WVTV/WCGV Select and Approves Contracter

[John L]

This past week in the Milwaukee-Journal Business Section there was an article mentioning that WVTV/WCGV have approved a contractor to build their new DTV tower to install their HDTV transmitting equipment.

Thats all the article said, they didn't state any other information regarding location, and height and any specifications.

-John L.

[Tom Snyder]

Build a new tower???? Now? How are they going to do that and be on the air by November 1st?

[Tom Snyder]

Mystery Solved!

Selzer-Ornst Co., Wauwatosa, was awarded the WVTV/WCGV television station DTV remodeling project at the American Tower Building.


Selzer-Ornst is a construction company... not a tower erection company. New studios, not a new stick. http://www.milwaukeehdtv.org/ubb/smile.gif

[John L]

Ahhh, they're building a new studio. Well, if they are going through all that trouble and expecting to continue to operate the 2 TV stations for years to come, then they MUST look into getting on the air very soon with HDTV, otherwise they are wasting their money building a new TV station! Because they have to turn off their analog transmitters by 2006 either way, its up to them to either get HDTV on the air, or face going out of business!

They must have repeated that article in the "Past Week Business Notes" in today's Journal-Sentinel.

-John L.

[Kevin Arnold]

So they have 4 weeks in which to remodel the transmitter room, install the transmitter, run the cable, hang the antenna, install the studio equipment, test the damn thing and get on the air. It becomes clear why they asked for another extension. Sinclair gives J.R. Ewing a bad name.

[This message has been edited by kjarnold (edited 09-29-2002).]

[techboywi]

Originally posted by kjarnold:
So they have 4 weeks in which to remodel the transmitter room, install the transmitter, run the cable, hang the antenna, install the studio equipment, test the damn thing and get on the air. It becomes clear why they asked for another extension. Sinclair gives J.R. Ewing a bad name.


Or maybe....they are going to be in the air by Nov. 1st, on low power untill the remodel is complete, then go full power. don't you think it would be fair to withhold judgement, and not jump to conclusions until Nov. 1st?

[Joseph S]

Or maybe....they are going to be in the air by Nov. 1st, on low power untill the remodel is complete, then go full power. don't you think it would be fair to withhold judgement, and not jump to conclusions until Nov. 1st?


I believe we have every right to jump to conclusions. Their own website regarding DTV and their own media campaign has based solely on the belief that LOW POWER ATSC is not good enough.

How can they now tell us it is good enough for Milwaukee? They're making a fool of the FCC and I hope they lose their licenses.

[This message has been edited by Joseph S (edited 09-30-2002).]

[veyj]

Dear President Bush,

Don't you think it would be fair to withhold judgement, and not jump to conclusions? I understand that Saddam Hussein has biological weapons and possible nuclear capabilities, but don’t you think we should wait until he uses them?

LOL Give me a break. Make all the conclusions you want. I doubt Sinclair even knows or cares what a “handful” of “hobbyists” are discussing. Looks like you made a conclusion of your own, “maybe....they are going to be in the air by Nov. 1st, on low power untill the remodel is complete, then go full power.” Time for me to jump to a conclusion. Techboywi IS Tim Cuprisin. ROFL

[techboywi]

Originally posted by veyj:
Time for me to jump to a conclusion. Techboywi IS Tim Cuprisin. ROFL

Hahhahaa.. Um... NOT

I'm just hear to offer an objective point of view, since..at this point, I dont care if Sinclair is on the air or not. It'll be several years before I can buy HDTV equipment, for some silly reason, I find, for me, paying rent and making my car payment is a tad more importnat than being able to watch ER in HiDef.

Anyway, It is that objectivity that is giving Sincliar the benefit of the doubt.

Oh, and comparing something as trivial and non-important like when a station will be on the air with HiDef to the situation in Iraq is very immature, and does little to prove your point.

[This message has been edited by techboywi (edited 09-30-2002).]

[techboywi]

Originally posted by Tom Snyder:
Mystery Solved!

