Is Cablevision making room for more channels?

[Cobra611]

Got this info from CableRant.com...including the header!!

Is Cablevision making room for more channels?

Hold onto your hats CableRant.com readers because the answer is yes.

CableRant has learned, exclusively, that Cablevision is about to undertake a major intiative that will free up A LOT of bandwidth. Cablevision is about to end the analog feeds of about 10 channels. The channels will still be carried but only in digital format. That means you will need a box to receive them.

Some of the channels rumored to be changing are OTB, TLC, Sci-Fi, E!, Animal Planet and the Travel Channel. The transition is expected to start in May.

The amount of bandwidth it takes to broadcast 1 analog channel is equal to the amount required for 10 digital channels. That means Cablevision could feasibly be adding 100 channels. Wait, it gets better, for every analog channel they transition to digital you can broadcast roughly 4 high definition. That means that there will be room for 40 extra HD channels.

CableRant is holding out for the Discovery suite HD feeds and maybe A&E HD. What channels would you like to see added?

 

[jpr281]

that's 40 HD channels that look like crap or 20 great-quality HD channels

would you want 40 channels that look like versus or worldsport or 20 channels that look like espn or yes?

nonetheless, i guess it's good news

 

[chek_ya_self]

Maybe it will be only 20 HD Channels. Who knows if they plan to compress it or not. It might not be even used for HD as someone else in Cable Rant pointed out.

CableRant.com

 

[wberndt]

The amount of bandwidth it takes to broadcast 1 analog channel is equal to the amount required for 10 digital channels. That means Cablevision could feasibly be adding 100 channels. Wait, it gets better, for every analog channel they transition to digital you can broadcast roughly 4 high definition. That means that there will be room for 40 extra HD channels.

Just a question, but...doesn't Cablevision (along with all cable providers) have to convert ALL of their analog channels to digital by Feb 2009? I know that's almost a year away, but if the numbers above are true, won't they have more than enough room for any channel (HD or not) that they want to add by then? (There are about 80+ analog channels where I am in Yorktown now...that makes about 800 digital channels, or 60 REALLY-GOOD LOOKING HD channels.)

 

[mws192]

Just a question, but...doesn't Cablevision (along with all cable providers) have to convert ALL of their analog channels to digital by Feb 2009?

Nope. That doesn't apply to cable.


"For U.S. cable television, the FCC voted 5-0 on September 12, 2007 to require operators to make local broadcasts available to their users, even those with analog television. This requirement lasts until 2012, when the FCC will review the case again."
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_switchover

Also: Optimum - Optimum Advisor - Digital Cable

 

[chek_ya_self]

A poster in CableRant.com says, the analog cutoff date is May 13, 2008 for the selected channels.

My grandmother just got a letter from Cablevision.
May 13, 2008 is the date for the analog feed shut off for the channels being discussed.

They are moving:

• TLC
  A&E
  E!
  Sci-Fi Channel
  truTV
  Animal Planet
  Travel Channel
  C-SPAN2
  QVC
  RAI
  mun2

They are offering customers one free digital cable box and the iO Package free for 1 year.

At least they are looking out for customers to make the move easy.
I just wish more TVs had Cable Card slots, so we wouldn't need the boxes.

Click here for post

 

[sd303]

I disagree with the poster on cablerant. I dont think forcing us to get an stb is making the transition easy. One box is free for just one year? Big deal. Im still forced to rent two more boxes now. What I dont understand is my neighbor has Fios and they are switching to all digitial also. They are offering up to 3 free boxes free for the lifetime of your account. Why doesnt Cablevision do the same?

 

[Chucky Cheese]

I disagree with the poster on cablerant. I dont think forcing us to get an stb is making the transition easy. One box is free for just one year? Big deal. Im still forced to rent two more boxes now. What I dont understand is my neighbor has Fios and they are switching to all digitial also. They are offering up to 3 free boxes free for the lifetime of your account. Why doesnt Cablevision do the same?

Call them. Tell them your making the switch if they can't do the same. Never hurts to ask...

 

[artmalkin]

I am new to Sattelite guys. I'm a cablevision subscriber - just got HD. Looking forward to hopefully some new HD Channels.

 

[mm00659]

Anybody know if cablevision is ever gonna get the HDnet channel? It usually comes paired with HDnet Movies. I need the HDnet channel because they offer a lot of MMA programing. FIOS, DirectTV, Dish Network all offer it, but not cablevision. What gives? Also, who can I contact at Cablevision to find out if and when they will offer this channel? I can only get through the scrubs at cust svc.