Maine finished its DTV transition on June 12 (for all except low-powered TV stations) along with everyone else. There are still a few "nightlight" broadcasters that will maintain an analog signal for a few short weeks.
As of June 13, I no longer an able to receive WMTW Channel 8 which I had always been able to receive before, and I mean receive the DTV/HDTV signal. So what's different? Channel 8 is the only station in Southern Maine to change the channel on which they broadcast their digital signal.
All digital signals actually emanated from the UHF (channels 14-69) spectrum. Your TV would still show the correct channel but it was actually being broadcast on a different channel. It's sort of like when you go to "google.com" you are actually going to an IP address of 64.233.161.99. That IP address can change but if it does you don't need to know it. You just keep going to Google.com. The same has been true for digital TV. Your digital device (TV, Converter Box, etc) picked up TV station WMTW on 46.1, but all you see is Channel 8.
However, WMTW changed their broadcast signal to be on VHF channel 8.1 instead of UHF channel 46.1. There are pros and cons to a TV stations keeping things as they are versus changing to a VHF channel. It has positive affects for some and negative for others. For me, it is negative. I used to get channel 8 via my UHF/VHF antenna but now I don't.
I'd like get some comments from folks on what they are experiencing after the transition. Good or bad, I think it will be helpful to track some of the positive and negative affects of the DTV transition in hopes of relaying that information to someone who can fix problems.
Thanks again for stopping by.
6 comments:
Nothing but good news in Central NH. WMTW comes in great, a big improvement from when it was broadcasting over UHF 46. (Did you try that double-scan technique?). I had the same results earlier when WCBB and WENH switched from UHF to VHF. They were weak before and now both come in strong.
Geez, John, that was quick, I just posted that just mintues ago.
I don't know what a "double scan" is. Just an FYI - I have an HDTV and don't need a converter box, not sure if that matters with what you are talking about.
Thanks
I think what he means is to run the scan twice as the first scan might not pick up all the stations and the second scan will pick up the channels the first scan didn't.
I will say is check the map and see what the terrain looks like to see if there is something blocking the signal from getting to you.
Also the signal for channel 8 is only about 26 kw. A lot less power from what they use to run.
You can read about the "double scan" method here..... http://www.hometheatermag.com/news/061809dtvweak/
JS
Grant St., Portland--and WMTW has disappeared from my set-top converter box reception's line-up. I haven't checked this channel for a month perhaps, so I don't know when it quit showing up. That change from 46 to 8 sound worrisome--did I get shifted into a no-signal zone?
Update--I re-autoscanned, and now WMTW is back.
Chris
Just to resurrect an old thread, I'm still seeing really poor reception where I am in Western Falmouth. I'm using the standard powered Terk inside the house, pointed almost directly north. Sometimes I get clear signal on 13 CBS, 23 Fox, and 26 WPBN, but almost never anything on 8 ABC or 6 NBC. In the past I've had really great 8 ABC signal but as has been noted they changed their configuration and it seems to have suffered as a result.
It's pretty sad to me as when I lived in Los Angeles it was great, everyone just pointed their antennas at Mt. Wilson where all the broadcast antennas are and everything Just Worked(tm). I'm not sure why the channel reception is so terrible for me here--line of sight blocks perhaps, but the weather seems to affect it a ton, too.
I'd be very curious if it were possible to build a database of people's locations + their antenna setups + their reception breadth and quality, or hear some suggestions on how I can improve my reception quality here in Western Falmouth. Pretty much refuse to buy cable until I can get a la carte, but the constant drop-outs during football games is killing me...
Post a Comment