Is there any over the air HDTV in Calgary? - Page 6 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

CrazyIvan · 06-18-2011, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by keratosis

Signal still sucks for me in Okotoks.

TV Fool shows OK folks will have a real hard time getting free OTA HD.

Hack&Lube · 06-18-2011, 03:03 PM

I bought a $19 Hauppage USB TV tuner I found on the red table at Futureshop. It came with a dinky antenna the size of pen that extended a little bit.

I was struggling to get reception on my laptop trying to watch Game 7 in HD on CBC. I ended up jamming the antenna into my aluminum venetian blinds and bam! Perfect reception!

ken0042 · 07-26-2011, 08:39 PM

OMNI Calgary will convert from analog to digital transmission on August 12

Hopefully they also increase the power; Omni is one of the weakest signals out there.

Hack&Lube · 07-27-2011, 10:34 AM

I wasn't even aware one could get OMNI OTA.

ken0042 · 07-27-2011, 05:59 PM

Yeah, I'm not sure exactly how it works; but there is some CRTC rule that says if you broadcast OTA- the local cable company must add you. So to get onto Shaw they had to start broadcasting OTA as well.

keratosis · 07-27-2011, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrazyIvan

TV Fool shows OK folks will have a real hard time getting free OTA HD.

About what I figured.
Worse things could happen to me.

Hack&Lube · 07-28-2011, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ken0042

Yeah, I'm not sure exactly how it works; but there is some CRTC rule that says if you broadcast OTA- the local cable company must add you. So to get onto Shaw they had to start broadcasting OTA as well.

That's a pretty brilliant way of getting onto the local cable provider with a low channel number.

ken0042 · 08-12-2011, 07:54 PM

Omni went digital last night- and killed their analog signal at the same time.

Question for you guys- does Global re-map to 2-1 for you? It used to, but now after re-scanning a few times it still shows as 41-1.

And another scan shows CTS is also digital on 32-1.

Sr. Mints · 08-13-2011, 01:02 AM

Global is still 2.1 for me, but I can't even pick up CTS yet.

CBC seems to have moved to 6.1.

ken0042 · 08-13-2011, 12:36 PM

Yeah- CTS was pretty weak.

I saw CBC at 6.1- but the channel label said something like "backup."

ken0042 · 09-01-2011, 11:36 AM

Figured this was as good a place as any to discuss the end of analog. I noticed last night that Access did indeed shut down; as did the analog versions of CFCN and City.

So as of last night the only analog stations still on were:
Global (2)
CBC (9)
CBC- French (16)

You Need a Thneed · 09-01-2011, 01:27 PM

What digital channels are you getting?

ken0042 · 09-01-2011, 02:27 PM

2.1 Global
4.1 CFCN
5.1 City
9.1 CBC
32.1 CTS
38.1 Omni

(Those last 2 might be reversed.)

Just make sure if you are scanning you let it go all the way. At least one of those channels is in the 50's, and then redirects to whatever the analog channel was.

You Need a Thneed · 09-01-2011, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ken0042

2.1 Global
4.1 CFCN
5.1 City
9.1 CBC
32.1 CTS
36.1 Omni

(Those last 2 might be reversed.)

Just make sure if you are scanning you let it go all the way. At least one of those channels is in the 50's, and then redirects to whatever the analog channel was.

All of them are clear now, I imagine? Which are HD? I know I got Global HD well, and CTV HD not quite so well last summer when I went without cable for a month.

ken0042 · 09-01-2011, 03:22 PM

All are HD. Global and City are quite strong; I really don't need to aim at all.
CFCN and CBC are medium-strong; pretty easy to pull in with some minor aiming
With Omni and CTS if you do get them, you better not fart anywhere near your antenna.

Bobblehead · 09-01-2011, 03:27 PM

Omni is 38

And for some reason, my Omni digital is mapped to 38.2

You Need a Thneed · 09-01-2011, 03:35 PM

CTS is in HD too? It isn't even available HD on Shaw.

ken0042 · 09-01-2011, 09:47 PM

I can see that. What station is going to pay to upgrade their transmitter to digital without going all the way to HD?

However I can also see why Shaw won't carry it. HD takes up a LOT more bandwidth; and I don't see CTS having a huge demand anyway; nevermind a demand in HD.

And as it stands now it looks like the only analog channel left is CBC- French

Wormius · 09-01-2011, 09:58 PM

There was an interview yesterday on CBC's Homestretch show with a guy who built one of the home-brew antennas and some of his findings.

http://www.cbc.ca/homestretch/episod...31/digital-tv/

I tried to build one of these a year or so ago, but didn't have much success. I don't know how directional it is, an whether it needs to be outside, high on a pole, etc. I'd like to see how it looks, the video quality of the OTA is supposed to be pretty nice.

Bobblehead · 09-02-2011, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wormius

There was an interview yesterday on CBC's Homestretch show with a guy who built one of the home-brew antennas and some of his findings.

http://www.cbc.ca/homestretch/episod...31/digital-tv/

I tried to build one of these a year or so ago, but didn't have much success. I don't know how directional it is, an whether it needs to be outside, high on a pole, etc. I'd like to see how it looks, the video quality of the OTA is supposed to be pretty nice.

The one I made is hanging on the wall over the TV.

It is fairly directional. Mine is flat against the wall which is close enough, but I know if I take it down and turn it that there is a better angle. I just haven't figured out a good way to do that yet (some sort of wall offsets for a few degrees).