Home Box Office to Make All 26 of Its Channels Available in High Definition

[dfergie]

Home Box Office to Make All 26 of Its Channels Available in High Definition
June 12, 2007

Home Box Office has committed to making all 26 feeds of its HBO and Cinemax multiplex channels available in high-definition announced Bill Nelson, chairman & CEO, HBO. The rollout will begin later this year, with anticipated completion by the end of second quarter 2008.
"We have a long history of firsts in technology - satellite, multiplex and SVOD. Such a commitment reinforces our tradition of giving our customers the best programming when they want it and how they want it" said Nelson. "This move further solidifies HBO's leadership in the premium category."
Home Box Office was the first national cable network to offer HD feeds, with HBO HDTV launching in 1999 and Cinemax HDTV in 2003.
The network's all-digital multiplex packages, which showcase HBO's award-winning original series, films and documentaries and Cinemax's extensive movie library and blockbuster hits include:
HBO Branded Channels/Feeds:
HBO (East/West)
HBO2 (East/West)
HBO Signature (East/West)
HBO Comedy (East/West)
HBO Family (East/West)
HBO Zone (East/West)
HBO Latino (East/West)

Cinemax Branded Channels/Feeds:
Cinemax (East/West)
MoreMAX (East/West)
ActionMAX (East/West)
ThrillerMAX (East/West)
WMAX (East)
@MAX (East)
5StarMAX (East)
OuterMAX (East)
Each of the fifteen multiplex channels has a distinct programming and on-air identity that appeal's to targeted segments of the network's broader audience, providing subscribers with even more access to the kinds of programs they want to see at no extra cost. Home Box Office, Inc. is the premium television programming subsidiary of Time Warner Inc., providing two 24-hour pay television services - HBO and Cinemax - to over 40 million U.S. subscribers. The services offer the most popular subscription video on demand products, HBO On Demand and Cinemax On Demand, as well as multiplex channels and HD feeds. Internationally the subscription video on demand products HBO On Demand and HBO Mobile, along with branded joint ventures, bring HBO services to over 50 countries. HBO programming is sold into over 150 countries worldwide.
Source: TimeWarner

 

[dantheman77]

Thats great, BUT who would carry all of them?? we are lucky we have one. (charter st louis)

 

[dfergie]

DirecTV is rumored to carry 11 this year, Dishnetwork is moving its Voom Channels to MPEG4 this summer which would make room for some...

 

[BobMurdoch]

Maybe E* can finally add OuterMAX, ThrillerMAX, and HBO Zone since they will be swimming in bandwidth from Voom going Mpeg4....

 

[long_time_DNC]

I agree, if they'd carry some of the other channels in HD, that'd be great.

 

[dfergie]

With Voom going to MPEG4 and Charlie Ergens comments on the Charlie Chat last night about remaining the HD leader maybe we will hear something on the next Tech Chat about this for Dishnetwork customers and with the talk of DIRECTV adding 11 the future looks bright for HD...

 

[riffjim4069]

I "whacked" my HBO subscription a couple ago since we really didn't watch it, however this is very good news...

 

[rockymtnhigh]

This is one of the most exciting pieces of news I have heard in a long time. Hard to imagine being able to actually watch all of those HBO channels that aren't even in my favorites list! Fingers remain crossed.

 

[skottey]

This is great news. I love movies but the crappy look of those SD and non-wide screen channels has prevented me from watching way too many films in the last few years. I will actually watch them if they go HD. Good move, now let's just hope Brighthouse or Dish carry them all. Whichever carries the most will get my subscription. Brighthouse has my HBO/Cinemax subscription now because Dish doesn't have all channels. Dish has more Starz and the HD, so I carry that subscription with Dish. The better the offering, the more of my $$$ they will get.

Good move HBO.... now it is up to you Brighthouse!

 

[BCH]

One point that has not been mentioned is the impact this decision will have on HBO's competition.

 

[TulsaCoker]

One point that has not been mentioned is the impact this decision will have on HBO's competition.

Well this is the Impact of Starz announcing their HD channels a few month ago.
HBO is just keeping up

 

[db2]

Personally I hope E* doesn't use the extra bandwidth gained from the Voom transition to add these. Just MHO.

 

[rlarryvt]

Personally I hope E* doesn't use the extra bandwidth gained from the Voom transition to add these. Just MHO.

I'm no expert , but, from what I have been reading here, by the time these channels launch bandwidth should not be an issue. With the 2 new MPEG4 Sat scheduled for launch and the MPEG4 encoders already in use. Again I'm no expert

 

[db2]

I'm no expert , but, from what I have been reading here, by the time these channels launch bandwidth should not be an issue. With the 2 new MPEG4 Sat scheduled for launch and the MPEG4 encoders already in use. Again I'm no expert

Oh sure, I don't have a problem with them putting these on the new all mpeg4 satellites next year. I just would rather not see them use up space on the current sats for these channels.

 

[james_k_p]

Oh sure, I don't have a problem with them putting these on the new all mpeg4 satellites next year. I just would rather not see them use up space on the current sats for these channels.

I'm with you there. With the other mention channels supposedly coming online this fall/winter....scifi/usa/fx etc etc.

But this is so exciting, I've said it before that now the ball is rolling...and now it's really starting to pick up speed and in about 2 years, we'll have everything in HD before we know it! Yeee haa!!

 

[dfergie]

Viacom should answer pretty quick hopefully...

 

[long_time_DNC]

Sci-Fi is going HD? I thought the latest word from them was that they weren't going HD...?

 

[stck4evr]

Since the current HBO, HDNET, etc is in MPEG2, I wonder if they will require that their channels be in high bitrate MPEG2 and not with new experimental low
bit rate MPEG4. I thought HDNET requires their channels to have a minimum
bitrate, etc (read that somewhere on this site some time ago).
If they do the same, then there won't be room to fit too many of these HBOs...

 

[long_time_DNC]

Why can't they do HBO and HDNet in Mpeg4 at a somewhat higher bitrate than the other mpeg4 HD channels? I would think that compensate for any PQ differences (if any) and still leave more available bandwidth...

 

[dfergie]

Dvr Alert! Serenity at 7am Thursday on HBO and Saving Pvt Ryan at 2am Friday (all times Edt)...