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  • Re: Digital TV Over The Air

    Originally posted by salmoned View Post
    PSIP time signals from all stations still have not been corrected - maybe they're just not going to bother until some time after the 'transition', eh?

    I bought the Digital Stream DTX9950 at Radio Shack when it went on sale for $55 ($17 after coupon+tax) and I must say it's better than the tuners in both my HDTV (except it doesn't get HD, of course) and DVR. The signal strength meter is really helpful in determining the best antenna position and it retains all previously found channels when rescanning - both features are not found on my HDTV and DVR. I like that the remote can also power on/off the TV (and adjust volume) and the PSIP info is as good as on my HDTV.
    I just had to say how much I appreciate your report.
    Since over here on Maui we have no signals to test with (yet), I've been dreading the 15th and finding that the DTX9950 didn't perform well.

    Mahalo nui loa,

    --Michael

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    • Re: Digital TV Over The Air

      As a temporary measure, I hooked up the coax center wire to a single horizontal 12" rabbit ear stub (broken off piece) and the converter box picks up DTV channels 4, 5, 9, 11, 13, 20, & 66 (note; only missing 2, 14, 26 & 32). Couldn't expect to get 2, since it's a VHF frequency (8). I intended to get a splitter for the analog set, but no worry for lose only channel 2, eh?.
      Last edited by salmoned; January 9, 2009, 04:58 PM.
      May I always be found beneath your contempt.

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      • Re: Digital TV Over The Air

        I made an antenna like this:
        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWQhlmJTMzw
        It's the same as back in the 70's - 2 snowy channels from Maui.
        I bought a Magnavox converter box at Sears Kaneohe yesterday for $12 after the coupon.
        Then I phoned the FCC info number and they told me something like "keep your receipt because we're telling people on the Windward side of Oahu to expect no reception".
        None.
        So I guess we will find out next week.
        The antenna at Ulupalakua Ranch is to my understanding not really in the ideal spot. The person at FCC said that it isn't expected reach Windward very well.
        Reminds me of an Andy Bumatai quip back in the 80's that went something like "Kaaawa is Hawaiian for 'bad radio reception' ".

        Comment


        • Re: Digital TV Over The Air

          Originally posted by Golfsnorkel View Post
          Reminds me of an Andy Bumatai quip back in the 80's that went something like "Kaaawa is Hawaiian for 'bad radio reception' ".
          That is soooo true. When you hit the curve at Kualoa Point, might as well turn the radio off.
          .
          .

          That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

          Comment


          • Re: Digital TV Over The Air

            So tonight I decided to fool around with my TV and the old rabbit ears I had in the closet. Pulled that out, disconnected the Oceanic, connected the RCA DTV converter box, turned on the TV, the box, scanned the channels and this is what I picked up with just my cheap antenna:

            (Honolulu area, condo, near Ala Moana Center)

            2-1: KHON (Fox)
            2-2: KHON (CW)
            4-1: KITV (ABC)
            4-2: KITV (Accuweather)
            4-3: KITV (nothing on)
            13-1: KHNL (NBC)
            13-2: KHNL (nothing on)
            14-1: KWHE (Hawaii Five-0 LeSea)
            26-1: KAAH
            26-2: KAAH
            26-3: KAAH
            26-4: KAAH
            26-5: KAAH
            32-1: KBFD (Korean)
            38-1: KALO (religous)
            66-1: KPXO (ion)
            66-2: KPXO (cartoons?)
            66-3: KPXO (ion sports)
            66-4: KPXO (worship)

            Missing: KGMB (CBS), KFVE, KHET (PBS), KIKU (Japanese)

            Some notes:
            • Reception from antenna with digital much better than antenna analog; this area is bad for OTA analog reception.
            • KBFD is much better on digital than standard cable
            • KHNL is much better on digital than standard cable
            • I get added free channels with digital antenna not available on standard Oceanic service. CW & Accuwether n/a on standard cable.
            • KAAH and KITV have digital drop out, pixelating
            • KAAH and KPXO have several sub-channels working


            I am not about to give up my cable soon, but I think I may invest in a better antenna or check with our building manager to see if our outdoor antenna has been upgraded. Will try again.

            Will also consider getting an A-B switch of some type to swap between OTA and cable signal.

            Will see what the situation is on Thursday.
            Last edited by mel; January 12, 2009, 06:53 PM.
            I'm still here. Are you?

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            • Re: Digital TV Over The Air

              Radio Shack has an A/B cable/coaxial pushbutton switch for $20. That's what I have.

              What may be missing or needed on your system is some sort of cable amplifier. Major feature of store-bought HD antenna is a built-in signal amplifier.

