The many faces of High Definition

It is becoming increasingly more difficult to figure out what television shows are actually in high definition and which are not. So many scenarios and combinations exist that it is difficult to explain how this whole HD thing really works.

Here are some of the different categories and examples:

Filmed with an HD camera, recorded and then played back in HD on a network feed to the local affiliate in Prime Time (shows like Two and a Half Men)
Filmed new on film stock, converted to HD, and then played back in HD (like Desperate Housewives, or CSI - this will become more important later)
Filmed live with an HD camera (show like Good Morning America)

--------These first three are what I call "real HD" ----------------

Filmed years ago on film stock, and then converted as best they can to HD (Seinfeld, and even Hogan's Hero's from many years ago)

Filmed Standard Definition but in 16:9 aspect ratio (wide-screen non HD) this includes shows like The Bonnie Hunt Show (which is also shown on many channels in non-HD, and non-wide screen). Another good example of this is the local News. Most local news is still filmed the same old way it has been done for year. Some stations, however, now have digital video cameras for working in the field. Most are not HD cameras but can film wide screen. The result is a correctly proportioned wide-screen picture, but with the same quality as a 480i or 480p camera. Portable HD Cameras for field work are very expensive. Usually large cities that have TV stations with big budgets can afford some HD field cameras. But most TV stations can not; not yet anyway, and therefore it will be quite some time before your local news is in High Definition.

Of course any of these can ALSO be played back in Standard Definition (a bit grainy and in 4:3 aspect ratio). You'll get the black pillars on the sides of the TV picture when viewing this type of broadcast on an HD set.

Then there is Fake HD - This is where a TV network will take an SD show and stretch it to fit the screen but it is horizontally challenged. When the camera pans left or right, you get a ripple effect that creates sea sickness if it goes too fast. Another trick, which you can see on The Science Channel, is where they re-record a show but zoom in on it. You can tell it's fake-wide screen and fake HD because the producers don't zoom in perfectly when they re-record, so there is a very slight black bar on the side. You almost can't notice it, but it's there. Watch the credits or screen notations; they will be cut off.

It gets very complicated. But your eyes KNOW when a show you are watching is in pure HD. The question arises when you are watching a show and you're not sure it is. If you are not sure, it probably is not in pure HD. So make sure you are getting what you pay for if you indeed are paying. Remember; broadcast TV even in HD is still free. And when you are watching real HD, you just know it, no question.

On top of all of this, you must factor in the television station you are watching and its technology capabilities. Most TV stations (unless in a very large demographic market like Boston or NYC) can not afford the equipment needed to play back HD programming unless the HD programming is provided to them at the exact time they will re-broadcast it. This is called a pass-through. In other words, if Law and Order comes on at 10:00, that it the time that NBC send the HD feed to its affiliates so that the affiliates can pick up that signal and broadcast it back out through their TV tower. These same TV stations can not do that with programming they buy from a distributor. For example, WGME purchased distribution rights from CBS Television Distribution to air Oprah Winfrey. But since CBS Television Distribution does not provide an HD feed at 4:00 pm, WGME can not broadcast the show in HD. The HD feed may have been uploaded at 1:30 pm - earlier that day. However, since WGME doesn't have the equipment to download the HD version of the show and play it back at 4:00 PM, their only option is to record the Standard Definition feed and play that back at 4:00 PM.

Some TV stations are now broadcasting multiple channels. For example, WENH (New Hampshire PBS) broadcast three simultaneous channels - 11.1, 11.2, and 11.3. While 11.1 and 11.3 are High Definition 11.2 is not. The problem here is that there is only so much bandwidth available to the TV station. It's like the Internet. If you have one Internet connection it works fine. If you invite 5 friends over to use that same connection with their computers, it's going to be slower. The same is true for an HD signal. The more programming a broadcaster tries to fit through a pipe, the lower the quality of each picture is going to be. There are differing viewpoints about how much TV a pipe can handle. Two HD broadcasts plus one Standard Definition broadcast from one TV Station is right on the line between no degradation of signal, and mild to moderate degradation of the signal. This is just one more variable in the HD picture (so to speak).

On the flip side, you have stations like HDNet (which is on the premium tier of most cable outlets) who can record, playback, or broadcast live events in full HD anytime they choose. Networks like this were born for HD and were built on HD technology from the ground up. This is not true of most cable networks. Some are beginning to convert now but it will be 5 or 10 years before many of them are up to speed.

I have not wanted to admit this but it will be many years before HD is the norm as opposed to the exception like it is now.

One more thing - you might see someone like Direct TV advertise that their HD is "Full 1080p". Well, there are NOT ANY TV networks, or local TV stations, or cable networks, that are producing shows in 1080p; 1080p is reserved for video games of the very highest quality. So don't let anybody fool you burying an HD TV set that is "full 1080p" unless you plan using an XBox, or PS2 or any other gaming system. In the USA, you MAY get a few video on demand resources in 1080p but they are very, very rare. Europe has a little bit more 1080p available, but it is also limited to Video on Demand and gaming. Regular TV, even in it's finest HD quality, is NOT and WILL NOT be in any format higher in quality than 1080i for many years to come.

I know some of this is very confusing. Is it HD? Is it not HD? Maybe some of you will say "who cares?" For those of us who love our HD, we do care, and want to make sure the public is not being fooled.

The channel to whom I would give my annual prize for the highest quality, high definition video is: CNN-HD. They are not always broadcasting in HD but when they do, it is the finest picture I have ever seen. And I've watched it on many different HD TV sets.

Let us know what you think.

Post DTV transition in Maine - having any problems?

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.

Attn: Feedback needed! - What would you like to see in the black bars on your HDTV?

Doug Finck, the General Manager of WPXT (Channel 51) in Portland has asked that I pose a question to my readers.

