Broadcast TV

We use one of those "pizza dishes" you can get at places like Radio Shack. We have it in the attic with coaxial cable run to several TVs. Some TVs we have the converter box (because we haven't yet replaced some TVs that still work perfectly well). Our living room TV is HD so no converter box necessary. Regarding channels, we get the major networks (except CBS is not as reliable for some reason) as well as the public broadcasting channels and the weather channel out of PR. All channels' reception comes on very good so no complaints. Of course, after the Today show, most of the network channels are in spanish throughout the day which....doesn't really bother us as we're doing other things during the day.....and books are a more interesting/enjoyable diversion. We did keep the gigantic 'old fashioned' antenae (that looks more like a ham radio antenae appartus) that the previous owner had hanging from a rafter inside the living room (the kind that's really supposed to be at the top of a tower or attached to your roof) and to get reception they would just reach up and turn it - esthectically it looked very bad but it was very functional. Sometimes.....on a particular bad day for CBS reception (no real rhyme or reason that we can deduce) when we want to watch Survivor or CSI....we will pull out the old antenae, sit it on the table outside on the porch and we will get crystal clear CBS.

I should probably mention that we are located on the southwestern-most tip of Water Island.

We have set top rabbit ears and get CBS, NBC, and PBS. We have a digital TV, but got a converter box because we still use our VCR. Our signal is usually fine and we're on Peterborg.

Are any of these stations broadcasting in HD, or just Digital? I think we are more limited in STX because we are too far from PR, but someone may have other info which I'd definitely be interested in.

Sean

Most if not all are broadcasting in HD with the exception maybe of ABC.

Thanks, anyone have a report of receiving any HD over the air in STX?

I love Dish but the locals are not in HD...the box can recieve them OTA (and DVR them) but I don't have a good antenna.

Sean

OK
Finally had time to gather some info with an off air antenna. Does not appear that any of the networks are broadcasting in digital but they can be very clear and watchable. If they are being broadcast in digital my Sony does not recognize them as such. Definitely not HD

FL Can you verify this statement please? "Most if not all are broadcasting in HD with the exception maybe of ABC" Are these coming from PR or the VI?

North Shore STX
Using an inexpensive antenna with pre amp. Powering off the pre amp eliminates signal from many channels. I would guess a larger YAGI antenna could do better.

Getting the following channels.
2 Telemundo from PR
4 WAPA PR
6 TUTV PR
8 ABC STX analog (showing an infomercial while NY news or Regis/Kelly would be on through Dish)
9 Univision PR
12 WTJX PBS STX
12.1 PBS STX Looks HD but maybe just strong digital.
12.2 PBS STX digital
12.3 PBS STX digital
12.4 PBS STX digital
14 NBC STT analog
17 CBS STT analog
22 Religion
34 3ABN religion analog
39 ??? pretty snowy pic but with the right antenna ????
40.1 Stv great digital pic but audio fades in and out.

When I hooked up the OTA antenna through my Dishnetwork 722DVR it only recognizes the digital channels. The digital channels show up in the guide and you can use the DVR as well. Pause, record, shedule etc.....

It would appear that many people in the VI can get free networks, local PBS, and several PR channels depending on location and antenna.
Makes a nice addition to a Dish system:-)
Or stand alone for those with minimal TV channel requirements.

Observation:
Local networks show tons of infommercials in place of other content.

Is the June 12th FCC deadline for all channels to be digital applicable to the Virgin Islands. With digital all pictures should be perfect as they are no longer using over the air signal, either you recieve the channel prefect or don't recieve it at all.

SkystheLimit, yeah, that list looks like what we're getting.....the spousal unit has edited the channels that actually come up on our channel surf but I remember most/all of those channels/stations that you listed while watching the husband "click off" the channels he really wasn't interested in coming up on the "surf"......I don't really have a preference so no complaints really about husband having "control"....though, it does kinda stick in my craw that the husband does have ultimate say-so over what I'm able to see/not see.....but....that's a "thing" that most married people go thru and falls into the category of 'pick your battles'. Regarding HD,.....we have a Sony HD TV and we also have a converter box. I'm not techno savvy enough to say whether those are actually digital/HD channels or if they're coming in analog. If picture quality is any indication, some are coming in analog and some are digital. The husband has edited out the channels that are not clear.

I'm no techno whiz, but I think it depends an awful lot not only on where you are located on the islands but also your elevation or maybe line of sight clearance?

Whether the Vi will meet the FCC deadline remains to be seen. I wouldn't be surprised if they invoke island time. It's a small market so I imagine the FCC wouldn't get around to assessing any penalties for a long time.

I have found a nice little antenna. it is inexpensive, small and liteweight. I picked up 17 stations from the East End of St. John. In Cruz bay I picked the St. Croix stations I did not receive on the East End. On the North shore of St. john, I lost a lot of stations, but still got a 4 WJTX feeds. WAPA from Puerto Rico is very strong. Their 4.2 feed appears to be a 24hr. weather station, wi. local radar.

Here it the link to the antenna. I have begun to stock them and add them into Dishnetwork setups.

http://www.eagleaspen.com/products/products_1.php?id=49

While I was researching antennas, I found Antenna Web. Go there , Click select antenna, in the advanced menu, put in your Lat/Lon, and you will get a list of available stations, with compass coordinates for antenna pointing from your location.

http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/welcome.aspx

Sloop Jones

Just posting to add that low-power stations and translators (such as WVGN-LP 14) are NOT required to turn off their analog signal on June 12th. They may continue to operate in analog for the foreseeable future.