Digital and HD TV - the week in review

Maine viewers are very upset that they can no longer get MPBN (Maine PBS) over the air in many places. And Joe Riley, VP for Television, seems to think it's no big deal. He claims they had no idea how many viewers would be affected by a loss of their signal. He also claims they had no way of knowing how much of an impact the switch to digital would have on MPBN viewers who receive them via antenna.

Then in a newspaper article, Mr. Riley suggests that viewers (in an effort to justify MPBN's lack of digital signal) use a web site called TV Fool to get get a very detailed map of the digital TV coverage spectrum. You can zoom in on a single street, just about, to see if you should or should not be able to receive a digital signal from a particular TV station.

So which is it. Was digital TV unpredictable regarding the coverage area, or was it easy to determine who would or would not receive the signal by using TV Fool's tools to figure it out.

Riley and MPBN can't have it both ways.

As for consumers, I personally believe that in many cases it boils down to the quality of the indoor antenna they are using. Obviously if you have an outdoor antenna that receives both UHF and VHF signals, that is the best scenario. But I don't own a home. I rent and can not erect an antenna (also suggested by Mr. Riley).

On my primary TV I have a TERK UHF/VHF antenna. It is unbelievable in terms of what it can receive. I do receive all 7 different network channels available. I live in a valley in Southern Maine, in an apartment with trees and buildings around me. I am surrounded geographically by the foothills on three sides (all but facing south where there are no channels to receive).

When I purchased a converter box and tried to get my bedroom TV up and running on the cheap, I bought, and returned, probably 6 different antennas. The cheap ones at Walmart, the cheap ones at Radio Shack, the more expensive ones at Radio Shack - all with no luck. I would get one or two, and sometimes three, channels but that's it. So then I hooked up the TERK antenna I had connected to my HDTV and, well, there you go. All channels are go.

I hate to say this but to a large degree to exact type of antenna you use plays a huge part in what stations you will receive.

The last comment I will reference by Joe Riley at MPBN is that he hopes technology will improve so much regarding HDTV's and Converter Boxes that reception won't be an issue. Well, here's the truth. Neither a TV (digital or otherwise) nor a converter box can improve the strength of a digital TV signal so you either need a stronger antenna or a stronger signal. MPBN should be working on the signal strength. They are stalling because they don't want to spend the money. They have supposedly applied to the FCC to increase their signal strength. Well, right now, the conversion to digital is pretty much all the FCC has to worry about so there is no reason this should take so long.

On the other end, the antenna is the key. I don't like endorsing products but the UHF/VHF indoor TERK antenna has done me proud. I bought it at Best Buy and it cost about $73.00 when I bought it. That's a bit steep, I admit. But with all of the frustration of buying and returning antenna's I'm telling you, it's worth it.

So before anyone complains about what they can or can not receive, I am going to suggest you try the TERK antenna. You can always return it if you are not happy with it. I just believe that until consumers get that antenna, they won't know the true power of an antenna and receiving signals over the air.

Am I really ready for Digital TV?

Are you sure you know the Truth about Digital TV and High Definition with an Antenna?

Doug Finck, from WPXT in Portland, ME, said in an email to me "our biggest challenge is not in communicating to the public that we are switching to digital...but the issues about reception"

Doug has been a long time supporter and recently shared the following information which I found most helpful in explaining some of the basic truths about digital TV.

"1. It's all about the antenna. An outside antenna will probably be necessary for many people. The type of antenna, however, is an issue because of the fact that there will be a combination of UHF and VHF digital stations and the viewers will need an antenna capable of receiving both types of transmission (or two antennas).

2. The more powerful and antenna is, the more directional it is. The more directional it is, the more critical it is to point it toward the transmitting antenna for the station they want to watch. Someone living in Lewiston will have to point their antenna in three directions; north for WCBB and WPFO, southwest for WCSH, WMTW and WMEA, and southeast for WGME, WPME and WPXT.

