Voomers in NYC metro area (including Locals)

[GadgetRick]

Ah...

So I'm NOT crazy (not about this anyway). I'll be sending an email right away! It's rather annoying since one of the first things I couldn't wait to see was Nova in HD!

Thanks.

The Rickster

 

[Sean Mota]

This is the type of response WLIW is sending out to NYC residents regarding the HD signal. It is not only laughable but horrendous that they are trying to push Cable down the throat to us who were getting the HD signal for free. I will not support WLIW or Channel 13 in NYC for anything.

Dear Viewer:

Riched20 5.40.11.2210;Thank you for your recent inquiry regarding WLIW's digital service. WLIW Create launched April 1 as the first step in an exciting evolution of digital content for New York public television viewers. WLIW Create, broadcasting from Plainview, Long Island, is available
over-the-air on channel DT 22-3 to viewers with digital receivers throughout the region. WLIWDT 21-1 is no longer broadcasting the PBS HDTV schedule but viewers can still find that programming on Thirteen HD* (see listings below). WLIW21's analog schedule will continue to air on the digital 22-2
channel.

WLIW Create takes advantage of the new digital spectrum assigned to both WLIW21 and our sister station, Thirteen/WNET, to offer new viewing options for our community - presenting alternative air times for popular programs and allowing us to go into our program libraries to present content that
doesn't currently air on channels 21 and 13.

WLIW Create invites viewers to take a hands-on approach to life through a "do-it-yourself" library of series and specials on cooking, renovating, collecting, painting, crafts, traveling, gardening, and more. With this new service, and the others that will follow in the coming months, public
television enters a new era in which we have more opportunities than ever before to give our viewers innovative ways to focus in on the kinds of programming that addresses their interests and perspectives.

The WLIW Create 24-hour digital service features such public television favorites as This Old House, New Yankee Workshop, Jacques Pepin Celebrates!, Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen, Martin Yan's Chinatowns, Globe Trekker, Travels in Europe With Rick Steves, Passport to Adventure The Best of Simply
Painting, One Stroke Painting With Donna Dewberry, and Antiques Roadshow - just to name a few. For your convenience, the program schedule is broadcast after every show.

*Thirteen HD is available over the air (limited mostly to access in New Jersey) and on:

Time Warner/channel 713
Cablevision/channel 713
Comcast/channel 190
RCN/channel 189 (Manhattan and Queens)
RCN/channel 184 (other locations)

Sincerely,

WLIW21
Viewer Relations

 

[GadgetRick]

Reply...

I sent them an email. Here was their reply:

Dear Viewer:

Riched20 5.40.11.2210;Thank you for your recent inquiry regarding WLIW's digital service. WLIW Create launched April 1 as the first step in an exciting evolution of digital content for New York public television viewers. WLIW Create, broadcasting from Plainview, Long Island, is available
over-the-air on channel DT 22-3 to viewers with digital receivers throughout the region. WLIWDT 21-1 is no longer broadcasting the PBS HDTV schedule but viewers can still find that programming on Thirteen HD* (see listings below). WLIW21’s analog schedule will continue to air on the digital 22-2
channel.

WLIW Create takes advantage of the new digital spectrum assigned to both WLIW21 and our sister station, Thirteen/WNET, to offer new viewing options for our community – presenting alternative air times for popular programs and allowing us to go into our program libraries to present content that
doesn’t currently air on channels 21 and 13.

WLIW Create invites viewers to take a hands-on approach to life through a “do-it-yourself” library of series and specials on cooking, renovating, collecting, painting, crafts, traveling, gardening, and more. With this new service, and the others that will follow in the coming months, public
television enters a new era in which we have more opportunities than ever before to give our viewers innovative ways to focus in on the kinds of programming that addresses their interests and perspectives.

The WLIW Create 24-hour digital service features such public television favorites as This Old House, New Yankee Workshop, Jacques Pepin Celebrates!, Lidia’s Italian-American Kitchen, Martin Yan’s Chinatowns, Globe Trekker, Travels in Europe With Rick Steves, Passport to Adventure The Best of Simply
Painting, One Stroke Painting With Donna Dewberry, and Antiques Roadshow – just to name a few. For your convenience, the program schedule is broadcast after every show.

*Thirteen HD is available over the air (limited mostly to access in New Jersey) and on:

Time Warner/channel 713
Cablevision/channel 713
Comcast/channel 190
RCN/channel 189 (Manhattan and Queens)
RCN/channel 184 (other locations)

Sincerely,

WLIW21
Viewer Relations

Just doesn't make sense...

