[dc06]

A while back I posted this thread asking for help complaining to DirecTV about getting our NBC affiliate on the air in HD by the Olympics.

I called and complained to the Office of the President at DirecTV, New Vision Television's headquarters, and the station's general manager. I have been calling and bugging them every several days. Their station manager Al Buch has been very responsive to my emails and I greatly appreciate that. Anyways, here is what I received from Al a few minutes ago:

On Wed, Aug 6, 2008 at 6:54 PM, Al Buch wrote:

Hi Doug,

We completed a deal with Direct TV this afternoon....they assure us KSN HD will be on Direct TV by Friday. Thanks, Al

He also mentioned that the agreement was done at New Visions headquarters in L.A., so I wonder if other New Vision owned stations will also be going live in HD soon. I hope so.

Thanks for everyone's help in the matter!

Doug

 

[zmclean]

Very nice im here in Moundridge and finally i can watch NBC again. I refused to watch it in SD and the new HD DVR they brought didnt have the OTA option. Olympics in HD :eek2: :eek2: :eek2: :eek2:

 

[johnd55]

Let's hope KOIN in Portland starts up soon

 

[Kansas Zephyr]

Very nice im here in Moundridge and finally i can watch NBC again. I refused to watch it in SD and the new HD DVR they brought didnt have the OTA option. Olympics in HD :eek2: :eek2: :eek2: :eek2:

Get the AM21 for OTA.

You'll like it during peak storm season.

 

[zmclean]

Get the AM21 for OTA.

You'll like it during peak storm season.

I was thinking that...i really like the HR-20 for that reason but it shot craps and replaced with HR-21. Ill look into it.

 

[Kansas Zephyr]

I was thinking that...i really like the HR-20 for that reason but it shot craps and replaced with HR-21. Ill look into it.

Then you should be able to talk a CSR into a free AM21 (be persistent) since you had/used OTA before the HR20's failure.

My AM21 was free, and it was after an "HD swap" for my HR10-250.

 

[cdizzy]

Let's hope KOIN in Portland starts up soon

Wow. No kidding.

 

[mortimer]

While I am cautiously optimistic, I'll believe it when I see it.

 

[dc06]

In the KOIN thread SatRacer says that we both might be surprised tomorrow, so I'm feeling good about it this time!

Doug

 

[zmclean]

While I am cautiously optimistic, I'll believe it when I see it.

I emailed him again as well and he stated the same thing. Friday DirecTV will deliver KSN in HD via sat. Hopefully DTV pulls through on their side of the bargain.

 

[bjs188]

This is good to hear. Maybe the stations that New Vision owns or will soon own in Topeka will get up on D* too.

 

[mortimer]

KSN HD is live in Wichita! Huzzah!

 

[zmclean]

KSN HD is live in Wichita! Huzzah!

I forgot to check this morning....quality is good??

 

[mortimer]

I forgot to check this morning....quality is good??

I watched about 30 seconds of the Today show. It was in HD, quality seemed OK. We'll probably know more with the Olympics Opening Ceremonies tonight

I'm happy to finally get The Office in HD, and my wife will be happy to get Medium. I have OTA on my HR20, but for some reason KSN kept getting mixed up with KSW and my recordings rarely worked. Think I'll take down the BUA (Big Ugly Antenna) today and sell it in my yard sale tomorrow

 

[dc06]

Yay! I am watching the Today show in HD now!

They seem to be cutting back to SD a while before the commercial break though. I noticed our local CBS station doing that as well and a few times they forgot to return to HD after the commercial break and the rest of Letterman was in SD. I wonder why that happens...

 

[Kansas Zephyr]

Yay! I am watching the Today show in HD now!

They seem to be cutting back to SD a while before the commercial break though. I noticed our local CBS station doing that as well and a few times they forgot to return to HD after the commercial break and the rest of Letterman was in SD. I wonder why that happens...

The local station's master control is still analog.

They only broadcast the network's HD via by-passing the master control and routing the digital signal directly to the encoder.

So, whenever they "go local" it must drop to SD. After the local break is over, they may forget to hit the HD by-pass switch.

Imagine after 50 years, every camera, router, tape machine, etc. has to been trashed. The networks have big cash flow. Local stations don't, so it will take a while for a 100% digital chain to be installed in local TV stations. The smaller the market, usually the longer it will take. Since the cash flow is smaller, too.

...and remember there is no "government assistance" here. The TV station's must pay out-of-pocket for the digital transition.

 

[mortimer]

Although I wish this had been resolved earlier, a huge KUDOS to both DirecTV and New Vision Television for getting this resolved in time for the Olympics. I imagine the station managers at KSN and KOIN are relieved that we won't be on their butts all the time!

 

[WillieWildcat]

Is this switch to HD just for the Olympics, or is it full time?

 

[LikeAFox]

Is this switch to HD just for the Olympics, or is it full time?

This is supposed to be permanent.

 

[joshjr]

I am guessing that this is just OTA KSN? Directv does not offer the locals our of Joplin and Pittsburg. I am getting installed tomorrow and was wondering how this was going to work.