Industry Insider: Discovery HD's Clint Stinchcomb

Discovery HD Theater Brings the 20th Anniversary of SHARK WEEK into Sharp Focus

By Clint Stinchcomb, Executive Vice President and General Manager, HDTV and New Media, Discovery Communications

For the past 20 years, Discovery Channel has made SHARK WEEK the programming event of the summer. This year, it’s even bigger and better with SHARK WEEK programming crossing over to Discovery’s mobile service and on VOD. But probably the most impressive way to see this incredible event is on Discovery’s premiere HD service – Discovery HD Theater.

On Saturday, August 4 and Sunday, August 5, Discovery HD Theater will premiere “Shark Weekend,” an action packed lineup of HD premieres bringing the world of sharks to life in brilliant clarity. Beginning at 7 PM ET/PT on Saturday, fans can sink their teeth into TOP FIVE EATEN ALIVE, featuring the five most amazing shark attack survival stories; SHARK TRIBE, a look into the mysterious shark whisperers of New Guinea; and PERFECT PREDATORS, a countdown of shark species according to their skills and level of development.

On Sunday, beginning at 6 PM ET/PT, viewers can look forward to SHARKMAN, featuring Michael Rutzen, who sets out to hypnotize a Great White in open water; SHARK FEEDING FRENZY, which explores shark reactions to various types of food matter; and OCEAN OF FEAR: WORST SHARK ATTACK EVER, the dramatic documentary on the tragic sinking of the USS Indianapolis and the subsequent shark attacks.

Cable’s longest-running programming event, SHARK WEEK remains one of the television’s most popular summer past times. Now, HD fans can watch footage of a shark leaping out of the water or a shark feeding frenzy, in stunning 1080i with digital surround sound, adding a whole new dimension to SHARK WEEK and bringing home the jaw-clenching action like never before.

Today's High-Def Headlines

Two HDTV Technologies Worth Waiting For - PC World
If you're planning an HDTV purchase this fall (or looking ahead to one this winter), keep an eye out for two emerging technologies. 1080p is now everywhere, LCD HDTVs are taking over, and 40-inch displays are evolving into the new sweet spot. But new sets slated for this fall and winter are will be among the first mainstream displays to incorporate two new technologies that can significantly improve picture quality: 120-Hz refresh rate and LED backlighting.

Enhanced Qwest Choice TV Offers More High-Def Program Choices
Qwest today announced that it has added new high-definition (HD) programming to its Qwest Choice(TM) TV video offering in Phoenix. The new channels offer a wide variety of programming, including Fox Sports Net (FSN) Arizona, Universal HD, Golf/VERSUS HD, ASUtv and KPHE-TV, to meet the wide range of television viewers' interests.

Panasonic Introduces Two New HD Camcorders
Panasonic today announced two new High Definition video camcorders that match the growing consumer demand for large-screen, high-image-quality TVs and the continued evolution toward High Definition video. The new HDC-SD5 and HDC-SX5 camcorders employ cutting-edge imaging technology to capture video recordings that are breathtakingly clear and vibrant, especially when viewed on a high-quality, large screen TV.

IOGEAR Expands HDMI Product Family
Consumers can now simultaneously control and connect up to four High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) devices to television sets, thanks to IOGEAR's new 4-Port Automatic HDMI Switch. IOGEAR's patented HDAS (High-Definition Automatic Switch) technology instantly locks and transfers the active audio and video content to the connected HD display.

Sony Profit Doubles In Q2, Despite TV, PS3 Struggles - TWICE
Sony’s TV unit posted a wider operating loss of $323.6 million for the quarter on a sales decline of 10 percent. Sony said it had to lower prices more than expected this spring as the high-definition television market grew more competitive. The company said its rear-projection television business was off, as plasma and LCD TV prices continued to drop.

WFTS-TV First in Tampa to Broadcast Local News in High Definition
WFTS-TV/ABC Action News is Tampa's first television station to broadcast its local news in High Definition (HD). This allows viewers to see a sharper and clearer picture. Coupled with enhanced audio, the viewing experience is improved dramatically, regardless of what type of television set (high definition or standard) you watch.

Editors' Top Televisions: Best HDTVs Overall - CNET
We review a lot of high-definition televisions here at CNET, but the list below represents the best of the best. It collects our current highest-recommended televisions arranged in order of overall score, regardless of TV type, technology, brand, or size.

Circuit City CEO Pitches Concept Stores - Multichannel News
The CEO of Circuit City Stores pitched cable-operator partnerships at the CTAM Summit in Washington last week, describing the concept stores the retailer is testing in partnership with companies including Comcast and Ethan Allen furniture stores in an effort to provide a more complete customer experience.With partnerships, Circuit City associates could sell entertainment and HDTV sources in the store with the hardware and the retailer’s service division, firedog, could provide the installation and help, he added.

Lawmakers Fret Over Digital TV Transition - Reuters
Some lawmakers are worried that too few Americans know that the analog TVs they have been using for years could become big cathode-ray paperweights after February 18, 2009, when broadcasters shut off their analog signals. During a Senate Commerce Committee hearing Thursday examining the government-mandated transition to digital TV, lawmakers aired their views that too little was being done to get the message to Americans.

RFD-TV Goes HD - Multichannel News
Rural-lifestyle network RFD-TV will launch an HDTV service this fall. RFD HD will offer programming on areas such as rural lifestyle, equine, agricultural and video auctions, as well as traditional music and entertainment.

Blu-ray v. HD DVD: Where Do We Stand? - CNET NewsBlog
The expected next-generation DVD format war isn't quite the deadlock many expected. Target's announcement Thursday that it would sell a Sony Blu-ray player in its stores alongside Blu-ray discs in a special feature promotion is important because the second-largest retailer in the U.S. doesn't sell HD DVD players in its stores, outside of the external HD DVD drive made for Microsoft's Xbox 360. It does sell a Toshiba HD DVD player on its Web site, however.

Today's High-Def Headlines

ABC Clicks On Online HDTV Test - Multichannel News
ABC.com Tuesday quietly kicked off a beta-test of its “high-definition” Internet-TV channel with four episodes from the network’s top-rated primetime shows -- but if your broadband connection and PC aren’t fast enough, you won’t see any difference over the regular versions.

Target Adds Sony BD Players - TWICE
Target has agreed to sell Sony Blu-ray Disc players as its exclusive next-generation high-definition disc players this holiday season, Sony said today. The exclusive deal, which will begin this fall and continue “at least through the holiday season,” will feature Sony’s $499 BDP-S300 Blu-ray player, which is scheduled to arrive at Target in October, and the currently available PlayStation3 video game console, which also plays Blu-ray Disc movies.

Microsoft Cuts Price of Xbox 360 HD DVD Add-On - Washington Post
Microsoft Corp. on Thursday said it would trim the price of an HD DVD player add-on for its Xbox 360 video game console and give away movies with the player, in a bid to support the format. Microsoft trimmed the price of the player to $179 from $199, and said it will add five free movies for buyers between Aug. 1 and Sept. 30.

Samsung Unveils Duo HD Deck - TWICE
Samsung formally introduced its latest HD optical disc player line on Wednesday, including the company’s previously announced first dual-format HD DVD/Blu-ray player. The new dual-format player — dubbed the BD-UP5000 Duo HD player (shipping in the fourth quarter at a $1,049 suggested retail) — is the new flagship of Samsung’s high-definition player line.

Today's High-Def Headlines

Latest Comcast-DirecTV Skirmish Over Ads - Multichannel News
In the latest chapter of a legal soap opera, Comcast Monday asked a federal judge to issue a temporary restraining order to bar DirecTV from running a new flight of TV ads involving a survey of home-theater installers. The direct-broadcast satellite provider said it’s already stopped airing the spots.

VisionQuest Introduces a New Stylish and Elegant 46" Full HD 1080p Rembrandt
the coming weeks, consumers will finally be able to set their eyes on a new stylish and elegant 46" Full HD 1080p VisionQuest LCD television (LVQ-46EF2AU). It features a brilliant 1920x1080 resolution and 16.7 Million color display, truly providing the highest level of viewing experience high-definition has to offer.

Denon Unveils Its First Blu-ray Player - TWICE
Denon announced a broad product launch at its national dealer/rep show, where the D&M Holdings brand unveiled its first Blu-ray Disc player, an expanded networked-audio selection, and its first six A/V receivers that decode all standard and optional surround-sound formats approved for use on Blu-ray and HD DVD discs.

Today's High-Def Headlines

TiVo Debuts $299 HD DVR for Cable - Multichannel News
As part of a lobbying campaign to win the hearts and minds of cable operators, TiVo today announced a lower-priced HD digital-video recorder, the TiVo HD box, which, at $299, is nearly one-third the price of the $799 TiVo Series 3 HD DVR. Scheduled to be available in retail channels in August, TiVo HD is designed “exclusively for cable,” according to the company, with support for multistream CableCARDs.

NYC City Hall Gets 103” Plasma Makeover - TWICE
Panasonic’s 103-inch 1080p plasma TV is the new centerpiece of the renovated New York City Hall “bullpen,” which reopened today after a major renovation to the entire building.
Panasonic, working with the assistance of Tom Campbell, technology advisor to Mayor Michael Bloomberg on the system, donated the $69,999 monster high-definition TV to the city of New York for the new high-tech central command complex, dubbed “the bullpen.”

Toshiba Ships First U.S. Notebook Computer with HD DVD-R Drive
Toshiba's Digital Products Division (DPD), a division of Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., today announced the availability of the Qosmio(R) G45-AV680, a cutting-edge audio-video notebook computer with Dolby(R) surround sound technology and the first U.S. model to feature an HD DVD-R optical drive and full 1080p playback resolution.

Samsung SDI Reports $150M Net Loss - TWICE
Samsung SDI, a manufacturer of plasma display panels (PDPs) and cathode ray tubes for TVs, posted a worse-than-expected $150.9 million net loss Friday, blaming falling plasma TV prices for the result. The company said continued forecasts for falling prices and compressed margins do not bode well for a significant turnaround in the near term.

Today's High-Def Headlines

Consumers Cooling Off on Extended Warranties - Minneapolis Star Tribune
This year, Americans will spend an estimated $6 billion on extended warranties for electronic goods. But as consumers' comfort level with technology grows, and as they have wisened to the economics of such plans, the popularity of warranties is showing signs of waning.