"Do viewers want to see anything in the black side bars?"

WPXT has some new video equipment that gives them the ability to insert graphics into the black side bars (known as PILLARS) on the sides of a TV show when not in High Definition. These pillars exist because digital TV stations like WPXT broadcast a full widescreen (16:9 aspect ratio) picture even if the show being broadcast isn’t in HD or a 16:9 format. (i.e. if it’s only a 4:3 ratio on a 16:9 screen, you get pillars). Traditionally these pillars have been solid black and have served no purpose.

They now have the ability to fill those pillars with graphics. If you have seen an ESPN HD feed then you may have seen some of the things they do with the pillars. You may also notice on the evening network news when they receive footage from the field that is not in a 16:9 ratio, they fill the space with colors and textures.

And that gets to the heart of the question. Do viewers want to see anything in the pillars?

Should WPXT ignore their new-found technical capabilities and just leave the pillars black?

And if they do use "pillar fillers", should they be up all the time, or just during programs, or just during commercial breaks?

Doug and WPXT are interested in hearing from viewers, and the readers of this blog, about what they would like (and not like) in the pillars.

Please feel free to comment and be very honest. This is a great opportunity for us, the Maine TV watching community, to tell a local TV station how we really feel about something. It's a first, for me anyway, to see a local TV station ask the opinion of the viewership on issues like this. Doug Finck has been an avid supporter of this blog site so let's not let him down. Give him some feedback. I don't want to sway anyone's opinion so I will give my feedback to Doug separately.

Thanks,

The analog extension is back on

As many of you already know the extension of analog TV is back on. After initially being turned down by the U.S. House of Representatives, somehow it was revisited and then voted on again; this time with enough votes to pass.

Known as the DTV Delay Act of 2009 (Bill HR 681) here is how clarification provisions of the bill read:

Declares that this Act does not prevent: (1) a station from ending analog broadcasting (and continuing to broadcast exclusively digitally) before June 13, 2009; or (2) a public safety service from beginning operations on spectrum recovered as a result of such voluntary cessation of analog or digital broadcasting.

So what does this "law" do? It allows the converter box coupon program to get additional funding and to continue beyond February 17, 2009 to June 13, 2009.

What does this law NOT do? It doesn't force any television station to continue broadcasting in analog if they don't choose to. And most WILL NOT CHOOSE TO because it is costing them a lot of money to broadcast in Analog AND digital.

So let's break it down. If you still want or need a $40 coupon to buy a digital converter box (and most people still don't know if they need one or not), then you can still apply for one and get one. The coupon will give you $40.00 off the purchase of a converter box, which averages between $50 and $60 dollars each. For those that do not have them yet, THEY ARE STILL OUT OF LUCK.

Digital is here, there is no way to stop it. The law that was passed is about funding for a program. The program in question was supposedly broke. But if they stop and count all of the coupons they issued that were never used the question becomes, were they really broke?????

Digital TV reception is bad. The FCC wanted consumer to continue to receive free over-the-air TV ever though broadcast TV stations were forced to convert digital. The FCC figured that if a consumer received X number of channels in analog, they would receive the same number of channels in digital. They figured wrong. Digital TV signals are much, much weaker than analog signals. So if you receive a digital channel, you'll get a great picture, but if you don't receive a channel very well, there won't be a fuzzy or snowy picture, there won't be any picture at all.

This law/bill does not address reception issues. However, reception issues are what everyone who is relying on a converter box for over-the-air TV is worried about. Many, or most, have realized that their antenna TVs used to get a lot more channels than they do with a digital converter box. It's not the box's fault. It's the signal from the TV station.

Some TV stations have increased their signal power, some plan to soon, and some don't plan to. So good luck. You're on your own. Nobody is addressing this issue. Not the FCC, not your State, not your local government, not the TV stations themselves, no Congressman, no Senators, NOBODY.

And therein lies the problem. This whole digital conversion thing is not about converter boxes and extensions of official dates. It is about TV reception. All the extensions and all the funding for digital converter boxes and all of the public service announcements aren't going to amount to a hill of beans because digital TV reception sucks.

The FCC overlooked it and doesn't care about it. All of the rules and regulations took placed for the most part under the Bush Administration who appointed Republican cronies to the jobs at the FCC. These were cushy jobs that had no accountability, as usual. And only now is the U.S. government realizing what has happened.

House defeats Analog Extension Bill - Digital is back on track

I just got word that the House of Representative defeated the Analog Transition Extension Bill.

After calling Chellie Pingree's office yesterday, I didn't have a good feeling about this but low and behold, the House came to their senses and defeated the bill.

So the digital transition is back on schedule. Only 19 days to go.

Maine HDTV Forum featured in Port City Life Magazine

Peter Smith, a assistant editor at Port City Life magazine based out of Portland, Maine, contacted me here and was interested in finding out more, and in writing an article about this blog and the issues that confront us as we move to digital and high definition television. Click on the image below for a full sized page. Don't forget to click "Back" when you're done to get back to this page.



Thanks to all our visitors and contributors for their support.

New Hampshire Public Television (NHPTV) recovers from ice storm

The nice folks over at NHPTV had to endure quite a recovery from the power outages caused by last weeks ice storm. Unfortunately, only the Analog transmitter has a generator. The digital transmitter did not have power until 4 days after the storm.

The power is back now on digital channel 11 and after February 17, 2009, the digital transmitter will have backup power. So this issue should be avoided in the future.

Thanks to Brian Sheppard at NHPTV for the update.

Frustrations abound with the conversion to digital TV

One of the most avid participants of the Maine HDTV community is a guy named Dave from north/central Maine. I was recently going through my email and discovered that since August of this year, Dave and I have emailed back and forth 63 times. I have tried to assist him in any way possible and have given him lots of advice and suggestions for avenues he could try.

