DTV TRANSITION

[ssetta]

Also, WWDP-DT is now on the air on 10, and WNAC-DT is on 12.

This brings up something I've been wondering about: Since WPRI and WNAC are owned by the same company, why couldn't they request permission from the FCC to swap digital positions, with WPRI staying on 12 and WNAC going to 13?

There's probably a perfectly good technical reason I'm not thinking of, but, then, I don't work in the industry.

Indeed there is - 12 has to use a directional antenna to protect other stations on the same channel, particularly WTXX-DT in Connecticut. 13 can run non-directional at higher power, so it makes sense to put the more important signal there. Remember, the viewers never know the difference - WPRI is still "12," WNAC is still "64" as far as they're concerned.

I still can't get WPRI-DT very well up in Natick, but I can now get WNAC-DT on 12.

 

[Maine-i-ac]

Well, I was curious about WVII-7 Bangor signing off. I watched their 11:00 newscast and Cindy Michaels said that they would be turning off the analog right after the news. So I kept watching and the news got done. Then a new "All Digital ABC7" slide came up, "Nightline" started and about 1 minute into the show, off went the analog. No announcement, nothing.

So, living about 45 miles from the transmitter with a halfway decent antenna where I can get 2 (sometimes) and 5 and 12 full time on my tv with converter box, I was anxious to rescan and see if I'd be a lucky recipient of 7.1 and 7.2 with the new power boost. Rescanned the thing 3 times and nothing. <sigh>

But this morning, I tried again and there it was booming in! So I'm a happy camper today. And I expect 2 to do the same when their transformation is complete.

And here's a link to an article in today's Bangor Daily News from below the fold with Michael Palmer, GM of WVII. Also of interest are the reader comments at the end.

http://www.bangornews.com/detail/99711.html

 

[someplacesomewhere]

Also, WWDP-DT is now on the air on 10, and WNAC-DT is on 12.

This brings up something I've been wondering about: Since WPRI and WNAC are owned by the same company, why couldn't they request permission from the FCC to swap digital positions, with WPRI staying on 12 and WNAC going to 13?

There's probably a perfectly good technical reason I'm not thinking of, but, then, I don't work in the industry.

Indeed there is - 12 has to use a directional antenna to protect other stations on the same channel, particularly WTXX-DT in Connecticut. 13 can run non-directional at higher power, so it makes sense to put the more important signal there. Remember, the viewers never know the difference - WPRI is still "12," WNAC is still "64" as far as they're concerned.

I still can't get WPRI-DT very well up in Natick, but I can now get WNAC-DT on 12.

Also, WWDP-DT is now on the air on 10, and WNAC-DT is on 12.

This brings up something I've been wondering about: Since WPRI and WNAC are owned by the same company, why couldn't they request permission from the FCC to swap digital positions, with WPRI staying on 12 and WNAC going to 13?

There's probably a perfectly good technical reason I'm not thinking of, but, then, I don't work in the industry.

Indeed there is - 12 has to use a directional antenna to protect other stations on the same channel, particularly WTXX-DT in Connecticut. 13 can run non-directional at higher power, so it makes sense to put the more important signal there. Remember, the viewers never know the difference - WPRI is still "12," WNAC is still "64" as far as they're concerned.

I still can't get WPRI-DT very well up in Natick, but I can now get WNAC-DT on 12.

I can't get WPRI-DT in Fall River. WNAC, WJAR, and WLNE all come in(with a little movement of the antenna, but WPRI.... it comes it terrible no matter what i do.

 

[dx1ng]

While I'm here, does anybody know if somebody will use channel 42 for digital? My box hesitates on that one channel, as if it's trying to lock on a signal.

I believe WSAH Bridgeport (analog 43) is Digital 42. Also, WHDH Boston (analog 7) is listed as temporary digital 42, to eventually go digital on 7.

 

[KML0224]

Probably Bridgeport. I've never even received Springfield on digital, let alone Boston/Worcester.

 

[dx1ng]

I believe WSAH Bridgeport (analog 43) is Digital 42.

I was just reading that WSAH analog 43 is off the air. They were hit by lightning on July 4th, and decided to just stay on with Digital 42.

 

[mgpt6]

Did WMFP-TV/62 sign off its analog on 2/17/2009? They were the only Boston that was going to.

 

[jlehmann]

Did WMFP-TV/62 sign off its analog on 2/17/2009? They were the only Boston that was going to.

Yes, they are off the air.

 

[newsbot]

Burlington, VT was cited as a case of a market where viewers were relatively unprepared for the transition as noted in this CBS News report:
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4818035n

 

[taylorjsdad]

Burlington, VT was cited as a case of a market where viewers were relatively unprepared for the transition as noted in this CBS News report:
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4818035n

As someone who lives in the Burlington-Plattsburgh DMA, I can say all of the four major affiliates did an exceptional job getting the word out that they were switching to digital.

I saw on Fybush.com that the call center located at WETK logged about 600 calls on the first day of the transition and the national center only about 25,000.