Pittsburgh-West (including Wheeling/Steubenville) Voomers

[bryan27]

Anyone else in the area with Voom, or am I the first one? BTW I'm in Wheeling. My install is scheduled for Tuesday (6/8/04) with Marshman M. F. Services in Cannonsburg.

My only concern at this point is the mapping of the local channels. KDKA-DT doesn't remap itself to ch.2, but uses it's DTV channel 25. I'm worried that the Voom receiver will ignore it and on ch.2 I'll get a blank screen.

I am glad Voom will let me use my current outdoor antenna since I already receive KDKA(DT), WPXI(DT), WQED(DT), WCWB(DT), WPGH(DT), WTRF(DT), and when it is on the air WTOV(DT).

I'll let everyone know how the install goes. I guess I'm getting those pre-install gitters

 

[bryan27]

I had completly forgot I made these last year. Here are DTV coverage maps for the regions stations. It could be helpful if you are having a problem receiving stations.

http://wvjw.info/dtv/

The maps are for the power applied for or what the station is currently licensed for.

-----Pittsburgh----
KDKA-Current (licensed at full power)
WQEX-Underconstruction (oh, thrills America's Store in perfect clarity)
WQED-Current (their power level is now at full power as of this week)
WCWB-Current (licensed at full power)
WPGH-Current (licensed at full power)
WNPA-Pending FCC Action (not on air)
WPCB-Current (licensed at full power)
WTAE-Under Construction (on air and licensed with much less power, was suppoes to upgrade last december)

----Wheeling/Steubenville----
WTRF-Under Construction (on air with 4.5Kw STA, unless you live along the river or on the Island you won't get it, also has no audio)
WTOV-Under Construction (was on air with 116Kw STA, however the station has been off the air for three months)

----Youngstown----
WFMJ-Current (operates with full power)
WYTV-Current (operates with full power)
WKBN-Under Construction (not on air)
WNEO-Current (operates with full power)

Maybe I'll get to Johnstown/Altoona at some point in time.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My installation went fine, but for those in the Northern Panhandle or East Ohio if you can receive Pittsburgh you will need to request that your channel map be changed. Mine has yet to change, so we all may have to wait until the new software comes out. I have my Zenith OTA STB connected and laying on the floor so that I can watch the local Pittsburgh stations.

 

[Scotty]

Anyone else in the area with Voom, or am I the first one? BTW I'm in Wheeling. My install is scheduled for Tuesday (6/8/04) with Marshman M. F. Services in Cannonsburg.

My only concern at this point is the mapping of the local channels. KDKA-DT doesn't remap itself to ch.2, but uses it's DTV channel 25. I'm worried that the Voom receiver will ignore it and on ch.2 I'll get a blank screen.

I am glad Voom will let me use my current outdoor antenna since I already receive KDKA(DT), WPXI(DT), WQED(DT), WCWB(DT), WPGH(DT), WTRF(DT), and when it is on the air WTOV(DT).

I'll let everyone know how the install goes. I guess I'm getting those pre-install gitters

I just had Voom installed right here in Canonsburg. All the over the air digital channels are assigned frequency in the UHF range, which means channel numbers above 13. But even though the channels are in the UHF range, like 25, 38, 42, 43, 48, and 51, etc, they are broadcasting their channel identification to the HDTV receivers, as their analog number. So 25 is coming in as 2, 38 is coming in as 13, 48 as 11, 42, as 22, and 43 as 53, and 51 as 4.

You will see a dash number on the voom box, an on any other off air digital receiver (8vsb) after the main number. Like 25-1. This is because they HDTV signal is cable of being split into subchannels. Right now my voom box maps WQED to 13-3. I think that it what I get on my HDTV receiver in my TV as well. For some reason that is what WQED is broadcast on (really 38-3, but they send the 13-3 identifier).

