dahdahdahdancer ([info]dahdahdahdancer) wrote in [info]davis_square,
2008-12-14 15:25:00
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Lost FOX TV signal

I'm addicted to the Sarah Connor Chronicles (Monday at 8:00) on FOX 25. Mysteriously, the FOX signal vanished a few days ago (I get snow, just snow), although other stations come through as always. I still use rabbit ears (hey, it's cheaper than cable or satellite and I'm on a budget). Time is running out - the SC Chronicles are on tomorrow night! Has anyone else lost the FOX 25 signal?
Tags: utilities

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  • 59 comments

[info]elizethesleaze

December 14 2008, 15:30:12 UTC 3 years ago

i dont know except that rabbit ears wont work anymore come february

[info]sparkgrrl658

December 14 2008, 15:40:46 UTC 3 years ago

if anyone doesn't know this, they probably don't even turn on their television. it's like Y2K all over again i swear.

[info]kpht

3 years ago

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[info]m00n

3 years ago

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[info]kpht

3 years ago

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[info]zmgmeister

3 years ago

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[info]kpht

3 years ago

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[info]sparkgrrl658

December 14 2008, 15:30:19 UTC 3 years ago

i have one of those teeny tv/vcr combos in my bedroom that i keep on for my dogs when i'm gone and also to help me sleep at night and i just noticed this last night too! at odd hours there aren't many options and now i'm one less :(

i live in brighton also, fyi.

[info]zmgmeister

December 14 2008, 16:42:45 UTC 3 years ago

I thought dogs couldn't watch TV. Something about the illusion that lets us see a moving picture doesn't work for dogs, who just see a flickering screen.

[info]sparkgrrl658

3 years ago

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[info]zmgmeister

3 years ago

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[info]sparkgrrl658

3 years ago

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[info]danger_chick

3 years ago

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[info]m00n

3 years ago

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[info]zmgmeister

3 years ago

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[info]m00n

3 years ago

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[info]zmgmeister

3 years ago

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[info]sparkgrrl658

3 years ago

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[info]zmgmeister

3 years ago

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[info]sparkgrrl658

3 years ago

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[info]ionicaq

December 14 2008, 15:34:56 UTC 3 years ago

I wonder if they've already switched over to digital? Have you gotten your box yet?

[info]ron_newman

December 14 2008, 16:19:14 UTC 3 years ago

Wouldn't they have publicized this first? I don't think anyone except some small UHF station in New Hampshire has turned off their analog signal yet.

[info]ionicaq

3 years ago

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[info]kpht

3 years ago

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[info]emcicle

3 years ago

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[info]prunesnprisms

3 years ago

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[info]countlibras

December 14 2008, 15:48:43 UTC 3 years ago

I lost 25 too. I figured that they switched over already.

[info]incontango

December 14 2008, 15:51:38 UTC 3 years ago

Fox may have switched off early (prior to February, that is). I can't get it on rabbit ears anymore.

[info]zmgmeister

December 14 2008, 16:01:41 UTC 3 years ago

I think that's what happened. I'm getting Fox 25 just fine through my digital tuner, but the analog signal is completely gone. I heard something in the news that stations are going to start "testing" the conversion which means maybe they turn off the analog for a day or so.

[info]dahdahdahdancer

December 14 2008, 16:08:29 UTC 3 years ago

Thanks, everyone. Now I know there's nothing wrong with my TV or rabbit ears. Looks like a kick in the ol' pants to convert now unstead of waiting until the last minute.

[info]natef

December 14 2008, 16:17:10 UTC 3 years ago

If you haven't done it yet, here's where you get the coupon towards a converter box (have until end of the year):
https://www.dtv2009.gov/

The TR-40 is probably the best cheap converter box available (with coupon you just pay <$10 shipping):
http://www.dtvpal.com/

[info]ron_newman

December 14 2008, 16:18:19 UTC 3 years ago

Is it possible that you accidentally changed the switch on the back of your TV set from "Antenna" to "Cable" ?

If it's set to "Cable" by mistake, you'll still get channels 2, 4, 5, and 7, but anything above 13 won't come in (because over-the-air and cable use different frequencies for channels 14 and above). Can you still get 38, 44, and 56?

[info]unsi_sempai

December 14 2008, 16:32:00 UTC 3 years ago

Chiming in on the "lost Fox 25" access, and my coupon's not coming until after Christmas. Bah.

[info]valadil

December 14 2008, 16:38:08 UTC 3 years ago

We have the digital tuner already and Fox is very flaky on it. I assume they just haven't got all the tech issues worked out yet.

[info]zmgmeister

December 14 2008, 16:44:45 UTC 3 years ago

It's not that, its that with digital you need a pretty strong signal (you either get it perfect, or nothing at all), and you have to point your antenna right.

