AM21/HDDVR HR24-200 OTA Channels in MN

[coconut10]

I live in south central MN. My DMA is the MPLS/STP area. I also can receive the Mankato area channels OTA with a roof antenna. By studying the internet I believe with an AM21 I wouldn't receive 5.3 KSTC METV or 5.4 KSTC Antenna TV. They are not listed in DIRECTV's database for MPLS/STP. Is this correct or could I receive these channels with an AM21 HR24 set-up. My antenna signal is strong on the MPLS/STP channels. Also, what happens if you hook an AM21 up to a digital converter. Example (Ant in to converter to AM21).

 

[Mr Tony]

welcome from another Twin Citian (I'm near Mystic Lake)

With the HR24 and AM21 you do not get the following channels as they are not in the database
5-3 MeTV
5-6 ThisTV
23-3 Country Network
29-3 Bounce TV

5-4 IS in the list (and has guide info) so you can see it
Both Mankato stations (KEYC 12 and Fox Mankato 12-2 are in the guide too)....I can pick them up just fine

What you do is in setup put in your "home" zip and the secondary will be 56001 (Kato)....it will load the channels in the list. Now note since the Minneapolis market is so huge (it actually runs from Iowa almost to the Canadian broder) it will load some stations that you wont get because they're in Alexandria, Brainerd and Bemidji. It gives you the option to remove the non receivable channels so they wont show in any guide. But here is the list of Mpls DMA stations that load (along with KEYC and KETC-DT2)

KTCADT 2.1
KTCADT2 2.2
KTCIDT3 2.3
KTCADT4 2.4
WCCODT 4.1
KSTPDT 5.1
KSTCDT 5.2
KSTCDT2 5.4
KSTPDT2 5.7
KCCODT 7.1 (satellite station of WCCO....based in Alex)
KAWEDT 9.1 (PBS in Bemidji...same as 22)
KMSPDT 9.1
KAWEDT2 9.2 (see above)
WFTCDT2 9.2
KAWEDT3 9.3 (see above)
KAWEDT4 9.4 (see above)
KAWEDT5 9.5 (see above)
KAWEDT6 9.6 (see above)
KWCMDT 10.1 (PBS in Appleton.....near Alexandria)
KWCMDT2 10.2 (see above)
KWCMDT3 10.3 (see above)
KWCMDT4 10.4 (see above)
KAREDT 11.1
KAREDT2 11.2
KCCWDT 12.1 (satellite of WCCO...based in Walker/Bemidji)
KTCIDT2 17.2 (this is actually 2-2 but since D* carries it on 17-2 it shows up)
KAWBDT 22.1 (satellite of KAWE...PBS in Brainerd)
KAWBDT2 22.2 (see above)
KAWBDT3 22.3 (see above)
KAWBDT4 22.4 (see above)
KAWBDT5 22.5 (see above)
KAWBDT6 22.6 (see above)
WUCWDT 23.1
KFTCDT 26.1 (satellite of WFTC 29..Bemidji)
WHWCDT 28.1 (Wisconsin PBS...based in Menomonie...near Eau Claire)
WHWCDT2 28.2 (see above)
WHWCDT3 28.3 (see above)
WFTCDT 29.1
KMSPDT2 29.2
KPXMDT 41.1
KPXMDT2 41.2
KPXMDT3 41.3
KPXMDT4 41.4
KSAXDT 42.1 (satellite of KSTP....based in Alex)
KRWFDT 43.1 (satellite of KSTP..based in Redwood Falls)...now there is a 43 in Mpls proper...its a low powered station of Home Shopping. Can be tuned but will have wrong guide info

 

[Jimbo]

I live in south central MN. MY DMA is the MPLS/STP area. I also can receive the Mankato area channels OTA with a roof antenna. By studying the internet I believe with an AM21 I wouldn't receive 5.3 KSTC METV or 5.4 KSTC Antenna TV. They are not listed in DIECTV's database for MPLS/STP. Is this correct or could I receive these channels with an AM21 HR24 set-up. My antenna signal is strong on the MPLS/STP channels. Also, what happens if you hook an AM21 up to a digital converter. Example (Ant in to converter to AM21).

If the channel is not listed in the D* database, you won't receive it, however, IF you want the new HR34 (genie) , that recvr DOES scan, you would be able to get the channels missing, with it and the AM21.

 

[raoul5788]

to Satelliteguys coconut10!

 

[Mr Tony]

Also, what happens if you hook an AM21 up to a digital converter. Example (Ant in to converter to AM21).

wont work

 

[coconut10]

Thank's for time and effort and info. It's just as I thought. It would be nice to use the DVR functions on channel 5.3, but I'll just have to wait till I upgrade to a Genie to do so.

 

[raoul5788]

Another option is to add a secondary market in the ota option that has a channel with the same rf assignment as 5.3. You aren't likely to get the right guide information, but that may not matter to you.

 

[coconut10]

So your saying that if I add a market (zip code) with a 5.3 channel active I would pickup the broadcast from 5.3 MPLS/STP with the wrong guide info? Guide info wouldn't matter to me, as long as I can receive the channel.

 

[raoul5788]

Yes, but the rf frequency is what matters, that's the real channel number, not the one that shows on the screen. It may say channel 5.3, but it might be 15.3.

I just checked, it's digital channel 35, so you need to find a market with that digital channel in it that has a .3 sub channel. Try Hartford CT, our channel 30 is really 35 and there is a .3, I think. Edit: I don't think there is a .3 sub channel on WVIT anymore. Sorry!

