After Feb 2009, millions of Americans will know about them!
Their TVs will go black. They'll head out to their Best Buy. Salesmen will convience them their TV is obsolete and will buy new TVs, and wha-la, fancy new digital sub-channels!
-John
Digital subchannels
- Thread starter Peter Parker
- Start date
- Latest activity Latest activity:
- Replies 35
- Views 6K
Their TVs will go black. They'll head out to their Best Buy. Salesmen will convience them their TV is obsolete and will buy new TVs, and wha-la, fancy new digital sub-channels!
-John
So, using your CECB, you can tell a difference?
For starters, in order to tell a difference, there must be HD on the main channel, and you must have an HD tuner (of course). Then, you actually have to be able to see the difference.
I'm between the baltimore/washington area. And I can honestly say there is not much difference between the baltimore and washington affiliates. And they do broadcast different number of subchannels. (Keep in mind, I only have 52" 1080i CRT RPTVs.)
So I don't see 82% as unreasonable.
-John
yes our stations have subchannels. All but CBS (WCCO)
ABC, Fox, My & CW all have -2 as a SD channel (wasted bandwidth if you ask me) and Fox looks the worst
NBC has Weather + but the HD channel looks really crisp
PBS isnt bad..the HD channel looks as good as the HD channel I get FTA
ABC, Fox, My & CW all have -2 as a SD channel (wasted bandwidth if you ask me) and Fox looks the worst
NBC has Weather + but the HD channel looks really crisp
PBS isnt bad..the HD channel looks as good as the HD channel I get FTA
Just for the record, we too have the problem with PBS. For whatever reason they just can't seem to get it right. When switching resolutions, like during a break or between shows, the picture often blows up on return. For instance it often will not snap in at all while at other times it will shrink to the upper left quarter of the screen. I've communicated with them and they have no idea how to fix it. They also are having difficulty with their subs with the same set of problems. The assumption that TV technicians who have dealt with analog equipment all their lives would suddenly have digital expertise was, to say the least, overly optimistic.
In the Philadelphia area CBS has no subs while most of the other networks do although none of them are worth the effort. As someone said, it's often infomercials but just as often it's simply weather. In my opinion the real opportunity for subs is right there in front of NBC's face and they don't see it. I'm talking about the Olympics. Everyone, and I mean everyone, is complaining about the over-abundance of Beach Vollyball and preliminary heats in (you name it) while those sports people really want to see like baseball, softball, basketball etc. are virtually missing. Here was a golden opportunity to show what digital OTA is really capable of. Those NBC subs should be loaded with Olympic coverage but, sadly, they are not. What a waste.
In the Philadelphia area CBS has no subs while most of the other networks do although none of them are worth the effort. As someone said, it's often infomercials but just as often it's simply weather. In my opinion the real opportunity for subs is right there in front of NBC's face and they don't see it. I'm talking about the Olympics. Everyone, and I mean everyone, is complaining about the over-abundance of Beach Vollyball and preliminary heats in (you name it) while those sports people really want to see like baseball, softball, basketball etc. are virtually missing. Here was a golden opportunity to show what digital OTA is really capable of. Those NBC subs should be loaded with Olympic coverage but, sadly, they are not. What a waste.
But then you'd have people complaining about the bandwidth diverted away from the main HD channel in order to provide coverage for other events on subchannels.
Can't please everyone.
Not really since they are already broadcasting on the subs. If they can broadcast the weather in 480 they can broadcast a ball game in 480; no change in bandwidth. The only change would be in the content.
Not only is this an opportunity to show what OTA can do but it's a marketing opportunity of incredible potential wealth to the network. They could offer three different events at the same time and gather data on which is the most popular with the viewers. It's free test marketing. It's also an opportunity to increase viewership at no cost. Let's say a million people are watching an event on channel 1. Now suppose a different event was offered on 1.1 and 1.2. So maybe now channel 1 only attracts 600,000 viewers but 1.1 draws 400,000 and 1.2 draws 300,000. That's a total of 1.3 million viewers, up 30% at no cost. If they used the same commercials on each channel they could now charge more per commercial based on increased viewership. But they'd rather show the weather. How sad.
Jim,
The symptom you describe on NBC is not unique to The Tonight Show. NBC has a softness filter that is employed on purpose. The filter is to "Help on Air talent to look their best". You will see that Blur then clearing effect on most of NBC shows.
John
Symptom is not softness filter or it would not go away after 1/2 second or so, it is bandwidth starvation causing macroblocking that disappears with static image.
Well, NBC did buy the World Championship Sports Network and convert it to Universal Sports, but they haven't shown a whole lot of Olympic coverage on it, just some of the trials/preliminaries before the "real" Olympics got underway. There are a few Olympic items on it this week; - Universal Sports for more on that.
Also, since NBC just bought and converted this WCSN into US, there hasn't really been time to roll it out as a subchannel on all affiliates. I think some of the big O&Os like KNBC are carrying it though.
Furthermore, they didn't want to put too much Olympic coverage out there for free, or otherwise they couldn't charge cable & satellite operators outrageous rights fees for it.
Also, since NBC just bought and converted this WCSN into US, there hasn't really been time to roll it out as a subchannel on all affiliates. I think some of the big O&Os like KNBC are carrying it though.
Furthermore, they didn't want to put too much Olympic coverage out there for free, or otherwise they couldn't charge cable & satellite operators outrageous rights fees for it.
They're carrying a bunch of stuff on MSNBC also but most of it is junk like table tennis, water polo, trampoline and that awful excuse for a made up game - handball (like soccer but using hands instead of feet). They did, however, actually broadcast at least one of the softball games, out of nine played so far. The picture quality is the worst digital signal I have ever seen. It has the highest compression possible, I think. As soon as someone moves about, the image goes all fuzzy. In the water polo match when the camera backed up for a full pool shot you couldn't even distinguish the players from the water. Veeerry bad. :down
However, woo-hoo, MSNBC is going to carry the softball gold medal game tomorrow morning (at 6:30AM 
). USA vs Japan.
). USA vs Japan.On the other hand, I'm starting to appreciate the events that aren't *judged* more and more. Though I guess that wouldn't include trampoline here.
And I thought handball was more like lacrosse.
A question...
Are digital channels running now in reduced power mode?
Will they go up to full strength in Feb'2009?
Are digital channels running now in reduced power mode?
Will they go up to full strength in Feb'2009?
Lacrosse without the sticks or water polo without the water.
Honestly, I don't know what the heck it is or is supposed to be. It looks like something someone who didn't make the team (any team) made up while downing a beer on the backyard swing set in a thunderstorm. Lightning can fry the brain. What bugs me about it is that the Olympic committee wants to eliminate real sports like baseball and softball but then it adds junk like handball. 
This entirely depends on the area you live in and the plans each station has. Some stations will stay on the same digital channel they're on now, at the exact same power. Some will stay where they are but increase power and/or move their digital antenna higher on their tower in Feb 09. Yet other stations have applied to increase power but not yet been approved. Still others will relocate to new channels in Feb 09. Lastly, some will not air a digital signal until Feb 09, at which time they will "Flash Cut" by turning off the analog one night, and turning on digital the next morning.
See here to find out what will happen in your area:
RabbitEars.Info
Just look up the stations you receive, and their plans will be listed.
Similar threads
