Advertisement (Why?)
Cable and satellite companies are aware of the tiny number of HD channels contrasted with the increasing demand for HD. At CES 2007, DIRECTV proudly announced that it would have 100 HD channels available by year end. Now, Comcast is reportedly trying to trump its competitor by saying that it will have over 800 HD channels by the end of 2008. Comcast hopes to have half of those 800 channels in place by year end, but the majority of those will be channels that show a single movie in an endless loop or a channel devoted to episodes of a popular cable show. Categorizing channels in that manner is an easy way to score a quick PR victory by claiming you have more channels than your competitor. The reality is many cable networks have yet to commit to launching HD versions of their programming.
HD content needs a lot more bandwidth than standard programming: satellite providers need to make the expensive move of adding more satellites while cable companies, which have a finite amount of bandwidth available in their infrastructure, have to use compression methods or specific technologies to get around the problem. For example, Switched Digital Video sends video to neighbourhood nodes from the cable company, and individual subscribers grab specific content as it is requested. Other companies use IPTV, which means only transmitting a handful of channels to a subscriber at any given time.
News source: Ars Technica
HD content needs a lot more bandwidth than standard programming: satellite providers need to make the expensive move of adding more satellites while cable companies, which have a finite amount of bandwidth available in their infrastructure, have to use compression methods or specific technologies to get around the problem. For example, Switched Digital Video sends video to neighbourhood nodes from the cable company, and individual subscribers grab specific content as it is requested. Other companies use IPTV, which means only transmitting a handful of channels to a subscriber at any given time.
News source: Ars Technica
Rogers has 35 HD channels BUT only 5 unique channels
note =*sarcastic remark
Rogers has 35 HD channels BUT only 5 unique channels
note =*sarcastic remark
20 HD channels on shaw. you dont want to know how many are doubles.
First of I do not watch much TV and second of I only get 2 HD channel. I have the Panasonic 1080i 42" Plasma. Thank god it was a gift cause I would never spend that much on a TV. I believe it was 1200 USD. Makes me want to vomit. On top of that it's broken and has been broken since memorial day week-end.
800 channels! Holy cow! I would have to say that it is quality not quantity. 800 channels sounds all well and good, until you realize 100 of them are home shopping network or something lame like LIFE network.
Now for you gamers in HD the Chinese Gold Farming Stations!!
So, a grand total of about 20...most of which I can receive over-the-air, free of charge. They have a long way to go 'til 800...I don't see how they can promise that anyway. How do they plan to get all of those TV stations to switch to HD programming?
Commenting has either been disabled on this article or you are not logged in. Click here to login or register, its free!
Note: Anonymous commenting is disabled in order to keep the quality of responses to a high standard.