[Meklos]

I am definitely seeing some nasty stuff here on my Nashville locals. I've now watched a few programs, including football from the three games broadcast on Thursday, and CSI / CSI:NY.

The primary effect is mass linear blocking. On full frame updates (when the whole screen changes), or sometimes in situations where there are major changes to the screen (like when they take pictures in the CSI episodes) I see lines of pure white blocks, or alternating lines of white/black, or sometimes localized checkerboard patterns.

I'll try to get a pic of the effect. Anyone else seeing this?

 

[Earl Bonovich]

Those who want a fighting chance at access to PBS-HD and other majors like CW and MNTV are screaming for OTA. Then there are the digital subchannels that aren't otherwise available. Those dozens of markets that have HD but remain completely unserved by HD LIL are also clamoring. Finally, in markets as large as #14 and #23 who are missing two of the bigs, OTA is imperative.

Not everyone is so one dimensional that their needs can be served by two, three or four bigs.

To get an idea.... Here in Chicago, where I am located about 35 miles South. of the city...

Via my attic mounted antenna... I can get 28 "channels" via OTA...
If I wanted to go crazy and get a different antenna, and mounted it outsides... I believe I can get 40+ via OTA.. (Note.. with a better antenna I can receive CBS.. .but since I get via MPEG-4....) anyway..

Out of those 8 right now carry content in HD. Only 4 of those are available via MPEG-4... The other 4... The CW, WCIU, WPWR, and WTTW (PBS).. WCII carries a good amount of the local sports teams in HD during the year... WPWR no so much, but that isn't the point...

There are a TON of available channels out there... that simply supliment those that you get with DirecTV... and that won't be on DirecTV any time soon (don't count on the sub-channels any time soon).

Hence why OTA is an important feature of the unit....

NOTE: As a Side benefit to having an "Antenna Tree" installed...

If you got a good OTA antenna, and signal.
Split that bad boy, into the TUNER of your AMP... especially if you have one of the newer HD amplifiers.... And listen to the FM stations or now DIGITAL radio stations (And their sub channels)... and just enjoy your audio investments as much as you do your Video investiments.

 

[harsh]

Here in Chicago, on an H20 (non-dvr), you can compare the two... at least on my TV, with my eyes, under normal (and even a little abnormal) viewing patterns... there is no difference.

I visited a CC today in the California Bay Area where there were showing HD LIL from an H20 in the big screen room. Of course they were using a component DA.

The LIL were marginally better than the corresponding HD offerings from Comcast. They were decidedly diminished from the OTA version (also fed through a component DA). High contrast static material showed signs of edge artifacting (this may be related to using component). These were the better 50"+ microdisplay TVs from Samsung, Panasonic and Sony. Interestingly, a low resolution (generation 2?) DLP projector produced an image that had less noticeably artifacting.

The Fox content (720p) was, strangely, the most affected.

 

[Earl Bonovich]

The only problem with instore displays....

You don't know how well the wiring is behind the "setups"...

I am sure they didn't have a dedicated receiver for each of thoses TV's... they where probably using some sort of splitter or something to send the signal to a bunch of units.

Plus then you have the tweaking of the settings...

There is no doubt that OTA will probably look better in all cases... the question is how much better... and is worth the extra space on the hard drive of the dVR for the OTA version

 

[hasan]

There is no doubt that OTA will probably look better in all cases... the question is how much better... and is worth the extra space on the hard drive of the dVR for the OTA version

Precisely! I couldn't have put it better. The proof will be in the puddin', and the considerable savings in HD space could be an important factor.

Your concise (and factually accurate) statement should be added to the OTA Status Sticky as an "instant response" to the questions that will come when we do get OTA. Make book on it...we are going to get this question:

"Now that we have OTA-HD and can record it, should I record OTA or record the same show on MPEG-4?"

The only uncertainty is will this be asked in the first hour or just the first day of OTA-HD

 

[Dave_S]

Those who want a fighting chance at access to PBS-HD and other majors like CW and MNTV are screaming for OTA.

I always forget about PBS-HD, they do have some good programming. Do CW and MNTV(?) have any HD content? I am not familiar with MNTV, and never watch CW.

Then there are the digital subchannels that aren't otherwise available.

Yeah in my area most of the sub channels only show weather radar, no big loss.

Those dozens of markets that have HD but remain completely unserved by HD LIL are also clamoring. Finally, in markets as large as #14 and #23 who are missing two of the bigs, OTA is imperative.

That is why the people that fall into these groups should get OTA first.

Not everyone is so one dimensional that their needs can be served by two, three or four bigs.

True, let me quantify my comments a bit more. One of the things mentioned was a priority list, maybe DTV could work something out so folks that really want/need OTA for their entertainment could sign up and get it first. It really would be wasted on someone in my situation, the only thing I would ever watch OTA would be the occasional PBS show. With my equipment, HR20 via component to a HD RPTV desperately in need of calibration, you cannot notice much, if any difference in M4 and OTA. Granted that is MY situation. I would forego the OTA upgrade if it would help someone out that really needed it.

 

[Marwood]

I can't wait to get ota. For one thing, I get many more stations with my antenna than with dtv and some start prime time at 7 pm instead of 8. Our house is over 10 years old and the picture quality from the antenna is just as good as the receiver. I have been told (and it seems to be true) that with hd ota you either get it or you don't.

 

[hasan]

I can't wait to get ota. For one thing, I get many more stations with my antenna than with dtv and some start prime time at 7 pm instead of 8. Our house is over 10 years old and the picture quality from the antenna is just as good as the receiver. I have been told (and it seems to be true) that with hd ota you either get it or you don't.

Yes, that is true, but you can "get it" and "not get it" in the span of a few minutes, if you are close the the "fade threshold" in the first place. In general, you will either have a perfect picture or no picture, but if you are right on the margin, you will experience pixellation and outright signal loss if any increased losses are present. This is NOT typical, except in marginal setups, like trying to use an indoor low gain antenna from a significant distance. Things that increase signal loss include, but are not limited to:

1. A person or animal walking in front of the antenna (in house/low gain ant)
2. Airplane flutter (reflections off a passing airplane)
3. Vegetation losses in summer that were not present in winter
4. Extremely heavy precip or large thundertorms with corona discharge buildup.

I have never lost OTA-HD signal due to any of the above. I have a medium sized outside antenna on the 2nd story peak of the house and am 28 miles from the Broadcasters' antenna farm. Rural, no obstructions.

I get no pixellation, break up or signal loss on my OTA HD on the Sammy DLP.