OTA Stations Program Guide Issue After Repack

[skihoodoo]

Yes, several times. Since KPTV/KPDX did a repack 12.1/49.1 on our translator, there is no guide for either. There is the OTA guide that goes out a few hours on the TV, but no guides from Dish and KPTV is the FOX station. KPDX is MYTV.

As a former Oregon resident I have to let you know that kptv/kpdx have been doing 1 channel for two stations thing for at least 3 years.
There reasons where if a area had a translator from let’s say kpdx but did not the other they muxed the two together and brought both to the area of the translator that’s why u will not see 12.2 or 49.2,49.3,49.4 unless the translator has issues with the feed.
K20dd in Linn County had a issue for awhile so it’s a registered mytv affiliate but we got kptv for awhile
Before I moved in September while they worked out the issues.

So this has been occurring outside of the Portland metro area for quite awhile

 

[sam_gordon]

Huh? I thought that the whole reason for the repack (and the reason why the repack is even possible in the first place) was because the broadcasters aren't even using all of the bandwidth they have available now. Making room for more channels does not necessarily mean that room will be used. I look at how long it took for some of my local stations to launch any subchannels in the first place, and how few subchannels most stations currently have. If broadcasters had been more agressive at using their bandwidth and launching more subchannels, then the repack might not have happened at all. Or, at least they might not have been crammed into as small of a channel range. The repack is basically the FCC's way of telling the broadcasters "use it [the bandwidth] or lose it."

The repack has absolutely NOTHING to do with making room for more channels. All that's happening because of the repack is any channel that broadcasts between channel 37 & 50 will be "repacked" to a channel below channel 37 (or was it 38?). Stations also had an option to cease operations (and would be paid for such). The channels are not gaining any bandwidth because of the repack. They are simply being moved. The government then sold the spectrum above channel 37. Home viewers will only need to rescan their OTA receivers and everything will be normal.

ATSC 3.0 on the other hand will be a more efficient transmission standard, allowing stations to put out 4k or more subchannels. ATSC 3.0 will be an interesting launch. Home viewers will need to buy new equipment that allows them to receive ATSC 3.0 transmissions. This will be similar to the transmission from analog to digital. Back then, stations were able to broadcast two signals on two different channels, one analog, one digital. Now they're trying to figure out how to broadcast ATSC 1 and ATSC3.0 simultaneously.

 

[comfortably_numb]

The repack has absolutely NOTHING to do with making room for more channels. All that's happening because of the repack is any channel that broadcasts between channel 37 & 50 will be "repacked" to a channel below channel 37 (or was it 38?). Stations also had an option to cease operations (and would be paid for such). The channels are not gaining any bandwidth because of the repack. They are simply being moved. The government then sold the spectrum above channel 37. Home viewers will only need to rescan their OTA receivers and everything will be normal.

ATSC 3.0 on the other hand will be a more efficient transmission standard, allowing stations to put out 4k or more subchannels. ATSC 3.0 will be an interesting launch. Home viewers will need to buy new equipment that allows them to receive ATSC 3.0 transmissions. This will be similar to the transmission from analog to digital. Back then, stations were able to broadcast two signals on two different channels, one analog, one digital. Now they're trying to figure out how to broadcast ATSC 1 and ATSC3.0 simultaneously.

There’s a thread going on about this right now over in the Rabbitears section: FCC will open April window for auction-displaced LPTV’s

 

[pattykay]

The repack has absolutely NOTHING to do with making room for more channels. All that's happening because of the repack is any channel that broadcasts between channel 37 & 50 will be "repacked" to a channel below channel 37 (or was it 38?). Stations also had an option to cease operations (and would be paid for such). The channels are not gaining any bandwidth because of the repack. They are simply being moved. The government then sold the spectrum above channel 37. Home viewers will only need to rescan their OTA receivers and everything will be normal.

