Chicago, IL - Comcast - Page 103

People scoffed at me a month or so ago, when I suggested, based on information from a very reliable source, that a dedicated CSN HD channel was on the way. Looks like my source was correct .

Mike K.

Mike,
Does your source have info on the what and when of additional HD channels?

I don't think anyone "scoffed" at you. Your original post said that we should not be surprised if a dedicated HD channel shows up in time for baseball season. As you didn't originally mention your "reliable source", I merely asked if this was speculation or if you actually had heard something that the rest of us had not.

Having just got my HDTV delivered and the 6412 DVR hooked up, does anyone know when/if Comcast broadcasts a test pattern for me to help calibrate my set?

Thanks.

They don't broadcast test patterns. You'll have to go buy/rent the AVIA or Video Essentials DVDs to do the calibration yourself.

Absolutely, these disks are the best all around calibration route. Then copy your 480p settings to your hd input to put you in the ballpark. But, I believe you can further fine tune your HD settings with a pattern that INHD broadcasts on Monday or Tuesday mornings at 7:00am-ish.

FSugino and HD Rookie,

Thanks for the advice. I have both disks and was looking for some fine tuning on the colors.

Does anyone have the specifics of the INHD patterns? My INHD (ESPN, Discovery also) doesn't work yet so hopefully the cable guy will be able to come out and fix it soon. I'm "not authorized" even though I get everything else on my box that I'm supposed to.

Did anyone notice problems with the CBS broadcasts of the NCAA basketball games this past weekend. I noticed more picture break-ups than normal. No problem with the sound but the picture would break up very briefly every 5-10 minutes. I haven't noticed any issues with my other HD channels, just CBS.

I also had more picture breakups than usual during the tournament games.

Same here.

I noticed tomorrow nights bulls-bobcats game's scheduled to be on channel 175....a road game in HD?hmmmmm

Did anyone else have their programming interrupted due to last night's storms? I had American Idol and King of Queens recording last night at the same time. We watched Idol live. Several times the storm warning came on. When we watched our scheduled recording of King of Queens, we found it was broken up into 3 separate recordings (18 min., 1 min., and 11 min.). Is this what we have to look forward to during the storm season???

Yes & Yes & Yes

I just noticed that Comcast SportsNet is now broadcasting on channel 200. The odd thing is there was no message from Comcast announcing this, although a different poster mentioned getting a note earlier this month. Go figure.

Yeah i also noticed it is now up and running. I did recieve a message about though, i wonder why everyone didnt. Maybe they sent other ppls messages to boxes in other states like some of the wierd messages we have gotten in the past.

CSNHD is now on channel 200 in Palatine as well.

Anyone know when Comcast will start carrying ESPN2 HD? Sunday Night Baseball's opening night (Yankees vs. Red Sox) will be on ESPN2 HD this year.

If you look over in the Programming forum you 'll find quite a bit on this topic (and other potential HD channels). That being said, it sounds like we won't see it any time soon as Comcast apparently thinks they don't have enough content to support the use of additional bandwidth. Also, it seems like they are using ESPN2HD as leverage to make Comcast carry ESPNU (which they don't seem too thrilled about).

Channel 200 has not appeared near downtown Chicago yet (as of last night).

I wonder if I'll get Monday's Sox opener in HD.

There were probably several weather warnings during the programs. On the analog channels, you get the red screen and a message to tune to channel 3 (at least here in Schaumburg.) On digital channels, it just freezes for a few seconds. This probably confuses the DVR, causing it to 'close' one recording and start up a fresh one.

On a related note, does WLS receive their HD feed from satellite or high-speed land lines? Alternatively, how does Comcast get it's feed from WLS? Lost was breaking up often last night, and I assume it was the big storms over downtown Chicago screwing up any satellite and/or microwave feeds.

CSNHD has shown up here on channel 200.

Although I'm guessing we're going to lose it now, because we need to cut back from the digital to the "locals-only" plan. We're in a financial bind for the next several months.

When we watched Lost last night the breakups were also on our recording.


tim

I received the message about CSN HD on channel 200 a week or so ago. As I was leavig for work today, I noticed that the message light was on again and didn't have a chance to see what it was. Anyone know??

Yes, you probably are. I have the basic/locals-only package. I tried CSNHD last night and I couldn't get it.

I was surprised to see that CSN studio shows (I only saw Chicago Tribune show) were 16:9 (I don't want to say it was in HD, because it almost looked like an upconvert). Also, when they did pre Bulls game report from the United Center, it was in HD.

Yes I saw this too. Losing this channel in HD really bums me out; but with financial problems, I've learned that there are more important things in life (my wife, the health of our baby-to-be). I'll still be able to see the games on the SD channel.


tim

Go Cubbies!!

Since CSN HD could be considered a local HD channel, I was hoping Comcast might give us a break and leave it unencrypted like the local HD stations. I haven't had any luck so far in finding it on a QAM channel. Anyone else?? Fortunately the SD version on Ch. 37 has excellent PQ, amazingly better than we were getting from FSC last year, so it won't be too bad if the HD is encrypted and we have to view the 30 Cub home games on CSN in SD.

I think you said earlier you had the basic cable set up while leasing the box for $5, this wouldn't be included in it? Do you get ESPN, the inHDs, etc? If not, then it would be no use for me to get the box since my TV has the Clear QAM tuner for the unencrypted channels. So it is not possible to get Discovery, ESPN, inHds, CSN, with that set up?

Basic cable + $10 for the HD-DVR.

I get the cable guide, locals in hd and the dual tuner recorder, which we could now not live without.

Do you get ESPN, the inHDs, etc? No
So it is not possible to get Discovery, ESPN, inHds, CSN, with that set up? No

I also have a builtin qam tuner on my Mits 65869. The PQ thru this tuner is excellent, like most other HD tuners. But besides the PQ, this tuner is a POS. I have successfully used it with the cable feed, but the software is so buggy and inconvenient to use, I abandon it. Not to mention the cable company does its best to make sure you can't do a channel scan to find any channels. They load the feed with hundreds of fakes.

So it only took me 2 tries, but I believe I got a CSR to put me on the locals-only package with the high speed internet. We'll see when I get home later tonight.

tim

Here in Schaumburg, channel 501 (TCM) has been deleted. We still have it on analog 16, though.

I can also now get channel 240 (was IC, now AZN) for some reason.

I noticed Encore and Showtime channels have been renamed in the guide. For example, Encore Mystery used to be MYST and MYSTW, are now E-MYS and E-MSw. Many of the Starz! channels are just S-xxx.

Finally, a reminder that the Starz! channels will have a free preview April 7th-10th.