# Local subchannels revisited



## jtudor (Feb 24, 2008)

I am starting to see local stations putting their subchannels to more use recently, for instance carrying college basketball games on either one channel and regular national network programming on the other. I noticed this recently while in Durham when my wife was having surgery at Duke and the local CBS station carried the ACC game on the main channel and the regular CBS programming on the subchannel. Since then I have also noticed the CBS affiliate in Charlotte doing the same thing.

My question is, now that this more mainstream kind of programming is being put on subchannels more often, what are the chances of *D* carrying subchannels on local stations anytime soon?

Are subchannels being carried by *D* in any markets? If so, how would one approach the matter of getting them carried here?

I have also noticed that more and more cable systems are carrying the subchannels too.


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## HoTat2 (Nov 16, 2005)

jtudor said:


> I am starting to see local stations putting their subchannels to more use recently, for instance carrying college basketball games on either one channel and regular national network programming on the other. I noticed this recently while in Durham when my wife was having surgery at Duke and the local CBS station carried the ACC game on the main channel and the regular CBS programming on the subchannel. Since then I have also noticed the CBS affiliate in Charlotte doing the same thing.
> 
> My question is, now that this more mainstream kind of programming is being put on subchannels more often, what are the chances of *D* carrying subchannels on local stations anytime soon?
> 
> ...


Very little if any chance DIRECTV will add any OTA secondary sub-channels to the satellite feeds save for any of the TV networks which some smaller markets use to carry them at times.

You're only alternative for receiving secondary sub-channels are with the addition of an AM21(N) OTA tuner module (except for the H/HR20 receivers where its built-in) if your lucky enough to have the sub-channels previously added to the downloadable off-air database for your market since DIRECTV is making few if any new additions to it nowadays.

Or you may add an AM21(N) with an HR34 or upcoming HR44 which will scan off-air for them, though without any guide data listed. But you will get them at least.


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## litzdog911 (Jun 23, 2004)

Without significantly more satellite capacity, I don't think it's very likely. 

One workaround is to use an off-air antenna to receive those stations. You can use the AM21 Off-Air Tuner Accessory with your DVR to record those, provided you can receive them with an antenna. And provided that they're actually included in the Guide Data database.


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## gov (Jan 11, 2013)

a work around for folks with OTA reception of these subs and no D* interest in helping, would be getting a Tivo.

I am installing one this afternoon (God willing) for some folks that really want to have DVR capability for the local, and an adjacent DMA's subchannels. 

I was aware for quite a while they wanted to do this, and I knew of the Channel Master product, but reviews have not been kind to that device. A rep at BB just mentioned in passing the current Tivos had OTA capability, which I had overlooked, thought they had been cable only for some reason.

I realize without OTA signal and an antenna, folks wanting this are not going to get it, but for folks wanting DVR on their subs, this is an alternative to look into.

If there is interest, I'll post on how well my install goes.


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## HoTat2 (Nov 16, 2005)

gov said:


> a work around for folks with OTA reception of these subs and no D* interest in helping, would be getting a Tivo.
> 
> I am installing one this afternoon (God willing) for some folks that really want to have DVR capability for the local, and an adjacent DMA's subchannels.
> 
> ...


Post back when you get it installed and tell me if the DIRECTV TIVO (THR22) list guide information for all the scanned OTA DTV sub-channels it finds. Or if its like the HR34 (and -44) does which only has continuous grid blocks simply titled "Regular Schedule" as guide info. for all sub-channels DIRECTV does not have listed in its satellite downloaded OTA database file.


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## jamieh1 (May 1, 2003)

My market Greenville NC has a couple of sub channels in the local package.

CW is a sub channel of our CBS station this channel is on ch 15

UNC EX is a sub channel of our PBS station this station is even listed as 25-2





But as mentioned above, my local NBC channel does the same thing, it will run NBC programming on its 7.2 subchannel when it has ACC basketball games.


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## jeffgbailey (Feb 29, 2008)

HoTat2 said:


> Post back when you get it installed and tell me if the DIRECTV TIVO (THR22) list guide information for all the scanned OTA DTV sub-channels it finds.


