I know all the differences between analog and digital tuning in
general, just not what happens when one enters 1 3, for example, on
the remote.

What is the difference between scanning for channels and going
directly to one?

I thought that letting a VCR or DVD recorder or TV scan for channels
was only to compile a list in advance of stations a device
could receive, by checking out every channel and noting which had
signals.

And that pushing 1 3 on the remote would go to channel 13 whether one
had scanned for channels or not, whether digital station frequencies
had changed since the last time one scanned or not. As effectively as
if one scanned the whole spectrum, and then channeled up or down to
get to 13.

Am I right about the paragraph just above?


And that for timed recording, when the dvd recorder goes to channel 13
directly, it looks for it if necessary, just like scanning does. And
if it gives some reception, though bad reception, even though the
transmitter is only 10 miles away, it's not because it's off
frequency? But because the signal is bad.

Or are digital tuners different from analog, in that scanning first
and whenever the channel frequency changes is essential?

Thanks.

"mm" wrote
I thought that letting a VCR or DVD recorder or TV scan for channels
was only to compile a list in advance of stations a device
could receive, by checking out every channel and noting which had
signals.

Right, that is usually a one time deal and then the TV has a memory of those
channels. You can usually edit the channel listing also. By eliminating
the ones you never watch, the TV will skip over them when you hit the UP or
DOWN buttons.



And that pushing 1 3 on the remote would go to channel 13 whether one
had scanned for channels or not, whether digital station frequencies
had changed since the last time one scanned or not.

Yes

As effectively as
if one scanned the whole spectrum, and then channeled up or down to
get to 13.

Am I right about the paragraph just above?

Yes



And that for timed recording, when the dvd recorder goes to channel 13
directly, it looks for it if necessary, just like scanning does.

Don't think so. It will go to 13 but it won't scan looking for it AFAIK


And
if it gives some reception, though bad reception, even though the
transmitter is only 10 miles away, it's not because it's off
frequency? But because the signal is bad.

I don't have OTA so I'm not going to comment


Or are digital tuners different from analog, in that scanning first
and whenever the channel frequency changes is essential?

Why would the frequency change?

On Mar 12, 7:49*am, "Ed Pawlowski" wrote:
"mm" wrote

I thought that letting a VCR or DVD recorder or TV scan for channels
was only to compile a list in advance of stations a device
could receive, by checking out every channel and noting which had
signals.

Right, that is usually a one time deal and then the TV has a memory of those
channels. *You can usually edit the channel listing also. *By eliminating
the ones you never watch, the TV will skip over them when you hit the UP or
DOWN buttons.



And that pushing 1 3 on the remote would go to channel 13 whether one
had scanned for channels or not, whether digital station frequencies
had changed since the last time one scanned or not.

Yes

*As effectively as

if one scanned the whole spectrum, and then channeled up or down to
get to 13.

Am I right about the paragraph just above?

Yes



And that for timed recording, when the dvd recorder goes to channel 13
directly, it looks for it if necessary, just like scanning does.

Don't think so. *It will go to 13 but it won't scan looking for it AFAIK

*And

if it gives some reception, though bad reception, even though the
transmitter is only 10 miles away, it's not because it's off
frequency? *But because the signal is bad.

I don't have OTA so I'm not going to comment



Or are digital tuners different from analog, in that scanning first
and whenever the channel frequency changes is essential?

Why would the frequency change?

I think it may vary depending on the particular tuner implementation.
Some might not accept a direct channel entry from the remote
without that channel having been recognized previously during
a scan. Others might accept any channel entry, even one that
you don't have and attemp to tune to that channel.

And that pushing 1 3 on the remote would go to channel 13 whether one
had scanned for channels or not, whether digital station frequencies
had changed since the last time one scanned or not. As effectively as
if one scanned the whole spectrum, and then channeled up or down to
get to 13.

Am I right about the paragraph just above?

For some tuners if channel 13 was not put into memory during scan,
and if channel 13 does not give an adequate signal during direct entry
the channel will take.

mm wrote:
I know all the differences between analog and digital tuning in
general, just not what happens when one enters 1 3, for example, on
the remote.

What is the difference between scanning for channels and going
directly to one?

I thought that letting a VCR or DVD recorder or TV scan for channels
was only to compile a list in advance of stations a device
could receive, by checking out every channel and noting which had
signals.

And that pushing 1 3 on the remote would go to channel 13 whether one
had scanned for channels or not, whether digital station frequencies
had changed since the last time one scanned or not. As effectively as
if one scanned the whole spectrum, and then channeled up or down to
get to 13.

Am I right about the paragraph just above?