Samsung Targets Early Adopters Wth Set Top Boxes - Broadcasting & Cable
When the digital-TV transition takes effect in February 2009, consumers with analog-only sets will need converter boxes to maintain over-the-air service. But, while LG Electronics plans to sell low-cost boxes at retail stores aimed at those poor souls without digital service, Samsung is taking a different tack.

Digital TV Transition: Not Getting the Picture - National Journal/Dallas News
The switch to digital-only television signals in early 2009 will usher in the most substantive changes to American TV in generations. Because of the government-imposed deadline, tens of millions of households will have to buy new equipment in order to keep their analog sets functioning, and the change will affect nearly everyone's viewing habits.

GalleryPlayer Announces All New 80 Half-Hour Blocks of HD Programming
GalleryPlayer, best known for having one of the largest libraries of rights-protected, high definition imagery in the world, today announced the availability of 80 all new half-hour blocks of HD programming at the CTAM 2007 Summit in Washington, DC. This announcement is in addition to the 40 hour-long blocks of programming the Company has previously produced.

LG Unveils 'Opus' LCD TV Series - TWICE
LG Electronics staged a summer line review at renowned art auction house Christie’s on Thursday to unveil what it calls its own consumer electronics “masterpieces.” Highlighting the presentation was the company’s new flagship LBX LCD TV series, dubbed “Opus,” which features 1080p HD resolution and 120Hz frame-rate technology.

Corning Announces Breakthrough Optical Fiber Technology
Corning's breakthrough is based on a nanoStructures(TM) optical fiber design that allows the cabled fiber to be bent around very tight corners with virtually no signal loss. These improved attributes will enable telecommunications carriers to economically offer true high-speed Internet, voice and HDTV services to virtually all commercial and residential (apartment and condominium) buildings.

Today's High-Def Headlines

JVC Announces New 3CCD High-Def HDD Camcorder
JVC Company of America today announced the launch of a new consumer high definition camcorder that combines a 3-CCD image sensor, high definition 1440 x 1080 recording and embedded 60GB hard disk storage in a compact size that fits in the palm of the hand.

Toshiba Extends 5 Free HD DVD Offer - TWICE
Toshiba has extended its five free HD DVD disc promotion, called “The Perfect Offer,” until Sept. 30, 2007, the company announced Wednesday.

Disney Sets Blu-ray Disc Tour - TWICE
The Walt Disney Studios and its sponsoring partner Panasonic yesterday announced the launch of Disney’s Magical Blu-ray Tour, which will visit 18 malls nationwide beginning Aug. 17. The tour focus on providing clarity for the growing consumer confusion around high-definition home entertainment and educating them on the benefits of Blu-ray Disc technology.

Samsung Puts 3D Into HDTVs - CNET TV
ZDNet Executive Editor David Berlind talks to Samsung's manager of HDTV product planning, Dan Schinasi, about the company's new 3D HD rear-projection television. To enable 3D content on the TV, users will need Samsung proprietary software, a PC, a DVI card and 3D glasses.

Today's High-Def Headlines

I'm back after a few days off, so without further ado here are the day's top stories:

Cox Inks Deal for National Geographic HD - Multichannel News
Cox Communications will soon offer every high-def customer National Geographic HD under terms of a carriage deal announced yesterday. Full rollout will take place this year and next.

Comcast Adds 4 HD Channels in Chicago - Multichannel News
Comcast high-def customers in the Second City now have access to A&E HD, Food Network HD, HGTV HD and National Geographic HD. Comcast began rolling out these high-def nets in Boston a couple months back and has made them available in select markets throughout the U.S.

A Closer Look at Samsung's Wireless Plasma - CNET TV
CNET/ZDNet Executive Editor David Berlind talks to Samsung's senior manager for plasma TV marketing, Bill Dickey, about the company's new FPT 5084 50-inch wireless flat-panel TV.

Honeywell Develops New Materials to Enhance Flat-Panel Displays
Not normally a name you associate with HDTVs, industrial titan Honeywell has launched new materials for the production of flat panel displays aimed at reducing manufacturing costs and power consumption while improving color uniformity and device lifespan. Honeywell developed the new materials in conjunction with the U.S. Display Consortium.

Samsung Rolls Out New HDTVs for Holiday Season

Samsung yesterday intro'd its new HDTV models for the holiday shopping season, a lineup that includes a plasma with Wi-Fi, LED-based LCD flat-panel displays and 3D technology for DLPs. More from TWICE.

Today's High-Def Headlines

VIZIO Inks Endorsement Deal with NFL MVP LaDainian Tomlinson
Fast-growing flat-panel HDTV brand VIZIO has signed the San Diego Chargers' star running back to be its first celebrity spokesman. Among other duties, Tomlinson will make appearances on behalf of VIZIO at various events, the first of which has LT hosting ESPN's ESPY pre-party tonight at the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood, CA.

MavTV Going HD in '08 - Multichannel News
Men's channel MavTV is planning an HD launch early next year. The network features a variety of original sports and gaming content, much of which is already shot in high-def.

29% of Cable TV Customers Own an HDTV - CTAM
The Cable & Telecom Association for Marketing has released a study showing that the number of cable TV households with an HDTV set has doubled in the last year, from 15% in '06 to 29% this year. 41% of digital cable TV homes own an HDTV.

Epson & Atlantic Technology Intro "Prosumer" Home Theater - TWICE
Specialty home theater shops will soon have a new complete system to offer their customers, courtesy of Epson and Atlantic Technology. For $6,999 a 1080p Epson 3LCD front-projector is combined with an Atlantic integrated surround speaker system. A 720p version is available for a couple grand less.

DISH Adding Plethora of New HD Channels

DISH Network just announced that beginning tomorrow it is adding HD game-only baseball content from 8 additional Regional Sports Networks, listed below. That's 17 total, counting the 9 HD RSNs it launched a couple months back.

FSN Arizona
FSN Cincinnati
FSN Detroit
FSN North
FSN Northwest
FSN Pittsburgh
SportsNet New York
SportsTime Ohio

Also, starting August 15th, DISH will add 7 national HD channels:

Animal Planet HD
Discovery HD
History HD
MHD (MTV, CMT, VH1)
Science Channel HD
TLC HD
Versus/Golf HD

This is great news for DISH HD customers, and indeed, for the entire industry. With DIRECTV having just launched its new high-def satellite on Friday, and DISH now launching a slew of new high-def channels, the cable companies will be forced to continue to expand their own HD channel lineups, and all consumers -- whether cable, satellite or telco customers -- will win.

Sundance & Universal HD Team Up

The Sundance Channel and Universal HD announced this morning that they have joined forces to broadcast a block of Sundance's HD programming beginning August 1st. The branded programming block, presented by Microsoft, will run Wednesdays through December 26th, showcasing Sundance Channel's original series "Iconoclasts," "Big Ideas for a Small Planet" and "Live from Abbey Road" in high definition.

This is a good move for both networks. Universal will benefit from some outside content while Sundance gets an established medium for some of its high-def programming. I would imagine that this is the beginning of the development of a standalone Sundance HD channel, although Robert Redford's people haven't given any details of when such an offering might come to fruition.

Today's High-Def Headlines

DIRECTV's HD Satellite Hits the Skies -- DIRECTV Corp.
DIRECTV on Friday successfully launched its newest satellite, the bird that in early September will begin delivering the first of 100 new HD channels by the end of the year. DIRECTV 10 was launched at 6:16 pm PT Friday evening from Kazakhstan; DIRECTV 11 will hit the atmosphere sometime next spring.

CNET's Top-Rated HDTVs -- CNET Reviews/SFGate.com
CNET released its best of HDTV ratings across all high-def technologies, with Pioneer scoring some key recommendations.

Sony Drops PS3 Price -- Reuters
After initially denying that a price cut for its new PlayStation 3 with Blu-ray Disc player was in the works, Sony today said that it is dropping the PS3 price by $100, putting it more in line with the Xbox 360 but still double the price of the Nintendo Wii.

AMD Turns PCs into HDTVs -- AMD
AMD today announced two new solutions that offer HDTV viewing and digital video recording (DVR) capabilities on desktop and notebook PCs.

ESPN's 'The Bronx is Burning' Reviewed -- The Boston Globe
Perhaps the biggest newspaper in Boston isn't the best place to get an unbiased review of a New York Yankees-themed miniseries, but here it is. The program debuts tonight on ESPN HD at 10:00 after Major League Baseball's Home Run Derby.

OLED Takes Aim at LCD

Reuters runs a good piece today on the evolution of OLED technology and how it seems poised to eventually pose a serious threat to LCD flat-panel displays. On the plus side for OLED are its power savings over LCD (as much as 40% more efficient) and its thinner size (no backlighting). On the minus side are its higher cost (nearly twice as expensive as LCD) and its lack of history as a TV technology (up until this year OLED has been confined to car radios, MP3 players and cell phones).

The article doesn't mention it, but OLED would presumably take market share from plasma as well.

If the biggest hurdle a new technology faces is its high cost, that seems to me to be a surmountable challenge. Flat-panel TVs have become quite mainstream and if a new flat-panel technology comes out that uses less power, potentially produces better picture quality and is thinner than anything anyone's ever seen, it will be in demand and prices will fall as demand picks up.

However, OLED still has quite a road to travel before it becomes a serious player in the HDTV landscape.

Warner Putting Brakes on Total HD Disc

Warner Bros., finding a lack of interest from its fellow Hollywood studios, is delaying the introduction of its Total HD disc that has the same movie in both Blu-ray and HD DVD formats on one disc. The problem for Warner is that it is one of only two studios that have embraced both formats (Paramount is the other), while just Universal is using HD DVD. All of the other studios have lined up behind Blu-ray and thus don't see much of a need for the Total HD disc.

From a consumer perspective, Total HD makes sense because it eliminates the concern about choosing the "wrong" next-gen DVD player. From a business perspective, however, HD DVD is losing the battle in Hollywood, and with just two studios taking a format-agnostic stance, Total HD backers clearly have some work to do to get it further off the ground.

Today's High-Def Headlines

Cox Brings HD Movies On Demand to San Diego
Cox Cable is launching HD Movies On Demand, initially in San Diego and then coming to Northern Virginia and Oklahoma City. More markets will get it later this summer. More than 20 HD movies are currently offered.

