New HD Channels On TWC Soon?

[jolson247]

Looking to set up a new recurring recording the other day for the upcoming new season of Mad Men on AMC, I was given two channel choices for recording it.  One on the regular SD channel (can't think of the channel offhand) and another channel 1882 which was named "SDV".  The 1882 channel only gave me the option to "Set A Reminder" and not set a recording so it's not active.  I was also advised to call Customer Service to add the channel.  I didn't do that either.

Will the introduction of SDV later this month result in new HD channels for us? (and my ability to watch Mad Men in HD finally!)

[LoadStar]

Looking to set up a new recurring recording the other day for the upcoming new season of Mad Men on AMC, I was given two channel choices for recording it.  One on the regular SD channel (can't think of the channel offhand) and another channel 1882 which was named "SDV".  The 1882 channel only gave me the option to "Set A Reminder" and not set a recording so it's not active.  I was also advised to call Customer Service to add the channel.  I didn't do that either.

Will the introduction of SDV later this month result in new HD channels for us? (and my ability to watch Mad Men in HD finally!)

This was discussed in another thread recently. The most likely explanation is something Time Warner is slowly rolling out called Digital Simulcast.

What they plan to do is duplicate all the analog channels in digital (all probably in SDV). When those with digital cable boxes tune to one of the analog channels, you get the digital channel instead. While not HD, it will still result in a clearer picture due to the elimination of noise in the image.

SDV does have the potential to open up room for more HD channels, but the 18xx channels are not HD... just digital. Right now, no additional HD channels have been announced by TWC.

[jolson247]

 Bummer

[Jack 1000]

This was discussed in another thread recently. The most likely explanation is something Time Warner is slowly rolling out called Digital Simulcast.

What they plan to do is duplicate all the analog channels in digital (all probably in SDV). When those with digital cable boxes tune to one of the analog channels, you get the digital channel instead. While not HD, it will still result in a clearer picture due to the elimination of noise in the image.

SDV does have the potential to open up room for more HD channels, but the 18xx channels are not HD... just digital. Right now, no additional HD channels have been announced by TWC.

When the SDV transition is complete, what is believed to be happening with channels  2-99 which are the analog tier?  Could they just open those up for new channels, even if they weren't in HD?  Who wants 98 duplicated channels?

Jack

[kevbeck122]

When they do the digital simulcast, it's just going to add more bandwidth usage.  Even though it's SDV, if someone is requesting the channel, it's still using bandwidth.  I think if they got rid of analogs completely, SDV would be unnecessary.... and we wouldn't be in this Navigator mess.  Supposedly 2-3 HD channels can fit into one analog channel.

[LoadStar]

When the SDV transition is complete, what is believed to be happening with channels  2-99 which are the analog tier?  Could they just open those up for new channels, even if they weren't in HD?  Who wants 98 duplicated channels?

Jack

At this point, they would have to remain, for those analog-only customers who don't have a cable box. The only thing that would allow for the complete elimination of 2-99 in analog is providing a cable box to all customers, something it doesn't seem TWC is planning to do yet.

[duncantuna]

It's amazing that the analog channels hold the show up.  

There are SO MANY CRAPTACULAR channels they could easily axe, and they wouldn't hit double-digit people who would be sorry to see them go.

98- ShopNBC
97-Product Info Network
96- Public Access?  It's rarely on, and when it is, it's like a slideshow of high school announcements.
95-OnTV4U?  Terrible
63-Jewelry TV???

Not to mention 22-EWTN and 21-WWRS.

And do we need 13,14,25 and 96, all Public Access?  Is there that much content?  Not even close.

[BigZ]

The Oshkosh/Northeastern WI region is apparently getting more HD channels soon. This is from a roadrunner e-mail that I still get:

Coming Soon in crystal-clear HD quality:  Fox News HD, CNN HD, Hallmark Movie Channel HD and Science HD!


Other recent additions to our FREE HD package include:  HD Showcase On Demand (1102), Golf/Versus HD (714), Discovery HD (732), TLC HD (742), Animal Planet HD (743), Food Network HD (751), ABC Family HD (755), Music:High Definition (767), Disney HD (769), and ESPN News HD (776).

[Jack 1000]

It's amazing that the analog channels hold the show up.  

There are SO MANY CRAPTACULAR channels they could easily axe, and they wouldn't hit double-digit people who would be sorry to see them go.

98- ShopNBC
97-Product Info Network
96- Public Access?  It's rarely on, and when it is, it's like a slideshow of high school announcements.
95-OnTV4U?  Terrible
63-Jewelry TV???

Not to mention 22-EWTN and 21-WWRS.

And do we need 13,14,25 and 96, all Public Access?  Is there that much content?  Not even close.

