Engadget http://www.engadget.com Engadget http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif Engadget http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Frontline investigates the cause of cell tower deaths tonight (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/22/frontline-investigates-the-cause-of-cell-tower-deaths-tonight-v/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/22/frontline-investigates-the-cause-of-cell-tower-deaths-tonight-v/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/22/frontline-investigates-the-cause-of-cell-tower-deaths-tonight-v/#comments

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You probably don't give much thought to the towers that blanket us with wireless signals and the technicians that climb up them, almost constantly, to upgrade the equipment. The PBS investigative journalism series, Frontline, does and tonight on your local PBS HD affiliate the findings from their investigation of the numerous fatalities will premier -- check out the embedded preview and then the local listings for specific time and channel. Who's to blame, what can be done to prevent it and more will be covered, as well as discussed via an online chat with the film's producers on Wednesday the 23rd at 1PM ET, with one of our very own moderating the panel. Feel free to leave questions for the producers and then join us tomorrow via the embedded chat after the break.

Continue reading Frontline investigates the cause of cell tower deaths tonight (video)

Frontline investigates the cause of cell tower deaths tonight (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 May 2012 18:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Cell towersCellTowersFrontlinehdpostcrossmobilepostcrossPBSPBS HDPbsHdProPublicaTue, 22 May 2012 18:31:00 EST<![CDATA[Aereo countersues broadcasters over its internet TV streaming service]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/20/aereo-countersues-broadcasters-over-its-internet-tv-streaming-se/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/20/aereo-countersues-broadcasters-over-its-internet-tv-streaming-se/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/20/aereo-countersues-broadcasters-over-its-internet-tv-streaming-se/#comments ImageNow that Aereo has launched its antenna TV-over-the-internet service it can devote some attention to its legal issues, and today countersued the TV networks suing it (Fox, PBS, Univision, WPIX and WNET) in the U.S. District Court in Manhattan. It's already filed another suit against Disney, CBS, NBCUniversal and Telemundo, as they wrangle over whether or not its scheme -- using an individual "microantenna" for each subscriber and streaming to that person over the internet, as long as they're in the broadcasting area -- violates their copyright. According to Aereo, it's merely relocating the equipment from the customer's home to its remote facility. We'll see if that argument works out any better than it did for Zediva, which announced last week that customers wouldn't be getting their money back after it was sued out of existence last year.

Aereo countersues broadcasters over its internet TV streaming service originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 18:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aereocopyrightfoxhdpostcrosslawsuitnew york cityNewYorkCityotapbsstreamingunivisionus district courtUsDistrictCourtTue, 20 Mar 2012 18:58:00 EST<![CDATA[PBS traces the history of animated GIFs: deal with it (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/08/pbs-traces-the-history-of-animated-gifs-deal-with-it/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/08/pbs-traces-the-history-of-animated-gifs-deal-with-it/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/08/pbs-traces-the-history-of-animated-gifs-deal-with-it/#comments Animated GIFsPBS's Off Book has a new short doc available online called Animated GIFs: The Birth of a Medium which, as you may have guessed, traces the history and evolution of the animated GIF over the course of a very informative six and a half minutes. The makers don't settle the dispute over pronunciation (and, really, who could), but they do mine its origins as relic of internet eras past to a post-modern staple of web 2.0 culture. We could tell you more, but that would just ruin the fun. Head on after the break to watch the episode in full.

Continue reading PBS traces the history of animated GIFs: deal with it (video)

PBS traces the history of animated GIFs: deal with it (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Mar 2012 00:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>animated gifanimated gifsanimated gifs: the birth of a mediumAnimatedGifAnimatedGifsAnimatedGifs:TheBirthOfAMediumdocumentarygifgifshistorymemesoff bookOffBookPBSvideoThu, 08 Mar 2012 00:53:00 EST<![CDATA[TV stations predictably sue Aereo over antenna-to-internet streaming plans]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/01/aereo-antenna-tv-lawsuit/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/01/aereo-antenna-tv-lawsuit/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/01/aereo-antenna-tv-lawsuit/#comments We had to wonder if Aereo / fka Bamboom would actually be able to launch its $12 / month antenna-based live TV over the internet service before the networks tried to sue it out of existence and the answer is in: no. Ahead of Aereo's planned March 14th launch, AllThingsD reports several New York Area broadcasters including Fox and PBS have filed suit in US District Court to stop it from getting off the ground. Put simply, they don't believe copyright law allows Aereo to retransmit their OTA broadcasts on the internet without obtaining a license from them to do so, whether it uses one large antenna or an array of tiny antennas (pictured above) -- one for each subscriber -- as it says it will. Clearly Aereo disagrees, however we don't recall that argument working out so well for Zediva. Hit the source link to read the entire complaint in PDF form for yourself or just peep a press release from the National Association of Broadcasters after the break, we'll let you know if Aereo has any response.

Update: Check out Aereo's response, also included after the break. Just as predictably, it "does not believe that the broadcasters' position has any merit and it very much looks forward to a full and fair airing of the issues."

Continue reading TV stations predictably sue Aereo over antenna-to-internet streaming plans

TV stations predictably sue Aereo over antenna-to-internet streaming plans originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 18:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aereoantennabamboombroadcastersfoxhdpostcrossipad streamingIpadStreaminglawsuitotapbsThu, 01 Mar 2012 18:57:00 EST<![CDATA[PBS Kids launches augmented reality game for iOS, says all the cool kids are counting sushi]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/15/pbs-kids-launches-augmented-reality-game-for-ios-says-all-the-c/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/15/pbs-kids-launches-augmented-reality-game-for-ios-says-all-the-c/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/15/pbs-kids-launches-augmented-reality-game-for-ios-says-all-the-c/#commentsIt's official: Kids today have way cooler toys than you did when you were growing up. PBS Kids has just outed its first augmented reality mobile app for iOS -- a game called Fetch! Lunch Rush that aims to take the sting out of learning to do addition and subtraction in your head. If you're up on PBS' children's programming (and why wouldn't you be?), you'll recognize that pooch Ruff Ruffman as the game show host in the animated show Fetch! Here, he's a legendary movie director trying to make sure there's enough sushi for his movie crew (grown-up problems, right?). That's where the augmented reality comes in: bits of raw fish floating around screen. Though it's worth noting that this isn't augmented reality in the strictest sense of the term, in that you have to print out game cards to use with your iPhone or iPod touch's camera. The free app requires an iPhone or iPod touch (fourth-gen or later) or an iPad / iPad 2 running iOS 4.0. While we can't say we're a bit envious of those six- to eight-year-olds with their very own iPod touches, but then again, will they ever know the sheer joy of hunting in Oregon Trail over and over again?

