Some stations to reach fewer viewers with digital

Computer, engineering, and other technical assistance.

Moderators: genlock, sportsvoice

Post Reply
User avatar
Lester
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 2803
Joined: Fri Dec 14, 2001 5:47 pm
Contact:

Some stations to reach fewer viewers with digital

Post by Lester »

Some stations to reach fewer viewers with digital
WASHINGTON — Nearly a fifth of the nation's full-power television stations will no longer reach at least 2 percent of viewers now covered by their existing analog signals after they switch to digital broadcasts in February, federal regulators say.


http://www.wral.com/news/technology/story/4196943/
Tom Taggart
Member
Member
Posts: 768
Joined: Tue Dec 18, 2001 11:30 am
Location: Marietta, Ohio

Re: Some stations to reach fewer viewers with digital

Post by Tom Taggart »

How many viewers actually watched off-air?
Greg Goodfellow
Member
Member
Posts: 574
Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2004 3:16 pm
Location: Friendly, West Virginia...I kid you not

Re: Some stations to reach fewer viewers with digital

Post by Greg Goodfellow »

I found this quote interesting:

"The FCC is not requiring television stations to replicate their analog coverage."

Way to serve those that aren't lucky enough to get cable, including several folks I work with. My parents are among that group, although they do have DirecTV. Hopefully, they'll still be able to get local programming with their antenna and converter box.
"Television is a medium because anything well done is rare."
~ Fred Allen ~

“Radio is the theater of the mind; television is the theater of the mindless”-Steve Allen
contracteng
Member
Member
Posts: 219
Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2003 8:36 pm
Location: Waverly, Ohio
Contact:

Re: Some stations to reach fewer viewers with digital

Post by contracteng »

In my area I think there will be people with no TV at all because they are two poor to afford satellite. Cable is not available. We are to far away to pick up a good UHF signal. I pick up a snowy ch 4, 6, and a very very snowy Ch 10 and no UHF channels with a pretty good size antenna.
t
User avatar
genlock
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 5866
Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2001 4:09 pm
Location: OW

Re: Some stations to reach fewer viewers with digital

Post by genlock »

How much power might be required for WSAZ or WOAY or WVVA or WDTV to replicate
Their low band VHF coverage. In the original DTV power estimates these stations
could run 4 to 5 megawatts of DTV power. Since DTV power is average equals peak
and ntsc power is average equals less than 19% peak, you can imagine the size of
the transmitter plant and power bills. DTV travels farther per watt than NTSC so
FCC cut back to one Megawatt. Still a lot but manageable. Don't panic, It wil work out.
"Everyone Should be aware that you're just a screen grab away from infamy."
AmpedNow
Member
Member
Posts: 2415
Joined: Tue Apr 16, 2002 4:46 am
Location: none

Re: Some stations to reach fewer viewers with digital

Post by AmpedNow »

<rant>

All would be fine if the DMA nazis would just go away. Distant networks on sat should be available to anyone anywhere who is willing to pay for them.

Local TV already expects consumers to go spend hundreds of dollars if need be on an antenna system, and then the burden of proof is on us to "prove" we can't get the ota signal? How often do you think this happens in mountainous areas like WV, you jerkoffs? Your stupid B contour charts don't mean jack in these parts.

I know two different people who were denied NBC/CW waivers, even though they live 50+ miles from the transmitter, shadowed by mountains, but yet are still technically still in the B coverage. Oh, and they don't own HDTVs to get the CW subchannel in the first place.

Their experience of getting them to understand their dilemma was so bad, they said they would never watch NBC again, esp. from this specific channel.

That's ok. We know what you really think of them anyways...

I only wish this cat gets let out of the bag... Ignorance of the general population is the only reason they get away with this.

Maybe when all of these "waiverless" people in the hinterlands who have to suffer through fuzzy pictures finally lose signal completely, this will finally be brought to attention and adequately explained.

</rant>
User avatar
Big Media
Member
Member
Posts: 2286
Joined: Fri Oct 14, 2005 12:46 pm
Location: Cruising I-64

Re: Some stations to reach fewer viewers with digital

Post by Big Media »

What they are not reporting is that the 2% of viewers who are supposedly being lost in the DTV transition are viewers who were not viewing a "usable" signal. We are talking extreme fringe viewers who, like contract engineer, get only snowy filth---not a viewable picture with audible sound.

100s of thousands more, who were receiving crappy, snowy, and barely watchable anything are now receiving perfect digital picture and sound and a lot more channels to boot (re purposed programming or not, more channels are still better than less channels).
K-Rock wrote:<rant>

All would be fine if the DMA nazis would just go away. Distant networks on sat should be available to anyone anywhere who is willing to pay for them.
I agree.

Along the same lines, Nielsen (and their DMA boundaries) is television's worst enemy and the viewers' biggest obstacle to "free" TV.
Post Reply