And that for timed recording, when the dvd recorder goes to channel 13
directly, it looks for it if necessary, just like scanning does. And
if it gives some reception, though bad reception, even though the
transmitter is only 10 miles away, it's not because it's off
frequency? But because the signal is bad.

Or are digital tuners different from analog, in that scanning first
and whenever the channel frequency changes is essential?

Thanks.
Hi,
Scanning is like a roll call triggering channel register counter.
Direct entry of ch. # is like calling one address of the register.
In analog circuit it is a mess, lot of discrete circuitry. In digital it
is PLL based and ASICs take care of it with more precision and stability.

On 03/12/2011 02:47 AM, mm wrote:
I know all the differences between analog and digital tuning in
general, just not what happens when one enters 1 3, for example, on
the remote.

What is the difference between scanning for channels and going
directly to one?

I thought that letting a VCR or DVD recorder or TV scan for channels
was only to compile a list in advance of stations a device
could receive, by checking out every channel and noting which had
signals.

And that pushing 1 3 on the remote would go to channel 13 whether one
had scanned for channels or not, whether digital station frequencies
had changed since the last time one scanned or not. As effectively as
if one scanned the whole spectrum, and then channeled up or down to
get to 13.

Am I right about the paragraph just above?


And that for timed recording, when the dvd recorder goes to channel 13
directly, it looks for it if necessary, just like scanning does. And
if it gives some reception, though bad reception, even though the
transmitter is only 10 miles away, it's not because it's off
frequency? But because the signal is bad.

Or are digital tuners different from analog, in that scanning first
and whenever the channel frequency changes is essential?

Thanks.

Well, if you input channel 13 and there is a "Channel 13" in memory, it
will go to that channel. If there's not, it will go to true RF channel
13 generally.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_A...on_frequencies
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_channel

when we did the DTV transmission, the channel as it appears on your
display no longer necessarily - and usually doesn't - conform to the
actual RF channel on which the signal is being broadcast.

for instance, this is the results of a search from antennaweb.org

DTV Antenna
Type Call Sign Channel Network City, State Live
Date Compass
Heading Miles
From RF
Channel
* yellow
uhf WNVC-DT 30.1 IND FAIRFAX, VA 261° 2.3 24
* green
vhf WUSA-DT 9.1 CBS WASHINGTON, DC 62° 7.1 9
* green
vhf WJLA-DT 7.1 ABC WASHINGTON, DC 62° 7.1 7
* red
uhf WHUT-DT 32.1 PBS WASHINGTON, DC 62° 7.1 33
* red
uhf WFDC-DT 14.1 UNI ARLINGTON, VA 66° 6.6 15
* red
uhf WDCA-DT 20.1 MNT WASHINGTON, DC 58° 7.3 35
* red
uhf WTTG-DT 5.1 FOX WASHINGTON, DC 58° 7.3 36
* red
uhf WPXW-DT 66.1 ION MANASSAS, VA 62° 7.1 34
* red
uhf WRC-DT 4.1 NBC WASHINGTON, DC 66° 6.6 48
* blue
uhf WETA-DT 26.1 PBS WASHINGTON, DC 62° 7.1 27
* blue
uhf WDCW-DT 50.1 CW WASHINGTON, DC 68° 9.9 50
blue
uhf WMDO-CA 30 TFA WASHINGTON, DC 65° 6.0 30
* blue
vhf WMDO-LD 47.1 TFA WASHINGTON, DC 66° 6.6 8
* violet
uhf WNVT-DT 30.6 IND GOLDVEIN, VA 229° 22.5 30

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

On Sat, 12 Mar 2011 08:33:47 -0700, Tony Hwang
wrote:



mm wrote:
I know all the differences between analog and digital tuning in
general, just not what happens when one enters 1 3, for example, on
the remote.

What is the difference between scanning for channels and going
directly to one?

I thought that letting a VCR or DVD recorder or TV scan for channels
was only to compile a list in advance of stations a device
could receive, by checking out every channel and noting which had
signals.

And that pushing 1 3 on the remote would go to channel 13 whether one
had scanned for channels or not, whether digital station frequencies
had changed since the last time one scanned or not. As effectively as
if one scanned the whole spectrum, and then channeled up or down to
get to 13.

Am I right about the paragraph just above?


And that for timed recording, when the dvd recorder goes to channel 13
directly, it looks for it if necessary, just like scanning does. And
if it gives some reception, though bad reception, even though the
transmitter is only 10 miles away, it's not because it's off
frequency? But because the signal is bad.

Or are digital tuners different from analog, in that scanning first
and whenever the channel frequency changes is essential?

