Rainbow Pulls Plug On Voom HD Service - MCN
Rainbow Media Holdings, blaming a loss of carriage on Dish Network and the expected lengthy litigation stemming from that drop, is shutting down the domestic operations of its beleaguered Voom HD, its suite of 15 HD networks. Dish Network had been the largest distributor of the Voom HD services, but it dropped them in May in a contract dispute with Rainbow. That left Voom HD with only one U.S. distributor, Rainbow parent Cablevision Systems Corp., which will replace the HD services, reportedly in late January when they go off.
YouTube Launches HD Video Page - CNET
YouTube announced Thursday that it has launched a new landing page to corral all the high-definition video uploaded to the site.
Along with the new page, YouTube's HD player now launches in a widescreen window that takes up the majority of the browser window. YouTube posted an FAQ on how to how to encode HD videos and how to avoid "windowboxing"--images that are surrounded by black bars.
Time Warner Cable Pumps Up HD Volume in Manhattan - MCN
Time Warner Cable has added more than two dozen new high-definition basic channels to some of its 600,000 subscribers in Manhattan in New York City, and a full range of premium outlets’ HD multiplexes too. By a reporter’s observation, the Northern Manhattan system’s 700 (and upper 600) channel region, containing the basic HD channels, has added: NBC Universal-owned USA, Sci Fi Channel, CNBC, Bravo and The Weather Channel; MTV Networks’ Palladia; Turner Broadcasting’s Cartoon Channel; Comcast’s E! Entertainment, Golf Channel and Versus (separately), Style and G4; Liberty Media’s QVC; Fox Cable Networks’ FX and Speed Channel; Walt Disney Co.’s ABC Family, Disney Channel, Toon Disney, ESPNnews and ESPNU; Fox Business Network and Fox News Channel; A&E Networks’ A&E, History and Bio; Discovery’s Discovery and Science channels and Planet Green, all in HD.
Sales Growth of Flat-Panel TVs Is Expected to Slow - NY Times
Sales of flat panel TVs are going flat. In a reversal of fortune, television sales in the United States are predicted to drop in 2009, according to a new report from DisplaySearch, a market research firm. It would be the first sales decline in at least a decade, said DisplaySearch, and the first decline in revenue since 2000.
Panasonic To Buy Sanyo - TWICE
The boards of Panasonic and Sanyo officially signed off on a capital and business alliance Friday through which Panasonic will acquire controlling interest in Sanyo from major shareholders for around $9 billion to become one the world’s largest electronics manufacturers. Panasonic said it will aim to acquire the majority of the voting rights of Sanyo assuming full dilution (which takes into account conversion of Class A preferred stock and Class B preferred stock into common stock) by means of a public tender offer bid.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Thursday, December 18, 2008
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.
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.
Monday, December 08, 2008
Today's High-Def Headlines
HD: A Mixed Bag For The Holidays - MCN
This year’s holiday season looks to be a mixed bag for high-definition TV. The slumping economy is likely to have a chilling effect on HDTV set sales, but the stakes for operators promoting their high-def offerings remain high — and the opportunities still loom large. According to two recent studies, HDTVs are now in about one-third of all homes, making it increasingly important for pay TV operators to deploy a strong high-definition offering if they wish to retain current customers. And the Consumer Electronics Association predicts that some 27.7 million new HD sets will be sold in 2009.
How to Buy a Flat-Screen HDTV - Washington Post
Before you drop hundreds or thousands of dollars on the wrong flat-panel HDTV, read our comprehensive breakdown of everything you need to know. Our advice might just help you save some money. LCD and plasma screens may look similar, but the underlying technologies are quite different, as are, consequently, their strengths and weaknesses.
Sharp To Ship Aquos LCD/Blu-ray Combos - TWICE
Sharp will ship in January a pair HD Aquos LCD TVs with integrated Blu-ray Disc players, according to Mike Troetti, Sharp Electronics Marketing Company of America (SEMCA) president. The first sets slated to arrive next month and will have screen sizes of 32 and 42 inches. The 42-inch model will feature 1080p Full HD resolution and 120Hz frame-rate processing. Both will include a multi-slot loading mechanism for Blu-ray, DVD and CD discs.
Tee Time For Golf Channel HD - MCN
After sharing channel space with Comcast Corp.-owned Versus, Golf Channel will tee off alone in high-definition Dec. 8. With commitments from its parent, as well as DirecTV, Dish Network, Cox Communications, Verizon's FiOS TV and Cablevision Systems Corp., Golf Channel HD is expected to be in 12.5 million homes by January. Officials for the service said other operator deals are pending that could add another 3 million homes to that total.
Creative Intros Vado HD Camcorder - TWICE
Milpitas, Calif. — Creative introduced a high-definition version of its Vado pocket video camera today, ratcheting up the competition in the burgeoning market for inexpensive flash camcorders. It follows on the heels of Kodak’s Zi6 and Pure Digital’s Mino HD. Like those models, the Vado HD records 720p video at 30 fps but it includes an HDMI cable for outputting 1080i video to HDTVs.
