Cable's TNT is launching a high-definition version

[Kevin Arnold]

Tim Cuprisin's column strikes again.  Tonight he reports that TNT will be launching a HD simulcast of their programming.  Here's the quote :

Cable's TNT is launching a high-definition version of itself in May, playing the same lineup as the regular cable channel.

While HBO, Showtime and the Discovery Channel offer high-definition programming, this would be the first basic cable channel to simulcast its lineup in the super-sharp format available if you have the correct TV and the appropriate cable or satellite service.

Find the whole column here:

Tim Cuprisin's Jan 6th Column

[oflaherty]

FYI-- A Turner executive here at the National Association of Broadcasters convention in Vegas says the start date for TNT HD is May 10th.

---
Sean

[gparris]

Unless DTV or Dish have more satellite capacity soon, the Bravo+, TMC, Cimemax and Starz! HD versions will never come to the HDTV set owner, much less TNT HD!:(

Big deal!

It is great to have more HD channels out there for your "viewing pleasure", hence the reason you buy HDTVs.

But they can launch all the channels they want, but if the providers of such HD channels choose not to have them in their delivery systems for the subscribing public (the consumer), what is the point?  
My opinion goes out to TWC, too, which does not have to launch satellites, just get the negotiations moving or whatever it does, to get HD channel delivery to the cable subscriber. Yes, IMO, TWC has a fair amount of HD channels and will have a HD PVR for rental (just like HD-Tivo for DTV) sometime this year, which is a great thing, but TNT-HD?  Turner is part of the whole Time Warner "empire", so naturally one would assume that TNT-HD is the next HD channel to be offered...not so, IMO, as Cinemax-HD has been up and running for some time and it, too, is a Time Warner product, and yet, it is not offered on any TWC cable system.:confused:

So, go ahead, add another HD channel we can't get from anywhere and we will just have to be glad to have what we can get!  

You can say, well, go to Voom, which still doesn't have ESPN-HD and has a limited subscriber base because satellite consumers are standing on the sidelines wondering if the company is in the red and going under soon. Boards I read everyday about Voom show incompetant installers, bad customer service and many bad HD channels (same show repeated over and over), and that is just to begin with. If you go to their wonderful website and click on the packages for Sho and Starz! the bottom message in the corner of the inset screen leads you to a disclaimer about how they might not have this capacity to offer these channels anytime soon...yeah, that makes me feel real secure about having Voom!!
Directv and Dish are at very least stable,have been around awhile to give the subscriber something to install and feel good about it, unlike Voom, but have not added anymore HD channels on a full-time subscriber basis (don't even think about adding the HD PPV channels to the list of what is offered, unless you plan to pay for it 24/7!)

So go ahead, add more HD channels no one can get...TNT HD or whatever....:mad:  I only know what is available in this "competitive environment": what THEY think we want and what THEY  will  give us. :bang:

[Snard]

Originally posted by gparris
Unless DTV or Dish have more satellite capacity soon, the Bravo+, TMC, Cimemax and Starz! HD versions will never come to the HDTV set owner, much less TNT HD!:(

Big deal!

...

So go ahead, add more HD channels no one can get...TNT HD or whatever....:mad:  I only know what is available in this "competitive environment": what THEY think we want and what THEY  will  give us. :bang:

I understand your frustration, but I think that part of the HD rollout problem is the "chicken or egg" problem. Networks don't want to invest in HD until there are customers, and customers don't want to invest in new sets and equipment until there is stuff to watch. I applaud TNT for taking the first step here to get the ball (or is it egg?) rolling. Once there are more HD channels available, it will hopefully provide some additional incentive to deploy extra satellites, or allocate the bandwidth, in order to provide these signals to the people who want to watch them.

Yeah, I know, overly idealistic and naive, but I try to be a "glass is half full" guy.

[summerfun]

From what I understand about bandwith, the largest hogs are the analog channels. HD digital channels are four times SD digital channels, but analog channels are many more times than any digital channels.

If the cable companies can ween people off of analog and get them over to digital, even SD digital, it will open up a lot of bandwidth and they can offer more HD channels to the consumer.

This is going to require people to have digital cable ready TV sets or use digital cable box tuners. It has been a slow conversion.

[The Law]

Cable's TNT is launching a high-definition version of itself in May, playing the same lineup as the regular cable channel.

