# I hate my locals



## BarkingGhost (Dec 29, 2007)

Sure, they broadcast in 1280x720P or 1920x1080i, but some of them are just abusive in terms of demonstrating how much of an affiliate they are, and still others are idiots by example in their broadcast engineering operations.

Case in point ... PBS Channel 8 continues to show analog rebroadcasts through their ATSC transmission. When I launched a complaint campaign they took 16:9 ATSC broadcast of shows and chopped off the sides to fit a 4:3 format.

Yet, this station is part of the same state run public broadcasting system here in Georgia. Then there is the local Channel 2 as a so-called ABC affiliate, but have of the prime-time slots are broadcasted over for lame local issue shows an thus defiliating from ABC.

It was unfortunate that I lost my DNS feeds upon upgrading to the MPEG-4 platform and the notion of HD locals.


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## scooper (Apr 22, 2002)

I'm sorry to hear that, but your only real solution is to move to another local's area.


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## jacksonm30354 (Mar 29, 2007)

BarkingGhost said:


> Sure, they broadcast in 1280x720P or 1920x1080i, but some of them are just abusive in terms of demonstrating how much of an affiliate they are, and still others are idiots by example in their broadcast engineering operations.
> 
> Case in point ... PBS Channel 8 continues to show analog rebroadcasts through their ATSC transmission. When I launched a complaint campaign they took 16:9 ATSC broadcast of shows and chopped off the sides to fit a 4:3 format.
> 
> ...


How does GPB show analog broadcasts when they broadcast digitally? It's not possible.  I dont think you stated the issue correctly. Can you be more clear as to what the complaint/issue is with them? In the Atlanta market you also have an alternate PBS - WPBA 30 that shows some of the same programming as GPB. And what you see on WGTV is exactly what you see on the other 8 GPB stations across the state.

WSB Channel 2 RARELY overrides network primetime programming. usually when they do, it's during a shows repeat. They almost always broadcast anything pre-empted in the early morning. So it you have a DVR, you won't miss anything. Usually if they pre-empt it's for a Monica's Closeups or some locally relavant program.

WGCL 46 CBS has been doing alot of pre-emptions lately as well, but they too rebroadcast anything prempted during the night or on the weekend.

I can guarantee you that you would much prefer the Atlanta locals to any of the other locals in Georgia from Augusta, Savannah, Macon, Columbus, or Albany!


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## brant (Jul 6, 2008)

do any of you get the same problem on GPB Knowledge channel, where they have a 4:3 picture cropped inside of a 16:9 aspect ratio inside of a 4:3 aspect ratio?

Sound odd? Its hard to explain clearly too. Basically, you get a tiny square picture in the center of the screen that fills maybe 20% of the display.


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## jacksonm30354 (Mar 29, 2007)

brant said:


> do any of you get the same problem on GPB Knowledge channel, where they have a 4:3 picture cropped inside of a 16:9 aspect ratio inside of a 4:3 aspect ratio?
> 
> Sound odd? Its hard to explain clearly too. Basically, you get a tiny square picture in the center of the screen that fills maybe 20% of the display.


Have you tried hitting the format button on the Directv remote?


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## jimisham (Jun 24, 2003)

brant said:


> do any of you get the same problem on GPB Knowledge channel, where they have a 4:3 picture cropped inside of a 16:9 aspect ratio inside of a 4:3 aspect ratio?
> 
> Sound odd? Its hard to explain clearly too. Basically, you get a tiny square picture in the center of the screen that fills maybe 20% of the display.


Although it fills more than 20% of the screen, I've seen this recently on our PBS station during their pledge drive.
It's there during network broadcasts, but when they go to local live broadcast it's a normal picture with just the side bars.
I haven't tried the Format button. I'll try that tonight.


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## brant (Jul 6, 2008)

while i'm a dish user, not directv, i have used the format button. 


it still doesn't fill the screen though. i don't quite have the technical vocabulary to accurately describe what it looks like. 

its not on every program. when they show widescreen programs, its just 16:9 inside the 4:3 and you can make it fill the screen properly. 

but on some shows, its just a tiny square in the center of the TV that cannot be brought up to full size 4:3. 

Its 4:3 inside of a 16:9 AR, inside a 4:3 AR, inside a 16:9 AR. Does that come close to making any sense?


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## jimisham (Jun 24, 2003)

I tried the format button last night and it made no difference. What it looks like is when the local PBS station is running local SD programming, I have what looks the normal 4:3 format with black bars on both sides.
When they go to the network for a SD program I see the black bars at both sides and lighter bars (a dark gray) at the top and bottom.
HD is fine.
This does not happen on any of the other local stations.


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## BarkingGhost (Dec 29, 2007)

jacksonm30354 said:


> How does GPB show analog broadcasts when they broadcast digitally? It's not possible.  I dont think you stated the issue correctly. Can you be more clear as to what the complaint/issue is with them? In the Atlanta market you also have an alternate PBS - WPBA 30 that shows some of the same programming as GPB. And what you see on WGTV is exactly what you see on the other 8 GPB stations across the state.
> 
> WSB Channel 2 RARELY overrides network primetime programming. usually when they do, it's during a shows repeat. They almost always broadcast anything pre-empted in the early morning. So it you have a DVR, you won't miss anything. Usually if they pre-empt it's for a Monica's Closeups or some locally relavant program.
> 
> ...


I agree I may not be describing the issue via the most effective method out there. 

Imagine you are recording the show OTA NTSC. You get softening of the image, ghosting, etc. Anyway, you have recorded this show in the manner I just described. Now imagine taking that analog record and rebroadcasting it on the DTV carrier. This was the original condition before i complained to them.

Once I complained, I started seeing the clean digital form being delivered over the ATSC broadcast, but in this case Channel 8 chopped off the sides. TOH was taping the new shows in 16:9 digital format. Channel 8 was taking that and chopping off the sides to fit a 4:3 carrier format (4:3 is supported by ATSC).

On the other hand, Georgia PBS Channel 30 would show digitally rebroadcast analog in the morning, and then that evening would show the digital version. They have since stopped this and simply gone digital complete from source to broadcast.


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