HD locals in Dallas/Ft. Worth

[FWGMills]

I have owned a 622 for several months and love it...however,
Are there any D/FW viewers that can share information about the HD locals? I've programmed the DTV locals I want in both my 622 and my Samsung DLP but I've come across some irregularities.

First off, I'm using an amplified antenna from Radio Shack I bought several years ago and all the digital stations come in at 70+ on the signal strength meter. Most channels will glitch every now and then during the day but I've noticed that there are some channels that I just can't get at night.

Case in point. I've watched channel 27-1 from time to time during the day and I don't really have problems with it, but when I try to watch 27-1 at night (M*A*S*H) the 622 can't hold the signal. My TV holds the signal but it heavily pixelated and the sound studders horribly.

Are there any anomolies about locals in the D/FW area, like stations not running at full power at night, or stations shutting down their DTV signals?

By the way, the WFAA-HD newscasts are stunning. I don't really care to see THAT much of Gloria Campos or Dale Hansen, but the graphic elements and the weather maps are wonderfully crisp and clear. Gotta hand it to Channel 8, first with HD signal, first with HD news. When are the others gonna wake up!

 

[Neutron]

Interesting on Channel 8 doing their news in HD. I didn't even know.

We get our HD locals through DISH, so I couldn't comment on OTA.

I hope that Channel 11 gets their news in HD soon, especially for the morning news. The weather lady is cute!

 

[bmuthagoose]

I have not watched the independents or noticed. I will try and check it out for you and get back to you. I am up in Denton and have had little problems with OTA.

And yes WFAA looks great. Watch the morning news cast for Jackie Hyland.

 

[bradb007]

All my channels arrive in the 70s (21 and 27 don't arrive consistently). I live in Frisco and have a 10ft in my attack so I don't think it is the quality of the signal, but more about my antenna getting through the roof from such a distance.

 

[120inna55]

...By the way, the WFAA-HD newscasts are stunning. I don't really care to see THAT much of Gloria Campos or Dale Hansen, but the graphic elements and the weather maps are wonderfully crisp and clear. Gotta hand it to Channel 8, first with HD signal, first with HD news. When are the others gonna wake up!

On May 28, 2006, I asked this of KXAS. This was before WFAA launched their HD newscasts. Here's the email I sent:

Quote:
Sent: Sunday, May 28, 2006 8:15 AM
To: engineering@nbc5i.com
Subject: When HD?

Do you have any plans in the near future start broadcasting your
newscasts in HD?

Thank you.

Here's the reply:

Quote:
Subject:
RE: When HD?
From:
"Borden, Jim (NBC Universal)" <Jim.Borden@nbcuni.com>
Date:
Tue, 30 May 2006 15:01:02 -0400
To:
"'Matt ----------------

We do not have definitive plans. NBC will likely react to whatever the competition does rather than take the lead on this issue.

Jim Borden
KXAS Engineering

After WFAA launched their HD newscasts, I recently followed-up with KXAS in the following email sent February 11, 2007:

Quote:
Sent: Sunday, February 11, 2007 9:44 AM
To: engineering@nbc5i.com
Subject: When HD? (part deux)

Dear Mr. Borden, et. al:

This is a follow-up of an email conversation we shared on May 30, 2006. (I've pasted the correspondance in its entirety at the end of this email).

When I asked when NBC5 had plans to begin doing morning shows in HD, you replied that, "NBC will likely react to whatever the competition does rather than take the lead on this issue."

While I admire your candor and honesty, can you now address your plans to transmit morning (and evening) news casts in HD, now that WFAA has decided to "take the lead on the issue"?

Thank you.

Here's the reply:

Quote:
Subject:
RE: When HD?(part deux)
From:
"Borden, Jim (NBC Universal)" <Jim.Borden@nbcuni.com>
Date:
Tue, 30 May 2006 15:01:02 -0400
Matt:

The best I can say is that we have not set a firm HD launch date, but will keep viewers posted on our progress.

Jim

 

[caam1]

All of the DFW digital channels are now transmitting at their full licensed power. I live near Saginaw (about 25 miles NW of the transmitters at Cedar Hill) and normally have a 85-100% signal on all channels. I do get a periodic pixelation (happens about every 30 seconds) on channels 27-1 and 54-1 even though the signal shows close to 100%. The problem only shows up on my two 622s. My older Dish 6000 and the tuners built into two of my TVs pick up the same two channels with no problems at all. Everything is connected to the same outdoor antenna. I haven't been able to determine if the problem is related to multipath (big grain elevators near Saginaw), or some type of PSIP data issue since it only happens on the 622s. Since 54-1 is a shopping channel I could care less about it and if I want to watch 27-1, I switch to the TV tuner.

 

[FWGMills]

I once decided to "listen" to the 622 and "watch" my TV to see if the signal mess-ups were synchronized. I figured that the 622 was choking on the signal and the TV was all good. I was wrong. The TV only pixelates some but the 622 jumps to the "I lost the signal" screen. The funny part is that analog 27 is very clear, it's only the digital that messes up.

Go figure. Even in the digital world I can't get a stable signal.