Milw Public Television info

[ReesR]

Hi HD'ers:

Just got off the phone with Tom Dvorak, program manager of 10/36.  After going through all the normal stuff he shared that there will be "some" HD programming this fall.  The reason there is not more programming aired is technical.  They do not currently have the ability to air "LOCAL" programming due to a lack of equipment that has already been ordered but not delivered.

He indicated that their web site will be updated in the next few days with the new HD programming.  If I understood him correctly, there will be two PBS HD programs starting next week.  Thirteen programs airing one at week but repeated Sunday through Saturday.

One will be a program called "Tracks Ahead" will air at 4:00pm.  The other will be "Smart Travels" which will air at 6:30pm.  They are both half hour programs.

Tom also shared that there will be 3 programs coming from PBS in High Def in Sept and one in October.  He said that the web site will give all this information and will be updated in about 3 days.  We will see.  It is my intent that if I do not see it in that time I will give a call to find out when it will be there.

I could tell he was actually very frustrated too.  He shared with me that he has 20 hours of programming some of which has been there for 2 years and he has had to renew the "rights to air" ever since just because he has no technical ability to air them.

He has a meeting with their technical personnel next week to discuss this whole issue of High Definition.  Maybe he can light a fire with them.  Right now 10 can only air high definition IF it comes directly from PBS.  However, even though PBS has programming, ch10 has no way of currently switching to it in their master control.  This is part of the main problem he said.  He also verified that Outdoor Wisconsin has been done in HD.  But again, because of the same technical problem they can not air "LOCAL" HD programming.

Tom shared with me that he gets one or two calls every week on this subject.  He WANTS High Definition to expand.  But he also said that there is a distinct lack of HD programming available to PBS stations like Ch 10.  He noted that he has access to the same programming that the Madison PBS station has access to.

I asked him what is he going to do when 36 goes High Def.  His response was the multicasting programming on 10 might be moved to 36 which would allow true Hi Def to air on 10.  Or visa-versa.

It is my intent to call the chief engineer of Ch 10/36 and see if I can get a better understanding of what the technical issues are.  My background, as some of you know, is 20 years of broadcasting experience in engineering.  I am now retired from broadcasting.  Hopefully, I can gleen some good information and share it with you.

End of update

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Rees Roberts
Racine, WI

HDTV Receiver:  Sony KD-34XBR2
Bi-directional Yagi Antenna at 30 feet

[Gregg Lengling]

Well Rees there were lies upon truths in the info you got from Tom.  WMVS has been airing Tracks Ahead in HDTV on channel 10-1 for a while now (rf channel .  This program is actually produced by channel 10/36.  The other travel show can be seen on HDNET on a regular basis.  There are a number of shows that 10 has broadcast in the last year in HighDef when they turn off the multicasting.

One strange item is....all programming developed/originated by 10/36 is taped using HiDef cameras.  However at this time for some reason the only show that goes into HighDef post production is Tracks Ahead, all other programs are done in Standard Def.



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Gregg R. Lengling
RCA P61310 61" 16x9
glengling@ameritech.net

[wxndave]

Check out the www.mptv.org  website.  They have updated the HD program listings.  Nova is on tonight from 7pm-9pm. Looks like they are going to air the PBS feed of Tracks Ahead at 4pm starting September 1st.  I guess things are looking up.

[borghe]

I don't know if WMVS is shaping up on their own or if they just got sick of people complaining. Either way yes the listing is up, and yes they are carrying almost all PBS HD programming. I noticed that American Family isn't listed, but I will take what I can get and personally I can live without American Family.

Although I'll miss Nova tonight due to a fantasy football meeting.. AARRGHHHHHHH

[wxndave]

 

Originally posted by borghe:
I don't know if WMVS is shaping up on their own or if they just got sick of people complaining. Either way yes the listing is up, and yes they are carrying almost all PBS HD programming. I noticed that American Family isn't listed, but I will take what I can get and personally I can live without American Family.

Although I'll miss Nova tonight due to a fantasy football meeting.. AARRGHHHHHHH

I think that it the fact that they are finally getting some of the equipment needed to make this happen.  Like I have said in earlier post most of the equipment that all the stations are using have some problems.  After 58 was off the air a few weeks ago.  I bet that they had equipment problems.

As for American family it was listed for Sept. 4th & 18th.

[Tom Snyder]

 

Right now 10 can only air high definition IF it comes directly from PBS.

So where did (does) the demo reel come from? When I first got my set, that was all they ever showed. Is that the default digital feed from PBS?

Another question: Who filmed the Great Circus Parade two years ago? I watched that morning while they were setting up before the Parade. They broadcasted the camera tests and microphone feeds for several hours. Sure looked and sounded like local tech guys to me.

[Gregg Lengling]

They are totally capable of transmitting original HighDef.  How do you think they've been doing Tracks?  That is their production.  Like I said before all the WMVS/WMVT productions are all done with High Def cameras...however at this time the only program they do post-production in High Def is Tracks Ahead.  This information came directly from some engineers at 10/36, and I've been watching High-Def transmissions from them on 10-1 for almost a year....it's just there isn't very much they are shipping out to us when they remember to get everything set right so the Network feed comes out on 10-1.


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Gregg R. Lengling
RCA P61310 61" 16x9
glengling@ameritech.net

[wxndave]

 

Originally posted by Tom Snyder:

Right now 10 can only air high definition IF it comes directly from PBS.

So where did (does) the demo reel come from? When I first got my set, that was all they ever showed. Is that the default digital feed from PBS?

Another question: Who filmed the Great Circus Parade two years ago? I watched that morning while they were setting up before the Parade. They broadcasted the camera tests and microphone feeds for several hours. Sure looked and sounded like local tech guys to me.

[/b]

From what I understand, they don't own any of the equipment used for that production. They couldn't do the same thing today.  The orginal demo loop from what I was told came from PBS and feed into the transmitter.

As for Track Ahead, yes they produce it locally but they can only air it from the PBS HD feed.  I was told, at this time they don't have an easy way of airing a program locally from the station.  I'm sure that as soon as the equipment can be purchased and installed you will see things change.

Dave

[Matt Heebner]

Just a FYI to all MPTV HD viewers....I emailed Karen Copper at PBS to thank them for putting up a HD schedule, and for doing more HD programming (I figure we bash here very readily, so when a station does good, we should be just as quick to praise).
She emailed me back thanking me and that I was being added to a new  weekly/monthly email sent out from MPTV  with all the HD programs listings. If anyone wants to be on their mailing list for programming schedules, drop them a line...and even a couple words of encouragement maybe.

Matt

[ReesR]

Good idea!

What is Karen's email address?

[Matt Heebner]

Sorry about that....got it off the HD program listing page...anyway here it is:

 Karen: 414 297-7515
copperk@matc.edu

Matt

[borghe]

She added me I'm assuming as the same time as you and I was also VERY gracious towards her. By far the best communication I have had with channel 10. We should invite her to the board for a big thank you.

[Tom Snyder]

So Karen is still there, eh? I had a two week email dialogue with her a few years ago when I first got my HDTV. I'll have to track down those emails, see what they were saying back then and see if anything has changed in 2 1/2 years.