Cox Drops KETV HD Signal

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 11:19 am

I'm going to have to look into my cable stuff too. The only thing I cared about was having Comedy Central. But last night I got all settled in to watch my show Nip/Tuck and DirecTV didn't have it. I get my cable through the building for 'free' so I don't know what I'd have to do just for one channel. I'll probably just go to a friends.

Maverick · Post by **Maverick** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 11:24 am

I wish I could switch. The satellites just have so many more HD channels. Kinda makes Cox seem worthless. If the antenna provides everything I need (-ESPN), it's bye bye Cox. I'll just live without ESPN until I move.

lonnie · Post by **lonnie** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 11:51 am

Maverick wrote:Does anyone know what OTA HD Channels you can get in downtown? I think I'm going antenna shopping today.

You can go to
http://www.antennaweb.org
to help with the directions.

I put in your DTO location and to get KETV 7.X (UHF CH# 20) you will want to point your UHF antenna about 60 degrees west of north.

You might also get NBC 6.X (UHF CH# 22) and CBS 3.1 (UHF CH# 45) and PBS 26.X (UHF CH# 17).

Understand this is a c r a p-s h o o t in DTO with all the concrete and steel blocking the signal. If the 60 deg. west of north direction does not work try rotating to get a reflection. These UHF frequencies bounce around very easily so you might be able to get a reflected signal.

I would be prepared to return any antenna you try, so unpack carefully to make returns easier.

Good luck.

Lonnie

almighty_tuna · Post by **almighty_tuna** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 12:08 pm

lonnie wrote:I would be prepared to return any antenna you try, so unpack carefully to make returns easier.

Why not save some time and hassle and just make a quick dipole to see where you're starting off from.

HskrFanMike · Post by **HskrFanMike** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 12:23 pm

Classic doublespeak from the corporate types.

Cox says "HD is free" to customers of digital cable.

Of course, digital cable service is not free.

Maverick · Post by **Maverick** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 1:32 pm

http://www.tvpredictions.com/ketvcox100106.htm

KETV should be ashamed. By saying Cox can continue to carry its analog feed so a "large number of its viewers" will not be "inconvenienced," KETV is essentially saying that HD viewers don't matter. So what if Cox subscribers can't watch our HD feed? It's just that small group of high-def geeks, right? That won't hurt our ratings.

In addition, like many other local stations across the nation, KETV and its parent company is using its high-def feed to try to pressure the local cable operator to cough up more dough.

I won't say whether KETV or Cox (or neither) is right in this matter. But I will say that this has to stop. If the FCC and Congress want a smooth transition to digital television, they need to step in and arbitrate disputes like this.

Maverick · Post by **Maverick** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 1:35 pm

Don't go anywhere that sells HDTV's around here and expect to buy an antenna. They all push Cox down your throat. The guy at NFM actually told me I had to have the Cox HD DVR to get HDTV. That was, according to him, the only way technically possible. I went to Niver's, expecting much better, but the guy just said, "Uh, we have rabbit ears". He was standing next to a Cox display.

flyOMA · Post by **flyOMA** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 2:07 pm

I have two of these indoor UHF/HDTV antennas:

I have one of them in my basement and can still get a 75-95% on all 17 OTA channels. I can even easily pick up the KBIN range of channels and those transmitters are 20 miles away.

Maverick · Post by **Maverick** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 3:31 pm

Any idea where in town you can get one of those? Does Radio Shack carry them? I'd like to get it tonight if possible.

almighty_tuna · Post by **almighty_tuna** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 3:58 pm

lonnie wrote:Dipoles (and folded dipoles) are used with the VHF spectrum, Bow-Tie antennas are common for UHF. HD Digital TV is UHF.

Bah, you can create a dipole for any frequency you wish. A certain style of antenna isn't necessary verboten for X frequency. Practicality is another matter; I can't fit a 4 element yagi in my backyard for the 40M ham band so I use a dipole. But I've used 7 element yagis for uhf and made several satellite contacts and its total length is less than 3ft.

If you want to make a dipole for KETV-DT Channel 20, whose video is 507.25mhz and audio is 511.75mhz, make a dipole whose "legs" are 5.5" in length, for a total antenna length of 11". Then "aim" your dipole so the broad side of the antenna opens towards 72nd and Crown Pointe.

You wouldn't want to use a folded dipole without a balun anyway, because they present 300ohms at the feedpoint, vs the standard dipole at 75ohms.

flyOMA · Post by **flyOMA** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 4:47 pm

Maverick wrote:Any idea where in town you can get one of those? Does Radio Shack carry them? I'd like to get it tonight if possible.

I have not seen the Zenith antenna at any stores (although I haven't really looked). I do know that most Radio Shack's and Best Buy's carry a similar antenna made by Terk.

One suggestion, if you do get an HDTV antenna, don't waste your money on powered, amplified models. These will not improve your reception and may actually degrade the picture quality. Amplifiers are generally only useful for mast-mounted, terrestrial antennas used at quite a distance away from the transmitter.

lonnie · Post by **lonnie** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 5:19 pm

almighty_tuna wrote:
lonnie wrote:Dipoles (and folded dipoles) are used with the VHF spectrum, Bow-Tie antennas are common for UHF. HD Digital TV is UHF.
Bah, you can create a dipole for any frequency you wish. A certain style of antenna isn't necessary verboten for X frequency. Practicality is another matter; I can't fit a 4 element yagi in my backyard for the 40M ham band so I use a dipole. But I've used 7 element yagis for uhf and made several satellite contacts and its total length is less than 3ft.

