The rumor of Universal HD coming to the Bay Area is not a rumor. I just received the ok to confirm that it is not a rumor but a fact. Here is a little question and answer I had with Mr. J. ______________________________________________________
Q--Does that imply that sometime after the Feb to April time frame that the implementation of digital simulcasting will begin in the Bay Area or is in progress now
A-- Both. It is a multi-phased operation that is following a strict implementation process resulting in a new network protocol that we will use to transmit the signals on our local network. At the end of the process, ADS will be up and running, we will begin to recapture bandwidth and launch new channels.
Q-- Some people in the AVS forums are interested in getting Universal HD in advance of the Olympics.
A--On February 9th, the day before opening ceremonies, we will launch Universal HD in the Bay Area. It will be located on Channel 726. And, since you are painfully aware of the bandwidth constraints we face in Los Gatos, Saratoga and Milpitas, we will not be able to launch the channel there or in the other 550 MHz systems in the Bay Area. Our ADS work described above will start to tackle the bandwidth issue in 550 MHz systems.
Q-- Speaking of the Olympics, will INHD be showing some of the events or will that only be with NBC and their coverage.
So good news to the people that have the bandwidth but not for us in the 550 MHz systems until the conversion to all digital gets done but at least it has started and there is some light at the end of the tunnel for us. So for now we of the bandwidth starved areas will have to watch the NBC coverage of the Olympics but he did say not to give up hope that there were other things in the works but he wouldn't say much more than that.
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Yeah Baby, and just in time.
Per Mikef5 of AVS...
The rumor of Universal HD coming to the Bay Area is not a rumor. I just received the ok to confirm that it is not a rumor but a fact. Here is a little question and answer I had with Mr. J.
______________________________________________________
Q--Does that imply that sometime after the Feb to April time frame that the
implementation of digital simulcasting will begin in the Bay Area or is in
progress now
A-- Both. It is a multi-phased operation that is following a strict implementation process resulting in a new network protocol that we will use to transmit the signals on our local network. At the end of the process, ADS will be up and running, we will begin to recapture bandwidth and launch new channels.
Q-- Some people in the AVS forums are interested in getting Universal HD in advance of the Olympics.
A--On February 9th, the day before opening ceremonies, we will launch Universal HD in the Bay Area. It will be located on Channel 726. And, since you are painfully aware of the bandwidth constraints we face in Los Gatos, Saratoga and Milpitas, we will not be able to launch the channel there or in the other 550 MHz systems in the Bay Area. Our ADS work described above will start to tackle the bandwidth issue in 550 MHz systems.
Q-- Speaking of the Olympics, will INHD be showing some of the events or will that only be with NBC and their coverage.
A--Given the information I've seen from NBC, no.
____________________________________________________________
So good news to the people that have the bandwidth but not for us in the 550 MHz systems until the conversion to all digital gets done but at least it has started and there is some light at the end of the tunnel for us. So for now we of the bandwidth starved areas will have to watch the NBC coverage of the Olympics but he did say not to give up hope that there were other things in the works but he wouldn't say much more than that.
Thanks for the update Mike!