So don't worry about voom mapping the channels wrong. I live 26 miles from Pittsburgh, and I live on a hill top. I had the installer put the batwing off air antenna in the eaves of my attic, facing the city. It picks up every digital channel currently being broadcast except WQED. I don't know why it doesn't get that.

So far I love VooM, but I can't wait to see more channels. I also wish I could re-arrange to the channels in any order I wanted to surf them in. I hate the movie channels all being up front. I'm used to flipping through comcast, which has them all at the end.

 

[bryan27]

Hey Scotty welcome. Perhaps I should have told everyone that before VOOM I had been using a Zenith OTA STB. So I know how the remapping works, but different STBs handle channels differenly

The stations themselves send a channel identifier that will remap the channel number, but some like KDKA doesn't. I just was concerned that KDKA wouldn't showup. Now I know it will. The Zenith OTA STB will list the channels on the channel the station sends as the channel ID. So on that STB the channels are 11-1, 13-3, 22-1, 25-1, 53-1. I'm thinking the reason why KDKA doesn't send the ID as 2-1 is that they are going to choose to stay on ch.25 when it is time to decide which channel they keep and which one is returned to the FCC.

WQED has been having problems and here recently has been on and off the air. Sometimes they will be at full power at others the power will be low. QED also had a major problem last year when they tried to run both analog and digital for WQED and WQEX. Running all 4 transmitters would cause an overheating problem. WQED was on last night as I watched some of the Fleetwood Mac concert

I'm rather surprised you receive WTAE. They have the lowest power and most have a problem receiving it. WPCB is another one most have a problem with as their authorized power is lower than all but WTAE. Sometimes it will come in.

The new software comming from VOOM is supposed to give you more options like channel search for OTA. Maybe you can receive another PBS station, but just don't know it yet. WNEO-Alliance does a SD/HD simulcast and WNPB-Morgantown does 3 SD channels. I hope the new software also makes improvements to the guide, like starting on the channel your watching and not channel 100.

The channel lineup does take sometime to get used to, but you'll catch on. On DirecTV the PPVs were first and the premimums in the middle and on Dish Network the PPVs and the premimums were in the middle. I try to remember this:

100s-Movies
200s-Premimums
300s-Sports
400s-News
500s-General
600s-Family
700s-PPV
800s-Music

If I'm in the guide or watching something and I want news I'll punch in 400 and start surfing through the news channels.

 

[Loudonville66]

loudonville66
Hey Scotty and Byran,I'm Carl at Centerville ,Ohio I got Voom 12/24/03 . Been through the same problems as everyone else still no OTA , but I'm waiting for the upgrades . I wanted HD and I'm happy with Voom . I'm 60 miles from Pittsburg so I don't know if I'll be able to pull them. I can pick up wtrf 32-no sound . I had wtov 57 for a few months , I don't know what the problem is now. I wish the FCC would quit messing around and make them go full power. This is my first post , I don't talk much, I just follow whats going on and join in the polls . welcome to you both and hang in there I Think Voom Will Get Better, it beats the sh*t out of dish,direct and comcast as far as I'm concerned . Later Fellas.

 

[bryan27]

Hi loudonville, you should join in more often. I'm waiting for my brother to come back from vacation. He works at WTOV and can probaby tell me when the digital will come back on. The WTRF sound will eventually come in if you keep it tuned there all day. The audio will stay any where from a half hour to a few seconds.

Have you noticed that when WTRF goes to a commercial it breaks up and the pixilation moves diagonally? I don't think what WTRF is doing is what the FCC wanted stations to do. The digital station is supposed to be comparable to an analog transmission, but WTRF PQ is by far worse than any analog I've ever seen. I hear that this is the same as the other West Virginia Media stations. I'm rather surprised you can pick up WTRF at all. I'm 4 miles from the tower (I can see it from my yard) and the signal doesn't come in at all without an amplifier.

I don't know what the problem is with both WTRF and WTOV. When they both started they aired the net prime-time in HDTV. After a month on the air WTRF switched to what it is today. WTOV stopped airing HDTV and went to all SD this past fall, then droped off the frequency several months ago.

