Seattle HD Locals

[cebbigh]

Follow the sequence setup/local channels/sat locals then select hd priority.

 

[kstile]

I set up my Favorites so that I have only 6414-6416 and 8610-8616(?). And, of course, per this entire damn thread, 13-01 (OTA, in yellow).

The reason I did this is that I can see when Fall rolls around that there are some shows I'm going to have to record in SD b/c I'm out of space on the DVR, but others that I will want to be absolutely sure I record in HD. If I used 04-00, 05-00, etc. and it always recorded HD (b/c of the setting for HD prioirity in locals), my DVR would fill up way too fast. That way, too, I can be sure to record SD programs in SD (Survivor, for example) and not use up valuable hard drive space...

 

[long_time_DNC]

Nice! 4, 5 and 7 now get me the HD versions instead of the SD versions. No more 6414-6416. Thanks for the tip, Chuck!

 

[cebbigh]

You're welcome!

 

[long_time_DNC]

Have you noticed very low audio on 4, 5 and 7 (HD) lately? Lately meaning the past 2-3 days.

 

[cebbigh]

Didn't really notice it, but didn't really watch that much on locals the past few days. Did comparison this evening and didn't notice a difference.

 

[long_time_DNC]

It went back to normal levels yesterday (Friday). Seems fine on the HD locals now.

 

[cebbigh]

I set up my Favorites so that I have only 6414-6416 and 8610-8616(?). And, of course, per this entire damn thread, 13-01 (OTA, in yellow).

The reason I did this is that I can see when Fall rolls around that there are some shows I'm going to have to record in SD b/c I'm out of space on the DVR, but others that I will want to be absolutely sure I record in HD. If I used 04-00, 05-00, etc. and it always recorded HD (b/c of the setting for HD prioirity in locals), my DVR would fill up way too fast. That way, too, I can be sure to record SD programs in SD (Survivor, for example) and not use up valuable hard drive space...

You're right, it didn't occur to me that for recording some things you might want to have the SD option for disc space purposes.

 

[long_time_DNC]

I'm hoping they'll enable the USB port(s) for external storage relatively soon. I'd get a 500gb drive, hook it up and dump a bunch of HD stuff onto it.

Next up: re-peaking my 1000 to 129 and seeing what that does for the 20-minute cyclic drop-outs.

 

[cebbigh]

I'm hoping they'll enable the USB port(s) for external storage relatively soon. I'd get a 500gb drive, hook it up and dump a bunch of HD stuff onto it.

Next up: re-peaking my 1000 to 129 and seeing what that does for the 20-minute cyclic drop-outs.

Agree. I've been copying things to DVD. But it just doesn't look that great for sporting events.

on re-peaking: Good luck. With the 1000 it's a balancing act. You can peak on 129 and completely loose 110/129.

 

[delos]

Has anyone tried a 1000 plus yet, or any other type of larger antenna for 129? It seems we could use a 1000 plus and just not hook up 118?

 

[long_time_DNC]

Agree. I've been copying things to DVD. But it just doesn't look that great for sporting events.

on re-peaking: Good luck. With the 1000 it's a balancing act. You can peak on 129 and completely loose 110/129.

I'll have to be careful and see what balance I can strike between getting some gain on 129 without losing 110/119.

I've dumped some stuff to DVD, but as you said, it loses something in the translation.

The 1000.2 isn't out yet...not until the Fall.

 

[cebbigh]

I'll have to be careful and see what balance I can strike between getting some gain on 129 without losing 110/119.

I've dumped some stuff to DVD, but as you said, it loses something in the translation.

The 1000.2 isn't out yet...not until the Fall.

Since my last adjustment of the 500 I have dedicated to 129, about one month ago, I've been doing okay. I haven't spent time recently tracking the signal dip off 129. I doubt they have fixed the problem, but at the same time I'm not seeing picture breakup like before. I will say, I saw that the adjustments can be really sensitive the last time I was on the roof. Just tightening the bolts made a difference. I had to redo it several times to peak.

Do you get any OTA signal for KCPQ in Olympia? My problem isn't distance so much as terrain. Using a CM4248 (big yagi) pinpointed at Gold Hill I can get approx 68-71 off the 622 meter under good conditions. I just happen to have a heavily tree'd hill in my path. Do you get any OTA signal for KCPQ? What antennas have you tried? I'm only asking because I think we need to start planning with the thought in mind that no one will help us but ourselves.

 

[long_time_DNC]

I have a huge hill almost immediately to my N and it goes all the around from due West to due East. I get zero OTA unless I put a yagi on a 300-ft tower, and I don't think I'm going to be doing that anytime soon. I've got a great view to the SE, which is the only reason why E* works. Most everyone else in the neighborhood has cable because they don't even have a SE view due to hills and trees. Nobody around this neighborhood has antennas, not even for FM. Just way too many big hills - kills reception. Cell coverage is even really iffy out here.

Ah, the advantages/disadvantages of rural life...

 

[cebbigh]

And I thought I had it bad needing to go up 60-100 feet to clear my hill. At least I get a signal at approx 37' (my chimney and a approx 7' up on the mast.) But I'm sure the rural life's advantages outweigh the disadvantages. I'm stuck living here for the time being. But if the door opens and I can make a living anywhere I can get a few acres and get away from congestion I'll be on my way.

 

[long_time_DNC]

It's great not living in town anymore. It's so much more mellow than living in the city, but there are disadvantages too. It wouldn't be so bad if Tribune and E* could stop acting like children and just put KCPQ-HD up, and it'd be even better if E* would replace E5 so that the rest of the HD programming were stable.

But hey, a person can't have everything...

 

[kstile]

Not to rub it in, but I'm getting about a 70-75 signal strength on KCPQ OTA with an indoor antenna sitting on top of my TV... in the basement(!) of my house. I live on Crown Hill (Ballard), so I guess that helps. Of course when I have the antenna pointed for KCPQ I can't get anything else, so I'm glad, at least, that we're getting KING, KOMO, and KIRO in HD over Dish.

I'm going to send a note to the attorney from Tribune again sometime soon and see if there has been any progress. Dish will never take KMYQ in HD and I wonder how long it will take Tribune to figure that out...

 

[long_time_DNC]

Glad you're getting such a great OTA signal from your basement! Pretty amazing!

I would imagine that Tribune's attorney isn't going to be giving you good news anytime soon. Neither side has to budge, really. Not carrying KCPQ-HD saves Dish some TP space and evidently Tribune wants people to switch to cable (which I'll never go back to). I'd really like to see Tribune drop their KMYQ issue, but they don't have to either. So, this could easily go on until 02/09, when the analog transmitters go dark...

 

[cebbigh]

Hoping more pressure mounts as the fall gets closer and both new programing and the NFL season gets underway. I really don't see how it benefits Tribune to have their HD programing withheld for FOX affiliates in several cities. You'd think they'd be under pressure from advertisers too.

 

[long_time_DNC]

What was the email address for their attorney again?

I agree, you would think the advertisers would put pressure on Tribune, but I wonder if the advertisers are even aware of the issue?