Today's High-Def Headlines

I'm back after a little break to enjoy the U.S. Open, so here's what's going on in the world of HD:

Comcast To Launch Three HD Nets, Including E! - MCN
Comcast is creating two separate HDTV networks for The Golf Channel and Versus, as well as launching a standalone HDTV service for E! Entertainment Television in December, officials said Wednesday. Comcast’s sports services, Versus and The Golf Channel, since January 2007 have shared a single HDTV channel. On that hybrid HD network, Golf Channel programming from the standard-definition channel was simulcast from noon to 7 p.m. and Versus fare from 7 p.m. to midnight. Now, each sports channel will have its own 24-hour HDTV network as of December, and E! will have its own HDTV standalone simulcast as well.

Bang & Olufsen Unveils BeoVision 9 - TWICE

Design-centric A/V equipment manufacturer Bang & Olufsen unveiled a 50-inch BeoVision 9 plasma TV and home cinema package featuring the company’s “Automatic Colour Management” technology that is said to offer richer, more natural colors over the life of the plasma screen.

ESPN Scores Hole-In-One With U.S. Open Coverage - MCN
Tiger Woods wasn’t the only winner at this year’s U.S. Open. ESPN, which shared coverage of Monday’s dramatic 19-hole playoff with NBC, garnered a 4.2 rating and more than 4 million households, making it the most-watched golf telecast in cable television history.

TV Panel Sees Green - TWICE

The importance of environmentally friendly practices and designs in the HDTV category is having an impact on product sales, but to what extent was the source of some debate among a panel of HDTV manufacturers and retailers at the Consumer Electronics Association’s Digital Downtown showcase Thursday.

All-Digital Cable Move May Spark Viewer Ire - USA Today

Cable subscribers who own a cable-ready analog TV — which means most customers — have it easy. They simply attach a line from the wall into the back of the set, and it's ready to go. On cable's most popular service, that means access to about 80 channels — including those that define the medium, such as CNN, ESPN and USA Network.

Time Warner Cable offers Disney Channel, ABC Family HD - San Antonio Biz Journal

Time Warner Cable San Antonio is bringing cable customers more family programming in high definition, the company said Thursday. Starting today, the company is making Disney Channel HD available on channel 142 and ABC Family HD available on channel 141. The new HD channels are available to all standard service customers with an HD converter.

Amino Debuts HD-Only IPTV Set-Top - MCN

Amino Communications, a U.K.-based IPTV set-top manufacturer, has developed a unit with only a digital high-definition video output that the company claimed is about 20% less expensive than its existing HD solution.

Philips Poised for Second Half Sales Season - Dealerscope

Philips will enter what promises to be a highly competitive Christmas selling season armed with the products it displayed at a New York-held “Holidays in June” showing Monday. Among the audio, video, personal care and lighting solutions were some models from the company’s flat-panel LCD TV line – the first display of TV products since the April announcement that it would license sourcing, distribution, marketing and sales of its TVs in North America to Funai.