Local HDTV channels on Oahu

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

"One_Haole" <zytbalvinp001@hawaii.rr.com> wrote in message
news:xiqRe.7665$UE2.1360@tornado.socal.rr.com...
> With no information anywhere in one place about this I'll tell what I
> think I know here and hope somone responds to contradict or add anything.
> The special feature article in the Advertiser last year was worthless for
> any real information. It sounded like it was written by Oceanic Cable to
> purposely hide information. About a year ago I verified that neither
> DirectTV nor Dish broadcasts hdtv here because they can't get the
> satellite. Even if they did now they may not do local stations. Oceanic
> Cable only broadcasts KITV (ABC) in high def, as well as some non-local
> channels. With my indoor antenna I could only pick up KGMB (CBS) from
> here in Waipio. But KGMB only broadcasts live sports, mostly on weekends,
> in high def so Oceanic doesn't carry it. That's all I'd watch anyway,
> well maybe Letterman.
>
> Against association rules I finally put up a ChannelMaster antenna on my
> 2nd story roof. (While up there I saw that it can only be seen by 3 of my
> neighbors upstairs bedroom windows.) I can turn the antenna from the
> ground to face the Koolau and the Waianae transmitters. My Samsung T451
> now picks up the following:
> 4 KITV (ABC),
> 5 KFVE (WB),
> 8 KHON (FOX),
> 9 KGMB (CBS),
> 14 KWHE (?),
> 26 KAAH (TBN),
> 33 KBFD (IND),
> 35 KHNL (NBC),
> plus 20 KIKU (IND), which I only get sometimes and also a couple religious
> stations. These are all digital broadcasts that may or may not do high
> def. I hope someone responds so we can compare notes about that. For
> example, one station is in 16:9 but doesn't look like high def. Hope to
> see a response.


Here's a long thread from AVS on the subject, which I haven't checked out
lately.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=329826&...

I may move there in a few years, I've been wondering about the reception
there, too.

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

"One_Haole" <zytbalvinp001@hawaii.rr.com> wrote
>About a year ago I verified that neither DirectTV nor Dish broadcasts hdtv
>here because they can't get the satellite.

From the current Directv website:
"Hawaii residents with HD equipment can enjoy high-definition programming
from DIRECTV."

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

BTW, here within the 48 NO ONE can tell you that you cant put up an antenna
in order to pick up TV reception. There may be an issue if your renting but
if you own and the laws are the same there as they are here tell your
association to check with the federal government.

At least thats the way it was when I put my antenna up and some neighbors
started bitching. I sent them to a link that had the federal law attached to
it.

>>
>> Against association rules

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

On Wed, 31 Aug 2005 21:57:46 -0400, "David" <davey@home.net> wrote:

>"One_Haole" <zytbalvinp001@hawaii.rr.com> wrote
>>About a year ago I verified that neither DirectTV nor Dish broadcasts hdtv
>>here because they can't get the satellite.
>
>From the current Directv website:
>"Hawaii residents with HD equipment can enjoy high-definition programming
>from DIRECTV."
>
>
Ive got to check that out. When I checked a few years ago there was
nothing not even DirectTV. Somebody said something about a new
satellite someday in the works. Maybe they actually put one up.

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

On Wed, 31 Aug 2005 22:37:17 GMT, "One_Haole"
<zytbalvinp001@hawaii.rr.com> wrote:

>With no information anywhere in one place about this I'll tell what I think
>I know here and hope somone responds to contradict or add anything. The
>special feature article in the Advertiser last year was worthless for any
>real information. It sounded like it was written by Oceanic Cable to
>purposely hide information. About a year ago I verified that neither
>DirectTV nor Dish broadcasts hdtv here because they can't get the satellite.
>Even if they did now they may not do local stations. Oceanic Cable only
>broadcasts KITV (ABC) in high def, as well as some non-local channels. With
>my indoor antenna I could only pick up KGMB (CBS) from here in Waipio. But
>KGMB only broadcasts live sports, mostly on weekends, in high def so Oceanic
>doesn't carry it. That's all I'd watch anyway, well maybe Letterman.

