Questions about High-Definition that you don't see here?  Send us an email with your questions to HD@wkbn.com!

FAQ about receiving HD programming:

What do I need to receive HD programming off of the air?

To receive HD programming off of the air, you will need the following things:

1) An HD Television - There is a difference between HD televisions and HD monitors.  HD monitors do not have an HD tuner which is required.
2) You must have an antenna (indoor or outdoor)

What is the difference between an HD or digital antenna and an analog antenna?

There is no difference.  In fact, there is no such thing as an HD or digital antenna.  Any antenna that works for analog signals will work just as well for HD or digital signals including the old "rabbit ears" set top antennas.


I have an HD television with an HD tuner, and I purchased an HD antenna, how do I receive the channels?

In order for your television to "find" the new digital stations, you must do a "channel search" similar to the one you had to perform when you first purchased the television.  To do a "channel search", consult your television's user manual.


I've completed the channel search and it seems like I'm getting the same station several times over (ex: 27, 27.1, 27.2, 62), can you explain?

27 - This is an analog signal (480i), the same station you would get if you hooked up an antenna to a traditional television. This will be going off of the air in February of 2009 so when you start receiving 27.1, you can delete 27 from your channel list (consult your television's user manual).

27.1 - This is WKBN-HD (1080i).

27.2 - This is WYFX (480i).

62 - This is an analog signal (480i) for WYFX.  Again, once you start receiving 27.2, you can delete this from your channel list (consult your televisions's user manual).


I've complete the channel search, but I'm still not receiving any channels/I'm only receiving one or two channels, nothing else?

If you've purchased an indoor antenna, you may have to switch to an outdoor antenna to get better reception.  Make sure your antenna is free from any trees or other objects that may get in the way of the path of the signal.

Another option is to purchase a booster to attach to your antenna that will boost the power of the signal.  Boosters are sold for both indoor and outdoor antennas at most electronics retailers.  Consult your local electronics dealer before using a booster to make sure it is the right option for you.


Do I have to change back to the analog station (27) from the HD station (27.1) when a program is not available in High Definition?

No.  Once you receive 27.1, you have no need for the analog station anymore.  Whenever a standard definition signal is broadcast on a digital station, it will show on the screen in pillar-box format (black edges on both sides of the screen).


HD, Digital aren't these the same thing?

Not necessarily.  One common rule to go by is that everything HD is digital, but not everything digital is HD.  Anything from 480p and up is considered digital, although some 480i signals can be digita Anything from 720p and up is considered HD.


480i, 720p, what does all of this mean?

This refers to the maximum resolution of the particular signal you can receive.  The signal sent to your television is split into hundreds of lines, the number corresponds with the maximum amount of lines you are receiving.  Example: 480i = 480 lines.  "i" or "p" indicates the type of scanning used in the signal.  "i" indicates the signal is using interlaced scanning, "p" indicates the signal is using progressive scanning.

Interlaced scanning has 2 fields.  Each field displays half of the lines.  In a 480i signal, the odd field displays the odd lines 1-479 then the even field displays the even lines 2-480.  Why can't you tell?  Because, it alternates at a rate of 60 times per second.  That means that the entire picture is sent 30 times a second, way too fast for the human eye to catch.

Progressive scanning has similar principles to interlaced scanning, but instead of splitting the fields, it sends the entire picture all at once 60 times a second.  So, since progressive scanning delivers the entire picture 60 times per second, and interlaced scanning delivers the entire picture 30 times a second, a progressive format picture generally gives better resolution for fast moving scenes like sports.

The different types of resolutions, and where you can expect to find them:

480i: (Over the air) Analgo television is delivered in 480i.  This is also used for standard definition digital broadcasts so they can be converted and displayed on a traditional analog television.  WYFX 27-2 is delivered in 480i.

480p: DVD's commonly use this particular resolution.  This is considered a digital signal.

720p: 720p is the minimum resolution for a signal to be considered "High Definition".  ABC and FOX currently broadcast over the air at 720p.  This is considered a digital signal AND to be High Definition.

1080i: 1080i is similar to 720p resolution visually, and is currently used by CBS, NBC, and PBS, along with a number of networks that can be viewed through cable or satellite provider (HBO-HD, Showtime-HD, Discovery HD, etc...).  This is considered to be a digital signal AND High Definition.

1080p: 1080p currently cannot be viewed over the air, but it can be viewed for movies or certain gaming systems if you have these items:

1) A television capable of displaying a 1080p signal (consult your user's manual or electronics dealer)
2) A Blu-Ray or HD-DVD player (with compatible Blu-Ray or HD-DVD media)
3) An HDMI cable or other comparable interface.

1080p is digital AND High Definition.