Anbody know the plans of digital OTA channels?

[GS kid]

As it stands now...CBS 58 puts channels 58, 41, and 63 on 1-1,1-2, and 1-3 right now. When CBS has a football game in HD, CBS 58 seems to have increased bandwidth for 1-1 during the game then games on there in the past. It seems even more bandwidth now then it does with normal HD programing. It makes sense for 58 to do this as there is faster movement both player and camera wise then are in sitcoms/dramas in HD. There is less MPEG "blocking" artifacts then in the past. That's great but 1-2 & 1-3 have really bad, big time "blockies" during this game. Most don't care now. But my question is.... is 58 and other stations of this nature going to continue to multicast or get seperate transmitters as they do now for their other stations?

No one is going to put up with how bad 1-2 & 1-3 get during the games in the future when the analog stations are gone. All networks sometime in the near/distant future will be all HD. Multicasting just won't cut it in the future. Has anobody read anything on industry plans on this issue?!?

BTW.... I can't understand why CBS 58 hasn't gone full power yet when everybody else (not fox 6) but them has bitten the power bill cost bullet and are at full power. Even the low tech/production values 22-1 christian station has more power on my signal meter. Enough already!:confused:

[MikeRoz]

"I can't understand why CBS 58 hasn't gone full power yet when everybody else (not fox 6) but them has bitten the power bill cost bullet and are at full power."



You can contact Jim Hall at DJT and ask, but I used to work fairly close with Jim and I don't think it's his call.
The family that owns 58, 46, etc. is pretty cheap. at least they were 4 1/2 years ago. I give them a great amount of credit for being one of the first in this market with HD, but the cost of going full power is extensive. I don't see Weigel Broadcasting forking up the dough until they absolutely have to. (they might be waiting for more HD viewers) Plus, they know their digital signal can be picked up on TWC. Just my thoughts.
Fortunately, I usually pick up 58D pretty good, so I think their signal is acceptable (For me at least   )

But hey, what the hell do I know.

[John L]

I know a few things that MIGHT happen when Analog is shut down.  

I got into a discussion on the coast-to-coast TV forum from radio-info.com that involved the FCC considering eliminating chs 2 thru 6 from TV and auctioning those frequencies.

Then this would mean WTMJ-DT will have to remain at ch. 28 and WITI-DT at ch. 33. BUT however VHF channel 10 or 8 might be available for one of the stations to move to, depending on what WMVS-DT plans to do.  Should they remain at ch. 8, then ch. 10 could become availble for either WTMJ-DT or WITI-DT.  Should WMVS-DT move the digital to ch. 10, then ch. 8 is available.

However we all know that channels above 51 and over will be auctioned off. Which means WVTV-DT will have to move to ch. 18, WVCY-DT, WCGV-DT, and WMVT-DT can stay where they are or move to where their analog channel was.  WPXE-DT and WDJT-DT will have to remain  where their digital channel is now.

-John L.