for using any subchannel.

And I'd like to thank those A.C.T. crusaders who went before the FCC and screamed about the lack of children's programming on the subchannels. Apparently the extended E/I requirements caused a LOT of stations to drop 24/7 weather on the subchannels...a valuable public service.

 

[gbranch]

In Tyler-Longview and Shreveport, none of the local stations dropped their sub-channels. They just air a few hours of children's programming to meet the minimum requirements, mostly on Saturday morning.

 

[julesism]

Perahps you guys could send them emails as well. I simply went to each site and dug around for the option to send a comment. KXAN is the only one who is good about responding.

Maybe we just need to loan them a VCR and an A/V input switch... play the E/I tape in a loop and have someone flip the switch on and off once a week! ;D

 

[azumanga]

Another solution would be for them to pick up the 24-hour qubo channel from ION, especially since Austin has no local ION station. KXAN can run that on one subchannel, then their weather radar uninterrupted on another. This way, their E/I headaches would go away.

But then again, what makes sense to us, doesn't make sense to them.

 

[w9wi]

Another solution would be for them to pick up the 24-hour qubo channel from ION, especially since Austin has no local ION station. KXAN can run that on one subchannel, then their weather radar uninterrupted on another. This way, their E/I headaches would go away.

But then again, what makes sense to us, doesn't make sense to them.

Nor to Congress. Running extra E/I on the qubo subchannel doesn't help, *each* subchannel must have its own E/I programming.

I suppose you could wire something to air a few hours of qubo on the weather channel, assuming ION would let you cherrypick their programming.

 

[azumanga]

Running extra E/I on the qubo subchannel doesn't help, *each* subchannel must have its own E/I programming.

Haven't I read somewhere about passing extra E/I hours to another subchannel, or even the main channel, so the subchannel wouldn't even need to run E/I?

For those of you who do get an ION station on digital -- does Worship or ION Life run E/I?

 

[CW]

Speaking of HDTV in Austin I'm surprised that KTBC hasn't put My Network TV on it's sub digital channel like 7.2 since the fact that Fox owns the network, you think they would've done that filling the niche when the old KVC Ch. 13 went off the air years ago and hopefully they'll do so.

There are two issues with that. My Network TV in Austin is affiliated with KNVA, though I'm not sure how much of the programming is currently running there. Secondly, KTBC has no plans whatsoever for using any subchannel.

And I'd like to thank those A.C.T. crusaders who went before the FCC and screamed about the lack of children's programming on the subchannels. Apparently the extended E/I requirements caused a LOT of stations to drop 24/7 weather on the subchannels...a valuable public service.

I have to disagree.........I get tired of running across the wx radar or NOAA wx audio on everything BUT what they were intended (everytime I hear NOAA radio audio on a TIS AM station, it really POs me!).....If you want NWS wx audio, GET a WX Radio......the SAME / EAS decoder can be set to go off only on alerts for your county....and its much easier to tote that around than a HDTV if you are THAT worried about the weather..

As for the radar, www.nws.noaa.gov has all the weather radar you want 24/7 for free and live.....and doesnt take away anything from broadcast TV.

 

[jras20]

Speaking of HDTV in Austin I'm surprised that KTBC hasn't put My Network TV on it's sub digital channel like 7.2 since the fact that Fox owns the network, you think they would've done that filling the niche when the old KVC Ch. 13 went off the air years ago and hopefully they'll do so.

There are two issues with that. My Network TV in Austin is affiliated with KNVA, though I'm not sure how much of the programming is currently running there. Secondly, KTBC has no plans whatsoever for using any subchannel.

And I'd like to thank those A.C.T. crusaders who went before the FCC and screamed about the lack of children's programming on the subchannels. Apparently the extended E/I requirements caused a LOT of stations to drop 24/7 weather on the subchannels...a valuable public service.

I have to disagree.........I get tired of running across the wx radar or NOAA wx audio on everything BUT what they were intended (everytime I hear NOAA radio audio on a TIS AM station, it really POs me!).....If you want NWS wx audio, GET a WX Radio......the SAME / EAS decoder can be set to go off only on alerts for your county....and its much easier to tote that around than a HDTV if you are THAT worried about the weather..

As for the radar, www.nws.noaa.gov has all the weather radar you want 24/7 for free and live.....and doesnt take away anything from broadcast TV.

I agree with you, but sometimes if storms are in the area late at night I dont feel like going and booting up the computer I can just turn on the TV and look at the radar loop. Thats what I like about KENS's subchannel. To bad Austin does not have any more.