Philadelphia TV stations to take part in DTV test TOMORROW 11/17

[Jul]

The Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters will be conducting a digital television test tomorrow 11/17 on several Pennsylvania TV stations at 6:25 PM EST. That means that participating stations will turn off their analog transmitter at 6:25 PM EST for 60 seconds, leaving unprepared viewers with a snowy screen or a message notifying them that they are not ready for the Feb. 17 2009 digital television transition. For more info: http://www.pab.org/pdfs/11172008_DTVTest.pdf 

 

[qtpieislit]

Good gosh. Will wonders never cease.

 

[ajc_trw]

The Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters will be conducting a digital television test tomorrow 11/17 on several Pennsylvania TV stations at 6:25 PM EST. That means that participating stations will turn off their analog transmitter at 6:25 PM EST for 60 seconds, leaving unprepared viewers with a snowy screen or a message notifying them that they are not ready for the Feb. 17 2009 digital television transition. For more info: http://www.pab.org/pdfs/11172008_DTVTest.pdf

60 seconds is cutting it close for those of us with cable or satellite as we scan through the channels to see which ones we may loose for a bit.

I can see at least a couple channels going out and having to wait a week or more to try and convince the Verizon guy the channel is out. I'll have to hold my tounge as I'm repeatedly told what the guide says.

At least I have my aerial if all else fails. :

 

[hopdevil]

Part of me wants to believe your statement is an attempt at humor, but the other part of me has a feeling that you are just seriously confused.

60 seconds is cutting it close for those of us with cable or satellite as we scan through the channels to see which ones we may loose for a bit.

 

[ajc_trw]

Part of me wants to believe your statement is an attempt at humor, but the other part of me has a feeling that you are just seriously confused.

60 seconds is cutting it close for those of us with cable or satellite as we scan through the channels to see which ones we may loose for a bit.

Care to elaborate, why do you think I'm "just seriously confused"? ???

Many cable and satellite companies are carrying the analog channels on their SD channels so they don't have to deal with channeling a 16x9 picture on a 4x3 channel. They are letting the broadcaster provide them with a 4x3 picture to pass on to their SD subscribers. When they only have a 16x9 picture to pass on they are going to have to figure a way to put it on their SD (4x3) channel (zoom or letterbox) with regards to widescreen commercials that can't be zoomed (essential information in the full width) and 4x3 content.

No confusion and I'm sure you weren't trying to be insulting in any way. :-\

 

[Jul]

Re: Philadelphia TV stations to take part in PA statewide DTV test TONIGHT

Just about 2 hours away. Posters: If you have cable or satellite I would like you to post your observations here on whether your TV station signal from were you live in PA vanished or not at 6:25 PM tonight and if its possible, can you post video of that from the channel that you are recording from.

 

[qtpieislit]

So, are you saying you then want me to post a recording of the channel on whether my TV station signal where I live I’m recording then maybe too also? Now you’ve got me all confused.

 

[ajc_trw]

Re: Philadelphia TV stations to take part in PA statewide DTV test TONIGHT

Just about 2 hours away. Posters: If you have cable or satellite I would like you to post your observations here on whether your TV station signal from were you live in PA vanished or not at 6:25 PM tonight and if its possible, can you post video of that from the channel that you are recording from.

Verizon FiOS TV Dover, DE: All PA stations were on. I guess they switched off analog and went with either DT or fibre links. Either way it looks like I'll have the PA stations after 2/17/09. :-[

This makes me very happy as they were running Discovery Health on 100 in lieu of Discovery (DH was also on another channel). It took a couple weeks to straighten that out. :-X

 

[Jul]

So, are you saying you then want me to post a recording of the channel on whether my TV station signal where I live I’m recording then maybe too also? Now you’ve got me all confused.

What i was trying to say is that if you getting a broadcast station in PA via cable or satellite, I wanted the posters to record the one minute test on the station you was watching from and post video of the results on you tube or other video sites.

 

[hopdevil]

Care to elaborate, why do you think I'm "just seriously confused"? ???

You have FIOS, so:
a) you don't rely on over-the-air broadcasts. Therefore, you are not in danger of losing any stations.
b) the signal you receive is completely digital. While it simulcasts the analog version of many OTA stations, Verizon often receives a direct fiber feed of a station's signal.

Also the issue of 16:9 vs 4:3 is not one that will affect reception of a digital station or loss of an analog one, so that's best left for another topic.

 

[ajc_trw]

Also the issue of 16:9 vs 4:3 is not one that will affect reception of a digital station or loss of an analog one, so that's best left for another topic.

Not a reception issue, a presentation issue. Cable/FiOS has 4:3 480i SD channels for SD box users. If they receive a 4:3 signal they only need to pass this signal through. If they receive a 16:9 signal they need to do something with it to fit onto their 4:3 channel (zoom into the center or letterbox). I thought I was quite clear.

 

[hopdevil]

When they only have a 16x9 picture to pass on they are going to have to figure a way to put it on their SD (4x3) channel (zoom or letterbox) with regards to widescreen commercials that can't be zoomed (essential information in the full width) and 4x3 content.

Believe it or not, the transition to DTV is easier than you're making it. The sky isn't falling. Engineers have actually thought about this issue and resolved it.

Not a reception issue, a presentation issue. Cable/FiOS has 4:3 480i SD channels for SD box users. If they receive a 4:3 signal they only need to pass this signal through. If they receive a 16:9 signal they need to do something with it to fit onto their 4:3 channel (zoom into the center or letterbox). I thought I was quite clear.

Do yourself a favor and google 'Active Format Description.'

 

[ajc_trw]

When they only have a 16x9 picture to pass on they are going to have to figure a way to put it on their SD (4x3) channel (zoom or letterbox) with regards to widescreen commercials that can't be zoomed (essential information in the full width) and 4x3 content.

Believe it or not, the transition to DTV is easier than you're making it. The sky isn't falling. Engineers have actually thought about this issue and resolved it.

Not a reception issue, a presentation issue. Cable/FiOS has 4:3 480i SD channels for SD box users. If they receive a 4:3 signal they only need to pass this signal through. If they receive a 16:9 signal they need to do something with it to fit onto their 4:3 channel (zoom into the center or letterbox). I thought I was quite clear.

Do yourself a favor and google 'Active Format Description.'

Thank you for the information.

 

[ajc_trw]

When they only have a 16x9 picture to pass on they are going to have to figure a way to put it on their SD (4x3) channel (zoom or letterbox) with regards to widescreen commercials that can't be zoomed (essential information in the full width) and 4x3 content.

Believe it or not, the transition to DTV is easier than you're making it. The sky isn't falling. Engineers have actually thought about this issue and resolved it.

Not a reception issue, a presentation issue. Cable/FiOS has 4:3 480i SD channels for SD box users. If they receive a 4:3 signal they only need to pass this signal through. If they receive a 16:9 signal they need to do something with it to fit onto their 4:3 channel (zoom into the center or letterbox). I thought I was quite clear.

Do yourself a favor and google 'Active Format Description.'

It's 2/22/09 and I watched Saturd Nigh Liv last night. I especially liked riste Wiig and Adam andbur.

I asked in a live chat if Verizon was using Active Format Description and ...

Me: Is Verizon utilizing Active Format Descriptor?
Eva: No sir, we do not.
Me: Thank you for telling me Verizon FiOS TV does not use Active Format Descriptor. Isn't this a problem the broadcsters will have issues with?
Eva: More than likely, yes. To be honest, I personally have not recieved too many of these complaints.

Just to update the situation. You can also check ...

http://www.**********.com/forum/vzfiostv

for a thread about HD channels and SD Verizon. 8)