[BC] HDTV

[Rich Wood]

------ At 09:21 PM 2/7/2006, Harold Hallikainen wrote: -------

>No mention about over the air digital television. Does anyone know it exists?

In Western MA some of the cable systems don't carry the local HD 
channels. At least one station promotes"free" HDTV. That's strange 
because while the promos were running their DTV signal was SD.

Right now the only retailer carrying OTA receivers is Circuit City. 
The rest are special order. I think Comcast is the only system 
carrying all local HD signals. Charter is carrying FOX (sort of HD) 
from WTIC-DT, Hartford. It's a horrible signal, giving new meaning to 
HD (Horrible Definition). If I can find a roll of coax long enough I 
might run it to the nearest Comcast pole about 4 miles away. I moved 
from a Comcast service area and miss it. Charter has "high speed" 
Internet with 256K up and 3Mb down. Barely enough to use Vonage. 
Their analog channels were noisy as Hell. I finally complained. Of 
the hundreds of sets and dozens of installers no one noticed it but 
me. They told me they discovered a "loose connection" somewhere at 
the head of the branch serving my area. One installer tried to 
convince me that an HD monitor can't display SD. I asked him why 
their HD box didn't compensate for that. No answer.

With service like this I would have guessed someone would be selling 
OTA receivers on the street corner, along with antennas..

WFSB, Hartford, has an LPTV (WHSM) here with no DTV. It kicked WFSB 
off the cable systems. Fortunately, the DTV signal here is strong 
from WFSB so there's CBS. WGGB-DT has HD but no 5.1 sound. I wasn't 
able to hear the terrible audio on the Superbowl.

The good thing about HD is that there's much more screen space for 
logos and other annoying content.

Rich


Rich Wood
Rich Wood Multimedia
Phone: 413-303-9084
FAX: 413-480-0010