Waiting on Fox 6

[budda]

I must say I do not watch much on 6, except sports and sometimes news, however, I keep ,waiting and hopeing they will finnish ant., work. I have watched things that are not for me just cause the picture quilty is so good . Fox right now cable , sat ,ant. Picture quilty is BAD!  Thing is if you ran a company and you could increase your business .  I just wounder why it takes so long , other companys do it in the cold , or when it's hot , or windy. Whats the problem. Just like 18-2, they are ready and there is nothing there. I know power costs money, but if somebody could explain why station would half step in a arera that they bid on like sports, whats the point. Just venting. Have a great day.

[davezen2]

18-2 is waiting for some parts yet.  

See this thread:

http://www.milwaukeehdtv.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3218&highlight=182

[borghe]

well, yes WVTV is waiting on parts, but it has been months...... many months...

[Talos4]

I'd give the guy's doing the work a break.  Working at heights is not as easy as some would believe.

A nice early spring breeze at ground level turns into a full blown gale at heights above 1000 ft.  Not to mention the effect wind chill has when your trying to work at those heights.

Include in that portion of the formula, safety gear, harnesses, tie offs, changing your tie off location to reach just that one last bolt.


After working at considerable heights myself. (about 450 to 500') It's not easy. And I had the benefit of scaffolding, I can't imagine being bascially an iron worker walking on the just the girders of the tower.

Fox Management is more to blame than the installers.

[budda]

I am in no way pointing fingers at workers or staions, channels I get are fine but of course would like more. Just seems like the time to get this done is bizare. Did it take wisn or wdjt 3 or 4 years to turn it on. just seems odd thats all.

[Matt Heebner]

As I've said in past threads.....I'd be willing to bet I will see the national FOX feed on Directv in HD this fall before I see it over the air.


Matt

[borghe]

Originally posted by Talos4
I'd give the guy's doing the work a break.  Working at heights is not as easy as some would believe.

A nice early spring breeze at ground level turns into a full blown gale at heights above 1000 ft.  Not to mention the effect wind chill has when your trying to work at those heights.

Include in that portion of the formula, safety gear, harnesses, tie offs, changing your tie off location to reach just that one last bolt.


After working at considerable heights myself. (about 450 to 500') It's not easy. And I had the benefit of scaffolding, I can't imagine being bascially an iron worker walking on the just the girders of the tower.

Fox Management is more to blame than the installers.

I understand all of that, but I have to file it under "But that's there job." It may be unpleasant, but the longer they don't do it the longer they neglect their viewership. I'm sure sanitation workers don't like working in the sewers, but it was their decision to become a sanitation worker.

You are right though.. I don't blame the engineers, because at the end of the day they probably aren't the ones who will decide to start working on it again or not... It most certainly is management and I never meant to imply otherwise... But whatever the case may be, those engineers need to get back up there and get back to work so I can finally get my Fox signal again... And if it is someone else holding it up and not signing off on it, then that is the person that needs a fire lit under their ass to get it done.

just my thoughts at least.

[John L]

Be Patient!!!

  Do realize that many other TV stations across the country are upgrading their digital.  The manufacturers can put out so much in little time.

   Besides WITI and WVTV, it doesn't surprise me that when they place orders it can take a few years before the order comes thru.

   Problem is the demand is high and you have several TV stations in the country doing the same.

   At the time they place an order on the equipment chances are it hasn't been built yet.  Most manufacturers don't fill orders right away until they build and test the product first.  With several other TV stations on back order waiting for equipment, it could be a couple years before they finally get to WITI, WVTV, or WCGV or whoever.

   If you work in the manufacturing business and work in a shop, you would know exactly what goes on.  Where I work we have equipment from October 2002 waiting for a new release of firmware before we can ship it out.

  It surprises me that our customers are very patient!

-John L.

[foxeng]

SFX (A low knowing whisling is heard in the background)

[borghe]

I have worked in manufacturing for 7 of the last 10 years, currently at a spinoff of P&H Cranes... I also know that on a 100T capacity overhead rail crane that can only be shipped by flat bed rail, it doesn't take us years for the order to be manufactured, shipped, and installed...

and to say I haven't been patient.. well, I have been registered here for over two years and had my STB for almost two years... to me patience is months, maybe even a year.. we are now going on mutliple years. patience is a virtue, neglect is a crime.

[Tom Snyder]

(SFX... The "wah-wah-wah" that you hear on Peanuts specials coming from off-screen)

If their MAIN antenna fell off the tower, I'll bet you they'd find a way to get it back up there in less than two years, regardless of rain, sleet, snow, gloom of night, wind, demand...

Let's just call this what it is: apathy. They don't care.

[Talos4]

(A low knowing whisling is heard in the background)

Sounds like the backdrop to bad horror flick on MST 3000;)

[foxeng]

Originally posted by Tom Snyder Let's just call this what it is: apathy. They don't care.

