Posted on 02/07/2008 4:00:48 PM PST by Las Vegas Dave
If you're a Time Warner Cable subscriber, you can expect more High-Definition in the near future. Lots more.
That's according to Time Warner's top executives who commented yesterday on the company's HD plans during an investors call with Wall Street analysts.
COO Landel Hobbs told the analysts that the cable service now has carriage agreements with 53 high-def channels -- and deals with an additional 20 channels "pending."
Hobbs said some Time Warner systems, such as Albany and San Antonio, are now offering more than 40 HD channels. But more HD channels are expected to be added soon throughout the company's footprint.
The cable operator is rolling out a new technology called Switched Digital Video (SDV) that will enable it to expand its high-def capacity.
"Switching works and it will allow us to launch relative HD content as it comes available and as we conclude deals with our programmers," Hobbs said, adding that SDV will be installed in every division that "needs it" by year's end.
Hobbs did not specify which high-def channels will be added in the future. But he said the cable operator is prepared to do battle with other providers, such as DIRECTV, which have recently increased their HD lineups.
"HD has become a key component for some of our competitors marketing but we are not prepared to give ground in the HD battle," he said. "We plan to deliver all of the best HD programming choices -- the ones our customers actually want, not some arbitrary number of channels without regard for quality or whether they actually exist for that matter."
The company also revealed that it will offer up to 200 high-def movies via On Demand by year's end; it now has 50 HD movies through On Demand.
The pinged subjects will be those of HDTV technology, satellite/cable HD, OTA (over the air with various roof top and indoor antennas) HD reception. Broadcast specials, Blu-ray/HD-DVD, and any and all subjects relating to HD.
Las Vegas Dave
AT&T was offering a service with about 70 HD channels not too long ago, perhaps still is. Right now I’m with Charter cable, and can record up to two HD programs per box at the same time.
I have two such boxes.
AT&T was offering up to four analoge channels per household, or only one HD channel to be recorded at the same time.
Right now I can record 4 HD programs at the same time in my household.
I would urge folks to check out exactly what the parameters are, 1080i or p, and what recording capacity will be provided.
ping
I live an hour and a half from Albany and at present we have 24 HD channels. Some of them like HDNet, HDNTM and UNIHD are packages that cost over and above the regular monthly rates. And, many of the channels, like PBS, the regular network channels and A&E, don't show HD programs all the time. In fact, many of the programs are broadcast in regular digital on these HD channels. My sister who lives 2 1/2 hours away from me in Rochester, NY has Time-Warner too, and said they just recently got a bunch of new HD channels like the Travel Channel and National Geographic. I'm wondering though if the programming will be like it is on other HD channels and contain non-HD programs along with HD.
Of course - there’s only so much HD programming in existence. And a lot of local stations only broadcast in HD when the network feed is that way - otherwise you get whatever syndicated SD crap they usually broadcast. I get 5 specialty HD channels, some of which show quite a few documentaries from Japan, where they’ve had HD for quite a bit longer.
I’m annoyed that I missed out on Star Trek: Enterprise when it was in first run in HD. It’s been on again since, but not in HD. Space Channel Canada doesn’t exist in HD, yet, and if it did chances are a lot of its programming would also be in SD.
HDNet, a channel on DirecTV, and SciFi network are both running Enterprise episodes in HD.
TravelChannel is now in HD, but DirecTV doesn’t have it yet. Their website is not very helpful in announcing when new HD channels will be coming online. At least I haven’t found the page yet.
One thing I hate about cable (and Verizon FiOS) HD is that all the high-def channels are located WAY up in the 200’s or 800’s...DirecTV, which I do NOT have...integrates them into the “regular” channel list.
Do they do the local stations in HD in your area?
You’re right, HDNET does have it. Unfortunately, every time I’ve gone to watch it I found it was overwritten with something else. I think Space channel Canada has exlusive rights for it in Canada, so HDNET has to replace it with something else. I’ll try again, though.
What is relative HD content?
Is it something like HD lite?
I have Charter Cable in the Atlanta area. This is our lineup:
WSBHD - Local ABC Affiliate
WGCLD - Local CBS Affiliate
WAGAD - Local Fox Affiliate
WXIAD - Local NBC Affiliate
WPCH - Peach TV Digital (Rarely an HD Broadcast)
WPBAD - PBS (Rarely an HD Braodcast)
WUPAH - UPN (Rarely an HD Broadcast)
ESPND - ESPN HD
ES2HD - ESPN2 HD
FSNSH - Fox Sports South - Always Off-Air
VSGLF - Golf Channel
HDT - Dicsovery Channel
TNTHD - TNT
UHD - Universal HD
MHD - MTV HD
A&EHD - A&E HD
HISTD - History Channel
HDNet - HDNetwork
HDNMV - HDNetwork Movies
HBOHD - HBO
MAXHD - Cinnemax
SHOHD - Showtime
TMCHD - The Movie Channel
S-HD - Stars HD
24 Total. Subtract four for Peachtree TV, PBS, and UPN for not having any HD programming and Fox Sports South for never being on air. This leaves 20 viable HD channels.
I hope Charter steps up to the plate to offer more programming in HD, especially since they charge extra for it, unlike TW. I also hope they start to strengthen their signal, because during some heavily watched events (like the Superbowl) some blocking (digital signal pixelization occurs).
Yours is very close to my Charter lineup in Birmingham. Unfortunately TNTHD and AEHD mostly show what looks like SD programs stretched to wide screen...sux. Even movies that are available on DVD in wide screen are still shown using what looks like the full screen format stretched to wide screen.
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