Enter your vote today!  Check out the new poll for the HDTV-in-SFbay
group:


What is the HDTV receiver you use?

   o RCA (DTC-100)
   o DISH (5000 or 6000)
   o Panasonic
   o Sony
   o Other


To vote, please visit the following web page:

http://www.egroups.com/polls/HDTV-in-SFbay

Note: Please do not reply to this message. Poll votes are
not collected via email. To vote, you must go to the eGroups
web site listed above.

Thanks!

If you click on the poll button to the side of the display when you
are on the egroups website you can let others know which HDTV
receiver you own.  Then we can get an idea who has what, which are
most popular in San Francisco.

   -Randy

I'll start:

I am 38 and a friend worked for Sony last year and his employee
discount was about to expire so he asked "Who wants anything Sony for
40% off?"  I sent him to get me the XBR53-300, the big screen 4:3
aspect, built in surround sound TV which he could get for around
$2600, but as he was heading down I heard about the 53HS10.  I called
his cell phone in line and he got the new one instead for $2000.  He
was so excited about it he got one himself.

It arrived and I watched DVD's via composite for a while but soon
wanted a better picture.  The image on the new set was SO nice I even
hated the image I was getting on my Dishplayer 7100.  So when the
Dish 6000 came out I lept and got it.  This was before the demo
channel, when you got FREE HBO and Showtime in HD.  I was in hog
heaven, but a month later I had to sign up for HBO to continue to get
my HDTV.  Dish sends an East Coast feed of HBO to all their
customers, so it is sort of hard to get a good movie on when I am
sitting watching TV.  Prime Time occurs while I am still at work here
on the left coast.

I watched all sorts of movies on HDHBO, but the true excitement came
when they announced the release of the $100 8VSB tuner, which just
arrived last week.  Just in time for the Superbowl party I intended
to host in HD.

I have been watching the movies and HD series for a week and I am
very happy, but I am starting to get questions about what I see.  My
channel 19, KBWB, is stretched wide to fill the screen 16:9, even
though the source is normal aspect.  I wrote to others on the
internet, George for example, and he mentioned that he got channels
24.1 and 30.1 stretched wide on his deck.

So I am wondering what other people experience?  Have trouble tuning
a station?  (I can't get KICU for example) What TV did you get and
what set-top box are you attaching to it.

What online resources did you use in shopping, post links to them
here so that others may benefit.  I have posted links to the best TV
guides I have found for HD.

Thanks for contributing and hopefully we will increase each others
viewing enjoyment.

   -Randy

I am wondering what kind of ota reception I might get in orinda for
HDTV.  I am not quite on top of the other side of the berleley
hills.  I gather that signals from sutro tower are out of the
question.  Any help would be appreciated.  Also, any suggestions for
where to go for antenna help.  I would like to hire someone that is
knowledgable to tell me if my quest for ota signals is worthwhile

Thanks

KC

I have a Panasonic PT56 monitor, with DISH 6000 and OTA card.

I will be installing a roof mounted VHF antenna for OTA, and am
interested in knowing what HD channels others in the Sunnyvale/Santa
Clara area are able to receive, and what type of antenna used?
thanks.

What kind of analog reception do you get?  I get REALLY noisy, with lots of
multi-path analog reception, only KTVU looking sharper than cable, but I get
almost flawless digital reception, except KGO, my most multipathed channel,
and it shows as an occasional pixelation.

   -Randy

--- kevmcoleman@... wrote:
> I am wondering what kind of ota reception I might get in orinda for
> HDTV.  I am not quite on top of the other side of the berleley
> hills.  I gather that signals from sutro tower are out of the
> question.  Any help would be appreciated.  Also, any suggestions for
> where to go for antenna help.  I would like to hire someone that is
> knowledgable to tell me if my quest for ota signals is worthwhile
>
> Thanks
>
> KC
>
>


=====
Randy Spencer (http://radiolink.net/spencer) 510 523-2300 x140

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Photos - Share your holiday photos online!
http://photos.yahoo.com/

Right now I dont have an OTA antenna.  Do you live east of the
oakland hills?


