DirectTV OTA Frustrations

[Neutron]

Did they submit the waivers anyway? Doesn't hurt to do that.

I'll be going through the same crap here in a few weeks. Already not looking forward to it.

 

[alag8r]

The very first person I talked to submitted the waivers for me, so at least that part is easy. My impression is that if I was 5 miles further south, I wouldn't be having these problems. I think you said you were in Plano, so I bet you don't have problems getting the OTA signals. Also, hopefully you have learned from my mistakes. I honestly think if I had not let him put the bat wing so low, I may have been able to pull the signals. The bat wing is probably not even the correct antenna for my situation, but thats what direct installs.

 

[bonscott87]

Most likely your zip code is in the grade "B" range of another DMA close to you. For example the Chicago stations are O&O but some Milwaukee stations are not. If you live on the north side of Chicago you fall into the grade B of the Milwaukee stations and thus will need waviers from the Milwaukee stations, not the Chicago stations however.

As for your antenna, do you have any large trees between you and the towers? Very possible you started losing your signal when the leaves filled out (assuming you lose leaves down there in Dallas).

You may want to go to AVS and post in the Dallas specific local HD thread for advice. You may even find your answer in a search of that thread.

 

[alag8r]

That may be the case and I could have accepted that if that was their answer. However, they've consistently said that you still have to get a waiver even if your stations are O&O and referred to my stations as the dallas stations. Even when I had the guy look at the web sites that shows that O&O stations should qualify me for the national feeds, he said it doesn't say anywhere on there that you still don't have to receive a waiver. It may be that they are right, but for the wrong reasons.

When I put my address with the plus 4 zip code into www.antennaweb.org , it says that the Sherman CBS station is 60 miles away and the Dallas/Ft. Worth station is 40 miles away. It also doesn't show another Fox or NBC station on the chart at all. Something else I just noticed is that the Sherman station is not digital.

Based on distance and rating for my antenna, I think I should be getting the stations. Since Direct sold me the antenna with installation, I'm wondering if I should try a different tack and demand they come back out and move or replace the antenna.

rick

 

[osu1991]

The Sherman station is KXII CBS and it is full power hd on digital channel 26 it's analog channel 12. I receive their signal clearly from about 50 miles from the transmitter at my weekend ranch place in southeastern Oklahoma.

 

[PMKS]

Direct phone # for D*Network Hi-Def:

1-800-263-0028
Ask for Hi-Def eligibility

As some of the other ppl have mentioned, the probable reason the networks are not being turned on automatically is because some other same network stations claim your area as well.

I went though all this BS months ago trying to get the ABC & FOX HD D* feeds turned on. My "local" ABC & FOX affiliate are O&O, but 2 local low-power ABC & FOX UHF stations claim my area as well and a waiver had to be submitted to them. FOX said OK, ABC said NO. What is bad it that neither of them broadcast in HD, and I'm to far away to get any OTA HD.......

 

[alag8r]

Thanks PMKS. Called the number and the lady said that I still had to have the waiver even though it is in an O&O market. She said the waivers should be granted, but that D* can't do anything without them. They are still not saying anything about being in a fringe market and I didn't ask since the answer doesn't change anything for me.

If anyone has anything that specifically says that you don't have to get a waiver if you are in an O&O market, please let me know.

rick

 

[boba]

The Winegard GS 1000 unamplified works in Frisco you are not on the fringe of signal. The GS-2000 is amplified and will not work with out the amplifier being powered. Your description of antenna mounting location is part of your problem reception will be much better at second story level. Call me at 377-4884 if you want professional help.

 

[Ricknau]

I agree with boba, you need to raise the batwing. I used a Wingard batwing with my old Voom STB from inside a second story room a couple of weeks ago during hurricane Dennis and was surprised that I got all my local UHF OTAs at full strength. Even in the driving rain. The towers are 57-62 miles away. Also be sure it is aimed correctly. You may need a rotor if there is significant separation in the aim points. It may be easier to just do it yourself than argue with Direvtv and then wait for an installer to show up at who knows when. You may be concedeing the battle of principles but in the mean time you could be watching great HD. And as far as the fight for HD networks off the sat, I'm not certain, but I'd bet the OTA will look better than the sat feed anyway. Someone can correct me (I'm sure they will ) if I'm wrong.

