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Digital TV Over The Air

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  • Re: Digital TV Over The Air

    Originally posted by Random View Post
    Perhaps for non-Oahu viewers, KITV4 could lease their vacant sub-channel 4-3 for KIKU or KBFD.
    The problem on sub-leasing would be duplication of programming for Oahu viewers. Since all of the programming comes out of the Honolulu station (KITV for example), having KBFD simulcast on 4.3 would duplicate programming already on 32.1. Of course the 4.3 signal would probably carry to 12.3 on Maui and 13.3 in Hilo which would be nice for those viewers.

    That said, I think KBFD is covered for most people who want it on the neighbor islands through Oceanic Cable. Ditto for KIKU (I think - can't remember if they're on neighbor island Oceanic).

    The same can be said for duplicated content on KHNL 13.2 if they would put a KFVE simulcast there. KFVE is on cable, neighbor islands.

    Also most of the high profile UH sports shows (football in particular) are mostly run on Pay-Per-View which requires digital cable.
    I'm still here. Are you?

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    • Re: Digital TV Over The Air

      Originally posted by ongre View Post
      Is anyone who is picking up Maui's site receiving Ch. 15, KOGG, KHNL's relay?
      I got KHNL 13.1 on Molokai (Kaunakakai Townside).

      Yes, Molokai is still part of Maui County. My antenna is pointing toward Maui (generally toward Ulupalakua).
      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

        Okay, we got reps from KITV and KGMB here on HT. Aloha.

        Who here represent KHON? Just FYI, Your digital broadcasting signals (both 2.1 FOX and 2.2 CW) from Ulupalakua is by far the weakest. Both keep dropping almost intermittently from my reception on Molokai.
        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

          How is the digital signal in Honolulu? I live in Kalihi but I'm in an apartment and my bedroom is in the back of the building and blocked by another building.

          I have an MPEG-2 decoder for my computer and I got cable hooked up to it. But, I wonder if I should buy a digital converter to get HD over the air? I don't want to get it if I can't get a decent signal.

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          • Re: Digital TV Over The Air

            Originally posted by GeckoGeek View Post
            Keep in mind that the channel is just data. The sub-channels are created by degrading the bit-rate of the main channel. I'm not sure if there are any sub-channels when running HD on the main.

            As I understand it, action sports are some of the most challenging in the bit-rate department, so it may not be a good choice for sub-channels.
            Yes, you're right... One HD and subchannels would be SD. But still, we can still have content on them.

            Originally posted by GeckoGeek View Post
            How about an expanded news cast? Given the challenges that seem to be facing the daily papers across the nation, it might be a good time to build up broadcast news.
            As for this question, that's where my job comes in on the web. I believe that we are making some inroads with online content, but it is had to break habits. I like to think of our online as another "station" (not just because I'm in charge of it).

            When wireless technologies start to merge and standardize, we'll see different mediums created. It's my belief that these would be web based in whatever form the web is when it happens.

            Thoughts?

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            • Re: Digital TV Over The Air

              Island Beef;
              You are in a great place at a great time. This has little to do with this thread I know, but the delivery of news is a very big deal. Try Ian Lind's blog, he covers the issue well. ilind.net
              The thing is; the economic model hasn't been created or at least perfected. The resources of reporters and production time are one thing. Running a printing press or a TV station with transmitters is a lot different than the on line presence.

              Frankly the Bosses have all come out of sales and look at it one way. They need to get with the program and spread some cash towards the future.

              Today I watched the "We are One" Concert live streaming on an HBO website. The feed was perfect great audio, great video, no freezes at all. Tremendous resources of course, but that my friend, is the future. Try tuning into France 24, it works, of course the Government of France is behind it. Resources again.

              The day will come when we as individuals will be able to select exactly what we wish to watch and it will be flexible for our time and tastes.

              CNET had a story about a family who canceled cable and watched over the air TV, streaming video and Netflix.
              'nuf for now.

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              • Re: Digital TV Over The Air

                Originally posted by IslandBeef View Post
                Yes, you're right... One HD and subchannels would be SD. But still, we can still have content on them.
                Can you have HD and SD subchannels at the same time? I've seen some indication that it's either/or.

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                • Re: Digital TV Over The Air

                  Originally posted by GeckoGeek View Post
                  Can you have HD and SD subchannels at the same time? I've seen some indication that it's either/or.
                  You can have one HD and, I believe depending on compression, one SD. But two HD subchannels would take too much bandwidth.

                  Caveat: It depends what type of HD you're broadcasting and at what rate... Basically, we have 19.6 Mbits/s to play with.

                  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_subchannel has a little table at the bottom.

                  Another caveat: Different compression formats will allow for more as time goes on... So the future may allow more video data pushed OTA.

                  This is why HDTV OTA usually looks better than cable and satellite as they compress further than we do. You need to fit all those channels over the pipe...

