I'd Appreciate Help Formulating an Appeal RE: HD Channels

[DaveO]

I would really appreciate help getting major broadcast nets in HD. These games in analog are not good on a 50" tv. I have local channels in the Springfield/Hartford (MA) area via Directv.

My location: 42.293370, -72.957453, (Chester, MA) which is right in the middle of the woods, with hills on all sides of the house. While major networks are within 20-40 miles, I can only receive (one) CBS-WSFB in Hartford, which is ok most of the time in analog only.

I can't receive any of the local channels in HD-Channel 22-WWLP, 3-WFSB, 61, 40, 57.

I've spent a lot of money and effort to do what I can. I have a Deep Fringe CM3020 VHF/UHF combo, a CM4228 UHF, antennas. I have preamps on both antennas-CM Titan 3, and a CM777 preamps. I have a CM3671 digital rotor. All Guy wired of course.

All of that is mounted 45' in the air via a telescoping mast and my barn. I'm also at 1250' altitude.

Some time ago (2004), I tried appeal letters to all of the local channels and received no joy from any of them, so I could apply for major long distance HD channels from DTV.

I'm at an age and health situation where I'm done climbing and am willing to pay whoever to have test signals run to verify that I can't receive any HD signals.

I would really appreciate anyone with the knowledge of appeals helping me in doing this with Directv. As I understand it, I should be able to have them pay for the testing if it turns out that I am right about no signals. The DTV installer, while putting in my new HD Slimline, discussed local channel reception and he agreed it was a joke to even try.

So, I have all this metal on my roof which does me absolutely no good.

Sorry for the length of this but I felt I had to fully explain things. Again, I would really appreciate some help from someone with knowledge in this area.
Thanks,
Dave

 

[ClemSole]

The best thing you can do is call DirecTV, explain your problem to them and see if they will ask for a waiver from your local stations for you and if they can get them you will be able to get the NY HD's.

 

[yourbeliefs]

You get WFSB? I just mapped out your location (roughly) and I'm shocked you can get that in at all.. Then again your antennas are more powerful than my thrifty indoor TERK antenna.

You really are in a bit of a bad spot there in terms of OTA reception. Not quite close enough to Hartford, not quite close enough to Worcester, not quite close enough to Upstate NY.

I wish this waiver thing was applicable in almost all situations. God I would LOVE to get my NY stations (2, 4, 5) in HD. Hell WNBC HAS to have a better signal than WVIT.

 

[DaveO]

You get WFSB? I just mapped out your location (roughly) and I'm shocked you can get that in at all.. Then again your antennas are more powerful than my thrifty indoor TERK antenna.

You really are in a bit of a bad spot there in terms of OTA reception. Not quite close enough to Hartford, not quite close enough to Worcester, not quite close enough to Upstate NY.

I wish this waiver thing was applicable in almost all situations. God I would LOVE to get my NY stations (2, 4, 5) in HD. Hell WNBC HAS to have a better signal than WVIT.

It's pretty sad when I can rotate all that metal 360 degrees and only get one somewhat watchable (analog only) station.
I took one of the suggestions and have contacted tech support via email and asked that they forward my request to the applicable people to initiate the appeals. I will keep the forum advised as to what happens.

Thanks.

 

[DaveO]

It's pretty sad when I can rotate all that metal 360 degrees and only get one somewhat watchable (analog only) station.
I took one of the suggestions and have contacted tech support via email and asked that they forward my request to the applicable people to initiate the appeals. I will keep the forum advised as to what happens.

Thanks.

Well, I got a quick reply (which is worthless). I have already sent the reply back asking to have my questions on appeals answered as asked.

The reason I don't have HD locals is according to DTV: "We had hoped to be able to offer HD local channels in your area by now and I’m sorry that we haven’t been able to. Our newest HD-capable receivers have been more popular than we expected. As a result, we’ve had to slow down our timetable for offering HD locals in new markets until we feel like we’ve got enough equipment to meet the demand."

HUH?? That doesn't look like an answer to my question of starting an appeal.

Reading the forums I haven't seen where there is any shortage of HD equipment, or why that would/should contribute to holding back HD locals.

 

[ONUOsFan]

Well, I got a quick reply (which is worthless). I have already sent the reply back asking to have my questions on appeals answered as asked.

The reason I don't have HD locals is according to DTV: "We had hoped to be able to offer HD local channels in your area by now and I’m sorry that we haven’t been able to. Our newest HD-capable receivers have been more popular than we expected. As a result, we’ve had to slow down our timetable for offering HD locals in new markets until we feel like we’ve got enough equipment to meet the demand."

HUH?? That doesn't look like an answer to my question of starting an appeal.

Reading the forums I haven't seen where there is any shortage of HD equipment, or why that would/should contribute to holding back HD locals.

Yeah, that is kind of a strange answer....

Have you tried this URL to check to see if your address qualifies for "automatic" DNS?

Enter Address

 

[DaveO]

Yeah, that is kind of a strange answer....

Have you tried this URL to check to see if your address qualifies for "automatic" DNS?

Enter Address

Just checked that out: Not available because DIRECTV offers local network programming in your area.

It does say however, that I can receive a "moderate to strong" signal on local OTA HD channels, which I can't on any OTA channel.