From Centerville you should have no problem receiving KDKA, WPXI, and WPGH. I get those three with no amplification, WQED and WPCB would probably be too weak although I get those too on an unamplified antenna. On the amplified antenna I loose WPCB and gain WCWB. KDKA will even come in with rabbit ears here. When WOUC goes on the air it should boom in down there. WTAE is so bad that there are those in Pittsburgh that can't get it. Scotty is actually one of the rare ones that receive it.

Currently in my bedroom I am using what I call "poor man's HDTV." It is my Zenith OTA STB with the 1080i output connected to a computer monitor, an unamplified Radio Shack UHF antenna, and a pair of speakers. That's what I am watching the locals on until VOOM either changes the channel map or we get the new software.


The FCC did state that stations not operating at their full power by January 31st 2005 the FCC would no longer afford them interference protection to their full power predicted DTV contour and begin issuing construction permits for new stations.

 

[Scotty]

Hey Scotty welcome.

Thanks! Definitely having fun being here, with VooM, and learning and sharing with all the members of the VooM forums.

The stations themselves send a channel identifier that will remap the channel number, but some like KDKA doesn't. I just was concerned that KDKA wouldn't showup. Now I know it will. The Zenith OTA STB will list the channels on the channel the station sends as the channel ID. So on that STB the channels are 11-1, 13-3, 22-1, 25-1, 53-1. I'm thinking the reason why KDKA doesn't send the ID as 2-1 is that they are going to choose to stay on ch.25 when it is time to decide which channel they keep and which one is returned to the FCC.

Actually, all the channels assigned for digital are new and in the UHF range (meaining channel numbers above 13 I think), and the stations will be giving back their analog spectrum, which is vhf for some, uhf for others. So FOX will be giving back the spectrum allocated to 53, and keeping 43, and so on. The spectrum allocated for digital channels is something like 6 times bigger than that allocated for analog. KDKA will give back 2, and keep 25.

But the stations have been known for so long by their analog channel number, that many of them are unwilling to give up the branding identification.

HDTV specs allow for data to be broadcast along with the picture, and I think this what I have heard called PSIP. Anyway however it is accomplished, the channels can send down guide information, and channel identification, etc that a good digital tv receiver will accept and display.

So some channels, wanting to keep the branding of 50 or more years of association with their analog channel, are broadcasting their analog station identification over their digital channel. I really wish they wouldn't, but I can understand why they would want to do it. It just makes for confusion.

But my RCA even goes so far as to allow me to type in 2-1, or 25-1, and get to the same digital station, by its mapping features. I guess the -1 is the clue. If I just typed 2, it would go to the analog station.

WQED has been having problems and here recently has been on and off the air. Sometimes they will be at full power at others the power will be low. QED also had a major problem last year when they tried to run both analog and digital for WQED and WQEX. Running all 4 transmitters would cause an overheating problem. WQED was on last night as I watched some of the Fleetwood Mac concert

I always can get WQED on my RCA, but the antenna I use is power boosted. I just found out how to do the signal strength by tuning to the station I want to check and pressing help, info, down, down to get to the status screen. I'm getting 70-80 on most channels except 22/42 which is at 50-60, and 13/38 which is between 10-20. I guess that's why I'm not getting WQED. Maybe if I added a power amp to the winegard that VooM set me up with, I'd get WQED. WQED comes in at 50-60 on my little radio shack ant, with the power boost, so I amost always get it.

I'm rather surprised you receive WTAE. They have the lowest power and most have a problem receiving it. WPCB is another one most have a problem with as their authorized power is lower than all but WTAE. Sometimes it will come in.

I can't get WTAE with my powerboosted Radio Shack ant. But for some reason, the winegard ant is pulling it in with 70's signal strength! Go figure!

Same with WPCB, it's strong on the VooM ant, but I can't get it at all on the little one.

