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Comcast going all digital in Seattle, bringing DTAs to the Pacific Northwest
You already know what Comcast's Digital Transport Adapter looks like, and for folks in Salem, Eugene and Corvallis, Oregon (not to mention Seattle, Washington), you'll be seeing 'em in the flesh soon enough. Comcast has announced that its all digital transition will be heading up from Portland and into Seattle in the near future, and it's upsetting quite a few locals with Media Center PC / TiVo setups. Of course, these are just the growing (or should we say "changing") pains associated with a mass switch from analog to digital, but at least in theory, the conversion should free up oodles of bandwidth for the carrier to expand its HD lineup. And remember, a cable company choosing to pipe its channels out in digital is very different than the broadcast change coming in February 2009 -- it's confusing, we know, but the read link does a fairly decent job of spelling everything out.[Thanks, Doug]
TWC looks to bring Start Over / Look Back, more HD to Orange County
For those parked in beautiful Orange County, California and wondering if Time Warner Cable is thinking of you, trust us, we feel your pain. Thankfully, competition has pressured the carrier into opening its eyes a bit, as a recent interview with the president of OC's Time Warner Cable operations has given folks in the area something to look forward to. For starters, subscribers can soon expect faster internet speeds all around, with "Power Boost" taking underutilized capacity and giving it to those who need an extra burst to suck down a large file. Additionally, users will finally see Caller ID on their TV, and best of all, Fred Stefany admitted that HD was a priority and that most areas should have upwards of 50 high-def channels before 2009. Finally, we're told that SDV, Start Over and Look Back are all coming within the next several months. Check the read link for the full writeup, and hang tight (if you can).
TWC San Antonio to offer free Tuning Adapters, pre-orders now open
As switched digital video (SDV) rollouts continue, we're apt to hear more and more about how cable companies plan on handling the distribution of Tuning Adapters. We've already heard that Cox will be giving needy customers in Phoenix a TA for free, and Time Warner Cable New York recently sent out letters to CableCARD users informing them that their TAs may be handed out gratis. Now, we're seeing a pre-order page over at TWC's San Antonio site that clearly informs subscribers that the Tuning Adapter they request will be provided at no charge "later this year." If you're in or around this area and own a TiVo Series 3, TiVo HD or TiVo HD XL, now would probably be an excellent time to get your name on the list. For everyone else, have a look at your local carrier's page and let us know if it's doing something similar. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family][Thanks, Lawrence]Read - TWC San Antonio main siteRead - TWC San Antonio pre-order page
New i-Guide for Comcast, other cable ops, slated for second half of '09
StartOver, switched digital video support, TiVo-style searches and prompts to make sure you're really watching an HD channel are coming to Comcast and other services using the i-Guide software in the second half of '09, hopefully bringing the much-loathed Motorola set-top boxes (& tru2way HDTVs) up to par with other modern DVRs. Multichannel News reports SDV support was originally planned for this year, but got pushed back to the next major release due to glitches. If our early preview at CES '08 was any indication there's a lot to love in the new software, except for the wait until it's released.
TWC to make Tuning Adapters available "later this year"
It's hard to say if letters like this are going out all over the country, but at least in central New York, Time Warner Cable has all intentions of providing CableCARD users with Tuning Adapters "later this year." Of note, the letter was addressed prior to the FCC slapping it with a fine for deploying SDV in an apparently improper manner, but at any rate, central NYers using a standard TiVo Series3 / TiVo HD now will see a whole slew of channels go dark on November 13th. The note also asserts that "it is currently contemplated that the Tuning Adapter will be provided at no additional charge," but that's a far cry from outrightly saying that they'll be doled out gratis. Guess we'll see in time, huh? [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family]
FCC fines TWC and Cox for deploying Switched Digital Video
If you've been feeling left out because your cable provider decided to start using Switched Digital Video (SDV) to deliver your favorite channels, don't worry because the FCC has your back. Today the FCC's Enforcement Bureau proposed to fine TWC and Cox's Fairfax County system because they "apparently willfully violated" the requirement to support third party CableCARD devices. Time Warner got slapped with a fine of 40 large, with Cox only getting half that at $20,000 -- this is in addition to the refunds both will be required to issue to affected customers. This is definitely a score for the little guy, and we sure are glad the FCC stepped up on this one, but luckily for all the parties involved, the Tuning Adapter will solve this problem long term. Now if only more providers would start making them available. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family]
Time Warner Cable adding 13 new HD channels in Dayton, Ohio
Are you stoked, Dayton? You should be. Time Warner Cable has just sent out fliers to select customers in the region noting that a baker's dozen worth of HD channels are on the way, which will bring the grand total in the area to 46. Reportedly, the outfit will be pretty much finishing off its switched digital video (SDV) transition, as all 13 of the newcomers will be delivered via the bit-saving method. Ready to check out the exhaustive list? Head on past the break, you lucky, lucky Ohioan. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family][Thanks, Dayton Guy]
The first Tuning Adapter is unleashed by Comcast
No this isn't another demo at a trade show, but instead a real life solution for TiVo owners to address the incompatibility with 3rd party CableCARD host devices and recently very popular Switched Digital Video (SDV). Late last week Comcast sent some of its customers that were renting CableCARDs, a letter letting them know the Tuning Adapter would be available today and Jesse, a lucky member of TiVo Community, scored a Cisco STA1520 Tuning Adapter today from Comcast in NJ and finally gained access to all those new HD channels he'd be denied up until now -- assuming SDV is even already deployed where he lives. So if you've been waiting over a year to get your hands on one of these, now might just be the time to start calling your provider and giving them a hard time. The full picture after the jump.[Thanks, Jesse!]
