Extreme HD Channels

[jame_g]

Just wondering what people think of the additional HD Channels "Coming Soon" to the Extreme HD package. Especially the new channels from Entertainment Studios: Cars.TV HD, Pets.TV HD, Recipe TV.HD, Comedy.TV HD, ES.TV HD, and MyDestination.TV HD.

Is this just a gimmick so Verizon can say they've got something no one else has got, or will there be content thats worth watching? If the content's good, will they suffer from limited variety/endless repeats?

Actually, I think the Crime and Investigation Network is one I'm looking forward to and kind of miss, since I avoid watching anything in SD these days. (I wish Verizon would offer their own "TurboHD" like E*) Are there any of the "Coming Soon" channels that people are really looking forward to?

 

[skottey]

Just wondering what people think of the additional HD Channels "Coming Soon" to the Extreme HD package. Especially the new channels from Entertainment Studios: Cars.TV HD, Pets.TV HD, Recipe TV.HD, Comedy.TV HD, ES.TV HD, and MyDestination.TV HD.

Is this just a gimmick so Verizon can say they've got something no one else has got, or will there be content thats worth watching? If the content's good, will they suffer from limited variety/endless repeats?

Actually, I think the Crime and Investigation Network is one I'm looking forward to and kind of miss, since I avoid watching anything in SD these days. (I wish Verizon would offer their own "TurboHD" like E*) Are there any of the "Coming Soon" channels that people are really looking forward to?

I think these channels are gimmicky like Voom. They may have some content, but not worth six or more channels. I think they are just filling voids where real channels don't exist yet. I predict that if we take a sneak peak snapshot into ten years from now these channels will be a thing of the past. They will probably just go away in time.

Going from both DirecTV and BHN cable to FIOS TV, it seems like a lot of HD (espcecially with movies) but there are a few niches with no HD, and I guess that is where these specialty channels come in.

I also think FIOS wants to stay on top of things. There are channels they are missing such as the Viacom music and kids channels, and the Rainbow channels (AMC, IFC, etc). But, the fact is, VIACOM's music channels do not show a lot of (if any) HD yet. I am sure when they start showing more than just the MTV VMA awards in HD on its first broadcast (not the replays), FIOS will take a serious look at adding them. So other than these channels, there isn't a lot available that FIOS doesn't yet carry.

I had Crime and Investigation with DirecTV (I ditched the HD extra pack when I signed up for FIOS, but I still have a lower package of DirecTV). I couldn't understand why FIOS only carried it in SD. I thought it was an HD only channel until I saw how bad it looked as an SD channel on FIOS. What is the hold up in adding it? It has been live since October or so with DirecTV. Speaking of that, I would really love to see Investigation Discovery go HD. Anybody know when the rest of the Discovery channels go HD? Maybe by the time Oprah gets her own channel.. fat and HD!

I have gotten to where I cannot watch SD anymore either. I don't mind my DVD collection, but the SD cable channels look like crap compared to HD channels with any provider.

What is up with Encore HD? Here in the Tampa market, the channel is in the guide and an error message comes up when you try to tune to it. Anybody with FIOS getting this channel yet?

 

[JPL]

Encore HD is being rolled out market by market - folks in CA are saying the same thing you are - it's showing up in the guide, but when they tune it in they get an error message. We've had it here in SE PA for a few weeks now.

As for C&I, it IS coming. It's showing up as 'coming soon' in the guide. Apprently those .tv channels are giving them an issue, which is why they haven't been turned on yet.

 

[skottey]

Encore HD is being rolled out market by market - folks in CA are saying the same thing you are - it's showing up in the guide, but when they tune it in they get an error message. We've had it here in SE PA for a few weeks now.

As for C&I, it IS coming. It's showing up as 'coming soon' in the guide. Apprently those .tv channels are giving them an issue, which is why they haven't been turned on yet.

The Encore thing is just odd. Why roll it out market by market? Why not just say "here you go FIOS nation, here is Encore HD?" After all, unlike different markets of cable companies like Comcast or TW, the FIOS TV service feeds all its national channels from one central source out to the different markets. They must be feeding out Encore HD to the main center in each market. What about the mislabeled Starz Indie (Indieplex) and Starz Retro (Retroplex) in the PDF? Anybody getting those yet? They are in the channel pdf as coming soon, but unlike Encore HD, aren't even showing up in the guide yet.

I am glad they finally added NHL Network. I no longer have to look for the HDMI switchbox remote to switch over to the DirecTV HD DVR to watch that channel.

I am hoping either FIOS or DirecTV will add AMC HD before Breaking Bad Season 2 begins. Any word on AMC HD or IFC HD... or any of the other Rainblow channels such as We HD? I can't wait for We HD. I'll be able to enjoy that warm fuzzy feeling again that I felt when I first saw LMN HD. Oh wait, those feelings are douche chills, nothing I want to endure again... same thing I get when I see a Cristy Lane "I believe in angels" commercial, like they have this time of year on Fox News.

 

[tvwatchingdude]

If fios has space to put all this crap on, Then why not voom! Voom is great! where else can u get monsters HD??????

 

[skottey]

If fios has space to put all this crap on, Then why not voom! Voom is great! where else can u get monsters HD??????

That is like saying, "Wyoming has all that wide open space, why not fill it with Walmart and Sam's Clubs?"