I tried hooking the little ant up to the VooM receiver but got nothing at all! Must be a serious difference in the receivers. Next trick is to try add a little power amp that I got with my Terk 55 (which doesn't work at all by the way. the terk 55 I mean.) I want to add the amp before the diplexer that combines my sat and ota cables in the basement but I don't have power outlets down there yet. So I will have to try it just before the receiver.

The new software comming from VOOM is supposed to give you more options like channel search for OTA. Maybe you can receive another PBS station, but just don't know it yet. WNEO-Alliance does a SD/HD simulcast and WNPB-Morgantown does 3 SD channels. I hope the new software also makes improvements to the guide, like starting on the channel your watching and not channel 100.

I'm really looking forward to the software update! I hope it comes out soon. I'm a computer professional and hobbiest, so I have a real jones for software updates! ;0)

But I'm REALLY looking forward to the DVR! A new gadget!

 

[Loudonville66]

Hi Scotty and Bryan , I'm really looking foreward to the DVR and the updates too. I'm just and old X-Marine and retired coal miner and X-husband .I'm not a tecki , but I do really like anything new and if I can afford it I have it. I got in on the 700 + deal and stayed with it , hopefully Voom will give a break on the DVR. We the OTA people should get together and make the FCC do what they where supposed to do and make the stations go HD the way it was supposed to be. I want my OTA for sports since this is my only complaint about Voom. I have a 10 ft. old C-band band in the backyard that I've Been thinking about hooking back up , just to play with . I've also been thinking about trying out a 30 " FTA for something to play with. Do either of you have any experience with either of these? I've got the phone number for 7.1 and 9.1's engineers , but I gave up calling them , they have to do what the stations dictate. I've got a 50 " Pioneer Plasma and a Pro scan 35 " RCA.I love the Pioneer. I've got a big Radio shack with a power booster , hopefully with the upgrades I can pick up the Pittsburg stations and 7 and 9 can kiss butt. Later, it's time to shut up. CC

 

[bryan27]

Scotty, very interesting set up. I haven't received WTAE for the longest time. Are they still sending guide data? I noticed the times I gould receive the station if I pressed "info" program information would come up. The reception sounds weird though, but digital OTA isn't as forgiving as analog. If I just turn the antenna by a couple inches stations go out. Peaking my antennas was a real pain as I tried to get them positioned for the most stations at the highest signal.

I just wish the FCC would authorize WNPA's application. They have been sitting on it with no action for 4 years!!!

Loudonville, I'm like you I get something new if I can afford it. If not and I really "must" have it I will save until I can get it.

Well, If a station wants to go HD they can, but all the FCC mandates is that each station provied 1 SD "channel". It's sort of like the Emergency Alert System here at the station. The FCC mandates every station have EAS equipment, but participation is optional

I don't mind if a station is SD as long as they provide something in the remaining space. Government funding has provided PBS with much better and cutting edge equipment. Most PBS stations want to do HD, but also want to multicast. PBS has come up with equipment which will transmit 1 HDTV 'channel" and 1 SD "channel." WNEO-Alliance, which I can receive easily if I turn the antenna, transmits PBS-HDTV and an SD multicast of what is on their analog station. I think WPXI is planning to do the same thing. Several months ago for a few weeks WPXI was sending an HD signal and PCNC in SD.

I gave up on 7 & 9 a long time ago. If you can get Pittsburgh those two are rather worthless. 7 has been on a downward spiral for some time. Their ratings are so low that ch. 9's ratings are double theirs 24 hours a day. 7 is so bad I've said they would probably do better as a PAX station. Which I wouldn't mind having.

I think when the new software comes out you will be pleasantly surprised what will come in. Some evenings I've watched Cleveland and Columbus with very little signal on the Zenith OTA STB.