Gallery: PBS Kids Lunch Rush app

Continue reading PBS Kids launches augmented reality game for iOS, says all the cool kids are counting sushi

PBS Kids launches augmented reality game for iOS, says all the cool kids are counting sushi originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Nov 2011 02:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>App StoreAppleAppStoreaugmented realityAugmentedRealitychildrenCorporation for Public BroadcastingCorporationForPublicBroadcastingDepartment of EducationDepartmentOfEducationeducationalFetchiOSiOS appiOS appsIosAppIosAppsiPadiPhoneiPhone appiPhone appsIphoneAppIphoneAppsiPod touchIpodTouchKIDSlunch rushLunchRushmathOregon TrailOregonTrailPBSPBS KidsPbsKidsTue, 15 Nov 2011 02:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Amazon Prime Instant Video expands its library with even more video from PBS]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/21/amazon-prime-instant-video-expands-its-library-with-even-more-vi/http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/21/amazon-prime-instant-video-expands-its-library-with-even-more-vi/http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/21/amazon-prime-instant-video-expands-its-library-with-even-more-vi/#comments PBS has been down with Amazon's Prime Instant Video service since it launched, and now it's providing even more all-you-can-eat video for streaming under an expanded agreement. Naturally that means lots of episodes of NOVA and Antiques Roadshow, and "for the first time on digital video", 200 episodes of The French Chef with Julia Child. According to Amazon, that puts its total number of selections over 12,000, more than double the amount of content it launched with. It still has a ways to go to match Netflix, but with a lower yearly price, sweet shipping deal and now the ability to teach you how to make an omelet, Amazon has developed a very compelling alternative.

Continue reading Amazon Prime Instant Video expands its library with even more video from PBS

Amazon Prime Instant Video expands its library with even more video from PBS originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 21 Oct 2011 13:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazonAmazon Primeamazon prime instant videoAmazonPrimeAmazonPrimeInstantVideohdpostminijulia childJuliaChildpbsprime instant videoPrimeInstantVideostreamingFri, 21 Oct 2011 13:40:00 EST<![CDATA[PBS screens the cultural eye-candy early to Apple devices, ushers iOS users past the public velvet rope]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/22/pbs-screens-the-cultural-eye-candy-early-to-apple-devices-usher/http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/22/pbs-screens-the-cultural-eye-candy-early-to-apple-devices-usher/http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/22/pbs-screens-the-cultural-eye-candy-early-to-apple-devices-usher/#comments

If you're a fan of HBO's Boardwalk Empire, you'll probably want to tune in to PBS' new Prohibition-era doc -- on your iOS device. That's right, the federally-funded public network's hip to our digital distributing times, and is giving an early access viewing window to users of its PBS app across Apple's iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch. The high-brow art'll get its stream on September 23rd, with the full series to air on broadcast from October 2nd through the 4th. While the doc's two subsequent episodes will also stream live day and date on PBS' video hub, your mobile apps won't get the visual goods until the day after air. Of course, if that bevy of options doesn't jive with your busy schedule, you can always download the show direct from PBS or iTunes. Official PR awaits you after the break.

Continue reading PBS screens the cultural eye-candy early to Apple devices, ushers iOS users past the public velvet rope

PBS screens the cultural eye-candy early to Apple devices, ushers iOS users past the public velvet rope originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Sep 2011 21:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AppleApple iPadApple iPhoneApple iPod TouchAppleIpadAppleIphoneAppleIpodTouchBoardwalk EmpireBoardwalkEmpiredocumentaryearly accessEarlyAccessHBOiOSKen BurnsKenBurnsmobilepostcrossPBSProhibitionstreamingThu, 22 Sep 2011 21:14:00 EST<![CDATA[Reading Rainbow roaring back with RRKidz iPad app, 'disruptive' ebook technology in tow]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/18/reading-rainbow-roaring-back-with-rrkidz-ipad-app-disruptive/http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/18/reading-rainbow-roaring-back-with-rrkidz-ipad-app-disruptive/http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/18/reading-rainbow-roaring-back-with-rrkidz-ipad-app-disruptive/#commentsLeVar Burton may best be known 'round these parts for his role in Star Trek, but he'll soon be known as the guy who made childhood reading relevant again. It wasn't that long ago that today's up-and-coming adults were soaking up all sorts of useful knowledge during their summers, glued to a PBS station and doing their darndest to climb inside of mum's CRT television. And now, their kids will be doing likewise -- but with an iPad. Burton has plans to produce an educational RRKidz iOS app that enables readers to "explore topics of interest in a multimedia-rich environment, with voice-over-enhanced children's books, familiar videos of Burton at real-life places, and games." In order to do so, he's planning a "disruptive" technology that'll bolster a conventional PDF book with basic animations, voice-overs and games "in a matter of hours." There's no specific time table on a release, but we're guessing Burton's moving along as usual pace: Mach 5.

