VTV on 23-2

[hypothraxer]

The other day I came across VTV on 23-2. The channel was blank until today. Now there is video, that skips, but no audio. I did some looking around & found 2 possibilities. 1st is Vancouver Television out of Canada. 2nd is a network called Varsity TV. Well I guess we'll just have to wait & see.

[Skaggs]

This has got to be WXXA Engineer Sarge testing out a sub-channel. I'll contact him to find out. I've posted a few screen shots below. Who is this guy? Note that the signal strength is 94%.

[MasterFX1]

That would be Mr. David Palmer of WXXA, Sarge's next in command. I get 23-2 on most of my receivers with a great signal (still no audio).

Here is a copy-paste from Mark McGuires (Times Union) blog from a post dated yesterday...

In the next several weeks Clear Channel Communications and its local WXXA Ch. 23 are expected to fire up VTV, a new digital channel (Ch. 23.2; Ch. 423 on Time Warner Cable).

National programming will be divided into branded blocks, from lifestyle to home and garden to classic TV reruns. In addition, Fox 23 News will air locally at select times.

More information to come. Look for all the individual local stations to make announcements on how they plan to utilize digital stations; the ideas may extend beyond the original vision of all-weather/sports/news.


BTW- Skaggs, how did you get 23.2 on your SONY DVR? I cannot tune-it in, 23.1 comes in great. Doing an auto-add antenna channels did not work. Deleting a channel doesn't really delete a channel, it just un-checks it in the +/- list. I have the same problem with 45.2, for some reason I get 45.1's stream on both 45.1 and 45.2. Is there a way you know of to completely clear out the scanned channels?

[Skaggs]

masterfx1 said:

BTW- Skaggs, how did you get 23.2 on your SONY DVR? I cannot tune-it in, 23.1 comes in great. Doing an auto-add antenna channels did not work. Deleting a channel doesn't really delete a channel, it just un-checks it in the +/- list. I have the same problem with 45.2, for some reason I get 45.1's stream on both 45.1 and 45.2. Is there a way you know of to completely clear out the scanned channels?

I entered 2 3 . 2 via my remote. The "." button is below the "7". Once the DVR/OTA box learned the channel, I was able to use the channel up/down buttons to go to the channel.

The same was true when I first found "The Tube" on 45.2. BTW, The Tube is a great channel for those of us in our 30's who grew up actually watching videos on MTV, not the reality shows and cartoons they show today.

[Skaggs]

Here's the image on 23.2 today (still no audio):

[Skaggs]

VTV = Variety TV

Variety TV (VTV) Overview
Variety TV or VTV is a new digital multicasting channel with 24/7 programming available to as many as 10 markets. Launching VTV is a step for Clear Channel in encouraging local content as stations will be encouraged to gradually replace national programming with local content. The reasoning behind VTV is to give local stations the time needed to build in-house capabilities to generate their own programming. Ideally, VTV national shows will be completely replaced within three years. Flagship affiliates of VTV include: Albany, Bakersfield, Fresno, Little Rock, Jacksonville, Memphis and Syracuse.

[Skaggs]

Clear Channel Launching Multicast Network
By Allison Romano -- Broadcasting & Cable, 10/12/2006 4:00PM

Clear Channel Television is launching a new multicast network in seven of its markets with a rotating wheel of entertainment fare, including movies, children's shows and how-to programs.

The channel, dubbed Variety TV, will air on Clear Channel stations' secondary digital channels and is expected to launch in two markets, Tulsa, Okla. and Fresno, Calif., and roll out soon after on Clear Channel-owned stations in Syracuse, N.Y., Albany, N.Y., Jacksonville, Little Rock, Ark. and Memphis, Tenn. Viewers will be able to access the channel on DTV-enabled televisions and, in some markets, through deals with the cable companies.Clear Channel is modeling the network off a multi-cast channel developed by its Salt Lake City station KTVX, called The Hive, which features locally-produced entertainment and sports fare, as well as a popular radio show filmed for TV.

While The Hive is well-received in its market, "we've learned it is very difficult for markets to create and establish the content necessary for a multicast channel all on their own," says Steve Spendlove, senior VP of Clear Channel's western region.

Over time, Spendlove says, Clear Channel hopes its stations will preempt Variety TV for more local fare. "The idea is to give them a platform to start," he says.

Variety TV will launch with blocks of shows including home and garden, how-to, cooking, family and automotive. Weekends will include movies and religious programs.

The network will be ad-supported and, at least to start, sales will be handled by the individual markets.

[Skaggs]

masterfx1 said:

Is there a way you know of to completely clear out the scanned channels?

You could reset the DVR by doing one of the following:
1. Unplug the device for more than a minute.
2. With power on, press the 'exit' and 'TV Guide' buttons simultaneously on the front face of the receiver (not the remote).

[MasterFX1]

Skaggs, entering 2 3 . 2 did not work, I got a "Now Tuning" followed by a "No Signal." Resetting the Box via the methods you described merely re-boots the unit, it does not reset any of the settings or clear out the list of known channels. Thanks for the thoughts, but I'm still trying to figure out how to wipe this thing back to its original shipping condition. Anyone, anyone? It's the SONY DHG-HDD500 that we all flocked to Tweeters to buy on fire sale last year.

[ebo]

MasterFX1:

This link tells how to do a factory reset, among other good tips:

www.remotecentral.com/cgi-bin/mboard/rc-sat/thread.cgi?2741

[ebo]

My LG LST-3410A DVR was easy to tune to 23-2. I just went to 23-1 and did a Channel Up. My MyHD MDP-130 needed a rescan of the RF channel (7).

However, the LG has no audio on 23-2. The MyHD does, so I know audio is there. I've seen the same thing on a couple of cable channels I didn't care about, such as one with a TWC remote control tutorial loop. 23-1 audio is OK on both. Anyone else have this problem, or know the reason? Using analog L-R audio in both cases (my amp is pre-digital).

[MasterFX1]

Thanks Skaggs and Ebo,

A factory reset in the hidden service menu cleared everything, a new scan got me 23.2 and 45.2 just fine. I also noticed after the scan that 6.3 is not currently broadcasting (double checked on my other 2 receivers).

FYI, as reported by others, I have no audio on 23.2 on all 3 of my ATSC receivers.

[Skaggs]

Sarge is the Chief Engineer at WXXA.

-----Original Message-----
From: CATHRALL, SARGE [mailto:[e-mail]]
Sent: Friday, January 19, 2007 3:12 PM
To: [e-mail]
Subject: RE: 23-2 VTV

VTV is a 24/7 channel provided by our corporate folks in Tulsa. We will be inserting commercials and other local programs into the schedule. The programming consists of a lot of "how to" programs and some paid programs. I have the network on 23.2 with no audio at this point....still working on the local install.

[Skaggs]

Audio has been up on this channel for a few days now.

[johnc]

No video on my set this weekend, but the audio is great!

Called the station Sunday afternoon and the news guy on duty didn't think it was their station...