DIRECTV Adds Local HD Nets in Indy, Seattle

DIRECTV said today that it is now offering certain local broadcast networks in high-def in Seattle and Indianapolis, bringing to 26 the number of markets in which it offers HD locals. In Seattle, the local CBS and NBC affiliates are now available in high-def, with negotiations still in progress for ABC and FOX. The reverse is true in Indianapolis: ABC and FOX are now available, with CBS and NBC to come later.

Comcast: We Want More HD Networks

Comcast executive Steve Burke says that its HD subscriber base could double in the next 18 months, although according to Multichannel News, "he cautioned that growth will depend on more networks delivering programs in HD."

Steve, are you kidding? I understand that the entire cable industry faces bandwidth constraints that prevent more HD channels from being offered. But to say that your HD subscriber growth might not be what you want because of a lack of programming just doesn't make sense.

Here's a partial list of HD networks in existence today that Comcast does NOT offer:

• ESPN2 HD
• HDNet
• HDNet Movies
• MHD (MTV)
• The Movie Channel HD
• Universal HD (some markets)
• VOOM 15 HD
• WealthTV HD
• Many regional sports networks in HD, including MSG, SportsNet NY, YES

CEA: HDTV Sales Up 101% Over '05

The Consumer Electronics Association said last week that HDTV sales rose to 3.4 million in the first quarter of '06, a 101% increase from the same quarter last year. In all, consumers spent about $3.6 billion on HDTVs in Q1 '06. The CEA also released survey data showing that 49% of consumers plan to make their next TV purchase some kind of flat-panel display (plasma and LCD would seem to be the likely candidates).

Market research firm Current Analysis, my old employer, reports that the average plasma display street price fell 9% from March to April, coming in at just over $3,300.

For what it's worth, the CEA data refers to DTVs, or digital TVs, which was a much more relevant term two or three years ago when EDTVs were a popular way of getting near-HD quality at a discounted price. Nowadays you'd be hard pressed to find more than a couple of EDTVs for sale at your local electronics retailer.

Panasonic and Sony in Cahoots on New HD Camcorder Format

PC Magazine has the story on Panasonic and Sony's announcement last week of a new high-def camcorder format called AVCHD that will allow for 1080i and 720p recording and playback onto 8-centimeter DVDs. Standard DVDs are 12 cm and are considered too big given the trend of increasingly smaller camcorders and digital cameras.

No word yet on when any AVCHD products will be available or at what price.

HP Now the Biggest Consumer Electronics Maker

I don't really understand how this happened so quickly, but the Wall Street Journal reports today that HP became the largest consumer electronics manufacturer in 2005, taking 13% of the $80 billion CE pie. HP jumped Sony and Panasonic for the top slot. And to think that just a few years ago, HP was known primarily for its printers and not much else...

DISH HD Locals Available in 11 New Markets

DISH Network today launched high-def local broadcast channels in 11 new markets, bringing the total of markets with DISH HD locals available to 24. The new markets are: Dallas; Houston; Miami; Phoenix; Portland, Ore.; Sacramento; San Antonio; San Diego; San Francisco; Seattle; and Spokane.

DISH plans to reach more than 50 percent of U.S. TV households with local HD channels by year end.

DIRECTV Adds Local HD Channels in 4 New Areas

DIRECTV said today that it has launched high-def local channels in Milwaukee, Phoenix, Salt Lake City and St. Louis. That brings to 24 the number of markets in which the nation's largest satellite provider offers HD locals. 26 more are planned by the end of this year.

Amazon Subsidiary to Offer HDNet Titles Online

CustomFlix, a subsidiary of Amazon.com, announced last week that it has reached an agreement with HDNet to offer hundreds of high-def programs for sale online at Amazon. The company also said that it will support all of the high-definition DVD formats, including Blu-ray, HD DVD and WMA-HD DVD.

Amazon.com currently offers a broad and growing selection of high definition televisions, players, and DVDs with an HD-DVD store at www.amazon.com/hddvd, a Blu-ray store at www.amazon.com/bluray, and sells numerous WMV-HD DVDs.

Sharp in LCD Production Deal with Corning

Corning announced this morning that it has inked an agreement with Sharp to manufacture 8th generation LCD glass substrates at its facility in Shizuoka, Japan. In addition, Corning said that it recently signed a supply agreement making Corning the majority glass substrate supplier for Sharp Corporation's Gen 8 fab in Mie Prefecture, which is currently under construction and expected to open later this year. Sharp's new Gen 8 factory will be focused on LCD TVs that are 40 inches and larger and according to the company, Corning's new investment will add Gen 8 glass capacity to meet Sharp's future supply requirements.

DIRECTV Announces New Markets for HD Locals

DIRECTV today named 14 new markets in which it will launch high-def local channels beginning in the third quarter of this year. They are:

   --  Cincinnati                               --  Madison, Wis.
 --  Austin, Texas                        --  Memphis, Tenn.
 --  Albuquerque, N.M.            --  Portland, Maine
 --  Grand Rapids, Mich.          --  Portland, Ore.
 --  Green Bay, Wis.                    --  Providence, R.I.
 --  Greensboro, N.C.                 --  Reno, Nev.
 --  Las Vegas                                --  San Antonio

DIRECTV currently offers 20 HD local channel markets including: Atlanta,
Birmingham, Boston, Chicago, Columbus, Dallas-Fort Worth, Detroit,
Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Nashville, New York,
Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, Tampa
and Washington, D.C. By June of this year, DIRECTV will have activated
local HD programming in 16 more previously announced markets for a
total of 36 markets, representing 58 percent of U.S. TV households.