WCGV launches Country Network on 24.2

[mrschimpf]

Sinclair began to launch this network (which consists of all country videos) in September 2010 on their stations under subchannels, and it looks like it was launched today on 24.2 where the Tube was for a few short months in 2006.

Looks pretty good so far; on a 720p signal so degradation isn't an issue like it would be on 18 with 1080i, and now if you're a music fan you have TheCoolTV on 4.3, this, and the MPTV Jazz and Classical channels to take care of your music needs without Music Choice or if you need to (shudder)...MTV and CMT.

I also have to say they did a great job last week with the high school game in widescreen; seems like they've been doing great things to recover from the big flood a few months back.

[tbarney]

I noticed it last night as I was flipping through channels after the late news. It may have started broadcasting a couple weeks ago because I got a message on my Tivo that said a new channel was available in my area. However, the message stated that  42-2 was now available, even though I couldn't receive it. I wonder if someone at Tivo transposed the numbers and it should have been 24-2 since 42-2 is a Madison station that I have almost zero chance of getting in the Milwaukee area.

[Xizer]

Terrific... degraded picture quality to make way for a hick channel. As if the Milwaukee market didn't have enough of those with that worthless selection of SD religious channels I've got deleted off my channels list.

[Jimboy]

Terrific... degraded picture quality to make way for a hick channel. As if the Milwaukee market didn't have enough of those with that worthless selection of SD religious channels I've got deleted off my channels list.

What degraded picture quality are you seeing all of a sudden? The bitrate of 24-1 didn't change when the .2 was added.

The "Hicks" you refer to are "people" and they seem to like it.
http://www.facebook.com/TheCountryNetwork

[Jimboy]

I noticed it last night as I was flipping through channels after the late news. It may have started broadcasting a couple weeks ago because I got a message on my Tivo that said a new channel was available in my area. However, the message stated that  42-2 was now available, even though I couldn't receive it. I wonder if someone at Tivo transposed the numbers and it should have been 24-2 since 42-2 is a Madison station that I have almost zero chance of getting in the Milwaukee area.

The Country Network channel started Monday 10-25 at 3:15pm.

[Xizer]

Isn't this a standard definition channel? What is the point of this?

Launching a new TV channel in 2010 in 480i? lmao

[WITI6fan]

Isn't this a standard definition channel? What is the point of this?

Launching a new TV channel in 2010 in 480i? lmao

Well if you're only going to be broadcasting on digital subchannels....

SD equipment is also pretty cheap now. If you don't like this network, save up a couple thousand dollars, head to eBay, and start your own network.

[Xizer]

Or better yet, how about I just ignore this network since it is painfully irrelevant to modern society.

[jjallou]

Isn't this a standard definition channel? What is the point of this?

Launching a new TV channel in 2010 in 480i? lmao

A new TV channel would require a 6mhz allocation from the FCC, new station facilities, and another transmitter. Then you can stuff a HD feed in the 19.392658Mbs that you have to work with.

A Sub-Channel like The Country Network, CoolTV, RTV, ThisTV....... is added to a stations existing 19.392658 stream and are typically 480i since the ATSC spec was really not suited for two HD streams (although some stations are doing this - and not very well).

HD purists would like to see the full bandwidth used for HD. Others appreciate the availability of additional channels without having to pay for them, i.e FREE-TV.

Not sure why a 480i channel in 2010 would cause someone to lose their behind. It happens all of the time. You decide which one :eek:

[jjallou]

Or better yet, how about I just ignore this network since it is painfully irrelevant to modern society.

Rude people are also painfully irrelevant to modern society.

[techguy1975]

Or better yet, how about I just ignore this network since it is painfully irrelevant to modern society.

So...  Just because you are not a fan of the particular format of this station, you take it upon yourself to declare it irrelevant to modern society??   Umm..  Narrow minded much?! :bang:

[mrschimpf]

Isn't this a standard definition channel? What is the point of this?

Launching a new TV channel in 2010 in 480i? lmao

The reason why I said that they did a great job launching it on 24 is because it's 720p, which allows a full-motion 480i stream quite comfortably without any interference to the main channel. Looking at the map on the channel's website they have taken good care to launch it mainly on their MyNet and Fox stations where they can, and only on 1080i stations where there's absolutely no choice.

Myself, I'll admit I'm not much of a country fan (and I don't begrudge it), but I'm glad they added it. It's only been in the last year Sinclair got back into subchannel networks outside of MyNet (where it can't fit) because they got so badly burned by the Tube, and they're being careful to add subchannels which are entertaining and have purpose and may stick around for more than a year. This one has a purpose; many people are annoyed by CMT airing crap like the Lethal Weapon movies, World's Strictest Parents and other stuff which perpetuates the stereotypes you mention, and not everyone gets Great American Country. It's a perfectly fine channel and if you don't like it, there's a delete button to take it out of your channel map; use it.

[Talos4]

Or better yet, how about I just ignore this network since it is painfully irrelevant to modern society.

Yeah, irrelevant

Nielsen SoundScan also enumerated its top sellers of the 2000-2009 decade -- and country came off well here, too. Among the Top 10 best-selling artists, Tim McGraw came in third (after Eminem and the Beatles) with sales of 24,769,000 albums. Keith was No. 4 (24,469,000) and Kenny Chesney No. 6 (22,034,000).

McGraw was the decade's most-played artist, accumulating 7,965,000 spins. Country artists dominated this category, with Keith (No. 2), George Strait (No. 3), Alan Jackson (No. 4), Chesney (No. 6), Rascal Flatts (No. 7), Brooks & Dunn (No. and Garth Brooks (No. 9). The only non-country acts were Nickelback (No. 5) and Green Day (No. 10).

Faith Hill had two of the decade's 10 most-played songs -- "Breathe" (No. 4) and "The Way You Love Me" (No. 6). Lee Ann Womack's "I Hope You Dance" was No. 7.

[Xizer]

The only country artist worth listening to is Taylor Swift.

TAY-TAY!!