Reading Rainbow roaring back with RRKidz iPad app, 'disruptive' ebook technology in tow originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 18 Sep 2011 23:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appapp storeappleAppStoree booke bookse readere readerse-booke-bookse-readere-readerseducateeducationiosipadipad appIpadApplearnlearningLeVar BurtonLevarBurtonPBSReading RainbowReadingRainbowRRKidzSun, 18 Sep 2011 23:39:00 EST<![CDATA[Roku 'disallows' PlayOn, cites 'possibility of legal exposure']]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/29/roku-disallows-playon-cites-possibility-of-legal-exposure/http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/29/roku-disallows-playon-cites-possibility-of-legal-exposure/http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/29/roku-disallows-playon-cites-possibility-of-legal-exposure/#commentsBummer. Just a few short days after PlayOn support was apparently added to Roku's stable of set-top boxes, it looks as if the fun has come to an abrupt halt. Based on quotes from both PlayOn and Roku staff members, it sounds like the PlayOn channel will no longer work on those who try to get it installed, but those who managed to slip in early may be in the clear. Jim, a PlayOn staffer, stated that his company was "contacted today by Roku and told that they were going to disallow this channel," and because neither the Roku channel developer nor Roku "are affiliated with PlayOn, [they] have no control over the situation." On the Roku side, one Patrick has confirmed that "while... many of you are excited about a PlayOn-compatible Channel and may be using it, it unfortunately presents the possibility of legal exposure for us; as a result, the current PlayOn channels have been removed and are no longer available to add to your Roku player." If your bubble has just been popped in the worst possible way, we'd probably start looking into that 30-day return policy -- for you early birds, is PlayOn still working on your Roku box? Hit us up in comments below.

[Thanks, Brian]

Roku 'disallows' PlayOn, cites 'possibility of legal exposure' originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Oct 2010 09:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cbsCNNcontentESPNhuluissuekillkilledlegalPBSPlayOnproblemprogrammingpulledrokuTBSFri, 29 Oct 2010 09:55:00 EST<![CDATA[PlayOn now available on Roku: more content for a price]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/25/playon-now-available-on-roku-more-content-for-a-price/http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/25/playon-now-available-on-roku-more-content-for-a-price/http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/25/playon-now-available-on-roku-more-content-for-a-price/#commentsWe knew that Hulu Plus was making a beeline for Roku's stable of media streaming boxes, but now owners have yet another avenue to grab online content: PlayOn. For those unaware, PlayOn delivers online material from Hulu, PBS, TBS, ESPN, CNN, MLB.tv and YouTube (among other places), but the catch is that there's an annual fee for having access ($34.99 for the first year; $19.99 each year thereafter). Furthermore, you'll need a PC on the same network as the Roku in order to fetch the content and send it over, but if you're already setup, you can hit the source link for download and pricing details.

PlayOn now available on Roku: more content for a price originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Oct 2010 20:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cbsCNNcontentESPNhuluPBSPlayOnprogrammingrokuTBSMon, 25 Oct 2010 20:17:00 EST<![CDATA[Video Games Live special brings orchestral game music to PBS]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/07/video-games-live-special-brings-orchestral-game-music-to-pbs/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/07/video-games-live-special-brings-orchestral-game-music-to-pbs/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/07/video-games-live-special-brings-orchestral-game-music-to-pbs/#comments Are video games art? That question may still be a cause of debate for some, but there is little question that there is artistry in video games -- like the music, which often doesn't receive the attention it deserves. Game music composers Tommy Tallarico and Jack Wall have been doing their best to change that for years now with their symphonic Video Games Live show, however, and it looks like they'll soon have what could be their largest audience yet. The group recently announced that PBS will be debuting a 90-minute Video Games Live special on July 31st, which will continue to air throughout August, and be available on DVD, Blu-ray and CD. Check with your local PBS affiliate for the exact time and air dates in your area, and head on past the break for a taste of what's in store.

Continue reading Video Games Live special brings orchestral game music to PBS

Video Games Live special brings orchestral game music to PBS originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 Jun 2010 20:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>game musicGameMusicjack wallJackWallmusicpbsTommy TallaricoTommyTallaricovideo game musicvideo games liveVideoGameMusicVideoGamesLiveMon, 07 Jun 2010 20:35:00 EST<![CDATA[BP unleashes saw-wielding robots in an attempt to plug the leak (livestream)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/01/bps-saw-wielding-robots-attempting-to-stop-the-leak-livestream/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/01/bps-saw-wielding-robots-attempting-to-stop-the-leak-livestream/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/01/bps-saw-wielding-robots-attempting-to-stop-the-leak-livestream/#comments
It might not look like much at the moment, but as we type this BP is sending its vicious saw-wielding robots down to the site of the oil spill in its latest attempt to scuttle the leak -- and CBS is livestreaming the whole affair! Hit the source link to see it for yourself.

Update: Looks like CBS switched programming to re-runs of Becker or something. We've updated the source link.

BP unleashes saw-wielding robots in an attempt to plug the leak (livestream) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Jun 2010 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bpenvironmentgulfgulf oil disasterGulfOilDisasterlivestreamlivestreaminglivestreaming videoLivestreamingVideonatural disastersNaturalDisastersoiloil spillOilSpillpbsvideoTue, 01 Jun 2010 12:01:00 EST<![CDATA[BP's efforts to clean up Gulf of Mexico oil spill livestreamed by PBS]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/27/bps-efforts-to-clean-up-the-oil-spill-livestreamed-by-pbs/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/27/bps-efforts-to-clean-up-the-oil-spill-livestreamed-by-pbs/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/27/bps-efforts-to-clean-up-the-oil-spill-livestreamed-by-pbs/#comments If you're looking to be even more depressed than usual today, you should hit up PBS Newshour's YouTube channel, where they are currently livestreaming the oil spill. That's right, you can see with your own eyes the truly stunning spew of crude happening in the ocean right now, along with BP's "efforts" to clean it up. When we checked in it was pretty quiet on the cleanup effort front, but you know, BP execs have to spend the first 21 hours of each business day counting money. Either way, we'll just have to wait and see if this so-called "Top Kill" is working out or not. PBS is also asking for reader suggestions on how to plug up the hole that's leaking all the oil, so get on over there if you have any good ideas today. Embedded stream follows.

