# Why is CW in Baltimore still SD?



## StringFellow (Jan 6, 2012)

Anyone know when CW broadcasting from Baltimore, MD will switch to HD on Dish? DTV and Comcast both broadcast CW Baltimore in HD and wondered when it will change with Dish?


----------



## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

Nothing special about Baltimore. Most markets on Dish do not have their CW in HD via Dish.


----------



## Redbullsnation (Apr 16, 2012)

No clue, m8, but you can get the feed for free using OTA so little to no big deal, there


----------



## StringFellow (Jan 6, 2012)

Redbullsnation said:


> No clue, m8, but you can get the feed for free using OTA so little to no big deal, there


Unfortunately I am still in the Baltimore broadcast area but too far to receive OTA. At least the SD reception from Dish is better than my local Comcast SD.


----------



## Ray [email protected] Network (Dec 28, 2010)

I will submit a program request form for CW in HD to our programming department for you. Thanks.



StringFellow said:


> Unfortunately I am still in the Baltimore broadcast area but too far to receive OTA. At least the SD reception from Dish is better than my local Comcast SD.


----------



## StringFellow (Jan 6, 2012)

Ray [email protected] Network said:


> I will submit a program request form for CW in HD to our programming department for you. Thanks.


Awesome, Thanks Ray!


----------



## scooper (Apr 22, 2002)

All you really need to do is wait for next year or so - That's when legislation kicks in that if any stations in a market are HD, then all in HD.

Talk about spectrum crunch !


----------



## Mark Martin (Nov 12, 2009)

To me this is one of the big differences in DirecTV and Dish. DTV put a heavy emphasis on carrying all the local HD stations in most markets. This has not been a major issue it seems to Dish. I wish Dish carried the CW HD channel in Birmingham.


----------



## CCarncross (Jul 19, 2005)

scooper said:


> All you really need to do is wait for next year or so - That's when legislation kicks in that if any stations in a market are HD, then all in HD.
> 
> Talk about spectrum crunch !


Are you referring to the carriage regs? What if a local station isnt transmitting in HD yet, do they have to switch to HD or lose their transmission license? Out local market CW is not in HD, not just on Direct or Dish, but there is no HD feed yet, its strictly a sub-channel to our local HD ABC channel.


----------



## scooper (Apr 22, 2002)

Perhaps that wasn't stated clearly enough (although I'm pretty sure you know exactly what I meant) - 

If any station in a DMA has HD on DBS, then all stations that have HD broadcasts should have HD on DBS available.


----------



## ronfelder (Jan 10, 2006)

"StringFellow" said:


> Awesome, Thanks Ray!


Can you do the same for the CW in Philly? Thanks


----------



## ccrowe3 (Jun 24, 2010)

ronfelder said:


> Can you do the same for the CW in Philly? Thanks


And Atlanta.


----------



## gargoyle8 (Mar 1, 2008)

scooper said:


> All you really need to do is wait for next year or so - That's when legislation kicks in that if any stations in a market are HD, then all in HD.
> 
> Talk about spectrum crunch !


This is great news but how is it possible? Here in Tallahassee, CW is available in HD on Comcast but only SD with Directv and Dish. It is an SD OTA subchannel (49.2) of Fox HD (49.1). Does what you are saying mean that the primary Fox HD channel will have to lower the bitrate to make room for a HD subchannel. I have heard of HD subchannels being done in other markets with not so good results as far as picture quality goes. At best, the picture quality would only be as good as Netflix 720p streaming from what I understand.

CW has come out with some good programs in the past few years. I thought I was the only person that was wondering why no HD love. SD OTA and SD Dish picture quality sucks so bad for this channel that I go to Youtube to watch.

PLEASE Ray, add me to that list in Tallahassee. thanks


----------



## david_jr (Dec 10, 2006)

ccrowe3 said:


> And Atlanta.


Add Albany, NY if you would.


----------



## dishrich (Apr 23, 2002)

gargoyle8 said:


> This is great news but how is it possible?


You misunderstood what scooper said - what it REALLY means is, if any stations are HD *over-the-air*, then DISH must carry those said HD stations in HD on satellite. There is NO law that states stations that offer direct HD feeds to cable co, MUST also be carried in HD on satellite.