You picked the ones that I did!  They are garbage, total, *****!  We even have channel 13/96 that show the SAME Elmbrook School stuff.  Channel 13 just comes in better.  95 is just a 24x7 infomercial.  I think the FCC only requires 1 shopping network per cable system.  And who's brilliant idea was it to have Jewelry TV?  Yea, I am going to sit in front of my TV and watch 24 hours of cubic zirconiums!  97 is another infomercial.  All of us should just e-mail TWC about this or even snail mail them.  Not only do these channels represent content that almost no one would watch, they take up bandwidth on the standard tier.

Jack

PS.  Damn!  Drop as little as one of those and put something like Chiller TV in its place!  Now, that's a cool channel!  What are we getting next, the ******* knitting channel!!!??

[steve053]

You picked the ones that I did!  They are garbage, total, *****!  We even have channel 13/96 that show the SAME Elmbrook School stuff.  Channel 13 just comes in better.  95 is just a 24x7 infomercial.  I think the FCC only requires 1 shopping network per cable system.  And who's brilliant idea was it to have Jewelry TV?  Yea, I am going to sit in front of my TV and watch 24 hours of cubic zirconiums!  97 is another infomercial.  All of us should just e-mail TWC about this or even snail mail them.  Not only do these channels represent content that almost no one would watch, they take up bandwidth on the standard tier.

Jack

PS.  Damn!  Drop as little as one of those and put something like Chiller TV in its place!  Now, that's a cool channel!  What are we getting next, the ******* knitting channel!!!??

The public access channels are required in their exclusive contract with local government.  So like 'em or not, there here to stay.

The other channels pay TWC for access, so they're not going anywhere either.

And why would the FCC require any shopping channels? :huh?:   That makes no sense at all.

[Sparkman87]

I have heard rumors that the jewelry channel is going under in the next month or so.  That would free up some bandwidth.

[tencom]

It's amazing that the analog channels hold the show up.  

There are SO MANY CRAPTACULAR channels they could easily axe, and they wouldn't hit double-digit people who would be sorry to see them go.

98- ShopNBC
97-Product Info Network
96- Public Access?  It's rarely on, and when it is, it's like a slideshow of high school announcements.
95-OnTV4U?  Terrible
63-Jewelry TV???

Not to mention 22-EWTN and 21-WWRS.

And do we need 13,14,25 and 96, all Public Access?  Is there that much content?  Not even close.

Don,t you know that Public Access channels carriage by cable are required by the FCC and  by the Municipal Cable Franchise agreements for cable to get access to the city or towns  right of way that they control for the placement of the cable
And channel 21 WWRS is required for carriage because by FCC rules any OTA station with-in thirty miles of Miwaukee has to be carried.  A few years ago TWC
was considering dropping EWTN but a campaign by WTMJs Charlie Sykes saved EWTN. Shop NBC is required for carriage is  because of an agreement between NBC and TWC for the right to carry the NBC television network through WTMJ-TV over cable to also carry all of NBCs owned cable channels. or else cable might not be allowed to carry channel 4 programming. Remember that the shopping channels are carried without cost to the subscribers but cable gets a percentage for the items that are sold to local viewers.

[BFavre4MVP]

The Oshkosh/Northeastern WI region is apparently getting more HD channels soon. This is from a roadrunner e-mail that I still get:

Coming Soon in crystal-clear HD quality:  Fox News HD, CNN HD, Hallmark Movie Channel HD and Science HD!


Other recent additions to our FREE HD package include:  HD Showcase On Demand (1102), Golf/Versus HD (714), Discovery HD (732), TLC HD (742), Animal Planet HD (743), Food Network HD (751), ABC Family HD (755), Music:High Definition (767), Disney HD (769), and ESPN News HD (776).

I would really enjoy those here in Milwaukee.  Hopefully they're on their way.

[duncantuna]

Don,t you know that Public Access channels carriage by cable are required by the FCC and  by the Municipal Cable Franchise agreements for cable to get access to the city or towns  right of way that they control for the placement of the cable

I knew that .. I think my point was, do we need FOUR public access channels?  

Now that bandwidth is an issue, I would think the governmental entities making these contracts would realize the public good would be better served with fewer of these bogus channels no one watches.

[gparris]

Some TWC locations with SDV offer many more HD channels than we do and their particular location tells you as it is, for what the package will be for them, including WHAT is COMING!:bang:

See:http://www.timewarnercable.com/SanAntonio/Products/Cable/hdtv/channels.html?menu=28346

 Note that USAHD is coming, but no mention of Sci-FiHD at all...why?

It would seem that TWC doesn't understand that the Sci-Fi Channel has a need for it to be in HD, just like the Discovery channels do!
Please wake up TWC (and Milwaukee TWC) !:rolleyes: