...."Some one on here said that if you only rescan for digital channels, you will not pick up CHCH, because it is on VHF."

Can someone clarify that statement for me? Does it mean to scan analogue and digital signals?
I think it depends on what equipment you're using. My four year-old Sharp Aquos does both analog and digital when you do a channel scan.

Considering my preamp is UHF only and my signal is split in 4, I'm getting about 6-7 bars on my Samsung TV. I have an roof-mounted original 4228 (not HD) that does a decent job on VHF. I'm relieved as I wasn't sure if the lower ERPs for VHF DTV would work with my 4-way split.

mrweather...yes I have an Aquos, too. It can scan both digital and analogue signals. I always scan for digital only. If I scan analogue and digital, will i now magically receive CHCH?

How do you scan for JUST digital? I don't see that option in my menu.

mrweather. I have a LC-40E77UN.

In the Setup menu, under Channel Setup in the Channel Search section i have the option to search Analog & Digital signals, Digital Signals only or Analogue Signals only. I always choose digital.

I have a ClearStream 2 antenna. I am "ready" for the digital changeover.

Just to be fair and clear - you do not have a VHF antenna, so you are not completely ready for the transition. The CS2 may have some sensitivity for VHF frequencies, but you need to have an antenna properly designed for the frequency band in question before putting all the blame on the station.

For those of us that have lost CHCH since the transition early this week it may be coming in periodically because of Tropo effects this week. This morning I was getting stations from Erie which I don't normally get. Nice maps are available on http://www.dxinfocentre.com/ and are showing heavy patterns this week.

The signal still drops out for me during the day but can boom big time in the early morning hours. I imagine that once all of the Tropo passes I will go back to having no signal.

I hope somebody has ordered less Tropo for Sept 1 ;)

Just to be fair and clear - you do not have a VHF antenna, so you are not completely ready for the transition. The CS2 may have some sensitivity for VHF frequencies, but you need to have an antenna properly designed for the frequency band in question before putting all the blame on the station.
I think some of the frustration here is related to the fact that CURRENT antenna setups could adequately receive the analog broadcast without problem. Therefore, why should the same setup not be able to receive the digital broadcast with the SAME antenna setup when it is on the same frequency?

This very odd - I live in Mississauga at Winston Churchill and The Collegeway. When I rescanned with the built in ATSC tuner of my Samsung LCD 11.1 is missing. When I perform a terrestrial scan with my Viewsat HD9000 also connected to the same CM4221HD it picks it (actually it also picked up OMNI 1 44.1) which the samsung missed on the rescan this morning?

I did note though on the HD9000 you can select the frequency range to scan, whereas the Samsung only has a Autoscan feature...

So I am not sure it is the antenna but the tuner itself...

Anyone know any tricks with the Samsung ATSC tuner for getting the scan to pickup 11.1 (it is a LN850 LCD)

Thanks,
Steve

Steve

is it possible there is something wrong with the data being transmitted? I'm in Milton and I a strong signal reported by all 3 of my atsc tuners however they all report 'nothing found' in the data stream, which I find very odd.

I don't know about all cases, but for certain cases the networks are greatly reducing their power. CHCH hasn't converted in Ottawa yet, but hopefully the Hamilton conversion will shed light on issues so Ottawa will go more smoothly.

And to be fair again, everyone has known for months if not years that CHCH was going to revert back to VHF CH 11 (and CFTO back to 9) upon their transition. So anyone with UHF only antennas has had plenty of time to "get ready". If I can get it here in Buffalo with a VHF antenna (albeit 100% reliable at nighttime only so far), I would think anyone in the intended coverage area should be able to, with a VHF antenna of course. Buffalo certainly is not the intended coverage area.

And to be fair again, everyone has known for months if not years that CHCH was going to revert back to VHF CH 11 (and CFTO back to 9) upon their transition. So anyone with UHF only antennas has had plenty of time to "get ready". If I can get it here in Buffalo with a VHF antenna (albeit 100% reliable at nighttime only so far), I would think anyone in the intended coverage area should be able to, with a VHF antenna of course. Buffalo certainly is not the intended coverage area.
I agree that the right equipment for the right job is always the way to go. However, another part of the struggle is the "intended" vs "actual" coverage area. If the power isn't there to cover the "intended" area, will the antenna really matter?

ancodia,

I'm in Milton and I a strong signal reported by all 3 of my atsc tuners however they all report 'nothing found' in the data stream

what are your tuners? Are they PC based Tuners? if so, what brand/model and what software are u using?

tgf,
I know, that's why in post 288 (http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showpost.php?p=1298819&postcount=288) I threw in that link to the TVFOOL
before & after VHF 11 coverage plots. So one could better determine if they're even in the "intended" coverage area. I certainly am not. Nothing but a few red blotches in my area of Buffalo. Even so, it still kinda works, but then again I do have a VHF antenna. I presume If I get a better one, I might be able to improve it some more. Holding out to see what happens with CFTO though.

ancodia,

Quote:
I'm in Milton and I a strong signal reported by all 3 of my atsc tuners however they all report 'nothing found' in the data stream
what are your tuners? Are they PC based Tuners? if so, what brand/model and what software are u using?

I have to agree with majortom. My two TV tuners picked up CH no problems, but my two computers with HVR-1250 tuners, and using MediaPortal saw a signal but couldn't lock onto it reporting "nothing found". But if using TSReader, it locked onto the CH signal without issue. What I ended up doing is extracting the important information from TSReader, and manually setup the channel in MediaPortal. Everything is fine now.

Good question and an excellent openeing to point out again what's happened...

The US and Canada used the same modelling for making DTV allocations (channel, power, antenna pattern.) Assumptions about the reception environment were baked into the model. Those assumptions worked well for UHF, but were way too optimistic for high-VHF and waaaaay too optimistic for low-VHF. (NOTE: the contour maps use this model.)

In both countries, stations had the opportunity to choose their post-transition channel, usually from the analog channel or the transition digital channel. Once the channel was chosen, the radiated power was essentially set by the regulator based on the allocation model (station proposes facilities and regulator approves, actually.)

For stations to effectively petition for more power, they need FACTS to show how far off modelling assumptions were. Specifics on the receiving antenna and its location, the feed to the DTV receiver, and a description of previous analog reception ("just fine" is not specific enough - was there any snow, fading, or multipath?) will help tremendously. That's how many US stations were able to petition for special, then permanent permission to raise power.

I understand your frustrations. I lost two VHFs until they raised their power. Please resist the temptation to accuse the operators of new VHF DTVs of incompetence or engaging in skullduggery of some sort. Give them the data they need to fix the modelling assumptions.

@majortom

Out of curiousity, how was your analog reception before transition? I would assume much better than the digital is now. Thanks for posting the maps, I did have a quick look this morning. I've always been on the outer range, but reception was better before.

I've lost 11.1 since they switched from 18RF to 11RF. Queen & Maragarette, Kitchener.

I then switched the location of my uhf and vhf antennas and CHCH is coming in better 83% signal.. still once in a while a bit of crap goes through the screen (i.e. signal does not drop but little fluctuations). I did not get WNGS :( although I did for a while about a month ago (someone here mentioned that they were testing with more power and will turn it on after the Canadian transistion). My buns were saved by Tropo new UHF position picked up PBS (with the wonderful world channed) and 8.1 from Rochester.. so in total 39 digital (with some weird 16.1 types with nothing on them).


16.4 is radio station WRUR from Rochester. 16.5 and 16.6 appear blank for me.

As for CHCH, 18.1 was back in the day my very first digital signal received but I only got it that one time, so I'm thinking weird tropo. Analog 11 was ok at times.