VHF v. UHF for digital TV

When I purchased my first digital TV, Boston's channel 7 was
broadcasting their digital signal on channel 42 and their analog
signal on channel 7. At the time of the switchover, they were
scheduled to drop channel 42 and put their digital signal on channel
7. For two or three months, they broadcast a digital signal on both
channels. All of a sudden, they (must have) decided to use channel 42
and drop channel 7.

I know that VHF-low (channels 2-6) doesn't work well for digital TV,
but what would have been the purpose for changing their mind? What's
the UHF advantage?

NadCixelsyd wrote:
When I purchased my first digital TV, Boston's channel 7 was
broadcasting their digital signal on channel 42 and their analog
signal on channel 7. At the time of the switchover, they were
scheduled to drop channel 42 and put their digital signal on channel
7. For two or three months, they broadcast a digital signal on both
channels. All of a sudden, they (must have) decided to use channel 42
and drop channel 7.

I know that VHF-low (channels 2-6) doesn't work well for digital TV,
but what would have been the purpose for changing their mind? What's
the UHF advantage?

I believe the UHF transmitters use less electricity than the VHF ones.

Chip

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On 11/17/10 PDT 5:39 AM, NadCixelsyd wrote:
When I purchased my first digital TV, Boston's channel 7 was
broadcasting their digital signal on channel 42 and their analog
signal on channel 7. At the time of the switchover, they were
scheduled to drop channel 42 and put their digital signal on channel
7. For two or three months, they broadcast a digital signal on both
channels. All of a sudden, they (must have) decided to use channel 42
and drop channel 7.

I know that VHF-low (channels 2-6) doesn't work well for digital TV,
but what would have been the purpose for changing their mind? What's
the UHF advantage?


They may be broadcasting their digital signal on 7-1 or similar, which
is what happens in N. Cal. when Ch. 7 went HiDef.

Why do you say that channels 2-6 don't work well for digital TV?
I get good OTA reception on 2, 3, 4, and 5- nothing on 6 afaik.

--
john mcwilliams

"John McWilliams" wrote in message
...
On 11/17/10 PDT 5:39 AM, NadCixelsyd wrote:
When I purchased my first digital TV, Boston's channel 7 was
broadcasting their digital signal on channel 42 and their analog
signal on channel 7. At the time of the switchover, they were
scheduled to drop channel 42 and put their digital signal on channel
7. For two or three months, they broadcast a digital signal on both
channels. All of a sudden, they (must have) decided to use channel 42
and drop channel 7.

I know that VHF-low (channels 2-6) doesn't work well for digital TV,
but what would have been the purpose for changing their mind? What's
the UHF advantage?


They may be broadcasting their digital signal on 7-1 or similar, which is
what happens in N. Cal. when Ch. 7 went HiDef.

Why do you say that channels 2-6 don't work well for digital TV?
I get good OTA reception on 2, 3, 4, and 5- nothing on 6 afaik.

--
john mcwilliams

I think what was meant was that antenna specs vary significantly between the
two ranges, and since most digital stations seem to prefer UHF, then a
different antenna would be required for lower VHF

--
Regards,
Richard Harison

Why do you say that channels 2-6 don't work well for digital TV?
I get good OTA reception on 2, 3, 4, and 5- nothing on 6 afaik.

--
john mcwilliams


Those channels are probably all using UHF channels and remapping to the
original numbers to make it easy on the viewer who doesn't have to remember
new channel numbers. Here in LA 2, 4, 5 display as their original VHF
channel numbers, but are really transmitted on UHF channels.

On Wed, 17 Nov 2010 05:39:00 -0800, NadCixelsyd wrote:

When I purchased my first digital TV, Boston's channel 7 was
broadcasting their digital signal on channel 42 and their analog signal
on channel 7. At the time of the switchover, they were scheduled to
drop channel 42 and put their digital signal on channel 7. For two or
three months, they broadcast a digital signal on both channels. All of
a sudden, they (must have) decided to use channel 42 and drop channel 7.

I know that VHF-low (channels 2-6) doesn't work well for digital TV, but
what would have been the purpose for changing their mind? What's the
UHF advantage?

There's several reasons why they would only use UHF. It's less
susceptible to interferences. I lot(most?) of so called HDTV antennas are
UHF only, and they can save money by only broadcasting on one freq.



--
Want the ultimate in free OTA SD/HDTV Recorder? http://mythtv.org

On 11/17/10 PDT 11:28 AM, Chas wrote:

Why do you say that channels 2-6 don't work well for digital TV?
I get good OTA reception on 2, 3, 4, and 5- nothing on 6 afaik.


Those channels are probably all using UHF channels and remapping to the
original numbers to make it easy on the viewer who doesn't have to remember
new channel numbers. Here in LA 2, 4, 5 display as their original VHF
channel numbers, but are really transmitted on UHF channels.

Aha! Thanks, that does make sense. I have a DirecTV DVR, not the newest,
and Samsung HD displays. Is there a way to check using either of those,
or does one have to go digging in the website of the station?

--
John McWilliams

NadCixelsyd wrote:

I know that VHF-low (channels 2-6) doesn't work well for digital TV,
but what would have been the purpose for changing their mind? What's
the UHF advantage?

The answer seems to elude even the engineers. In my area, there are stations
on RF channels 7, 9, 11, and 13 and all four of them have reported reception
problems since moving to hi-VHF from their temporary UHF assignments. I don't
think any of them are able to move back to UHF, but at least a couple of them
have applied for power increases.

On Nov 17, 3:37*pm, John McWilliams wrote:
On 11/17/10 * PDT 11:28 AM, Chas wrote:



Why do you say that channels 2-6 don't work well for digital TV?
I get good OTA reception on 2, 3, 4, and 5- nothing on 6 afaik.

Those channels are probably all using UHF channels and remapping to the
original numbers to make it easy on the viewer who doesn't have to remember
new channel numbers. *Here in LA *2, 4, 5 display as their original VHF
channel numbers, but are really transmitted on UHF channels.

Aha! Thanks, that does make sense. I have a DirecTV DVR, not the newest,
and Samsung HD displays. Is there a way to check using either of those,
or does one have to go digging in the website of the station?
John McWilliams

Boston MA:
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...a37b9076401 2

jsw

On 11/17/10 PDT 2:17 PM, Jim Wilkins wrote:
On Nov 17, 3:37 pm, John wrote:
On 11/17/10 PDT 11:28 AM, Chas wrote:



Why do you say that channels 2-6 don't work well for digital TV?
I get good OTA reception on 2, 3, 4, and 5- nothing on 6 afaik.

Those channels are probably all using UHF channels and remapping to the
original numbers to make it easy on the viewer who doesn't have to remember
new channel numbers. Here in LA 2, 4, 5 display as their original VHF
channel numbers, but are really transmitted on UHF channels.

Aha! Thanks, that does make sense. I have a DirecTV DVR, not the newest,
and Samsung HD displays. Is there a way to check using either of those,
or does one have to go digging in the website of the station?
John McWilliams

Boston MA:
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...a37b9076401 2

Whoa! Excellent source. Way better than station sleuthing some other
way. Thanks.

--
john mcwilliams