MPTV To Discontinue Digital Version of Analog 10

[waterhead]

According to Tim Cuprisin in today's column, MPTV will stop the 3 hour delayed broadcast of analog channel 10.

A NEW DIGITAL CHANNEL: Milwaukee Public TV launches a new digital channel, MPTV World, on Wednesday. It'll air on Channel 550 on Time Warner Cable and on MPTV 10-1, if you receive digital signals over the air.

MPTV World will carry news and other non-fiction programming, including documentary series such as "American Experience." It replaces MPTV Later, which aired Channel 10's schedule on a three-hour delay.

I thought that channels were required by the FCC to broadcast the analog station in digital format. I know that MPTV got permission to show 10 and 36 on the same digital channel, so that they could have digital 36 be full time HD. The digital version of analog 36 disappeared a while ago, replaced with a Spanish channel. And now 10 is gone.

What are MPTV's plans when the analog broadcasts are discontinued? The current version of digital 36 shows way too many reruns. I would like to see what the commercial stations do. Show us the HD shows in HD, and pillarbox shows that aren't HD.

Paul

[StarvingForHDTV]

Now I won't be able to view channel 10 or 36?  What do they expect me to do, dig out an analog TV from my basement?  I wonder who makes these decisions.

[jjallou]

I thought the reason for the three hour delay was to provide a "Public Service" to the viewers? First they drop 36, now they plan on dropping 10? How is this a "Public Service"? Yes, it looks like I'll need to resurrect an analog set just to watch channels 10 & 36! If they really want to be a mini-cable service why not drop the HD feed on 36-1 and add 5 more channels there!

My donations to 10&36 are done!

This has gone from bad to worse.  :bang:

[waterhead]

My VHF yagi antenna is in bad shape. It came down one night during a storm. I backed over it when I got home from work (oops!).

 I didn't bother to replace it, being that it would be useless for TV in a while. I just straightened it out and put it back up.

Now do I need to get a new yagi just so I can watch my favorite shows? I don't think so! I just started to record the new Doctor Who shows that they have been airing. Because of the 3 hour delay, they were on too late at night to watch.

Hopefully this is just a transition period, and the final channel lineup will be different.

[waterhead]

I was just watching WMVT-DT 35 when they made an announcement.

Starting September 1st, they will be simulcasting analog channel 10 on digital channel 35. It will only be simulcast during the evening and prime time hours. Roughly about 6 - 12 PM. The weekend hours are different than the weekday hours.

This means that some of the programs will not be in HD, as all of the analog stations programs are not provided in HD.

I don't see any announcement on the MPTV web site, yet.

[waterhead]

I have the broadcast times for the simulcast:

Saturdays: 7:00 pm - Midnight
Sundays: 8:00 pm - Midnight
Monday thru Friday: 6:00 pm - Midnight

[StarvingForHDTV]

I wonder what will happen to analog 36's programming.

I do have to say that ANYTHING is better than the 3 hour delay.  That was just flat out crazy.

[waterhead]

I would assume that whatever was carried on channel 36, will now be shown on one of the sub channels of digital 10.

I have noticed that a lot of 36's evening programming was repeats of 10's shows from the previous night.

I have to give MPTV credit. Instead of just showing a digital form of the current station, they seem to be using this opportunity to completely re-make the station. We are lucky that they have two channels that they can use. So, we should always be able to get PBS-HD.

[HDefinicktion]

I just setup a new H20-600 today, and 36-1 does not show up in the guide.  I dont recall if it showed up on my previous Samsung receiver.  Are they discontinuing 36-1?  If not, anyone have any ideas as to get it onto an H20?

[waterhead]

It is analog 36 that will eventually be discontinued, along with all other analog channels.

I just checked my Samsung receiver, and digital 36 is on the air, and the guide data is showing too. Are you having trouble tuning the channel in, or just with the guide data? Try manually inputting the channel number, the actual channel is 35.

[HDefinicktion]

It does not show up, nor can I directv tune to it.  It says that the channel is not available.  Even funnier, I can tune to it on my HR20 just fine.  I have restarted the box but nothing yet.  I have looked through the menu, to see if I could scan for the channels like on my old Samsung receiver, but nothing as well.  Any thoughts?

[John L]

Very Interesting...so what will become of our local channels 10 and 36 programs when they have to shut off the analog transmitter in February 2009?  Will they be able to offer channels 10 and 36 on the DTV transmitters Full-time as before, except 3 hours but at current time?  Or is our MPTV channels 10 and 36 being replaced by national satellite delivered networks like we see now, like Kids PBS, PBS Create, PBS World...   I guess that will mean the end of all channel 10 auctions after 2008.

-John Lentz

[waterhead]

It appears that digital 35 will become the main channel for MPTV. It will show a mix of SD and HDTV shows from PBS. Just like analog 10 now does.

Digital 8, and it's sub channels, will likely remain the same. Unless they use one of the channels to broadcast something similar to the analog36. They haven't said what they're long term plans are, maybe they don't know yet either.

They have posted the details of the simulcasting on the MPTV web site: http://www.mptv.org/insidemptv/news/detail.php?n=202

MPTV Expands HD Simulcast
Monday, August 20, 2007
Milwaukee Public Television will begin simulcasting major portions of its daily broadcasts on MPTV-10, its primary television channel, and its high definition channel, MPTV-HD on Saturday, Sept. 1.

The station will show the same programs on MPTV-10 and its high definition channel (MPTV 36-1 or Time Warner Cable 550) from 7 a.m. until midnight on Saturdays. This Old House, Outdoor Wisconsin, Lidia's Italy, and Austin City Limits along with other favorites will air the same day at the same time on both stations.

Sunday programs will be simulcast from 8 p.m. until midnight except on Sept. 23 and 30, when Ken Burns' The War begins at 7 p.m. The 14-hour World War II epic will be simulcast in its entirety.

During the week, programs will be simulcast from 6 p.m. until midnight Monday through Friday. Promotion messages and programs that have not been recorded in high definition may have black borders on some TV sets.
A pioneer in digital and high definition broadcasting, MPTV began carrying high definition programming on MPTV-HD 24 hours a day in 2003. In February, 2009, traditional (analog) TV transmission is scheduled to cease and be replaced by digital broadcasting throughout the country at both public and private television stations.

Paul

[cjucoder]

I am so irritated.  

Two of my favorite shows have been out of my reach.  According to my DVR guides, Globe Trekker is on 10 or 36 three times this week.  How many times on ANY digital PBS station? NONE.  

Antiques Roadshow is on a total of -- drum roll please -- NINE times this week.  How many times on any digital station?  ZERO! Season premier is Monday according to my DVR guide.  I can't record it.

I'm OTA only, can't get any NTSC signals without having a snow fest, but get all Milwaukee ATSC great.

I hope this is temporary for how our local PBS stations are going to restructure programming such as waterhead's link above indicated, or else perhaps it is inacurrate guide info with TV Guide On Screen (which is not uncommon with PBS stations although it has become better).  That simulcast as of Sept 1 is not what is represented in the guide data.

Did I say I am so irritated?

[waterhead]

According to the guide in Beyond TV, Globe Trekker is scheduled to be on channel 36.1 on 9/2 and 9/9 at 11:00 PM. This looks to be part of the new simulcast schedule.