Dave has been struggling with the loss of reception when he started using a digital converter box. Since all of the channels he should be receiving are broadcasting in digital, he should not have a problem. However, as we have found out, when it comes to digital TV and HDTV nothing is as simple as it might sound.

This all started quite some time ago. I don't even remember when. I do remember Dave contacting me through the forum with lots of questions and he was frustrated at how much wasn't working.

Maine television stations, the Maine Association of Broadcasters, and the FCC all say that there are not any reception issues to speak of. Their party line is that if you were able to receive the analog signals, you should be able to receive the digital signals.

As Dave and many others have found out this is simply not true. And I take it personally that I have not been able to help more. I have some decent contacts in the business but sometimes you just reach a dead end.

Dave contacted WVII - Channel 7 in Bangor, Maine when he realized he could not receive their digital signal. They said they couldn't help him except to say he was on the "fringe" of their coverage area and there was nothing they could do to help. Dave then tried to get ABC out of New York from his satellite provider. He had to apply for a waiver and was eventually turned down so now he will be left with no ABC channel after the February 17, 2009 conversion.

There is a small chance that Dave might be able to receive WMTW-Channel 8 out of Portland depending on WMTW's signal strength at the time of conversion.

So after many email and phone calls to television stations, the Maine Associate of Broadcasters, and a reporter doing a story on this forum as it related to the digital conversion, Dave is still frustrated that nobody in the TV industry seems to care how many viewers will actually lose signals after the conversion. Dave is not the only person with these problems. We have received emails for all over Maine, New Hampshire, and from around the country - even from other countries.

Unfortunately, and as usual, it is the less fortunate, the elderly, or anyone on a fixed income that will lose out on the deal. These are the people who can't afford expensive rooftop antennas, a new digital TV, and a monthly cable bill. And some don't have Internet access to even reach a site like this to get resource information.

I'm sure Dave and I will still communicate as we all go through this together. This site has received a lot of traffic lately. And I suspect it will only increase as we get closer to conversion time and as the economy weakens. In economic downturns, one thing that gets cut from family budgets is cable TV. Those that haven't been paying attention, because they didn't have to, will suddenly find themselves in a position where their older TV set won't receive a signal without cable and without a converter box. They will need information and resources to understand everything they have not been paying attention to. We at the Maine HDTV Forum are here to help. We have tons of articles about how things work and even a 6 part online tutorial for beginners.

As we near February 17, 2009, we need to keep in mind that this is not the end. In some cases it will only be the beginning as the fallout appears.

My recent conversation with Dave reminded me how precarious TV still is we aren't even aware of some of the problems people will encounter during the transition.

Take care and thanks for stopping by.

WPXT and WPME have plans for their subchannels

By now you may know that digital TV stations can broadcast more than one signal. Depending on their configuration they can broadcast 2, 3, or 4 programs at the same time.

In Portland, Maine, the local ABC and NBC affiliates use one sub-channel for News and Weather. Nothing yet on CBS.

We also have a CW affiliate and a MyNetwork affiliate (WPXT and WPME respectively). WPXT, Channel 51 has reserved the right to broadcast RTN (Retro Television Network) on a sub-channel. They won't do so until they get a cable company to carry the channel as most viewers get their TV from cable, not by antenna. WPME, Channel 35, broadcasts special, locally-produced programming on a sub-channel called the "Maine Visitors Channel". If you use an antenna to pick up free digital/HD television, you can tune to 35.2 to view this channel. Primarily, it was produced for broadcast to Hotels and Motels in the Portland area so that visitors to Maine could find out about Events, Restaurants, and other points of interest in the area. The financial model works because the programming is essentially advertising for which businesses pay to get a piece produced and run on the network. Visitors see the many different mini-info-mercials which generate business. WPME doesn't need a cable or satellite company to broadcast this channel in order for WPME to make money. The target audience is staying in lodging facilities where the signal for channel 35.2 is beamed in.

NHPTV - New Hampshire Public Television - technical difficulties

If you are experiencing issues with receiving NHPTV it is because they have been experiencing some serious problems with their Digital TV transmitter since Monday, 11/24. Parts are on order and they hope to have it up and running by sometime on Friday, after which I will work with them to ensure that SD, DTV, and HD are all running properly.

Hang in there, it should be fixed by the weekend.

Thanks,

Ron

The DTV Transition - don't wait

I have written about this before and I'll say it again. I hope people pay attention. You've all heard February 2009 as the date that all TV will be in digital and if you rely on an antenna you will lose your signal if you don't have a digital TV.

Here's the deal:

The exact date is February 17, 2009.

Here's the truth:

That date is not the first day of digital-only TV. That is the last day that a TV station can broadcast in analog. That's a big difference.

Some TV stations (two in my TV area in Maine alone) have already cut off their analog signal so if you rely on an antenna and don't have a digital conversion box or a digital TV, you can no longer receive their signals. Any station who applies to the FCC for an early cut-off of analog will be approved.

The next big date to remember is November 15, 2008. That's the date when stations can legally turn off all analog transmission (and therefore digital only) without any further requests in writing to the FCC. The FCC doesn't want every station in America pulling the plug on analog and firing up digital on the same day.

Once you get by that date, then you can worry about 2/17/09. That is the drop dead date when all high powered TV stations must shut off their analog signal and must broadcast only in digital.

I hope that has cleared it up for anyone who still might no understand the dates and what is happening. Let me know if you have any questions. If you need a converter box, get one, and get it early.

Take care

Maine Digital TV and HDTV - Update, Tools, Reception Issues, and History

We've come a long way baby.  For Google's recent 10th anniversary they brought back a 10 year old version of Google and the available index at the time.  Actually, Google has only saved archives of their index back to 2001 so while the Google interface is realistic back to 1998, the search results can only be reproduced back to 2001.  In doing a search for "HDTV in Maine" the following page was the first one referenced in the search results: 

http://www.current.org/dtv/#rush.

