Go Comcast!! New HD's

[LonghornXP]

Check out this article, i'm sure this will get your blood boiling...

Comcast: 'We're Not Worried About DIRECTV HDTV'
http://www.tvpredictions.com/burke020107.htm


Here is a snippet:
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The cable operator now offers less than 20 national high-def networks in most markets. But Burke told Wall Street analysts that Comcast will not try to match DIRECTV's HD lineup which is expected to include a large number of variety channels.

"We're not going to radically change our game plan," he said in an investors conference call. "We think we offer a superior HD experience."

Burke instead said Comcast will focus more on high-def movies, sports and local channels, which he said are most popular among his subscribers.
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When will Comcast wake up? They obviously don't get the fact that HD is here to stay and "I want my HDTV" is what people are saying!

Grrrrrr...

-t

I know I can't prove this but my contacts are saying that they plan to push HDTV very hard but with a different plan of action compared to DirecTV. So for example even if DirecTV adds a ton of new HDTV channels Comcast will add those that are popular for example. So USA HD and SciFi HD would be added on Comcast while say CNN HD won't be added for example. I'm not saying CNN won't be added or that SciFi and USA HD will be added but that is their main idea.

So Comcast isn't going to add any HDTV channel just because its HDTV (ala Voom) but they will be pushing out many of those HDTV channels. I'm told that Comcast plans to carry a total of around 50 HDTV channels in most markets. This 50 channels will include HD locals and RSNs along with all current HDTV channels available today. So simply put they believe that by offering the 25 most popular channels HDTV feeds they feel like they won't have a problem even if DirecTV has 30 more total HDTV channels.

Also beyond this the second HDTV push Comcast will be doing is with HD On Demand as they are working with HBO, Cinemax and Showtime to gain rights for HD shows and movies On Demand. I'm also being told that Comcast is working very very very hard to be the first company to work a deal with Fox to offer Fox primetime programming On Demand to "all" Comcast customers for free. This will also include HD versions of Fox primetime programming as well.

Beyond that they are working with other cable networks such as TNT, TBS among others to greatly increase On Demand offerings from them including HD On Demand content as well. Comcast is really pushing these networks to increase their On Demand offerings.

I'm just saying don't think for a second that Comcast isn't planning to take over the HDTV market but they don't believe having the most total HDTV channels is the oly way. I've been told that in my state of New Hampshire that a very high percentage of HDTV customers have also viewed at least one HD On Demand program each month. Their biggest customer request is that HDTV customers want a bigger selection of free HD On Demand programming.

 

[wdwms]

I know I can't prove this but my contacts are saying that they plan to push HDTV very hard but with a different plan of action compared to DirecTV. So for example even if DirecTV adds a ton of new HDTV channels Comcast will add those that are popular for example. So USA HD and SciFi HD would be added on Comcast while say CNN HD won't be added for example. I'm not saying CNN won't be added or that SciFi and USA HD will be added but that is their main idea.

So Comcast isn't going to add any HDTV channel just because its HDTV (ala Voom) but they will be pushing out many of those HDTV channels. I'm told that Comcast plans to carry a total of around 50 HDTV channels in most markets. This 50 channels will include HD locals and RSNs along with all current HDTV channels available today. So simply put they believe that by offering the 25 most popular channels HDTV feeds they feel like they won't have a problem even if DirecTV has 30 more total HDTV channels.

Also beyond this the second HDTV push Comcast will be doing is with HD On Demand as they are working with HBO, Cinemax and Showtime to gain rights for HD shows and movies On Demand. I'm also being told that Comcast is working very very very hard to be the first company to work a deal with Fox to offer Fox primetime programming On Demand to "all" Comcast customers for free. This will also include HD versions of Fox primetime programming as well.

Beyond that they are working with other cable networks such as TNT, TBS among others to greatly increase On Demand offerings from them including HD On Demand content as well. Comcast is really pushing these networks to increase their On Demand offerings.

I'm just saying don't think for a second that Comcast isn't planning to take over the HDTV market but they don't believe having the most total HDTV channels is the oly way. I've been told that in my state of New Hampshire that a very high percentage of HDTV customers have also viewed at least one HD On Demand program each month. Their biggest customer request is that HDTV customers want a bigger selection of free HD On Demand programming.

All very interesting points and data, however I'm not convinced that Comcast has the full future in mind.

I'm not saying that Comcast won't add channels (however long it may take them), however I must not fit into their target audience as my wife and I have ordered 1 (yes that is one) on demand movie in 12 months. We just have no interest, we record items on Tivo and watch them later, and NESN is on for all Sox games of course.

For one I'm not satisfied w/the line up.. With all the BS between Comcast and Cuban (even though right now I do have HDNEt and HDNmovies), and the snails pace to roll out new channels, it doesn't give me warm and fuzzies. I want my SD channels replaced by HD (which is what is going to happen as the years go on anway). Where is Food HD? where is Nat Geo HD? where is A&E HD? And when we loose channels Comcast tells us its to "improve service"...

Comcast is stil treating HD as if it is a special "tier" of service, when in reality the HD channels will eventually be the norm. It sounds to me like Comcast wants to cater their HD "tier" to those who will buy ondemand movies and special content. Sorry, but I prefer TV shows & local sports (no complaint on the sports coverage) over movies and I guess I don't fall into their proper demographic.

I'm in Southern NH as well...being on the old Adelphia Londonderry system if I recall it is a 750mhz system. Right now the system is so overloaded with SD crap that it will be a struggle for them to add 50 HD channels. The music channels and all that other stuff has got to go. I'm not convinced our arear will see any decent equipment upgrade so i'm not confident things will change.

Seriously though, i may wind up having D* or E* plus comcast to get what I want..

-t

 

[Chris Freeland]

Until Comcast goes to a Switched system and or converts the bulk of their line-up to digital only, which I suspect will still take another couple of years at least for most systems. Comcast here in the Chattanooga area has yet to do digital simulcast, let alone start turning off analog channels, I find it very difficult to believe that Comcast will have the capacity to add no where near 50 HD channels in the next year, hear or most other markets, I for one am very skeptical. E* now has, and D* will have buy the end of the year Comcast and most other cable providers beat in National HD content for at least another year or two I suspect.

 

[Jestr40]

Here in Augusta, GA the local newspaper had an article in it today about our local cable companies and it stated that Comcast will have 20 HD channels by March. If you count the premium channels we currently have 14. They added 2 all of last year and 1 so far this year, so this is great news. 6 more within the month. I hope this is accurate.

 

[Chris Freeland]

Here in Augusta, GA the local newspaper had an article in it today about our local cable companies and it stated that Comcast will have 20 HD channels by March. If you count the premium channels we currently have 14. They added 2 all of last year and 1 so far this year, so this is great news. 6 more within the month. I hope this is accurate.

Here in Chattanooga, we recently got a message for 3 new HD channels in March, CW-HD, Comcast Sports HD and National Geografic HD for a total of 18. 6 local HD, 1 RSN HD, 7 National Basic HD and 4 Premium HD. Still along way from matching E* now, or D* buy the end of the year if all goes as planned. I still beleive it will be anouther 2 or 3 years before Comcast will be able to match either D* or E* in National HD.