New Tampa Bay Rays Season - New Frustrations for BHN Customers

[Palmateer]

FSN has announced that 37 of this season's Tampa Bay Rays baseball games will be carried in HD to various satellite and Tampa Bay Area cable outlets.

I sent an email on March 31st to BHN Marketing person Shelley Panzarella, asking if BHN plans to carry ANY of these games in HD.

She ducked the question - said she would find out and never answered.

[skottey]

FSN has announced that 37 of this season's Tampa Bay Rays baseball games will be carried in HD to various satellite and Tampa Bay Area cable outlets.

I sent an email on March 31st to BHN Marketing person Shelley Panzarella, asking if BHN plans to carry ANY of these games in HD.

She ducked the question - said she would find out and never answered.

As a hockey fan and non-baseball fan, I envy you fans and the amount of HD Rays games you got to see last year. There are two BHN sports channels in the 700 tier (HD channels). I remember seeing many Devil Rays HD games there last year. You can go get an FSN broadcast schedule with the HD games noted, and they will be on that channel. BHN doesn't actually carry SunHD or FSNHD, rather, they show those select hockey, baseball, and NBA Magic games on one of those two HD channels. The channel then goes off the air after the game. I used to subscribe to Dish and BHN. Dish had the SunHD channel, but most everything else wasn't HD anyway, so I think that is why BHN went with showing the games on a special channel. Why waste bandwidth for SunHD when it isn't running HD programming all that often.

I am of the opinion that all hockey games should be required by the league to be broadcast in HD. I just love watching the Bolts in HD. So when they have a non-HD game on Sun channel 31 I hate how piss-poor it looks. All the baseball games should be in HD too. As a matter of fact, I thought all your home games were in HD... not just 37 games. But look at the Devil Rays or FSN site and you can find the schedule of which ones are HD.

EDIT: I just found the HD schedule for you.....
http://www.sunsportstv.com/hdtv_programs.jhtml?method=listSeparate&hdtv_programs.team=Tampa%20Bay%20Rays

4-18 WHITE SOX 7pm
4-20 WHITE SOX 1:30pm
4-24 BLUE JAYS 7pm
4-25 RED SOX 7pm
4-27 RED SOX 1:30pm
5-09 LA ANGELS 7pm
5-11 LA ANGELS 1:30pm
5-14 YANKEES 7pm
5-15 YANKEES 4pm
5-16 @ Cardinals 8pm
5-18 @ St. Louis 2pm
5-25 ORIOLES 1:30pm
5-29 WHITE SOX 7pm
6-05 @ Red Sox 7pm
6-07 @ Rangers 8pm
6-19 CUBS 7pm
6-22 ASTROS 1:30pm
6-28 @ Pirates 7pm
7-01 RED SOX 7pm
7-09 @ Yankees 1pm
7-10 @ Indians 7pm
7-12 @ Indians 7pm
7-21 ATHLETICS 7pm
7-25 @ Royals 8pm
7-26 @ Royals 7pm
8-01 TIGERS 7pm
8-04 INDIANS 7pm
8-15 @ Rangers 8pm
8-18 LA ANGELS 7pm
8-19 LA ANGELS 7pm
8-28 BLUE JAYS 7pm
9-03 YANKEES 7pm
9-04 YANKEES 7pm
9-13 @ Yankees 1pm
9-15 RED SOX 7pm
9-17 RED SOX 7pm
9-25 @ Detroit 1pm

[Palmateer]

skottey

Thanks for locating the schedule of FSN games in HD.

I think it would be incorrect to assume that all (or even some) of those games would be presented on one of the two BHN HD Sports channels, 718 and 719.

Last year, when BHN presented a mere half dozen Rays games in HD one of those channels, it was the Rays TV (ION) presentations, not from FSN.

They also attempted to deceive the public early in the season, by putting Stretch-O-Vision Rays programs on those channels, then finally gave that up after several of us here protested it.

