PBS and some picture stops

[ken2400]

Two questions.
One does anyone get PBS FTA?

I am watching "This old House" on PBS off analog cable. From time to time the picture just stops and starts again. It is only for a second or two. Would this be low signal quility off there dish?

Thanks

 

[PSB]

Yes its on AMC-3 FTA KU
http://www.lyngsat.com/amc3.html
If the other channels on the satellite are OK then its at their end!

 

[Pepper]

The only thing special about PBS on AMC-3 is that your receiver has to support AC-3 audio (and you have to have a sound system, i.e. home theatre with optical input) that will decode it. Otherwise you just get picture with no sound.

Regarding the analog cable with picture stops/drops/pixelization: Your local pbs station is getting their national PBS digitally from somewhere (probably AMC-3), AND/OR the cable company is receiving the digital signal from the station and broadcasting it on the appropriate analog channel. At one of those two points there is a signal quality problem.

If it only happens when they are showing national PBS stuff and locally originated stuff is ok, then it's probably at the station. If it's all the time, call the cable company and complain about it, tell them to adjust their receiver or antenna. Quickest way to tell, if you can get it, would be to use an antenna to pickup the local broadcast direct to the TV and see if it has the same problem. If so, it's not the cable company's fault.

 

[ken2400]

I should try to get PBS off an antenna. That would by-pass the cable company and give me a better idea.

Thanks for all the info.

The only thing special about PBS on AMC-3 is that your receiver has to support AC-3 audio (and you have to have a sound system, i.e. home theatre with optical input) that will decode it. Otherwise you just get picture with no sound.
Regarding the analog cable with picture stops/drops/pixelization: Your local pbs station is getting their national PBS digitally from somewhere (probably AMC-3), AND/OR the cable company is receiving the digital signal from the station and broadcasting it on the appropriate analog channel. At one of those two points there is a signal quality problem.
If it only happens when they are showing national PBS stuff and locally originated stuff is ok, then it's probably at the station. If it's all the time, call the cable company and complain about it, tell them to adjust their receiver or antenna. Quickest way to tell, if you can get it, would be to use an antenna to pickup the local broadcast direct to the TV and see if it has the same problem. If so, it's not the cable company's fault.

 

[Tron]

PBS-HD is beautiful on my local OTA DTV. That's the first HD video I saw using an ATI HDTV Wonder. I've never tried to get their national HD satellite feed...