Fox News Channel

[Floyd]

I'm house-sitting for a few days and so I get to see how the fios TV system works. I was watching CNN and Fox News Ch in SD and then I found the HD versions up in the high numbers. I was able to see CNN-HD, but the Fox News-HD said I didn't have a subscription. Is that right? They are in different packages? Is that a political bias?

[CANDY76MAN]

lol, I keep wondering if BHN not having Foxnews hd yet is partially agenda driven...since so many people want it and they have given no other reason for not carrying it yet.

[HDOrlando]

I am very surprised BH Orlando does not have it yet.

Even though I am an MSNBC guy (not Fox News fan), they definitely have a big audience in this market.

The only thing that I can think of is maybe they are packaging Fox Business with Fox News.

To me, fox news is quality for my many conservative friends buit fox business is crap.

[AmelFl]

I am also an MSNBC fan, but I think BHN as a part of Time Warner is delibertaly pushing not to have Fox News HD anytime soon..

[HDOrlando]

Amel,

That could be a theory but remember Time Warner had Fox Business the first day it launched.

Another idea is conservatives are less likely to put up without something they want (fox news HD) and have probably already jumped to satelite.

Regardless, we need a lot more HD updates this year than what we have been getting.

[Bschneider]

I'm house-sitting for a few days and so I get to see how the fios TV system works. I was watching CNN and Fox News Ch in SD and then I found the HD versions up in the high numbers. I was able to see CNN-HD, but the Fox News-HD said I didn't have a subscription. Is that right? They are in different packages? Is that a political bias?

Yes.. It is in a different package. They would need the FiOS Extreme package to see it. They have FiOS Essentials. If they have TV, Internet, and phone they may be able to upgrade to Extreme for the same price or $10 a month more, but they would also get 20/5 for their internet instead of 10/2.

[FTBoomerIII]

We need a FNNHD calling spree. Who can we call? The local call center isn't good enough. Anyone?

[skottey]

Yes.. It is in a different package. They would need the FiOS Extreme package to see it. They have FiOS Essentials. If they have TV, Internet, and phone they may be able to upgrade to Extreme for the same price or $10 a month more, but they would also get 20/5 for their internet instead of 10/2.

Crazy, isn't it.... I cannot comprehend how somebody could buy an HDTV, rent an HD STB or DVR at $17/month and not go all out and get the Extreme package. It isn't much more at all. 99% of the reason I got FIOS was for all the premium channels in HD and the extra HD channels like Fox News HD that BHN doesn't carry. Well, really, it was the premiums. I was already getting Fox News HD on DirecTV. But the bottom line is that if you are comparing SD to SD lineups between BHN and FIOS, there is not much of a difference. There is a HUGE difference between BHN's HD lineup and FIOS' HD lineup. Why would somebody go part way and get just the basic HD package with FIOS? If you want limited HD, stick with BHN. If you want HD, you've got to spring for the extreme HD package. I cannot see how anybody wouldn't. When the homeowner gets back from vacation or whatever he/she is doing, the OP should clunk them upside the head and say, "what are you doing spending all that money on a TV and an HD box (or more than one?) and then you don't spend the extra ten dollars a month for all the basic HD channels offered?"

[CANDY76MAN]

Crazy, isn't it.... I cannot comprehend how somebody could buy an HDTV, rent an HD STB or DVR at $17/month and not go all out and get the Extreme package. It isn't much more at all. 99% of the reason I got FIOS was for all the premium channels in HD and the extra HD channels like Fox News HD that BHN doesn't carry. Well, really, it was the premiums. I was already getting Fox News HD on DirecTV. But the bottom line is that if you are comparing SD to SD lineups between BHN and FIOS, there is not much of a difference. There is a HUGE difference between BHN's HD lineup and FIOS' HD lineup. Why would somebody go part way and get just the basic HD package with FIOS? If you want limited HD, stick with BHN. If you want HD, you've got to spring for the extreme HD package. I cannot see how anybody wouldn't. When the homeowner gets back from vacation or whatever he/she is doing, the OP should clunk them upside the head and say, "what are you doing spending all that money on a TV and an HD box (or more than one?) and then you don't spend the extra ten dollars a month for all the basic HD channels offered?"

