And I thought 100 was a lot

[tbone4690]

Comcast promises 400 HD channels this year and 800 the next
Posted Jun 13th 2007 7:21PM by Ben Drawbaugh
Filed under: Cable, Fiber, Internet, Satellite



Never before have we had so many options for getting HD content, but these marketing claims are getting out of control. DirecTV kicked it off at CES this year, claiming 100 national HD channels, then followed up with commercials just to make sure everyone got the word. The cable companies responded by suing, and now in what we can only call: if you can't beat em' join em', a Comcast exec announced that they will have 400 HD channels this year, and 800 in 2008. Never-mind the fact that there are nowhere near that many HD channels of available content, but 800 quality HD channels would take up almost 11 Gbps of throughput (using today's technology). So in order to make this work, we presume they will need to deploy Switched Digital Video, which is great and all, but renders every CableCARD device made today obsolete.

http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/06/13/comcast-promises-400-hd-channels-this-year-and-800-the-next/


I'm sure this will include Comcast's many sports channels. I just wonder what those channels are going to be, would be interesting if they are planning on adding every single hd channel that launches this year. A lot of channels are planning on going hd in the fall which could keep me a comcast customer if they can pull this off.

[Sniper Kitten]

We have 16... so 30 would be a lot for us... especially if I go from 5 actual channels I watch to 10.... WOOOOOOO

[tbone4690]

I mostly only watch the movies ones, but I watch comcast sports net for the phillies. If they make some of the standard channels I watch, I will def be watching those a lot more. HD is something I really only watch, haven't watch Disney or many other standard channels since I got hd.

[imcrazy]

Umm... 800? I barely even watch one regular def station (the comedy one). What would anyone do with 800 channels... aside from not watching them?

[tbone4690]

Well it is actually a good thing. It will push people to get an hdtv, because if their favorite standard channels go hd then they may want to see those channels. I don't even know about that many channels. I know there is proably around 400 channels that I know of, but I don't watch all of them. I'm a big movie channel fan though love to watch movies.

[ENNO]

we have SKY HD and right now its the best in europe and its only 16 stations o_0

[gebbie]

lol that's funny....


here's the problem with that, I work for one of the Dish Network distributors right and by the way Dish Network has the most HD content out of everbody, including Comcast. Those numbers basically mean that they'll have the capacity for that amount of channels, but they still have to find stuff thats first broadcasted in HD and then to negotiate the broadcast rights.


For example, by the end of Q4, Dish network will have the CAPACITY for 200 HD channels and 1000 SD channels.. but back to the problem of finding stuff to put on it :cool:

[tbone4690]

Well Comast is going to start shutting down the analog channels, and they are going to start going pure digital which will give them loads of space for hd channels.

[gebbie]

on Feb. 17, 2009, U.S. television stations are required to switch to digital broadcasts. The majority of consumers have digital tv where it either via comcast, dish, directv or somebody else. Those wishing to not upgrade their tvs or reciving capabality will have to purchase a converter box ..


http://www.reuters.com/article/governmentFilingsNews/idUSN1931969820070319

[tbone4690]

Yeah, I know of that, but Comcast is going to try and do it earlier.

[gebbie]

Yeah, I know of that, but Comcast is going to try and do it earlier.

Satellite has been digital since it's inception :cool:

[tbone4690]

Yeah, cause it wouldn't really work as analog. When I had Directtv it had great picture with standard channels. Though Comcast has onDemand which I love there is always something on to watch.

[gebbie]

Yeah, cause it wouldn't really work as analog. When I had Directtv it had great picture with standard channels. Though Comcast has onDemand which I love there is always something on to watch.

yea dish is working on a video on demand feature. the last time I looked into it, the only thing there was movies. If they get tv shows, they'll be able to give people an option for that besides comcast. Dish does have 3x the HD that comcast has though.:cool:

[imcrazy]

Well it is actually a good thing. It will push people to get an hdtv...
How is that a good thing? I mean unless you happen to own a company that makes HDTVs I don't understand how that is a good thing for the average person.

IMO HDTV will only be a good thing once they lower the stupid price. As it stands now those TVs are far overpriced. I myself use a PC monitor to play 360 on.

[tbone4690]

You can get them for pretty cheap if you look around, I think the lowest I have seen on for is around 300 dollars. It's a matter of does someone want a really good tv, where people think for hd you need that.