--- In HDTV-in-SFbay@egroups.com, Randy Spencer <israndy@y...> wrote:
> What kind of analog reception do you get?  I get REALLY noisy, with
lots of
> multi-path analog reception, only KTVU looking sharper than cable,
but I get
> almost flawless digital reception, except KGO, my most multipathed
channel,
> and it shows as an occasional pixelation.
>
>   -Randy
>
> --- kevmcoleman@h... wrote:
> > I am wondering what kind of ota reception I might get in orinda
for
> > HDTV.  I am not quite on top of the other side of the berleley
> > hills.  I gather that signals from sutro tower are out of the
> > question.  Any help would be appreciated.  Also, any suggestions
for
> > where to go for antenna help.  I would like to hire someone that
is
> > knowledgable to tell me if my quest for ota signals is worthwhile
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> > KC
> >
> >
>
>
> =====
> Randy Spencer (http://radiolink.net/spencer) 510 523-2300 x140
>
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Yahoo! Photos - Share your holiday photos online!
> http://photos.yahoo.com/

No, sorry, Alameda.  You might get one of those antenna and return it after
seeing how much signal you get.  I did that when I tried to upgrade my roof
antenna, took it back to Radio Shack and told them it didn't make the
picture any better...

   -Randy

--- kevmcoleman@... wrote:
> Right now I dont have an OTA antenna.  Do you live east of the
> oakland hills?
>
>
> --- In HDTV-in-SFbay@egroups.com, Randy Spencer <israndy@y...> wrote:
> > What kind of analog reception do you get?  I get REALLY noisy, with
> lots of
> > multi-path analog reception, only KTVU looking sharper than cable,
> but I get
> > almost flawless digital reception, except KGO, my most multipathed
> channel,
> > and it shows as an occasional pixelation.
> >
> >   -Randy
> >
> > --- kevmcoleman@h... wrote:
> > > I am wondering what kind of ota reception I might get in orinda
> for
> > > HDTV.  I am not quite on top of the other side of the berleley
> > > hills.  I gather that signals from sutro tower are out of the
> > > question.  Any help would be appreciated.  Also, any suggestions
> for
> > > where to go for antenna help.  I would like to hire someone that
> is
> > > knowledgable to tell me if my quest for ota signals is worthwhile
> > >
> > > Thanks
> > >
> > > KC
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
> > =====
> > Randy Spencer (http://radiolink.net/spencer) 510 523-2300 x140
> >
> > __________________________________________________
> > Do You Yahoo!?
> > Yahoo! Photos - Share your holiday photos online!
> > http://photos.yahoo.com/
>
>


=====
Randy Spencer (http://radiolink.net/spencer) 510 523-2300 x140

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Photos - Share your holiday photos online!
http://photos.yahoo.com/

Yes, is it channel 11 in San Jose?  I am gonna miss KRON's signal, very
clean, but all I get from them in HD is the Tonight show.  Makes it hard to
watch my Conan afterwards, the picture is still so whimpy compared to HDTV.
Hopefully the new NBC will put an antenna in Sutro or I'll have to get a
rotor on my antenna.

