There's no such thing as an "analog" antenna. Radio waves are radio waves. It's the information they contain that's different and antennas have different designs for different radio frequencies. Before just saying antennas don't work in my area you should verify that with tvfool.com to see what is available and if they are available what size antenna you need and where to point it.
I am with you as much as we pay for tv we should be able to have the channels we want NBC is one of our main channels here in Flint MI. I want it back!!!
I am with you as much as we pay for tv we should be able to have the channels we want NBC is one of our main channels here in Flint MI. I want it back!!!
Howard Stirk Holdings, the owner of WEYI (the local affiliate for NBC where you live) took the channel away from DirecTV. This is because they want to get increased rates from DirecTV, and by association us customers (costs go up, so does our bill). Normal negotiating tactic as supposedly this will convince customers to be upset enough to get the TV provider to cave to the increased rates. The subject of thread isn't the correct web address for the disclosure, here is all of it: https://tvpromise.att.com/
I for one don't want my bill going up because a local channel, that is still available over the airways for free, is demanding the increase. Plug a regular antenna into your TV (if an older one with a digital converter box), or call DirecTV and request their Local Channel Connector (LCC) to get that free broadcast through your Genie. The LCC saves you from switching inputs back and forth, can still record, and might pick up additional channels in range (such as "sub-channels") that DirecTV doesn't have.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Included after every post) I am a customer, not an employee. This is a public forum. For official support call DirecTV 1-800-531-5000, DIRECTV STREAM 1-888-429-4023 www.directv.com
(AT&T has sold off their share in DirecTV)
Award for Community Excellence Achiever* *I am not a DIRECTV employee, and the views and opinions expressed on this forum are purely my own. Any product claim, statistic, quote, or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider, or party.
When the antenna went thru HD lots of channels were not available.
Incorrect. If anything there was an explosion of channels after the digital transition. Of course mostly useless foreign, shopping, religious, etc. many on subchannels (virtual channels) of the existing real channels. And that's still true today albeit channels are currently being moved around and some are going off air (channel repacking) since, thanks to the FCC who decided to sell of half our public tv frequencies to wireless companies, we are going from 69 real channels down to around 32 in a few years.
Currently I get in the order of 100 channels (maybe 30-40 after disabling the useless channels)**. Certainly all the major networks which have a higher quality signal than any cable carrier since there is always less compression OTA (well, until the channel repacking is done, then I don't know).
At any rate it's obvious you, like most of the current generation, have swallowed the cable company's cool aid thinking thinking the only way to get tv channels is with a cable company. Believe what you want. Obviously there is no convincing you that OTA is a good alternative in those places you can use it (tvfool.com again).
I'm done here.
** Built my own around the time of the digital transition (~2009) instead of buying one and had a lot of fun doing it. Still use them to this day since they (I have two) are better (IMO) than store bought.
@Buster11 wrote: When the antenna went thru HD lots of channels were not available.
If after you got the digital converter box (or had a new TV with the digital tuner built in) and were not able to access some of the local channels you could previously, that is unfortunate. Though the digital conversion allows more sub-channels and a higher definition of the channels, it does not have quite the reach through terrain and distance as the spectrum that was reallocated for emergency broadcasts.
Though if it has been a long time since you tried broadcast TV, or last time you used it was with the converter box but now have a TV with the digital tuner built-in, I would give it a try again and see if with a current antenna if you can now pick up the feeds. Just a shot, but being able to get the free broadcasts can be a nice backup in these situations, especially if it nets you any additional channels you wouldn't get through pay TV (like a lot of those "sub-channels").
Outside of that, all that is left is waiting for the negotiation to complete, hopefully in favor of DirecTV and us customers by keeping the rates from the local affiliate reasonable.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Included after every post) I am a customer, not an employee. This is a public forum. For official support call DirecTV 1-800-531-5000, DIRECTV STREAM 1-888-429-4023 www.directv.com
(AT&T has sold off their share in DirecTV)
Award for Community Excellence Achiever* *I am not a DIRECTV employee, and the views and opinions expressed on this forum are purely my own. Any product claim, statistic, quote, or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider, or party.
Every year these threads appear. And every year I keep wishing the carriers (cable companies and ATT) would hold their ground until the local's realize they are losing eyes for their advertising. People blame the carriers for their "greed" and not supplying "their channels" that "they are paying for".
First, they are not "your channels". ATT can do anything they want to the channel lineup as per these terms of service (8. INTERRUPTIONS, LIMITATIONS, AND MODIFICATIONS TO SERVICE). You are paying for a TV service, not specific individual channels.
