FWIW...when I used the 3100 box, SD was much better through SVideo. With the Pioneer box, I watch SD through Component and stretch it to eliminate the bars. It seems to be better on Component than on SVideo with this box.

Originally posted by LisaM
FWIW...when I used the 3100 box, SD was much better through SVideo. With the Pioneer box, I watch SD through Component and stretch it to eliminate the bars. It seems to be better on Component than on SVideo with this box.
Interesting. Still have the 3100HD for TWC's "It's All Here" and find its upconversion of 480i to 1080i ruins most images (too fuzzy, washed out). If the Pioneer is putting out 480p, stretched, that should look better as YPbPr on some setups. My Motorola 5100 (from RCN) puts out 480p, stretched, from YPbPr, but the SD channels are analog and the stretching to 16:9 is poor, so I only use RCN's HD-tier channels, or ABC, NBC, PBS (still no CBS HD from RCN). -- John

From Turner Broadcasting's press release:

Turner Broadcasting To Launch High-Def, High-Drama TNT Network in May 2004
Broadest Range of Dramatic Program in HDTV Format to
Include Series, Sports, Movies and Originals

I wonder if TWCNYC will make room for TNT-HD?

Originally posted by John Mason
Interesting. Still have the 3100HD for TWC's "It's All Here" and find its upconversion of 480i to 1080i ruins most images (too fuzzy, washed out). If the Pioneer is putting out 480p, stretched, that should look better as YPbPr on some setups. My Motorola 5100 (from RCN) puts out 480p, stretched, from YPbPr, but the SD channels are analog and the stretching to 16:9 is poor, so I only use RCN's HD-tier channels, or ABC, NBC, PBS (still no CBS HD from RCN). -- John

John --

FYI: Unlike the 3100HD, the Pioneer 3150HD allows the user to control which output format(s) the box delivers (480i, 480p, 720p and 1080i) -- any one or any combination can be selected. I use 720p exclusively (to match my TV's native resolution) except when using my DVD recorder (which accepts only 480i).

__________________________________________________________
The first response to your inquiry was certainly correct but necessarily generic because you don't specify which of the two possible TWCNYC HD boxes you're using, which Sony HDTV you have (and what its available inputs are) and whether you're viewing SD materials in a "normal" or altered (i.e., "stretched," "panoramic," or "zoom") mode.

The TWCNYC explanation that you cite is nonsense. The quality of SD materials varies enormously from channel to channel; viewing low-quality signals on a huge HDTV merely reveals defects that aren't visible on a relatively small SDTV. Depending upon what equipment you have, SD may look better when displayed via S-Video rather than component or DVI. The "cropping" effect you describe, however, is probably caused by using one of your TV's altered display modes. In my own setup (a 50" Samsung DLP HDTV connected to the Pioneer 3510HD STB), the S-Video alternative doesn't produce a more pleasing picture compared to component, possibly because the component imputs have been ISF-calibrated and the S-Videos have not.
___________________________________________________________

I have the Scientific Atlanta box and a Sony KV-32HS510 television.

It seems that there needs to be an additional connection to one of the non-HD connection options on the Sony. The Scientific Atlanta manual specifically says "To display full screen on non-HD channels select TV's second video input". But I can't figure out from where on the box I'm supposed to make that connection

What's odd is that I don't seem to have the option to alter the television's display after I hooked up the box. The menu option is "grayed out" and not selectable.

Originally posted by bofnyc
I have the Scientific Atlanta box and a Sony KV-32HS510 television.

It seems that there needs to be an additional connection to one of the non-HD connection options on the Sony. The Scientific Atlanta manual specifically says "To display full screen on non-HD channels select TV's second video input". But I can't figure out from where on the box I'm supposed to make that connection

What's odd is that I don't seem to have the option to alter the television's display after I hooked up the box. The menu option is "grayed out" and not selectable.

Thanks for the info about your equipment. I checked out your Sony's specs on line and discovered that it's a 4:3 not a widescreen HDTV (I've copied the specs at the end of this post). I have no experience with such equipment but suggest that you might want to switch your Scientific Atlanta box for the Pioneer 3510HD, which, unlike the SA box, allows the user to select from multiple display formats, one of which is 4:3. TWCNYC should let you bring in your old box and exchange it for a Pioneer. As for what connections to use with your current box, I'd suggest component cables into one of the high-bandwidth component inputs and S-Video into one of the S-Video jacks.

The Sony's Specs:

The KV-32HS510 is one of the latest models in Sony's versatile, high-value Hi-Scan™ series. This handsome 32" TV is loaded with innovative technology that will enhance every second of your day-to-day viewing, from regular TV shows and VHS tapes all the way up to today's best video sources — HDTV and progressive-scan DVD.

Sony's Hi-Scan TVs are among the most flexible around when it comes to A/V connections. The KV-32HS510 offers a total of 7 A/V inputs, including two "wide-bandwidth" component video inputs. Use one of these inputs to hook up a separate HDTV tuner and treat your eyes to the breathtaking color, detail, and dimensionality of HDTV. This Sony is compatible with both 1080i and 720p HDTV signals (720p is converted to 1080i — a big advantage, as many TVs must downconvert 720p to 480p resolution). Use the other wide-bandwidth input to connect and enjoy maximum performance from a progressive-scan or standard DVD player. A DVI digital input is also included for greater compatibility with new and future HDTV tuners — especially tuners that receive satellite and/or cable HDTV signals.

While over 98% of U.S. households now have access to at least one digital TV signal, most of us will continue to watch regular analog material for a while, too. Sony's solution is to combine a standard 4:3 aspect ratio screen with their ingenious 16:9 Enhanced viewing mode. 16:9 Enhanced mode engages automatically when the TV senses a widescreen source — HDTV broadcasts and "anamorphic" DVDs are displayed in a 16:9 window. This approach preserves maximum picture detail on widescreen formats because all of the TV's scanning lines are concentrated in the 16:9 window and none are wasted on the non-usable portion of the screen (the black bars above and below the picture area).

I have no experience with such equipment but suggest that you might want to switch your Scientific Atlanta box for the Pioneer 3510HD

I'd suggest that you return the set and try to get one of the 16:9 sets that have the widescreen image. I think that the 4:3 HDTV's are generally cause a lot of frustration since almost all HDTV programs are broadcast in the widescreen format. If you decide to keep the current set, however, the Pioneer box should most definitley improve your current situation.

Most HDTV's will not allow you to adjust the screen/picture size of the image on the TV set since it is assumed that the picture is the proper size/proportion. This is likely the reason your TV set does not display the image stretch options when you have it connected on HDTV sets. As mantus mentioned, I'm not sure what "options" your particular set has to address the issues created by having a 4:3 HDTV set. Before I switched to the Pioneer box, I used the HDTV set of inputs to view HDTV channels, and the S-Video to watch non-HDTV shows. This configuration required me (and many others who use this converter) to switch inputs on my television when switching between HD and Non-HD channels. This was very frustrating. The Pioneer box is capable of stretching non-HD channels using the HDTV connections (the 3100 cannot).

Good luck and hopefully you can get your situation sorted. If you do investigate the 16:9 set's, TWC is currently offering a 500.00 rebate on Pioneer HDTV's. It's a pretty sweet deal.

Drew

Turner Broadcasting To Launch High-Def, High-Drama TNT Network in May 2004


Great, the whole Atlanta Braves season in HD :( Oh well, at least we'll get a few Met's games, and Phillies :) games.

I would think that TWC would add this channel quickly. Hopefully the Bandwidth issues will be resolved so that NYC can get it on air.

Drew

Is anyone else having a problem with 707? I have had audio only - no picture for 2 days - despite having rebooted several times.

Thanks........

NYC TWC channel 707 in Queens is operating as usual...

I recently exchanged my SA HD STB for the Pioneer. (FWIW, I asked about getting free component cables, and they said they don't give them out - this was at the 23rd St office)

I have my new Sammy HLN437 hooked up to it, outputting only 720p. I thought I would want my SD channels in the str mode, but I found that it compromised on the PQ more than I liked, so my SD channels are in standard mode. Overall, I'm happier with the Pioneer box than the SA.

I still haven't done any setting adjustments - having said that, PQ quality is all over the place, HD as well as SD.

Right now, at 10:20pm, Judging Amy and Showtime HD(Original Sin) look fantastic; The Ring on HBO HD while are dark and colors are off.

I'm completely blown away by the Discovery Channel. I haven't seen any other HD channels that come close to this.

Every channel needs to be like this.

twc gave me free cables when i upgraded from SD to HD. i didnt even have to ask. it was part of the package. (i went to 23rd st as well)

the ring is suppose to be dark and off... it's a horror/suspense movie. I watched this in the theater and it's a great reproduction of it.

i tried running an s-video feed into my kv34xbr910 and the picture is hardly any better. what it does do is allow me to change my view mode so i can find the best one. with component, i'm stuck on "full" and it auto fills the picture.

does anyone know how/why discovery hd's signal is so much better than the others? it's not even close. maybe discovery is the only one using 1080i? i have noticed that when i hit the info button, i dont get anything at all. at least with the other HD channels i get the info albiet without the mini picture in the upper right corner.

I would also have to agree that Discovery HD has amazing PQ! I was mezmerized watching The Rose Bowl Parade on DiscoveryHD.

I do find it a bit disconcerting that CBSHD has Grey Side bars for 4:3 shows.

Originally posted by LisaM
Is anyone else having a problem with 707? I have had audio only - no picture for 2 days - despite having rebooted several times.

Thanks........

No problems with Ch. 707 here in Southern Manhattan (using a Pioneer 3510HD).

Thanks...Must be my box or my building again. I get audio on 707 but no picture.

Originally posted by kwokpot
I do find it a bit disconcerting that CBSHD has Grey Side bars for 4:3 shows.

Disconcerting, yes, but probably a good idea. They minimize possible screen-burn-damage.

Lisa - You may have your box set to output at 720p which abc broadcasts in and your tv may not accept that. Try removing native 720p support. That is exactly what happens with my CRT RPTV before I removed native 720p.

- JB

wh00t. post 100

MrKaos: You are exactly correct. When I got my new CRT RPTV, I set it for 720p, which it does not accept. Many thanks...(I have been having a lot of problems with channels suddenly being lost, which TWC is investigating. Glad to see that this isn't another such problem.)

I'm completely blown away by the Discovery Channel. I haven't seen any other HD channels that come close to this.Every channel needs to be like this.
Discovery HD Theater and a few other channels such as HDNet mostly present material videotaped at 1080/60i, the same format as broadcast/cablecast 1080 HDTV. The video is 'smoother' when motion is involved because it's captured at 60 fields (half-frames) per second. By contrast, most other material on other HD channels is filmed or taped at 24 frames per second, then telecined from film or converted from tape into 1080/60i. Telecining typically filters out details, and the conversion process requires repeating frames (3:2 pulldown) that further degrades the already too-slow, 24 fps original capture.

Discovery's 1080/60i on every channel? I'd vote for that! Maybe if Hollywood takes my suggestion (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?postid=3085589#post3085589) for dual simultaneous film-and-1080/60i production it would be possible. ;) But I'm not holding my breath. Meanwhile, new equipment and techniques may gradually upgrade other HD images. For example, telecining machines that can scan film at double 1080's resolution for downconversion to standard 1920X1080 may greatly enhance images. That's if the potential boosted resolution isn't slashed when it's squeezed into 6-MHz-wide broadcast-TV channels. -- John

While we're on the subject of 720p -- I have the Pioneer HD box from TWCNYC, and whenever I enable 720p output and try to use the guide, the box crashes and has to be rebooted. I called TWCNYC CS and they said that they do not support 720p, so this is appropriate. I even asked the CS rep to check with her manager, and she came back with the same answer. She also told me that it was "impossible" to change the resolution on the Pioneer box.

I find her responses a bit improbable. What is everyone else's experience with the Pioneer box and 720p? I'd like to be able to use 720p because it produces a more pleasing (to me) image on my ED plasma.

Just to confirm the problem...you can set it to 720p and change channels either up or down (or directly by punching in the #s), but if you try to access the guide the thing crashes?

TM

That's exactly right. It only crashes when I access the guide -- and I think it's only happened when I access the guide FROM an HD channel (i.e., 701-713).