   -Randy

"Reggie Blank" <nustech@...> wrote in message
news:3a4d1e6b.31184885@news...
> Its because of the "Mountain" in "Mountain View" that you can't get a
> signal. You have San Bruno Mountain  and  a couple of big hills in
> your way blocking the Signals from Mount Sutroand the Sutro tower.
> Isn't  one of the stations in San Jose going to become the NBC station
> for the Bay area soon?
>
>
> On Wed, 27 Dec 2000 00:55:08 -0800, George Graves
> <gmgraves@...> wrote:
>
> >In article <261220001859245345%ursine1@...>, Chuck Fisher
> ><ursine1@...> wrote:
> >
> >> In article <gmgraves-4B950A.10532726122000@...>, George
> >> Graves <gmgraves@...> wrote:
> >>
> >> > Absolutely. I live in Mountain View and I had to buy the Radio Shack
> >> > VU-210-XR antenna (58 elements, 190" boom length, 135 mile UHF deep
> >> > fringe Stock # 15-2157, US$130). PLUS the +24 DB 15-1167 distribution
> >> > amplifier (US$45) to get good enough signal strength, and KPIX and
KQED
> >> > still break-up occasionally.
> >>
> >> Wow!  And I live inRichmond and can get by with an indoor "bowtie" UHF
> >> antenna.  I can even get KICU which is San José fine.  Do you suppose
> >> that because the line-of-sight traverses a lot of the Bay, that this
> >> makes a difference?
> >
> >I don't know. I just know that the part of Mountain View in which I live
> >has extremely poor TV and FM reception.
>

Curious, are you seeing the same things that I am?

When I tune thru the channels I get:

2-01 KTVU
20-01 KBWB
24-01
24-02
29-01
30-01 KQED
45-01
45-02
57-01
57-02
57-03

Meaning that the channels are auto-identified as listed above.  I
found it interesting that only SOME of the channels have this auto-
identify feature.  And channel 56 goes so far as to auto-identify as
channel 2, is this the way the bay area looks one everyone elses
receivers?

45-01 the KBHK feed, never has anything on it. Same with 57-01 KRON.

24-01 and 24-02 has the same image.  I spoke to George on the group
who said he sees 24-01 stretched to 16x9.  I see 20-01 KBWB stretched
to 16x9.

What about program guides?  Do your tuners have a way to tell what is
on DTV?

   -Randy

Well, I have a 56H80 and recently bought the dtc-100 (will most likely
return it unfortunately).

I am trying to get ota going(especially for the superbowl), but living in
San Ramon gives me a hill between me and sutro, and I can't seem to get
much(well, nothing) from sacto either.

I bought a $20 radio shack UHF antenna and have been goofing around with
it. I can get sound on 44 but no picture. I can get 42 and 36, but I don't
believe anything else.

Using the dtc-100, I can't seem to get anything. I guess the signal
strengths on all stations are zero because it only shows -- in the cloumn
next to the station after a scan.

What's strange is that it labels some stations as being analog even though
they are supposed to be digital. Like 40.1 is labelled as analog, even
though it should be digital FOX from sacto, correct? This station kinda
blinks in and out. It looks like a combination of analog and a digital
transmission.

Anyway, would it help to pickup a better antenna(if so, where in the
bay area is a good place to check out?)? Or do you think I'm out
of luck? I am kinda up on the hill in San Ramon, so I would think I should
at least be able to pick up something from sacto.

The Good Guys in Dublin apparently get all of the ota feeds (or so they
told me) from SF.

Any comments appreciated :)

Tom

I'm in San Jose and use an outdoor UHF only antenna from Radio Shack
(15-2162) with my DTC100.  I receive all the Sutro Tower signals fine.  I've
tried to find the Sacramento stations, but there are too many hills in the
way.  I receive a marginal Channel 3 analog signal and a very weak Channel
40 analog signal.

It sounds like your Off-Air guide is on.  You may want to turn the Off-Air
guide off and rescan the channels.  I had trouble finding digital channels
with the Off -Air guide on.

The Sacramento stations broadcast on digital channels 25, 35, 55, and 61.
The Sutro Tower digital channels are 19, 24, 29, 30, 45, 56, and 57.  In San
Jose the digital channels are 12 and 52.

