Channel 36 digital starts testing

[ReesR]

I received a call from Ellis Bromberg this morning (7-17-03) and he advises that the engineers have begun testing of Channel 35 using the simulcast PSIP data stream with channel 10.  However, it should be noted that what I see here is 10-1 through 10-5 has returned with the addition of 10-10.  I am presuming 10-10 is Channel 36 digital.  When I spoke with Mr. Bromberg I suggested that if the 10-10 idea worked why not just use 10-36 instead.  He appears to like that idea.  So who knows.

We would like to ask everyone who is able to catch them testing to view and use your television as you would normally.  Go to channel 10-1 and up-channel to see if everything works.  Observe 10-10 and see what happens.  Continue on up to 12 to assure you can continue out of the 10 range.  Try going in reverse as well down to channel 6 to assure nothing locks up.

You are then invited to share your experiences here in this tread.  Please include information on your television and tuner model(s) and please include if the tuner is external or internal to the TV.  Provide actual model numbers if you can.

So, let's all see what kind of results we collectively get.

Thanks.

[Gregg Lengling]

Well there is no RF signal on channel 35 right now...both receivers and my service monitor show no signal...but I did a rescan with both receivers...here's the results.

On he RCA P61310 (basically a DTC100 internal)

10 analog
8-1
8-2
8-3
8-4
8-5

The redirect isn't working again on the RCA

On the HiDTV Pro receiver card

10 analog
10-1
10-2
10-3
10-4
10-5
10- 6 (nothing there)
10-7  (nothing there)
10-10 (nothing there)
and a second 10-1  (go figure)

I'll check again later.

[ReesR]

Here is what I am noticing:

This information is while using my Sony XBR receiver.

10-1 through 10-5 work as normally predictable for a multicast set of channels.  When going "UP" from 10-5 to 10-10 it then "appears" to jump to the ch 35 carrier channel and declares "no signal"  The receiver is able to continue on to channels 11 and 12 as normal.

However, when I go from channel 11-1 (in Chicago) "DOWN" to 10-10 the receiver then states in a screen message "Channel 10 is now available on Channel 8.  Press enter or exit."  If I press enter or exit I get a screen message stating "Channel 8 is now available on Channel 10.  Press enter or exit."  If I press enter or exit the receiver goes to channel 10-1.

If I enter 10-10 directly from any channel other than the channel 10 series, I get a message stating "Channel 10 is now available on Channel 8.  Press enter or exit."  If I press enter or exit I get a message stating "Channel 8 is now available on Channel 10.  Press enter or exit."  If I press enter or exit the receiver goes to channel 10-1.

This is all without channel 36 digital's carrier being on.  We will have to observe what will happen when it is on.

[Tom Snyder]

Results on my DTC100

Did a rescan, and checked signal strengths. It shows a signal on 10 digital and 36 digital.

So I went to 6 and kept hitting "channel up." Here's what I got:

8-1
8-2
8-3
8-4
8-5
10 analog
10-1
10-2
10-3
10-4
10-5
12 analog

Also.. on 10-3 and 10-4, the sound stuttered for about 5 seconds before it finally was listeneable.

[ReesR]

I have noticed they were doing quite a few things this afternoon.  At one point they were able to combine stuff so when you did a channel "down" from 10-10 it actually did go to 10-5.  First time I have seen that.

Stay Tuned

[davezen2]

I'm not using a VHF antenna - just UHF, so my results might differ a bit here...


Cycling through the channels goes:

24-1
36-1
55-1

Both changing channels up and changing down work fine.

Excellent signal strength. Picture quality looks good.

[Gregg Lengling]

Well now we have these results  now that they are actually on the air.

RCA

8-1
8-2
8-3
8-4
8-5
10
36
36-1

HiDTV

10
10-1
10-2
10-3
10-4
10-5
10-6 (nothing there)
36
36-1

So there's the PSIP info for my receivers

[rnelson]

TV is RCA Scenium RP
From Waterford, I'm getting a strong signal 98-100.

Because I have Chicago Channels mapped Hitting Channel Up I go thru:

9
9-1
10
10-1
10-2
10-3
10-4
10-5
11
etc

36
36-1

etc.

So, I'm getting 36 Digital as 36-1

Roy

[Tom Snyder]

With my RCA DTC-100 I'm getting almost what Gregg is getting


8-1
8-2
8-3
8-4
8-5
10
36
36-1

It's odd.. the up button skips past 10 and 36 analog (although I can get them if I enter them in directly), but I DO get a 10-1 with a black picture.

[Tom Snyder]

BTW... I had forgotten just how good that demo loop was... Of course I haven't been able to see it since 10 started multicasting. But "back in the day" when I got my set, it and HBO were about all there was.

[stash64]

Well, I just scanned in 10-1 and 36-1 tonight with my Samsung SIR-T151.  All available channels work in order, both forward and reverse as follows:

1-1, 1-2, 1-3, 1-4, 1-5, 1-6
4-1
10-1, 10-2, 10-3, 10-4, 10-5
12-1
18-1
24-1
36-1

From what I read, the Samsung is better than some receivers (such as the Zenith HDV-420) as far as reading complete PSIP data.

[Pat]

Same on the Samsung SRT-150 from Menomonee Falls.  All channels appearing as you would expect, no matter how arrived at.

Signal is as strong as any, but pixelation was frequent.  Some of the pixelation was of a sort I hadn't seen before, as if the source of the problem was in some other device than the Samsung.

[StarvingForHDTV]

Sony SAT-HD200

Channel sequence:
1-1
1-2
1-3
4-1
6-1
10-1
10-2
10-3
10-4
10-5
10-6 (No Signal)
12-1
18-1
24-1
36-1
55-1 (No Signal)

No problems running through the sequence with channel up or down buttons.  No problem directly tuning to any local PBS channel.  36-1 was a very strong signal here in Mequon.  Right up there with 4-1 and 24-1 in signal strength.

Nice to see the widescreen standard definition programs as part of the 36-1 feed.

I also vote to end the 3 hour delay on 10-1 and 10-2.

Starving

[Tom Snyder]

Watched Allison Krause and Union Station on Soundstage last night on 36-1. PQ was excellent with the exception of periodic total "Green-outs".. 3 or 4 times during the hour, and half-dozen other instances of small blocks of pixelated green in sections of the picture.

[ReesR]

I'm watching the PBS loop this afternoon on 36-1.  I had forgotten just how awesome it looks.  Not sure if they have given up on the simulcasting PSIP idea or not but it appears like 10 and 36 digital are totally separate PSIP streams currently.  They still have time to experiment, however.

Rees