[FTBoomerIII]

Recent games have been on ION

[skottey]

skottey

Thanks for locating the schedule of FSN games in HD.

I think it would be incorrect to assume that all (or even some) of those games would be presented on one of the two BHN HD Sports channels, 718 and 719.

Last year, when BHN presented a mere half dozen Rays games in HD one of those channels, it was the Rays TV presentations, not from FSN.

They also attempted to deceive the public early in the season, by putting Stretch-O-Vision Rays programs on those channels, then finally gave that up after several of us here protested it.

I am not a baseball fan, so I don't pay attention, but I do know that I have seen many Devil Rays games on 718/719 (when it was 650/651) while passing through. I just assumed they were in HD since those two channels are set aside for HD games of local sports (Magic/Lightning) and I watch a handful of Lightning games there each year.

[skottey]

Recent games have been on ION

ION is not in HD. It is only the SD version of the game... if they are in HD BHN plays them in Tampa Bay on 618/619

[Palmateer]

The Rays games shown in HD last year on 650/651 (now 718/719) were only the Rays TV (ION) presentations - none of the games shown on 650/651 were FSN presentations.

[Palmateer]

ION is not in HD on channel 17. ION (just a handful of games) was in HD last year on 650/651 (now 718/719, not 618/619).

ION is not in HD. It is only the SD version of the game... if they are in HD BHN plays them in Tampa Bay on 618/619

[skottey]

ION is not in HD on channel 17. ION (just a handful of games) was in HD last year on 650/651 (now 718/719, not 618/619).

Just relaying what I said for fun? Or just adding the fact that ION, in is a crappy SD channel on channel 17?

Yes...we have established that not all games are broadcast in HD, and that if they are one of the few broadcast in HD, they are on 718/719, and that nothing is shown in HD on the SD channel.

[FTBoomerIII]

I know ION is SD, I thought someone was just asking where to find any Rays game

[Palmateer]

This whole mess is the fault of BHN. BHN's Marketing rep is still promising to send me this season's BHN HD schedule soon.

Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Rays organization is pondering the startup of their own Rays TV network, presumably where they can assure that all games are shown in the best way.

Also, tonight's (Monday vs the Yankees) Rays game will be shown in HD on one of the ESPN channels, but blacked out in the Tampa Bay area!

[Bschneider]

Here are the games that will in on ION in HD..
The channel is on DTV 66.1 and FiOS channel 817,
BHN will be on 718/719


Tuesday, April 8 vs Mariners 7:10 PM
Tuesday, April 15 vs Yankees 7:10 PM
Saturday, April 26 vs Red Sox 7:10 PM
Saturday, May 10 vs Angels 7:10 PM
Monday, May 12 vs Yankees 7:10 PM
Monday, May 13 vs Yankees 7:10 PM
Friday, May 23 vs Orioles 7:10 PM
Monday, May 26 vs Rangers 7:10 PM
Friday, May 30 vs White Sox 7:10 PM
Sunday, June 1 vs White Sox 1:40 PM
Tuesday, June 17 vs Cubs 7:10 PM
Tuesday, June 18 vs Cubs 7:10 PM
Monday, June 30 vs Red Sox 7:10 PM
Wednesday, July 2 vs Red Sox 7:10 PM
Saturday, July 5 vs Royals 7:10 PM
Friday, July 18 vs Blue Jays 7:10 PM
Tuesday, July 22 vs Athletics 7:10 PM
Thursday, July 24 @ Royals 8:10 PM
Sunday, August 3 vs Tigers 1:40 PM
Tuesday, September 2 vs Yankees 7:10 PM
Tuesday, September 16 vs Red Sox 7:10 PM

[Palmateer]

Nice work, thanks!

Notice that the first game is tomorrow, and my BHN Pinellas marketer still has no clue. Maybe it doesn't apply to Pinellas County BHN?

I am emailing your list to her.

