Re: [CGUYS] myEarthLink News Article - Reception problems linger after DTV transition

[phartz...@gmail.com]

On Wed, Jun 17, 2009 at 10:28 PM, t.piwowar wrote:

> I used to use the monopole antenna that came with the TV and did not even
> have to extend the antenna more than half way. I'm 6 stories off the ground
> and on the north side of my building, facing the location of the
> transmitters. Now I have a fairly expensive Terk VHF/UHF HDTV1 high-gain
> antenna. Almost every station pegs the meter on my converter box at 100.
> Except 9.

  I am out in Fauquier County VA and I am tending to receive channel 9
at a stronger signal level that is exhibited by channel 7 since they
both switched to VHF from UHF on June 12.  Go figure.

  Also, on a number of days since the switch I have been able to
receive a strong and quite usable signal from a number of Richmond VA
stations as well as Charlottesville VA and most Baltimore stations.  I
usually am able to obtain some degree of signal from these more remote
stations, but not always enough signal to to be able to lock in a
coherent image and sound.

  One thing about being out here in the boonies with OTA digital
television is the enjoyable lack of multipath interference caused by
passing aircraft and even by trucks, cars and buses.  Any somewhat
larger surface area made of metal, particularly one that is in motion,
can seriously degrade digital signals by reflecting some of that
signal, causing it to arrive at your antenna out of phase from the
signal your antenna is receiving directly from the transmitting
antenna.  Having your antenna mounted high can eliminate a lot of such
multi-path interference caused by ground based vehicular traffic, but
is of no help at all with aircraft, even with aircraft that are quite
some distance away.  Particularly in urban areas, this type of
interference presents some serious issues in terms of quality of
signal, and may turn out to be the achilles heel of digital OTA
television.

  Steve


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Re: [CGUYS] myEarthLink News Article - Reception problems linger after DTV transition

[t.piwowar]

On Jun 17, 2009, at 4:54 PM, John Duncan Yoyo wrote:
You also live close to the city.  Did you put up a new antenna or  
just reuse

an old one?


I used to use the monopole antenna that came with the TV and did not  
even have to extend the antenna more than half way. I'm 6 stories off  
the ground and on the north side of my building, facing the location  
of the transmitters. Now I have a fairly expensive Terk VHF/UHF HDTV1  
high-gain antenna. Almost every station pegs the meter on my  
converter box at 100. Except 9.



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Re: [CGUYS] myEarthLink News Article - Reception problems linger after DTV transition

[t.piwowar]

On Jun 17, 2009, at 7:25 PM, Art Clemons wrote:

You do have an antenna problem.  Either your antenna is not aimed to
pick up one of the stations or alternatively your antenna can't  
deliver

enough signal to produce a picture.


Not so simple. I have a Terk HDTVi VHF/UHF HDTV Indoor Antenna, which  
is a well-regarded high-gain antenna. Both channel 7 and 9 are  
broadcast from the same tower on Brandywine St. I get 7 just fine --  
the signal strength meter in my converter box is pegged at 100.  
Channel 9 reads between 0 and 15 on the meter -- not enough to  
produce a picture. I don't doubt that there is an antenna problem,  
but it is not my antenna, it is WUSA's antenna.



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Re: [CGUYS] myEarthLink News Article - Reception problems linger after DTV transition

[Art Clemons]

> Good story, but it did not help. I get 7 but not 9. If this were true and I 
> had an antenna problem I would get neither station.


You do have an antenna problem.  Either your antenna is not aimed to
pick up one of the stations or alternatively your antenna can't deliver
enough signal to produce a picture.

Unfortunately the US has gone back to the days of needing an antenna
that can be rotated.   Something similar to this happened before when
the US first implemented UHF channels as standard, the difference was
that it was obvious if you had a weak signal that something like aiming
the antenna or getting a better one would improve that situation.
Analog does have its advantages.

When broadcasters and the FCC did the calculations for signal strength,
they failed to leave in the normal fudge factor apparently.  Lots of
folks can no longer get reasonable OTA television even with outside
antennas.  In some locales a significant percentage of OTA TV no longer
has reliable reception.  Anything from clouds to rain also can disrupt
reception.

Before anyone asks OTA= "Over The Air".  If you knew, sorry!