 

[charper1]

They give you that based on the info they are give and MUST abide by; by law. You need to be contacting your affiliate and/or seeking assistance from the FCC. Its a lot of headache but your DBS company has their hands tied and can't do any more that submitting waivers if YOU request them to. Thats it!

 

[raoul5788]

Another thing to consider is that when D11 is up and operational you will "soon" be getting your locals in hd from Springfield. How soon, who knows? You are in dma #109, so it could be a while. Sorry, but I wish I had a better answer for you. This is one of the rare instances when I can condone someone "moving" to get different local stations.

 

[DaveO]

They give you that based on the info they are give and MUST abide by; by law. You need to be contacting your affiliate and/or seeking assistance from the FCC. Its a lot of headache but your DBS company has their hands tied and can't do any more that submitting waivers if YOU request them to. Thats it!

Right, that's what I'm asking them to do, but they seem confused!

 

[charper1]

Get past 1st level CSRs and then tell them you need them to send in an application for waivers on your behalf. Then once that comes back (likely denied) you will need to go about the process of applying for a signal strength test at your service location. DirecTV does not handle any of this. Keep in mind this will all be based on your ability to receive a Grade-B analog signal. If you are shown NOT to be able to receive this; then you win and the affiliates are supposed to grant you waivers and they must pay for the testing. If you LOSE.... well you can figure that out. This is how I have always read it to work. Also, try to keep a thick skin when dealing with 1st level CSRs as they are not always up to date or hip on the jargon. And DO NOT send emails to get all this done; pick up a phone a talk to a humanoid!

 

[DaveO]

Get past 1st level CSRs and then tell them you need them to send in an application for waivers on your behalf. Then once that comes back (likely denied) you will need to go about the process of applying for a signal strength test at your service location. DirecTV does not handle any of this. Keep in mind this will all be based on your ability to receive a Grade-B analog signal. If you are shown NOT to be able to receive this; then you win and the affiliates are supposed to grant you waivers and they must pay for the testing. If you LOSE.... well you can figure that out. This is how I have always read it to work. Also, try to keep a thick skin when dealing with 1st level CSRs as they are not always up to date or hip on the jargon. And DO NOT send emails to get all this done; pick up a phone a talk to a humanoid!

Ok, I'm waiting for DTV to request the waivers. I have no qualms about having them send a tester out here. I assume they use their equipment to test.

When you say grade B signal, we are talking about High Definition channels Grade B, right??

If so, then I'm confident that they will get no grade B HD signals. If I can't any HD station at 45' with the equipment I have on the roof (see first post), then I don't think what they will use will be any better.
Pics of my antenna setup as I was putting it up, including the pause for 3 bears to pass through can be seen here:

DaveO_39 - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting I do live in their woods..

 

[charper1]

"Keep in mind this will all be based on your ability to receive a Grade-B analog signal"

That is the way I have always known it to be.


By the way, what heading is your OTA pointing?




I also see that DirecTV offers you :
Digital (HD) Distant Network Service
Network Affiliate Status
ABC Eligible
CBS WFSB-DT Grade B (moderate signal) This is the issue channel?
FOX Eligible
NBC Eligible

 

[DaveO]

"Keep in mind this will all be based on your ability to receive a Grade-B analog signal"

That is the way I have always known it to be.


By the way, what heading is your OTA pointing?

Hmm, well I am asking for HD channels, but, no worries as I only get CBS (analog) in what they might say is grade B quality.

The only channel I get (cbs) is SE from my antenna. The others (PBS-ABC-NBC) are East (looking right at the side of the mountain, of which I am half-way down. Fox is South, but I can't get it at all.
My location is mentioned in my first post: lattitude-Longitude.

Should prove interesting.

 

[charper1]

OK I am trying to determine your location (GIVEN) versus what your actual heading is for your OTA. If you have broadcast towers in all different directions, you may very well not have the correct OTA setup for you needs, and even if you do, you might not been aimed at the correct heading. You can't just throw up any old antenna; aimed just anywhere; which I am sure you very well know.

 

[DaveO]

OK I am trying to determine your location (GIVEN) versus what your actual heading is for your OTA. If you have broadcast towers in all different directions, you may very well not have the correct OTA setup for you needs, and even if you do, you might not been aimed at the correct heading. You can't just throw up any old antenna; aimed just anywhere; which I am sure you very well know.

Yes I do. They are all very close to the same direction. If you look at the first post of this thread you will see that in addition to my Digital Channel Master rotor (which of course gives me 360), a deep-fringe Channel Master combo antenna, and a deep fringe Channel master UHF antenna. (4882 I think), I've rotated the heck out of it with no joy.

 

[raoul5788]

You get WFSB? I just mapped out your location (roughly) and I'm shocked you can get that in at all.. Then again your antennas are more powerful than my thrifty indoor TERK antenna.

You really are in a bit of a bad spot there in terms of OTA reception. Not quite close enough to Hartford, not quite close enough to Worcester, not quite close enough to Upstate NY.

I wish this waiver thing was applicable in almost all situations. God I would LOVE to get my NY stations (2, 4, 5) in HD. Hell WNBC HAS to have a better signal than WVIT.

It's not that surprising to me. I have a friend that lives in Tolland MA, about 15 south of Chester. She gets WFSB fairly well, better than the other CT stations.