I got a great call yesterday from a viewer. While she was very pleasant and polite, she was also very frustrated with us at CET. She is a loyal viewer, but is having trouble knowing what is on our various channels. She was asking if we planned to “print” a comprehensive Program Guide.
While we do a publish a printed guide for some of the channels and time periods, I explained to her that the volume of information, the number of programs and channels precluded the “printing” and “mailing” of a complete guide. I pointed her to http://www.cetconnect.org/. While the complete schedule for the channels is there, she noted that she did not have a computer at home and that she has been unable to “print” the information at the library. (BTW - We are working on that problem right now working with our partners at the Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library.)
The root issue is important and to tell you the truth we, and others, have yet to find a good way to provide up-to-date program information for all our channels that is available to everyone and within out limited budget. We continue to study the problem and would solicit your ideas.
If you want to share your ideas, please send them to me at jdominic@cetconnect.org
Perhaps as a group we can come up with some better ideas.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Audio and Video out of Synch?
We get many questions about audio synch problems. Watching lips move and hearing the words a second or two later is really distracting. For sure there are times when the problem is caused at the broadcaster’s facility. Many times however the problem is in your TV set, or more often, in the cable set top box.
The next time you have this problem, try turning off the cable box for a few seconds and then turning it back on. I know first hand that at my house this often fixes the problem. If you are not on cable, you can do the same thing with your TV set.
I am not sure of the reason. It may be that there is a an audio buffer that gets overloaded in the cable box or TV and turning it off empties the buffer.
No matter, it works
The next time you have this problem, try turning off the cable box for a few seconds and then turning it back on. I know first hand that at my house this often fixes the problem. If you are not on cable, you can do the same thing with your TV set.
I am not sure of the reason. It may be that there is a an audio buffer that gets overloaded in the cable box or TV and turning it off empties the buffer.
No matter, it works
Monday, November 30, 2009
Why does my DTV converter shut off?
My converter box turns off after a certain amount of time after the TV is off. So if I program the VCR in the morning to tape a show in the evening, it does not tape because the converter box has automatically turned off after a certain amount of time. Is there anyway to make it so my converter box does not turn off so that the VCR can tape a show that evening or do I have to leave the TV on?
MW
Answer:
Most all converter boxes come from the factory with the "ENERGY Saving" feature activated. This feature is most often set to turn the box "OFF" after 3 hours unless some interaction has been detected from the remote, i.e. change channels, adjust sound etc. This feature can be turned off or reset for a different duration. If you are using the box and VCR, I suggest that you turn "off" the feature so that the DTV converter never goes off by itself. Remember, when not using the box to watch TV or for recording, you should turn it off as it does use electricity, albeit a small amount, and some of the converters get very hot.
Since I don't know the model of DTV converter you have I can't tell you where to find the setting. I am sure if you will go to the menu on the remote you will find the place to toggle this feature "off." Look for "settings" or "power settings"
I don't think that the TV being "on" or "off" has anything to do with your issue.
This is a very common question. If you still have your instruction manual, I am sure it is covered in there as well.
Jack
MW
Answer:
Most all converter boxes come from the factory with the "ENERGY Saving" feature activated. This feature is most often set to turn the box "OFF" after 3 hours unless some interaction has been detected from the remote, i.e. change channels, adjust sound etc. This feature can be turned off or reset for a different duration. If you are using the box and VCR, I suggest that you turn "off" the feature so that the DTV converter never goes off by itself. Remember, when not using the box to watch TV or for recording, you should turn it off as it does use electricity, albeit a small amount, and some of the converters get very hot.
Since I don't know the model of DTV converter you have I can't tell you where to find the setting. I am sure if you will go to the menu on the remote you will find the place to toggle this feature "off." Look for "settings" or "power settings"
I don't think that the TV being "on" or "off" has anything to do with your issue.
This is a very common question. If you still have your instruction manual, I am sure it is covered in there as well.
