TMJ4 HD coming to TWC on channel 504

[beirnead]

In my latest cable bill, TWC has announced that TMJ4 High Definition will be available on channel 504 starting December 19th.  They will also be moving the current HD channels (HBO, Showtime, etc...) to the 500 range.

[kjnorman]

This is good news.

I have not looked at my cable bill for this month so I had not seen this.

As Channel 4 will be 504, perhaps they are going to resequence the numbers in the 500 range.  They may be saving 512 for WISN, 506 for WITI, 501 for CBS.  It will be interesting to know the final numbering so see if they have made this allowance.

Kerry

[ReesR]

why wouldn't 58 be 558?

[kjnorman]

Well I thought about 558, but then thought about Gregg's comment that channel 58 will disappear then the analog stations go away and they 58 will probably stick with 46 remapping to 1.1  So I though, perhaps if they ever did end up on TW, then perhaps they would end up at 501.

Then again, they on channel 5 right now on TW, so they could easily end up at 505 as well.  

Kerry

[Tom Snyder]

They do have a conundrum, though. They are 58, but, unlike the other channels, they won't be able to keep it when the analog spectrum goes away.

Unfortunately, with TV, I think the channel number may be even more important than the call letters. Like it or not, CBS58 will be faced with having to change their brand.

It's complicated by the fact that VHF channels get more respect than UHF channels. SO if you're Jim Hall... what do you do?  Become CBS46? Hardly.

To acheive parity you figure out a way to have an apparent VHF channel. To achieve superiority you become #1. If Time Warner gives him that cable channel, he scores a major coup.

In the long run, it's brilliant. In the short term, it's confusing.

[Gregg Lengling]

For those of you that weren't around for the online chat with Channel 1-1's Staton manager Jim Hall read this cut from the transcript.

The complete transcript and the one from March 20, 2002 is also available in the archives on this site...just go here: http://www.milwaukeehdtv.org/chatarchives.html
JIM HALL: LET ME TAKE A MOMENT TO EXPLAIN

Tombo: I heard that 55 and up are going to be reclaimed

JIM HALL: ACTUALLY ...IN CRUISING YOUR FORUMS ONE OF YOU HAD A PRETTY GOOD IDEA WHY WE ARE DOING IT. THE CORE CHANNELS FOR TV IN THE FUTURE ARE 2-55. ALL OTHER CHANNELS WILL GO TO AUCTION TO RETIRE THE NATIONAL DEBT

Steve Miller: So if the future is 2-55, why Channel 1?

JIM HALL: ITS ALL ABOUT BRANDING

Steve Mann: Ahhh... You WANTED to be different.  

JIM HALL: SEE, MY COMPETITION IN THE VHF'S HATES THE FACT THAT THE COULD BE A UHF STATION

Steve Miller: CBS is Milwaukee's Number One Channel?

Pat: You're number 1 with us. Right now at least.  

kjarnold: No other channel can claim one so no copyright issues and guess which is first.

ToddW: Like I said, excellent marketing, Jim.

Tombo: CBS and58 are by far #1 with HD right now. If you do the news in HD you will own this town in 5 years.

JIM HALL: SO SOME PRETTY SMART ENGINEERS WITH MARKETING BEHIND THEM GOT TOGETHER AND STOLE AN IDEA THAT CABLE USES CALLED CHANNEL MAPPING

Tom Snyder: Brilliant!

JIM HALL: CABLE HAS BEEN MAPPING AND USING VIRTUAL CHANNELS FOR YEARS

Steve Miller: Please explain... ?? Why is that so smart? I don't understand

JIM HALL: EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE UHF CH'S ASSIGNED, CHANNEL 4, 6, 12, MAP BACK TO THE CORE CHANNEL USING THE DASH. THEY GET TO KEEP THEIR BRAND FOREVER

[kjnorman]

 

In my latest cable bill, TWC has announced that TMJ4 High Definition will be available on channel 504 starting December 19th. They will also be moving the current HD channels (HBO, Showtime, etc...) to the 500 range.

