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Posts with tag hd channels
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DirecTV announces next 44 markets to get HD locals
Not quite a month after DISH Network unveiled its summer / fall HD locals, DirecTV is continuing to excite by announcing its next 44 markets that will receive HD locals. According to the company, it will be providing local HD broadcasts in 121 cities by the end of 2008, which will reportedly represent 88-percent of US TV households. Just after 30 some-odd new HD channels go live on August 14th, it will begin rolling out HD locals to cities like Augusta, GA, Baton Rouge, LA, Boise, ID, Chattanooga, TN and El Paso, TX. There are 39 more markets to scan through in the read link -- here's to hoping your locale is listed!Cablevision trumpets 60 HD channels, DirecTV / Verizon chuckle
Maybe Cablevision just pulled the trigger without looking, but rather than holding its head in shame after hearing that Verizon hit 100 HD channels (at least in NY) and DirecTV would soon reach 130, it decided to pump out a release bragging about reaching the mighty six-oh. Granted, 60 high-def stations is way more than some carriers offer in some locales (TWC, we're looking at you), but the timing is comical regardless. Cablevision will soon be adding 15 new high-definition channels to its iO TV lineup, with some regions seeing them as early as today. The newcomers are: AMC HD, Animal Planet HD, Discovery HD, Fox News HD, FX HD, Hallmark Movie Channel HD, IFC HD, Nickelodeon HD, Science HD, SPEED HD, Spike HD, The Weather Channel HD, TLC HD, Travel Channel HD and WE HD. Oh, and before you Cablevision subscribers gripe over "just" having 60, remember the folks in much worse situations.DirecTV to boast 130 HD channels on August 14th, 1080p movies later this year
by Darren Murph, posted Jul 28th 2008 at 12:40PM 
Now this is what we're talking about! On the very same morning that Verizon trumpets its achievement of hitting 100 high-def channels in New York, along comes DirecTV to make that figure look second-rate. The satcaster has just announced that it will be hosting upwards of 130 high-definition channels on August 14th, which means that 30 or so newcomers are just weeks away from going live. All of the channels will be transmitted in the MPEG-4 AVC standard, and if you're curious, it also plans to provide "movies in 1080p" later this year. Included in the new stations will be Showtime Extreme HD, Showtime Showcase HD, Planet Green HD, ABC Family HD, additional DirecTV HD pay-per-view channels and 23 more regional sports networks in high-def 24 hours a day. Any other carriers feel like doing the leapfrog today?[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Where Is HD? integrates VOD into listings
Where Is HD? adds HD-ready channels to listings
Where Is HD? adds colored genres, printable listings
DirecTV relies on Where Is HD? data for quantity comparisons
[Thanks, Cody]
Where Is HD? lays out your options when selecting a provider
The definition of an HD channel?
This has become the year of new HD channels and while we can't get enough HD, Mark Cuban brings up a good point on his blog. There are lots of new HD channels, but not so much actual HD. Of course this is nothing new, even the earliest so-called HD channels showed mostly SD material, and even today most HD network show as much SD as HD. There are of course a few 24x7 HD networks, but most of them are inundated with reruns. This persistent problem seems to be getting worse as we'll soon have one HD network that isn't HD at all, and others that don't plan to do much HD in their first year. Don't get us wrong we're not complaining, but we think now might be a good time for the industry to come up with a definition of an HD channel.
HD version of Hallmark Movie Channel coming in Q1 2008
Those who've found themselves skipping right over the Hallmark Movie Channel solely due to its standard-definition nature can start rejoicing, as Crown Media Holdings is reportedly set to launch an HD simulcast of the station next year. Henry Schleiff, president and CEO of Crown Media, owner of Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movie Channel, "unveiled plans for Hallmark Movie Channel HD during a second-quarter conference call," and he also noted that it would "include the presentation of many Hallmark Channel original movies in their pure high-definition form." No word on a hard launch date just yet, but look for it to show up sometime in Q1 2008.DirecTV to deliver 70 HD channels by the end of Q3?
We've heard so many promises from DirecTV that we hardly take them seriously anymore, but according to CEO Chase Carey, the satellite provider will indeed be beaming out "70 HD channels" by the end of Q3. Reportedly, the comments were uttered during the firm's second-quarter conference call, and it was noted that there were deals currently in place for 90 HD networks. Furthermore, Carey stated that it had "20 or 30 channels that would need a couple of months to get an HD feed online, which is why it will grow from 70 to over 100 in those few months." Again, this is far from the first assurance we've had that the elusive "100 HD channels" are actually coming soon, but considering that the DirecTV 10 is successfully in orbit and the DirecTV 11 should be headed there soon, maybe there's some truth to this one.Comcast hands out six more HD channels in Colorado Springs
As Comcast continues to rollout more digital / HD channels around the nation, Colorado Springs has become the latest city to be blessed with an increase in HD options. Reportedly, the operator has launched six HD channels in its Colorado Springs market -- Cinemax HD, Versus / Golf Channel HD, Universal-HD, MHD, National Geographic HD and A&E HD -- bringing the area's total to 19. Best of all, the half dozen new choices come at an oh-so-bearable cost of nada if you're already a digital cable subscriber with an HD-enabled set-top-box.Will DirecTV's HD push stimulate competition?
Cox hoping to add capacity for 50 HD channels by year-end
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