I know for a fact that that does NOT happen with my Pionner HD STB. In fact, that was one of the features that I like of the Pioneer vs the SA. When I had the SA HD STB, I COULD NOT get the program guide on HD channels.

Now with the Pioneer, which I exchanged for last Friday, I have the box outputting ONLY 720P (Sammmy DLP) and I can access the program guide on all channels, including the HD ones, without problems or freezing.

Ditto for me - just swapped out my SA-HD box for the PIO HD box and set all output to 720p - HD Football games look amazing. Maybe you should have the box replaced? Took me about 20minutes on a Saturday down at the TWCNYC office on 23rd.

Originally posted by rhsauer
I called TWCNYC CS and they said that they do not support 720p, so this is appropriate. I even asked the CS rep to check with her manager, and she came back with the same answer. She also told me that it was "impossible" to change the resolution on the Pioneer box.

I find her responses a bit improbable.

If you ever have the misfortune of speaking again with that CS Rep or her supervisor on this topic, you might refer them to the company's own web site, from which I quote as follows:

What is the difference between the Pioneer HD Boxes versus SA HD Boxes?
Pioneer Boxes:

All channels/banner are scaled to full-screen
Compatible with HDTV's having inputs other than 1080i
Pioneer supports the DVI output (new connector, looks like a computer cable) which is important for customers that purchase high-end HD sets.
Pioneer displays video for HD channels when viewing the guide.

(Emphasis added)

Thanks for the input, everyone. I will try to find the time to swap the Pio box this saturday (or earlier).

Are you sure your TV supports 720p? Does the picture totally degrade immediately, or only when you hit the channel guide?

My HDTV does not support 720p. When I set the Pioneer box to output 720p (out of curiosity), the who picture totally crashed. Couldn't see anything but black screen. I didn't reset the box, rather, I "blindly" mimicked the remote codes (after several attempts) to turn 1080i back on. This made the box work. I wrote this up somewhere back on Page 4-8 of this thread. It wasn't fun.


Drew

no, the tv supports 720p. It works until I go to the guide. Sometimes the box hangs and requires an unplug; sometimes it spontaneously reboots at that point.

Re: the swap...you just walk into the 23rd St. place with your SA and ask for the Pio box? Seems much eaiser than the hoops people were going through trying to get appointments!

TM

It's defintely a good idea to go to 23rd street - but be prepared for a long wait. I was there for 1hr 45 mins, only for them to tell me that they don't think they had any left! Fortunately, after checking, they DID have one for me.

It was worth the wait I think.

Originally posted by kwokpot
I know for a fact that that does NOT happen with my Pionner HD STB. In fact, that was one of the features that I like of the Pioneer vs the SA. When I had the SA HD STB, I COULD NOT get the program guide on HD channels.


I have the SA3100HD, and I have no problem getting the guide from the HD channels. But I lose the channel when I do it. Instead of the video in a box at the upper right I get a black field that says something like "Hit Exit to see the HD channel." The audio switches to something else also. This is going into a Sammy 617, which is 720p.

The SA only outputs 1080i (well...480i via coax, RCA, or svid). The tv display has absolutely nothing to do with what they are talking about. Also with the pio box, you get the guide and still see the HD picture in the window. Completely seperate issue.

- jb

Originally posted by anthonymoody
Re: the swap...you just walk into the 23rd St. place with your SA and ask for the Pio box? Seems much eaiser than the hoops people were going through trying to get appointments!Note that 23rd St. only has Pio boxes for Manhattan. If you live in Brooklyn or Queens, you have to go elsewhere...

dpc

Originally posted by mrkaos
The SA only outputs 1080i (well...480i via coax, RCA, or svid).
On an EDTV set, does it mean that HD signals coming out of this STB are scaled down to 480p by the set (its native resolution)? And SD signals are scaled up to 480p by the set?
Thank you.

Yes. If the tv accepts 1080i input, it would scale down.

-jb

Originally posted by mrkaos
If the tv accepts 1080i input, it would scale down.
Doesn't every EDTV set accept 1080i -- and scales it down to 480p?

OK, here is a question for you all...

will the pioneer box (which seems to be the best one to get, am i wrong?) do output from s-vid as well as component?

I have a tivo and was thinking of connecting it to the pio box via s-vid then component to the receiver, then both up to the tv to different inputs... so if i want to watch HD broadcast, i use "input 1" if i want to use tivo and SD, i just switch it to "input 2"

am i mad? will this work... thanks in advance for your comments.

dan

It should work fine. It is logically sound.

- jb

thanks for the quick response... I guess the only thing I am nervous about is the idea of the cable box outputting its signal from two different outputs at the same time.

it works fine. That is how I record on my vcr (yes...i actually still use one of those).

- JB

The proposed setup works. Even more interesting for me was the fact that I was able to record the HDTV channels on my VCR. Obviously the quality was downgraded, but the channels were recorded in 16:9 format and worked fine.

Drew

Originally posted by debaser


I have a tivo and was thinking of connecting it to the pio box via s-vid then component to the receiver, then both up to the tv to different inputs... so if i want to watch HD broadcast, i use "input 1" if i want to use tivo and SD, i just switch it to "input 2"

am i mad? will this work... thanks in advance for your comments.

dan

That should work, but why would you want to route the video signal from the Pio box through your receiver instead of connecting the Pio directly to your TV?

He want's to route the SD S-Video through to his Tivo. And Tivo back to one of the analog inputs on his TV so he can time shift TV.

Originally posted by drew138
Even more interesting for me was the fact that I was able to record the HDTV channels on my VCR. Obviously the quality was downgraded, but the channels were recorded in 16:9 format and worked fine.
This is great news to me regarding my forthcoming EDTV set. I have the Panasonic DVD recorder DMR-E30, and I didn't think I would be able to record HD programs.

That should work, but why would you want to route the video signal from the Pio box through your receiver instead of connecting the Pio directly to your TV?

I want to route everything through the reciever (Denon 3803) so it will handle the video switching for me and I will (in theory) have less cables to route up to the tv because the 3803 does upconversion from composite or s-vid to component.

Thanks again for all of your responses...

Looks like Pioneer FINALLY issued a fix for the DVI-related problems that some of us using the 3510HD box were having. The fix was pushed out to certain TWC affiliates in California. Check this post (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?postid=3173312#post3173312) for details.

Interested to hear if they've pushed the patch to TWCNYC yet. I'm getting home late tonight, and I don't think I'll have time to unhook the DVI from my DVD player and plug it into box. If this works, I need to get a DVI switcher!

Well, I went to 23rd street and swapped boxes -- also swapped the SA 3100HD that was in the living room for the Pio, so I have 2 Pios. Interestingly, the Pio in the bedroom, where I originally had the problem,
STILL crashes when 720p is enabled and I access the Guide. It must be a problem with the television, because I find it unlikely that two 3510s would have the exact same problem. The TV is an Electrograph ED plasma that is supposed to accept 720p inputs, but I'd guess it's got a kink or two.

Any other thoughts?

Out of curiosity, can you switch an SD box for the Pio (at 23rd st)?

Thanks,
TM

anthonymoody - yes.

*******s at twcnyc CS told me that I could not do that. I wound up paying the 30 bucks install fee. Thank god they gave me the pioneer box (since this was before I even knew about this thread).

- JB

rep told me last week that i could not pick up a box there w/o exchanging one. I would have to get install and pay fee.

i called again yesterday and rep told me that i could pick up a box w/o exchanging. She made the changes to my account and I am going today to get a box - hopefully Pio.

I'll let you know what happens. If I don't walk out of there with a box, you'll probably hear about it on the news, after I raise hell there!

I was doing an exchange. They said on the phone I couldnt. I didn't know *******s was a "bad" word.

- jb

Originally posted by dkan24

i called again yesterday and rep told me that i could pick up a box w/o exchanging. She made the changes to my account and I am going today to get a box - hopefully Pio.


I think that's the key--you have to get them to add a vacant "line" to your account before going to 23rd St. The clerks there cannot do that, but they can enter your new box number in the vacant line.

I went to the 5th Ave TWC office in Brooklyn and they had the pioneer in stock.

Originally posted by perrycampf
Note that 23rd St. only has Pio boxes for Manhattan. If you live in Brooklyn or Queens, you have to go elsewhere...

dpc

ok - I went to the 23rd St office today around 5:30. Wait time was 45 min, watched 13 HD on the plasma.

I sat down and told the rep I was here for the HD box. He said "ok, where's your box?" I told him I was not trading it, but adding it. He told me I couldn't do that. I told him the rep on the phone specifically said I could and already made the account changes. He went to speak to his supervisior. After 10 mins, he said that the supervisor said it was okay and he would get me a box. I asked him to grab a Pioneer, if he could. He did!

I am now watching HD on my projector and it looks amazing. As I was leaving, I decided to ask him about HD DVR, thinking he would say "yeah we got a few in an hour ago, want one?"!!! He told me he heard they were making them and it should be about 6 months. I don't put much stock in what he said although it could be true.

In another thread, we were discussing how it may be that systems with Pioneer software, (like I believe NYC is) may have to wait longer for the 8000HD. We were one of the last markets to get the SD version and that may be why.

With ESPN-HD...WPIX-HD---MSG-HD....FSNY-HD....StarzHD....Bravo-HD.....INHD1&INHD2......HDNET&HDNET Movies.......Cinemax-HD and various other HD networks getting ready to go on board,we in NYC, arguably the most important city in the world and the first or second most important city in the entertainment business don't have ANY of these channels and our specific thread board has to be relegated to discussing our set top boxes. It's pathetic, and as someone who has been a talent agent for 30 years, it's embarrassing.

I'm wondering if anyone has contacted TWC-NYC with regard to TWC-SD (San Diego) having uploaded a software Fix to enable the Pioneer HD STB's DVI output to work with Sammy RPTV's? If not, I will do so on Monday.

Here is the link to the other thread regarding this issue:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=289334

The following info was at TVWeek.com:

Time Warner Cable and ESPN are working on a deal for the cable operator to carry ESPN HD, the more notable channel absent from the second-largest cable operator's robust HD lineup. ESPN HD is under contract in 80 percent of satellite and cable homes that receive HD, but not Time Warner, said ESPN President George Bodenheimer during a panel at the 2004 International Consumer Electronics Show Friday in Las Vegas, in response to an audience question about the channel's availability. "We're confident we'll be on Time Warner Cable because it's content that is going to move the product," Mr. Bodenheimer said.

Time Warner Cable Chairman and CEO Glenn Britt, also on the panel, responded. "We would very much like to get ESPN HD and George would like us to get it, so we'll keep talking," he said. The two did not elaborate on a time frame.


Hope that this bodes well for us.

Anyone tried switching their SA3100HD in Kissena Blvd. here in Queens? I am planning on going there and switch my 3100 with the 3510 instead of making an appointment and paying another $30.

Is the SA8000HD with DVR only? Is there a SA8000HD without the DVR since I don't really need that feature yet? Thanks!!

FRANK

The entire purpose of the SA8000 is for DVR. If you don't want that feature, all you need is a 3510HD.

Originally posted by SCSI
Is the SA8000HD with DVR only? Is there a SA8000HD without the DVR since I don't really need that feature yet? Thanks!!

There's a SA8000 with SD DVR available now (no HD decoding). A SA8000HD is slated for 1st quarter '04 introduction, or thereabouts, with SD/HD recording. The other HD converters available (for TWC) don't have DVR. RCN, in some buildings, now offers a Motorola HD converter and DVR, depending on location. -- John

Is anyone else experiencing problems with ch. 705 (Fox "HD")? I haven't had any audio or video in about two weeks. I live in Brooklyn and have the Pio box. The problem also occurred with the SA 3100HD. Fox SD (ch. 5) works fine.

It used to be intermittent drop-outs, but now this. TWC came over and said my signal strength was fine.

Any ideas?

dpc

You might ask CS to 'refresh' your converter box, or try a cold boot by unplugging your converter for a while. RCN restored my two missing HDNet channels this morning by refreshing my 5100 converter. Fox/UPN over the air seems quite erratic, as numerous reports here suggest, but you'd hope there's a fiber or cable link between Fox and TWC by now. -- John

perrycampf --

Are you sure that 480p output is enabled on your Pio box?

I'll check the 480p when I get home; thanks for the suggestion. But wouldn't I be getting audio even if this weren't enabled?

dpc

480p output has nothing to do with it. Your problem is somewhere else.

