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Austin, TX's KXAN takes local news HD, leaves KTBC as lone outlier

by Darren Murph posted Dec 29th 2008 at 6:16PM

Everything is supposedly bigger in Texas, and we can imagine the awkwardness of being the only station in Austin to not offer local news in high-def is substantial. Just before Christmas, the city's NBC affiliate (KXAN) turned the screws on high-definition news, with revamped on-screen graphics and on-air tools. The station collaborated with FX Group in order to "design a visually creative and flexible news set that will be used for all newscasts," and of course, it also upgraded to HD cameras and HD weather forecasting equipment. With the transition complete, it leaves KTBC-TV (FOX) as the only game in town to not even offer newscasts in HD, though we suspect it'll be forced to get with the program soon in order to avoid further embarrassment.

[Thanks, John]

TWC now handing out tuning adapters in Austin, Texas

by Darren Murph posted Dec 12th 2008 at 9:33PM

We knew that Time Warner Cable was allowing customers in various regions around the country to pre-order their tuning adapter, and tonight we've received the first report of delivery. For those out of the loop, these free adapters enable CableCARD users to tune into any channel that's delivered via switched digital video (SDV); without one, your current TiVo (for example) won't ever be able to see any channel beamed out with the new technology. The lucky locale is Austin, Texas, but we get the idea that other places should be seeing them soon. Give your local TWC office a call, and do report back (bonus points for images) if you've found that your city now has 'em as well. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family]

[Thanks, Andy]

Time Warner Cable adds FOX News HD, MGM HD in Austin / Waco, TX

by Darren Murph posted Nov 5th 2008 at 4:04AM

Time Warner Cable subscribers in Austin / Waco, Texas have long complained about getting the proverbial shaft on HD channels, and if you take a gander at lineups in the other major cities in the Lone Star state, it's easy to see the root of their frustrations. That being said, we can tell you that a lowly twosome is headed down the pike, with FOX News HD available right now and MGM HD coming on December 1st. Unfortunately, MGM is essentially replacing the soon-to-vanish MOJO HD, so you're left with a net gain of one. Sad, we know. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family]

[Thanks, Chad]

AT&T silently activates Total Home DVR in Austin, Texas

by Darren Murph posted Sep 25th 2008 at 8:10PM


AT&T already beamed its Total Home DVR software -- which enables U-verse users to watch recorded shows on other connected televisions around the house -- to the Dallas / Fort Worth area. As its expansion efforts continue, a local in Austin has informed us that the carrier has delivered it to him as well, though completely unannounced. We'll give you one guess as to if he's complaining.

[Thanks, Tom]

Time Warner Cable adding a trio of HD channels in Waco / Austin, TX

by Darren Murph posted Jul 16th 2008 at 8:19PM

Time Warner Cable just finished adding 11 high-def stations to the EPG in Irving / Las Colinas, Texas, but it seems to only be able to add channels in Waco / Austin in threes. Case in point: late last month, said region picked up a new trio, and now, we're hearing that a new trifecta is headed in starting July 17th. Curious for details? How's about Biography HD, Hallmark Movie Channel HD and Travel Channel HD. Sure, anything is better than nothing, but we have a sneaking suspicion that locals won't take too kindly to TWC choosing these three out of all the possibilities. Are we right, or are we right? [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family]

[Thanks, Chad]

Austin, TX gets 3 new HD channels from Time Warner Cable

by Darren Murph posted Jun 21st 2008 at 10:25AM

Not even a week after Time Warner Cable gifted subscribers in San Antonio with Disney HD and ABC Family HD, we've now learned that those very two have made their way over to the Austin system. Oh, but TWC threw in the totally enviable ESPNews HD while it was at it. Don't even think about griping SA -- even you know you're this carrier's favorite in the Lone Star State. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family]

[Thanks, Chad]

2HD / 2SD U-verse service arrives in Austin, Texas

by Darren Murph posted Jun 6th 2008 at 2:13AM


Don't you worry, U-verse user -- AT&T hasn't ditched its 2 HD / 2SD initiative just yet. After quietly infiltrating areas of Missouri, Michigan and Georgia, we've located its latest target: Austin, Texas. According to a local, his service recently changed from 1 HD / 3 SD to 2 HD / 2 SD without so much as a peep from the carrier. For those unfamiliar, the change enables U-verse customers to record one HD program while watching another HD show live -- something that still cannot be done in most U-verse areas. C'mon AT&T, let's get this wondrous feature rolled out nationwide. Chop chop!

[Thanks, Tom]

DISH Network gets official with HD locals in four more markets

by Darren Murph posted Mar 27th 2008 at 12:50PM

Shortly after the AMC-14 launch went awry, we received confirmation that DISH Network's Spring HD rollout was still on track. Apparently things are going better than expected, as the satellite provider is getting official with HD locals in four new markets today. As we'd heard already, both Orlando and West Palm Beach, Florida have already been admitted into the HD locals club, while Austin, Texas and Flint, Michigan are joining days ahead of the scheduled April rollout. Best of all, DISH affirms that we'll be seeing lots more where this came from over the course of 2008, so if you're market hasn't been touched just yet, hang tight.