Amazon, Microsoft Push HD DVD To Indies - TWICE
The online giant and software king want independent movie producers to release films on HD DVD.

LG Uses New Technique For PDP Production - TWICE
One of LG's plasma manufacturing facilities is utilizing a new technique that results in 8 panels from a single substrate rather than 6. Monthly capacity will increase by 22 percent.

HDTV Content Revenues in Asia Pacific to Double in 5 Years - InStat
Revenues from high-def TV content are projected by InStat to grow from $3.67 billion this year to $8 billion in 2011. Japan and Australia currently lead the region in HD but the 2008 Olympics in Beijing are expected to spark Chinese HD content growth.

Industry Insider: Motorola's Peter Boonstra

I recently conducted an online interview with Peter Boonstra, Motorola's product manager in charge of Follow Me TV™, which is the company's whole-home DVR solution. We touched on the next generation of cable HD set-top boxes, the new FCC regulations regarding the unbundling of security from cable boxes (designed to spur retail competition) and the evolution of multi-room DVR. In the coming weeks I'll be interviewed on Motorola's blog in return about HDTV technology and content from the consumer perspective.

Practically speaking, what do the new post-July 1st regulations regarding the unbundling of integrated security/CableCards from the cable set-top box mean for new and existing cable HD customers?

In terms of technology and consumer experience, CableCARDs shouldn’t change a thing for cable HD customers. If existing customers choose to upgrade a set-top (for example, from an HD-only set-top to an HD DVR), they’ll end up with a CableCARD set-top. But having a CableCARD or “host” set-top won’t change functionality. In fact, most cable companies are shipping the new host set-tops with the CableCARD already embedded, so consumers likely won’t notice the difference at all. In the future, having unbundled security will make it possible to have set-top portability, meaning consumers can take their set-tops with them wherever they go, whether that set-top is bought at retail or leased through an operator.

The good news for consumers is that many of the new host set-tops from Motorola are also OCAP-ready. OCAP stands for Open Cable Application Platform, and the platform will allow cable operators to develop and deploy new TV applications faster. So if you’ve been looking for a way to access your HD DVR set-top from anywhere in house, OCAP is likely to get that feature (Motorola calls it “Follow Me TV”) to you sooner rather than later.

What are the benefits to consumers in leasing an HD STB from their cable provider rather than buying one in retail?

For the vast majority of consumers, leasing an HD set-top from a cable operator is the best option today. First you have to compare the cost of spending a few dollars a month versus paying several hundred dollars to buy an HD set-top at retail. However, the argument goes beyond price. A set-top that’s leased can easily be replaced, fixed or upgraded. And as OCAP is rolled out, those upgrades can be done with a software download right to the set-top.

There will always be a niche group of customers who want to buy high-end set-tops they can tinker with. But most consumers don’t want to have to think about how they watch TV; they’d rather just watch it. And for those people, leasing a set-top makes the most sense.

What new advancements are we going to see out of the next generation of HD and HD-DVR STBs? Integrated Ethernet ports? VoIP and/or broadband Internet modems? Wi-Fi connections? DVD players and/or recorders?

It’s pretty clear that integration with the Internet is on its way, but I think we’ll see other applications first from the cable and telecom operators. We’ve seen operators in the labs testing out new OCAP applications like traffic and weather tickers, more interactive program guides and light gaming. I also think Follow Me TV is going to become a lot more common later this year and in 2008. Verizon currently uses Motorola’s Follow Me TV solution to power its Home Media DVR service. I believe we’ll see the cable operators start to add similar functionality. This includes the ability to create an extended network between set-tops, computers, and other IP-based devices in the home to enable seamless sharing of content (like viewing PC-based digital photos on your HD TV or listening to your digital music on the stereo attached to your set-top.)

Now that the triple-play (voice, video and data) has become a reality, I think we’ll also see more services that take advantage of that bundle. As a simple example, with IP-based telephony (VoIP), it’s a logical next step to offer services like caller ID on your TV and Web access to your voicemail.

Sony has developed the Bravia Internet Video Link that lets users download/stream content from the web directly to their TVs. Does Motorola have anything similar in the pipeline that could be integrated into an HD STB?

Sure. The difference is that we are constantly working with operators to determine what technology to roll out and when. It’s a balancing act. If operators roll out a new feature too soon and it doesn’t get high adoption, then they have to readjust their financial resources. If you look at what’s most in demand right now, it’s probably HDTV, DVR and VOD. That means that those applications are probably getting highest priority with operators.

With multi-room DVR, how soon will cable companies offer consumers the ability to not only record and watch HD content on the primary HDTV but also on the secondary HDTVs?

Everyone recognizes the importance of HDTV. I think when whole-home DVR rolls out on a wider scale, which is probably later this year and in 2008, HDTV will be part of it.

Do some cable companies give their customers the ability to attach an external hard drive to their HD-DVR to record additional HD content and perhaps even permanently store it? The technology exists today but my understanding is that most cable customers with HD-DVRs can’t actually utilize it (I don’t believe I can with my Motorola Moxi HD-DVR).

Yes, Motorola will soon be enabling the external SATA port on the HD DVR to allow recording of additional content.

Lazy Friday...

As most summertime Fridays are. Here are a few items you may be interested in, that is if you're not taking the day off to stand in line to buy an iPhone right now...

-The U.S. Supreme Court ruling on minimum advertised prices could impact HDTV prices in retail.

-Five free Blu-ray movies with a qualifying Blu-ray Disc player purchase. Would you actually want any of these 20 freebies? I wouldn't. Not much of a promotion...

-More on the high-def DVD front -- Toshiba is adding network connectivity to its HD DVD players via a firmware update that will offer consumers access to "bonus content."

-Best Buy is going to build 400 new stores.

Comcast Offering A&E HD On Demand

Comcast is continuing to build up its HD video on demand library, announcing yesterday that it is now offering HD content from A&E on demand. Among the five hours of monthly HD VOD programming includes The First 48 and Gene Simmons Family Jewels.

Hitachi Dropping Rear-Projection TVs From Lineup

Hitachi said today as it was unveiling its new flat-panel HDTVs that it will no longer sell rear-projection TVs, focusing instead on its ten plasma and four LCD models. The company used its dealer line show to demonstrate its "Reel 60" 60Hz refresh rate, which it says produces smoother pictures using two interlaced fields of 60 frames per second material than LCD competitors using 1080p and a 120Hz refresh rate.

More from TWICE.

30% of U.S. Households Have an HDTV: CEA

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) came out with new data yesterday showing that 30% of American households have at least one HDTV. CEA predicts that 16 million HDTVs will be sold this year, bringing the total number sold to 52.5 million. Other notable findings:

• Almost one-third of HDTV households own more than one HDTV
• Just 44% of HDTV households receive HD programming, which for the majority of those who don't is a choice rather than due to confusion over how to get it
• One of the primary reasons consumers are buying HDTVs is not to watch television programming but rather to improve their movie and gaming experience
• Of those who get HD programming, 66% get it from their cable company, 27% from satellite, 8% from over-the-air broadcasts, 3% from a fiber-optic service and 3% from the Internet

More info is available from the CEA.

TBS Going HD on Sept. 1

TBS, the Atlanta-based superstation, will launch an HD simulcast of its East Coast feed on September 1st, in time for the Major League Baseball divisional playoffs and National League Championship Series (NLCS).

TBS also offers a few original series such as Tyler Perry's House of Payne as well as sydicated sitcoms like Seinfeld and Everybody Loves Raymond.

No word yet on carriage deals yet although you can bet Time Warner Cable will be among the first since both companies are owned by the same parent company.

Website Bundles HDTVs with HD Service

A website called HDTVspecialoffer.com has launched a promotion with Panasonic and three major cable companies offering consumers significant rebates when they bundle a Panasonic TV with cable HD service. A 42" plasma, for example, comes to $1,039.95 after rebates with Comcast cable service, which is $400 less than what the same model lists for at BestBuy.com today. Time Warner and Charter customers pay $100 more: $1,139.95.

LCD flat-panel and rear-projection TVs are also available.

This is a smart idea when considering the large number of HDTV households that don't subscribe to some form of HD service. If you're going to buy a Panasonic HDTV and get cable HD service, you should check this out and save a little green.

HD Video Cell Phones Coming Next Year

Due to ubiquitous TV ads and what appears to be a pretty cool device, the Apple iPhone is the most-anticipated new technology product of the year. However, you may want to wait until next year before plunking down $500 on your next mobile phone because by then, you should be able to watch HD video on it.

Texas Instruments is working on the third generation of OMAP processors and the two biggest features are items that a few years ago weren't even part of a cell phone: cameras and camcorders. In addition to 768p HD video capabilities, these new phones will also have 12 megapixel digital cameras with the option of a burst mode taking four 3-megapixel photos one right after another.

More from CNET News.com.

AT&T Brings 27 HD Channels to Cleveland & Akron

AT&T announced this morning that it has launched its U-verse IPTV service with 27 HD channels in parts of Northeast Ohio, including Cleveland and Akron. The dominant cable companies in Cleveland -- Time Warner and Cox -- offer 21 and 19 HD channels, respectively. Time Warner also serves Akron with 17 high-def nets.

More from AT&T and the Akron Beakon Journal.

Panasonic's 1080p Plasma Coming in July

LCD makers have beaten plasma rather soundly in the development of 1080p displays so plasma enthusiasts can look forward to July when Panasonic's 42" 1080p plasma TV hits retail store shelves. At a suggested price of $2,499 (Best Buy is already offering it for $2,249 online), the 1080p model carries a hefty 56% premium over the 768p model that can be had for $1,439.

Laser TVs

The NY Times ran an interesting piece over the weekend regarding the gradual replacement of bulbs in rear-projection DLP TVs with LEDs and lasers, both of which offer superior color display. Mitsubishi for one has invested heavily in laser technology and will demonstrate a laser HDTV at next year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

JVC Unveils New LCD TVs

JVC added four new 1080p LCD TVs to its model lineup, TWICE reports. The sizes are 37", 42" and 47" and come in two model lines ranging in price from $1,599 to $2,699.

Rumor has it that JVC and Kenwood are about to merge, as Kenwood has apparently agreed to take the somewhat flailing JVC off of parent company Matsushita's hands. The combined company would have annual sales of about $7.4 billion if the transaction closes sometime next year as Kenwood has proposed.