I read his post as getting a Tivo Tivo, not the D* bastardized version


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## jeffgbailey (Feb 29, 2008)

gov said:


> a work around for folks with OTA reception of these subs and no D* interest in helping, would be getting a Tivo.
> 
> I am installing one this afternoon (God willing) for some folks that really want to have DVR capability for the local, and an adjacent DMA's subchannels.
> 
> ...


The premiere version the OTA tuner SUCKS!. The 4 tuner Premiere is cable only. The 2 tuner models can do OTA
If you can find a Series 3 those have OTA tuners that are way better


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## gov (Jan 11, 2013)

Yeah, sorry for the confusion. I'm installing a Tivo Tivo. Don't have any D* THR22 units in any clients homes.

Sorry to hear about the wonky tuner on the Tivo, the location has good/consistent signal strength on the main DMA channels, the adjacent DMA not so good. I think I know how this is going to turn out. I'll post about it.

I recall the converter box era (boo, hiss) and some units were much better than others, too bad Tivo didn't put a strong tuner in the box.


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## HoTat2 (Nov 16, 2005)

jeffgbailey said:


> I read his post as getting a Tivo Tivo, not the D* bastardized version





gov said:


> Yeah, sorry for the confusion. I'm installing a Tivo Tivo. Don't have any D* THR22 units in any clients homes.
> 
> Sorry to hear about the wonky tuner on the Tivo, the location has good/consistent signal strength on the main DMA channels, the adjacent DMA not so good. I think I know how this is going to turn out. I'll post about it.
> 
> I recall the converter box era (boo, hiss) and some units were much better than others, too bad Tivo didn't put a strong tuner in the box.


OK, thanks anyway;

I'll post in the THR22 forum for an answer to this issue.


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## narrod (Jul 26, 2007)

HoTat2 said:


> if your lucky enough to have the sub-channels previously added to the downloadable off-air database for your market since DIRECTV is making few if any new additions to it nowadays.


That's my only complaint. I understand the capacity issues but how much effort would it require them to update the sub-channel database? I have the AM-21 with an HR-23 and nothing has been added in a long time. They seem to appear immediately for the tuner in my Viera plasma.


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## nmetro (Jul 11, 2006)

What would be nice if DirecTV would carry subchannels which are already national in scope and map them to local subchannels. Something that is currently done with ION (map down, not sub channels).

For example, ME-TV, full of old reruns, but its content is similar to what TVLand used to be. There are a few others. 

By the way, DirecTV can do more than network subchannels, in Denver, they transmit 12.2 which is has a logo of the "e i" channel. It mostly shows various newscasts from around the world. Channel 12 is of of the twp PBS affiliates in Denver.

As for local produced content sub channels, I do not see that happening, due to capacity issues. As for over the air, I am too far from the transmitters, and too many hills in the way, for that possibility.


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## HarleyD (Aug 31, 2006)

nmetro said:


> What would be nice if DirecTV would carry subchannels which are already national in scope and map them to local subchannels. Something that is currently done with ION (map down, not sub channels).
> 
> For example, ME-TV, full of old reruns, but its content is similar to what TVLand used to be. There are a few others.
> 
> ...


The problem is that MeTV, RTV, Antenna TV and Retro TV are all syndicated by market.

I don't think they're going to license DirecTV to carry their content as a CONUS channel because it's going to put them in direct competition with their syndication subscribers in the local markets. Those local syndicators sell advertising time at rates based on viewership. They wouldn't be happy with the competition.


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## Jon J (Apr 22, 2002)

HoTat2 said:


> Or you may add an AM21(N) with an HR34 or upcoming HR44 which will scan off-air for them, though without any guide data listed. But you will get them at least.


Sorry for the confusion but will the HR34/AM21 combo scan for channels or just the HR44?


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## HarleyD (Aug 31, 2006)

Jon J said:


> Sorry for the confusion but will the HR34/AM21 combo scan for channels or just the HR44?