- JB

Long ago, when I got my first HD box, SA 3100, I had major problems with Fox audio and video. Turns out the box was defective. Not sure why all the other programs and channels worked fine, but Fox was a mess. When I got the new SA 3100, all the programs came in much better with less total dropouts. I now have the Pio HD and all is OK.

Drew

Originally posted by perrycampf
Is anyone else experiencing problems with ch. 705 (Fox "HD")? I haven't had any audio or video in about two weeks. I live in Brooklyn and have the Pio box. The problem also occurred with the SA 3100HD. Fox SD (ch. 5) works fine.

It used to be intermittent drop-outs, but now this. TWC came over and said my signal strength was fine.

Any ideas?

dpc

I am also in Brooklyn (Williamsburg) and have the Pioneer box.. I've had a few pixellations and sound dropouts, but for the most part, Fox "HD" on 705 has been working for me.

What’s the deal with the lack of available HD programming on TWC. It kills me that as a New York City resident I can’t watch the Knicks in HD. It’s bad enough that one has to take out a second mortgage to attend the game at the Garden, not to mention that they are (still) a tough team to get excited about. I think I’m not asking for too much- I want my MSG! I know that TW customers have been fortunate to have HD available to them longer than the Cablevision customers but where are our additional channels?

And what’s the deal with "bandwidth"? This word comes up often as a reason for the lack of additional HD channels. The crawl on the weather channel mentioned that several of the pay per view in demand channels are going to be eliminated. Is this a bandwidth thing? Does this mean that there will be additional bandwidth available?

And what’s with these high numbered channels that are simulcast in Spanish? Are these redundant channels tying up bandwidth?…

(I understand that this city is a multi-lingual melting pot but this is the USA- English comes first. I am not being disrespectful to people of other nations- I want to know what happened to the respect for this nation?? There are plenty of other ethnic groups in NYC that can demand programming in their native tongue too. It’s not fair for them that they don’t have programming in their language- Korean, Chinese, Arabic, etc.. Is TW going to appease them too?)

…English speaking programming has to be the main concern. If these channels are eating up valuable bandwidth that can be used for state of the art HD programming - then TW should re evaluate their priorities.

I just want more HD!

time to take a step back buddy... get a grip!!! -- and maybe evaluate YOUR priorities. i think everyone here would appreciate more hdtv programming, but is it really THAT IMPORTANT to you?

you're kidding, right?...

i'm sure you are probably well aware of some other gathering spots more appropriate to your type of thinking. u took a wrong-turn back there, and completely passed rally road... save your generosity and wisdom for the bigot boards and clan-chat.

I just want to inform Anthony Moody that I have not registered under the name of LL3HD as an alias... :D ...and look, here is somebody else just like me that maybe I can move with... :D That being said...

EDIT...Irand beat me to it... LL3HD, watch out as you may not want to feel the wrath that may be brought down upon you for bringing this taboo subject up again. We will get more HDTV when it is profitable for TWC-NYC to do so. It's hard to dispute the fact that foreign langauge subscriptions generate more revenue than HDTV subscribers do. So, until there is more bandwidth available or there is more $ to be made from HDTV subscribers I wouldn't expect to much to change. At least with TWC we have all the locals in HD (except UPN and WPIX). Until that can replicated somewhere else (SAT), I do not think you will see to much defection. Other options that have been suggested to me are the possibility of moving... (I'm only joking with you TM and hope you are having as good a laugh as I am).

actually they do have korean, chinese and arabic channels...

In all honesty, the only thing I find offensive about his post is that everything he mentioned has been covered here. READ THE F'in THREAD!!!!!! Other than that, my grandmother has lived here for 60 years. Does she speak english? No. Do i think she should have more than 2 spanish channels. HELL NO. She should learn english. I hardly speak to her because, although I speak spanish, I refuse to speak to her in it. Problem is, people like her generate more revenue that people like us. Call me what you want, but I believe that learning the local language is a must no matter where you move.

- JB

It is not a LANGUAGE thing! It's a cultural thing...Latins or Greek or Koreans want to watch programing reflective of their culture not because they can't or do not to speak english. And they have every right to.
American programing isn't universal.

The reason there are so many of these foreign language channels is because people PAY for them. I pay for the French channel because my wife, a retired French teacher, likes to watch it.

TWC-NYC doesn't charge anything for HDTV service. I doubt they get many people looking for HDTV that don't already have digital cable. They probably lose money on HDTV.

BTW, the Spanish simulcasts apparently take up very little bandwidth--they just add the audio signal to the remapped video from the original channel.

rgrossman -

agreed. we are not a revenue stream for TWCNYC. We are a drain and a pain in their a$$. You are right about the spanish channels. The audio takes up next to nothing. Furthermore, they are in the digital spectrum. Most of the bandwidth crunch has nothing to do with the multinational channels. It is the first 100 analog channels which take up the majority of bandwidth.

- JB

I live on the upper west side. Last night, my 3500hd froze up, and even after several reboots, I wasn't able to get the reboot screen (the one with the blue dots going across the bottom) to advance past the second dot before stopping, then going into the always delightful channel 21-71 hell(maybe not those channells exactly, but for those who experienced it, you know what I mean) .
Anyway, I called TWC, they tried some stuff, it didn't work, so they will send me a new Pioneer box (GUARANTEED!) on Friday. (As a side note, the woman I spoke with actually understood the difference between the two boxes, and even asked me if my display supported 720P or had DVI)
In the meantime, of course, the box fixed itself, and now all seems well.
EXCEPT-and here, finally, is the point of this message-if I leave is off for a couple of hours, when I turn it back on, it has reset itself to channel 1, instead of the channel it was on. If I turn it off for a couple of minutes, when I turn it back on it is still on the same channel that I had left it previously. (Thus, not a menu issue)
So-I wonder if TWC is playing around and resetting the HD boxes-has this particular problem happenned to anyone else-or is my box just getting flakey, and should I waste my time hanging out tomorrow and waiting for the new box?
Such a problem-and my wife actually says I have MUCH to much free time on my hands... :)

They do update the software in the boxes occasionally.

Originally posted by pciav
EDIT... I just want to inform Anthony Moody that I have not registered under the name of LL3HD as an alias... :D


:D:D


Re: everything else, you've all chimed in with what I would have.

Re: the reboots...I've had the same issue (though with my 3100) that causes another problem. Whenever TWC resets the box remotely, it ends in an 'off' position. Problem is, I otherwise leave it on all the time for Tivo. I've come home from a vacation now and then only to find all my Tivo'd shows with a completely blank screen :( Strange, but it's a surprisingly large let down when you sit down thinking you're going to watch your favorite shows only to learn you've missed them b/c your cable box got turned off! :)

TM

That's not necessarily TWC's fault, TM. It could be ConEd--any momentary power outage can turn the box off.

Originally posted by anthonymoody
:D:D


Re: everything else, you've all chimed in with what I would have.

Re: the reboots...I've had the same issue (though with my 3100) that causes another problem. Whenever TWC resets the box remotely, it ends in an 'off' position. Problem is, I otherwise leave it on all the time for Tivo. I've come home from a vacation now and then only to find all my Tivo'd shows with a completely blank screen :( Strange, but it's a surprisingly large let down when you sit down thinking you're going to watch your favorite shows only to learn you've missed them b/c your cable box got turned off! :)

TM

This happened all the time with my ReplayTV. It got so bad, that I would have to check it every day, like setting a vcr. Completely ruining the point of a pvr. Girlfriend would get madder than me.

That issue played into the reason I sold my Replay for the dvr. Now all is well. Plus 2 tuners, plus dolby digital sound, plus same exact video quality as original, plus....

Damm... i always wondered why my f'in 3100HD cable box would turn off by itself!!!

I always thought it was a power spike in the apartment. I now have a UPS attached to it. So far with the new 3510HD... i dont think ive seen a reboot (hence it turning off). I leave mine on all the time for Replay.

Not con-ed...I thought of that too, except for no blinking 12:00am on any clocks...

TM

I also purchased a UPS and connected my TIVO, VCR and cable-box to it and missed recordings stopped being a problem. (Except for big blackouts.)

TM, some equipment is a lot more sensitive to power glitches than others, and I think cable boxes, at least some of them, are in this group.

Fair enough Rich. Whatever the culprit, it ticks me off!

TM

Any additions to the HD lineup in NYC lately? I'm moving up from Charlotte in Feb. Down here, TWC just added HDNet and HDNet Movies for $6.95. InHD1 and InHD2 have been on for over 2 months now for free.

Is InHD a pay-per-view service just like InDemand?

Not in Charlotte. Its free.

DJ, the last addition was Discovery HD. We don't have much here, and there won't be any more until TWC can free up some bandwidth, which, they say, will be sometime this year.

If you go to the About INHD section of http://www.inhd.com/, it notes that these channels are not PPV.

I have 2 questions for my fellow NYC residents.

1.) If I was to take my HD box over to a freind's apartment, who also has TWC, would it work? Would the box get all the channels that it is supposed to get?

2.) Is there any point in trying to start a petition to get MSG HD on TWC? Do we even have a significant number of people here (or with HD) to make a difference? Now that the Knicks are watchable, and with baseball season starting soon, I really want to see MSG HD.

I know most people hate Cablevision, but I grew up on LI and always liked them. Their cable modem is the fastest in the country and they have added some nice services. But in this one instance I think they are making a big mistake. They also own the Knicks and Rangers. If New York City HD owners had them in HD, then all their friends would come over and watch them. Interest in the tems would rise again, and buzz would be built up thus positively effecting teams that they own.

They should give it to us for free this year at least, and worry about pricing in a year (or two) when the industry as a whole works it out. Its just ironic that they fought the same battle for their customers over the YES network. And I hate it on Knicks broadcasts when they say "HD only available on Cable TV". As if to try and win back all the people who switched to satellite over the YES fiasco.

So is a petition worth it?

Regarding: "Is there any point in trying to start a petition to get MSG HD on TWC?"

Put me down! I'll sign it- for what it's worth.

And regarding the "HD available on Cable TV" What a crock! For years MSG has been bragging during the Knicks telecasts that the show was in HD. HA! No where, no place were you ever able to actually see this HD broadcast. It wasn't until this past year when Cablevision finally got hooked up with HD- were you finally able to see it. They were blowing their horn long before any sound came out of it.
Larry

I dont know if the petition is worth it. Someone here posted the amount of HDTV customers in NYC. I for one would be one of the 1st to sign the petition. Like you, I also hate hearing the HDTV announcements during knick games. And for that, I hate cablevision. :confused:

Originally posted by LL3HD
Regarding: "Is there any point in trying to start a petition to get MSG HD on TWC?"

Put me down! I'll sign it- for what it's worth.

And regarding the "HD available on Cable TV" What a crock! For years MSG has been bragging during the Knicks telecasts that the show was in HD. HA! No where, no place were you ever able to actually see this HD broadcast. It wasn't until this past year when Cablevision finally got hooked up with HD- were you finally able to see it. They were blowing their horn long before any sound came out of it.
Larry

I think that you could have recieved it using an OTA reciever hooked into the cable outlet for the past few years. But oh well.

So, how should we go about this petition? Should we do it here at AVS? Just start a new topic and have someone post? Or a dedicated webpage? I am thinking a simple yahoo page might be easy - like msghd at yahoo.com. What do you guys think?

Originally posted by dkan24
I have 2 questions for my fellow NYC residents.

1.) If I was to take my HD box over to a freind's apartment, who also has TWC, would it work? Would the box get all the channels that it is supposed to get?

2.) Is there any point in trying to start a petition to get MSG HD on TWC? Do we even have a significant number of people here (or with HD) to make a difference? Now that the Knicks are watchable, and with baseball season starting soon, I really want to see MSG HD.

I know most people hate Cablevision, but I grew up on LI and always liked them. Their cable modem is the fastest in the country and they have added some nice services. But in this one instance I think they are making a big mistake. They also own the Knicks and Rangers. If New York City HD owners had them in HD, then all their friends would come over and watch them. Interest in the tems would rise again, and buzz would be built up thus positively effecting teams that they own.

They should give it to us for free this year at least, and worry about pricing in a year (or two) when the industry as a whole works it out. Its just ironic that they fought the same battle for their customers over the YES network. And I hate it on Knicks broadcasts when they say "HD only available on Cable TV". As if to try and win back all the people who switched to satellite over the YES fiasco.

