H-Town Voomers post here (yee haw!)

[stacon]

Frustrated New User About to Bail

Ok...I'm a Newbie and don't get ANY of the lingo of box locking and manual scanning and OTA and hits......I dont know what a reboot is or how to do it. All I know is I got an install about 6 or 7 weeks ago and I STILL don't have any local channels. Installer came out and said antenna wasn't big enough so got approval for an upgrade...took forever to get 2nd appt installer back out here (but was actually a blessing because he showed me 1st installer had never hooked up the HD part of my TV so we weren't getting full benefit) anyway...new improved antennae goes up and still no channels...he go a few to blink in for a few seconds but then out again....siad I could spend some bucks and get boosters, etc. However, I am so frustrated that we rarely have service due to boxes that never seem to work (and I guess I don't get what locking up means nor what to do about it) and I can never get voom on the line)
I called TIme Warner back today to see about possibly going back to them since Voom says it will be 7/12 before they can come out again to look at the antenna for the locals....

 

[traylorc]

I live in an apartment in the Midtown area (Travis & McGowen) I have had Voom installed for about a week and I love it.

However, I am having an issue with my OTA signals...I'm not receiving any of them. According to antennaweb.org I'm less than 12-15 miles from the station transmitters. Additionally, prior to installing Voom I was using the Zenith Silver Sensor. I took the Silver Sensor back prior to the Voom installation. With the Silver Sensor I was able to pick up NBC and ABC with a signal in the low 90's. Imagine my disappointment when my amplified Wineguard (I believe its amplified) picks up less channels than the non-amplified indoor antenna I use to own. Also, the OTA mapping is screwed up and only a couple of channels are showing up in the program guide.

I have the installer scheduled to come back out July 5th to upgrade my antenna. I'm hoping this problem can be resolved.

 

[astrossuperfan]

Ok...I'm a Newbie and don't get ANY of the lingo of box locking and manual scanning and OTA and hits......I dont know what a reboot is or how to do it.

A couple quick definitions:
Manual scanning: the ability of the voom box to scan for local channels that your antenna can receive. Currently Voom does not have this feature.

OTA: stands for Over The Air programming, also known as local digital/HD channels that you get with an antenna.

Hit: a boost/reset that a Voom customer service representative sends to your voom box over the satellite dish to try to reset it from their end.

How to reboot your box yourself (from the Voom box FAQ):
There are two ways to reboot your STB.
1. Press the power button on the front panel of the STB for 5-6 seconds, or
2. Unplug the STB for 15 seconds and then plug it in again.
Note, that the Program Guide and even the channel labels will be lost after the reboot. It will take your STB several minutes or more to obtain the PG information via satellite. Although it will be possible to operate your STB in less than a minute after the reboot, I recommend you wait for 10 minutes or so, before changing channels: this seems to help to load the Program Guide quicker. In some cases the reboot can mess up your local channels. Just be patient, give it more time, or repeat the reboot.

OK, now that that's been said...
As far as your local channel problem goes, I suggest the following:
1. Look at the back of your Voom Box. The cable from the antenna should NOT be going into the input with what looks like an antenna. It should instead be going into a similar input on the far right of the back of the box. Make sure this is hooked up correctly. Also make sure the intaller gave you a UHF antenna, not a VHF antenna. UHF is the only way to pull in a majority of the HD signals in Houston.
2. Are your local channels "mapped" correctly? Meaning do they say 2-1 for KPRC, 11-1 for KHOU, etc.? Or do you have local channels like 0-8, 0-10? If the locals are not correct, try a reboot using the steps outlined above. If they are mapped correctly, well keep reading!
3. Have you gone to www.antennaweb.org? If not, go there and type in your address. When you get to the results page, select "digital stations only" and then click the map feature. Make sure your antenna is pointed the right direction for the locals. (As a side note, the locals are broadcast from Stafford, in south Houston, however, antennaweb will give you a directional line to the broadcasting area)
4. How is your antenna mounted? Is it on an apartment balcony, an attic, a pole on top of your house, or inside sitting on top of your TV? What area of town are you in? If you post this info we can help you better.
5. If nothing I wrote helps, try the alternate Voom service number: 1-800-641-3746. At least you may be able to talk a Voom rep. Good luck!

traylorc, go back and get your silver sensor. Best antenna ever.

EDIT: While I'm thinking about it, is your antenna hooked up to a diplexor? A diplxor looks like a reverse-splitter near the antenna and sattelite dish. It combines the two cables into one. Near your TV this cable is re-split back into 2 cables. If you have this, tell your installer that he was lazy and needs to run a line for BOTH the antenna and the satellite. How many Voom receivers do you have? Your free install covered up to 4 lines, 2 for voom and 2 for your antenna. I highly suggest if you have the diplexor, tell the installer to remove it, and tell the intaller where to go if he tries to charge you for running the extra lines, unless you need more than 4.

BTW, I'd like to congratulate myself on my longest post EVER. @party

 

[traylorc]

Astrossuperfan,

I've heard positive things about the Silver Sensor but, as I stated in my earlier post I was only able to pull in NBC and ABC. While the NBC signal was solid as a rock as was UPN, ABC suffered from freezing and audio drop outs. Also, I was never able to pull in CBS, WB or PBS.

Oh, and yes the installer did use a diplexor. As you know the topic of diplexors has been the source of great debate amongst this forum. There are a couple of professional installers who post on this forum that say in many instances the diplexor is needed particularly if you have an amplified antenna which draws it's power from the receiver.

