Cablevision trumpets 60 HD channels, DirecTV / Verizon chuckle
By Darren Murph 
posted Jul 28th 2008 1:27PM
posted Jul 28th 2008 1:27PM
Maybe Cablevision just pulled the trigger without looking, but rather than holding its head in shame after hearing that Verizon hit 100 HD channels (at least in NY) and DirecTV would soon reach 130, it decided to pump out a release bragging about reaching the mighty six-oh. Granted, 60 high-def stations is way more than some carriers offer in some locales (TWC, we're looking at you), but the timing is comical regardless. Cablevision will soon be adding 15 new high-definition channels to its iO TV lineup, with some regions seeing them as early as today. The newcomers are: AMC HD, Animal Planet HD, Discovery HD, Fox News HD, FX HD, Hallmark Movie Channel HD, IFC HD, Nickelodeon HD, Science HD, SPEED HD, Spike HD, The Weather Channel HD, TLC HD, Travel Channel HD and WE HD. Oh, and before you Cablevision subscribers gripe over "just" having 60, remember the folks in much worse situations.
Hmm, at this rate, maybe TWC will brag about reaching 50 HD channels for NYC by the end of the year.
End of summer please come soon, so that FiOS installation will be finished on my block :-/.
I like how you waited until today to post this, in essence mocking them, neglecting to mention that CV issued the press release on July 2nd stating they'd be at 60 channels by August first.
http://www.cablevision.com/about/news/article.jsp?d=070208
Incorrect. We hit that release here:
http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/07/02/cablevision-to-introduce-15-new-hd-channels/
Cablevision and Cablevision alone chose to release this PR today.
Damn. No SciFi HD... oh well, maybe next round.
Well, if I'm really really lucking and make the proper sacrifices, Comcast MAY decide to give me more than 20 HD channels in the next few months.
Good thing I'm moving soon and won't have to put up with cable much longer.
They really dropped the ball by not adding additional NBC-Universal HD channels especially with the olympics coming.
Boy, I only wish my city(Woodbridge) was serviced by Cablevision - Most of the nearby cities are, but mine, which is serviced by a crappy Comcrap of NJ II/Union system and its pathetic 25 HD channels!
bummer no Sci-Fi HD
To SDV or not to SDV, that is the question... Has anyone gotten these yet and can confirm if they are SDV or not? I want to make sure my THD can get them... otherwise 2 big thumbs down to CV!
Still no USA HD =\
And Comcast trumpets 32 HD channels. Then they try to console us with HD on Demand. Shame on the nations largest cable company.
And COMCAST customers everywhere just sit and watch the world pass us by as we wallow in a measely 20 or so HD channels.
(Note to COMCAST marketers: HD "on demand" movies don't count, nor do the HD versions of HBO, Showtime, etc.!!!)
Jim-
Universal HD is already part of the HD line-up.
Not Universal HD, but the other NBC-Universal networks: Sci-Fi HD, USA-HD, CNBC HD, etc. All will have big Olympics coverage.
The 15 new aditions are not being sent via SDV. They moved VOOM to SDV and shut off the anolog feeds of family channels to make room for these.
I would be enthusiastic for 60 HD Channels! So what it's not Verizon's 100, or DirecTV's 130. I have Comcast, the nations largest cable operator with the smallest HD lineup. Comcast is pathetic when it comes to HD. I have 30 HD channels, but many people only have 15-25. Amazing how much the smaller operators like Service Electric, Sunflower Broadband, ACTI, and now Cablevision destroy Comcast. I'd get DirecTV but I have no line of sight. FIOS isn't an option in my area.
I know how you feel, I have Time Warner Cable in Los Angeles the second largest city in the US and I am stuck with 21 hd channels and about a third of those channels cost extra. I am suppose to get 12 more in November. :(
Cablevision may have some issues, but they do at least have 15 Voom Channels that NO ONE else in America has. In fact, name another provider that has even 3 HD Channels no other providers in America has access to.
Voom might not be HDNET, but its sure a far cry better than Lifetime Movies or some of the other "HD" Channels. What, you wanted QVC-HD instead?
Does anyone have the channels yet i havent gotten any of em
I got the new channels yesterday (29th) here in Fairfield County - Connecticut. All the new channels work fine but still having issues with some of the Voom Channels not being available.
Tech at CV says there is a known issue regarding the SDV setup which the Voom Channels use. On a typical day, 3 or 4 of them will display "Channel not currently available". Good news is none of them are channels I watch. :) (Except perhaps Equator which was out last night.)
jwb