Cablevision Jumps On HD Capacity Bandwagon

Wow. No sooner did I hit the "Publish" button on the previous post than word came out that Cablevision has inked a deal to offer the VOOM suite of 15 HD networks beginning July 1. Not only that, but the company seriously upped the ante in the growing HD content war by saying it will have the capacity to offer 500 (not a typo) high-def channels by the end of this year over its fiber-optic network, according to Multichannel News.

500 HD channels are all well and good, but we know full well there won't be anything close to that kind of content available by year-end. Not unless Cablevision is counting HD On Demand offerings like Comcast does, which brings up an interesting question: does the average consumer consider on demand content to be equivalent to linear channels? Would consumers equate 150 HD channels from DIRECTV with 150 HD "viewing choices" from cable? Do consumers care?

The way Comcast counts "viewing choices," each HD program available on demand counts as a "choice." So CSI in HD On Demand is one "choice." CSI: New York is another "choice." And so on. If I'm a satellite or telco, wouldn't I argue that if we counted each HD program on the 150 or whatever HD channels, it would add up to way beyond 800? I suppose Comcast's counter-point would be that with on demand, viewers can pull up the content anytime they want, irrespective of the programming schedule -- which would be a fair argument.

Any thoughts from you all would be much appreciated.

Cox Cable Wants 50 HD Channels by End of Year

Ever since DIRECTV began blasting the airwaves with its HD marketing campaign featuring various celebrities touting the 150 HD channels DIRECTV will soon offer, cable companies have been making various statements playing up their own HD capacity. Time Warner said a few weeks ago that switched digital video technology would give it virtually "unlimited" capacity for new HD channels. Comcast came out a few days later and said that it would soon offer 800 HD "viewing choices" by the end of next year, the vast majority of which would be HD video on demand programs.

Now Cox Cable is getting in on the act, with its president telling attendees at a conference yesterday that he wants his chief technology officer to find the bandwidth for 50 HD channels by the end of this year. Using a combination of methods, such as the aforementioned switched digital video, bandwidth optimization and the elimination of some analog channels, Cox hopes to be able to technically offer 50 high-def channels -- but whether or not it actually does so is to be determined. According to the president, Pat Esser, "Whether we do or don’t offer that many channels, I want to have the capacity to do that."

Sharp Cutting Prices to Reduce Inventory

If you've got your eye on a Sharp AQUOS LCD TV but have been waiting for the price to come down, Sharp has good news for you. To get rid of existing inventory prior to the arrival of its new models in August, the company has reduced or eliminated altogether the Minimum Advertised Prices (MAP) of its current AQUOS models -- series D62U, D72, D82 and D92. The price savings range from $200 to $1,300 (!), up to 39% off the original MSRPs.

You can get all the details from TWICE. (I'm feeling lazy this morning and am not really up for rewriting their article...)

Olevia Intros 65-Inch LCD Flat-Panel

Olevia is showing off its new 65-inch LCD TV at the InfoComm show in Anaheim this week, available to consumers for a suggested price of $9,999 through specialty home theater shops and pro A/V dealers. More from TWICE.

Big Victory for Blu-ray Over HD DVD

In the ongoing battle between the Blu-ray and HD DVD camps, Blockbuster has loomed large as a potentially decisive determining factor in which standard wins out. After experimenting in 250 of its stores with offering DVDs in both formats starting last fall, the movie rental giant said yesterday that it will expand its Blu-ray offerings to 1,700 additional stores around the world by mid-July, electing not to offer HD DVD titles in those stores.

Blockbuster's rationale is that in the 250 test stores, Blu-ray titles are in significantly higher demand than HD DVD.

This is a big blow to HD DVD supporters because even though the rental king has lost market share to Netflix and even though it will continue to stock HD DVD titles at Blockbuster.com, the company is saying that given both options, its customers are choosing Blu-ray. I believe that if the situation were reversed, or if it changes, Blockbuster would absolutely expand its HD DVD offerings, which is another way of saying that I don't think Blockbuster has some kind of bias towards Blu-ray.

More from TWICE.

Mr. Plasma

Here's a great piece from Erica Ogg over at CNET about Larry Weber, a visionary who can claim as much credit as anyone for plasma displays going from the lab in 1964 to a mass-market consumer success story four decades later. The founder of Plasmaco, which he built from IBM's shuttered plasma display plant in 1987, Weber eventually sold his company to Panasonic and currently serves as president of the Society for Information Display.

Weber's current project is working to reduce the power consumption of plasma TVs. Even if you're an LCD fan, you should find this article an excellent story of innovation and perseverance.

More Lawsuits (Ugh)

I will spend no time detailing the case, but LG Electronics has sued Hitachi for allegedly violating seven LG plasma patents. You can get the full story over at Reuters/CNET.

Hey guys, how about you spend less time suing each other and more time worrying about how LCD is on the verge of completely eradicating your business model?

NBC HD Coverage Goes Awry at End of U.S. Open

I'm enjoying the last round of the U.S. Open golf championship on this Father's Day when on the third to last hole, NBC's HD coverage suddenly vanishes and every camera shot is in SD instead. It's unclear to me whether this is a nationwide problem with NBC or a local problem specific to my cable company (Time Warner). Up until now, the Open has looked fantastic in high-def, both on ESPN HD and NBC.

Did anyone else experience this?

UPDATE: After about 20-25 minutes of no Open in high-def, the SD picture just flipped itself over to HD with Tiger Woods on the 17th hole.

Sharp: Why 1080p Matters

I attended part of the DisplaySearch TV Supply Chain Conference in San Diego yesterday and paid particularly close attention to the keynote speech by Sharp's marketing head Bob Scaglione, one of the brightest minds in the business. Bob's presentation was part of a panel about how TV manufacturers can avoid the commoditization of HDTVs by emphasizing 1080p and other advancements.

In Sharp's view, 1080p is important because their data show that 90% of HDTV broadcast content is in 1080i, meaning that there is no scaling that needs to be done like there is with 720p. Displaying a 1080i broadcast signal on a 1080p television requires a relatively simple translation of interlacing to progressive scanning. By contrast, showing a 1080i program on a 720p/768p TV requires not just an "i" to "p" translation but also scaling 1080 lines of resolution down to 720 or 768, not exactly the ideal scenario.

Broadcast content that is native 720p, like on ABC, FOX and ESPN, works perfectly with 720/768p plasma or LCD displays.

In theory, what Bob Scaglione said makes complete sense. From a technical standpoint, he is absolutely correct that 1080i content should always look better on a 1080p TV than it does on a 720/768p television. In practice, however, I'm not convinced there is all that much discernible difference. On my 768p Panasonic plasma, my opinion is that the Discovery HD content -- which is 1080i -- looks better than a lot of the 720p programming I see on FOX. This afternoon, I'll test this theory some more and compare the U.S. Open golf championship coverage on ESPN HD (720p) to that of NBC HD (1080i) and see which looks better on my 768p plasma.

And therein lies the problem: there are so many factors at play when it comes to TV picture quality -- resolution, color gamut, contrast ratio, black levels, cable/satellite signal compression and receiver quality -- that it's difficult to say that 1080p TVs by default will display a better-looking 1080i signal than a 720/768p TV.

The reality of HDTV is that there are many factors to consider when purchasing your next TV, image resolution being just one. 1080p isn't the single most determining factor in HD quality any more than megapixels are with digital cameras.

Flat-Screen TV Makers Planning Internet TV Service

Sony, Matsushita, Sharp, Hitachi and Toshiba are working together on the launch of an Internet video on demand service for their flat-screen TVs. The joint venture is called TV Portal Service Corp. and is slated to go live this fall with a library that will grow to 2,000 programs by next spring. Not many details are available at this point but I would imagine that Sony will utilize its new Bravia Internet Video Link, a $299 add-on to its TVs, to enable the Internet VOD access.

More from Forbes/AFX.

HDTV Survey: Continued Consumer Confusion

Despite the best efforts of people like your trusty blogger, consumer confusion is perhaps as high as it's ever been when it comes to understand HD technology. Hitachi commissioned a survey that turned up some rather bleak results including:

• 66% of consumers are not comfortable explaining options such as 720p, 1080i and 1080p
• 62% are not comfortable explaining options such as DLP, LCD and Plasma

On the plus side, 78% of consumers are interested in purchasing HDTV for their next TV buy. 60% of those surveyed say picture quality is the most important factor in a new TV purchase; brand was second (11%) and screen size was third (9%).

To some extent, I think this is a marketing problem as much as anything. When TV manufacturers and retailers tout "1080p" as a selling point, how is a consumer expected not to be confused? It's really Marketing 101 -- sell benefits, not features. 1080p means nothing to most people yet it's probably the most overused term in HD marketing today.

I remember a TV ad campaign that one of the manufacturers (I think it was Samsung) ran several months back. The narrator ended with something along the lines of "get your 1080p L-C-D H-D-T-V now" (drawn out just like that) and it honestly seemed like they were trying to cram as many technical acronyms in one sentence as possible. How on earth they thought that would actually appeal to the average consumer is beyond me.

The good news is that despite not understanding all of the technical jargon, consumers definitely want to buy HDTVs. Now the industry just needs to do a better job of helping them figure it all out.

Philips Shows Off New HDTVs

Philips yesterday showcased its new line of plasma and LCD TVs at a "Holidays in June" media event in New York. On tap for the '07 models are more 1080p displays and of course more of Philips' proprietary "Ambilight" technology. More from TWICE.

HBO to Debut 22 New HD Channels

HBO, which already offers four HD channels, will soon roll out high-def feeds of all 26 of its multichannel HBO and Cinemax networks, the first 11 of which will appear on DIRECTV in September after the satcaster's new bird is launched. DIRECTV currently counts HBO East HD in its lineup; this fall it will offer:

HBO West HD
HBO2 East HD
HBO2 West HD
HBO Family East HD
HBO Family West HD
HBO Latino HD
HBO Signature HD
Cinemax East HD
Cinemax West HD
MoreMax HD

The other 15 HBO/Cinemax HD channels will launch by the end of Q2 next year. HBO HD was the first national cable HD channel when it debuted in 1999.

More from the release and Multichannel News.

