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Post by bigbopper on Jun 30, 2008 23:10:54 GMT -7
affect all of the individual translator stations throughout the state? That has to be a big undertaking, not to mention COST A TON!
Will each of the stations keep the current translators, or will they have to redo any of that?
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Post by CAwasinNJ on Jul 1, 2008 3:48:38 GMT -7
Right now, no translators have to switch to digital. If I owned one, I would wait a bit and then do a flash cut. Hopefully the same transmitter can be used for both. Depending on how old the transmitter is, that may or may not be possible.
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Post by dxstuboy on Jul 7, 2008 14:40:04 GMT -7
I for one am anxious to see what happens in February next year. I imagine there will be some stations that will be scrambling to go digital (Fox 13). Your right though, bopper, it would cost a large amount of mula to switch translators to digital. I believe I heard somewhere that translators are still permitted to carry analog after the switch. I wonder what will happen to the Analog TV band after this mess is over.
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Post by CAwasinNJ on Jul 7, 2008 21:25:40 GMT -7
Fox13 already has a digital signal on the air on Ch 28. My question is, is there a provision in the settop boxes so they know when a signal moves? From the last list that I read, come Feb 17 the analog signal on 13 will be shut off and will be replaced by the digital signal on 13. Then the 28 signal will be turned off permanently. Will people even know that to get "13" back they might have to rescan the band? I mean, we know this stuff, but John Q Public doesn't know or care that the frequency of the digital signal is moving. Plus, since the only major DTV signal on VHF will be 13, that will foul up people's efforts to pick it up. If I were them, I'd ask to stay put on UHF somewhere.
Translator have no conversion requirements right now. They can get digital companion channels, but it isn't required.
Right now there are over 800 full power digital signals applied for or licensed on channels 2-13. I'm not sure how many are for after the transition, but it has to be significant. The only significant changes I think are going to be that everything above 51 is going bye-bye, and "white space" devices might be approval. I don't see anything else at the moment.
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Post by kenglish on Jul 8, 2008 7:06:54 GMT -7
According to translator guru Kent Parsons, about 200 individual analog translators will have Digital companion channels broadcasting by the end of this summer. Many have already been in operation for years.
Most translators are owned and operated by the individual communities (usually the county government). The State set aside some funding several years ago, and that is helping to provide equipment for the upgrades.
All the Utah DTV Translators will be on UHF channels, so many people will need to upgrade to a reasonable UHF antenna (and, sometimes a good UHF preamp). Often, they are receiving their analog translator signals on VHF, so many will need the UHF upgrades. In most cases, the DTV will come from the same site as their analog service.
Generally, according to Kent, nine SLC DTV stations (all full-powers except ION/KUPX) are participating. No one knows what 20, 24 and 32 will do for translator service, if any.
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Post by bigbopper on Jul 8, 2008 18:32:40 GMT -7
very informative Kenglish... join the board and pull up a chair! Thanks
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Post by CAwasinNJ on Jul 8, 2008 21:53:07 GMT -7
24 just got bought by a company that seems to have deep pockets, so I would imagine they're evaluating where to spend money to add service. The census would probably be a good place to start, seeing where there are large groups of people of Hispanic descent. Has anyone seen an kind of study that might be a clue?
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Post by kenglish on Jul 15, 2008 12:02:12 GMT -7
Articles in the local papers today say that Mt. Pisgah (Logan area) translators will "Flash Cut" (switch on-channel) to DTV on August 30.
KSL will do a flash-cut in the St. George area around that same time.
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Post by friendlee on Jul 15, 2008 16:03:26 GMT -7
I'm currently watching (well not at this instant as I am at work but you know what I mean....) the analog from Pisgah so does this mean that I'll lose the analog signals on 41 through 53 in a month and a half?
If so, sweet! No more yapping from the tube (but I'm sure I will be assaulted with the yapping from the kids whose sole existance is to watch reruns of Seinfeld, Friends, TMNT, yada yada yada!).
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Post by CAwasinNJ on Jul 15, 2008 23:13:00 GMT -7
You don't have a converter? You could get one and just not tell the kids.  |
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Post by friendlee on Jul 17, 2008 14:12:36 GMT -7
Tough to do....the kids would hear the 15kHz whine and know dad was up to no good! And then there is that whole Biggest American Idols Dancing with the Supernanny-ing Wife Swap-ping Losers that my wife likes to watch!!
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Post by CAwasinNJ on Jul 17, 2008 21:16:20 GMT -7
Do you get that when you use picture-in-picture-in-picture-in-picture-in-picture-in-picture-in-picture?
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Post by kenglish on Jul 20, 2008 14:40:27 GMT -7
The DTV channels that now exist on Mt. Pisgah (Logan) are all operating as "boosters", on the same channels as they are in SLC. It was hoped they would get along OK, but many people on the higher benches in the Logan area are getting interference from the main signals out of Salt Lake. On Saturday, August 30, DTV transmissions will replace the analog signals, on the same channels as those currently used for analog. maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=101699890558289443278.00045213f6cf4e3efc6de&ll=41.551503,-111.936886&spn=0.000903,0.001333&t=h&z=19 |
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