HdLocals
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DISH Network gets official with HD locals in four more markets
Shortly after the AMC-14 launch went awry, we received confirmation that DISH Network's Spring HD rollout was still on track. Apparently things are going better than expected, as the satellite provider is getting official with HD locals in four new markets today. As we'd heard already, both Orlando and West Palm Beach, Florida have already been admitted into the HD locals club, while Austin, Texas and Flint, Michigan are joining days ahead of the scheduled April rollout. Best of all, DISH affirms that we'll be seeing lots more where this came from over the course of 2008, so if you're market hasn't been touched just yet, hang tight.
West Palm Beach, Florida also gets HD locals via DISH Network -- CBS excluded
Scoot over, Orlando -- it seems your 15 minutes are up. According to an internal memo, West Palm Beach, Florida residents that are subscribed to DISH Network should receive a trio of HD locals today. As of March 27th, customers in the region will find ABC (WPFB channel 25) on slot 5180, FOX (WFLX channel 29) on slot 5183 and NBC (WPTV channel 5) on slot 5182. Regrettably, CBS is singled out here as the lone channel from the Big 4 not included just yet, but we're keeping our fingers crossed that it shows up before March Madness is completely over.[Thanks, HDjunkee]
DISH Network launches HD locals in Orlando, Florida
While we knew Orlando, Florida was on the so-called list to get HD locals sometime during 2008, we had no idea residents would be able to indulge in them this early on. According to an ecstatic DISH subscriber in the area, users can now receive (in glorious high-definition): ABC (WFTV channel 9) on 5160; CBS (WKMG channel 6) on 5161; NBC (WESH channel 2) on 5162; and Fox (WOFL channel 35) on 5163. That'll take the sting of a botched satellite launch away for at least a moment, eh?[Thanks, Tom]
AT&T adds The CW / MyNetworkTV to U-verse in Connecticut
Unfortunately for folks hoping to see U-verse spreading to another area, that's not the case today -- however, subscribers in select parts of Connecticut are being gifted with a couple of new HD channels sure to bring a smile to their faces. As of today, AT&T is adding WCTX HD (MyNetworkTV), WNET HD (PBS) and WTXX HD (The CW) to the U-verse lineup in the New Haven and Hartford areas. Additionally, WPIX HD (CW-NYC) and WWOR HD (MyNetworkTV-NYC) are said to be hitting other areas of Fairfield County. Oh, and for those considering the switch, picking up the nearly 50 HD channels on U-verse still costs just $10 a month.Read - AT&T U-verse TV Expands Local HD Channel Lineup in New Haven, HartfordRead - AT&T U-verse TV Expands Local HD Channel Lineup in Fairfield County
DirecTV beams HD locals to Omaha, Nebraska
Just a week after DirecTV enabled subscribers in Cedar Rapids / Waterloo, IA, Wichita, KS and Louisville, KY to celebrate by gifting them with HD locals, the satellite provider is now showing its love for Omaha, Nebraska. Effective immediately, customers in the The Cornhusker State can now check out KETV / ABC, KMTV / CBS, KPTM / FOX, WOWT / NBC and KXVO / The CW in beautiful high-definition. For those keeping count, the addition of Omaha brings the grand total of cities that DTV is blanketing with HD locals to 77, and just as soon as this whole D11 launch is completed, we fully expect that number to increase substantially.
DirecTV continues to gift towns with HD locals
It's no secret that DirecTV has been adding HD locals at a pleasantly quick rate of late, but apparently, it's not even close to being finished. According to a user in Louisville, Kentucky, DTV has just recently flipped the switch on locals in high-definition, and direct word from yet another subscriber in the Cedar Rapids / Waterloo, Iowa area confirms that he too is receiving CBS, NBC and FOX in HD (though ABC is strangely absent). Furthermore, we're hearing rumblings that customers in Wichita / Hutchinson, Kansas, Paducah, Kentucky and Cape Girardeau, Missouri should join the HD local camp any day now (like today), while those parked in Omaha and Lincoln / Hastings, Nebraska can expect 'em on February 13th and early May, respectively. If we just rung your bell, hit us up in comments below to confirm or deny, would ya?[Thanks, Bryan and Rod]
DirecTV launches MPEG4 locals in Butte-Bozeman, Montana
Under a month after DirecTV announced that it would be migrating West Coast locals to MPEG4, the satellite provider is rolling out locals for the first time (in SD only for now, it seems) in Butte-Bozeman, Montana. Aside from giving residents of the area and visitors of beautiful Big Sky Resort a taste of KWYB / ABC, KBZK / CBS, The CW, KBTZ / FOX/ MNT, KTVM / NBC and KUSM / PBS, DirecTV also makes sure to point out that reception of said stations requires "MPEG4 equipment and a 5LNB satellite dish." So, the countdown to HD locals begins now, eh?
Portland, Maine: don't expect FOX HD via OTA 'til 2009
Sure, it's been known for some time that FOX 23 out of Portland, Maine didn't beam out its signal in HD over-the-air, and based on a response from the station received by tipster Jay, it doesn't seem as if anything will be changing in the near future. Apparently, the station was purchased (in 2003) after the time period when "stations could file with the FCC for an additional digital channel position had expired." Due to this, FOX 23 is left with the option of switching channel 23 over to digital (and HD) now -- leaving hordes of analog-only viewers out in the proverbial cold -- or waiting things out until February 2009. Needless to say, the station is choosing the latter option, but to its credit, it has made its HD feed available on Time Warner Cable, DirecTV and most recently, Comcast. So yeah, it looks like those in the Portland area will indeed have to point their bank account in the direction of one of the aforementioned providers to catch Super Bowl XLII in HD, but hey, it could be worse. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family]
DirecTV bringing HD locals to Waterloo / Cedar Falls, Iowa?
DirecTV has been on somewhat of a tear lately, bringing HD locals to both Knoxville, Tennessee and Tyler-Longview, Texas, and it seems as if Waterloo-area residents may be next in line. According to numerous e-mails with varying DirecTV CSRs, Waterloo / Cedar Rapids, Iowa is all but set to receive its locals in HD via the satellite provider. We've heard both "early February" and "February 8th," so whatever the case ends up being, we're keeping our fingers crossed that FOX, NBC, ABC and CBS finally get the high-def treatment they deserve for those Iowans real soon.[Thanks, Rod]
Tyler-Longview, Texas gets DirecTV locals in HD
No sooner than DirecTV launched HD locals in Knoxville, Tennessee, we're finding that Tyler-Longview, Texas is being gifted as well. Granted, only the local ABC (KLTV) and CBS (KYTX) affiliates are included for now, but the satellite provider did state that it hoped to "add additional stations as they become available." This does mean that residents of the area will still be forced to bust out the OTA antenna or cruise over to a friend's house in order to catch Super Bowl XLII in HD, but hey, there's always next year.
DirecTV blesses Knoxville, Tennessee with HD locals
For those shacked up in Knoxville, Tennessee and relying on DirecTV for their tube service, we've excellent news. Starting today, you can catch the Big 4 -- ABC (WATE), CBS (WVLT), FOX (WTNZ) and NBC (WBIR) -- in high-definition without resorting to an OTA antenna. The addition of Knoxville brings the satellite provider's grand total of markets with HD locals up to 72, reportedly "representing more than 74.3-percent of US TV households." 'Tis a shame all that SEC football on CBS is so many months away, but hey, at least you've got March Madness to look forward to, right?