Selzer-Ornst Co., Wauwatosa, was awarded the WVTV/WCGV television station DTV remodeling project at the American Tower Building.


As far as I know, the stations are still programed from seperate locations, they only share administrative offices. WCGV programing originates from their studio on N 27th st, and WVTV's originates from their studio on N. 40th st. They have seperate towers as well, VTV's on Humboldt, and CGVs on N. Holton. This remodel is probably to consolidate into one, on either 40th or 27th. WCGV had an app to move their transmitter somewhere, probably to the same stick VTV is on, however I'm not certain about that last part

[Joseph S]

I find, for me, paying rent and making my car payment is a tad more importnat than being able to watch ER in HiDef.

It's all about your priorities. I don't watch that much TV, but I'm really interested in certain shows available w/ HDTV. So I canceled cable and bought a decoder card specifically to watch the Olympics coverage. Now, I can timeshift my shows and watch HDTV at my leisure.

I've more than paid for the card already with no cable bills for about a year now. Yes, I'll probably pick up TW HD simply for the Sopranos but I know I can get OTA for free for many years to come at the cost of electricty. HDTV isn't nearly the luxury item people make it out to be. Ebay allows you to get so much back on old investments that upgrading has become painless.

[veyj]

Does little to prove the point? Here I thought stating something drastic might help you see the light. Should have gone with the gut and stayed silent. There’s no hope.

Objective? Ha. Not when you express your personal feelings. “Is this going to be the norm on this "great new system" that is going to be crammed down our throats?” You slipped up here and showed us the real you.

Why don’t you quit looking for a hand out and do something about it? Joseph has got a point. How about giving up the Digital TWC? That’s at least $400/year. I’m surprised you even have it because you said, “Analog will do me just fine till I can get the fundage to sink in a DTV of my very own.” You obviously have the PC. So pick up a card and experience DTV. Then maybe you will care enough to send off a letter to the FCC since you’ve stated, “I'd love to see what is out there”, “I would love to be an early adopter” and “so I can get on the bandwagon”. Well??? Hop on.

[Tom Snyder]

And because it's all about priorities, the discussion is subjective no matter how "objective" we think we may be. I have my priorities and subjective opinions, Tech Boy has his and Sinclair has theirs(although they've never come here to communicate or defend them).

Although, objectively, techboywi needs to find a way to make enough money to pay his rent, pay for his car, AND buy an HDTV... http://www.milwaukeehdtv.org/ubb/wink.gif

[Kevin Arnold]

Ahhhh, we're back to the chicken and egg theory. Should broadcasters wait until there are enough HD sets before providing product or should there be product before anyone buys the set. Sinclair is just waiting until 85% of Milwaukee has sets and then and only then will they pop for a transmitter. They have had only since 1997 to plan for this so I guess the sarcasm and anger is misplaced because I expect too much. Meanwhile for under $10,000 a year they get to use the public airwaves to print money.
Seriously, I am upset with corporate welfare which allows rules and laws to be bent, ignored, and generally laughed at while if I send in my taxes 2 days late I pay for it and no one's laughing. I just want them to live up to their committment and be a good corporate citizen.

[John L]

If WVTV/WCGV don't bother to go to DTV (which means they will have to shut down and go out of business), I hope one of the other stations will pickup WB, and UPN networks. The other DTV stations in Milwaukee will be capable of airing other networks at the sametime, like WTMJ-DT could also carry a WB Net program on one, the other UPN, while NBC on their main. Only problem is, then WTMJ-DT won't be able to carry full HDTV format of NBC program while carrying WB and UPN on the other digital channels. That means Smallville won't be seen in 16:9 format or whatever. Because when TV stations carry multiple programming on their DTV transmitter, they won't be able to offer any of them at full Hi-Definition. Its only when they are broadcasting in single programming mode that they will be able to transmit in full Hi-Definition.

[Tom Snyder]

WCGV amd WVTV WILL go DTV, and Smallville will be on the air in 1080i 16:9 HDTV. But it will be according to their timetable, not ours.

