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New video shows off Kartuga's Mayan, Mediterranean, and Oriental locales
While last month's video highlighted one of Kartuga's classes, the Destroyer, the latest trailer shows off the visual diversity of the upcoming action-MMO's three different kingdoms. Players will be able to battle each other while dodging among the architecture and landscapes of the Mediterranean-flavored Ithosia, the Mayan-inspired Kartu, and the Oriental-themed Empire of the Sun. Within each locale are sectors divided into PvP or PvE mission areas. Kartuga will start with nine different sectors for players to explore. Philipp Arlt, game designer, stated, "We want to show that the wonderful world of pirates can be more diverse than what is out there now. Players can expect a lot of visual variety from Kartuga." Check out the stylings of the three kingdoms in the clip after the cut. [Source: InnoGames press release]
DirecTV will add HD locals from 16 more markets in 2010, starting in June
With a new bird in the air, there was no doubt DirecTV would be back to lighting up HD locals as quickly as possible so we're not surprised to hear 16 markets are already scheduled to be turned on this year. The first ones to go live are Biloxi-Gulfport, Miss.; Idaho Falls-Pocatello, Idaho; and Joplin-Pittsburg, Mo in June, with the rest following in the third and fourth quarter. As usual, a newer receiver and Ka/Ku band dish are required to pick up the new signals, check the press release after the break for details on upgrade plans and which other markets are in line.
DISH Network triggers HD locals in seven more markets
It may be a new year, but DISH Network is still dropping HD locals like it's going out of style. The satcaster has just announced that seven more markets can find their local broadcast networks in high-def, so we'll not keep you waiting on the details: Abilene, TX (KTAB CBS Ch. 32 and KRBC NBC Ch. 9); Joplin, MO (KODE ABC Ch. 12 and KSNF NBC Ch. 16); Little Rock, AR (KARK NBC 4); Louisville, KY (WDRB FOX Ch. 41); Springfield, MO (KOLR CBS Ch. 10 and KSFX FOX Ch. 27); Wichita Falls, TX (KFDX NBC Ch. 3 and KJTL FOX Ch. 18); and Wilkes Barre, PA (WYOU CBS Ch. 22 and WBRE NBC Ch. 28). With these additions, DISH now sits just 10 markets away from having HD locals in 100 DMAs. Almost there, DISH!
DirecTV fires up HD locals in Greenville-New Bern, NC
The Greenville-New Bern, North Carolina market is one of the smaller big markets (if that makes any sense) that DirecTV serves, but apparently it's big enough to warrant the inclusion of HD locals. In fact, the move to light up the local stations in high-def comes just months after DISH Network decided to do so here, giving us the impression that it's simply trying to keep up. Whatever the reason, we're sure DirecTV subscribers in the region are ecstatic with the additions.
Tallahassee enjoys new DirecTV HD locals alone & lonely
Tallahassee, Florida DirecTV customers, we hope you're enjoying your WCTV/CBS, WTWC/NBC and WTLH/Fox high definition locals, because you're getting them alone. This solo market addition to the DirecTV offerings brings the total to 116 (five left for 121), although we're not sure that will make Panhandle residents feel more included. Unofficially, a commenter reports WTTV in Indianapolis is live now as well, maybe you can form a support group?
DirecTV brings PBS to 10 additional markets
Nearly a year after an agreement was reached between DirecTV and the Association of Public Television Stations (APTS), it appears they didn't want to keep anyone waiting long after the first wave of deployments, with ten new markets chosen for PBS service via satellite. We know you've been missing your NOVA and Ken Burns docs so check after the break for areas and stations. Not listed? More rollouts are due before the end of this year and into the next.
DISH Network adds HD locals in Louisville, Kentucky
Residents of Louisville, Kentucky have been begging and pleading for HD locals for what seems like ages now, and at long last the yelling and hollering can subside. As of now, residents of the city with DISH Network can receive three of their local broadcast stations in high-def: WHAS-TV (5170), WLKY-TV (5171) and WAVE-TV (5172). As expected, they're being delivered via MPEG-4, so you'll need a receiver compatible with that format in order to tune in.
