OK, its one day before the analog feed is dropped, I do not have cable, and do not want it, I use a converter box, I really only watch local channels anyway.
KTUL is the only network that I cannot get, all others are fine, Channels 8's signal is apparantly weak, does anyone know if this is going to be corrected.
I live in midtown tulsa, so I know im not too far from the tower, i pick up signal from Okmulgee that im sure is not as equipped as KTUL
Try rescanning after Friday night. I'll bet that it will be resolved.
Quote from: jne on June 11, 2009, 09:59:45 AM
Try rescanning after Friday night. I'll bet that it will be resolved.
thank you, I sure hope so
Same problem here, 90% of Tulsa is in our boat right now though. I think part of the problem is the channel 8 engineers don't understand what they are doing, they have given several interviews where they claim there is no problem. I hate rabbit ears, the UHF stations are just fine. That said, I think most of the problem will go away tomorrow I hope. I might be able to finally dump cable TV when I can watch LOST on my antenna.
Quote from: brianh on June 11, 2009, 10:33:19 AM
Same problem here, 90% of Tulsa is in our boat right now though. I think part of the problem is the channel 8 engineers don't understand what they are doing, they have given several interviews where they claim there is no problem. I hate rabbit ears, the UHF stations are just fine. That said, I think most of the problem will go away tomorrow I hope. I might be able to finally dump cable TV when I can watch LOST on my antenna.
\
thats funny, because the only reason I am concerned is because of Lost.
isnt Lost over for the year? engineers i know said many stations STILL arent ready but have to turn off analog tomorrow, they count on cable and arent too worried about digital feeds as its such a small percentage
god created man, but he used the monkey to do it
I've got the same problem. I get every other over the air channel with my indoor antenna except KTUL. My signal strength on 8.1 is like 30 percent.
I canceled cable a few months ago and I've been hoping the KTUL signal strengthens with the digital transition. I'd probably be able to watch the NBA Finals in glorious high-def right now if not for that stupid freaking delay in February, when the transition was supposed to happen. Instead, I can watch a snowy analog version of KTUL only if I hold my antenna above my head.
Quote from: mobboss on June 11, 2009, 10:53:25 AM
isnt Lost over for the year? engineers i know said many stations STILL arent ready but have to turn off analog tomorrow, they count on cable and arent too worried about digital feeds as its such a small percentage
god created man, but he used the monkey to do it
It wouldn't surprise me if KTUL wasn't ready. They seem to be the worst of the Tulsa stations, especially with their constant switching to SD every time there's a sprinkle in East Bumfuck, Arkansas.
Quote from: brianh on June 11, 2009, 10:33:19 AM
Same problem here, 90% of Tulsa is in our boat right now though. I think part of the problem is the channel 8 engineers don't understand what they are doing, they have given several interviews where they claim there is no problem. I hate rabbit ears, the UHF stations are just fine. That said, I think most of the problem will go away tomorrow I hope. I might be able to finally dump cable TV when I can watch LOST on my antenna.
IIRC, they're staying on VHF, so you need an antenna that has both good VHF and UHF reception.
This one I have (I have cable, so I only use it for things you can't get on cable) is excellent for its size on UHF, but is nearly useless for VHF. You aren't going to get better without going to a much larger antenna.
I have the Philips rebranded version of this:
http://www.amazon.com/Terk-Amplified-High-Definition-Antenna-Reception/dp/B0007MXZB2/ref=dp_cp_ob_e_title_0
On the bright side, all you need is basic cable if you don't have anyplace to put a big VHF antenna as long as your TV has a QAM tuner. No need for digital packages or the cable box or anything else. It's $11.75/mo plus taxes and fees in Tulsa.
Quote from: nathanm on June 11, 2009, 12:14:53 PM
IIRC, they're staying on VHF, so you need an antenna that has both good VHF and UHF reception.
This one I have (I have cable, so I only use it for things you can't get on cable) is excellent for its size on UHF, but is nearly useless for VHF. You aren't going to get better without going to a much larger antenna.
I have the Philips rebranded version of this:
http://www.amazon.com/Terk-Amplified-High-Definition-Antenna-Reception/dp/B0007MXZB2/ref=dp_cp_ob_e_title_0
On the bright side, all you need is basic cable if you don't have anyplace to put a big VHF antenna as long as your TV has a QAM tuner. No need for digital packages or the cable box or anything else. It's $11.75/mo plus taxes and fees in Tulsa.
If you get Cox internet you get the locals in HD free and unscrambled.
Quote from: nathanm on June 11, 2009, 12:14:53 PM
IIRC, they're staying on VHF, so you need an antenna that has both good VHF and UHF reception.
This one I have (I have cable, so I only use it for things you can't get on cable) is excellent for its size on UHF, but is nearly useless for VHF. You aren't going to get better without going to a much larger antenna.
I have the Philips rebranded version of this:
http://www.amazon.com/Terk-Amplified-High-Definition-Antenna-Reception/dp/B0007MXZB2/ref=dp_cp_ob_e_title_0
On the bright side, all you need is basic cable if you don't have anyplace to put a big VHF antenna as long as your TV has a QAM tuner. No need for digital packages or the cable box or anything else. It's $11.75/mo plus taxes and fees in Tulsa.
Yeah, I have the TERK DTVa, so for anyone reading this. As of June 11th, it only makes getting KTUL slightly less flaky, from the midtown area anyway.
Quote from: brianh on June 11, 2009, 12:41:23 PM
Yeah, I have the TERK DTVa, so for anyone reading this. As of June 11th, it only makes getting KTUL slightly less flaky, from the midtown area anyway.