So is a petition worth it?

No, it's not worth it. If you read this thread, you'll find an email from Bob Watson, VP of Programming for TWC New York and New Jersey saying they have no bandwidth to add ANY high definition channels right now. Most (all?) other TWC affiliates have added INHD, INHD2, HDNet and HDNet movies. We don't have those because of the bandwidth issue. Let's start with getting those stations before we look for others.

Here's the email I received in December:

-----Original Message-----
From: Watson, Robert [mailto:bob.watson@twcable.com]
Sent: Tuesday, December 23, 2003 4:52 PM
To: _________
Subject: RE: HDNet and INHD


We hope to carry as much HD programming as our resources allow, and
recently added Discovery HD. Time Warner Cable has agreements allowing
it to distribute INHD 1 & 2 and HD Net and HD Movies, however in our NYC
area systems we are currently out of available bandwidth to carry these
services. We expect to resolve our bandwidth issues next year and plan
to add the services when the bandwidth becomes available. Time Warner
Cable's corporate programming department is also negotiating with ESPN
to for rights to carry ESPNHD. Which we ultimately plan to add.
In the interim, I hope you are happy with the HD service you are
receiving at no additional charge, including local broadcasters such as
ABC, NBC, CBS and channel 13 in HD and the digital feeds from Fox, WNJN
and Kids Thirteen.

Thanks for your feedback.
Happy Holidays,
Bob Watson
VP Programming & New Business Development
Time Warner Cable of NY & NJ.

They are so full of it though when they say "no additional charge for HD content"... considering the last time I looked at my bill I get charged extra for a HD box. Sounds like an oxy-moron to me.

I don't believe the no bandwidth argument. I have no basis for saying that and don't care to argue. I just don't believe it and think that more channels will be added soon. MSG still needs to be agreed on though.

Hi all - Just wondering - does anyone know if TWC here in Manhattan transmits any QAM unscrambled DT or HD?

Thanks!

LB

1.) If I was to take my HD box over to a freind's apartment, who also has TWC, would it work? Would the box get all the channels that it is supposed to get?

If you're friend is located off the same head end/node, I would think that this would work. I've always wondered this myself. If you try it, please let me know the outcome.

Drew

Originally posted by DjPiLL
They are so full of it though when they say "no additional charge for HD content"... considering the last time I looked at my bill I get charged extra for a HD box. Sounds like an oxy-moron to me.
That's strange you get charged extra for a HD STB. Neither their website nor does my latest bill state there is an extra rental fee over a standard digital box.

Originally posted by kwokpot
I'm wondering if anyone has contacted TWC-NYC with regard to TWC-SD (San Diego) having uploaded a software Fix to enable the Pioneer HD STB's DVI output to work with Sammy RPTV's? If not, I will do so on Monday.

Here is the link to the other thread regarding this issue:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=289334
I sent an email inquiry about the Pio box to TWCNYC last week, and today received this reply:
We have obtained a new driver file with additional DVI support for more
HDTVs. We expect to load this file in the next few weeks. While I can't
promise that the new drivers will make a difference for your particular
situation, the file includes the latest updates. Thank you for you
email and for being our customer.

Bob Watson
VP of Programming &
New Business Development
Time Warner Cable of NY & NJ

I'm happy to see that they will follow-up with the software update. Now, whether it will work with the Sammy's and more importantly, whether there is a better PQ is a WHOLE other issue.......
:confused:

I don't believe the no bandwidth argument. I have no basis for saying that and don't care to argue. I just don't believe it and think that more channels will be added soon.

Last week, TWC did away with 6 of their InDemand PPV Channels (309-314). Coincidentally, that would free up EXACTLY enough bandwidth to add an additional HD channel.

Or maybe it's not a coincidence...

Originally posted by MikeNY718
Last week, TWC did away with 6 of their InDemand PPV Channels (309-314). Coincidentally, that would free up EXACTLY enough bandwidth to add an additional HD channel.

Or maybe it's not a coincidence...

Perhaps so, but what "one" channel would they add?

InHD is 2 channels, and HDNet is 2 channels....

Trimming ~6-8 SD channels would free up a 6-MHz slot (~39 Mbps), enough for ~2 HDTV channels. -- John

Iheard yesterday from someone in authority at MSG that TWC will be adding MSG - HD in 3 or 4 months...that would coincide with the baseball season. We'll see.

Originally posted by BelB64
Iheard yesterday from someone in authority at MSG that TWC will be adding MSG - HD in 3 or 4 months...that would coincide with the baseball season. We'll see.


Please elaborate...

DVI connection on the pioneer box is working! what a beautiful picture! but all my on demand channels are not working, anyone had this problem b4?

hey, anyone have time to call the TWCNYC HD hotline to get some mis-information on new channels and roll out dates? We could use some good roumors to add some life to the thread. ;)

For what it's worth, there are exactly 69 days before the 1st quarter is officially over and the SA8000HD's are supposed to hit the street in NYC. :)

Drew

Originally posted by drew138
hey, anyone have time to call the TWCNYC HD hotline to get some mis-information on new channels and roll out dates? We could use some good roumors to add some life to the thread. ;) What's the number for the HD hotline? I've just been calling the regular ol' TWC CS number.

For what it's worth, there are exactly 69 days before the 1st quarter is officially over and the SA8000HD's are supposed to hit the street in NYC. :)When I called CS yesterday, they said they just had a meeting with management and were told the HD DVR boxes were "hopefully expected out by mid-year, possibly May or June." Bummer.

dpc

Originally posted by charlycui
DVI connection on the pioneer box is working! what a beautiful picture! but all my on demand channels are not working, anyone had this problem b4?

That's great news! Do you notice a big difference between DVI and component? Most of the reports I've read indicate that there's not much of a difference between the two (this only applies to the Pioneer box. I know my DVD player looks MUCH better via DVI than component).

On the DVR issue, I wouldn't rely too much on the CSRs. Most CSRs kept saying the regular DVRs wouldn't be available until mid-September (2003), yet people were receiving them in early August.

They are rolling out in a lot of other TWC-serviced areas. I know that TWCNYC is usually late to the party, but they've still got the "First quarter 2004" date on the TWCNYC website, so I'm cautiously optimistic.

Originally posted by jergans
That's

They are rolling out in a lot of other TWC-serviced areas. I know that TWCNYC is usually late to the party, but they've still got the "First quarter 2004" date on the TWCNYC website, so I'm cautiously optimistic.

Where on their website do they mention first quarter 2004?

Originally posted by shk718
Where on their website do they mention first quarter 2004?

Right here. (http://www3.twcnyc.com/NASApp/CS/ContentServer?GXHC_gx_session_id_=GXLiteSessionID-7522294544943600863&GXHC_area=NM&pagename=twcnyc/dtv&mysect=dtv/hdtvtechnical)

Question 6.

Don't mean to get greedy, but does the HD DVR box have DVI?

by using the dvi connection I noticed more balanced color tone, slightly more detail. but its not a HUGE difference like dvd players. since i only have one dvi input on my plasma, i'm thinking of using the component input for cable and dvi for dvd

Sickman- yes, DVI with HDCP.

Originally posted by TAGLIA
Sickman- yes, DVI with HDCP.

TWC hasn't enabled the DVI yet (in the areas that already have the 8000HD DVR box). I think the word is that they'll activate the DVI output in March.

Originally posted by charlycui
DVI connection on the pioneer box is working! what a beautiful picture! but all my on demand channels are not working, anyone had this problem b4?
Charltcui: What TV do you have the Pio Box connected to, and where are you in NYC?
I just tried tv.my Pio box DVI to my Sammy DLP, and it's still not recognizing the Sammy

Hey, isn't it time to start arguing over why we're getting screwed out of so many channels? :D

(aka: bump)

TM

or where our HD DVR is?

… ok AM…you asked for a discourse…


Programming- "When will we get that channel? Which channel is it?" This seems to be the mantra of the Time Warner customer.

Here are the main points I found, regarding the lack of programming, while perusing the last thirty pages of this terrific thread from several intelligent and informative posters:

· Bandwidth is needed for additional HD channels.
· Bandwidth is depleted primarily by the analog channels-- the 90 or so in the 1-100 zone.
· The redundant (high number Spanish translated) channels do not utilize much bandwidth-- so leave them alone… or else.
· And, these translated from English channels bring in mucho money.
· HD customers are outnumbered by non HD customers. Hence, HD does not create much revenue.
· Negotiations with these (missing from New York on Time Warner) HD channels, is an on going affair... any day now… some time this year…be patient…

Ok? Is that the gist? Does this cover all the essentials from the posters, including Bob Watson and company? Tell me more if there is more.

So how is this problem solved? Free up bandwidth?

What can be done about these "analog" channels?— The under 100 club. Is it a whole big to do with legal contracts, analog and digital broadcast guidelines and regulations?

If it’s not such a legal wrangle then I’m sure we can all agree on eliminating a bunch of these useless channels. Granted, each and every channel has a fan somewhere in Time Warner land but there has to be dozens of these analog channels that have a miniscule audience- if any. They certainly are not accommodating a huge share of a market, or providing a revenue stream.

That brings us to the revenue issue. Is there a "ratings" system within Time Warner? I am sure there are plenty of HD channels that trounce many of the analog channels with more viewers. Consequently, the HD patrons, in these situations, are more valuable. Just by basic economics-- the HD customers are a better demographic than the analog customer.

Debatable research has shown that the majority of HD homes have more "disposable" income. The typical HD customer, compared to the basic analog customer, has a more expensive television and most have some type of additional costly home theatre equipment. Therefore, even though they appear to represent a smaller portion of Time Warner’s market- they actually are a greater attraction to advertisers. This translates into more revenue.

The HD consumer is valuable to Time Warner. This group, as was stated in this thread several weeks and a few pages ago, generates 30 million dollars annually. I know this was a sweeping round about figure-- regardless, this is serious dough. It doesn’t matter how many billions Time Warner generates- they will not scoff at 30 million bucks as *someone* on this thread implied. I do not agree with the presumptuous attitude of some, that the HD devote carry little clout, or, that others are more important to Time Warner. If they would sneer at 30 mil… that would confirm that their executive offices are as inept as their customer service reps and technicians are, (a point that has been stated repeatedly on this thread).

Let’s take it a step further, Time Warner should go all DTV immediately and phase out analog altogether. Wouldn’t Time Warner benefit in the long run by solely providing DTV? This is probably another moot point, since no doubt, it probably is another legal train wreck. It’s about time that the transition is completed. Time Warner could afford to propose more appropriate incentives to sway the analog holdouts. With DTV exclusive, as one example, all of the premium channels in the analog spectrum would then be freed up- (providing more available bandwidth?).

And this quote from Bob Watson (that "Jergens" posted) - "…I hope you are happy with the HD service you are receiving at no additional charge." Sounds a little contemptuous to me. That’s like an airline captain telling you, "If you look out on the left side of the plane you will see the Grand Canyon, and hey! It’s at no additional charge."

Forgive me, if this topic has been beaten to the ground but I still haven’t found satisfaction. And until we get these other channels- MSG, INHD, etc., etc. – this topic will keep surfacing like a dead guppy in a fish tank.

I do have patients- I am patient. I was very fortunate to be one of the first "testers" in Queens receiving HD via TWCNYC over three years ago. Yeah, I know, big friggin’ deal…
I think it’s about time that real forthright answers were provided .

the question about removing analog channels can be answered by what the Fed requirements are in terms of carrying them - I'm pretty sure TW is required to carry a certain number of channels (I'm not sure what the rules are exactly). I'm also sure that the major networks wont sign a contract unless TW carries their analog channel. If i was ABC i wouldn't let a cable company drop my analog channel - I'd loose customers who haven't converted to digital. I don't know how many people have switched to digital - but you cant do anything about the analog until everyone is switched. As for the "usless" channels - I'm sure some you and I consider usless other would not. I'm also sure that contracts are written to require TW to carry one channel in order to get another that they want (HBO is bundeled w/ spanish HBO...).

i think the biggest thing that will help us get more High Def channels is competition with Satellite - Direct Tv announced their doublling the number of HD channels they offer. If TW thinks they can steal from or will loose customers to DT then they will have to offer more. This is why their making a big push to Voip - to offer a tripple threat to satellite to gain lost customers back.