Jack
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Channel 48 Back (almost)
For those who have had difficulty receiving CET over-the-air, I am happy to report that we have made repairs are back on our virtual channels 48-1 and 48-2. On some televisions and Set Top Converters you may need to delete 34-3, 34-4, and 34-5 and then do a rescan to pick us up correctly. On most TVs and converters a simple rescan will pick us up. We don't have the program guide working but it should be available soon.
If you are on cable or use a satellite service you don’t need to do anything.
If you are on cable or use a satellite service you don’t need to do anything.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Problems Getting CET?
Saturday night we had a power outage the studio building and we are still working on some issues with damaged equipment. You may have lost the Channel 48 over-the-air broadcasts on your converter boxes and / or digital TV Sets. Please rescan and you will pick us up on 34-1, 34-2, and 34-3. The 34-3 is the World channel. There will not be a program guide on this channel.
Sorry for the problems. With digital systems, reliable power is critical even with back up systems in place. We continue to work with Duke Energy to try to minimize the number of power outages in our part of downtown Cincinnati.
Sorry for the problems. With digital systems, reliable power is critical even with back up systems in place. We continue to work with Duke Energy to try to minimize the number of power outages in our part of downtown Cincinnati.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
How To Find Your Public TV Channels
If you are a Time Warner Cable customer, you already know that some major changes in the channel line up and selection have been implemented today. You will still find “good old” CET on Basic Cable service either on Channel 8 or 13 in most communities but many of the public television digital channels have been deleted or moved to new channel assignments.
I have put a grid together that includes all local public TV channels. I hope that it helps you navigate through these changes. Just Click Here to get a copy of the grid.
I have put a grid together that includes all local public TV channels. I hope that it helps you navigate through these changes. Just Click Here to get a copy of the grid.
How To Find Your Public TV Channels
If you are a Time Warner Cable customer, you already know that some major changes in the channel line up and selection have been implemented today. You will still find “good old” CET on Basic Cable service either on Channel 8 or 13 in most communities but many of the public television digital channels have been deleted or moved to new channel assignments.
I have put a grid together that includes all local public TV channels. I hope that it helps you navigate through these changes. Just Click Here to get a copy of the grid.
I have put a grid together that includes all local public TV channels. I hope that it helps you navigate through these changes. Just Click Here to get a copy of the grid.
Friday, August 14, 2009
CET/ThinkTV to Continue Discussions
We have been getting calls and emails regarding some upcoming changes in the public TV channels available locally on Time Warner Cable.
On July 23, Time Warner Cable informed southwestern Ohio’s public television stations, CET and ThinkTV16 & 14 that the Cincinnati and Dayton cable systems would be making programming and channel changes beginning on August 25. The changes include significantly cutting the number of public television channels available to Time Warner customers.
On July 30, 2009, at our request, we met with a Time Warner representative. We proposed a channel line-up for public television that, while reducing the number of channels, would assure:
1. That all Time Warner customers, including those with basic cable service, would continue to receive the local PBS stations that they have watched and enjoyed for decades.
2. That customers who subscribe to Time Warner’s digital program services continue to receive public television’s variety of DTV programming.
In short, we want to make sure that Time Warner provides its southwestern Ohio customers their local Ohio-based public television stations. To that end we are continuing a dialog with the company to assure consistent public television service throughout the region – and reduce viewer and Time Warner customer confusion about the changes being made so quickly. We plan to meet today to continue that discussion.
As we learn more, we will continue to inform you, our viewers and members.
On July 23, Time Warner Cable informed southwestern Ohio’s public television stations, CET and ThinkTV16 & 14 that the Cincinnati and Dayton cable systems would be making programming and channel changes beginning on August 25. The changes include significantly cutting the number of public television channels available to Time Warner customers.
On July 30, 2009, at our request, we met with a Time Warner representative. We proposed a channel line-up for public television that, while reducing the number of channels, would assure:
1. That all Time Warner customers, including those with basic cable service, would continue to receive the local PBS stations that they have watched and enjoyed for decades.
2. That customers who subscribe to Time Warner’s digital program services continue to receive public television’s variety of DTV programming.
