Voom Locals rumor

[Kentstater72]

I was in Green Bay for the Giants game yesterday and had an interesting conversation.
I am going to let you guys figure out what the ramifications are but in essence Voom is talking to CBS about picking up their HD signal out of Green Bay for broadcast (everywhere but the Green Bay MPA) I am not talking Football, I am talking the entire schedule.
It seemed to me they are looking for a new way to handle Network HD.
The source is very credible, I on the other hand, was a little skittish to press for more details, but it sounds like something that could happen quickly.

 

[Dvlos]

That would be such a major bummer for us looking for other HD options, but a major plus for those who dropped VOom because of lack of HD locals.

 

[vurbano]

That would be such a major bummer for us looking for other HD options, but a major plus for those who dropped VOom because of lack of HD locals.

It cannot happen as HD local. Maybe as an HD distant network feed.

 

[Kentstater72]

It cannot happen as HD local. Maybe as an HD distant network feed.

Yeah.
The way he made it sound, we would be getting Green Bay news, local programing everything that their station put on the air. It would also be blacked out for that MPA.
They said that Green Bay was the chosen one because it has put a bundle into HD upgrades, is owned by CBS, and is a small MPA to loose for VOOM. He also was complaining that that station got hit with 55,000 fine for Janet Jackson. I guess they took a double hit because they own broadcast rights in the UP of Michigan

 

[Dvlos]

Here's the confusing part, would this be for people who can't get it OTA or only those who live in O&O areas (and probably have a decent chance of getting it already?)

 

[Kentstater72]

Well ya see this is where my ignorance kicks in.
Now first this was the post game so there were numerous adult beverages served, and second I do not know all the workings of the FCC like you guys.
I do remember him speaking of O&O just before I got my glasses knocked off by some kids throwing a football around the parking lot.

 

[gutter]

I would like to see this happen because my local CBS affiliate is not digital yet and when they go digital they have already said that they will not be HD. Perhaps it might be like prime time 24 that can supply signals to those receivers who do not have access to at least a grade B signal form a near affiliate. Seems like some FCC rules would have to change. the old rules were based on analog. It digital and HD different? In my view I think it is but don't know what the FCC powers would say. They have not exactly been bold in their moves to help HD.

 

[Davey Roa]

i would love it because I live in Simi Valley, California and I get no locals at all!

 

[Scotty]

I would like to see this happen because my local CBS affiliate is not digital yet and when they go digital they have already said that they will not be HD. Perhaps it might be like prime time 24 that can supply signals to those receivers who do not have access to at least a grade B signal form a near affiliate. Seems like some FCC rules would have to change. the old rules were based on analog. It digital and HD different? In my view I think it is but don't know what the FCC powers would say. They have not exactly been bold in their moves to help HD.

Digital and HD are different. Digtial carries HD but it can also carry standard definition (sd - 480i) and anything in between. The rule of thumb is that 1 hd channel's bandwidth = about 6 sd channels bandwidth. A pair of my local stations carries HD (must be a lower quality HD) on the -1 subchannel of their frequency, and SD on the -2 subchannel. In the past, they were just doing SD on one subchannel and nothing else. So we can transition to all digital even if most of the content is still in SD.

 

[polargrowler]

This would be great for me - my Voom installer wouldn't put up the OTA antenna because he would have needed a ladder bigger than the 10' one he carries with him.
Would be nice to occasionally see a network!

 

[gutter]

Digital and HD are different. Digtial carries HD but it can also carry standard definition (sd - 480i) and anything in between. The rule of thumb is that 1 hd channel's bandwidth = about 6 sd channels bandwidth. A pair of my local stations carries HD (must be a lower quality HD) on the -1 subchannel of their frequency, and SD on the -2 subchannel. In the past, they were just doing SD on one subchannel and nothing else. So we can transition to all digital even if most of the content is still in SD.

I know all that. I was in broadcasting for 30 years. I am saying that the station is not broadcasting digital but when they do they will not be HD nor carry CBS network HD. Just pass the SD signal in digital format.

 

[DarrellP]

The rule of thumb is that 1 hd channel's bandwidth = about 6 sd channels bandwidth.

That would = 1 Analog channel, 6 SD satellite channels or 3 OTA SD channels.

 

[PGHammer]

The FCC's Grade B Rule and HD

I would like to see this happen because my local CBS affiliate is not digital yet and when they go digital they have already said that they will not be HD. Perhaps it might be like prime time 24 that can supply signals to those receivers who do not have access to at least a grade B signal form a near affiliate. Seems like some FCC rules would have to change. the old rules were based on analog. It digital and HD different? In my view I think it is but don't know what the FCC powers would say. They have not exactly been bold in their moves to help HD.

