Why do I want HDTV?
HDTV is the next generation of television! HDTV is all-digital, meaning richer colors and no analog reception issues, such as ghosting. Its widescreen 16x9 image has up to six times the resolution of DVD, and full Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound. Once you’ve seen HDTV on a large screen high resolution television, DVDs look poor in comparison!
What do I need in order to receive HDTV?
At its most basic, you’ll need an antenna and an off-air (8VSB) receiver, along with a HDTV compatible television. Many HDTV receivers are available: standalone units, models combined with DSS receivers, or even digital video recorders. Some newer televisions even come with compatible HDTV receivers built-in.
The antenna you’ll need depends on your specific location and what channels you require, and could range from a small unit that sits on top of your television, to a large antenna mounted on a tower. An antenna system may include: UHF antenna, mounting system, preamplifier and rotor.
Although you will only receive the full benefit of HDTV with a HDTV compatible television or display device, HDTV channels can still be viewed on regular televisions – of course at lower resolution.
Do I need a special HDTV antenna?
No! Any UHF antenna in good condition will work. Although some antennas are advertised as being “digital” or “HDTV” ready, that can actually be said of any UHF antenna no matter how old.
Do I need a UHF or VHF antenna?
Although there is nothing that prevents stations from broadcasting HDTV on VHF channels (2 to 13), so far very few stations in North America have opted to do so, instead choosing to broadcast in the UHF band (channels 14 to 69). Currently, in the Toronto/Buffalo area, the lowest HDTV channel active or planned is Fox on 14, which is in the UHF band. UHF-only antennas are smaller and more readily available than those designed to also receive VHF.
However, there is uncertainty as to exactly what will happen when analog television is finally shut down. Will stations with low channel numbers opt to simply abandon them, or will they move their HDTV channel from its temporary UHF assignment down to VHF? Although at this stage most HDTV viewers are simply purchasing UHF antennas, there’s no telling what will be needed in the future.
Can I view these channels in other ways?
Yes – on digital cable, although the exact selection varies. For instance, in the Buffalo area Adelphia carries most major networks in HD, but does not carry Canadian stations. In Toronto, Rogers Cable carries only CITY and Toronto1 – none of the Buffalo stations are represented. Instead, their equivalents are imported from the Detroit area, which received a full complement of broadcasting HDTV channels sooner than Buffalo.
What channels can’t I receive off of an antenna?
Off-air broadcasts are typically limited to major networks: ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, PBS, and so on. Specialty HDTV channels, such as Discovery HD or HBO HD, are only available on cable or satellite.
How do I read the channel list?
First, let's take a look at a typical listing:
Active Partial Power (720p/5.1) Showing all of Fox's HD programming with true 5.1 audio, even upconverting Pro Logic to 5.1. Also one of the nicest quality SD images out there!
14-2
29-2
Sub Channel
(480i/2.0) Duplicate Fox SD (really, why waste bandwidth like this?)
14-3
29-3
Sub Channel
(480i/2.0) WUTV-EN. Mostly unused (check it out on some nights at 9:55 to 10:00 PM).
This channel had elected to revert to 29 after the analog shutdown, but the move was disapproved by the FCC and it will now stay on 14.
In the first column on the left, the large numbers you see in red, such as 14-1, are the actual broadcast
channel numbers. Irregardless of what the PSIP information says, this is the channel that the station is really broadcasting on. The grey number,
such as 29-1, represents the virtual PSIP channel number, which is essentially a shortcut to the real channel
designed to help you associate that station with its traditional analog channel assignment (for example, you wouldn't normally associate
channel 14 with "FOX 29"). The virtual number is usually what you would enter on your HDTV tuner, as well as what most would display even if you
instead entered the real number.
If you're asking what in the world a "PSIP" is, it stands for Program and System Information Protocol. Didn't clear up much, right? Well, basically
it's a little digital tag that's broadcast along with a standard HDTV signal that carries information, such as the virtual channel mapping mentioned
above. It also transmits the current time of day, can carry program guide (EPG) information as well as several other advanced features that are not
currently used much.
The second column describes the associated network with that channel, Fox, as well as the station's call letters, analog channel number and
official website - WUTV 29.
The third column indicates how much broadcasting power the channel has, 35 kW, its broadcast antenna elevation, (981'), as well as any further
details such as whether the station as applied for additional power (1000 kW applied) or if they are allowed to use more
power than they currently are. In terms of power ratings, numbers under 5kW (kilowatts, or thousands of watts) I would considered low powered, up to
30kW moderate power, up to 100kW average power, up to 500kW good power, and up to 1000kW or more excellent power. And as for broadcast elevation,
the higher the better for long distance reception.
The fourth column describes the general location of the station's broadcast antenna. A table of distances from major population centers to these
various locations can be found here.
The fifth column contains a general description of the station and its HDTV broadcasts, including reported issues and future updates. Subchannels
will also have a detailed description of their programming content.
Finally, the row that appears at the bottom of some entries formatted in italics describes the HDTV channel's future, after all analog
broadcasts are shut off... whether the HDTV channel will remain where it is, or whether the station will reclaim their original analog channel
number. Generally, most VHF channels (13 and below) prefer to stick with their current UHF assignments since VHF (particularly low-band) is not
ideal for HDTV broadcasts. Some high-band VHF channels (7 to 13) may opt to return to those frequencies, but in the Buffalo area all are sticking
with their current UHF assignments - which is good news for everyone with compact UHF-only antennas!
Return to the channel list...