I'm pleased to say that CIVT-DT's Chief Engineer got back to me with an email today indicating the cause of the signal dropout trouble:

Thank you very much for the information regarding our digital transmitter
performance. Yes, we were experiencing some problems with one of the power
modules. Fortunately, everything is back to normal now and I hope you will
enjoy watching CTV programming in HD.Happy to be of help! :)

That sounds like somebody who could do something about those horrid grey bars. Don't suppose you asked him about that?

My gratitude to BC's Knowledge Network for responding to my questions about their digital OTA future:

I would like to know whether the Knowledge Network intends to transition its Over The Air translator network from NTSC analogue broadcasting to ATSC digital in the future. Looking through Industry Canada's database of television transmitters I can see that the Knowledge Network's string of translators is quite extensive across British Columbia.
________________________________________
Knowledge Network does not yet have a confirmed time frame for a standards
change.

We are closely watching industry peers and conversing with our
distribution partners and our regulator (CRTC) regarding the inevitability
of the change. We don't expect to lead our peers in the transition, but
to follow, shortly after key issues, policies, and technologies have been
decided on.

That sounds like somebody who could do something about those horrid grey bars. Don't suppose you asked him about that?Sorry faston, I didn't clue in to what you meant earlier, but you are referring to CIVT-DT's practice of using gray bars to fit 4:3 images into 16:9. Its all about minimizing screen burn-in. You may find them irritating to view, but they are very sensible to have:

The goal for limiting burn-in is to have the screen wear as evenly as possible. Gray bars are the least likely to cause screen burn-in because they are the closest approximation of the phosphor-wear happening in the 4:3 area without biasing towards any particular colour. Black bars are the worst since the 4:3 area undergoes phosphor-wear while the black bar areas undergo almost none.

Earlier this year I changed all of my gear to show gray bars when possible, and went into my TV's service menu to change its bars to gray too. I would say that CIVT-DT's use of them is good for consumers. See the FAQ on "Burn-In":

http://www.digitalhomecanada.com/forum/showpost.php?p=167486

For any further discussion of gray bars please go to the General HDTV forum and maybe ask 57 for clarification.

I created the following Wayfaring.com map to allow us to compare locations/signals: http://www.wayfaring.com/maps/show/5091

I should have my system up and running in the next week or two. Will expand on my results then.

Ted

Omni BC, the relocated Rogers-owned entity that used to be Fraser Valley TV's NOW-TV on channel 66 in Abbotsford has been granted a change in its broadcasting status in Victoria.

Channel 21, CHNU-TV, will broadcast at 17 kW:

http://www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Decisions/2006/db2006-42.htm

Anyone have any issues with CBC-HD dropping out after Hockey Night in Canada on Saturday night? Mine is still not back and the 2.1 channel has remapped to 14898 (or something similar) and tells me 2.1 is 'not available'. CTV-HD still comes in perfectly, so i am 99% sure it's nothing with my setup. Anyway, just curious.

Thanks.

While veiwing OTA on my BEV 6100.

CBC HD (CH 58 VANC 2.1) Vancouver B.C. went blank monday about 9:00 am and the PSIP info was missing. I then tried to receive CBC HD on my HP TV with built in ATSC tuner just to check the signal. To my surprise the HP TV received the blank signal and diplayed 58.8 for the first time ever and around 9:30 am CBC HD returned to normal and the picture returned on both the 6100 and the HP TV. I checked the BEV 6100 and the PSIP was correct. The HP did not display the PSIP info, but displayed 58.8 and was now available in the channel list. (Very happy about this.)

Here are the questions: Why was I never able to tune to CBC HD with the Hp TV either manually or by channel scan when PSIP info was being broadcast?

Is this a problem with CBC or is it the ATSC tuner in the HP TV since all other channels are OK and display the PSIP info?

My 6100 shows a signal strength of ~95% on CBC HD 2.1.

I use a CM 4228 with rotor on a 10' mast to receive OTA signals.
---------------
HP md5880n, BEV 6100.

