This morning WLBT said Dish Network is no longer carrying their signal. What are those of you who have dish network doing to receive WLBT?
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WLBT and Dish network
- Thread starter richllewis
- Start date
People are raising hell on their Facebook page for not getting WLBT. I have to laugh because WLBT has been FREE since 1953. I've never paid to watch it. I guess the Dish subscribers are disapointed they can't watch WLBT in glorius SD stretch-o-vision that they are paying $100 a month for, when I'm watching in widescreen high defintion absolutly free.
Actually, we were getting WLBT and WDBD in Widescreen HD through Dish Network, albeit a little more compressed. Admittedly the PQ is a notch better with OTA.
As to the channels being pulled, Congress should be taken to task for the Cable Act of 1992 that allowed OTA stations to force cable/satellite/IPTV, et. al., to negotiate payments to the stations for carriage. Since they are putting their signal on the public airwaves and agreed to serve the public interest, the stations shouldn't be allowed to negotiate anything. The multichannel providers should be able to carry the stations in their market free. OTA channels these days are most likely loss leaders for the providers anyway, unless the customer opts for the lifeline package.
As to the channels being pulled, Congress should be taken to task for the Cable Act of 1992 that allowed OTA stations to force cable/satellite/IPTV, et. al., to negotiate payments to the stations for carriage. Since they are putting their signal on the public airwaves and agreed to serve the public interest, the stations shouldn't be allowed to negotiate anything. The multichannel providers should be able to carry the stations in their market free. OTA channels these days are most likely loss leaders for the providers anyway, unless the customer opts for the lifeline package.
I stand corrected, since I don't have dish. However some cable and maybe some dish companies put a crappy SD feed on the lower channels and hide the HD version of the same station on some odd channel some people can't even find, such as channel 286 etc. In my opinion, they should put the HD channel on the main channel and dump the SD version. I'm sick of going to someones house or into a resturant and seeing a football game in fuzzy stretch-o-vision, knowing that a full HD channel is just a few clicks away. the sad think about it is most of these people think they are watching HD and are completly clueless
flytrap said:
This is so true about some being clueless. For Dish, I get HD feed mapped to the regular channels, except for 34 and 35, which aren't in HD anyway. I think directv also maps the hd to the regular channel numbers if you have an hd receiver.
Comcast is awful about not mapping hd channels to the proper channel numbers, even though they have fully converted to all digital. However, they are stuck in the early 90s with the receiver interfaces. The only improvement in 20 years is the ability to handle hd. You can't customize the list of channels so that channel up and down go through only your selected channels. Dish and Directv have this. Even Uverse allows you to at least hide unwanted channels on their receivers. Ok, rant off.
I am a Dish Network customer on the coast and we don't have WLOX on now either. That is costing us our ABC and CBS but it does come in just fine OTA. It's much much better OTA! It is not available in HD in our market on Dish. My wife complains though since OTA isn't through the DVR! We did get WWL in HD (CBS from New Orleans) on Dish Network before WLOX added CBS last year.
Just a little response to:"Since they are putting their signal on the public airwaves and agreed to serve the public interest, the stations shouldn't be allowed to negotiate anything."
Each station has the right to invoke "must carry", now that does NOT get them any
of the monies that each subscriber pays to the "carrier" { Dish, Direct. Cable, etc.}
And in doing so guarantees a spot, but as the subs are paying for the service, the
stations usually want a share of that revenue.
That ain't saying that the costs per sub won't go up, depending on just what
may be negotiated.
Each station has the right to invoke "must carry", now that does NOT get them any
of the monies that each subscriber pays to the "carrier" { Dish, Direct. Cable, etc.}
And in doing so guarantees a spot, but as the subs are paying for the service, the
stations usually want a share of that revenue.
That ain't saying that the costs per sub won't go up, depending on just what
may be negotiated.
Hm. The reason Dish dropped those channels is because they're owned by Raycom, who was in a dispute with them (not that I'm affected, since I live in Western Massachusetts, far away from any Raycom station). It's been resolved though, so you guys should have them back now.
WLBT is free. This is not a big deal. Down here in Baton Rouge they did the same thing with WBRZ. However I never missed anything because I have a 30 foot antenna outside. I get all of Baton Rouge, New Orleans and even Bude Ms (17.1-17.4) MPB. When my contract ends. I no longer need cable. Theres even an app on my Roku that i can watch ESPN on.
I was amused by a woman I know in Hattiesburg who ran to Wal~Mart to buy a "digital antenna" to pick up WDAM when it was dropped. A bargain at $40, she opined.
I explained that I made a loop out of spare #12 wire and a $2 balun which receives EVERYTHING. She insisted that a "digital antenna" is required. I tried to explain that RF is RF. But after a moment, I realized this was not something she was going to get.
"Enjoy your antenna," I said.
DE
I explained that I made a loop out of spare #12 wire and a $2 balun which receives EVERYTHING. She insisted that a "digital antenna" is required. I tried to explain that RF is RF. But after a moment, I realized this was not something she was going to get.
"Enjoy your antenna," I said.
DE
These so called funny round or square "digital" antennas are mostly junk. Just glorified loops or bowties put in a fancy plastic case. Most are only good for 20-30 miles unless you are on a hill or you have a very tall pole. Most are only for UHF anyway. WDAM is still on VHF the last I checked
, so you wouldn't get much range out of these dinky antennas. The best kind of outside antenna is a conventional "old fasioned" UHF-VHF antenna. A multi-bay outside UHF antenna will also work if there are no VHF stations in your area. I put one on my moms house and works well. Even though it is mainly for UHF I can still get channels 7-13 if you you are close enough. Ordered it from walmart site-to-store.
, so you wouldn't get much range out of these dinky antennas. The best kind of outside antenna is a conventional "old fasioned" UHF-VHF antenna. A multi-bay outside UHF antenna will also work if there are no VHF stations in your area. I put one on my moms house and works well. Even though it is mainly for UHF I can still get channels 7-13 if you you are close enough. Ordered it from walmart site-to-store.
flytrap said:
Amen
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