Anyone want to clear the air on CBS-HD?

[Greg Bimson]

To try and give a better example:

I believe that a "private feed" would mean that a contract between two parties. However, in the programming world, just because CBS and Dish Network come to an agreement doesn't mean that CBS has the right to retransmit everything from one of their affiliates to Dish Network. There are both syndicated fare (Entertainment Tonight, the Insider, Dr. Phil) and sports (specifically the NFL) which would need to grant CBS the right to resell nationally.

So, if CBS signed with the syndicators and the NFL to resell, then CBS can sign a "private feed" with Dish Network to distribute WCBS and KCBS in HD nationally. My point is I don't believe that was done.

Which leaves option two, where the contract references the SHVIA's terms for delivering distant networks.

And if the NFL has ever been on the distant CBS HD, I can guarantee you that the "private feed" is in fact simply a contract that is a blanket waiver using the SHVIA. There is no way the NFL would simply allow CBS to resell any out-of-market HD games nationally when that is in DirecTV's contract.

 

[Cameron3395]

Well I'm upgrading to HD on Friday and was wondering if I would qualify for the CBS HD channel. I currently get the Little Rock locals but I live over 100 miles away so I can't get the OTA channels in HD. Would that make me qualify for CBS HD? That website kinda confused me.

 

[rlarryvt]

All the info you need is here...

http://www.dishnetwork.com/content/programming/locals/cbshd/index.shtml

This CBS feed will not go away no matter what happens to the distants.

I'm thinking of moving to Manchester NH. According to this info I believe I would qaulify. Something to consider

 

[MikeD-C05]

Well I'm upgrading to HD on Friday and was wondering if I would qualify for the CBS HD channel. I currently get the Little Rock locals but I live over 100 miles away so I can't get the OTA channels in HD. Would that make me qualify for CBS HD? That website kinda confused me.

What town are you at in Arkansas? My Aunt lives in Hatfield near Mena and they were in a white area for years. They got Little Rock locals a couple of years ago and she is eligilble for all networks except CBS. She gets practically no ota reception that looks good being around all those mountains and hills.

 

[Cameron3395]

Newport. It's north towards Jonesboro.

 

[SmityWhity]

Folks living in the Denver area should be able to get CBS-East and CBS-West.

I live in the West Arvada area and upgraded to HD about a year ago. Dish informed that though the CBS in Denver was part of the O&O network and should be eligable, I lived too close to the Cheyenne, WY CBS and needed to get a waiver from them. I thing the range was within 100 miles.

I contacted the Cheyenne CBS affliate, told them I lived in Arvada, CO, had Dish Network and needed a waiver. The receptionist I spoke with said she gets the request all the time and knew exactly what to do. She obtained some basic information (name, address, phone) and said she would fax in the request directly to Dish.

Within 48-96 hours I had access to CBS-East (off of 61.5) and CBS-West (off of 148).

I just did a quick route on the map; Arvada to Cheyenne is 101 miles, while Arvada to Colorado Springs is 78 miles. Aurora to Colorado Springs is about 68.

I need to look into this a little more.
EDIT: I do remember awhile back that part of northern CO is in 1 or 2 other markets, and maybe its those markets Dish is looking at.

 

[HDTVFanAtic]

You should be able to get it, Denver is O&O according to the Dish website.

You can always put in for a waiver. I only had to put in about twenty requests (one a week for about 6 months) until my local CBS either screwed up and accidentally gave it to me or just got plain tired of me asking.

....or dish just screwed up/got tired of you asking, as is accused in the lawsuit....

 

[TRSmudge]

OK now I am confused.....

I HAD the CBS HD feed and now it's gone.....

I can't receive an OTA HD signal because the station is about 80 miles away

I get my locals thru DISH (WSAW is my CBS)

Why did I lose my HD feed?

 

[NOHDjunkie]

CBS HD is considered a PRIVATE FEED, and not a Distant Network.

WHy do you have to "qualify" for it just like a distant?

 

[ThomasRz]

The CBS-"HD" feed (NY/LA?) is not provided (at this point) under the statutory (compulsory) license so the recent decision on the injunction would not directly impact it. This is a special case since it only applies to areas with CBS O&O stations and thus CBS corporate is in effect the local station and thus granting a "waiver" to local exclusivity. Otherwise the local affiliate would be protected under its agreement with CBS and the law. This is also why there is a stipulation that the sub cannot be in the Grade B of another (non-O&O station) since this would adversely impact that affiliate (e.g. Baltimore-Washington). Such an affiliate could grant a waiver.

It is important to distinguish between two concepts:

1 - The statutory license. By law, E* may serve certain subscribers with a network signal whether or not the content owner/licensee (e.g. CBS) consents. E* (in reality, the sub) must pay a royalty to the owner but David Letterman or CBS cannot stop a legal sub from receiving the signal. This is why the law limited reception to certain groups. Private property is being taken without consent. This is essential a copyright issue.

2 - Local Affiliate protection - Unless a sub qualifies under the statutory license, a local network affiliate is entitled to exclude other signals of its own network being delivered by DBS even if the copyright owner consents. Thus a waiver is required. This is essential a affiliate-network agreement/public policy matter. No this does not prevent a person from picking up non-local signals OTA. It doesn't have to make sense - it's the law.

 

[TommyTDFVC]

Where do you live? Surely you can receive locals in HD from an off-air antenna. If that is the case, you should be getting CBS-HD, lest your local affiliate does not broadcast it. CBS-HD is available, where broadcast, to any recipiant of the signal. There is no such thing as a "HD antenna" The signal is a piggyback of the analog signal. So if you get CBS analog, maybe you need to wait until CSI is on and they are broadcasting HD, so your receiver can do a scan and save it to the channel guide.
We need more info from you as to how you are attempting to get CBS for a good answer. Distant locals are for those who want "Superstations; ie:WB" and meet certain requirements per FCC. From the sounds of it, you already have networks in HD and can't get the CBS signal. Surely, they are broadcasting in HD if you are outside of Fargo. So find the channel and get an appropriate directional antenna to seek it out. For help with that try searching for
"Bursma" or "Bursma electronics" They can advise you and sell you antennas and the like for a great price. They ship too.
Also search for "Antenna web"-there you will find distances to broadcast antennas and their location according to your area.
By the way, a coathanger is a "HD antenna".

 

[HDTVFanAtic]

and you can get CBSHD East and West if you qualify

Actually, they have claimed you can only have either or for since 04 or earlier. Longtime subs seem to have had both from way back when.

I live in the West Arvada area and upgraded to HD about a year ago. Dish informed that though the CBS in Denver was part of the O&O network and should be eligable, I lived too close to the Cheyenne, WY CBS and needed to get a waiver from them. I thing the range was within 100 miles.

I contacted the Cheyenne CBS affliate, told them I lived in Arvada, CO, had Dish Network and needed a waiver. The receptionist I spoke with said she gets the request all the time and knew exactly what to do. She obtained some basic information (name, address, phone) and said she would fax in the request directly to Dish.

Within 48-96 hours I had access to CBS-East (off of 61.5) and CBS-West (off of 148).

You got very lucky. I know many people in CBS O&O markets that have subbed - and I have even called for them. Some have been E* subs for ages - and the story is they cannot authorize you for both (Thinking about it in retrospect, that is probably because on is on 61.5W and the other was on 148W - up until and including today they will tell you that you cannot have 148 and 61.5 on the same switch as it will confuse the STB - which is BS. They probably just turned them both on years ago for old subs thinking no one would have both and then became more sophisicated).