Fox 40 in Sacramento

[Sam 8]

Okay, I know others are interested in this topic.

Fox 40 in Sac is still not available in HD via Sat.
I cannot get it over the air due to terrain issues.
NBC's audio on HD broadcasts does not seem to be in 5.1. This is not a problem on my end, my A/V rec. analyizes the incoming audio signal, runs Dolby digital discrete if available and converts other to ProLogic if it isn't. KCRA NBC HD broadcasts are always carrying non DD 5.1 audio.
Pixelation, hard drive corrupt, loss of recorded programming,continue on my second vip622. I'm tired of conducting weekly classes with my famly so they can learn the new tricks necessary to crutch this thing along while I am away.
Customer Service calls are an absolute waste of time.
I have done the ceo@ echostar route, inquiring as to WHEN at least the FOX HD issue will be addressed. The people who respond to that email account wanted all my info before they would acknowledge my inquiry. I gave it to the man, and told him I wanted to deal with the question online. He then he replied that he wanted to talk on the phone, he won't/can't/didn't want to answer questions via email. Unfortunately, I'm rarely available at home, and need to get some answers via the net. They say they cannot do it that way.
Yesterday, I spoke to a Dish Dealer at a show in Sacramento. I asked him about the FOX HD issue, he says it is the network itself; that the local affiliate has no control over whether FOX programming is uplinked to Sac Dish customers.
He told me to call FOX in New York.:rolleyes:
He alo proclaimed that he has done over 1000 vip 622 installs and was unaware of any "serious" issues with the unit.:lol:
I'm not a Dish basher, I'm a customer of over 6 years, and would simply like some questions answered so I can plan for the future.
So please, does anybody have accurate info on the FOX HD info from the Sacramento Affiliate? At this point I'd just like to know a solid answer to ;
Is it going to go up, if so when?
If not, why not?
How does a package qualify for "HD Locals" when one of the major networks isn't there at all and the other doesn't carry the audio commonly associated with HD.?

Not bashing, just want answers.

C-Band wasn't as good, but it was a heck of alot simpler, :lol:

[himini]

I'd also love to get some info about Fox 40 HD in Sacramento. I don't have any info about that, but regarding NBC: I don't watch a lot of NBC programming, but I'm watching the Tonight Show right now on KCRA (through satellite 129) and it's in DD 5.1. Maybe it's the exception to the rule though.

[Sam 8]

I've been chasing this thing for over a month, Ch. 40 in Sacto doens't return calls, and, as you might imagine calling the network in NYC is like calling the White House and asking for the President.
KCRA started broadcasting their local news in HD yesterday, and it came over the sat in DD, very nice picture. Thanks for the info on Leno, I'll check that tonight. Plenty of people have looked at this thread so folks do want answers, but not many seem to have any.

[Taco Lover]

Yeah, I can live without CW31 in HD, but it would be nice to have Fox40. For now, I'm using OTA.

[rogburr]

Hello,

I believe that the local FOX affiliate is owned by the Tribune Company which wants Dish to carry another simulcasted digital channel (40-02?). Dish does not want to do this and has broken off talks. The same thing has happened, I believe, in Seattle. Take all this with a grain of salt as I gathered this summation from several related threads over many weeks.

Roger

[Taco Lover]

40.2 is Fox40's "The Tube"—a 24-hour music video channel. Good stuff on the channel, but the older videos look horrible on an HDTV (like Devo's Whip It). If what Roger says is true, then Fox40 is being really stupid about it, IMO.

[Sam 8]

rogburr;

Thanks, that is the most realistic sounding explaination for the problem that I have heard so far. ceo@ echostar still hasn't made an effort to answer my inquiry via e-mail.
So Dish and Tribune are in a beef, and Dish customers are stuck in the middle.
If talks are broken off at this point, then it sounds like Dish has abandoned any effort to serve the people paying the $ for HD ilocals in the NorCal area serviced by Fox 40. Tribune and Dish are losers, but us folks with the little gray dish on our homes are the ones paying the freight.
Sounds alot like paying for what you ain't getting, which is all too common a situation in the world today. If DirecTV gets the ball rolling this summer on HD as they are claiming is their intent, I might take a long look at their service.