Take a look at how things were in the realm of digital and HDTV seven years ago.  It is quite amusing and interesting.

The second part of my update today involves digital TV reception, meaning of course HDTV reception as well, using an antenna.  Whether you have a digital converter box or a digital TV, either of which with an antenna, you have probably struggled with receiving channels over the air. There are some new tools out there to help.  I was pointed to these tools by a friend in the TV industry who has supported my site and the work we do here to keep the public informed and the TV stations honest.

The first new tool I want to share with you will plot out which channels are near to you and how far away from your location each channel is.  The results will also tell you the direction from your location that each broadcast tower is which could help you in positioning your antenna to optimize reception.  For input, use your exact address and then estimate how far your antenna is above ground level  (I live on the second floor so I estimated about 20 feet).  Now keep in mind that the tool can account for a lot of things, but specific building obstructions in your neighborhood is not one of them.     Start here to use this tool, it's pretty cool:  http://www.tvfool.com/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29.

Next, you can determine how strong the signal is for a particular channel to see if you are even in the ballpark of being able to receive it over the air.  These maps are based on real data, not projections by the TV stations or the FCC.  The results are Google Maps, with the Channel's Tower at the cente,r and different colors that denote specific signal strengths in specific locations:   To use this tool, click here:  http://www.tvfool.com/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=80

The legend for the colors is as follows:

• White is extremely strong.  Beware of signal overlap with other channels.
  
• Red-yellow-green are all quite strong. You can expect reasonable coverage with an indoor antenna.
  
• Cyan is where it's advisable to move the antenna up to the second floor or attic.
  
• Blue is where it's probably necessary to install a good antenna on the roof.
  
• Purple is quite weak and you really have to work at it for any chance of reception.

In looking at the state of digital TV back in 1998, which describes unrealistic target dates and the many changes in delivery dates as dictated by the FCC, it is quite interesting and fascinating at how far the TV industry has come.  We like to complain about the current condition of digital and HDTV but considering the extremely high costs involved and the sheer number of TV stations involved, they have come quite a long way.  And with the new tools I mentioned above, antenna users like me (and you, I hope) now have even more information at our disposal.  Who knew that in 2008, we'd be looking at coverage maps for TV Towers so that we can get HDTV and Digital TV over the air for free?  Who knew we'd be looking at ways to circumvent cable and satellite so we don'tt have to pay for Digital and HDTV?  If you think about it, you'd probably expect that by now we'd all have HDTVs and HDTV pay services.  But with the lack of HD programming out there, why spend the money when you can get the major networks in HD at no cost.  It's the one thing, so far, that the FCC got 100% right - Digital (HD) television should be free over the air just like television has been since its inception.

Thanks for stopping by.  If anyone uses the tools and has feedback, I'd love to hear it.  Take care and good luck.  Happy reception hunting!!

Fox 25 magically appears in digital/HD

The Fox affiliate in Maine, WPFO-Fox 23, came into existence after the FCC had assigned UHF channels to broadcasters for the sole purpose of broadcasting digital TV signals while still using their existing TV channel for analog.



So, while Fox 23 does provide digital signals via fiber optic cable to some Time Warner customers and DirectTV customers in Maine, they can not "broadcast" a digital signal until they do a flash cut over from analog to digital on 2/17/09.



So this is what we, in Maine, have all been dealing with. I have written to my cable company, Metrocast, which services Rochester, NH, and the Sanford, ME area. I've asked why they can't provide us with Fox 25 out of Boston in digital/HD since we can't get Fox 23 in digital. I was told that due to FCC rules and cable/TV station agreements it was not possible. I was told I would just have to wait until Fox 23 went digital over the air and then wait even further for Metrocast to carry that digital TV station in their lineup. The possibilities were remote at best.

All of a sudden, last Monday, September 29, Fox 25 in digital/HD magically appeared in my digital channel lineup; no announcement, no nothing from my cable company, it just showed up. I've attempted to call Metrocast several times but have never been able to last as long as they have wanted to keep me on hold. I want to ask them "What's the deal" with this new Fox channel.

In the end, it doesn't really matter, I guess. I just hope that it is not there as some sort of mistake and will end up being removed for some reason. I don't watch Fox that much, but it will be nice to be able to record shows on my DVR in HD as opposed to the analog channel provided to us known as Fox 23.

Metrocast Cable in Southern Maine offers very few HD choices

Dear Readers:

The following is an open letter I wrote to Metrocast Customer Support in the hopes of getting some answers on when Metrocast will actually up its game in this High Definition world.

-----------------------------

High Definition programming has taken off like a shot recently.  I believe it is due to this being the first full season of television that will overlap the February 17, 2009 cutoff date for analog TV.  Consumers are getting ready and those producing programs and distributing programs are getting ready as well.  For those of us who already have HDTV capabilities, we've been waiting for the explosion of HD programming on the edge of our seats.

 

I do not need cable TV or satellite or anybody else to receive high definition programming.  I have an HDTV with a built in HDTV tuner.  I can receive ABC, CBS, PBS, NBC, the CW, MyNetwork, and the ION network all over the air with without paying anybody.

 

I began subscribing to Metrocast mostly for the DVR, it is just easier to use than a VCR and it can record HD programming.

 

In the current year, 2008, Metrocast has added a total of 8 new HD channels.  Not one of those channels is more than a reality based TV network.  The Weather Channel, Outdoor Channel, HGTV, Discover, Science, Animals, Food, do you get the picture?

 

I am getting very frustrated with my channel lineup.  None of the above channels offer anything in the line of comedy or drama. It's just one reality show or information TV show after another.  