DirecTV adds HD locals in six more markets
Just six more to go until DirecTV hits the 121 markets promised HD locals by year end, customers in Des Moines-Ames, Iowa; El Paso, Texas; Fort Wayne, Ind.; La Crosse-Eau Claire, Wis.; Peoria-Bloomington, Ill.; and Rockford, Ill. joined the party today. Which ones are available in each market are your and are best guess, but Kevin let us know that Fort Wayne snapped on CBS, ABC, NBC, PBS, and FOX, so here's hoping for the best.[Thanks, Kevin]
Judge maintains that cable companies must air broadcast signals post-DTV cutover
While some cable companies have already committed to keeping analog signals around for three years after the impending 2009 digital TV transition, a judge in the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit made it universal. The ruling demands that cable providers "must continue to carry the same broadcast channels that over-the-air viewers receive once those stations make their federally mandated conversion to digital signals in February." In other words, they either switch to an all-digital system or carry both the digital and analog signals of local stations for three years (after the DTV cutover). Judge Judith Rogers asserted that cable companies at large had either already implemented an all-digital system or were "moving in that direction." Hopefully after this, more will make that move with renewed haste.[Image courtesy of AussieBloggers]
LIN TV and Time Warner Cable strike a retransmission deal
This is one of those rare cases where the headline tells all: TWC and LIN TV have finally agreed to put their differences aside and strike a retransmission deal. In other words, those 17 LIN TV-owned local stations that have been dark for the past few weeks should be back online at any moment. LIN TV's President and Chief Executive Officer Vincent L. Sadusky was quoted as saying that it was "pleased to have reached a fair market agreement with Time Warner Cable," and he continued by calling the deal "a mutually acceptable economic agreement." While we can't imagine he said that with a straight face, we're just glad you folks won't have to rely on any more EPG trickery to watch the (possible) final game of the World Series tonight. Or tomorrow. Or whenever Philadelphia decides to stop acting like Siberia.[Image courtesy of Britannica, thanks Dayton Guy and Brian]
DISH Network expands MPEG-4 delivery, adds HD locals in six markets
Just a few short days after DISH Network transitioned 11 of its East Coast markets to MPEG-4, in comes word that it has added 21 more (all classified as "East Coast") to bump the grand total to 52 regions. In somewhat related news, we've also learned that six more DMAs can look forward to HD locals today. In no particular order, we've got Columbia-Jefferson City, Missouri; Des Moines-Ames, Iowa; Lincoln and Hastings-Kearney, Nebraska; Omaha, Nebraska; Quincy-Hannibal-Keokuk, Illinois; and Waco-Temple-Bryan, Texas joining the fray. The half dozen new additions means that DISH now serves up HD locals in 76 markets across the US, and it hopefully also means that the next wave isn't too far behind.Read - DISH Network MPEG-4 expansionRead - DISH Network HD locals expansion
DirecTV drops in HD locals for Colorado Springs-Pueblo, CO / Dayton, OH
DirecTV customers that have been surviving with an SD feed of KOAA (NBC), KKTV (CBS) and KXRM (FOX) in Colorado Springs-Pueblo can finally rejoice. We're here to inform you that you won't have to spend yet another long, lonely winter without 30 Rock in high-def. As of today, the satcaster has delivered those three locals in high-def to the aforesaid DMA, which brings the grand total to 103 cities across the United States. You've still got 18 to go before the year's out to meet that goal of 121 locales this year, DirecTV -- the clock's ticking!Update: Looks like DirecTV delivered all four of the broadcast networks today in Dayton, Ohio. 'Grats!
DirecTV now carrying HD locals in 100 markets
While DISH Network just recently hit market number 70, DirecTV is throwing itself a party after reaching the big 100. With the addition of Columbia-Jefferson City, Missouri and Evansville, Indiana, the satcaster can now claim to have HD locals available in a hundred US regions. The milestone means that some 83% of the US can now get DirecTV and their HD locals sans an OTA antenna, and if all goes to plan, it'll hit 121 cities by the year's end. We suppose a round of golf claps is in order.
