twc
Latest
TWC readies 12 new HD channels for Southern California
For Time Warner Cable customers jealous over those eight newcomers received by Cox subscribers in the OC earlier this year, how's about this? According to the flier you see above, a full dozen will be hitting the lineup in Southern California sometime soon, but unfortunately, we can't determine if we're talking "tomorrow" soon or "next quarter" soon. Nevertheless, you folks in the area can look forward to seeing Disney HD, HGTV HD, A&E HD, Food HD, ABC Family HD, National Geographic HD, History HD, Versus / Golf HD, CNN HD, TLC HD, ESPNews HD and Discovery HD slip into the lineup, which ought to make your nightly viewing much more enjoyable. C'mon TWC, spread the love elsewhere, will ya? [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family][Thanks, Munawar]
Sprint and Clearwire merge next-gen wireless businesses, goes by Clearwire
Well, what do you know? Sometimes even the most repetitive of rumors finally comes true. Barely 12 hours after the Wall Street Journal reported that a deal between Sprint, Clearwire (and just about everyone) else was dangerously close to going down, it seems as if the bottom lines have indeed been signed. Details are pretty light at the moment, but we definitively know that Sprint Nextel Corp. and Clearwire Corp. will be merging their "next-generation wireless broadband businesses to form a new wireless communications company." Quite simply, the new WiMAX-pushing outfit will be called Clearwire, even though Sprint will hold around 51-percent of the firm, while existing Clearwire shareholders will own 27-percent and the new investors will hold 22-percent. New investors? Ah yes, Intel, Google, Comcast, Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks will collectively invest $3.2 billion in the new company, but that figure is "based on a target price of $20 a share of Clearwire's common stock, and is subject to a post-closing adjustment."[Via CNN]
Planet Green HD headed to TWC's Brooklyn / Queens, NY lineup
Remember Discovery's latest HD channel, Planet Green? You know, that station formerly known as Discovery Home? Just a week after it goes live (in other words, tune in on June 11th with high hopes), Time Warner Cable is planning to launch it in the recently-stocked areas of Brooklyn and Queens, New York on slot 768. Per usual, the carrier's not saying when (of it) it'll filter out to other boroughs and / or the rest of the nation, but feel free to pop your NY zip code in the read link below to find out if any of the channel repositioning surrounding this addition will affect you. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family][Thanks, Vin P.]
TWC gets official with Navigator rollout in Raleigh, NC: hands-on
Our hopes fears are true: Time Warner Cable is indeed initiating a rollout of its new Navigator interface -- at least in the greater Raleigh / Durham, North Carolina region, anyway. According to a note sent out to select subscribers in the area, it's only a matter of time before their set-top-box also becomes overcome with the Navigator. As beautiful as it may look, however, the UI is quite dreadful in actual use. Screen changes are noticeably slower, unmodifiable fade effects are utterly annoying and the black flash that occurs each time you activate / deactivate the menu screen could certainly stand to be omitted. Of course, there are a few additional Parental Control features, but really, we're finding a lot more negatives than positives in the upgrade. How do you see things, dear TWC customers? Are you digging the new Navigator? Do you despise it? Chime in below! [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family][Thanks, krithren] %Gallery-21917%
TWC's New York / New Jersey HD explosion seen a bit early
Hard to curb your enthusiasm, isn't it? For Time Warner Cable customers situated in New York / New Jersey, tomorrow's the big day. Er, maybe today is the big day. According to a Brooklyn resident who just so happened to see what his EyeTV could capture via Clear QAM tonight, NY1 HD (along with a host of others) were spotted as being available. 'Course, nothing has been updated in the EPG just yet, but rest assured, the whole gang should be showing up very soon indeed. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family][Thanks, Neil]
TWC San Antonio adds Travel HD, Outdoor Channel HD
With summer quickly approaching, Time Warner Cable's giving subscribers in San Antonio one more reason to enjoy the great outdoors from the comfort of their own couch. As of this week, the carrier has added both Travel HD (158) and Outdoor Channel HD (170) to the lineup, bringing the total of high-def channels in the area to 57. Considering the paltry lineup many other TWC customers are getting stuck with from other locales across the country, let us pass along their envy to South-Central Texas. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family]
TWC adds Caller ID on TV in Eastern North Carolina
While Microsoft and the gang are out wondering if folks really want Caller ID on their TV screens, Time Warner Cable is out delivering. Effective immediately, select customers in Eastern North Carolina (from Wilmington to Raleigh) can now see who's calling 'em right on their television screen, but of course, one must be subscribed to digital cable and digital phone to receive the free service. More specifically, Caller ID on TV logs the last ten incoming calls (including the caller's name, number, date, call time and whether he / she enjoys long walks on the beach) and can be turned off if you so choose. The offering is being made as part of a $50 million upgrade in the region, and by this summer, every TWC subscriber in the East Carolina footprint will have access. Personally, we're interested to see what else is bound to come from such a substantial cash investment (more HD, please?). [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family]
Time Warner Cable starts rolling out new Navigator, more HD soon?