I have a rooftop antenna and I get ALL the channels that my antenna points
to.  I don't get 36 (digital 52) my antenna is pointed the wrong way, and 42
doesn't even broadcast in digital.  There are Omni-directional antenna that
I might try next year when NBC moves to the southbay.  I don't know what a
signal you would get by putting an attic or rooftop antenna up (perhaps one
with a rotor if you wanna get Sutro and Sacto and San Jose.  Even if you
don't get too good picture with analog I have seen people with websites
showing digital picture they have received from as much as 250 miles away
using a tall enough antenna.

btw. 40.1 is KTXL in Sacto in Analog.  The digital version is at 55.1

   -Randy

--- Thomas Funk <grue@...> wrote:
> Well, I have a 56H80 and recently bought the dtc-100 (will most likely
> return it unfortunately).
>
> I am trying to get ota going(especially for the superbowl), but living in
> San Ramon gives me a hill between me and sutro, and I can't seem to get
> much(well, nothing) from sacto either.
>
> I bought a $20 radio shack UHF antenna and have been goofing around with
> it. I can get sound on 44 but no picture. I can get 42 and 36, but I don't
> believe anything else.
>
> Using the dtc-100, I can't seem to get anything. I guess the signal
> strengths on all stations are zero because it only shows -- in the cloumn
> next to the station after a scan.
>
> What's strange is that it labels some stations as being analog even though
> they are supposed to be digital. Like 40.1 is labelled as analog, even
> though it should be digital FOX from sacto, correct? This station kinda
> blinks in and out. It looks like a combination of analog and a digital
> transmission.
>
> Anyway, would it help to pickup a better antenna(if so, where in the
> bay area is a good place to check out?)? Or do you think I'm out
> of luck? I am kinda up on the hill in San Ramon, so I would think I should
> at least be able to pick up something from sacto.
>
> The Good Guys in Dublin apparently get all of the ota feeds (or so they
> told me) from SF.
>
> Any comments appreciated :)
>
> Tom
>
>


=====
Randy Spencer (http://radiolink.net/spencer) 510 523-2300 x140

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Photos - Share your holiday photos online!
http://photos.yahoo.com/

Thanks for the comments. Now I'm straight with my digital/analog stations.

I'm still not getting any digital stations, but it's strange that when I
try to simply get analog 36, it is all blocky like you would see in a
digital transmission. It's also strange that after I do a channel scan, it
labels all the VHF stations as digital, and most of the others as analog
(including 29, which should be digital).

So right now I get analog 36(mostly), 42, 64.

I can't seem to get anything digital.

But I'll keep trying ;)

Tom

Perhaps what you are seeing with channel 36 is what I see with channel 2,
even though it is broadcast on channel 56, when I look at the channels on
the tuner it shows as channel 2.  KTVU is the only channel that happens on,
but I don't get KICU, perhaps they are doing the same thing, and when you
tune 36 you ARE getting the digital channel.

Did you go to Radio Shack and get that UHF antenna the other guy mentioned.
Outdoor antennas are SO much better than indoor.  If it doesn't work get a
mast and put it 40 feet in the air.

   -Randy

--- Thomas Funk <grue@...> wrote:
> Thanks for the comments. Now I'm straight with my digital/analog stations.
>
> I'm still not getting any digital stations, but it's strange that when I
> try to simply get analog 36, it is all blocky like you would see in a
> digital transmission. It's also strange that after I do a channel scan, it
>
> labels all the VHF stations as digital, and most of the others as analog
> (including 29, which should be digital).
>
> So right now I get analog 36(mostly), 42, 64.
>
> I can't seem to get anything digital.
>
> But I'll keep trying ;)
>
> Tom
>
>


=====
Randy Spencer (http://radiolink.net/spencer) 510 523-2300 x140

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Photos - Share your holiday photos online!
http://photos.yahoo.com/

> but I don't get KICU, perhaps they are doing the same thing, and when you
> tune 36 you ARE getting the digital channel.

That's interesting, at least it would be _something_. What's also weird
with this channel is that the picture is all pushed to the left half of
the screen, with kind of like "mouse-trails" on the right half if that
makes any sense.

I'll goof around with this station some more.

Is there content on these digital stations all day long?

> Did you go to Radio Shack and get that UHF antenna the other guy mentioned.

I have the $20 outdoor UHF Radio Shack antenna. It's about 3' long.

Thanks,

Tom

In order to boost the usefulness of http://www.egroups.com/group/HDTV-
in-SFbay I have entered several useful links including ones to
various schedules for when programs will air.

