Putting HDTV on the map in Oklahoma

1. 

   puck2009
   Member

   Since the switch to DTV for KFOR and KOCO is two weeks away, I want to know when you think KFOR will begin full time HD.

   ...and I want NO "garbage channel" presumptions. kthx.

   Posted 1 year ago #
2. 

   Sooner Al
   Member

   Can't say when they will go to HD with their news broadcasts but I just flipped on KFOR-HD on Cox Channel 704 and noticed that the black bars normally resident with their SD broadcast have been replaced by waving blue panels, ie. like a flowing blue curtin so to speak. Progress comes in small steps...

   Posted 1 year ago #
3. 

   puck2009
   Member

   I noticed that too - and i recognize those waves, they're part of the graphics package, which means it could be any time now...

   Posted 1 year ago #
4. 

   mdeatherage
   Member

   It was kind of sweet for KFOR to broadcast the entire first episode of "The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien" in HD, including an HD weather map and crawl.

   At least they waited until the last joke of Jimmy Fallon's monologue before dropping out of HD into that crappy washed out SD picture for absolutely no reason whatsoever, since all that followed was the same weather map they just demonstrated they could put over HD.

   KFOR's motto remains, "Thanks for buying an HDTV! We still hate you."

   Posted 1 year ago #
5. 

   Dennis Whiteman
   Key Master

   The blue bars are confusing people. I got e-mail from a friend who thought their TV was messed up because of those bars during Jimmy Fallon.

   Dennis

   Posted 1 year ago #
6. 

   Sooner Al
   Member

   LOL...

   Well, if they can't please everyone at they pleased me by adding the blue bars...:-)

   Posted 1 year ago #
7. 

   puck2009
   Member

   We'll see how things come June 12 after 1p, I guess...thats where I'm placing my bets

   Posted 1 year ago #
8. 

   Sooner Al
   Member

   I saw a very nice weather crawl during last evenings NBC Nightly News HD broadcast along with the overlay of the severe weather map (ie. severe thunderstorm warning, tornado watch, etc) all in HD. They did break in briefly in SD so David Payne could talk about the thunderstorms a bit one time. So a nice addition IMHO.

   Posted 1 year ago #
9. 

   1984Poke
   Member

   I saw that (HD weather overlay and crawl over NBC NN on Tuesday, 9 June 2009), too. It looked great. Nice to see some progress by KFOR.

   Posted 1 year ago #
10. 

    DigitalGuy
    Member

    I think I saw the newscasters in HD at about 6:40PM during the news while I was flipping channels to KFOR. When they came back from commercial for weather the SD broadcast was back. Not sure if I was seeing things. Any one else catch this?

    Posted 1 year ago #
11. 

    Sooner Al
    Member

    I did not see that but I have seen them awhile back in HD when doing the lead-in to the 'Is this a Great State or What' segment. I agree it looked very good while it lasted.

    Posted 1 year ago #
12. 

    puck2009
    Member

    UPDATE: I just got off the phone with one of the KFOR engineers, and here's what he told me...

    He said that they're working as hard as they can on high-definition, and that they would have been all HD a year ago if they were able.

    He also said that the SD signal is as bad as it is because the equipment is 10 years old, from when KFOR-DT first went on the air.

    The HD equipment is very, VERY expensive - one certain piece (I forget already just what it is) costs $20,000. And twelve (iirc) are necessary. Do the math.

    So I'm gonna take back my prediction that tomorrow's the day. It'll happen when it happens.

    Posted 1 year ago #
13. 

    Dennis Whiteman
    Key Master

    At least KFOR is aware of its problems even if they've been slow to solve them. KWTV still doesn't have Dolby Digital audio now some five years or so after Griffin started using its digital signal.

    I don't really think the local stations care that much about the digital opportunities that have been presented to them. Perhaps, the government should have auctioned off the spectrum they're now using to introduce competition in the local markets.

    Dennis

    Posted 1 year ago #
14. 

    TVinsider
    Member

    Its refreshing to see a post not slamming KFOR staff. Yes they are working very hard on a project that has encountered alot of issues due to outdated infrastructure. Stations care at the local level and would love to be full HD, but you got to realize these projects take several million dollars per station and owners arent handing money out. And several million is at the low end.

    Owners see HD as a money pit not an opportunity. Personally I believe station revenue would increase locally if all stations can originate HD programming and playout HD commercials

    Posted 1 year ago #
15. 

    Kevin Sherrard
    Administrator

    Well said TVinsider!!!

    Posted 1 year ago #
16. 

    kenny9966
    Member

    I prefer kfor actually. Ever since the Olympics they really have been upgrading there HD Equipment and have broadcast their "is this a great state or what" segments for months now in HD. No other Channel in OKC has done this or even showed signs that they will be going hd besides OETA. KWTV's set and picture is amazing but it isnt HD and KOCO lol who knows their own by HA. props to koco on weather.even though my 08 civic is ruined due to baseball size hail in stillwater.

    Posted 1 year ago #

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