OTA 49% explanation, I think?

[chastulsa]

After doing some research on on this problem it appears only the 49% problem occurs on VHF frequencies not UHF. Those of you having this problem (within decent range) post here what the channel # is The actual DT channel not the remap one. For instance In Tulsa I have:

Station Analog Digital
NBC 2, 56.1,
CBS 6, 55.1
ABC 8. 10.1
Fox 23, 22.1
PBS 11, 38.1, 38.2, 38.3, 38.4.

02-13 is VHF 14-69 is UHF

If this is the case then it appears it should be a easy software fix.

 

[mike123abc]

What is the 49% problem and which recievers does it affect?

 

[Larry]

I also have periodic 49% problems. However, in my case it is CBS-10 which is carried over uhf channel 24. I just figured it was some sort of multipath problem since the tower for 10 is almost due north of me and all other towers are off to the southeast. I suppose I will know for sure if I ever get around to adding a second antenna for 10/24.

 

[toto]

I get 49% as a station lock. It will go up from there sometimes immediately, sometimes in a few seconds if I am getting video. I have one station 60 miles away that has never gone beyond the lock

 

[Tom Forness]

Milwaukee

Fox 6 33.1

 

[jerryez]

I get 49% on ABC channel, 17.1 and all my stations towers are 30 miles west of my location. All the others are in the 90's.

 

[red hazard]

811 OTA 49% Problem

What is the 49% problem and which recievers does it affect?

The 49% OTA problem is with the 811 receiver. It's really baffling. I get the majority of digital St Louis stations (about 25 miles) no problem using a Winegard GS2000 with integral 19.5 db preamp installed in the attic. All DTV around here are UHF. The following stations lock on no problem: ABC(31), CBS(56), NBC(35), WB(26). I've never locked up with UPN(47) but their signal is weak and consistently stays at 49%. Now the weird thing is with FO43) and PBS(39). They usually take a long time to lock on (1-15 mins). The signal strength tends to stay at 49% with brief excursions into the 80s and 90s with the error message popping in and out sometimes and occasional frozen picture frames. However once the 811 FINALLY locks on, the signal strength hovers consistently around 83% for the PBS and 92% FOX with no further problems (unless I switch channels and return and go through the wait again). Why 83% and 92% relative signal strength does no lock up immediately is perplexing especially when I can lock up on PBS(40) (about 70 miles) with 74% signal with no problems and the GS2000 isn't even aimed toward it. I've seen other threads also complain about the 49% 811 problem so it's rather common and just plain don't make sense.

 

[Grandude]

After doing some research on on this problem it appears only the 49% problem occurs on VHF frequencies not UHF.
.

I think you are on to something. My consistant problem is with NBC
channel 12. It happens to be the farthest one away from me at 107 miles
but is a clear shot mostly over water and running full power.
The rest of my OTA stations are from Sutro Tower in San Francisco and the
terrain isn't the best, the stations are not broadcasting most of the time due to seismic retrofit work on the tower so I can't really say whether it, the 49% problem, occurs on any of the UHF ones but it seems that it doesn't.
I've been waiting about two months now for my Channel Master 7777 preamp
order to be sent so I can go up into the attic and try some more fine tuning.
Brian...reporting from Santa Rosa...

 

[jynxsee]

I'm getting the 49% problem on my 811 as well. Thing is, both the stations I'm seeing it on are well into the UHF band. One is real channel 41, remapped to 7 for ABC. The other is channel 44, remapped to 62 for CBS.

 

[sampatterson]

I have it on three of my UHF stations here in atlanta. I think it is lower signal + multipath. It can't lock on.

 

[Sparkman]

I have it on WTTW ch 11 , DT 47 from Chicago. There are 4 other VHF channels that do not have this problem.

 

[toto]

I spoke to a cameraman at a local NBC affiliate, who recently went highpower. I get freeze frames and lockup the signal jumps from 49 to 74 to 82, but will settle down in the 70s with the same annomolies. The fellow from the station said that they were experiencing transmiision problems with their transmitter. Might contact the local station engineer to see if they're experiencing problems and to check whether they're at high or low power.

