Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums banner

AB - Calgary, Lethbridge, Southern Alberta - OTA

421K views 1K replies 210 participants last post by  James Thomas 
#1 ·
It's about 5 m0's since the last info about reception in the Calgary(southern/central Alberta).

Has anything happened? Is there a possibility of OTA HD in these areas?

Ed
 
#2 ·
Nothing coming up in Calgary in OTA DTV that I know of, based on the lack of CRTC applications from your local stations. You might want to go to their respective web sites and find an email link so that you can ask their staff what their DTV plans are. I've been getting good feedback from Vancouver stations that way, so its worth a try. If you do, please let us know what you find out. Here's an example of an email I sent to BC's not-for-profit Knowledge Network so that you can see what I mean:

http://www.digitalhomecanada.com/forum/showpost.php?p=306035&postcount=169

Of course you might not like the answers you get ;) but at least they'll know that people in Calgary are wondering what their plans are.
 
#3 ·
OTA HD in Calgary

How does one "find" the OTA HD channels in Calgary? I have a DirecTV H20 receiver and when I do a search for channels using my antenna, nothing shows up. I know that this function works because when I tried it in the US jurisdiction where I live I found the channels easily. Is there some manual way of adding them?
 
#4 ·
Unfortunately there are no Canadian DTV OTA broadcasts in Calgary.
I don't belive any licences have been applied for either.

If you are able to pick-up analog US UHF TV stations than there is half a chance that you may be able recieve some US DTV if they are transmitting at full power.
 
#5 ·
Your only chance for stations from the USA is an NBC feed from Kalispell. The NBC affiliate has transmission repeaters pretty much covering the entire state < http://www.kcfw.com/coverage_area.php?id=8d4908682e5ad64d24b3833188507411 >. Now, I dont know if all the transmitters are showing DTV feeds OTA, but that is probably your best shot right now (and that my friend, is 140-180 miles away, so it will require a real fringe UHF antenna pointed very sharply...
 
#7 ·
nmstough said:
How does one "find" the OTA HD channels in Calgary? I have a DirecTV H20 receiver and when I do a search for channels using my antenna, nothing shows up. I know that this function works because when I tried it in the US jurisdiction where I live I found the channels easily. Is there some manual way of adding them?

Thought I would add that even if a Calgary OTA pops up soon, you will still NOT get it with an H20 because DirecTV (in their infinite wisdom) decided the only OTA channels that can be tuned in are the ones as determined by the ZIP CODE you provide for the scan....and (more wisdom) they also did not provide any functionality for adding channels MANUALLY.

moo
 
#9 ·
Indoor Antenna in Calgary

Just wondering if anyone has tried the Zenith ZHD-TV1 or Terk HDTVa to pick up the locate (old school non-HD) station in Calgary ? I am using a Philips MANT310, which can pick up all the stations but reception is pretty poor for Global & City.

Read the FAQ and did searches, but the answer to these local specific questions remain.

Input on which one to go with and where to pick them up on the cheap would be greatly appreciated. Thx.
 
#12 ·
OK thankfully that's flat out there so that pretty well eliminates the cause being geographic features. If you're getting garble on certain channels its most likely due to local multipathing or other interference. Odds are high that any indoor antenna would have the same problem in the same places. An outdoor antenna would be great.
 
#13 ·
Getting ONE OTA in Calgary

I just bought a lcd that has a hd tuner built in. I am hooked up to shaw as well. After doing my inital scan I found that I get channel 111-4 it is an america pbs station i cant get the call sign right now but when it comes back on the screen I will post it.

Are there any other stations we can get yet that I missed?

PS it is KCTS hd
 
#14 ·
Nope, that's not OTA. :( You scanned Shaw Cable, which gave you some Clear QAM channel hits.

If you disconnect Shaw Cable from your HDTV and connect an antenna and then do an NTSC/ATSC scan you'll get the local Calgary analogue OTA stations. If you want to discuss Clear QAM signals on Shaw with other Shaw subscribers you'll have to post in the Shaw forum.
 
#16 ·
New Calgary, Edmonton OTA Stations seen in IC Database

I just ran my Industry Canada database data pump to update the Listings of Canadian OTA Televison Stations web page and the Alberta list now contains some new IC-approved OTA slots for Calgary and Edmonton.

I assume IC provided them because Vancouver's M Channel wants to expand to those cities. Just my guess.

