New HD Channel - Universal HD

[Harry]

Got an email yesterday from BHN. There is a free trial from now till the end of the year on Universal HD channel at 708. After that it will be part of the HD pack. Not sure what they really carry and if it is worth anything but it is the first new HD channel in quite awhile. I would rather have seen ESPN 2 but I guess something is better than nothing.

Harry

[Jodeus]

Does it start December 1st maybe, I tried hitting 708 and nothing came up.

-Jody

[anthony_b]

I already have it here in Lithia (FishhawkRanch).

[Bschneider]

I edited thread and post title to include -Universal HD.

[djkilla]

I received the same e-mail (signed up for the mailing list) and I have the channel here in Temple Terrace Tampa, FL. I searched through to see what's on for the next week and wasn't entirely impressed.

[bdraw]

Universal HD is actually a pretty good channel. Not great, but pretty good. They show alot of older HD shows like Law and Order SVU and Monk. They also show alot of Universal's movies. The best show on their to me is Batalstar Galatica.

[Zimmy]

That is nice but I'm still waiting for Channel 44 and UPN.

What is the delay with those channels?
These are independents, BHN should be able to make a quick deal to get them.

They have probably have more HD content than NBC and ABC combined.

Luckily, I can get 44.1 via OTA but 38.1 is tough.

[bdraw]

44 is a mystery but 38 is managed my Sinclair and none of their stations Digital stations are carried via cable. Last I heard they wanted the cable companies to pay for the feed, which of course BHN will not do.

38 is supposed to turn up the juice soon so more people can pick it up. I pick it up fine but there are no shows on that channel that I watch.

[LonghornXP]

44 is a mystery but 38 is managed my Sinclair and none of their stations Digital stations are carried via cable. Last I heard they wanted the cable companies to pay for the feed, which of course BHN will not do.

38 is supposed to turn up the juice soon so more people can pick it up. I pick it up fine but there are no shows on that channel that I watch.

Rest assured that the minute DirecTV puts up UPN44 and WB38 in HDTV and yes they have contracts in place for both you will see both of these channels popup in your BHN guide within a week. Just wait and you will indeed see what having true competition can do. Also DirecTV does have a contract in place to carry all Sinclair owned stations HDTV feeds so at some point BHN along with every cable company will have to work out a deal and pay. It also amazes me how satellite has to pay for every local and national channel and even charge extra for it and still have a cheaper bill. Now I know that running lines into all the areas costs money but it doesn't cost that much extra for wiring and upgrades done many years ago. This is all about greed and BHN would rather not bother with it even if it pisses off their customers until they are forced to offer it. I bet they didn't even want to add the HD Package that they did if it wasn't for the three satellite companies at that time stealing their customers.

[Zimmy]

Why go through all the trouble producing HiDef shows, then not letting anyone with the ability to get it out to the most consumers, carry it?
Why let them carry the analog and not digital?
Who makes these decisions?
They feel that having an Amanda Bynes sitcom will carry enough clout to force them to pay???
Just blows my mind.

What is odd, the analog channel comes in nice and clear ( 38 ) but 38.1 is almost impossible. If it comes in, it will disappear before you sit down.

Just very frustrating.

[bdraw]

Vista, (Formally known as longhorn)
I question wheather DirecTV has contracts with WB and UPN here in Tampa.

I recently purchased a H20 reciver from Best buy and the HD Locals show up in my guide.(Their is no picture) I have a local HD Channel for 8, 10, 13, and 28 but not 3, 38 or 44. Are they just not planning to launch them with the rest of the HD Locals? But add them later?

Either way we should find out for sure in the next couple of weeks. I believe they are going to start rolling them out Dec 15th.

[LonghornXP]

Vista, (Formally known as longhorn)
I question wheather DirecTV has contracts with WB and UPN here in Tampa.