[skottey]

This whole mess is the fault of BHN. BHN's Marketing rep is still promising to send me this season's BHN HD schedule soon.

Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Rays organization is pondering the startup of their own Rays TV network, presumably where they can assure that all games are shown in the best way.

Also, tonight's (Monday vs the Yankees) Rays game will be shown in HD on one of the ESPN channels, but blacked out in the Tampa Bay area!

All of it is BS..... All Lightning, Magic, and Rays games should be shown in HD. Not some. ALL

I couldn't care less about basketball or baseball they way some of you feel about hockey, but I still think ALL the games of each team should be broadcast in HD.

It is 2008... not 1998.

[Bschneider]

All of it is BS..... All Lightning, Magic, and Rays games should be shown in HD. Not some. ALL
......

I was at the Ice Fest last year and was speaking to the coach and he mentioned that next year the league is working on getting HD at all the games. The reason the league wanted to go HD was for replays. Go Figure..

So let's see what happens next year.

[skottey]

I was at the Ice Fest last year and was speaking to the coach and he mentioned that next year the league is working on getting HD at all the games. The reason the league wanted to go HD was for replays. Go Figure..

So let's see what happens next year.

hey, whatever the reason, I'll take it.... I have noticed that some of the cameras even during the HD games were in SD, like the camera behind the goalie. That is a shot they obviously only play during replays and you would think would be an important one for officials reviewing the call. That would be cool if they went HD for all games, all cameras.

[Kendo]

I am of the opinion that all hockey games should be required by the league to be broadcast in HD. I just love watching the Bolts in HD. So when they have a non-HD game on Sun channel 31 I hate how piss-poor it looks.

I agree, once you've seen hockey in HD you never want to see it in SD again. As an x-BHN user, it appears to me at least that FiOS carries quite a few more Bolts games in HD on Sun Sports 829 and FSN 830 than BHN ever did on those "special" HD channels.

As far as baseball goes I'll have to wait and see - But I am watching the Rays opener in brillant HD right now on FiOS 817-Ion. I would have never put it on if it was SD.

...still I'm a die-hard football fan (both NFL and College) currently on NFL Network life support. LOL

[skottey]

I agree, once you've seen hockey in HD you never want to see it in SD again. As an x-BHN user, it appears to me at least that FiOS carries quite a few more Bolts games in HD on Sun Sports 829 and FSN 830 than BHN ever did on those "special" HD channels.

As far as baseball goes I'll have to wait and see - But I am watching the Rays opener in brillant HD right now on FiOS 817-Ion. I would have never put it on if it was SD.

...still I'm a die-hard football fan (both NFL and College) currently on NFL Network life support. LOL

Actually, BHN airs all the HD games provided to them by Sun. All those games on FIOS were carried on BHN and Dish, I know for sure, and I am sure DirecTV too. Each season, they carry a few more games, but a few isn't enough. They all should be in HD. Agreed, the way BHN does it is stupid. And yes, BHN messed up at least five or six games this year where all you saw was a black screen on 718 for half the game. I know for a fact it was a BHN problem because until January I subscribed to Dish and BHN and Dish always had the HD games as published on the schedule on Sun's website. BHN always intended to, and it was in the guide, but they did mess up a a few times.

[Palmateer]

Anyways, the sold-out Rays game looked great in HD on BHN channel 718 (too bad the Rays didn't win).

I'm, still trying to get BHN to confirm which of the games will be in HD this season.

[skottey]

Anyways, the sold-out Rays game looked great in HD on BHN channel 718 (too bad the Rays didn't win).

I'm, still trying to get BHN to confirm which of the games will be in HD this season.

Did you say "sold out" game? I think that is a bigger shock than any HD.

[Palmateer]

LOL, LOL!

Did you say "sold out" game? I think that is a bigger shock than any HD.

[Palmateer]

Now, BHN says it will show the FSN-produced Rays HD games as well as the ION-produced Rays HD games on BHN channels 718 / 719.