Is there any over the air HDTV in Calgary?

[Hack&Lube]

Thread title says it all. In Vancouver, Toronto, they some HDTV you can pick up via antenna, towns closer to the US can get US HDTV channels on antenna too for free.

Is there anything in Calgary?

[Bobblehead]

CFCN was approved for this, and I think in the Superbowl commercial thread it was mentioned that it was supposed to start broadcasting Jan. 15

[OBCT]

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&&#post7625830

Follow the steps outlined in that post.

The above guide shows you how to search for OTA television signal by location. What makes it unique is that it includes Canada.

[Hack&Lube]

It appears there is absolutely nothing. They are just applications. Nothing operational. Quite sad. Calgary feels so backwards and isolated like it's the 50s and you can't get anything by antenna.

[Hack&Lube]

I bought one of those USB tuners today, it has an HDTV antenna. I'm sad I can't pick anything up. Heck, even the analog is pretty bad

[Vulcan]

As of 12/30/08 CFCN has been given Temporary Operating Authority to bring the station up on channel 36.

No word on when the tests begin.
Here's a thread on the topic for Alberta. Post #178

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/show...206#post852206

[jammies]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

Calgary feels so backwards and isolated like it's the 50s and you can't get anything by antenna.

Eh? In the 50s that's all you could get was antenna, nowadays we have these cool new things called "cable" and "satellite". Over-the-air is practically dead; I know of exactly one person who has peasantvision.

The lack of broadcast TV is because the market for it here is tiny due to the opposite of what you are saying - Calgary is advanced and plugged in.

[burn_this_city]

He's just cheap!

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

As of 12/30/08 CFCN has been given Temporary Operating Authority to bring the station up on channel 36.

No word on when the tests begin.
Here's a thread on the topic for Alberta. Post #178

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/show...206#post852206

those people are talking like they are already recieving these channels, are they just picking them up and they haven't started broadcasting for real yet?

I'm considering building a coat hanger antenna for fun but if there is no content, there is no point.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by jammies

Eh? In the 50s that's all you could get was antenna, nowadays we have these cool new things called "cable" and "satellite". Over-the-air is practically dead; I know of exactly one person who has peasantvision.

The lack of broadcast TV is because the market for it here is tiny due to the opposite of what you are saying - Calgary is advanced and plugged in.

The thing is when these stations have to convert to digital, they have to have an OTA transmitter and with all the compression happening in cable and satellite, the best picture is on these OTA channels, so the true videophiles will be putting up antennaes to watch their Hockey Night in Canada, etc.
All the new TVs are coming out with ATSC tuners for a reason.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

those people are talking like they are already recieving these channels, are they just picking them up and they haven't started broadcasting for real yet?

I'm considering building a coat hanger antenna for fun but if there is no content, there is no point.

So far, as far as I know there are no digital stations in Alberta yet. CFCN should be soon.

[OBCT]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

The thing is when these stations have to convert to digital, they have to have an OTA transmitter and with all the compression happening in cable and satellite, the best picture is on these OTA channels, so the true videophiles will be putting up antennaes to watch their Hockey Night in Canada, etc.
All the new TVs are coming out with ATSC tuners for a reason.

Yuppers. I couldn't believe how popular OTA was in California when I moved here a year ago. The biggest reason is that there is such a wide variety of programming available (for free) even when using a cheap antenna.

For example (and this isn't to brag!), www.tvfool.com tells me that I could get ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, PBS, CW, MyN, ION, Uni as digital stations with clear reception from an indoor "set-top" antenna after the February 17 transition from my residence near San Jose. There are several independent, local and foreign language stations in addition to those.

That's a pretty nifty deal. Combine it with the fact that some of these stations are transmitted in uncompressed 1080i HD (as Vulcan rightly pointed out), and you've got yourself a compelling scenario for many to turn to OTA. It could also act as a back-up should your cable or satellite feed go down.

I'll readily admit that my family is a bit attached to our cable TV (sadly the Center Ice package isn't available OTA), but the promise of impeccable HD for the Super Bowl (ads) has almost swayed me into going out and getting an antenna for our set.

[Vulcan]

Yeah there will still be a market for cable etc, for people wanting the speciality channels such as Centre Ice and for us living in the sticks. As the crow flies, I'm not too far away to pick up the Vancouver HDTV stations, but there are a couple of mountains in the way. For the American stations, I have a clear shot right down the Strait of Georgia into Puget Sound but I think their signals are to weak yet.

[Draug]

I am eagerly awaiting the OTA HD in Calgary... that is to say, perpetually annoyed that it isnt here yet.

With the Bell 9200+ PVR's, an OTA antenna is included, so you get the best of both worlds (Granted, I have no idea how good the OTA antenna is). The uncompressed HD will totally blow the quality of the Satellite HD (light) out of the water.

[Shazam]

Brienne Hurlbert in HD

[ken0042]

Call me jaded, but I really don't care if we ever get OTA HD in Calgary.

I can see CFCN et al putting up a transmitter that will be great for those within a few kilometres, and suck for the rest of us.

Then we get simsubbed up the wazzu, and for the cost of a used transmitter it enables the local networks to continue taking American shows and acting like they had something to do with creating them.

Plus from what I have read on Digital Home you would need a pretty decent antenna, so that means one more thing to put up onto the roof.

[Vulcan]

Yeah, simsubbing and weak OTA signal strengths are a problem for some stations but the simsubbing is no worse than what happens with our current providers. For me a better picture and competition to these providers is a good thing.

In more developed areas such as Toronto I've heard of people getting HD with indoor antennas or putting an antenna in their attic. I think people in Calgary would have pretty good luck unless they lived behind Nose Hill.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

It appears there is absolutely nothing. They are just applications. Nothing operational. Quite sad. Calgary feels so backwards and isolated like it's the 50s and you can't get anything by antenna.

Wait wait wait wait... Calgary is backwards because you cabt pick up anything by antenna??

Do you know how backwards and dumb that sounds?

There will be no OTA sigbals in the states in about a month. What a bizarre thing to say.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

Wait wait wait wait... Calgary is backwards because you cabt pick up anything by antenna??

Do you know how backwards and dumb that sounds?

There will be no OTA sigbals in the states in about a month. What a bizarre thing to say.

You are misinformed.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

You are misinformed.

I thought they were going all digital?

Regardless, it seems like an odd thing to complain about.