Thanks.
Hi,
Scanning is like a roll call triggering channel register counter.
Direct entry of ch. # is like calling one address of the register.

So is that a yes or a no?

In analog circuit it is a mess, lot of discrete circuitry. In digital it
is PLL based and ASICs take care of it with more precision and stability.

On Sat, 12 Mar 2011 07:49:09 -0500, "Ed Pawlowski"
wrote:


"mm" wrote
I thought that letting a VCR or DVD recorder or TV scan for channels
was only to compile a list in advance of stations a device
could receive, by checking out every channel and noting which had
signals.

Right, that is usually a one time deal and then the TV has a memory of those
channels. You can usually edit the channel listing also. By eliminating
the ones you never watch, the TV will skip over them when you hit the UP or
DOWN buttons.



And that pushing 1 3 on the remote would go to channel 13 whether one
had scanned for channels or not, whether digital station frequencies
had changed since the last time one scanned or not.

Yes

As effectively as
if one scanned the whole spectrum, and then channeled up or down to
get to 13.

Am I right about the paragraph just above?

Yes



And that for timed recording, when the dvd recorder goes to channel 13
directly, it looks for it if necessary, just like scanning does.

Don't think so. It will go to 13 but it won't scan looking for it AFAIK


And
if it gives some reception, though bad reception, even though the
transmitter is only 10 miles away, it's not because it's off
frequency? But because the signal is bad.

I don't have OTA so I'm not going to comment


Or are digital tuners different from analog, in that scanning first
and whenever the channel frequency changes is essential?

Why would the frequency change?

The tv station can change the frequence it uses. They do this on rare
occassions I think.

Or, maybe a power failure at my house could cause it to forget things.
IIRC, unplugging an analog tv long enough would cause it to forget
*which* stations are preset, but of course it would have no trouble
going to one directly.

What happened is that one of 3 network statiosn whose transmitting
antennas are less than 10 miles away stopped coming in. After about 3
days, I emailed them and they wrote back a short nice letter saying
with some tvs I need to rescan and would I try that please. (In other
words, his transmitter is working as normal, he thinks)

After I wrote them, I noticed that another of the 3 network stations
wasn't working and the third sometimes didn't, EVEN though the
independent stations in DC, 45 miles away were working.

Now I'm wondering if my antenna amp is malfunctioning and putting out
too strong a signal for the strong stations. Hmm, there is a way to
test that without going into the attic.

On Sat, 12 Mar 2011 13:31:36 -0500, mm wrote:

On Sat, 12 Mar 2011 07:49:09 -0500, "Ed Pawlowski"
wrote:


"mm" wrote
I thought that letting a VCR or DVD recorder or TV scan for channels
was only to compile a list in advance of stations a device
could receive, by checking out every channel and noting which had
signals.

Right, that is usually a one time deal and then the TV has a memory of those
channels. You can usually edit the channel listing also. By eliminating
the ones you never watch, the TV will skip over them when you hit the UP or
DOWN buttons.



And that pushing 1 3 on the remote would go to channel 13 whether one
had scanned for channels or not, whether digital station frequencies
had changed since the last time one scanned or not.

Yes

As effectively as
if one scanned the whole spectrum, and then channeled up or down to
get to 13.

Am I right about the paragraph just above?

Yes



And that for timed recording, when the dvd recorder goes to channel 13
directly, it looks for it if necessary, just like scanning does.

Don't think so. It will go to 13 but it won't scan looking for it AFAIK


And
if it gives some reception, though bad reception, even though the
transmitter is only 10 miles away, it's not because it's off
frequency? But because the signal is bad.

I don't have OTA so I'm not going to comment


Or are digital tuners different from analog, in that scanning first
and whenever the channel frequency changes is essential?

Why would the frequency change?

The tv station can change the frequence it uses. They do this on rare
occassions I think.

Why would they do that? Sure it happens, perhaps once, in a station's life
but it takes permission (or direction) from Washington to do it.

Or, maybe a power failure at my house could cause it to forget things.
IIRC, unplugging an analog tv long enough would cause it to forget
*which* stations are preset, but of course it would have no trouble
going to one directly.

Generally they default to all enabled. You then program in the channels to be
skipped.

What happened is that one of 3 network statiosn whose transmitting
antennas are less than 10 miles away stopped coming in. After about 3
days, I emailed them and they wrote back a short nice letter saying
with some tvs I need to rescan and would I try that please. (In other
words, his transmitter is working as normal, he thinks)

After I wrote them, I noticed that another of the 3 network stations
wasn't working and the third sometimes didn't, EVEN though the
independent stations in DC, 45 miles away were working.

