Columbia, SC locals might be uplinked????

[gor88]

Just saw this posting at DBSForums.com:

http://www.dbsforums.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=11;t=001238

TonyA indicates that he saw program guide information for "Columbia" when he visited his parents. It sounds like Columbia, SC locals may be uplinked to D*. The only other "Columbia" market is in MO, but it isn't coming until late in the year. I am not sure about this, but it is the first potential indication that Columbia, SC may be uplinked.

Do any of you have D* and live in the Columbia, SC DMA? If so, keep an eye out in the channel 908-912 range (according to Greg Bimson, this is the range where they will most likely appear -- and he has a good record of "predicting" where they appear)

[shy007]

I live just outside of Columbia and can't wait for the locals...... I will let ya know when they come on......

[shy007]

We have 6 local channels on cable..... I hope we get them all....... I need the UPN or I might have to go back to cable to satisfy my better half.....

[gor88]

Actually, Columbia, MO is planned by E* this year, not D*. My bad on that one!!!

shy007, D* tends to be much better about getting WB and UPN locals than E*. In Jackson, MS, E* carries all the locals except WB and UPN. D* carries all the high power stations and UPN, which is low power here. Unless the WB and UPN stations get greedy, you should probably get them.

[shy007]

I suppose to get my locals in mid-2003...... I'm assuming by end of July.......

[Greg Bimson]

Well, over at DBSForums.com, cpalmer2k in the Broadcast Channels forum indicated that:

Charlotte locals have been moved from the 921-929 range to the 925-933 range.

There has been one Columbia station placed in the guide at channel 909. It looks like Columbia may be split over 2 transponders, so that they'd be at 908-912 and 921-924.

[gor88]

According to someone who works at D*, the Columbia, SC locals will be activated on July 15th.

[shy007]

I saw that on DBS Forums website..... Thanks...... If you find out before the 15th what stations, please list them...... You prorbably can figure out my username on the DBS Froums site...... I'm the one asking about Columbia locals all the time...... LOL

[Conway]

907= PBS Channel 29
908= NBC WIS Channel 10
909=CBS WLTX Channel 19
921=ABC Channel 25
922=PBS
923=FOX WACH Channel 57
924=UPN

as far as I can tell

[shy007]

Are you sure there is 2 PBS's...... The one in Columbia is WRLK..... And you say there is a UPN station shwoing up...... I'm completely shocked on this one.... Anymore info you get, just pass it on.....

Thanks

[moedog]

shy007---don't be shocked that UPN is in the locals line-up. WQHB, ch. 63, the UPN/WB affiliate, is a full power station broadcasting from the same tall tower as WOLO/WACH. They would have to be included with the Cola locals package. The mystery is the second PBS. Could be WRJA of Sumter, but they air virtually the same programing as WRLK. Could be a mistake---channel 29, as listed above is actually in Greenville. But maybe Direct will air channel 29 as the basic PBS, since it is already on Sat, then air WRJA (ch. 27) as a second PBS, leaving WRLk (35) off. (29 and 35 air identical programing). Interesting.

[shy007]

I did not realize that the UPN station broadcast out of Columbia.... I know one thing, the picture quality sucks on cable..... That's why I thought it would not be included...... I hope I get the SCETV out of Columbia..... They have the same programming except each has local programming....... Maybe channel 29 is not included or we get both....... I guess I will find out on Tuesday...... Unless we have some more of them big Thunderstorms...... I missed most of the Braves game yesterday because of storms......

[moedog]

UPN63 is licenced to Sumter but moved their transmitter, and greatly increased power about a year ago. Regarding SCETV--they have two networks. One, including WRLK, broadcasts identical programs throughout the state, including Greenville (29), Charleston (7) and Florence (33). The second includes WRJA and stations in Spartanburg (49), Rock Hill (30), etc. THose stations all do some local programing. It could be that Direct elected to use 29 as a statewide feed as the various markets are put on their LIL, then put local ETV channels (such as WRJA) in as necessary. 30 in Rock Hill has been been available as LIL for Charlotte market on D* and E* from the beginning including all the Charlotte DMA all the way to the TN and VA borders. You may find out on Tuesday, but don't count on it---often not all channels are up[ on the first day of service.

[jc17981]

Just for grins, I just checked Directv's local channel lookup, and it is showing Cola channels to be available.
NBC WIS 10 908
CBS WLTX 19 909
ABC WOLO 25 921
PBS ETV 35 922
FOX WACH 57 923

[shy007]

They are on but the picture quality is awful...... I hate I waited this long for this..... Will they get the picture quality better or this is the best it will be...... I think my rabbit ears were doing just as good....... LOL

[shy007]

And no UPN!!!!!! Another negative.....