I do wonder why KTUL was stupid enough to stay on VHF. Very few stations elected to do so. It's more prone to interference and harder to get a good antenna for.
Quote from: nathanm on June 11, 2009, 12:43:26 PM
I do wonder why KTUL was stupid enough to stay on VHF. Very few stations elected to do so. It's more prone to interference and harder to get a good antenna for.
That is an interesting question, I keep hearing from people that all digital channels are supposed to convert to VHF because it is supposedly better, but it seems like a step in the wrong direction to me judging by KTUL. But my only experience is with KTUL so far, maybe the power is so low on that antenna that it can't reach to Tulsa very well. In all fairness the antenna is further out from the city than KOTV and KJRH in or near Coweta.
http://www.fcc.gov/bureaus/mb/engineering/maps/index.html?zipCode=74104
Does anyone know the time of the switch, is it tonight at midnight? Maybe there will be really good news on it tomorrow.
They have a construction permit from the FCC for increasing the power from 6900 watts to 15000 watts. That should help if you're currently able to detect a signal. I don't know when exactly they are planning to make the change. A call to the station engineer may provide more info.
Quote from: nathanm on June 11, 2009, 01:07:43 PM
They have a construction permit from the FCC for increasing the power from 6900 watts to 15000 watts. That should help if you're currently able to detect a signal. I don't know when exactly they are planning to make the change. A call to the station engineer may provide more info.
Ah, that sounds good. I do get KTUL, it is just very choppy and unwatchable on most days. Occasionally, like two days out of the month it is crystal clear for a few yours. KTUL transition is at 9am by the way.
I guess I'm blissfully ignorant and assumed very few people aren't on cable, Uverse or dish.
Quote from: Conan71 on June 11, 2009, 01:32:56 PM
I guess I'm blissfully ignorant and assumed very few people aren't on cable, Uverse or dish.
Apparently KTUL made the same assumptions. ;)
Quote from: nathanm on June 11, 2009, 01:37:56 PM
Apparently KTUL made the same assumptions. ;)
I got rid of it because I was tired paying for crap channels and they kept canceling all the shows I liked. I figured it out, I was paying like $80ish a month for Digital cable and all the shows I wanted. For $1.2k I could get a dual tuner 1TB HDTV DVR PC setup with $0 monthly fee. I figured if ALL of the shows I watched I just downloaded whole seasons from Itunes I would still only spend about $350 a year. I was WAAAAAAAY off with my calculation. Now I just use Hulu to watch all the TV shows I would normally watch on cable. I have purchased about $70 worth of shows in the last 6 months. $60 of it was for seasons to catch up with what was on TV at the time. $30 of it was things on DVD that I could have rented but wanted to buy.
So right now I am out about 1.2k+$70-$80*6=$790 for the computer (which is WAAAAAY better than Tivo or the cox box)
In another year I will be saving money over continuing to use cable.
KTUL is the only thing I don't get at my house very well...
Quote from: Trogdor on June 11, 2009, 02:02:05 PM
So right now I am out about 1.2k+$70-$80*6=$790 for the computer (which is WAAAAAY better than Tivo or the cox box)
TiVo is cheaper. $150-$250 for a brand new TiVo HD plus $400 for lifetime service. Add another $100 if you want to put a 1TB drive in it. Or for $250 more you can get an HD XL with a 1TB drive preinstalled.
No iTunes, but you do get Amazon and Netflix, among other VOD options.
Quote from: nathanm on June 11, 2009, 02:45:44 PM
TiVo is cheaper. $150-$250 for a brand new TiVo HD plus $400 for lifetime service. Add another $100 if you want to put a 1TB drive in it. Or for $250 more you can get an HD XL with a 1TB drive preinstalled.
No iTunes, but you do get Amazon and Netflix, among other VOD options.
That's fine if you want to put up with Tivo's banner ads....personally, I don't.
Out-teched again. Did I say "blissfully ignorant"? I think I'm just plain ignorant when it comes to cool tech stuff. I'm blissfully complacent with my cable.
Trog's solution makes sense, so long as none of the equipment takes a dump. I realize I do pay for a lot of stuff I don't watch when there's a few hundred channels to pick from.
We had to put our antenna on top of a tall bookcase facing south to get a good channel 8 digital signal.
Fortunately, you can also get a cable to connect your PC to your TV, and watch just about any TV shows you want online (with fewer commercials).
We have a pretty new TV. Not sure how long they've been making TVs with the right input jacks to connect to a computer, but if you've got one, it's pretty cool. (Now if we just had a decent wireless mouse....)
Hard to justify cable or satellite costs when the only shows we care about are available online for free.
Quote from: PonderInc on June 11, 2009, 03:32:10 PM
We had to put our antenna on top of a tall bookcase facing south to get a good channel 8 digital signal.
Fortunately, you can also get a cable to connect your PC to your TV, and watch just about any TV shows you want online (with fewer commercials).
We have a pretty new TV. Not sure how long they've been making TVs with the right input jacks to connect to a computer, but if you've got one, it's pretty cool. (Now if we just had a decent wireless mouse....)
Hard to justify cable or satellite costs when the only shows we care about are available online for free.
I picked up a microsoft wireless mouse and keyboard set about a year ago and love it. I'll look when I get home and post you a link if your interested
I am looking at dropping my Cox cable...but, keeping my internet. Anyone done this? I live downtown in a house with plaster walls...not sure if I should get an outdoor antenna. If I do, will that feed to all 6 rooms with a clear picture? We usually only use one TV at a time.
