NY HDs on 61.5 - Why can't I get them in HD

[bhelms]

Howdy all! Hope this isn't redundant...

I just talked with a Tech Support person at E* - Friendly, knowledgeable, overall good call. I just want to hear a few more twists on the same topic. I didn't completely buy her answer...

I am in the Altoona/Johnstown PA DMA receiving the 6 available SD LiLs. We're in the "wait 2+ years" list for HD. I also sub to two of the NY ala carte channels, WNYW (Fox) and WNBC which are, according to the "unofficial" E* site, both in HD on 61.5. The tech confirmed that they are MPEG-2 vs -4 and are available LiL HD in their home market.

I am receiving 61.5. Why can't I also receive those 2 NY HD channels with my 811? The tech got into some discussion about contracts being renegotiated, etc., but I know there's more to it than that.

I'm 55 miles from the NBC and FOX towers in my DMA (they're both in Johnstown) so I don't think I have a snowball's chance of getting either OTA. (I can't get anything on either of their analog OTA channels now.) Is there a waiver process I can follow that will allow me to qualify for those 2 MPEG-2 feeds out of NY? Both of the local FOX and NBC channels are independents. (One possible snag with FOX is that they currently have a SD feed on 23.3 which is from a tower only 24 miles from me, but I can't receive that one reliably either, and I'm not sure if that channel will be there for long. Why it's not co-located with its analog equivalent beats me! The rest of what's on 23 and its subs is ABC.)

TIA and have a great weekend!

 

[garys]

E* is not offering any distant HD networks at this time. If you are not in the dma, you will not be given them. Also, even though the channels are mpeg2, they are masked as mpeg4. Your 811 will not see them even if they were turned on for you. I am in the NY dma and have a 921 and a 622. The NY HD networks are only viewable on the 622 (the CBS feed is under different rules and should not be confused with the other network feeds). Until E* sorts out the HD locals, I would not expect to get them as a distant feed.

 

[bhelms]

...Also, even though the channels are mpeg2, they are masked as mpeg4. Your 811 will not see them even if they were turned on for you...

Tks, garys - Guess that kinda slam-dunks that idea! I'll continue with an OTA solution, but I don't have much hope for NBC at all, and hope for FOX only if it remains on that ABC tower.

Have a good one...!