I received an interesting email from a reader in Casco, Maine, who recently installed a digital converter box to go along with his rabbit ears. Before the installation he could receive channels 6, 8, 13, and 10 (that's WCSH-NBC, WMTW-ABC, WGME-CBS, and Maine Public Broadcasting Network -PBS).
It is interesting that the one channel the reader stopped receiving is the most complicated one in terms of a possible explanation. The reader went out and bought a new indoor antenna with an amplifier and the reception for MPBN isn't any better. The other channels come in fine and their picture is crystal clear.
When the reader wrote to me directly I immediately thought of a few things. First, MPBN broadcasts on several different analog channels, each with its own tower in a different location in Maine. For example, analog channel 26 which is WMEA (MPBN/PBS) in Biddeford tunes in through digital channel 45.1. When your digital TV, or your digital converter box searches for all available digital channel during the setup process, the digital TV or converter will pick up channel 45.1 and tell you that Channel 26 has been found. Keep in mind that in this case the "45.1" is just a place holder and you would only need to know it if your TV didn't find it and you want to try and find it manually (following the instructions that came with your converter box).
Now, north of Portland MPBN probably comes in better on analog Channel 10 (or digital Channel 17.1). Then again if you are way up in Bangor, you would be looking for analog 12, digital 9.1. So for PBS being broadcast in Maine as the Maine Public Broadcasting Network, they have several broadcasting towers to ensure that all Mainers (or most anyway) have access to the publicly funded network. The FCC has mandated that broadcast television must remain free to the public and in the case of PBS which is actually funded by the taxpayers, additional rules are in place regarding access to these broadcasts. Any other regular network channel (ABC, NBC, etc) is not going to have more than one tower (meaning it won't have more than one analog and one digital channel assignment) for its particular market segment.
I know the answer sounds complicated. I have more information available in other location on this site. You may want to start with http://mainehdtv.blogspot.com/2007/12/high-definition-hd-digital-channels-in.html.
Between Antenna Web and Wikipedia you should be able to find your available channels and the correct digital equivalents.
NOTE: AFTER THE FEBRUARY 2009 CONVERSION DATE, MANY CHANNELS THAT ARE CURRENTLY USING HIGHER UHF CHANNELS FOR THEIR DIGITAL BROADCASTS WILL REVERT BACK TO THEIR ORIGINAL CHANNELS. That means, for example, that Channel 8, WMTW broadcasts their digital signal on UHF Channel 46.1. After the Feb 09 conversion date, they can, and probably will, revert back and start using digital channel 8.1 for their broadcasts. Most digital TVs and converter boxes should not have a problem but if you have any issues after the conversion, this is where you'll want to spend some time looking into the problem.
4 comments:
SINCE JAN 11 I'VE LOST MPBN 10-1 AND 10-2 WITH A DIGITAL TV (BUILT-IN TUNER) AND RABBIT EARS.I'M ON HIGH GROUND IN CHINA (CAN SEE TO BLYNN HILL IN DRESDEN AND THE AUGUSTA AIRORT RUNWAY LIGHTS AT NIGHT). I TRIED MANUALLY AND AUTOPROGRAMMING THE CHANNELS, WITHOUT A SIGNAL IT WON'T HAPPEN. THEN I SWITCHED THE DTV-IN CABLE ON THE BACK OF THE TV FROM POSITION 1 TO POSITION 2. THE AUTOPROGRAM PROGRAMMED IN 10-1 AND 10-2 AND VOILA, I GOT THE SIGNAL. THAT NIGHT IT WAS GONE AND I HAVEN'T GOTTEN IT BACK.I TALKED WITH KELLY? AT MPBN AND TOLD HIM I THOUGHT THE SIGNAL HAD WEAKENED. HE SAID THEY HAD APPLIED FOR A POWER BOOSTER, TIME FRAME- FEW DAYS TO MONTHS. I'M WAITING FOR THIS BEFORE I INVEST IN ANYTHING ELSE. I CAN'T AFFORD CABLE OR SATELLITE. ANY THOUGHTS? OH, ALSO, WGME RAN A DIGITAL TEST LAST WEEK AND I RECEIVED THE SIGNAL. suesuchar@fairpoint.net
I guess I'm a bit confused. MPBN went away on Jan. 11, then it came back, then it went away again? I have not had this experience. The fact that you were able to receive it after the Jan 11th date is good. That's when they switched from analog to digital, and you digital converter box found it. That would indicate that it is not a signal strenght issue.
I too have lost MPBN. Here in Bridgton it used to come in on chan 3 from the W03AM translator in Harrison. On the Sunday when MPBN shut off their NTSC xmtrs, I hooked up a new Magnavox DTV tuner box to my NTSC TV and scanned for DTV signals. The usual 6,8,& 13 came in fine along with 10.1 & 10.2. Monday morning they were still there, but they disappeared later that day, and I haven't seen ch 10 or 3 since. I scan for new DTV signals once a day, and have added ch 35 & 51 recently.
MPBN has asked viewers to call them with any issues. It doesn't make sense that you had the signal and then lost the signal. They are definitley only Digital now so 10.1 and 10.2 are the correct channels. If they somehow decreased their signal strenght, that would affect you but I can't imagine what else. You should give them a call. www.mpbn.net and then look for the contact info.
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