Continue reading BP's efforts to clean up Gulf of Mexico oil spill livestreamed by PBS

BP's efforts to clean up Gulf of Mexico oil spill livestreamed by PBS originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 May 2010 09:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bpenvironmentgulfgulf oil disasterGulfOilDisasterlivestreamlivestreaminglivestreaming videoLivestreamingVideonatural disastersNaturalDisastersoiloil spillOilSpillpbsvideoThu, 27 May 2010 09:38:00 EST<![CDATA[PBS launches online video portal]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/23/pbs-launches-online-video-portal/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/23/pbs-launches-online-video-portal/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/23/pbs-launches-online-video-portal/#commentsPBS Video beta website logoBetween numerous reruns and our DVR, we can't recall the last time we missed a PBS program we wanted. All the same, we won't complain about having another way to soak up content that our pledge dollars help produce, and now PBS has opened up the beta version of its online Video Portal site with full-length versions of some of its programs. There's even some exclusive content -- the first episode of Time Team America is available on the site right now, well in advance of the July broadcast schedule. Sure, we're disappointed that not all the HD pixels made it to the website, but soaking up an episode of NOVA has got to be a better use of your cubicle time than working on your facebook page; not to mention this is another source for boxee to scrape up.

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PBS launches online video portal originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Apr 2009 10:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hdinternetnew contentnewcontentpbspbs video betaPbsVideoBetapublic broadcasting systemPublicBroadcastingSystemstreamingwebsiteThu, 23 Apr 2009 10:09:00 EST<![CDATA[MobiTV demonstrates mixTV mobile DTV service]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/20/mobitv-demonstrates-mixtv-mobile-dtv-service/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/20/mobitv-demonstrates-mixtv-mobile-dtv-service/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/20/mobitv-demonstrates-mixtv-mobile-dtv-service/#commentsThis one is still only in the very earliest stages, but it looks like MobiTV has taken advantage of the big National Association of Broadcasters Show in Vegas this week to show off a new mobile DTV service that it's developed in partnership with Sinclair and PBS, which it hopes will eventually find its way to a few interested cellular carriers. The service itself is a combination of free over-the-air DTV broadcasts (from PBS and the CW, at the moment) and subscription-based on-demand content, which would apparently be made available for a seven-day window and be delivered via mobile WiMAX. Unfortunately, there's no indication whatsoever of a potential roll-out, but it looks like MobiTV will be working hard during the next few days to woo some additional partners, so there's at least a slight chance that we could be hearing a few more details before the show wraps up later this week.

[Via Phone Scoop]

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MobiTV demonstrates mixTV mobile DTV service originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 20 Apr 2009 18:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cwdtvmixtvmobilemobile dtvmobile tvmobile wimaxMobileDtvMobileTvMobileWimaxmobitvmultimediaNABNAB 2009Nab2009over-the-airpbssinclairtvwimaxMon, 20 Apr 2009 18:43:00 EST<![CDATA[MobiTV demonstrates mixTV mobile DTV service]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/20/mobitv-demonstrates-mixtv-mobile-dtv-service/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/20/mobitv-demonstrates-mixtv-mobile-dtv-service/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/20/mobitv-demonstrates-mixtv-mobile-dtv-service/#commentsThis one is still only in the very earliest stages, but it looks like MobiTV has taken advantage of the big National Association of Broadcasters Show in Vegas this week to show off a new mobile DTV service that it's developed in partnership with Sinclair and PBS, which it hopes will eventually find its way to a few interested cellular carriers. The service itself is a combination of free over-the-air DTV broadcasts (from PBS and the CW, at the moment) and subscription-based on-demand content, which would apparently be made available for a seven-day window and be delivered via mobile WiMAX. Unfortunately, there's no indication whatsoever of a potential roll-out, but it looks like MobiTV will be working hard during the next few days to woo some additional partners, so there's at least a slight chance that we could be hearing a few more details before the show wraps up later this week.

[Via Phone Scoop]

Filed under: , , ,

MobiTV demonstrates mixTV mobile DTV service originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 20 Apr 2009 18:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cwdtvhdmixtvmobile dtvmobile tvmobile wimaxMobileDtvMobileTvMobileWimaxmobitvNABNAB 2009Nab2009otaother hardwareotherhardwareover-the-airpbssinclairthe cwthecwtvwimaxMon, 20 Apr 2009 18:43:00 EST<![CDATA[MobiTV demonstrates mixTV mobile DTV service]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/20/mobitv-demonstrates-mixtv-mobile-dtv-service/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/20/mobitv-demonstrates-mixtv-mobile-dtv-service/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/20/mobitv-demonstrates-mixtv-mobile-dtv-service/#commentsThis one is still only in the very earliest stages, but it looks like MobiTV has taken advantage of the big National Association of Broadcasters Show in Vegas this week to show off a new mobile DTV service that it's developed in partnership with Sinclair and PBS, which it hopes will eventually find its way to a few interested cellular carriers. The service itself is a combination of free over-the-air DTV broadcasts (from PBS and the CW, at the moment) and subscription-based on-demand content, which would apparently be made available for a seven-day window and be delivered via mobile WiMAX. Unfortunately, there's no indication whatsoever of a potential roll-out, but it looks like MobiTV will be working hard during the next few days to woo some additional partners, so there's at least a slight chance that we could be hearing a few more details before the show wraps up later this week.