Tom,

I know from reading your posts here you have a very low regard for WITI, but I can tell you this, anytime a major commitment of funds happens in FOX, it has to pass muster from corp. NONE of the remaining stations (mine included) that have to install full power DTV transmitters have been authorized by corp to spend any money other than normal funds in keeping analog going and if it also benefits the digital, then so much the better. This has been done for a purely financial reason and nothing to do with, "They don't care." The truth is, they do care, but it has to fit into the financial structure of the company. One of the reasons FOX can go out and do what they do from a money standpoint (NFL, MLB, all the regional sports channels, all the cable channels, buy DirecTV, etc) is because they watch the money CLOSELY at ALL LEVELS. Up until now, it hasn't been in FOX's financial interest (remember that CBS and NBC have also dragged their feet in getting their O & O digitals up and some of the CBS O & O's are still low power too, so even though CBS hits home runs with HD network, they have had their share of “foot dragging” too and look at the paltry HD offering on UPN, which Viacom also owns, it has to do with money too) to spend over a 100 million dollars (the cost to do the top 30 stations in 1998) at one fell swoop to serve less than 4% of the viewing audience when 1) the federal law didn't require it 2) there was no one there to really watch it in the smaller markets. It would appear that "FOX's foot dragging" on HD will in the end benefit everyone since the bit splicer shows quality control over the network product that NO OTHER network currently has. Rumors are that ABC is now looking at the bit splicer technology for that reason. It was FOX that spent THEIR money looking for a better mouse trap. And in the end, other than the few early adapters, the viewing populous will never know or care that FOX was the last network to do HD. That is the reality of the situation and everyone knows that. Do you care that ABC was the last network to fully convert to color? No, it was too long ago to worry about. In the future, the fact that FOX was last to do HD and they had some of their stations at flea power will not even enter into anyone's mind other than a thimble full of people.

The rumors are also flying that because of the way FOX has structured the money, by 2006, FOX may very well have MORE HD programming than the other networks, CBS included, not only prime, but sports as well. 2006 is also the year that all stations have to be full power or lose full power coverage protection. I can GUARUNTEE you, FOX will NOT allow ANY of their stations to lose those coverage contours. Take that to the bank from someone who is in constant contact with the people who give the go/no go in FOX.

In speaking with some of the people at WITI, the recent tower strengthening WILL DIRECTLY benefit a full power digital system and when the go is given, to go full power will not be a major undertaking, like it will be for my station. I would estimate that once WITI is given the go for full power, they would be able to pull it together within 6 months, weather permitting, which is pretty quick. In contrast, my upgrade to full power will take 18 months from go to turn on. My best guess is I will not turn on until 2006 sometime and that is if I start today.

I completely understand your frustration with not being able to see WITI-DT OTA. I have viewers in my market that can't see my DT OTA either and I cover 3 major cities with my 4200 watts. I deal with them all the time. I can also tell you from a first hand basis, that it kills me not to be able to give these viewers a date, and they DO push me for one. In broadcasting it is you reach the max number, but with DTV, you do only what is required by the government or what the public demands and most of us at the station leve are not used to operating that way, and it kills us, but the log jam is breaking. Set sales are helping to spur things along. It is very possible that 2004 will be "the year of HD." I think you will see many things happening this year, and to be completely honest, it is happening faster than most in the industry thought it would happen and that, IMO, is good news for everyone.

[Matt Heebner]

I can understand that BUT.....
Why does it take a FOX employee from North Carolina to inform us viewers in Milwaukee.(And thanks for your participation here foxeng!) If there was some type of communication I am sure that there wouldn't be this anger of being left in the dark for the last few years.

Hey, I am just happy that I will be able to see some HD football this fall on FOX on Directv. I might have to pick up Time Warner for football season to be able to see my Packers in HD.

Matt

[Tom Snyder]

Thanks for your participation foxeng.

If it's purely a financial decision, and the directive comes from corporate then so be it.  But we HAVE heard from WITI managment, but the story we have gotten for two years is that it is always weather-related... they need to strengthen the tower and it's too cold, too windy, too late in the fall, too early in the spring...etc...

Perhaps apathy was not the right word...But a business' priorities are demonstrated by what they expend their resources on...they spend money on things they care about.   As a business owner, I can SAY that I care about customer service... but if I choose not to spend the money to make that happen, the end result is the same.  I can argue semantics all day about how much I really do care about customer service and about how someday I hope to... blah blah blah...  But if I'm not actually delivering, my customers will say my service sucks and in business, that's all that matters.

I want to view NFC (Packers when possible) Football, and Fox News Sunday in ED Widescreen (and someday in Real HD). Someone has to spend the money for that signal to be received in my house...Me or WITI.

WITI has decided that was going to be MY expense. So I had to just say "screw it" and pay for local HD from Time Warner.

In exchange for WITI not valuing my viewership enough to deliver their programming to my home, I have made the decision that I will not watch any other Fox 6 programming ever... period.

And that will be reflected when Neilsen measures my home. Even if that box is there on a Football Sunday, I'll tune my TV to WDJT or WTMJ and listen to the game on the radio that day.  Nothing personal...just a business decision.