Additionally I added the regular weekly schedule of network programs
in HD and what will be on HBO in HD this month.  This daily schedule
seems be require a password to log in, you should have receive a
password to that site in the first egroups email message.  If not,
let me know and I'll re-add you to the egroups site.

If you watch HDShowtime and would like that schedule added let me
know, or if you know of some other HD program material also let me
know.

   -Randy

I know that there were warnings about using the DTC100 with the Sony TV as
the output of the RCA is designed for an RCA TV, sort of strange, but if you
tweaked with the controls on the Sony you can get it to work.  I don't know
what kind of TV you have but I would recommend following up on the picture
with either RCA or your set's manufacturer.  Perhaps there is something not
quite correct between the two at High Definition synch rates.

   -Randy

--- Thomas Funk <grue@...> wrote:
> the picture is all pushed to the left half of
> the screen, with kind of like "mouse-trails" on the right half if that
> makes any sense.

> Tom
>
>


=====
Randy Spencer (http://radiolink.net/spencer) 510 523-2300 x140

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Photos - Share your holiday photos online!
http://photos.yahoo.com/

You need to adjust the "raster" on the RCA box as it is factory set for the
RCA TVs which use an unusual raster control, totally different from other TV
brands. First you must go into the 'service' mode on the RCA Box. Follow the
instructions below, and you can't go wrong:

Press BOTH the "Info" and the "down arrow" button
ON THE FRONT OF THE UNIT simultaneously (not
from the remote, that won't work). This will put you into
the 'service' menu mode. Scroll the menu down past
the last entry visible at the bottom of the screen, to
the 'second page' of the service menu and you will
see an Item called "Raster Center" with a
representation of a slider control beside it. Using the
left and right arrow buttons, move the slider until the picture is
centered on the screen. Best to use a regular, non-widescreen
NTSC picture for this, as it makes the adjustment easy. Just tune
to a digital channel when they are NOT showing H-D
or widescreen programming, and use the vertical sidebars (which
will be either black or gray) of the letterboxed picture to center
the picture (eyeball the sidebars and move 'em till they look
the same width.). Then, exit from the service menu
without touching anything else (you can screw the
box up by messing with this other stuff) and you're
done.

Hope this helps.

George Graves

> From: Randy Spencer <israndy@...>
> Reply-To: HDTV-in-SFbay@egroups.com
> Date: Thu, 04 Jan 2001 14:17:24 -0800 (PST)
> To: HDTV-in-SFbay@egroups.com
> Subject: Re: [HDTV-in-SFbay] San Ramon
>
> I know that there were warnings about using the DTC100 with the Sony TV as
> the output of the RCA is designed for an RCA TV, sort of strange, but if you
> tweaked with the controls on the Sony you can get it to work.  I don't know
> what kind of TV you have but I would recommend following up on the picture
> with either RCA or your set's manufacturer.  Perhaps there is something not
> quite correct between the two at High Definition synch rates.
>
> -Randy
>
> --- Thomas Funk <grue@...> wrote:
>> the picture is all pushed to the left half of
>> the screen, with kind of like "mouse-trails" on the right half if that
>> makes any sense.
>
>> Tom
>>
>>
>
>
> =====
> Randy Spencer (http://radiolink.net/spencer) 510 523-2300 x140
>
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Yahoo! Photos - Share your holiday photos online!
> http://photos.yahoo.com/
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> HDTV-in-SFbay-unsubscribe@egroups.com
>
>
>

If you go to the KNTV web site they have a "Countdown to NBC" clock going.
I think it's on it's way.  Their antenna is in the pass where 17 goes to
Santa Cruz.  That seems a bit extreme for those of us in the Marin area.  I
can't even get the current KNTV signal  in Alameda.  Hopefully they will add
another broadcast tower...