HR34 will scan for channels. If any of the channels it sees are not in the guide database it just won't show program information in the guide.


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## HoTat2 (Nov 16, 2005)

narrod said:


> That's my only complaint. I understand the capacity issues but how much effort would it require them to update the sub-channel database? I have the AM-21 with an HR-23 and nothing has been added in a long time. They seem to appear immediately for the tuner in my Viera plasma.


Yea ...

For instance the latest frustrating example of the problems with this, there are going to be some mad people here when I have to explain to them when Fox's new off-air sub-channel "MOVIES!" gets ready to launch soon on my Fox O&O KTTV 11 on 11-3, chances are DIRECTV will not add it to the database, so their AM21s on HR2X receivers (sister and brother) cannot receive them.

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvspy/fo...twork-for-local-tv-digital-subchannels_b79010

I'll be able to see it on my HR34 after re-running the OTA setup to force a channel re-scan of course, but without any guide information.

Have to go on line for it, as I need to do with THIS TV on CW outlet KTLA 5 channel 5-3 which also has no guide data.


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## allenn (Nov 19, 2005)

HoTat2 said:


> Yea ...
> 
> For instance the latest frustrating example of the problems with this, there are going to be some mad people here when I have to explain to them when Fox's new off-air sub-channel "MOVIES!" gets ready to launch soon on my Fox O&O KTTV 11 on 11-3, chances are DIRECTV will not add it to the database, so their AM21s on HR2X receivers (sister and brother) cannot receive them.
> 
> ...


If your TV has a digital tuner, you can watch 11-3 via antenna.


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## Bluegrassman (Feb 18, 2009)

We frequently watch our local sub channels on cable to catch ball games not available on DTV. Being a Comcast HSI customer, it's worthwhile for us maintaining the most basic cable package for this as well as watching local weather when storms are bad enough to knock out our DTV signal.
The downside to this arrangement is having to go to tv menu to swap feeds, and no ability to DVR the content


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## gov (Jan 11, 2013)

After some schedule conflicts, the customers finally had me over to install their Tivo Tivo.

Setup was painless, and the channel scan picked up the main DMA no problem, but the adjacent one was hinky on a few, and no signal on the rest. I might, when weather settles, go adjust their OTA system a tad, but I'm not hopeful. They had an existing DVD recorder, with an OTA tuner, so I have some splitter loss I had hoped to avoid. Might be able to rearrange things and get my 3 dB back, but who knows if it would be enough.

They immediately loved the Tivo. (these people lead sheltered lives,m LOL). She especially seemed to grasp what the potential was. 

The Tivo guided me thru setup, and the data loading and phone calls went well. Picture on the HDMI out put was fine, and the remote programmed to the Sammy code just fine.

I had an HR10-250 years ago, the Tivo experience came right back for me, all the beeps and boops, all the screens looked familiar too.


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## HoTat2 (Nov 16, 2005)

allenn said:


> If your TV has a digital tuner, you can watch 11-3 via antenna.


Sure I can, but they (sister and brother) can't record or otherwise DVR it is the point.


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## mnassour (Apr 23, 2002)

HoTat2 said:


> Sure I can, but they (sister and brother) can't record or otherwise DVR it is the point.


How about, since it is only one or two channels, using an alternate guide and setting up manual recordings?


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## HoTat2 (Nov 16, 2005)

mnassour said:


> How about, since it is only one or two channels, using an alternate guide and setting up manual recordings?


A little background, all adults live here now, parents have long past away, so there's no family room for viewing TV any longer. Everyone watches TV in their bedrooms nowadays.

Brother and sister have an R22 and HR24 respectively with AM21s attached and cannot receive KTLA's 5-3 THIS TV and likely won't be able to receive the new "MOVIES!" sub-channel from Fox when it debuts on KTTV's (a Fox O&O) 11-3 given DIRECTV's current policy of no longer adding to the OTA database.

I have an HR34 in my bedroom, and in case you are thinking, yes I've asked if they'ed be interested in trading in their DVRs for RVU clients so they can have access my AM21 UI.

No sell, they want their own DVRs ....


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