HD Channels are Launched

[Ramy]

The Weather Channel isn't actually broadcasting in HD due to limited equipment. As soon as the stuido is converted they will be in HD. Right now it is just upconverted SD.

 

[gadgtfreek]

The Weather Channel isn't actually broadcasting in HD due to limited equipment. As soon as the stuido is converted they will be in HD. Right now it is just upconverted SD.

The graphics they had on this AM looked darn good.

 

[thomasf390]

Thanks Much

 

[rad]

While studio is upconvert until next year they have said some of their non studio shows will be in HD starting in October.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

The graphics they had on this AM looked darn good.

You know whats sad? The way the Wather Channel HD looks at the moment is what the SD version is supposed to look like.

The reason it doesnt is because the SD is SO compressed.

 

[gadgtfreek]

You know whats sad? The way the Wather Channel HD looks at the moment is what the SD version is supposed to look like.

The reason it doesnt is because the SD is SO compressed.

That is pretty bad.

 

[DefDude]

You know whats sad? The way the Wather Channel HD looks at the moment is what the SD version is supposed to look like.

The reason it doesnt is because the SD is SO compressed.

that is a great point scott, when you pull in the digital locals via OTA " which are uncompressed" if you did not know any better you would think that it is near HD quality especially if your tv has a line doubler or DRC multifunction like some sony's have.

 

[rad]

You know whats sad? The way the Wather Channel HD looks at the moment is what the SD version is supposed to look like.

The reason it doesnt is because the SD is SO compressed.

BINGO! Everytime someone posts about content being just upconverted SD you want to slap them across the side of the head and say so what, unconverted SD is a hell of a lot better then overcompress/downrezzed SD that we're used to.

 

[cb35]

Thanks for the information, but I have to respectfully disagree with you about there being no point in upgrading the old channels. The PQ is much better on MPEG 4, and they're not filling up the sat with the new channels at this point, so why not?

Haven't they been saying that this is a "grace period" for people with older equipment, and that eventually they wouldn't get any HD once they're all migrated to MPEG4?

I agree if they have room for the MPEG2 & MPEG4 feeds why not? I would be interested to find out more regarding this issue. Then they can phase out the MPEG2 channels over time.

 

[rad]

Thanks for the information, but I have to respectfully disagree with you about there being no point in upgrading the old channels. The PQ is much better on MPEG 4, and they're not filling up the sat with the new channels at this point, so why not?

Never said no point in not upgrading the current MPEG2, just they should get the new channels up and running first and then go back and simulcast the current MPEG2 if they have the room. Would you want D* to put up a MPEG4 version of TNT-HD but not have the room to add a new channel that's not currently available in HD like Sci-Fi? Let's get the new channel up then go back and clean house.

 

[ONUOsFan]

Never said no point in not upgrading the current MPEG2, just they should get the new channels up and running first and then go back and simulcast the current MPEG2 if they have the room. Would you want D* to put up a MPEG4 version of TNT-HD but not have the room to add a new channel that's not currently available in HD like Sci-Fi? Let's get the new channel up then go back and clean house.

OK, you got me there... although if you asked me the same question about ESPN/ESPN2, I'd take the MPEG4 of that over several of the newly planned channels.... the others I can wait for.

 

[rad]

OK, you got me there... although if you asked me the same question about ESPN/ESPN2, I'd take the MPEG4 of that over several of the newly planned channels.... the others I can wait for.

IIRC, ESPN/ESPN2 are not downrezed since they are 720p channels, but could be wrong, don't know if they're cutting back on the bandwidth for those.

 

[gadgtfreek]

Never said no point in not upgrading the current MPEG2, just they should get the new channels up and running first and then go back and simulcast the current MPEG2 if they have the room. Would you want D* to put up a MPEG4 version of TNT-HD but not have the room to add a new channel that's not currently available in HD like Sci-Fi? Let's get the new channel up then go back and clean house.

