Columbia, SC - HDTV - Page 42

I was asked to post this by Diana Smith to the appropriate forums:

"The new HD Tier channels are available in the Columbia-Sumter-Orangeburg areas, Florence-MB areas and the southern portion of The Grand Strand including Surfside Beach, Pawley's Island, Georgetown and Andrews. Due to Bandwidth constraints, we are unable to launch in Summerville at this time. We are actively planning to upgrade the Summerville plant in the very near future, however I do not have a timetable for completion of either the upgrade or addition of new HD signals as they become available.

We regret the inconvenience for our Summerville customers and pledge to remedy the situation as soon as possible."

Diana Smith
Director of Marketing for Video Services
Time Warner Cable South Carolina


Bruce

I was also asked to post this by Diana Smith to the appropriate forums:


In answer to the requests for information concerning the impending launch of the HD DVR (SA Explorer 8000 HD):

Currently TWC is field testing the new HD DVR in another TWC location. We do not have an option to test in South Carolina. Corporate Engineering announced yesterday afternoon that they expect' to sign off on the equipment around the end of the year, but this date is still an estimate. Please understand that the delay has been associated with our desire to offer a set top that is technically sound.

Upon approval, it will probably take a week to 10 days to receive and stage the converters, as well as distribute to all systems for customer use. The HD DVR will be available in all TWC Digital Systems throughout South Carolina.

Pricing for the HD DVR will be the same as the current DVR model: $14.90 per month ($9.95 for the converter and $4.95 for the functionality).

The E8000HD has the following features:

* DVR Capability for Std. and HD content
* Dual HD Decode
* 160GB Hard drive
* DVI


Diana Smith
Director of Marketing for Video Services
Time Warner Cable South Carolina


Bruce

Quoting the 8000HD data pdf that I have states:

"The 160GB model allows up to 20 hours* of HD programs or up to 90 hours* of SD programs to be recorded and stored using DVR functions. (*The Total program hours that can be stored depends upon the format and data rate of the programming source.)


This correlates well with with the general rule that recording HD requires just under 9GB/hour which in turn would translate to about 18hours of recording time. Since we know that most HD programs use bitrates less than 19.3mb/s, there may be a slight savings in storage and thus a bit more recording time available.

Current Explorer 8000DVRs use an 80MB hard drive and can compress and record about 30 hours of analog tier programs. Its internal MPEG2 compression capability is not as efficient as that done by TWC or programmers. The theoritical max of recording time for SD programs received in MPEG2 format (i.e. digital tier) is about 50 hours . However, TWC used to (and still may) advertise a limit of 40 hours while considering a mix of both analog and digital recordings. It comes down to your viewing/recording habits so YMMV.

Bruce

I forgot to mention earlier that Diana Smith at TWC said the guide problem for Channel 940 will be fixed in a software download tonight.

Bruce

Derrick,

Welcome to our little niche here at AVS. Not sure we can help you today but will pass along what I know. And please do come back and join us again in discussing the In/Outs of HD in our area.

Realistically, if you emailed Diana late today and INHD1 and INHD2 were not turned on by COB, then yes, you may have to wait until Monday. Yesterday Diana was the only one who could get it done and I don't know if that changed today. It is possible that the Customer Support staff did get the instructions and codes today so I would suggest you try calling them and asking. If the CSR cannot get it done perhaps a supervisor can. Hopefully (long shot); it might work. Wish I could be more positive on that.

Again, welcome and do let us know when you get it working. Good Luck!

Bruce

Fantastic!

On both counts... they got you up and running and fixed the guide too! FWIW, I believe TWC is working now trying to invent a HD-OD capability. I also agree we should all let TWC know our programming desires. There is a feedback box on their newsletter for that very purpose though it is a bit small and hard to use. Re: locals in HD... since both parties have to want the DT programming on cable, we also have to speak to WIS and WACH. (I suspect we won't get WACH until FOX starts doing HD though). I know TWC and Diana has heard my feelings on this subject and so should the stations.

Bruce

ps: I sent you a PM earlier....

I was asked to pass the following along by Diana Smith, Director of Marketing for Video Services, Time Warner Cable South Carolina:


In answer to questions concerning the plans for future pricing of HD Programming:

"Time Warner Cable of South Carolina has no plans to charge for HD services that the company does not pay a license fee to carry. This would include HD versions of local broadcast networks. Programming that costs the company significant license fees to acquire and carry will likely become part of a "paid tier" (the HD Tier) for which customers will have an option to subscribe. This would include channels like ESPN HD, HD Net, HD Net Movies, IN HD 1 and IN HD 2. This is in keeping with customers' desire to subscribe, and only pay for, programming that they want."

Dan Santelle
Vice President of Sales & Marketing
Time Warner Cable of South Carolina

I believe it was back in November that we received a printed/folded pamplet titled "2004 Annual Price & Product Review" included with our bill. It included the latest channel lists for Sumter (analog and digital; now obsolete) plus an itemized price list for Sumter (with changes noted). They also included a sheet with titled "Local Franchise Authorities."