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The ultimate guide to the Fall HDTV schedule
This is the best time of year for HD fans, not only are there more HD sports than anyone can possibly watch, but the new fall lineup of shows from the networks are already slowing starting to trickle out. The slow trickle is about to become a full blown blast in the next week or two though, and if you're like us you are using the modern marvel called a digital video recorder to hunt for the next Heroes or Lost. Now even those lucky enough to have a big ol' 1TB disk in their DVR, you will still have to do some leg work to see what's new. Maybe you'll go through who knows how many web pages, or use your TiVo's great guide search; but now thanks to our friend Brent Evans from Geek Tonic, there's a better way. He has done the leg work for us by comprising a very comprehensive chronological list of new shows -- including which are in HD of course -- which makes it super easy to record every new show under the sun in the search for the one new show that might actually earn some precious space or time.
Chicago's CBS 2 going HD on September 22nd
With practically every other broadcast station in Chicago already beaming out local news in HD, we can only say that it's about time CBS 2 made its move. As the station slides to a new headquarters at Dearborn and Washington Streets across from Daley Plaza, it will also begin airing its newscasts in beautiful high-definition. We're hearing that ratings have been on the decline of late (that's what you get for not keeping with the program!), but hopefully the switch to HD will be a shot in the arm, er, meter. Give it a look on September 22nd.[Thanks, Stephen]
Charleston, South Carolina's WCSC-TV bringing HD news on 9/29
Hey, Charleston -- ready for some HD news? We sure hope so, as local CBS affiliate WCSC-TV is making the fateful switch on September 29th. According to the South Carolina station, viewers will see a "huge change" in how things look, and aside from that, it's pretty proud of being the first local broadcaster in the state to air its news "completely in high-definition." Kudos, Charleston, so who's next?[Thanks, Mike]
ABC's World News Tonight and Nightline enter high definition tonight
ABC's push for HD evening news comes to a head tonight, when World News with Charles Gibson and Nightline both hit your screen in 720p from the Democratic National Convention. Besides covering both conventions in HD -- and there'll be plenty of that in the '08 campaign -- when they return to the studio in September the HD love continues. 20/20, Primetime and World News on the weekend will all be HDTV-ready shortly after. B & C reveals ABC News is deploying the same Sony XDCAMs -- full HD newsgathering is on hold 'til 2009 -- used to bring home high definition Survivor this fall, add in a tropical location and it would likely be hard to tell which one we're watching.
Huntsville, AL and Denver, CO net HD news stations
Add two more to the growing list of news stations in America that have made the switch to high-def. Word from respective locals informs us that WHNT (the local CBS affiliate) in Huntsville, Alabama is now broadcasting news in HD, while KMGH (the local ABC affiliate) in Denver, Colorado has done the same. Any others out there needing recognition while we're on a roll?[Thanks, Mike and Steven]
ESPN to bid on 2014, 2016 Olympics -- promises no West Coast tape delay
It's certainly strange that with several networks, online video, on demand, cellphone and any other way NBC has provided to view the Beijing Olympic Games, U.S. HDTVs had to wait 13 hours to show Usain Bolt make history in the 100m dash -- and another three hours to catch it on PST. For those frustrated by NBC's arrogant mishandling of its broadcast rights, there exists one slim ray of hope (other than living somewhere lucky enough to get Canadian television so you can actually see the events before reading about them in the paper or on NBC's own website), ESPN. That's right, with Brett Favre finally on an NFL roster, the sports giant has apparently found enough free time to consider taking a run at broadcast rights for the 2014 Winter Games and 2016 Summer Games. While we don't yet know where they'll be, if ESPN gets the Games, VP of content John Skipper pinky swore that it would "never" put an event on tape delay, calling it a disservice to sports fans. Our support for this plan goes without saying, and since it's already too late to give them this year's broadcast rights, our only remaining issue is finding out what it takes to get John Skipper on the '08 presidential ballot.
Poll: Due to HD, have you tuned into the Olympics more?
One masochist notwithstanding, we're pretty sure you haven't sat down for days straight to watch the Summer Games from Beijing, but we're wondering if the superabundance of high-def Olympics programming has changed your perspective on the entire spectacle. Here at Engadget HQ, we've found ourselves captivated by more Olympics footage in the first week than we can ever remember in Games' past, and there's no question that having the events in high-definition caused us to keep flipping back. Is the same phenomenon happening at your house? Are you inexplicably anxious to come home and check out some of the world's greatest athletes in beautiful high-def? Tell us how the HD onslaught has affected your Olympics viewing (if at all).[Image courtesy of Yahoo! Sports] %Poll-18174%
Masochist sits through 24 straight hours of Olympics, writes about it
Just because there are 3,600 hours of Olympics coverage being beamed out in one form or another this year doesn't mean you actually need to watch all 3,600 of them. For one particular pain lover, however, he consumed 24 straight, and thankfully, he had the decency to write about it. Starting at midnight ET on August 12th, he flipped on NBC just in time to catch Alexander Artemev save the bronze for the US in men's gymnastics. 24 hours later, he watched the women's team disappointingly snag a silver in the same sport. Nearly every minute in between is chronicled in the read link below -- seriously, this is a read you can't afford to miss.
