FraserR, you may remember my post about notifying Tribune Media/zap2it.com about the switch so that DirectV OTA (not satellite uplink/downlink) customers would be OK after the switch. The good news is that they were obviously contacted; Ch3-1 came in correctly yesterday morning on my Directv receiver after I redid the local antenna setup (forces a database download). I was able to DVR a show last night and all is great. Also my TVs rescanned and picked up both 3-1 and 3-2 on Ch22 with great signal strength. Thanks to you and your team for the great work!

The bad news is that 3-2 is still apparently mapped to ch 53 by Tribune Media and just gives a "searching for signal" message on the Directv receiver. I just reran the setup this morning (Thursday 19th) and it still isn't fixed. Perhaps your folks could contact Tribune Media again and point out 3-2 is now on Ch 22 also.

My TivoHD was saying : To be Annonced on CH 3.1 real 22.

I called Tivo Yesterday and the said: it should be fixed soon.

We will see,

Intravino

Foxfan: Would you be able capture and post the WVNY-22 analog sign-off? I actually did see it live, but unfortunately didn't bother to tape it, not expecting they'd commemorate the moment with a cool animated transition! I'm rather disappointed I didn't record it and want to see it once again.

As for VPT-33 with Videotron, although it is there, the picture is noticeably overscanned. So much so, the VPT logo on the bottom right corner is almost entirely cut off. No surprise, this is Videotron.

Up until yesterday, I had been picking up all my US stations through an indoor amplified antenna. I had WVNY-22 and Vermont PBS crystal clear--far exceeding anything I used to get through cable TV. I was forced to make the switch to digital yesterday, but not exactly well equipped. No one in the Montreal area is selling ATSC converter boxes, so I've been forced to use the ATSC tuner card plugged into my computer--it's all I've got! I'm getting digitally: WCAX-3, WPTZ-5, WVNY-22, VPT-33, WCFE-57. I lost the analog feeds for WWBI-27 and WGMU-CA-52 months ago though, and there's no digital equivalents. And odd as it sounds, I can't tune in any of 3 the local Montreal channels that are digital...go figure. :)

No one in the Montreal area is selling ATSC converter boxes there are alot selling them, you just need to know where to look, for one the source cc has one for 80$'s that apparently works great. also you need to know what to ask for, i find a lot of retailers have no clue what they are....

Apple IIGS,

I prefer my pc's tuner card over my tv's built in ATSC tuner, I can get better picture with no overscan, pause/record live tv, I can choose how the file is rendered, post-processing etc.

The tuners are available at many electronics supplies stores. Judging by your reception results you probably have Mt royal between you and the Montreal digital transmitters. tele quebec is on top of the stadium's mast and the others are temporarily setup on top of the roof's of their respective buildings.

If I read right, I think I saw a post here about one or more of the Montreal stations being scheduled to move to their most logical location; the top of Mt Royal by the end of august. I hope it's true, and I hope the others follow the example.

I prefer my pc's tuner card over my tv's built in ATSC tuner, I can get better picture with no overscan, pause/record live tv, I can choose how the file is rendered, post-processing etc. As my TV set is 20 years old (Sony 27" with s-video input) and that fact that I've never seen or used a stand alone digital converter box, I have nothing to compare it against.

I'm using a Hauppauge HRV-1600 tuner card and output to the TV set, through s-video. The quality is actually very impressive, with HD channels (even though scaled down to a 480i set) they are DVD-quality. Pretty much identical quality to HD broadcasts of TV shows that have been scaled down and distributed over Bittorrent sites. That has me wondering, is a DTV converter box going to look the same? I want one so I can watch TV independently of the computer, but if it's going to look NOTICEABLY lower quality, I may skip this option. Interestingly, the quality is certainly leaps and bounds above the picture you get with digital standard definition with say, Bell ExpressVu (which used to be hooked up to this TV, before my parents gave it to me). Likely they compress down the video to fit all the channels in the satellite feed.

The tuners are available at many electronics supplies stores. Futureshop has the Apex DT250A converter for $80, but none of its stores have it in stock yet. It has an s-video output and analog pass-thru, which is definitely a must-have for me. At least if it turns out poor quality I can return it in 30 days... I'd really like to try one out first, which is why I want to find one locally rather than purchase online.

Judging by your reception results you probably have Mt royal between you and the Montreal digital transmitters. tele quebec is on top of the stadium's mast and the others are temporarily setup on top of the roof's of their respective buildings.

If I read right, I think I saw a post here about one or more of the Montreal stations being scheduled to move to their most logical location; the top of Mt Royal by the end of august. I hope it's true, and I hope the others follow the example. Yep, I'm in a high-rise building in NDG. Mount Royal is indeed between me and the downtown core. I have been able to (just!) pick up CBC and CBC-French, but it requires moving my amplified antenna to a particular spot in the room. Problem is that causes me to lose the signal to most of the American stations I'm receiving...

I hope by the summer, with my antenna where it is, I'll get the two CBC stations and TQS (that channel I can't pick up at all). WVNY-22 was tricky at first, but discovered boosting the VHF-gain on my antenna did the trick! I had my VHF gain it turned completely off because it created interference on analog stations like WFFF-44 and WCFE-57.

The digital transition seems to be working well. The plan was for WCAX to be up to full power today. Turns out the boys worked hard, and testing at full power began yesterday and the transmitter is up to full power earlier than we said it would in the public service spots. The transmitter guys are gone home, and we are currently enduring the traditional fingers crossed period which occurs after any major project.

