Tampa WTSP (CBS) Goes DRM

[DennisFL]

Yesterday, CBS joined NBC and ABC in encrypting ATSC 3.0 signals.

Only FOX remains unencrypted now in the Tampa Bay area.

I have never been able to receive ATSC 1.0 signals from Tampa so this is a real bummer because the 3.0 signals have been coming in great.

I have two antennas (and two HDHomeRUNS) in the attic and one is pointed at the closer Ft Myers ATSC 1.0 antennas so I'm still getting the major networks.

[jasonl]

Curious, what kind of antenna do you have pointed at Tampa?

[DennisFL]

My antenna for the ATSC 3.0 Tampa stations is a GE 29884 traditional and it works great in the attic even though I'm 60 plus miles away.

For my closer ATSC 1.0 I originally had a Antennas Direct ClearStream but switched to a cheap Walmart RCA Suburban Mini Yagi which works a tad better.

[DennisFL]

I am using Channels DVR for the major networks and have two antennas. One points south (HDHomeRun Duo) and one points north (Flex 4) as I am between Tampa and Ft Myers broadcasters. Not too long ago, I had all the major networks in ATSC 3.0 and the minor networks (Me TV, PBS, etc) in 1.0.

As one by one the Tampa ATSC 3.0 go the DRM route, I get the 3 of 4 major networks from Ft Myers and I am running out of tuners to the south and have too many to the north. I was thinking of pointing both antennas south and possibly still picking up the one remaining ATSC 3.0 to the north. I also can pick up one ATSC 1.0 ABC station to the north and it uses one of the 2 Flex 1.0 tuners.

Strangely the broadcasters from the hard to get Tampa consider me in their coverage map and local news and weather are for our viewing area. The much closer Ft Myers is easy to get with an attic antenna but the local stations don't have us as in their viewing area.

So when ATSC 3.0 stations came in loud and clear, that was great but short lived. We still have cable and still can get Tampa that way but we don't have a cable based DVR.

[jasonl]

GE 29884

Decent UHF antenna, basically rabbit ears for VHF, so that would explain reception problems on Tampa NBC, CW, CBS, Fox, and PBS, which are all on VHF. Have you ever tried with the antennas reversed, the RCA pointing towards Tampa and the GE pointing towards Ft. Myers? Everything in Ft. Myers is UHF so the GE will be fine for it, and the extra VHF elements on the RCA might be enough to improve things.

[danwilly]

hello jasonl
I know this maybe breaking the rules of forums work but I need to ask for your help. I am having an issue with my dvr service and I saw a post you made a while back that suggests you have the knowledge to help me. dansoldhardware@gmail.com please contact me at your earliest convenience. thank you

[jasonl]

hello jasonl
I know this maybe breaking the rules of forums work but I need to ask for your help. I am having an issue with my dvr service and I saw a post you made a while back that suggests you have the knowledge to help me. dansoldhardware@gmail.com please contact me at your earliest convenience. thank you

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[DennisFL]

GE 29884

Decent UHF antenna, basically rabbit ears for VHF, so that would explain reception problems on Tampa NBC, CW, CBS, Fox, and PBS, which are all on VHF. Have you ever tried with the antennas reversed, the RCA pointing towards Tampa and the GE pointing towards Ft. Myers? Everything in Ft. Myers is UHF so the GE will be fine for it, and the extra VHF elements on the RCA might be enough to improve things.

Yes...I am aware of the VHF issue, and I bought the RCA originally for the Tampa stations and it was better but no cigar. I bought the GE specifically for Nextgen stations. A few years ago, I temporarily lived nearby and the previous owner had a huge outdoor antenna and I could pick up Tampa but had problems at night.

Nextgen comes in beautiful...never an issue with reception. But, one-by-one they scrambled - leaving only FOX. Also a head scratcher is the one VHF station in the closer Ft. Myers comes in better on the GE antenna pointing in a different direction.

We have a cell phone tower in line of sight with Tampa and I always suspected it was an issue with reception. I believe I have a cell phone filter in my amplifier.

[inline_phil]

I've been using a Channel Master EXTREMEtenna 80 from Brooksville ever since 4k OTA began testing in Tampa. Reception is - or was - perfect until DRM invaded.

This DRM debacle reminds me much of the VHS / Beta format war back in the VCR era of the 1980s.

Many lessons to be learned from history.

"The nice thing about standards is that you have so many to choose from; furthermore, if you do not like any of them, you can just wait for next year's model."
Andrew S. Tanenbaum, "Computer Networks", 1st ed, 1981, page 168