The "i" (Pax) digital multicast

[Tom_Desmond]

Has anyone noticed a change in Pax's OTA digital subchannels in their market lately? I've noticed this here in Dallas/Fort Worth.

While 68.1 continues to simulcast their analog programming, 68.2 has definitely changed. 68.2 used to run the Pax west coast feed -- almost the same thing as 68.1, but time shifted by three hours. They stopped doing that several weeks back. Now, between 5:00 and 10:30 PM they just simulcast whatever is on 68.1.

But after 10:30 PM, they break off the simulcast -- while the main channel switches over to 18.5 hours of infomercials, 68.2 now runs a schedule consisting primarily of old TV shows and movies. That weekday schedule is now:

10:30 PM I Married Joan
11:00 PM My Little Margie
11:30 PM Ozzie & Harriet
Midnight Movie ("Kansas City Pacific" on the night I looked)
2:00 AM Beverly Hillbillies
2:30 AM I Married Joan
3:00 AM Movie (repeat from midnight)
5:00 AM Animal Tails
6:00 AM Miracle Pets
7:00 AM Paid Programming
9:00 AM I Married Joan
9:30 AM My Little Margie
10:00 AM Ozzie & Harriet
10:30 AM Beverly Hillbillies
11:00 AM Animal Tails
Noon Movie ("Red Fury" on this particular day)
2:00 PM Miracle Pets
3:00 PM Ozzie & Harriet
3:30 PM Beverly Hillbillies
4:00 PM Bonanza
5:00 PM - 10:30 PM Same as analog channel and 68.1

Not a real exciting schedule, but definitely an improvement over nonstop paid programming -- and at least it represents something not available elsewhere.

 

[rugrats1]

> But after 10:30 PM, they break off the simulcast -- while
> the main channel switches over to 18.5 hours of
> infomercials, 68.2 now runs a schedule consisting primarily
> of old TV shows and movies. That weekday schedule is now:
>
> 10:30 PM I Married Joan
> 11:00 PM My Little Margie
> 11:30 PM Ozzie & Harriet
> Midnight Movie ("Kansas City Pacific" on the night I
> looked)
> 2:00 AM Beverly Hillbillies
> 2:30 AM I Married Joan
> 3:00 AM Movie (repeat from midnight)
> 5:00 AM Animal Tails
> 6:00 AM Miracle Pets
> 7:00 AM Paid Programming
> 9:00 AM I Married Joan
> 9:30 AM My Little Margie
> 10:00 AM Ozzie & Harriet
> 10:30 AM Beverly Hillbillies
> 11:00 AM Animal Tails
> Noon Movie ("Red Fury" on this particular day)
> 2:00 PM Miracle Pets
> 3:00 PM Ozzie & Harriet
> 3:30 PM Beverly Hillbillies
> 4:00 PM Bonanza
> 5:00 PM - 10:30 PM Same as analog channel and 68.1
>
> Not a real exciting schedule, but definitely an improvement
> over nonstop paid programming -- and at least it represents
> something not available elsewhere.
>
No doubt all these old shows and movies are either public domain entirely, or public domain episodes of hit classics. Still on the cheap, but at least they look better than infomercials all the live long day.

By the way, is this second channel labelled as "Pax", or "i"? The press release from earlier this year mentioned that Pax would continue as a digital subchannel.

 

[Tom_Desmond]

> No doubt all these old shows and movies are either public
> domain entirely, or public domain episodes of hit classics.

That's what I suspect, as well -- although it is possible that some of these shows are still under copyright but extremely cheap to acquire. Either way, as you note, it is certainly better than infomercials.

> By the way, is this second channel labelled as "Pax", or
> "i"? The press release from earlier this year mentioned that
> Pax would continue as a digital subchannel.

It's labelled as "Pax" when I hit the "information" button on my remote control. 68.1 is "i", 68.2 is "Pax". I'd forgotten about that being in the press release some months back, but you're absolutely right, and that must be the explanation for this change.

 

[MCarney]

> Has anyone noticed a change in Pax's OTA digital subchannels
> in their market lately? I've noticed this here in
> Dallas/Fort Worth.
>
Thanks for giving me a reason to hook up my external HD tuner tonight! (I usually keep the Comcast box on instead.) I have to say that Pax has the worst picture quality of all the OTA digital channels I have seen.

 

[VCarter]

> Has anyone noticed a change in Pax's OTA digital subchannels
> in their market lately? I've noticed this here in
> Dallas/Fort Worth.
>
> While 68.1 continues to simulcast their analog programming,
> 68.2 has definitely changed. 68.2 used to run the Pax west
> coast feed -- almost the same thing as 68.1, but time
> shifted by three hours. They stopped doing that several
> weeks back. Now, between 5:00 and 10:30 PM they just
> simulcast whatever is on 68.1.
>
> But after 10:30 PM, they break off the simulcast -- while
> the main channel switches over to 18.5 hours of
> infomercials, 68.2 now runs a schedule consisting primarily
> of old TV shows and movies. That weekday schedule is now:
>
> 10:30 PM I Married Joan
> 11:00 PM My Little Margie
> 11:30 PM Ozzie & Harriet
> Midnight Movie ("Kansas City Pacific" on the night I
> looked)
> 2:00 AM Beverly Hillbillies
> 2:30 AM I Married Joan
> 3:00 AM Movie (repeat from midnight)
> 5:00 AM Animal Tails
> 6:00 AM Miracle Pets
> 7:00 AM Paid Programming
> 9:00 AM I Married Joan
> 9:30 AM My Little Margie
> 10:00 AM Ozzie & Harriet
> 10:30 AM Beverly Hillbillies
> 11:00 AM Animal Tails
> Noon Movie ("Red Fury" on this particular day)
> 2:00 PM Miracle Pets
> 3:00 PM Ozzie & Harriet
> 3:30 PM Beverly Hillbillies
> 4:00 PM Bonanza
> 5:00 PM - 10:30 PM Same as analog channel and 68.1
>
> Not a real exciting schedule, but definitely an improvement
> over nonstop paid programming -- and at least it represents
> something not available elsewhere.
>
I wonder if WPXN/31 in NYC would eventually go to a digital multicast
if they haven't done so already? and will the Pax/i stations be seen
on digital cable? you have to wonder.

 

[Mark_Ericson]

> I wonder if WPXN/31 in NYC would eventually go to a digital
> multicast
> if they haven't done so already?

They are multicasting. I caught it while I was there at Thanksgiving.

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