I apologize to all for not writing in a while. To be honest I haven't had any good, bad, or indifferent news about high definition here in Maine, or anywhere else for that matter.
Latest news? 240HZ and sliver-thin LED screens. It's already been proven that the human eye can't distinguish between 120HZ and 240HZ so I wouldn't waste my money, but you can if you want, or if you just don't have the room for a 4 inch thick TV screen and really need to scale back on that.
And then there is the Sharp "Yellow" phenomenon. Did you see the TV commercial with Mr. Sulu from Star Trek? He was explaining that YOUR television can't see yellow, even though the yellow we can't see was yellow on our TV's when he was explaining it. Is there a different yellow and yellow? What a joke. I believe the intention is to confuse the consumer so much that they will think they need to buy anything the HDTV market has to sell.
OK that's enough of that. On to bigger and better things:
I received an email from Doug Finck, General Manager at WPME (MyNetwork) and WPXT (CW) in Portland. They got some brand spanking new HD equipment that will allow them to broadcast HD content - it's all part of the new syndicated TV distribution architecture. Both WPME and WPXT will be able to receive (over the Internet or physical media) HD content and store it on these devices. They can then play it back and broadcast it in HD. There are some third parties involved in the whole process but the bottom line is that for the consumer, this means more HD programming.
Doug went on to say: "Specifically, from here on, we will be creating all local elements in HD. That includes local commercials, local promotional announcements, local [Public Service Announcements], local public affairs programs and all local long-form programs that we produce. (from "The Maine Rundown" to "Local Discovery", [and] from "Buy Local" to "OurMaine Magazine. Over the next 90 days you'll find more and more local HD content being added".
By working with their vendors and partners, WPME and WPXT will be able to broadcast shows like Extra, TMZ, Everybody Loves Raymond and others in High Definition. This is a first for our part of the world. Even the big 3 network affiliates in Portland are not yet doing this.
While WPME and WPXT still can not YET take an HD satellite feed and record it onto a machine and play it back like they did with analog broadcasts, being able to store and record local HD content, and being able to store and rebroadcast HD content delivered to them in ways other than satellite is a HUGE STEP FORWARD for a television station in today's environment.
As Doug finished his email to me he said "Everyday you'll see more and more HD content". That is music to my ears. Doug is committed to being at the forefront of HD TV in the Portland/Lewiston/Auburn Market. I'm excited about this. He's excited about this. And I can't wait to see all of the upgrades really soon.
Many thanks to Doug Finck for supporting this blog site. He's been a supporter for a long time and picked the Maine HDTV Forum to spread the word when he was ready to release this news.
Let us know what you think.
4 comments:
I know when they were switching to digital and how consumers were going out to get those new digital or hdtv's so they can watch tv in a whole new format.
That changed my attitude when I learn that Time Warner Cable was still going to convert all the digital channels to analog tv. Now if you want digital tv you have to pay out alot more money to watch digital tv or HD tv too.
I have to gripe about that for those that live in Nursing Homes or Boarding Homes that don't have the money for getting digital cable to get the HD channels. I don't understand why they aren't now showing the basic cable in the digital format so we can all enjoy the digital channels. Most all consumers now have new digital tv's now and most people are really disappointed with the cable company still broadcasting the cable channels in analog format. If those that still have analog tv's want to watch digital cable can get a box to allow them to watch it, but let the rest of us watch tv in digital format by dropping the analog format.
That's awesome to hear. I don't typically watch those channels, but I do occasionally watch the OurMaine show and it'll be nice to see that in HD. If only the other stations would clue in and buy some HD capable equipment. It's not like it's almost mid-2010 and we're still being forced to watch local news in SD. Oh, wait.
Wheelie: I agree with you whole heartedly. While you won't get any "cable" channels, if you have rabbit ears and a digital/HDTV you can receive them over the air. And here's a trick very few know about. If you can afford to subcribe to very basic cable - I'm talking channels 2-26 (this is available where I live) for about $25 a month - then the wire that enters your home to give you those channels actually carries the HD Feed of all your local channels. This is true everywhere I have seen so far. So even if you don't have a cable box, or rabbit ears, but have a digital/HDTV, you can receive local channels in HD for free.
RSCME, I have a outside antenna and I can get the digital channels from local channels, but I would like to watch the other channels in the digital format. Big deal for the local channels, they don't have much for enjoyment for shows and I like to see a good selection and not soap operas.
I would like to see the WX channel in digital format and not in analog.
I also would like to be able to use my computer to pick up anything that is being sent over the digital signal that can usually be captured/downloaded to the computer based on the digital channel that is being broadcasted.
Yes, you should be able to download files or digital info on the computer when watching the digital channel that is showing specific programs which the subchannels broadcasting files or info in a computer format.
This stuff is possible if you are computer savey or a expert with computers.
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