Local channels during weather alerts

[adamwilkes20]

Hey everybody. I am in the Tampa DMA and dont yet have my locals in HD with Dish, but while watching the NASCAR race via OTA in HD, I noticed that when the station performed a weather alert during the HD broadcast, it would switch to SD, as soon as the alert was finished, it would switch back to HD.

Since the onlytime I watch my locals is when the NASCAR races are being broadcast I have never noticed this, my question is, why do the stations do that? Do any of your local stations do that aswell?

 

[CJPC]

Your local station probably does not have the ability to broadcast/insert HD graphics/ HD scroller, so they switch the digital network feed over to their SD feed, which they add in the crawl, and its out to you!

 

[tigerfan33]

If I am watching locals for bad weather here in Birmingham, I always watch NBC 13. The only local station that does news in hd. Graphics look awesome!!!

 

[lakebum431]

Yep, the Atlanta stations used to do that as well, but since they have gone HD I no longer see it.

 

[TNGTony]

When a station goes to HD, they have to change EVERYTHING that goes to that feed. The graphics machine that does the weather bugs and crawls are not cheap. They have to be replaced/added for the HD feed. As time goes on, more and more stations will upgrade these bug generators, but it will take time.

See ya
Tony

 

[adamwilkes20]

oh okay, well yall have explained it then, like I said I only watch my locals during the race broadcast, the channel is Fox 13.1 Tampa, they barely have any HD content even the newcasts are shown it SD, they are the only local channel we have here that has not converted to local HD for news and stuff. I dont know what they are waiting for

 

[Ronnie-]

If I am watching locals for bad weather here in Birmingham, I always watch NBC 13. The only local station that does news in hd. Graphics look awesome!!!

I agree, 13 has great news PQ. I wonder why the others havent swapped over yet, since they have been doing it for some time now

 

[KAB]

I wonder why the others havent swapped over yet, since they have been doing it for some time now

$$$$$$$.$$

 

[Ronnie-]

$$$$$$$.$$

can you be more clear......

 

[NOHDjunkie]

I agree, 13 has great news PQ. I wonder why the others havent swapped over yet, since they have been doing it for some time now

Yep. The Birmingham NBC local news has fantastic PQ.

 

[ncted]

My local stations do not change resolution, but they do change from 5.1 to 2 channel audio during the weather alert scroll which is a little annoying.

Ted

 

[TNGTony]

The amount of money the equipment costs for total HD conversion is SUBSTANCIAL. Seven figures is cheap! Think EIGHT figures and the first number is not a 1.

Like I said, to convert from SD to HD so the station can do everything HD, a station has to upgrade EVERYTHING. From the camera to every last fitting and screw in the signal path.

So at first they just upgrade a straight shot fromt he network feed to the transmitter. After that they may get a new graphics machine or bug generator (essentially the same thing). As the budget allows, they upgrade components mostly as replacements for aging units due for replacement anyway. It takes time. LOTS of time especially for stations not making that much cash.

See ya
Tony