DIRECTV at least seems to be able to pick and choose the channels they want from Viacom.
DirecTV carries ALL those HD channels except BET, which hasn't launched. (They used to show a BET-HD logo on their website) They also carry more SD channels from Viacom than DISH...Logo, plus one or two more MTV/VH1 channels.
Considering Charlie's apparent preference for "HD" channels that air mostly 4:3 SD upscales, I'm surprised he's not begging TCM to launch an HD channel. Now THAT is a channel that airs mostly older films, and mostly in the old 1.37:1 (about 4:3) aspect ratio to ensure that all HD transfers from the oldest film is pillarboxed, his favorite kind of presentation on widescreen displays. I guess he wouldn't really want TCM HD either because TCM would be smart and air HD transfers of those 1.37:1 films, and he only really likes selling 4:3 SD content as new HD these days.
I assume this is supposed to be sarcasm of some sort, but any movie lover will tell you that TCM shows more letterbox programming than any other channel. They even have a short documentary they show between films explaining the importance of preserving the aspect ratio. TCM is one of the best candidates for an HD channel, and I suspect their desire to do it properly is why we don't have one yet...all those HD transfers take time and money.
TV Land would have been a better example for your "joke", as it shows VERY little that could ever be properly converted to HD.
Dish is the first to carry this channel, and I am told that most if not all of the content is in HD.
Guess we find out on Wednesday.
Interesting. Are they carrying the SD feed too, or will this be going into Platinum?
But keep in mind the SD on these channels beats their compressed counterparts...
This is why I welcome ANY "HD" channel that doesn't stretch the picture, even if the actual HD programming is limited.
Also, many of the channels that initially appeared on DISH with little or no HD now carry quite a bit. Higher viewership creates more pressure to deliver more.
Did they say what package ShowcaseHD would be on or is it a premium channel?
Showcase is part of Showtime of course.
However, I'd still like to know if The Movie Channel HD will be included with the Gold packages as Encore HD is.
I wonder in what sat. they are going to put the new HD channels ?
There are 20 "TMP" HD channels already uplinked to 129 and 61.5 (same channels on each). Presumably, 11 of them will become these channels...room for 9 more!
There are other TMPs up as well, but they will require additional uplinks before they can go live. (Specifically, there are 7 channels at 110 that would require an EA mirror, 4 at 129 that require mirrors at 61.5, and 2 more that aren't properly mirrored.)
what is showcase hd Harvey
Talk to yourself much?
It's the Showtime version of HBO Signature. By that, I mean that they pretend that it features more original programming and "artsy" movies, but really, it's the same stuff that's on HBO/Showtime and HBO 2/Showtime Too.
HBO Signature used to be called HBO 3, and Showcase used to be called Showtime 3. They are brilliant mimics over at Showtime.
There is a channel in Canada called Showcase that is unrelated, though they do carry some of Showtime's original programming.