Getting back on target, interestingly my cable bill states nothing about HDTV.  Perhaps TWC Kenosha is run differently from TWC Milwaukee?  I thought they were all one and the same in SE Wisconsin.

Kerry

[Gregg Lengling]

Naw Kerry they just don't want you to know....it's probably your immigrant status.....HEE HEE....


------------------
Gregg R. Lengling
RCA P61310 61" 16x9
HiDTV Pro 2 computer reciever card
glengling@ameritech.net

[beirnead]

It is unbelievable to me that this seems to be such a confusing topic with TW.  Just a week ago I got an email response from TW customer service stating that they did not know exactly when TMJ HD (or any other HD for that matter) was going to be carried on cable.  Then, less than a week later, I get a detailed description, with channels and dates, in my cable bill.  How everyone is not on the same page is beyond me.

[gparris]

I live in Kenosha-and I just checked my past bill from October and NO MENTION of HDTV was given nor the upcoming channel availablity.
Do you get HDTV? I cannot get installers out here for OTA that can agree on anything from the size or placement or EVEN IF I CAN GET OTA SIGNALS. I live near the stateline but do get analog TWC combined with my DIRECTV DTC-100 installation for HBO and Showtime. If TWC gets all the digital locals that are OTA in Milwaukee on its digital system for HDTV, DIRECTV is history. I don't watch much HDNET anyway, as Cuban is trying to cram too much material on one network and it gets confusing as to what's really on. It's great to show to friends what true HD is, but I'd rather have HD local network fare.
 TWC does mention a TIVO-type box "coming soon" (assume SD not HD),but does not elaborate on its functionality. What date is your TWC bill? What does it say? If anyone is "starving for HDTV" its me. I got my 60" Mits set almost 3 years ago!

[beirnead]

I'll have to check what month the bill is dated.  I just got it in the mail this week.  The information is printed on the second page of the bill.  It talks about making Disney available on SD and moving Starz to the Digital only package.  It then says that TMJ4 HD will be coming to channel 504 starting on December 19.  It also says the other HD channels (HBO, Showtime, PBS, etc...) will be moving to the 500 range.  It makes no mention of other local HD channels.

I currently receive my HD through TW (HBO and PBS only).  I've been thinking about dropping the digital cable and getting the HD OTA from a set top box and indoor antenna.  Can someone point me to a good site for detailing good hardware and installation for this?

[gparris]

Thank you for the input and I will check my November billing when it arrives- you might be on a different cycle than I am.
As for OTA, that could be a good thing for HDTV locals, as neither 12 nor 58 has assigned channels for TWC HDTV.
Question: Why isn't TWC working with 12 and 58 for fiber inputs from THEIR stations-like channel 4 is-and doing now? You would think that with as much ABC (now) and CBS (years)HD programming, that ANYONE at each of those stations would be screaming at TWC to put them on. Their stations' analog cable versions are AWFUL when I had cable! I'll bet that when the real "digital" signals are in that  500-channel area TWC will be using, they will look even better than DIRECTV's locals, which is what I am getting now. Great for the NBC and PBS locals getting on TWC in true digital-because their stations can negotiate EFFECTIVELY . What happened to the CBS and now-the ABC local stations?  Don't they want me to watch them? I have again checked other cities that  TWC has locals in-and guess what? ABC,CBS,NBC,PBS and even-FOX - in digital! Central Florida TWC has the WB in digital. So it can be done with a little negotiation. I don't know even it I want some monster antenna on my roof - but tell me what happens and what you get. TWC would have been a better choice economically and practical.                                                                                  

[StarvingForHDTV]

 

Originally posted by gparris:
If anyone is "starving for HDTV" its me. I got my 60" Mits set almost 3 years ago!

We can switch user names if you want.  I'm not as hungry these days.  It would be up to the moderators to do something like that I think.

Starving (not really starving any longer)

[P a u l]

I noticed last night that TWC has added some new channels. About 10 or so in the 100+ range. Some 900's some 800's. The public stations have 5 channels in the 700's along with Telemundo!!!!   But then it drops to the 400's. BOOOO!!! Also I tried to enter 504 and I just got a