3ABN going HD?

[wescopc]

Moses Primo (broadcast engineer for 3ABN) has been saying (within a spot advertisement) that 3ABN is going HD come June 12th as all broadcasters are required to do.
I understood that only OTA broadcasters are required to switch on June 12th and then only to digital not High Definition.

He says 3ABN needs to do this for some of the cable companies they serve.

This is a confusing message, is he required to switch because of the new law - OR is it to retain carriage with some cable companies.

How is he planning to supply HD to the cable companies? New satellite transponder (TP) or fiber or ? If it is a new TP then will it be available for FTA HD receivers? Will folks need a larger dish to receive the signal? Inquiring minds want to know!
Bob

[Gary Z]

That seems strange. I did not know there was a requirement to go HD only to go SD digital. I think maybe they meant their analog OTA stations need to go SD digital?

[wescopc]

That seems strange. I did not know there was a requirement to go HD only to go SD digital. I think maybe they meant their analog OTA stations need to go SD digital?

But he is talking about the $$$$ they need to spend on cameras and studio equipment to go to HD so as to meet the new HD requirements. So I don't think he was talking about the Low Power transmitters they have around the USA.
Bob

[Iceberg]

full power TV stations need to go digital by June 12th
Low powered translator stations DO NOT need to go digital

do they want to upgrade to HDTV? Probably but honestly it would be goofy to as probably 80-85% of their stations (probably more) are low powered translator stations that dont need to go digital yet.

you dont need a bigger dish for HD....PBS is a perfect example on AMC21. They probably will just put the HD channel in the same mux as what is already there (like what TBN did on C_Band...the HD feed and the 5 TBN channels)

[Pepper]

I'm sorry, but my bullcrap detector just went off and interrupted my reading of the first post.

Ah, yes. Where was I. Let me go back and read it again.

Wow. What a load of misinformation they are giving out, if this is truly what they are saying.

I've not seen this guy Moses Primo, but I did happen to catch Fred Price doing the same thing in one of his broadcasts back in February. He was basically saying please send us money because we are required by federal law to go HD by February 17 and have to buy all these new cameras and equipment and stuff. My bullcrap detector went off on that occasion too so I don't remember anything he said after that.

At best, they don't know what they are talking about. At worst, and in the case of Mr Price I find it more believable, it is an outright lie, designed to fleece their flock for even more donations than usual.

Most of the stations that carry these types of programming have no plans to ever transmit in HD, and even if they do, since when did any HD channel still in business ever object to running the occasional SD upconvert? Any religious programmer can continue doing things the way they have done in the past and get their programs to the stations via whatever method. It's up to the broadcast stations only, to go to a digital (not necessarily HD) format when required.

[Gary Z]

Then they are telling a fib. They want to go HD but there is no requirement. Moses Primo is the head man in the satellite department there he should know better. So it is like Pepper said!

3ABN's signal right now looks close to HD if only all the channels on the satellites looked as good as they do.

But he is talking about the $$$$ they need to spend on cameras and studio equipment to go to HD so as to meet the new HD requirements. So I don't think he was talking about the Low Power transmitters they have around the USA.
Bob

[then]

I didn't hear the spot Moses Primo did on 3ABN, but I did check their website and found this page:
3ABN: Christian Television - Three Angels Broadcasting Network - www.3abn.org

which explains their rationale for going to HD. Maybe this will shed a little light on the subject.

[shibby191]

I didn't hear the spot Moses Primo did on 3ABN, but I did check their website and found this page:
3ABN: Christian Television - Three Angels Broadcasting Network - www.3abn.org

which explains their rationale for going to HD. Maybe this will shed a little light on the subject.

Well, that doesn't explain anything about going to HD, only to digital. There is no requirement to go HD, never has been. Only digital.

The only light on the subject is that the top engineers at 3ABN don't understand the difference between digital TV and HD or they are trying to get more donations by fibbing to a public who is confused.

[Pepper]

Well, if 3ABN is actually investing money in broadcast stations they actually own, I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt that they need money to transition these to digital.

The other guy I mentioned, who only buys time on existing stations, is obviously full of it.

[rv1pop]

I did not hear either of those reports, but I did hear another broadcaster saying that their equipment had reached the end of its useful life and since they were going to the expense of upgrading, they were going to go to HD equipment, including a new truck since the old one was also wearing out -- about 20 years old. He made no bones about this -- It is a replacement issue due to wearout. Then he said if you wanted to help replace the equipment to contact the department handling the upgrade - and if you do, you get the information again - upgrade only required because of old equipment - fully explained - and a DVD on it if you are intrested. I would be surprised if "ready Freddy" was saying the upgrade was required by law.... I THINK he got the equipment he is now using from the other ministry when they upgraded 20 years ago!