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KXVA Digital / HD Plans
Oct 3, 2007 | 2:24 PM
Category: Entertainment
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Featured On: MyFoxAbilene
Here is a response from our GM. Our Chief Engineer can also be available for tech related questions, but Mr. Carter wanted to outline our future plans for converting to digital and HD on KXVA. Thank you for your patience regarding this response...


Dear Concerned Viewers,

We’ve received several blogs regarding KXVA’s plans for broadcasting digital. I’ll try to make a complex situation as brief as possible. The channel allotments to realign for digital were made in 2000. Stations that received there license after 2000 didn’t get a second channel to switch to. These stations are called “Singletons.” On Feb 17, 2009, all stations must “give” their analog channels back to the FCC, to be auctioned off for cell phones and internet. Because KXVA is a singleton, we won’t give our channel to the FCC, we will flashcut from analog to digital overnight. Officially, we don’t have to wait until that date to switch; however, the moment we flashcut, we will lose all of our analog viewers. Forty dollar vouchers for the “blackbox converters” are supposed to be on the market by Jan 2008. This device will allow viewers with analogue televisions to receive the digital signal. We plan to make the switch by the end of the second quarter of 2008. This will allow all analogue viewers to get our signal uninterrupted and provides time for us to coordinate with all 23 cable companies in the 18 county DMA, plus Dish Network and Direct TV. Our plan is to make the switch to Digital and HD simultaneously. I hope this makes our goals clear, with some history explaining our actions.

Stay Tuned,

Bill Carver
General Manager
Sage Broadcasting
KXVA Fox Abilene
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Member Comments Total Comments: 10
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kdjinn
Oct 14, 2007 | 3:02 PM

OK, so basically you're saying you WILL NOT, by your own choice, establish a digital signal until the FCC makes you because you lose analog viewers. Ballpark, how much would it cost you (effort and $$$) to do so before your estimated time of June 30, 2008? Aren't satisfied viewers worth something....how much is up to you.
broady read my blog
Oct 15, 2007 | 6:33 AM

I don't think they will be digital by June 30 either. I think they will wait until the switch off in 2009. I doubt they want to be the only all digital station in Abilene cutting off an untold number of users with rabbit ears. There are people that either can't buy a new tv or won't buy a new tv that has a digital tuner. They say their 1970's tv is working fine, why should I have to buy a new one or sign up for a coupon only worth $40 for a converter?

In "myfox's" blog he says this "....Our plan is to make the switch to Digital and HD simultaneously". LOL I doubt that. The more well to do stations like KTAB has been digital since around 2003, but they just recently went HD. Abilene's FOX station, which has been described as a tin can operation, in no way has the money do go digital and HD it is too expensive.
broady read my blog
Oct 15, 2007 | 6:37 AM

I see no way to edit so I will post again. I know our FOX will eventually go HD I am just saying they don't have the money to go digital and HD at the same time.
krazyntexas read my blog
Oct 21, 2007 | 12:00 AM

who cares about HD...I would just be happy with a clearer picture and digital service!
Blackls1
Oct 22, 2007 | 11:26 PM

Well you could atleast not deny waivers from DTV to get a HD fox feed from another source.
The way your station is now you have to run another antenna just to get your feed because you cant be picked up on a digital tuner.
cypherboy read my blog
Nov 11, 2007 | 8:25 PM

kdjinn, I don't think you understand what's going on. The station is in a pretty unusual situation. They can't build a second station to do HD like all the other stations. They have to do either analog or digital - and only on channel 15.

There are far more viewers for analog than digital. Cutting off the analog viewers who get their signal over the air would be very detrimental to the station. They will be better off waiting until the analog viewers have had a chance to get a converter box.
joemama127 read my blog
Feb 4, 2008 | 6:03 PM

I really want to know where the Fox feed that I watched the Superbowl on yesterday (in HD) came from and why can't Suddenlink keep on broadcasting that until KXVA switches to digital?

For those that don't know what I'm talking about...the Superbowl WAS in HD in Abilene but only if you have Suddenlink HD package or basic and a QAM tuner like me. (115.1 for those curious)

The Fox digital feed is gone now and replaced by MHD (music high definition, affiliated with MTV/VH1) that just shows HD concert footage all day.

I wonder why KXVA can't just plug in their local advertising into the piped in Fox and have that be their "digital" until they are ready to switch over locally? Obviously it isn't a legal issue since the feed was up all last week...I'm guessing it's a money thing but I just want confirmation.
Mr_Zulu
Apr 4, 2008 | 2:39 PM

According to the following link, only 14% of Americans recieve their TV via antenna. Assuming that Abilene demographics are similar, that means that while you're worring about disrupting service to 14% of your viewers a large portion of the 86% remaining are needlessly suffering from poor quality video. If the difference in quality was small, it wouldn't bother me. However, the quality is so poor that I avoid watching KXVA all together. There is only one show on Fox I can't miss (24) and that didn't even air this year. As for Cowboys games, they're shown often enough on other networks via Thurday night games (NFL Network), Sunday night games (NBC), Monday night games (ESPN), and interconference play (sometimes CBS) that I see them often enough I don't watch them if the game is on Fox. The question you should be asking is how many viewers are you loosing by dragging your feet?

http://dtvfacts.com/latest/530/how-many-americans-watch
-tv-over-the-air/
Mr_Zulu
Jul 31, 2008 | 11:13 AM

I'm having a little problem with the new math here... when is the second quarter of 2008 over?
mimi_lynn
Nov 24, 2008 | 1:20 PM

Ok we are not at the end of 2008. Now what can we expect as far as HD or Digital? Are we closer to getting channel 15 any clearer?
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