What happens to the analog only tv towers after the 2009 switch????

[w9wi]

I don't have cable where I live in Ohio. Once the switch happens, will I be able to turn on my old t.v with rabbit ears & pick up Canadian stations bettersince the digital stuff'll be off on a different frequency leaving me free to pick up non digital stuff clearer? (The poor folks channels! )

You'll have about two years, since the Canadians are also going digital but not quite as quickly as we are.

I also wonder once the switchover happens, will "white noise" static be eliminated? Since with digital it's either on or off? ???Instead of static it'll just be a blue screen?

Black, on most DTVs I've tested, but yes. There *is* one intermediate state: if the signal is almost but not quite good enough to decode, it may break up into squares known as "macroblocks". Often accompanied by stuttering audio. You may have already seen this, if an analog station is airing a marginal digital satellite feed.

 

[TomT]

My HDTV blue screens on dead channels. Digital on my little analog portable looks like white noise. Also seen the "macro-blocking" with stuttering audio, just a s described, on a cable HD channel with problems.

 

[8638]

Yes, in fact I'd venture to say I have more luck with the UHF digitals than I do with the UHF analogs. While the analogs can appear snowy and fade from time to time, the digital remains consistent and strong. The only problems I have are analog co-channel problems, where there's a digital on channel 20 and then an analog on channel 20 coming from another direction that interferes, and that will be going away in 2009.

I visit my grandparents who live in Bergen County a few times a year and have no trouble receiving anything up there with my digital receiver and a Silver Sensor, even WNET-DT 61 with their 12 kW worked fine in the right position. While that's not nearly as far out as Ocean County is, the digital signal is far superior to the snowy, ghosty analog signals that otherwise show up, especially from NJN (WNJN is usually quite ghosty, but the digital is just fine).

Don't worry about the link, I understood what you meant and have a general idea of what signal is like in that area based on the maps I've seen. =)

I just want to wish you the best of luck with WPVI-DT on 6, assuming you are using OTA to receive it. You'll need all the luck you can get.

- Trip

Thanks for the info, Trip. It's funny, right now I get virtually no usable signal on WABC-TV 7 (post 9/11) but a usable WPVI-TV 6. I guess I'll be watching my ABC programming on WABC-DT, which will hopefully put out a full market signal post transition. It'll suck, though, that I'll miss some of the local stuff WPVI runs.

BTW, I am OTA for TV. A pretty good installation, I think: a big ol' combo V/U antenna on a rotor, Channel Master preamp on antenna, CATV quality 4 port distribution amplifier inside sending the signal all around the house. As CrapCast is the local CATV operator, I don't see me connecting to CATV anytime soon!

 

[tripinva]

Well, realize that the NYC stations are mostly on the ESB at the moment, which is a shorter building than the "Freedom Tower" that will house the stations in 2012 or whenever it gets finished. The added height, even with reduced power, will do a lot to improve reception in distant areas.

I'm 79 miles from my local TV stations, but have clear line of sight due to their location on mountains. I received a signal from my Fox station when they were doing less than 3 kW (on channel 17). Digital signals are quite resilient overall.

The other thing to consider is that at the moment, many stations are using side-mounted antennas on their towers, and so when the analog goes away they'll move to the top, giving them more height. Some will be boosting power as well (I know WYBE and WCAU plan to apply for "maximized" facilities when the FCC lifts their freeze on coverage expansions). A lot of the Philly stations will gain expanded coverage areas after the transition simply because they're moving from channels above 50 down to lower UHF frequencies that have a better ability to get around terrain and obstructions.

I'm just wondering what people like you are going to have when it comes to things like your local Ion stations. WPXN-DT and WPPX-DT are both going to be on channel 31 after the transition. Not that there's much to watch on Ion, the spacing is awfully close, and I know there will be problems like this in other places besides Ocean. I don't think all the channel shuffling will be over for some time to come.

- Trip

 

[8638]

Well, realize that the NYC stations are mostly on the ESB at the moment, which is a shorter building than the "Freedom Tower" that will house the stations in 2012 or whenever it gets finished. The added height, even with reduced power, will do a lot to improve reception in distant areas.

I'm 79 miles from my local TV stations, but have clear line of sight due to their location on mountains. I received a signal from my Fox station when they were doing less than 3 kW (on channel 17). Digital signals are quite resilient overall.

The other thing to consider is that at the moment, many stations are using side-mounted antennas on their towers, and so when the analog goes away they'll move to the top, giving them more height. Some will be boosting power as well (I know WYBE and WCAU plan to apply for "maximized" facilities when the FCC lifts their freeze on coverage expansions). A lot of the Philly stations will gain expanded coverage areas after the transition simply because they're moving from channels above 50 down to lower UHF frequencies that have a better ability to get around terrain and obstructions.

I'm just wondering what people like you are going to have when it comes to things like your local Ion stations. WPXN-DT and WPPX-DT are both going to be on channel 31 after the transition. Not that there's much to watch on Ion, the spacing is awfully close, and I know there will be problems like this in other places besides Ocean. I don't think all the channel shuffling will be over for some time to come.