 

[DaveO]

I have the "49%" signal problem with the only digital station I can receive. I had been receiving the station pretty consistantly, 75% signal after bouncing at 49% for a while. I recently had 3 days bouncing between 49%-75% and no lock. Now, the station is consistant again. Haven't moved the antenna.

I have a 155" double boom combo uhf/vhf antenna with a CM preamp, and rotor.

Channel 11 remaps to 22.1, 22.2 and 22.3. Analog is 22.

I have a CM 4228 and Winegard UHF only preamp, and a spare digital rotor, just waiting for some soul in the area to put it up 30' or so above my roof. I'm so far in the woods I don't have to worry about neighbors worrying about looks.

Dave

 

[HookedOnTV]

I get the 49% on a couple channels and all of my digital channels are in the UHF band. Don't have any issues with these channels on my 6000. Sometimes moving the antenna around while trying to tune it helps and returning the antenna to the position it had been in doesn't cause the channel to stop working or behave poorly.

Even at $149 I still question the "deal" I got on this box.

 

[chastulsa]

Well, based on the data above it appears there is one conclusion....... The 811 has a serious software problem. We are all experiencing the same problem. Several of the same posts from completly different cities nationwide. There are many variables with OTS signals however, one remains the same everyone has a problem with a signal lock. 49% must be the default value for searching. perhaps this will be in of the updates in a week or two? Maybe, the one mid march. The sooner the better. I am bringing home a Directv receiver from work to test it to see if its 100% a 811 issue. Does anyone else have a DTV tuner (standalone) to compare?

 

[Lee Smith]

I have a 6000 that will get an OTA that my 811 will not. The 811 is stuck on 49 but the 6000 has a signal between 60 & 70. The channel is 38.

 

[DaveO]

I get the 49% on a couple channels and all of my digital channels are in the UHF band. Don't have any issues with these channels on my 6000. Sometimes moving the antenna around while trying to tune it helps and returning the antenna to the position it had been in doesn't cause the channel to stop working or behave poorly.

Even at $149 I still question the "deal" I got on this box.

If you question it a lot, I'll buy it from you for $200.00 if you'd like.

 

[mike123abc]

I have the problem on my strongest station. I am beginning to think that it is multipath. My 6000 locks on instantely, but the 811 bobs around for a minute or two before it finally locks on then has 90+% strength. I bet it is trying to figure out which signal is the real one and which one is the ghost. The 6000 may be less sensative, so it does not see the ghost.

I know it is not really a ghost but multipathing. Just easier to refer to it as ghost.

The weak stations which I have to have the huge antenna for, lock in right away. Any ghosts from them are probably too weak to cause the problem.

 

[lepanther]

I have a separate OTA tuner to compare with

Well, based on the data above it appears there is one conclusion....... The 811 has a serious software problem. We are all experiencing the same problem. Several of the same posts from completly different cities nationwide. There are many variables with OTS signals however, one remains the same everyone has a problem with a signal lock. 49% must be the default value for searching. perhaps this will be in of the updates in a week or two? Maybe, the one mid march. The sooner the better. I am bringing home a Directv receiver from work to test it to see if its 100% a 811 issue. Does anyone else have a DTV tuner (standalone) to compare?

I have a Zenith 420 DTV tuner that I continue to use instead of the 811 due to the 49% problem. ABC in Washington DC is my strongest station on the 420, consistently showing in the "good" range. On the 811 it may take several minutes to lock (jumping up to the 80's and then falling back to 49%) after which it is in the low to mid 80's on signal strength. As described by everyone else, changing the station and coming back causes it to again go through the extended process to lock on.

 

[Grandude]

My 49% (VHF ch 12.1) problem appears to be gone on my 811. Not sure but could be the fact that I replaced the expensive $79 Radio Shack preamp with a Channel Master 7777 which I had been waiting for, for over two months. Of course this doesn't explain why it didn't happen on the 6000.
I'm wondering if anyone else has noticed this as not a problem anymore. If so, could Dish have downloaded a small fix for this?