 

[Mr Tony]

I'm too lazy to retype it...about 1/2 way through this thread I mentioned that
http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/300584-ota-for-genie

load a 2nd zip if you just want to tune MeTV...lemme look and see what would work. The AM21 only tunes the RF station (which would be 45-3)

 

[coconut10]

So the DMA for MPLS/STP has 5.2 and 5.4 channels at RF channel 45. The RF channel for 5.3 is also 45. So if you find an active 5.3 channel would it pick it up because of the other channels 5.2 and 5.4 being picked-up at RF 45.

 

[Mr Tony]

Do this...under the secondary load a zip for PORTLAND, MAINE. It will load those locals.
Their PBS (26) uses RF channel 45 (same as KSTC does) so the only channel you'll need is 26-3 out of that batch

I used Portland as it only has the common channel of 23. There are other cities that use a RF45 but then there would be a lot of channels to remove

So put in your zip for the Minneapolis locals
secondary would be 04102 (Portland)
then after it downloads the guide go into "edit channels" and remove all channels you dont get (basically all portland stations but 26-3 and the outer MN stations)

so to tune to MeTV you'd go to 26-3

 

[Mr Tony]

So the DMA for MPLS/STP has 5.2 and 5.4 channels at RF channel 45. The RF channel for 5.3 is also 45. So if you find an active 5.3 channel would it pick it up because of the other channels 5.2 and 5.4 being picked-up at RF 45.

correct
5-2,5-3,5-4,5-6 all are on RF45
5-1 and 5-7 are on RF35

The AM21 doesnt care what the "mapped" channel is. It knows that when you select 5-4 (as example) it knows to tune to RF channel 45
So in my above example, when you select 26-3 it knows to tune to RF45 also

 

[coconut10]

THANKS I haven't purchased a AM21 yet, because I didn't think I could get 5.3. But I'm going to purchase one and see if it works. I'll let you know after I experiment with it.

 

[raoul5788]

Sorry for the confusion when I posted channel 35, I was going by wikipedia.

 

[coconut10]

Thanks. We all make mistakes. 5.1's RF channel is 35, so it was an easy mistake to make. Thanks again for all your time and effort.

 

[Mr Tony]

Sorry for the confusion when I posted channel 35, I was going by wikipedia.

dont worry. Its a unique situation here in Minneapolis
KSTP 5 the ABC affiliate also owns a Independent station KSTC 45. About a year or so ago they decided to merge the PSIP info together for "ease". So the setup is
5-1 KSTP ABC (RF35)
5-2 KSTC 45 (RF45)
5-3 MeTV (RF45)
5-4 AntennaTV (RF45)
5-6 ThisTV (RF45)
5-7 LIve Well (RF35)

Our PBS does that too. We had 2 PBS stations in the analog days (2 & 17)...now they merged together but broadcast on 2 separate RF channels)
2-1 Main PBS (RF34)
2-2 Minnesota Channel (RF34)
2-3 TPTLIfe (replays of stuff from main channel + other programming) RF23
2-4 24/7 aeronautical weather (RF34)

 

[raoul5788]

Turns out Hartford has a channel 45 as well as 35, and it does have a .3 subchannel.

 

[coconut10]

Received my AM21 today. Up and running. Works perfectly with a good signal. I used 55402 as my primary and 99202 (Spokane WA) as my secondary zip. I used Spokane because not only a .3 on RF45 they had 12.1 and 12.2 on12RF. This gives me both Mankato stations because I couldn't use Mankato as my secondary zip. Also Spokane carries METV on 4.2, so I can get guide info on west coast time. That's nice for episode info. I receive all 55402 channels except 5.6,22.3,29.3. It is possible to receive 23.3 and 29.3 but not with 5.3. Ther were 11 markets that carry a .3 subchannel on 45RF. About half of those carry METV so you could get guide info. Some carried both .3 RF45 and.3 22RF, and there were some that carry .3 45RF and .3 29RF. There were none where you could get all 3 channels. I couldn't find any .6 subchannels on 45RF. So 5.6 is the only channel unavailable. It's really nice to have DVR function for OTA's. You can pick 5.3, 22.3 or 29.3 and receive them with AM21 and HR24-200 in the MPLS/STP market.

 

[Mr Tony]

Received my AM21 today. Up and running. Works perfectly with a good signal.

very cool

I used 55402 as my primary and 99202 (Spokane WA) as my secondary zip. I used Spokane because not only a .3 on RF45 they had 12.1 and 12.2 on12RF. This gives me both Mankato stations because I couldn't use Mankato as my secondary zip.

ah shoot. Forgot about that. It made it sound like you wanted MeTV more than Mankato stations (but I guess ya gotta get "Bandwagon" somehow)

Also Spokane carries METV on 4.2, so I can get guide info on west coast time. That's nice for episode info. I receive all 55402 channels except 5.6,22.3,29.3.

yup that would be right

It is possible to receive 23.3 and 29.3 but not with 5.3. Ther were 11 markets that carry a .3 subchannel on 45RF. About half of those carry METV so you could get guide info. Some carried both .3 RF45 and.3 22RF, and there were some that carry .3 45RF and .3 29RF. There were none where you could get all 3 channels. I couldn't find any .6 subchannels on 45RF. So 5.6 is the only channel unavailable. It's really nice to have DVR function for OTA's. You can pick 5.3, 22.3 or 29.3 and receive them with AM21 and HR24-200 in the MPLS/STP market.

So you used Spokane and you get all but 5-6?
Good to know...edit: I see why you used Spokane...for 12

I wish on the HR34 you could do it that way but it just scans for available locals. If it cant find the station there is nothing logged regardless of zip entered