Welcome to the Fargo/Moorhead HDTV page. Check here for the latest status on High Definition TV in the Fargo area. I'll update this page on a regular basis, so check back here, or see the AVSForum thread devoted to discussion of HDTV in Fargo/Moorhead and Grand Forks.
I'm not going to update this page in the future as the cable providers are adding channels faster than I can usually keep up with. Check with your local cable company for the latest channel HD channel lineup offered by them.
All local broadcasters are broadcasting HD content in the Fargo/Moorhead area and are free to anyone with a new DTV (digital TV) and an antenna.
Antenna Web also maintains a utility to help you pick an antenna for your location. See the Antenna Web Locator for more details.
DTV Transition
Are you looking for information on the DTV transition? Are you looking for information on converter boxes? If so, you can find great information at "The Digital TV Transition" site, hosted by the federal government.
In February 2009, all television stations are being mandated to stop broadcasting their traditional analog signal and instead broadcast only a digital signal. For older televisions to receive the new DTV broadcast they will need a converter box. All new DTV televisions will be able to tune and view the new DTV signals. Currently, this change will only effect television received over-the-air (OTA) and should not affect cable television.
Resources
- FCC Digital TV
- Antenna Web Locator
- Fargo/Valley City HDTV Discussions
- CableONE
- Midcontinent Communications
Broadcast Channel Status
All stations listed below are free to anyone with a new DTV or HDTV and an antenna. These channels are also free to all CableONE customers with basic service with no additional equipment to rent, assuming you have a DTV/HDTV with an integrated tuner.
| Channel | Status | Contact |
KVLY |
September 18, 2005 - Broadcasting OTA
Notes: Currently KVLY is NOT broadcasting 5.1 audio offered by NBC and is only broadcasting 3.0 (LCR). This is a loss of audio information. Please send e-mail to KVLY asking for this to be fixed. KVLY is also broadcasting a subchannel on 11-2. |
hdtv@kvlytv11.com |
KXJB |
November 11, 2005 - Broadcasting OTA | hdtv@kvlytv11.com |
WDAY |
December 2006 - Broadcasting OTA
Notes: Currently WDAY is NOT broadcasting 5.1 audio offerred by ABC and is only broadcasting 2.0 (LR). This is a loss of audio information. Please send e-mail to WDAY asking for this to be fixed. CW (formerely the WB) programming on 6-2, and a radar loop on 6-3. |
Mark Prather |
KVRR |
3/6/2006 - Broadcasting OTA
Notes: KVRR is now (Nov 2006) broadcasting from a tower near Barnesville, MN. This means you need to point an antenna to the NW and to the SE. |
Kathy Lau (701-277-1515) |
KFME |
Currently broadcasting OTA | Unknown |
Cable TV Status
The Fargo/Moorhead community is served by two cable television providers, Cable ONE and Midcontinent Communications. Both have HD programming available. CableONE support QAM in the Clear only for local programming (currently limited to ABC, PBS and FOX). It is unknown if Midcontinent also provides HD unencrypted. The following table lists the cable channel numbers. Clear QAM numbers will be different.
It appears that the cable providers are starting to be required to encrypt all non-local programming. Thus, only locals are available without a CableCARD or a cable providers set top box.
All local broadcasters content is available at no additional charge to customers of CableONE who have the basic service. You must have a TV with the an integrated tuner to receive these channels.
| Channel | CableONE | Midcontinent |
| KVLY | Yes (460) Free | Yes (611) |
| KXJB | Yes (465) Free | Yes (604) |
| WDAY | Yes (455) Free | Yes (606) |
| KVRR | Yes (475) Free | Yes (615) |
| KFME | Yes Free | Yes (613) |
| Discovery HD Theater | Yes (494) | Yes (656) |
| National Geographic HD | Yes (495) | Yes (657) |
| ESPN-HD | Yes (491) | Yes (620) |
| ESPN2-HD | Yes (492) | Yes (621) |
| FSN North HD | Yes (622) | |
| Golf Network HD | Yes (623) | |
| Versus HD | Yes (624) | |
| Major League Baseball Network HD | Yes (625) | |
| Universal-HD | Yes (694) | |
| USA HD | Yes (490) | Yes (691) |
| TBS-HD | Yes (452) | Yes (690) |
| TNT-HD | Yes (454) | Yes (692) |
| Food Network HD | Yes (pay) | Yes (635) |
| HGTV-HD | Yes (pay) | Yes (636) |
| A&E-HD | Yes (496) | Yes (650) |
| SciFi HD | Yes (415) | Yes (654) |
| HDNET | Yes (680) | |
| HDNET Movies | Yes (681) | |
| Palladia | Yes (699) | |
| History Channel HD | Yes | Yes (655) |
| Animal Planet HD | Yes (424) | Yes (651) |
| ABC Family HD | Yes (420) | Yes (637) |
| FXHD | Yes | Yes (689) |
| Disney HD | Yes (426) | Yes (642) |
| TLC HD | Yes | Yes (653) |
| Food Network HD | Yes (pay) | Yes (635) |
| CNN HD | Yes (670) | |
| TMC HD | Yes (pay) | Yes (755) |
| StarZ HD | Yes (E-765, W-766) | |
| Showtime HD | Yes | Yes (735) |
| HBO HD | Yes | Yes (E-701, W-702) |
| Cinemax HD | Yes (E-720, W-721) | |
| FOX News | Yes (671) | |
| Weather Channel | Yes (672) | |
| AMC | Yes (682) | |
| Speed | Yes (693) |
CableCARD
Cable ONE also offers CableCARDs for those with CableCARD equipped TVs and devices. They charge $2.95/month for each card. They also offer multi-stream CableCARDs (M-cards). It is unknown what Midcontinent charges for CableCARDs or if they even offer CableCARD support.
The current TiVo HD DVR lineup supports CableCARDs and MCards. TiVo HD is capable of tuning OTA and QAM programming, but must have a CableCARD to be able to provide guide information for cable HD channels. This necessitates using a CableCARD from Cable ONE if you want to use the guide on your TiVo HD.
