Are HD Locals Available or Not? San Jose/CA

[digitalmp]

Ok, so it's been a while since I've actually sat down to watch my HD DirectTiVo. Now, I would actually like to get started watching HD material again. When I last left my television, I was watching channels 70-79 and watching NBC HD with my antenna (the only channel I could get in HD). Now, I go to directv.com to see if anything new has happened as far as HD locals is concerned and I see this...

http://www.blure.com/HD.gif

I get excited and call up DTV and the 1st level phone monkey says that I would have to get a waver or something. Bummed, I go back to the website and see an advertisment saying to tune to channel 83 to see free HD previews or something. I tune and get the X721 screen. I call up X721 again and the other phone monkey said that channel is only available in LA and NY.

Can someone quickly fill me in on what the heck is going on? http://www.vwvortex.com/zeroforum_graphics/screwy.gif

[hiker]

You probably need waviers. For eligibility go here (http://directvdnseligibility.decisionmark.com/app/AddressForm.aspx).

The other option is to get a H20 MPEG4 receiver and the AT9 dish.

[videojanitor]

Can someone quickly fill me in on what the heck is going on?


In a nutshell, DirecTV is offering HD locals to San Jose, but you cannot receive them with the HD TiVo. To view them requires a new MPEG-4 capable receiver (as well as new dish) -- and there is no MPEG-4 DVR available as of this writing.

It is highly unlikely that you would able to secure waivers from KTVU, KPIX, KGO, or KNTV in order to watch the MPEG-2 HD feeds from LA, since DirecTV is providing your locals in HD. You can't receive them with your current gear, but the fact that they ARE available will be enough reason for them to deny any waiver request.

[digitalmp]

Thanks guys...

[jordanz]

Put up an antenna and you should be able to get the locals in HD OTA. That's what I do in Monterey. I have a waiver for ABC and get the Los Angeles HD feed (we don't have ABC in Monterey).

[Bananfish]

I'm near Redwood City. DirecTV was able to obtain waivers for ABC and CBS when I asked, so D* activated the LA HD feeds for those two networks on my system. San Jose might be different than here, but it's close enough that you'd probably get the same waivers.

My understanding is that the local ABC and CBS affiliates are "O&O" stations, meaning that the network owns and operates them - that's why they're willing to give the waiver. These networks don't particularly care if you watch the local affiliate ... they're perfectly happy if you watch any of the affiliates on their network (and they know you're more likely to watch their network if they supply you an HD feed.)

On the other hand, the local NBC and Fox stations are independently owned .... those stations want you to watch their station, and not another network affiliate, so they won't give a waiver. Presumably advertisers would pay less in advertising (or not advertise at all) on these independent stations if they were allowing viewers to watch the LA feed instead of their own SD signal.

That's my understanding anyway. I'm sure I'll be corrected by one of the TV geniuses that hang out here if I've got it wrong.

[nowandthen]

Looks like very limited Local HD via satelite. I'm in the Rose Garden area and have an antenna in my attic. I get all the Bay Area HD channels with my HR10-250. FOX (2), KRON(4), CBS (5), ABC(7), KQED(9), NBC(11), WB(20), 36, UPN(44), KTEH (54). There may be more but those are the ones I know I get. Now if you have no place for an antenna I guess yor options are much more limited.

[miss_my_utv]

I'm near Redwood City. DirecTV was able to obtain waivers for ABC and CBS when I asked, so D* activated the LA HD feeds for those two networks on my system. San Jose might be different than here, but it's close enough that you'd probably get the same waivers.

My understanding is that the local ABC and CBS affiliates are "O&O" stations, meaning that the network owns and operates them - that's why they're willing to give the waiver. These networks don't particularly care if you watch the local affiliate ... they're perfectly happy if you watch any of the affiliates on their network (and they know you're more likely to watch their network if they supply you an HD feed.)

On the other hand, the local NBC and Fox stations are independently owned .... those stations want you to watch their station, and not another network affiliate, so they won't give a waiver. Presumably advertisers would pay less in advertising (or not advertise at all) on these independent stations if they were allowing viewers to watch the LA feed instead of their own SD signal.

That's my understanding anyway. I'm sure I'll be corrected by one of the TV geniuses that hang out here if I've got it wrong.

Mostly correct, but I believe NBC is also O&O. I got waivers for all but Fox last fall before the MPEG-4 locals started. I'm in Mt View.

But, I think what videojanitor referred to is that things may have changed once the HD locals starting broadcasting (in Nov or Dec?).

So the real question is "Has anyone had waivers for the San Jose area stations approved since the MPEG-4 broadcasts started?"

[videojanitor]

I'm near Redwood City. DirecTV was able to obtain waivers for ABC and CBS when I asked, so D* activated the LA HD feeds for those two networks on my system. San Jose might be different than here, but it's close enough that you'd probably get the same waivers.

My understanding is that the local ABC and CBS affiliates are "O&O" stations, meaning that the network owns and operates them - that's why they're willing to give the waiver.

Just curious as to when you got your waivers? I would guess it was not after DirecTV began offering the local HDs in MPEG-4.

I would expect that they might shut them off at some point. I'm in Sacramento, and I was able to get a waiver (last year) to watch KCBS-HD because our CBS affiliate (KOVR) is an O&O -- however, according to their Director of Engineering, as soon as DirecTV begins providing KOVR in HD (which could happen within the next month or so), all waivers to view KCBS-HD will be yanked.

Even though both stations are owned by CBS, it's in the company's best interest to keep local eyeballs on the local affiliate so they will see the local commercials.

[bigpuma]

Mostly correct, but I believe NBC is also O&O. I got waivers for all but Fox last fall before the MPEG-4 locals started. I'm in Mt View.


You are correct that NBC is also O&O in SF, but for those of us in the South Bay we get screwed by NBC in Salinas. For some stupid reason they deny all waivers so we can't get NBC from LA via Sat. I do get ABC via Sat, but that is it. Also I get all of the other channels, except NBC with a Silver Sensor antenna sitting outside on my chimney.

[pesos]

i'm in north berkeley and was able to get cbs, nbc, and abc waivers, but fox said no...

[miss_my_utv]

i'm in north berkeley and was able to get cbs, nbc, and abc waivers, but fox said no...

Before or after the Local HD broadcasts started?

Anyone get them after (or get denied)? That's the info that'd help the OP...

[Sakboy]

Hello,
I live in the Willow Glen area of San Jose, and I had HD installed last October.
The off air antenna they sent with the HD TIVO and new dish is terrible, it's the Winegard Sensar TV Antenna, what a waste of $50! From the minute the installer put it up it has not worked 95% of the time, I was getting ABC and CBS on and off. Now nothing. Can anyone reccomend an antenna, something not so big or bulky if it is on top of my roof or even in the attic would be ok. I would imagine it would have to be amplified as the towers are 45 to 50 miles away. Yes I do have quite a few tree's around.
Thank's for the help

[A J Ricaud]

Hello,
I live in the Willow Glen area of San Jose, and I had HD installed last October.
The off air antenna they sent with the HD TIVO and new dish is terrible, it's the Winegard Sensar TV Antenna, what a waste of $50! From the minute the installer put it up it has not worked 95% of the time, I was getting ABC and CBS on and off. Now nothing. Can anyone reccomend an antenna, something not so big or bulky if it is on top of my roof or even in the attic would be ok. I would imagine it would have to be amplified as the towers are 45 to 50 miles away. Yes I do have quite a few tree's around.
Thank's for the help

Your best bet is to go to antennaweb.org first and see what they recommend.