In short, we want to make sure that Time Warner provides its southwestern Ohio customers their local Ohio-based public television stations. To that end we are continuing a dialog with the company to assure consistent public television service throughout the region – and reduce viewer and Time Warner customer confusion about the changes being made so quickly. We plan to meet today to continue that discussion.
As we learn more, we will continue to inform you, our viewers and members.
Friday, July 31, 2009
DTV Audio Still Needs Work
One of the questions I often get now that we are finally and totally converted to digital broadcasting has to do with the increased frequency of audio problems on TV programs? The most prevalent and irritating problems are the increased instances of lip sync errors. We have all experienced it. The person speaking and the audio track are not in sync. Sometimes it is so pronounced and distracting that it makes the program unwatchable. Watching a drummer hit the drum or guitarist strum a chord only to hear the lick 2 seconds later is not pretty.
In the old days, before digital broadcasting, most often lip sync problems were caused by the circuitous path the video program traveled from its source to your living room. For example, news reports coming from Europe or Asia, because they were being transmitted using two or more satellite hops, had many incidents of audio delay and audio / video separation.
Today’s problems seem to be more pronounced and harder to fix. In the analog days the audio and video for a TV program were transmitter separately to your TV. They were joined inside the TV set. With digital, from the very beginning, the audio and video are all part of one stream of “1”s and “0”s and once joined they can’t easily be pulled apart. So if the audio is out of sync at the source there is virtually nothing you can do to fix it.
There are some instances where the problem is in your TV set or cable set top box. I have noticed that with some Time Warner set top cable boxes when a program has a lip sync problem you can fix it by powering down the cable box for a few seconds and then turning it back on. I am betting that this is a bug in the box where by its buffer gets filled. Turning it off clears the buffer. I am not sure, but my fix does work. I have tried this on some digital TVs as well with mixed success.
Another audio issue is the varying audio level or loudness. This is often experienced when a station switches from the network to a local source. The most pronounced is on Channel 12’s second channel The CW. When they go to the 10 PM news the audio level jumps almost 50%. Why? Because someone is not paying attention at the station.
Here is hoping that stations and networks will begin to pay as much attention to what we hear as they do to what we see.
In the old days, before digital broadcasting, most often lip sync problems were caused by the circuitous path the video program traveled from its source to your living room. For example, news reports coming from Europe or Asia, because they were being transmitted using two or more satellite hops, had many incidents of audio delay and audio / video separation.
Today’s problems seem to be more pronounced and harder to fix. In the analog days the audio and video for a TV program were transmitter separately to your TV. They were joined inside the TV set. With digital, from the very beginning, the audio and video are all part of one stream of “1”s and “0”s and once joined they can’t easily be pulled apart. So if the audio is out of sync at the source there is virtually nothing you can do to fix it.
There are some instances where the problem is in your TV set or cable set top box. I have noticed that with some Time Warner set top cable boxes when a program has a lip sync problem you can fix it by powering down the cable box for a few seconds and then turning it back on. I am betting that this is a bug in the box where by its buffer gets filled. Turning it off clears the buffer. I am not sure, but my fix does work. I have tried this on some digital TVs as well with mixed success.
Another audio issue is the varying audio level or loudness. This is often experienced when a station switches from the network to a local source. The most pronounced is on Channel 12’s second channel The CW. When they go to the 10 PM news the audio level jumps almost 50%. Why? Because someone is not paying attention at the station.
Here is hoping that stations and networks will begin to pay as much attention to what we hear as they do to what we see.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
DTV Reception Help
Now that the digital dust has settled a bit and all local TV stations have abandoned their analog channels for the new fangled digital replacement channels, there are still many people who are having problems receiving the transmissions over-the-air using an antenna. After reading and listening to all the expert opinions and recommendations, it is no wonder that many people are confused and, in some cases, frustrated. I thought I would add to the dialog and provide some information that may help you if you are having problems getting all the local channels using an antenna. Cable and satellite subscribers can stop reading right now.