DirecTV Adds PBS HD Channels - TWICE
Delivering on a previously announced arrangement with the nation’s public television stations, DirecTV said it will begin offering local Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) TV stations in high definition to 14 markets across the country starting Wednesday. DirecTV said it will continue to roll out PBS HD channels in additional local markets through the end of the year and in 2009 — ahead of the Feb. 17 digital transition deadline, when high-power analog TV broadcasting is mandated to end.
TV's Next Big Things - WSJ
Television makers, whose products went from big and bulky to sleek and flat in a matter of 10 years, are looking for the next breakthrough. Industry leaders Sony Corp., Sharp Corp. and Panasonic Corp. are all developing new displays designed to stand out on store shelves increasingly filled with similar-looking products. The effort is especially important as the economic slowdown hammers average selling prices on the latest flat-panel televisions and as value brands close the technology gap with the top-tier companies.
Tribune Co. Weighs Filing for Chapter 11 - WSJ
Tribune Co. is preparing for a possible filing for bankruptcy-court protection as soon as this week, according to people familiar with the matter, in a sign of worsening trouble for the newspaper industry. In recent days, as Chicago-based Tribune continued talks with lenders to restructure its debt, the newspaper-and-television concern hired investment bank Lazard Ltd. as its financial adviser and law firm Sidley Austin to advise the company on a possible trip through Chapter 11 bankruptcy, people familiar with the matter say.
This year’s holiday season looks to be a mixed bag for high-definition TV. The slumping economy is likely to have a chilling effect on HDTV set sales, but the stakes for operators promoting their high-def offerings remain high — and the opportunities still loom large. According to two recent studies, HDTVs are now in about one-third of all homes, making it increasingly important for pay TV operators to deploy a strong high-definition offering if they wish to retain current customers. And the Consumer Electronics Association predicts that some 27.7 million new HD sets will be sold in 2009.
How to Buy a Flat-Screen HDTV - Washington Post
Before you drop hundreds or thousands of dollars on the wrong flat-panel HDTV, read our comprehensive breakdown of everything you need to know. Our advice might just help you save some money. LCD and plasma screens may look similar, but the underlying technologies are quite different, as are, consequently, their strengths and weaknesses.
Sharp To Ship Aquos LCD/Blu-ray Combos - TWICE
Sharp will ship in January a pair HD Aquos LCD TVs with integrated Blu-ray Disc players, according to Mike Troetti, Sharp Electronics Marketing Company of America (SEMCA) president. The first sets slated to arrive next month and will have screen sizes of 32 and 42 inches. The 42-inch model will feature 1080p Full HD resolution and 120Hz frame-rate processing. Both will include a multi-slot loading mechanism for Blu-ray, DVD and CD discs.
Tee Time For Golf Channel HD - MCN
After sharing channel space with Comcast Corp.-owned Versus, Golf Channel will tee off alone in high-definition Dec. 8. With commitments from its parent, as well as DirecTV, Dish Network, Cox Communications, Verizon's FiOS TV and Cablevision Systems Corp., Golf Channel HD is expected to be in 12.5 million homes by January. Officials for the service said other operator deals are pending that could add another 3 million homes to that total.
Creative Intros Vado HD Camcorder - TWICE
Milpitas, Calif. — Creative introduced a high-definition version of its Vado pocket video camera today, ratcheting up the competition in the burgeoning market for inexpensive flash camcorders. It follows on the heels of Kodak’s Zi6 and Pure Digital’s Mino HD. Like those models, the Vado HD records 720p video at 30 fps but it includes an HDMI cable for outputting 1080i video to HDTVs.
DirecTV Adds PBS HD Channels - TWICE
Delivering on a previously announced arrangement with the nation’s public television stations, DirecTV said it will begin offering local Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) TV stations in high definition to 14 markets across the country starting Wednesday. DirecTV said it will continue to roll out PBS HD channels in additional local markets through the end of the year and in 2009 — ahead of the Feb. 17 digital transition deadline, when high-power analog TV broadcasting is mandated to end.
TV's Next Big Things - WSJ
Television makers, whose products went from big and bulky to sleek and flat in a matter of 10 years, are looking for the next breakthrough. Industry leaders Sony Corp., Sharp Corp. and Panasonic Corp. are all developing new displays designed to stand out on store shelves increasingly filled with similar-looking products. The effort is especially important as the economic slowdown hammers average selling prices on the latest flat-panel televisions and as value brands close the technology gap with the top-tier companies.
Tribune Co. Weighs Filing for Chapter 11 - WSJ
Tribune Co. is preparing for a possible filing for bankruptcy-court protection as soon as this week, according to people familiar with the matter, in a sign of worsening trouble for the newspaper industry. In recent days, as Chicago-based Tribune continued talks with lenders to restructure its debt, the newspaper-and-television concern hired investment bank Lazard Ltd. as its financial adviser and law firm Sidley Austin to advise the company on a possible trip through Chapter 11 bankruptcy, people familiar with the matter say.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