Personally, I think foxnew hd should be part of whatever package you get foxhd sd with since it's identical programing. Which begs the question, why could they get cnnhd but foxnews hd is in a different package? ...I mean they're both news channels right?

[Floyd]

Yes.. It is in a different package. They would need the FiOS Extreme package to see it. They have FiOS Essentials.

I went to the fios web site for channel packages and there isn't a package for Tampa that has CNN-HD and not FNC-HD. They are either both SD or both HD&SD. I guess my son-in-law has a grandfathered in package or there is a glitch in his system. He might have even had the channel blocked out. One thing's for sure; he wouldn't pay extra to get fox news...hd or sd.

[skottey]

Personally, I think foxnew hd should be part of whatever package you get foxhd sd with since it's identical programing. Which begs the question, why could they get cnnhd but foxnews hd is in a different package? ...I mean they're both news channels right?

I agree with you but that is another argument. Verizon made a decision to put any new channels added after a certain date in the Extreme package. It adds value to the package, like it or not.

Most providers like BHN and DirecTV have the normal package that includes the HD version of any SD you get and then an additional package with HD only channels like Paladia (formerly MHD), MGM HD, Smithsonian, etc. But those other providers don't have as much HD as FIOS either.

The only way we were going to get more channel adds was with a price increase and since people complain, they opted not to raise the price on everybody and let those people have what they had for the lesser price. But any new channels require the more expensive package.

[pilotbob]

I was off contract so I actually re-upped with what they call Flex Duo or Duo Flex or something like that and I now have Extreme HD, 20/5 Internet for $20 less per month than I was paying for Essentials. Granted it is a new 1 year contract.

However, I don't get ANY premium stuff. I get plenty of HD on the major networks and Sci-Fi.

BOb

[UnixPimp]

Fox News in HD? WHY? So you can see the liver spots on Bill O'Rielly's face? At least CNN HD shows an SD upconvert for Larry King. That has prevented heart attacks across the nation.

Enough kidding aside, is Fox News HD really HD? From what I heard, since I refuse to pay extra for the Extreme HD until my 1 year contract expires, Fox just shows a 4:3 SD picture framed in by some HD computer graphics and news crawls on the side. That is not HD if that is what they are doing.

CNBC does the same thing, and the only time I have seen HD on CNBC was when they showed the Westminster Dog Show, but that was a rarity for that channel. Now Westminster is one show that must either be seen in person or on HD. HDTV is the only way to completely see the beauty of those show dogs if you are not there in person.

[skottey]

is Fox News HD really HD? From what I heard, since I refuse to pay extra for the Extreme HD until my 1 year contract expires, Fox just shows a 4:3 SD picture framed in by some HD computer graphics and news crawls on the side.

This is incorrect. Many of the shows are full 16x9 HD now. The graphic box that the people are talking about is on some of the shows but the studio shots are still in HD, just not taking up the full screen. It is news, so of course not all footage outside the studio is in HD. Heck, they used camera phones with streaming video for Iraq, the election campaign trail, and after the India bombings. But either way you look at it, from camera phones to HD in the studios, it looks a heck of a lot better than the SD version.

CNBC does the same thing, and the only time I have seen HD on CNBC was when they showed the Westminster Dog Show, but that was a rarity for that channel. Now Westminster is one show that must either be seen in person or on HD. HDTV is the only way to completely see the beauty of those show dogs if you are not there in person.

CNBC never said they were HD. They call it HD+, meaning you get extra content with the scrolls and data because of the 16x9 frame but the actual video is not HD. They never claimed it to be. Fox Business Network on the other hand is 100% HD with all their studio shots. They are not 16x9 though, as they too have the box with data and tickers and all that. Some people think it isn't in HD because it isn't 16x9 video, but that isn't the case. It is HD, but it is a business channel so they have important data too.

I watch both channels all day long, especially Fox News Channel HD. I watched a lot more of Fox Business until 9 months ago or so when the election campaign started juicing up. Then I switched back to Fox News all day while working at home.