What happened to some of these channels:

• A&E HD 
  
• ABC Family HD 
  
• Biography Channel HD 
  
• Bravo HD 
  
• Cartoon Network 
  
• CNBC HD+ 
  
• Disney Channel HD 
  
• Fuel TV HD 
  
• FX HD 
  
• History Channel HD 
  
• MTV HD 
  
• Nick HD 
  
• Speed Channel HD 
  
• Spike HD 
  
• USA Network HD 
  
• VH1 HD 
  

Not to mention that Sanford has no Fox channel available in HD.  I understand the limitations behind that but are we going to have Fox HD ON FEBRUARY 17, 2009 WHEN FOX 23 does a flash-cutover to digital?  And also not to mention the National Geographic channel.  Why is that we can get it in standard def as part of of basic cable but have to pay extra to get it in HD.  It is the only channel in our basic cable lineup that has an HD channel that we have to pay for.  All of the other networks in your so-called "Ultra HD" package are channels specifically designed as High Definition networks.  I guess I understand that since they were so far ahead of the curve it makes sense to pay extra for channel of that caliber who were HD 24/7 long before anybody else.  But as for the channels listed above, these are networks that have been around forever, we've always had them in analog, now what's the problem with providing them in digital, what exactly is the problem and what can the public to, if anything about it.

 

What specifically are you plans for high definition expansion in the future.  I you could add even half of the channels I have listed above as part of the standard High Def package, I would consider staying (or at least stop bad-mouthing Metrocast).  Heck I would be happy if even just four of the ones from my list (A&E, Bravo, FX, and USA) were added to the lineup.  I feel that Metrocast in Maine is way behind the curve.  Your HD capabilities when I look at other cable providers and satellite providers is at best, sub-standard, and at worst, a joke.

 

I apologize for being long winded but I had a lot to get out.  Again what exactly and specifically are your plans for future HD channels being added to the Metrocast line-up.  Second, what is the fate of Fox 23 in HD.  When do we get it, when should we get it.  And finally, why don't you provide Maine's PBS, Maine's CW, and Maine's MyNetwork to the lineup for people you service in Maine.  If we can't get Fox 25 in HD because that is a Boston Fox channel and Maine isnt' "allowed" to have it.  Then why aren't we "allowed" to have ALL of the networks who broadcast from Maine in HD.  Even WPXT and WPME, who are in my opinion, the little engine that could, are ahead of the curve in cutting off their analog signal earlier this month.

 

I appreciate you time and would appreciate even more some answers to these questions and issues.  I believe the public deserve to now what is going on.   Thank you for your time.

 

Portland, ME, TV Stations need to get with the program

For the big networks who have affiliates around the country, there is Network Programming, and then syndicated programming.

Network Programming includes the morning shows (Today, GMA, The View) and syndicated programming includes shows like Oprah, Ellen, Dr. Phil, etc.

Local affiliates simply transmit high definition programming to its viewers by pass through a live network feed (like Today, GMA, The View).  For syndicated show like Oprah, Ellen, etc, they can either record the feed and play it back in HD at whatever time they are approved to show it, or transmit the show in standard definition at the appropriate time if they don't have the capability to records HD feeds for later playback.

So there is the big difference.  Some TV stations CAN record HD programming fed to them, and some can not.  

Right now, all of the big 3 Networks out of Boston can record HD programming and play it back when appropriate for them.  So you will see Oprah, Dr, Phil, Ellen, The Bonnie Hunt Show and even "The Insider" and "Entertainment Tonight" in high definition.  If you watched these same shows on our local Portland Maine television stations, you will NOT see any of them in high definition.  Oprah is on WCVB-Boston and on WGME-Portland, Maine, at 4:00 pm.  WCVB shows it in high definition and WGME does not because it can not record/playback high definition shows.

The local affiliates in Portland continue to use the excuse that they can't afford the equipment to record/playback high definition.  My opinion is how can they afford NOT to invest in the equipment.

Let's assume that you have and HDTV or you plan to get one.  About 25% of households have HD capabilities and in the next few years, it is save to assume that most American households will have HD capability.  So if you had the choice to watch the same program in High Definition or regular old standard definition, which would you watch.  If you have HD you know what I mean.  People who have HD are in love with HD.  You will be too if you haven't experienced it yet.

So the television stations have competition where I live.  We have access to TV based out of Portland, Maine, and out of Boston, Mass.  If we're all watching the Boston channels because they are all broadcasting in HD and all of the Portland stations are not, which ones do you thing will get the higher ratings which convert to advertising revenue.

And even more than than, I think the Portland Maine TV stations should be ashamed of themselves.  They have had years to prepare for the onslaught of digital and high definition TV but have done nothing about it.  Digital and HD television has been around now for almost 10 years.  You would think that somewhere in their annual budget they would have at least started to plan for this.  But no.  Do they think the public is dumb, or that we can't afford a High Def TV, or that we won't notice the difference between SD and HD.  I think the Portland affiliates have taken a lot for granted.  For almost 2 years now I have been petitioning them, encouraging them, sometimes even tried to bully them, but to no avail.

The Portland television stations just don't seem to care.  Even the network shows that they CAN transmit in HD don't actually make it to television sets in HD because the staff running the control room can't quite figure out how to flip the HD Switch (yes, it is that simple).  I call my local affiliates at least once a week to remind them that a particular TV show should be in HD but is not.  Then they go flip the switch and everything is OK.  But why do I have to call them.  I am just a regular old TV watcher not involved in the industry in any way, shape, or form.  I have now started calling the Boston affiliates as well because they make the same "forgot to flip the switch" mistake too.  I think it is deplorable that I have to call TV stations about this.

TV stations need to get on the ball.  You can forgive a mistake here or there but I am sick of calling TV stations.  And for Portland Maine TV stations, they really need to get their act together, make the investment to record and playback high definition shows or risk an incredible loss of viewers and revenue.  It's not that complicated.