The Rickster

 

[ondarocks]

Saturday install scheulded after reschedule

Can't get enough of the site. I just read and read. I love it!!!!!!!!!! After a scheduled installation for Voom this past Saturday I had to cancel the install because the driver only had a 20ft ladder. He wanted to put the dish on the middle of my chimney, which not only looks horrible, but also makes me wonder if that's the best location for the dish. I told him I want the Dish on the highest most point on my chimney so I would have clear line of sight to the ESB. To make a long story short he told me the owner of the company would come out personally this coming Saturday and do the install himself. ( 45.00 more for the bigger ladder, which I'm ok with ) When I went to that Antennaweb.org site it said I should be able to pick up all the locals and at least 6 or 8 digitally. How can u help me prepare for my install this Saturday? Being from New York like me I thought someone might be able to give me some pointers on what to do and what not to do.

P.S First thing the guy told me when he got to my house was. " I can't guarantee you'll get any locals. Last thing I wanted to hear, if I don't get locals Voom can bet I will call them to take the whole system out............. " Once I hook up the diplexer......I said WO WO WO hold on I don't want any diplexer hooked up and a matter of fact I want 4 lines ran to my switch in my basment and the distributed to my Tv's in the house. How can I run all my lines to the basement(from the dish and Antenna) where I already have my lines distibuted to my Tv's? What I'm getting is two receivers from Voom and what I want to do is put one receiver to my Loewe HDTV in my livingroom, but I also want to be able to watch the same thing in my kitchen on my LCD TV (SD) including locals. Next I want to have another receiver in my bedroom to a SD tv and be able to watch that same thing in my den right next door to my bedroom. Can u please help me? Anyone live in Queens? Come by I'll buy you a beer!!!!!!!!!! LOL!!!!
Mike

 

[ondarocks]

Yeah... These guys do not do a good job. There was a post here that gave them a bad review. If I were you I would not let them do the installation. Contact "Joe Harkins" <jharkins@installs.com> and let him know that you are worried about the installations with these guys and prefer another installer. No SureWay is subcontracted by Installs Inc.

Just had an install from Sureway this past weekend. Needless to say it was a horror. I already spoke to Voom and Installs and they are getting me a new installer who I spoke to this morning. Name of the company is FG Installations and this guy sounds even worse than Sureway. First he answers the phone " Yeah " and then tells me to call him abck after 6:00PM. Leads me to belive he's probably at his real job and does intallations on the side. Oh I did I mention he barely spoke English. I'm real excited about this one. PLus I have to wait 2 weeks for him to show. I hope Voom doesn't think I'm paying for this again??????????????

 

[ondarocks]

With Wind and Rain in NYC last night did anyone experience "rain fade". Last night I watched between the hours of 7pm and 11pm and only had one occassion in which the entire picture pixelated and was frozen. It took about 20 seconds to go back to normal and never again experience any more problems. My quality signal usually at 95 or greater dropped to 75-85.

You have a quality signal at 95 or greater? How is that possible?

 

[Sean Mota]

You have a quality signal at 95 or greater? How is that possible?

That's what I got what is your in the 80's, 90's...

 

[ondarocks]

That's what I got what is your in the 80's, 90's...

Mine is in the 60's, maybe that why I'm not getting all my locals. I have a new installer coming today after 4:00 PM who is suppossed to run me separate lines instead of using the diplexer the previous installer used. Had to argue with this new installer to do it cause he said it doesn't make a difference he said it is what it is. Either I get it or not. Let's see what happens. Hey Sean you said you're in the Bronx, well I'm right over the Whitestone opposite you. I'm in Bayside and have a super clear line of sight my house is up on a hill and Ihave a 40ft Chimney where both Dish and Antenna are installed. Why should I be having any problems?

 

[Sean Mota]

Mine is in the 60's, maybe that why I'm not getting all my locals. I have a new installer coming today after 4:00 PM who is suppossed to run me separate lines instead of using the diplexer the previous installer used. Had to argue with this new installer to do it cause he said it doesn't make a difference he said it is what it is. Either I get it or not. Let's see what happens. Hey Sean you said you're in the Bronx, well I'm right over the Whitestone opposite you. I'm in Bayside and have a super clear line of sight my house is up on a hill and Ihave a 40ft Chimney where both Dish and Antenna are installed. Why should I be having any problems?

60 is it signal quality or signal strength? Which software version do you have?

 

[ondarocks]

60 is it signal quality or signal strength? Which software version do you have?

Not sure, I'm in work right now and always get the two confused. When I get home tonight I'll write down the info. What type of signal or strength should I be receiving for OTA Antenna? I want to be a little educated when the installer gets there and tells me otherwise.
TIA

 

[ondarocks]

60 is it signal quality or signal strength? Which software version do you have?

Ok just got home and I' sure you know we are having a severe thunderstorm here in New York, but anyway right now at5:20PM this is where I am at.

Sat Sig Quality: 88-92
OA Sig Quality: 75-83
Sat Sig Power/SNR: 68/13.77
Off Air Sig Power/SNR: 82/ 0.00
Authorization status:SWO
And the firmware version is V16

 

[Sean Mota]

Ok just got home and I' sure you know we are having a severe thunderstorm here in New York, but anyway right now at5:20PM this is where I am at.

