[jackm]

I live in Rome, NY and receive directv locals from Syracuse which is 38 miles away- Utica is only 8 miles from where I live - but I do not receive them. A neighbor of mine said he is getting both Syracuse and Utica locals...how does one go about adding the 2nd close by market. Note - Western Oneida County is considered to be part of the Syracuse market. Thanks for any help

 

[jdspencer]

Your best bet is to put up an antenna for the Utica stations.

 

[CCarncross]

It all depends on what DMA you are in, it doesnt matter which cities channels are closer to you. Your neighbor is probably getting them via OTA.

 

[spanishannouncetable]

Check your zip code here -

http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/packProg/localChannelsFragment.jsp?_requestid=642099

If you qualify for neighboring locals they will show up based on your location. Where I am in NC all I get is Greensboro locals, while 10 miles away in VA my cousin gets Roanoke as her primary locals (from 90 miles away) and 3 from Greensboro (NBC, CBS, FOX from 60 miles away) as their secondary locals. Go figure.

 

[joshjr]

It all depends on what DMA you are in, it doesnt matter which cities channels are closer to you. Your neighbor is probably getting them via OTA.

Not necessarily. I live in Pittsburg/Joplin DMA and DirecTV provides me with 2 locals (CBS & ABC) from the Tulsa DMA.

 

[CCarncross]

Not necessarily. I live in Pittsburg/Joplin DMA and DirecTV provides me with 2 locals (CBS & ABC) from the Tulsa DMA.

Which they would also be providing your neighbor as well, unless you lived on the edge of one DMA and your neighbor was in the next DMA right at the boundary. I dont know your exact situation, but I seem to recall that if one DMA doesnt have an ABC, or CBS, etc., they may offer you one from a neighboring DMA.

 

[PrinceLH]

I wish that were true. Here in my local Watertown, NY, DMA, we don't have an NBC affiliate. When they lit up our locals, a little over a year ago, they included the NBC affiliate out of Rochester, NY. It was a little over 100 miles away. However, neighboring DMA's, in Syracuse and Utica, were about 70 miles away. I would have rather had something a little closer, that gave us more local advertising and news. As it sits now, our ABC affiliate doesn't even give us local news. It gets it from nearby Syracuse. So why give us a further away local channel?

 

[PrinceLH]

I live in Rome, NY and receive directv locals from Syracuse which is 38 miles away- Utica is only 8 miles from where I live - but I do not receive them. A neighbor of mine said he is getting both Syracuse and Utica locals...how does one go about adding the 2nd close by market. Note - Western Oneida County is considered to be part of the Syracuse market. Thanks for any help

The weird part about your situation is this: Some of your stations, over the air, advertise as Utica/Rome. Go figure. At least you have the Turning Stone Casino to keep you entertained.

 

[TMan]

I wonder how many locals one could receive if all the legal and administrative obstacles were magically removed.

I mean, how big are these "spot beam" signals that transmit locals from the satellites? Are there signals for five DMAs' locals hitting your dish? Ten? More?

Clearly these folks at the border of a DMA could receive more; DirecTV just doesn't let them.

I could see how a news junkie might enjoy seeing local news from several markets away or something.

I also think it would be interesting for anyone nationwide to have access to New York and Los Angeles locals, not just those folks that qualify under special circumstances.

 

[loudo]

i get two ABC channels (Portland & Manchester), in my guide, but the Manchester on is blacked out. Not sure why I am seeing two, in the guide.

 

[Lord Vader]

I remember back in the very early days when locals were delivered via CONUS and one could legally receive multiple cities' locals. I had a Sony B1 or B2 receiver--I don't recall the exact model number--along with a Sony T60 DirecTIVO unit, where I was receiving my Chicago locals, NY, LA, San Francisco, Dallas, and a ton of others. I think this was in the days before the satellite laws changed.

 

[PrinceLH]

I remember back in the very early days when locals were delivered via CONUS and one could legally receive multiple cities' locals. I had a Sony B1 or B2 receiver--I don't recall the exact model number--along with a Sony T60 DirecTIVO unit, where I was receiving my Chicago locals, NY, LA, San Francisco, Dallas, and a ton of others. I think this was in the days before the satellite laws changed.

I think it was called the Satellite Home Viewer Improvement Act . It was passed in 1999. It gave over the air stations, their own markets, without competition. They figured that many small market stations would go out of business, if they allowed other cities to take away their advertising revenue. There was also issues in regards to sports blackouts. That's how we ended up with one set of locals for every designated market. Sometimes, it's unfair, but it keeps the small broadcasters in business.

I think all Directv 4th generation and before receivers were able to broadcast multiple locals. After the SHVIA was passed into law, Directv was forced to manufacture their receivers to only allow one set of locals, using a different bit code for each local market.

 

[peds48]

Clearly these folks at the border of a DMA could receive more; DirecTV just doesn't let them.

more like the FCC wont let them

 

[joshjr]

Which they would also be providing your neighbor as well, unless you lived on the edge of one DMA and your neighbor was in the next DMA right at the boundary. I dont know your exact situation, but I seem to recall that if one DMA doesnt have an ABC, or CBS, etc., they may offer you one from a neighboring DMA.

Its really pretty simple, DirecTV can provide anyone locals from a neighboring DMA if the stations are considered significantly viewed by the FCC. The two local channels I get from Tulsa are a neighboring DMA and are considered significantly viewed in my county even though they are not a part of my DMA.

 

[CCarncross]

Does anyone have a list or link to the significantly viewed stations by DMA, or some way to look up if particular dma's have any SV stations that D* might be able to offer? IIRC from past reading, josh is one that has always been vocal and fought hard to get and keep distants under grandfathering as well so he is probably pretty well in tune with how the locals are offered and what can be offered. I know in some cases it can very well be physically impossible to offer because of spot beams as well, but this is most likely not the case here.