There isn't much on C-Band unless you go 4DTV and have subscription packages. Now KU-Band is full of FTA. I use a 90cm dish for Intelsat Americas 5 (Telestar 5) where there is tons of foreign FTA channels in English and every language imaginable. AMC-1 (or is it 3) is full of NBC feeds if you like to see Tom Brocaw picking his nose or smoking a cigarettte

I'm not sure if our little station can reach you, but we're WVJW 94.1 in Benwood. 94.1 in Canton interferes a lot, so in many areas farther than 5 miles away either receive Canton or interference

I should stop, I tend to go on and on and could probably write a book.

BTW here is the OTA antenna I use:

 

[Scotty]

Hi Scotty and Bryan , I'm really looking foreward to the DVR and the updates too. I'm just and old X-Marine and retired coal miner and X-husband .I'm not a tecki , but I do really like anything new and if I can afford it I have it. ...

I'm a techi, but never got started with the big dishes because up until now I've always lived in apartments. I just bought my first house at age 42, but its a cheapie in a plan that would never allow the big dishes. They even have a stated bylaw against antenna's, but allow the smaller DBS dishes. FCC say's they can't outlaw anetenna's, but I would never get away with a big dipole on my roof. I'm getting most of what I want with the batwing winguard atenna in the attic.

I've always frittered my money away on gadgets, especially expensive Macintosh computers, but I've got scuba gear, had a radio controlled glider, etc. Sometimes I don't know when to stop and that gets me in trouble. No wife to stop me from spending, or to spend all my money, so that my blessing and my curse.

But so far, depsite the installer horror stories, and the spotty receiption of one channel, and the occasional lockups on my voom reciever, I'm enjoying the experience. I hope the changeover occurs on schedule in 2006, for the stations to give back their analog channels.

I've been in touch via email with a few of the pittsburgh channle's engineers, especially a few years back. I've always wanted to get involved with that a bit, but never found the opportunity.

 

[Scotty]

Scotty, very interesting set up. I haven't received WTAE for the longest time. Are they still sending guide data? I noticed the times I gould receive the station if I pressed "info" program information would come up. The reception sounds weird though, but digital OTA isn't as forgiving as analog. If I just turn the antenna by a couple inches stations go out. Peaking my antennas was a real pain as I tried to get them positioned for the most stations at the highest signal.

I just wish the FCC would authorize WNPA's application. They have been sitting on it with no action for 4 years!!!

I don't get WTAE on my RCA so I can't tell if any guide info is coming int there. Most of the channels say some default, like "regular programming". I don't know if that comes from the RCA tv, or if that is the default setting for most PSIP generators that stations buy. Channel 11, and channel 40 though are blank in the guide.

There was a time when I lived near carnegie (10 miles from the city, that I could pick up 4, but now that I'm 26 miles away in canonsburgh, my set top ant never picks it up. I've also tried the winguard on my rca and it gets nothing, while on the voom it gets almost everything.

On voom, all my ota channles come up in the guide, including WTAE and WQED.

 

[bryan27]

Hey Loudonville I found way to receive WTRF-DT with sound. I don't know what they are doing with their signal, but the encoding they are using for sound won't pass through an amplifier!!!

So if you want sound you have to remove the pre-amp and power enjector from the coax. With the pre-amp I was getting WTRF-DT with a 36 signal and no sound, without the amplifier 52 signal and sound. With or without the amplifier it still won't show up on my Zenith OTA STB in the bedroom.

I guess you and I have two options, no amp and WTRF-DT or with amp no WTRF-DT, but 3-7 Pittsburgh stations and WTOV-DT when it comes back on-line. I think I'll take the 5 Pittsbugh stations I receive and WTOV-DT

I have info on WTOV-DT. They did a complete overhaul of master control to an automated system and removed all the digital equipment. Where the digital equipment is is anyone's guess (I wouldn't doubt it is a WPXI). The digital transmitter doesn't have any video/audio connected to it nor anything to conect to it. Since master control is now automated and doesn't require a human presence most of the people at the station don't even know the digial is off the air :shocked

 

[bryan27]

Stations now multicasting.