3. Consumers have to understand the need to manually enter all channels WHEN THEIR ANTENNA IS POINTED TOWARD THAT CHANNEL'S TRANSMITTING ANTENNA. Auto-scan is a waste of time and should be ignored or defeated. In the real world, a viewer will have a powerful, directional antenna. They will have to point it toward a specific station's transmitting antenna then enter that station's digital frequency (not the station's analog/marketing channel) to save the station. Then they will go to the next station, move the antenna, enter the digital number and save it. This process will be the only way to get the digital tuner to "see" all of the channels (assuming the viewer can actually get enough of a signal from each station to actually get the picture).

4. Rotors will allow one antenna to be aimed at all of the channels. Multiple antennas (with each one pointed in a specific direction) will also accomplish the same goal (getting the maximum signal from each station). But remember, in this market you're going to need both VHF and UHF receiving capability to get all of the stations!

As far as the cheap converter boxes are concerned, they are designed to downconvert digital signals to be displayed on an analog TV. The tuners are fine for doing that and all of the converter boxes are of equal quality and value. If by more expensive, you're talking about a $150+ box, you're not talking about a converter box, you're describing a digital tuner. There's a huge difference in price, quality and functionality. If you're just looking to buy a digital converter box to be used with an analog TV, buy the cheapest one you can find."

I asked some additional questions regarding whether or not existing TV stations would use continue to use their temporary UHF channel numbers or go back to their regular numbers (the ones the public knows them by). Here was Doug's response:

"Our digital channel is and will remain, 43. Stations will continue to market and refer to themselves by their old analog channel numbers as a way to reduce confusion to viewers. Our move with WPME from digital channel 28 to 35 (our old analog channel) was done for technical reasons (to allow us use the existing channel 35 antenna which is mounted at the highest point on the tower).

Several of the other area stations will be moving back to their analog frequencies (primarily for lower electric power costs), but most will not. This is going to be a confusing issue as viewers try to tune into specific stations and don't know the "real" channel numbers.

WCSH - Analog channel 6...digital channel 44. They will not be moving and even though the digital tuners will tell you that you are watching channel 6, it will actually be receiving that signal on channel 44.

WMTW - Analog channel 8...currently digital channel 45 but they will be
moving back to channel 8 for their digital broadcasting on February 17th.

WGME - Analog channel 13...digital channel 38. They will
not be moving and even though the digital tuners will tell you that you are
watching channel 13, it will actually be receiving that signal on channel 38.

WCBB - Analog channel 10...currently digital channel 17 but they will be
moving back to channel 10 for their digital broadcasting next week.

WPFO - Analog channel 23...they will switch from analog to digital broadcasting on
February 17th, but will remain on channel 23.

WMEA - Analog channel 26...they will switch to digital channel 45 (the current WMTW channel) on February 17th so the tuner will tell you that you're watching channel 26 but it will actually be receiving channel 45.

As viewers have to manually add and delete channels they will need to understand this concept and know the real channel numbers for each station."

Many thanks to Doug for all of his input. We appreciate that he has always been as passionate about getting information out to the public as those at the Maine HDTV Forum.

Metrocast adds HD channels to lineup - sort of

In New Hampshire and Far Southwestern Maine, where Metrocast Cable crosses over the state borders to do business, the channel lineup can change right before your very eyes.

With no fanfare or announcement, Metrocast added Fox 25, the Fox Affiliate out of Boston which is in High Definition, to their lineup. I was surprised and called Metrocast to see if this was permanent or just some sort of test. The reason I called is that Maine has a Fox channel, Fox 23 out of Waterville, but they are not broadcasting over the air in HD and won't until February 17, 2009. It's all due to some FCC rules and it's a long story. In any case, I was told that Fox 25 would be permanently added to the channel lineup for those of us in Maine (even though technically we shouldn't have it because Maine has as Fox channel with broadcasting rights to this area. And even if/when Fox 23 is ready to broadcast in HD in Maine on February 17, there's nothing that says Metrocast will carry that channel. We have yet to test receiving Fox 23's digital signal because it's just not there yet.

