WJXT First to offer local news in HD

[jandar]

http://www.jacksonville.com/news/2009-01-14/story/wjxt_first_station_to_broadcast_local_news_in_hd

Funny how the independent station gets local news in HD first over the conglomerate owned 12/25 and 30/47.

[fsujax]

Good for Channel 4. They can make their won decisions without having to worry about getting approval from some HQ somewhere else. I have really grown to like channel 4 news over the past couple of years.

[copperfiend]

Fox30/CBS47 will have local news in HD when Congress requires stations to do so. I've seen better production value in a high school A/V class. And I apologize if I insulted any A/V classes.

[downtownparks]

Good for Channel 4. They can make their won decisions without having to worry about getting approval from some HQ somewhere else. I have really grown to like channel 4 news over the past couple of years.

Not entirely true... They are owned by post Newsweek, and are just as beholden to corporate masters as the rest of the local affiliates. Just check out all of the Post Newsweek TV websites...

that said, they do a solid job and their morning show is extremely well produced.

[deathstar]

I find myself watching The Morning Show on Channel 4 in the mornings, and Fox 30 at 10 for the evenings.

[coredumped]

I thought ABC was the first in jacksonville to have HD?

http://www.metrojacksonville.com/forum/index.php?topic=3760.0
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WTLV#High-definition

[jandar]

ABC 25 is still not producing in HDTV and broadcasting.
Still 4:3 resolution.

WJXT 4 is 16:9 720p. 4:3 with blue sidebars when reporting from the field.


WJXT wins as the first HDTV Local News.

[BridgeTroll]

I still have a Flintstone TV...

[downtownparks]

ABC and NBC are not producing local HD content. They are able to retransmit HD in 16:9 like all other local network affiliates, but all local equipment is still SD 4:3

[stjr]

I have HDTV's but use rabbit ears only.  The new digital reception this way is equal or better (if you don't subscribe to the HDTV upgrades) to cable or satellite.  Spectacular pictures in HDTV for free!  Only problem is 12 and 25 (both Gannett stations) are sending weak signals.  Digital broadcast web sites say they have a damaged antenna.  Hopefully, they are boosting their power by 2/17/09 or we will be unable to receive them, at least unless we add an outdoor antenna.

There are also new digital stations not currently transmitted in analog (Channel 4 has 3 digital channels, Channel 7 has 5 digital channels, Channel 30 has 2 or 3, and so on, plus a new player, Channel 21 [Ion Network] with 5 channels and the multiple shopping [QVC] and religious channels).  All together, there will be probably some 2 dozen free stations with highest quality pictures and a wide range of programming.

If you are not a big TV watcher and use the web and its video for things such as news (CNN puts all their video on the web and there are now thousands of TV episodes posted for free by the networks and studios on their sites or YouTube), who needs cable or satellite?!  Just hook up your PC to your TV (the better new ones have direct PC connections) and you are set!

[downtownparks]

I understand that Ch 12 and 25 have had a full antenna and transmitter replacement. This should resolve the issues most of us have been having. Im not sure that people in St Augustine will be able to get it still, but those who live in Jax Metro should at this point.

[fsujax]

I find myself watching Channel 4 News now, because the broadcast is so clear and crisp in HD it looks really good. Hoping that FCN catches up soon.

[stjr]

With their new antenna turned up in the last few days,  I am now getting Ch. 12 and 25 (NBC and ABC) in splendid HD.  Ch. 12-2's Weather Plus with live radar, weather updates, and constant temperatures is a great stand-in for any local weather channel type info.  For some reason, suddenly I can't get Ch. 4 in digital when I was getting it easily before.  Hmmm..... getting every station at once seems to be a trick.

Ch. 4 definitely delivers a superior picture on its local broadcasts.  Others look like they have a milky coating on the lens washing out picture vibrancy.  Too bad Ch. 4 is focused on mostly inane police blotter reporting and chattering and running odd-story CNN tapes a week after they are on the web.  Definitely catering to the lowest common denominator.  They have gone from first to last in my book in content quality.  Hard to believe they are owned by the Washington Post and were actually a target of Nixon's enemies list.  Their mentor, Bill Grove, is probably rolling in his grave.  Since I watch more for content, than picture quality, I am not missing their broadcasts.