Michael, try getting a TERK DTVa. I had a terrible time with other antennas. I was able to receive all the stations except KTUL crystal clear when I was living in an apartment(generally known for worse reception). It is 74$ before tax, but you can always take it back if it doesn't work. The multiple TV thing is a little tricky, I havent tried to split it on two TV's. I am going to be getting a second terk if I manage to drop cable this weekend.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7322587&st=terk&type=product&id=1118844608800
I was getting a really nice signal from KTUL last night, as good as kjrh and kotv. I think they started changing stuff out already.
KTUL Ch 8 has been iffy since they started their digital broadcast. Here in midtown, with plaster walls, I've found only one very precise spot where I can get their signal, most times. Sometimes not all.
I don't understand the technology well enough to know why, but it seems irritating that a station less than 5 miles (crow path) away cannot be gotten.
Today, the signal does appear to be somewhat stronger, but still cannot get it with the other stations on my UHF/VHF combo antenna, have to switch to the old rabbit ears at the precise location.
Quote from: brianh on June 12, 2009, 08:07:09 AM
Michael, try getting a TERK DTVa. I had a terrible time with other antennas. I was able to receive all the stations except KTUL crystal clear when I was living in an apartment(generally known for worse reception). It is 74$ before tax, but you can always take it back if it doesn't work. The multiple TV thing is a little tricky, I havent tried to split it on two TV's. I am going to be getting a second terk if I manage to drop cable this weekend.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7322587&st=terk&type=product&id=1118844608800
I was getting a really nice signal from KTUL last night, as good as kjrh and kotv. I think they started changing stuff out already.
Or get it for $31 from amazon.com shipped free
http://www.amazon.com/Terk-Technology-HDTVi-Indoor-Antenna/dp/B0001FV36E/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1244823210&sr=8-2
Instead of $74 from worst buy
KTUL's signal goes off and on for me. It isn't consistent, I mostly get 0 signal strength, I sometimes get 4/5 and I never get 5/5.
Quote from: Wrinkle on June 12, 2009, 10:50:47 AM
KTUL Ch 8 has been iffy since they started their digital broadcast.
They have been forced to cut back on their signal because of another station in Ada on the same frequency.
Re-scan for channels on your tuner tonight and see if it doesnt improve.
Ironic that we would be making the switch during severe weather, I would think the stations would let the storms pass before cutting off their signal to those that havent made the trip to WalMart yet for a converter.
I don't remember anything about KTUL moving their transmitting antenna from near Coweta. In the BC (Before Cable) years, we had to rotate our antenna to get a good picture on Ch 8 after we had the antenna oriented for good reception on Ch 2 & 6.
Quote from: nathanm on June 11, 2009, 02:45:44 PM
TiVo is cheaper. $150-$250 for a brand new TiVo HD plus $400 for lifetime service. Add another $100 if you want to put a 1TB drive in it. Or for $250 more you can get an HD XL with a 1TB drive preinstalled.
No iTunes, but you do get Amazon and Netflix, among other VOD options.
Tivo HD XL is $998.99 with lifetime service.
AND the service is tied to the box and NOT to the person. So if anything happens to that box that can't be repaired you have to buy new service. At least with this computer the most I will in theory be out is to replace the memory, motherboard, or processor. So about $50-$200 to repair anything in the pc.
Quote from: Trogdor on June 12, 2009, 01:20:07 PM
Tivo HD XL is $998.99 with lifetime service.
AND the service is tied to the box and NOT to the person.
Isnt it tied to a SmartCard that can be transferred from box to box?
At least my circa-2001 DirecTiVo (DirecTV TiVo) works that way, but im not sure about newer stand-alone TiVos.
Quote from: patric on June 12, 2009, 01:25:38 PM
Isnt it tied to a SmartCard that can be transferred from box to box?
At least my circa-2001 DirecTiVo (DirecTV TiVo) works that way, but im not sure about newer stand-alone TiVos.
"You can transfer any monthly or prepaid TiVo Service Payment Plan except Product Lifetime Service to another TiVo DVR at any time."
http://support.tivo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/20/session/L3NpZC81RDZxd2JBag== (http://support.tivo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/20/session/L3NpZC81RDZxd2JBag==)
When the got rid of lifetime they used to let you transfer it for $300...
The government forced this on us- I'd be just as happy to stay with analog, there is nothing but junk on TV anyhow. The governemt wanted to sell the analog airwaves for $16 Billion dollars. This whole thing was done wrong, when they knew that the system would change over to digital they should of started phasing in digital TV sets back in 1996. Instead they waited till 2004 and then made a final deadline to shut off analog on Feb. 17th and then delayed it 4 months. They also should of phased the digital in slowly- I bought a cheap 20" CRT RCA TV at Wal-Mart for $134.00 back in January that has a digital tuner, and I have some older sets and one digital box. To record from TV now I have to put my digital box on my 13" TV/VCR combo unit and re-scan in the channels. I'm old fashioned I don't have any of the new fangled digital TV recording stuff. I have problems with the picture breaking up alot.
Quote from: Trogdor on June 11, 2009, 02:02:05 PM
I got rid of it because I was tired paying for crap channels and they kept canceling all the shows I liked. I figured it out, I was paying like $80ish a month for Digital cable and all the shows I wanted. For $1.2k I could get a dual tuner 1TB HDTV DVR PC setup with $0 monthly fee. I figured if ALL of the shows I watched I just downloaded whole seasons from Itunes I would still only spend about $350 a year. I was WAAAAAAAY off with my calculation. Now I just use Hulu to watch all the TV shows I would normally watch on cable. I have purchased about $70 worth of shows in the last 6 months. $60 of it was for seasons to catch up with what was on TV at the time. $30 of it was things on DVD that I could have rented but wanted to buy.