> Here in Tallahassee, CW is available in HD on Comcast but only SD with Directv and Dish. It is an SD OTA subchannel (49.2) of Fox HD (49.1). Does what you are saying mean that the primary Fox HD channel will have to lower the bitrate to make room for a HD subchannel.


NOT necessarily; if DISH can get a direct HD feed from that (CW) station - just like Comcast does - then they could carry it in HD on DISH. There are some markets where DISH has done this very thing, mostly for the "big 4" nets where some might be broadcast OTA as (SD) subchannels as well.



> I have heard of HD subchannels being done in other markets with not so good results as far as picture quality goes. At best, the picture quality would only be as good as Netflix 720p streaming from what I understand.


Not always; you DO realize that both ABC & FOX, as well as cable nets like ESPN(s), natively broadcast in 720p as well. 720p IS still HD & can look as good as 1080i; it's all in how much compression is used.


----------



## kucharsk (Sep 20, 2006)

This is a good time to point out that all the superstations are still SD-only as well.


----------



## garys (Nov 4, 2005)

kucharsk said:


> This is a good time to point out that all the superstations are still SD-only as well.


The one's you get in the Superstation pack are, most are available in their respective markets are in HD.


----------



## runner861 (Mar 20, 2010)

garys said:


> The one's you get in the Superstation pack are, most are available in their respective markets are in HD.


Wasn't there a situation going on about a year ago where some stations in the Superstation pack were provided in HD to those subscribers who were within the HD spotbeam? It may have occurred by error, but I recall that it was occurring for a lot of subscribers. Is that still going on?


----------



## garys (Nov 4, 2005)

runner861 said:


> Wasn't there a situation going on about a year ago where some stations in the Superstation pack were provided in HD to those subscribers who were within the HD spotbeam? It may have occurred by error, but I recall that it was occurring for a lot of subscribers. Is that still going on?


WWOR-HD was on Conus for some reason. Not sure if this was ever corrected.


----------



## tampa8 (Mar 30, 2002)

WWOR HD is still available to some superstation subscribers. It is not nor was it on Conus for those subscribers. You have to be within the spotbeam coverage to get it and only on the real channel, not the mapdown.


----------



## shadough (Dec 31, 2006)

As far as CW B-more goes, just get a lil HD ANT and an OTA module for your receiver, assuming you've got a VIP series receiver. If youve got a 211 than you've already got the OTA tuner built in.

I'm down here in Northern Va and even *I* can pick up CW Baltimore in HD over the air. You could prolly get away w/ a lil table top antennae.


----------



## StringFellow (Jan 6, 2012)

I noticed in the past few days that the CW out of Baltimore is now being broadcasted in HD. Finally!


----------



## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

StringFellow said:


> I noticed in the past few days that the CW out of Baltimore is now being broadcasted in HD. Finally!


DISH turned it on Wednesday morning at midnight.


----------



## StringFellow (Jan 6, 2012)

James Long;3189248 said:


> DISH turned it on Wednesday morning at midnight.


Do my timers need to be recreated?


----------



## garys (Nov 4, 2005)

StringFellow said:


> Do my timers need to be recreated?


Assuming you have them set on the sd channel, then yes.


----------



## Rduce (May 16, 2008)

I cannot get the CW in HD OTA in my market, yet they offer it in HD to the local cable company. Being carried as a sub-channel they did finally bow to pressure and expand the 480i to a 16 to 9 format. But, as long as Sinclair owns the station I am not hopeful of ever seeing it in HD. I usually wait until the next morning and catch the show I want to see on HULU, and by passing most commercials as well.


----------



## Jim5506 (Jun 7, 2004)

With limited and precious transponder space, I don't look for Dish to provide HD locals that are not mandated, i.e, if they are on a sub channel or they are on a low power OTA channel, they may not show up in HD for some time.


----------



## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

Jim5506 said:


> With limited and precious transponder space, I don't look for Dish to provide HD locals that are not mandated, i.e, if they are on a sub channel or they are on a low power OTA channel, they may not show up in HD for some time.


There are a few low power OTAs that are carried by DISH in HD ... plus a few second HD signals that are carried (one OTA with two HDs both carried by DISH). If it makes sense for DISH or is negotiated by the channel (including owners with channels in other markets) channels can be carried.

But yes, I agree that non-mandated channels are not guaranteed carriage.


----------