ATSC 3.0 on the other hand will be a more efficient transmission standard, allowing stations to put out 4k or more subchannels. ATSC 3.0 will be an interesting launch. Home viewers will need to buy new equipment that allows them to receive ATSC 3.0 transmissions. This will be similar to the transmission from analog to digital. Back then, stations were able to broadcast two signals on two different channels, one analog, one digital. Now they're trying to figure out how to broadcast ATSC 1 and ATSC3.0 simultaneously.

No broadcasts are on channel 37. It is reserved for radio-astronomy. I never said that channels are gaining bandwidth. I said that channels are losing bandwidth if they are now sharing a frequency with another channel because of the repack.

 

[sam_gordon]

No broadcasts are on channel 37. It is reserved for radio-astronomy. I never said that channels are gaining bandwidth. I said that channels are losing bandwidth if they are now sharing a frequency with another channel because of the repack.

Actually, you didn't. You claimed broadcasters weren't using all of their bandwidth, but they are. Even if they have no subchannels, they can still be using the entire 19.39Mbps bandwidth.

Again, the repack does not change how MUCH bandwidth is used, it simply changes WHERE it is used. So channel ABCD, currently on channel 41 is getting repacked to channel 23. They still get the 6Mhz wide channel they had on 41. It doesn't matter if they're using it for a single channel or 6 channels. ATSC1 still limits them to 19.39Mbps.

ATSC3.0 implementation could change how many channels are out there. Let's say you have channel ABCD which has CBS, MeTV, AntennaTV and LaffTV. In the same market is channel ZYXW. They have NBC, MyTv, and CW. One possible to accomplish the transition is ABCD puts up an ATSC3.0 transmitter. Because of 3.0 allowing more data, they agree to broadcast ABCD's CBS and MeTV AND ZYXW's NBC and MyTV.

In exchange, ZYXW agrees to broadcast NBC, CBS, and (possibly) CW using their ATSC1.0 transmitter. So AntennaTV, LaffTV, and MyTV all go away until both stations fully launch ATSC3.0. (note: I'm making up the situation, it's possible one or two of these survive).

The bottom line is the repack has NOTHING to do with bandwidth usage (other than any channels above 37 will need to be vacated).

 

[comfortably_numb]

Actually, you didn't. You claimed broadcasters weren't using all of their bandwidth, but they are. Even if they have no subchannels, they can still be using the entire 19.39Mbps bandwidth.

Again, the repack does not change how MUCH bandwidth is used, it simply changes WHERE it is used. So channel ABCD, currently on channel 41 is getting repacked to channel 23. They still get the 6Mhz wide channel they had on 41. It doesn't matter if they're using it for a single channel or 6 channels. ATSC1 still limits them to 19.39Mbps.

ATSC3.0 implementation could change how many channels are out there. Let's say you have channel ABCD which has CBS, MeTV, AntennaTV and LaffTV. In the same market is channel ZYXW. They have NBC, MyTv, and CW. One possible to accomplish the transition is ABCD puts up an ATSC3.0 transmitter. Because of 3.0 allowing more data, they agree to broadcast ABCD's CBS and MeTV AND ZYXW's NBC and MyTV.

In exchange, ZYXW agrees to broadcast NBC, CBS, and (possibly) CW using their ATSC1.0 transmitter. So AntennaTV, LaffTV, and MyTV all go away until both stations fully launch ATSC3.0. (note: I'm making up the situation, it's possible one or two of these survive).

The bottom line is the repack has NOTHING to do with bandwidth usage (other than any channels above 37 will need to be vacated).

One additional thing to add... no one seems to know just how much bandwidth an ATSC 3.0 channel will have, or at least I have not seen any real numbers. I'm assuming it would be more than the current 19.39 mbps, but how much more... remains to be seen.

 

[pattykay]

Can we please keep this thread on-topic about the issues in Dish's EPG for OTA channels, and perhaps merge this thread with the other threads I linked here: Peculiar new guide issue