LOL...yeah..things have been kinda dull here

- JB

Originally posted by LL3HD
[B} And this quote from Bob Watson (that "Jergens" posted) - "…I hope you are happy with the HD service you are receiving at no additional charge." Sounds a little contemptuous to me. That’s like an airline captain telling you, "If you look out on the left side of the plane you will see the Grand Canyon, and hey! It’s at no additional charge."
[/B]

Perhaps he was just differentiating TWCNYC from other cable systems, including TWC ones, that do charge extra. Of course we don't get as many channels as these other systems (I assume).

TWCNYC operates in a very difficult location, both physically and politically. As you remarked, if they remove anything from the current system someone is going to complain.

Compared to most of the other systems in the country, TWCNYC is huge. You can't turn an ocean liner on a dime, and you can't change a system this big quickly either. But I do see progress. They've removed some of the PPV channels. Hopefully soon that bandwidth will be used for HD service.

I think it's going to be like this for a while: occasional incremental additions to HD service as bandwidth becomes available--at least until they think they can make more money by charging for HD.

Originally posted by shk718
the question about removing analog channels can be answered by what the Fed requirements are in terms of carrying them - I'm pretty sure TW is required to carry a certain number of channels (I'm not sure what the rules are exactly). I'm also sure that the major networks wont sign a contract unless TW carries their analog channel. If i was ABC i wouldn't let a cable company drop my analog channel - I'd loose customers who haven't converted to digital. I don't know how many people have switched to digital - but you cant do anything about the analog until everyone is switched. As for the "usless" channels - I'm sure some you and I consider usless other would not. I'm also sure that contracts are written to require TW to carry one channel in order to get another that they want (HBO is bundeled w/ spanish HBO...).

i think the biggest thing that will help us get more High Def channels is competition with Satellite - Direct Tv announced their doublling the number of HD channels they offer. If TW thinks they can steal from or will loose customers to DT then they will have to offer more. This is why their making a big push to Voip - to offer a tripple threat to satellite to gain lost customers back.

TWCNYC absolutely will not remove analog channels any time soon. The building I lived in until the middle of 2003 (a very nice building on the UES) would not allow TWCNYC to come in and wire the builiding for digital cable (if you think TWCNYC pisses me off, you should have heard me go at it with the management company. They told me when we signed the lease in 2001 that they would be wired for digital "within 6 months!" But I digress...). Actually, it wasn't only my building, it was all buildings managed by Glenwood management. I'm sure there are plenty of other buildings in New York that are similarly restricted.

Other notes:

1. Do you think it would be worthwhile for a bunch of us to email Bob Watson to see if they can put up INHD only for the NBA All Star Game? Didn't TWCNYC carry this last year? If they have no bandwidth at all, obviously we're out of luck, but I'd LOVE to watch that in HD.

2. If you check out the HDTV recorders forum, look at the sticky at the top regarding the SA8000HD. There seem to be some picture quality issues to be resolved. Obviously these should have been resolved before rolling out the boxes, but I'm content to wait until these are fixed before getting mine. Plus, we've still got two more months in the first quarter of 2004!

Originally posted by shk718
the question about removing analog channels can be answered by what the Fed requirements are in terms of carrying them - I'm pretty sure TW is required to carry a certain number of channels (I'm not sure what the rules are exactly). I'm also sure that the major networks wont sign a contract unless TW carries their analog channel. If i was ABC i wouldn't let a cable company drop my analog channel - I'd loose customers who haven't converted to digital. I don't know how many people have switched to digital - but you cant do anything about the analog until everyone is switched.

Don't confuse analog OTA transmission with analog cable transmission. Channels 1-99 are analog on the cable system, and can be viewed without a converter (unless they are scrambled). This is what takes up a lot of bandwidth, not the fact that the original OTA signal is analog. If everyone had a DTV cable converter, the cable company could transmit them digitally (using a lot less bandwidth) even if the original OTA signal were still analog.


i think the biggest thing that will help us get more High Def channels is competition with Satellite - Direct Tv announced their doublling the number of HD channels they offer. If TW thinks they can steal from or will loose customers to DT then they will have to offer more. This is why their making a big push to Voip - to offer a tripple threat to satellite to gain lost customers back.

Satellite reception is not feasible for many, if not most TWCNYC subscribers. There is a lot less competition there than meets the eye.

Originally posted by jergans
TWCNYC absolutely will not remove analog channels any time soon. The building I lived in until the middle of 2003 (a very nice building on the UES) would not allow TWCNYC to come in and wire the builiding for digital cable (if you think TWCNYC pisses me off, you should have heard me go at it with the management company. They told me when we signed the lease in 2001 that they would be wired for digital "within 6 months!" But I digress...). Actually, it wasn't only my building, it was all buildings managed by Glenwood management. I'm sure there are plenty of other buildings in New York that are similarly restricted.

My co-op board was very reluctant to allow TW to re-wire for digital cable. they didn't want to see wires in the halls - didn't like being locked into TW (which they were anyway). I then sent them a letter indicating that i was going to pop a satellite dish outside my window (which they couldn't stop) if digital cable wasn't available in the building - that started the ball rolling - they were worried that others would follow in my footsteps and the building would look like a giant radio transmitter - We switched last fall.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by jergans
[B]Other notes:

1. Do you think it would be worthwhile for a bunch of us to email Bob Watson to see if they can put up INHD only for the NBA All Star Game? Didn't TWCNYC carry this last year? If they have no bandwidth at all, obviously we're out of luck, but I'd LOVE to watch that in HD.

708 was the channel for the NBA ALL Star game last year- with all of the multi day festivities- 3 point contest, slam dunk, etc. also broadcast in HD. That was truly appreciated.

Originally posted by rgrossman



Satellite reception is not feasible for many, if not most TWCNYC subscribers. There is a lot less competition there than meets the eye.

Drive through BKLYN and queens and see how many satellite dishes are on peoples houses - even in manhattan - look up - youd be suprised how many you see. Satellite is a very big threat to TW - there have been several articals about it. here is one today talking about voip and tw

http://www.thestreet.com/_yahoo/tech/georgemannes/10140080.html

I look up, enviously, a lot in Manhattan where I live. There very few dishes, relative to the number of the apartments.

You said your co-op couldn't stop you from installing a dish outside your window. Do you have a terrace? I was under the impression that co-ops can control what goes on the walls--the law gives tenants rights only over property in their "exclusive control."

[QUOTE]Originally posted by rgrossman
[B]Don't confuse analog OTA transmission with analog cable transmission. Channels 1-99 are analog on the cable system, and can be viewed without a converter (unless they are scrambled).


I don't know that that's entirely true. You cannot receive any channels 81-99 without a DTV box (ESPN Classic for example). Now I don't know if they moved ESPN Classic to a digital feed or if they simply moved the channel into the DTV package.

Originally posted by anthonymoody
Hey, isn't it time to start arguing over why we're getting screwed out of so many channels? :D

(aka: bump)

TM

Everyone all together now... Lack of bandwidth, too many foreign language channels, not enough hd customers, lack of revenue ;)

Seriously though...Anyone know what they are doing with the bandwidth gained from the elimination of the 6 PPV channels?

Originally posted by rgrossman
I look up, enviously, a lot in Manhattan where I live. There very few dishes, relative to the number of the apartments.

You said your co-op couldn't stop you from installing a dish outside your window. Do you have a terrace? I was under the impression that co-ops can control what goes on the walls--the law gives tenants rights only over property in their "exclusive control."

i've gotten mixed opinions on that - but when i talked to the president of my co-op board he said they couldn't stop me - there is one other apt that has one hanging off the window. i know with a terrace the def can't stop you but like i said my pres looked into it and said i could - but then asked me to please wait until they voted on the dig cable - which they did.

when i look out my bedroom window is see 4 dishes. in the village i see quite a few on the roofs.

No All Star game this year. If someone wants to ask what they're doing with the bandwidth available by virtue of the elimination of the PPV channels, feel free.

----------------------------------------

-----Original Message-----
From: Watson, Robert [mailto:bob.watson@twcable.com]
Sent: Thursday, January 29, 2004 5:14 PM
To: _______________
Subject: RE: NBA All-Star Game in HD?


Unfortunately, we will not be able to provide access to the NBA All Star
game this year. We have no available bandwidth to put up a temporary HD
channel. Thanks, Bob Watson

---------------------------------------

Originally posted by jergans

Unfortunately, we will not be able to provide access to the NBA All Star
game this year. We have no available bandwidth to put up a temporary HD
channel. Thanks, Bob Watson

--------------------------------------- [/B]

:( WHAT A BUMMER!

How exactly do they solve this bandwidth problem?

Originally posted by jergans
I don't know that that's entirely true. You cannot receive any channels 81-99 without a DTV box (ESPN Classic for example). Now I don't know if they moved ESPN Classic to a digital feed or if they simply moved the channel into the DTV package.

That's actually incorrect. Channels 81-95 were originally added to the lineup before digital was available as part of an analog package called MetroChoice, which is a legacy tier that can no longer be ordered. But for those who subscribed to that tier back then, they still receive those channels without a digital box. However, you would have needed a newer analog box. When I upgraded to MetroChoice in 1998, my old Tocom box (which tuned nothing but snow above Channel 79) was replaced with a newer Pioneer analog box that could receive channels on higher numbers.

To demonstrate, unplug your signal from the cable box and plug it directly into the TV. You'll see that your TV picks up the channels above 80 (though they are scrambled). The analog feeds are there.

The only exception to this is Ovation on Channel 83, which had its analog signal removed entirely last year and is no longer available to MetroChoice customers.

Service alert.
Today RCN NYC- Manhattan added CBS HD to the lineup.
My building has a choice of TWC or RCN and went with RCN due to ESPN HD. Now add CBS and I'm a happy camper. SUPER happy...lol.
Sources tell me DVI will be activated Feb.1 or thereabouts.

:p

Originally posted by MikeNY718
That's actually incorrect. Channels 81-95 were originally added to the lineup before digital was available as part of an analog package called MetroChoice, which is a legacy tier that can no longer be ordered. But for those who subscribed to that tier back then, they still receive those channels without a digital box. However, you would have needed a newer analog box. When I upgraded to MetroChoice in 1998, my old Tocom box (which tuned nothing but snow above Channel 79) was replaced with a newer Pioneer analog box that could receive channels on higher numbers.

To demonstrate, unplug your signal from the cable box and plug it directly into the TV. You'll see that your TV picks up the channels above 80 (though they are scrambled). The analog feeds are there.

The only exception to this is Ovation on Channel 83, which had its analog signal removed entirely last year and is no longer available to MetroChoice customers.

I had a newer analog box. Those stations were not available after sometime in 2001 or 2002.

Mission accomplished :)

TM

Originally posted by kwokpot
I sent an email inquiry about the Pio box to TWCNYC last week, and today received this reply:
We have obtained a new driver file with additional DVI support for more
HDTVs. We expect to load this file in the next few weeks. While I can't
promise that the new drivers will make a difference for your particular
situation, the file includes the latest updates. Thank you for you
email and for being our customer.

Bob Watson
VP of Programming &
New Business Development
Time Warner Cable of NY & NJ

I'm happy to see that they will follow-up with the software update. Now, whether it will work with the Sammy's and more importantly, whether there is a better PQ is a WHOLE other issue.......
:confused:
This is just to follow-up that as of yesterday afternoon, the Pio HD STB DVI software patch was uploaded, and I can confirm that the DVI is working with Sammy DLP sets.

In my 2.5 hrs of viewing last night, IMHO, I felt that the PQ was better with DVI than with the component connections.
Here is a link to another thead on this issue:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=&postid=3293753#post3293753

Meanwhile has everyone noticed that RCN added CBS-DT to their list of HD stations. That brings their total to 11. John Mason, you have both. Does RCN have many fewer stations than TWC enabling them to have more bandwidth for HD?

I know I am being lazy here, but I just want to know which of TWC's two STB's I should ask for and I really don't want to have to decipher the 33 pages of text in this forum.

They tell me they have two HDTV STB's a Pioneer and an S.A. I think they suggested that one is 720p and the other is 720p and 1080i.

Which one is best for my 50" Panny plasma.

Your one word answer and wisdom is greatly appreciated.

pioneer

Not having CBS-HD was the one reason why I haven't switched to RCN. Now that they carry CBS... I think its time to make the switch. I can get full RCN digitial in my building.

