HDTV OTA in Toronto

[HDTV_fan]

does anyone in Toronto have any experience with HDTV OTA reception?

i am seriously thinking of buying HD-TV finally after reading all the valuable opinions about HD programmings.

BTW: i am an ardent hater of Rogers and their costly packages and lousy service. However, I have no choice but to take Rogers HDTV as my building is locked by Rogers. Hence, i am enquiring about the OTA reception.

Thanks

[Cdn_Photo]

The only *possible* OTA transmission is from the CN Tower. Check out http://www.cdtv.ca it is a test transmission, and will just be showing a loop.

If you do decide to go with Roger's HDTV, there is a channel dedicated to CDTV's broadcast. So far, nothing has been displayed.

[XM4243]

Is Buffalo planning anything and if they did would you be able to get do you think?

[Geoff]

Buffalo CBS HD should be on line any minute.No kidding.
djp,
Where are you?

[JohnnyG]

HDTV_fan, I was once like you :smile:

What's confusing about Rogers is the sheer number of posible combinations of packages. It's utterly ridiculous! However, when you cut through the crap, they are really no more expensive than the sat companies for most combinations.

For example, the top channel package with Rogers is "VIP Ultimate Digital + Movies" at $85.95/mo., but that includes the digital terminal rental (add $9 for HD). With Star Choice, the equivelant package, "Ultimate Choice Plus" is $74.95. Once you take the price of Rogers digital terminal into account, they are equal. If you compare channel lineups, you'll find that Rogers offers more of the new specialty channels and Star Choice offers more locals. For me, the advantage is with Rogers.

Don't get me started on their customer service though!

[djp]

Hi guys.

Not much to report right now on OTA HDTV in Toronto. The Buffalo networks have to be live by May to meet the FCC deadline, but only WIVB (CBS) has any info on their website:

http://www.wivb.com/Global/story.asp?s=540811

Last I checked CDTV was back to multicasting CITY-TV, but their ATSC stream seemed to be broken since I couldn't get a good lock.

[beerme1]

Hello people.
Channel 2 expects to be on time.
Channel 4 expects to be early.
Channel 7 won't tell me.
Channel 29 is Fox so????
Channel 17 says May 2003


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: beerme1 on 2002-02-22 12:34 ]</font>

[hugh]

Okay experts, when there on air, will we get them in Toronto OTA and whats the recommended way to get them.

Anybody figure out if we can use our 6000's?

[madbob]

I got this post from KUSatellite, I have not tried it yet but apparently it works.

My 8vsb module is now operating in the Expressvu 6000. The unit is operating with Dish Network software. Expressvu satellite channels seem to be operating normally. Over the air reception is also working fine. All the other Dish Network updates, such as the ability to stretch 4:3 images on a HD channel, are also functioning

The basic procedure that I used to get this to work is posted below. Thanks to those in this and other forums who theorized that this procedure would work.

1. Pointed my dish at the 61.5-degree satellite. I was then able to watch Dish Network barker channels and their HD demo loop.
2. Turned the 6000 off and it then proceeded to download the new software.
3. Pointed the dish back to the Expressvu satellite at 91 degrees.
4. The 6000 now received Expressvu programming but had Dish network graphics and options.
5. Powered down the unit and installed the 8vsb module. When powered up the OTA setup became available. I did the setup and now get great pictures on the digital channels available to me.


Bob

[XM4243]

I had read of hackers doing that in order to go back and forth with BEV and DISH but from what I understood you would not get any Bell updates in the future.

I'm surprised that discussion was on Kusat!

[madbob]

For the above procedure to work you must set your system upgrade option to `ask before downloading` or it will reload the BEV software and the OTA module will stop working.

Bob

[beerme1]

I am not sure but from things I have read I think the distance from Buffalo to Toronto will be too far to pick up OTA HD. But if that is wrong then, conversely I should also be able to pull in Toronto OTA HD then. Although I can't imagine being able to do it with anything less than a monster antenna, which I don't think I can get away with.

[troublemaker]

What does an OTA antenna look like anyway?
Are we talking the monster attenna's we had years ago or something else.

Is OTA reception digital and by that I mean is it either on or off?

[beerme1]

I am not speaking as an expert here but, I believe there are many variations from bowtie type that sit on top of the tv, (glorified rabbit ears if you will) to the regular old behemoth's that attract bolt's.
It is my understanding that the signal is either on or off regardless of the strength. As long as your signal strenth is over a certain number (50 for arguments sake) you get a picture. below that and you get squat.

[beerme1]

Oddly here is a response from channel 7 in Buffalo, that I received this afternoon.


Dear Willy;

The specified date to begin DTV transmissions is May 1st 2002. This is not synonymous with HDTV. The roll out of DTV
and related HDTV will undoubtedly be slow and there may be extensions regarding the actual deployment date.

You may be interested in checking the FCC web site:
http://www.fcc.gov/consumers.html

Sincerely,
Gary Talkiewicz

Delivered-To: gtalkiewicz-wkbw@pcom.net
Delivered-To: alias^gtalkiewicz@wkbw.com
Date: Tue, 19 Feb 2002 14:59:03 -0500
From: news &lt;news@wkbw.com&gt;
Organization: WKBW
User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Win98; en-US; m18) Gecko/20010131 Netscape6/6.01
X-Accept-Language: en
To: gtalkiewicz &lt;gtalkiewicz@wkbw.com&gt;
Subject: [Fwd: HDTV]



-------- Original Message --------
Subject: HDTV
Date: Tue, 19 Feb 2002 14:23:47 -0500
From: Willy Kricfalusi &lt;beerme1@adelphia.net&gt;
To: news@wkbw.com



Hi. can you tell me when WKBW expects to be broadcasting a high
definition signal?
Thank you.


I take this as meaning channel 7 will be lucky to put out a digital signal at all anytime soon. Never mind an HD signal.