While digital and analog over-the-air TV transmissions use essentially the same technology, digital signals are more prone to problems than the analog. Problems with analog TV reception appeared on your TV as “snow” or “ghosting.” Problems with digital signals are much more evident. They result in no picture or sound at all.
No matter if you have a new digital TV or are using a set top converter box, the key to good reception is the antenna. Depending on where you live, you may either be able to use a standard “rabbit ears” antenna or you will need something more sensitive. If you get good reception on all the channels, great. If you don’t, here are some tips.
Make sure that your antenna is designed to receive both UHF and VHF signals. While most digital broadcasting is done in the UHF band, in Cincinnati channels 9 and 12 use VHF. If your antenna has both a round loop and two telescoping rods, it is a UHF/VHF model for sure. But there are many new designs so read the box if you are buying a new one.
Try an amplified set top antenna. This often will do the trick for people living in areas that are about 20 - 25 miles from most of the TV transmitters. Keep in mind, though, that amplified antennas and digital signals are strange bedfellows. This might seem counterintuitive, but if you are having problems and already are using an amplified antenna, turn it off. Strange as it is, too much signal is as bad as too little signal. The amplifier almost always helped analog signals but not so digital signals. Always start with no amplifier and then add it if you are not getting the channels.
A better antenna can also help. While there is no such thing as an HDTV antenna, there are many new designs for antennas that make them more sensitive and therefore better for digital broadcast applications. Some of them look nothing like the ones we used in our youth….you know, we attached aluminum foil to them in order to get “Bonanza” to come in clearly. Manufactures like Terk have a wide selection of both indoor and outdoor models.
Speaking of outdoor models... For sure, a good outdoor antenna pointed toward downtown Cincinnati will be your best option. You can get unbiased suggestions for the right antenna for your location at http://www.antennweb.org/. Just type in your zip code and it will give you good advice.
Finally, there are some locations that no amount of amplification or antenna design or height will overcome. I hope you are not in one of these areas but, if you are, cable or satellite are your only options.
While digital and analog over-the-air TV transmissions use essentially the same technology, digital signals are more prone to problems than the analog. Problems with analog TV reception appeared on your TV as “snow” or “ghosting.” Problems with digital signals are much more evident. They result in no picture or sound at all.
No matter if you have a new digital TV or are using a set top converter box, the key to good reception is the antenna. Depending on where you live, you may either be able to use a standard “rabbit ears” antenna or you will need something more sensitive. If you get good reception on all the channels, great. If you don’t, here are some tips.
Make sure that your antenna is designed to receive both UHF and VHF signals. While most digital broadcasting is done in the UHF band, in Cincinnati channels 9 and 12 use VHF. If your antenna has both a round loop and two telescoping rods, it is a UHF/VHF model for sure. But there are many new designs so read the box if you are buying a new one.
Try an amplified set top antenna. This often will do the trick for people living in areas that are about 20 - 25 miles from most of the TV transmitters. Keep in mind, though, that amplified antennas and digital signals are strange bedfellows. This might seem counterintuitive, but if you are having problems and already are using an amplified antenna, turn it off. Strange as it is, too much signal is as bad as too little signal. The amplifier almost always helped analog signals but not so digital signals. Always start with no amplifier and then add it if you are not getting the channels.
A better antenna can also help. While there is no such thing as an HDTV antenna, there are many new designs for antennas that make them more sensitive and therefore better for digital broadcast applications. Some of them look nothing like the ones we used in our youth….you know, we attached aluminum foil to them in order to get “Bonanza” to come in clearly. Manufactures like Terk have a wide selection of both indoor and outdoor models.
Speaking of outdoor models... For sure, a good outdoor antenna pointed toward downtown Cincinnati will be your best option. You can get unbiased suggestions for the right antenna for your location at http://www.antennweb.org/. Just type in your zip code and it will give you good advice.
Finally, there are some locations that no amount of amplification or antenna design or height will overcome. I hope you are not in one of these areas but, if you are, cable or satellite are your only options.
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