Meanwhile has everyone noticed that RCN added CBS-DT to their list of HD stations. That brings their total to 11. John Mason, you have both. Does RCN have many fewer stations than TWC enabling them to have more bandwidth for HD?
Hadn't noticed the CBS HD add, but that'll now save some switching between RCN/TWC. I've got TWC's "It's All Here" package, so only 3 of 4 RCN HDs in its special tier are unique to them now (2 HDNets, ESPN-HD). Not sure whether RCN has a 860-MHz system like TWC and more space for HDs. Generally, it looks like RCN doesn't have all seasonal sports packages and other special channels that TWC does. I just have RCN's Basic to get the HD tier. -- John

So you have both TWC and RCN in your apartment? Don't they share the same cable lines, or does RCN use its own lines?

I just noticed RCN doesn't offer Playboy TV. My fiancee actually enjoys that channel... (for real) ;)... so she will be pissed if i switch.

Maybe ill just downgrade my time warner to basic service + their analog DVR + playboy and ill get the RCN hi-Def package.

no such thing as analog dvr (unless you use tivo or replay). You need to have a digital tier to get the dvr.

Yeah I just realized that they only offer the DVRs if you have the digital tier. Oh well... might have to tell the GF no more playboy TV. She gonna be pissed. :) ****... im pissed too... but now i gotta decide.

Nekkid women vs. Sports in Hi-Def


Hmmmmmmmm.... :D

get DirectV and have Spice in HD! Or Voom with Playboy HD!

DjP,
You could always pick up an outboard TiVo box, though that obviously adds upfront and ongoing costs to the equation...

TM

Originally posted by DjPiLL
So you have both TWC and RCN in your apartment? Don't they share the same cable lines, or does RCN use its own lines?

Separate lines. RCN ran a cable in from the hallway years ago, pre-HD, then I dropped them and went back to TWC when they 'digitized' my area. Started RCN again a few months back just for its special HD tier.

As an aside, regarding TWC's current lack of bandwidth for new HD channels, I was wondering yesterday (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?postid=3294616#post3294616) if there isn't some 'switched-HD' technology that could deliver more HD (akin to video on demand). I have several cable-tech articles that go into this, but without serious study they're over my head, and perhaps irrelevant without knowing NYC TWC's head-end/node system in detail. -- John

EDIT: On second thought, TWC might consider going 'Germanic' on its subscribers, saying that very rapidly it's going to drop the bandwidth-hogging (~600 Mhz of 860-Mhz) analog band to free up a huge slice of spectrum for HDTV and other services. They could begin marketing the Pace or similar technology (see 'yesteday' link above) for those who insist on keeping analog; low-priced Pace boxes deliver tunable analog outputs from compressed digital signals. Believe Berlin gave analog TV viewers about one year for a digital conversion.

Originally posted by jergans
I had a newer analog box. Those stations were not available after sometime in 2001 or 2002.

Where do you live? Those channels are still on the analog system here in Woodside, Queens. The only stations no longer available are Ovation (83), HBO 2 (which used to be on 90), and MoreMax (which used to be on 91).

Originally posted by John Mason
On second thought, TWC might consider going 'Germanic' on its subscribers, saying that very rapidly it's going to drop the bandwidth-hogging (~600 Mhz of 860-Mhz) analog band to free up a huge slice of spectrum for HDTV and other services. They could begin marketing the Pace or similar technology (see 'yesteday' link above) for those who insist on keeping analog; low-priced Pace boxes deliver tunable analog outputs from compressed digital signals. Believe Berlin gave analog TV viewers about one year for a digital conversion.

That's the best idea. All TWC subscribers who have at least Standard service need a box anyway, so why not go this route? Networks wouldn't mind not being on analog if they don't lose any subscribers. And as for any federal requirements, the FCC should look into that, because they're phasing out analog broadcast TV so what sense does it make to force cable operators to offer analog service?

Please,just tell me how you are getting 5.1 from the 3510 to your reciever.

If you have the denon 3802 it would make it much easier for me,if not just tell me how it's done.


My digital inputs on denon 3802 are optical and coaxial. I'm usin two of them already so i know how to hook it up that way.

There are plenty of additional audio inputs on reciever using rca wires .

There's NO optical or coaxial outputs on the pioneer 3510 ,so how is it done
using the rca digital outs ?

BR

What are you talking about? The 3510HD has a coaxial output that I used to hook up to my Sony receiver. My blue light goes on whenever im getting a 5.1 signal.

Originally posted by Blue Rain
Please,just tell me how you are getting 5.1 from the 3510 to your reciever.

If you have the denon 3802 it would make it much easier for me,if not just tell me how it's done.


My digital inputs on denon 3802 are optical and coaxial. I'm usin two of them already so i know how to hook it up that way.

There are plenty of additional audio inputs on reciever using rca wires .

There's NO optical or coaxial outputs on the pioneer 3510 ,so how is it done
using the rca digital outs ?

BR The digital coax out from the 3510 to a digital in on your receiver should do the trick right there. I don't know what's with the L&R stuff. It works for me through my Rotel receiver. It may be that you were watching something that wasn't broadcast in 5.1.

Originally posted by Blue Rain
There's NO optical or coaxial outputs on the pioneer 3510 ,so how is it done
using the rca digital outs ?

BR

The 3510 DOES have a digital coaxial output jack. It's the middle one in the top row of jacks, just below the "Digital Audio" label.

Can any one recommend an OTA installer on Staten Island. Preferably someone familiar with HDTV.
Thanks

pop, this is the TWC thread, not OTA.

I just realized it. Thx

I helped a friend connect TWC's Pioneer HDTV STB to a 50" Panny plasma via component cables. Is there a way to let the plasma do the stretching of 4:3 content rather than the STB? Would I need to set the STB to 480i to do this? Do I then have to switch back to 720p for HD content? Will HD content look better if I set the STB to 720P or 1080i on this plasma that doesn't have 1080 resolution?

TWC claimed that they haven't installed the software that supports the DVI output on the Pioneer STB. Is this true?

Thanks for your help.

Originally posted by kai_hankinson
I helped a friend connect TWC's Pioneer HDTV STB to a 50" Panny plasma via component cables. Is there a way to let the plasma do the stretching of 4:3 content rather than the STB? Would I need to set the STB to 480i to do this? Do I then have to switch back to 720p for HD content? Will HD content look better if I set the STB to 720P or 1080i on this plasma that doesn't have 1080 resolution?

TWC claimed that they haven't installed the software that supports the DVI output on the Pioneer STB. Is this true?

Thanks for your help.

Nobody could answer your stretch-mode questions without knowing what the capabilities of your friend's HDTV are. My own HDTV (not a Panny), for example, does not allow any stretch-modes for signals received via component or DVI; it does, though, if a parallel S-Video connection is made. As a general matter, it's probably best to have the STB output a signal that matches the TV's native resolution, which, in your friend's case, appears to be 720p. You don't have to chose between 480i and 720p or 1080p -- the Pio box can be configured to output any one, two or three of those.

The answer to your DVI question depends upon where your friend lives. This is the TWC New York City thread; you appear to be from NJ. The Pio box's original DVI firmware supported some but not many DVI-equipped TVs. A firmware patch to broaden support has very recently been implemented in some TWC jurisdictions, including NYC. See this thread (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=289334) and this one, too (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=348743&perpage=20&pagenumber=1). Very few people, though, seem to think that the Pio box delivers a better picture via DVI, compared to component. On my own set, it is vastly inferior.

BTW - I brought my Pio HD box to a friend's apartment yesterday for the game. It worked perfectly.

Originally posted by dkan24
BTW - I brought my Pio HD box to a friend's apartment yesterday for the game. It worked perfectly.


Damm... if I would have known this would work... i would have brought my 3510HD box to my buddy's place. He has an SA8100 and man was the audio and video dropping rather frequently. It even dropped for like 4 seconds... during the last extra point attempt when Carolina took the lead for the last time. Talk about bad timing!

Originally posted by DjPiLL
Damm... if I would have known this would work... i would have brought my 3510HD box to my buddy's place. He has an SA8100 and man was the audio and video dropping rather frequently. It even dropped for like 4 seconds... during the last extra point attempt when Carolina took the lead for the last time. Talk about bad timing!

I remember a glitch on that play- my 3510HD exhibited some blockiness and a sound drop out, but kept on going.

The 8100's really suck-TWC should retire them and offer free exchanges to the 3510s! ( Like that would ever happen!!)

I wonder if TWC is going to get more agressive with adding new HD channels now that RCN just announced CBS-HD.

I mean... they ran WB-11 HD for a few weeks at one point... why not just add that station? My fiancee would definitely be pleased since most of her favorite shows are on that channel.

Originally posted by DjPiLL
I mean... they ran WB-11 HD for a few weeks at one point... why not just add that station? My fiancee would definitely be pleased since most of her favorite shows are on that channel.

TWC claims a lack of bandwidth precludes any more HD service at this time--though they did just free up several PPV channels.

I've seen a bunch of posts about INHD and INHD2. Does TWC offer these channels right now and if so where are they ? Is INHD channel 708 (which of course I don't have).

Thanks for the help.... Jim.

Originally posted by jheart
I've seen a bunch of posts about INHD and INHD2. Does TWC offer these channels right now and if so where are they ? Is INHD channel 708 (which of course I don't have).

Thanks for the help.... Jim.

Search the thread. There are a number of posts explaining that because TWCNYC is "out of available bandwidth" they are not able to add INHD or HDNet at this time.

Well I was all set to switch to RCN... but now im not sure. I checked out HDnet's website and frankly their programming is kinda weak... with the exception of the hockey games twice a week.

ESPN-HD seemed weak as well since they only show one game in HD every FEW days. Is this really the case?

Here is a link to ESPN's HD schedule. Seems college basketball has most of it, not sure what they will have once it's over.

http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/tvlistings/espnhd/espnHDStory?id=1635015

Originally posted by DjPiLL
Well I was all set to switch to RCN... but now im not sure. I checked out HDnet's website and frankly their programming is kinda weak... with the exception of the hockey games twice a week.

ESPN-HD seemed weak as well since they only show one game in HD every FEW days. Is this really the case?
I'd tend to agree with your conclusions about both sources. ESPN's HD coverage is rare. The 2 HDNets, like Discovery, repeat a lot, but IMO in total add some nice variety--mostly the wow-effect 1080i videotaped variety--to the main networks plus the premiums (mostly telecined HD, as with HDNet Movies). -- John

What stations is Time Warner Cable offering in HD at this time? I am very interested

Right now what I am getting is HBO, Showtime, CBS, NBC, FOX, ABC, Discovery, and PBS and I think a second PBS ? Channel 714.

Is there a daily or weekly schedule of all HDTV programs on TWC in NYC published somewhere on the Internet -- or in printed form like a HDTV Guide (weekly)? That would be very useful.

If not, what is the easiest way to get such a schedule? I imagine one would need to go to the websites of all the HD stations?

You can try www.titantv.com to set up a customized HD schedule.

Originally posted by jheart
Right now what I am getting is HBO, Showtime, CBS, NBC, FOX, ABC, Discovery, and PBS and I think a second PBS ? Channel 714.

714 (Channel 13 Kids) is not HD, though it is digital, as is 750, the digital transmission of WNJN Channel 50, the New Jersey PBS outlet.

And I don't think Fox is really HD yet either.

Yes I was wondering if FOX was actually HD because their football games did not look as good as CBS. Although, some of the camera angles on the FOX NFL games were very clear almost HD ( I guess it was just digital)

I think Fox is 480p, which is 2/3 of 720p.

But some of FOX primetime shows are HD. "24" is broadcast in HD.

Originally posted by rgrossman
714 (Channel 13 Kids) is not HD, though it is digital, as is 750, the digital transmission of WNJN Channel 50, the New Jersey PBS outlet.

And I don't think Fox is really HD yet either.


Fox-HD is 480p.... so its not true Hi-Def... just widescreen,

Fox channel 705 is broadcast as 480i on TWC-NYC, not even 480p.

Originally posted by jheart
But some of FOX primetime shows are HD. "24" is broadcast in HD.

No, it's not. It's "FOX Digital Widescreen" or some nonsense like that. It is NOT HD.

Fox will begin transmitting HD in the fall.

Originally posted by jergans
...Fox will begin transmitting HD in the fall.