Microsoft is working on adding SDV support to Media Center
Some things take way longer than they should, and Microsoft making an announcement about its intent to add support for the tuning adapter, for all those SDV hating Windows Media Center Digital Cable Tuner users, is most definitely in that category. While we've been following this switched digital video problem for over a year now, most of the solutions we've seen have been aimed at TiVo owners, meanwhile Microsoft has been quiet. A few months ago we contacted CableLabs and AMD and while we received some promising responses, it's still just all talk. Some in the Media Center community -- yeah that's right, I'm talking about you Chris -- think the specs would have to be changed to even make it possible, but we don't see why it would be any more complicated than using the PC as a bridge with a little UPNP magic mixed it to bring it all together. Regardless of how it will work though, while we're glad MS said something, but the mystical response posted at The Green Button didn't give us much confidence that the solution is right around the corner.[Via Chris Lanier's Blog]
Time Warner Cable implementing SDV in Charlotte, NC
Time Warner Cable is keeping the SDV deployments a-rollin', and it sounds as if the next market to get hit is Charlotte, North Carolina. A local chimed in to let us know that he just recently received a letter in the mail from the carrier which informed him that the switch to SDV was coming on September 23rd. As predicted, the letter told him that he's pretty much out of luck being the CableCARD user that he is, and while TWC is supposedly working with TiVo on a tuning adapter, the best it could offer was a "hope" that it would be ready by "the end of the year." Gee, thanks. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family][Thanks, Shawn]
Motorola / Cisco see Tuning Adapters certified
July is over half way over and if you were starting to worry that the Tuning Adapters that would save your TiVo from uselessness, you can rest a little easier. Sure, you can't rest as easy as you could if you actually had one of these little guys from Motorola or Cisco making your TiVo HD or Series3 SDV compatible, but it can't be long now. In the long line of red tape that is required to bring any cable device to market, the tuning adapters have finally made it through one of the last hurdles by being certified by the all mighty CableLabs. This means that it is only a matter of time before you can expect to see a letter from either TiVo or your cable co -- assuming they are using SDV -- informing you of your HD savior. And in case you're wondering, yes the latest TiVo update -- that's right, the same one that enabled YouTube -- does include the necessary fixins to make this all work, so stay tuned while we all wait to see how things finally shake out.
Binghamton, NY residents get two more HD stations via Time Warner Cable
Although Binghamton, New York is far from being as blessed as Manhattan in the HD department right now (at least on Time Warner Cable), the carrier is doing everything it can to bring equality to the high-def landscape in the Empire State. Shortly after Disney HD, ABC Family HD and Toon Disney HD surfaced on the EPG, two more channels -- Planet Green HD (830) and Travel Channel HD (837) -- have emerged. As expected, these two are also being delivered via switched digital video (SDV), so you CableCARD users will just have to hang tight for now. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family][Thanks, Armando]
TWC brings a dozen HD channels to Kansas City, has SDV to thank
Remember how we told you that switched digital video was enabling more and more cable carriers to add more HD channels? Case, meet point. Just days after Time Warner Cable implemented SDV in Kansas City (and ticked off more than a few CableCARD users), we've now found out why such a decision was made. As of now, twelve new high-def channels are at everyone's disposal, including TBS HD (1014), TLC HD (1040), Travel Channel HD (1050), CNN HD (1044), Science HD (1023), Versus / Golf HD (1055), Animal Planet HD (1057), Fox News HD (1060), ESPNews HD (1204), Outdoor Channel HD (1202), Biography HD (1217) and Planet Green HD (1226). Unfortunately for the 1,200 or so KC-area CableCARD users, every last one of these new stations are being delivered via SDV, so unless you revert back to the company-issued set-top-box, you'll be moseying over to the neighbor's house in order to catch a glimpse.[Thanks, Jondy and Matt]
TWC implementing switched digital video in Kansas City
Stay sharp, Time Warner Cable subscribers -- we've got a feeling the switched digital video wave is just beginning to swell. Merely hours after hearing that San Diego residents were receiving a letter informing them that SDV was on the way, one particular user in Kansas City has apparently received the same. Better still, he was kind enough to post the full text, which explains that a number of "lesser-viewed" channels will be delivered via SDV as of August 20th. Of course, this means that existing CableCARD users will be out of luck unless they pick up a tuning adapter, and while some carriers have already committed to handing them out to those in need for free, TWC is entirely more ambiguous. The exact verbiage reads: "It is currently contemplated that the Tuning Adapter will be provided at no additional charge," but those unwilling to wait will be forced to pick up one of the carrier's own set-top-boxes in order to see the stations. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family]
Ask Engadget HD: What is switched digital video (SDV)?
