Baltimore -- change of plans???

[jhall]

Just when I was updating my records for more usage numbers, I noticed that the transponders carrying Baltimore seemed extraordinarily light-weight and uninteresting. In fact, it would appear the advertised video PIDs aren't transmitting, and the audio PIDs are running a dismal amount of data. Does anybody have words on this? (just curious)

[Cyclone]

I thought Baltimore wasn't on line yet?

[Darkman]

Cyclone - more likely he is talking about BUD or some FTA thinggy's tps, etc :)

[jhall]

yes, the video streams now appear to be sending some small quantities of supposid video data. I suppose if something's really wrong and dish opens them for baltimore subscribers, they'll get fixed. I was simply curious if maybe E* had decided not to carry them afterall.

[JohnH]

All of the video data streams are there at least. Strange that WPVI has a weird PID number. :)

Wonder how they got on Lyngsat? :)

[Geronimo]

I wonder if DC will get MPT now?

[Cyclone]

No I bet we in the DC DMA will not get MPT. We'll likely get stuck with WETA only. I have a 6000 with OTA, so Its doesn't bother me too much.

[Geronimo]

Well if you had a PVR it would. And since all the MPT statiosna re the same it would be easy enough to do!

[crkeehn]

MPT is in the Baltimore viewing area so if you qualify for DC, you will need a terrestrial antenna to receive them. I really wish that the powers that be would accept the fact that the Baltimore Washington corridor is in fact Baltington and allow both sets of locals. People have ties to both areas, perhaps working in one and living in the other and view the channels interchangebly. Even when I lived in the Washington viewing area, I watched election coverage on the Baltimore stations, the Washington stations tended to focus on national elections to the detriment of local coverage. The Baltimore channels were the opposite, with better coverage of the local elections. Of course during football season I will want the Washington stations for the Redskins games.

[Cyclone]

It was great when I put up my 6000's OTA antenna. I was able to see Baltimore stations for the first time in 10+ years. They just weren't on cable or satellite. I still try and watch more Balt news than DC.

[Geronimo]

MPT is a network not a single station. It can be received in DC and one of their stations is in the Washington DMA, That is why DirecTV includes it. All of the stations are the same. DISH could include it if they chose to and now that it is up for Baltimore it would be easy to do so.

[jhall]

WFPT was originally listed as a possability when the must carry started getting excited at the beginning of the year (2001) or was it 2002? anyway as channel 8083 on 61.5. I tried to get comment from both Dish and MPT, but neither had a clue as to what I was talking about. Then the 8730-8736 set showed up in popular places like tv guides but not sure if they ever showed up in the stream. Then they showed up in the stream as full services, and now their bandwidth seems to fluctuate, of late it seems video is (for the moment) doing what it is supposed to, while audio is lacking.

[Geronimo]

MPT told me they want to be carried in DC. The issue isi DISH. They were not required to carry them so they do not. But since all MPT stations are the same and it is up for Baltimore well it should be fairly easy. No add'l bandwidth needed.