The above indicates simply duplicating the SD programming on the HD channel and implies that either 1)  All programs will be filmed in HD as well (hard to believe) or 2)  They'll just stretch the SD and throw in an HD flick if one comes around that matches the other channel.

This kind of sounds like ESPN"HD" or the locals

Kudos, though for doing adding the channel.

[sp44again]

You would think they would launch sooner so they could show NBA playoff games in HD starting this week. :bang:

[gparris]

The point I was making (hoping you forum members would chime in) is this :
Why have anymore HD channels available that no one can get, to begin with?

It may be "chicken and egg", but more like this:
"If we make the HD channel, someone will carry it"

This is so..."Field of Dreams"!

Sounds like a bad business model to me.

Would you create a product with no distribution channels?

I think not.  

So why are HD channels coming out that no one can get on their HDTV screens? :rolleyes:

[summerfun]

Originally posted by gparris
Would you create a product with no distribution channels?

I'm not sure I follow your logic. Nobody can carry a network until it exist. TNT HD is announcing to the world that in May they will exist. Only then can the satellite and cable companies start to carry the new channel. It can't work the other way.

It seems to me, your upset at the limited number of HD channels that are being carried right now compared to the number that exist. With that, I would agree. Bring them all on. But don't blame TNT HD for starting their HD channel. I commend them and which all networks would get onboard and start their HD programming.

Without the trail blazers willing to produce HD content even though the audience is very very small, this HD would never have gotten off the ground.

[Gregg Lengling]

I being a "Techo Geek" and a "Sci Fi" fan can only hope that some day the "Sci Fi Channel" will go high def and Directv has their new bird waiting with the bandwidth to carry it.

Think about it.....Sci Fi lovers are TechnoGeeks by definition...who else would you target with HD than a loyal SciFi fan.

BTW even my wife was pissed when the Sci Fi channel picked up StarGate SG1 from Showtime.....went from HD to garbage.....almost looks better on reruns on WITI!

[summerfun]

Originally posted by Gregg Lengling
BTW even my wife was pissed when the Sci Fi channel picked up StarGate SG1 from Showtime.....went from HD to garbage.....almost looks better on reruns on WITI!

I must be a late comer to StarGate SG1. I only started watching it last year and I was watching the reruns on ch 6 but did not know they were reruns. It said "new" in the info box.

Later, I found out that the SciFi channel was running the new ones. I switched and started watching from them.

Now, I find out that it used to be on Showtime in HD. Now, I am pissed. :guns:

[The Law]

I mentioned this before.  I don't think they'll be HD programming.  The articles states that TNT will be running the same programming as the SD Channel (see quote in previous post).

Anyone care to comment on why I could be wrong?

[summerfun]

Originally posted by The Law
Anyone care to comment on why I could be wrong?

Obviously I have no secret knowledge on this matter. But, doesn't every network run the same programming on their HD and SD channels? If they are broadcasting HD content, they downconvert for the SD channel. If they are broadcasting SD content, it is the same on the SD and HD channels.

That is how ABC, CBS, NBC, HBO, Showtime and everyone else does it. I think that is what they meant by the same material. They are just saying that it will not be "different" material on the HD channel. It will be the same.

It was probably a poor choice of words on their part.

[The Law]

That's what I meant, sort of, it will be like the locals and ESPNHD and not like inHD, HDNET, DISCHD, etc. that run purely HD programming.  It sounds like TNTHD will also not be purely HD programming - but converted, like you say.

-r

[summerfun]

Originally posted by The Law
That's what I meant, sort of, it will be like the locals and ESPNHD and not like inHD, HDNET, DISCHD, etc. that run purely HD programming.  It sounds like TNTHD will also not be purely HD programming - but converted, like you say.

-r

Your right, they will not be like HDnet with dedicated 27/7 programming that cannot be found on an SD channel. They will be like CBS, ABC and the rest and have some shows in HD and some in SD. The material wont be "upconverted" from SD and stretched like ESPNHD. It will be real HD.

I believe they will have some HD content and some SD content just like the other networks. I would not expect anything else anytime soon. I think except for brand new networks like HDnet, this is what you will see for awhile. These networks have a legacy business they still have to serve on the SD channels. More and more, they will produce in HD and downconvert to SD for those older customers. Eventually they will cut them off and have only HD.