 

[joshjr]

I wish that were true. Here in my local Watertown, NY, DMA, we don't have an NBC affiliate. When they lit up our locals, a little over a year ago, they included the NBC affiliate out of Rochester, NY. It was a little over 100 miles away. However, neighboring DMA's, in Syracuse and Utica, were about 70 miles away. I would have rather had something a little closer, that gave us more local advertising and news. As it sits now, our ABC affiliate doesn't even give us local news. It gets it from nearby Syracuse. So why give us a further away local channel?

Look here www.fcc.gov/mb/significantviewedstations031011.pdf to see if a neighboring DMA has a NBC that is considered significantly viewed. If so I would reach out to that station's GM and ask them if they would be interested in offering their station where you live since they have a legal right to do so. Let them know that you dont have a NBC in your DMA and that this would be a great way to increase their viewership as well.

I did the same thing here with the stations that were added. I dont know if it was because of me but I like to think I had a part in it. I am working on the last one that is considered significantly viewed for my DMA (FOX KOKI). They are changing owners and are hoping to make this happen soon. It makes it great for professional sports. Any station considered significantly viewed can not be blacked out even if they are airing in a market that is not theirs. Significantly viewed gives them that right. When DirecTV adds them its amazing. I currently get different NFL games due to having 2 CBS's from different markets. I have Sunday Ticket and dont really need it as well as DNS feeds both coasts but its nice. I perfer the out of market CBS anyway. Let me know if you have any questions.

 

[joshjr]

Look here www.fcc.gov/mb/significantviewedstations031011.pdf to see if a neighboring DMA has a NBC that is considered significantly viewed. If so I would reach out to that station's GM and ask them if they would be interested in offering their station where you live since they have a legal right to do so. Let them know that you dont have a NBC in your DMA and that this would be a great way to increase their viewership as well.

I did the same thing here with the stations that were added. I dont know if it was because of me but I like to think I had a part in it. I am working on the last one that is considered significantly viewed for my DMA (FOX KOKI). They are changing owners and are hoping to make this happen soon. It makes it great for professional sports. Any station considered significantly viewed can not be blacked out even if they are airing in a market that is not theirs. Significantly viewed gives them that right. When DirecTV adds them its amazing. I currently get different NFL games due to having 2 CBS's from different markets. I have Sunday Ticket and dont really need it as well as DNS feeds both coasts but its nice. I perfer the out of market CBS anyway. Let me know if you have any questions.

Here is a newer one it appears.

transition.fcc.gov/mb/significantviewedstations120611.pdf

 

[joshjr]

I wish that were true. Here in my local Watertown, NY, DMA, we don't have an NBC affiliate. When they lit up our locals, a little over a year ago, they included the NBC affiliate out of Rochester, NY. It was a little over 100 miles away. However, neighboring DMA's, in Syracuse and Utica, were about 70 miles away. I would have rather had something a little closer, that gave us more local advertising and news. As it sits now, our ABC affiliate doesn't even give us local news. It gets it from nearby Syracuse. So why give us a further away local channel?

Here is what I saw on that form. This is for Jefferson County though. If you live in a different county, you might check it instead.

Jefferson
WWNY-TV, 7, Carthage, NY
+WWTI, 50, Watertown, NY
WSTM-TV, 3, Syracuse, NY (formerly WSYR)
WTVH, 5, Syracuse, NY (formerly WHEN)
CKWS, 11, Canada

 

[joshjr]

Which they would also be providing your neighbor as well, unless you lived on the edge of one DMA and your neighbor was in the next DMA right at the boundary. I dont know your exact situation, but I seem to recall that if one DMA doesnt have an ABC, or CBS, etc., they may offer you one from a neighboring DMA.

Just to clarify this, its not usually a neighboring local that is offered. In these cases you can apply for DNS feeds. In some cases DirecTV has just added a DNS feed into your local package. As I understand it, some of those were when the local had agreed to be added to the market soon and DirecTV just offered the DNS feed until that channel launched.

I think if DirecTV is providing the DNS feed as part of your local channels instead of the 390+ number, they dont usually offer to let you apply for DNS. Some people would prefer to have both coasts instead of just having the one DirecTV chooses to imput into your local package.

Because I had DNS feeds before my market launched and my market does not have a CW affiliate, I get one of the DNS feeds imported (east coast DNS feed) as channel 15 I think and I also get 394 & 395 (DNS feeds). The one provided to me in my local package is a non-HD DNS feed as well and I live in a MPEG4 only market lol. Talk about taking some time to understand it all.

 

[Alan Gordon]

Just to clarify this, its not usually a neighboring local that is offered. In these cases you can apply for DNS feeds. In some cases DirecTV has just added a DNS feed into your local package. As I understand it, some of those were when the local had agreed to be added to the market soon and DirecTV just offered the DNS feed until that channel launched.

Actually, DirecTV often provides neighboring markets' affiliates to fill in short markets.

For instance, when my market launched, DirecTV offered us The CW and an ABC affiliate from Jacksonville, FL. The ABC move was surprising given that the Columbus, GA and Tallahassee, FL markets are closer to the majority of the market, and can be viewed with an antenna, whereas much of the market cannot receive Jacksonville, FL channels. On the plus side, The CW was in HD from Jacksonville, FL.

A few months later, our "local" CBS launched a sub-channel of The CW, and the HD goodness was replaced with an SD version, and a few months after that, the Jacksonville, FL ABC HD affiliate was replaced by a new sub-channel of ABC... and though it was available in HD (and carried by DISH and Mediacom), it's still only offered in SD via DirecTV.

There's multiple other markets like that...