August - the Month of new HD?????

[ThaVWman]

"...Is that not the plan for ALL channels to go to HD at some point? ..."
No. All channels will go digital, but not all HD. For decades, there will be reruns of SD programming- some stations may specialize in this. Some source material will be of limited interest, and not support the added expense of recording in HD. Bandwidth will always be a concern, so HD programming must be of great popularity to pay the freight.

Sadly, multi-casting will always be with us.

Yes, but at some point everything will be in HD... its just like everything else out there. There will come a time that it will cost more to broadcast in SD, or to even record in SD, so things will transition to HD all over. I could see even the "SD" only channels being broadcast on an "HD" channel, but still only showing up in SD resolution.

Bandwidth is always going to be an issue of course, but there will always be newer ways of increasing bandwidth, so its just a matter of when E* decides to implement those new methods. Its not a matter of IF, but a matter of WHEN.

 

[jmd102354]

Why are there so many people complaining about certain channels being put up in HD?? !

Because we can and we have a reason. It is called Bandwidth. Get your facts together.

 

[jmd102354]

We are 52 in the market place. So I don't think we will be getting them any time soon.
Do OTA. I don't know where your from but most of the people I know have no trouble picking up all the local stations OTA.

No ota here. Surrounded by mountains. When do you figure we might expect HD locals? I may have to enroll in Blueridge just for the HD and step down to Bronze with Dish. I wonder if I can get the family pkg???

 

[ThaVWman]

Because we can and we have a reason. It is called Bandwidth. Get your facts together.

Get my facts together? I think I have history on my side on this one. Granted, E* does not have any extra bandwidth right now, but that certainly is not going to be the case forever. Improvements and advancement of technology will take care of that. So complaining about one channel getting added over another at this point is just childish. Most current channels will be converted to HD at some point. Whether or not that point is sooner or later, it will happen. It's only natural progression of technology. Im sure back in the day of black and white to color people complained that their shows were still in B&W, and why couldnt they be brought up to color before the others were.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

Yes, all channels will eventually be HD.

But right now, the issue is bandwidth. Channels are being squeezed and down-rezzed to enable them to offer other channels. So when new HD is being added at the cost of picture quality on other channels, it is understandable that people will complain and will have a good reason to complain. When channels were converted to color, the existing B&W channels did not get worse in order to allow the color channels to be available.

 

[tjwgrr]

Yes, but at some point everything will be in HD...

mmmm..... C-Span I & II in HD........ can't wait :sleeo

 

[ThaVWman]

Yes, all channels will eventually be HD.

But right now, the issue is bandwidth. Channels are being squeezed and down-rezzed to enable them to offer other channels. So when new HD is being added at the cost of picture quality on other channels, it is understandable that people will complain and will have a good reason to complain. When channels were converted to color, the existing B&W channels did not get worse in order to allow the color channels to be available.

I agree with everything you are saying, and you are right, people do have the right to complain about E* just adding and adding HD at the expense of quality, which defeats the purpose of HD. But to complain that this channel should be added before this channel etc etc is just pointless. On that front there is just no way they are ever going to please everyone at the same time.

 

[jmd102354]

Get my facts together? I think I have history on my side on this one. Granted, E* does not have any extra bandwidth right now, but that certainly is not going to be the case forever. Improvements and advancement of technology will take care of that. So complaining about one channel getting added over another at this point is just childish. Most current channels will be converted to HD at some point. Whether or not that point is sooner or later, it will happen. It's only natural progression of technology. Im sure back in the day of black and white to color people complained that their shows were still in B&W, and why couldnt they be brought up to color before the others were.

That' right. Get your facts together. Didn't you say ALL channels will be HD ? Now you say most.
If you believe this topic is childish it is not as childish as your so called informed replies.
Plus what does Black/White to Color have to do with my discussion on bandwidth?

 

[navychop]

"... Bandwidth is always going to be an issue of course, but there will always be newer ways of increasing bandwidth..."
But available programming is likely to increase at least as fast, likely faster. Besides, there is a mathematical limit to how much more you can gain from compression. There is, for all practical purposes, no limit to the accumulation of programming.

Equipment costs may go down, and I agree one day SD equipment may cost more than HD equipment, just as CD players are cheaper than record players. But bandwidth is bandwidth, and something taking up as much as 6 times as much bandwidth is going to be more costly. In lost opportunity costs, if nothing else.

I doubt all new production shows will be in HD in our lifetimes. Multicasting rules the daytime hours, and will likely continue to do so for many years. And if there is no expectation of certain shows going out in HD -ever- why pay extra today for that? And it certainly costs extra, and will for many years.

 

[waltinvt]

Why are there so many people complaining about certain channels being put up in HD?? !

Because we can and we have a reason. It is called Bandwidth. Get your facts together.

Get my facts together? I think I have history on my side on this one. Granted, E* does not have any extra bandwidth right now, but that certainly is not going to be the case forever. Improvements and advancement of technology will take care of that. So complaining about one channel getting added over another at this point is just childish. Most current channels will be converted to HD at some point. Whether or not that point is sooner or later, it will happen. It's only natural progression of technology. Im sure back in the day of black and white to color people complained that their shows were still in B&W, and why couldnt they be brought up to color before the others were.

That' right. Get your facts together. Didn't you say ALL channels will be HD ? Now you say most.

If you believe this topic is childish it is not as childish as your so called informed replies.
Plus what does Black/White to Color have to do with my discussion on bandwidth?

Geesh, it was the guy's 2nd post and his comments weren't that unreasonable. Give him a break.

 

[MikeD-C05]

Must have woke up on the wrong side of the bed.