TiVo Community Forums Archives - Weird FOX OTA problem in Long Beach

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Weird FOX OTA problem in Long Beach
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Posted by: MacTigger

Has anyone had the issue where you are watching an OTA channel and the sound cuts out for a split second every couple of seconds? Its hard to explain but its really annoying. Reception is 80+ % This was happening with FOX btw.

Also while I am on the subject of OTA, CBS comes in just fine during the day (70-80%) but at night it just freaks out jumping from like 40 to 19 or so back and forth.

I have an el cheapo RatShack antenna hooked up in my attic and aside from these 2 probs its all good! Very happy otherwise.

Thanks for any help guys!

Posted by: cheridave

Yes, but it only seems to happen on the 480p wide screen shows. Thanks for letting me know that I'm not nuts after all and that its not my HD-TIVO having problems.

This issue has been going on for about a week now.

Dave

Posted by: Wisegoat

What is Fox's Digital signal look like? I will be gettin my OTA in the next few weeks. I thought that Fox, UPN and WB were not in HD anywhere (including the LA & SD stations)? Supposedly Fox will start their HD feed in August or September. What's the deal?

Posted by: videojanitor

The official start date for FOX HD is September 12th. However, I'm told that a "testing" period will begin in early August, so it's possible that some HD may be passed along before that in some markets -- I would guess that LA would be one of them.

UPN and WB already have an HD feed for stations that want it, though their programming is limited (ie: I think "Enterprise" may be the one and only HD program on UPN right now). This isn't available in LA, as KCOP does not pass it along.

--Bill R.

Posted by: jehremy

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/show...threadid=416468

Posted by: ShiningBengal

quote:
Originally posted by Wisegoat
What is Fox's Digital signal look like? I will be gettin my OTA in the next few weeks. I thought that Fox, UPN and WB were not in HD anywhere (including the LA & SD stations)? Supposedly Fox will start their HD feed in August or September. What's the deal?

I don't know what the resolution of the Fox image is, but my LG LSS8200A indicates "HD" on the info screen with Fox now, and it never used to be. I haven't seen anything in 16:9 however. I also, for the first time, am getting one or two "noise" lines showing at the top of the screen that don't appear on any other channels, OTA or DirecTV. They had been broadcasting a digital signal, but it was certainly nothing approaching HD.

Posted by: videojanitor

The info that your LG displays only tells you the format that the STATION is broadcasting, and doesn't necessarily have a direct correlation to the source material. Since the FOX *network* requires all digital affiliates to have a 720p stream to their transmitter (if the station plans to carry the HD programming this fall), many FOX stations are switching over to that now -- your tuner will see this and display "720p" or "HD" or whatever it's been programmed to display, but you're just looking at material that has been UPCONVERTED to that format.

--Bill R.

Posted by: AbMagFab

WB has a bunch of shows in HD (e.g. Smallville).

UPN has only Enterprise that I know of, and in DC they don't broadcast an OTA HD signal (well, supposedly they broadcast at like 1kw, which is useless).

Fox has a fair amount of 16x9 480p content, like OC, Casino, 24, North Shore, and a few others. Looks TONS better than SD, but still not 720p/1080i HD quality. Even their SD shows like American Idol, The Swan, etc., look a lot better OTA than SD.

Posted by: ShiningBengal

quote:
Originally posted by videojanitor
The info that your LG displays only tells you the format that the STATION is broadcasting, and doesn't necessarily have a direct correlation to the source material. Since the FOX *network* requires all digital affiliates to have a 720p stream to their transmitter (if the station plans to carry the HD programming this fall), many FOX stations are switching over to that now -- your tuner will see this and display "720p" or "HD" or whatever it's been programmed to display, but you're just looking at material that has been UPCONVERTED to that format.

--Bill R.

I should have thought of that. The picture is better than it used to be, but not what I would call HD. The fact that the local affiliate is sending a 720p stream to the transmitter is encouraging, however. Now, if they'd only put some decent programming on. Sports is fine, but I need more than that to make me happy with Fox programming.

Posted by: Castaa

Many of the digital broadcast stations here in SF fade in and out. Almost to the point of being unwatchable.

Its weird that the I get zero signal strength when I go to the signal strength settings menu for many of of my broadcast channels. Even ones that come in clear as a bell. Not sure what's going on there.

Posted by: videojanitor

quote:
Originally posted by ShiningBengal
Now, if they'd only put some decent programming on. Sports is fine, but I need more than that to make me happy with Fox programming.

If you like the regular "entertainment" programming on FOX, then you should be pleased come this fall -- they've announced that 60% of the prime-time line-up will be HD. Basically, anything that you're getting now in 16:9 will be HD when the switchover occurs.

--Bill R.

Posted by: mitchrc

quote:
Originally posted by Castaa
Many of the digital broadcast stations here in SF fade in and out. Almost to the point of being unwatchable.

Its weird that the I get zero signal strength when I go to the signal strength settings menu for many of of my broadcast channels. Even ones that come in clear as a bell. Not sure what's going on there.

This is usually an indicator that you are overloading your tuner. Try using an attenuator, which you can get at RS, to cut the signal you are feeding your tuner.

Posted by: Bigg

quote:
Originally posted by videojanitor
The info that your LG displays only tells you the format that the STATION is broadcasting, and doesn't necessarily have a direct correlation to the source material. Since the FOX *network* requires all digital affiliates to have a 720p stream to their transmitter (if the station plans to carry the HD programming this fall), many FOX stations are switching over to that now -- your tuner will see this and display "720p" or "HD" or whatever it's been programmed to display, but you're just looking at material that has been UPCONVERTED to that format.

--Bill R.

yes, this is true. most fox affiliates are starting up their HD tranmissions to make sure everything works. They are just upconverting from 480P widescreen or 480i, however.