So right now I am out about 1.2k+$70-$80*6=$790 for the computer (which is WAAAAAY better than Tivo or the cox box)
In another year I will be saving money over continuing to use cable.
KTUL is the only thing I don't get at my house very well...
Cable TV is expensive and they seem to have alot of commericals to, and they keep raising the fees. I got rid of it long ago.
Quote from: sauerkraut on June 12, 2009, 02:32:47 PM
This whole thing was done wrong, when they knew that the system would change over to digital they should of started phasing in digital TV sets back in 1996. Instead they waited till 2004 and then made a final deadline to shut off analog on Feb. 17th and then delayed it 4 months.
1996? Are you kidding me? The only processors capable of processing digital video back then were grossly expensive. Semiconductor process technology didn't even reach a point to where this would be practical and inexpensive until the 2000s. The current common processes (90nm and 65nm) weren't even put into full scale production until about 2004 and 2006 respectively. This is the technology that gives us ridiculously fast laptops, and inexpensive low power consumption versions of what were considered fast and expensive processors 5-10 years ago. And that is how digital television boxes have just now become practical enough for a full transition.
In 1996 the original plan was to have the conversion done by 2006. I believe our expectations for technology's progress in 1996 were just a little bit lofty, hence it ended up taking 3 extra years.
Quote from: YoungTulsan on June 12, 2009, 03:44:59 PM
1996? Are you kidding me? The only processors capable of processing digital video back then were grossly expensive. Semiconductor process technology didn't even reach a point to where this would be practical and inexpensive until the 2000s. The current common processes (90nm and 65nm) weren't even put into full scale production until about 2004 and 2006 respectively. This is the technology that gives us ridiculously fast laptops, and inexpensive low power consumption versions of what were considered fast and expensive processors 5-10 years ago. And that is how digital television boxes have just now become practical enough for a full transition.
In 1996 the original plan was to have the conversion done by 2006. I believe our expectations for technology's progress in 1996 were just a little bit lofty, hence it ended up taking 3 extra years.
Remember who you're talking to here, YT....
As of right now I can only get Fox. Digital Transition Fail
Everything was working fine when I got home from work around 5pm, about an hour after that KTUL and KJRH died. I haven't been able to get them back since.
Quote from: Trogdor on June 12, 2009, 01:20:07 PM
Tivo HD XL is $998.99 with lifetime service.
AND the service is tied to the box and NOT to the person. So if anything happens to that box that can't be repaired you have to buy new service. At least with this computer the most I will in theory be out is to replace the memory, motherboard, or processor. So about $50-$200 to repair anything in the pc.
Why would you pay TiVo's MSRP pricing? HDXL is available from reputable vendors as low as $450. I'd just pop over to sears and buy an HD for $150 and a 1TB drive for about $100 online, though.
Yes, lifetime is for the box, but the chances of it failing inside of 3 years is pretty slim, usually the only thing that fails is the hard drive. I've had exactly one die since I started using TiVo in 2001.
The lifetime transfers if TiVo fixes the box ($150 out of warranty) or you use an extended warranty from Best Buy, your credit card, or whomever else.
It isn't for everybody. I have nothing against HTPCs. I just got tired of constant updates to deal with new codecs and whatnot. Between TiVo and my PS3, I have no need for an HTPC. It would be nice to have as a toy, but it won't do anything I care to do that I can't do now. I'll probably get one to run XBMC on when they get GPU MPEG offloading and lossless audio output working right in Linux (or in Windows, for that matter!) so I can use lower power (and less expensive) components and make a silent PC. Maybe when it all gets down to around $400 or so. It's almost there, but not quite yet.
Quote from: brianh on June 12, 2009, 11:30:53 PM
Everything was working fine when I got home from work around 5pm, about an hour after that KTUL and KJRH died. I haven't been able to get them back since.
Digital TV is a complex system. I have trouble with the picture breaking up into pixels. I'm thinking of going back to cable TV. I don't like it and I don't like paying the cable TV high prices but I'd like to have some sort of TV. ???
I rescanned my tv this morning and everything seems to be working just fine. I use basic cable. I am too cheep for the big money channels.
Quote from: Danny on June 11, 2009, 09:48:15 AM
OK, its one day before the analog feed is dropped, I do not have cable, and do not want it, I use a converter box, I really only watch local channels anyway.
KTUL is the only network that I cannot get, all others are fine, Channels 8's signal is apparantly weak, does anyone know if this is going to be corrected.
I live in midtown tulsa, so I know im not too far from the tower, i pick up signal from Okmulgee that im sure is not as equipped as KTUL
Rotate your antenna and keep trying. It is now Saturday 6-13 and I get all possible Tulsa-area channels on my main den TV with indoor rabbit ears and a converter box, including 8-1, 8-2, and 8-3, strong and clear. My converter box shows a signal strength for channel 8 of about 85 (out of 100.) You may need to purchase a better antenna or possibly an outdoor antenna.
I live midtown off of Yale on 26th street and I can even pick up channel 5.1 and 5.2, the Ft. Smith Arkansas affialiate of CBS.
Quote from: Steve on June 13, 2009, 06:12:07 PM
Rotate your antenna and keep trying. It is now Saturday 6-13 and I get all possible Tulsa-area channels on my main den TV with indoor rabbit ears and a converter box, including 8-1, 8-2, and 8-3, strong and clear. My converter box shows a signal strength for channel 8 of about 85 (out of 100.) You may need to purchase a better antenna or possibly an outdoor antenna.
I live midtown off of Yale on 26th street and I can even pick up channel 5.1 and 5.2, the Ft. Smith Arkansas affialiate of CBS.
Wow, guess I need to hook back up my DIY antenna and see what it does now...
