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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?
DirecTV blesses Palm Springs, California residents with locals... in SD
Just over a month ago, whispers started swirling that Palm Springs, California residents could expect locals through DirecTV in mid-January. Right on cue, the satellite provider has delivered, as the aforementioned citizens now have access to PBS, ABC (KESQ), CBS (KPSP), NBC (KMIR), FOX (KDFX) and Telemundo (KUNA). Unfortunately, it seems that they're only available in MPEG4 SD (and The CW is sorely absent, too), but here's to hoping that forthcoming D11 satellite launch can provide those residing in the desert with a touch of high-definition.
Monroe, Louisiana Fox affiliate (KARD) goes HD in time for BCS
While Austin-area SuddenLink subscribers are grumbling over the recent loss of their NBC affiliate, folks in the El Dorado, Arkansas / Monroe, Louisiana region are celebrating. As of yesterday, the Fox affiliate KARD has finally flipped the switch on its HD transmitter, which will enable viewers in the area to catch all of the Bowl Championship Series games in splendid high-definition. Notably, the station has even established a dedicated forum for viewers to discuss issues and general HDTV topics -- you know, like who's most likely to take home the National Championship trophy in a few days.Read - KARD goes HDRead - User Forums
SuddenLink drops Austin, Texas NBC affiliate (KXAN-TV)
For SuddenLink subscribers in the Austin, Texas area, we certainly hope you've got a spare antenna laying around. As of today, KXAN-TV (the Austin NBC affiliate) will no longer be carried on its cable system, and in case you haven't already guessed the reason, here's the long and short of it: cash. Apparently, LIN TV (KXAN's owner) and SuddenLink have not been able to agree on the station's fair market value, and rather than just taking what's offered, it has decided to simply pull away from the operator. It was noted that LIN TV had successfully reached agreements with other cable operators, telephone companies and satellite providers, and its president and GM suggested that SuddenLink subscribers view the channel in SD or HD via "alternative means, such as an antenna or by switching to a satellite service." Of course, it seems that negotiations will continue, but there's no way to know when (or if) the station will reappear on SuddenLink's lineup.
Orlando's WESH switching on high-def local news
Orlando residents are going to have a choice when it comes to local high-def news when WESH flips the switch on November 1. Back in June of '06, ABC-affiliate WFTV switched on the high-def local feed but within a few days, NBC-affiliate expects to broadcast 35 hours a week of HD local goodness. We can't nail down their exact budget - tends to be in the millions - the station invested heavily into onscreen graphics. For now, Orlandians will have to wait for their other network stations, WKMG and WOFL, to nail down plans but with two networks in the local news biz, they have more choices than most Americans.
Dallas & Fort Worth's CBS 11/TXA 21 switching to HD local news
We love high-def local news and it's always great to hear when another local station announces their intention to flip the switch. There simply isn't a better way to see the highs and lows of a particular city than through the lens of a HD cam. Dallas and Fort Worth's CBS 11/TXA 21 are planning to make their inaugural broadcast on September 24. No word on the cost involved, nor on the amount of local HD programming but honestly, who cares as long as they bring more local HD news to Texas.
HD news now available in Charlotte, NC
WSOC ABC is now the first TV station in the greater Charlotte area to broadcast their news in spectacular HD. Their signal went live yesterday for the 6:00 news - just in time for the stations 50th anniversary. The station is shooting for 35 hours a week of HD that should be easy to accomplish considering the news is on seven times a day. Local HD news is one of the best programs currently in HD. There is nothing better then seeing the highs, and the lows, of your town in high definition.
DirecTV rolls out Oklahoma City & Santa Barbara local HD
Slowly but surely, DirecTV is rolling out local HD markets nationwide. Next up is the Oklahoma City and Santa Barbara area, which makes 60 local markets if anyone is keeping track. Oklahoma City subs can receive KOCO/ABC and KOKH/FOX but it looks like there are talks to add KWTV/CBS and KFOR/NBC sometime soon. Santa Barbara subs can now receive KEYT/ABC, KCOY/CBS and KKFX/FOX with the hopes of adding KSBY/NBC soon. Keep in mind that your old DirecTV equipment will not work and you'll need the new HR20 box along with a Ka/Ku capable dish. Oh, and the new stations are up as of yesterday.Read: Oklahoma CityRead: Santa Barbara
DirecTV adds four more HD local markets
We feel the pain of DirecTV owners everywhere that cannot receive their local stations via satellite so we understand how exciting it is when they finally open a new market. Sure, you could always use an antenna for free OTA HD, but how fun is that? Keep in mind though that your existing equipment might not work so power cycle your receiver and if that doesn't make the stations show up, contact 1-800-DIRECTV.The following markets now have HD feeds of ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox. Greenville, SC Harrisburg, PA Jacksonville, FL Spokane, WA
KVOA bringing HD news to Tucson, AZ
There isn't anything better then watching your towns highs and lows in spectacular high definition and so we are always happy to announce another market's high-def details. KVOA is going to be the first in southern-Arizona with HD news if their late-April launch plans go off without a hitch. We sure hope for our HD-starved peeps everywhere that at least one of their local network affiliates gets with the program and spends the cash necessary to get you local HD news. Yeah.