   -Randy

"George Graves" <gmgraves@...> wrote in message
news:gmgraves-B5D93C.12422103012001@....
> > Isn't  one of the stations in San Jose going to become the NBC station
> > for the Bay area soon?
>
> I hear that this is true. KNTV Channel 11 in SJ used to be a redundant
> ABC affiliate (redundant because KGO in SF covers the same market). KRON
> in SF wants to give-up their NBC affiliation, and KNTV, which is now an
> indie since losing its ABC affiliation last summer, wants to pick it up.
> Don't know if this has FCC approval or not. I don't think its a good
> idea because San Jose is at the south end of a market which stretches
> far north of the Golden Gate. San Francisco is pretty centrally located
> for this market, San Jose is not.

Randy,

Thanks you for the phone time this evening.  This
is a great idea for a group.

We are located in San Jose, near Campbell.  My son
introduced us to the Pioneer Elite line through a frat
house buddy.  After check around, we gave in and bought
the 610.  Must say, it's as fine a piece of equipment
as I can ever remember buying.

Santa brought a DTC100 for it (but without the dish).
We have seen the compressed channels and until they can
bring up more HDTV, we'll just stick to the OTA antenna
inputs and dig for the DTV stations.  At least the ears
and noses stick to the actors faces.

I would like to hear back from someone near the San Jose
area as to the reception.  The DTV pictures are not always
clear, even with a good HDTV source. And now, 24-1 has
simply disappeared.

Any insight would be highly appreciated.

Thanks for the group, --Mark Skovmand

I tried to watch The Rock (the movie, not the WWF star) on ABC
tonight but the HD channel was BLACK the whole time (still is), but
the 24-2 channel showed the SDTV version just fine.  Anybody else
seeing this?

   -Randy

--- In HDTV-in-SFbay@egroups.com, "Randy Spencer" <israndy@y...>
wrote:
> I tried to watch The Rock (the movie, not the WWF star) on ABC
> tonight but the HD channel was BLACK the whole time (still is), but
> the 24-2 channel showed the SDTV version just fine.  Anybody else
> seeing this?
>
>   -Randy

From San Jose, we were able to sync up to 24-1, but
the picture continued to freeze, and yes, lots of black.
Didn't note the signal strength, just gave up on it.
It was fine a week ago when they were sending both
24-1 and 24-2.  In fact, being new, we thought that
was the norm, HD on 24-1 and SD on 24-2.  We didn't know
that 24-1 only came up when needed.

BTW, to my surprise, it turns out that Tom Peterson
in this group lives walking distance from us.  We have
identical DTC100 receivers and RS antennas (and issues).
We have already been able to verify that our CBS 29-1
pictures break up at the same time.  Not sure why yet,
but we have a few ideas to test.

We both have good signal strength, 83-87%.  But we both
get small breakups every 5-60 seconds.  After a
little all night research on the web, there seems to be
more possibilities for the breakup than answers, including
other FCC approved usage of the same frequencies, other
TV stations like channel 29, airport traffic(?), tower equipment,
hill distortions and echoes, on and on.

Question, is there anyone in San Jose who receives 29-1 okay
or knows what the issue is?  Or, anyone closer to SF on the
West side in-line with SJ that does?  It would be helpful to
see if our position, distance or equipment is at fault.

Thanks much, --Mark

PS:  We get 61-1 from Sac.  Looks great at 40% … go figure.

Well I am not in-line with San Jose here in Alameda, but I have been having
problems with CBS for the last week.  I get breakups, but not as often as
you describe, but I can't go 15 minutes without losing about a minute with
complete broken up screen.  To fix it I have to keep resetting the receiver
(off-then on).  It looks WEIRD too, some keyframe will be used by another
keyframe's change data, so there is this invisible man effect on this still
frame background.  I guess you have to see it to understand.

I don't seem to have the same problem with other channels.  I mostly get
noise on ABC and LOTS of noise on WB.  KRON, KBHK, and KTVU are all REALLY
clear, but they also don't broadcast ANY HDTV.  Oops!  KRON has the Tonight
Show, and that has been really stable.  I guess I am still stumped as to
what my problem is.  Hope to get it figured out by the superbowl...

