Any idea how many digtal transmitters TVO plans to install?...and when?

What should be repeated is largely just covert in this thread: I sure like TVO.

Is it a feasible alternative for TVO go to strictly cable and web?

Any place that keeps track of TVO and other Toronto/Hamilton stations' intentions and has a time-line?

Will any broadcaster be turning off analogue before August?

Is it a feasible alternative for TVO go to strictly cable and web?

Doubtful. They'd need to apply for a license change to become a specialty station. If approved, this would likely result in their loss of premium placement on the cable dial, and inclusion in basic tiers. Their situation is complicated, as they're a not-for-profit...so it's difficult to predict how the government would respond. Either way, it likely wouldn't be a positive change for TVO.

Any place that keeps track of TVO and other Toronto/Hamilton stations' intentions and has a time-line?

Intentions? Yes, use Stampeder's licensing status page; it's updated daily. Timeline? Only the stations themselves can answer that. So far the response from TVO is not to expect anything until the transition date or thereabouts.

Doubtful. They'd need to apply for a license change to become a specialty station. If approved, this would likely result in their loss of premium placement on the cable dial, and inclusion in basic tiers. Their situation is complicated, as they're a not-for-profit...so it's difficult to predict how the government would respond. Either way, it likely wouldn't be a positive change for TVO.

It actually wouldn't be as difficult as that as they are licensed as an educational channel and as such could easily go cable only. If you look at other provinces, SCN is cable only, Access is OTA in Calgary & Edmonton and cable only everywhere else, and Knowledge is the opposite and OTA in some small markets and cable only everywhere else (including Vancouver and Victoria). The bigger issue is how it will affect their contract with the provincial government.

If you go back in this thread you will read that TVO will definitely flash cut in all 6 mandatory markets by the deadline and also hope to transition in three smaller markets where they will be out of band, if they can raise the money.

I sent a request to both TVO and TFO to see if they could arrange to have TFO added as a sub-channel of TVO in Ottawa. Not holding my breath, but TFO OTA coverage is nil in Ottawa.

TVO seems to be having problems getting the aspect ratio of their broadcasts correct right now. 4:3 programs are window boxed (black bars on all 4 sides and 16:9 programs are letter boxed and then window boxed (black bars on the sides and double black bars top and bottom). Anyone know how their HD channel looks?

Yes, that problem has persisted for some time on TVO analog.

I noticed below on http://www.merx.com/ (Canadian Public Tenders) dated Dec. 14th. A couple of things stood out for me:

- "... subject to funding ..." It looks like the ball may be in the McGuinty government court now. Maybe we should take the crosshairs off TVO and point them towards your MPP.

- "TVO will flash cut from analog to digital transmission in each of the mandatory markets in the weeks leading up to the August 31, 2011 deadline." Sounds like good news. :D Perhaps Toronto and Ottawa will see something earlier than the deadline - maybe midsummer??


Antenna Replacements TVO Digital Over-The-Air Transiition in two Markets

TVO currently operates 23 full power NTSC over-the-air television transmitters and 101 Low Power Transmitters across the province of Ontario. In compliance with broadcasting regulatory policy regarding the conversion to digital over-the-air transmission in Canada, TVO is planning, subject to funding, to convert 9 mandatory markets to digital by August 31, 2011. In two (2) of these markets, where TVO operates between channels 52-69, a channel change and new top-mast antenna is required:


Call Sign NTSC Channel DTV Channel Site name Location
CICO-DT-59 59 33 Chatham Chatham, Ontario
CICO-DT-53 53 26 Belleville Belleville, Ontario

TVO will flash cut from analog to digital transmission in each of the mandatory markets in the weeks leading up to the August 31, 2011 deadline. A more detailed schedule for antenna delivery is included in this RFP. Adherence to the delivery schedule is of significant importance given the non-negotiable digital transition deadline.

In order to provide continuity of NTSC service while the top mast antennae are replaced and until the digital transition is completed, an auxiliary antenna and transmission line will be required at each site. After the transition, the vendor will need to remove the auxiliary antenna and transmission line. TVO is requesting quotes to lease or buy the auxiliary antennae, in order to determine which approach is most cost effective.

TVO is seeking bids to:

a) Supply and Install UHF Antennae.
b) Include an elliptically polarized solution for the antenna requested. (Gains and patterns to be submitted with the proposal).
c) Supply and Install interim auxiliary antennae for continuity of service
d) Supply and Install interim transmission line to auxiliary antennae
e) Remove auxiliary antennae & transmission line after the DTV transition
f) Provide factory and on site acceptance testing and reports
g) Provide technical manuals for equipment purchased

Great catch, EGC! Very informative...TVO will flash cut from analog to digital transmission in each of the mandatory markets in the weeks leading up to the August 31, 2011 deadline.So there we have it.

Interesting that they want to use elliptic polarization for UHF. You see this a lot for nowadays for VHF (makes reception by rabbit ears, and random earphone-type antennas better), but I don't thnik I've seen it so much for UHF.

I believe the intent of elliptic polarization on UHF is for mobile DTV. That way your ATSC tuner equipped cell phone doesn't need to be perfectly aligned to receive the station.

So it is safe to assume they are flash cutting to digital and staying on rf 19 (in Toronto) correct? There will be no CICA-DT on 51? I understood that CICA-DT was allocated for rf 51, with a PT allocation of 19 and City-DT moving to 51.

Is there something more that I've missed?

So it is safe to assume they are flash cutting to digital and staying on rf 19 (in Toronto) correct?

Correct.

There will be no CICA-DT on 51?

Also correct.