+1

 

[gadgtfreek]

IIRC, ESPN/ESPN2 are not downrezed since they are 720p channels, but could be wrong, don't know if they're cutting back on the bandwidth for those.

From my understanding, HD-Lite never applied to the 720p channels because they are 1280x720p.

The HD Lite was taking 1920x1080i channels and making them 1440x1080i or 1280x1080i.

 

[Plywodstatebum]

Announced HD Additions
* = not a simulcast of the SD channel (if available), programming will vary.
Channel names in %%% sign are currently in test mode on the D*10 satellite
Source: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=899457 Thanks to Bschneider

<<updating>> 2007
Food Network* %%%
HGTV* %%%
MHD (MTV brand channel) %%%
National Geographic %%%
Cinemax-E %%%
Cinemax-W %%%
MoreMax
HBO-W %%%
HBO2-E
HBO2-W
HBO Family-E
HBO Family-W
HBO Signature
<<<updating>>> 2007
Bravo %%%
Cartoon Network %%%
Chiller %%%
CNBC %%%
Fuel %%%
FX %%%
MTV %%%
NBA TV %%%
VH1 %%%
SciFi Channel %%%
Sleuth
Speed %%%
USA Network %%%

December 2007
The Tennis Channel %%%
Spring 2008
ABC Family %%%
Disney Channel %%%
ESPN News %%%
MGM
Toon Disney %%%
Channels in Test Mode with no official carriage announcement
NHL Network %%
Outdoor %%%
Spike %%%
Comedy Central %%%
Nickelodeon East %%%
CSTV %%%

Regional Sports Networks
Available nationally, but local blackout rules still apply.
Fall 2007
Altitude
Comcast SportsNet Chicago
Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic
FSN Arizona
FSN Bay Area
FSN Detroit
FSN Florida
FSN New England
FSN North
FSN Northwest
FSN Ohio
FSN Prime Ticket
FSN Rocky Mountain
FSN South
FSN Southwest
FSN West
New England Sports Network
SportsNet New York
SportsSouth
Sun Sports
YES
Channels in Test Mode with no official carriage announcement
FSN Midwest
FSN Houston
FSN New York
FSN Pittsburgh
MSG
FSN Cincinnati
Comcast SportsNet West
MASN/SportsTime Ohio

 

[gadgtfreek]

Very good.

USA
Speed
SciFi
HGTV
Food
FX
Chiller

are really the only ones left I REALLY want.

 

[ONUOsFan]

From my understanding, HD-Lite never applied to the 720p channels because they are 1280x720p.

The HD Lite was taking 1920x1080i channels and making them 1440x1080i or 1280x1080i.

Possibly true, but the MPEG2 scheme is not as good as MPEG4, so there should still be an improvement in PQ by migrating them...

 

[cb35]

Possibly true, but the MPEG2 scheme is not as good as MPEG4, so there should still be an improvement in PQ by migrating them...

plus the handful of us that can't get the 119 sat - would be able to get HD Net and ESPN 2 HD

 

[nmstough]

how can I get the "old" SD versions?

Now that they fired up the new HD versions I have some problems because my signal strength on the 103(b) satellite is not good - I probably need to repoint the dish. But the receiver is trying to use this new inferior signal on some of the channels (like CNN) instead of the old SD version. As a result, I cannot get acceptable signals anymore on these.

Is there anyway to temporarily disable the channel mapping to the new MPEG4 signals until I get my dish realigned?

 

[ScoBuck]

Now that they fired up the new HD versions I have some problems because my signal strength on the 103(b) satellite is not good - I probably need to repoint the dish. But the receiver is trying to use this new inferior signal on some of the channels (like CNN) instead of the old SD version. As a result, I cannot get acceptable signals anymore on these.

Is there anyway to temporarily disable the channel mapping to the new MPEG4 signals until I get my dish realigned?

re-do your sat detup for a 3lnb dish