[Score023]

I am curious to know what is the difference in the OTA and Directv local HD's? I have the local hd's and since I found this site there seems to be a lot of people waiting for the OTA to be activated. Is this because local hd channels are not available in your area or is OTA a better picture?

Thanks.

 

[911medic]

Good question. Here's my 2 cents:

--OTA will provide the benefit of not losing the picture due to weather.
--OTA HD is not "downrezzed" HD (do a search on 'HD-Lite' if you don't know what I mean), so the picture quality may be superior vs. satellite local HD; however the MPEG4 HD locals seem to be pretty close to OTA-quality (I think Earl or someone else compared OTA HD locals via HR10 to the MPEG4 versions via HR20 shortly after the HR20 was introduced, and found very little difference in PQ). MPEG2 HD locals had/have noticeably lower PQ for some vs. OTA.
--Some people cannot get their locals via satellite yet.
--People want the additional tuner(s), as I think you will be able to record 2 shows while watching a third once they're activated.
--People want the feature activated just because it's supposed to be active and available, and so far is not.

 

[Capmeister]

Good question. Here's my 2 cents:

--OTA will provide the benefit of not losing the picture due to weather.

Depends. I'm not real close to the towers, so I can get interrupts due to weather.

 

[Earl Bonovich]

There a few other threads on the topic... but..

There are still a lot of HD-OTA's that DirecTV doesn't carry, then there are the subchannels... there is more to OTA then just more "HD" content.

Also... the MPEG-4 HD versions are not "down rezed"... they maybe "compressed" more, but they are not down rezed in the same sense as "HD-Lite"

 

[911medic]

Depends. I'm not real close to the towers, so I can get interrupts due to weather.

OK...change my post to read "not as susceptible."

 

[911medic]

There a few other threads on the topic... but..

There are still a lot of HD-OTA's that DirecTV doesn't carry, then there are the subchannels... there is more to OTA then just more "HD" content.

Also... the MPEG-4 HD versions are not "down rezed"... they maybe "compressed" more, but they are not down rezed in the same sense as "HD-Lite"

Ahh, yes, the subchannels. Forgot about them. I miss a few of those.

Regarding the MPEG4's not being downrezzed, I guess that's what I was getting at when I said the PQ seems to be roughly equivalent to OTA, based on what some have said here. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[Score023]

What are sub channels? Also for someone in the Chicago area, what sub channels are available to us?

 

[Tyrod]

What are sub channels? Also for someone in the Chicago area, what sub channels are available to us?

I don't know bout you folks, but I'd rather watch grass grow or paint dry than watch the sub channels.

 

[Capmeister]

What are sub channels? Also for someone in the Chicago area, what sub channels are available to us?

The TV station has more bandwidth to play with on the digitial channel they're given, so, just as an example, in my area 66-1 is FOX HD and 66-2 (a subchannel) is TheTube, some music station. In my area 53-1 is ABC HD, and 53-2 is the WB. In my area 10-1 is NBC HD, and 10-2 is their weather broadcast and forecast put up 24/7.

"Subchannels" are SD, not HD (at least I've yet to see an HD one) and aren't the network programming usually identified with the station.

Not all digitial channels have them, by the way. One of the Fox stations I have has their HD on 47-1 and their SD on 47-2 and no other programming.

 

[Earl Bonovich]

What are sub channels? Also for someone in the Chicago area, what sub channels are available to us?

ATSC Digital broadcasts, provide the broadcaster the ability to basically broadcast more then one channel at a time.

In Chicago:

During NCAA Tourney time (At least the past years), 2-2 was activated to show an extra game... or the Analog Channel 2 would show one game, where the 2-1 (HD) would show another.

5-2 ; Is NBC Weather Plus (Basically the weather channel, but specifically for chicago)

7-2 ; Is a weather/traffic channel
7-3 ; Is additional local programming

9-2 ; IIRC is an entirely different station, that they are broadcastiong there.

11-2; 11-3; are additional PBS Feeds from WTTW

And so on...... Those are the one's I know without looking

 

[Tom Robertson]

I don't know bout you folks, but I'd rather watch grass grow or paint dry than watch the sub channels.

Oh man, the weather subs are so psychadelicly way kewl, man. You just gotta stare deeply, i mean deeply into that wild ride, dude. Its so there. :lol:

Ok, so I don't really "watch" the weather sub, nor do I leave it on for the baby to fall asleep to, but I do tune in occasionally.

And some of the PBS subs carry some interesting shows.

Cheers,
Tom

 

[911medic]

I don't know bout you folks, but I'd rather watch grass grow or paint dry than watch the sub channels.

The weather subchannel is useful to me, and there's one here that broadcasts local news 24/7, so if I miss something and want to see it I can tune to that one.

 

[Score023]

Thanks for the responses.

 

[jsevinsk]

I don't know bout you folks, but I'd rather watch grass grow or paint dry than watch the sub channels.

We get "The Tube" on one of our sub channels, and it's a lot more entertaining than paint.

 

[dervari]

I liked the 11-2 sub in Atlanta before WeatherPlus took over. It was just a 24/7 doppler updated in real time.

 

[eengert]

--People want the additional tuner(s), as I think you will be able to record 2 shows while watching a third once they're activated.

Is this still thought to be true? It's not true on the HR10-250, is it?

 

[Bad Rex]

Is this still thought to be true? It's not true on the HR10-250, is it?

You can watch a third if it's a complete recording from the VOD/Now Playing List. Otherwise, recording two shows at once will preclude watching any other live show. True for both HR10 and HR20.

 

[eengert]

You can watch a third if it's a complete recording from the VOD/Now Playing List. Otherwise, recording two shows at once will preclude watching any other live show. True for both HR10 and HR20.

Yes, of course, but that has nothing to do with having an additional OTA tuner. The OP seems to imply that he thinks you would be able to record 3 shows at once if 2 are SAT and 1 is OTA.

 

[Earl Bonovich]

To clarrify...

The HR20 will ONLY be able to record a NET of 2 things at once.
When OTA is activated.

 

[gcisko]

ATSC Digital broadcasts, provide the broadcaster the ability to basically broadcast more then one channel at a time.

In Chicago:

During NCAA Tourney time (At least the past years), 2-2 was activated to show an extra game... or the Analog Channel 2 would show one game, where the 2-1 (HD) would show another.

5-2 ; Is NBC Weather Plus (Basically the weather channel, but specifically for chicago)

7-2 ; Is a weather/traffic channel
7-3 ; Is additional local programming

9-2 ; IIRC is an entirely different station, that they are broadcastiong there.

11-2; 11-3; are additional PBS Feeds from WTTW

And so on...... Those are the one's I know without looking

Correct. Channels 2, 5, 7, 9, 11, 32, and so on are the analog ones. OTA will show the HD channels as 2-1, 5-1, 7-1, 9-1, 11-1, 32-1 and so on. As someone that has had OTA via my TV tuner, I can say I am thrilled with my HR20 when it works. I would never think of doing OTA now and do not really understand why people that have HD locals via the dish would want OTA. Since I have both I can say that if there is a quality difference I cannot see it.