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                  • Re: Digital TV Over The Air

                    Originally posted by ongre View Post
                    Island Beef;
                    You are in a great place at a great time. This has little to do with this thread I know, but the delivery of news is a very big deal.
                    Thanks! I think that too.

                    Originally posted by ongre View Post
                    Try Ian Lind's blog, he covers the issue well. ilind.net
                    Doing what I do, I try to keep tabs on everything going on, especially in Hawaii. Ian's blog has been one of the higher rated blogs from here for a long time.

                    If you haven't been on our site, we actually live stream quite a bit, including breaking news and all of our newscasts (Sunrise, 5, 6 and 10). It's been our goal to establish our Internet presence and I like to think we're getting there (I'd love comments here or to webmaster@kgmb9.com).

                    The best example was on power outage day recently. We live streamed online and if you had a laptop and a Hele or mobile card, you could watch us live with live interviews and some looping clips with what was happening.

                    And about the CNet story... We have quite a few here like that in Hawaii. We had a little uptick in people saying they've been watching our streams because the DTV transition left them with no OTA option and they won't pay for cable/satellite.

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                    • Re: Digital TV Over The Air

                      Hey Ongre,

                      Could you post what type of antenna and any directional information you are using. We have some folks in Haiku that are completely unable to receive our signal. Any hints I might pass on would be appreciated.

                      Mike

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                      • Re: Digital TV Over The Air

                        Originally posted by KGMB9 View Post
                        Another caveat: Different compression formats will allow for more as time goes on... So the future may allow more video data pushed OTA.
                        But how would that play toward compatibility with older DTV sets? I can see where any existing asymmetrical compression may improve with time, but I think you're limited on the decompression side.

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                        • Re: Digital TV Over The Air

                          My antenna is an older VHF/UHF from radio shack that I have kept for a few years under the house just for this purpose. The lower VHF rods are still there but not needed. It is above the roof line maybe 15 ft. My home is actually behind giggle hill off Kauhikoa Rd, people in Haiku will know where that is. From what I read here and elsewhere a preamp right at the antenna will help, I haven't bought one yet they are around $50.00. I have 2 boxes, a DTV Pal and an Artec, they both work well.
                          The thing is anyone in a gulch or in a dip much beyond where I live will probably have trouble. I understand Ch 15 is on the air, but I don't get it at all.

                          A higher gain antenna may help and being in the clear may help, as I've mentioned the site is actually over the rise. Anyone by the Marine Park or Kokomo will not have any problem until you go mauka and a little behind the mountain.

                          Out in Kailua, Huelo or Peahi reception will be very poor without a lot of work, but they have never had great TV reception.
                          My take is the directional transmit antenna being used put us off the side in Haiku. Add to that the lower power of the digital transmitters (because digital is really a new method of TV modulation) put anyone off the side at a disadvantage. Pump up the power if possible, that may help a little.
                          The signal map for KOGG Ch 15 looks generally like the rest of them.
                          http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/FMTV-serv...DT1161050.html

                          One more thing, a joke actually, the signal is going by your house, its just way up in the sky.
                          Hope I haven't gone overboard with my comments.

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                          • Re: Digital TV Over The Air

                            Originally posted by GeckoGeek View Post
                            But how would that play toward compatibility with older DTV sets? I can see where any existing asymmetrical compression may improve with time, but I think you're limited on the decompression side.
                            True that, I'm curious what happens (and how fast things will change).

                            What's more likely is that broadcasters will adjust bit rates for sub channels depending on programming. This makes things complicated, but may allow for special programs at times at higher bit rates.

                            The compression improvements will affect cable and satellite more that OTA. But even more with Internet based applications (which includes mobile). As compression gets better and wireless options get faster (and fatter), we may start to see IP based TV (and IP based phones, etc).

                            To me, that's where the real revolution will be... When an iPhone doesn't have to be on AT&T, just on any wireless LAN (WiMax, etc). Then everything changes.

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                            • Re: Digital TV Over The Air

                              Originally posted by KGMB9 View Post
                              Y
                              This is why HDTV OTA usually looks better than cable and satellite as they compress further than we do. You need to fit all those channels over the pipe...
                              Kind of noticed that even with my non HDTV. The OTA channels look a little better when caught by antenna vs. the same channels on my analog cable. Same TV, 2 feeds, now with an A&B switch.

                              I also noticed for KHON Channel 2, the digital picture/sound is slightly behind the analog feed I am getting from the cable.
                              I'm still here. Are you?

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                              • Re: Digital TV Over The Air

                                Originally posted by mel View Post
                                I also noticed for KHON Channel 2, the digital picture/sound is slightly behind the analog feed I am getting from the cable.
                                There is a lag between the digital and analog (not much, but you'll notice side by side). There's just so much more going on behind the scenes both on our end with the encoding and decoding on your end. It happens for all of us.

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