Digital TV nightmare.

alanp · June 13, 2009, 10:46:07 AM

As we all know, they switched of the analog TV yesterday. And as I mentioned on the shout outs, it was storming.

Now I live about 70 miles out from Oklahoma City. I have a rooftop antenna 20 feet off the ground. I run it through 2 line amplifiers into the TV. For years that setup worked fine. Now for digital.

Well, it works sometimes. But never reliably. Sometimes I get everything, sometimes nothing. All because the TV footprint is smaller with the digital technology. And I'm right outside the limit. So what about cable? The cable company won't service our area because we are too far out of town. Dish is an option. But not in bad weather. And bad weather we get.

Oklahoma gets more tornados than anyone. Last night, the surrounding counties were under tornado warnings. There were reports of funnel clouds, wall clouds, and hail. Ahh, late spring time in Oklahoma. But having to run out to the car to hear the report to see if we need to take shelter is going to be a pain. The airwaves, which we publicly own, are being sold to the highest bidders to pay for Congresses grotesque overspending over the last several years....... Sorry. That was a tangent.

Anyway, I think in my area, we need to push the FCC for repeaters to get our local weather back if nothing else, as a emergency notification system.

X · June 13, 2009, 10:53:50 AM

Quote from: AlanP on June 13, 2009, 10:46:07 AM
As we all know, they switched of the analog TV yesterday. And as I mentioned on the shout outs, it was storming.

Now I live about 70 miles out from Oklahoma City. I have a rooftop antenna 20 feet off the ground. I run it through 2 line amplifiers into the TV. For years that setup worked fine. Now for digital.

Well, it works sometimes. But never reliably. Sometimes I get everything, sometimes nothing. All because the TV footprint is smaller with the digital technology. And I'm right outside the limit. So what about cable? The cable company won't service our area because we are too far out of town. Dish is an option. But not in bad weather. And bad weather we get.

Oklahoma gets more tornados than anyone. Last night, the surrounding counties were under tornado warnings. There were reports of funnel clouds, wall clouds, and hail. Ahh, late spring time in Oklahoma. But having to run out to the car to hear the report to see if we need to take shelter is going to be a pain. The airwaves, which we publicly own, are being sold to the highest bidders to pay for Congresses grotesque overspending over the last several years....... Sorry. That was a tangent.

Anyway, I think in my area, we need to push the FCC for repeaters to get our local weather back if nothing else, as a emergency notification system.

I lived in Edmond for several years and the weather isn't so bad that satellite won't work. I've had it there and say few problems. I think it might be more your location than the transition. If I'm correct, you're pretty much in the middle of nowhere and any signal would be hard to come by. With the digital signal it's an all or nothing prospect, but I'm sure that there is something that would work. If I'm not mistaken, you might want to try it without the amp. That might help out a little because the signal isn't going screwy with the amplification.

Allen · June 13, 2009, 10:55:18 AM

We have a similar problem where we live in New Mexico.

You might just unplug the digital box and see if you still get analog signals. There's a loophole in the digital upgrade that low power translators don't have to switch. If you were picking up your analog signals from a translator station, you might still be able to.

Some digital converter boxes have a "pass through" so you don't have to unplug it, just turn it off and use your TV like you used to.

That being said, I agree with you. The FCC really didn't take into consideration the large numbers of us that live "out in the boonies" that need the life-line to "civilization", especially in areas known for "weather events" like where you live.

alanp · June 13, 2009, 11:00:11 AM

I'm about a half hour east of Shawnee. I have dish with a locals only package and in a thunderstorm it scrambles and shows the signal lost error. Without the amps I get nothing. As of yesterday at noon, no more analog pass through to get TV the old way.

Allen · June 13, 2009, 11:10:01 AM

Nothing at all? Because the analog stations should be broadcasting a "we're not broadcasting anymore" message. If you picked them up before, you should still at least pick that up....

At least, that's how it's supposed to be.

How good is your Internet? Your cell service? Does the Oklahoma city station offer email or text alerts for weather and school closing and stuff?

I used to live in Nebraska, so I know how important getting weather alerts can be. I feel for ya, bro!

alanp · June 13, 2009, 11:10:58 AM

Yeah, I was on my iphone trying to track the storm last night.

Rico · June 13, 2009, 12:01:20 PM

So don't things like emergency broadcasts go out anyway still? Sirens, etc.?

Feathers · June 13, 2009, 12:04:59 PM

Oh joy. I can see our future now!

Not tornados but analogue switch off being a pain.

Can't remember when London gets switched off. 2012?

Meds · June 13, 2009, 12:12:26 PM

Oh it will be nightmare. I mean freeview is rubbish isn't it Mike, you look at the analogue and it seems fine to me, you put the digital channel on and nine times out of ten you get a pause or a crackle, so annoying. May get sky back i think as icant stand a rubbish signal.

Allen · June 13, 2009, 12:13:42 PM

For residential areas, they have sirens, but when you live 10-15-70 miles out of town, the siren doesn't carry that far. The powers that be now need to start thinking backward to help those of us living away from population centers.

Back in Nebraska, we had a phone chain set up to reach farmhouses in the event of severe weather. That's kind of what they need to do now that the technology is focusing on cities and towns and not individuals.

Or, they can do what the Navajo Nation has done here in New Mexico. Subsidize smart phones and cell plans and maintaining a database of numbers to broadcast text messages in the event of an emergency.

alanp · June 13, 2009, 01:10:45 PM

We do have a siren. But we can't always trust it. Earlier this year, a twister formed touched down and destroyed a home 2 miles from my house before the siren blew.

Rico · June 13, 2009, 01:25:17 PM

So, you don't have cable TV available?

alanp · June 13, 2009, 01:56:34 PM

The local provider for wired cable is Suddenlink. They only service what's inside of city limits.

X · June 13, 2009, 02:14:25 PM

Quote from: AlanP on June 13, 2009, 01:56:34 PM
The local provider for wired cable is Suddenlink. They only service what's inside of city limits.

Are you still using dialup?

alanp · June 13, 2009, 03:25:00 PM

I have lower speed dsl at my house. A half mile north from me, they are limited to dial up only. Normally at home I surf from my iphone.