Ready for the digital switch?

[pjpjpjpj]

I thought it might be interesting to have a thread here about if and how the switch is affecting all of us (this is the "general discussion" forum, after all!).

Obviously many of our Sage systems are fine - either all digital already, or else the analog cards are being used for cable/sat that isn't changing right now. But I bet a lot of you out there have a spare TV or three that aren't on the system... so are you getting converter boxes? Adding them to the Sage system? Trashing the TVs entirely?

How many of you have an old portable TV (i.e., "Watchman") that has a telescoping swivel antenna, no means for signal input, and thus it becomes a doorstop tomorrow?

Anyone have any interesting stories about switching from analog to digital OTA reception? Had problems? Had pleasant surprises?

Just trying to spur some friendly conversation....

[MattHelm]

About the only thing I can say is that I have to drive ~500 miles this weekend to update channels after the switch. (see server 3 in sig)

Also, for off the air, the HDHomerun rules!

[freedml]

Services such as Logmein (free) and Gotomypc (fee) will let you do everything at a remote location as long as the PC/Mac is on and the internet is connected.

[MattHelm]

Originally Posted by freedml

Services such as Logmein (free) and Gotomypc (fee) will let you do everything at a remote location as long as the PC/Mac is on and the internet is connected.

So, you are saying you will go and install them for me? Plus I can't see the HD out to make sure it's tuning correctly.

I have Hamichi and RealVNC installed on the first 2 servers, just didn't know I'd be doing this on the 3rd. Will have them when I'm done Saturday, but doesn't save me the trip.

[Wakecrash]

It needs to be delayed until I can find my coupon.

[Fuzzy]

Totally slacked off and never got a new antenna here, so I'll be without a few (4) stations that moved back down to VHF-High, as I have a UHF-only Yagi. Luckily, I've got an HDHomeRun, so I SHOULD be able to use a QAM off the basic cable coming in the house until I get a UHF/VHF-High antenna up on the roof.

[pjpjpjpj]

I am happy to report that apparently the channel names are tied to the virtual channels, rather than the physical, or to the entire xx-yy-z numbers. I had a channel move overnight (physical moved... virtual stayed the same) and after a re-scan, it still has the same channel name... which means it keeps the logo, and is specifically important because it allows your Favorites to remain unchanged (if you have channels assigned to them).

So far, so good. I still have several channels switching throughout today, that should allow me a few new stations!

[btrcp2000]

I sort of expect a call today from the wife/kids that the tv is not working for some local channels, which would be due to needing to rescan the HDHR for potential number changes.

pjpj, have you noticed this yet since we're in the a same area?

Also, if an OTA channel changes position, does that mean the QAM changes too, or is that solely up to the cable co?

[markettwain]

I must admit I've been woefully (and willfully) ignorant about the transition to digital. I got a little bit worried when at the bottom of "Sesame Street" yesterday there was a message saying that if you could see the message then you wouldn't be seeing PBS today. Well, they must have been bluffing because I get every single basic and extended basic channel that I got yesterday.

What transition? LOL!

[vikingisson]

Originally Posted by markettwain

What transition? LOL!

The day isn't over yet. Or you are on cable.

[markettwain]

I am on cable. Basic analog cable. If I don't actually lose any channels today, I'll just have to laugh since the cable company tried really hard to imply that I should upgrade to digital cable in their commercials.

Even though I don't have a digital cable box, I do have HDTVs. I've noticed when I run the automatic channel scan on the televisions, I pick up a dozen or so HD channels. Funny how they don't advertise this capability.

The real question is, why am I only using analog capture cards with my SageTV setup. Apparently Cox is giving away wired HD channels for free.

[skyeclad]

Originally Posted by pjpjpjpj

I am happy to report that apparently the channel names are tied to the virtual channels, rather than the physical, or to the entire xx-yy-z numbers. I had a channel move overnight (physical moved... virtual stayed the same) and after a re-scan, it still has the same channel name... which means it keeps the logo, and is specifically important because it allows your Favorites to remain unchanged (if you have channels assigned to them).

So far, so good. I still have several channels switching throughout today, that should allow me a few new stations!

Really? I completely expected to have to go into the SageTV tuner section and rescan for the new physical channels. While I wasn't too worried about it, I was concerned about one station that Zap2it has the wrong subchannel lineup which I had to manually modify. I'm hoping that this is corrected with the new channel mapping.

[vikingisson]

Originally Posted by markettwain

I am on cable. Basic analog cable. If I don't actually lose any channels today, I'll just have to laugh since the cable company tried really hard to imply that I should upgrade to digital cable in their commercials.

Even though I don't have a digital cable box, I do have HDTVs. I've noticed when I run the automatic channel scan on the televisions, I pick up a dozen or so HD channels. Funny how they don't advertise this capability.

well that 'splains it. They don't have to go digital until they feel like it. They will be happy when nobody is using analog so they can finally switch.

The real question is, why am I only using analog capture cards with my SageTV setup. Apparently Cox is giving away wired HD channels for free.

Why? I dunno, you tell us why you are only using analog. My analog port has been unused for months. You aren't getting free digital channels, you're paying for basic cable right? Digital isn't anything special no matter what they say. It costs them less to deliver. HD should be the normal offering so no great deal there either. Basic price should deliver analog if they still have it and the same lineup on digital without a box and a sprinkling of HD channels. My area doesn't do that so I'm not a customer at all until they do.

