# Atlanta OTA channel won't lock.



## William (Oct 28, 2006)

I can't get channel 21.1 (WPBA) to lock. When I tune it in I get 95% signal but the bar stays red and says "unlocked" and won't put into memory. I have no problem with any other OTA even with lower signal levels. I have never had a problem picking 21.1 up using a MyHD card either but the 622 just won't "lock".


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## Ken Green (Oct 6, 2005)

William,
Has it ever locked on the 622, and just won't now....or never has?
Is WPBA a network Aff/O&O, or an IND?


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## William (Oct 28, 2006)

Never has locked on the 622 (had about 2 months) and it is one of two PBS stations in ATL (the other not digital yet).


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## Ken Green (Oct 6, 2005)

When I got my first 622 (Feb '06) one of the local OTA DT's would not lock. Same as yours, high signal...no lock...red bar. I don't recall which it was. I called Dish (AHDTS) and told them of the issue, gave them the call letters and UHF frequency. 2 days later, it locked, and has worked ever since.

Several months later, when my second 622 was being installed, and my dish was upgraded to the 1000+, I asked the installer about it, when the second 622 locked on to all the locals, at the first attempt.

He told me there are literally hundreds of different OTA signals, and "most likely" the first 622 has some slightly incorrect information about the channel that would not lock. Once TS identified it, and corrected the information in the receiver, is when it locked.

I have no idea if what the installer told me is correct. What I do know is, 2 days after calling AHDTS, it worked, and has ever since.


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## TulsaOK (Feb 24, 2004)

William said:


> Never has locked on the 622 (had about 2 months) and it is one of two PBS stations in ATL (the other not digital yet).


I thought 30.1 was WPBA. I may be incorrect though.


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## Ken Green (Oct 6, 2005)

TulsaOK said:


> I thought 30.1 was WPBA. I may be incorrect though.


WPBA 30 (UHF 30) in Atlanta is the analog PBS. William is correct, 21.1 (UHF 21) is WPBA-DT, the digital PBS in Atlanta.

30.1 may show, or map down in some guides, if so, it is the UHF frequency 21, which is the WPBA digital. IIRC, there is no actual 30.1 in the Atlanta DMA.
William--that, in itself, may be the issue Dish needs to be made aware of


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## TulsaOK (Feb 24, 2004)

kdg454 said:


> WPBA 30 (UHF 30) in Atlanta is the analog PBS. William is correct, 21.1 (UHF 21) is WPBA-DT, the digital PBS in Atlanta.
> 
> 30.1 may show, or map down in some guides, if so, it is the UHF frequency 21, which is the WPBA digital. IIRC, there is no actual 30.1 in the Atlanta DMA.
> William--that, in itself, may be the issue Dish needs to be made aware of


I receive WPBA on 30.1, although not consistently.


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## William (Oct 28, 2006)

TulsaOK said:


> I receive WPBA on 30.1, although not consistently.


I will try tuning to 30.1 tonight but since it is physically at 21.1 I don't see how this would work. I just don't understand way it won't lock when the signal is strong enough.


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## William (Oct 28, 2006)

No dice on 30. Could it have something to do with E* offering WGTV (ch 8) which is the other and competing PBS station in Atlanta (oxymoron but we have competing PBS stations)? WGTV doesn't broadcast in digital yet so I need WPBA (ch 21) to map. Would or could E* have WPBA cut from off from locking to offer WGTV?


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## lakebum431 (Jun 30, 2005)

I can't get it to lock either. Very strange. I've never tried to pull it in before I saw your post. I honestly don't want to watch it, but there is no reason that it shouldn't pull it in as I'm getting over 85% but no lock.


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## William (Oct 28, 2006)

lakebum431 said:


> I can't get it to lock either. Very strange. I've never tried to pull it in before I saw your post. I honestly don't want to watch it, but there is no reason that it shouldn't pull it in as I'm getting over 85% but no lock.


They are supposed to transmit in 1080 starting in 07 and hopefully 5.1.


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## TulsaOK (Feb 24, 2004)

William said:


> No dice on 30. Could it have something to do with E* offering WGTV (ch 8) which is the other and competing PBS station in Atlanta (oxymoron but we have competing PBS stations)? WGTV doesn't broadcast in digital yet so I need WPBA (ch 21) to map. Would or could E* have WPBA cut from off from locking to offer WGTV?