Actually, it isn't different at all.

That is precisely why DirecTV and D* carry OOA (out-of-area) network (and network HD) feeds.

True story: DC local DirecTV customer can't receive local NBC O&O due to terrain issues, but is *way* outside the Grade B of next-nearest NBC station (Baltimore, MD NBC affil that is over seventy miles away!). He contacts the Baltimore affil, who *faxes* him a waiver, which he relays to DirecTV. Within twelve hours, he gets the DirecTV NBC HD feed.

 

[PGHammer]

Remember, different broadcast bands!

Digital and HD are different. Digtial carries HD but it can also carry standard definition (sd - 480i) and anything in between. The rule of thumb is that 1 hd channel's bandwidth = about 6 sd channels bandwidth. A pair of my local stations carries HD (must be a lower quality HD) on the -1 subchannel of their frequency, and SD on the -2 subchannel. In the past, they were just doing SD on one subchannel and nothing else. So we can transition to all digital even if most of the content is still in SD.

The quality of HD is not necessarily a barrier to multicasting: what the station *itself* is willing to invest in the capability *is*.

Here in DMA #8 (Washington, DC/Hagerstown, MD) of the *full-power* (those not trapped in lower-than-authorized power due to STAs or other issues) HD-casting stations, only one *doesn't* multicast (FOX O&O WTTG-TV/DT).

The others?

Three have one SD subchannel (two have 1080i HD primary subs, the other has a 720p primary sub).

One has *three* SD subchannels and a 1080i primary.

Two have four SD subchannels without an HD primary subchannel.

One has *six* SD subchannels (again without an HD primary subchannel).

 

[gutter]

Direct TV is based on only Network O&O's not all affiliates. If you live in an O&O network affliliate, Direct will provide you with a signal. Not necessarily from the local O&O but a network signal because you live in an O&O area.

 

[PGHammer]

Here's the skinny on distant signals over satellite (applies to everyone)

Direct TV is based on only Network O&O's not all affiliates. If you live in an O&O network affliliate, Direct will provide you with a signal. Not necessarily from the local O&O but a network signal because you live in an O&O area.

If you can't receive a local O&O but are in the so-called Grade-B contour of an *affiliate* of the same network, you have to get a waiver from said affiliate. For MSOs, *must-carry* works this way, but in reverse (if you are the Grade B contour of a local station's signal, analog or digital, you *must* retransmit that signal to your customers unless the station tells you otherwise).

Washington, DC and Baltimore, MD are two *completely separate* DMAs less than thirty miles apart (DMA center to DMA center), and each has a complete set of network and PBS stations. Except for ABC, UPN, and WB, there is at least one O&O in one city or the other (FOX has duopolies in both cities; in each case, they also own the UPN affiliate). The NBC O&O is in Washington, DC, the CBS O&O is in Baltimore, and because of the small distance between the two, the Grade B contours have a severe case of *overlap*.

For the major cable MSO in both DMAs (Comcast) it has caused some strange twists in the local lineups. Some systems carry only the Baltimore stations, some carry only the DC stations, and some carry both. Carriage negotiations are not handled nationally (or even regionally) but on an individual system basis (this is true nowhere else).

True example: Two Comcast systems in neighboring counties (and both entirely within the Washington DMA), yet one gets the Baltimore stations in addition to the DC stations carried, and the other system does not. (Originally, both systems carried both sets of stations.) It is not a capacity issue (in fact, the system that doesn't carry the Baltimore stations was modernized before the system that does), but a strictly local decision.

 

[Kentstater72]

Ok, what does it mean to convert HD to DS3?

My CBS connection says this will be done in 60 days.

 

[Kentstater72]

My source says this weekend, Monday at the latest, CBS HD from Green Bay.

 

[jagouar]

I hope they get the others.... wonder how they will handle the wavier thing because I get CBS/PBS locally but the closest FOX/ABC/NBC/WB/UPN are 100 miles away (have low power SD towers so basically we will never see HD from them OTA).

I hope voom works a deal where if you dont get the signal in your guide you get the distant, and dont even use the damn wavier system (because it sucks how a station 80 miles away can claim to deliver you a reliable signal)

 

[Sean Mota]

My source says this weekend, Monday at the latest, CBS HD from Green Bay.

can you give more details? What is supposed to do?