KABB-DT Frequently Asked HD Questions

Does KABB offer their programming in high definition?
What is KABB's digital channel?
Where is the KABB digital transmitting antenna?
How much power is KABB-DT transmitting?
What equipment do I need to receive your signal for my "HD-Ready" TV?
Is it necessary to use an outdoor antenna to receive KABB-DT?
My Homeowner's association does not allow outdoor or roof top antennas. What are my options?
Is the attic a good place for an antenna?
How Much Does An Antenna Cost?
If a $50 antenna can pull in the digital signal, is a $100 antenna even better?
My outdoor antenna receives a good signal from the other stations but I need to realign the antenna to receive KABB-DT. Any ideas?
Do I need to replace my existing antenna with a "digital ready" antenna?
Where is KABB's HD Channel on Cable TV?
Is KABB's HD Channel available on satellite TV?
What High Definition format is FOX using?
How does 720p compare to 1080i?
How does 720p look in comparison to 1080i?
What will I see if a program is not offered in high definition?
Does KABB-DT broadcast in DD5.1?
What's the DT in KABB-DT?

Does KABB offer their programming in high definition?

Yes. KABB has offered all FOX High Definition (HD) programming since September 12, 2004. Most, but not all, of FOX network programming is presented in HD. Go to the Fox website to see which programs are in HD.

Fox Network Schedule

What is KABB's digital channel?

KABB-DT is physically broadcasting on UHF Channel 30, but the signal will appear as 29-1 on most digital receivers.

Where is the KABB digital transmitting antenna?

The antenna is side mounted at the top of our 1,500 foot tower located near Elmendorf, Texas. The location is approximately 17 miles southeast of downtown San Antonio.

How much power is KABB-DT transmitting?

The Effective Radiated Power is 718,000 watts which blankets the San Antonio viewing area.

What equipment do I need to receive your signal for my "HD-Ready" TV?

"HD-Ready" televisions are monitors and do not include built-in HDTV tuners. A Set-Top Box (STB) is required for reception of over-the-air broadcast HDTV. The STB is simply a digital tuner that sits outboard of the HDTV set. The STB requires an antenna connection to receive the HDTV signal. Consult your owner's manual for details.

On July 1, 2005 the FCC is requiring all television sets with a screen size 36" and larger to include integrated over-the-air digital tuners.

Is it necessary to use an outdoor antenna to receive KABB-DT?

Outdoor antennas are recommended because they will gather the most signal strength for your HD receiver to decode. However, many viewers are successfully receiving our signal with an indoor antenna. There is a greater need for an outdoor antenna the farther you live from the tower site.

My Homeowner's association does not allow outdoor or roof top antennas. What are my options?

It is against federal regulations to prohibit outdoor antennas for the purpose of receiving broadcast signals. The law is on your side if you decide to put one up. If you do not want to challenge your homeowner's association, place your antennas on the back side of your house to block their view from the street. Some people have installed antennas in their attic. Use the following link for more information:

http://www.fcc.gov/mb/facts/otard.html

Is the attic a good place for an antenna?

It works for some people in some locations. The structure of the house will reduce the signal strength. Physical space in the attic may prevent proper alignment of the antenna. If you live in an area where the broadcast signals are strong, the attic antenna is a viable option. If you have a metal roof or solar board don't even consider an attic antenna because the metal covering shields the signals.

How Much Does An Antenna Cost?

The best outdoor antenna for most locations is a Yagi style UHF antenna that sells for less than $50. We recommend RG-6 coaxial cable between the antenna and the digital receiver. The cost of the cable depends on the required length.

If a $50 antenna can pull in the digital signal, is a $100 antenna even better?

Not necessarily. Many of the "high tech" amplified antennas are often times shaped like a helicopter blade or round tube. They cost twice the price and do not work very well for many households. The pick-up pattern of the antenna is most often omni-directional, which pulls in signals from all directions. Omni antennas will receive the primary signal and often times signal bounce on the back side of the antenna. Signal reflections are multipath interference. Strong multipath reflections can confuse the receiver and result in the blue screen of death. Digital receivers will display a perfect picture or nothing at all.

My outdoor antenna receives a good signal from the other stations but I need to realign the antenna to receive KABB-DT. Any ideas?

The pick-up pattern of your antenna could be too directional. It is not necessary to purchase a long range antenna if you live in the San Antonio area. The extra gain in a long range antennas can overdrive your receiver. Long range antennas are more directional by design so path alignment becomes ultra critical. Try using a lower cost antenna with less gain and a broader pick-up pattern.

Do I need to replace my existing antenna with a "digital ready" antenna?

No. Any UHF antenna will receive the HDTV signal.

Where is KABB's HD Channel on Cable TV?

At the present time KABB HD is available on AT&T U-verse, Grande Cable, Guadalupe Valley Cable, and Time Warner Cable.

Is KABB's HD Channel available on satellite TV?

KABB HD is available on Directv and Dish Network. Contact the satellite provider for more information.

What High Definition format is FOX using?

The FOX network standard is 720p, which offers 720 active lines progressively scanned. The frame rate is 60 frames per second.

How does 720p compare to 1080i?

Don't let anyone fool you, they both look great. There are tradeoffs with both formats. The 720p format streams 60 razor sharp frames each second, which make it ideal for sports coverage. Progressive scanning is the technique utilized by all current computer monitors and flat panel technology.

The 1080i format utilizes 1080 active lines and interlace scanning. There are more active lines of video and more pixels per line than utilized by the 720p. The 1080i format streams 60 half frames per second. The odd number lines are scanned on the screen followed by the even number lines 1/60 second later. 1080i has a full frame rate of 30 per second. The interlace approach can result in jitter and other artifacts. Interlace is the scanning technique native to most CRT displays.

Since 1080i is interlaced and 720p is progressive, the number of active lines is not an apples to apples comparison. The number 720 was selected because in progressive scanning, 720 lines progressive, is the mathematical equivalent of 1080 lines interlaced. In theory the resolution is almost identical.

How does 720p look in comparison to 1080i?

They both look great if they are displayed on a monitor capable of 720p or 1080i. Some of the older HDTV sets are not configured for 720p and the resolution is downconverted to 480i even though the aspect ratio remains 16x9. The resolution of a downconverted signal is identical to standard definition.

What will I see if a program is not offered in high definition?

KABB "upconverts" all standard definition programming to make it appear as a 720p HD signal. The upconverted programming will look better than an analog standard definition feed, but it will not look as good as a program that is natively high definition.

Any programming originally produced in the 4x3 aspect ratio will appear in the center of the screen with blank panels filling the sides. Programming that is natively high definition will fill the entire 16x9 wide screen display.

Does KABB-DT broadcast in DD5.1?

Any FOX program offered in Dolby Digital 5.1 is broadcast on KABB in DD5.1. A true 5.1 audio mix will contain six full channels of audio. The channels are designed to feed a right front, center, left front, rear left, and rear right speakers. The sixth channel or the .1 channel is for a low frequency effect channel (LFE), often called a sub-woofer. DD5.1 audio creates a sound field that closely resembles the sound field in a movie theatre.

What's the DT in KABB-DT?

The FCC assigned call letters on a digital channel are designated with DT. The call letters on an analog channel are designated with TV. In other words KABB-TV is analog. KABB-DT is digital.

Here are some web resources to learn about the technology of digital television, high definition programming, and how to receive our signal with your outdoor antenna.

www.myfreehdtv.com
www.checkhd.com
www.dtv.gov
www.antennaweb.org

If you have a question or comments that was not covered, e-mail engineering@kabb.com

comments@sbgi.net