Everything is working again, I had my computer sitting under the desk that the antenna is on. I guess while my computer is on it generates some kind of field that interferes with the antenna. I am also able to get the 5.1 and 5.2. Just called in and dropped my cable subscription.
Quote from: brianh on June 14, 2009, 08:59:42 AM
Everything is working again, I had my computer sitting under the desk that the antenna is on. I guess while my computer is on it generates some kind of field that interferes with the antenna.
It's propably worth mentioning that your antenna should be away from anything that generates Radio Frequency (RF) such as portable phones, WiFi routers, air conditioners/furnaces and thermostats, light dimmers, microwave ovens, electric motors, computers and anything with a computerized control.
If a big antenna is not an option for you, consider an amplifier between the antenna you have and the converter.
I have found that the most common converter boxes have very little sensitivity (perhaps to keep the cost down) and need much more signal than a decent new TV with a good built-in tuner.
Remember that an amplifier will amplify everything -- including interfering noise from appliances -- so choose your antenna placement well.
Not all converter boxes are equal I have been told, some work better than others and pull in the digital signal's better. I have a Zenwell box (or it's some such name) it is one of the kinds recomended by the government and it seems to work OK- it has analog pass thru and it seems we have 3 low power analog stations in our area one station is all Spanish. Just for giggles I ran the TV on analog after the change over just to see if it pulled in anything and it got 3 low power stations with just the set top attenna and those stations come thru the converter box too... I guess it'll take time for everyone to get the kinks worked out of it.
Quote from: patric on June 14, 2009, 11:06:41 AM
If a big antenna is not an option for you, consider an amplifier between the antenna you have and the converter.
I have found that the most common converter boxes have very little sensitivity (perhaps to keep the cost down) and need much more signal than a decent new TV with a good built-in tuner.
Just be aware that older chipsets don't handle overload as well as newer ones do, so you need to have the ability to switch off the amplification for watching closer stations.
Edited to add: I just realized that I can also receive KFSM-DT during daylight hours. Apparently at night there's too much interference from other stations. Sad that I still can't get KTUL-DT. The amplified signal strength is reasonable, so there either must be too much noise or too much multipath interference.
Anybody having issues with KOTV? I've never had a problem, always had strong signal strength. But late last night and then again this afternoon I just stopped getting any signal at all from KOTV after having a very strong signal a few hours earlier. None of my other channels are affected.
Quote from: TheTed on June 14, 2009, 05:46:46 PM
Anybody having issues with KOTV? I've never had a problem, always had strong signal strength. But late last night and then again this afternoon I just stopped getting any signal at all from KOTV after having a very strong signal a few hours earlier. None of my other channels are affected.
I also dropped KOTV for about 2 hrs today (Sun, 12:00-2:00 approx). Missed all the infomercials, came back just in time for the Golf match. Presume they were working on the system since all three channels were down. (6-1, 6-2 & 6-3).
If the pick-up is always poor you may have to invest in a power antenna. I use just a cheap set of ear tops and I get fair pickup, yes, it breaks up now & then and I get "signal lost", but if I had a better antenna it should work half way decent. I also pick up stations that say "not in use" the signal strongness is around 70% and the red line goes up to 100% after a bit. Calling the station may help too, maybe they have some advice.
Quote from: TheTed on June 14, 2009, 05:46:46 PM
Anybody having issues with KOTV? I've never had a problem, always had strong signal strength. But late last night and then again this afternoon I just stopped getting any signal at all from KOTV after having a very strong signal a few hours earlier. None of my other channels are affected.
Same thing here. All the 6.X channels would go black for 30 minutes or so, come back for a few minutes, then go black again. My 19.1 signal (also broadcast on 6.2) never went away. This has happened multiple times since I started using a converter box over a year ago.
Since using a converter box for over a year, I have found the optimal placement for the equipment and antennas in my home. Today when I tune in Ch 6 and watch the signal strength meter on my TV screen, Ch 6 swings wildly from 25 to 95, with the picture and sound cutting out, pixelating, and sometimes totally disappearing. It has to be a problem with their transmission equipment and not my receiving end. Seems to be worse during bad weather and on very windy days.
Quote from: sauerkraut on June 15, 2009, 10:06:30 AM
If the pick-up is always poor you may have to invest in a power antenna. I use just a cheap set of ear tops and I get fair pickup, yes, it breaks up now & then and I get "signal lost", but if I had a better antenna it should work half way decent. I also pick up stations that say "not in use" the signal strongness is around 70% and the red line goes up to 100% after a bit. Calling the station may help too, maybe they have some advice.
Power antennas are worthless. I built an antenna using 12 gauge Romex, a 36 inch section of 1x4, some screws and washers and a Balun (http://www.summitsource.com/magnavox-indoor-matching-transformer-75-to-300-ohm-convert-75-ohm-to-300-ohm-balun-m61005-antenna-flat-cable-twin-lead-for-offair-signal-component-connection-adapter-converter-gold-balum-part-m61005-p-6783.html)
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/762088/coat_hanger_hdtv_antenna_better_than_store_bought_amazing/
Replace the coathangers with Romex...it's easier to bend and handles moisture better.
Quote from: Michael71 on June 11, 2009, 03:56:07 PM
I am looking at dropping my Cox cable...but, keeping my internet. Anyone done this? I live downtown in a house with plaster walls...not sure if I should get an outdoor antenna. If I do, will that feed to all 6 rooms with a clear picture? We usually only use one TV at a time.