Remember when the Mystro Digital Navigator landed in New York / New Jersey, only to find that a plethora of HD channels were right behind? Hopefully, the trend will continue nationwide. We've received reports from the Dayton / Cincinnati, Ohio and Raleigh / Durham, North Carolina regions that TWC has indeed started to roll out the freshened-up Navigator. Granted, there's still some bugs in there to be worked out, but hopeful souls are looking at the change as one that'll precede a smattering of new high-def material. We can't say for certain that the new EPG signifies that more material is on the way, but do chime in below if your Navigator has suddenly morphed into one eerily similar to that shown above. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family] [Thanks, Dayton Guy]
TWC adds Travel, Cinemax and Starz HD in Rochester, NY
Who knew? Rochester is apparently the place to be if you're up for seeing new HD networks emerge before you even have time to view the previous additions. Just weeks after a half dozen appeared in the aforesaid locale, Time Warner Cable has tossed in a new trifecta: Travel Channel HD (1040), Cinemax HD (1064) and Starz HD (1062). Sure, these may appeal to the premium lovers in attendance more so than anyone else, but hey, new HD channels are new HD channels. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family][Thanks, Claude]
TWC gifts Albany, NY with ESPNews HD, Travel HD and WNYA HD
Look out, world -- Albany just landed a very fine trio from Time Warner Cable. While most of the nation is sitting around and waiting anxiously for the arrival of ESPNews HD to their lineup, the fine folks in New York's capital are grinning from ear to ear as they enjoy it on slot 1872. Furthermore, Travel HD was added on 1843, and potentially best of all, the local MyNetworkTV (MyTV4) affiliate WNYA was also just added on 1804. Why so important, you ask? The latter channel has inked a deal to broadcast 21 Yankees games in HD that aren't already claimed by YES, and sure enough, the club has its first MyTV4-based showing tonight when it heads to Baltimore to take on the Orioles. Here's to you, Albany. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family][Thanks, Mark]
Verizon denied temporary block on TWC's anti-FiOS ads
Just an update on the Time Warner Cable/Verizon FiOS legal spat, Multichannel News is reporting a federal judge denied Verizon's request for a temporary restraining order to get the ads its deemed misleading off the air immediately. We can see why they'd think that, with the ads seeming to imply FiOS requires a dish (it doesn't) and that Time Warner uses fiber too (not really the same), but Judge Lewis Kaplan didn't feel it necessary to block them before a hearing on Verizon's preliminary injunction motion April 21. Check out the ads on our previous post and see how accurate they appear to you. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family]
TWC rolls out seven new HD channels in Hudson Valley region of NY
When Time Warner Cable dropped its HD bombshell on New York and New Jersey earlier this month, we were told that the whole gang of newcomers would filter over to the Hudson Valley region later in the year. Judging by an update on the carrier's site, a small portion of those will be joining the EPG in the aforementioned area in just weeks. Effective April 30th, users in and around Kingston, Middletown, Newburgh, and Poughkeepsie can expect to see Food Network HD (736), Fox Business News HD (758), Hallmark Movie Channel HD (784), HGTV HD (763), Versus / Golf HD (773) and Travel Channel HD (780). Just a day later, Fox News HD will be arriving on slot 762. Sure, it's nowhere near 50, but it's a solid start. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family]
Time Warner Cable bringing Fox News HD to Brooklyn / Queens, NY
Not satisfied with finding Versus / Golf HD on your EPG a little early? For Time Warner Cable customers located in Brooklyn / Queens, New York, here's another tidbit to appease your insatiable appetite for more high-def. On an updated Channel Changes page for the aforementioned locales, TWC clearly notes that Fox News HD will be headed to those lineups on May 1st in slot 744. Unfortunately, there's no word on when (or if) this newcomer will spread out to other areas, but given the history of TWC not treating all boroughs equally, we wouldn't hold our breath (you hear, Manhattanites?). [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family][Thanks, Jason]
TWC New York fast-tracks Versus / Golf HD in time for NHL playoffs
Check it: Time Warner Cable has seemingly inserted Versus / Golf HD into the lineup some 20 days prior than expected, presumably to satisfy demands of avid hockey fans wanting their NHL playoffs in high-definition. We've had numerous reports from varying regions in the Empire State affirming that the channel is now live on slot 794, but be sure and drop a note in comments if you've somehow been left out. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family][Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Time Warner Cable to push services in 700 Wal-Mart locations
