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HD channel expansion roundup
Once upon a time, a smattering of new HD channels in one major metropolitan area was a huge deal. Nowadays, it's almost expected that one area or another will experience some HD expansion each week. In order to keep things nice and tidy around here, we deliver high-def expansions, market expansions and anything else dealing with HD channel growth right here. If we missed an area that you're familiar with, drop us a line in comments so everyone can catch up. The more the merrier, we say!Read - DISH Network(R) Adds 30 HD Channels in HawaiiRead - DISH Network(R) Adds 30 HD Channels in AlaskaRead - DIRECTV to Deliver Local HD Programming to Customers in Lafayette, Ind.Read - Comcast digital switch update: Bellevue's next, Seattle in fallRead - FashionTV(R) Introduces New 24/7 FTV(R) HD Channel in the U.S. on DISH Network(R)Read - National Geographic Channels International Co-Produces Alaskan Killer Shark With Off The Fence ProductionsRead - Cox Launches WRIC in HD to Customers in King and Queen County, New Kent, and West PointFox News Chicago switched to HD (Thanks, Garst)Read - Time Warner Cable North East Ohio new HD Channels (Thanks, Justin)Read - Special Preview: ABC Family HD, Disney HD, HBO2 HD and BET HD (Thanks, Gary)Read - KMSP Fox 9 news in Minneapolis now in HD (Thanks, Nathan)
Comcast extending all digital push in Boston and Atlanta
Not to be confused with the OTA switch to digital, Comcast is apparently ready to resume shoving customers off the analog coil and making room for more HD, DOCSIS 3.0 high speed Internet and other things we like, starting with Boston and Atlanta. Termed "Project Cavalry" it's not removing every channel from analog, but about 40 of them, and as the FCC directed giving customers two digital terminal adapters (pictured) and one digital box for free as long as they remain with Comcast. According to Cable Digital News, Chattanooga picked up 22 new high definition networks and 50Mb Internet service after the digital migration, so it really can't happen fast enough.
Pace-built Comcast Digital Transport Adapter gets unboxed
We know, this whole "digital age" is quite confusing, but what you're looking at above is one of the first Digital Transport Adapters (a Pace DC50X) doled out by Comcast. First and foremost, this box has nothing to do with the impending analog shutoff of broadcast networks in February of next year; instead, Comcast (like many other programming providers) is choosing to push many markets to "all digital" in order to free up bandwidth currently hogged by analog stations. Enter the DTA, which is being used to allow older TVs to still receive channels without the need for a pricey HD DVR. Even the unboxer notes that it's pretty unimpressive, but check the gallery in the read link if you're so inclined.[Thanks, cypherstream]
Verizon's FiOS TV now 100% digital
We heard earlier this year that Verizon would be caving to the FCC's request and phasing out any remaining analog duplicate channels that it was still hosting, and as of today, the carrier can claim that its fiber-based programming service is completely digital. For those affected, Verizon has been offering up free digital adapters to cope, and as of this very moment, each of its FiOS TV subscribers should be good to go with its 100% digital lineup. The impending digital TV transition has claimed another, but we won't shed a tear for the removal of analog. Coldhearted, but totally justified.
RCN brings the Analog Crush to Washington, DC
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.
RCN & Comcast dropping analog cable en Mass.
New England cable customers better get used to the digital cable box, as both RCN and Comcast made moves in the last week to shrink analog lineups with an eye towards eliminating them entirely in the future, making room for more HD. Comcast says its HD stations in Western Massachusetts will go from 30 to 50 by the end of the year, plus more VOD options, while analog customers can expect to have their channels halved within the next two years. Meanwhile RCN kicked off project Analog Crush on July 4 to go all digital, planning to double its current 40 HD channels and increase to more than 100. Dedham is first on the chopping block, while other Boston-area residences will go digital throughout the rest of the year. Got a TV still connected to analog? Check out the links below to find out when you'll be moving to digital or losing service entirely.Read - RCNRead - Comcast
RCN going all digital in Boston, Massachusetts
RCN already pulled the trigger and shot down any remaining analog stations in Chicago earlier this year, and now the time has come for the same merciless execution to hit Boston. Starting next month, the cable company will be nixing analog channels in order to "make room for more digital channels." Notably, RCN will be offering up converter boxes gratis for those currently without ($2.95 per month for additional ones), although it's estimated that 80% of the carrier's Bay State subscribers are already well equipped for the digital shift. Mum's the word on when this change will enable it to toss in a few more high-def offerings, but here's to hoping it's sooner rather than later.