Second in this case it's the locals who are the greedy ones here asking for ever more and more money every year for something most anyone can get for free with an antenna (assuming the locals are in range - check here). And then later everyone complains of their ever increasing bills when the one of the reasons for that increase is the "Broadcast TV Surcharge". So guess who's actually paying for the locals for their greed ?we the customer
If the carriers stonewalled these locals maybe they would "blink" and put an end to this annual blackmail. But it never happens and it's just wishful thinking on my part. In reality the carriers and the locals eventually come to an "agreement" where the locals get less than they asked for (they probably asked for twice as much as they need anyhow if they truly need any more in the first place). We end paying for the bill. And it's always the carriers that are to blame. There's a lot to blame and greed to put on the carriers, but this annual negotiation crap is not one of them.
While AT&T employees do look at forum posts from time to time, you should have no expectation that any particular action will come from your post request.
-------------------INCLUDED IN EACH POST FOR CLARIFICATION______ While AT&T employees do look at forum posts from time to time, we are here to represent the forum with our experiences as customers and do not represent AT&T in any official capacity with our responses and do so on our own time unpaid and off the clock. As employees we are not rewarded nor compensated to participate in these forums This forum is comprised of regular customers to communicate with other customers to offer advice and share experiences same as any other user Although there is a small team of customer care specialists that monitor the forums the sheer volume of posts are simply too many posts for these agents to respond to each one of them.
*I am a DIRECTV employee, and the postings on this site are my own and don't necessarily represent DIRECTV's position, strategies or opinions.
Where we are, cannot get many channels thru the antenna. Of course nbc will not come in. High speed Internet not available either. 2019, what a joke.
Darn, was hoping perhaps the broadcasts or the newer antennas had updated enough over the years since the conversion.
If broadband internet, preferably in the double digits but 5-7Mbps can be fine for some small needs households, is not available hardline then there are satellite internet providers. Like satellite TV they work best as a one-way communication (i.e. downloading, some streaming, browsing) as opposed to two-way (voice chat, live gaming) so might be an alternative to consider. However, do not connect satellite internet to your DirecTV setup otherwise the On Demand (initial download and periodic updates) risks eating through any data allowance you have.
Being 2019 there are multiple internet access technologies (DSL, Cable, Fiber Optics, etc.). Problem is that cost (initial and ongoing maintenance) is too much to lay hardline out to many outreach areas. So far bandwidth/speed has been the priority, going from 54Kbps (dial-up) to the major areas that can range 5Mbps to 300Mbps (DSL, Cable, Fiber to the hubs), to very few that can reach 1Gbps for Fiber to the Home (FTTH). Satellite internet helps for those areas, and does have broadband download speeds, but because of latency (after in orbit is very far away for something that has no hardline components), is not suited for more interactive (2-way, download/upload) processes. I personally think we have reached a good point in the limits of what internet can do and more focus needs to be put on getting a reasonable baseline available throughout the country.
But if the affiliate doesn't come through on the antenna broadcast, and internet (even by satellite) is not feasible as a backup for you, then it is waiting for the local affiliate to return the feed back to DirecTV is where that leaves the situation. Can certainly complain to the local affiliate about their proposed rate increase and denying the fed during the negotiations, but we cannot force them to give the feed back.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Included after every post) I am a customer, not an employee. This is a public forum. For official support call DirecTV 1-800-531-5000, DIRECTV STREAM 1-888-429-4023 www.directv.com
(AT&T has sold off their share in DirecTV)
Award for Community Excellence Achiever* *I am not a DIRECTV employee, and the views and opinions expressed on this forum are purely my own. Any product claim, statistic, quote, or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider, or party.
You don't pay for a guaranteed specific local channel. Your package includes locals in general. DirecTV may only provide you the locals that are in your designated market area (DMA) as per Federal regulations (FCC), and only with the local's permission.
In this case the agreement between the local and DirecTV came up. The local is trying to negotiate a rate increase and intends not to return the feed back to DirecTV until that is achieved. DirecTV is standing their ground trying to keep rates reasonable, because if their costs go up so does our bill when time for the next rate adjustment. So hopefully DirecTV will be able to minimize the new rate (ideally prevent it, but realistically these channels keep raising costs each time).
So we will get the local affiliate back when the owner gives it back to DirecTV: https://tvpromise.att.com/
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Included after every post) I am a customer, not an employee. This is a public forum. For official support call DirecTV 1-800-531-5000, DIRECTV STREAM 1-888-429-4023 www.directv.com
(AT&T has sold off their share in DirecTV)
Award for Community Excellence Achiever* *I am not a DIRECTV employee, and the views and opinions expressed on this forum are purely my own. Any product claim, statistic, quote, or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider, or party.