WPGH and WCWB are now multicasting.

WCWB-22.1-SD Analog Upconvert
WCWB-22.2-SD Color Bars

WPGH-53.1-ED Widescreen (720p)
WPGH-53.2-SD Analog Upconvert

Not sure if this will last, but it looks promising. I don't mind stations in SD as long as they use the rest of their bandwith for other programming.

Anyone care to speculate what 22.2 will put on? The only networks missing in the region are PAX, UNI, & TEL. I wouldn't mind PAX. Please don't let it be a home shopping channel. I'm still pissed at WQED for letting WQEX go with America's Store after WQED promised WQEX wouldn't go with home shopping.

Speaking of WQED. Get on the ball already! Either put something on those blank screens or get rid of them. The PBS-HD feed is nice, but at least put the regular SD schedule on a screen.

 

[bryan27]

Scotty, I just got my channels remapped to Pittsburgh today. The delay was caused by VOOM having the wrong numbers for my box. Anyway it appears WQED is mapped incorrectly as you thought. My signal on WQED is 36 the SNR is even 20dB, yet is says no signal. It appears the STB will decode stations with at least 25 (that's what I have on WCWB, WPCB I have a 20 and no decode)

I took my pre-amp off last week and put it on the antenna for the bedroom. I'm going to run down and get another preamp. I'll let you all know the signal strengths and if I can pull in WTAE & WPCB. Without the amp I get KDKA, WPXI, WCWB, and WPGH.

Well, it appears VOOM doesn't like my 36dB pre-amp (probably too much power) so I am using a 10dB in-line amp. Here are the numbers 46-49 miles SW of Pittsburgh:

KDKA: Quality-75 Power/SNR 83/29dB
WTAE: Nothing as Expected
WPXI: Quality-65 Power/SNR 68/27dB
WQED: Quality-52 Power/SNR 64/24dB (would receive if mapped correctly)
WCWB: Quality-44 Power/SNR 59/22dB
WPCB: Nothing as Expected
WPGH: Quality-78 Power/SNR 79/30dB

Well I'm happy. Guess we will all have to wait for the new software to get WQED.

 

[kamalis14]

quick question for you guys. im thinking about getting voom. i live in washington. is there any way that I would be able to get WTAE(channel4) with OTA antenna so i could watch monday night football on the set?

 

[WickedDyno]

Washington, PA should have no problem getting local channels from Pittsburg. The only problems would be specific to your exact location, such as hills (which are of course a problem in the pittsburg area).

 

[Scotty]

Bryan27:

We still haven't figured out what the mapping problem is. I just hope the new software is out soon so we can see if the scanning software will pick it up. I don't even know if I have an amp on my WineGuard. I heard its supposed to come with one but sometimes the installer will not install it. I also read that it matters where on the cable you install it. Too far away from the antenna and the signal may be too weak to amp. I get WTAE and WPCB. I guess that comes from living only 26 miles from the city on a hill top.

Kamalis:

You are only about 6 or 7 more miles south of the city from me, so with the right antenna at the right height, I don't see why you wouldn't get WTAE. I couldn;t get it consistantly on my little indoor antenna, but I got it sometimes. I was surprised it came in strong on the attic antenna that voom installed for me. Also, voom doesn't have NFL Sunday ticket, but it does have an NFLNet that might broadcast some monday night games. Unfortunately, its its not in HD.

 

[bryan27]

Scotty, I'm still thinking the STB is lookng at 38.1 and remaping it to 13.3 instead of looking at 38.3 Right now I'm just glad I can get 2,11,22,53. Not having them in the living room for a month was getting really old real fast. If I really have to watch something on 13 I'll just have to watch it on the 13"

Kamalis, welcome. WTAE is the weakest of all the stations. It's signal is hit or miss. There are some in the city that can't get it. It never hurts to try though. WTAE is working to raise their power to the maximum 1000Kw. They said it would be done last November, and we're still waiting. There is always the NFL on FOX I guess. Since WPGH is now sending 720p widescreen (though they haven't switched the network feed to it yet) they might be going to show the NFL in 16:9.

