WITI master control operators asleep at the wheel again...

[LoadStar]

WITI-DT seems to have forgotten to drop from network programming after prime time tonight. As of 9:08 p.m., they're showing "Fox Networks" widescreen bars and tone. The analog station is showing the news as expected.

Edit: apparently I jumped to conclusions. It was a part that they were replacing that required taking the station off the air. My apologies to WITI engineers who were hard at work fixing the problem!

[Milwaukee12]

Obviously something failed at WITI because they are still showing color bars at 11:20pm.

[plynch_1]

This morning between 4:30 am and 5:30 am 6-1 was off the air.  I could not receive OTA signals.  I have an outside antenna that is connected to a Dish 622 HD DVR box.  I also tried my atse tuner on the tv and still could not receive 6-1.  All of the other local digital stations in the Milwaukee area were received fine.   Any one else having a 6-1 issue?

Thanks Pat

[Bill A.]

Yesterday evening WITI 6-1 was off the air completely - their analog channel signal was fine.  Later that evening, during the 9 o'clock news, channel 6-1 had color bars.  This morning, 6-1 is transmitting video ONLY!

Could be a problem with their microwave feed from their studio to their transmitter???

[packeron]

If this is not fixed by the Packers game.  I can't even find a phone number to contact them.  ONLY email -- pretty ridiculous.

[nwerner]

I have D* and am definitely experiencing this.  I can't even imagine the backlash if this isn't fixed by tomorrow.  At 7:30 this morning I was still not seeing a picture.  

Is this a problem limited to OTA and satellite or are TWC subs experiencing the same thing on 506?

[plynch_1]

I found this number and called it this morning.  A person actually answered by saying "Fox 6"  I had asked if they knew that their digital signal was off the air.  She said they knew and it was a piece of equipment that had broke (wow really?).  Anyway I complained and asked if she could let the people that maybe care know.  

The phone number is 414-355-7661.  I would suggest calling and complaining.  If nothing else they may fix the problem for good.  I hate to see what will happen Feb 2009 when analog is turned off.

Pat

[LoadStar]

I found this number and called it this morning.  A person actually answered by saying "Fox 6"  I had asked if they knew that their digital signal was off the air.  She said they knew and it was a piece of equipment that had broke (wow really?).  Anyway I complained and asked if she could let the people that maybe care know.  

The phone number is 414-355-7661.  I would suggest calling and complaining.  If nothing else they may fix the problem for good.  I hate to see what will happen Feb 2009 when analog is turned off.

Pat

If it indeed is a defective part, I'm sure that "someone who cares" already knows, and it's that person who probably let the receptionist know that there is a problem in the first place. Hassling the receptionist is probably not necessary in this case.

If it were just someone who forgot to flip the switch after prime-time, then yeah, the station deserves to hear a bit of razzing for it, and I wouldn't have a problem with people calling the main number and letting the station know what they think.

Now, admittedly, if it's a critical enough part that it takes the entire station down for most of the evening, I'd think that'd be the kind of part they should have a hot-swap or warm-swap spare part already on hand at the station. At the VERY least, they should have a repair service with 24/7/365 and guaranteed immediate response, even if it requires someone to drop everything and fly from wherever to Milwaukee with the part.

I can't imagine an analog station going off the air for hours on end unless it's something horribly serious, like the station burning down or the tower toppling over, so digital stations should be no different.

[brewtownska]

Guys,

I fired off an email to Tim Cuprisin at JSOnline...maybe with his connections he can get a better answer than we have so far.

If we're looking at worst-case scenarios here, if Fox6 can't show the game in HD tomorrow, where should I look to find a HD feed?  If I find a friend with DirecTV, will they get it...or is that local HD feed the same as we get OTA and through TWC?  I'm guessing I'd have to head towards Madison to pick up their Fox affiliate's feed, or towards Chicago to pick up their affiliate's feed.

Mike

[Mags]

Guys,

I fired off an email to Tim Cuprisin at JSOnline...maybe with his connections he can get a better answer than we have so far.

If we're looking at worst-case scenarios here, if Fox6 can't show the game in HD tomorrow, where should I look to find a HD feed?  If I find a friend with DirecTV, will they get it...or is that local HD feed the same as we get OTA and through TWC?  I'm guessing I'd have to head towards Madison to pick up their Fox affiliate's feed, or towards Chicago to pick up their affiliate's feed.

Mike

If you have D*, you should be fine.  You should get channel 88 - which is the FOX East coast network feed (in HD).  The Packer game will be broadcast nationally - which means it should be on 88 also.

[REVM1M]

OTA 6-1 is working again, I just checked.

[jjallou]

Station personnel have made their presence known.
http://www.milwaukeehdtv.org/forums/showthread.php?t=7577

[Tom Snyder]

Station personnel have made their presence known.

So this thread is officially closed.