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WKBN-TV Broadcasts in High Definition
I don't have cable - so how can I get WKBN-HD over the air?
FCC398 DTV Consumer Education Quarterly Activity Report
WKBN-TV Broadcasts in High Definition
WKBN-TV and WYFX-LP are now on-the-air digitally on WKBN-DT. The station has completed a 1.6 million dollar investment to provide the most powerful digital signal in the Youngstown television market. With a transmitting power of 700,000 watts, coupled with Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound, the signal transmitted by WKBN-DT will reach over three million over-the-air viewers.
How to Access WKBN HDTV Programs
You must have a high-definition tuner and monitor to properly decode HDTV signals and display them accurately.
There are currently two ways to receive WKBN in HD. It‘s available free over the air, in high definition, on TV Channel 27-1. It is also available through Armstrong Cable on channel 104. WYFX in HD is available via Armstrong Cable and on Time Warner Cable.
HDTV Basics
As we steadily approach February 17, 2009 the transition from analog to digital broadcasting has become an increasingly important topic. Congress has passed legislation requiring all over-the-air “analog” TV broadcasting to stop on the above date. After February 17, 2009, your local television broadcasts will be making only “DTV broadcasts”. If you receive your signals via an antenna, these broadcasts will require different TV tuners. Congress decided that it is time for TV broadcasting to move towards more modern and efficient “digital” techniques. If you are unfamiliar to the digital world, the DTV terminology can be quite confusing.
In Layman’s terms, DTV stands for “digital television”. DTV signals are sent from local transmitters, over the air to homes, by modern digital techniques rather than older “analog” methods.
HDTV stands for “high definition television”. It is the most advanced form of digital television available today. HDTV has proven to be the biggest breakthrough in broadcasting since color TV. HDTV broadcasts video digitally, in contrast to the common analog formats. HDTV is just one part of the DTV transition.
Technical Information
One of the most confusing aspects for many HDTV buyers is the various resolutions that these formats may support. Resolution refers to the picture or detail. It is the main reason why HDTV looks so good. The standard-definition programming most of us watch today has at most 480 visible lines of detail, whereas HDTV has as many as 1,080. There are two high definition formats: 720p and 1080i. Any HDTV receiver will receive both formats. HDTV provides high resolution programming in a widescreen format, 16x9. It provides pictures with several times the clarity of DVDs and over 5 times the resolution of a regular television picture.
Having two HD formats allows broadcasters to choose the format that provides the best technical quality for their particular mix of programming. The 720p format makes a picture with 720 vertical lines, each with 1280 pixels horizontally. It has a resolution of 1280x720. 720p is a progressive-scan format that should deliver a smoother image that stays sharper during motion. The 1080i format makes a picture with 1080 vertical lines, each with 1920 pixels horizontally. It therefore has a resolution of 1920x1080. The format to be used is determined largely by the Networks. Fox currently uses the 720p format, while CBS uses the 1080i format.
In Case You Wanted to Know
WKBN-TV placed the digital antenna on our existing transmission tower located in Boardman. The new HD antenna weighs 3100 pounds and sits 1225 feet up the 1432 foot tower.
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