- Trip

Hey Trip:

The government 'coupons' arrived the other day, so I went out and bought a Zenith DTT900 converter box. I am shocked...it works FANTASTICALLY! Funny you mention ION, as analog 61 rarely if ever was viewable. Their DT channel decodes fine!

Here's what I'm getting (all DT's):

Philly: KYW, WPVI, WCAU, WPHL, WTXF, WYBE, WGTW, WPSG, WPPX, WUVP

NJ: WNJS, WNJT, WNJB, WWSI

NYC: WCBS

LI: WLNY (when analog 55 was still on, I only got it during tropo)

The only Philly station I'm not getting DT is WHYY (virtual 12.1; actual 50). I don't think WNJN in Montclair is the problem, as their analog is usually unviewable here. So, I will have to watch WHYY on analog 12 for a while. I'm really pleased with the DTT900, and highly recommend it to anyone who wants to buy one of the government subsidized boxes. Easy to use, sensitive, and a nice looking piece of equipment to boot.

Thanks for all your feedback, Trip. It is appreciated!

Don

 

[tripinva]

Hey Trip:

The government 'coupons' arrived the other day, so I went out and bought a Zenith DTT900 converter box. I am shocked...it works FANTASTICALLY! Funny you mention ION, as analog 61 rarely if ever was viewable. Their DT channel decodes fine!

Here's what I'm getting (all DT's):

Philly: KYW, WPVI, WCAU, WPHL, WTXF, WYBE, WGTW, WPSG, WPPX, WUVP

NJ: WNJS, WNJT, WNJB, WWSI

NYC: WCBS

LI: WLNY (when analog 55 was still on, I only got it during tropo)

The only Philly station I'm not getting DT is WHYY (virtual 12.1; actual 50). I don't think WNJN in Montclair is the problem, as their analog is usually unviewable here. So, I will have to watch WHYY on analog 12 for a while. I'm really pleased with the DTT900, and highly recommend it to anyone who wants to buy one of the government subsidized boxes. Easy to use, sensitive, and a nice looking piece of equipment to boot.

Thanks for all your feedback, Trip. It is appreciated!

Don

WNJN is the problem (indirectly). WHYY-DT is operating under experimental authority (thanks FCC) on channel 50. They're running at lower power than they were on 55, and with a huge null in the direction of WNJN (basically, no power goes in that direction).

So you don't see WTVE-DT? I'm somewhat surprised. Them and WPPX-DT are both at the same central tower site as all the other Philly TV stations now, and so it's no surprise to me that you can't decode WPPX. I don't know what kind of directional pattern WTVE-DTS7 (the Philly transmitter) is running, so it may be putting very low power out toward NJ.

Glad to help out. Enjoy. =)

- Trip

 

[8638]

Hey Trip:

The government 'coupons' arrived the other day, so I went out and bought a Zenith DTT900 converter box. I am shocked...it works FANTASTICALLY! Funny you mention ION, as analog 61 rarely if ever was viewable. Their DT channel decodes fine!

Here's what I'm getting (all DT's):

Philly: KYW, WPVI, WCAU, WPHL, WTXF, WYBE, WGTW, WPSG, WPPX, WUVP

NJ: WNJS, WNJT, WNJB, WWSI

NYC: WCBS

LI: WLNY (when analog 55 was still on, I only got it during tropo)

The only Philly station I'm not getting DT is WHYY (virtual 12.1; actual 50). I don't think WNJN in Montclair is the problem, as their analog is usually unviewable here. So, I will have to watch WHYY on analog 12 for a while. I'm really pleased with the DTT900, and highly recommend it to anyone who wants to buy one of the government subsidized boxes. Easy to use, sensitive, and a nice looking piece of equipment to boot.

Thanks for all your feedback, Trip. It is appreciated!

Don

WNJN is the problem (indirectly). WHYY-DT is operating under experimental authority (thanks FCC) on channel 50. They're running at lower power than they were on 55, and with a huge null in the direction of WNJN (basically, no power goes in that direction).

So you don't see WTVE-DT? I'm somewhat surprised. Them and WPPX-DT are both at the same central tower site as all the other Philly TV stations now, and so it's no surprise to me that you can't decode WPPX. I don't know what kind of directional pattern WTVE-DTS7 (the Philly transmitter) is running, so it may be putting very low power out toward NJ.

Glad to help out. Enjoy. =)

- Trip

Trip:

No, no WTVE-DT available. I looked on the FCC site, and they still show all of their TX sites in/near Reading. Double checked on ch. 25, no signal.

Don

 

[tripinva]

Trip:

No, no WTVE-DT available. I looked on the FCC site, and they still show all of their TX sites in/near Reading. Double checked on ch. 25, no signal.

Don

Yeah, the FCC site doesn't list it because it's an experimental authority, but WTVE-DT is running 126 kW from the same tower site as all the other stations. They're operating what's called a "DTS," which is a Distributed Television Service. It calls for 8 transmitters scattered across their protected service area. Check WTVE's Wikipedia page, I put some details of the DTS up there a few weeks ago.

- Trip