Tonight's HD Picks

Here are my top picks for what's on in HD this evening:

1. NBA Finals: San Antonio @ Cleveland - ABC HD 9:00/6:00
2. Dan Rather Reports: West Point at War - HDNet 8:00/5:00
2. Wealth on Wheels: Good Guys Del Mar - WealthTV HD 8:00/5:00
4. Inside the Green Berets - National Geographic HD 7:00/4:00
5. VH1 Storytellers: Dave Matthews Band - MHD 9:00/6:00

Sony Plans Unique LCD TVs for Wal-Mart & Target

I alluded to this development briefly yesterday morning but CNET confirms this morning that Sony is planning a unique TV line that it will sell in giant discount stores Wal-Mart and Target. This new LCD line will help avoid taking business away from established consumer electronics retailers and smaller specialty home theater shops.

If you've ever shopped for a household appliance like a dishwasher, you know that this new Sony strategy is a relatively standard practice for manufacturers when dealing with giant big-box retailers. For example, Home Depot often carries models of various appliances that are specific to Home Depot and can't be found anywhere else. Among other effects, this marketing strategy makes it substantially more difficult for consumers to comparison shop since they are forced to compare features rather than model numbers when going from store to store.

Toshiba Expects Lower HD DVD Sales

Toshiba honchos said yesterday that they've revised their estimates for North America HD DVD player sales down from 1.8 million to 1 million by the end of this year. According to Reuters, no real reason was given for the downward revision in projected sales, but all signs point to continued consumer uncertainty in the ongoing strife between Blu-ray and HD DVD, even with prices of each technology's players being cut recently.

The Sopranos: Saying Goodbye to an HD Pioneer

I don't know how many people watched the series finale of The Sopranos last night on HBO but I'm guessing many of you reading this did. After all, by my (unofficial) chronology, Tony and his crew were the oldest HD series on cable -- and essentially tied with Law & Order among all TV dramatic series (both made their HD first-run debuts in 2002). As many of you know, HBO was one of the first HD networks available nationwide and the majority of the 86 Sopranos episodes aired originally in high-def, beginning with Season 4 in September '02. (85 of the 86 were shot in HD, with the exception being the pilot.) The Sopranos represented a pioneering effort in HD content, one that undoubtedly helped spur the adoption of HDTVs in homes around the country over the last five years.

As for the series finale itself, many people -- myself included -- weren't happy with the ending in what was overwise a pretty good episode. For all the speculation about Tony getting whacked, anyone who read the director's comments about even a small possibility of a Sopranos movie at some point in the future could see that would be difficult to pull off with the lead character being dead. Difficult, not impossible. And what were the other options, that Tony would go into witness protection? That he would reconcile with Phil Leotardo and harmonize the NJ and NY families? That he would actually get convicted of a crime and put in jail like Johnny Sack? None of those would have worked to anyone's satisfaction. So while I didn't really like the ending -- I thought for a moment that the cable had gone out, which I suppose is the effect David Chase was going for -- I can't really envision a scenario in which I would have been happy with ANY ending.

No one liked the Seinfeld series finale either...

All in all, I'm thankful for six great seasons (okay, maybe five great seasons and one decent one) of a dramatic series that not only was unlike anything else on TV, but also redefined how great TV is made.

LCD TV Revenue Up 80% Over Last Year: NPD

Market research firm NPD released data showing that LCD TV sales revenue increased 80 percent from April '06 to April '07, the only TV category that didn't decline in revenue during that time. In fact, total TV revenue was down 3 percent over the last year. Rival plasma TVs experienced an 18 percent increase in units sold but a 20 percent revenue decline thanks to a 33 percent dropoff in average selling price.

32-inch models were the top selling LCD TVs in both units and revenue, with an average selling price of $860.

Wal-Mart Testing In-Store "HDTV Specialists"

As part of an effort to improve the consumer shopping experience, Wal-Mart is experimenting with "HDTV specialists" who will assist customers on showroom floors. The company is also working with Sony to bring some of that manufacturer's HDTVs to Wal-Mart supercenters this summer.

More from TWICE.

This Weekend's HD Picks

There's a lot going on this weekend in the world of HD programming, so here are my top picks:

FRIDAY
1. NASA Space Shuttle Launch - HDNet 6:00/3:00
2. Caddyshack - Cinemax HD 8:30/5:30
3. 1000 Places to See Before You Die: India - Discovery HD 8:00
4. Chiller on Universal HD 10:00/7:00
5. The Da Vinci Code - Starz HD 9:00/6:00
6. VH1 Storytellers: Pearl Jam - MHD 8:00/5:00

SATURDAY
1. Baseball: Mets @ Tigers - FOX HD 3:55/12:55
OR
Baseball: Astros @ White Sox - FOX HD 3:55/12:55
OR
Baseball: A's @ Giants - FOX HD 3:55/12:55
2. Destination HD: Bulgaria - Discovery HD 8:00
3. NASCAR Busch Series at Nashville - ESPN2 HD 7:00/4:00
4. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest - Starz HD 11:30/8:30

SUNDAY
1. The Sopranos (series finale) - HBO HD 9:00
2. The Tudors (season finale) - Showtime HD 10:00
3. John from Cincinnati (season premier) - HBO HD 10:00
4. NBA Finals Game 2 - ABC HD 9:00/6:00
5. MLB Baseball: Cubs @ Braves - ESPN HD 8:00/5:00
6. NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Pocono 500 - TNT HD 12:30/9:30

Tonight's HD Picks

Here are my top picks for what's on in HD this evening:

1. NBA Finals: Cleveland @ San Antonio - ABC HD 9:00/6:00
2. Wealth on Wheels: Vintage Monterey - WealthTV HD 8:00/5:00
3. All The President's Men - HDNet Movies 5:35/2:35
4. Planet Earth: Ice Worlds - Discovery HD 8:00
5. NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Racing - HDNet 8:00/5:00

New Digital-to-Analog Converters Unveiled

Most of you are aware that the nation's analog TV signals will be shut off on February 17, 2009. You may also know that the federal government has authorized a subsidy program to help consumers pay for the digital-to-analog converter boxes that will enable analog TVs not hooked up to cable or satellite to continue receiving over-the-air TV broadcasts. Each household will be eligible for two $40 voucher-gift cards starting early next year.



Yesterday the first two of these D2A (I just coined that -- maybe I should trademark it) box prototypes were unveiled by LG Electronics and Thomson/RCA. See pic above courtesy of the NY Times. The D2A boxes will likely retail for $50 to $70.

The Verdict on New HD Camcorders

Loyal readers of 1080eyes know that I don't do many product reviews, so I compensate by giving you links to those who do (CNET et al). In today's New York Times, uber-reviewer David Pogue takes on three new HD camcorders from Panasonic, Canon and Sanyo that also purport to take high-def still photos. His take? None of them is perfect and each requires a substantial compromise from the consumer in a key area.

Here's Pogue's review.

Sony Intros New Flat-Panel LCD TVs & SXRDs

Sony announced nine new flat-panel LCD TVs to its BRAVIA lineup, all of which are 1080p and some of which boast a 120Hz refresh rate. The nine new models are in three sizes: 52", 46" and 40". I'm not going to rehash all the details here so check out the release if you want more info.

Sony also intro'd five new SXRD microdisplay rear-projection models, all of which feature the 120Hz refresh rate and are 20 percent slimmer than last year's versions. The sizes are 50", 55", 60" and 70". Here's the info.

All of the new models in the line feature Sony's Digital Media Extender (DMeX), offering a digital connection for the BRAVIA Internet Video Link module (sold separately), which allows users to view select Internet video, including high-definition content, from the comfort of their living room from providers like AOL, Yahoo! and Grouper, as well as Sony Pictures Entertainment and Sony BMG Music.

According to TWICE, Sony will launch a $100 million ad campaign to promote its new HDTVs.

MHD to Air "Concert for Diana"

MHD will broadcast the "Concert for Diana" live from Wembley Stadium Sunday July 1st at 11:00am ET/8:00 PT. Elton John, Duran Duran, Bryan Ferry, Lily Allen, Kanye West, Rod Stewart, Natasha Bedingfield, The Feeling, James Morrison, Orson and Status Quo, The English National Ballet, Joss Stone and Andrew Lloyd Webber are among the artists who have been personally invited by Prince William and Prince Harry to perform at the concert. Nelly Furtado, P. Diddy, Tom Jones, Take That, Will Young and the legendary voice of Supertramp Roger Hodgson have just been added to the lineup for the 6-hour event that will commemorate the late Princess's birthday.

More info at www.concertfordiana.com.

Sharp Planning $30 Million Ad Buy

Sharp Electronics, in an effort to recapture lost market share for its AQUOS LCD TV brand, said yesterday that it is embarking on a $30 million ad campaign that will run through September. Among other spots, Sharp AQUOS ads will appear in nationally televised baseball games, including the 2007 Major League Baseball All Star Game, the FOX “Saturday Game of the Week,” Sunday and Monday Night Baseball on ESPN and “Baseball Tonight," also on ESPN.

More from TWICE.

WealthTV to Air New Wine Series

WealthTV, which recently celebrated its third anniversary broadcasting in HD, will begin airing a new original series called “Divine Life”, scheduled to air beginning in July.

Shot entirely on-location in 1080i HD, Divine Life is a half-hour program showcasing the adventures of two wine lovers – Scott Henuset, an up-and-coming wine “guru”, and Karen McNeill, a domestic diva and self-confessed wine “rookie” – as they travel from vineyard to vineyard in search of the world’s best wines. In each episode, viewers get a sneak peek into the lifestyles enjoyed by the successful vineyard owners who live “the vine life”, which is the origin of the series name “Divine Life”.

Divine Life episodes also feature two “dining segments”. The first culinary segment demonstrates what wines go with the meal and why; the second features a more formal dinner setting to choose the appropriate wines to complement the flavors of each dish. Each episode opens and closes with our hosts engaged in an adventurous, fun activity unique to that specific destination. WealthTV will initially feature 26 episodes with additional episodes in production.

Dell to Quit Selling Its Own LCD TVs

Dell got into the HDTV business with a bang but is going out with a whimper. Company sources are quoted in a Bloomberg News story as saying that Dell with cease marketing its own LCD TVs, primarily because it's not selling any of them. According to research firm DisplaySearch, Dell isn't among the top 30 companies selling LCD TVs, and with about 6,000 units left in inventory, will quit contracting to have them made in favor of continuing to sell more established HDTV brands like Sony Bravia.

