Thoughts on Fox6 Widescreen PQ

[StarvingForHDTV]

The other night I did a re-scan due to 1-1 audio problems (not solved by re-scan) and I got Fox digital out of Chicago (along with a bunch of other far away stations).  Way up in Mequon.  Must have been due to atmospheric situations.  Anyway the jitters or flickering or simulated low refresh rates did not exist.  The problem is local it seems.  I thought their picture quality was much nicer in Chicago.

For what it's worth,

Starving

[mhz40]

Originally posted by StarvingForHDTV
The other night I did a re-scan due to 1-1 audio problems (not solved by re-scan) and I got Fox digital out of Chicago (along with a bunch of other far away stations).  Way up in Mequon.  Must have been due to atmospheric situations.  Anyway the jitters or flickering or simulated low refresh rates did not exist.  The problem is local it seems.  I thought their picture quality was much nicer in Chicago.

For what it's worth,

Starving

I was under the impression FOX was 480p nation-wide.   Anyone else have a different opinion?

If so, IMO, the differences between Chicago and Milw. PQ must be attributed to the encoding done locally.

MHz40

[FreQi]

What are the station call letters for FOX in chicago?  I'd like to get it's coordinates from http://100000watts.com and try aiming my antenna at them to see if I can pick it up from here.  Is it WFLD?

WFLD-DT channel 31
Network Service: Fox "Fox Chicago"
Facilities: 1558' 200 kw DA
Transmitter: 41° 52' 44" N 87° 38' 10" W
Sears Tower [233 S Wacker Dr]

[brewtownska]

My only experience with Fox6's digital signal is through my TWC 3100HD box, so I have nothing to compare it to (although it also sounds like hardly anyone can pick up signal OTA either).  I also see the same "jumpy graphics" people are talking about, but I have a few other questions/comments about it.

Does anyone know if the TWC 3100HD box ONLY outputs 1080i, or will it also output the 480p signal we are supposedly getting from Fox6 (channel 506)?  The reason I ask is because if the TWC box is taking a 480p signal and re-interlacing it at 1080, could that have something to do with the graphics being jumpy?  It almost seems like there's an extra step happening somewhere in the process that is causing the crappy picture.

Also, someone mentioned that TWC is also using a Pioneer HD box for some customers.  Does anyone have this box, and if so, can you confirm if you see the same unsatisfactory results with channel 506?


Oh, and that Sibby guy who keeps asking Antenna questions elsewhere on the board...sorry guys, you have me thank/curse-out for turning him onto this message board  

[StarvingForHDTV]

Originally posted by brewtownska
My only experience with Fox6's digital signal is through my TWC 3100HD box, so I have nothing to compare it to (although it also sounds like hardly anyone can pick up signal OTA either).  I also see the same "jumpy graphics" people are talking about, but I have a few other questions/comments about it.

Does anyone know if the TWC 3100HD box ONLY outputs 1080i, or will it also output the 480p signal we are supposedly getting from Fox6 (channel 506)?  The reason I ask is because if the TWC box is taking a 480p signal and re-interlacing it at 1080, could that have something to do with the graphics being jumpy?  It almost seems like there's an extra step happening somewhere in the process that is causing the crappy picture.

Also, someone mentioned that TWC is also using a Pioneer HD box for some customers.  Does anyone have this box, and if so, can you confirm if you see the same unsatisfactory results with channel 506?


Oh, and that Sibby guy who keeps asking Antenna questions elsewhere on the board...sorry guys, you have me thank/curse-out for turning him onto this message board  

I watch Faux 6-1 digital in 480p on my Sony HD200 set top box.  The problem is not solved that way.  It looks about the same at 1080i or 480p.  I did hear that the local stations have to do something to the network feed before we get it.  I think that's where the problem lies in this case.  The Chicago Faux digital looked significantly better than Milwaukee's Faux digital signal when I had their station for a short period of time.

Starving