Time Warner Cable Launches Discovery HD Theater

[Gregg Lengling]

Time Warner Cable's Charlotte Division announced today the launch of Discovery HD Theater', the new 24-hour high-definition television (HDTV) network digital customers can find on Time Warner Cable channel 280. From the people who bring you the Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, the Travel Channel and Discovery Health Channel comes an exciting new chapter in Discovery and television history – a network dedicated to high-definition viewing, offering viewers clarity of picture like never before. Unlike satellite providers, Time Warner Cable will offer Discovery HD Theater™ to its high definition customers free of charge.

"Our subscribers are going to be amazed at the fantastic clarity of picture Discovery HD Theater™ has to offer," said David Auger, Time Warner Cable division president. "We are excited that our customers will be at the forefront of this new viewing experience, and we're thrilled that Discovery has such high-quality programming that will satisfy viewers of all ages in so many different ways."

"With Discovery HD Theater™, we enter a new generation of Discovery," said John S. Hendricks, founder, chairman and CEO of Discovery Communications, Inc. "Ever since the Discovery Channel was 'born' 17 years ago, audiences have looked to us to lead the way in offering the highest-quality content. We are proud to be a pioneer in the rollout of a product that helps viewers explore the world around them in more glorious and illuminating detail than ever before."

Discovery HD Theater™ features fiction and non-fiction HDTV programming in all categories of entertainment offered by Discovery Communications, Inc., including nature, history, world cultures, geographic exploration, science, education, travel and vacation planning, world news and events, children's education and entertainment, health and medicine and how-to programming in the areas of home, hobbies and cooking. A sample of programs currently on Discovery HD Theater™ include:

TOP 10 COASTERS
Discovery HD Theater' viewers can ride America's top 10 roller coasters as chosen by die-hard coaster enthusiasts and historians. The list includes wooden relics like Coney Island's Cyclone as well as state-of-the-art steel contraptions.

TRADING SPACES
Fans of the hit TLC series TRADING SPACES can now experience the exciting room makeovers in the crispness and clarity of high definition. TRADING SPACES provides two neighbors with $1,000 each, a professional designer, a carpenter and 48 hours to redo a room of their choice. But there's a catch—they have to switch houses, they have no say in how their own room will look and the end result is anybody's guess. After 48 hours of grueling work and gut-wrenching laughter, the rooms are totally transformed.

THE JEFF CORWIN EXPERIENCE
Animal Planet's THE JEFF CORWIN EXPERIENCE will never be the same. Now in the thrilling intensity of high definition, Jeff takes viewers to some of the most outrageous places on Earth, in search of everything from glow-in-the-dark beetles to javelina (wild boar) and the Indian cobra to coatimundi (a raccoon-like creature) to satisfy his highly developed sense of curiosity. Whether it's by dugout canoe, hot air balloon, dogsled or even elephant, the intrepid Corwin will let no obstacle stanch his quest to experience wildlife.

Discovery Networks, U.S., a unit of Discovery Communications, Inc., operates and manages the Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, the Travel Channel, Discovery Health Channel, Discovery HD Theater', Discovery Kids Channel, Discovery Times Channel, The Science Channel', Discovery Home & Leisure Channel, Discovery Wings Channel and Discovery en Español. The unit also distributes BBC AMERICA.

Time Warner Cable owns and manages the world's most advanced, best-clustered cable television operations, with 90 percent of its 10.8 million customers in systems of 100,000 subscribers or more. It is one of the largest providers of 24-hour local television news channels including New York 1 in New York City, and News 14 Carolina in Charlotte. It is a division of AOL Time Warner Inc., the world's first Internet-powered media and communications company whose industry-leading businesses include interactive services, cable systems, publishing, music, TV networks and filmed entertainment. The Charlotte Division serves over 395,000 customers in 11 surrounding counties.

[gparris]

I just called TWC-Milwaukee and a "Tim" put me on hold and could not tell me when it would be on here - nor what channel to look for when it comes on. He DID know what I was asking about but that was as successful as I got this time around.

Guess I will have to wait until I get Directv capability again whenever I move back into a house!:bang:

[Gregg Lengling]

gparris..note that the article posted is from the Charlotte Division...so maybe if you lived in the Carolinas they would know.

[gparris]

I know you were indicating Charlotte NC and no, they do not know about other TWC cities other than their own. I am surprised when TWC here knows about their OWN city, let alone another's city's programming.

Orlando has Discovery HD ( and WB-HD, too) for some time, but its a big dark secret up in Milwaukeeland.:p

TWC was doing a great job, up to now, getting the HD programmes out their system to compete with the satellite companies (NBA, Masters), until NOW.
:bang:

[robster1970]

TWC in Green Bay has had Discovery HD for almost 2 weeks now. I recently tried TWC for a month. I was comparing it to Directv. I like DTV better so I stayed with them. I've had DTV for 5 years now.

[gparris]

Thank you in Green Bay for letting us all in on how inconsistant TWC is in product delivery. :mad:

Today I called TWC about what date they had for delivery of Discovery HD Theater and got a timeframe from a "John" in the Kenosha office. It will be in the fall, he said...NO-I said, that is for the InDemand HD channels and SUMMER is the time for Discovery HD Theater. He put me on hold and checked and said fall. After this, I mentioned the notes in their customer care area of their website and it says "summer" and how can TWC lie like that?
He must of rolled his eyes and just hung up! Great Customer Service , huh? :rolleyes:

It gets even better: TWC lets you rate the Q & A section of their helpsite on the web. So I asked in writing if they have a bandwidth issue in delivery of Discovery HD Theater or can they at least indicate a late July or August deadline. The message I got back is that, even though Green Bay WISCONSIN - has this programming, it is a different area of the country and the FCC rules TWC's ability to impliment this channel and they cannot give me a date or timeframe! :bang:

I guess I will have to wait for those flying pigs...