I want HDTV

[808htfan]

Re: Digital TV Broadcasting in Hawaii

Thanks Aaron, saw that. I was hoping someone might know a little more about why. Anyone?

[Composite 2992]

Re: Digital TV Broadcasting in Hawaii

Expectations are higher because there is a higher level of experience and competency required. These are people that have been in the TV business for a good number of years. And yes, there are KFVE folks who work some of these national shows too because of their skills.

I can attest that at least two of the people working the Oceanic-televised games are seasoned pros. I've worked with both and would readily recommend them for any job.

Regarding TV's: Craig -- don't forget Surface Electron Emission devices recently announced by Toshiba. Substantial contrast range. No latency problems of LED's. Color control as good as CRT's. And bright as heck. Demo units have already been unveiled. Cost: less than an LED or Plasma. Resolution: As good as an LED. It's the next big thing, definitely as significant as DLP.

[alohatim]

I want HDTV

Howzit everybody!

I am visiting my stepson in California. After watching his TV, I decided I want HD when I get home. I have plain old DISH network now. It doesn't look good all blown up on my projector.

Should I get Oceanic Digital? Will the big networks' programming be HD? Is their HD programming bigger than the satellites?

What about Dish and DirecTV? Does anybody have that for HD? If Dish has good HD service, I might keep them, but I need a new DVR receiver. My current one does not even have component video output.

Maybe this questions goes in the tech forum.. I could not tell.

Mahalo!
Tim

[flying snow]

Re: I want HDTV

Voom was the place for HD, but they got bought up by one of the satellite companies.

Not much help, am I? Sorry.

[Konaguy]

Re: I want HDTV

These are channels that Oceanic has in HDTV on Oahu (The only other one
not mentioned I believe NBATV has some ganes in HDTV). Also they did
have KHNL-HD, but Oceanic and Raycom couldnt come to terms with
a carriage agreement.


936 KITV HD
940 Discovery HD Theater
942 HD Net
944 HD Net Movies
946 iN Demand HD1
948 iN Demand HD2
950 Sports HD
952 ESPN HD
954 TNT HD
956 Universal HD
970 HBO HD
972 Showtime HD
977 HD On Demand

[Ninja]

Re: I want HDTV

I have Dish Network and subscirbe to the "old" HD package using a Dish 811 receiver.
Dish is upgrading it's receivers to Mpeg4, the new basic HD receiver is the Vip211 and the HD-DVR is the Vip622.
Dish's new HD pack consist of 22 Channels:
HD Net
HD Net Movies
Discovery HD
TNT-HD
ESPN-HD
ESPN2-HD
Universal HD
VoOm (15 Channels)
Plus the HD channels from HBO and Showtime and an HDPPV channel.

Here in Hawaii to recieve all of the programming will require the use of 3 dishes. Since your on Kauai, the use of the OTA digital tuner included in the Dish receiver will be useless.

[alohatim]

Re: I want HDTV

Thanks, Snow... You were helpful because I had heard of Voom before, but forgot about them. I am still not sure what they are--seems like a bundle of programming that gets attached to your satellite service.

Thanks Aaron and Ninja. So... seems like just a handful of things to watch. Shoots! I was hoping I could at least see the HD content on ABC, NBC, Fox, and CBS. I do enjoy Discovery Channel programming very much.

My nephew here in CA has a nice projector. TV looked beautiful at nine feet wide. The quality was noticibly better than even dvd.

Tim

[Konaguy]

Re: I want HDTV

http://www.voom.com/vhdo/index.jsp

[alohatim]

Re: I want HDTV

Thanks, Aaron..good stuff!

Thanks again, Ninja.. I started looking for that vip622 dvr and it led me to this CNET site that further educated me. Maybe i will stick with Dish. http://www.cnet.com/4520-7874_1-5108854-3.html?tag=blog

So now I realize that I need a new DVR receiver and a new dish to get HD.

Can you get HD content via Dish on ABC, NBC, Fox, CBS right now? ..or does that come bumbye? When a channel "goes" HD, does the content suddenly show up in beautiful widescreen?.. or do you tune to a different channel for the HD content?

What about my old dish and dvr? Do I continue to use it for standard def programming?

Tim

[Ninja]

Re: I want HDTV

Tim,

That CNET aticle is very accurate overall in what is available through Dish and Directv.
In Hawaii there are a couple of differences. In Dish's case you will need 3 dishes, a 24" dish for 119(main) service, a 30" dish for 110(old HD) serivce and a 30" dish for 129(Mpeg4 HD)service. Dish also does not offer any specials or rebates for the HD recievers in Hawaii due to the additional equipment needed, you have to pay full price. Dish currently does not offer distant HD service or Honolulu HD locals via satellite, to receive HD locals requires the use of the OTA digital tuner included in the receiver and no stations on Kauai are broadcasting digitally(2009 is the earliest).
Directv's equipment requirements in Hawaii are fairly similar( 3-36" dishes), minus the VoOm channels, offers the same HD channels plus HD feeds from March Madness and NFL Sunday Ticket. Directv does offer HD Distant Service, you can check your address here to see if you qualify: http://directvdnseligibility.decisio...dressForm.aspx

Best of Luck,

Charles

[alohatim]

Re: I want HDTV

Thanks, Ninja.

I guess I need to postpone the HD gratification for now. Seems a little too complicated and expensive for now. I will keep watching tv on the little screen and movies on the big screen.

Thanks again for all your help!

Tim

[Erika Engle]

Re: I want HDTV

I was beginning to wish I had a first-phone, in order to read the posts.

My weenie third-class w/endorsement (long obsolete) could not have prepared me for this thread.

[Linkmeister]

Re: I want HDTV

I was beginning to wish I had a first-phone, in order to read the posts.

My weenie third-class w/endorsement (long obsolete) could not have prepared me for this thread.

Heh.

I think the most annoying thing about HD programming itself is that there's no printed guide to what's on when that I can find. We have a Sony 27" WEGA HD TV with the HD Oceanic box, but reading Oceanic's on-screen guide is no way to quickly figure out what if anything we might want to watch in HD is on.

[mel]

Re: I want HDTV

Erika Engle has written an article about the current status of HDTV availability in Hawaii.

I Want My HDTV

While sets are expensive and readily available, choices of local channels even if they are broadcasting in digital are very limited or unavailable through Oceanic Cable, Direct TV or Dish Network.

Hawaii's four network affiliate TV stations are broadcasting their HD signals over the air -- and PBS Hawaii, on KHET-TV, is to initiate digital transmission and carriage of HD programming from PBS national this month.

Oceanic Time Warner Cable offers 13 HD programming choices, but only one of them, KITV, is a local network affiliate, which carries ABC programming.

Broadcasters note that cable companies pay a per-subscriber rate to carry channels such as ESPN, CNN and obscure channels that barely show up in the ratings. Consequently, some believe that cable and satellite companies should pay for the network and local programming that induces most of their subscribers to buy their service.

The cost-per subscriber fees that multichannel distribution companies pay to providers get passed along to subscribers, whether or not they ever watch Food Network, Nickelodeon or the underwater basket weaving channel.

There is much more in the article. The direct read URL:

http://starbulletin.com/2006/05/07/b...s/story01.html

[Linkmeister]

Re: I want HDTV

Thanks, Mel. I need to read that about three more times to really figure out whether our machine is showing us real HDTV or not. I keep being told by ESPN that it's being transmitted in HD, but I honestly can't tell whether I'm getting that signal or just the standard OTA one.