Sat Sig Quality: 88-92
OA Sig Quality: 75-83
Sat Sig Power/SNR: 68/13.77
Off Air Sig Power/SNR: 82/ 0.00
Authorization status:SWO
And the firmware version is V16

Mine dropped to: signal quality 92-93 and power 70. I did not turn my TV until 8pm tonight and haven't experienced any rain fade problems tonight.

By the way, the software version is under the second page. You must have 5.68 with those number. Are you experiencing rain fade tonight?

 

[ondarocks]

Mine dropped to: signal quality 92-93 and power 70. I did not turn my TV until 8pm tonight and haven't experienced any rain fade problems tonight.

By the way, the software version is under the second page. You must have 5.68 with those number. Are you experiencing rain fade tonight?

Didn't have rain fade at all, even when it was raining heavy, those numbers I gave you before was when it was raining very hard. My Software Version is: V00.05.68. Do you pick up Channel 4 NBC and 13 and PBS and do get UPN 9 on Channel 5.2 ? Cause those are the ones I am experiencing no picture with. Basically I don't receive any Channels above Channel 11. Are my numbers right?

 

[Sean Mota]

Didn't have rain fade at all, even when it was raining heavy, those numbers I gave you before was when it was raining very hard. My Software Version is: V00.05.68. Do you pick up Channel 4 NBC and 13 and PBS and do get UPN 9 on Channel 5.2 ? Cause those are the ones I am experiencing no picture with. Basically I don't receive any Channels above Channel 11. Are my numbers right?

For the type of weather we have, those numbers are fine.

OTA Channels I get: 4 NBC, 7 ABC, 5 Fox 5.2 UPN (nothing on HD), Channel 11 WPIX. I don't get PBS channel 13 since it is at low power and antenna is pointing to NJ. I have a rotor attached to my antenna (I bought myself) and I am not using the Stealth Antenna. I am using the Radio Shack (forgot the model) but it has a range of 65 miles. I can also pick up 41.1 WXTV spanish station, channel 50.1-5 WNJN. After 8pm WNJN transmit HD on channel 5.3 but right now is just running a HD loop (no national PBS HD). If I turn my antenna to LI I can get channel 21 WLIW and channel 68-1 Telefutura. If I turn it to C.T. I can get WEDW channel 49. This is where I get the national PBS -HD. They start at around 7pm to 12am.

 

[Sean Mota]

It is only because of the rotor that I am able to tune to all of these channels from different direction. channels 4, 7, 5, & 11 are all in the same direction. The others are not.

 

[ondarocks]

ok so I guess I'm pretty good except for Channel 4. There's no reason why I'mnot getting that. My installer cancelled yesterday cause of the rain. At least he called to ask me if it was raining by me at the time so I'm not to pissed, not his fault. Anyway he's coming today and I guess the only thing I want him to do is get rid of the diplexers andm aybe tweak the Antenna a little so I can get Channel 4. Last question. I have two other rooms in my house with Tv's but no STB's. When the installer runs a seperate line for my OTA can I then split it and send one to each if the Tv's without the STB's and just pick up locals?

 

[Sean Mota]

ok so I guess I'm pretty good except for Channel 4. There's no reason why I'mnot getting that. My installer cancelled yesterday cause of the rain. At least he called to ask me if it was raining by me at the time so I'm not to pissed, not his fault. Anyway he's coming today and I guess the only thing I want him to do is get rid of the diplexers andm aybe tweak the Antenna a little so I can get Channel 4. Last question. I have two other rooms in my house with Tv's but no STB's. When the installer runs a seperate line for my OTA can I then split it and send one to each if the Tv's without the STB's and just pick up locals?

Channel 4 is very low power. I pick it up because I am 10-15 miles from Manhattan with a clear view of Manhattan. As long as the TVs have an analog tuner, you should be fine. Don't expect great reception from those analog channels. I tried at my house and the picture was simply ugly with a lot of ghosting.

 

[ondarocks]

Channel 4 is very low power. I pick it up because I am 10-15 miles from Manhattan with a clear view of Manhattan. As long as the TVs have an analog tuner, you should be fine. Don't expect great reception from those analog channels. I tried at my house and the picture was simply ugly with a lot of ghosting.

I'm only 13 miles from Manhattan. I know I can pick itup with my Tv's analog tuner, but I want it's HD Channel DAMMIT!!!!!!!!! LOL just kiddin

 

[Sean Mota]

Big storm just hit my area. It knocked down both my E* and V* signal. I guess I am going to watch some DVDs until the storm goes by.

 

[vinnyv07]

Im 14 miles from the ESB and still cant pick up NBC or WPIX , no matter what I do. Very disappointed. I guess i have to wait for the combiner to be completed.