LIN TV-owned stations go dark across many TWC systems
Reports have been flooding in from across Ohio, Indiana and Texas to confirm the cold, hard truth: LIN TV has begun removing its stations from Time Warner Cable systems. Last month, we found that the two were still in disagreement over carriage terms, with LIN TV wanting TWC to pony up to carry stations that could otherwise be fetched OTA for free. Amazingly, they let the October 2nd deadline come and go without even a stopgap deal, meaning that some locals in Dayton, Columbus, Toledo, Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, Austin, Green Bay, Buffalo and a handful of other cities have now vanished from TWC's EPG. In a posting made on the carrier's site, it bluntly states that LIN TV is "trying to make up for lower ratings and advertising revenue by adding fees that will fall, ultimately, on the backs of our cable customers." Granted, that's only one half of the story, but here's the bottom line: you two need to come to terms, and fast.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Six more markets get HD locals on DirecTV
Can't say it still feels like summer in some parts of the US, but regardless of semantics, DirecTV is forging ahead with its HD locals rollout. Effective immediately, a half dozen more markets can find at least a couple of the big broadcast stations in HD, with Mobile, Richmond, South Bend, Syracuse, Toledo and Youngstown all getting gifted. For details on which DMA got which stations, head on down to the read link.[Thanks, VANBROTHERS]
Time Warner Cable, LIN TV bicker over retransmission fees
While we singled out TWC's spat with Dayton's own WDTN, the issue spreads much, much further. As of now, 15 LIN TV-owned stations are at risk of falling off of Time Warner Cable if the two can't reach an agreement before October 2nd. Since July of this year, LIN TV has attempted to extract a presumably large amount of cash from the carrier in order to seal the deal on a long-term agreement for both analog and high-def signals. As of now, local stations in Austin, Buffalo, Columbus, Dayton, Ft. Wayne, Green Bay, Indianapolis, Mobile, Springfield (MA), Terre Haute and Toledo are at risk, but we have a pretty good feeling that the two will eventually work it out. 'Course, TWC won't enjoy paying through the nose in order to do so, but hey, that's life. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family][Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
DirecTV adds HD locals in Chattanooga, Augusta, Johnstown-Altoona
Coming right back is DirecTV, just a few days after activating HD locals in New York and Nebraska comes word that Johnstown-Altoona, PA, Chattanooga, TN and Augusta, GA are the latest in its 44 planned local rollouts this summer/fall. Better hurry DirecTV, the days are already getting shorter. Beyond the read links is the list of newly-added local networks, proceed with caution, or reckless abandon, it's pretty much the same to us either way.Read - Johnstown-Altoona, PaRead - Chattanooga, TennRead - Augusta, Ga
DirecTV launches HD locals in Rochester, NY and Lincoln, NE
No surprises here, but we figured you'd be interested in knowing that DirecTV is indeed keeping its promise of rolling out HD locals in a few new markets this summer. According to an attentive local in Rochester, New York, high-def locals have been fired up in his area, and according to official verbiage from the satcaster, Lincoln, NE can say the same. With 44 DMAs on tap, we suspect this will be the first two in a long, long list that will unfold as the months progress.[Thanks, Jim]
DirecTV announces next 44 markets to get HD locals
Not quite a month after DISH Network unveiled its summer / fall HD locals, DirecTV is continuing to excite by announcing its next 44 markets that will receive HD locals. According to the company, it will be providing local HD broadcasts in 121 cities by the end of 2008, which will reportedly represent 88-percent of US TV households. Just after 30 some-odd new HD channels go live on August 14th, it will begin rolling out HD locals to cities like Augusta, GA, Baton Rouge, LA, Boise, ID, Chattanooga, TN and El Paso, TX. There are 39 more markets to scan through in the read link -- here's to hoping your locale is listed!
DISH Network goes live with HD locals in Beaumont / Port Arthur, Texas
We'll admit, DISH Network's latest press release isn't all that thrilling for folks outside of Beaumont / Port Arthur, Texas, but it's entirely better to see something like this rather than another funeral invite for its latest satellite. DISH has just lit up HD locals in the aforesaid area, simultaneously putting another check mark on its summer rollout list and giving everyone else hope that they'll be next. Yeehaw!