Low and behold a few weeks went by and the channel disappeared. I called Metrocast to find out what was going on and nobody knew but the said they would get back to me. Anybody care to guess if they did? Any wagers? No? None? You are correct. Nobody ever got back to me. So I wrote to them via email and still nobody has gotten back to me.

So know the rest of the lineup. For 2009 Metrocast added QVC is HD. Wow, now there's some real progress in the world of HD. QVC launched their HD channel but the actual picture size is smaller than regular analog QVC because QVC decided to fill up a third of the screen with white space, advertising that they sell HD TVs. Not quite sure where the benefit is there.

Then we have Versus HD. I never even heard of Versus regular, never mind HD. And if you are going to launch an HD channel, shouldn't you have HD programming. Every time I channel surf, Versus HD isn't in HD; they're not even in wide screen format. And it's a bunch of shows about fishing.

So thank you Metrocast for yet more disappointment. You removed FOX in HD, you added QVC in HD but it isn't really HD, and you gave us a fishing channel that's not in HD either. Great work! You're really showing those satellite companies how it's done.

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/

Problems with Digital Converter Box - not ready to buy a Digital TV

I received a great email from a viewer in Farmington Maine:

I live in Farmington, ME and receive OTA analog signals for CH 8,10,13 and
23. CH 10 and 23 have the best reception, CH 13 is tolerable and CH 8 not
really viewable.

I'm not ready to buy a digital tv, but I have purchased a converter
box.

Today I hooked up the Set Top Converter Box and received CH 6 and 13,
including the sub-channels. I was surprised to receive the NBC channels,
since I have never received the analog version. When not using the
converter box, the reception is viewable for the PBS channel; however, all the
other previously received analog stations are gone.

Why can't I received the digital signal for MPBN CH10, which I
understand to be broadcast in digital?

I was going to contact them, but came across your informative and
intresting articles; and thought I would pose the question to you.

I responsed as follows:

I'm trying to figure some things out. Are you saying that when you are
bypassing the converter box and trying to view analog TV, the reception is worse
now than it was before you installed the converter box? Why do you want to
bypass the converter box? Are you saying that with the converter box you
ONLY receive 6, 13, and PBS? It makes sense that Analog 23, and 10 are the
best in analog because you are closest to those towers.

Fox 23 is out of Waterville and Maine PBS has several towers across the
state. It seems that the channels out of Portland are more difficult for you
which of course makes sense. Channel 10 (PBS) in Digital is 26.1 for
my area but for you it could be different.

Use the chart here on Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maine_Public_Broadcasting_Network.
Wikipedia might be the one resource you should use the most to figure some
things out. It's the resource I use the most. By searching on any
stations call letters it will tell you the exact UHF (digital) channel to
receive the broadcast. For example WMTW is 46.1. But for you, MPBN does
have a signal out of Augusta on UHF channel 17, where as in Biddeford, I use
26.

Unfortunately contacting "them" won't help. There isn't really anywhere
to call to get all the information you need and any one particular station has
no incentive to help you. That's why I started my blog with information
about digital TV in Maine.

Does the digital converter box have a function to "search" for all channel,
like when you let your TV do it. If so, you could try the antenna in a few
different positions to see if it picks up more or fewer depending on
location.

I hope some of the info I provided can start to help. I'll be happy to
work with you to iron out some of your issues. Keep in mind that even on
the best of days, antenna position is like real estate...location, location,
location. I have a problem with Channel 8. It's fine for days on end
and then all of a sudden it doesn't want to come in. That is due to
weather, general interference, sun spots, you name it. Another thing to
remember is that digital signals are all or nothing, you won't receive a fuzzy
digital picture...you will either get a great picture or none at all and the
slightest change in antenna position will affect that.

What type of antenna do you use. I've tried them all and returned most
of them. I just bought a second HDTV for the bedroom and tried to get away
with a cheaper antenna. But after many tries went back to my old standard,
the TERK for about $73.00 at Best Buy. It's probably the most expensive
one but it is very powerful and I get more stations as far away as 50 miles in
all directions as opposed to any other antenna I ever tried.

Let me know how you are doing and hopefully we can make some progress.

MPBN still stretching the truth about their pledge drive

"Stretching the truth" is about as kind as I can say it.