[rrmills]

rogburr;

Thanks, that is the most realistic sounding explaination for the problem that I have heard so far. ceo@ echostar still hasn't made an effort to answer my inquiry via e-mail.
So Dish and Tribune are in a beef, and Dish customers are stuck in the middle.
If talks are broken off at this point, then it sounds like Dish has abandoned any effort to serve the people paying the $ for HD ilocals in the NorCal area serviced by Fox 40. Tribune and Dish are losers, but us folks with the little gray dish on our homes are the ones paying the freight.
Sounds alot like paying for what you ain't getting, which is all too common a situation in the world today. If DirecTV gets the ball rolling this summer on HD as they are claiming is their intent, I might take a long look at their service.

This stuff happens all the time. For example we don't get KRQE-DT (our local CBS affiliate here in Albuquerque) in HD over Dish because LIN-TV that owns the station and Dish can't come to terms. FWIW, LIN-TV and Comcast can't come to terms either, so the only way to get CBS-HD here is OTA.

[GATER]

I'll be watching this thread for awhile. I would love to have Fox in HD through Dish. I can get a pretty good signal through OTA, but it would be nice to have a solid signal and not have to worry about the reception.

[whatchel1]

I know the Eng staff at Fox 40 in Sac. They are good ppl I also am acquainted with the some of the Eng staff w/ the Seattle station as well. It is not the individual stations that are causing the problems. Tribune (read mega-broadcasters in general) are trying to get E* to carry all their feeds in the areas that they are located. D* has come to terms a little in some major area but is running into bandwidth problems. What this means is that until D* gets more sats then they can't do what the Trib wants. E* has tried to work w/ Trib as well but have similar problems. Maybe after MPEG 4 is really kicking out well then bandwidth will be less of a problem. Also to carry all Trib stations in any area could mean adding digital equipment in that area that will be able to receive decode OTA have 2 or 3 receivers for the signal ( 1HD & 1 or 2 SD ch). Which when you start counting how many areas they are going to be doing will take time and money. So what it comes down to is time and money for all the stations across the country to be carried by the providers. Notice here that I'm not being an apologist for E* this is why I mentioned D* as well. It has to be something that in a reasonable time they think will make them money. So smaller areas will take longer than big areas. I live and work for a station in a smaller area and neither of the sat providers carry the channels in HD. Have calls every week about when will they carry our stations in HD over the sat. I just have to tell that we have not been given any time as to when this will happen by either.

[Sam 8]

whatchel1;

Thanks for taking the time to share that information.
Sounds like the straight scoop to me, and clarifies why nobody at any of the levels a customer can reach can really give me a straight answer.

[EJP]

If E doen't do something by football time , I am going talk to Comcast. Also they need to fix sat 129, so I can get a better signal with no drop-outs.

[Taco Lover]

I just e-mailed KTXL Fox40 and wanted to post this as an FYI about why KTXL-DT (Fox40) is not broadcast on Dish Network. Here's their response to my e-mail inquiry:

This is a business decision by Dish to not carry our HD signal so you
will have to take that up with them. They have our signal at their
Gilbert, AZ uplink facility but they do not have the channel capacity to
add more local digital content. Too bad you switched, DirecTV is a lot
more broadcaster friendly than Dish.

Dish is the only major provider that does not carry our DTV, we are on
Comcast, Sonic, DirecTV and AT&T but Dish refuses to carry us. We have
the Superbowl this time so you have a few choices:

Dump Dish and switch back to DirecTV.

Dump Dish and switch to Comcast.

Use your off air antenna input to your Dish receiver to pick us up over
the air. This will give you all the local stations, including several
that are not on Dish and will provide you with the best picture quality.
All you need is a modest antenna pointing mostly North.

Thanks for watching our station, we do appreciate it.

Jack Davis
Chief Engineer
KTXL-DT

[SMosher]

I just e-mailed KTXL Fox40 and wanted to post this as an FYI about why KTXL-DT (Fox40) is not broadcast on Dish Network. Here's their response to my e-mail inquiry:


Great quote from Jack Davis to say "they do not have the channel capacity to
add more local digital content." We know he is speaking from his butt. He is full of crap.

[jacmyoung]

If the only thing stopping Dish from adding Fox 40 Sacramento is the "The Tube" subchannel, then shame on Dish. The Fox HD has some of the most watched HD shows, and The Tube is also one of the more watchable subchannels.

I suspect there are other factors involved.

[whatchel1]

I'm surprised that Jack made the statement. But since he did I have to say that he is spreading a bit of mis-info. BTW tribune is selling some of their stations. Both Sac & Seattle are part of the deal. then things will be changing. See the Seattle station thread. And yes I do know Jack. Almost went to work there.