How does DTV get the signal from local broadcasters?

[iancgood]

DTV is telling me there is some sort of sophisticated system that the local broadcasters are in charge of maintaining, that the local broadcasters beam their signal, which is completely different from the OTA signal, up to DTV. I called my local broadcasters and they say that DTV gets the same OTA signal as everyone else and that DTV uploads the signal themselves.

This is in relation to my sound issues: directv-forum/154235-dayton-hd-locals-sound-problems.html

 

[goaliebob99]

Usally they will pick up the signal from a Point in the market via OTA or get the signal fed via fiber. From there it goes to a regional point of presence and gets fed to the uplink via fiber, or in Echostar's case its uplinked directly from the regional point.

 

[NutFlush920]

I was told that DirecTV gets the local's signal OTA at the local distribution center. It is then uplinked to DirecTV's satelites then sent out to customers.

 

[Jimbo]

Most OTA channels are fed by a fiber link to the D* facility.

 

[sundude90]

Most channels are recieved via OTA. The OTA is usually at one of the local stations and from their it is send via Fiber to Directv where it is beamed to the Sat.

 

[jdspencer]

Whether OTA or fiber the signals are sent to Regional Uplink Centers where they are sent to DirecTV's control center via satellite. The signals are then sent to the appropriate satellites for delivery to subscribers.

 

[NutFlush920]

My ABC, CBS, and NBC HD locals are great. My FOX, LIN owned, is good for the most part but, freezes alot like my OTA would with bad signal. I called my FOX affiliate and was told to call DirecTV to have them adjust their antenna. I never did because, I can live the little signal fade that exists.

I think it is just the FOX affiliate having low signal. My OTA even gets low signal on this channel whereas the others are all almost 100%. For some reason FOX is only in the 70's and the broadcast tower is in the same location as everyone else. Thanks LIN.

 

[charper1]

We have a local affiliate that looks horrid; and they even admit that its not DirecTV and its their image. They did not elaborate where or why, but that they were working to improve it. If you could see just hoe bad this image is, you would never think that it was sent directly from the affiliate's engineering via fiber to the uplink.

 

[mkatts]

I have done work at some of the local Tv stations in Columbus, OH and Cincy.
They each had a DS3 (45meg) circuit to a DirecTV datacenter in Colorado.
I didn't do work on those circuits, I asked and was told that.

 

[randyk47]

You certainly can see/hear the lag and I figured that was the time it took to "land line" the signal from here in town to wherever DirecTV uploads the signal and beams it back to us. Once in awhile my wife and I will have the same channel on but one of us is OTA the other satellite. OTA is always ahead of the DirecTV signal.

 

[ipodbill]

my hd local are far better than sd, but...........
cbs and fox local hd feeds are not as sharp as red zone hd on sunday ticket, also when i had ny fox/cbs hd feeds with local cbs/fox hd feeds, broadcasts were not as sharp
comparing NBC feeds are a little tougher but all i can say isthat notre dame football on nbc local hd is not as sharp as the universal hd
ABC feed is the worst, imho, but i dont havealternate feed to compare
cbs kfvs 12 cape girardeau, mo
abc wsil 3 marion ill
fox kvsi 23 cape girardeau mo
nbc wpsd 6 padukah ky

all channels are not created equal

 

[mlb]

In the case of Dayton, I have been told that WDTN (Channel 2) gets all the feeds (I believe through fiber) and uplinks them to D*.

In either case, your issue has not been able to be reproduced by other users from what I've seen. I think there is an issue with your settings from your D* box or your stereo. I run DD5.1 for all of the stations with no issues, and I run it on another TV with 2.0 and have no issues.

 

[iancgood]

Channel 2 told me that DTV gets their signal OTA, just like everyone else:

Mr. Good,

The fact is DirecTV receives WDTN-DT HD over air. The signal that you
receive is the exact same signal that DirecTV receives at their local
collection facility for uplink. DirecTV uplinks signals, Not the local
affiliates.

Regards,

Jim Atkinson
WDTN-DT

I do not have this dolby digital problem with any other channel [including OTA routed through the DT DVR via a regular antenna].

You're saying that you get Dayton's HD locals, that you have DD turned on on your receiver, and you're not having any problems?

In the case of Dayton, I have been told that WDTN (Channel 2) gets all the feeds (I believe through fiber) and uplinks them to D*.

In either case, your issue has not been able to be reproduced by other users from what I've seen. I think there is an issue with your settings from your D* box or your stereo. I run DD5.1 for all of the stations with no issues, and I run it on another TV with 2.0 and have no issues.

 

[mlb]

Exactly, iancgood. I get the Dayton HD locals through D* (and OTA), I have no DD problems whatsoever. I have a samsung receiver being fed through an optical cable. No audio issues right now. Originally I had some issues with WHIO not matching the video and audio.

 

[mlb]

The fact is DirecTV receives WDTN-DT HD over air. The signal that you
receive is the exact same signal that DirecTV receives at their local
collection facility for uplink. DirecTV uplinks signals, Not the local
affiliates.

Let me rephrase what I was saying... I was told that the D* and E* point of presence for the Dayton area was at WDTN. They may take care of the uplink, but from what I was told they do it from the WDTN facility. That information may not be correct.