I did this. (Cancelled the cable, but kept the Cox internet.) The funny thing was that they cancelled the cable, and quit charging us, but never sent anyone out to climb up the pole and put the filter on. Since I assumed we didn't have it, I never bothered to check. Several months after cancelling the cable I realized that we still had cable! It was great until I called about an internet problem. They asked if we had cable, and, like an idiot, I said, "well, we had it turned off, but we still get it." The tech had to climb the pole and install the filter. So sad. It was good while it lasted!
Quote from: custosnox on June 11, 2009, 03:39:14 PM
I picked up a microsoft wireless mouse and keyboard set about a year ago and love it. I'll look when I get home and post you a link if your interested
I am interested! We bought a wireless mouse, but it only works if you're within 5 feet of the pc. I need something that will work from about 10-12 feet away.
I use a playstation 3 bluetooth remote with a media center front end. I had to pick up a bluetooth dongle to use that though.
Quote from: PonderInc on June 15, 2009, 12:53:45 PM
I am interested! We bought a wireless mouse, but it only works if you're within 5 feet of the pc. I need something that will work from about 10-12 feet away.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823109034
I have this set up on mine. I lay in bed about 10 feet away and use the keyboard (has the media shortcuts on it) to control things when I watch movies. Talk about never loosing the remote. The biggest trick to these though (and all RF keyboards/mice) is place the receiver away from other electronic devices. Speakers, the tower, and even the monitor will interfere with these, so make sure you have at least a couple of feet between the receiver and these other devices.
well, nothing has changed for me after rescanning, except for maybe picking up a few more christian channels, and just how many chritian channels do we really need?
I still get no channel 8, my apartment faces north, so a dish is out, my issues with Cox prevent me from cable, so until I move, i guess im screwed.
Quote from: Danny on June 15, 2009, 01:51:54 PM
well, nothing has changed for me after rescanning, except for maybe picking up a few more christian channels, and just how many chritian channels do we really need?
I still get no channel 8, my apartment faces north, so a dish is out, my issues with Cox prevent me from cable, so until I move, i guess im screwed.
Strange. I live at 26th & Yale. On my large TV in the den on the southwest corner of my house, I pick up all Ch 8 signals strong and clear at a level of about 75-80 out of 100. But on my little bedroom TV on the north end of the house, I only get a poor unwatchable picture on Ch 8.
If that is all you are lacking, I wouldn't be too upset. There ain't much I ever watch on Ch 8 anyway, and on the weekends all they show are infomercials.
Quote from: Steve on June 15, 2009, 02:44:33 PM
Strange. I live at 26th & Yale. On my large TV in the den on the southwest corner of my house, I pick up all Ch 8 signals strong and clear at a level of about 75-80 out of 100. But on my little bedroom TV on the north end of the house, I only get a poor unwatchable picture on Ch 8.
If that is all you are lacking, I wouldn't be too upset. There ain't much I ever watch on Ch 8 anyway, and on the weekends all they show are infomercials.
Yeah, I really only watch Lost, so for now its not a major issue, but why can i get EVERY other station, including the hundred christian channels that probably broadcast from a closet using chicken wire and a car antenna, but an ABC affiliate who cannot get their signal inside of Tulsa? there is no excuse for that.
ill watch Lost on the internet and write off any other show on there.
It's not like you actually get to watch LOST on KTUL anyway, Frank Mitchell cuts into the program for an hour + if there is even a hint that a thunderstorm warning may be coming up.
Quote from: Danny on June 15, 2009, 03:31:46 PM
Yeah, I really only watch Lost, so for now its not a major issue, but why can i get EVERY other station, including the hundred christian channels that probably broadcast from a closet using chicken wire and a car antenna, but an ABC affiliate who cannot get their signal inside of Tulsa? there is no excuse for that.
ill watch Lost on the internet and write off any other show on there.
You are absolutely right about that, and I can not answer your question. Or why the Ch 6 signal has been so poor as of late. I think our local stations have had problems with the transition and "learning curve." I will say that over the past year, I have never had any problems with the digital signal from Ch 11, 23, 41. They seem to have their act together.
Quote from: Steve on June 15, 2009, 02:44:33 PM
Strange. I live at 26th & Yale. On my large TV in the den on the southwest corner of my house, I pick up all Ch 8 signals strong and clear at a level of about 75-80 out of 100. But on my little bedroom TV on the north end of the house, I only get a poor unwatchable picture on Ch 8.
One thing about DTV reception is that it's largely dependent on the particular chipset used in your TV or other tuner. Basically the newer the chip the less signal it needs to extract a good picture, it can better handle too hot signals, and most importantly, they are much better at rejecting multipath interference. 8VSB was a poor modulation choice on the part of the ATSC; NIH syndrome prevented the use of OFDM, which fares far better in difficult situations.
The sad thing is that the transition was an excellent chance to harmonize world standards (DVB-T works very well), but once again we failed miserably. Harmonization would have resulted in significant cost savings for everybody, as all of the baseband electronics would be identical the world over, only the input frequencies would be different.
I wonder if you could change that DIY antenna that Hoss posted to be a square? My reason being that the antenna spikes would be facing every direction. Like making four of those antennas and combining them into a square.
no ch #8 for me either :(
I didn't get 11 for a while.. Now I get all the local channels with full signal strength, except for 8 which is like 3/5 but I still can't pick it up.
Quote from: brianh on June 16, 2009, 07:48:44 AM
I wonder if you could change that DIY antenna that Hoss posted to be a square? My reason being that the antenna spikes would be facing every direction. Like making four of those antennas and combining them into a square.
Some of the mods have you also using an old grill from an older charcoal grill as a backing. If you google 'DIY HDTV antenna', there are several different designs out there. I just chose the one that cost the least and appeared to take the least amount of effort to get it working.
