Milwaukee HDTV User Group

Jimboy, WPXE ION, and others:

Can you add PSIP data out 48-72 (or more) hours please?  Your channels (and WTMJ) are already sending the most data of any locals, and it is appreciated.  With TVGOS having pulled the plug, users of certain equipment like the DTVPal DVR I own must rely on the PSIP data sent out by each station to view guide data.  

Please see the attached pic for an example.

Also, are there any other station engineers who frequent this site?  I am trying to contact all of them with the same request.  I started with PBS, but could only find the "contact us" section on their website.  After a few days, I haven't gotten a response.  If anyone has contact info, I would appreciate it!

Thanks,
Will

I noticed that 58 and its subchannels all have the PSIP time off by a full day.  49-1 has the same issue.  I would guess that 41-1 does too, but I don't feel like doing a rescan just to find out.  (I skip it, since it's on 58-2 anyway.)  Verified that, as of 11:00 tonight 5/31, WDJT et al showed time and date of 11:00 5/30.

DanDyer, if you still read the forum, could you please look into this?  Add perhaps check to verify that the TVGOS equipment is working properly as well?

Here's the reason I ask -- my DTVPal DVR has been in a fit for about a week, with the clock jumping all over the place and missing recordings.  When the time is off, it messes things up to the point that just watching TV becomes an exercise in futility.  

My DVR gets both PSIP and TVGOS.  I can see from other PSIP equipment that the ch58  time is off by a day, but have no way to know if the TVGOS data is coming through properly.

Thanks!
Will

I noticed my DVR tuner found three new subchannels for channel 49 today.  49.2 and 49.3 said something like "future use" and show only a color pattern, and 49.4 is Telemundo.  I wonder if they might take the subchannels off of 58?  Not likely, but what other channels could they add?  NCAA for March Madness?  Interesting...

From Cuprisin's column:

A NEW DIGITAL CHANNEL: Channel 58 is taking advantage of what the digital TV technology has to offer by adding a "sub-channel" that will be available both over the air and on digital cable. "Me-TV" is the moniker for a channel of old TV shows and sitcoms that will launch in early March.

Over-the-air digital TV viewers will find it on Channel 58.3. It also will be added to digital service on Time Warner and Charter cable.

While digital broadcasting allows high-definition pictures, it also gives TV stations the ability to add sub-channels of programming.

Me-TV's lineup will include programs such as "I Love Lucy," "The Honeymooners," "The Dick Van Dyke Show" and "Lost in Space."

I wonder what will happen for March Madness?  Will they drop this "Me-TV" when games are playing?  Oh, and kudos to Tim Cuprisin for mentioning that it is available over-the-air.

Will

From Reuters, Toshiba cuts prices on HD DVD players as low as 149.99 MSRP.  Amazon has the HD-A3 at 132.98.

A last gasp effort on Toshiba's part?  I hope HD survives, as I don't look forward to Sony having a monopoly on a format that is already more expensive than its competition.  Imagine what Blu-Ray would cost if HD were never around.

This is tempting, as my standard DVD player needs replacing.  $130 isn't bad.

Will

EchoStar TR-40 and TR-50 converter boxes

For those of you, like me, who have been waiting for a way to record OTA HD without the hassle of a computer or the monthly fees like with Tivo, here you go:

cnet or engadget

Call me cheap, but I don't have cable, and this is the first one in a couple of years that can do OTA HD (see Sony HDD-250).  Reportedly this is coming out in July.  It will use over the air metadata for the guide, getting 7 days worth of data.  It pauses live TV, does commercial skip, etc., just like a DVR should.  It has HDMI and component out, and has a USB port (for external HDD?).  I hope the price is reasonable.  

Also included in the links is info about the Echostar digital converter box (TR-40).  It is slated to be $40, so free after government rebate.

http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/01/04/warner-goes-blu-ray-exclusive/

CES should be interesting this year...

Anyone else notice 4-1 is showing "Regularly Scheduled Programming" for the OTA guide data?  This is for all shows over the last few days.

Hi all,

I'm watching This Old House on 36-1 OTA, and it's letterboxed with black bars on all 4 sides, and not in HD.  It looks terrible.  I just sent an email to 'tvviewer@matc.edu' to ask them about it; we'll see if I get a response.  I'll post here should I receive anything.

Anyone know if this season is available in HD, and 36-1 just messed this one up, or is the show still not being filmed in HD?  I was looking forward to it in HD...  Oh well.

Thanks,
Will

I read that many of the channels currently assigned for HD OTA may be changing once analog goes away in 2009.  I'm trying to find out if any locals might be assigned to VHF -- will I need more than my UHF antenna (CM4221)?  It picks up channel 8 (10-1) just fine, but won't do lower VHF channels well at all.

I've done a search to find out which channels the locals will be using with not much success.  Does anyone know what the permanent channel locations will be for OTA local stations after 2009?  Has it even been determined yet?

Thanks,
Will

Hi,

I am in Tosa, around 66th and North Ave, and am having trouble receiving WITI-HD, channel 6-1 (really channel 33).  I have an RCA antenna like this one in the attic of my two storey house.  It's a UHF / VHF mast antenna from Menards, and I receive all other digital channels perfectly.  

According to my Sony TV with built in ATSC tuner, I get signal strength on all stations except WITI at 95-98%.  Even 30-1 comes in at 98.  WITI signal strength ranges from 41% to sometimes as high as 78%, but it cycles between those numbers rapidly, and drops out frequently (when I'm able to get it at all).  The only way I got my TV to even recognize it as a channel was to tune 33-3 directly; it wouldn't recognize it as 6-1.

I have tried repositioning the antenna in the attic, but have not been able to get WITI at all.  Yesterday I bought an amplified UHF-only small antenna from Radio Shack (this one), and was able to get WITI at about 83% with it just sitting in the living room.  It wouldn't get 18-1 and 24-1 though.  It's going back.

I'm thinking of getting a channel master 4221A (here)to see if that will work.  I'd get the 4228, but I have space limitations in the attic, as it's only 35" floor to peak.  

Questions:

1.  Might this antenna solve my problem?  (I know there's no sure answer here.)

2.  Will this antenna work positioned sideways, with the 20" dimension placed horizontally?

3.  Anyone know of a local place that sells these?

4.  Any other antenna suggestions, ideas, gotchas?

Thanks!
Will