If you want to make a dipole for KETV-DT Channel 20, whose video is 507.25mhz and audio is 511.75mhz, make a dipole whose "legs" are 5.5" in length, for a total antenna length of 11". Then "aim" your dipole so the broad side of the antenna opens towards 72nd and Crown Pointe.

You wouldn't want to use a folded dipole without a balun anyway, because they present 300ohms at the feedpoint, vs the standard dipole at 75ohms.

You are 100% correct.

A casual reader should not go to Radio Shack and purchase a TV/FM dipole antenna and expect it to work with an HD, Digital TV tuner... that was the nature of my comment.

The Bow-Tie dipole has the advantage of covering a wider range of frequencies, so one antena covers the Digital TV UHF band (CH# 14-51).

Lonnie

Maverick · Post by **Maverick** » Thu Oct 05, 2006 9:42 am

I went to Radio Shack and picked up pair af old-school rabit ears with the UHF loop for about 10 bucks. I left the rabbit ears unscrewed. So all I have is a little metal loop about 5 inches in diameter sitting on one of my speakers. Works great. I pick up everything local in HD, even stuff that antennaweb.org said I wouldn't, like KPTM, whose tower is apparently out by Gretna (I'm downtown). So I can at least watch ABC HD now, but cannot DVR it.

Big E · Post by **Big E** » Thu Oct 05, 2006 9:52 am

Whereabouts in downtown, Maverick?

-Big E

Maverick · Post by **Maverick** » Thu Oct 05, 2006 11:04 am

Greenhouse (10th and Farnam), top floor.

Big E · Post by **Big E** » Thu Oct 05, 2006 11:24 am

Nice. Think your height and relative lack of density around there might help your reception? I'm skeptical of a first floor SoMa unit. Too similar to my previous predicament in Baltimore.

-Big E

Maverick · Post by **Maverick** » Thu Oct 05, 2006 3:14 pm

Maybe the height. I doubt it makes that big of difference though. I'd try it out if I were you. I'm betting you have just as good of luch as I do.

Asten · Post by **Asten** » Thu Oct 05, 2006 11:39 pm

HskrFanMike wrote:Classic doublespeak from the corporate types.

Cox says "HD is free" to customers of digital cable.

Of course, digital cable service is not free.

Well, you have to have digital to do HD. Be thankful, Comcrap, you have to pay extra...

Maverick · Post by **Maverick** » Fri Oct 06, 2006 12:41 pm

Ok... I'm now in the dog house. I forgot to set the DVR to record Grey's Anatomy on SD. The GF is not happy with me.

MTO · Post by **MTO** » Fri Oct 06, 2006 12:44 pm

I had that problem last week. But I got the episode of their webste. I didn't forget it this week though.

Hal Dawg · Post by **Hal Dawg** » Fri Oct 06, 2006 12:49 pm

KETV is denying the rumor that's circulating that says they will pull their analog signal off the air before Saturday's Husker game.

The Reader's Online Media Notes site has the story:
http://thereadersmedianotes.blogspot.com

Uffda · Post by **Uffda** » Fri Oct 06, 2006 1:02 pm

Grey's Anatomy is on the iTunes store

Maverick · Post by **Maverick** » Fri Oct 06, 2006 2:10 pm

Isn't the iTunes version designed for a 2 inch screen? That would look awefull on my 50 inch screen.

Uffda · Post by **Uffda** » Fri Oct 06, 2006 2:37 pm

No -- You could play it on your computer monitor or get the ipod connections to plug it into your tv (they have those out at the Apple Store)

MTO · Post by **MTO** » Fri Oct 06, 2006 2:56 pm

Yeah iTunes is 240x320 thats not gonna look good on any size TV.

Maverick · Post by **Maverick** » Fri Oct 06, 2006 3:17 pm

A) I don't have nor want an IPod. B) 240x320 looks like |expletive| on anything other than an IPod. I'm aware that I can watch it on my computer, or hook the computer up to the TV... but then again, it's still 240 lines. Of course, theres always bit torrent... if, ah, my code of ethics didn't get in the way.

The other way to look at it is that I planned on, and in fact tried to, record it, but ABC prevented me from doing so because they dropped the signal. So if someone where to download over BT, I wouldn't feel to bad about that, if I were them. Not that I would ever do that.

MTO · Post by **MTO** » Fri Oct 06, 2006 3:19 pm

Isn't there season pass where you can watch the episodes in full glory on demand kind of thing?

Hal Dawg · Post by **Hal Dawg** » Tue Nov 14, 2006 12:55 pm

From this week's edition of The Reader:

Cox-KETV Negotiations Stall

The probability Husker fans have of watching the Nebraska-Colorado football game in high definition on Cox digital cable is about as good as the Buffs’ beating the Huskers in Lincoln.

Negotiations between KETV owner Hearst-Argyle and Cox have stalled nearly two months after KETV pulled its HD signal from Cox.

“We are so far apart right now that I do not foresee a conclusion to this negotiation anytime soon,” said Cox spokeswoman Kristin Peck.

Hal Dawg · Post by **Hal Dawg** » Wed Nov 15, 2006 7:17 pm

Now Cox is taking over the channel which used to show KETV-HD:
http://thereadersmedianotes.blogspot.co ... takes.html

Post by **nebugeater** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 2:52 pm

Looks like things are all better now and the HD signal is back on COX. Along with this the Analog signal will not be pulled as threatened at the end of the month.

http://www.ketv.com/news/14212649/detai ... 0209262007

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