DTV transition..confused

**protege26** · 01-07-2009 10:12 AM

Ok. Not sure if this should go in the Tech forum or not. If so, mods I apoligize in advance and feel free to move me!

Here is my setup.

522 in living room with HDTV. OTA antenna hooked up.

625 in oldest's bedroom used as a dual tuner to both kids' bedrooms with STVs. OTA NOT hooked up.

I have a Terk42 antenna on my dish to pick up the local NBC station. (talk bad about Terk all you want..for another discussion. LOL. Works like a charm for me!) All other networks are picked up through E* via NPS.

Now for my question.

AntennaWeb says that my NBC broadcasts HD on channel 46. I watch the analog signal on 6. I get it no problem, however if I change my tv to 46 I see nothing.

Does my antenna pick up the UHF signal? Is that why I don't see it or is it because the OTA input on my 522 cannot downconvert the digital signal. Or are they not sending out the digital signal yet? I'm just confused.

I'd like to think I'm knowledgable about stuff like this, but this whole mess is just confusing. Do I need something like the PalDVR unit? I have no desire to get the HD programming. But do I need to get a receiver that has the new OTA module?

As you can tell I'm a bit confused. Forgive my stupidity. LOL. I've searched and read but that just made matters worse. Hoping you can clear my mind!

Thanks!

**HDRoberts** · 01-07-2009 10:22 AM

Originally Posted by protege26

Does my antenna pick up the UHF signal? Is that why I don't see it or is it because the OTA input on my 522 cannot downconvert the digital signal. Or are they not sending out the digital signal yet? I'm just confused.

I'd like to think I'm knowledgable about stuff like this, but this whole mess is just confusing. Do I need something like the PalDVR unit? I have no desire to get the HD programming. But do I need to get a receiver that has the new OTA module?

Almost all OTA antennas pick up UHF. The old OTA input is NTSC (AKA analogue). Digital signals are ATSC. You need a digital converter box like the DTVPal or the TR-40. However, their is the "digital cliff" to consider. You get a perfect picture or no picture. It is possible that you may not be able to pick it up, particularly if you have trouble with your OTA picture now.

However, if you have an HDTV, why not get the HD programming? It's free OTA. More recent HDTVs have a built in ATSC tuner. If that is the case, you would just need to hook up the antenna to the HDTV.

**Koilvr** · 01-07-2009 11:44 AM

If your antenna is Hooked up to the dishbox 522 you would not change the channel on the TV set you would change the channel on the 522. You would need to go to the dish menu then system set up (6) then local channels (9) then you hit scan locals and all your local channels in HD should start bein added to the box. Thats how you would set it up in a vip622 or vip722 box. Not sure how on the 522 but I think it might be the same. Soo since you have ur antenna hooked up to the dishbox as u say and not straight to the tv set thats how u would get locals over the air. Dunno how ur getting locals to ur tv set by changing channels on the tv set. Now if your antenna is hooked up to the tv set and not the dishbox, does ur TV have a TUNER in it as a ATSC high def tuner?

**garys** · 01-07-2009 11:50 AM

Originally Posted by Koilvr

If your antenna is Hooked up to the dishbox 522 you would not change the channel on the TV set you would change the channel on the 522. You would need to go to the dish menu then system set up (6) then local channels (9) then you hit scan locals and all your local channels in HD should start bein added to the box. Thats how you would set it up in a vip622 or vip722 box. Not sure how on the 522 but I think it might be the same. Soo since you have ur antenna hooked up to the dishbox as u say and not straight to the tv set thats how u would get locals over the air. Dunno how ur getting locals to ur tv set by changing channels on the tv set. Now if your antenna is hooked up to the tv set and not the dishbox, does ur TV have a TUNER in it as a ATSC high def tuner?

The 522 is not an HD receiver and does not have the digital tuner. It allows ota to pass through when the receiver is shut off.

**garys** · 01-07-2009 11:54 AM

Originally Posted by protege26

Ok. Not sure if this should go in the Tech forum or not. If so, mods I apoligize in advance and feel free to move me!

Here is my setup.

522 in living room with HDTV. OTA antenna hooked up.

625 in oldest's bedroom used as a dual tuner to both kids' bedrooms with STVs. OTA NOT hooked up.

