New Locals Day At DirecTV: Hits and Misses

1)The PQ is good on those channels (WTTV-4, WFYI-20, WNDY-23, and WHMB-40)

2)WHMB-40 looks a bit weird when commercials get aired. The commercials look fuzzy, distorted. However, when the breaks are over, the PQ is back to being good.

3)PQ on channels, such as Much Music look a bit better than they were a few weeks ago.

4)WTBU-69 isnt even on yet. Its listed on the EPG, but whenever I access the channel, all I get is DirecTV's "A new local channel is coming to your area soon" message.

5)The programming listings for whats on each of the new locals are already up and running.

6)I knew this was expected, but I was kinda sad when I noticed that the national PBS channel was gone from the lineup thanks to my getting my local PBS affiliate, WFYI-20. As I said before, it was expected, but I was a little sad because I got used to the channel being there when I had Dish and now DirecTV. The only drawback is that now I have to contend with those endless Pledge Drives.

Thats it for my observations. What were your observations today during this special day for DirecTV subs? Did all the channels come in okay? What was the PQ of the core channels before and after the additions of the new locals? What is the PQ of the new channels?

Here in Tampa two of the new local channels have ghosts(38 and 50). I can't believe they are getting the signals from an OTA antenna. Hopefully they will work out the PQ issues.

Originally posted by Brian Rector:
...now I have to contend with those endless Pledge Drives.

And, that, Brian, is precisely why the local PBS stations nationally were all in favor of "must carry". I agree that the pledge drives are over-the-top in their nuisance quotia, but, the stations do have to pay the bills. However, it appears "Family Pak" subscribers still have access to the PBS national feed on channel 384, so. . .

If DirecTV doesn't carry one of the locals -- CBS in my case (Portland) -- will they allow you to get the national feed? I'm not sure why the don't carry it but I think they couldn't come to an agreement with the local station. Probably is one of those cases where the station asked for money and now doesn't have to be carried.

But anyway, could I get a different feed of CBS or am I just out of luck?

I have a receiver in metro NYC that I want to bring to our house in northern NY. I get the local station package in NY...will I be able to get the locals if I'm out of the metro area?...which brings the question....how wide are the spot beam radiuses (sp)?

I checked this morning and noticed that WTBU-69 was finally added and I wont get that "A New Local Channel is coming to this channel soon" message. The channel will be watched highly at my house because it airs some of the same programming that BBC America. Also, it does show stuff like BBC News This Week, which isnt available on BBCA. WTBU has added Eurpoean soccer and Faulty Towers to the lineup. They also air Red Dwarf and Brittas Empire.

I did get a message stating that Tuner 2 of my DirecTivo was not getting any signal. It was snowing outside, but I unplugged the receiver and plugged it back in a few seconds later. The "Searching for Signal" message was gone and I checked both tuners signals. Both had excellent signal readings.

Got my DTV bill today and it said that PBS national feed is gone on FEB 28 from family pack, but I could pay 1.08 for it.

"If DirecTV doesn't carry one of the locals -- CBS in my case (Portland) -- will they allow
you to get the national feed? I'm not sure why the don't carry it but I think they couldn't come to an agreement with the local station. Probably is one of those cases where the station asked for money and now doesn't have to be carried."

That is EXACTLY why KOIN is not carried on DirecTV, The outfit that bought the station wanted more concessions from DirecTV than normal. If a station tries to negotiate a carriage agreement they cannot invoke must-carry that same year, even if negotiations fail.

Unfortunately the lack of carriage by one DBS provider does not qualify viewers to get distant networks. You simply have to use an OTA antenna.

The ironic thing about this particular situation is that KOIN *WAS* a national net for old Primestar customers.

I have also heard rumors that KOIN may lose its CBS affiliation because of some other ownership changes in Portland TV stations.