[Via Phone Scoop]

Filed under: ,

MobiTV demonstrates mixTV mobile DTV service originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 20 Apr 2009 18:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cwdtvmixtvmobile dtvmobile tvmobile wimaxMobileDtvMobileTvMobileWimaxmobitvNABNAB 2009Nab2009over-the-airpbssinclairtvwimaxMon, 20 Apr 2009 18:43:00 EST<![CDATA[Comcast adds select PBS HD series to its On Demand library]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/04/comcast-adds-select-pbs-hd-series-to-its-on-demand-library/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/04/comcast-adds-select-pbs-hd-series-to-its-on-demand-library/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/04/comcast-adds-select-pbs-hd-series-to-its-on-demand-library/#commentsComcast and PBS HD logosComcast customers who miss a PBS program despite the best efforts of their DVR and the PBS website just might be able to catch that episode (in HD, no less) with On Demand service. Comcast has added "Antiques Roadshow," "Nova," "Masterpiece," "History Detectives" and "Frontline" to its VOD library, and new episodes will be made available for one week starting the day after they are broadcast. While this is probably not enough to allow even the most heavy PBS viewer to ditch the DVR altogether, it's a nice extra all the same. Now, if PBS could do something about its rampant use of "widescreen optimized for 4x3" formatting that doesn't look good on either 4x3 or 16x9 displays, that'd be even better.

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Comcast adds select PBS HD series to its On Demand library originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 04 Apr 2009 23:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>antiques roadshowAntiquesRoadshowcablecomcastfrontlinehdhistory detectivesHistoryDetectivesmasterpiecenovapbsvideo on demandVideoOnDemandvodSat, 04 Apr 2009 23:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Kilauea: Mountain of Fire gives an HD look at the volcano tonight on PBS]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/29/kilauea-mountain-of-fire-gives-an-hd-look-at-the-volcano-tonigh/http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/29/kilauea-mountain-of-fire-gives-an-hd-look-at-the-volcano-tonigh/http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/29/kilauea-mountain-of-fire-gives-an-hd-look-at-the-volcano-tonigh/#commentsPAUL ATKINS/ © WNET.ORG
Sure, if you want a great look at nature in HD, Discovery HD Theater has a marathon of Planet Earth going on right now (no seriously, if you haven't seen it, forget the NCAA tournament, Tiger on the links and LeBron's 60 Minutes half court shot, click over right now and watch) but brand new this evening Nature on PBS has an all new look at active volcanoes with Kilauea: Mountain of Fire. The first of this site filmed specifically for high definition broadcasts, Hawaii Magazine certainly seemed impressed by peeks into the vent from the air, underwater lava flows and hikes into the world's largest and deepest lava tube (whatever that may be) promise to give an all new appreciation of natures power for anyone not already peeping Ian McShane on Kings.

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Kilauea: Mountain of Fire gives an HD look at the volcano tonight on PBS originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 29 Mar 2009 16:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Now that ZeeVee's back in business with its much improved Zinc broadband video portal, boxee actually has some serious competition to keep an eye on. That said, the company is hosting a meetup in NYC tonight in order to launch a new "bleeding edge" alpha that will integrate Pandora radio / RadioTime and showcase a more robust API. Furthermore, you'll find a fresh XUL-based framework for the boxee browser to enable the app to more easily interact with any web-based video, and as if that wasn't enough, there will also be a PBS application baked in. We have to say, we're pretty impressed with the regularity of updates coming to boxee -- now, if only those big networks would allow hit shows to be broadcast online live alongside their TV airings, we'd be in television heaven. The full announcement is after the break.

Gallery: boxee releases new "bleeding edge" alpha, inks deal with Pandora

Continue reading boxee releases new "bleeding edge" alpha, inks deal with Pandora

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boxee releases new "bleeding edge" alpha, inks deal with Pandora originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Mar 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>APIboxeeBoxeeHQcontenthdinternetinternet tvInternetTvnew contentnewcontentonline tvOnlineTvPandoraPBSprogrammingXULTue, 24 Mar 2009 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[DirecTV brings PBS to 10 additional markets]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/10/directv-brings-pbs-to-10-additional-markets/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/10/directv-brings-pbs-to-10-additional-markets/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/10/directv-brings-pbs-to-10-additional-markets/#commentsNearly a year after an agreement was reached between DirecTV and the Association of Public Television Stations (APTS), it appears they didn't want to keep anyone waiting long after the first wave of deployments, with ten new markets chosen for PBS service via satellite. We know you've been missing your NOVA and Ken Burns docs so check after the break for areas and stations. Not listed? More rollouts are due before the end of this year and into the next.

Continue reading DirecTV brings PBS to 10 additional markets

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DirecTV brings PBS to 10 additional markets originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Dec 2008 16:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>directvhdhd localsHdLocalslocalsnew contentnewcontentpbspbs hdPbsHdsatelliteWed, 10 Dec 2008 16:17:00 EST<![CDATA[DirecTV brings PBS HD to 14 local markets]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/03/directv-brings-pbs-hd-to-14-local-markets/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/03/directv-brings-pbs-hd-to-14-local-markets/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/03/directv-brings-pbs-hd-to-14-local-markets/#commentsDirecTV's taking a break from its usual HD rollout escapades to focus specifically on PBS. Millions of subscribers will now be able to enjoy Public Broadcasting Service content in glistening high-definition, with 14 markets going live today and more planned before the year's end. As of now, customers in Cedar Rapids-Waterloo-Iowa City-Dubuque, Iowa; Chicago; Davenport, Iowa-Rock Island-Moline, Ill.; Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami-Fort Lauderdale, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York, Norfolk-Newport News, Va.; Phoenix; Portland, Ore.; Rochester, N.Y.; and Waco-Temple-Bryan, Texas have access, and the rest of ya will just have to wait.

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DirecTV brings PBS HD to 14 local markets originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Dec 2008 13:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>directvhdhd localsHdLocalsnew contentnewcontentpbspbs hdPbsHdWed, 03 Dec 2008 13:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Election '08 coming home in HD like never before]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/04/election-08-coming-home-in-hd-like-never-before/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/04/election-08-coming-home-in-hd-like-never-before/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/04/election-08-coming-home-in-hd-like-never-before/#comments
Sure, not every station's pulled out the Star Wars / Iron Man-style holograms for the 2008 election, but they're all trying to put shiny new HD studios to full use and get as many eyeballs as possible until things are decided. NBC & ABC immediately jumped out front at 7 p.m. with data pouring in on the widescreen edges of their HD feeds, with CNN waiting until states were decided to begin updating their lists. ABC's chosen to lean on its touchscreen display and forgo side graphics altogether, while despite Fox's claim as "America's Election HQ", with totally bare shoulders and boring sets, we're pointing our flatscreens elsewhere. PBS, despite airing the clearest, most high quality video available of three old guys at a table, has no slick touchscreens or HD graphics packages to speak of. Think about that as you check out the rest of the screens after the break, and during the next donation drive. Big Bird deserves better.