There is one more stage left. The changeout of the combiner parts on the backup antenna was completed yesterday. Now that the pieces that were for OTA ch 53 are changed to the new OTA 22 combiner parts, they need to be checked and swept by the combiner guy. As I understand it, he will do that work over night tonight. On the night he does it (probably tonight), The transmitters for WCAX DT OTA 22 and also WPTZ DT OTA 14 will be shut down for perhaps a couple hours in the middle of the night. We will likely hold off shutting down until after the craig ferguson show, since shutting down before craig ferguson results in a few calls from night owl viewers.

HD Bruce, post 1098, I will pass along the remap of 3.2 request for Direct Tv through channels, even though it seems in a later post they may already be aware.

If i understand well, WCAX is at full power now ?
I woke up last night around 3H50, and i checked the signal meter on my Sharp
WCAx was at 78 %, it is now the strongest signal for me coming from Mt-Mansfield, WPTZ is at 65 % max.

I'M very glad that WCAX is now coming strongly to my area...it's a new era for TV, long live digital tv, and long live WCAX ...thanks for all, FraserR:D

for those in Montreal area who can receive WNVY, can you post your reception results since the transition.

For me, I was receiving it marginally between 42-47% but since the transition, the signal went down to the 30s

I lost the analog feeds for WWBI-27 and WGMU-CA-52 months ago though, and there's no digital equivalents. And odd as it sounds, I can't tune in any of 3 the local Montreal channels that are digital...go figure. :)

WWBI 27 is now the CWTV and on 44.2 (43-2). If you can get WVNY (13) where you are, you should be able to pull in WFFF.

for those in Montreal area who can receive WNVY, can you post your reception results since the transition.

For me, I was receiving it marginally between 42-47% but since the transition, the signal went down to the 30s

Before Tuesday, I had a signal of 20-40 % and now 0-20 %.

I send them an email and I got no response yet.


Intravino

I don't believe WWBI-TV 27 has anything to do with the CW feed on WFFF-DT 44.2

The CW Burlinton deal seems to be between WFFF-DT and the CW.

WWBI-TV 27 is related to WCWF-DT 40 in Saranac Lake, and they are both running ION.

Perhaps somebody who is in the Burlington area can post here as to what is up with WWBI-TV 27 & WGMU-CA 39. Are either of these stations still on the air. I used to get W52CD-LP from St-Alban's, VT (a WGMU re-transmitter) but that has been gone for a couple of months now. No signal.

As for WWBI-TV 27, the last I heard was the WCWF-DT 40 bought it. If I was them, I would shut it down, and boost the signal of WCWF-DT in order to reach Plattsburgh & Burlington rather than run these stupid low powered transmitters.

As for my reception of WVNY-DT 13 since the analogue shutdown. No change for me. Same signal strength, and still no picture lock. I also sent them a e-mail several days ago about the reception problem of WVNY-DT in Montreal. They blamed it on the signal strength of CFCF-TV 12. Brilliant answer? They also indicated that they can't increase their power output on OTA 13 due to interferance form other OTA 13 channels in the area. I suggest they move to another OTA channel, and they indicated that was a no go. It would be so simple if WVNY-DT just moved to another channel. This whole problem would end so fast. Also, if WFFF-DT would just boost their power output from 47kw to perhaps 100kw. They are both saving a sh@t load of power since they shutdown their analogue transmitters. I believe both where at 1mw in analogue. What does a small increase in power output going to mean for them.

As of right now, for me, WCFE-DT comes in the strongest at 86%, and WCAX-DT at 82%. WETK-DT is at 72%. The % numbers are based on the Sharp ATSC tuner. Not all tuners seem to calculate the % the same way.

Before the transition, on the ABC22 website, there was an article warning people that some viewers in Vermont and NY will lose reception of WVNY after the switch and local adjustments to the broadcast pattern will be made to help those people.

I hope they are not reducing further the broadcast power towards Montreal to re-direct it towards the south.

There has been a change of plans (surprise, surprise). The work which will require WCAX 3.1 (OTA 22) and WPTZ 5.1 (OTA 14) to shut down for a couple hours in the middle of the night has been put off a few days. There is no firm day, but it will occur soon.

Yes, WCAX 3.1 is now at full power.

Yes, WCAX 3.1 is now at full power.

AND IT ROCKS!!! :)

and how much it is, full power ? 440 KW ?

I am currently NOT receiving ABC's WVNY station (0 to 20% reception):(. They do not seem to want our business.

We are at full power. I overheard it is 443 KW. Interestingly, the old combiner was in 6' round copper, with heat sink radiators, which got very hot. The new combiner is in waveguide which does not get very hot at all.

for those in Montreal area who can receive WNVY, can you post your reception results since the transition.

For me, I was receiving it marginally between 42-47% but since the transition, the signal went down to the 30s

Before the transition it was 55% and still now is 55%. However, I found that the indicator from my Viewsonic TV is not that precise, so it might not be very useful as a comparison. 55% is the minimum required to lock on for me, and curiously even this borderline I never experienced glitches. I could not say the same about CIVM-DT that gets a solid 67% but glitches often.

According to Saturday's national nightly news at 6:30 PM tonight, Burlington is one of many cities in the US experiencing problems with the switchover! They even had the WCAX engineer on (sorry I didn't catch his name)!

While up here in Montreal we get US DTV stations relatively well

I'd like to know FraserR's take on this situation?

Keep on the good worK:)

Really? Nightly News on NBC? I wish I would have seen it. Were they talking about problems with WVNY or the others on UHF?