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Re: [CGUYS] myEarthLink News Article - Reception problems linger after DTV transition

[John Duncan Yoyo]

On Wed, Jun 17, 2009 at 5:19 PM, Richard P.  wrote:

> It's interesting to note that at the end of each stations help page,
> you are to contact either "1-888-CALL-FCC" or
> http://www.dtvanswers.com"; if none of the answers help. The stations
> are making it quite clear that it's not their problem and probably
> won't do anything else to solve the problem.
>
> The stations may need the record of phone calls to the FCC to justify more
power or a frequency switch. The Kojo show on this Tuesday pretty much gave
the same call the FCC answer.

-- 
John Duncan Yoyo
---o)


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Re: [CGUYS] myEarthLink News Article - Reception problems linger after DTV transition

[Richard P.]

It's interesting to note that at the end of each stations help page,
you are to contact either "1-888-CALL-FCC" or
http://www.dtvanswers.com"; if none of the answers help. The stations
are making it quite clear that it's not their problem and probably
won't do anything else to solve the problem.

Richard P.


>
> Here are the helpful webpages from 7 and 9 on antenna choices.
>
> http://cfc.wjla.com/external.cfm?p=dtv_vhf
> http://www.wusa9.com/life/programming/dtv/default.aspx
>
> I guess I need to wire up an outside antenna to see if that helps.


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Re: [CGUYS] myEarthLink News Article - Reception problems linger after DTV transition

[John Duncan Yoyo]

On Wed, Jun 17, 2009 at 11:56 AM, t.piwowar  wrote:

> On Jun 17, 2009, at 8:34 AM, Richard P. wrote:
>
>> Here's a local article from The Washington Post about the DC area losing 2
>> stations:
>>
>
> Good story, but it did not help. I get 7 but not 9. If this were true and I
> had an antenna problem I would get neither station.
>

You also live close to the city.  Did you put up a new antenna or just reuse
an old one?  I was doing very well with an old wire bow tie antenna from the
junk box when they were on temporary UHF channels.  I wonder how many
stations are lobbying to get their temporary UHF frequencies back.   I just
pulled out an old low profile antenna that doesn't get enough signal for 7
or 9 unless I am in an absurd pose.

I'm  just outside the beltway.  According to antennaweb.org I'm only 10.7
miles away from the transmitter towers which must be close together with 26,
7 and 9 at the same vector and distance.  My converter box senses a signal
for both 7 & 9 but doesn't get enough to make a picture.  For some reason 26
doesn't consistently make it outside the beltway to Fairfax County either
but it didn't before the switch over either.

Here are the helpful webpages from 7 and 9 on antenna choices.

http://cfc.wjla.com/external.cfm?p=dtv_vhf
http://www.wusa9.com/life/programming/dtv/default.aspx

I guess I need to wire up an outside antenna to see if that helps.

-- 
John Duncan Yoyo
---o)


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Re: [CGUYS] Opera adds personal server

[Chris Dunford]

> I can't figure out if this is interesting or not. Assuming it's not a
> violation of my ISP's TOS (not at all clear), just what sort of files
> am I supposed to want to share with the world? Why would I want to use
> my own bandwidth to do it?

I think it's intended more for personal stuff, like sharing things with
friends & family or coworkers.


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Re: [CGUYS] Opera adds personal server

[Tony B]

I can't figure out if this is interesting or not. Assuming it's not a
violation of my ISP's TOS (not at all clear), just what sort of files
am I supposed to want to share with the world? Why would I want to use
my own bandwidth to do it?


On Wed, Jun 17, 2009 at 9:42 AM, Chris Dunford wrote:
> Opera Turns Your Computer Into a Server
> http://www.webpronews.com/topnews/2009/06/16/opera-turns-your-computer-into-
> a-server
>
> I'm going to wait for a security analysis first, though.


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Re: [CGUYS] myEarthLink News Article - Reception problems linger after DTV transition

[t.piwowar]

On Jun 17, 2009, at 8:34 AM, Richard P. wrote:
Here's a local article from The Washington Post about the DC area  
losing 2

stations:


Good story, but it did not help. I get 7 but not 9. If this were true  
and I had an antenna problem I would get neither station.



