local channel delay dtv deadline

**gunner44** · 01-19-2009 08:48 PM

KZTV tv of corpus christi palyed ticker at bottom yeaterday saying they were

delaying conversion to DTV until August and only way to receive is cable or

satellite,,how are they accomplishing a signal to satellite and cable

companies???

**Carl B** · 01-20-2009 12:49 AM

I think that what they mean is that their conversion to full power DTV from their final DTV broadcasting hardware won't be finished until August. Probably because they need to put their final DTV broadcasting antenna on the same tower, in the same place as they currently have their analog broadcasting antenna.

They will probably continue to provide a DTV signal from wherever they currently broadcast from, so cable and satellite, and those who can currently receive their OTA signal will continue to receive this DTV broadcast until their final configuration is ready to go hot in August.

**gunner44** · 01-20-2009 11:38 AM

i guess that makes sense,with the economy they may be having financial

problems,,i don't think they are a very large outfit to begin with, mounting an

antenna on one of those towers must be good engineering feat,,,,

thanks for input,,,gunner44

**bayoufats** · 01-20-2009 11:50 AM

That brings up a question I have about the conversion to digital. When the locals go to all digital and shut off the Analog, will that give them more power to use to transmit the digital signal? What I am asking is since many stations have been transmitting both analog and digital for awhile will the power they use for thier digital transmision increase once the analog is totally shut off, and they don't have to transmit an anolog signal as of Feb. 19th? (assuming the goverment doesn't delay the conversion)

**JosephB** · 01-20-2009 12:18 PM

Originally Posted by bayoufats

That brings up a question I have about the conversion to digital. When the locals go to all digital and shut off the Analog, will that give them more power to use to transmit the digital signal? What I am asking is since many stations have been transmitting both analog and digital for awhile will the power they use for thier digital transmision increase once the analog is totally shut off, and they don't have to transmit an anolog signal as of Feb. 19th? (assuming the goverment doesn't delay the conversion)

Yes, but not necessarily because it works the way you think. It's not that they have a set amount of transmission power that they have to split between their digital and analog transmissions. What is happening in some cases is that their digital channels will change when the switch happens, usually because another station is occupying it currently. Other situations are that the stations need the transmitter space to put their permanent digital transmitters up.

**Bobby H** · 01-20-2009 12:42 PM

A lot of local TV stations are only broadcasting at the wattage levels needed to just get the job done. For now, most are only providing their analog channel at full power while their DTV channel(s) are broadcast at really low levels. This is certainly the case in my viewing market (Wichita Falls, TX - Lawton, OK).

The stations would run up their electric bill by offering both analog and digital broadcasts at full power. Compounding the issue further, markets with large areas of rural landscape need additional transponders installed to cover all of those counties adequately. The FCC has limits on the wattage strength of a broadcast signal. I forget what it is for local TV stations, but it can vary on location. Same goes for radio too. Those limits make it even more necessary to have transponders repeat the signal across long distances.

I'm hoping our local TV stations at least go to full power by the end of the month -partly so I can watch/record the Super Bowl OTA in HD. Can't get the local NBC affiliate in HD via an outside antenna right now, and it's going to be sometime in February before a Dish Network tech comes to my house to install a wing dish to pick up the HD locals from the 61.5° satellite.