This news really shouldn't come as a big shock to anyone, as Dell's HDTVs were never seen as very high-quality and the LCD TV side of the business in particular has become so competitive over the last year or so. Dell bet that its brand name would be enough to establish a foothold in the HDTV industry, but with falling prices and so many choices, consumers are buying from either well-known TV brands like Sony, Panasonic and Samsung, or upstart brands like Vizio that offer cut-rate pricing along with a good-quality picture. Dell treated HDTVs as commodities like PCs with no real value-add to speak of, a strategy that flat-out just didn't work.

DISH Network Debuts New HD Box

DISH Network yesterday began selling its new ViP222, an MPEG-4 HD receiver with two tuners, one for HD and the other for SD in another room.

More from TWICE.

AT&T Brings 27 HD Channels to San Diego

AT&T yesterday launched its U-verse IPTV service in San Diego, enticing consumers in America's Finest City with 27 HD channels. By comparison, the two major cable companies here in San Diego, Cox and Time Warner Cable, offer 17 and 22 high-def channels respectively.

One major problem for AT&T that has historically plagued DIRECTV and DISH Network as well is that the regional San Diego Padres channel is owned by Cox and under the '92 Cable Act, Cox isn't obligated to let its competitors carry the Padres channel (Comcast uses the same provision to shut out satellite in Philadelphia). Satellite penetration in San Diego is among the lowest in the country, thanks to cable companies that tend to do a better than average job at keeping their customers happy, along with the aforementioned Padres issue.

In any event, 27 HD channels are welcomed wherever we consumers can get them...

New Technology Will Give Cable Add'l HD Capacity

Time Warner Cable exec Landel Hobbs told an investment conference yesterday that switched digital video (SDV) technology will give cable companies "virtually unlimited" HDTV channel capacity when it is deployed in about half of Time Warner's markets by the end of this year. SDV is a way of sending video signals as users request them rather than broadcasting all channels to all households at once, as is the case in the current cable architecture. SDV, by sending one signal at a time (which is how AT&T's U-verse IPTV service also works) in theory should allow for as many HDTV channels as for which there is demand.

Interesting, the Time Warner exec also acknowledged that DIRECTV has done a superior job of marketing its HDTV service compared to cable, and that cable must do better to win the mindshare of consumers.

More from Multichannel News.

Tonight's HD Picks

Most serialized dramas and comedies are reruns now, but there is some decent sports action on tonight.

1. Baseball: Yankees @ White Sox - ESPN HD 7:00/4:00
2. NHL Stanley Cup Finals Game 4 - NBC HD 8:00/5:00
3. Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee - HBO HD 10:00
4. With All Deliberate Speed - Discovery HD 9:00

Industry Insider: Discovery HD's Clint Stinchcomb

As part of our ongoing HDTV Industry Insider series of guest bloggers, Discovery HD Theater honcho Clint Stinchcomb is back to explain what the forthcoming launch of the new Discovery networks in HD means for DHD Theater. Enjoy!

Discovery HD Theater Remains the Crown Jewel Among Discovery’s HD Channel Offerings
By Clint Stinchcomb, Executive Vice President & General Manager, Discovery Emerging Networks Group

Last week DIRECTV announced the latest additions to its expanding HD channel lineup. In fact, the satellite TV provider has publicly declared that it will deliver more HD channels than any other multi-channel provider – 100 by year’s end.

This recent announcement included the September launch of four Discovery HD simulcast networks channels: Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet and The Science Channel. In addition, Discovery will offer two more channels yet to be named in 2008.

While great news for HD subscribers and fans of these Discovery networks, the news has raised some concern among HD enthusiasts and bloggers about the fate of Discovery’s pioneering high-definition service, Discovery HD Theater. Well, I’m here to set minds at ease and let you know that Discovery HD Theater is not only here to stay, it will be better than ever.

Discovery HD Theater was basic cable’s first 24-hour HD network, broadcasting all of its content in brilliant 1080i and 5.1 digital surround sound. Discovery is fully committed to the network’s ongoing growth and will continue to create and acquire programming that delivers on the Discovery HD Theater promise to provide the highest quality audio and video experience available on television. A destination for compelling stories and visually arresting imagery, Discovery HD Theater will remain a showcase for the types of programming that are best suited for the HD format including natural history, wildlife, adventure and world cultures.

In fact, coming soon to Discovery HD Theater are all new episodes of SUNRISE EARTH, filmed in locations selected by viewers as well as the premieres of two new original series, WILDLIFE MAN and ANTARCTIC MISSION, among many other new specials and series set to debut starting this Fall.

Discovery has long been a pioneering leader in the HD space, making considerable production investments in preparation for this day. We are absolutely thrilled that HD simulcasts of Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet and The Science Channel will be available to distributors this September and for the visually rich programming produced expressly for HD and the truly "lean back" theater experience, Discovery HD Theater will continue to be the HDTV enthusiast’s "home page."

JVC to Barnstorm for HD

JVC is planning a nationwide tour to showcase its HDTVs and camcorders this summer at county fairs, festivals and airshows -- a total of 50 events in 24 states over the next six months. The idea is to reach out to people who might not know much about JVC or who might be intimidated by technology by giving hands-on demonstrations of the company's products.

Two of the events JVC will be attending are here in San Diego (the county fair and the Miramar Air Show) so I'll try to make it to one of them and see what the response is like.

More from TWICE.

First Latino HD Channel to Launch Next Year

Si TV, a channel focused on the young and growing U.S. Latino market, announced this morning its plans to launch an HD network in 2008. Verizon FiOS TV has already signed up to carry the new high-def channel.

According to research cited by Si TV, 35% of English-dominant TV-viewing Latinos between the ages of 18-34 own an HDTV.

More about Si TV:

"Si TV is currently in production on two new high-definition series for 2008 that will exploit the benefits of the HD format. Past Port, in which young U.S. Latinos return to the countries of origin of their parents or grandparents, will feature scenic footage from a variety of stunning Latin American locations. Total Combat, a gritty reality series about a young Latino couple running a Mixed Martial Arts Fighting League, will bring the blood, sweat and in-your-face intensity of mixed martial arts vividly to life in high definition. Other new Si TV series for 2007-2008 -- including Flow & Tell and Home Page -- will also be shown in HD on Si TV-HD.

Si TV's lively, authentic content-which the network produces specifically for its 18-34 acculturated Latino audience-lends itself well to the HD format. The network already features more than 200 hours of original programming that were shot in HD, including: The Drop, Unacceptable Behavior, The Rub, Dating Factory, and Latino Laugh Festival: The Show."

Sony Begins Shipping $499 Blu-ray Disc Player

Sony said this morning that its new $499 Blu-ray Disc player is now shipping to retailers around the country. The BDP-S300 utilizes HDMI to showcase 1080p HD video content while delivering new features including the advanced Dolby(R) Digital Plus audio codec as well as BRAVIA Theatre Sync and CD playback.

This Weekend's HD Picks

There's a lot going on this weekend in the world of HD programming, so here are my top picks:

FRIDAY
1. 2007 French Open - ESPN2 HD 3:00/noon
2. 1000 Places to See Before You Die: Australia - Discovery HD 8:00
3. Chiller on Universal HD 10:00/7:00
4. Oasis Live at Manchester - MOJO HD 10:00
5. MTV Live: Coldplay - MHD 5:00

SATURDAY
1. Baseball: Yankees @ Red Sox - FOX HD 3:55/12:55
OR
1. Baseball: Cardinals @ Astros - FOX HD 3:55/12:55
2. NBA Basketball: Detroit @ Cleveland - TNT HD 8:30/5:30
3. Destination HD: Belize - Discovery HD 8:00
4. 2007 French Open - NBC HD 1:00/10:00
5. PGA Golf: The Memorial - CBS HD 3:00/noon
6. NASCAR Busch Series at Dover - ESPN2 HD 3:00/noon
7. NHL Stanley Cup Finals Game 3 - NBC HD 8:00/5:00
8. Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee - HBO HD 10:00

SUNDAY
1. The Sopranos - HBO HD 9:00
2. Entourage - HBO HD 10:00
3. The Tudors - Showtime HD 10:00
4. MLB Baseball: Yankees @ Red Sox - ESPN HD 8:00/5:00
5. 2007 French Open - NBC HD 1:00/10:00
6. PGA Golf: The Memorial - CBS HD 2:30/11:30
7. NASCAR NEXTEL Cup at Dover - FOX HD 1:00/10:00

The Secret to ABC.com's HD: Lots of Compression

I wrote on this page a week or two ago how ABC.com is planning to begin streaming HD video of its most popular programs like Lost and Grey's Anatomy this summer, with more programs expected in the fall. The way they plan to accomplish this, given the large bandwidth requirements of HD content, is via a generous use of compression technology. ABC.com will stream 720p video at 24 frames a second encoded at a rate of about 2 megs a second, compared to about 1.5 megs a second for the SD content already available at ABC.com.

For you techno-geeks out there, MPEG-4 is compressed at about 5 megs a second, while standard cable and satellite HD video in MPEG-2 is encoded at 12-19 megs per second. What this means is that you shouldn't expect the same quality HD video on your PC that you get on your TV -- probably not even close. And that's assuming your PC is capable of rendering HD-quality video, which for many people will require some amount of tweeking.

Still, considering the quality of much of the streaming video on the Internet today (YouTube, I'm looking at you), even greatly compressed HD should be a substantial upgrade.

More from Multichannel News.

Panasonic Wants to Help Dads

Panasonic has been operating a Concierge service for a year or so now, offering help to its plasma customers. This year for Fathers Day, the company is opening its toll-free help lines to anyone who wants assistance making a flat-panel TV purchase, Panasonic customer or not. Of course, I'm guessing which way they'll steer you in their advice.

To my female readers out there, if any of you out there are considering buying your dad or husband a flat-panel TV for Fathers Day, I offer this word of wisdom: Don't. A flat-screen TV purchase is a highly personal decision for a guy and while you might get lucky and buy him the one he wants, odds are that he would prefer to pick it out.

Think about it this way: would you want your husband or father buying you a purse for Mothers Day? I think not.