More details on Comcast changes / additions in New Jersey
As February closed, we got word that Comcast users in unspecified parts of New Jersey would be getting nine new HD channels on March 27th. Now, we're finally getting a touch more information on the whole ordeal. Reportedly, Comcast is gearing up to "reorganize its channel lineups in Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland counties" in order to compress six channel lineups in southern New Jersey into two and to bring AMC, Cartoon Network, The History Channel and Turner Movie Classics to the all-digital side on April 12th. As for Ocean County, Cartoon Network, The History Channel and Philadelphia broadcasters KYW-3 (CBS) and WPHL-17 will make the leap to digital. For a breakdown of which high-definition channels are being added in which locales, head on past the break.
Singapore's StarHub kills seven more analog channels in digital migration
Not quite two years after StarHub brought HDTV to Singapore, the firm has just announced that it pulled the plug on seven more analog channels as it looks to migrate its customers to digital. The affected channels, which include Cinemax and NHK World Premium, have now moved solely to the company's digital tier, forcing subscribers to fork over $4 per month to rent a digital set-top-box if they wish to continue viewing said stations. Currently, those content with analog can only tune into 39 channels, but that number is expected to shrink further in the near future. The way we see it, the move makes more room for HD expansion -- needless to say, that's a-okay with us.
TVMAX cable provider aims to go all digital
TVMAX, a Texas-based cable provider for MDU (multiple dwelling unit) housing communities, is apparently gearing up to make the switch to all digital. Curiously enough, the move was announced on the same day that RCN began migrating its Chicago customers to a purely digital network, too. Reportedly, the firm has laid down the coin for a complete headend solution from Scopus in order to support the cutover, and it will also rely on that firm to manage and monitor the system once installed and flipped on. When exactly the whole "flipped on" thing will go down, however, still remains a mystery.
The Water Club hotel signs up for HD IPTV and HD VOD
Continuing the trend of high-class hotels having a thing for high-definition is The Water Club, a signature hotel by Borgata which is set to open its doors this summer in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The $600 million master plan development will feature 800 rooms and suites, each of which will have access to free-to-guest IPTV with HD service. Additionally, patrons can look forward to an unspecified allotment of HD VOD, and if you're curious as to what they'll be enjoying said content on, a 40-inch Sony LCD TV is the answer. The 100-percent digital Guest-Tek OneView Media HD system will reportedly utilize a set-top-box that supports MPEG2, MPEG4-AVC and VC-1, and while this all sounds mighty delightful, we've no clue how many Benjamins you'll be laying down (per night) to experience this yourself. A look inside is waiting after the jump.
RCN goes all digital in Chicago, shoots for 100 HD channels
Starting today, RCN will begin switching to all digital programming in Chicago, Illinois, a full year (and change) before all broadcast channels must do the same. Reportedly, the move will enable the cable provider to reclaim excess spectrum and recreate its cable offerings. More specifically, the 80 channel Signature package will be re-launching with 180 channels for the same price, and while we're not told exactly what new HD additions we'll find, a few newcomers are nevertheless promised. Additionally, subscribers in the area can expect more video-on-demand content and new channel pods which will purportedly "provide customers with the ability to pay only for the programming they want to watch." With all this freed up space, the firm's VP and General Manager Tom McKay has boldly proclaimed that it hopes to "make good on the promise of offering approximately 100 HD channels in the future," but sadly, "future" is as detailed as it got. 'Course, some users will need to grab a digital converter box or CableCARD to continue receiving service, but you already knew that, now didn't you?
