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IS SCI-FI going HD in 2007?

post #1 of 27
1/8/07 at 12:56pm
Thread Starter 
Does anybody else see a clue here that sci-fi is going hd -

http://www.engadget.com/2007/01/08/...ess-conference/

Sometime in 2007?
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post #2 of 27
1/8/07 at 1:04pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by bmack500 View Post

Does anybody else see a clue here that sci-fi is going hd -

http://www.engadget.com/2007/01/08/...ess-conference/

Sometime in 2007?

No.
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post #3 of 27
1/8/07 at 1:05pm
According to DirecTV, they will be carrying Sci-Fi HD in Q3-2007.
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post #4 of 27
1/8/07 at 1:10pm
Thread Starter 
Any idea if anybody else will have it first - comcast, Dish, etc...?
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post #5 of 27
1/8/07 at 1:36pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by bmack500 View Post

Any idea if anybody else will have it first - comcast, Dish, etc...?

D* is the only one to announce that they have an agreement to carry one when it exists. And they only just did that a few hours ago. I wouldn't get excited until SCI-FI announces their HD channel.
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post #6 of 27
1/8/07 at 1:53pm
You posted a truncated link. Can you edit your post and include the full one?
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post #7 of 27
1/8/07 at 4:59pm
If D* had its way they would make it a DrectTV exclusive.
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post #8 of 27
1/8/07 at 5:04pm
Here is the full link.

It says:

Quote:


HD will set them apart from the other providers and have agreements in principle with more than 70 national networks, including CNN, USA, Sci Fi, Weather Channel, Food Network, TBS, Cartoon Network, Speed, FX and all Premium Services.

That probably just means that when those channels finally start an HD channel, they already have agreed on terms to carry them.
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post #9 of 27
1/8/07 at 5:36pm
I'm just thinking of first run episodes of BSG in HD. It would be a dream come true.
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post #10 of 27
1/8/07 at 5:51pm
What is the point of exclusive HD channels? Wouldn't a network want as much exposure as possible? Plus I don't see how it's fair to the consumer to subscribe to two (or more) providers to get all the HD programming.

This applies to Dish as well, not sure why Voom is available from them only.

I'm sure the exclusiveness of these more national channels will just be limited (like a few months) but I still find it strange.
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post #11 of 27
1/8/07 at 5:51pm
I'm not going to hold my breath. I'd love it, but I'm not holding my breath.
Quick question: I notice that SciFi's PQ is crap, really bad, on Comcast. Is that the result of SciFi's output or is that Comcast stealing bandwidth away and converting SciFi's feed?
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post #12 of 27
1/8/07 at 6:01pm
A Sci-Fi official said today it has no firm plans to go HD yet.

What DirecTV has is an agreement in place to carry a number of cable nets in HD...when they go HD (CNN is another with no annonced plans.)

Of course having an agreement to have access to 15 million+ potential subs when an HD network arrives is a powerful incentive to do it sooner rather than later.
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post #13 of 27
1/8/07 at 6:34pm
Since a lot of the original movies and shows on Sci fi are already widescreen and available in HD format it should be easy to throw together an HD Scifi channel.
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post #14 of 27
1/8/07 at 7:45pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by fredfa View Post

A Sci-Fi official said today it has no firm plans to go HD yet.

What DirecTV has is an agreement in place to carry a number of cable nets in HD...when they go HD (CNN is another with no annonced plans.)

Of course having an agreement to have access to 15 million+ potential subs when an HD network arrives is a powerful incentive to do it sooner rather than later.


then their press conference is all the more ridiculous. why didn't they just take every damn channel in the lineup and stick an hd logo next to it and announce that while they were at it? then they'd have all their bases covered for when these nets EVENTUALLY go hd. in the meantime, they could claim 200+ upcoming hd channels
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post #15 of 27
1/9/07 at 8:26am
This would be cool if true. I really didn't want to go back to Direct TV, but now.
http://www.tvpredictions.com/directvhd010807.htm
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post #16 of 27
1/9/07 at 9:45am
Quote:
Originally Posted by fredfa View Post

A Sci-Fi official said today it has no firm plans to go HD yet.

This is getting more comical every day. D* says it has an agreement with company X's HD channel which will most likely launch in Q3 while company X says they have no plans to offer an HD channel.

My prediction (are you listening Swanni?) is that one of two things will happen:

1. SciFi will not launch and HD channel in '07
2. SciFi will throw together a very, "A&E like" HD channel at the last minute just to say they have one.

Either way there's nothing to get excited about.
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post #17 of 27
1/9/07 at 9:55am
Sci-Fi is owned by NBC Universal so any talks and agreement are probably up at that level. I remember reading a while back that NBC was going to re-think the Universal channel so perhaps they plan to can it and split it up into separate USA and Sci-Fi HD channels that mirror the SD channels ala TNT. That would be cool (as long as they don't stretch).
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post #18 of 27
1/9/07 at 10:22am
Quote:
Originally Posted by paintit77 View Post

This would be cool if true. I really didn't want to go back to Direct TV, but now.
http://www.tvpredictions.com/directvhd010807.htm

Nice link...he takes credit for reading a press release???

Also from his site.
" CNN's Paula Zahn will soon be in high-def."