AT&T stringing U-verse to more of Austin, Texas

by Darren Murph posted Mar 26th 2008 at 8:31AM


Just four months after AT&T ran its U-verse television service to Austin, Texas, the firm is now announcing that folks located in the outskirts can hop in, too. Right now, greater than 150,000 living units in and around Austin can access U-verse TV and internet; more specifically, we're talking about regions of Cedar Park, Leander, Pflugerville, Round Rock, Sunset Valley, and West Lake Hills. Better still, AT&T's looking to take the service even further from the city center, and given that the Lonestar State was U-verse's first (and remains its favorite, some would say), we don't doubt that one bit.

Suddenlink, LIN TV reach retrans deal, restore KXAN & KBIM

by Richard Lawler posted Mar 26th 2008 at 3:50AM

New Years Day was a sad one for cable customers served by Suddenlink and LIN TV, when their previous retransmission consent agreement expired, KXAN-TV (NBC) in Austin and KBIM-TV (CBS) in Albuquerque went dark. Three months later, they've come to terms and restored the channels to 30,000 affected customers. No word on what it took, but LIN TV claims all subscription services have to recognize "fair market value" of its stations. (Warning: PDF read link.)

Time Warner Cable brings four new HD options to Austin / Waco, Texas

by Darren Murph posted Feb 17th 2008 at 7:31PM

Over the past few weeks, Time Warner Cable has gifted subscribers in the San Antonio area with a whole slew of new HD options, and unsurprisingly, we heard quite a bit of grumbling from Austin-area folks who felt slighted. Apparently, TWC has heard your cries, as it is now looking to add Discovery HD, TLC HD, Animal Planet HD and Science HD real soon. As for Austin, you can look for these newcomers on slots 1618, 1615, 1622 and 1624, respectively, while Waco-area residents need to scroll on up to 1042, 1044, 1045 and 1046. Of course, these aren't set to go live until Tuesday, but at least you're getting some semblance of respect, right? [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family]

[Thanks, Jon K. and Jay]

Time Warner Cable adding more HD in Central Texas

by Darren Murph posted Jan 22nd 2008 at 4:32PM

Now that U-verse is rolling into town, Time Warner Cable is looking to give current customers a few more reasons to stick around. According to a sidebar at News 8 Austin's website, the provider will be kicking out seven new additions on January 31st across Central Texas. More specifically, users in the area can expect to see National Geographic HD, The Movie Channel HD, Versus / Golf HD, Fox Business News HD, History Channel HD, Lifetime Movie Network HD and Weather Channel HD tossed in at month's end, and while Austin-area residents will see these slotted in the 1,600s, Waco, Temple and Killeen-area subscribers will need to look in the 1,000s. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family]

[Thanks, Jay]

SuddenLink drops Austin, Texas NBC affiliate (KXAN-TV)

by Darren Murph posted Jan 1st 2008 at 7:17AM

For SuddenLink subscribers in the Austin, Texas area, we certainly hope you've got a spare antenna laying around. As of today, KXAN-TV (the Austin NBC affiliate) will no longer be carried on its cable system, and in case you haven't already guessed the reason, here's the long and short of it: cash. Apparently, LIN TV (KXAN's owner) and SuddenLink have not been able to agree on the station's fair market value, and rather than just taking what's offered, it has decided to simply pull away from the operator. It was noted that LIN TV had successfully reached agreements with other cable operators, telephone companies and satellite providers, and its president and GM suggested that SuddenLink subscribers view the channel in SD or HD via "alternative means, such as an antenna or by switching to a satellite service." Of course, it seems that negotiations will continue, but there's no way to know when (or if) the station will reappear on SuddenLink's lineup.

AT&T brings U-Verse to Austin, Texas

by Darren Murph posted Nov 8th 2007 at 4:55PM

Just days after AT&T announced that its U-Verse rollout would be hitting a million fewer homes at the end of 2008 than it originally planned, we now know that Austin, Texas won't be one of the locales affected. Starting right now, folks down in Austin, Pflugerville and Round Rock can place their orders for the service and can expect installations to start up on November 19th. 'Course, it's not too shocking to hear that more of the Lonestar state is getting blessed with U-Verse -- after all, it was the state that AT&T first deployed the service in. So, for those of you in and around Austin, is the urge to switch over too much to withstand, or will you be stickin' with your current provider?

DirecTV adds HD locals in Austin, Cincinnati and Las Vegas

by Richard Lawler posted Sep 27th 2006 at 8:44PM

Sure bandwidth issues are forcing DirecTV to play musical chairs with its HD channel lineup, that hasn't stopped it from adding local stations in several areas recently. Austin, Cincinnati and Las Vegas are all among the cities to get MPEG-4 local broadcasts. As with the others, to get the new stations you'll need a new dish and receiver. According to the press release, this brings the count of cities with local HD via satellite to 42, covering 62 percent of US households, and contiuing on track to provide 150 national HD stations plus 1,500 local in 2007. The new stations are:
  • Austin, Texas
    • KEYE/CBS, KVUE/ABC and KTBC/FOX
  • Cincinnati, Ohio
    • WKRC/CBS, WCPO/ABC, WXIX/FOX and WLWT/NBC
  • Las Vegas, Nevada
    • KTNV/ABC and KVVU/FOX




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