 

[boba]

The Winegard GS 1000 unamplified works in Frisco you are not on the fringe of signal. The GS-2000 is amplified and will not work with out the amplifier being powered. Your description of antenna mounting location is part of your problem reception will be much better at second story level. Call me at 377-4884 if you want professional help.

After a service call I found Directv's installer had located an amplified Sensar behind the phase 3 dish so the metal blocked the TV signal from getting to the TV antenna. The installer also never installed the power supply for the GS-2000 so the weak signal that was getting around the Phase 3 wasn't being amplified. When I added a power supply he was able to get all channels except ABC which is a VHF digital signal. I believe if Directv relocates the Sensar to second story level and provides the power supply Alag8r will have good OTA reception even if he dosen't get his waivers.

 

[alag8r]

I want to thank everyone for their input on this problem, especially considering I am a newbie on this forum. And I want to especially thank Bob (boba) for coming to my house and trouble shooting it for me. That was definitely above and beyond and knowing exactly what to tell direct tv now is priceless. If anyone in the north dallas area needs a new satellite system installed or serviced, I highly recommend contacting Bob.

I'll post an update after I talk direct tv on monday just to let everyone know how everything turns out.

Rick

 

[Neutron]

I am in the same boat. After I got our home theatre set back up I hooked up our HD receiver so that we can get the OTA channels in HD. I can get all but ABC. I got their local analog but not HD.

Oh well.

 

[alag8r]

Neutron - I was actually going to post an update today because I had the direct tv installer out friday night.

He was due between 1 and 5 pm and finally arrived about 8:30. To be fair, he did call and let us know he was going to be late.

He agreed that the guy who installed the antenna behind the dish was an idiot. He replaced the pole it was mounted on with one long enough to get the antenna just above the dish. He also agreed that the antenna was not powered and it should have been and added a diplexer outside. I don't understand how that powers the antenna since there is no power anywhere, but I guess it does. When Bob came over, he put the diplexer on the inside next to the receiver. This guy put it outside next to the dish and laying in the gutter. Are these things waterproof enough? I'm wondering if I should move it inside next to the receiver?

Results - some improvement, but not much. He did not get ABC to work in high def, but said the local ABC affiliate is not broadcasting in high def except for a couple of hours in the daytime and thats why I was not getting a picture. I repeatedly questioned him about this and he said he was positive that was true and that he had just been to training the day before and they told them that again during the training. After he left, I checked the signal meter under setup on the receiver and it actually shows that the signal strength was 80% even though there was no picture. On my other OTA stations, the signal strength is usually about 60% and I get picture, so maybe he was right about them not broadcasting at night right now. Can anyone in the Dallas area confirm this? I can't imagine a station not broadcasting in high def during prime time.

As for the other OTA channels, some marginal improvement. Before I probably averaged receiving any particular channel 10 percent or less of the time. When I did, it was usually on a real cloudy day. Now I am receiving any particular channel 50-60% of the time. Signal strength is usually around 60% when I am receiving. Oh and that is with the powered amplifier that I added at the receiver after he left.

Bottom line is that I still don't get great signal and I think I should be. The good news is that my waiver for CBS and Fox must have been approved because I am getting their national feeds now. I have not heard anything yet on NBC and ABC.

Rick

 

[Tonedeaf]

Results - some improvement, but not much. He did not get ABC to work in high def, but said the local ABC affiliate is not broadcasting in high def except for a couple of hours in the daytime and thats why I was not getting a picture. I repeatedly questioned him about this and he said he was positive that was true and that he had just been to training the day before and they told them that again during the training. After he left, I checked the signal meter under setup on the receiver and it actually shows that the signal strength was 80% even though there was no picture. On my other OTA stations, the signal strength is usually about 60% and I get picture, so maybe he was right about them not broadcasting at night right now. Can anyone in the Dallas area confirm this? I can't imagine a station not broadcasting in high def during prime time.