   -Randy

--- Mark Skovmand <marks@...> wrote:
> We have already been able to verify that our CBS 29-1
> pictures break up at the same time.  Not sure why yet,
> but we have a few ideas to test.
>
> We both have good signal strength, 83-87%.  But we both
> get small breakups every 5-60 seconds
> Question, is there anyone in San Jose who receives 29-1 okay
> or knows what the issue is?  Or, anyone closer to SF on the
> West side in-line with SJ that does?  It would be helpful to
> see if our position, distance or equipment is at fault.
>
> Thanks much, --Mark
>
> PS:  We get 61-1 from Sac.  Looks great at 40% … go figure.
>
>
>
>
>
>


=====
Randy Spencer (http://radiolink.net/spencer) 510 523-2300 x140

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Photos - Share your holiday photos online!
http://photos.yahoo.com/

For me, this is pure play.  But imagine if our jobs
depended on this stuff working as advertised.  ;o)

My dad was a TV repair man back in the early '50s.
TV's weren't much back then, but the components where
large enough to play with as toys.  Pop could add a
cap here or a resister change there to reduce ringing
and echos, you name it.  All in all, a good round tube
black and white could produce a pretty sweet picture.
It's just fun to see we still need to get our fingers
into the technology even today.

BTW, he is impressed with the advances, but just laughs
at my new tuner efforts.  Of cource, it would have helped
to have put up the antenna right the first time. Who knew
the bow tie had to be bent out into position.

As for our cbs feed, do you expect the receiver to be
of issue, or is the data feed from the station screwing
up our receivers?  Are other receivers having the same
issues with the cbs feed?  This would be a great time
to hear from someone who DID NOT have a problem with
cbs recently.

--Mark

--- In HDTV-in-SFbay@egroups.com, Randy Spencer <israndy@y...> wrote:
> Well I am not in-line with San Jose here in Alameda, but I have been
having
> problems with CBS for the last week.  I get breakups, but not as
often as

I have the Dish 6000 not the RCA so it's not just the receiver.  I need to
buy one of those HDTV specific antennas.

   -Randy

--- Mark Skovmand <marks@...> wrote:
>
> As for our cbs feed, do you expect the receiver to be
> of issue, or is the data feed from the station screwing
> up our receivers?  Are other receivers having the same
> issues with the cbs feed?
>
> --Mark


=====
Randy Spencer (http://radiolink.net/spencer) 510 523-2300 x140

__________________________________________________
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Out here near the Sunnyvale/cupertino/santa clara border, with a ~20 element
Yagi UHF/VHF radio shack antenna installed up on the roof with clear sight
towards SF, and DISH 6000 with OTA card, I'm able to pick up 20-01, 24-01,
24-02, 29-01, 30-01, 36-01, and 36-02, having tried all known SF, SJ, and
Sacramento digital channels.  Most of these channels are barely at the 50%
signal level so there are quite a few dropouts.

I'll probably be trying an in-line amp, and then going for a much larger
antenna.  But after ~$400 for this antenna re-wiring, and re-mount, I'm not
looking forward to using the same vendor for the antenna install.  The
installers did spend a good hour or so just trying to aim it to get a high
signal for 20 (19), but we never got beyond low 50% range.

Any recommendations for a good amp, and if that doesn't do it, a very large
antenna, and good installers in the south bay?

Ironically, even ch. 26 (KTSF in SF) analog doesn't come in any better than
rabbit ears.  Very odd.  However with HDTV, the powered rabbit ears could
only get 36-01 and 36-02, apparently a very strong signal here.

Any chance that the SF stations will beef up their power a bit in the
future?  Thanks for any info.

I am jealous about 36, but it's a shame you don't get 45, 56 and 57.  Don't
you get KNTV (Future home of NBC)? When you look at KBWB (digital 19) do you
see it stretched WIDE like I do on my 6000?  Are all the others normal
aspect ratio?

