When if at all will I have to choose between my LIL and my distants?

[freakmonkey]

Also if I choose to drop my LIL will I be able to keep both NY & LA?

[Mr. Shvia]

So far News Corp's DirecTV is trying to fix it so that if you already have LIL when the bill is passed you can keep both locals and the distants. However, DirecTV is still siding with broadcasters so that if a market is already provided LIL, any *new* subscriber will not be able to subscribe to distant networks even if that viewer lives in a white area! My guess is that its DirecTV and the Broadcaster's goal to compleatly do away with distant nets all toghter when LIL reaches all 210 markets. Only Echostar's Dish Network continues to stand against this provision.

[dfergie]

How will this affect the c-band folks? I suppose you can still get the distants on c-band now, its been so long since I have had mine up and running.

[Geronimo]

So far News Corp's DirecTV is trying to fix it so that if you already have LIL when the bill is passed you can keep both locals and the distants. However, DirecTV is still siding with broadcasters so that if a market is already provided LIL, any *new* subscriber will not be able to subscribe to distant networks even if that viewer lives in a white area! My guess is that its DirecTV and the Broadcaster's goal to compleatly do away with distant nets all toghter when LIL reaches all 210 markets. Only Echostar's Dish Network continues to stand against this provision.

I have seen nothing that says DireCTV is in favor of gradfathering. I am not saying you a re wrong---just that it is news to me.

[TNGTony]

How will this affect the c-band folks? I suppose you can still get the distants on c-band now, its been so long since I have had mine up and running.

From what I can gather, the provision is provider specific. For Example, if Dish offers locals and DirecTV doesn't, the Dish subscriber can ONLY get their locals. The DirecTV subscriber can get distant nets ONLY if they qualify under the Grade B rule. So a C-Band customer, would be able to get distant nets IF they qualify and IF the C-Band provider can't offer the local channels.

Convoluted, but it works.

I want the Grade B rule to work both ways though. If I am in the grade B signal area of a station (thus preventing me from qualifying to a distant net), I should be able to subscribe to that station NO MATTER WHERE the station originates!

See ya
Tony

[Geronimo]

Are locals availlable on C band?

but to try to answer the origianl question---the llaw will take effect Han1 2004 and you will have 60 days to choose. That isi assuming that it looks like it does now.

[TNGTony]

C-Band has Denver stations on it. It also has stations from several other cities. If you have the misfortune to live inside one of the DMAs where C-Band has the oprion to get the locals, you're stuck. Again, this is just my understanding of a second-hand explanation.

See ya
Tony

[Geronimo]

Thank you sir.

[woodenshoe]

So far News Corp's DirecTV is trying to fix it so that if you already have LIL when the bill is passed you can keep both locals and the distants. However, DirecTV is still siding with broadcasters so that if a market is already provided LIL, any *new* subscriber will not be able to subscribe to distant networks even if that viewer lives in a white area! My guess is that its DirecTV and the Broadcaster's goal to compleatly do away with distant nets all toghter when LIL reaches all 210 markets. Only Echostar's Dish Network continues to stand against this provision.

The most recent bill markup seems to verify this.
http://energycommerce.house.gov/108/Markups/06032004/satamendment1.pdf.
Also it appears that the section (D) that invalidated all waviers has been changed to allow waviers

[onegojoe]

I am in rural area where it is close to impossible to get over the air tv signals due to mountains. Dish only offers distant locals that is the NY, Cal, Chicago etc. I want the DC locals because of the Redskin games but they say I am not eligible. Dish is trying to get Harrisonburg, Va. local which I think I would then be able to get which carries the Redskin games sometime later this year. Am I correct in assuming I would then be able to get Harrisonburg or perhaps then get the DC locals?

[Geronimo]

Even rural areas are in some DMA. Logically you would get that DMA. If you cannot recive it ORTA AND if your provider does not carry then you could get distant locals supplied by your provider. Do you mind telling us what community or county you are in?

[Geronimo]

One of the most helpful members of this forum is TBGTony. He spends a lot of time providing help to all of and maintains the Echostar Knowledge base which isa treaure trove of info of use to ALL DBS Subs.