Anyone have any issues with CBC-HD dropping out after Hockey Night in Canada on Saturday night?No problems with CBUT-DT from my house, so maybe your tuner is misbehaving?

OldTech, we had a report of CBUT-DT dropping out by another DHCer - check out thenewguy's post in the main OTA Forum and maybe we're onto something about the station's PSIP acting up. Just a guess.

I would normally think that, but the fact that CTV-HD is working perfectly makes me a little suspcious. But that fact that yours works perfectly confuses me even more. The tuner is only a week old, i am really hoping it isn't that....thanks for the info.

Anyone have any issues with CBC-HD dropping out

While veiwing OTA on my BEV 6100.

CBC HD (CH 58 VANC 2.1) Vancouver B.C. went blank monday about 9:00 am and the PSIP info was missing. I then tried to receive CBC HD on my HP TV with built in ATSC tuner just to check the signal. To my surprise the HP TV received the blank signal and diplayed 58.8 for the first time ever and around 9:30 am CBC HD returned to normal and the picture returned on both the 6100 and the HP TV. I checked the BEV 6100 and the PSIP was correct. The HP did not display the PSIP info, but displayed 58.8 and was now available in the channel list. (Very happy about this.)

I was never able to tune to CBC HD with the HP TV either manually or by channel scan when PSIP info was being broadcast?

Is this a problem with CBC or is it the ATSC tuner in the HP TV since all other channels are OK and display the PSIP info?

My 6100 shows a signal strength of ~95% on CBC HD 2.1.

I use a CM 4228 with rotor on a 10' mast to receive OTA signals.
---------------
HP md5880n, BEV 6100.

I remember "DigitalCanadian" had the same problem with the HP TV and his replacement also had trouble receiving CBC HD. You may have guessed right?

I've passed along my concerns about CBUT-DT's PSIP info several weeks ago to Marc in the CBC HD thread here at DHC. I hope the Vancouver techs will be able to look into getting it working properly.

Maybe CBC HD (CH 58 VANC 2.1) Vancouver B.C. is still going through setup stages and nothing to really be alamed about?

If Iam not mistaken Cbc was launched recently and its not uncommon for them to be encountering problems or should I say mistakes. :rolleyes:

If the signal came back as you said without really doing anything sort of proves that they are going through setup problems.

Last summer I think we had problems locally with CFTO on all tuners.

Still which is weird on my pc I cannot get CFTO 40-1 Chan 9 using the Ati software but using the same card and setup but using Watch HDTV software, CFTO comes in fine, go figure ?

Last summer we lost Nbc for a few days and decided to call them to ask what was the cause. The head of eng was away at that time and he said they had power failure on one of the computers that handled the psip.

The jr tech at that time thought he got everything working as he was checking the output on what feeds that was sent to cable companies and regular ota via tv monitors.

In the panic he forgot to check the broadcast of the OTA hd signal. ;)

My guess until OTA HDTV is final we can assume that we can expect to experience interruptions from time to time. :)

There were problems on several of the HD stations yesterday.
Recovery time may be a bit slower in Vancouver. That should improve when the last piece of monitoring equipment arrives. Right now it's 98% complete.

CBC Vancouver (CBUT-DT) today is showing up as 58.8, with no PSIP time signature or channel/program info or station call letters.

I don't know what they've done, or if it's just happening to me, but I'm no longer able to pick up CBC-DT on their remapped channel of 2.1. I'm only picking it up on its real channel of 58.8. Is anyone else finding this to be the case for them? CTV-DT is still on 32.1, so I know my TV hasn't completely changed channels on me.

Same here. I tuned to 2.1 and got nothing. I switched to 58.8 and got it. I compared the diagnostics of both channels of my BRAVIA and I see the same signal strength etc.

What gives? Anyone know what's wrong? Things were okay this morning.

George

Same here. Full signal, audio but no video on 2-1. Everything fine on 58-8 (and 58-1)