Project Analog Crush is in full swing, and RCN's next target is the nation's capital. The carrier is reclaiming analog spectrum and converting it to all digital in the Washington, D.C. area next month, and it's hoping to use all that freed bandwidth to deliver 75+ high-definition channels in the near future. Be on the lookout for notification of the changes real soon -- you'll be needing a digital converter box or CableCARD if you're still tapping into pure analog cable.

If you were impressed with the $6.2 million renovation at the Gaithersburg Marriott Washingtonian Center, you'll be blown away by the upgrades found on Washington, D.C.'s largest hotel. The Marriott Wardman Park has just underwent a whopping $100 million refreshing (a "comprehensive revitalization," as it were), which added in a 32-inch LG plasma to each and every guest room. Additionally, each PDP will be equipped with Marriott's proprietary plug-in panel, and while 64 channels of programming will be available, we aren't told how many of those will be in high-definition. Looks like the competition in the D.C. hotel market is getting even fiercer.

Not like we haven't seen this happen a time or two already in the US, but we'd wager that Comcast's Washington, D.C. market is fairly sizable. Nevertheless, Comcast will be bumping a number of channels -- namely the D.C.-area ABC / NBC / FOX / CBS affiliates -- to digital only. In other words, those relying on analog service will have to upgrade to digital cable in order to continue viewing the affected stations. Granted, some 80% of subscribers in Annapolis and Anne Arundel already have digital cable (so says Comcast), and the changes are being made to open up space for potential HD expansion. Unfortunately, Comcast isn't following in the footsteps of certain other carriers and offering free digital adapters -- but hey, progress has to happen eventually, right?

[Image courtesy of Brent Nelson, thanks Harry]

It's no secret that Comcast is the 800-pound behemoth in the Metro DC area, and while Verizon has been scattering its FiOS TV seeds all around the region, it has yet to really infiltrate Washington, D.C. proper. According to Mayor Adrian Fenty, all that could be changing. In a recent interview on NBC4, Mr. Fenty states that "negotiations are still ongoing," though things seemed to be moving more quickly than in "other jurisdictions." He continued on to say that he estimates the service (though he didn't specify FiOS TV, just "broadband capability") will be available to DCers "early next year." Of course, we've seen promise dates slip out before, so we wouldn't bet the farm on this coming to fruition just yet, but at least all that finger crossing hasn't been completely in vain, yeah?

[Thanks, Jeevan]

Oh sure, Verizon's not coming right out and admitting that it's looking to go mano a mano with Comcast in Manassas, Virginia, but you can bet it'll be trying to sway customers away from the cable carrier as soon as it launches FiOS TV there. Not content with upgrading the network in areas of Southeastern Virginia, the operator has just announced that it has received a cable franchise from the City Council enabling it to provide FiOS TV to 12,000 more households in the NoVa region. Unfortunately, just 1,100 city domiciles are within reach at the moment, but Verizon is slated to string fiber to that other lot within three years. 'Tis a shame three years is practically an eternity.

Just in case the recently revamped Gaithersburg Marriott Washingtonian Center isn't close enough to all the action for you, aloft is getting set to bring its traditionally modern style to a new hotel in Ashburn, Virginia. The 136-room aloft Dulles-North is merely minutes away from the Dulles International Airport, and besides being near a plethora of shopping and dining options, it also offers each guest free WiFi, their own flat-panel HDTV and a "one-stop connectivity" panel for interfacing with gizmos in tow. No word on just how pricey a night in this place will be, but you can find out for yourself starting on November 6th

Ever wonder what a $6.2 million renovation can do? It'll buy 284 32-inch LCD HDTVs, that's for sure. At the Gaithersburg Marriott Washingtonian Center in Gaithersburg, Maryland, that's exactly what has been added to its guest rooms, and all eleven floors have now been refreshed with the oh-so-useful "plug-in panel" that enables patrons to sync up their travel gadgetry with the in-room flat-panel. You'll also find wireless internet and more HDTVs in the lobby downstairs, and the free on-site parking makes you feel as if you're much further away from D.C. than just a half hour.

For those that witnessed the Nationals topple the Braves on Opening Day (at least on US soil), you got a glimpse of just how nice the all new Nationals Park really is. Now, Sanjay Talwani has taken an in-depth look at the stadium, and he found that copious quantities of HD equipment abounds. For starters, you'll find four 52-inch Sony LCD monitors along with a number of Luma LCDs within the control room, not to mention the 1,552 x 720 Mitsubishi scoreboard screen and the Sony MVS-8000G switcher. As for cameras, there are a pair of HDC-1400s alongside two wireless XDCAMs, but those pale in comparison to the four remote-controlled BRC-H700s around the top of the venue. 'Tis a shame the club's regional carrier, MASN, isn't diving in head first to carry all of its unclaimed matchups in HD, huh? For more details on the technology-crammed park, check out the read link below.

Interested in taking a peek at a few Christie DLP projectors, Stewart screens, Tannoy speakers and Bag End subs? What if a few HD flat-panels and a "4D" theater are throw in? Astoundingly enough, all of the aforesaid equipment and much, much more has been installed at the soon-to-open Newseum in Washington, D.C. Put simply, the venue "traces the history of news reporting from the 16th century to the present," and needless to say, it does so in impressive fashion. There's no telling exactly how many Benjamins Electrosonic burned through installing the plethora of high-end gear, but with 250,000 square feet of technology-laced area, we're thinking a trip (for "education," of course) may be in order.

[Via AboutProjectors]

Say it ain't so! After what feels like ages of watching the Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals in shoddy SD, its regional carrier has finally decided to slip into this decade and go HD. As we'd heard rumored just weeks ago, the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network will indeed be beaming out 80 MLB games this season in high-definition: 40 for the Nats and 40 for the O's. More specifically, all six interleague games between the two aforementioned clubs will be in high-def as well as the Nationals' first game back after the opener. Unfortunately, 242 games between the duo will still be in SD, but at least we're making progress. Look for the complete schedule of HD games to surface "in the next two weeks."

[Image courtesy of NastyNats]

For fans of the Baltimore Orioles and / or Washington Nationals, things could be getting an awful lot clearer when you tune in to catch their games this season. After the Kansas City Royals found a way to get its games broadcast regionally in high-definition, the O's and Nats stood as the final two MLB clubs with a dedicated channel that only beamed out its games in SD. According to an e-mail reportedly forwarded from an employee of a "local cable company," MASN is indeed planning to finally ditch its pixelated ways and go HD. More specifically, the note states that customers that receive the channel will be able to catch "at least 60 MLB games in 1080i" during the 2008 season, and that those matchups would be split evenly between the Orioles and Nationals. When a MASN publicist was questioned about the apparent leak, he casually stated that the station was working with its cable and satellite operators on "providing some games in HD in 2008," but didn't go out of his way to outright confirm or deny the whispers. Sounds like positive news, but we aren't getting our hopes up (too high) quite yet.

[Image courtesy of NastyNats, thanks Tom]