[mythtv-users] Fox Chicago (WLFD) OTA HD - Nearly unwatchable

[Dewey Smolka]

On 3/21/07, matthew.garman at gmail.com <matthew.garman at gmail.com> wrote:
> Howdy!
>
> On Wed, Mar 21, 2007 at 10:28:43AM -0500, Michael Wisniewski wrote:
> > It's nice to see somebody else on here from Chicago.

Big shout out. North Side, Pulaksi and Irving Park here.

>
> Yup, I'm a Comcast subscriber (not particularly happy with them, but
> it's the only option in my building).  I do have just the basic
> cable too.

The story I got from Comcast last year after moving here (after a lot
of bitching at them about how their 'analog' package was not alanog at
all) was that they were migrating the whole network to digital. The
only channels still on analog bands where I am are the OTAs and public
access stations. Everything else on traditionally analog channels
(0-80something) is already digital, and unintelligible with my
PVR-250.

I was able to hassle them into giving me a Motorola DCT6200 free of
charge, since that box supports firewire and I demanded a way to
change the channels with an external machine. I never got it working
reliably, but the real point is that I can verify that OTA HD channels
are available without an HD subscription.

Firewire is an option for recording them (via a DCT 6000 series box)
but I was never able to get it to work reliably. But those OTA HD
stations should be on the cable already via unencrypted QAM. I haven't
got that working yet for a lack of slots, but an HD Homerun is
definitely on the horizon for me.

It seems to me that the long and short of it is that cable, beyond OTA
and public access, is not possible without a converter and IR blaster
(or firewire with a compatible box and a bit of luck). OTA HD, however
should be possible either OTA with an ATSC-capable card, or via cable
with a QAM capable card.

>
> BTW, I think there's a fair number of Chicago-area folks on this
> list---I've asked region specific questions before, and received a
> lot of responses.

Anyone feel like starting a Chicago MUG?