[gor88]

shy007,

You may want to notify the UPN affiliate that they will be losing audience if they don't get their signal carried on D*. Also, find out which local companies advertise on the station and either snail mail them or drop by and tell the management that they will be losing a significant chunk of audience. Suggest that they demand that UPN lower their ad charges for the lost audience if UPN wants to keep them as advertisers. Supposedly, that can have an effect on the situation.

As to the picture quality, my mother was seeing quite a few annoying white dots in the picture for the CBS affiliate WCBI. She now reports that the picture quality has improved. Give D* a few days to correct the picture. You may want to call D* and speak to the technical people and let them know specifically which channels are bad and exactly what you are seeing so they can correct the problems faster.

[shy007]

It's the channels (2 channels...just happens to be the ones I watch... CBS and NBC) on transponder 12 that is poor...... The ones on transponder 4 is pretty damn good...... I was gonna wait a few days before calling..... I wasn't shocked on the UPN station but when I saw it listed on the Galaxy 3C, I thought I would get it..... Oh well......

[moedog]

I'm betting you will get your UPN. Here in Roanoke market, UPN arrived about a week after intial debut and WB took at least a month longer. Picture should improve as time goes by.

[shy007]

Okay...... I will not jump to conclusions in the future...... The PQ has improved on all but 1 of the locals...... The channel 10 still needs some improvement but the rest is pretty damn good...... The CBS station was perfect for Big Brother...... LOL

I have sent an email about my local UPN and I got a universal response...... I will try to be patient for the next week or so..... I'm sure the yare working on it.......

[jc17981]

This morning, the picture on WIS also seems to be improved. It appears as though there is much brighter color. However, the closed captions are still messed up. Most people would not notice this, however my hearing is not what it used to be, so I rely heavily on CC to know what the tv is saying.

It usually takes a little time and a few complaints for perfection. I remember when they first added the Greenville (SC) locals. One of the channels had periods of severe ghosting, and the color on another channel was very dull (like WIS has been). I called DirecTV tech support, and the guy tried to tell me that the cable running from my dish to my receiver was "like a garden hose with holes," and that all my color was leaking out (Where the heck do they get these guys?) Anyway, I finally complained to the 2 tv stations directly, and things were fixed within a day.

[shy007]

Yes, WIS is right now..... I will go check the CC and let ya know how mine is working.....

[shy007]

You are correct on the CC...... Hopefully, they will get it right......

Speaking of calling tech support....... The lady last night said I didn't have locals and it must be feeding thru my cable (i told her I have my locals on cable)..... I had to mute her so I wouldn't laugh in her face..... I told her directv must be giving the locals to me for awhile and all she could say is I don't have you down for locals..... I finally asked for another support person..... I think I knew a little more then them...... The second person told me I had to register for the locals and this would improve my picture quality...... I finally got transferred to some guy and he took down the info on WIS and said he would have me an answer in 24 hours..... I guess he contacted someone......

Does anyone know how long the locals will be turned on???? I wanna wait til the last day before I sign up for them...... LOL

[Koenig]

Are any of the DirecTV Subscribers in the Columbia area having problems with WQHB-Channel 63 constantly breaking up and generally being unviewable?

[shy007]

Yes, all the time....... I seem to have problems with WIS quite often also...... I quit complaining about it because seem to do no good...... My WIS has been bad since last Friday and I see no fix anytime soon since directv says it is a WIS problem......

[jim t.]

Channel 63 was so dark during Jake 2.0 that couldn't make out
who was on the screen.

Sometimes the picture is jumpy and sometimes frozen.

I don't know what is going on but it needs to stop. Especially when I miss my shows.

WIS on my tv is fine, though.

[shy007]

Just for update purpose...... WIS seems to be right again....... I don't watch channel 63 enough to care about the PQ...... But it does seem to be on and off.......

[jc17981]

Ch 63 has always had problems - droupouts, etc. - even back when I had TWC in 2001. This is something I sort of expect from a LP station. However, they've graduated to a full power station now, haven't they?

[jim t.]

This channel, 63, seems to only have problems at night?!?

I am new to the area, has this always been a split UPN/WB
channel?

Any idea if anything is being done to retify this situation? The
picture is unwatchable at times.


Thanks.

[shy007]

Yes, it has always split between UPN/WB...... The network always messed up on the cable system also...... I thought the channel was changing over to full time WB but I'm not sure when it's gonna happen.... It's not directv, it's the channel......