With scads of cable providers slowly but surely converting markets and delivering channels via switched digital video, we reckoned now was an excellent time to dust off the terminology dictionary and dig in deeper. Fittingly, Jarad agreed: "I've seen that lots of markets are being switched over to SDV lately, and I've noticed CableCARD users are generally upset whenever this happens. Why is that? I thought SDV was supposed to free up space so that more high-definition channels could be distributed on the current network?"If you've suddenly found yourself wondering the same, head on past the break for the low-down.
Time Warner Cable rolling out SDV, new HD channels in San Diego
Wouldn't you know it? Just weeks after AT&T announced an expansion of its U-verse service in sunny San Diego, along comes Time Warner Cable to keep things marginally competitive. According to a local, the cable company is sending out informational cards which inform users of an impending switched digital video (SDV) rollout, and while it does mention that tuning adapters may be offered for free to TiVo owners, we suspect we'll have to wait and hear about all the details. As for new high-definition channels, you can look forward to seeing Universal HD, MOJO HD, HDNet, HDNet Movies and NBA TV HD, all of which should go live on July 28th. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family][Thanks, Josh]
Time Warner Cable adds HD channels in Albany / Rochester, NY
It hasn't been long since Rochester received a few new HD networks from Time Warner Cable, but as the SDV (switched digital video) rollout continues in the Empire State, it seems that it -- along with Albany -- is getting yet another helping. Rochester was just treated to Disney HD, Toon Disney HD and ABC Family HD, while Albany picked up Disney HD, Showtime West HD, Sho2 HD and TMC HD. Curiously enough, folks in New York's capital city are currently not seeing ABC Family HD in their EPG despite the addition of Disney HD. Regardless, new high-def is new high-def, right? [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family][Thanks, Mark]
Cox to give Phoenix TiVo users free tuning adapter to cope with SDV
Aw, now isn't this just the sweetest thing you've ever seen? Cox has found the generosity to not only send out information to let Phoenix, Arizona subscribers know about the forthcoming implementation of SDV (July 1st, if you're wondering), but to promise a free tuning adapter to CableCARD-using TiVo Series3 / HD owners to boot. In all seriousness, we only wish every other cable company out there would handle this situation in a similar manner, but things just can't be this easy everywhere, right? Check the read link for the full letter.[Via ZatzNotFunny]
Tuning adapters hit CableLabs testing lair, still not ready for public consumption
This one probably goes without saying, but just in case you're inclined to waste a few gallons of precious regular unleaded searching for a tuning adapter, don't. The National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA) and TiVo have jointly issued a release to inform the public that "several manufacturers of switched digital external tuning adapters have submitted products for formal testing at CableLabs." On the positive side, this means we're inching closer to seeing these devices hit store shelves, but sadly, it also means we're not done wading through red tape just yet. For those unfamiliar, these newfangled "tuning adapters" will enable TiVo Series3, TiVo HD and certain one-way set-top-boxes that utilize CableCARDs to "access digital cable channels delivered using switched digital (SDV) technology." Hit up the read link for all the details, and check out our hands-on galleries with a few of the boxes right here.
Hands-on with the Motorola Tuning Adapter MTR700
The highlight of The Cable Show for us was actually to be able to see the Motorola Tuning Adapter in action. Sure it isn't that exciting of a product, but just the idea that our beloved TiVo won't be useless because of the fact that all latest HD channels are being deployed with SDV (Switched Digital Video) is enough to get us going. The MTR700 was named before CableLabs renamed the class of product from Tuning Resolver to Tuning Adapter, and should be available to cable companies in July. Unfortunately there's really no way to tell how long it'll take before your provider makes it available to you, or for how much. For the most part, there's no change from a user's perspective, so much so that for the demo the channels were relabeled so we could tell which were SDV, and which weren't. In fact the only way you can even tell this thing is connected, is because the TiVo's Devices menu has a new option with a whole slew of troubleshooting options for the cable guy. Changing channels was just as fast -- or slow depending on your perspective -- as a TiVo HD tuning standard HD broadcast channels. Click on through to the gallery to see all the pictures of it in action.%Gallery-23175%