Tonight's HD Picks

Here are my top picks for what's on in HD this evening.

1. NBA Basketball: Cleveland @ Detroit - TNT HD 8:15/5:15
2. The 2007 Scripps National Spelling Bee - ABC HD 8:00
3. Planet Earth: Desert - Discovery HD 8:00
4. NASCAR Coca Cola 600 - HDNet 8:00/5:00
5. Clear & Present Danger - HDNet Movies 8:05/5:05
7. Music in High Places: Goo Goo Dolls - MHD 9:00/6:00

More on Plasma vs. LCD

It's a slow news day but I did pick up an interesting tidbit from DisplaySearch by way of the Consumer Electronics Association:

"Plasma TVs are expected to grow 83% to 16.9 million units in 2009, while LCD TV sales are expected to nearly triple to 112 million in that year."
That's a pretty interesting statistic when you think about it. Most industries would be pretty happy with an 83% growth rate over the next couple of years, but when your primary competitor is tripling its own growth rate in the same period of time -- and outselling you by nearly 100 million units -- it's enough to cause a plasma company executive many a sleepless night.

Tonight's HD Picks

Here are my top picks for what's on in HD tonight:

1. NBA Basketball: Utah @ San Antonio - ESPN HD 9:00/6:00
2. MLB Baseball: Indians @ Red Sox - ESPN2 HD 7:00/4:00
3. Extreme Engineering: Space Tower - Discovery HD 8:00/5:00
4. Supervolcano - Discovery HD 9:00/6:00
5. Cathedrals of the Game: Petco Park - MOJO HD 8:30/5:30
6. The Show - MOJO HD 10:00/7:00
7. MTV Live: The Foo Fighters - MHD 5:00/2:00

VIZIO Intros LCD TVs in Wal-Mart

I read a statistic the other day that something like 90% of Americans have shopped at a Wal-Mart, which is something of an amazing fact (if true). VIZIO must have read the same thing because this morning the upstart flat-panel TV manufacturer announced the launch of its line of LCD TVs in Wal-Mart stores. The arrangement is a win-win for both companies as VIZIO gets distribution in the world's largest retailer while Wal-Mart can now offer one of the fastest-growing brands in the business.

I referred to VIZIO as an upstart -- which they are when compared to consumer electronics pioneers like Sony, Panasonic and, well, Pioneer -- but the company's flat-panel market share numbers are impressive. According to DisplaySearch data, VIZIO is the industry leader in the 37", 42", 47" and 60"+ flat panel market segments. This from a company most people had never heard of just a year or two ago.

Now that's an amazing statistic.

Tonight's HD Picks

Here are my top picks for what's on in HD tonight:

1. House (season finale) - FOX HD 9:00
2. NBA Basketball: Detroit @ Cleveland - TNT HD 8:15/5:15
3. MLB Baseball: Giants @ Mets - ESPN HD 7:00/4:00
4. 2007 French Open - ESPN2 HD noon/9:00am
5. Anatomy of an FA-18 - Discovery HD 6:00/3:00
6. Cathedrals of the Game: Wrigley Field - MOJO HD 5:00/2:00
7. Is It Real? Life on Mars - National Geographic HD 8:00

SED: RIP?

Toshiba and Canon, which have been working on a new flat-panel technology called surface-conduction electron-emitter display for what seems like forever, said last Friday that the first SED TVs will not ship by the end of this year as previously planned. The development and production of SED TVs on a large scale has been the hang-up, and with prices of LCD and plasma TVs falling by as much as 40% last year, the SED production process needs to be made more efficient if Canon hopes to be price-competitive with the flat-panel displays currently in the market.

No word yet on when the SED TVs might be available, or if they ever will. More from TWICE.

This Weekend's HD Picks

There's a lot going on this holiday weekend in the world of HD programming, so here are my top picks:

FRIDAY
1. 1000 Places to See Before You Die: Cambodia - Discovery HD 8:00
2. The Matrix Revolutions - HBO HD 7:45
3. Star Wars: Episode III - Cinemax HD 8:00
4. Star Wars: Episode IV - Cinemax HD 10:00
5. VH1 Storytellers: Dave Matthews Band - MHD 10:00

SATURDAY
1. Baseball: Phillies @ Braves - FOX HD 3:55/12:55
OR
1. Baseball: Cubs @ Dodgers - FOX HD 3:55/12:55
2. NBA Basketball: San Antonio @ Utah - ABC HD 8:30/5:30
3. Discoveries...Spain - HDNet 9:00am
4. NASCAR Busch Series at Charlotte - ESPN2 HD 8:00
5. Mission: Impossible III - Showtime HD 9:00
6. The 40-Year Old Virgin - HBO HD 10:30

SUNDAY
1. Indianapolis 500 - ABC HD noon/9:00am
2. NBA Basketball: Detroit @ Cleveland - TNT HD 8:30/5:30
3. MLB Baseball: Cleveland @ Detroit - ESPN HD 8:00/5:00
4. NASCAR Nextel Cup Coca-Cola 600 - FOX HD 5:00/2:00
5. The Shawshank Redemption - Cinemax HD 10:00

MONDAY
1. NBA Basketball: San Antonio @ Utah - ESPN HD 9:00/6:00
2. Cathedrals of the Game: San Diego's Petco Park - MOJO 5:00

C-SPAN Gets in on HDTV Action

If you've ever watched a session of Congress on C-SPAN, you probably came to the same conclusion I did: this would be really riveting stuff if only it were in high-def. Well, the good folks at C-SPAN have felt your pain, although you won't be seeing Teddy Kennedy or John McCain in HD anytime soon (for that we should all give thanks).

C-SPAN's 107-minute documentary The Capitol will be available to cable companies nationwide to offer on their free HD On Demand platforms. The ten-hour series features the architecture, art and history of our national legislature's home, and was C-SPAN's first programming ever shot using HD cameras when it debuted last summer.

More from Multichannel News.

Tonight's HD Picks

Here are my top picks for what's on in HD this evening.

1. NBA Basketball: Cleveland @ Detroit - TNT HD 8:15/5:15
2. VH1 Rock Honors: 2007 - MHD 9:00
2. The Green Land - Discovery HD 9:00
3. Planet Earth: Caves - Discovery HD 8:00
4. NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Racing - HDNet 9:00/6:00
5. Cobb - HDNet Movies 6:05

ESPN HD Now Free to Time Warner Customers

Time Warner Cable customers nationwide no longer will have to subscribe to a separate HD tier for $5-10 a month to get ESPN HD and ESPN2 HD under terms of the new contract between ESPN parent Disney and Time Warner. The HD tier Time Warner offers will now feature four channels: HDNet, HDNet Movies, MOJO HD and Universal HD. Multichannel News has the full story.

This is great news for consumers. I've never been a fan of the HD tier because in my opinion it adds one more layer of confusion to the HD buying process. Many customers don't realize they need a special HD set-top box from their cable or satellite provider to watch actual HD programming on their new HDTVs, and even fewer know that they need to subscribe to a separate tier of service to get all of the HD channels their cable company offers. My personal wish would be for HD tiers to be eliminated altogether -- and if Comcast can live without them, so can the rest of the cable industry.

However, if I'm running HDNet, MOJO or Universal, I'm not very happy with the transfer of ESPN HD and ESPN2 HD to the basic HD package. I haven't seen any specific research addressing this issue, but my guess is that a large percentage of people who subscribe to the $5-10 HD tier from Time Warner do so because that's the only way to get ESPN HD. With that element removed from the equation, I'm betting that many consumers will no longer subscribe to the HD tier since HDNet, MOJO and Universal are unfamiliar brands to consumers just becoming acquainted with high-def.

Hopefully this move by Time Warner will be the first step towards eliminating the HD tiers entirely.

Versus/Golf HD Teeing Off On Cablevision

New York City-area cable provider Cablevision said today that it is adding Versus/Golf to its high-def lineup. Coming in time for the NHL's Stanley Cup Finals between the Ottawa Senators and the Anaheim Ducks, the addition of Versus/Golf HD also means that Cablevision customers will be able to catch a number of PGA Tour golf tournaments in high-def as well.

Samsung Still the Top HDTV Brand Worldwide

DisplaySearch released the results of its Quarterly Global TV Shipment and Forecast Report showing that Samsung remains the world's biggest HDTV maker in terms of both revenue and units shipped. There's a slew of great data in here so I'd advise checking out the link above to read more, but here are some of the HD highlights:

"By brand, Samsung was #1 on a unit basis for the third consecutive quarter with a 12% share on 37% Y/Y growth, as shown in Table 1, and was also the #1 brand on a revenue basis for the fifth consecutive quarter with a 16% share on 34% growth, as shown in Table 2. By technology on a revenue basis, it was #1 in LCDs, #2 in MD RPTVs and PDPs and #3 in CRTs. Samsung also remained #1 in HD (720p/1080i) units and revenues. By region, Samsung was

#1 in Eastern and Western Europe and in North America in both units and revenues
#1 on a revenue basis and #2 on a unit basis in Asia Pacific
#2 in Middle East/Africa in both units and revenues
#3 in Latin America in both units and revenues.

LGE was the #2 brand on a unit basis for the third consecutive quarter and rose from #4 to #3 on a revenue basis. By technology, LGE was #1 in CRTs in units and revenues, was #2 in PDPs on a unit basis and #3 in revenues, and was #5 in units and revenues in LCD TVs. By region, LGE was

#1 in units and revenues in Latin America and Middle East/Africa
#1 on a unit basis and #2 on a revenue basis in Asia Pacific
#2 in both units and revenues in Eastern Europe
#4 in units and revenues in Western Europe

Sony remained #1 in 1080p TV units and revenues. It was also #1 in MD RPTV units and revenues and was #2 in LCD TV units and revenues, slightly behind Samsung on a revenue basis. By region on a revenue basis, Sony was in the top five in every region excluding China:

#2 in Japan and North America
#3 in Western Europe, Asia Pacific and Middle East/Africa
#4 in Latin America
#5 in Eastern Europe"

Panasonic & Hitachi in Plasma Deal

Leading plasma display manufacturers Matsushita (parent company of Panasonic) and Hitachi said today that they have formed a venture that will enable them to supply each other with very large plasma panels. Under terms of the alliance, Matsushita/Panasonic will supply Hitachi with 103-inch panels while Hitachi will sell its 85-inch panels to Matsushita/Panasonic.