We are at the dawn of a new age in television.  For those who did not take the change seriously, well you are going to be out of luck.  Like it or not, television makes the world go round.  It is the primary source of news for America, and the primary source of entertainment.  People can't afford to go out any more.  They are staying home and investing in quality home entertainment.

So come one folks.  Help me out.  Call the local affiliates in Portland or write to them from their web sites and demand high definition.  Again, if you have HD now, you know what I am talking about.  And if you don't, you will soon.

Ellen in HD

Finally, somebody is on the ball.  I can't tell you how excited I am to finally start seeing some REAL high definition outside of prime time.  

This whole big "conversion to digital TV" is convoluted.  Television stations must change their signal from analog to digital by 2/17/09.  All that really means is they are changing the way they deliver their signal.  "High Definition" has nothing to do with the digital conversion.  It is just a by-product of it.  If HD didn't exist, television stations would still go through this conversion to free up some of the airwaves (as dictated by the FCC).  Once a TV station converts to a digital signal, they then have the capability, or option I guess, to further expand their capabilities to be able to transmit high definition.  Most TV stations have not yet made the full leap to be able to record HD  television shows transmitted to them via satellite and then replay them in HD.  The equipment needed to do this is very expensive.  So most TV stations can only relay programs in HD directly from the network back out over their tower.  It is just a passthrough.  Even if they wanted to, they could not capture that program in HD and replay it later.

A few TV stations in larger television markets have made the HD investment.  In my area, WCVB (ABC Boston) has made the jump.  Their local news is in high definition as well as other programs that they produce themselves.  WHDH (NBC Boston) has also just recently made the transition to local HD.  In my area of the country, which includes all of central and northern New England, that is about it.

That was an awfully long introduction to tell you that the "Ellen" show is now in HD on WCVB Boston at 9:00 AM.  Ellen comes on again on WMTW (ABC Portland, ME) at 4:00 PM but since that TV station has not converted to full HD mode, poor Ellen will be in regular old standard definition.  So which would you rather watch if you had the choice?  Which one would you record on your DVR or TIVO if you had the choice?  Well, the High Definition version, of course.

I saw the new Bonnie Hunt show which was in wide screen on WCVB but not in HD.  I don't know if the show is produced in HD but even if it were, it is not being sent to WCVB in HD.  I would think that any new TV show would be produced in HD and if it is in wide screen, I really have to assume the Bonnie Hunt show is.  So that means that somewhere between production and delivery, there is somebody in that mix that doesn't have HD capabilities yet.

Now comes the "cart before the horse" argument.  TV stations that broadcast these syndicated TV shows in HD will have a higher viewership.  Bigger ratings mean bigger revenue.  Bigger revenue means TV stations can recoup their investment in HD much quicker.  But smaller stations don't have the capital to invest in HD equipment.  But if they don't convert, they will miss out on revenue.  Also, since there are not a lot of syndicated shows in High Definition, why would a station spend the money to convert to full HD if they don't have the programming to take advantage of it.  Do you see the chicken/egg problem?

This is the first TV season that will overlap the final conversion date to digital in February 2009.  Since stations have that deadline, some will choose to take the leap to full HD at the same time and some will not.  We'll just have to see how this plays out and who wins the ratings and revenue game.

Right now, "Ellen" is the only syndicated how I have seen that has changed to HD.  But it's a new season and all of the new shows have not debuted yet.  I'm keeping my eyes and ears open.  If anyone sees some HD stuff out there, let me know, I'd love to hear about it.

The truth about broadcast television's conversion to digital

I feel that I need to make this VERY clear.

February 17, 2009, is not the first day of "digital TV", it is the last day of analog TV.

Over the air TV stations (the one's that broadcast the major networks) must cease all analog transmission over the air by 2/17/09.

Over the air TV stations have been broadcasting both analog signals AND digital signals for quite some time; in many cases for a few years. The FCC has said they must cease the over the air analog signals by the date above.

Over the air TV stations can cut off transmission of their analog TV signal as soon as November 19, 2008 without further approval from the FCC. (SO YOU CAN'T WAIT UNTIL 2/17/09 TO ACT IF YOU ARE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT NEED TO)

Over the air TV stations can cut off transmission of their analog signal PRIOR TO November 19, 2008 with approval from the FCC. Many have applied and the FCC has never said no. In my area, I already have one network (THE CW) that has ceased analog transmission and another network will cease analog transmission in September. (AGAIN, YOU CAN'T WAIT AROUND UNTIL FEBRUARY OF NEXT YEAR, THIS STUFF IS HAPPENING NOW).

• According to the "Leightman Research Group" 14% of primary residences nationwide with at least one TV set do not subscribe to cable ... or any other type of multi-channel video service (satellite, telephone company, etc). In addition, 24% of households that subscribe to a multi-channel video service have at least one TV set that only receives broadcast programming. In total, 34% of all US households are at risk of losing broadcast reception to at least one TV set as a result of the pending digital transition if no action is taken.
• Further, among those who have heard about the transition to digital, 30% OF THOSE WHO DON'T subscribe to cable or multi-channel service BELIEVE THAT THE TRANSITION TO DIGITAL WILL HAVE NO IMPACT ON THEIR TVs. Also, 41% of cable or satellite subscribers with at least one broadcast-only TV set think that the transition will have no impact on their TVs.

So let me just summarize these two points above. There are a lot of people, even now, who either only rely on over-the-air broadcasting or have at least one TV that relies on over-the-air broadcasting, that don't realize they will not receive any TV signals on those television sets after 2/19/09 or even earlier depending on the TV stations from which they get the over-the-air signals. I know that was a long sentence. Let me state it again only shorter. Some people don't know, or don't believe, they will stop getting TV on their TV.