Continue reading Election '08 coming home in HD like never before

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Election '08 coming home in HD like never before originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Nov 2008 21:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sure, not every station's pulled out the Star Wars / Iron Man-style holograms for the 2008 election, but they're all trying to put shiny new HD studios to full use and get as many eyeballs as possible until things are decided. NBC & ABC immediately jumped out front at 7 p.m. with data pouring in on the widescreen edges of their HD feeds, with CNN waiting until states were decided to begin updating their lists. ABC's chosen to lean on its touchscreen display and forgo side graphics altogether, while despite Fox's claim as "America's Election HQ", with totally bare shoulders and boring sets, we're pointing our flatscreens elsewhere. PBS, despite airing the clearest, most high quality video available of three old guys at a table, has no slick touchscreens or HD graphics packages to speak of. Think about that as you check out the rest of the screens after the break, and during the next donation drive. Big Bird deserves better.

Continue reading Election '08 coming home in HD like never before

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Election '08 coming home in HD like never before originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Nov 2008 21:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>abccbscnnelectionelection 08election 2008Election08Election2008foxhdhd studioHdStudiohdtvhigh definitionHighDefinitionnbcpbsprimetimeTue, 04 Nov 2008 21:37:00 EST<![CDATA[KCTS 9 (PBS) moves for all-digital conversion, leaves quality HD shows behind]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/kcts-9-pbs-moves-for-all-digital-conversion-leaves-quality-hd/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/kcts-9-pbs-moves-for-all-digital-conversion-leaves-quality-hd/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/kcts-9-pbs-moves-for-all-digital-conversion-leaves-quality-hd/#comments
The times, they are a-changin', and with February 2009 getting closer by the minute, we should probably expect even more situations like this. Put simply, western Washington's local PBS channel had a long-standing history of pleasing HD junkies with a whole swath of unique HD programming on Comcast slot 108 (OTA channel 9.5). Due to the transition to all-digital (or so it says), the HD channel has been shifted to Comcast slot 109 and OTA slot 9.1; that there isn't the problem, though. The issue is that with the move, many of its best high-def programs have been nixed, and the leftovers are being presented "in low-quality DTV," as stated by our tipster. The reaction has been overwhelmingly negative, with pages upon pages of angry comments piling up in a matter of hours. Thankfully, management has posted a note that it is taking notice, but only time will tell if the channel will ever return in its full glory.

[Thanks, Aaron]

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KCTS 9 (PBS) moves for all-digital conversion, leaves quality HD shows behind originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Sep 2008 15:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Looks like Movie Gallery finally got something for the assortment of PBS bandwidth and spare parts remaining from the now-defunct MovieBeam service. The new owner is Indian conglomerate The Valuable Group, headed by Sanjay Gaikwad who apparently thinks serving up a remarkably limited assortment of heavily compressed HD and SD movies on demand is an idea that deserves to fail all over the world, instead of just in the U.S. Since $100 million burned up by Disney and others wasn't enough to make things work, he plans to invest a similar amount over the next two years to relaunch the service in North America, the U.K. and "other overseas markets". Variety notes The Valuable Group already delivers movies digitally to India and South Asian theaters via satellite so maybe they know something we don't about this business model, and with plans to roll out service in three markets with "new, cutting edge features" by year end we'll get to find out soon.

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MovieBeam sold, plans three market return tour this year originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 12 Jul 2008 22:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Looks like Movie Gallery finally got something for the assortment of PBS bandwidth and spare parts remaining from the now-defunct MovieBeam service. The new owner is Indian conglomerate The Valuable Group, headed by Sanjay Gaikwad who apparently thinks serving up a remarkably limited assortment of heavily compressed HD and SD movies on demand is an idea that deserves to fail all over the world, instead of just in the U.S. Since $100 million burned up by Disney and others wasn't enough to make things work, he plans to invest a similar amount over the next two years to relaunch the service in North America, the U.K. and "other overseas markets". Variety notes The Valuable Group already delivers movies digitally to India and South Asian theaters via satellite so maybe they know something we don't about this business model, and with plans to roll out service in three markets with "new, cutting edge features" by year end we'll get to find out soon.

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MovieBeam sold, plans three market return tour this year originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 12 Jul 2008 22:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>digital distributionDigitalDistributionhdindiaiptvmovie beammovie galleryMovieBeamMovieGalleryotapbsthe valuable groupTheValuableGroupvodSat, 12 Jul 2008 22:08:00 EST<![CDATA[PBS taps Comcast's thePlatform for online video]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/18/pbs-taps-comcasts-theplatform-for-online-video/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/18/pbs-taps-comcasts-theplatform-for-online-video/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/18/pbs-taps-comcasts-theplatform-for-online-video/#commentsPBS logoPBS has chosen media distribution company thePlatform to help boost its online video offerings. It's a fairly pretentious name, but in the two years that thePlatform has been a division of Comcast, it's racked up some big name clients, including BBC, CBS College Sports and Hulu. The PBS deal is intended to bring something we all like -- more content on the web. The arrangement opens up a kind of free-for-all between nationally- and locally- originated content and websites. Of course, content from the PBS mothership can be sent out to local affiliate websites. But local stations will also have access to thePlatform publishing tools to allow them to push their content to other affiliates. This is good news, as some of our favorite PBS stuff is produced by local affiliates.

