Archive for the ‘television’ Category

digital television’s dirty little secret

Monday, February 9th, 2009

digital tv

My daughter gave me eyetv as a Christmas gift. It allows me to view television broadcasts on my Mac.

It works great. My only complaint is that right after I got it, they came out with a version that also allows you to listen to FM radio broadcasts on a Mac.

Anyway, I connected the eyetv to my 25-element log periodic antenna, which is at the top of the tower, about 1000 ft ASL.

eyetv receives both analog and digital television broadcasts and that capability soon revealed to me the dirty little secret about digital television. The quality of digital television video is much better than analog television video, however, in order to view digital television video, the signal at your receiver must be stronger than the signal strength required to view analog television video.

Today, I can receive the analog television broadcasts of New York City channels 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, and 13 with my eyetv and log periodic antenna, but I cannot receive any digital television broadcasts from New York City. So, when they finally shut down analog television broadcasts, I lose New York City. Similarly, I will lose other distant television stations once digital becomes the only television broadcast mode.

Is digital television a technological advancement? Not in my book.

Posted in analog mode, digital mode, hardware, mac, software, television | 6 Comments »

40°57’39.0″ N, 73°55’21.0″ W

Tuesday, February 3rd, 2009

Armstrong tower

Today’s Live Search Maps bird’s eye view of antenna farms takes us to 40°57’39.0″ N, 73°55’21.0″ W, which is the location of another historic radio site: Edwin Armstrong’s tower in Alpine, NJ. (Click on the photo to magnify it.)

Thanksgiving Day, the family took a bus trip to New York City to view the Macy’s T-Day parade. On the way home, the bus traveled north on I-87, which provided an opportunity to view Armstrong’s tower in person. I quickly spotted the immense tower even though it was over four miles away at the closest point. I was duly impressed!

Here are some pertinent links regarding this impressive edifice:

By the way, if you want to view the tower yourself on Microsoft’s Live Search Maps, use the coordinates 40°57’39.0″ N, 73°55’21.0″ W. (I could not find a street address for the tower, but I found the coordinates and they work just as well as a street address.)

Posted in amateur radio, antenna, broadcast radio, ham radio, history, images, radio, surfin', television | 4 Comments »

Surfin’: Going ATV Digitally

Friday, October 3rd, 2008

This week’s Surfin’ considers Web sites where Amateur Television (ATV) is going digital.

Did you know that Surfin’ is a weekly column published on ARRLWeb that features Web sites related to Amateur Radio, specifically, and radio, in general? If you have any suggestions for Surfin’, please contact WA1LOU using the e-mail link to the right.

Posted in ATV, amateur radio, ham radio, surfin', television | 4 Comments »

what a deal!

Sunday, June 22nd, 2008

When we were kids, my sister and I were allowed to stay up late on Friday nights to watch The Twilight Zone, which was on at 9:30 Eastern Time. But we had our marching orders: as soon as the show ended at 10 PM, we had to go straight upstairs to bed.

To make ends meet, both my mother and father worked. Dad worked days (7 AM to 3:30 PM) and Mom worked nights (5 to 10 PM). Dad did not want my mother driving alone at night, so he drove her to and from work ever day including Fridays, which left us kids home alone to watch The Twilight Zone, while Dad crossed town to pick up Mom.

Needless to say, two kids home alone watching The Twilight Zone was a scary proposition and after many episodes of the show, going upstairs to our dark bedrooms was not very inviting. But, we loved the show, continued to watch it, and managed to go upstairs to bed sooner or later… usually later.

Today, my wife, sister, and I went to a couple of tag sales and at one, I found a box containing 25 VHS tapes of The Twilight Zone collection. Most of the tapes had four episodes, some had three, and they were the cream of the crop. I recognized the titles of many of those episodes that made it difficult to go upstairs to bed nearly 50 years ago.

When I asked the lady running the tag sale, how much for the tapes, she said I could have the box full for $1. What a deal!

Posted in science fiction, television | 1 Comment »

double rainbow

Monday, June 2nd, 2008

double rainbow 06716 080531

An intense thunderstorm passed through here early Saturday night and a rainbow appeared near the storms end. I photographed the rainbow and to my surprise, when I viewed it on my computer, I realized it was a double rainbow.

I e-mailed the photo to Geoff Fox, K1GF, the weatherman at WTNH, and he showed the photo during the 10 PM news on channel 59 and the 11 PM news on channel 8.

Posted in images, photo, television, weather noted | 2 Comments »

All You Need Is Cash

Saturday, December 22nd, 2007

After a busy day, I wanted to relax and watch something amusing. Nothing on the dish interested me, so I looked through my collection of DVDs and decided to watch The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash.

I have not seen this film since it came out in 1978 and it was almost like watching it for the first time. I laughed a lot and enjoyed the music. I had forgotten that it was a Lorne Michaels’ production, so there were cameos by the prime “not ready for prime time” Saturday Night Live crew: Aykroyd, Belushi, Murray, Radner, Franken, Davis, and Michaels, himself.

For those who have no idea what I am talking about, The Rutles, “a living legend that will live long after other living legends have died” is a spoof of the Beatles career following their rise from Liverpool to their breakup in 1970. George Harrison appears in the film as an interviewer.

The music is dead-on Beatles. I like it so much that I have the soundtrack on my iPod.

If you are a Beatles fan, buy or rent the DVD; I think you will have a laugh or two.

Posted in films, humor, jocularity, television, tunes | No Comments »

The War

Wednesday, October 3rd, 2007

When I was growing up, the adults in my family always referred to World War II as “the war” as if the previous and subsequent wars did not count. In a way, the other wars did not count because World War II was like no other war. It not only profoundly affected the soldiers fighting the war, but it also had a profound affect on everyone, who lived through it.

I majored in history, so I should know my history, but after sitting through each segment of The War series on PBS, I learned a few things.

For instance, I was not aware of all the incompetency of many of our military leaders. I guess I was brainwashed by all those old war movies in which our side always made the right moves against an incompetent enemy. We almost lost the war a couple of times due to the incompetency of our military leaders. If it wasn’t for Patton, Bradley, and a few others, I might be typing this in German today.

I never knew about the civilian prisoners of war in Manilla. Those poor people must have a life-long hatred of their captors.

I did not know about the Japanese-Americans that fought on the European front.

My Dad was a Marine, 4th Division, during the war and fought on the islands of Tinian, Saipan, and Iwo Jima. He was wounded twice and awarded two Purple Hearts. He did not talk much about his war experiences, although he often mentioned that he likely would have been involved in the invasion of Japan and he was glad that the invasion was made  necessary by the atomic bomb. After watching The War, I can understand why.

I am glad I watched The War. I think it was a job well done. I found Ray Leopold (a Waterbury native) reflections on the war particularly poignant, although I disagree with his statement that you can jump across the Mad River.

On the other hand, just about anytime that woman from Alabama opened her mouth, I wanted to go up to the television and slap her in the face. I got the feeling that for her, the war was an inconvenience and a source of humorous stories that she can retell over the future tea parties. I think she was included in the series to show both sides of the “greatest generation,” too.

I look forward to viewing The War DVDs for additional footage not included in the television broadcast.

Another great job, Mr. Burns!

Posted in history, observation, television | 2 Comments »