KOMU-TV brings HD news to mid-Missouri
Though not the first HD news station in Missouri, KOMU-TV is the first station in the mid-state to bring high-def news to locals. The NBC affiliate serving the Columbia and Jefferson City areas has just went live with HD newscasts, including the region's first high-definition radar. We're seeing these things pop up at a pretty impressive rate nowadays -- puts a smile on our face, that's for sure.[Thanks, Annie]
El Paso, TX gets its very first HD news station in KTSM-TV
It sure took forever to hit the century mark, but it seems as if 200 is growing closer every single day. Up next on the list of news stations who've decided to turn in their SD card for a much clearer HD variant is El Paso's own KTSM-TV. The NBC affiliate is the first in the region to offer up 1080i newscasts, and it's doing so just in time for the sure-to-be-suffocating Olympics coverage. Enjoy![Thanks, Chris]
Montgomery's WSFA 12 first in central Alabama with HD news
While Alabama has been the recipient of quite a few new HD channels here recently, folks located in and around Montgomery will be treated to even more high-def. The local NBC affiliate (WSFA 12) has become the first station in the central part of the state to air its local newscasts in high-definition. WVTM-TV in Birmingham already claimed that "first in Alabama" crown, but WSFA isn't complaining about being number two overall. Tune in tonight and let us know how it looks.
Pinnacle points out the obvious: DVR is an Olympics must-have
First off, Pinnacle's latest PCTV HD Pro Stick came out months ago, and as a matter of fact, the original actually surfaced years ago. However, it's latest ploy for press does make a valid point: USB TV tuners and / or HD DVRs are a must-have item for surviving the Olympics. Oh sure, you can do what most Americans will do and simply tune into the highlights, but this is your one shot in four years to catch planet Earth's greatest summer athletes doing their respective thangs in high-definition! Still, you've only got two eyes and one pair of ears, so now would be a very opportune time to pick up some form of recording device to make sure you don't miss a, er, too many moments.
WNWO to provide Olympics programming on Buckeye CableSystem, future still uncertain
We had a feeling folks on both sides of the WNWO / Buckeye CableSystem table would come to terms in order to keep the Olympics coverage flowin' despite their disagreements, but it seems the future beyond that is still murky. The local NBC affiliate in Toledo, Ohio will allow coverage to continue on the aforesaid carrier until August 24th, but there are still terms to hash out before a retransmission agreement for September and beyond is agreed upon. Nothing like broadcast drama, right?[Thanks, Keith]
ABC World News Tonight with Charles Gibson going HD in September
September 8th is gearing up to be quite the day for high-definition debuts. Earlier this year we learned that the Ellen Degeneres Show would be making its HD premiere on that very day, and now we've learned that ABC World News Tonight with Charles Gibson will be doing the same a few hours later. Hot on the heels of the CBS Evening News making the high-def leap comes an ABC spokeswoman to curve the coverage away from that other network. According to her, said program is scheduled to go HD "the week of September 8th," though no other details were revealed. Better enjoy that edge while it lasts, Katie / Brian.[Image courtesy of John Sterling, thanks Martin]
High-def news comes to Boston's WHDH-TV
As the race to 200 HD news stations in America continues, Boston's own WHDH-TV is bringing us one closer. After nearly being no-hit last night in their own ballpark, Bean Town residents can actually flip on the evening news without worry of having to relive any embarrassing history. Based on the before and after shots in the read link, we'd say the local NBC affiliate did an outstanding job at renovating the studio. For locals who have tuned in already, how is the broadcast quality? Good enough to make you start watching on a regular basis?[Thanks, James]
Richmond, VA's NBC12 flips on high-definition newscasts
For the second time this month, we're seeing a local news station in Virginia make the leap to HD. Richmond's own NBC12 (WWBT) threw the lever earlier this week, making it the first local station in the market to bring high-def news to nearby citizens. As this rate, pretty much all of VA will be watching their 6:00PM news in high-def before the decade ends. Makes sense, though -- after all, Virginia is for (HD) lovers. We know, we know...[Thanks, Matthew]
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Poll: Do you receive your local news in HD?
As America reached an important (in our eyes, anyway) milestone this week by securing 100 high-def news stations, we began to wonder how many of you readers are actually close enough to tune into one of them. Here at Engadget HQ, we're lucky enough to be near one of those stations, but with the ratio of citizens to HD news outlets being so lopsided, we wouldn't be surprised to see the majority of you still in the dark (read: stuck with talking heads in SD). So, are you able to snag your local newscasts in HD? If so, do you even tune in to take advantage? Oh, and here's a bonus question you can answer in comments: are you close to more than one HD news station? %Poll-17277%
Virginia's WAVY-TV joins the crowd, produces local news in HD
While citizens in the Roanoke-Lynchburg area have been enjoying their local news in high-definition for a few months now, WAVY-TV is bringing the same luxury to mums, dads and offspring in Norfolk / Portsmouth / Newport News / Hampton Roads. The NBC affiliate just flipped the switch this week, marking the first time local news was offered in HD anywhere in the Greater Hampton Roads area. So, are y'all impressed with the quality? [Thanks, Robert and Martin]
America finally claims 100 local HD news stations
When Raleigh, North Carolina's WRAL took its local news to high-definition some eight years back, we'd be willing to bet it never thought the rest of America would be so immensely slow in following suit. Sadly, it has indeed taken eight full years for a country known for its pioneering spirit in HD to see 100 local news stations make the high-def leap -- but we suppose it's still a milestone worth celebrating. That being said, if it takes another eight years to hit 200, we just might drown in our own tears.[Thanks, Jeremy]
NBC11 gives Bay Area residents local news in HD
Well, if it isn't about time. KNTV (the Bay Area NBC affiliate) has just recently switched its local newscasts to high-definition, giving residents of Oakland, San Francisco and San Jose the opportunity to catch up on nearby happenings in glorious HD. There has been no big to-do about it, but a video waiting after the jump shows a clip promoting the refreshed NBC Bay Area HD. So, anyone in the area ditching their favorite talking heads to view others in high-def?[Thanks, John]
