Misinformation on other forums..

[Bschneider]

There has been a couple of reports regarding BHN over at AVS and Satelliteguys. I would like to put those reports to bed before it spreads as fact.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=8869929&&#post8869929


Also to note, which is somewhat interesting, BHN put a Slingbox (http://us.slingmedia.com/page/home) on EVERY NODE in their system.

That means when someone calls in a problem on a specific channel, they can pull up the slingbox on that node at the NOC and see/hear it as if they were in that geographic location - just not look at your cable box statistics.

This will allow them to more quickly determine is it a bigger scale issue or more localized to your residence.



And no, we don't have a slingbox in every node. Tampa bay alone has thousands of nodes, so it would be cost prohibitive. Plus, we have other ways of talking to that equipment.

But we have used some slingboxes for that purpose in some areas temporarily.


http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php?t=81660


thats right....ive noticed the free preview on a&ehd so i went and checked to see if there was anything else new,but after a lil while of searching the cable box shut off (I did wonder why it did that) and i noticed it was rebooting.so i left it alone to see what it does...once it was back on i was wondering what was up...untill it clicked to me that i noticed the analog channels (1 thru 99) looked mad clear....thats when i realized it was all in digital http://www.satelliteguys.us/images/smilies/smile.gifhttp://www.satelliteguys.us/images/smilies/biggrin.gif.....and boy does it look good!, no pixelation or nothing,....just pure clearness so happy to finally have an all digital/hd cable,it was so obvious the diffence from analog to digital,thought u will also noticed that the channel with change a lil bit slower........so reset them boxes if you havent noticed the change,thought it should of done it for you....i live in saint petersburg fl, good luck and enjoy!



In some areas. We're doing it a bit at a time. It's a simulcast.

[CactusJack]

Greg from BHN - Is SciFi channel now in digital? The picture lately seems much better, but I've also seen quite a bit of blocking and freezing. Can you tell us what other channels are digital now? And you say they are simulcast, assuming that BHN goes all digital, will basic channels still be simulcast, or will a converter box be required for those channels?

Jack

[MTAS]

Uh, how about letting also know the areas. I highly doubt if Plant City is in the mix yet, but I'm curious none the less.

[millerman101]

Hillsborough goes all digital within the month I think. Pinellas is all digital already..

[ltw9]

What about Manatee County? All digital anytime soon?

[BC]

What about Polk County ( Winter Haven ) ? All digital anytime soon ?

[gmclaughlin]

Other dates are still under debate as to when. Definitely in the next few months.

[CactusJack]

So, how long will BHN Pinellas continue to simulcast analog and digital on channels 2 - 99?

Jack

[pilotbob]

Other dates are still under debate as to when. Definitely in the next few months.

When they go "all digital" are there still analog channels on the cable? Or, do you need a set top box for all TV's that don't have a QAM tuner?

BOb

[gmclaughlin]

It will be a simulcast (both analog and digital) for the foreseeable future, for the very purpose "pilotbob" mentioned - so that non-settop TV's can still get 2-99.

Whether we someday go digital only involves a much better crystal ball than I have.

[pilotbob]

It will be a simulcast (both analog and digital) for the foreseeable future, for the very purpose "pilotbob" mentioned - so that non-settop TV's can still get 2-99.

Whether we someday go digital only involves a much better crystal ball than I have.

So what does "all digital" mean in your previous statement?

Also, once the Feb 2008 deadline that requires all TV broadcasts to be digital (no more Analog) does that mean that there will be no more analog avaialble on the cable, or will you still covert the digital sigs to analog.

Also, once broad cast is 100% digital does this mean that "digital" cable will be a misnomer and cable will rework it's pricing so that you don't have to pay extra for "digital cable" since all the networks and basic channels will "have" to be broadcasting digital?

Enquiering minds want to know.

Thanks,
Bob

[Bschneider]

Also, once the Feb 2008 deadline that requires all TV broadcasts to be digital (no more Analog) does that mean that there will be no more analog avaialble on the cable, or will you still covert the digital sigs to analog.


FYI: The cut off date is Feb 17, 2009.

Remember that the cut off date only applies to the off air channels and not to cable or satellite. The majority of viewers out there, at least in the bay area, will not be affected by the cut off date as they get their tv signal via cable or satellite. And they already transmit in either digital or analog with or without a box.

[pilotbob]

FYI: The cut off date is Feb 17, 2009.


Right, my bad.


Remember that the cut off date only applies to the off air channels and not to cable or satellite. The majority of viewers out there, at least in the bay area, will not be affected by the cut off date as they get their tv signal via cable or satellite. And they already transmit in either digital or analog with or without a box.

Ah, so you are saying most cable networks will continue to transmit in analog?

I "thought" that the cable companies basically received all the local channels with an antenna and piped that signal over the cable. When broadcast is 100% digital will this still be the case, or do they get digital feeds some other way?

Also, once all the broadcast channels are only digital, will cable companies convert them to analog for those without QAM (built in or settop) tuners? Or will every analog TV require a settop reciever to do the conversion?

How does a cable company get the signal from a cable network like ESPN or HBL? I always assumed it was still "broadcast" but that is over sat right? Are those signals not required to go digital in 2009?

I really don't know all the tech details of how this stuff works.

BOb

[Bschneider]

Ah, so you are saying most cable networks will continue to transmit in analog?