I am no advocate for cable TV, satellite TV, or any other form of pay TV. I have a digital TV set with an antenna and receive all of the major broadcast TV networks for free in digital and high definition for free. I want to ensure that everyone continues to receive their television signals.

You can do it cheaply with your existing analog TV if you purchase a digital converter box with a $40 coupon provided to you by the FCC (www.dtvanswers.com).

If you can afford it, subscribe to a cable or satellite service and if you can afford it, but a digital TV, but you don't have to.

There has been so much publicity about the conversion to digital TV that I think people have tuned it out. They think they are all set or don't really understand what they need to do, if anything. I mean, who would ever think that after all these years the very nature of television is changing and nothing works like it used to. But, that is what we are dealing with.

Those of you in more rural or otherwise hard to reach locations may have difficulty getting digital TV signals. They are not as strong as analog signals. So those TV stations that you receive that are a bit fuzzy sometimes or have ghost images, they won't even come in when that TV station goes all digital. That is why I want everyone to figure out, and think about their particular situation and make changes where necessary.

Let's face it. For many of us, especially with the economy the way it is, rely on television for our only form of entertainment. Most of rely on TV as our primary source of local, national, and international news. TV is our primary lifeline to the rest of the world.

So please do some research and find out if you need to do anything to keep receiving television signals. There is plenty of information out there but if you can't find the answer, write to me and I'll do my best to help.

Visit form Cable Guy was very enlightening

Can you trust cable guys? Well, sometimes you can. I've had pretty good luck when I have needed to work with them.

This week, I was forced to pay for Internet from my cable company. I had been picking up unsecured wireless networks around the neighborhood but people have either moved away or secured their networks. Oh well, it was good while it lasted.

Anyway, I got to talking with the two guys that showed up to install my modem (why they neeed two I have no idea). They saw my big HDTV and noticed the antenna I had hooked up and asked what it was and how it all worked. I explained to them that I received all 7 major broadcast networks out the Portland area in digital, over the air, and of course with that, I get all of the HD programming they offer. The didn't believe me. These are people in the cable industry.

I actually had to turn on my HDTV, put it in antenna mode for input, and scrolled through all the channels (and sub-channels) I had. They were amazed, in disbelief, and had no idea that you could actually do that. One said "I didn't think you could carry a digital or HD signal through a coax cable".

I was amazed that they knew so little about broadcast TV and the digital conversion in general. One of them said that he thought the broadcast networks were getting rid of their over-the-air signals entirely (analog and digital). That's what he thought the digital conversion was all about.

I am NOT kidding. Maybe these guys are new to their job; maybe they are more focused on learning how to install cable, digital cable, Internet and IP Phone and have no time to follow what is going on with the broadcast side of the digital conversion. They were nice guys so I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.

I've been writing this blog for almost 2 years. It has moved from one location to another so the dates on the early posts don't accurately reflect the original posting date. In the last two year I have spoken with General Managers at TV stations, customer service reps at the cable company, cable TV installers, the Maine Association of Broadcasters, and the FCC just to name a few. I am blown away by how little people know about the whole TV Industry right now. But then again, this lack of knowledge and lack of information available to the general public is one of the reasons I started the blog in the first place.

Take care all.

The basic rules of receiving digital television

I recently wrote to Maine Public Television (MBPN). They are one in a long list of organizations I have contacted in an attempt to gain support and/or guidance concerning the difficulties in receiving digital TV signals in certain areas of Maine. I was surprised that they actually responded and even more surprised that J. Maurice Doyon, Audience Services Representative, gave some very useful information. It's not all good news but I thought I would post the response in full as it does give some very good advice on the best way to try and receive digital signals (they were speaking receiving MPBN specifically but many of the tips apply to all digital reception).

"Thank you for contacting the Maine Public Broadcasting Network. The following text is a comprehensive response for viewers experiencing difficulty in obtaining a digital signal. The portion in bold print addresses the fact that some, regardless of what they do, may not receive a digital signal off air. As a non-profit entity, MPBN simply does not have the financial resources to consider building more towers. The initial conversion from analog to digital will present challenges for sure. In your area of expertise, I'm sure you can foresee many of the ramifications, problems, and challenges that this change in technology will offer.

MPBN is receiving a steadily increasing number of contacts from television viewers who have purchased digital converter boxes and hooked them up to their TV sets only to find they can’t pick up MPBN. These experiences stand in contrast to the generally upbeat articles about the upcoming DTV conversion touting mainly the benefits of digital TV – of which there are indeed many, provided you can pick up the signal. Now that people are actually buying the converter boxes and hooking them up, however, they’re finding that it’s not always as easy as those public service announcements make it seem.

Here at MPBN we’ve tried out converter boxes on sets here at the station and asked some employees to try them out at their homes, with mixed success. In so doing, we’ve come up with a few things to check or consider:

• Unlike analog transmissions where the TV picture gets fuzzier as distance from the broadcast tower increases, with digital television you either get the signal or you don’t. You don’t get a snowy picture as the signal fades, it just cuts out completely.
• If you can’t get any channels at all, check your connections to make sure they are good. Especially with an outside antenna, connections can loosen or corrode and may need to be tightened or fixed.
• If you get other channels but can’t get MPBN, go to your TV’s menu and try entering the channel manually (follow the manufacturer’s instructions; most converter boxes have a signal level indicator) and adjusting the antenna.
  Keep in mind that MPBN’s digital channel number is not the same as its current analog channel number, and that the correct number depends on which of MPBN’s five TV stations in Maine you receive your signal from:
  
  o Bangor: analog channel 12, digital channel 9;
  o Portland/Augusta: analog channel 10, digital channel 17;
  o Biddeford: analog channel 26, digital channel 45;
  o Calais: analog channel 13, digital channel 10;
  o Presque Isle: analog channel 10, digital channel 20.
  