There are some good comments posted here about this issue things I want to try out. Anyhoo, I been told that many things cause poor Digital pick-up- from not all converter boxes are made equal, to the TV's own tuning system to the location of the TV in the house and direction the atenna is pointed. Point it one way and you get channal 4 clear, but channel 9 is the pitts. Turn the attenna another way and both stations go sour, but channel 12 comes in clear. Looks like the best bet is to invest in a basic TV cable service. Some cable companies offer new customers a $9.95 per month offer for 12 months then after the 12 months it goes up to the regular price. Satellite may also be a choice to look into. I don't know anyone with satellite service, but rumors are on stormy days and rainy days satellite TV cuts out. Sometimes with home internet service & cable TV you can get a speical package rate. Normally it's around $50.00 a month for both and that's not too bad depending on your company. COX is rather expensive. I think I am going to go back to cable TV.
As far as I am concerned if KTUL wants me to watch their station they will do something about their signal. There is absolutely no reason why I should get Digital signals from everybody but them.
Quote from: Hoss on June 16, 2009, 10:42:01 AM
Some of the mods have you also using an old grill from an older charcoal grill as a backing. If you google 'DIY HDTV antenna', there are several different designs out there. I just chose the one that cost the least and appeared to take the least amount of effort to get it working.
The only problem with it (which is the same problem the Terk HDTV(a/i) has) is the poor front to back ratio. I suppose the old charcoal grill backing might help with that.
It's not really important for reception on the local channels, but if you want to get one of the more distant signals, you need it to be highly directional to avoid co-channel interference from other markets. Co-channel is why I can't get anything from OKC. The raw signal strength is fine, but the modulation is obliterated by interference from other stations.
Quote from: nathanm on June 16, 2009, 07:30:54 PM
The only problem with it (which is the same problem the Terk HDTV(a/i) has) is the poor front to back ratio. I suppose the old charcoal grill backing might help with that.
It's not really important for reception on the local channels, but if you want to get one of the more distant signals, you need it to be highly directional to avoid co-channel interference from other markets. Co-channel is why I can't get anything from OKC. The raw signal strength is fine, but the modulation is obliterated by interference from other stations.
Yeah, but most people won't be geeky like that. The majority of the city's station transmitters are in Oneta, so only one direction is typically needed. 90 percent of the majors come in at 4 of 5 bars on my tv or better.
As a cable subscriber I noticed that CW is broadcasting on 19-1 in 1080i. Wonder how long it takes Cox to figure that out and add it. Though I doubt CW is doing much HD broadcasting right now.
Quote from: Hoss on June 16, 2009, 07:47:45 PM
Yeah, but most people won't be geeky like that. The majority of the city's station transmitters are in Oneta, so only one direction is typically needed. 90 percent of the majors come in at 4 of 5 bars on my tv or better.
There are others, but I doubt many people want to receive either of the religious channels here in town (and even a very highly directional antenna would probably get those) or KRSC or the MyNetworkTV people in Okmulgee.
I actually went to the trouble of building the antenna since I'm still looking for a solution the Channel 8 debacle. $50/mo cable/sat isn't the answer.
Anyway, built it out of 12-AWG THNN solid copper wire.
While the video was pretty straight forward, there arose a couple of questions.
The points where the two longer lines cross should be isolated from each other, right?
And, does it matter if the insulation remains on all but the expected contact points (at the screws).
I also did a half-loop around the end screws at the four corners on the long lines. Does this affect anything?
It worked, but not quite as well as hoped. Still doesn't get Channel 8.
Quote from: Wrinkle on June 17, 2009, 07:31:18 AM
I actually went to the trouble of building the antenna since I'm still looking for a solution the Channel 8 debacle. $50/mo cable/sat isn't the answer.
Anyway, built it out of 12-AWG THNN solid copper wire.
While the video was pretty straight forward, there arose a couple of questions.
The points where the two longer lines cross should be isolated from each other, right?
And, does it matter if the insulation remains on all but the expected contact points (at the screws).
I also did a half-loop around the end screws at the four corners on the long lines. Does this affect anything?
It worked, but not quite as well as hoped. Still doesn't get Channel 8.
Yes, you should isolate the long cross lines. If you use 12 AWG copper (I did from a spool of 12 gauge Romex) it should be pliable enough where you can isolate them by bending. If not, most people I talked to just used a bit of electrical tape.
And the half-loop won't make a difference; that's how I have mine. Secures them better.
And that's weird about 8. Granted I have a pretty unobstructed view of the SE sky and have this thing mounted outside (sorry I forgot to mention that), but I built one for a friend (his daughters TV and the antenna is used indoors) and he says his works flawlessly. Have you tried to rescan since then?
Quote from: Trogdor on June 16, 2009, 04:11:10 PM
As far as I am concerned if KTUL wants me to watch their station they will do something about their signal. There is absolutely no reason why I should get Digital signals from everybody but them.
I can get the KTUL signal at my house at 26th & Yale strong and clear, but I second your opinion exactly.
Quote from: Hoss on June 16, 2009, 07:47:45 PM
As a cable subscriber I noticed that CW is broadcasting on 19-1 in 1080i. Wonder how long it takes Cox to figure that out and add it. Though I doubt CW is doing much HD broadcasting right now.
I wondered about that. CW is on 19.1 and 6.2. 6.2 is in standard def and 19.1 is in hi def. Even with my 5 year old analog Panasonic TV, the 19.1 picture is much sharper and clearer, crisper and more color vibrant. Why is KOTV Ch 6 broadcasting the same signal on both? What a waste of the public airwaves.
