Manitobans jonesing for a few more HD channels can find 'em on Westman Communications. As of this week, customers can now tune into High Fidelity HDTV's suite of four high-definition stations: Oasis HD, Equator HD, Treasure HD and Rush HD. We'll be honest -- these probably won't be viewed as the most spectacular additions for many, but additional HD is additional HD. Sadly, there's no word on when the next expansion will come, but hold tight and enjoy what you can until then.

If you had a sneaking suspicion that somewhat just wasn't right when all 15 of the VOOM HD networks suddenly vanished from DISH Network's lineup, um, you were right. Apparently EchoStar (now DISH Network) and VOOM Networks had inked a 15-year deal in 2005 that would give the latter "a license fee of $3.25 a month per HD subscriber receiving VOOM." Now, VOOM has "filed an amended complaint against EchoStar, claiming it will suffer more than $1 billion in damages." More specifically, it notes that "EchoStar had no right to terminate the affiliation agreement on the basis of a trumped-up and pretextual claim of breach simply because it no longer liked the deal it struck." As expected, EchoStar is remaining mum on the subject, but its ex-partner is seeking "substantial damages in an amount to be determined at trial." This one could get real ugly, and fast.

Shortly after Canal Digitaal launched its first HD channels in the Dutch market, the satcaster has announced plans to pick up VOOM HD in June. With the addition, the outfit's high-definition lineup will consist of Discovery HD, National Geographic HD, BravaHD and -- from the summer onwards -- Nederland 1 HD. Mum's the word on a price hike, so here's to hoping subscribers won't have to pony up anything extra to enjoy the stations that DISH Network just dropped like a bad habit.

Well, that was quick. In the midst of adding 22 new HD channels and reporting less-than-stellar Q1 results, DISH Network has now removed the only five remaining VOOM channels from its lineup. If you'll recall, 10 of the 15 went dark yesterday, but now reports are flooding in saying that the last of 'em have also vanished. Yeah, we know the VOOM networks weren't the most watched or anything, but knocking your HD lineup down by 15 doesn't sound like the greatest of moves either. Unless it's planning on adding 15 way more desirable options, that is.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Yesterday's DISH announcement was bittersweet for some DISH HD fans as they were enjoying the addition of 22 new HD channels, some noticed that 10 of their favorite -- well maybe not all 10 --Voom HD channels were MIA. A quick visit to the DISH Network website showed that the 10 in question were missing from the list there as well. The two that seems will be the most missed are HD News which evidently had more news in actual HD than any other news network, and Worldsport which is a favorite among soccer fans. Some DISH subscribers are understandably very upset about being forced to sacrifice the 10 for the new lot, but only time will tell if subscribers will end up with more new HD programming than before. Of course the biggest loser here is VOOM, as two thirds of its channels have lost their carriage on what was probably their biggest provider.
[Thanks, Scott].

Read - DISH HD programming page 1
Read - DISH HD programming page 2
Read - Satellite Guys forum

Joining NASCAR, Indy, off road and Mustangs in this season's HD racing schedule is a brand new series focused on drift racing. Rush HD premieres Drift Style tonight at 8:30 p.m. on the Voom HD network. If you're (still) not familiar with the sport, its a competition mixing speed with style as drivers take their heavily customized street cars around the track. We're glad to see more new original content on Voom, for more info on this weekly series check the full PR after the break.

Sure, securing Voom Networks' Rush HD may not be quite as exhilarating as snagging NASN, but we're betting that those in the UK on Sky will take any additional high-def they can get. As of today, the extreme sports channels is now available on EPG slot 452 to Sky HD subscribers, which brings the grand total on the carrier to 17. The launch marks the international debut of the network, and while a company spokesperson noted that there were no current plans to bring any other Voom channels to the UK, users may see Rush content made available on the 1080i Sky Anytime video-on-demand portal.

We've heard your comments asking for more original content, and apparently so has Voom HD. The network's Equator HD is prepping several new series to debut later this year, along with Mario's Green House, featuring actor Mario Van Peebles undergoing a green living home renovation, due in 2009. Until then, Natural Born Traveler, starring an Australian world traveler touring his home continent and The Monkey Thieves, following a pack of urban monkeys will have to tide you over.

Cablevision is making the move to switched digital video, with its 15 Voom HD channels going SDV-only in April and May. Of course this means that CableCARD users won't be able to get them any more. There were around 14,000 such devices on Cablevision as of last December, most notably Tivos, so the company is offering a free HD set-top for a year. While not the most elegant of solutions, it should at least tide people over until the tuning resolver that fixes this gets sorted out. Of course, maybe the Voom HD channels aren't important to every viewer, but others will inevitably follow and the offer is set to expire June 30. Such is life on the way to 500 HD channels, we suppose.

Shortly after hearing that a FTTH network was on its way to Norway, a cable provider (Get) in the nation has just landed a carriage agreement that will bring Voom HD networks onto its lineup of high-definition channels. Granted, this isn't the first time the Voom channels have surfaced in the Nordic and Baltic regions, but when it launches on Get later this month, it will be a first on this particular carrier. Interestingly, there was no mention of rate changes associated with the newcomers, so here's to hoping users in the area are in fact gifted with these gratis.

Voom's GameplayHD channel has a new 3D animated action series on the way, Sacred Road. As if we weren't already getting enough HD gaming in (CoD4 anyone?), the new series is being created entirely within a videogame engine, taking Red vs. Blue's concept to a whole new level. With graphical assets courtesy of Gearbox Software's Brothers in Arms game, Sacred Road is about a group of WWII soldiers caught up fighting Nazi's with an army of undead World War I fighters at their command. Check it out this fall, either on GameplayHD or via the website.

[Via GameIndustry.com]

Tired of spending way too much loot on art classes? If so, it's time to make good use of Gallery HD (part of the VOOM HD collection), as it's gearing up to air an all new series that aims to teach aspiring painters "how to emulate the style of the world's greatest artists such as Monet, Van Gogh, Renoir and many others." The Forger's Masterclass series is scheduled to include ten half-hour episodes starting on March 3rd, and will be hosted by John Myatt, whose "stunning forgeries of Matisse, Chagall and Klee notoriously fooled the art world in the 1990s." If you're already anxious to grab your brush, make sure you're tuned into channel 9472 (DISH Network) or 714 (Cablevision) at 8:30PM just under a week from now. Oh, and lay down some plastic first -- things could get messy.

Nah, RUSH HD's forthcoming documentary won't be the first high-definition program dedicated to taking a look at downhill skiing, but what better way to get you all jazzed up about the onset of winter than a fresh look at "the original extreme sport?" Okay, so maybe the Yule Log in HD takes the cake, but we're still slotting this in for second. Scheduled to air this Saturday night at 10:30PM EST (7:30PM PT; 9:30PM C), The Thin Line: Life on the Edge takes a look at what has fueled the sport over the years and includes interviews with some of its most notable figureheads. Additionally, there looks to be quite a few nasty spills crammed into the 90-minute feature, and if you're desperate for a taste a few days early, click on through for a look at the trailer.

[Thanks, Erik M.]