I understood that CICA-DT was allocated for rf 51, with a PT allocation of 19 and City-DT moving to 51.

That is correct, but they were under no obligation to use their transitional allocation, so they chose not to. I don't think anyone really expected them to use it.

Is there something more that I've missed?

I don't think so. That pretty much sums things up.

TVO Digital Over-the-air Conversion Update, Winter 2011

by TVO on Thursday, January 6, 2011 at 12:15pm

1. Conversion to Digital Over-the-air: Overview
Following the USA’s digital transition in June of 2009, the Canadian broadcasting industry is making its official move from analog to digital over-the-air broadcasting on August 31, 2011.

Due to the relatively low proportion of viewers who access their TV signal over-the air and the expense of converting transmission equipment, the CRTC ruled that Canada’s conventional broadcasters are not required to convert their transmission equipment in all of the markets in which they operate.

The CRTC instead established a baseline group of mandatory markets that must make the transition from analog to digital over-the-air broadcasting by August 31, 2011. The mandatory markets are those with populations greater than 300,000, the National Capital Region and communities with multiple originating stations. In Ontario these include Toronto (as well as Barrie and Hamilton), Kitchener, London, Windsor, Ottawa and Thunder Bay.

2. Implications for the TVO Viewer

When Canada’s conventional TV switches from analog to digital over‐the‐air in August, 2011 the approximately 90% of TV viewers in Ontario who subscribe to cable or satellite will not be affected.

To access digital TV over the air, viewers will need a digital converter box or a digital TV with a built in ATSC tuner. Those who have older analog TVs and access the signal via antennae (“rabbit ears”) will need to purchase a digital to analog converter with analog pass-through (available at most electronics retailers ranging from $25 - $70) to continue receiving their TV signal over the air after the conversion. Note that some newer TV sets are “HD ready” but still require an external ATSC tuner in order to view a digital over-the-air signal.

For more information, please visit: http://www.hdtvinfoport.com/hd-ready.html

3. TVO’s Digital Over-the-air Conversion Plans for 2011

TVO intends to convert directly from analog to digital in nine markets on or before August 31. These include the mandatory markets of Toronto (including Barrie and Hamilton), Kitchener, London, Windsor, Ottawa and Thunder Bay.

They also include transmitter sites in Belleville, Cloyne and Chatham, subject to funding. (Conventional broadcasters must cease broadcasting in analog where the local analog channel is between 52 and 69, as in the case of these three markets.)

Plans are well underway to ensure a smooth and timely transition in all these markets. Once we have finalized the digital cut-over date for each of the above nine markets, we will make that information readily available at TVO.org, on our Facebook page, via on-air public service announcements and in local media where possible.

Making the digital transition as smooth as possible for our over-the-air viewers is very important to us. Our Customer Relations team will be on hand to assist with any questions at asktvo@tvo.org or 1-800-613-0513.

4. Accessing TVO Over-the-air in Other Ontario Markets

Conventional TV stations like TVO will be allowed to continue broadcasting in analog beyond August 31, 2011 in markets where we do not make the conversion to digital.

High-and Medium-Powered TVO transmitter sites that will continue broadcasting in analog include: Peterborough, Owen Sound, Sudbury, Kingston, Penetanguishene, Sault Ste. Marie, Hawkesbury, Huntsville, Timmins, Pembroke, Parry Sound, Kenora, McArthur Mills, and North Bay. TVO will also continue to transmit an analog signal via more than 100 Low Power Repeat Transmitters across the province.

Longer term plans for TVO’s analog transmitters have not been solidified beyond 2011. As a small player with limited funds, we continue to monitor how the rest of the industry moves forward.

For further information and resources related to the digital conversion, please visit the following websites:

http://pch.gc.ca/
http://crtc.gc.ca/
http://digitalhome.ca/
http://fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/converterboxfeatures.html

Have you found anything relating new to TFO's transition ? I've been to their site and haven't found anything recent.

I've not seen any updates specifically regarding TFO.

And while I'm only speculating here, it wouldn't surprise me to see TFO carried as a digital sub-channel to TVO in mandatory markets where both stations have a transmitter.

I've not seen any updates specifically regarding TFO.

And while I'm only speculating here, it wouldn't surprise me to see TFO carried as a digital sub-channel to TVO in mandatory markets where both stations have a transmitter.
TFO and TVO have been separate since 2007, and in any case, there are no mandatory markets with both transmitters.

The only full-power TFO stations are in Hawkesbury, Pembroke, and Sudbury, and none of these are mandatory markets. (The Hawkesbury station is only 10kW, and does not cover the Ottawa-Gatineau market.)

That tells you how much I know about TFO! ;)

I'd love to have TFO as a sub-channel here in Ottawa. If programming is the issue I'm sure Tele-Quebec and TFO could work something out.

I'd love to have TFO as a sub-channel here in Ottawa. If programming is the issue I'm sure Tele-Quebec and TFO could work something out.

I could see it as being nice, but I doubt if it will happen, especially if TVO and TFO are now separate entities.

Five new post-transitional transmitters for TVO just appeared in the Industry Canada database:

Belleville, channel 26, max ERP 13000W, avg ERP 7800W
Chatham, channel 33, max ERP 2500W, avg ERP 2500W
Cloyne, channel 44, max ERP 12000W, avg ERP 5880W
Kitchener, channel 28, max ERP 20200W, avg ERP 14500W
Thunder Bay, channel 9, max ERP 4500W, avg ERP 4500W

Since Toronto and Ottawa are already listed, this leaves just London and Windsor to go.

Details are available in stampeder's database:

http://www.user.dccnet.com/jonleblanc/Canada_TV_Stations/DT.html