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Re: [CGUYS] OT: People driving badly [was: MSI Wind PC Review]

[Rev. Stewart Marshall]

I too am that way, but I also realize I tapped a guys bumper last 
fall because I bent down to get something at a stop light and my foot 
slipped off the brake.


We are all guilty at some time or another.

One of the ways though I do work on this is to get my adult children 
a hands free blue tooth device for their cars and encourage them to 
use it.  I get very upset with my wife when she is talking to the 
kids on their way home from work and I ask are they driving?  Then 
leave them alone


We have to take our end of responsibility and teach those that we 
can!!!  (Doing that with my youngest who just failed his drivers test 
for the second time.  Almost got run off the road yesterday with my 
wife in the car and he handled it better than he could have!!!  Takes 
maturity!)


Stewart


At 09:26 AM 6/17/2009, you wrote:

I see way too much of this, and, in my opinion, it should result in an
immediate license suspension. Adults complain about teenagers texting but
they have no problem with shaving, eating, talking on cell phones, or,
apparently, changing DVDs. Sometimes all at once. I don't mind so much if
they do this at a light, but it seems that I'm always the guy in the car
behind when they're doing something and don't look up until it's already
turned yellow, at which point they go slowly through the yellow and leave me
behind, fuming.


Rev. Stewart A. Marshall
mailto:popoz...@earthlink.net
Prince of Peace www.princeofpeaceozark.org
Ozark, AL  SL 82


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Re: [CGUYS] OT: People driving badly [was: MSI Wind PC Review]

[Chris Dunford]

> I was driving home yesterday and I was wondering 
> why this woman was fiddling with her netbook while 
> she was driving. 

I see way too much of this, and, in my opinion, it should result in an
immediate license suspension. Adults complain about teenagers texting but
they have no problem with shaving, eating, talking on cell phones, or,
apparently, changing DVDs. Sometimes all at once. I don't mind so much if
they do this at a light, but it seems that I'm always the guy in the car
behind when they're doing something and don't look up until it's already
turned yellow, at which point they go slowly through the yellow and leave me
behind, fuming.


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[CGUYS] Opera adds personal server

[Chris Dunford]

This looks sort of interesting:

Opera Turns Your Computer Into a Server
http://www.webpronews.com/topnews/2009/06/16/opera-turns-your-computer-into-
a-server

I'm going to wait for a security analysis first, though.


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Re: [CGUYS] MSI Wind PC Review

[Jeff Wright]

> Overall, I am quite pleased with the price and performance with this
> computer.
> This computer would be a very poor choice for Windows gaming or heavy
> graphical jobs but for "normal everyday" tasks it works great.

Sounds nice and you weren't torpedoed by unreasonably high expectations.  

I was driving home yesterday and I was wondering why this woman was fiddling
with her netbook while she was driving.  (!)  Turns out it was a portable,
clamshell DVD player; she swapped out the disc at the light, finally.  

It's funny how changes in technology can change our perceptions.


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Re: [CGUYS] myEarthLink News Article - Reception problems linger after DTV transition

[Richard P.]

Here's a local article from The Washington Post about the DC area losing 2
stations:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/16/AR2009061603381.html

Richard P.

*2 D.C. Stations Lost to Viewers in Digital TV Transition*

 By Kim Hart
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, June 17, 2009

 Five days after the national transition to all-digital television, WUSA,
the area's CBS affiliate (Channel 9), and WJLA, the ABC affiliate (Channel
7), have disappeared from screens around the region.

The stations were the only two in the Washington area to move their digital
signals from UHF to the VHF frequencies they once used for their analog
broadcasts. That has left thousands of viewers like Steve LaRochelle, of
Silver Spring, without access to "CSI" and "Oprah."

LaRochelle received the stations perfectly before the digital transition on
Friday, when all full-power stations permanently turned off their analog
signals.

But now, "they don't even register after a rescan," he said, although he is
able to receive Baltimore's ABC channel.

Bill Lord, vice president of news at WJLA in Arlington, said the station has
received more than 350 calls from viewers who are having reception problems
since Friday's transition. It is holding an online chat at noon today on
WJLA.com  to answer questions. WUSA could not be
reached for comment.

The sudden loss may be due to viewers trying to capture VHF signals with a
UHF antenna.