The broadcasters can't change the power output.  There is a small
possibility that they will be changing the ENTIRE FORMAT from 8VSB, that
would mean that they would have to reapportion the power each station
broadcasts in to get a signal to reach as far as the current system.  The
good news is that people who are having multipath problems wouldn't have as
much of a problem as with the current system.

Congress indicated that they wanted to give broadcasters the ability to
compete better with cable and so gave them these digital channels to play
with.  The digital signal over the air is SO MUCH better than cable.  But
you are experiencing the problem with it.  Doesn't reach EVERYWHERE.  This
is what caused the popularity of cable in the first place.  Now congress is
trying to create regulations (must carry rules for cable) that specify
carrying the new local digital channels.  It may take another year or more
but some locals already have local DT on cable, perhaps we will get it soon.
  It's the only way I'll be able to pick up NBC when it moves to the
southbay.

   -Randy

--- Ted Matsumura <tedm@...> wrote:
> DISH 6000 with OTA card, I'm able to pick up 20-01, 24-01,
> 24-02, 29-01, 30-01, 36-01, and 36-02
>
> Any chance that the SF stations will beef up their power a bit in the
> future?  Thanks for any info.

=====
Randy Spencer (http://radiolink.net/spencer) 510 523-2300 x140

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Photos - Share your holiday photos online!
http://photos.yahoo.com/

Here in Alameda I am jealous about 36, but it's a shame you don't get 45, 56
and 57.  Don't you get KNTV (Future home of NBC)? When you look at KBWB
(digital 19) do you see it stretched WIDE like I do on my 6000?  Are all the
others normal aspect ratio?

The broadcasters can't change the power output.  There is a small
possibility that they will be changing the ENTIRE FORMAT from 8VSB, that
would mean that they would have to reapportion the power each station
broadcasts in to get a signal to reach as far as the current system.  The
good news is that people who are having multipath problems wouldn't have as
much of a problem as with the current system.

Congress indicated that they wanted to give broadcasters the ability to
compete better with cable and so gave them these digital channels to play
with.  The digital signal over the air is SO MUCH better than cable.  But
you are experiencing the problem with it.  Doesn't reach EVERYWHERE.  This
is what caused the popularity of cable in the first place.  Now congress is
trying to create regulations (must carry rules for cable) that specify
carrying the new local digital channels.  It may take another year or more
but some locals already have local DT on cable, perhaps we will get it soon.
  It's the only way I'll be able to pick up NBC when it moves to the
southbay.

   -Randy

--- Ted Matsumura <tedm@...> wrote:
> DISH 6000 with OTA card, I'm able to pick up 20-01, 24-01,
> 24-02, 29-01, 30-01, 36-01, and 36-02
>
> Any chance that the SF stations will beef up their power a bit in the
> future?  Thanks for any info.

=====
Randy Spencer (http://radiolink.net/spencer) 510 523-2300 x140

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Photos - Share your holiday photos online!
http://photos.yahoo.com/

Hi Randy,
   Thanks for this info.  No, while during the antenna adjustments at one
point I could get KNTV (12), but when the final clamp down was done, I don't
get it anymore.  No, I see blips on signal strength on 45, and again I did
briefly get FOX 56 while they were aligning antenna, but now I don't.  No 57
either, some signal, but not enough to lock or display.  I wonder if it is
the sensitivity of the DISH 6000 OTA card?  Should I consider trying another
one before going to huge antenna?  Thanks,

Ted

-----Original Message-----
From: Randy Spencer [mailto:israndy@...]
Sent: Tuesday, January 09, 2001 9:57 PM
To: HDTV-in-SFbay@egroups.com
Subject: Re: [HDTV-in-SFbay] low signal strength w/ dish 6000, standard
VHF antenna in SV/SC/Cupt.


I am jealous about 36, but it's a shame you don't get 45, 56 and 57.  Don't
you get KNTV (Future home of NBC)? When you look at KBWB (digital 19) do you
see it stretched WIDE like I do on my 6000?  Are all the others normal
aspect ratio?
...