Switching to Digital - What you need to know before you buy.

On Mon, 26 Jan 2009 23:06:32 -0500, kevin wrote:
Carolina's - been into most of the electronic stores here and even on
the tv stations have indicated just UHF. Maybe I misinterpreted what
they were saying. You will still need a converter box unless you have
Sat or Cable. We are out in the woods here and the trees block line of
sight for Sat. and cable is not run in our area yet. So our only option
is going with the converter box and the UHF band antenna.

Looking at the FCC database, Wilmington is the only market in the
Carolinas where all DTV will remain UHF. In Charlotte and Charleston PBS
is the only channel on VHF.

In much of the Carolinas, all DTV is UHF *right now* but one or more
major stations will be moving to VHF when the transition happens.

DO NOT TRUST the electronics stores to know. We've had trouble here with
viewers being told they don't need a VHF antenna. Those who believe that
often can't get NBC... and will lose CBS and PBS next month...

--
/home/w9wi/.sig

great info thx.

Kevin


Alan F wrote:
kevin wrote:
Carolina's - been into most of the electronic stores here and even on
the tv stations have indicated just UHF. Maybe I misinterpreted what
they were saying. You will still need a converter box unless you have
Sat or Cable. We are out in the woods here and the trees block line
of sight for Sat. and cable is not run in our area yet. So our only
option is going with the converter box and the UHF band antenna.

kevin

Check http://www.rabbitears.info/ Digital Transition Reports or if you
want a detailed spreadsheet of what teh conversion plans are for all
1809 full power stations in the US, go to http://www.rabbitears.info/ss/.

If you are in a rural area and have reception issues, the best
solution is usually a dedicated UHF antenna combined with a upper VHF or
full VHF antenna if you need that. The Channel Master 4221 4 Bay bowtie,
Channel Master 4228 (now 4228HD) 8 bay bowtie, and the Antennas Direct
91-XG are the generally regarded as the best UHF antennas for the buck.
The CM 4228 has decent performance for upper VHF and the new CM4228HD
model has been tweaked to have good gain for upper VHF. For a useful
website on antennas, go to
http://www.hdtvprimer.com/ISSUES/erecting_antenna.html. Click on the
comparing commercially available antennas link.

To look up your local stations and their direction & expected signal
strength at your location, try www.antennaweb.org & www.tvfool.com.

Alan F

Excellent post. That is what I have been told by stores in the
Charlotte area.

Kevin


Doug Smith wrote:
On Mon, 26 Jan 2009 23:06:32 -0500, kevin wrote:
Carolina's - been into most of the electronic stores here and even on
the tv stations have indicated just UHF. Maybe I misinterpreted what
they were saying. You will still need a converter box unless you have
Sat or Cable. We are out in the woods here and the trees block line of
sight for Sat. and cable is not run in our area yet. So our only option
is going with the converter box and the UHF band antenna.

Looking at the FCC database, Wilmington is the only market in the
Carolinas where all DTV will remain UHF. In Charlotte and Charleston PBS
is the only channel on VHF.

In much of the Carolinas, all DTV is UHF *right now* but one or more
major stations will be moving to VHF when the transition happens.

DO NOT TRUST the electronics stores to know. We've had trouble here with
viewers being told they don't need a VHF antenna. Those who believe that
often can't get NBC... and will lose CBS and PBS next month...

On Tue, 27 Jan 2009 22:44:12 -0500, kevin wrote:

Excellent post. That is what I have been told by stores in the
Charlotte area.

WTVI (analog 42) is operating on digital channel 11 right now and will
remain on that channel after transition. I don't see any other Charlotte-
market stations moving to VHF.

Actually, there is a permit for a low-power digital station on channel 13
in Charlotte. It'll be the digital side of Daystar, analog channel 25.

--
/home/w9wi/.sig

On Tue, 27 Jan 2009 22:44:12 -0500, kevin wrote:

Excellent post. That is what I have been told by stores in the
Charlotte area.

WTVI (analog 42) is operating on digital channel 11 right now and will
remain on that channel after transition. I don't see any other Charlotte-
market stations moving to VHF.

Actually, there is a permit for a low-power digital station on channel 13
in Charlotte. It'll be the digital side of Daystar, analog channel 25.

--
/home/w9wi/.sig

Thank you for the clarification on the stations for the Charlotte area.
Where did you find that info or are you just in the loop on this info?

Kevin


Doug Smith wrote:
On Tue, 27 Jan 2009 22:44:12 -0500, kevin wrote:

Excellent post. That is what I have been told by stores in the
Charlotte area.

WTVI (analog 42) is operating on digital channel 11 right now and will
remain on that channel after transition. I don't see any other Charlotte-
market stations moving to VHF.

Actually, there is a permit for a low-power digital station on channel 13
in Charlotte. It'll be the digital side of Daystar, analog channel 25.

On Wed, 28 Jan 2009 23:14:08 -0500, kevin wrote:

Thank you for the clarification on the stations for the Charlotte area.
Where did you find that info or are you just in the loop on this info?

I mirror the FCC CDBS Engineering Database on my computer.

You can access the same data on http://www.fcc.gov/mb/video/tvq.html .

It is a bit difficult to figure out which DTV facilities are interim and
which are permanent, though you can certainly presume if you find a
digital facility on the same channel as the station's existing analog
station, that digital facility is permanent post-transition.

