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More New Yorkers get a taste of FiOS
While many of us are still twiddling our thumbs waiting for FiOS to take our town by storm, another section of New Yorkers are getting the opportunity to indulge. Reportedly, Verizon recently "won a video franchise for its FiOS TV service in Buchanan, NY," bringing the total amount of New York communities with FiOS access to 65. Furthermore, the operator is purportedly marketing its FiOS internet service to additional consumers in the state, particularly in parts of Cornwall, Newburgh and Poughkeepsie. Go on, you lucky souls, gloat all you'd like -- we'll just live vicariously through you until our day comes.
FiOS media extender capabilities previewed
HD-hero Dave Zatz was the first person outside of Verizon to get a preview of their upcoming media extender functionality for FiOS, and he came away impressed. Expect his preview to cover a few posts, but installment #1 is up on his blog. First up, the Media Manager/Interactive Media Guide combo is getting richer navigation for music and photos. Nice, but more significant is the addition of video streaming. A variety of video formats will be transcoded on-the-fly to MPEG2. Currently, the resolution of the source material isn't scaled, but Dave mentions that we could see that change for release. There's a raft of other features in development that were shown off (including already-hinted-at remote scheduling and casual games), so check out the link and start waiting for the release over Q4 2007 - Q2 2008.
Verizon FIOS to add A&E HD on channel 842
In yet another installment of "what took so long" Verizon FIOS is adding A&E HD in at least the Tampa market -- for now -- on channel 842. This is the first HD addition to the lineup in six months, at a time when most other providers are adding new HD channels in record numbers. We're still trying to get to the bottom as to why Verizon is sitting on the sidelines, and then when they finally do add a new channel, they add one with so little actual HD content. Until then, we'll wait for this channel to show as indicated on scrolling message on channel 49. We dont' know when they'll it for the rest of the country, but it's usually Verizon's practice to add channels near their super head ends, just before the national deployment.Thanks Bryan!
CBS gears up for HD election coverage
Seeing our current president in HD just isn't enough for CBS, which is "readying its technical plant in order to broadcast both political conventions in summer 2008 in high-definition." Reportedly, the network is hoping to have its new HD control room ready to roll for the Democratic National Convention in Denver next August and the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis the month after. Furthermore, CBS is also looking to beam out the Evening News with Katie Couric in glorious HD, which should become a very real possibility as soon as the aforementioned control room is fully overhauled.
AT&T U-verse adds more HD channels
U-verse customers will be getting more of their HD fix from the fat pipe on October 15, when AT&T will be adding History Channel HD and Lifetime Movie Network HD to the lineup. Also, three more HD channels are reported as "on deck" for U-verse: CNN HD, Animal Planet HD and Versus/The Golf Channel HD. There is also SD programming being added to the service and a smattering of international channels (as premiums), but we'll let you read on through for details on those. Good news for U-verse, but it doesn't make Verizon's FIOS drought any easier to stomach.
TBS HD continues its roll, comes to AT&T U-Verse
We're beginning to feel like a broken record with all the TBS HD announcements, but in a good way. More HD is always welcome, right folks? This time around, TBS HD announced carriage with AT&T's U-Verse. Even though the killer content on TBS HD is the MLB playoff coverage, the carriage deals establish a beachhead for (hopefully) more good things to come. After all, it's not so easy/pleasant to take a channel away from customers after it's been given to them.
Verizon sued for allegedly inflating FiOS subscriber numbers
Although FiOS just celebrated its second birthday last month, the third year isn't exactly off to a sensational start. Reportedly, Digital Art Services, a New York-based advertising company, has slapped Verizon Communications with a lawsuit alleging that the firm "overstated subscribers to its fiber-optic service and charged inflated prices for advertisements there." Essentially, the plaintiff is suggesting that Verizon included "pending customers" in its public subscriber reports which were "false and inflated." Interestingly, a spokesperson for Verizon stated that while he had yet to see the lawsuit, it sounded like a "garden variety business dispute." Of note, Digital Art was informed that pending customers could be included "as they were usually converted to active subscribers within two weeks," but it found that many prospective buyers "waited up to 10 months for their service to become active."
AT&T talks with new Sling-owner EchoStar said to be "heating up"
EchoStar sure seems to be keeping itself busy these days, with its long-running talks with AT&T now said to be "heating up" just days after it acquired Sling Media for a cool $380 million. According to TheStreet.com, EchoStar is apparently considering splitting the company into two publicly traded units, one that would focus on its consumer TV service (which is where Sling fits in) and one that would focus on its wholesale satellite transmission service. As you can probably guess, it's the former that AT&T is interested in, and it's apparently prepared to pay $55 a share for the potentially separate company. According to TheStreet, however, EchoStar is currently holding out for a hefty $65 a share, although at least one analyst "sensing a deal in the works" is speculating that AT&T will "likely pay about $56 a share for the TV service." As TheStreet points out, the acquisition would likely help out AT&T with it's so-called Project Lightspeed, which aims to combine TV, phone, and internet service on a single fiber optic network.