Now I'm wondering if my antenna amp is malfunctioning and putting out
too strong a signal for the strong stations. Hmm, there is a way to
test that without going into the attic.

If it's a strong station try a wire stuck in the back of the set.

On Sat, 12 Mar 2011 13:13:52 -0600, "
wrote:

On Sat, 12 Mar 2011 13:31:36 -0500, mm wrote:

On Sat, 12 Mar 2011 07:49:09 -0500, "Ed Pawlowski"
wrote:


"mm" wrote
I thought that letting a VCR or DVD recorder or TV scan for channels
was only to compile a list in advance of stations a device
could receive, by checking out every channel and noting which had
signals.

Right, that is usually a one time deal and then the TV has a memory of those
channels. You can usually edit the channel listing also. By eliminating
the ones you never watch, the TV will skip over them when you hit the UP or
DOWN buttons.



And that pushing 1 3 on the remote would go to channel 13 whether one
had scanned for channels or not, whether digital station frequencies
had changed since the last time one scanned or not.

Yes

As effectively as
if one scanned the whole spectrum, and then channeled up or down to
get to 13.

Am I right about the paragraph just above?

Yes



And that for timed recording, when the dvd recorder goes to channel 13
directly, it looks for it if necessary, just like scanning does.

Don't think so. It will go to 13 but it won't scan looking for it AFAIK


And
if it gives some reception, though bad reception, even though the
transmitter is only 10 miles away, it's not because it's off
frequency? But because the signal is bad.

I don't have OTA so I'm not going to comment


Or are digital tuners different from analog, in that scanning first
and whenever the channel frequency changes is essential?

Why would the frequency change?

The tv station can change the frequence it uses. They do this on rare
occassions I think.

Why would they do that? Sure it happens, perhaps once, in a station's life
but it takes permission (or direction) from Washington to do it.

Yes, to cooperate with other stations when the FCC says to.

Or, maybe a power failure at my house could cause it to forget things.
IIRC, unplugging an analog tv long enough would cause it to forget
*which* stations are preset, but of course it would have no trouble
going to one directly.

Generally they default to all enabled. You then program in the channels to be
skipped.

If it really forgets "everything" it has to scan before it knows the
statiosn. Of course brand new digital devices insist on scanning,
come to think of it, I think, (and some analog ones did too, but only
like they insisted on your putting in the correct time. It wasnt'
necesary to make the tv work.)

What happened is that one of 3 network statiosn whose transmitting
antennas are less than 10 miles away stopped coming in. After about 3
days, I emailed them and they wrote back a short nice letter saying
with some tvs I need to rescan and would I try that please. (In other
words, his transmitter is working as normal, he thinks)

After I wrote them, I noticed that another of the 3 network stations
wasn't working and the third sometimes didn't, EVEN though the
independent stations in DC, 45 miles away were working.

Now I'm wondering if my antenna amp is malfunctioning and putting out
too strong a signal for the strong stations. Hmm, there is a way to
test that without going into the attic.

If it's a strong station try a wire stuck in the back of the set.

Exactly. I should have thought of that. I'm getting slow-witted
with age or distraction.

On Mar 12, 2:31*pm, mm wrote:
On Sat, 12 Mar 2011 07:49:09 -0500, "Ed Pawlowski"



wrote:

"mm" wrote
I thought that letting a VCR or DVD recorder or TV scan for channels
was only to compile a list in advance of stations a device
could receive, by checking out every channel and noting which had
signals.

Right, that is usually a one time deal and then the TV has a memory of those
channels. *You can usually edit the channel listing also. *By eliminating
the ones you never watch, the TV will skip over them when you hit the UP or
DOWN buttons.

And that pushing 1 3 on the remote would go to channel 13 whether one
had scanned for channels or not, whether digital station frequencies
had changed since the last time one scanned or not.

Yes

As effectively as
if one scanned the whole spectrum, and then channeled up or down to
get to 13.

Am I right about the paragraph just above?

Yes

And that for timed recording, when the dvd recorder goes to channel 13
directly, it looks for it if necessary, just like scanning does.

Don't think so. *It will go to 13 but it won't scan looking for it AFAIK

And
if it gives some reception, though bad reception, even though the
transmitter is only 10 miles away, it's not because it's off
frequency? *But because the signal is bad.

I don't have OTA so I'm not going to comment

Or are digital tuners different from analog, in that scanning first
and whenever the channel frequency changes is essential?

Why would the frequency change?

The tv station can change the frequence it uses. *They do this on rare
occassions I think.