LaRochelle said he bought an antenna a couple of years ago after upgrading
to a digital TV, but he didn't realize it was a UHF antenna. "Nor did I
realize WJLA and WUSA were going to be switching back to a VHF signal," he
said.

To receive all the available digital stations, consumers should install an
antenna that can receive both UHF and VHF broadcasts. Indoor antennas should
have extendable poles, or "rabbit ears" for VHF reception and a loop for
UHF.

"Even then it requires some moving around from place to place in your house
to get the signal right," Lord said. "We've told people quite often that
they have to rescan their converter boxes two or three times to lock in the
station."

The Federal Communications Commission is looking into reports of lost
stations in several markets, including Chicago and Philadelphia. In some
cases, stations may have to increase power levels or add translators to
extend the signal to more viewers. About 20 percent of the calls to the
agency's DTV hotline were from viewers who had lost at least one station.

More than 480 stations across the country are now airing broadcasts on VHF
stations, FCC spokesman Mark Wigfield said, and 216 stations were operating
on those frequencies before the transition. WJLA, for example, was
broadcasting its analog signal on Channel 7 and its digital station on
Channel 39 before the transition. (Viewers should not have noticed the
change.) When it turned off its analog signal, it moved its digital signal
to the Channel 7 slot in the VHF band of frequencies.

As a result, some digital tuners and converter boxes are still trying to
pick up programs on the old digital station. Wigfield suggests trying a
"double rescan," which involves unplugging the antenna from the converter
box or TV, rescanning, turning off the box or TV, then turning it back on,
plugging the antenna back in and rescanning once more. The process should
clear the tuner's memory so it can locate the digital frequency.

But it may not clear up all reception issues for consumers. After performing
a "double rescan," LaRochelle said he was able to pick up Channels 7 and 9,
but only at weak signal strength.

In general, VHF signals travel further and more efficiently over hilly
terrain. UHF signals often travel better in cities because they are less
sensitive to interference, the FCC said.

Michael Young, an electrical engineer and George Mason University professor,
said the "double rescan" method will force TV sets to pick up every signal
within range. But he acknowledges the complexity of getting adequate
reception.

"This even confuses me, and I'm a radio expert," he said.



>
> It seems that many are experiencing teh same problems mentioned on this
> list.
>
> Stewart
>


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Re: [CGUYS] free online driver scan

[Jeff Wright]

> -Original Message-
> I looked endlessly last night to find one.  Every website I looked said
> I had to download software and, for it to fully work, I had to buy it.
> 
> I would really appreciate, someone pointing me in the right direction.

Why can't you just go to your computer's mfr site ands d/l the latest
drivers for your model?

Dell used to have a scanner that will ID your computer and offer the correct
drivers, but it won't scan and tell you what you need.  They have this for
their servers, and what a godsend that is on my semi-annual firmware update
day, but not for desktops IFAIK.

FWIW, www.driveragent.com will scan your computer and generate a driver
report for free, which you can then get from your mfr.  Getting the drivers
for you costs $$$.


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Re: [CGUYS] Spiteful Win7 Release

[Jeff Wright]

> Why wouldn't an EU computer vendor just put Firefox or other browser on
> the computers they sell? What's the problem? Am I missing something?
> 
> t.piwowar wrote:
> >
> > Looks more like M$ arrogance to me.

Jordan wins the prize for figuring out the really obvious and likely solution 
that eluded Tom.


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Re: [CGUYS] Can't connect to web except through an I.P. address.

[Jeff Wright]

> I had a call about this same thing too. The client's connection to
> the DNS were blown away. Once restored everything worked fine. The
> computer in question had not been used much of the week so it was
> easier to trace the problem back to a cause. That was M$'s Tuesday
> patches. The Tuesday patches also brought two unwanted computer
> invasions to this computer: "M$ Genuine Advantage" and "M$ Windows
> Live Messenger." WLM is now incessantly demanding attention and Add/
> Remove won't provide a means for it to be uninstalled.

WLM is *not* part of patch Tuesday.  It is an optional component on a
separate page that you must manually select in order to download and install
it.  WGA will, however, d/l by default.  You can deselect it as I have done
many times (but I eventually installed it).  

WLM was honor-system installed by your client.

Now, why either of these would cause DNS problems, that's a mystery.  I've
installed the most recent patches and I'm not having this issue.


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