Just curious.... was June 1st a special day for rolling out full strength digital broadcasts that anyone knows?

My Sanyo 30" HDTV set has a digital channel add option, and it will look for new channels when run. I run it once a week or so, hoping to find more HDTV signals OTA. In the past I've found small windows of time where stations 100+ miles away seem to be testing their high power digital signal strength, and I could get their programming with good strength from my hilltop perch via my attic antenna array. But always, in the past, those signals would disappear after one or two hours.

Since the 1st of June I've found 4 new channels, and they have remained active through today. So I'm wondering if I can expect this this to last. It will be a great day for HDTV when everyone that CAN broadcast it WILL broadcast it. I'm pretty sick of seeing NTSC shows claiming "Also in HDTV", when I can't find anyone actually broadcasting them in HD in my area.

Dave B.

Perhaps it was for Kansas.

Well, it was probably just a short trial, or the overcast weather was getting me the far-away signals. Now that it's a clear day I can't get those anymore.

Anyone know what the REAL target date for complete digital roll-out is? Yes. I know it's been a moving target.

Define please: complete digital rollout.

I think he means, when all broadcasters will be at Normal or Full power...

The point at which all U.S. analog TV transmissions will be turned off and the only TV broadcasts will be digital.

The point at which All the U.S. TV stations roll their HDTV broadcasting equipment out of the warehouse and plug it in. Then they unplug their analog broadcasting equipment and tear it down for scrap.

What I want? I want my HDTV to pick up 14 or more different Over-The-Air digital channels. Why 14? because that's how many I HAVE been able to get at one point in time or another.

Well you and everyone else want it, as what is going to happen for a lot of people who are in some areas are going to have the ability to recieve more than their local DMA, as DMAs tend to be broken up at aroung 60-90 miles or so (obviously that is all grey area). For example, those in New York may be able to pull stuff in from Philadelphia, Connectict, etc. Those in Toronto may be able to pull in some stuff from Erie PA, Buffalo, Rochester, etc.

Hence, everyone will love to see the day when all stations are at Full Power OTA HDTV. Until conflicts arise with stations using the same mapping or frequencies and they don't get the station they want (we will cross that bridge when it passes)...

I am not sure what frequencies will be used when all the analog stations are shut down. Will a analog VHF station which is presently xmitting their digital version on a UHF frequency switch back to VHF ? Or will all the old analog frequencies be used for other purposes ? I know they all can transmit digital as well as they are presently transmitting analog, but will they ?

In my area of Raleigh,NC I can not pick up Pax reliably. I am not sure if it is an antenna direction issue or the distance it is from me, or a power issue. I wrote to the station and the only thing I learned was that they do not have a repeater transmitter in the Raleigh area.

But.... I can receive Pax from their NTSC Analog station which I think is located in the same area as their ATSC digital antenna.

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On another note I picked up a Home THeatre mag at the grocery store and there was an article in there about the outgoing Broadcast President having put through some legislation that "I think" will not make it a requirement that Cable have to display the sub channels"Multchannels" of any given station. Does anyone know more about this ?

-Don B

Almost all stations will stay on UHF, as the signal distance can carry longer distances than VHF.

If you can get the analog broadcast well enough to watch, then odds are that the PAX affiliate is not at Full Power or they may be using directional antenna, which means you will need to get a directional antenna, perferibly one that is peaked for that station (ie, peaked for 36 or 40, whatever is the case)...

So what do you think will happen to the VHF frequencies ?

Growing up on broadcast analog I would have guessed the VHF traveled further since Channel 12 out of Binghamton , NY was always a much better signal than the UHF channels. But of course the broadcast antenna could have been closer to me or Channel 12 used a more powerful transmitter.

-Don B

I know that July 1st is the date for one of the Buffalo-area half-power stations...

One thing that I know has been talked about as an alternative is to use the UHF and VHF spectrum for wireless networks, being that they can travel longer distances... Additionally, since the government is taking back the airwaves, they are going to use it for government and military use.

Also, in Canada, the UHF and VHF will be active for a lot longer than it will in the states...

Hmm. So maybe that old TV can tap into the govt signals in 2012?

Brings back memories of the IEWCS Army project I worked on a few years back.

I guess the goverment has no other use for AM radio band except for talk shows.

Of course FM band may go the way of AM band if Serrious and XM have there way.

-Don B

Daniel, what station has a July 1st date for going full power?