No longer getting 10.1 over the air?

[mrspayne]

I'm in Delaware and as of Fri 6/5/09 channel 10.1 is not working, but we are getting CBS on channel 86.2. Same with NBC - no longer working on 4.1, but it comes in on 86.1. ABC is still working on 6.1 though. Anyone know why, and is this permanent? We just have Insight basic cable and are getting local HD channels over-the-air. TIA!

P.S. - Sorry, I don't know much about HD broadcasting, as we just got our HDTV's about a month ago, so I apologize if I'm leaving any info out. :)

[tperl]

I live near easton and also have insight. Also can't get 10.1 or 4.1 as of a few days ago. This happened before a few months ago and I never figured out what happened, just started working again a few days later.

[Scott]

Welcome to HDC!

First, what set top boxes from Insight are you using to pull in your HD OTA? Second, I know it sounds obvious, but have you guys tried pulling the power for 30s and plugging it back in?

I use DirecTV for OTA, and I am pulling in both channels fine.

[mrspayne]

Hi Scott, we are not using any set-top box. We just have plain ol' basic cable. I didn't try pulling the power cord, I guess I figured since it was both of our TV's that it was something to do with the station programming. :o I guess it's not really that big of a deal, since I am getting them on alternate channels, but I was just curious to see if this is something I can expect to happen often.

Tperl, did you do another channel scan and see if you could get those channels on 86.x like I am?

[Captain_Rob]

First, just to be clear, you are not getting those HD channels "OTA" (Over The Air), you are getting them via your cable provider based on an FCC mandate that cable companys must provide the local HD channels via basic cable.

My mother is also on Insight basic cable and I noticed this past weekend when I was visiting I could no longer get the HD channels via 4.1 and 10.1 - After a channel scan we found them in the high numbers.

Insight may just be having problems that required a temporary channel relocation, but I would not count on it. The FCC mandate does not force the cable companys to transmit the stations PSP data (i.e. channel data that rebrands the "channel number" (##.#) to the stations original analog channel#, and the stations program guide). It also doesn't prevent the cable company from constantly moving the local HD signal around to other channel numbers. Some purposly move their local HD channels on a regular basis just to entice customers to upgrade their service (since they control their cable boxes they can remap it on those back to the documented channel number so those users don't see any change). Actually this is a common practice from what I've read. Cable companys usually won't even admit the FCC requires them to provide the local HD channels since they want to sell you an upgrade to their full blown HD service for much more $$$ then basic cable.

So to summarize, with basic cable get comfortable to having to do a channel scan every once in a while and then having to channel surf to find what channel number (##.#) the local HD channels are currently on.

[tperl]

No as of yesterday I could not get the channels anywhere in the 86 range. I rescanned multiple times as I wanted to watch the hockey game in hd. Also just have basic cable, no box.

[tperl]

Thanks for the info Rob

[mrspayne]

Thanks for the info and clarification, Rob. I thought what you explained was the case, but when I called Insight (prior to realizing the channels were available in the 86 series) to inquire about not receiving the channels, they said they weren't providing them, that I was getting them over-the-air. So it probably comes down to because I'm not paying them extra to rent a box, they don't want to deal with my problem.

On another note, late yesterday afternoon when I got home from work, the channels were back on 10.1 and 4.1.

[tperl]

They were also back for me yesterday. What you described is exactly why I did not bother calling Insight.

[mrspayne]

In any case, I'm glad to have found someone else to discuss it with, because no one else understood what I meant :). Everyone else has a box, TiVO, etc.