Time Warner Advances Simulcasting

[gb4fan92]

from multichannel news Source

Time Warner Cable said Thursday that its system in Raleigh, N.C., is the first to digitally simulcast its analog-channel lineup throughout its full service area.

The MSO added that it expects to complete its digital-simulcast rollout in one-half of its 31 divisions by year-end.

The digital-simulcast networks are delivered to the same channel number as the analog networks but converted into a digital format, improving their image, sound and recordability, Time Warner said.

"Our simulcast project provides consumers with the best of both worlds -- 100% digital, which means crystal-clear picture and sound, as well as continued delivery of our analog service to those customers who prefer not to use a cable set-top box," Time Warner Raleigh division president Tom Adams said in a prepared statement.

The MSO's senior vice president of strategy and development, Kevin Leddy, added, "We have begun to aggressively deliver the digital simulcast of our analog channels, negating any perceived advantage of satellite-delivered video service."
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I wonder if we are the lucky ones to get it by years end?
(thinks about previous TWC announcements and when we actually got it)
Dah guess not! :bang:

[gparris]

So satellite services will not be able to badger cable with all-digital delivery-only as their advantage over cable, very good, TWC!

Austin, TX for TWC  has had most of their analogue channels duplicated into digital for some time, a nice feature.

I am imagining the Sci-Fi Channel and USA in digital delivery....cool! :cool:

As for waiting for the digital delivery, it depends on what sequence we are in for it.  I remember Green Bay getting the DVR box before us and then there were other items, I believe, we got first, too.

As cablecard sets become more the norm, the analogue will be phased out, IMO.

Now, if only TWC could free up an analogue channel and delivery an HD Channel addition or two, soon-now that would be really great!

[Bent_MG]

Charter cable has been doing this in my area (Delavan/Elkhorn) for a month or 2 now. Quality is very good; the only channels that aren't digital are the local access channels and the TV Guide channel. Also it helps when the CSR's remember to actually send the signals to the boxes to make them pick up the digital signals instead of analog after we needed to have a box replaced!  :mad:

[Joseph S]

Comcast has been doing this as well for years. The only news is Time Warner has finally joined the majority, but only in one market. The quality of the analogs gets worse every day here. It's completely unwatchable on my screen.

[gb4fan92]

Hopefully this will come sooner than later. A few years ago TWC stated the reason they couldn't switch to all digital was cuz so many subs watched cable without a cable box and weren't willing to get a cable box. This sounds like a "win win" situation for everyone. Really a breakthrough technology for cable!

[kevbeck122]

Analogs look nearly the same as digitals on my TV.. maybe a little fuzz here and there but they're ok.  Maybe it's just because I have a small TV.  It would still be nice though to have the same audio level on all channels.  Analogs seem about 50% quieter than digitals.

[Joseph S]

maybe a little fuzz here and there but they're ok. Maybe it's just because I have a small TV.

I've got fuzz, worse now than 6 mo ago. Plus, anything above 55ish especially National Geographic /Oxygen range are physically distorted with some sort of ground loop style effect that doesn't move like a ground loop does.

[kevbeck122]

Yeah some of those channels up there look bad sometimes.  We just had new cable put in outside (because we wanted it buried vs. in the air) about a month ago with an added ground outside... that helped a little, but it was pretty good before even with the 15+ year old cable outside.  The tech who came here a while ago said that we have some of the highest signals out here.

[Scott]

I dumped TWC in 1998 after I got a big screen rear projection TV.

I had to work on my wife to get this thing, then it got delivered and we sat down to watch it.....and the picture was awful....just awful.....which brought glances from my wife.....then she said..."Why the heck did we just spend $3k on this big screen when the picture looks like crap....give me back our regular tube set"

So disgusted I put a Packers Super Bowl tape into the VCR and hit play....the picture was beautiful.....stunning to watch Favre in his 53" glory.....

I figured out quickly the problem wasn't the set but TWC....the tech I called explained to me that "Well, Germantown was only really built out to service 2,000 homes, but now we service 3,000, and so we really don't have a big enough pipe to deliver a good signal"

So I went to Direct TV and haven't looked back......even with the hardware purchase hassle, I've been pretty happy......we just need more HD channels and a cheap HD Tivo, which hopefully will come shortly.

[picopir8]

I dont think you can compare cable from 1998 with cable today.  I ended up switching to D* as well back in 1997.   At that point in time, D* offered a better price, better picture, more channels, and an on screen guide.  However, after a number of price increases, several fried boxes, and their unwillingness to provide an HD box at a decent price (<250), I got fed up and decided to give TWC a try. After all, with no commitment, I had nothing to loose.  I could not believe what I was missing!  More channels (over 300 vs 215 at D*), more HD offerings, better quality digital channels (not as compressed as D* thus less pixelation), on demand content, etc.  Luckily I live in an area that has great analog reception, though I can understand the complaints of people with poor analog reception.  Cable may not be for everyone, but those who have not tried it recently should give it a try.  After TWC starts simulcasting, once Tivo releases their cable card HD box, D* will likely be in trouble.  The only real advantage they will have is sunday ticket.  Hopefully they will then begin to add HD channels before that time.  I want to see both be successful to drive inovation and keep prices low.

[foxeng]

After TWC starts simulcasting, once Tivo releases their cable card HD box, D* will likely be in trouble.  

Not according to what a friend of mine in Raleigh who has TWC says about it. The local digital analogs are more compressed than D*.  He watches off of his analog jack in his TV to bypass the digital analog because the PQ of the digital analog is so bad.

[RLJSlick]

Man thats awesome to hear about!  I can't wait, but I still would like to see some more HD channels, but this will go a long way to my happyness!

[Mark Strube]

Not according to what a friend of mine in Raleigh who has TWC says about it. The local digital analogs are more compressed than D*.  He watches off of his analog jack in his TV to bypass the digital analog because the PQ of the digital analog is so bad.

Digital analogs? You mean channels 1-99 that used to be analog, right? Well, if channels 4-6 are any indication (the only local digital simulcast channels so far) these channels will look great.

[kevbeck122]

better quality digital channels (not as compressed as D* thus less pixelation)

I don't know.. I always thought D* had a better (SD) picture.  Maybe times have changed.. I haven't seen content lately from them.  I know the local stations they carry didn't seem like the best quality (I've only seen Wausau/Rhinelander stations), but the others seemed better than TWC.

[Mark Strube]

I think it really depends on the station you're watching. I know here on TWC Noggin looks like crap, huge amount of compression... but on my friend's DirecTV it looks great. (Yeah yeah, I got addicted to Degrassi... so sue me. Daria is my official reason for watching the station. )