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Time Warner Cable brings four new HD options to Austin / Waco, Texas
Over the past few weeks, Time Warner Cable has gifted subscribers in the San Antonio area with a whole slew of new HD options, and unsurprisingly, we heard quite a bit of grumbling from Austin-area folks who felt slighted. Apparently, TWC has heard your cries, as it is now looking to add Discovery HD, TLC HD, Animal Planet HD and Science HD real soon. As for Austin, you can look for these newcomers on slots 1618, 1615, 1622 and 1624, respectively, while Waco-area residents need to scroll on up to 1042, 1044, 1045 and 1046. Of course, these aren't set to go live until Tuesday, but at least you're getting some semblance of respect, right? [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family][Thanks, Jon K. and Jay]
TWC on a roll in San Antonio: three more HD channels added
For the second time in the span of a week, Time Warner Cable is upping the HD ante down in South Central Texas. Shortly after subscribers in the area received Weather Channel HD and FOX Business HD, along comes word that TLC HD, The Science Channel HD and Animal Planet HD have now surfaced on the EPG. If our abacus is operating correctly, we're counting 45 high-definition channels for you folks now. Got any to you wouldn't mind loaning out? [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family][Thanks, Cephalexin]
TWC expands Start Over service in high-def, inks deals for 53 HD channels
Look out, Comcast -- Time Warner Cable is loosing Start Over service in South Carolina, which will enable those in that division (along with six others) to restart high-definition shows that are already in progress. 'Course, the introduction here is a few months behind schedule, but apparently, the cable operator is planning to have the feature rolled out across all of its 23 divisions before 2009 dawns. Additionally, it's being reported that TWC has "deals in place to carry 53 HD channels, with agreements pending for another 20." As if that weren't enough, there's also plans to complement those offerings with even more HD VOD. Unsurprisingly, it seems as if the firm will be relying quite heavily on switched digital video (SDV) to free up the bandwidth for all this high-def goodness, and it's even hoping to go all digital in markets where "digital service penetration makes it relatively easy to polish off the transition." If you're one that handles teasing admirably, hit up the read link for even more foreshadowing. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family]
TWC expands Woodside HD additions to rest of Queens and Brooklyn, NY
Just weeks after Time Warner Cable beefed up the HD offerings in Woodside (a Queens, NY neighborhood) and Staten Island, the carrier has apparently decided to bless the rest of Queens and Brooklyn with the very same additions. Yep, this now means that you and your Woodside pals can once again be on speaking terms, as you too can finally enjoy the likes of CNN HD, M HD, History Channel HD, A&E HD, Food Network HD, Lifetime Movies HD, HGTV HD, TMC HD, Versus HD and NHL HD. Be sure and drop any extras that may have joined inconspicuously in comments below. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family][Thanks, Vin P.]
Engadget HD definitively answers: does cable, satellite, or fiber provide more HD?
You want to know -- nay, you deserve to know -- which service provides the most HD content. Engadget HD's got the answer, see how your HD provider stacks up.
Ask Engadget HD: Does cable, satellite, or fiber provide more HD?
Particularly of late, cable television providers have been bullying each other on the air and proudly proclaiming superiority in the high-definition department. One would immediately assume that there's some black and white somewhere in this equation, but honestly, things are pretty gray. Hard though it may be to believe, there actually isn't a clear cut answer to this week's Ask Engadget HD question, which comes to us from the bewildered mind of Brian: "I want an unbiased opinion, and more importantly, the facts. DISH Network is looking more and more like the leading HD provider with its weekly HD additions this past fall. However, now my local cable provider, Comcast, is running ads stating that it has More, More, More HD. My question is simple: who has more HD channels including and not including HD VOD?"The inability to find a clear cut answer hasn't stopped us from forging ahead in the past, and it won't be slowing us down today, either. Ready to plunge deep into the increasingly murky waters of HD offerings? Join us after the jump as we take a critical look at high-def options from DirecTV, DISH Network, Verizon, AT&T and a slew of traditional cable operators in order to best address the above inquiry.
