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Time Warner Cable brings 26 local NYC channels to iOS app, website
While it may not be the good news the Android army was hoping for, TWC's got some Big Apple-sized bits to share. Via its Untangled blog, Time Warner announced it's finally adding local channels to its iPhone / iPad app and TWCTV site, including CBS, NBC, FOX, ABC and Univision (because you can never have enough novelas). Unfortunately, the goodies won't be up for everyone's viewing pleasure, as the additions are only for folks within the NYC boroughs. That said, the cable giant plans to add "a few more markets by the end of the year." Want to find out if your favorite local news show made the cut? The full list can be found at the source link below.
NAB scolds cable companies for downconverting HD locals
We've certainly seen the head honchos give the cable companies a piece of their mind before, but this time the carriers are receiving a fairly stiff scolding care of the National Association of Broadcasters. David Rehr made sure to make every moment of his speech segment count, as he ripped cable providers for "downconverting" the signals of local channels in order to boost the bandwidth available to "their own high-definition signals." Mr. Rehr even went so far as to call the process "broadcast discrimination," and we can only presume that certain providers -- such as Time Warner, who has ties to HBO and Comcast, which is strongly linked to Versus / Golf Channel -- are the targets of recent battles. Unsurprisingly, anonymous cable services have reportedly denied the claims of delusion, but how do the actual end-users see it? Let us know folks: is your cable company giving preferential treatment to channels it has vested interest in?[Via HiDefster]
HD locals over satellite: check the contract
Consider this a friendly consumer alert in case you've missed the locals over satellite strategy that is slowly progressing; too slowly as one Toledo consumer found out. After spending hard earned dollars on a high-def set, Carolyn Peabody was persuaded to couple that set with a new satellite TV service. Peabody specifically asked if she would get the same HD programming that she currently had with cable and was told she would. Danger, Will Robinson, Danger!Although Dish and DIRECTV are making strides to have local HD coverage, they have only recently started the roll out. There simply isn't enough bandwidth available on their satellites to blanket the country with local HD in every market. In order to do this, both companies are adopting a change over from the MPEG-2 compression standard to the MPEG-4 standard which will require new hardware and more time. Looking for locals in HD? Your cable company is a better bet at this point and free over-the-air HD locals are an option if you're close enough to catch a signal.
