This is one of those rare cases where the headline tells all: TWC and LIN TV have finally agreed to put their differences aside and strike a retransmission deal. In other words, those 17 LIN TV-owned local stations that have been dark for the past few weeks should be back online at any moment. LIN TV's President and Chief Executive Officer Vincent L. Sadusky was quoted as saying that it was "pleased to have reached a fair market agreement with Time Warner Cable," and he continued by calling the deal "a mutually acceptable economic agreement." While we can't imagine he said that with a straight face, we're just glad you folks won't have to rely on any more EPG trickery to watch the (possible) final game of the World Series tonight. Or tomorrow. Or whenever Philadelphia decides to stop acting like Siberia.


[Image courtesy of Britannica, thanks Dayton Guy and Brian]

Finally, someone inside sees the light. According to quotes from a recent interview with Craig Saari, Bright House's senior director of engineering, he realizes that the Mystro Digital Navigator is patently awful, though he doesn't really have a good reason why Passport was ditched in favor of something that is almost universally despised. After the aforesaid software was rolled out en masse last week in Central Florida, hordes of customers are yelping that more functionality has been lost than gained, and even Saari confessed that the Mystro is much slower to respond to remote inputs. All that being true, the question beckons: "Why?" Why on Earth are providers like BHN and Time Warner Cable switching out the antiquated (but perfectly usable) Passport application for something that's entirely worse? We suppose we'll never know the truth, but at least BHN customers have someone, somewhere working to make things better. Or so they say.

Update: So it's possible the new software was implemented for tru2way support. Makes sense, but it doesn't ease the pain of suckage.

A select few Bright House Networks subscribers in Central Florida have already been blessed (if you want to call it that) with the carrier's new "Digital Navigator" DVR software, and for better or worse, it's coming to even more of you soon. BHN has put out an announcement to notify customers in the region that the rollout should hit everyone by the end of this month, and while it claims the new look will make it "easier to find programs, give parents more parental control options and allow Digital Phone customers to have Caller ID displayed on their TV," we know all too well how these refreshes can end up in reality. Unfortunately, we have a feeling most of you won't be enjoying the change.

Bright House Networks subscribers in Michigan already noticed Big Ten Network on the EPG, but now the carrier has fessed up and confirmed that it will soon be landing in other markets. Additionally, ESPNU HD and CNN HD will be coming along for the ride, though there's no indication of when. Thanks, BHN -- we'll just twiddle our thumbs and hope they show up.

[Thanks, Jamie]

Comcast, Charter and Time Warner Cable already wrapped up deals in at least some locales to get Big Ten Network out to its subscribers. Now, we've got Bright House Networks in Michigan doing the same. You all know the details by now -- more Big 10 in high-def -- but we're wondering if any other BHN markets got gifted as well. Chime in either way, will you?

[Thanks, Dean]

We'd say the flood gates are officially open. Not only are the two major fiber players in America making sure subscribers get their fill of the 2008 Olympics, but a swarm of cable companies are doing the same. Aside from Comcast, Charter, Mediacom and a few others, we've now learned that Blue Ridge Communications will be launching USA HD, CNBC HD, Olympic Basketball HD and Olympic Soccer HD (saywha?) on August 8th. Bright House Networks has revealed plans to light up NBC Universal HD (at least in Michigan), while Time Warner Cable tosses in USA HD and Universal HD for places not already gifted. Gee, thanks guys, you shouldn't have.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
[Image courtesy of Sports Photo]

Read - Bright House Networks expansion
Read - Time Warner Cable expansion
Read - Blue Ridge Communications expansion

No sooner did Time Warner Cable toss in six new high-def stations in Wetumpka than Bright House Networks has matched it up in Birmingham. With the threat of AT&T's U-verse hanging over the existing cable carriers, BHN has apparently seen fit to add in Discovery HD (659), TLC HD (666), National Geographic HD (667), Food HD (668), HGTV HD (669) and MGM HD (684). Alright TWC, ball's in your court once again.