Just because you have the space doesn't mean you should fill it with garbage. Later on down the road it will be a lot harder to bulldoze the Walmart and build housing over that land when it is needed than it would be to clear some trees and build it. Imagine FIOS needing the space for a bunch of new Discovery Channels or striking a deal with Rainblow or Viacom for their channels, only to have to jump through hoops to break a contract for carriage of Voom. It isn't worth it for Verizon to dive into such a bad deal.

There are two alternatives the way I see it.....

1- Consolidate Voom to about three non-specific channels. Maybe just call it Voom, Voom 2, Voom 3, and carry the best of each channel with less repeats. This would certainly be picked up by more providers than 10-15 channels. Space is the biggest problem with most cable providres.

2- Make Voom strictly an On Demand content provider. Voom On Demand... $9.99 a month. Watch what you want, when you want. Voom.

No need for all 15 channels of crap.

 

[jame_g]

We've got EncoreHD here in central Virginia.

I think there are plenty of gaps in the HD programming, but I don't think the 6 E.S. channels address them. There are already similar channels for most of them.

Comedy Central, AMC, Turner Classic Movies among others would be nice. I don't care much about the kids channels, although I am sure others do.

Once the Voom service went off the air, I wondered why they just didn't combine the best of the programming (with less repeats) into about 3-5 channels. I think if they had done that they could have been carried much more widely.

 

[skottey]

We've got EncoreHD here in central Virginia.

I think there are plenty of gaps in the HD programming, but I don't think the 6 E.S. channels address them. There are already similar channels for most of them.

Comedy Central, AMC, Turner Classic Movies among others would be nice. I don't care much about the kids channels, although I am sure others do.

Once the Voom service went off the air, I wondered why they just didn't combine the best of the programming (with less repeats) into about 3-5 channels. I think if they had done that they could have been carried much more widely.

Does TCM HD exist yet? I would love that. I love the old movies. That would be one of my top adds... that and AMC HD, which definitely exists already.

 

[JPL]

I don't know why Verizon is doing the final few HD channels of the year market by market. They just are. BTW, for the question of what HD channels are still out there and who has what, here's a pretty good chart:

The Official AVS National HD Channel Lineups - Cable, DBS, Fiber - Updated 12/8/08! - AVS Forum

It's updated fairly regularly.

 

[Ray S]

I think these channels are gimmicky like Voom. They may have some content, but not worth six or more channels. I think they are just filling voids where real channels don't exist yet. I predict that if we take a sneak peak snapshot into ten years from now these channels will be a thing of the past. They will probably just go away in time.

Going from both DirecTV and BHN cable to FIOS TV, it seems like a lot of HD (espcecially with movies) but there are a few niches with no HD, and I guess that is where these specialty channels come in.

I also think FIOS wants to stay on top of things. There are channels they are missing such as the Viacom music and kids channels, and the Rainbow channels (AMC, IFC, etc). But, the fact is, VIACOM's music channels do not show a lot of (if any) HD yet. I am sure when they start showing more than just the MTV VMA awards in HD on its first broadcast (not the replays), FIOS will take a serious look at adding them. So other than these channels, there isn't a lot available that FIOS doesn't yet carry.

I had Crime and Investigation with DirecTV (I ditched the HD extra pack when I signed up for FIOS, but I still have a lower package of DirecTV). I couldn't understand why FIOS only carried it in SD. I thought it was an HD only channel until I saw how bad it looked as an SD channel on FIOS. What is the hold up in adding it? It has been live since October or so with DirecTV. Speaking of that, I would really love to see Investigation Discovery go HD. Anybody know when the rest of the Discovery channels go HD? Maybe by the time Oprah gets her own channel.. fat and HD!

I have gotten to where I cannot watch SD anymore either. I don't mind my DVD collection, but the SD cable channels look like crap compared to HD channels with any provider.

What is up with Encore HD? Here in the Tampa market, the channel is in the guide and an error message comes up when you try to tune to it. Anybody with FIOS getting this channel yet?

What package do you have with FIOS? I am adding a HD DVR and HD extreme in a tripple play package. I am keeping DishNetwork because of their HD DVRs. I have two of them hooked up to external hard drives. I will be leaving Cablevision which I had for the internet and one High Definition DVR with the Family Pack. Do you like their plan compared to what cable had to offer?

 

[skottey]

What package do you have with FIOS? I am adding a HD DVR and HD extreme in a tripple play package. I am keeping DishNetwork because of their HD DVRs. I have two of them hooked up to external hard drives. I will be leaving Cablevision which I had for the internet and one High Definition DVR with the Family Pack. Do you like their plan compared to what cable had to offer?

I have FIOS HD Extreme and two HD DVRs. I also have the $30 movie package, but I got it free for 90 days. That includes all premiums. By biggest complaint in this area is that each DVR is $16 a month. So that is an extra $32 a month for that garbage DVR. But whatever... at least I get the channels I desire.

I still hold on to DirecTV for a few reasons. 1- still in a contract, so why buy it out for $400 or so when I just spent $300 on two DVRs upfront last spring? 2 - It is cheap with the lower package and two DVRs. 3 - they have a few HD channels that FIOS doesn't have, like the full time Sun Sports (even though it isn't HD all the time, it is a better pq than the SD channel during non HD game time and SD gametime) FIOS only has Sun HD during HD specific games. Otherwsise you get color bars. 4- I figure my odds of getting the few HD channels I desire, sooner, are better by having both services. (ie AMC HD)