Bottom line is that with OTA digital finally the only way and the push for fully digital cable then there is no longer anything special about digital or even HD so there is no reason to charge extra for what should be normal. 'cides, OTA HD is free and beats cable digital for picture quality and certainly price.

[pjpjpjpj]

Originally Posted by skyeclad

Really? I completely expected to have to go into the SageTV tuner section and rescan for the new physical channels.

I did re-scan. Said so in my post.

But I was afraid that, where a channel physically moved, you would lose the channel name - i.e., "WXYZ-DT", and therefore would lose all of your Favorites that you had assigned to that channel previously. But apparently the names are tied to the virtual (remapped) channel location. Using mine as an example, 12-31-1 moved to 12-12-1 (physical was previously at 31, but remapped to 12... as of this morning, the analog at 12 went away and the digital moved to physical 12). I re-scanned, and "12-31-1" disappeared, and now I have "12-12-1", with the same call name and the Favorites are still attached to that call name. No problem!

[pjpjpjpj]

Originally Posted by markettwain

I must admit I've been woefully (and willfully) ignorant about the transition to digital. I got a little bit worried when at the bottom of "Sesame Street" yesterday there was a message saying that if you could see the message then you wouldn't be seeing PBS today. Well, they must have been bluffing because I get every single basic and extended basic channel that I got yesterday.

What transition? LOL!

Don't laugh - yet.

Some cable systems were getting the feed of the analog signal from the local stations and just rebroadcasting it. That caused a big problem back in the Winter when they ran a test (shutting down analog for a couple of minutes one evening) and, after telling all the cable customers that it would not affect them, the cable customers lost their feeds, since the cable company had been just passing along the analog signal (DUH.). One of my local channels did that, and was FLOODED with freaked-out callers!

Since that point, cable companies should have been making provisions to be passing along the DIGITAL signal from the local channels. If they had not done that already, they should have made the switch last night (or some time today, depending on the station's scheduled time). This was all supposed to be taken care of by the stations and the cable carriers. Whether or not it was, I can't say, but since yours was still on this morning, then either yours was taken care of (as it should have been), or else that particular station is switching later today.

Note that in the future, many/most/all cable carriers will be moving all channels to digital, meaning that everyone will eventually need a cable box, except for those channels that they leave unencrypted, that you can get via QAM. This will mean that cable companies stand to make even more money, as they can charge monthly fees for every cable box and for creating new digital "tiers" with those previously-no-box-required, previously analog, stations. That also means HTPCers will need to be investing in channel-changing equipment... USB-UIRTs, IR blasters, etc.

[pjpjpjpj]

Originally Posted by btrcp2000

I sort of expect a call today from the wife/kids that the tv is not working for some local channels, which would be due to needing to rescan the HDHR for potential number changes.

pjpj, have you noticed this yet since we're in the a same area?

Also, if an OTA channel changes position, does that mean the QAM changes too, or is that solely up to the cable co?

In Cincinnati, the only change was that WKRC (channel 12) physically moved from channel 31 to channel 12, at 2 am last night. If you had it via OTA (12-31-1, and CW on 12-31-2), then you need to re-scan, because it will be gone. When you re-scan, you will (should?) get 12-12-1 and 12-12-2... but note that it moved from UHF to VHF-High, so if you have a UHF-only antenna, you might have problems.

Dayton's CW, which is standalone at channel 26 and available in HD (unlike Cincy's on 12-2), is moving at Noon (now!). It was previously sent at physical channel 18, remapped to 26, and was the hardest Dayton station to receive, because there was a big transmission null to the south of the tower (over Cincinnati). But when they make the jump (now), they are moving to physical 26 and cranking up the KWs a LOT, and most of greater Cincinnati should be in the reception zone. So you should be able to add that station to your OTA lineup, unless you are in far south Cincy and only have a small indoor antenna. I am always excited to add another free channel - especially one in HD - even though I admittedly don't watch anything on the CW. I guess my wife will now get "America's Next Top Model" in HD though... models in HD, hmmmm, maybe that's not so bad after all.

As for QAM, I can't help you there. Sorry.

[markettwain]

Are cable companies making their timetables known for phasing out analog service? All I ever hear is "eventually"...

[Taddeusz]

Originally Posted by markettwain

Are cable companies making their timetables known for phasing out analog service? All I ever hear is "eventually"...

They have another 3 years before they actually need to do anything. But no, cable companies really haven't been very forthcoming about their transition plans.

[HelenWeathers]

Well, Miami Florida has completed it's transition, with the possible exception of Telemundo and Univision. Those two signals I can't pick up.

[vikingisson]

Originally Posted by pjpjpjpj

That also means HTPCers will need to be investing in channel-changing equipment... USB-UIRTs, IR blasters, etc.

If they don't/won't offer basic digital services without a box then I won't be a customer even if I wanted a box for encrypted services. But if I can't get the same crap that analog offered going straight to my digital HTPC tuner then I'll remain a non customer, hence money lost for them. blah on the channel changing external box nonsense for advertiser channels.

As for existing analog cable they would have been rebroadcasting from digital source for a while now. Now they have to so in places like Canada, analog cable hasn't changed.

I'm waiting for QAM to settle down before I think about being a customer again. Homey doesn't want a cable box.