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PBS taps Comcast's thePlatform for online video originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 18 May 2008 17:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PBS Kids Sprout has announced it's obtained the U.S. broadcast rights for Dive Olly Dive, a CGI-animated kids show produced in high definition. The network's focused on growing its preschool audience via digital cable/satellite, VOD and online offerings over the last few years, although it's not clear where or if we'll ever get to see the underwater escapades pf research subs-in-training Olly and Beth. Hopefully this turns into a situation like the recently launched Disney Channel HD, with a stockpile of ready to go HD content, already delivering a surprising number of HD 'toons each morning -- you're not still letting the kids watch SD, are you? Dive Olly Dive joins the Let's Go Show weekend morning programming block June 7.

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PBS Kids Sprout nabs HD cartoon Dive Olly Dive originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 17 May 2008 05:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>animatedcartoonchildrendive olly diveDiveOllyDivehdkidslets go showLetsGoShownew contentnewcontentpbspbs kids sproutPbsKidsSproutSat, 17 May 2008 05:36:00 EST<![CDATA[Sesame Street, Cops, ESPN and more rolling out HD with Sony]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/14/sesame-street-cops-espn-and-more-rolling-out-hd-with-sony/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/14/sesame-street-cops-espn-and-more-rolling-out-hd-with-sony/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/14/sesame-street-cops-espn-and-more-rolling-out-hd-with-sony/#commentsSony's NAB 2008 announcements continue to roll out, hope you didn't think Survivor and OLED were the only items getting a touch of its HD DNA, because Fox Widescreen standby Cops is going real HD for its 21st season courtesy of Sony's XDCAM technology. Just like Survivor, the rugged disc-based system makes it easy for producers to make the HD upgrade. While PBS' sets may not be as rough as the mean streets, we can still appreciate the news that Sesame Street has switched to HD with a whole new studio based on Sony's equipment that will also see use in several other projects on the way. Finally, ESPN has stayed ahead of the curve on high definition, and is putting the company's tech to work in its L.A. Live studio. Big Bird, extreme sports and repeat criminal offenders? Our HDTVs say bring it on.

Read - Sesame Street
Read - XDCAM technology, Survivor & Cops
Read - ESPN L.A. Live studio

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Sesame Street, Cops, ESPN and more rolling out HD with Sony originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Apr 2008 07:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breaking newsBreakingNewscopsespn hdespn laespnhdEspnLafoxfox widescreenFoxWidescreenhdl.a. liveL.a.Livenabnab 2008Nab2008pbssesame streetSesameStreetsonysurvivorxdcamMon, 14 Apr 2008 07:02:00 EST<![CDATA[Metropolitan Opera coming to PBS]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/metropolitan-opera-coming-to-pbs/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/metropolitan-opera-coming-to-pbs/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/26/metropolitan-opera-coming-to-pbs/#commentsMetropolitan Opera comes to PBSIf you think it's tough sticking to an exclusive diet of HD content, try being a fan of opera (the genre, not the browser, silly). Not many towns can even consider supporting an opera company, and scheduling and pricing cuts out another swath of interested folks in markets that do have an opera company. The Metropolitan Opera company has enjoyed success showing HD productions of its performances in theaters worldwide, and is now branching out to even more markets with PBS. The performances will appear underneath the "Great Performances" banner, so check your local listings if you're interested. We promise we won't tell your sports-fanatic crew you broke out the wine and cheese and peeped some opera!

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Metropolitan Opera coming to PBS originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 26 Mar 2008 09:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>great performancesGreatPerformanceshdmetropolitan operaMetropolitanOperanew contentnewcontentoperapbsWed, 26 Mar 2008 09:49:00 EST<![CDATA[PBS to bring the outdoors in with "Nature" on Blu-ray]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/13/pbs-to-bring-the-outdoors-in-with-nature-on-blu-ray/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/13/pbs-to-bring-the-outdoors-in-with-nature-on-blu-ray/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/13/pbs-to-bring-the-outdoors-in-with-nature-on-blu-ray/#commentsPBS brings Nature to Blu-ray
Like peanut butter and chocolate, nature shows and HD are two great tastes that taste great together. And judging by the frequent appearance of "Planet Earth" on the VideoScan charts, the couple makes good business sense, too. As much as we love "Planet Earth," though, adding more titles to the genre is a good thing. Take heart, PBS is doing its part by bringing "Nature" to Blu-ray. With 26 seasons under its belt, it's safe to assume there's plenty of good footage; hopefully they've gathered up the best HD bits for the releases. Come May 20th, indie distributor Questar will be bringing out four titles: "Desert Lions" (originally aired 2008 in HD), "In the Valley of the Wolves" (originally aired 2007, shot in HD), "Under Antarctic Ice" and "Shark Mountain" (both originally aired 2003, fingers crossed on picture quality). Yeah, we can't guarantee those last two won't be a little "soft" looking, but we can guarantee that for your $25 retail, you can watch without any pledge drive interruptions!

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PBS to bring the outdoors in with "Nature" on Blu-ray originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Mar 2008 01:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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That didn't take long. Luckily, the old adage about "pens" and "swords" held true, and Big Bird's mighty talons did not come into play -- DISH network has agreed to discuss carriage of PBS HD programming. Both sides sound like they're open to negotiation, and congresswoman Diana DeGette has even offered use of her Washington office as a meeting location. We suspect DISH will try to accommodate PBS with its proposed 15/30/60/100-percent rollout of HD locals over a four year period. Okay, so PBS is a little thin on HD material; we always like to see HD producers and broadcasters working together to bring out more programming.