Why does the att (lower case on purpose) executive ranks fail to understand the importance of the Stanley Cup playoffs? The oldest and among the most important sports events of the year. I am shopping for a more customer oriented service.
Dale *****
[Edited for privacy-This is a public forum. Please do not post personal or unique information such as but not limited to full names, employee ID numbers, email addresses, phone numbers, account numbers, etc]
I would appear that you are in one of the markets that is currently unable to negotiate carriage rights to your local NBC affiliate. Like the old saying "It takes two to tango.". The local NBC affiliate bears half the responsibility for the current situation.
Don't mess with old people. The older we get, the less "Life in Prison" is a deterrent.
Award for Community Excellence Achiever* *I am not a DIRECTV employee, and the views and opinions expressed on this forum are purely my own. Any product claim, statistic, quote, or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider, or party.
It does take two to tango. Experience in big business demonstrates that at least two giant egos are at the root of the most outsized arguments, not ethics or considerations of service to customers. The untimely spat between NBC and ATT is an excuse to play ego games with customers' money. Neither one is worthy of clemency.
If At&t just bowed down and payed what the networks wanted then our bills would be a lot more a month. If that happened we would be reading a different thread about how At&t is greedy and gouging customers
-------------------INCLUDED IN EACH POST FOR CLARIFICATION______ While AT&T employees do look at forum posts from time to time, we are here to represent the forum with our experiences as customers and do not represent AT&T in any official capacity with our responses and do so on our own time unpaid and off the clock. As employees we are not rewarded nor compensated to participate in these forums This forum is comprised of regular customers to communicate with other customers to offer advice and share experiences same as any other user Although there is a small team of customer care specialists that monitor the forums the sheer volume of posts are simply too many posts for these agents to respond to each one of them.
*I am a DIRECTV employee, and the postings on this site are my own and don't necessarily represent DIRECTV's position, strategies or opinions.
_xyzzy_
Expert
•
3.6K Messages
6 years ago
@Buster11 said:
There's no such thing as an "analog" antenna. Radio waves are radio waves. It's the information they contain that's different and antennas have different designs for different radio frequencies. Before just saying antennas don't work in my area you should verify that with tvfool.com to see what is available and if they are available what size antenna you need and where to point it.
0
0
SOOKIE66
Contributor
•
1 Message
6 years ago
I am with you as much as we pay for tv we should be able to have the channels we want NBC is one of our main channels here in Flint MI. I want it back!!!
0
Juniper
ACE - Expert
•
22.9K Messages
6 years ago
Howard Stirk Holdings, the owner of WEYI (the local affiliate for NBC where you live) took the channel away from DirecTV. This is because they want to get increased rates from DirecTV, and by association us customers (costs go up, so does our bill). Normal negotiating tactic as supposedly this will convince customers to be upset enough to get the TV provider to cave to the increased rates. The subject of thread isn't the correct web address for the disclosure, here is all of it: https://tvpromise.att.com/
I for one don't want my bill going up because a local channel, that is still available over the airways for free, is demanding the increase. Plug a regular antenna into your TV (if an older one with a digital converter box), or call DirecTV and request their Local Channel Connector (LCC) to get that free broadcast through your Genie. The LCC saves you from switching inputs back and forth, can still record, and might pick up additional channels in range (such as "sub-channels") that DirecTV doesn't have.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Included after every post)
I am a customer, not an employee. This is a public forum.
For official support call DirecTV 1-800-531-5000, DIRECTV STREAM 1-888-429-4023
www.directv.com
(AT&T has sold off their share in DirecTV)
*I am not a DIRECTV employee, and the views and opinions expressed on this forum are purely my own. Any product claim, statistic, quote, or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider, or party.
0
0
Buster11
Teacher
•
25 Messages
6 years ago
0
0
_xyzzy_
Expert
•
3.6K Messages
6 years ago
@Buster11
Incorrect. If anything there was an explosion of channels after the digital transition. Of course mostly useless foreign, shopping, religious, etc. many on subchannels (virtual channels) of the existing real channels. And that's still true today albeit channels are currently being moved around and some are going off air (channel repacking) since, thanks to the FCC who decided to sell of half our public tv frequencies to wireless companies, we are going from 69 real channels down to around 32 in a few years.
Currently I get in the order of 100 channels (maybe 30-40 after disabling the useless channels)**. Certainly all the major networks which have a higher quality signal than any cable carrier since there is always less compression OTA (well, until the channel repacking is done, then I don't know).
