Jim Hall - Will 58 have 5.1 audio for the Grammys?

[borghe]

two years.. pardon the language but holy crap.

a) I can't believe I have really been watching HD for almost 3 years now.
b) I can't believe CBS introduced 5.1 two years ago and introduced it into their regular programming a year and a half ago and we still don't have it here.
c) I can't believe the sinclair stations in Milwaukee figured out a way to broadcast both UPN and WB in HD (to a degree) with inadequate hardware but CBS58 still hasn't added just 5.1 audio on their setup.
d) CBS58 is now officially (including the rigged 24 setup) the only station in the milwaukee area to not be doing 5.1.

Not bashing 58 here.. but it is disappointing.

[GS kid]

It's been a looong time since I last posted. I predicted this on these forums before. Once all the stations went digital, traffic would slow down on here to a crawl and I was right. Now we are left with the following issues..... #1:  HD on 24 all to itself.  #2. DD 5.1 on stations other then 12 and 6. #3. Boosting signal power on the tower. I can't understand how 58 is still at low power in 2005. It made strides almost 3 years ago by broadcasting DTV 24 hours. Channel 12 came on 24 hours, but full power just over 2 years ago. I can understand the cost of the power and 58 thought not enough sets to justify the cost of full power. Now that it's a couple years later, there is now no really good excuse why that come this December 2005, it ain't at full power. This is supposed to be the #1 network with CSI shows and the like. You can't afford to bump the power up a bit? Heck.... half-power would be a huge improvement of the the current power output! I only get it in half the time! :bang:

[StarvingForHDTV]

#2. DD 5.1 on stations other then 12 and 6

4-1 and 18-1 have DD 5.1 sound also.  Really it's only 58-1 and 36-1 that are lacking.

[gb4fan92]

Looking at his posts Jim Hall hasn't had a post in almost a year. Guess we won't be getting an answer from him anytime soon.

[tazman]

d) CBS58 is now officially (including the rigged 24 setup) the only station in the milwaukee area to not be doing 5.1.

Not bashing 58 here.. but it is disappointing.

So...... I take it that PBS 36-1 now has their 5.1 up and running.  Have you heard anything definitive regarding them?

[GS kid]

Well...when it comes to hooking up my optical to my HD STB, I only do it from time to time to be fair here. I only have 2 optical inputs, so I have to swap one cable between my STB, PS2 and my DVD player. The other stays connected to my Xbox at all times. Someday I should get a 3rd cable and a switch box to handle this, but just didn't want to spend the money for something I don't swap alot. It stays on the DVD player the most.

 Anyhoo.... because of this, I don't listen to audio off my STB that often unless it's some movie or special event that's worth popping the optical onto it. I can't speak for 18-1.  If memory serves right 4-1 showed DD 5.1 on my receiver, but sounded like stereo. My receiver only shows two states for Dolby over optical. Digital and Digital Prologic. Even though it said Digital as in 5.1,  I heard nothing in my rear speakers. That may have been different for feature movies or is now 5.1 for all primetime shows, but last time I listened awhile back my ears heard a stereo signal despite the Dolby Digital symbol on my receiver. I have clearly heard 5.1 on 6 and 12. I can't say that for 4 and 18. I'll pop on my optical this weekend and listen to both and see.

[StarvingForHDTV]

If your set top box has a coaxial digital audio out, you can use that for DD 5.1 also.  It sounds just as good as optical.  1s and 0s don't care how they are transported from place to place.  For the coaxial digital you can use any RCA cable for testing.

I never paid much attention to 4-1's rear sound field, so I can't verify if it exists or not.  I know for a fact 18-1 had it for The Lord of The Rings.

[Tom Snyder]

Once all the stations went digital, traffic would slow down on here to a crawl and I was right.

Actually, that's not quite correct.. I just went and looked at the traffic reports. Whether it's unique visitors, visits, pages or hits, other than a seasonal, annual  slowdown in the summer months, the numbers continue a steady trend upward since February of 2002 when we set up the site here...  

February's numbers already are our highest ever, and it's only the 24th.

Most users ever online was 308, 01-30-2005 at 08:36 AM

[GS kid]

Sorry Tom.... my mistake. I meant posts are down, not traffic. At least they seem to be. When I first started on this forum, here was the situation in Milwaukee. 4-1 was only on 5pm-11:30pm each day. PBS had only their Digital 10 multicasts with HD taking it over for special events only. 58 and Jim Hall were all over these forums for much needed input in their early days of digital broadcasts. Major subjects following all that were the following. 58.... boost the power, boost the power and... oh yeah.... boost the power. Still the same issue today. DD5.1 not really a big issue until lately with this thread. We wanted 12-1 up and running..DONE.. it happened later that year. We wanted 4-1 running 24 hours (2002 winter olympics don't count) ..... DONE.... when 12-1 went 24 hours. We gave grief to Fox 6 for the 9-volt battery/CB antenna combo    on the side of their studio that about only 3 people could pick up with a big outdoor antenna and some generous ducting help.... DONE ....they moved it to their main tower. They still need to boost power for those who still can't get it. I get it in just fine since the move. We wanted 18 and 24 up and running.... DONE. We wanted HD on it.. halfway there... it's on 18-2 but not yet 24. I'm sure it won't be long. We wanted more bandwiidth for HD on 58.... DONE.... Jim Hall dropped 1-3 and gave the extra bandwidth to CBS. We wanted MPTV to give HD it's own channel.... DONE... behold 36-1. Since we got all these things, it seems like posts slowed down. I'd guess we've gotten most of what we wanted.

       Here's what I think we really have left to talk about on here in terms of major issues. #1. 24-1 have HD up and running. I think we'll have that soon. #2. DD 5.1 on ALL channels. I see this taking at least another year since I don't see a rush to do this. A lot of shows on ABC and Fox support it, but the rest of the networks are coming around. Having digital channels broadcasting, having HD output and having HD programs were the biggest priorities. Most of that has happened now. Having true DD 5.1 would be last on that list of 4 issues for most people IMHO. Not too worried about it. I can live with stereo/prologic for station holdouts for the time being. #3. Have 6-1 running full power for the few who still have problems.

 Then we get to my biggest issue..... #4. CBS 58.... BOOST YOUR SIGNAL!!!! I could even live with half of full power at this point! I know you were looking at the power cost back then... but it's now a couple years later and it's about time to get up to snuff in the power department. I'm not sure how much of it is Jim Hall's call or how much of that decision was made by Jim's bosses at Weigel Boradcasting. I won't bag on Jim cuz he earned a lot of respect from me in the early days. He was all over these forums. He took input from us and responded. Things have been running pretty well the last couple years. That's why I'd imagine he hasn't been on here that much. When things are going pretty well, we tend to concentrate on other issues. I just hope Jim will chime in on a ballpark date of a power boost. Then DD 5.1 as well. My 3rd wish from him would be to have CBS on a channel all to itself, so it gets all the bandwidth. That won't see the light of day for years to come though. Just had to put it out there.

 Once all station issues are addressed, there won't be a heck of a lot more to talk about on here. I imagine it will be more equipment recommendations,  issues and advice on how to get the best reception. Gone will be the days of daily Fox 6 bashing. Ah yes..... it was the golden age of ranting. Now things have gotten pretty quiet and civil compared to then. Not nearly as many posts now in general from what I've been able to tell. Just as I predicted. Kinda miss the rukus of the early days. Those days will be missed! :rofl: