You mean Louisiana? OTA in most of the markets is fairly easy here. Wished I lived an hour down the road. 2 CBS-HD's, 3 NBC-HD's, 2 FOX-HD's, 2 PBS-HD's, 2 ABC HD's, not counting the SD digitals.
I don't mean to hurt anyone's feelling..
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You mean Louisiana? OTA in most of the markets is fairly easy here. Wished I lived an hour down the road. 2 CBS-HD's, 3 NBC-HD's, 2 FOX-HD's, 2 PBS-HD's, 2 ABC HD's, not counting the SD digitals.
now you know why I fluncked spelling 
I actually looked it up and still mis-spelled it. I wasn't downing any of the states, it's just that there is a whole lot of people in "rural" areas.
I actually looked it up and still mis-spelled it. I wasn't downing any of the states, it's just that there is a whole lot of people in "rural" areas.Some stations are not transmitting at Full Transmission Power for digital
Many stations at the moment are not transmitting at Full Transmission Power for digital including HD. As we get closer to 2009 and as more and more HD sets are sold, some station that are hard to get will be able to be received.
At the moment I do not have the FCC page that you can type in your local station and get their FCC transmitting power limits. The ones that I do have for my area show their present power output and their maximum power limits.
It is my understanding that the FCC is allowing stations to slowly ramp up as they convert over.
Therefore you would see most of the stations at full authorized digital transmitting power in 2009.
Many stations at the moment are not transmitting at Full Transmission Power for digital including HD. As we get closer to 2009 and as more and more HD sets are sold, some station that are hard to get will be able to be received.
At the moment I do not have the FCC page that you can type in your local station and get their FCC transmitting power limits. The ones that I do have for my area show their present power output and their maximum power limits.
It is my understanding that the FCC is allowing stations to slowly ramp up as they convert over.
Therefore you would see most of the stations at full authorized digital transmitting power in 2009.
I only watch networks about 10% of time if that. Most of my time on HD channels, like discovery, natgeo, history, etc. But I did go out and do the OTA thing even in an apartment. I can get all but one channel (NBC which is 90+ miles away). I am happy with what we have now, but wouldnt complain if we get more.
Well, Quit using rabbit ears and get a real antenna.
Dude, wish I could use rabbit ears
It would've been a lot cheaper. I've got a Channel Master 4248 yagi w/ pre amp, in the attic. If it was outside, the local analog tower over comes the rear rejection ability of the yagi & I can watch that thing's channels all across the band That tower has 6 channels on it and being so close, it would over load the pre amp if I didn't have the roof to attenuate some of it.I'm also expecting trouble in 2009, because I know the county won't spring for HDTV repeaters, so I'll be stuck w/ digital SD that will still wipe out anything worth watching
I'm new to dish as of today. This thread about lack of local HD is confusing so I must be missing something: NBC is local and is in HD (The office next thrisday is set on my 722) and I see that monday night football is HD, so what locals are missing?
Thanks. Most people tokd me to go with dish because direct was more expensive. Hope I didnt make a mistake...
Thanks. Most people tokd me to go with dish because direct was more expensive. Hope I didnt make a mistake...
Some locals are broadcast by Dish, most are not (in HD). Monday night football is not a local station, it's ESPN (national).
Dish offers HD locals in 30+ cities. Maybe you live in one of those....
EKB: Dish HD Locals
Dish offers SD locals in 180+ markets so far and away, the vast majority of their customers do NOT have access to HD locals (well, if you go by population of those cities it might be different).
EKB: Dish HD Locals
Dish offers SD locals in 180+ markets so far and away, the vast majority of their customers do NOT have access to HD locals (well, if you go by population of those cities it might be different).
Wow I can't believe some people with DISH don't get locals in HD! Who would ever get dish if they can't get local HD?? (assuming you have HDTV of course). I also cannot understand why dish would not offer this in some markets (and direct tv would). This sounds like almost as stupid of a business decision as not allowing us to make backups of things we record (like Tivo does).
Small Town
You all should try living in small town Iowa. I am 45 miles south of Iowa City, and I get my locals from the Quad Cities. No chance in hell I will ever get HD locals. there are people I work with in a town 20 miles west of me, and they cannot even get SD locals. All have tried All American Direct, and nothing!
The way the government controls everything is just plain sick!
You all should try living in small town Iowa. I am 45 miles south of Iowa City, and I get my locals from the Quad Cities. No chance in hell I will ever get HD locals. there are people I work with in a town 20 miles west of me, and they cannot even get SD locals. All have tried All American Direct, and nothing!
The way the government controls everything is just plain sick!
Heyy Digi
Now you see why I'm worried that Dish's customer base is about to be erroded big time. Direct is killing them with the local into local in HD. Even Jackson, MS is getting locals in HD this month with Direct.
Now you see why I'm worried that Dish's customer base is about to be erroded big time. Direct is killing them with the local into local in HD. Even Jackson, MS is getting locals in HD this month with Direct.
Maybe I'm one of the few... whether DishNetwork or DirecTV had my locals in HD would have no bearing on my decision of provider since I don't have any issues with OTA.
What matters is what you watch
I am not sure that Locals are ALWAYS what matters to people. I think it's a combination, and I think you have to "Shop" around in order to get what you want in HD. For me, the combination of Dish and OTA gets about 85% of my normal viewing in HD.
That would be:
Local CBS through Dish (can't get a decent signal from Channel 2 in Chicago 50 miles away)
NBC, ABC, WGN, PBS (two of them), FOX and WCIU (Channel 26 for local sports) in HD over the air (I generally don't use Dish for the networks other than CBS because OTA quality is better) and PBS and other locals are not available.
Local RSN through Dish (Comcast Sports Net Chicago)
ESPN, Big Ten Network (not on cable in this area, by the way), TBS, TNT for Sports.
History, A&E, Discovery Networks as the most popular Cable channels.
For movies, we have bought HD PPV, and we do watch HBO, etc., in HD. And it would be nice to have more, but ...
So, between Dish and OTA, that would cover about 85% of what we watch, in HD.
The main exception right now would be Speed. I am NOT a NASCAR guy, so the stuff I would watch on Speed (F1, MotoGP, SCCA) is not likely to be in HD for a while, anyway.
So my advice is to figure out what's important to you, and go find it.
For me, that is Dish and OTA
Comcast, the cable competitor, comes up short. OTA by itself won't cut it. And Directv only met this requirement recently and their DVR sucks eggs. We don't get U-Verse.
I am not sure that Locals are ALWAYS what matters to people. I think it's a combination, and I think you have to "Shop" around in order to get what you want in HD. For me, the combination of Dish and OTA gets about 85% of my normal viewing in HD.
That would be:
Local CBS through Dish (can't get a decent signal from Channel 2 in Chicago 50 miles away)
NBC, ABC, WGN, PBS (two of them), FOX and WCIU (Channel 26 for local sports) in HD over the air (I generally don't use Dish for the networks other than CBS because OTA quality is better) and PBS and other locals are not available.
Local RSN through Dish (Comcast Sports Net Chicago)
ESPN, Big Ten Network (not on cable in this area, by the way), TBS, TNT for Sports.
History, A&E, Discovery Networks as the most popular Cable channels.
For movies, we have bought HD PPV, and we do watch HBO, etc., in HD. And it would be nice to have more, but ...
So, between Dish and OTA, that would cover about 85% of what we watch, in HD.
The main exception right now would be Speed. I am NOT a NASCAR guy, so the stuff I would watch on Speed (F1, MotoGP, SCCA) is not likely to be in HD for a while, anyway.
So my advice is to figure out what's important to you, and go find it.
For me, that is Dish and OTA
Comcast, the cable competitor, comes up short. OTA by itself won't cut it. And Directv only met this requirement recently and their DVR sucks eggs. We don't get U-Verse.
Let me repeat what I said earlier: Dish has SD locals in almost 200 markets. They have HD locals in around 30 markets. People clearly don't sign up with Dish solely for HD local service... Not to mention that HD locals have only been available what, 2 years ?
That , my friend, is like saying people only buy old cars because all cars get old. totally off the subject. Direct is making a push for HD locals, and are succeeding. I'm through. Those who won't be convinced, can't be convinced.
It would make an interesting poll to see who would dump Dish over Direct or vice-versa on the issue of local HD alone! I have to say being with Dish for over ten years that would probably be the "last straw" for me if Direct offered my locals in HD and Dish did not. Currently neither one provides it.