DISH offers to discuss rollout of PBS HD locals originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 07 Mar 2008 02:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>APTSDISHDISH networkDishNetworkfcchdPBSFri, 07 Mar 2008 02:03:00 EST<![CDATA[PBS pushes FCC for carriage on DISH]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/05/pbs-pushes-fcc-for-carriage-on-dish/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/05/pbs-pushes-fcc-for-carriage-on-dish/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/05/pbs-pushes-fcc-for-carriage-on-dish/#commentsSesame Street gang
It seems the Sesame Street gang is pissed at DISH Network. Once the analog shutoff occurs next year, FCC Chairman Martin wants to hold DirecTV and DISH to a "non-discrimination" rule -- they cannot carry some HD locals, but not others. However, if a carrier can demonstrate that it has limited capacity that prevents it from going live with all the channels at once, the FCC can grant a waiver. As the FCC is getting ready to vote on these waivers, PBS and the Association for Public Television Stations (APTS) have taken the opportunity to point out that DISH has "...refused to negotiate in good faith for carriage of local public television signals in HD." The real salt in the wound is that PBS can point to its carriage deal with DirecTV as a counter-example, but we'll see how this is balanced out against PBS's announced HD rollout plans.

[Image courtesy Cynical-C]

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PBS pushes FCC for carriage on DISH originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 05 Mar 2008 04:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DirecTVDISH networkDishNetworkFCChdKevin MartinKevinMartinPBSsatelliteWed, 05 Mar 2008 04:22:00 EST<![CDATA[PBS Hawaii's first HD show is on the way]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/16/pbs-hawaiis-first-hd-show-is-on-the-way/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/16/pbs-hawaiis-first-hd-show-is-on-the-way/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/16/pbs-hawaiis-first-hd-show-is-on-the-way/#commentsNot that we don't already enjoy the occasional HDTV program filmed in Hawaii, but now the local PBS affiliate is getting in the game. Apparently part of Sony & PBS's partnership, PBS Hawaii is launching it first locally produced HD show Long Story Short with Leslie Wilcox February 19. We hope Engadget HD readers in Hawaii can get the show via OTA or cable (actually, it's snowing at the EHD offices, so we really wouldn't feel that bad if they have to do without a little HDTV right now), but it won't be in our listings because we hate PBS.

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PBS Hawaii's first HD show is on the way originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 16 Feb 2008 11:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cablehawaiihdlong story short with leslie wilcoxLongStoryShortWithLeslieWilcoxnew contentnewcontentotapbssonySat, 16 Feb 2008 11:10:00 EST<![CDATA[PBS baby-steps towards HD]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/11/pbs-baby-steps-towards-hd/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/11/pbs-baby-steps-towards-hd/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/11/pbs-baby-steps-towards-hd/#commentsPBS logoWe come down pretty hard on stations that try to push stretch-o-vision off on us (upscaled SD is a lesser offense), but we might cut not-for-profit PBS a little slack. A little. Suffice it to say that between costs for production and satellite bandwidth, PBS is feeling the crunch. Only about 20-percent of PBS programming is headed to HD this year, and even then you may not be able to actually view it. PBS is strapped for satellite bandwidth, so three of the five time zone feeds (Mountain, Central and Alaska/Hawaii) will be getting the axe to make room for the HD streams. This means affected affiliates which do not have the ability to time-shift HD will be out of luck. The result for customers of said affiliates is, you guessed it, stretch-o-vision. Our advice -- if your local affiliate doesn't have the HD programming you want, donate some money or look into alternative ways of getting your PBS-fix.

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PBS baby-steps towards HD originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Feb 2008 14:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hdnew contentnewcontentPBSstretch-o-visionupscaleMon, 11 Feb 2008 14:37:00 EST<![CDATA[Return to the Amazon coming to PBS in April]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/31/return-to-the-amazon-coming-to-pbs-in-april/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/31/return-to-the-amazon-coming-to-pbs-in-april/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/31/return-to-the-amazon-coming-to-pbs-in-april/#comments
It's no secret that the Amazon looks mighty different today compared to 25 years back, when Jean-Michel Cousteau and his pops first explored the region. Nevertheless, Jean-Michel is heading back in, and this time, he's bringing a crew, a few more family members and a couple of HD cameras for good measure. Slated to debut in two parts -- the first on April 2nd at 8:00PM, the second on April 9th at 9:00PM -- Return to the Amazon will premiere on PBS in glorious high-definition and will include narration by the acclaimed actor, Delroy Lindo. We don't know about you, but considering that we'd never get up the courage (or lose our sobriety long enough) to swim with an anaconda, we reckon it's worth tuning in just to see someone else do just that.

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Return to the Amazon coming to PBS in April originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 Jan 2008 03:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Considering that you just kicked back last night and caught MOJO HD's new Money Night lineup, it makes sense to start passing down those cash-making ways as soon as humanly possible, eh? As you calmly nod your head up and down, you'll likely be enthralled to know that starting this Sunday on your local American Public Television broadcaster (listed here), your offspring can fix their eyes on a new program that may actually benefit them in the long-term. Produced entirely in HD by the same minds that brought you Bill Nye the Science Guy, Biz Kid$, is a 26-episode series "designed to entertain, engage and ultimately elevate young peoples knowledge about money and finance." Those tykes will be paying your nursing home bills one day -- letting 'em catch this may not be such a bad idea.

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Biz Kid$ launches this weekend in HD, molds your youngster into an entrepreneur originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 Jan 2008 21:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>American Public TelevisionAmericanPublicTelevisionBiz Kid$biz kidsBizKid$BizKidsbusinesscablehdnew contentnewcontentotapbsPublic BroadcastingPublicBroadcastingFri, 25 Jan 2008 21:16:00 EST<![CDATA[Mountain Stage making HD debut on PBS]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/05/mountain-stage-making-hd-debut-on-pbs/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/05/mountain-stage-making-hd-debut-on-pbs/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/05/mountain-stage-making-hd-debut-on-pbs/#commentsFans of the live music radio show Mountain Stage are about to be brought even closer to the action, as it's making its HD debut this Tuesday. Starting on January 8th, viewers in West Virginia can catch the HD iteration of the program locally on WVPBS-TV, while viewers across the country will likely have access via their local PBS station. For a complete January schedule, be sure to give the read link a visit.

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Mountain Stage making HD debut on PBS originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 05 Jan 2008 07:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Local PBS HD programs coming to DirecTV originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 Dec 2007 11:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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