The changing digital converters

tech explorer

tech explorer

New Member
(chose this forum as digital converters use chips) Here's the deal. From time to time I lose
the signal on one of my channels which always comes back in within two days, but this didn't happen last week so I called the station.

Spoke with an engineer who said the signal was boosted last week so I explained that I lost my picture. He talked about autoscanning the converter which I explained I did and I asked him if the station occasionally boosted the signal to which he answered yes. Then he said they received phone calls from people with older digital converters who lost their pictures.

I recall the US government sending out those $50 coupons so people can still get free tv. So far it's been a good deal for me, but I find it odd that I've lost channels, not due to wear and tear, but rather stations boosting their signals to comply with the FCC. I'm left with the possibility of updating my converter (I'm awaiting further info from the station to guide me).

Edit: should mention I live about 20 miles from the stations and about 90 feet above ground.
 
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Could be. I'm weighing waiting a month to see if the signal improves (while doing autoscanning and antenna adjustments). If the picture isn't restored, then I may replace the converter (I'm hoping someone has further experience in the area - btw when I lost WABC, I restored it through an additional antenna with a splitter).
 
Here's a question. What kind of change could have happened with digital converters over the course of three years (when the government sent out the coupons) that would make them compatible with tv stations that keep boosting or changing their signals? The other question is what would keep them compatible for the foreseeable future?
 
The only way that I am aware of that might cause a DTV converter box to lose stations when transmitter power is increased is if the converter's front end stage becomes overloaded. That's pretty rare, as most DTV converters are pretty insensitive.

I live 4 miles in a straight line from a transmitter, and my signal level for that station goes no higher than 70%, even with rotating my RatShack outdoor antenna to aim directly at the transmitter, and an inline coaxial amplifier.

So far as I am aware, there are no upcoming changes to broadcast standards that would require a new converter box or software changes to in-set OTA tuners, except to eliminate even more RF channels below channel 51. Some present stations may have to go on subchannels (x.1, x.2) of other broadcasters rather than continue to have their own transmitting facilities.

When you lost WABC and were able to get it back by adding another antenna and adding a splitter, this tells me that perhaps something more than just a power increase was changed at the transmitter that affected the line-of-sight or reflected signal reaching your own antenna. A "power increase" could mean a different/new antenna with a higher ERP (Effective Radiated Power) rather than just increasing power levels to an existing transmitting antenna.
 
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To further explain, I didn't receive WABC for over a year. My autoscans on that channel briefly sensed something ("searching for a signal") before it would go into the no signal message. With WFMZ, it's immediately going into the no signal message meaning my converter isn't detecting a signal at all.

I don't know whether contacting the FCC would help. I strongly doubt that going beyond two antennas would help either. And stores like Walmart or Radio Shack I doubt can help either. So what to do next?
 
I accidentally fixed the problem. After disconnecting wiring to the digital converter and reconnecting and then autoscanning, the missing channel was restored which indicates the converter box is defective to a certain degree (will have further discussion that station's engineer next week).
 
I'd be surprised if raising the power is overloading the front-end.
The pattern has probably changed from the change in power.
Around here a change in antenna height can make a difference in whether you get it or not.
I have a TV antenna at 100' and I get a lot of stations but there is one that I can't get unless I switch over to the one I have at 50' but then I lose one that I get at 100'.

A change of 5' can make the difference on one of my locals even.
BTW, I get about 43 channels. :D
 
MyCattMaxx said:
I'd be surprised if raising the power is overloading the front-end.
The pattern has probably changed from the change in power.
Around here a change in antenna height can make a difference in whether you get it or not.
I have a TV antenna at 100' and I get a lot of stations but there is one that I can't get unless I switch over to the one I have at 50' but then I lose one that I get at 100'.

A change of 5' can make the difference on one of my locals even.
BTW, I get about 43 channels. :D
Click to expand...

Nice. Counting substations, I get about three dozen myself (not counting the few I deleted out). I'm wondering if 69 plans further signal boosts which is one of the reasons why I like to talk further with the engineer. This particular channel is devoted to serving the community and has recently added a third substation plus it has much programming of interest to me. Sometimes how close I am to the antenna makes a difference to the picture.

Can you get up to 98 substations per channel?
 
I don't see why not. I'm using a Hauppauge 1600 TV tuner card in my HP comp.
I also feed the satellite dish in through the s-video input.
If you want a cool TV guide online I use http://partners.titantv.com/
It keeps up with the current time also.

I do have a set top Magnavox but I don't use it much except out in the barn now.
 
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Update:

1) The engineer indicates the station is going full power on its new antenna this week.

2) He's sending me a digital converter, for free, which will have an updated chip in it. I will
let you know what happens.

Update: got the converter, but it didn't help. However, did an antenna realignment plus an autoscan which has restored the missing channel. The picture's okay, but a test on the signal seems to indicate the signal is weaker (btw I'm still using my original converter).
 
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