Even if they thumbed their noses at the FCC to the point where they got their licenses yanked, there are a dozen broadcasters in line behind them who'd be happy to apply for/buy the licenses.

But the fact that Sinclair is commiting significant dollars to build a DTV facility demonstrates the fact that they won't be letting their frequncies go anywhere.

[techboywi]

Unfortunatly for me, it is all about ecomonics. My personal finances are no ones business, but... I am 27, my current job may not be there in a month due to company cutbacks. Sure, I could cancel TW, which would save me about 60/mo, but its the initial startup cost that hurts. There is also the fact that I rent, not own, so although the landlord is a friend of mine, there is no gaurntee I could put up an antenna on the roof if needed.

You're intitled to your opinion, I'm entitled to mine. Because of my limited budget, I cant even afford the $400 for a PC card. Would I love to? SURE.. If I win the powerball, the first thing I'm doing is paying off the sinful, evil credit card, and then buying the biggest best DTV system I can. I am, personally, however making the decision to not spend the money now. You, I imagine have a second income from your significant other, I, have a roomate who pays half the rent and the utilities, but its just barely enough for me to get buy month to month, but..well thats my problem.

I am merely trying to make the point that people here need to be a little more objective, and not assume so much without knowing the facts.

I can see how you would care, weather or not DTV is on the air fully in Milwaukee, because of my situation however, at this time, I do not. You are more biased, because you've made the investment, I have not made the investment, so even if no one was on the air right now, it doesnt hurt me.

Others in this group have compaired this to the "Chicken and the Egg", I agree.. It is. But with the economy going down the toilet, threats of war, uneasiness since 9/11/01, republicans in the whitehouse, and any of a number of any other reasons, there is a large of majority of people who cant afford the "luxury" of DTV, at least now. I'm sorry, a $1500 tv set is a *LUXURY*. Analog signals will be on the air untill 2007 at *LEAST*, and while the prospect sounds extremly interesting to me, at this time, its not a viable option

[mcq]

Techboy, you are equating a $1500 TV set with digital broadcasting. You don't need the "luxury" TV to watch digital TV. Of course you would need a receiver of some sort.

I read that as the deadline of 2007 approaches these receiver/adapters for our old-fashioned TV's will lower to apx. $100. For my money, digital TV, in and of itself, is worth the price of admission. For some reason, my TV6 and other channels come in with total static and interference during the Fall, Winter and Spring months. Digital TV is a treat since I get no static. Lately, a lot of stuff I wanted to watch is on Channel 41. A Badger game, and the Archbishop stuff looked pretty good on 1-2 vs. 41.

As a conservative (who lately votes Republican), with a significant other who also works and a job (NOT Career) that is in jeopardy of disolving, I have come to conclusion that a threat of war, economic uneasiness and big scary terrorists have very little affect on my everyday life. Do you realize that those of us in debt are being murdered by the lack of inflation? Do you have any clue how many people had jobs during the Great Depression? Sorry......

This is the bottom-line objective-fact. There is NO chicken and egg analogy. Our elected officials, (Oh by the way, on the watch of the Democrats and THAT president) established deadlines for a transition into the digital broadcast age. What is so hard to comprehend that brodcasting with a digital signal in the 31st largest market is (was) to commence no later than Spring 2002 and failure to do so is against the law. I understand that it is expensive and tough, but noone gives me a pass when I need to hand over my 50% donation of salary to the government every year.

You kinda remind me of my father, who purchased our first color TV in late 1974. Maybe we couldn't afford it, maybe he chose to prioritize his spending differently. Maybe we just needed another TV and that's all they had. I don't remember. But I do know this, he would never be ashamed of what he had, and would never be intimidated by what he could not afford.

I chose to spend (overspend) my money on a HDTV Set and receiver over two years ago. At first I was very angry that we m'wokians were getting ripped off by the keeper of our public airwaves. I guess I just grew up and decided that sweating the inevitable is not worth it. It will come, and I will enjoy the digital age sooner than most. I guess that's my subjective priority.

[This message has been edited by mcq (edited 09-30-2002).]