[info]josephineave

3 years ago

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[info]wombatbanana

3 years ago

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[info]afty

December 14 2008, 16:38:52 UTC 3 years ago

If you can't get a converter box by Monday, you can always watch the episode for free on Hulu:
http://www.hulu.com/videos/search?query=Terminator%3A+The+Sarah+Connor+Chronicles

[info]zmgmeister

December 14 2008, 16:40:41 UTC 3 years ago

Can you get 64 in Providence-Reheboth at all? That's a FOX affiliate and they may or may not be testing at the same time.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WNAC-TV

[info]kalimba21

December 14 2008, 16:58:35 UTC 3 years ago

A few days ago, all the stations were supposed to test their digital signal and turn off the analog one, just briefly. Since then, fox25 has been out - perhaps they are unaware that they didn't turn their analog back on? Industry people don't realize that there are still people like us with rabbit ears.

Just a heads up, in addition to the converter box, you will not receive many channels without a powered antenna on top of your tv, at the very least. I paid $20 for the antenna. Seems that I cannot get all the channels without re-adjusting the antenna for a few of them, which is a pain.

A nice feature is that there are 4 different working channels on channel 44, so a few more good options. Also, channel 7 has a 2nd channel with local weather all the time. There are a few more extras channels on 68 too but not that exciting.

This conversion is something that was slated to happen several other times in the past 10 years. It was always postponed b/c publicity was bad. So they're really trying to get the word out this time.


[info]ron_newman

December 14 2008, 17:03:16 UTC 3 years ago

Wow, that's pretty serious FAIL. You'd think they would have gotten a ton of complaining phone calls by now.

[info]zmgmeister

3 years ago

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[info]kalimba21

3 years ago

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[info]zmgmeister

3 years ago

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[info]ron_newman

3 years ago

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[info]unsi_sempai

December 14 2008, 17:22:15 UTC 3 years ago

Someone on the Fox 25 boards claims that an antenna blew down recently. I have no idea how accurate this information is, though.

[info]zmgmeister

December 14 2008, 17:47:30 UTC 3 years ago

I think you win this thread.

[info]dahdahdahdancer

3 years ago

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[info]ron_newman

3 years ago

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[info]nvidia99999

December 14 2008, 18:14:53 UTC 3 years ago

If you lost FOX...

That can only be good for your brain.

[info]bobobb

December 14 2008, 18:36:33 UTC 3 years ago

You might try going to hulu.com if you don't get your signal back to see your shows. I only watch tv online, as I'm never around or interested in watching things during the regular primetime. They have other Fox shows, so perhaps you chronicles will be there too?

[info]horizon_radar

December 14 2008, 19:30:44 UTC 3 years ago

I remember when watching House this Tuesday with a digital tuner they said something about reducing the power on their analogue signal in order to increase the power to the digital one.

[info]pzykotic

December 14 2008, 19:43:49 UTC 3 years ago

This is the reason you can't get the signal anymore, they significantly reduced the power of their analog broadcast to do more digital testing

[info]geekpixie

3 years ago

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[info]miraclaire

December 14 2008, 23:06:00 UTC 3 years ago

I only ever watch TV every couple of months and I had assumed the problem was my crappy TV when I tried to watch the Simpsons the other day and got nothing at all (all my other channels seem to work as well as they ever did).

[info]ron_newman

December 15 2008, 03:32:07 UTC 3 years ago

Two days ago, someone edited this onto WFXT's Wikipedia page:
As of December 8th, 2008, WFXT no longer broadcasts an analog signal over the air; now only broadcasting via cable, satellite, and it's new digital over the air signal. Those with traditional "rabbit ear" analog TVs are currently left with no signal, more than two months ahead of the DTV conversion date of February 17, 2009.
The page also discusses the weakness of WFXT's digital signal, saying that the station is broadcasting at only half of its FCC-authorized power, and may not reach full power until next August.

[info]zmgmeister

December 16 2008, 02:02:34 UTC 3 years ago

On another forum they say it was the transmitter, and there wasn't any sense spending $$$$ to fix it just to use it for two months.

http://lists.bostonradio.org/pipermail/boston-radio-interest/2008-December/018602.html

So, it's not coming back. And on the matter of low-power stations not having to convert ( I read the rest of the comments on Universal Hub ( why are there usually no comments on Universal Hub? ) ), feel free to tune to WFXZ-24 ( Azteca America ).

[info]tt02144

December 15 2008, 14:01:56 UTC 3 years ago

I can't vouch for the Sarah Connor Chronicles, but I understand that most shows run their episodes on their web site, so that you can watch a missed episode on your computer - what would we do without kids???

[info]ron_newman

December 17 2008, 13:29:33 UTC 3 years ago

Three days after this LJ post, the Globe catches up with the story:

Fox outlet may be forced to drop analog early

The station has been having problems with its analog antenna since November, and a "power surge" on December 9 damaged it further. They've cut their power to the point where a Needham resident complained that he couldn't pick up the signal, even though the antenna is located in Needham.
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