Or, maybe a power failure at my house could cause it to forget things.
IIRC, unplugging an analog tv long enough would cause it to forget
*which* stations are preset, but of course it would have no trouble
going to one directly.

What happened is that one of 3 network statiosn whose transmitting
antennas are less than 10 miles away stopped coming in. *After about 3
days, I emailed them and they wrote back a short nice letter saying
with some tvs I need to rescan and would I try that please. *(In other
words, his transmitter is working as normal, he thinks) *

After I wrote them, I noticed that another of the 3 network stations
wasn't working and the third sometimes didn't, EVEN though the
independent stations in DC, 45 miles away were working.

Now I'm wondering if my antenna amp is malfunctioning and putting out
too strong a signal for the strong stations. *Hmm, there is a way to
test that without going into the attic.


Sounds like you have a bad antenna amp or failing signal splitter...

~~ Evan

On Sun, 13 Mar 2011 04:30:24 -0700 (PDT), Evan
wrote:

On Mar 12, 2:31*pm, mm wrote:
On Sat, 12 Mar 2011 07:49:09 -0500, "Ed Pawlowski"



wrote:

"mm" wrote
I thought that letting a VCR or DVD recorder or TV scan for channels
was only to compile a list in advance of stations a device
could receive, by checking out every channel and noting which had
signals.

Right, that is usually a one time deal and then the TV has a memory of those
channels. *You can usually edit the channel listing also. *By eliminating
the ones you never watch, the TV will skip over them when you hit the UP or
DOWN buttons.

And that pushing 1 3 on the remote would go to channel 13 whether one
had scanned for channels or not, whether digital station frequencies
had changed since the last time one scanned or not.

Yes

As effectively as
if one scanned the whole spectrum, and then channeled up or down to
get to 13.

Am I right about the paragraph just above?

Yes

And that for timed recording, when the dvd recorder goes to channel 13
directly, it looks for it if necessary, just like scanning does.

Don't think so. *It will go to 13 but it won't scan looking for it AFAIK

And
if it gives some reception, though bad reception, even though the
transmitter is only 10 miles away, it's not because it's off
frequency? *But because the signal is bad.

I don't have OTA so I'm not going to comment

Or are digital tuners different from analog, in that scanning first
and whenever the channel frequency changes is essential?

Why would the frequency change?

The tv station can change the frequence it uses. *They do this on rare
occassions I think.

Or, maybe a power failure at my house could cause it to forget things.
IIRC, unplugging an analog tv long enough would cause it to forget
*which* stations are preset, but of course it would have no trouble
going to one directly.

What happened is that one of 3 network statiosn whose transmitting
antennas are less than 10 miles away stopped coming in. *After about 3
days, I emailed them and they wrote back a short nice letter saying
with some tvs I need to rescan and would I try that please. *(In other
words, his transmitter is working as normal, he thinks) *

After I wrote them, I noticed that another of the 3 network stations
wasn't working and the third sometimes didn't, EVEN though the
independent stations in DC, 45 miles away were working.

Now I'm wondering if my antenna amp is malfunctioning and putting out
too strong a signal for the strong stations. *Hmm, there is a way to
test that without going into the attic.


Sounds like you have a bad antenna amp or failing signal splitter...

There's a little more to the story, that the question didn't concern
itself with.

I got local stationjs pretty good, put in an attic antenna and it
improved some, put in an antenna amp and the locals stopped having
outages for a secodn or two, and I got a lot of stations from DC.

Then in January, all the stations from DC disappeared, I kept
checkking for weeks, and I thought something went wrong with the amp
or maybe the connection in the attic. (I was going to buy an amp from
solidstate.com, but came across one at Radio Shack, 55 dollars marked
down to 8. So I figure they know it's going to fail soon.)

Then the local network stations disappeared almost entirely while the
local non-network inc. fox were good. Later the DC stations were
back, I noticed.

Maybe the amp was over-amping, but I didnt' think to check until
someone here suggested it and then I didn't have time because last
night, after I started the thread, all the stations came back.

If this happens again, I'll be more prepared.


Thanks, and thanks everyone for all the help


~~ Evan

On Sat, 12 Mar 2011 09:44:14 -0500, wrote:


And that pushing 1 3 on the remote would go to channel 13 whether one
had scanned for channels or not, whether digital station frequencies
had changed since the last time one scanned or not. As effectively as
if one scanned the whole spectrum, and then channeled up or down to
get to 13.

Am I right about the paragraph just above?

For some tuners if channel 13 was not put into memory during scan,
and if channel 13 does not give an adequate signal during direct entry
the channel (will take.)
Correction: should not take.