The other additions for Calgary and Edmonton seem to be repeaters for Red Deer's CH affiliate, CHCA (the former CKRD).

http://www.user.dccnet.com/jonleblanc/Canada_TV_Stations/
 
#18 ·
Calgary OTA HD

I've been looking all over for information regarding calgary OTA HD channels and I can't seem to get a definite answer to weather or not I can get it here in cow town. I have an antenna, a TERK that I got from london drugs and a atsc tuner equiped hdtv.

All I want to know if either yes there is ota hd channels in calgary or no there is not.

If there isn't when can I expect some.

Thanks A TON!
 
#20 ·
Digital OTA in Canada is presently viewable in the Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Windsor, Sault Ste. Marie, and Vancouver areas, with Winnipeggers trying hard to get North Dakota DTV stations.

The CRTC held hearings this past November on the future of Digital TV (DTV) in Canada, and insiders suggest that a decision or statement will be coming forward in November of this year.

For now, Calgary is not about to get its first DTV station any time soon. If the green light is given by the CRTC to cut off analogue TV by a certain date in favour of DTV, the networks will need probably a couple of years to get caught up, so Calgarians might still have to wait.

Please click on these links to get more info:
 
#1,410 ·
Digital OTA in Canada is presently viewable in the Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Windsor, Sault Ste. Marie, and Vancouver areas, with Winnipeggers trying hard to get North Dakota DTV stations.

The CRTC held hearings this past November on the future of Digital TV (DTV) in Canada, and insiders suggest that a decision or statement will be coming forward in November of this year.

For now, Calgary is not about to get its first DTV station any time soon. If the green light is given by the CRTC to cut off analogue TV by a certain date in favour of DTV, the networks will need probably a couple of years to get caught up, so Calgarians might still have to wait.

Please click on these links to get more info:
 
#21 ·
Alberta OTA HD? (plus some other questions)

Does Alberta have OTA signals? I've been wondering this because in my TV Guide for my town (Lethbridge, just 2 hours south of Calgary), whenever there is a primetime show on (I have Shaw Classic Cable) it says:

i.e. 3 - CTV (7:00 p.m.) - LOST (HDTV)

or

i.e. 9 - GLOBAL (10:00 p.m.) - HEROES (HDTV)

(crude representation, but nonetheless)

Why does it say HDTV? Does that mean it is broadcasted in HDTV OTA(only the local channels have these kind of labels i notice)

If that is the case...


I'm using a small indoor antenna, amplified 32dbi Philips brand. Cheap, just wanted to see if this would work. Well, Lethbridge isn't that big across, I'm pretty sure I'm in range of a signal tower somewhere.

I have an LG 42PC3D Plasma HDTV. My cable output is through a coaxial cable (regular kind) and my antenna (which says, on the box, designed for HDTV broadcasts) is hooked up to the little input (same as the cable one) that says "Antenna IN".

There are about 4 different TV inputs

CATV: Cable TV (this is my regular TV for watching)

TV: Analog Antenna (I get like 6 channels, the two that are past channel 14 are kinda in crappy reception)

DTV: I don't know what this is, I think it's Digital Antenna though...

CADTV: Digital cable, I don't have this anyway.

Which one am I looking for? Do I wait for a show that is broadcasted in HD first, (like Heroes) and then do an EZ Scan for DTV channels? I haven't gotten a channel yet, but it's only been like 2 days since I got it. I tried getting a hockey game on CBC in HD, but I didn't get any DTV channels.

Any help?
 
#22 ·
CTV is only broadcasting in HD OTA in Toronto and Vancouver.You should be able to get HD signals from your cable company .Contact them to get an HD cable box and how much extra HD service is.
 
#24 ·
pamplemousse said:
I tried getting a hockey game on CBC in HD, but I didn't get any DTV channels.
CBC-E is only broadcasting digitally in Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal. I would guess that Calgary and Edmonton would be next on their list (assuming all goes well with the CRTC's review), but nothing has been announced yet, so it will probably be a couple years before they will be on the air.
 
#26 ·
CH OTA launches in Calgary (also testing in Edmonton)

http://www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Notices/2007/pb2007-84.htm

It seems that Global will have to delay launch of CHCA in Calgary and Edmonton.

CanWest advises that due to recent uncertainty caused by announced and/or approved ownership transactions, access to the tower originally approved has proven to be problematic. It states that in the meanwhile, it will continue to negotiate diligently and that the request for the temporary operation is for a period not to exceed one year from the date of Decision 2007-168, approving the new transmitter.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top