Clevelanders getting four new HD channels from TWC in March
Regrettably, Clevelanders (and most others in Northeast Ohio) will have to wait a month longer before getting to view four new high-definition channels through Time Warner Cable, but at least you've got four new reasons to make it through February, right? According to a legal notice posted on the carrier's website, A&E HD, Food Network HD, HGTV HD and History Channel HD will be added to the lineup as of March 4th, and apparently, a number of channel positions that you may be used to could be shifting around as well. Keep an eye on your listings, however -- these four newcomers just might show up earlier than anticipated. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family][Thanks, Roosevelt]
TBS HD and National Geographic HD come to TWC customers in Rochester, NY
Although it seems as if the HD expansion craze is still tiptoeing around Manhattan, those situated in Rochester, New York are certainly enjoying a pair of newcomers on Time Warner Cable. Effectively immediately, TBS HD and National Geographic HD are live and ready for viewing on channels 1049 and 1055, respectively, and while we're not told exactly what other high-definition additions will come later this year, a recent e-mail sent out to call centers does make mention that more could be (and should be) on the way soon. As tipster Claude puts it: "It isn't much, but he'll take what he can get." [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family][Thanks, Claude]
Five new premium HD channels land on TWC in Albany, New York
One thing is for certain about this -- those holed up in Manhattan clamoring for more HD from Time Warner Cable will only be screaming louder after hearing that the capital city has received yet another dose of high-definition before the state's most notable city. Yep, just a month (and a few days) after Albany received a small bucketful of new HD channels, subscribers in the area are reportedly able to tune into HBO West HD, Cinemax HD, Cinemax West HD, Starz HD and Starz West HD, provided they pay extra for the Premiums, of course. As tipster Mike N. so eloquently puts it: "Not bad for Smallbany!" [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family][Thanks, Mike N.]
HBO on Broadband shown on video, arrives to Wisconsin customer
For HBO subscribers, HBO on Broadband sounds like a pretty sweet deal on paper. Unfortunately, the service is currently restricted to Time Warner cable and broadband subscribers in Wisconsin, but that hasn't stopped a video from surfacing showing off the service's capabilities. A clip over at Multichannel News shows it being demonstrated on an LCD TV, and while there's nothing really out of the ordinary -- it's an online viewing portal for peeping HBO programming, pretty simple -- it's still something to keep you satisfied 'til it rolls into your town. Speaking of which, we've found that discs are already arriving at homes of certain Wisconsin residents, and although a pair of Macs are used to advertise the service on the packet, there's a complete lack of OS X support on the discs themselves. Reportedly, the service worked "just fine" in Parallels, but this doesn't seem to be good news for those working sans any flavor of Windows. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family][Thanks, Ken C.]
Time Warner Cable adding more HD in Central Texas
Now that U-verse is rolling into town, Time Warner Cable is looking to give current customers a few more reasons to stick around. According to a sidebar at News 8 Austin's website, the provider will be kicking out seven new additions on January 31st across Central Texas. More specifically, users in the area can expect to see National Geographic HD, The Movie Channel HD, Versus / Golf HD, Fox Business News HD, History Channel HD, Lifetime Movie Network HD and Weather Channel HD tossed in at month's end, and while Austin-area residents will see these slotted in the 1,600s, Waco, Temple and Killeen-area subscribers will need to look in the 1,000s. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family][Thanks, Jay]
Arbitrator orders Time Warner Cable to carry MASN
It's been a nasty battle between Time Warner Cable and Mid-Atlantic Sports Network, with the latter even going so far as to buy airtime on local North Carolina radio stations pleading for consumers to prod the carrier until MASN appeared on its lineup. Thankfully for fans of the Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals (among other squads), an FCC-appointed arbitrator has finally ordered TWC to carry the network after finding that it "deliberately discriminated" against the station. What has yet to be determined from the decision, however, is whether or not customers will be forced to pay extra to receive it, and more importantly, whether or not this presumably lucrative outcome will push MASN to finally make the leap to HD (if TWC doesn't appeal and win, that is). As it stands, the O's and Nats are two of only a few MLB teams with a home channel that doesn't air any of its games in high-definition, but if you're impetuously determined to see your Birds in HD, you could always find an empty seat (or ten) at Camden Yards. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family][Via The Wolf Web, image courtesy of Nasty Nats]
Time Warner Cable brings more HD to Queens, New York