At any rate it's obvious you, like most of the current generation, have swallowed the cable company's cool aid thinking thinking the only way to get tv channels is with a cable company. Believe what you want. Obviously there is no convincing you that OTA is a good alternative in those places you can use it (tvfool.com again).
I'm done here.
** Built my own around the time of the digital transition (~2009) instead of buying one and had a lot of fun doing it. Still use them to this day since they (I have two) are better (IMO) than store bought.
0
0
Juniper
ACE - Expert
•
22.9K Messages
6 years ago
If after you got the digital converter box (or had a new TV with the digital tuner built in) and were not able to access some of the local channels you could previously, that is unfortunate. Though the digital conversion allows more sub-channels and a higher definition of the channels, it does not have quite the reach through terrain and distance as the spectrum that was reallocated for emergency broadcasts.
Though if it has been a long time since you tried broadcast TV, or last time you used it was with the converter box but now have a TV with the digital tuner built-in, I would give it a try again and see if with a current antenna if you can now pick up the feeds. Just a shot, but being able to get the free broadcasts can be a nice backup in these situations, especially if it nets you any additional channels you wouldn't get through pay TV (like a lot of those "sub-channels").
Outside of that, all that is left is waiting for the negotiation to complete, hopefully in favor of DirecTV and us customers by keeping the rates from the local affiliate reasonable.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Included after every post)
I am a customer, not an employee. This is a public forum.
For official support call DirecTV 1-800-531-5000, DIRECTV STREAM 1-888-429-4023
www.directv.com
(AT&T has sold off their share in DirecTV)
*I am not a DIRECTV employee, and the views and opinions expressed on this forum are purely my own. Any product claim, statistic, quote, or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider, or party.
0
Buster11
Teacher
•
25 Messages
6 years ago
Where we are, cannot get many channels thru the antenna. Of course nbc will not come in. High speed Internet not available either. 2019, what a joke.
0
0
Ckgoin
Contributor
•
1 Message
6 years ago
Why can’t we get it back? I paid for it.
0
0
Constructive
Employee
•
34K Messages
6 years ago
@Ckgoin
Plucked from a another forum post:
rant]
Every year these threads appear. And every year I keep wishing the carriers (cable companies and ATT) would hold their ground until the local's realize they are losing eyes for their advertising. People blame the carriers for their "greed" and not supplying "their channels" that "they are paying for".
First, they are not "your channels". ATT can do anything they want to the channel lineup as per these terms of service (8. INTERRUPTIONS, LIMITATIONS, AND MODIFICATIONS TO SERVICE). You are paying for a TV service, not specific individual channels.
Second in this case it's the locals who are the greedy ones here asking for ever more and more money every year for something most anyone can get for free with an antenna (assuming the locals are in range - check here). And then later everyone complains of their ever increasing bills when the one of the reasons for that increase is the "Broadcast TV Surcharge". So guess who's actually paying for the locals for their greed ?we the customer
If the carriers stonewalled these locals maybe they would "blink" and put an end to this annual blackmail. But it never happens and it's just wishful thinking on my part. In reality the carriers and the locals eventually come to an "agreement" where the locals get less than they asked for (they probably asked for twice as much as they need anyhow if they truly need any more in the first place). We end paying for the bill. And it's always the carriers that are to blame. There's a lot to blame and greed to put on the carriers, but this annual negotiation crap is not one of them.
[end of rant]
Send a PM to @ATTU-verseCare
While AT&T employees do look at forum posts from time to time, you should have no expectation that any particular action will come from your post request.
While AT&T employees do look at forum posts from time to time, we are here to represent the forum with our experiences as customers and do not represent AT&T in any official capacity with our responses and do so on our own time unpaid and off the clock. As employees we are not rewarded nor compensated to participate in these forums This forum is comprised of regular customers to communicate with other customers to offer advice and share experiences same as any other user Although there is a small team of customer care specialists that monitor the forums the sheer volume of posts are simply too many posts for these agents to respond to each one of them.
0
0
Juniper
ACE - Expert
•
22.9K Messages
6 years ago
Darn, was hoping perhaps the broadcasts or the newer antennas had updated enough over the years since the conversion.
If broadband internet, preferably in the double digits but 5-7Mbps can be fine for some small needs households, is not available hardline then there are satellite internet providers. Like satellite TV they work best as a one-way communication (i.e. downloading, some streaming, browsing) as opposed to two-way (voice chat, live gaming) so might be an alternative to consider. However, do not connect satellite internet to your DirecTV setup otherwise the On Demand (initial download and periodic updates) risks eating through any data allowance you have.
