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Happy (2nd) Anniversary, DTV!
- Thread starter Joey1986
- Start date
Pittsburgh got three more digital subchannel choices today. WINP-16 is still ShopNBC on its main channel but 16.2 is running ION, 16.3 Qubo and 16.4 ION Life. I think ION is available from a national feed on Comcast, but still it may be interesting to see how soon Comcast adds the three subchannels for local viewers.
You got a point theregregg75 said:
Where I'm at even our Translators get out far.
Once you get in East Texas though thats a different story, talk about a TON of tree's, out there I need a nice big outdoor antenna to enjoy TV. Even Analog sucked out there. (on Rabbity Ears anyway, though the Big Outdoor had static too)
Since the Digital switch though there has been an improvement, however the some of the signals aren't always dependable (Mainly KERA). Oddly enough the DFW stations come in better than the Local Tyler Stations which don't come in at all, excluding NBC 56, which oddly enough has a superb signal.
My parents live in a 'holler' in West Virginia, but still manage to get one station OTA. Fortunately, they have DirecTV.
I also live in West Virginia, but on top of a hill. However, our house is in a 'bowl' as well, and is ringed by a dense pine forest, other trees and houses. I had a perfectly good-but useless for me-virtually new antenna. However, a guy living one-half mile from me that now has it sings its praises. We're both on top of the same hill, but he has an unobstructed view to all local stations, whereas I couldn't receive even one. We do get five locals via Dish, but we don't get all the offerings he receives.
I also live in West Virginia, but on top of a hill. However, our house is in a 'bowl' as well, and is ringed by a dense pine forest, other trees and houses. I had a perfectly good-but useless for me-virtually new antenna. However, a guy living one-half mile from me that now has it sings its praises. We're both on top of the same hill, but he has an unobstructed view to all local stations, whereas I couldn't receive even one. We do get five locals via Dish, but we don't get all the offerings he receives.
I was at a high school graduation party in a rural community near Kittanning, Pa., last week. The party was at a house where the owners only could get three stations in the age of analog (if they were lucky). They now get nothing. Mind you, they have plenty to do and don't see the loss of TV reception as a great loss. Having seen how their kids are growing up, neither do I.
While I'm not the Dave that Scott Fybush mentioned a few postings ago (he was referring to Dave McAndrews), but DTV initially problematic for some station on June 12th 2009, but worked out ok once the bugs were worked out. There are more channels, but since the Chicago market mainly has network O&O stations, ABC, Ion, & NBC are the only network O&O stations that have subchannels. ABC has Livewell Network. Ion Media has Ion TV, Ion Life, & Qubo. NBC has Chicago Nonstop & Universal Sports. WGN-TV (CW) has Antenna TV. WSNS (Telemundo, an NBC O&O) has Inmigrante TV. WCIU (Independent) has MeTV (national), MeToo (local MeTV), U Too (an extension of the U Programming in different time slots), & This TV (they also have low power stations WWME-LD (MeTV) & coming soon, WMEU-LD (MeToo, which currently is on WMEU-CA 48)). Lastly, WJYS has WJYS 2 (same programming in different time slots, usually 3 hours behind the main channel) & simulcast of WEDE-CA 34.
For the 3 PBS stations, WTTW has WTTW Prime (an extension of the WTTW programming in different time slots, plus programming that might not fit in the WTTW 11 timeslot) (I watch this channel much more than WTTW's main channel), Create, & V-ME. WYCC has Mhz Worldview. WYIN has locally programmed PBS Kids Go.
These stations have no subchannels at all, & they are WBBM-TV (CBS), WFLD (Fox), WPWR-TV (MNT, though they have bandwidth set aside for mobile TV), & WGBO-DT (Univision).
These stations simulcast either the main channel on a subchannel, or simulcast a subchannel on another subchannel: WLS-TV (ABC simulcasts a letterboxed SD version of Livewell Network on 7.3 (Also on 7.2, but in crappy looking 720p HD, due to the main channel also being in HD). WYCC simulcasts the main channel on 20.2. WYIN (PBS) simulcasts the main channel on 56.2 (this channel is also in 720p HD, along with the main channel, & the only other station in Chicago running dual HD) & 56.4 in widescreen SD. WXFT (Telefutura) simulcasts the main channel on 60.2. All this is is a waste of bandwidth. WYIN is waiting for the Indiana Channel to get off the ground, so they can dedicate a subchannel for that network for Indiana PBS stations. They otherwise don't know what to do with the other channel after that.