During an MPBN pledge break the host says something like "My name is Mary, I work here at MPBN and I'm a member". Am I supposed to think that as an employee, she actually has to pay for her membership? I guess it could be true but for some reason I doubt it and would need to see proof.

But that's not the marketing ploy that's really bothering me. They still present the fact that 64% of their income is from the infamous "viewers like you". It is not until they show a pie chart of donations that you might notice the 64% consists of viewer contributions AND corporate donations. So you're at home thinking "Wow, more than two thirds of their income comes from people like me, or families like mine". All the while companies like Mechanics Savings Bank, Hammond Lumber, or Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield have donated much larger sums of money than you could never dream of donating yourself.

I don't fault these companies for donating to MPBN. I would think that these companies are involved with public television as part of their civic duty being a corporate member of Maine communities.

But let's not skew the truth as to where MPBN gets their revenue. It would be nice to get real figures and real percentages of donors broken down by corporations versus individuals. This should be done for no other reason than freedom of information.

Here is the most important part of the problem which I call the "bait and switch":

MPBN makes a very big deal during a "special" pledge break where the existing members of MPBN will match your donation. This means that if you donate $25, it will really be a $50 donation in your name to MPBN, right? No.

From the way it is presented, you would think that existing members add a little extra to their annual donation that will be used for the "matching" purpose. It is a very special, once in a lifetime opportunity that a new member can take advantage of. However, if it is so special, then why is it that every single pledge break I have seen since last week has been a "once in a lifetime opportunity" pledge break.

Here's how the matching dollar act really works. If you pledge $20, another member of MPBN who has already donated some extra cash to MPBN will match your pledge and put another $20 into the coffers. So to speak. That extra $20 won't be attached to your name, it's just added to the pile.

So this existing member already gave an extra $300, as an example, to MPBN and it is already considered a donation to MPBN, and it is accounted for. But that $300 gets re-assigned as a "matching" donation, as needed, during one of their "special matching pledge breaks". So, if you called and donated $20, the records would show that you donated $20. Not $40. That matching amount doesn't have your name attached to it. Additionally, the money used to "match" your donation, has already been donated to MPBN. So there is no additional money being donated in your name or anybody elses name that hasn't already been donated.

Are you getting the picture here? It's a bait and switch and they should be ashamed of themselves for false advertising and fraud.

Listen, I firmly believe in public television. Nobody takes advantage of it more than I do. I think I know their TV schedule like the back of my own hand. But I do have a problem with the Maine Public Broadcasting Network. Wht can't they be honest about where their revenue comes from and how it is allocated? What are the real ins and outs of these "matching" pledge breaks? Why are they so behind the times when it comes to technology? Why don't they broadcast public television 24 hours a day? Does it really save them that much money to shut down the entire system for a few hours? You know what they say, by the time you power everything down and shut all the lights off, it's cheaper to just leave it all on.

The State of New Hampshire is smaller in geographical size than Maine but has about the same population. They also have about the same number of Public TV transmitters and have PBS competition in Southern Maine from both the Boston PBS stations and Maine PBS stations. So why is it that New Hampshire public television operates 24 hours a day. They also operate not one, but two separate television broadcasts, one in High Definition 24 hours a day (the national PBS feed) and one Standard Definition local feed also 24 hours a day. If you try to call NHPTV after hours, nobody answers. So it is a high probability that a lot of the overnight programming is automated and doesn't require much additional staff or cost.

So in my opinion, and that's all it is, MPBN should be completely transparent about their finances since this is a public, nonprofit organization. Who is really donating what and how much of their budget comes from individuals, not corporations. They should also be investing in the right kind of technology. High Definition is the future. No, never mind, High Definition is the present, and in some cases, the past, since some TV stations have been doing it for more than 4 years already. For all this pride they have that even places in New Brunswick, Canada, rely on MPBN for programming, how about giving more attention to Maine viewers, be upfront about the money, and be more cutting edge on technology.

Until that happens, I have no other personal choice than to support donating money to New Hampshire public television instead.