Possibly, such as Verizon does with channel 2 - 49, and BHN does with channel 2 - 99.

I "thought" that the cable companies basically received all the local channels with an antenna and piped that signal over the cable. When broadcast is 100% digital will this still be the case, or do they get digital feeds some other way?


Most stations are working on it or already have a fiber feed from the station to the provider for the digital feed. The analog fiber has already been in place. For example, Verizon is pulling the digital feed with an antenna for WTTA, as of August 06 they were installing a fiber feed.


Also, once all the broadcast channels are only digital, will cable companies convert them to analog for those without QAM (built in or settop) tuners? Or will every analog TV require a settop reciever to do the conversion?


Most likely the same analog fiber feed that goes from the station to the provider today won't change. But that will be up to the station and the provider unless the FCC states otherwise.


How does a cable company get the signal from a cable network like ESPN or HBL? I always assumed it was still "broadcast" but that is over sat right? Are those signals not required to go digital in 2009?


ESPN, CNN, AMC, etc. is transmitted via satellite. They are cable/ satellite stations not 'broadcast' stations and so they are not required to go digital. The cutoff is strictly for any station's signal that can be picked up with only an antenna.

[gmclaughlin]

This all goes to the "crystal ball" statement...most of that is still up in the air.

BSchneider is correct with most of his statements, except that I doubt the stations will be outputting any analog, even if it's a fiber feed to us.

There are many competing forces at work her, and who knows what the FCC will force on us. But it certainly wouldn't be fair to force cable to "carry the analog bag", so to speak.

It will be an interesting next few years.

[Bschneider]

BSchneider is correct with most of his statements, except that I doubt the stations will be outputting any analog, even if it's a fiber feed to us.

There are many competing forces at work her, and who knows what the FCC will force on us. But it certainly wouldn't be fair to force cable to "carry the analog bag", so to speak.


I guess I should have just left it at "But that will be up to the station and the provider unless the FCC states otherwise.

[gmclaughlin]

If cable is forced to carry the analog feeds, we'd likely just take the digital signal, and decode it to an analog frequency at the headend, then transmit it analog as we do now. Keep in mind the National Asssociation of Broadcasters want the FCC to require us to do this for each of their four multicast feeds.

It won't fly.

[MTAS]

Any updates on this?

[pilotbob]

If cable is forced to carry the analog feeds, we'd likely just take the digital signal, and decode it to an analog frequency at the headend, then transmit it analog as we do now. Keep in mind the National Asssociation of Broadcasters want the FCC to require us to do this for each of their four multicast feeds.

It won't fly.

I hope this doesn't happen as it will slow the adoption of 100% digital transmissions. I thought part of the funding from the sale of the analog signal air space was to pay for people to get settop boxes (digital recievers) to continue to be able to use their old TV's.

Also, I assume you cable companies want to be able to drop the analog signals so you can fit more digital channels on the cable. Those cables only have so much bandwith I assume.

Are TV's with analog recievers (NTSC) still being sold now? It seems silly to me that anyone buying a new TV today would not want a digital tuner. Although, I guess there are still alot of TV's without any tuner in them being sold.

BOb

[Floyd]

Are TV's with analog recievers (NTSC) still being sold now? It seems silly to me that anyone buying a new TV today would not want a digital tuner. Although, I guess there are still alot of TV's without any tuner in them being sold.
BOb

A visit to the Circuit City TV sales area will show you how popular the "flat-tv" innovation is. I think that most of those TVs with tuners have both analog and digital tuners, at least those over 24". The smaller TVs are not required to have digital tuners, and most don't. They still aren't selling a cheap ATSC "converter" tuner box for your older TV. Maybe they are waiting for the analog cut-off date?

[Bschneider]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ATSC_tuner

U.S Government mandates

The FCC (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Communications_Commission) has issued the following mandates for devices entering the US [1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ATSC_tuner#_note-0) [2] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ATSC_tuner#_note-1) [3] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ATSC_tuner#_note-2):

By 2005 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005)-07-01 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/July_1) all televisions with screen sizes over 36" must include a built-in ATSC DTV tuner
By 2006 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006)-03-01 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_1) all televisions with screen sizes over 25" must include a built-in ATSC DTV tuner
By 2007 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007)-03-01 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_1) all televisions regardless of screen size, and all interface devices which include a tuner (VCR, DVD player/recorder, DVR) must include a built-in ATSC DTV tuner

References
FCC INTRODUCES PHASE-IN PLAN FOR DTV TUNERS (http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-225221A1.pdf?date=020808) (PDF). FCC (2002 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2002)-08-08 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/August_8)). Retrieved on 2006 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006)-06-05 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/June_5).
Requirements for Digital Television Receiving Capability (http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-05-190A1.pdf) (PDF). FCC (2005 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005)-11-08 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/November_8)). Retrieved on 2006 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006)-06-05 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/June_5).
FCC Moves Up DTV Tuner Date, Broadens Scope (http://www.twice.com/article/CA6285719.html). TWICE (2005 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005)-11-21 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/November_21)). Retrieved on 2006 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006)-08-30 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/August_30).

[bdraw]

No doubt the cable companies want to drop the analog channels, the question is will the FCC let them and will the NAB allow them to convert their digital signals to analog.

As far as I am concerned the sooner they figure this out the better. Cable companies could start to move channels off analog today and deploy new OCAP STB for customers now so that in 2 years when it is time for the switch it won't be news to everyone.