I did hear somewhere on the forum that NFL HD will be back on VOOM this fall. I don't know how much it will cost though.

Hey, WNPB Morgantown finished construction last week, though they have been on for a while under an STA. This past spring a plane crashed into their tower! I wonder why it isn't listed since it is in the Pittsburgh DMA. I get a decent signal in the bedroom. Kamalis might be able to receive it, I doubt Scotty could get it, but you never know.

WickedDyno, welcome, are you a VOOM sub or just thinking about it? If so how are your locals?

 

[WickedDyno]

I've got all my locals but then I'm 10 miles from the towers so I don't have any problems.

 

[Scotty]

Pittsburgh, PA new software Scan for channels

ok, woke up this am and the bedroom box was on. I know I put it in standby before I hit the sack around 11:30. Turned on the tv and there it was, transparent menu! So I got new software upstairs now. Also downstairs as I just checked.

Well, I'm from Pittsburgh, PA, and I've been having trouble with my map to WQEDDT, so first thing I did was scan for channels. I watched as the progress bar stopped at ever channel I exepected to get along the way:

25, 33 (ok, I didn't expect this one, its in Morgantown, WV), 38, 42, 43, 48, 50, 51.

Finally, the list of channels that it has locked on to comes up, with what I had already mapped next to it:

25 2-1 KDKADT 98
38 13-3 WQEDDT1 94
38 80-3 PBS1DTV 94 (blinking sound)
42 22-1 WCWB-HD 93 42 22-1 WCWBHD
42 22-2 WCWB-SD 93
43 53-1 WPGH-HD 99 43 53-1 WPGHHD
43 53-2 WPGH-SD 99
48 11-1 WPXI 97 48 11-1 WPXIHD
50 40-1 WPCB-DT 97 50 40-1 WPCBHD
51 4-1 WTAE-dt 98 51 4-1 WTAEHD

Note the strangeness:

25 gets stopped at, existed in my mapped list, but never shows up in the scanned channel list and when I check the signal the signal strength by using the red button from this screen instead of the green save and continue, it's signal strength comes out at 98 solid.

38 which was in my map as 13-3 but never tuned in, comes in on the scan as 80-3 PBS1DTV. Eighty dash threed!!? There's no vhf or uhf frequency of 80 is there? It's supposed to be getting 13-3 13-4 and 13-5, which are what my tv's internal digital tuner picks up.

My mapped 42 and 43 were the SD versions of the channel, even though the channel guide said it was the -1 channel and that it was HD. With the scan, those channels got the -2 subchannels added and the -1 is now the HD and the -2 is the SD. I can tell my the sidebars on -1 this am that I didn't get before the scans.

48, 50, and 51 were already in my map and showed up in the scan also, unlike 25 which was in my map and didn't show up in the scan.

A new channel 33 showed up which is in Morgantown West Virginia, a fair distance from me. It's getting an alternating 0 and 81 for signal strength. Lockon says it needs to be between 80 and 85 (is there anyway to adjust this? I get channels to display correctly on my tv's internal digital tuner at signal strengths anywhere from 40 up). It's another PBS station. And titantv says I should be able to get it. Titantv says I should be getting -1 -2 and -3.

And finally, no abcnews channel. I guess my local isn't carrying it yet. 51 is my local abc station in HD, and there were no other sub channels besides the -1.


All in all, I'm pretty disappointed that this scan feature didn't pick up my WQED even though it has the signal strength way higher than the lock on required. And whats up with this 80-3 stuff. Did the voom receiver just make this up because it already had a 13-3 in the map. And where is -4 and -5, and -6. Titantv says I should only be getting -3, -4, and -5, but I get -6 on my tv's internal digital receiver as well.