I recently purchased a H20 reciver from Best buy and the HD Locals show up in my guide.(Their is no picture) I have a local HD Channel for 8, 10, 13, and 28 but not 3, 38 or 44. Are they just not planning to launch them with the rest of the HD Locals? But add them later?

Either way we should find out for sure in the next couple of weeks. I believe they are going to start rolling them out Dec 15th.

They will launch the PBS, WB and UPN feeds at a later date in all markets. I know for a fact that both PBS and UPN have or are very very close to a deal with DirecTV but no proof or press release is available to prove this. Now WB38 does have a deal with DirecTV because DirecTVs extension with Sinclair broadcasting group in April included carriage of all Sinclair owned local stations HDTV feeds. The press release for this is available at the Sinclair Broadcasting Group website and a quick link for this is available below.

http://www.sbgi.net/press/release_2005411_106.shtml

DirecTV also has a deal in place with Viacom for O&O HD local carriage of all Viacom owned stations. As you may or may not know Viacom owns our local UPN local station. That only leaves PBS and this isn't a problem at all.

[bdraw]

Thanks for the explanation.

[bdraw]

Why go through all the trouble producing HiDef shows, then not letting anyone with the ability to get it out to the most consumers, carry it?
Why let them carry the analog and not digital?
Who makes these decisions?
They feel that having an Amanda Bynes sitcom will carry enough clout to force them to pay???
Just blows my mind.

What is odd, the analog channel comes in nice and clear ( 38 ) but 38.1 is almost impossible. If it comes in, it will disappear before you sit down.

Just very frustrating.

It is frustrating and more complicated then anyone would imagine.

The company that manges the station can control if they are carried or not. Most stations are either owned by the network itself of by a media company like "Media General" or Sinclair.

Each affiliate can either sign an individual deal with the local MSO(cable or sat) or the deal is made on a national level.

It is seldome fair and almost never makes sense.

Tampa is not very lucky in this regard. Orlando on the other hand is lucky, they have had almost all of the HD locals including wb and upn for a few years.

Longhorn has a point, once Directv adds them it won't be long until BHN does too.

[RadYOacTiVE]

Rest assured that the minute DirecTV puts up UPN44 and WB38 in HDTV and yes they have contracts in place for both you will see both of these channels popup in your BHN guide within a week. Just wait and you will indeed see what having true competition can do.

Looking forward to see what happens when FIOS starts rolling out to other areas besides Wesley Chapel. I had a BHN tech here two weeks ago and he agreed that the competion will benefit the customers.

On another note, why does BHN not carry the local HD's uncrypted so that I can get them with my pdp's tuner?

[LonghornXP]

Looking forward to see what happens when FIOS starts rolling out to other areas besides Wesley Chapel. I had a BHN tech here two weeks ago and he agreed that the competion will benefit the customers.

On another note, why does BHN not carry the local HD's uncrypted so that I can get them with my pdp's tuner?

Maybe I'm wrong on this but these stations should be allowed to be picked up via a QAM tuner or a cable card. If this isn't the case I think BHN is not following the rules if you get my drift. Don't quote me on this though because I'm not entirely sure if that is so.

[RadYOacTiVE]

Maybe I'm wrong on this but these stations should be allowed to be picked up via a QAM tuner or a cable card. If this isn't the case I think BHN is not following the rules if you get my drift. Don't quote me on this though because I'm not entirely sure if that is so.

From what I understand, cable companies have the ability to pass the HD signal of the local stations without the need for the cable card but BHN has encrypted them or is not passing them.

Anyway, nice local forum, I hope we can make this more active. The more people involved the stronger we become in getting things like this and issues such as WBHD, ESPN2, CinemaxHD... to our channel lineup!

[bdraw]

If they are encrypting them this is new.
It has been a year since I have tried but I was able to watch them with my QAM tuner when I had BHN.

There is another thread around the BHN forum here that is about just that subject. Not sure how long ago that was.

[millerman101]

There not encrypted...you can pick them up via your TV's built in Qam tuner. They are free to air.... Its been discussed here alot..