An interesting trend towards cooperation has developed recently among HDTV manufacturers you would ordinarily think of as competitors. LG and Samsung announced a similar initiative last week, while LCD makers Sony and Samsung have been in cohoots for some time now. LG and Philips also collaborated to form LG.Philips LCD Co.

With flat-panel TV prices falling as much as they have over the last few years, it's really no wonder that companies like these feel forced to get in bed together. Call it a marriage of convenience, or perhaps survival...

Tonight's HD Picks

Here are my top picks for what's on in HD tonight:

1. Lost (season finale) - ABC 9:00
2. MLB Baseball: Red Sox @ Yankees - ESPN HD 7:00/4:00
3. Extreme Engineering: Big Easy Rebuild - Discovery HD Theater 8:00
4. Cathedrals of the Game: Camden Yards - MOJO HD 8:00
5. Cathedrals of the Game: SBC Park - MOJO HD 8:30

DIRECTV Inks Deal for 11 More HD Channels

DIRECTV said today that it has agreements in place with 11 additional HD networks to launch this September after its new satellite is in place. The new channels are:

Animal Planet
CNBC
Chiller
Discovery Channel
TLC
The Science Channel
Starz East
Starz West
Starz Edge
Starz Comedy
Starz Kids & Family

This is great news for HD owners everywhere because either you're with DIRECTV and you'll get a slew of new channels in high-def, or you're with one of their competitors who will feel the need to add to their own HD channel lineups to stay competitive. Either way, we all win.

Two questions, however that I'll try to get answered: 1] What exactly is "Chiller in HD" and 2] What does the impending launch of the Discovery Channel HD simulcast and the other three Discovery networks (Animal Planet, Science Channel, TLC) mean for Discovery HD Theater?

Comcast Launching A&E HD, Food HD, HGTV HD

Comcast has added A&E HD, Food Network HD and HGTV HD in its Boston cable system and is in the process of launching those high-def nets in other markets such as San Francisco.

Tonight's HD Picks

Here are my top picks for what's on in HD tonight:

1. NBA Basketball: Utah @ San Antonio - ESPN HD 9:00/6:00
2. NHL Hockey: Detroit @ Anaheim - Versus HD 9:00/6:00
3. HDNet World Report - HDNet 9:00/6:00
4. American Idol (season finale part 1) - FOX HD 8:00
5. Wild Spaces: Secret Yosemite - National Geographic HD 10:00

Comcast to Launch Portland Sports Net

Comcast announced yesterday that it has partnered with pro basketball's Portland Trailblazers to launch Comcast SportsNet Northwest this fall. The new regional sports net will carry 28 of the Blazers home games in HD (out of 36 total).

Comcast SportsNet operates eight sports networks that televise more than 1,600 live sporting events annually and deliver local and national sports news, analysis and commentary to more than 27 million cable and satellite homes. Comcast SportsNet's networks are: Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia, Comcast SportsNet Chicago, Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic, Comcast SportsNet West, SportsNet New York, The Mtn. - MountainWest Sports Network, CSS, and Comcast Local Detroit. These networks provide live game coverage of the NHL's Philadelphia Flyers, Washington Capitals, and Chicago Blackhawks; the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers, Washington Wizards, Chicago Bulls, and Sacramento Kings; and MLB's Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, and New York Mets; as well as a comprehensive mix of college and minor league sports events.

Additionally, last month Comcast announced that it will acquire Cablevision's stakes in FSN New England and FSN Bay Area. Following the completion of those transactions, which are anticipated to close later this year pending regulatory approval, Comcast SportsNet will manage those two networks, home to the NBA's Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors, MLB's San Francisco Giants and Oakland Athletics, the NHL's San Jose Sharks, and other sports programming.

Sharp Opening AQUOS Lounges in Shopping Malls

Sharp said today that it has signed a deal with the Taubman Centers developer of shopping malls to create "AQUOS Entertainment Lounges" in ten shopping centers around the country. Each lounge will have one to three 42" to 65" 1080p LCD flat-panel displays playing various types of HD programming.

The malls are the Beverly Center, Los Angeles; Cherry Creek, Denver; Dolphin Mall, Miami; Fair Oaks Mall, Fairfax, Va.; International Plaza, Tampa, Fla.; Northlake Mall, Charlotte, N.C.; The Mall at Short Hills, Short Hills, N.J.; Twelve Oaks Mall, Novi, Mich.; Woodfield Shopping Center, Schaumburg, Ill.; and The Shops at Willow Bend, Plano, Texas.

Tonight's HD Picks

Here are my top picks for what's on in HD tonight:

1. Baseball: Red Sox @ Yankees - ESPN HD 7:00/4:00
2. NBA Basketball: Cleveland @ Detroit - TNT HD 8:15/5:15
3. 24 (two-hour season finale) - FOX HD 8:00
4. Heroes (season finale) - NBC HD 9:00
5. The Science of Star Wars - Discovery HD 6:00

Smokin' Hot LCD Flat-Panel Deal

Normally I don't shrill for a particular manufacturer or service provider's product, but occasionally I will alert you all to a particularly good deal. One found its way into my inbox this morning, courtesy of Buy.com - it's a 32" VIZIO VX32L widescreen LCD HDTV (refurbished) for the ridiculously low price of $439.99. Yes, it's a refurb, but for just north of $400, this would be a great TV for a secondary room like a home-office, a kids playroom or a master bedroom.

Check it out for yourself here.

Round 3 in DIRECTV vs. Cable HDTV War

First, Time Warner Cable sued DIRECTV over its television ads promoting the satellite provider's alleged HD superiority over cable HD. Then Comcast came out with a third-party study showing that consumers in some unspecified area preferred Comcast's high-def picture quality to that of both DIRECTV and DISH. Now DIRECTV is suing Comcast over the results of that study, alleging "false advertising and deceptive trade practices."

Ugh. Would it be too much to ask that all these companies just launch as many high-quality HD channels as quickly as possible and forget about the litigation? Yeah, I suppose it would...

This Weekend's HD Picks

There's a lot going on this weekend in the world of HD programming, so here are my top picks:

FRIDAY
1. NBA Basketball: Cleveland @ New Jersey - ESPN HD 7:00/4:00
2. Baseball: Roger Clemens Makes First Start - ESPN2 HD 7:00/4:00
3. 1000 Places to See Before You Die: Nepal - Discovery HD 8:00
4. NBA Basketball: Phoenix @ San Antonio - ESPN HD 9:30/6:30
5. Clear & Present Danger - HDNet Movies 6:05
6. NASCAR Minnesota 150 - HDNet 11:00

SATURDAY
1. Baseball: Yankees @ Mets - FOX HD 3:55/12:55
OR
1. Baseball: White Sox @ Cubs - FOX HD 3:55/12:55
2. 1000 Places to See Before You Die: S. Africa - Discovery HD 8:00
3. Planet Earth: Mountains - Discovery HD 5:00
4. Married to the Mob - HDNet Movies 8:15/5:15 & 11:45/8:45
5. The Preakness - ESPN HD 2:00/11:00

SUNDAY
1. Indy 500 Bump Day - ABC HD 10:00am
2. NBA Basketball: Utah @ San Antonio - ABC HD 3:30/12:30
3. The Simpsons (season finale & 400th episode) - FOX HD 8:00
4. Sunday Night Baseball: Mets @ Yankees - ESPN HD 8:00/5:00
5. The Sopranos - HBO HD 9:00
6. Desperate Housewives (season finale) - ABC HD 9:00
7. Entourage - HBO HD 10:00
8. The Tudors - Showtime HD 10:00

Tonight's HD Picks

There's a whole crop of season finales on tonight (which will make my job a lot tougher come next week), so below are my top picks for what's on in HD this evening.

By the way, for those of you reading this who may have just purchased your HDTV, remember that to get the HD channels listed below you'll need a cable or satellite HD box, or an over-the-air antenna with digital tuner. And keep in mind that the channel numbers will be different, so if your local NBC affiliate is channel 4, on cable HD it might be 204, 704 or 904. Drop me a line if you have any questions and I'll help you sort it out.

1. The Office - NBC HD 8:00 (season finale)
2. NBA Basketball: Detroit @ Chicago - ESPN HD 8:00/5:00
3. Grey's Anatomy - ABC HD 9:00 (season finale)
4. Scrubs - NBC HD 9:00 (season finale)
5. Planet Earth: Fresh Water - Discovery HD 8:00
6. NHL Hockey: Detroit @ Anaheim - MOJO/Versus HD 9:00/6:00

HP Wades Into 1080p LCD TV Waters

HP, which initially unveiled its 1080p LCD TVs at this year's CES, today announced their retail availability. From TWICE:

"The 720p lineup will include the 32W-inch LC3272N ($899 suggested retail) and 37W-inch LC3772N ($1,199) LCD TV models, and the 42W- LC4272N ($1,399) and 50-inch ($2,099) plasma models.

"Step-up 1,080p LCD TV models include the 42W- LC4276N ($1,899) and 47W-inch LC4776N ($2,499). Both will include 1,200:1 contrast ratios and 6 ms response times."

LG.Philips Expects Falling LCD Prices to Stabilize

Anticipating strong consumer demand and a reduced supply of inventory, LG.Philips LCD executives said yesterday at an industry panel that they believe LCD panel prices will decline about 15% in 2007, half of the 30% decline experienced last year. LG.Philips is the second-largest manufacturer of large LCD flat-panels, behind Samsung.

LCD flat-panel TVs are largely winning the battle with rival plasma displays in the sub-50 inch category, while plasma still holds a large lead in 50-inches and bigger.

Tonight's HD Picks

Here are my top picks for what's on in HD tonight:

1. Lost - ABC 10:00
2. Wednesday Night Baseball: Detroit @ Boston - ESPN HD 7:30/4:30
3. NBA Basketball: New Jersey @ Cleveland - TNT HD 8:00/5:00
4. NBA Basketball: San Antonio @ Phoenix - TNT HD 10:30/7:30
5. Extreme Engineering: Biggest Warship - Discovery HD Theater 8:00
6. Cathedrals of the Game: Busch Stadium - MOJO HD 8:00
7. Cathedrals of the Game: Dodger Stadium - MOJO HD 8:30