Today's High-Def Headlines

Fox To Go All HD, All the Time - MCN
Within two years, Fox's television network group plans to distribute its broadcast network and all of its cable services exclusively in high-definition — eliminating standard-definition feeds — with an infrastructure upgrade the company expects will double its satellite capacity. The change will require all cable, satellite and telco distributors to install new satellite receiver/decoder devices from Motorola, although Fox for the time being will continue to offer the HD feeds in the widely used MPEG-2 encoding format.

DirecTV Adds Five More PBS HD Locals - MCN
DirecTV Wednesday launched five more local HDTV public broadcasting stations, raising the DBS provider's total to 29 markets that are now receiving local PBS HD. The nation’s largest satellite provider added the public-station HD services in Atlanta, Baltimore, Cleveland, Omaha, Neb., and Savannah, Ga. DirecTV also added a Fox local HD station in Lincoln-Hastings, Neb.

TV One Brings HD Channel to Five Markets - MCN
TV One Wednesday announced it is offering a high-definition simulcast of its African American-targeted, analog cable channel on several Time Warner and Comcast Cable systems. TV One-HD has launched on Time Warner Cable's NYC Region system, as well as on Comcast systems in Boston, Chicago, Portland, Oregon and Seattle, with additional launches expected in early January 2009, according to network officials.

Comcast Hits HD 'Triple’ - MCN
Comcast unveiled a handful of new HD packages at an industry conference aimed at consumers affected by the sluggish economy. HD Starter is priced at $114.89 per month (including 80 digital cable channels, 6 Megabit per second to 12 Mbps high-speed Internet and digital phone). HD Plus is priced at $139.99 per month (150 digital channels, 8 Mbps to 16 Mbps high-speed Internet and digital phone). HD Premium is priced at $179.99 per month (including HD DVR service; 200 digital channels; high-speed Internet at 16 Mbps to 22 Mbps per second; premium networks HBO, Starz, Cinemax and Showtime; and a Sports Entertainment package.