Verizon celebrates two years of FiOS
For some (like the folks who can't get it yet), it may not seem like Verizon's FiOS has actually been around for two whole years, but indeed it has. This month marks the two year anniversary of the fiber-based service, and Verizon is taking time out to boast a bit. Reportedly, "more than 25-percent of the customers [in its first market, Texas] who could subscribe to FiOS TV have done so," and as of June 30, 2007, Verizon FiOS TV "had 515,000 subscribers and was available to more than 3.9-million households in 12 states." 'Course, you could certainly throw a much larger party if nearly four-fifths of the states in our country weren't left out, but hopefully a few more of us will be included for the next bash.[Via TVOver]
Verizon FiOS moving towards IPTV
Verizon announced that it will transition its FiOS TV service to an IPTV model over the next three years. Even though Verizon doesn't have plans to provide unique/exclusive content, the "request-send" IPTV model has advantages over traditional "push" broadcast in today's increasingly fragmented entertainment space. Verizon is betting that these differences will differentiate FiOS TV from its more traditional competitors, according to analyst Adi Kishore. VOD, interactive features, and place-shifting can all be pitched directly to customers, but there are advantages for Verizon as well. First and foremost, of course, is the one-two punch of microscopic user metrics and targeted advertising. That pipe flows both directions, and as FiOS evolves, expect use of the upstream side to increase. Still, providing tailored access to non-exclusive content is an interesting alternative strategy to generic access to exclusive content.
The Weather Channel HD is ready whenever DirecTV is
Yesterday was supposed to be the big day for DirecTV's new HD channels and while Dish subscribers can't stop poking fun at the competition, DirecTV's partners have to be just as disappointed. We heard that CNN HD was already waiting on DirecTV 10 to become operational, and now the Weather Channel HD also says DirecTV has their signal and is ready to go. Unfortunately, like many new so called HD channels, most of what the Weather Channel HD will show won't be HD at all. But rather than make the most of what they have, -- like CNBC HD -- they are going to upconvert most of their content out of the gate. They will have some of their Primetime programing such as Epic Conditions presented in HD, but say they'll need more time to upgrade the weather maps to HD. We find this especially interesting considering there are so many local news stations that've already upgraded their weather maps to HD, and they look fantastic.
HD syndication expanding with Two and a Half Men
Now that HD has been around for some time, we're seeing more and more reruns of HD shows (the industry calls reruns syndication). Just because a show wasn't originally presented in HD doesn't mean it can't be syndicated in HD, as we've seen with Seinfeld and more recently Star Trek: Enterprise. Unfortunately for local broadcast stations and HD fans everywhere, additional equipment is needed to syndicate in HD. This is above and beyond what they've already acquired to pass on the network HD feed or even produce their own HD. So, just because the show is syndicated in HD, doesn't mean you'll actually be able to enjoy it. Now we can add Two and a Half Men to the short list of syndicated HD shows, that you may or may not have access to.
Dish Network's CEDIA booth tour
Dish Network came to CEDIA and left the gloves behind, as it proudly (and rightfully, at the moment) proclaimed to be "the leader in HD" while simultaneously disregarding that other company who'd likely disagree. Within the booth, however, there were a number of enticements, including a placard that stated that Dish On Demand HD would be "coming soon" to the ViP722. Additionally, a wide array of Dish STBs and DVRs were out on display, and one particular ViP722 was located above a sign which announced that "Dish Network IPTV" would be "combining satellite and internet-based entertainment" in the not-too-distant future. Finally, the firm had a demo of how Movies on Demand would be handled and also had a couple of its receivers hooked up to external HDDs, so make sure you peep the gallery for all the photographic minutiae.%Gallery-7066%
BigTen Network launches Thursday, but will you get it?
Most HD fans love sports, and all sports fans love HD (right?), so it's only natural that every sports lovin' HD fan wants every HD sports channel they can get their hands on. The BigTen network is a big deal for sports fans, -- especially if you follow any BigTen teams -- and we love the fact that 92% of their football games get the HD treatment. But unfortunately when the channel launches this Thursday most won't be able to enjoy it, 'cause only a few providers (like DirecTV and AT&T U-Verse) have signed on. Like most of these deals, a big part is money, but some of it is the ol' basic tier Vs extended BS. So if you're in the unlucky colum, then go ahead and call your provider and if they can't get the deal done, you'd better hope you have a nice southwestern view of the sky.
Could a la carte mean fewer HDTV channels?
Recently minority groups have been complaining to the FCC 'cause they feel the a la carte initiative would hurt their programming. They're afraid that without the traditional subsidizing system that there would be less Spanish channels (for example). The same might be said for HDTV channels, and while it would be a short term problem, it might mean we have to wait for the rest of America to upgrade to HD. Technical complications aside, we think it would be nice to only buy the channels we want, but let's be honest, our motivation is money, we want to spend less of it. Most people don't care that there are tons of channels they don't watch, they just want to pay less. Obviously the MSOs are against us giving them less money, and thus against a la carte; but to their point, content providers force packages on them and they're just passing it on to us. We're not saying the MSOs need any charity, but fair is fair -- somehow we don't see the media giants coming along quietly.
AT&T's U-Verse arrives in Oklahoma City, challenges Cox
Although it seems like U-Verse rollouts are becoming entirely more common these days, the folks that call Oklahoma City home have yet to get a taste -- until now, that is. As of Monday, parts of Oklahoma City, Edmond, Moore, and Norman, were able to sign up for AT&T's IPTV-based services, and the carrier has wasted no time trying to eat away at Cox's (and DirecTV's) market share. Reportedly, AT&T is claiming that the 26 available HD channels it offers trumps Cox's lineup of 19, and the marketing spin proclaims U-Verse to simply be "cooler than cable." So for you Sooners (or misdirected Cowboys) out there, do let us know how U-Verse measures up if any of you manage to make the switch, capiche?
Verizon planning Q4 update to FiOS TV 2.0
Though some of you may still be more comfortable referring to FiOS TV 2.0 as the Interactive Media Guide (IMG), Verizon will reportedly be dishing out a "maintenance release" at the end of this year to whichever you decide to call it. According to John Czwartacki, users can look forward to seeing a number of enhancements to the IMG come Q4, several of which include: Scaled video while you are in the menus finding the next show or movie to watch. Better program information with richer descriptions. New reminder system, for future TV shows or PPV events. Efficient way to flip through your favorite channels while hiding others. Better management of your DVR settings and schedule. Expanded help topics, and more video tutorials. Also of note, 2008 could hold in store "games and the ability to program the DVR remotely," and for those who have been waiting patiently in Massachusetts for the IMG to hit home, your wait is dangerously close to ceasing.[Via ZatzNotFunny]
TiVoToGo v2.5 supports Vista / DivX, release imminent
Don't look now, but TiVo is apparently gearing up to unleash TiVoToGo version 2.5 to the masses any moment. The firm's webpage has already been updated to show the v2.5 graphic, yet the download link still takes you to the existing build. Nevertheless, TiVoPony has unveiled that the forthcoming update will enable support for Windows Vista as well as DivX / XviD formats for web video conversions, and it will also allow users to "convert individual shows from Desktop's Now Playing list at any time, to any profile, by right-clicking." Unfortunately, that last feature still won't be available for Series3 or TiVo HD devices, but those looking to browse photo slideshows can expect higher resolution support (huzzah?). So twiddle your thumbs a bit and keep checking the read link periodically, it's bound to show up sometime soon.[Via TiVoBlog]
The NFL kicks off Sunday in HD on the NFL Network
It seems like so long ago that we got to enjoy an HD football game and the wait is almost over. Sure it's only pre-season, but at this point in the year, we'll take whatever football we can get. Plus, in another month the regular season gets underway and it promises to be the best season yet for HD fans. The Hall of Fame game kicks off the season on the NFL Network in HD, which is the first of nine live games carried by them this year. As great as the NFL Network is, the real problem is that many people don't get it, 'cause their cable co' can't get the deal done -- just another reason for NFL fans to switch to DirecTV. Unfortunatly not all the NFL games will be presented in HD this year, so if you want to see which games will be, head over to HDSportsguide.com to find out who the lucky ones are.
AT&T announces fiber investments for the Carolinas
Consumers of television in the southeast could enjoy the luxury of having a new show in town in the not-too-distant future, as AT&T just announced plans to spend $350 million and $250 million over the next several years to "upgrade its fiber network, further broadband deployment, and deliver internet-based technologies to customers in North Carolina and South Carolina, respectively." Aside from bringing U-verse to more of the southeast, the telco is also hoping to provide some 4,400 jobs in the Carolinas, and while we'd certainly love to mark down a launch date, one can only guess at this point as to when the first rollouts will occur. Notably, a lot depends on the smoothness of the Atlanta IPTV launch, which is slated to occur before the year's end, but for those frustrated by current cable offerings, looming competition is never a bad thing.[Via TheWolfWeb]