Yes they will and I believe 720p will be the format...But will there be enough bandwidth available for TWC-NYC to deliver it???

Oh no! It’s that word again…

BANDWIDTH!!! AAAYYYYYYEEEEEEEEE!!!!!

(that Howard Dean screech)

If bandwidth (sorry) is the problem then why can't they remove a bunch of the crappy channels that no one ever watches and add some HD channels like ESPN and INHD ???

Originally posted by jheart
If bandwidth (sorry) is the problem then why can't they remove a bunch of the crappy channels that no one ever watches and add some HD channels like ESPN and INHD ???

Believe it or not, someone watches every single channel out there sometimes. What's crappy to you is someone else's favorite. Or is some politician's idea of "public service." People generally complain much more about losing something they had versus not getting something they want.

At this point the number of people with HDTV's is still a small fraction of TWC-NYC's subscribers. People really don't know what they're missing. (And you would not believe how many people buy one of these sets and think they're watching HD while still watching SD!!) There's just not enough of us who want more HD service for TWC to alienate a possibly larger group of subscribers.

Of course, if (when) TWC-NYC starts charging extra for HD service, the situation changes greatly.

I just purchased a new HD set and set up an appoinment with Time Warner to install the Pioneer HD Box. MY question is Does Time Warner supply a DVI Cable or must I purchase one. Is the picture that much better with DVI

No, they will only provide the component. I hooked up my DVI cable last week and noticed a slightly better picture. I am having a problem with the DVI where the picture flickers when I go from channel to channel and even every 10 minutes or so once I am on a channel. I think this has something to do with the copy protection built in to the cable from what I have read so far. Any other help would be appreciated.

From what I've heard, they do not supply a DVI cable, and a number of people find a DVI connection to be inferior to component. YMMV

Originally posted by rgrossman
Believe it or not, someone watches every single channel out there sometimes. What's crappy to you is someone else's favorite. Or is some politician's idea of "public service." People generally complain much more about losing something they had versus not getting something they want.

At this point the number of people with HDTV's is still a small fraction of TWC-NYC's subscribers. People really don't know what they're missing. (And you would not believe how many people buy one of these sets and think they're watching HD while still watching SD!!) There's just not enough of us who want more HD service for TWC to alienate a possibly larger group of subscribers.

Of course, if (when) TWC-NYC starts charging extra for HD service, the situation changes greatly.

TWCNYC will start charging extra once the bandwidth issues are resolved and they add INHD and HDNet (in addition to whichever other stations TWC has carriage agreements at that time).

I'm confident that TWCNYC will resolve the bandwidth issues, but I certainly hope it happens sooner rather than later.

Here's an idea:

A few of us have Bob Watson's email address. What do you think of putting together a list of questions for him to answer? I (or whoever writes the email) would indicate that he or she was writing on behalf of the TWCNYC thread in the AVS Local Programming Forum. He may not do it, but since he's generally responsive to our inquiries, he MAY view it as an opportunity to answer certain questions once rather than having to answer them over and over. Anyway, here are some sample questions:

1. Approximately when will TWCNYC add enough bandwidth to carry INHD, INHD2, HDNet and HDNet Movies, the high definition networks that Time Warner Cable carries in other markets? Did the recent elimination of 5 PPV stations free up any bandwidth that will be used for additional HD stations?

2. What are Time Warner Cable's and TWCNYC's plans for adding high definition stations in 2004? We are aware of the ongoing negotiations between Time Warner and ESPN regarding ESPNHD. Are there any plans to add StarzHD, EncoreHD, CinemaxHD or any other high definition stations in the near future?

3. Are there any plans to add a high definition PPV channel in the near future?

These are just thoughts off the top of my head. He may not be able to disclose a lot of the information we seek. But let me know if you think it's worth a shot!

Looks great !! Well Jergens it looks like you have volunteered. Whata ya say ?

: )

I definately think it's worth a shot and maybe we can beg him to keep some of the channels free.

Sounds good to me.

4. Availability of HD-DVR

5. Why is the Pioneer 3510HD DVI output forcing HDCP and shutting off the component outputs when this is not the intent of HDCP.

What is HD-PVR ?

Originally posted by jheart
I definately think it's worth a shot and maybe we can beg him to keep some of the channels free.

I for one do not mind paying extra for HD as long as they add the channels so I am not forced to look elsewhere or add supplemental services (ie Sat) to add missing channels. CBS, NBC, FOX, ABC, UPN (if ever added), WB (if ever added), and PBS should continue to be included with no charge. All others I have no problem paying for.

Originally posted by jheart
What is HD-PVR ?

Should Read DVR...Digital Video Recorder ala SA8000 currently available for SD and the much rumored SA8000HD.

add MSG-HD to the list of questions for Bob

Some quick replies:

1. We will be charged once they add INHD and HDNet. The Time Warner Cable announced their addition along with the introduction of a new HD Tier (for which they charge). If you search this forum or the HDTV Programming forum, you'll see what is charged in other areas.

2. Regarding the HD-DVR: I'm as excited for this as anyone, but Bob Watson is VP of Programming, so I'm not sure if he'll have the answers. That's more of a "technical" question. In any event, my personal opinion is that I'm happy waiting after reading about some of the problems that TWC customers are having with the current version of the box's firmware.

3. Regarding the Pioneer Box and HDCP: That's not a TWCNYC-specific question, so I'd rather not ask it. Plus, it's a technical question, so I don't think it's really in his area of expertise. It's certainly a valid question for someone, but in order to keep Bob's attention, I'd rather focus the questions to TWCNYC-specific issues.

BUT, one question I think I will add is, "Many of us have technical questions regarding the Pioneer HD box and the availability of the HD-DVR (SA8000HD). Is there someone to whom we can address those questions?"

Re the 8000HD, a very helpful person from TWC South Carolina is participating in the 8000HD thread in the HDTV recorders forum...and she is inquiring w/TWC NYC on our behalf about the timing of the 8000HD rollout. Hopefully her contact will be more informed (or at least more open) than 'official' channels.

TM

Ask him whats the deal with WB-HD, Fox Sports-HD, MSG-HD.

Quick Replies = Makes sense. I didn't think of that. Finding someone who can answer the technical questions sounds like a good idea. Thank you.

Another thought:

In the introductory paragraph, I'm going to say something along the lines of this: "As you know, RCN recently added CBSHD (Channel 2) to their lineup. As a result, many HD customers are now considering a switch to RCN, as they offer all of the HD stations that TWCNYC has, plus HDNet, HDNet Movies and ESPNHD (we are aware that RCN charges for HDNet and ESPNHD, but we do not mind paying for the extra HD content). With that in mind, we have the following questions regarding TWCNYC's HD programming plans..."

I don't want to antagonize him by threatening to move to RCN. But I know that if my building offered RCN and TWC, I'd switch in a second (now that RCN offers CBSHD) and just switch back to TWC once they get their bandwidth issues resolved. I don't think that it's an idle threat for most of us. The lack of CBSHD was the one major drawback to moving to RCN. Now that they have that station, I don't really see a downside. If TWCNYC wants to keep the HD subscribers it has, I think they will need to respond sooner rather than later. It's my hope that mentioning RCN will elicit a more complete response regarding their HD plans.

Are the "bandwidth issues" why we still don't get WPIX (WB 11)? When they are a TW company broadcasting OTA HD it is really annoying. The same can also be said for WWOR (UPN 9), though for me that's one show a a week. I would like to see TWC plug some of the gaps versus OTA programming before launching new channels. Sorry to be a heretic but I look at what In-HD is offering and while I'd like more HD channels it certainly isn't worth $3.95 to me to have cable filler in better resolution. But programmes I watch already - well, those I want! For the TWC head-honcho chat, can we ask when we will get WPIX-DT and WWOR-DT?

That sounds great and hopefully he doesn't take it as a threat since it really is a valid point and he should understand. Do you know what RCN charges for all the HD channels that they provide ?

I once priced out an RCN package to have pretty much everything that I have with Time Warner. After all their extra charges for HD and the premiums and such.... the price for RCN is about the same as a comparable TWC package. The RCN package might even be a few buks cheaper.

Sounds OK to me. Where I am in Queens, we do not have the RCN choice. I had TWC for many years. When we moved into our house in 1999, we installed Dish Network and we really liked it. In the Fall of 2002 when we got the Plasma and the ability for HD, I didn't want to pay the $1,000 plus to obtain new SAT equipment for it's paltry HD offerings so after investigation of what TWC-NYC offered at that time it was far superior to anything else being offered. Fast forward to today and the only thing keeping us with TWC is the fact that they carry the CBSHD, NBCHD, and ABCHD. Should those channels become available via SAT, I would definitely being looking for a change of service. All in all I would prefer for TWC to add more content and pay additional for it as you can never recoup the expense of hardware on the SAT side, not to mention the fact that it changes all to often.

I can get full RCN service in my building. I am still debating if I am going to switch. Hmmmm... decisions decisions.

Anyone know if RCN is available in Fresh Meadows Queens ?

Just in case I decide to switch..... : )

Its possible. The only way to know for sure is to call them. Or just go on RCN's website and put your address in to check for service.

Bad news. Here's the response the TWC person got from TWC NYC:

"Per NYC TWC (paraphrase except for the quotes on the potential launch date)

Currently the digital platform in the headend needs to be upgraded prior to the capability to launch the HD DVR. This upgrade and the launch of the HD DVR is 'anticipated' to be complete "sometime after mid year 2004"."


Oh well. Don't hold our collective breath...

TM

Hmmmm the RCN HD-DVR is already being launched in parts of Manhattan.... i wonder how long it will take to get to Queens.

Just went to the RCN website to check:

Congratulations! RCN provides service to your area!

Your Address:
*** W 5*
new york, NY 10019

The following services are available to the address shown above:


Dialup Internet

Would you like to sign up for RCN service now?

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Originally posted by anthonymoody
Bad news. Here's the response the TWC person got from TWC NYC:

"Per NYC TWC (paraphrase except for the quotes on the potential launch date)

Currently the digital platform in the headend needs to be upgraded prior to the capability to launch the HD DVR. This upgrade and the launch of the HD DVR is 'anticipated' to be complete "sometime after mid year 2004"."


Oh well. Don't hold our collective breath...

TM

That doesn't shock me. So, what's the over/under date for an update on the TWCNYC website, which still indicates Q1 2004?

As for the email, I'll try to get something together today or tomorrow, but I may not be able to do it. If not, it'll go out Monday (weekend email sometimes is lost/ignored).

Re. the e mail to TWCNYC and programming....

I think we might be getting a little too overzealous. Yes, we / I want more programming but let’s not be so quick to start writing the checks yet. Believe me, I’m craving for additional programming just like you folks but keep in mind, these decisions have major long term consequences.

How will HD ever take off and become main stream if we have to pay a premium just because it’s HD. With this type of logic, eventually, we’ll be paying for all programming.

Yes, premium channels deserve a fee. Channels that earn their revenue via subscriptions and not through advertising, are the only channels that should be "considered" for a fee.

However, as an example, if you’re paying for HBO, then you should get HBOHD (as is now). The same goes for Starz, Cinemax, etc. But not MSG, or ESPN. We already have them in our digital package. We should not pay a premium for the HD version of MSG just because of a higher resolution. These channels have multi sources of revenue.

And I’m not talking about channels such as HD Net which are unique to HD--but if they’re in an HD tiered package- it had better be an attractive package.

I just felt compelled to point this out before we offer Bob Watson the shirts off our back for a Knick game.

Well, TWC has to feel the threat of RCN. We do not owe TWC anything. Yes, we should appreciate them giving us HD channels for free, but if the competition is doing that as well as offering more channels and a HD DVR, then we have a right to switch.

TWC's only solace should be in the fact that RCN is not available in most apartment buildings. I would switch today if I could get an HD DVR.

Originally posted by LL3HD
Channels that earn their revenue via subscriptions and not through advertising, are the only channels that should be "considered" for a fee.


TWC-NYC has already dipped its toe in the fee-for-standard-programming pool with its recent $3.95/mo sports package. I'm guessing this is a trial, to see what people's reaction is.

Maybe we're lucky they didn't have the bandwidth to add other HD channels when they added DiscoveryHD.

Rich, What does the $3.95/mo sports package consist of ??

Is this an HD package ?