• Also keep in mind that channels 1 – 13 are VHF (regular “rabbit ear” antenna),
  but channels 14 and above are UHF, and will require a UHF “rabbit ear” loop or dish-resembling antenna for best reception.
• Try moving your rabbit ears near a window or try your converter on a TV upstairs, if you have one. If this works, a different set of rabbit ears might do the trick. In the Bangor area, MPBN shares a broadcast tower with WABI-TV Channel 5, so pointing your antenna in the same direction as you would to pick up WABI provides the best chance of receiving MPBN’s signal.
• If you still can’t find MPBN, you probably need an external VHF/UHF antenna. Among those who watch our over-the-air signal (not cable or satellite), an outside antenna with coaxial cable provides the highest probability of reception – but we still can’t guarantee that it will help.
• One last twist: in February, digital channels 17 (Augusta/Portland) and 20 (Presque Isle) will both switch to digital channel 10. All the other digital channels will stay where they are now. If you are in the coverage area of these stations, this change will most likely solve your issue, but there’s no way to be sure of that or even to test it before then.

Our Canadian friends are not facing a similar conversion to digital television in February 2009 in their country. They (and Americans along the border who can receive Canadian analog TV signals) will continue to be able to receive over-the-air analog TV emanating from Canadian TV stations. But if Canadians along the border want to continue to receive MPBN for free over the air, they will have to either purchase digital TV sets or the converter boxes, just like their American counterparts.

In addition to the materials produced by the Federal Communications Commission to explain the DTV conversion generally to a national audience, we are busily preparing similar materials specific to Maine and MPBN and what this transition will mean for you. We will announce the availability of these materials on TV and radio, on our web site and in our programming magazine as soon as they’re ready.

Finally, it does appear that it might be the case that regardless of what steps a person might take to receive MPBN for free over the air in the coming digital TV era – no matter which manufacturer’s converter box one uses, or what model digital TV one purchases, or how high one places the antenna on the roof, or which direction one contorts one’s body to receive the signal (“That’s it! Now stand just like that!”) – there will likely be a very small number of people who can pick up MPBN today who will not after February 19, 2009, converter boxes and new TVs notwithstanding. For those viewers, a cable or satellite subscription might be the only way to continue to receive public television broadcasts from MPBN. We wish it were not so, but that is reality.

Other resources include:

Maine Assoc. of Broadcasters - Conversion to Digital TV
http://www.mab.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3335

DVT for Maine - DTV News for Maine: http://www.dtvforme.com/

Online Class - Digital Television - Part 6 - Mastering High Definition

High Definition TV will reach your TV in one of two way. You can receive it over the air from your local TV stations for free (see article on what HD programming is actually available on the big broadcast networks) or through your cable/satellite provider.

When I refer to cable here I am referring to cable or satellite (like Dish TV, for example).

There are many cable networks that now have a separate High Definition version of themselves. Examples of these are TBS, TNT, A&E, Food Network, etc.

Keep in mind that just because these channels are supposedly all high definition, the truth is most are not. Keep in mind that these channels are showing current programming but in many cases reruns as well. TBS for example, shows reruns of Seinfeld, King of Queens, and other sitcoms and dramas that were never produced in High Definition. So how could a station like TBS broadcast them to you now in HD if they weren't produced in HD. The answer is, they can't. So in order to fill up the whole HDTV screen (remember it is a 16:9 ratio), they stretch the 4:3 picture to fit. Because the stretching originates from the source broadcaster, you have no control over it. You can use your TV's controls to "unstretch" it but that never works very will and you are left with black bars on the side and a picture that now looks squashed instead of stetched. There's just no way to win.

On the contrary, there are lots of HD channels including TBS that run either original programming or reruns that were produced in high definition. For example, TBS airs "House of Payne", an original sitcom, produced in HD. TNT airs "Saving Grace" and "The Closer" where this is also true. And they air reruns of shows like "Law and Order" and "The Office" which were originally produced in HD. So if a show was originally produced in HD and is airing on an HD network, you are truly seeing HD programming.

Let's go back to you local TV station for a minute. My local NBC affiliate airs "Law and Order" in the afternoons (because NBC has absolutely no daytime programming other than "Day of our Lives" so there's lots of room for reruns and/or "judge" shows). My local station can't record and play back at a later time, HD programing (see earlier posts). So in this case I am watching a channel that is HD capable and I'm watching a show that was produced in HD, but my local station can't record that show and play it back in HD so I end up with a plain old digital program with black bars on the side. I hope that makes sense.

The next example of HD is what I call "Fake HD". There are HD Channels out there like Discovery HD, Food Network HD, Science Channel HD who commit even bigger sins. There are certain shows on these networks that are broadcast in a strange format. It is as if they re-recorded a 4:3 program in close up and the outcome is that it ALMOST fills up the screen. It was originally a 4:3, non-HD program. They cleaned it up or something to get the picture to be a bit crisper, then zoomed in on it so make the picture bigger. But if you look, there are still black bars on the sides of the screen. The are smaller and a lot less noticeable than the typical black bars, but they are there.

The last and in my opinion the worst kind of HD programming is what I call "Horizon HD". On some HD Television sets, you can stretch a 4:3 picture to 16:9 (stretching) but everything looks a little off, so there is another setting called "Horizon Stretch". It's hard to explain but the picture is stretched out in a strategic way, not quite stretched evenly, to give the illusion that people are objects aren't so stretched. That's the best way I can explain it. But as the camera moves, let's say it pans the room, the picture looks like there are two rolling pins underneath the screen giving a wavy or undulating appearance. It can make you sea sick. And with all those makeover shows on TLC and HGTV where they pan the room before and after, Horizon HD is NOT a good choice. I find I must change the channel when I come upon these shows.

The moral of this story: HDTV is not necessarily HD so be careful what you're willing to pay for.

Stay tuned for more.