As for the other OTA channels, some marginal improvement. Before I probably averaged receiving any particular channel 10 percent or less of the time. When I did, it was usually on a real cloudy day. Now I am receiving any particular channel 50-60% of the time. Signal strength is usually around 60% when I am receiving. Oh and that is with the powered amplifier that I added at the receiver after he left.

Bottom line is that I still don't get great signal and I think I should be. The good news is that my waiver for CBS and Fox must have been approved because I am getting their national feeds now. I have not heard anything yet on NBC and ABC.

Rick

Whether the stations is broadcasting in HD or not makes no difference. Channel 8 is always digitally broadcasting. On an HD set it will come through as a 4X3 picture. All of the primetime sitcoms and 1 hour shows are in HD, except for news programs.

Have you reset your receiver and rescanned the Digital OTA channels? Might help to do that as stations often change the PSIP info our receivers get.

 

[Neutron]

I didn't even get the digital channel, 8.1 All I get is 8.

I get 4.1, 5.1 5.2, and 11.1

Signal strength must be pretty good for my location, because I only lost FOX 4.1 whenever my wife closed our blinds that the antenna is pointed out at.

 

[alag8r]

I have not tried rescanning and will give it a shot tonight when I go home. I assume I just go to setup, over the air or cable, scan. Is there anything I should do as far as resetting or does the scan do that automatically?

Neutron - I get both an 8.1 and an 8.2. I just don't get any picture.

rick

 

[Tonedeaf]

I have not tried rescanning and will give it a shot tonight when I go home. I assume I just go to setup, over the air or cable, scan. Is there anything I should do as far as resetting or does the scan do that automatically?

Neutron - I get both an 8.1 and an 8.2. I just don't get any picture.

rick

If rescan doesn't get the channels I would be surprised. I have had the exact same symptoms before. Reset is essentially an unplug if your receiver doesn't have a button to push. My Samsung 360 has a reset button behind the flip down door for the access card.

 

[bonscott87]

I have not tried rescanning and will give it a shot tonight when I go home. I assume I just go to setup, over the air or cable, scan. Is there anything I should do as far as resetting or does the scan do that automatically?

Neutron - I get both an 8.1 and an 8.2. I just don't get any picture.

rick

I have had that happen before and it's usually messed up PSIP data. I'd suggest unplugging your HD box from the wall. Let it set a minute and plug it back in and let it do whatever it wants to do.

Then rescan and there should be some menu options as you suggest for OTA in the setup. It will take a couple minutes and rescan everything. Then you'll want to go into your channels list and select the correct ones.

Especially since you weren't getting the channels at all before but get signals now, this should "reset" everything back to normal.

Good luck.

 

[Pete In Plano]

I have a Channel master 72" that i got at Fry's for $30. I am in east Plano. I get all the locals except 27.1, and they are not at full power yet. I am in an apartment that will not allow attachment so I put it in a 5 gallon Homer bucket from Home Depot, filled half with sand and the other half with concrete. Put a 5 foot fence post in it. Put a dog tie-down stake in 4 other buckets filled the same and tied them as guy lines to the antenna post. That sucker is not going anywhere and it is sitting on the flat 2nd story roof. Have great reception!!!

 

[alag8r]

Good news and bad news. The reset and rescan worked like a charm to pull in the OTA ABC signal. Once again, the expertise on this board far surpasses the D* installer. ABC is now actually my strongest OTA picture.

The bad news is that when I rescanned, it only picked up 3 digital stations. Thats because most of my OTA channels were in the 50% of the time I can't get them.

The more I research this, it seems like I should be getting these signals and I still think it may have to do with the amplified signal. I've looked at the specs for the winegard 2000 on the winegard site and it says it comes with a "117 VAC power supply." My antenna is NOT hooked up to any power supply that is plugged into an outlet. It has a diplexer on the line next to the antenna. The D* installer says that the diplexer is the only power supply I need. Does a diplexer actually pull power from the receiver? When Bob came out, I could have sworn he plugged in a power supply at the receiver. Should I have a plug in power supply or not?

rick