For pre-transitional digital, I was one of the few people in the Chicago market that had no problem gettin WBBM-DT on RF 3, as I was using the same big outdoor antenna I used for analog (Chicago used to have 5 VHF stations) for digital, & it picked up WBBM-DT with flying colors. I also had no problems with getting them when they switched to the Sears Tower & used WTTW's old VHF antenna for RF 12. WGN-TV & WFLD were the only 2 stations that had their analog on the John Hancock, but their digital on the Sears Tower & had no problems getting them on June 12th. The stations I had problems on June 12th are the UHF station on the Sears Tower, due to both the analog & digital on the Sears Tower, & had problems getting these stations after their analog was shut off: WCIU (Ind), WMAQ-TV (NBC), WCPX (Ion), WSNS (Telemundo), WXFT (Telefutura), & WTTW (PBS). WYIN (PBS) transmits from their tower in Cedar Lake, IN, & I had no problems prior to June 12th, but reception was that bad on June 12th, that I lost their signal a lot. WJYS had their analog tower in Tinley Park, IL, but the digital on the Sears Tower, & was always bad both pre & post transitional digital (signal was very weak & directional to protect WMVT's analog signal until June 12th on RF 36). WJYS's signal has improved & also increased their power (just wish their programming were better than the infomercials & brokered religious programs they show now). I had problems with WLS-TV when they were on RF 52, but once they moved back to RF 7, it actually improved for me. Due to being short-spaced with WOOD-TV on RF 7, the FCC won't give WLS-TV a much bigger power increase to reach the people in downtown Chicago & the suburbs better, they moved the main channel to 44. While they were using the antenna they used to use for RF 52, reception on 44 was terrible for me. Once they temporarily moved to the John Hancock while work was done on the Sears Tower to remove both the VHF channel 7 & UHF antenna for channel 52, I saw a major improvement in reception on RF 44. Once the new antenna on the Sears Tower is ready to be lit up, they'll return to the Sears Tower, & vacate RF 7 (that's also operating on the John Hancock right now), & hope the new antenna will be better at getting WLS-TV on RF 44.
For the 3 PBS stations, WTTW has WTTW Prime (an extension of the WTTW programming in different time slots, plus programming that might not fit in the WTTW 11 timeslot) (I watch this channel much more than WTTW's main channel), Create, & V-ME. WYCC has Mhz Worldview. WYIN has locally programmed PBS Kids Go.
These stations have no subchannels at all, & they are WBBM-TV (CBS), WFLD (Fox), WPWR-TV (MNT, though they have bandwidth set aside for mobile TV), & WGBO-DT (Univision).
These stations simulcast either the main channel on a subchannel, or simulcast a subchannel on another subchannel: WLS-TV (ABC simulcasts a letterboxed SD version of Livewell Network on 7.3 (Also on 7.2, but in crappy looking 720p HD, due to the main channel also being in HD). WYCC simulcasts the main channel on 20.2. WYIN (PBS) simulcasts the main channel on 56.2 (this channel is also in 720p HD, along with the main channel, & the only other station in Chicago running dual HD) & 56.4 in widescreen SD. WXFT (Telefutura) simulcasts the main channel on 60.2. All this is is a waste of bandwidth. WYIN is waiting for the Indiana Channel to get off the ground, so they can dedicate a subchannel for that network for Indiana PBS stations. They otherwise don't know what to do with the other channel after that.