              Blaine
              Make trouble, have fun, do good stuffs.

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              • Re: Digital TV Over The Air

                Originally posted by mel View Post
                So tonight I decided to fool around with my TV and the old rabbit ears I had in the closet. Pulled that out, disconnected the Oceanic, connected the RCA DTV converter box, turned on the TV, the box, scanned the channels and this is what I picked up with just my cheap antenna:

                (Honolulu area, condo, near Ala Moana Center)
                Missing: KGMB (CBS), KFVE, KHET (PBS), KIKU (Japanese)

                Some notes:

                KITV have digital drop out, pixelating

                I am not about to give up my cable soon, but I think I may invest in a better antenna or check with our building manager to see if our outdoor antenna has been upgraded. Will try again.

                Will also consider getting an A-B switch of some type to swap between OTA and cable signal.

                Will see what the situation is on Thursday.
                Mel,
                How close are you to KGMB's tower on Kapiolani, if you are too close to the tower it may actually be a case of too much signal that is causing the problems with KGMB and KITV.
                You might try to shorten the rods and try to see if that helps with KGMB and KITV...both are transmitting digitally on UHF, KHON transmits digitally on VHF and is in the same area so that tells me you not being blocked by a building.

                I live in the Ward area and receive KHON, KITV, KGMB, KHET, KIKU, KWHE, KBFD and KAAH. I have a building that blocks KPXO. I can't lock KHNL or KFVE, hopefully when they up the power later this year that will be fixed.

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                • Re: Digital TV Over The Air

                  Here is my DT channel inventory from Waipahu using an old outside antenna using an RCA DTA800 converter box. The antenna is pointing sort of half-way between town and Kapolei:

                  2.1
                  2.2
                  4.1
                  4.2
                  4.3
                  9.1
                  14.1
                  20.1
                  26.1
                  26.2
                  26.3
                  26.4
                  26.5
                  32.1
                  66.1
                  66.2
                  66.3
                  66.4

                  Comment


                  • Re: Digital TV Over The Air

                    Originally posted by zztype View Post
                    What may be missing or needed on your system is some sort of cable amplifier. Major feature of store-bought HD antenna is a built-in signal amplifier.
                    Only if the tuner is deaf. In a strong signal area, an amplifier is likely to overload and make things worse.

                    Comment


                    • Re: Digital TV Over The Air

                      On the 5pm edition of KGMB9News they announced they are now live digitally on Maui, the first station to be transmitting digitally from there.
                      Those of you in Maui County, Windward Oahu and the northern tip of the Big Island may want to do a scan with your DTV converters/tuners to see how well the signal is propogating.
                      KGMB's DTV signal is RF channel 24(UHF) if you need to find the channel manually.

                      Comment


                      • Re: Digital TV Over The Air

                        Originally posted by Ninja View Post
                        On the 5pm edition of KGMB9News they announced they are now live digitally on Maui, the first station to be transmitting digitally from there.
                        Those of you in Maui County, Windward Oahu and the northern tip of the Big Island may want to do a scan with your DTV converters/tuners to see how well the signal is propogating.
                        KGMB's DTV signal is RF channel 24(UHF) if you need to find the channel manually.
                        That would explain why I only found that one digital channel after installing a near-fringe type rooftop antenna (from Channel Master) and hooked it up to my converter box two days ago. And I'm from Kaunakakai townside (just up a hill).

                        Gonna need to install a signal amplifier though, just to catch PBS Hawaii channel for Maui County.

                        I think I'll shop for a much bigger antenna (more than 100 feet) later.
                        Beijing 8-08-08 to 8-24-08

                        Tiananmen Square 4-15-89 to 6-04-89

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                        • Re: Digital TV Over The Air

                          We're 4 hours away from the switch-off. I'm praying it'll work.
                          Beijing 8-08-08 to 8-24-08

                          Tiananmen Square 4-15-89 to 6-04-89

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                          • Re: Digital TV Over The Air

                            Anybody going to be watching at 12:00 Noon to see what happens?
                            Make trouble, have fun, do good stuffs.

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                            • Re: Digital TV Over The Air

                              Originally posted by zztype View Post
                              Anybody going to be watching at 12:00 Noon to see what happens?
                              I wish. I'll be at work. No TVs there.

                              In the words of one of my broadcast engineer friends: "We're all data carriers now."

                              Comment


                              • Re: Digital TV Over The Air

                                Considering most of what tv has to offer these days in the way of programming and entertainment it wouldn't bother me if the screen went blank at all.

                                Aj

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