As has been mentioned previously, the lifespan of CBC/Radio-Canada's analog distribution network is coming to the end of its useful life in 2013.
I wonder if *that* is a major motivating factor behind CBC's insistence that it won't convert its repeater stations to DTV? i.e. They have no way of providing an HD signal to remote locations, apart from off-air pickup?

Maybe it's to simple of an idea... BUT... Cant they just find some free transponder up in the sky, uplink a feed there, and then pull the signal in on its distribution network?

Would you happen to have a link to their PDF so I can see how they're going to go about making the change?

I expect CTV to start testing their DTV signal soon and have it fully operational in early summer. I'll post pictures of the install and screencaps of the signal when I can.

As has been mentioned previously, the lifespan of CBC/Radio-Canada's analog distribution network is coming to the end of its useful life in 2013.
I wonder if *that* is a major motivating factor behind CBC's insistence that it won't convert its repeater stations to DTV? i.e. They have no way of providing an HD signal to remote locations, apart from off-air pickup?

Quite the opposite. During the SMPTE meeting earlier this month, the CBC transmission director stated that they need to put all of their stations on satellite in order to get to all of the BDU's. This will give them a capacity crunch since all stations will be in HD. An audience member asked why not just run a data line to the transmitter for STL and this was deemed a non-starter since the BDU's need the same signal and are so numerous and spread out.

Maybe it's to simple of an idea... BUT... Cant they just find some free transponder up in the sky, uplink a feed there, and then pull the signal in on its distribution network?

They could even subscribe to Shaw Direct or Bell TV and plug the receiver into the transmitter if they had to.

They could even subscribe to Shaw Direct or Bell TV and plug the receiver into the transmitter if they had to.
Bad idea. They would be rebroadcasting their own signal after the Shaw/Bell have compressed it.

but at least they wouldnt be shutting down transmitters...

So for the meantime, it begs the question: How will the CBC re-distribute their signal on existing translator sites if the main analog transmitter goes away.
I'm speaking from a trip I took in Southern Alberta this weekend. Most, if not all of the sites down there rely on the CBC Lethbridge transmitter (which receives the Calgary signal off of Bell).
When that transmitter goes away, do they plan on adding satellite receivers at every translator site, then modulating that signal so the translator stays alive???

The CRTC denied CBC's application to replace their analog Fredericton/Saint John transmitter with a digital transmitter covering only Fredericton:

http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2011/2011-203.htm

I don't know if anybody as brought up this point...

Did anybody notice any strange coverage maps for DTV? What I mean is that the DTV coverage of certain stations don't seem efficient. Look at the Halifax map. Almost 40% of the coverage is over water. Who lives there? Why is the Windsor station covering part of Michigan? Yes, I know that these things will happen. But, shouldn't the transmitters coverage pattern be arranged so that more Canadians be covered. Why can't the Halifax transmitter be more inland and it's coverage area not be circular? The same with Windsor? Why is the Montreal station covering part of NY & VT when some people will loose CBC in Trois-Rivieres. Arrange the coverage pattern more towards the northeast. Why can't the PEI station increase it's power so that those two re-transmitters at either end of the island can be turned off? And it's increased power would cover more of NB & NS as well.

And most importantly, if they can't, or won't, convert certain stations, then increase the power output on the stations you will convert to cover a larger area. Look at that mess in NB.

And for God's sake, run a program on the CBC about how to set up a TV antenna so that those on the outer areas of a DTV transmitter can pick up your signal.

I always come back to the effort that PBS stations put into helping their viewers. They ran local programs, took questions from viewers live, had info on setting up a TV antenna. One station in upstate NY even had volunteers to help people set up their set top boxes.

They are using their original transmitters. SO the contours are what they were when they were initally built decades ago. Now we have patterns for contours, back then everything was just circles and pumping out juice.

The Windsor signal covers a lot of S.W. Ontario, and covers most of the Chatham CBLT Toronto rebroadcaster as well. Plus back in the day, they wanted to pump a signal into the USA to get their news/views across.

The CRTC denied CBC's application to replace their analog Fredericton/Saint John transmitter with a digital transmitter covering only Fredericton:

http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2011/2011-203.htm
Good spot Argilo!

5. Most of the interventions in opposition were from individuals who expressed concern over the loss of OTA service to Saint John. In its comment, the Canadian Media Guild, while recognizing the challenges faced by the public broadcaster, expressed concern over the impact of the transition to digital OTA transmission in Southern New Brunswick and the CBC’s proposal for CBAT-TV.

You see?? We CAN make a difference.

The CBC will be converting just 1 of the 3 territories to digital (Yellowknife is converting to OTA DTV, meanwhile Whitehorse and Iqaluit will not as the CBC is no longer obligated to convert, as they are no longer mandatory markets, as defined by the CRTC).

Where is the already budgeted CBC DTV CONVERSION money for Whitehorse and Iqaluit being used for now?

The CBC should redirect those funds to convert other analog CBC transmitters to digital (since I'm a Londoner, then my vote is for CBLN in London).

The CBC will be converting just 1 of the 3 territories to digital (Yellowknife is converting to OTA DTV, meanwhile Whitehorse and Iqaluit will not as the CBC is no longer obligated to convert, as they are no longer mandatory markets, as defined by the CRTC).

It is unknown if the CBC will still be converting the Yellowknife transmitter since it is no longer a mandatory market.

Where is the already budgeted CBC DTV CONVERSION money for Whitehorse and Iqaluit being used for now?

They never had a budget to convert Whitehorse and Iqaluit. They were going to be shut down. Now they can stay on air in analog.

I've submitted a few Complaints to CBC via its "contact us" link
The CBC is not listening. They basically don't care who loses OTA. It doesn't even make much sense to write our MPs either. They will soon be busy campaigning and likely won't do anything until the Fall. Could this be an election issue? Not likely due to the small number of people who actually use OTA. This, among other issues, has put my OTA plans on hold.

Disconcerting comment from the CBC regarding their DTV application for Saint John/Fredericton. Apparently the CBC believes that OTA is "no longer an efficient means of distributing TV signals".

I'm glad the Commission listened to those concerned about losing OTA in New Brunswick, and denied the CBC application for being too weak (not matching current analog coverage).

I'm glad the Commission listened to those concerned about losing OTA in New Brunswick, and denied the CBC application for being too weak (not matching current analog coverage).

I'm amazed that the CRTC had the balls to tell the CBC no on this one. Who knows what will come of it but clearly the decisions of the CBC are not sitting well with the CRTC.

Why is the Windsor station covering part of Michigan?

Because Windsor is located immediately next to Michigan. CBET is popular for Hockey Night in Canada in SE Michigan, and some other CBC programming has a following there.

I see absolutely nothing wrong with letting Windsor's neighbours access the CBC signal, even if they're "not Canadians".

Probably a dumb question from an Ontarioan but for an analysis I'm doing on CBC repeaters in DTV mandatory markets, I'm wondering what happened to CBUT-27, analog UHF channel 59 that served Victoria from Mount McDonald. :confused:

I assume it has been shutdown since I see it missing from CRTC documents, but oddly it still shows up on the CBC's website. :o

Thanks BCF
CBC plans can be found at
http://cbc.radio-canada.ca/dtv/index.shtml in English
http://cbc.radio-canada.ca/tvn/index.shtml in French

Thank GOD Quebec is fully covered. (at least along the St Lawrence). They were smart enough to have enough people not subscribed to CABLE or SATELLITE. And as a reward they actually get CBC OTA services.

Viva la Quebec!
Al