I went there to look at the state by state maps and found this one. It should tell you which DMA you are in. the map covers counties not communities. Sorry but youa re rtight. I do not know that community.

http://ekb.dbstalk.com/TVMarkets/Maps/west_virginia%5B1%5D.gif

[TNGTony]

Thanks for the kind words Chief!

I checked out the zip codes in Mapquest and they both come back to Pendleton Co., WV. This county is in the Harrisonburg, VA area. So you will eventually get
WHSV TV 3 Harrisonburg, VA ABC and WVPT TV 51 Staunton, VA PBS. There are no other stations in that market as far as I know.

As to the distant Fox, CBS and NBC: Dish only offers NYC, Atlanta, Chicago and Los Angeles nation wide. They also offer Kansas City, Dallas, Denver and Portland (OR) regionally. Washington is not one of the options. Sorry.

See ya
Tony

[waltinvt]

The most recent bill markup seems to verify this.
http://energycommerce.house.gov/108/Markups/06032004/satamendment1.pdf.
Also it appears that the section (D) that invalidated all waviers has been changed to allow waviers
I think Dish standing in the way may be a good thing if we ever expect to get real HD networks.

Check out the latest SHIVA markups. Distant nets may be the ONLY thing that's going to insure HD networks for everyone that wants them and foster real competition for better HD programming.

WaltinVt

[Tusk]

So reading this thread, if someone is in a white area and subscribes to distants, then they should add their local package before the law is passed? This will allow them to keep both?

[waltinvt]

So reading this thread, if someone is in a white area and subscribes to distants, then they should add their local package before the law is passed? This will allow them to keep both?
What's significant (if I understand it correctly) is that if the latest Senate bill passes (McCain's version), HD networks will no longer be lumped in with analog networks.

If your local network isn't getting an HD signal to your house, you can get it from your satellite provider.

I suspect this Bill will need a lot of grassroot noise (that's us) to get past the huge outcry from the ever whining NAB, so be sure to let congress know.

WaltinVt

WaltinVt

[Tusk]

What's significant (if I understand it correctly) is that if the latest Senate bill passes (McCain's version), HD networks will no longer be lumped in with analog networks.

If your local network isn't getting an HD signal to your house, you can get it from your satellite provider.

I suspect this Bill will need a lot of grassroot noise (that's us) to get past the huge outcry from the ever whining NAB, so be sure to let congress know.

WaltinVt

WaltinVt
I don't think this will be entirely true. Everyone throws out the term "HD signal", but what they really mean is digital signal. So if you can get a digital signal, regardless if the station is broadcasting 480i at minimal power, you will be shut out from getting distant feeds that provide true HD programming. At least that's my read.

My previous question still stands regarding locals and distant networks.

[waltinvt]

I don't think this will be entirely true. Everyone throws out the term "HD signal", but what they really mean is digital signal. So if you can get a digital signal, regardless if the station is broadcasting 480i at minimal power, you will be shut out from getting distant feeds that provide true HD programming. At least that's my read.

My previous question still stands regarding locals and distant networks.
I agree, many throw out the terms "HD" and "digital" as synonymous and they certainly are not. "Digital" is what the FCC is mandating but "HD" is the carrot that will win over the viewers. I'm sorry if I implied that they were one and the same.

As I understand it though, this latest Senate bill specifically addresses "HD" signals in that it would mean that even if the local affilliate is meeting the letter of the mandate (480 digital at low power, etc) but still not passing on the full power HD signal as the origionating source transmits it, then satellite could provide it.

I think it means (and I may be dreaming here) that the signal must be retransmitted as origionally broadcast.

So if ABC Monday Night Football broadcasts in full 1080 or 720 (I forget which it is they do) but little WVNY 22, the local Vermont ABC affilliate can't or won't pass it on that way or at enough power to reach your location, then you have the right to receive it elsewhere and satellite would be allowed to facilliate that right.

If this is true, I see this as not only pushing the affilliates to get going but also to foster competition between the networks to improve their own HD programming.

WaltinVt