If I select Charlotte and as the "service", DT - Digital Television, I
get:

Freq Offset (NTSC analog TV only)
Call Channel | Service Status City State Country
File Number Docket FacilityID ERP HAAT Licensee/
Permittee

WTVI 11 0 DT LIC CHARLOTTE NC US
BMLEDT-20030428AAT - 10645 2.2 kW 363. m
CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURG PUBLIC BROADCASTING
AUTHORITY

WTVI 11 0 DT APP CHARLOTTE NC US
BPEDT-20080620ALW - 10645 2.57 kW 363. m CHARLOTTE-
MECKLENBURG PUBLIC BROADCASTING AUTHORITY

WCNC-TV 22 0 DT LIC CHARLOTTE NC US
BLCDT-20031211ABN - 32326 791. kW 577. m WCNC-TV,
INC.

WCNC-TV 22 0 DT APP CHARLOTTE NC US
BPCDT-20080617AEH - 32326 1000. kW 595. m WCNC-TV,
INC.

WBTV 23 0 DT LIC CHARLOTTE NC US
BLCDT-19991025AEB - 30826 1000. kW 565. m WBTV
LICENSE SUBSIDIARY, LLC

WCCB 27 0 DT LIC CHARLOTTE NC US
BLCDT-20020227AAZ - 49157 1000. kW 368. m NORTH
CAROLINA BROADCASTING PARTNERS

WSOC-TV 34 0 DT LIC CHARLOTTE NC US
BLCDT-20040526ANW - 74070 1000. kW 348. m WSOC
TELEVISION, INC.

*** 7 Records Retrieved ***

WTVI and WCNC show up twice because each station has filed an application
to increase permanent digital power. None of these stations are moving
to new channels. I'll add another listing - here's Durham:

Freq Offset (NTSC analog TV only)
Call Channel | Service Status City State Country
File Number Docket FacilityID ERP HAAT Licensee/
Permittee

WTVD 11 0 DT CP MOD DURHAM NC US
BMPCDT-20080822AAF - 8617 20.7 kW 615. m WTVD
TELEVISION, LLC

WRDC 28 0 DT CP DURHAM NC US
BPCDT-20080317AGR - 54963 225. kW 610. m RALEIGH
(WRDC-TV) LICENSEE, INC.

WRDC 28 0 DT APP DURHAM NC US
BMPCDT-20080620AJU - 54963 725. kW 585. m RALEIGH
(WRDC-TV) LICENSEE, INC.

WTVD 52 0 DT LIC DURHAM NC US
BLCDT-19991117ABU - 8617 1000. kW 599. m WTVD
TELEVISION, LLC

Note that WTVD has listings on both channel 11 and channel 52. If you
were to search on analog TV instead of digital, you'd find WTVD's analog
facility is on channel 11. Their channel 52 digital facility is interim
and will be going permanently off the air when their analog is shut off
and their new digital fires up on 11.

Many "Charlotte" stations are missing from the list because they aren't
technically Charlotte stations. For example, analog channel 55 WMYT is
technically a Rock Hill, SC station. (these days that is only a legal
concept, it's quite possible all the station's physical facilities are in
Charlotte...)

--
/home/w9wi/.sig

All --
Thanks for the info.

Kevin -- That dealfrogger.com site is really cool. It has some great
deals thx.

Jim

kevin wrote:
Cable and Satellite providers are trying to sell their expensive plans
with contracts. Here is what you need to know when they switch from
analog to digital on February 17th 2009.

You can buy a UHF antenna with a converter box for all under $50. You
can buy this converter box Lasonic LTA-260 ATSC Digital to Analog TV
Converter Box for $9.99 with the $40 coupon below and this antenna RCA
ANT1500 Large Multi-Directional Digital Flat Passive Antenna (White) for
$36.49. This antenna has slightly better specs than the terk for $49.99.
If you are far away from where they broadcast you may want to invest in
an outdoor antenna. The Winegard antennas are very good. Heck they make
satellite dishes so they know what they are doing. If you go with the
outdoor antenna this antenna from winegard Winegard SS-2000
Squareshooter UHF-Only Amplified Antenna had great reviews and ratings.
This will bring in a signal from up to 40 miles away.

I strongly suggest going the outdoor route so you can buy 1 antenna and
filter to all tv's in your house. Plus they will have a better range.
Remember for each TV you will need a digital converter box however you
only need 1 outdoor antenna to feed every box.

If you already have an HDTV then all you need is the antenna.

Below are the details on how to get the $40 coupon for the receiver.

Save $40 on This TV Converter Box
On February 17, 2009, U.S. broadcast television is switching from analog
to digital signals. Analog televisions using an antenna will require a
converter box to receive broadcast TV after that date. Every U.S.
household can get up to two coupons--each with a code good for $40 off
the cost of eligible converter boxes. If you have a code, redeem it via
our online form here. You must enter your coupon code via the online
form. You can not enter your coupon code as a promotional code during
checkout. If you need a code, you can apply for one at
http://www.dtv2009.gov/ApplyCoupon.aspx (this link will take you to an
external website).

source: http://www.dealfrogger.com
Check out dealfrogger for other great blogs.

I've bought one since I got it with the coupon for $7. I just could
not pass it up thinking I might try it one day, but I have cable and
don't need it (now). And here again it had great reviews, if that can
be used as a guide.

And why wouldn't you share that make/model with us???