Define soon?
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post #19 of 27
1/9/07 at 10:45am
Quote:
Originally Posted by talbain View Post

then their press conference is all the more ridiculous. why didn't they just take every damn channel in the lineup and stick an hd logo next to it and announce that while they were at it? then they'd have all their bases covered for when these nets EVENTUALLY go hd. in the meantime, they could claim 200+ upcoming hd channels

Because it is different from that. They are saying they have an agreement in place to launch the HD channel as soon as it is available. They don't have those agreements for every channel.

I don't mind this at all. This is like D* having an agreement to go live with the Big Ten channel even before it had a name (wonder if that will have any HD content?). It means they are ahead of the curve on new channels (which they usually are...unlike Charlie who waits and waits much of the time).

And, a lot of these agreements are at corporate level, which says companies like GE (NBC's parent) are thinking HD, which is good, and are more likely to push HD when they have an outlet like DirecTV.

Meanwhile, channels like Scifi can wait until they see the progress on the new D* birds. If they are delayed, they can delay as well (no other real outlets right now).

These are good announcements and folks are pissing on them because they are not done yet. That is what CES is about...futures.
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post #20 of 27
1/9/07 at 10:59am
Quote:
Originally Posted by tonyd79 View Post

Because it is different from that. They are saying they have an agreement in place to launch the HD channel as soon as it is available. They don't have those agreements for every channel.

I don't mind this at all. This is like D* having an agreement to go live with the Big Ten channel even before it had a name (wonder if that will have any HD content?). It means they are ahead of the curve on new channels (which they usually are...unlike Charlie who waits and waits much of the time).

And, a lot of these agreements are at corporate level, which says companies like GE (NBC's parent) are thinking HD, which is good, and are more likely to push HD when they have an outlet like DirecTV.

Meanwhile, channels like Scifi can wait until they see the progress on the new D* birds. If they are delayed, they can delay as well (no other real outlets right now).

These are good announcements and folks are pissing on them because they are not done yet. That is what CES is about...futures.

I don't want to speak for everyone but I think most people understand that CES is about the future of electronics. However, I also believe people have a right to be upset and/or cynical when companies say things like, "most of these channels will launch in Q3 of this year." That's just plain dishonest. When Q3 finally rolls around these same companies will duck and avoid questions about the things they promised until they are backed into a corner at which time they'll move the launch date further out and the cycle continues.

Consumers are getting fed up with the proverbial carrot dangling in front of them and this year's CES announcements are just fuel for the fire.
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post #21 of 27
1/9/07 at 11:15am
Quote:
Originally Posted by RussTC3 View Post

This applies to Dish as well, not sure why Voom is available from them only.

I don't think that this is because Dish is hording the Voom channels as much as Voom has had a very difficult time finding other carriers who want to bring on 15 HD channels at once. Thats a lot of capacity to throw in all at once. Especially when capacity is scare for most Cable and Sat providers at this time. Would you want to scrape up enough room for Voom on your system only to find that you no longer have room for CNN-HD or Sci-Fi-HD once they actually launch?
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post #22 of 27
1/9/07 at 11:40am
Quote:
Originally Posted by DB2 View Post

I don't want to speak for everyone but I think most people understand that CES is about the future of electronics. However, I also believe people have a right to be upset and/or cynical when companies say things like, "most of these channels will launch in Q3 of this year." That's just plain dishonest. When Q3 finally rolls around these same companies will duck and avoid questions about the things they promised until they are backed into a corner at which time they'll move the launch date further out and the cycle continues.

Consumers are getting fed up with the proverbial carrot dangling in front of them and this year's CES announcements are just fuel for the fire.

Well, I disagree so I'm glad you are not speaking for everyone.

To this point in time, D* has been keeping to their long-term plan. LIL HD first, National HD in 2007.

We don't know what kind of discussions D* had with those channels. It is quite possible that those channels are planning on going HD in 2007, but haven't yet announced anything. I dont see any carrot in front of me YET. If Q3 comes and goes with no new offerings, then I would begin to agree with you.
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post #23 of 27
1/9/07 at 11:52am
NBC-Universal today announced it would launch a "suite" of HD channels this year. No dates were specified. CNN said it will start broadcasting in HD in September.
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post #24 of 27
1/9/07 at 12:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by sleeks View Post

To this point in time, D* has been keeping to their long-term plan. LIL HD first, National HD in 2007.

We don't know what kind of discussions D* had with those channels. It is quite possible that those channels are planning on going HD in 2007, but haven't yet announced anything. I dont see any carrot in front of me YET. If Q3 comes and goes with no new offerings, then I would begin to agree with you.

I hope you're right. I sincerely hope that most of the channels D* mentioned have an HD counterpart in Q3 of this year. And likewise, if they do, I'll gladly eat crow.
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post #25 of 27
1/9/07 at 12:21pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by fredfa View Post

NBC-Universal today announced it would launch a "suite" of HD channels this year. No dates were specified. CNN said it will start broadcasting in HD in September.

let's just hope they aren't more UHD clones that run L&O and Medical Investigation all day long.
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post #26 of 27
1/9/07 at 12:29pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by fredfa View Post

NBC-Universal today announced it would launch a "suite" of HD channels this year. No dates were specified. CNN said it will start broadcasting in HD in September.

Whats's messed up is a suit of channels isn't needed. They just need to simulcast the original scifi,USA, content on Universal HD when it aires. We know they won't do this because they feel they loose ratings. So I guess we should all be ready for allot more TNT style channels.
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post #27 of 27
1/9/07 at 12:41pm
There will be a presentation by FX later today (at 4:30 PM PT) at the Television Critics Winter Tour.

I am sure the subject of HD will come up.
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