From the TWC-NYC website: "Effective November 19, we launched our new $3.95 Digital Sports Package which is available to all DTV customers. Channels in the package include: NBA-TV, Fox Sports Digital Nets, The Tennis Channel and FUEL."

It's not HD.

For details: http://www2.twcnyc.com/index2.ftcs.dtv.cfm?c=dtv/black-dtv/channel.black.dtv&area=NM&sType=T

Since you guys use TWC and their 3510 HD Box I am wondering if anyone has experienced a problem with the audio digital connection? Someone locally gets a "crackle and pop" every time they change channels.

TIA

Not using the digital audio but I will test it out and let you know.

I sometimes get audio dropouts on channel 705 (Fox) using the coax digital connection.

Time Warner Cable goes with 'CherryPicker' in the Big Apple

Jeff Baumgartner, CED

Time Warner Cable said its New York City division will groom digital video content via the deployment of Terayon Communications Systems' DM 3200 Network CherryPicker.

The MSO is using the gear in two headends to create tailored digital programming lineups and, through the CherryPicker's rate-shaping technique, to maximize the available bandwidth and free up bandwidth for services such as video-on-demand. TWC's New York City division serves 1.2 million subs.

TWC's NYC division is also using an earlier version of the CherryPicker to pass high-definition television programming.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Does this mean TWC NYC will be able to acquire more bandwidth and broadcast more HD stations

Ignore the last post its Old.
BUT WHEN WILL TWC Reslove these bdandwidth issues

Considering that RCN is on the brink of filing chapter, I can assure you that TWC is not particularly worried about RCN at this time. Sure, they may lose a few lunatic fringe customers like us who are willing to switch cable companies to pick up a few HD channels, but we are a negligible minority.

TM

Originally posted by anthonymoody
Considering that RCN is on the brink of filing chapter, I can assure you that TWC is not particularly worried about RCN at this time. Sure, they may lose a few lunatic fringe customers like us who are willing to switch cable companies to pick up a few HD channels, but we are a negligible minority.

TM

No argument there. RCN does not pose a threat to TWCNYC. No one poses a threat to TWCNYC, actually. Frustrating but true. Relatively few buildings are wired for RCN and very few people have the SW exposure needed for a dish. At the end of the day, TWCNYC really has little incentive (other than a moral one) to give customers what they want. If I want cable TV, TWCNYC is the only way to go.

Anyway, I will prepare the letter to Bob Watson this weekend and email it on Monday. Hopefully he'll provide us with some honest answers, even if they don't happen to be the answers we'd like to hear.

Anyone else notice that the TWCNYC web site now says that HD-DVR boxes will not be available until "late 2004" ?

http://www3.twcnyc.com/NASApp/CS/ContentServer?pagename=twcnyc/dtv&mysect=dtv/hdtvtechnical

Well, that answers jergans' question:

Originally posted by jergans
So, what's the over/under date for an update on the TWCNYC website, which still indicates Q1 2004?

Originally posted by rgrossman
Well, that answers jergans' question:

On a somewhat similar note: Isn't there a federal law (FCC reg?) that requires cable operators to allow customers to purchase cable boxes beginning sometime soon (I think April '04)? Am I making this up, confused, etc? I've read threads on this and the cable card issues, but I'm confused about when the rules will be implemented.

If I happen to be correct, I suppose it's possible that another box manufacturer will produce an HD-DVR before then that we can purchase.

Perhaps the site change is due to jergans (I think) asking the TWC SC person to tell TWC NYC to change the website :)

As for the law...yeah I think that's supposed to happen this April, we'll see I guess, and if they don't comply, to whom do we complain? And even if they do comply, I guess there has to be a nice supply of boxes from various mfrs first!

TM

Originally posted by oprig
Anyone else notice that the TWCNYC web site now says that HD-DVR boxes will not be available until "late 2004" ?

http://www3.twcnyc.com/NASApp/CS/ContentServer?pagename=twcnyc/dtv&mysect=dtv/hdtvtechnical
All my attempts at accessing TWC's website time out with no response. My bookmarks indicate a www2.twcnyc main address, but it doesn't work either.

Late 2004 for the SA8000HD DVR is too delayed for me, so thought I'd look into getting RCN's HD DVR, which probably means paring back my "It's All Here" TWC subscription (all the premiums) and subscribing to RCN's premiums. (Yes, greedily, I have both services.) -- John

Anybody else not get Las Vegas in widescreen tonight on 704? Sound was dolby digital, but picture was crappy.

I didn't get Las Vegas in widescreen either. Seems like someone forgot to flip the switch.

I sent the following email to Bob Watson yesterday morning. I'll let you know when/if I hear back from him. I apologize if any points were omitted.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Sent: Monday, February 09, 2004 10:41 AM
To: 'Watson, Robert'
Subject: HD Questions

Bob:

I am writing on behalf of the TWCNYC High Definition Programming Forum on the Audio Visual Science Forums Website (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=297592&perpage=20&highlight=twcnyc&pagenumber=1). You have been very helpful to individual members who have had questions in the past. We hope that by writing as a group, you will only have to answer these questions once.

1. You have mentioned in the past that TWCNYC is unable to add any HD channels at this time (specifically HDNet, HDNet Movies, INHD and INHD2, stations that are carried by other TWC affiliates) due to the lack of available bandwidth in the TWCNYC system. You previously mentioned that TWCNYC hopes to have additional bandwidth available "sometime in 2004." Are you able to provide a more accurate estimate at this time? Did the recent elimination of 5 PPV stations free up any bandwidth that will be used for additional HD stations?

2. Once additional bandwidth is available, what are Time Warner Cable's and TWCNYC's plans for adding high definition stations in 2004? We are aware of the ongoing negotiations between Time Warner and ESPN regarding ESPNHD. Locally, we are interested in any news regarding the carriage of WPIX-DT (WB Network), WWOR-DT (UPN) and MSGHD. Nationally, are there any plans to add StarzHD, EncoreHD, CinemaxHD, TNTHD (once it begins broadcasting) or any other high definition stations in the near future?

3. Are there any plans to add a high definition PPV channel in the near future, or is that a longer term initiative?

4. The group also has a number of technical questions. I realize that you are VP Programming & New Business Development, so these questions may be better addressed to someone else. If you know of someone to whom we may address these questions, please let me know. In the meantime, we are wondering why the rollout date of the HD-PVR was moved back from "first quarter of 2004" to "late 2004" (the change was made to TWCNYC.com over the weekend). Everyone is anxiously awaiting the HD-PVR box so we will finally be able to timeshift high definition programming.

We greatly appreciate any feedback you are able to provide. We realize that some of this information may be confidential or sensitive and that you may not be able to provide answers to all of our questions. We understand the bandwidth and technology-related hurdles that TWCNYC faces today. However many of us are getting impatient. With RCN's recent addition of CBSHD to their lineup, which already includes ESPNHD, INHD and HDNet (in addition to all other HD stations TWCNYC provides), many of us have the opportunity to switch to a cable service that currently provides superior high definition programming. RCN will also have an HD-DVR available before TWCNYC.

The members of the TWCNYC High Definition Programming Forum are anxious to learn any information that you are able to provide about TWCNYC's high definition programming plans. We sincerely appreciate your time and thank you in advance for any information that you share with us.

Thank you again,

Excellent email...Thanks for taking the time to compose and send it. Hopefully, we will hear back from Bob with some positive news.

I think you got every issue there jergans in a really well-written letter. Thanks a lot.

Koudos to you Jergens !! Thanks very much !! My fingers are crossed !

Once RCN gets the HD-DVR to Queens... I am switching over.

I have the DTV package with TWC and will soon use the Pioneer 3510HD with my new (forthcoming) EDTV set.
Will any of the channels I'll be accessing be analog?
Or will they all be digital?

Thank you.

I believe the channels under 100 are analog? or maybe the first 50 or thereabouts?

First 100 is what has been mentioned before. I personally dont know. Makes send since these are the channels you can still get with an analog box.

- jb

Thanks for writing that email jergans - well done! :)

TM

Hey all,
I don't know if this is the right place to post about it, but I recently got the RCN HD DVR box in lower manhattan. I have to say it is pretty good. A little kludgy in the interface, but it is nice to be able to record and pause live HDTV. They also got CBS in HD just in time for the Superbowl, so now they have all the major networks and a good HDTV lineup on the side.
I am not a fan of all things RCN, but considering that people are saying they are going bankrupt, they seem to be really getting their act together recently. I am just upset that I am now moving and will only be able to use RCN for another month!

-Gergg

I have the DTV package with TWC and will soon use the Pioneer 3510HD with my new (forthcoming) EDTV set. Will any of the channels I'll be accessing be analog? Or will they all be digital?
With three exceptions I've come across, they'll be digital. Channels 21, 25, and 31, for some reason, are switched analog (from the ~100-channel analog band) while all the others are carried as 64 or 256 QAM digital. Getting into a converter's diagnostic mode (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?postid=2434409#post2434409)(for 3100HD on NYC's TWC) shows channel details.

TWC, IMO, should eliminate the analog band, as outlined here (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?postid=3355113#post3355113), to free up ~43% of our bandwidth for added HD and other services. -- John

Was hoping perhaps someone on this thread has come across a similar problem, and at the very least, I think offers a puzzle to the group to noodle around on. I sincerely apologize if I'm posting in the wrong area...but I'm a TWC NYC subscriber, and I think the problem may have to do with TiVo and its interaction with the Pioneer 3510.

I'm trying to hook up my TiVo Series 2 box to my new HD set, and have been having huge problems. Note: I'm NOT trying to pass the HD signal through TiVo...rather just go around it.

Anyway, so I've got the 3510's DVI-out going into the TV set to carry the HD signals (Video 7 on the TV). Then I've got the 3510's s-video out (and audio cables) going out to the TiVo, and then TiVo to the TV through composite cables (Video 1). I get no TV signal...but I do get TiVo's on-screen menus. As such, I know that there is a signal going from TiVo to the TV, just not the video signal.

Now, just for kicks, I connected the s-video out directly into video 1 (not through TiVo), and I DID get a video signal. So I know that the 3510 is definitely sending both the HD signal through the DVI, and well as the analog signal through the s-video.

The bottom line: Somewhere inside my Tivo, the video signal is getting lost, and it's either the 3510's fault, or TiVo's fault. Has anyone else experienced this problem??

randymac,

FWIW, and it's not going to help (or make you feel better about your problem), I am using the 3510HD with a first generation ReplayTV, with basically the same setup you are using, and it works fine. The Replay even records the HD channels (downrezzed to 480i, of course, but preserving the 16x9 aspect ratio), which results in a much better picture than when it is recording the analogous SD channel. Perhaps if you tried composite instead of s-vid?

Thanks for the reply. Actually, I've tried composite as well, going in to multiple different video inputs on the TV. No luck. I've even tried using the component outs into the TiVo, without the DVI going in to the TV. No luck.

My fear is that somehow I blew something inside TiVo, and that I'll have to send it back for "refurbishing" (ugh).

Originally posted by randymac88
Was hoping perhaps someone on this thread has come across a similar problem, and at the very least, I think offers a puzzle to the group to noodle around on. I sincerely apologize if I'm posting in the wrong area...but I'm a TWC NYC subscriber, and I think the problem may have to do with TiVo and its interaction with the Pioneer 3510.

I'm trying to hook up my TiVo Series 2 box to my new HD set, and have been having huge problems. Note: I'm NOT trying to pass the HD signal through TiVo...rather just go around it.

Anyway, so I've got the 3510's DVI-out going into the TV set to carry the HD signals (Video 7 on the TV). Then I've got the 3510's s-video out (and audio cables) going out to the TiVo, and then TiVo to the TV through composite cables (Video 1). I get no TV signal...but I do get TiVo's on-screen menus. As such, I know that there is a signal going from TiVo to the TV, just not the video signal.

Now, just for kicks, I connected the s-video out directly into video 1 (not through TiVo), and I DID get a video signal. So I know that the 3510 is definitely sending both the HD signal through the DVI, and well as the analog signal through the s-video.

The bottom line: Somewhere inside my Tivo, the video signal is getting lost, and it's either the 3510's fault, or TiVo's fault. Has anyone else experienced this problem??

I didn't think you could use an S-Video in and composite out. I thought it had to be S-video to s-video or composite to composite.

Anyway, mine is hooked up s-video from the 3510HD into Tivo, s-video out of Tivo into my Sammy.