For pre-transitional digital, I was one of the few people in the Chicago market that had no problem gettin WBBM-DT on RF 3, as I was using the same big outdoor antenna I used for analog (Chicago used to have 5 VHF stations) for digital, & it picked up WBBM-DT with flying colors. I also had no problems with getting them when they switched to the Sears Tower & used WTTW's old VHF antenna for RF 12. WGN-TV & WFLD were the only 2 stations that had their analog on the John Hancock, but their digital on the Sears Tower & had no problems getting them on June 12th. The stations I had problems on June 12th are the UHF station on the Sears Tower, due to both the analog & digital on the Sears Tower, & had problems getting these stations after their analog was shut off: WCIU (Ind), WMAQ-TV (NBC), WCPX (Ion), WSNS (Telemundo), WXFT (Telefutura), & WTTW (PBS). WYIN (PBS) transmits from their tower in Cedar Lake, IN, & I had no problems prior to June 12th, but reception was that bad on June 12th, that I lost their signal a lot. WJYS had their analog tower in Tinley Park, IL, but the digital on the Sears Tower, & was always bad both pre & post transitional digital (signal was very weak & directional to protect WMVT's analog signal until June 12th on RF 36). WJYS's signal has improved & also increased their power (just wish their programming were better than the infomercials & brokered religious programs they show now). I had problems with WLS-TV when they were on RF 52, but once they moved back to RF 7, it actually improved for me. Due to being short-spaced with WOOD-TV on RF 7, the FCC won't give WLS-TV a much bigger power increase to reach the people in downtown Chicago & the suburbs better, they moved the main channel to 44. While they were using the antenna they used to use for RF 52, reception on 44 was terrible for me. Once they temporarily moved to the John Hancock while work was done on the Sears Tower to remove both the VHF channel 7 & UHF antenna for channel 52, I saw a major improvement in reception on RF 44. Once the new antenna on the Sears Tower is ready to be lit up, they'll return to the Sears Tower, & vacate RF 7 (that's also operating on the John Hancock right now), & hope the new antenna will be better at getting WLS-TV on RF 44.
Didn't Sears move out, meaning it's now the Willis Tower?
Last night I decided to go ahead and try the Daytime Emmys. I was mostly doing okay for a while, and then I missed a joke from Christopher and Kyle Massey. Then things were good again for an hour and I ended up missing the entire acceptance speech from the "Cash Cab" guy, which come to think of it wouldn't be so bad, although Alex Trebek did get a Lifetime Achievement Award. And Pat Sajak, though I'm not a fan. At that point I went in the other room to watch cable. I already had TiVo recording Miss USA so it didn't matter.
Last week, though, I was having numerous problems with the station that is usually perfect and the "Simpsons" station seemed fine. Last night it was the other way around. Although last week there were storms in the area.
Last night I decided to go ahead and try the Daytime Emmys. I was mostly doing okay for a while, and then I missed a joke from Christopher and Kyle Massey. Then things were good again for an hour and I ended up missing the entire acceptance speech from the "Cash Cab" guy, which come to think of it wouldn't be so bad, although Alex Trebek did get a Lifetime Achievement Award. And Pat Sajak, though I'm not a fan. At that point I went in the other room to watch cable. I already had TiVo recording Miss USA so it didn't matter.
Last week, though, I was having numerous problems with the station that is usually perfect and the "Simpsons" station seemed fine. Last night it was the other way around. Although last week there were storms in the area.
vchimpanzee said:
Yes, the Sears Corporation moved out back in the 90's. It was only in the last year or two that the building got renamed the Willis Tower. Since I'm one of the people from the Chicagoland/NW Indiana region, I refuse to call it anything other than the Sears Tower. I'm sure there are some buildings & stadiums that you knew under one name, but got renamed thru naming rights. I could go on and mention lots of places around Chicagoland, but that's for a different topic all together. I'd rather stick to the original topic. So far, DTV has worked for me after the bugs were worked out. I just need to get a better antenna setup to get a few low power stations that broadcast from Chicago.
F
FreddyE1977
Guest
Greg Goodfellow said:
My parents have a place located in a similarly rugged area in Western Pennsylvania. They used to get a half dozen
OTA channels (albeit many of them quite snowy). Since the DTV rollout they are now down to one, and that only
part of the time. It is a summer/weekend place and it really fries my dad to have to pay for a dish there.
