Milwaukee HD Shows?

[Jeff Trumpy]

I'm a new member - Tom suggested that I pose this question on the forum - we are debating about getting a HD TV - wondering if there are enough local shows to justify the cost at this time?
We have Direct TV but don't have the HD receiver at this time.
Thanks for your responses.
Jeff

[Tom Snyder]

Hi Jeff! Welcome...

As far as locally produced HD, it will be a while.

But HD shows shown on local channels is another matter altogether. ABC, NBC and CBS do the lion's share of their prime time lineups in HD. MIlwaukee Public TV dedicates 100% of Channel 36's digital channel to HD.  We weren't fans of Network TV until HD came along, when just because they were on in HiDef, we became loyal fans of CSI, The Guardian, Hack, Judging Amy. We still aren't fans of situation comedies, but virtually all of them are on in HD if that's your thing. We have always been Letterman fans, but we often find ourselves tuning in to Leno just cuz he's in HD.

If you're a football fan, ABC and CBS are each good for one game a week in HD. Although Packers are usally on Fox, which broadcasts certain games in a Widescreen Standard Defintion. Unfortuantely Fox 6's digital signal is for all purposes non-existant unless you subscribe to Time Warner's digital locals. But Between ESPN, Monday Night Football and Fox 6 Widescreen, I think it's been a good 5 weeks since I've had to watch a Packer game in 4:3 SD, and the Tahnksgiving game will also be in Widescreen.

In addtion to the costs of the hardware, you will have to consider the costs of the programming, which will be determined by your preferred programming types and the delivery system you'll need to get enough of them to make it worth your money.

What kinds of stuff do you like to watch?

[Gregg Lengling]

I'm not a big fan of Network TV (reality shows, sitcoms, cop shows...blah), I do most of my watching on Directv.  HBO, SHOW, DISCOVERY, HDNET, ESPN, HDNET ECT.  The only things I watch on local TV are FOOTBALL, PBS, FOOTBALL  and FOOTBALL.  And ESPNHD's Football is the best.

Personally I'd just worry about the things that Satellite or cable can bring you.  Plus with a HD set you'll have some really nice viewing of DVD's.  I had back surgery over a year ago and can't really sit in a theater for 1-3 hours to watch a movie...so I just wait the 3 to 6 months and buy the DVD at Circuitcity of 15 bucks......that's cheaper than the tickets for the two of us to go to the movie theater/////Plus the popcorn is better and cheaper, the bathroom is clean and private.  In addition sometimes it's hard to understand an actor (that's what reverse and closed captioning on DVD's are there for).  Plus I've got a killer sound system so I can feel the movie (I'm a big Sci Fi fan).  You can tell when I'm watching a movie from out on the street even in the winter because you can fell the subwoofers from out there.

65 inches of HighDef and 100's of watts of sound and I'm in seventh heaven.

But if Cop Shows, Sitcoms ect are your cup of tea...then Network local television will give it to you...just not me.

[John L]

I'm sure the time will come soon for WTMJ to air their local newscast in Hi-Def. Wouldn't surprise me if WISN-DT would do it before WTMJ-DT.  But as far as local programming on the local stations, News is the only big local program here and if anything one of the stations will be first to offer local news in Hi-Def.

-John L.

[StarvingForHDTV]

Channels 10 and 36 produce most of their local shows in HD.

Starving

[Jeff Trumpy]

Thanks for your comments - Most of what we watch are either 10/36, sports, CNN, etc or weather -
so I guess we'll have a mix of regular and HD at this point -
Jeff

[Kovu]

Curious, I was off this last night.  I noticed that 10 STD,  had NOVA which was in HD at one point(at least I hope so).
More or less i'm wondering when true HDTV programns like NOVA and what not are on.   Any list at all? and what HD channel are they usealy on, the only HD I ever see from pbs is 36-1.

Is there another HD channel i'm not aware of?  10-1/5 are just all STD never HD on there.

[Tom Snyder]

Milwaukee Public TV's scheduling philosophy is a bit puzzling.  

They're dedicating Channel 36's digital channel to all HD all the time.  Theoretically, that would mean that they could just pass through PBS digital all the time... You could use This schedule as your guide.  

However, in the past, they have decided not to pass through stuff that is Widescreen Standard defintion because they say that will confuse people. Not sure if that is still the policy or not.

But if you're looking for HD excvlusively, that guide should be pretty accurate...

BTW... I don't believe they're using 10's channel for ANY HD or widescreen.