Not even a month after Time Warner Cable (partly owned by Time Warner, parent company of AOL, which owns Engadget) dished out a healthy serving of high-definition offerings in New York's capital city, it appears as if the vast majority of those (along with a few others) are making their way into Queens. According to Matt, Woodside (a neighborhood in Queens, NY) residents can now fetch CNN HD, M HD, History Channel HD, A&E HD, Food Network HD, Lifetime Movies HD, HGTV HD, TMC HD, Versus HD and... NFL HD. No need to wipe your eyes -- as you can see above, NFL HD is indeed situated on channel 795, though we're hesitant to believe that this is the first indication of TWC and NFL Network working out their issues. For customers in the area, why not fire up your STB and flip through the new additions, and while you're at it, drop us a line in comments with what exactly shows up on 795.Update: Apparently, the Staten Island TWC lineup is the same as Woodside's, and in that locale, channel 795 is NHL HD rather than NFL HD. An unfortunate typo, indeed. Thanks, UnnDunn![Thanks, Matt]
Time Warner Cable to trial consumption-based internet billing
If you thought Comcast's alleged data throttling caused a ruckus, get a load of this. Reportedly, Time Warner Cable (partly owned by Time Warner, parent company of AOL, which owns Engadget) is gearing up to trial "consumption-based billing with subscribers in Beaumont, Texas later this year," which it hopes will "reduce congestion of its network by a minority of consumers who pay the same monthly fee as light users." According to a company spokesman, just five-percent of TWC customers suck up "more than half" of the bandwidth, but such a billing scheme could have some very nasty consequences. It's no secret that fetching television from the 'net is becoming entirely more mainstream, and with Apple pushing out "HD" rentals through its Apple TV, streaming video becoming more viable and Netflix freeing up its Watch Instantly feature, even consumers not considered lords of P2P could be hit with unexpected fees. 'Course, no prices have been divulged just yet, but seriously, does this not reek of paying for mobile time by the minute during the early 90s? Talk about taking two steps back.[Via The New York Times, image courtesy of JupiterImages]
Oceanic TWC finally gets CBS affiliate in HD
Now that thousands more Hawaiians are rocking HD DVRs from Oceanic Time Warner Cable (partly owned by Time Warner, parent company of AOL, which owns Engadget), we'd surmise that the cries for more HD offerings is getting nothing but louder. Thankfully, Oceanic TWC and KGMB-9 just finalized an agreement that brought the last local channel to its lineup in HD, just in time for all the NFL playoff action. Furthermore, Oceanic president Nate Smith implied that "as many as 20" more high-definition options could be available to islanders before 2009 dawns.
Time Warner Cable adds A&E HD, History Channel HD in Nebraska
For those who call Nebraska home, Time Warner Cable (partly owned by Time Warner, parent company of AOL, which owns Engadget) is giving you two more reasons to stay on the couch this New Year's Day. Reportedly, the operator has added A&E HD and History Channel HD to its digital lineup, but we've no idea if any others are slated to follow suit. Anyone else notice the newcomers? If so, drop your location in comments.[Thanks, Cody H.]
Royal Rumble to be WWE's first HD pay-per-view event?
Apparently, the WWE will finally be rolling out a major pay-per-view event in high-definition some 12 months after UFC did the same. According to a tipster, Time Warner Cable (partly owned by Time Warner, parent company of AOL, which owns Engadget) is gearing up to offer the WWE Royal Rumble PPV event in HD when it airs on January 27, 2008. Of course, this shouldn't be too surprising considering that WWE was already planning to switch Smackdown to HD next month, but for fans of the sport, we're sure they'll be delighted to have the PPV matches in 1080i, too. We'll let you know if we hear anything official.[Thanks, DG]
Time Warner Cable adds trio of new HD channels in Raleigh area
Time Warner Cable (partly owned by Time Warner, parent company of AOL, which owns Engadget) has historically been a bit slow to add channels in the Raleigh area, but those situated in the Triangle area of North Carolina now have three additional HD options to enjoy over the break. As of now, TWC customers in and around Raleigh have access to National Geographic HD, HGTV HD and Food Network HD, which can be located on channels 279, 277 and 278, respectively. Also of note, the trifecta is broadcasting now to Wilmington customers as well on channels 968, 966 and 967.
Oceanic TWC orders up 6000 HD DVRs for Hawaii vs. Georgia bowl game
Sure, the University of Hawaii has a legitimate gripe for not being in the BCS Championship game -- you know, considering its undefeated record and all -- but islanders are apparently just as stoked to have their Warriors in the Allstate Sugar Bowl. Oceanic Time Warner Cable (partly owned by Time Warner, parent company of AOL, which owns Engadget) announced that it ordered up (and received) some 6,000 HD DVRs in anticipation of a spike in demand stemming from the upcoming bowl game. Reportedly, over 3,000 subscribers have been on a waiting list since December 1st to get their box in time for the New Year's day matchup, and Oceanic also noted that it would be extending business hours for O'ahu residents to get their hands around a box in time for the tilt. Of course, users not on said waiting list will be helped on a "first come, first served" basis, so we'd get a move on if you're scouting one.
Time Warner Cable adds new HD offerings in Albany, New York
Hot on the heels of reports claiming that Time Warner Cable (partly owned by Time Warner, parent company of AOL, which owns Engadget) added six new HD channels in Maine comes a note that eight new offerings have emerged in New York's capital city. Reportedly, residents of Albany can now kick back and enjoy programming on History Channel HD, CNN HD, HGTV HD, The Weather Channel HD, Food Network HD, Golf Channel HD, National Geographic HD and Outdoor HD. Of note, our tipster mentioned that he had to reboot his HD DVR in order to actually receive the newcomers, so give that a go if you're running into issues viewing the aforementioned channels.[Thanks, Daniel S.]