[Thanks, Andrew]

Almost as good as the ongoing Tigers win streak is the news that Bright House is delivering a new pack of channels to its Motor City-area customers. With the news that half of its digital customers now enjoy HD service, it's launching Discovery HD, Animal Planet HD, The Learning Channel HD, History HD, Science HD, HGTV HD, and Food HD on the basic lineup for no extra charge, while MGM HD jumps onboard the $6.95 optional HD Package. Expect more updates as the company continues to unleash new channels to its customers across the country, so if these aren't exactly the channels you wanted, just wait a minute, they'll change.

[Thanks, Dean]

Not like you didn't know three of the four were coming, but a tipster down in the Tampa Bay area just informed us that Bright House Networks has launched four new HD channels in Central Florida. As of now, MGM HD (710), Disney HD (735) and Family Channel HD (736) have been flipped on, and the elusive CNN HD has finally shown up on slot 728. Enjoy!

[Thanks, Jensen]

It said that it would be adding 50 new HD channels by mid- to late-2009, and while three newcomers isn't the hugest of deals, we suppose it has to start somewhere. Bright House Networks has just announced that it will be delivering a new trio to Central Florida: ABC Family HD (1337), Disney HD (1335) and MGM Channel HD (1306). It should be noted that the latter station will only be available to those who subscribe to its $6 / month High Definition Pack, which also includes MOJO HD, HDNet, HDNet Movies, Universal HD and HD Showcase. Nice gesture, BHN, but we're still not totally over that whole CableCARD fiasco.

Chalk one up for the little guys. After Bright House Cable ganked a number of HD channels from CableCARD users early last month in "preparation" for the SDV transformation, a chorus of complaints flooded in. Now, it seems as if the carrier has caved, and the channels that were removed (along with the networks added to non-CableCARD lineups) will be redelivered sometime this week. Granted, the jubilation will come to a screeching halt in August / September once SDV is actually implemented, but hopefully a workaround will be available by then to enable switched digital support for CableCARD. Be sure to chime in below once you see the stations come back online, and yeah, we're raising our glasses over here in celebration, too.

[Thanks, TiVo Community]

Hey, Bright House CableCARD customers -- remember those eight HD channels that popped online back in September? Turns out, you were only supposed to receive half of 'em, and reportedly, four have actually been pulled after five newcomers were added in late January. According to Arthur Orduna, the senior vice president of product for BHN, it had decided to "not to deliver those channels [HGTV HD, TBS HD, The History Channel HD and Food Network HD] to CableCard customers" as it prepared for switched digital video, and apparently, the cable company is now allowing these very subscribers to trade their beloved CableCARD in for a ho hum HD DVR. Supposedly, this stopgap will enable customers to view the entire HD lineup while they wait for an "external adapter" to be rolled out which will allow CableCARD-ready TiVos to play nice with SDV. Sounds like a pretty complicated mess from here -- anyone down in the Sunshine state dealing with this here dilemma?

[Thanks, Celly and David]

Not long after National Geographic HD showed up on Bright House Networks in Tampa, Florida, it seems to have scurried northeast and hit the Orlando market along with four others. According to a new placard hitting certain Orlando-area subscribers, five new HD options will be available on Friday, and they are: Discovery Channel HD, Animal Planet HD, TLC HD, Science Channel HD and National Geographic HD. Granted, there's not much there for the sports / drama fans to get excited about, but the carrier has promised some 50 more high-definition offerings over the next year and change. Bring 'em on, we say.

[Thanks, Steven]

You're already quite aware of how the NFL Network feels about cable companies (and vice-verse) who refuse to carry the channel or stash it on a special programming tier, but DirecTV is giving Bright House customers in Florida a way to tune in without switching content providers. In a move that's as propagandistic as it is bold, the satellite provider will be giving cable customers in the Tampa, St. Petersburg and Orlando, Florida areas a chance to catch NFL Network telecasts as well as a healthy serving of promotional material. Starting tonight with the Broncos - Texans matchup, citizens of Tampa will be able to peer up at the Starship and "enjoy the game," after which it will head to St. Petersburg for the Bengals - 49ers game on Saturday. Next week, those in Orlando can check out Steelers - Rams and Cowboys - Panthers, and hey, don't fret about missing out on this thing -- we're pretty sure you'll notice that 2,100-square foot screen hovering above your city.

[Image courtesy of DTV101]