DirecTV activates HD locals in four cities, only eight more coming this year?
Grand Rapids, Green Bay, Greensboro and Providence step right up, you're the latest few in DirecTV's campaign to roll out MPEG-4 local channels via satellite. And by "few" we mean fewer than expected. DirecTV previously announced it was planning to add local stations to 25 markets in the fourth quarter of this year, bringing the total number to 67. Without any update on why, these latest press releases indicate that with the four markets added yesterday the company is now up to 49, and expects to add eight more by the end of the year. Thanks to our 3rd-grade educations we have deduced that this will only be 57 markets total. Which 10 cities can join Albany-Shenectady-Troy in waiting for next year is unknown, but maybe that means have the HR20's glitches will be fixed by the time locals come to your area. The stations added yesterday are: Grand Rapids, Michigan WZZM/ABC and WWMT/CBS Greensboro, North Carolina WXLV/ABC, WFMY/CBS, WGHP/FOX and WXII/NBC Green Bay, Wisconsin WBAY/ABC, WFRV/CBS and WGBA/NBC Providence, Rhode Island WLNE/ABC and WJAR/NBC
DirecTV adds HD locals in Austin, Cincinnati and Las Vegas
Sure bandwidth issues are forcing DirecTV to play musical chairs with its HD channel lineup, that hasn't stopped it from adding local stations in several areas recently. Austin, Cincinnati and Las Vegas are all among the cities to get MPEG-4 local broadcasts. As with the others, to get the new stations you'll need a new dish and receiver. According to the press release, this brings the count of cities with local HD via satellite to 42, covering 62 percent of US households, and contiuing on track to provide 150 national HD stations plus 1,500 local in 2007. The new stations are: Austin, Texas KEYE/CBS, KVUE/ABC and KTBC/FOX Cincinnati, Ohio WKRC/CBS, WCPO/ABC, WXIX/FOX and WLWT/NBC Las Vegas, Nevada KTNV/ABC and KVVU/FOX
Verizon FiOS trying to change cable franchising in Pennsylvania
Currently in Pennsylvania, cable franchising involves negotiating a deal with each of the 2,565 municipalities individually. For Verizon, who has laid fiber in about 1,600 of these, getting deals done is a long, slow process making it nearly impossible to quickly move in on their cable competitors. Verizon hasn't actually started offering its FiOS TV service and the included two-dozen or so HDTV channels in Pennsylvania but when they do, they'd like to negotiate one deal for the whole state all at once. That's the idea of a bill submitted by State Senators Dominic Pileggi and Anthony Williams, proposing the creation of a single state-administered uniform agreement for anyone offering video services. The President of Verizon Pennsylvania stated their network could carry everything the cable companies have and up to 220 high definition channels at the same time, while cable in the area is limited to only twelve. Of course we're still -- anxiously -- waiting for there to be 220 HDTV channels but you get the point.Naturally, the resident cable companies sort of like the system the way it is, arguing that change will take power away from local communities, give Verizon an unfair advantage and don't see change as necessary. Any HD Beat Pennsylvania readers plan on stopping by Penn State's Delco campus August 8th and pleading for 220 HDTV channels giving the legislature a piece of their mind?
DirecTV adds local HD in Indianapolis, Seattle
Continuing their rollout of high-def locals across the country, DirecTV has announced they are adding local broadcasts to their Seattle and Indianapolis markets. As we noted previously, subscribers will need to upgrade their receiver and dish to get the new MPEG-4 broadcasts. Indianapolis adds the ABC and Fox affiliates while Seattle gets CBS and NBC. Seattle was on the list for DISH's last round of upgrades, so it looks like the competition continues and consumers benefit.Read - DirecTV adds locals to IndianapolisRead - DirecTV adds locals to Seattle
DIRECTV rolls out more HDTV locals in MPEG-4
Just as DISH rolls out more locals, DIRECTV stays one step ahead, now announcing that 24 new markets will be getting HD programming via satellite starting in April.As we noted previously, customers who currently receive HD programming will get the channels at no extra charge.Check below for the list of cities to be added in the next wave.
Local news stations switching to HDTV before the Super Bowl
Marty Lee dropped us a tip that KARE-11 in Minneapolis/St. Paul is going to switch their news broadcasts to high definition in late April, but they're not the only ones. Apparently it's not just consumers and advertisers who are hyped up over Super Bowl Sunday, as NBC affiliate WXIA-11 in Atlanta switched to HD last night, and ABC affiliate KIFI-8 in Idaho will make the switch Sunday.In the Detroit area, I believe the Fox affiliate broadcasts local news in high definition, but that is it. With the rapidly dropping equipment costs and coming conversion to DTV, has your local news team made the change yet?