Yeah its SADDDDDD.
I keep reading how content is lagging in HDTV which is holding it back
but in Hawaii its like non-existent. I checked a while ago and I
didnt think anyone had over the air HDTV. I checked out the Oceanic
preview but they only had one free network channel with intermittent
HDTV content. If you have a HDTV box and pay something like 9 bucks
or something a month they add on some specialty HDTV channels -- some
intermittent general interest throwaway shows - travel, cooking, news
etc on it with very little new content. Its the same stuff over and
over again. They have one lame movie channel that has a few old movies
on it. These are really filler channels and two Discovery HDTV
channels I think that have a lot of repeats but at least theres some
eye candy for HDTV viewers on it.

I was actually hoping for PBS in HDTV like they are implementing all
over the mainland but the one in hawaii, they defintely dont have it
and I havent seen any plans whatsoever of implementing it. In fact I
even wrote several emails and never got a reply.

I think the even on the mainland they were whining about how much it
costs and how they couldnt get their money back for it so in Hawaii
with a smaller mkt I dont think anyone is enthusiastic about
implementing it until forced to do so. Maybe when regular broadcastign
equipment disappears or becomes super cheap and they HAVE to buy HDTV
equipment because thats the standard 10 years from now.

If DirectTV could offer it to Hawaii for the same price then that
would be a way for them to steal mkt share from oceanic.

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

John@Smith.com <xxxxspud@newscene.com> wrote:
> On Wed, 31 Aug 2005 22:37:17 GMT, "One_Haole"
> <zytbalvinp001@hawaii.rr.com> wrote:

> >With no information anywhere in one place about this I'll tell what I think
> >I know here and hope somone responds to contradict or add anything. The
> >special feature article in the Advertiser last year was worthless for any
> >real information. It sounded like it was written by Oceanic Cable to
> >purposely hide information. About a year ago I verified that neither
> >DirectTV nor Dish broadcasts hdtv here because they can't get the satellite.
> >Even if they did now they may not do local stations. Oceanic Cable only
> >broadcasts KITV (ABC) in high def, as well as some non-local channels. With
> >my indoor antenna I could only pick up KGMB (CBS) from here in Waipio. But
> >KGMB only broadcasts live sports, mostly on weekends, in high def so Oceanic
> >doesn't carry it. That's all I'd watch anyway, well maybe Letterman.

> Yeah its SADDDDDD.
> I keep reading how content is lagging in HDTV which is holding it back
> but in Hawaii its like non-existent. I checked a while ago and I
> didnt think anyone had over the air HDTV. I checked out the Oceanic
> preview but they only had one free network channel with intermittent
> HDTV content. If you have a HDTV box and pay something like 9 bucks
> or something a month they add on some specialty HDTV channels -- some
> intermittent general interest throwaway shows - travel, cooking, news
> etc on it with very little new content. Its the same stuff over and
> over again. They have one lame movie channel that has a few old movies
> on it. These are really filler channels and two Discovery HDTV
> channels I think that have a lot of repeats but at least theres some
> eye candy for HDTV viewers on it.

There's also HBO and Showtime in HD, for extra fees.

> I was actually hoping for PBS in HDTV like they are implementing all
> over the mainland but the one in hawaii, they defintely dont have it
> and I havent seen any plans whatsoever of implementing it. In fact I
> even wrote several emails and never got a reply.

> I think the even on the mainland they were whining about how much it
> costs and how they couldnt get their money back for it so in Hawaii
> with a smaller mkt I dont think anyone is enthusiastic about
> implementing it until forced to do so. Maybe when regular broadcastign
> equipment disappears or becomes super cheap and they HAVE to buy HDTV
> equipment because thats the standard 10 years from now.

> If DirectTV could offer it to Hawaii for the same price then that
> would be a way for them to steal mkt share from oceanic.

The place to chat about HDTV in Hawaii is
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=329826

I can't get OTA digital, I'm assuming, because of the Waimanalo pali
between me and transmitters, but I gather that KGMB is now doing
HDTV in primetime. There's little immediate prospect of Oceanic
carrying it, though, because of a carriage dispute with Emmis
Broadcasting.

It's said that PBS may go HDTV the end of this year, and Dish may
get some of the Voom channels to Hawaii in 2006.
--
Greg Lee <greg@ling.lll.hawaii.edu>