We've certainly seen companies use the well-trafficked floors of Wal-Mart to springboard certain products and / or services before, but this one has us scratching our noggins, for sure. Apparently Time Warner Cable has secured a deal that will allow it to market its cable, broadband internet access and digital phone service in nearly 700 Wal-Mart locations. Reportedly, customers can sign up for any of the provider's services from within the store (at "Connection Centers"), but here comes the curious part: after they leave, they're required to either phone up TWC in order to complete the transaction and get their service(s) hooked up or wait 24-hours for the carrier to contact them. In essence, what we've got here is a bona fide marketing push -- from what we can tell, nothing about this process makes things noticeably easier for the customer than just phoning up Time Warner Cable from the comfort of their own home. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family]
Binghamton, NY dips in TWC's pool of HD channels once more
Talk about patience paying off -- in just the last week, the previously HD-deprived region of Binghamton, New York has received ten new high-def channels from Time Warner Cable. Granted, residents are certainly not satisfied yet (hey, can't blame you there), but as of now, subscribers can tune into Versus / Golf HD (807), TBS HD (822), CNN HD (824) and Food Network HD (827). If we had to guess, we'd bet these are being beamed out via SDV, but we wouldn't mind hearing a little confirmation either way from Binghamton-based CableCARD users. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family][Thanks, Armando]
Time Warner Cable to add six HD channels in San Diego, CA
Just days after Cox flipped the switch on SciFi HD in the always classy city of San Diego, Time Warner Cable has announced that it will bolster its high-def family by adding in a new half dozen this Tuesday. As of April 8th, TWC subscribers in and around San Diego, California should have access to Discovery HD (743), Animal Planet HD (764), TLC HD (755), HGTV HD (753), Food Network HD (751) and CNN HD (726). According to Marc Farrar, vice president of public affairs for the carrier's San Diego division, the company is "poised to add even more HD channels to the lineup this year," though no specifics were doled out beyond that. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family][Thanks, creanium]
TWC finally updates Binghamton, NY lineup with 6 newcomers
It's been far, far too long since Binghamton, New York got any HD love from Time Warner, but just days after Rochester received an update in the upstate, a different half dozen have made the trek south. Just this week, TWC launched Universal HD, A&E HD, Discovery HD, TLC HD, Animal Planet HD and Science Channel HD, and we're hearing that all six are being delivered via SDV. Tough news for CableCARD users to swallow, but hopefully a remedy will be around sooner rather than later. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family][Thanks, Armando]
Time Warner Cable drops HD bombshell on New York / New Jersey
Lookee here, it's all coming true. The bits we heard about a massive HD rollout coming to Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island, NY (not to mention New Jersey) are now being confirmed by Time Warner Cable. On April 30th, the three previously highlighted areas will have access to 50 HD channels, while those very stations will be available to all digital subscribers in Manhattan (!!!), New Jersey, the Hudson Valley region and Mt. Vernon "later this year." Additionally, TWC is gearing up to add over 250 HD VOD options, launch Enhanced HDTV (which includes Start Over) and position itself "to carry 100 high-definition channels" in NY and NJ by the close of 2008. Progress is a wonderful thing, innit? Check the full list of upcoming HD channels in the read link. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family]
TWC brings a new half dozen to Rochester, New York
Rochester's on a roll, and it seems like there's no sign of things slowing down. Just weeks after Time Warner Cable gifted subscribers in the area with the Discovery HD suite and a trio of other high-def favorites, along comes six more sure to please the sports fanatics in the house. Effective immediately, non-CableCARD customers (yep, these are being brought to you courtesy of SDV) in the upstate can find CNN HD (1020), Outdoor HD (1042), MSG HD (1043), NHL HD (1044), Food Network HD (1045) and SportsNet NY (1046). Sure, it's not quite Brooklyn territory, but it's certainly better than what midtown Manhattan's dealing with. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family][Thanks, Claude]
