OTA Alert

[MasterFX1]

In order to comply with new FCC requirements both WRGB-DT and WMHT-DT will be making "Behind the scenes" changes to their datastreams early next week. However, your OTA STB may get confused once the changes are implemented.

The following statement, sent to Chief Engineers, explains the new requirements, prefaces the potential for STB "confusion" and offers some hints for fixing problems:


"Reminder: January 1, 2005 Effective Date for Implementation of Updated ATSC Standard

In 2002, a change to ATSC standard A/53 was adopted which prohibits the use of MPEG-2 Packet Identifiers (PID) in the range below 0x0030 effective January 1, 2005. As of that date using these values will be prohibited by the FCC rules (since compliance with A/53C is now required by the Rules) and broadcasters must not use PID values below 0x0030. Be advised that field experience with some receivers indicates that changes in PID values and/or program numbers can "confuse" some DTV sets, resulting in consumer calls. Don't forget to insure that all equipment (e.g., video encoders, multiplexers and PSIP generator) is using the same values for each component when you make the change. Broadcasters can make this change any time before January 1, 2005."

Some users may need to delete 6-1&6-2 and/or 17-1&17-3 and then add them back manually or do a rescan for all channels.

[Hootster413]

This is good info for those of us that only get HDTV via OTA. Maybe this could get posted to the chief engineer's Q & A section to get an answer as to if or when the OTA community will have to do do a channel re-scan with our STBs. I probubly would not notice a problem for a while because I receive WMHT most of the time but some days it doesn't come in at all during the day.

[econ]

Can you explain why this is good. What exactly are they changing and what will be the effects?

[SkiFast]

The change is being mandated by the FCC, therefore TV Broadcasters are required to make the change.

To answer the second part of ypur question; The prerceved benefit to the viewer is not obvious at this time.

GoTo www.psip.org for all the information one could possibly want concerning this portion of the DTV data stream. One obvious benefit is the ability of set top boxes to "tune" and retain local DTV signals for future use. The channel number is re-mapped to a virtual channel, i.e., 11-1 and 11-2. while the station is transmitting on UHF channel 48 as an examble. Active program guide is another feature which the FCC has mandated by 2/2005.

[MasterFX1]

Hootster- My understanding is that most STB's will be OK, but some may need to be fiddled with. I will post this original post in WRGB's and WMHT's section, as you wish, to better help minimize viewer frustration.

[MasterFX1]

The changes are complete.