What direction are you from the tower? Also, how far? My setting is 127 degrees and I'm 20 miles from the tower.


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## Ron Barry (Dec 10, 2002)

Has anyone contacted the station? Whenever I have seen this it usually is corrected at the station. There is some info in the stream that the 622 does not like.. Like the 811 and the 921, the 622 tends to be picky when it comes to what is being sent down through OTA. Avsforum is also a good source to see if other users are experiencing issues with OTA. 

There is another post that sounds similar and the station suggested putting a 3db attenuator because it is a high frequency channel. Something worth a try to see if you can achieve lock.


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## William (Oct 28, 2006)

TulsaOK said:


> What direction are you from the tower? Also, how far? My setting is 127 degrees and I'm 20 miles from the tower.


Not far because I live near I75 I285 (Vinings area) inside the perimeter and use an outside antenna. 
I also get mid 80's to over 95% signal. How did you get it to lock on your 622?


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## William (Oct 28, 2006)

Ron Barry said:


> Has anyone contacted the station?... Avsforum is also a good source to see if other users are experiencing issues with OTA...


I posted on the AVS forum under Local HDTV info in the Atlanta OTA thread .

Not sure what good contacting the station would do when it appears that the 622 is the only receiver having the locking problem.


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## Ron Barry (Dec 10, 2002)

Well in the past.. I have seen issues like this only to find that there was another receiver that had a similar issue though the majority of the receivers did not. I believe last time was a samsaung unit along with the 921, but I could be mistaking on the brands but I do know it has occurred in the past. 

That is why I mentioned avsforum and contacting the station. 

You might be on to something in the case of competing PBS stations. I am not sure if the mapping system in the 622 has the capability to handle mapping one Dish Guide station to two external OTA stations. That could be the cause... but like I said.. just because one receiver works and the other does not does not mean the problem lies in the receiver and it is always good to cover all bases.


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## TulsaOK (Feb 24, 2004)

William said:


> Not far because I live near I75 I285 (Vinings area) inside the perimeter and use an outside antenna.
> I also get mid 80's to over 95% signal. How did you get it to lock on your 622?


I have only viewed this channel OTA. As a matter of fact, I don't believe the 622 even found it during the local scan. Of course, it found all the Hispanic and religious channels.


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## William (Oct 28, 2006)

TulsaOK said:


> I have only viewed this channel OTA. As a matter of fact, I don't believe the 622 even found it during the local scan. Of course, it found all the Hispanic and religious channels.


That is the same problem I had and the 622 will not even see it on auto scan. I then tried to add it manually and it won't lock.

On a side note you screen name sort of contradicts your ATL location.


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## TulsaOK (Feb 24, 2004)

William said:


> That is the same problem I had and the 622 will not even see it on auto scan. I then tried to add it manually and it won't lock.
> 
> On a side note you screen name sort of contradicts your ATL location.


I can lock in on 21.1 using OTA but I get no video.


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## William (Oct 28, 2006)

TulsaOK said:


> I can lock in on 21.1 using OTA but I get no video.


So you get a green bar and it says locked? Of course it is no good without video. Can you hear the audio? I will try again tonight and see if it will lock for me.


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## lakebum431 (Jun 30, 2005)

My bar stays red the whole time.


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## William (Oct 28, 2006)

lakebum431 said:


> My bar stays red the whole time.


But does it lock and can you see it? I tried again tonight and the same thing no lock.


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## TulsaOK (Feb 24, 2004)

William said:


> So you get a green bar and it says locked? Of course it is no good without video. Can you hear the audio? I will try again tonight and see if it will lock for me.


I am receiving 30.1 through the 622. I manually added channel 21, got a green bar and it is showing up in the EPG as Digital Service right now. I don't know if that will change later or not.
Just FYI.


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## lakebum431 (Jun 30, 2005)

This is now working for me. If you do as stated above and add channel 21. It will show up as channel 30, but there is no guide data - only digital service (however the channel 30 through the satellite channel right beside it has the correct guide data for the OTA channel).


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## TulsaOK (Feb 24, 2004)

lakebum431 said:


> This is now working for me. If you do as stated above and add channel 21. It will show up as channel 30, but there is no guide data - only digital service (however the channel 30 through the satellite channel right beside it has the correct guide data for the OTA channel).


Exactly what I'm noticing.


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## William (Oct 28, 2006)

I'll try tonight.


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## William (Oct 28, 2006)

It mapped and is now working. No guide info though.


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