I do wish I would have kept my Silver Sensor and tried it out with the Voom receiver. In the past I was receiving my HD fix via Directv, but my new aparment complex did not have a direct line of sight to the Directv's HD satellites (meaning I read the compass settings incorrectly before I moved in). Hopefully, the upgraded antenna being installed next Monday will solve my OTA issues. If not, I may repurchase the Silver Sensor and connect it to my Voom receiver, I don't know if it would make a difference but it couldn't hurt to try.

 

[Failed Engineer]

BTW, VOOM mapped 51-1 KNWS to the Houston area it seems. I was getting it yesterday night. So it looks like Houston is OK as far as locals go. No need for manual scan here now.

 

[ChetK]

Hi Guys, (I accidentally posted this same message in the Dallas/Texas forum too).

In Houston here!

What's the deal with KNWS Channel 51? When I do an OTA scan, it is added to my channels, but when I go to the channel, I get a "No Signal Found". I have my own antenna installed and I get every other OTA channel (KPRC, PBS, KHOU, KTRK, UPN-20, KRIV, WB, and the Spanish. But no KNWS. I want to see the Astros games. Any reason why I might not be getting this channel? It is broadcasted in upconverted HD isn't it?

Thanks,

 

[ChetK]

Basically,

I'm trying to find out if this may be due to a UHF/VHF type of issue (of which I know nothing about when it comes to HD reception) or if I'm to far away to receive the signal, or if they're not broadcasting an HD signal. When I contacted them via e-mail, they said that they don't broadcast in HD, but that they broadcast a "digital" signal. Does that mean the broadcast and upconverted HD signal? I'm confused because my built-in HDTV tuner won't pick up the channel nor will the Voom receiver.

Thanks again.

 

[ChetK]

Anybody?

 

[astrossuperfan]

I don't know why you aren't getting 51, but I can hopefully point out some things.

1. KNWS has no HDTV programming. They broadcast a digital signal. It's 2 different things. All HDTV is digital, but not all digital is HDTV. Case in point, the local news on KPRC @ 10PM is a digital broadcast, but not an HD broadcast.

2. You can't get KNWS on another tuner. Perhaps you just are unable to receive the channel in your area? It IS a UHF station, but if you are getting the other digital stations you should be fine. If you can, try moving the antenna around, maybe you have a multipath issue.

BTW, why would you want to watch the Disastros? they suck! :river

Signed,

FairWeatherSuperfan

 

[ChetK]

Thanks.

1. KNWS has no HDTV programming. They broadcast a digital signal. It's 2 different things. All HDTV is digital, but not all digital is HDTV. Case in point, the local news on KPRC @ 10PM is a digital broadcast, but not an HD broadcast.

I realize all of that. KPRC is still considerd an HDTV signal at 10pm. It's just upconverted to HD to be sent out. It's the same transmitter transmitting the same kind of data to my HDTV receiver. It's not considered HDTV programming. Just an HDTV signal.

2. You can't get KNWS on another tuner. Perhaps you just are unable to receive the channel in your area? It IS a UHF station, but if you are getting the other digital stations you should be fine. If you can, try moving the antenna around, maybe you have a multipath issue.

It's quite possible that KNWS just isn't powerful enough to get to me. I'm actually up in Spring. When I switch my TV tuner over to analog (non-HD tuner), I can get KNWS, but it's very snowy. So that tells me that it's not a very strong signal. I know...it's two different things.

BTW, why would you want to watch the Disastros? they suck!

Boy, you got that right. Do they even have a chance to make the playoffs? And it's not that I want to watch them. I just want to be able to get KNWS for the upcoming Rockets season too.

 

[astrossuperfan]

Yeah Spring is kinda far from the antenna farm. Amp your antenna. If that doesn't work, amp your antenna, wear a tinfoil hat, and touch the TV. See what happens.

Good luck!

 

[MoorheadJ]

Talked to KNWS51 Engineers

I used to be able to get KNWS on my Sammy but have not received it for a couple of months,BTW in live inside 610 15.7miles from the tower. I thought that once VOOM mapped it I would be able to get it with the new outdoor antenna bu no luck. This week I have talked with two of the engineers at KNWS (Chris and Andrew) and have found out the KNWS (on channel 52) is on the same tower as KHOU (11) but is only up the tower at 1000 feet and broadcast at 12KW while KHOU is at 2000 feet broadcasting at 750KW.

The boss at KNWS doesn't feel that the audience is large enough to justify the expense to broadcast with higher power. Send emails to Andrew@KNWS51.com or Chris@KNWS51.com if you would like to have a more powerful signal.

The ASTROS are looking better.

 

[ChetK]

Hey good job MoorheadJ! This is the kind of information I was looking for.

I have been wanting to see KNWS in a digital format since I bought my HDTV (although I know it's just upconverted).

12KW makes it seem like they don't want ANYBODY viewing their signal. When my TV does an auto-scan for the channels, Channel 52 gets added, but when I tune to that channel, I get bupkiss. I will be sending e-mails.

MoorheadJ, if you send me a PM with your real name, I will use it in my e-mail to those guys. Basically letting them know where I got the information so they don't wonder how I know their technical info. :up

 

[rrios]

Positioning???

I am new to Voom and I just learned about the positioning on the satellite. Here is my problem. I live in a highrise in the Galleria (4th floor), facing north. Reading some posts here, it tells me I need to point the antenna south. Can I still get voom? or do i have to get TW? :-(

 

[Sean Mota]

It has to be south. North won't work.