Being 2019 there are multiple internet access technologies (DSL, Cable, Fiber Optics, etc.). Problem is that cost (initial and ongoing maintenance) is too much to lay hardline out to many outreach areas. So far bandwidth/speed has been the priority, going from 54Kbps (dial-up) to the major areas that can range 5Mbps to 300Mbps (DSL, Cable, Fiber to the hubs), to very few that can reach 1Gbps for Fiber to the Home (FTTH). Satellite internet helps for those areas, and does have broadband download speeds, but because of latency (after in orbit is very far away for something that has no hardline components), is not suited for more interactive (2-way, download/upload) processes. I personally think we have reached a good point in the limits of what internet can do and more focus needs to be put on getting a reasonable baseline available throughout the country.
But if the affiliate doesn't come through on the antenna broadcast, and internet (even by satellite) is not feasible as a backup for you, then it is waiting for the local affiliate to return the feed back to DirecTV is where that leaves the situation. Can certainly complain to the local affiliate about their proposed rate increase and denying the fed during the negotiations, but we cannot force them to give the feed back.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Included after every post)
I am a customer, not an employee. This is a public forum.
For official support call DirecTV 1-800-531-5000, DIRECTV STREAM 1-888-429-4023
www.directv.com
(AT&T has sold off their share in DirecTV)
*I am not a DIRECTV employee, and the views and opinions expressed on this forum are purely my own. Any product claim, statistic, quote, or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider, or party.
0
Juniper
ACE - Expert
•
22.9K Messages
6 years ago
You don't pay for a guaranteed specific local channel. Your package includes locals in general. DirecTV may only provide you the locals that are in your designated market area (DMA) as per Federal regulations (FCC), and only with the local's permission.
In this case the agreement between the local and DirecTV came up. The local is trying to negotiate a rate increase and intends not to return the feed back to DirecTV until that is achieved. DirecTV is standing their ground trying to keep rates reasonable, because if their costs go up so does our bill when time for the next rate adjustment. So hopefully DirecTV will be able to minimize the new rate (ideally prevent it, but realistically these channels keep raising costs each time).
So we will get the local affiliate back when the owner gives it back to DirecTV: https://tvpromise.att.com/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Included after every post)
I am a customer, not an employee. This is a public forum.
For official support call DirecTV 1-800-531-5000, DIRECTV STREAM 1-888-429-4023
www.directv.com
(AT&T has sold off their share in DirecTV)
*I am not a DIRECTV employee, and the views and opinions expressed on this forum are purely my own. Any product claim, statistic, quote, or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider, or party.
0
0
wingnut5
Contributor
•
3 Messages
6 years ago
Why does the att (lower case on purpose) executive ranks fail to understand the importance of the Stanley Cup playoffs? The oldest and among the most important sports events of the year. I am shopping for a more customer oriented service.
Dale *****
[Edited for privacy-This is a public forum. Please do not post personal or unique information such as but not limited to full names, employee ID numbers, email addresses, phone numbers, account numbers, etc]
0
0
skeeterintexas
ACE - Expert
•
28.3K Messages
6 years ago
I would appear that you are in one of the markets that is currently unable to negotiate carriage rights to your local NBC affiliate. Like the old saying "It takes two to tango.". The local NBC affiliate bears half the responsibility for the current situation.
Don't mess with old people. The older we get, the less "Life in Prison" is a deterrent.
*I am not a DIRECTV employee, and the views and opinions expressed on this forum are purely my own. Any product claim, statistic, quote, or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider, or party.
0
0
wingnut5
Contributor
•
3 Messages
6 years ago
least two giant egos are at the root of the most outsized arguments, not
ethics or considerations of service to customers. The untimely spat between
NBC and ATT is an excuse to play ego games with customers' money. Neither
one is worthy of clemency.
0
0
Constructive
Employee
•
34K Messages
6 years ago
If At&t just bowed down and payed what the networks wanted then our bills would be a lot more a month. If that happened we would be reading a different thread about how At&t is greedy and gouging customers
While AT&T employees do look at forum posts from time to time, we are here to represent the forum with our experiences as customers and do not represent AT&T in any official capacity with our responses and do so on our own time unpaid and off the clock. As employees we are not rewarded nor compensated to participate in these forums This forum is comprised of regular customers to communicate with other customers to offer advice and share experiences same as any other user Although there is a small team of customer care specialists that monitor the forums the sheer volume of posts are simply too many posts for these agents to respond to each one of them.
0
0