My biggest problem has been only being able to get the 3 OTA stations in the Jackson, TN area and the fact that they are doing very little with subchannels. WLJT PBS 11 is doing the most with 2 subchannels of other PBS programming, mnost of which doesn't interest me. WJKT Fox 16 recently added Cool TV, but here again, I'm not too interested in that. WBBJ ABC 7 is wasting their subchannels with the same programming on 7.1 with SAP audio if it's available on 7.2 and a weather radar map on 7.3. Nobody is doing anything with ME-TV, Antenna TV, or even RTV, and I haven't seen any progress to make me think they'll add or change anything in the near future.
I can't get any Memphis stations OTA, although WMC NBC 5's subchannels (This TV and Weather Plus, and possibly Bounce soon) are on Charter Cable. WREG in Mempnis has Antenna TV, but it isn't on Charter in Jackson) I'm still waiting for someone to pick up ME-TV.
I can't get any Memphis stations OTA, although WMC NBC 5's subchannels (This TV and Weather Plus, and possibly Bounce soon) are on Charter Cable. WREG in Mempnis has Antenna TV, but it isn't on Charter in Jackson) I'm still waiting for someone to pick up ME-TV.
It's all a mixed bag for me, this DTV set-up. I now usually can get six channels over-the-air (3 main ones and their respective sub-channels) as opposed to four before. But public TV WSKG-46 is totally gone for me, and WICZ-40's two channels are there some days and gone others, all depending on the weather. An outdoor antenna is out of the question as I live on 3rd floor and have only a street-facing window. Now, the great part is this- even on my nearly 30-year old TV set, a digital picture looks good.
anotherguy said:
I know what you mean, I live in the same area. While we have Dish Network and the locals, WBBJ, WLJT, WJKT, WPSD, and KFVS, I still have a set of rabbit ears hooked to get what few sub channels we have. I have no problems with WLJT, but WJKT and WBBJ need to add something to their sub channels other than what they have now. How a 24/7 weather channel for 7.3, but I doubt it, they are cheap. Wouldn't mind seeing another sub channel being add to WJKT too. Wish we could get WPSD subs, but I think we are tad too far for KFVS.
Although I do have DirecTV in the our home, I will more often than not switch over to digital OTA, and watch some programs that I wouldn't ordinarily been able to see on DirecTV. It seems that over the last year or so, digital OTA reception has improved quite a bit in my area. I live in Inglewood, which is in southwestern Los Angeles County, and the particular neighborhood I reside is near a hospital and is within the flight path of Los Angeles International Airport (about 4 miles to the west). It certainly makes for tricky cell phone reception and the same for digital over-the-air TV.
However, several of the local stations have greatly increased their signal strength (most notably KTTV and KCOP--they had promos for a good month or so last year touting their signal increase). From day one of the transition, KNBC and KTLA came in good with no problems, but with the other stations, it was just a matter of moving the antenna (in my case, an amplified indoor antenna) a couple of inches to the left or right to receive a reliable signal. In the pre-digital days, KNBC, KTLA, and KCBS were hard to receive clearly in my area, so cable and/or satellite was a must; KABC and KCAL were the strongest, followed by KMEX and KVEA.
Oddly, the local public TV stations are the hardest and most inconsistent channels to receive, with maybe KCET probably the most reliable out of them, KLCS, and KOCE (I'm in not signal range to pick up KVCR, although I can get it via DirecTV).
However, several of the local stations have greatly increased their signal strength (most notably KTTV and KCOP--they had promos for a good month or so last year touting their signal increase). From day one of the transition, KNBC and KTLA came in good with no problems, but with the other stations, it was just a matter of moving the antenna (in my case, an amplified indoor antenna) a couple of inches to the left or right to receive a reliable signal. In the pre-digital days, KNBC, KTLA, and KCBS were hard to receive clearly in my area, so cable and/or satellite was a must; KABC and KCAL were the strongest, followed by KMEX and KVEA.
Oddly, the local public TV stations are the hardest and most inconsistent channels to receive, with maybe KCET probably the most reliable out of them, KLCS, and KOCE (I'm in not signal range to pick up KVCR, although I can get it via DirecTV).
F
flashback
Guest
i still contend that before the law was passed that the ALL bugs should have been worked out.at least enough that people should not be having the problems that they have.
if cable and satalite wes not so prevelant over the air digital tv as a law would not fly.
if cable and satalite wes not so prevelant over the air digital tv as a law would not fly.
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