Quote from: Steve on June 17, 2009, 09:30:43 PM
Why is KOTV Ch 6 broadcasting the same signal on both? What a waste of the public airwaves.
Probably for two reasons. First, Cox and the other cable companies haven't switched to using the new digital signal on 19. Secondly, OTA viewers are used to getting the digital signal as one of KOTV's subchannels. I'd love for them to quit doing the rebroadcast, though. More bandwidth for the main channel. Two SD and one HD is too much for one channel.
Quote from: Hoss on June 17, 2009, 08:20:33 AM
Yes, you should isolate the long cross lines. If you use 12 AWG copper (I did from a spool of 12 gauge Romex) it should be pliable enough where you can isolate them by bending. If not, most people I talked to just used a bit of electrical tape.
And the half-loop won't make a difference; that's how I have mine. Secures them better.
And that's weird about 8. Granted I have a pretty unobstructed view of the SE sky and have this thing mounted outside (sorry I forgot to mention that), but I built one for a friend (his daughters TV and the antenna is used indoors) and he says his works flawlessly. Have you tried to rescan since then?
Thanks for the reply and info.
Thought I had it close to right, but no Ch 8 (want to watch the Iowa Corn Indy Car race Sunday).
I'll be messing with it as time allows.
Guess I need to put it up in the attic, or mount it to the front of the house, ugh.
Ch 8's always been difficult to get here for some reason, even the old signal.
Doesn't make sense either way.
I think I'm going to try & build an attena and see how it works as a last ditch effort. :-X
Just moved to the great city of Tulsa and stumbled upon this thread when I (surprise, surprise) can pick up every channel (including the 376 religious stations) except ABC. Live at 38th and yale, and have a quite large antenna in the attic. I think while the merits of my setup could be debated, the fact remains I have zero problems with any station except ABC, which I cannot pick up at all.
Anyone get a timeframe on the wattage increase? Wouldn't mind keeping this thread alive to let KTUL know we are still not seeing their station. Most frustrating part is Big 12 football, which won't be found online, unlike Lost.
What I've discovered, over time, is that there are certain periods and/or times of the day when Channel 8 reception suffers (and, to some degree other stations' reception).
I remembered some time ago when I was having a huge amount of interferrence from something in town. Then, remembered the City Service building downtown had a line-of-sight microwave pointed at the old CS Technology Center (at Mayo Farms, 129th E Ave and 51st).
I'm now thinking there's something like that causing most of the problem in midtown. If so, that'd be an FCC issue.
Could be something about hospital systems implemented in recent years.
Hello All! I'm usually just a lurker on this forum, but we too are having trouble getting KTUL's signal on our one non-cable TV. The irony to it all is - we live in TOWERVIEW addition in Coweta. Appropriately named because, you guessed it, we have a lovely view of the Channel 8 tower! We assume our trouble is because the TV is in our metal shop building and we do not have an external antenna. But we only use that TV on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, and as someone else said, there's not much on Channel 8 besides infomercials. We do like the occasional Indy race on Sunday afternoons though. Any suggestions for our building would be most appreciated!
Quote from: sauerkraut on June 18, 2009, 09:07:27 AM
I think I'm going to try & build an attena and see how it works as a last ditch effort. :-X
Something along these lines should work. (Yeah, I know, 2nd time this week I've used this one)
(http://vwt.d2g.com:8081/tinfoil1.jpg)
I get it all now, from midtown! KTUL, KJRH, KOTV and KOKI all pointing in the same direction. I had to raise my antenna well above my tv, and then the rabbit ears on my terk were kind of titled back slightly so I had to adjust those to be exactly perpendicular to the floor. Why did KJRH decide to switch to VHF by the way? They had such a good thing going with their UHF feed, now it's all finicky. I was pretty sure I was going to have to try and figure out c-band there for a while; I still might actually.
I am asking a lot now, but it would be really awesome if one of the main UHF stations(KOTV) could pick up the FTA c-band NASA TV channel and send it out over their OTA channel. Like 6.4 or something.
Quote from: brianh on August 03, 2009, 07:23:14 PM
I am asking a lot now, but it would be really awesome if one of the main UHF stations(KOTV) could pick up the FTA c-band NASA TV channel and send it out over their OTA channel. Like 6.4 or something.
Hey, I'll second that suggestion!!
I've been researching Ku band for awhile, mostly just for this reason, then suddenly discovered NASA was on C band only now. (they were on Ku band as well for awhile).
The space walks lately have been awsome.
I really do think it worthy of consideration, at least during missions.
Shame to let all that bandwidth go to waste.
Drop in a few local ads and make it profitable, too.
KTUL has installed a new stronger antenna. I still can't get it, and I get all the other networks.
QuoteTulsa - This is a big day for NewsChannel 8. The testing is complete and we are now broadcasting on a new digital antenna.
You may remember it was installed over the weekend atop our 18-hundred foot tower in Coweta. This means we are sending a stronger and clearer digital signal to you.
If you know of anyone who has had trouble getting our signal tell them to re-scan their TV or digital box.
http://www.ktul.com/news/stories/0410/730212.html
Just in time for extreme makeover: home edition in Tulsa.
Quote from: Trogdor on May 03, 2010, 12:40:10 PM
Just in time for extreme makeover: home edition in Tulsa.
What's the air date on that episode?
Next Sunday, May 9th 7:00PM
Quote from: Conan71 on May 03, 2010, 01:38:27 PM
moolah garcias
Damn shame they only film that show in SD... >:(
KTUL is putting up a new digital tower and that should do the trick for anyone who is not getting a good signal- I dunno when it will be up & running. My TV still uses the converter box so I don't get 1080i or 720p anyhoo, but the channel 8 signal did break up alot.