I have a Terk42 antenna on my dish to pick up the local NBC station. (talk bad about Terk all you want..for another discussion. LOL. Works like a charm for me!) All other networks are picked up through E* via NPS.

Now for my question.

AntennaWeb says that my NBC broadcasts HD on channel 46. I watch the analog signal on 6. I get it no problem, however if I change my tv to 46 I see nothing.

Does my antenna pick up the UHF signal? Is that why I don't see it or is it because the OTA input on my 522 cannot downconvert the digital signal. Or are they not sending out the digital signal yet? I'm just confused.

I'd like to think I'm knowledgable about stuff like this, but this whole mess is just confusing. Do I need something like the PalDVR unit? I have no desire to get the HD programming. But do I need to get a receiver that has the new OTA module?

As you can tell I'm a bit confused. Forgive my stupidity. LOL. I've searched and read but that just made matters worse. Hoping you can clear my mind!

Thanks!

Yes your antenna will pick up the signal, but if you do not have a digital tuner, you will not be able to view it. The 522 does not have a digital tuner and would not be able to view it, but your HD tv may or may not have one. 46 is the digital number and the channel would be viewable there once you scan the channel in. It is possible that the 522 may not be allowing the HD channel to pass thru and thus the tv does not see it or your tv also does not have the right tuner to scan the channel.

**Koilvr** · 01-07-2009 12:59 PM

ok did not know the 522 was no HD tuner then thats the issue he does not have a ATSC tuner and can not get the signal soo whats the tv make and model?

**protege26** · 01-07-2009 01:56 PM

Ok. Great answers so far. Very quick! Thanks!

I have a Panasonic 42" Plasma, so yes, it does have the built in tuner.

The OTA is hooked up through the receiver, and just as someone said, it is pass-through. The diplexers split the signal coming inside and diverts one to the receiver from the dish, the other from the OTA to the TV via the coax input. My sat is hooked to the TV via composite inputs. I simply change the input on the TV to cable, set it to channel 6 and viola.

It looks like I might need to find out if the digital signal is being broadcast yet. That way I can find out if I will fall off the "cliff" or not. ie if the Terk will pick up the signal using the TV's digital tuner, or if I need to get a different antenna.

As for getting HD, is it worth the extra $5 a month? And what of the SDTVs I have in the other rooms. Can I have an HD receiver and a SD receiver? I know that really is a whole other can of worms though.

**ke4est** · 01-07-2009 02:01 PM

Go into your tv setup and change, ant input to air or ant, which ever it says(not cable) and try and rescan or directly input channel 46.

**M Sparks** · 01-07-2009 02:09 PM

Many (most) digital channels broadcast on UHF channels. That doesn't mean you actually tune to that channel.

I used to work for a channel that was on VHF 2. The digital signal was on UHF 22. But to your TV or box, it's still channel 2 (or 2.1)

This is why they always want you to scan for channels, where in the old days we just turned the knob to the channel we wanted. The stations wanted to keep the numbers they've been on for years and years, but that was impossible while they were simulcasting. Some channels will swap back to the original frequencies when the analog goes off, and some will stay on the new frequencies. But they will keep the same channel #.

**HDRoberts** · 01-07-2009 02:31 PM

Originally Posted by protege26

As for getting HD, is it worth the extra $5 a month? And what of the SDTVs I have in the other rooms. Can I have an HD receiver and a SD receiver? I know that really is a whole other can of worms though.

Actually, it's $10 a month for HD access. But I think it's worth it. I find that SD looks bad on an HD set. Yes, HD and SD boxes can coexist, unless to sub to an HD only pack (obviously) or are hooked up to the eastern arc (which you aren't, apparently). In fact, the 722 (DVR) and 222 (non-DVR) receivers can feed a second SDTV. They even downconvert the HD content for TV2.

I suggest looking here for transition status. They may not be broadcasting full power yet.
RabbitEars.Info

Estimated service contour:
FM and TV Service Area Maps

Additional info:
TV Query Results -- Video Division (FCC) USA

Looks like they are broadcasting at 82kW, but have plans to go to 1000kW. Just may take some time.

May I also suggest looking at
TV Fool - TV Signal Locater

and the satguys OTA forum HD Over the Air (OTA) - SatelliteGuys.US