# How many HD channels do you get?



## dsb411 (Sep 29, 2004)

I have Comcast HD. I get all the HD channels they offer. 14. Of those 14 channels how many do you actually want to record? I just dont get the craze over the ability to record "Sunrises around the World" or the "Competetive Eating League" in HD. Is it the HD movies, which actually arent really HD? Or is it just the networks? Somebody please explain.


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## Amnesia (Jan 30, 2005)

I get 20 HD channels:

PBS
CBS
ABC
NBC
Fox
UPN (soon to be CW)
WB (soon to be something else)
MHD
UHD
TNT
ESPN
ESPN2
NESN (New England Sports Network)
INHD
INHD2
Discovery HD
HBO HD
Cinemax HD
Starz HD
Showtime HD
I've probably recorded off about half, which is pretty good...


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## Chip Chanko (Nov 7, 2005)

Most of the stuff I record hasn't gone to HD yet (bravo, food, Comedy Central) so $800 doesn't add that much value for me (esp w/out in-the-clear QAM mapping).


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## Gregor (Feb 18, 2002)

Of the channels on Comcast I would probably record off:

* PBS
* CBS
* ABC
* NBC
* Fox
* TNT
* ESPN
* ESPN2
* Comcast Sports Net
* INHD
* INHD2
* Discovery HD
* HBO HD

I don't need as much space in hours for HD as there isn't as much content. What I will do is remove many season passes from my Series 2s for HD content that I record as backups because the Comcast DVR is so unreliable.


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## rainwater (Sep 21, 2004)

If you watch sports you will never want to watch it in standard def again after watching it in HD.


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## Gregor (Feb 18, 2002)

rainwater said:


> If you watch sports you will never want to watch it in standard def again after watching it in HD.


The #1 reason I bought an HD TV. Sports are gorgeous, even if they do waste the outside edges to keep the picture for SD customers.


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## Ereth (Jun 16, 2000)

All the prime time network shows are in HD now. 

And there's things on Discovery HD that are just so beautiful that you watch them even if you have no interest in the topic whatsoever. I remember watching some special about people who lived in floating houses on top a lake and grew grass on the lake to cut and sell to townspeople. And it was just stunning.

And there's always "Bikini Destinations", which looks absolutely beautiful in HD.


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## toots (Feb 24, 2003)

I get the same lineup as amnesia.

But the secondary draws for me are:

1) I can record the SD channels off cable without worry of a missed channel change (which still happens to me at least once a week)

2) I can record the SD digital channels off cable without the decode/re-encode steps required now with my Series 2 units

And, for what it's worth, even though I don't have a series 3 yet, I have been recording the unencrypted channels on my Mac (EyeTV-500), and note that not only are the locals represented in HD, but you can also get SD digital copies of the local feeds unencrypted (for those who want to go the manual DVR route). Recording the SD locals is a plus if you know the show you're recording isn't in HD, you can save yourself about 6G/hour by recording the SD feed instead.


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## Chip Chanko (Nov 7, 2005)

I just watch all my sports live in HD (already have an HD tuner...another reason the HD Tivo wouldn't add $800 of value to my life). There are more than enough commercials for me (the networks pause live tv even more than i would!).


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## charlesd81 (Apr 19, 2006)

I have Comcast as well and for me, right now, I don't see the benefit in migrating to a Series 3. This is just my opinion. I believe I get all of the channels Amnesia listed. I will definitely migrate once more stations go to HD and I see more of a benefit. I believe TiVo is making the right move and I will wait until the price decreases.


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## drwtsn32 (May 22, 2003)

dsb411 said:


> Is it the HD movies, which actually arent really HD?


Are you serious? Most movies on the HD channels are noticably better looking than DVD. At least on my 60" TV.

BTW I use Charter and have the following HD channels:

HDNet
HDNet Movies
ESPN HD
Discovery HD
HBO HD
Showtime HD
Cinemax HD
ABC
NBC
PBS
Starz HD
The Movie Channel HD
TNT HD


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## wdave (Jul 16, 2000)

Howard County, MD Verizon FIOS TV has 22 non-premium HD channels, although some are duplicate network channels from both DC and Baltimore:

FOX - DC
CBS - DC
ABC - DC
PBS - DC
NBC - DC
NBC - Baltimore
ABC - Baltimore
CBS - Baltimore
WB
FOX - Baltimore
PBS - Baltimore
TNT HD
ESPN HD
ESPN 2 HD
NFL Network HD
HD Net
HD Net Movies
Universal HD
Discovery HD
Wealth TV HD
National Geographic Channel HD
MTV HD

And 5 Premium HD Channels:

HBO HD
Cinimax HD
Showtime HD
TMC HD
Starz HD

Moving to Verizon FIOS, I'm going to be giving up INHD and INHD 2 that Comcast has, both of which I like, but I'm gaining other new channels that Comcast doesn't have


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## bap (Dec 7, 2003)

Ereth said:


> All the prime time network shows are in HD now.


Most of which I don't bother to watch.



Ereth said:


> And there's things on Discovery HD that are just so beautiful that you watch them even if you have no interest in the topic whatsoever.


Agreed. I'll regularly flip by that and the INHD channels just to see what's on. I'll find myself sitting and watching shows just for their visual quality. I've never done that with SD.



Ereth said:


> And there's always "Bikini Destinations", which looks absolutely beautiful in HD.


Never heard of that one. I'll have to search for it once I get my S3!

I'm also on Comcast so I get all the usual suspects: ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS, UPN, ESPN, Discovery HD, INHD, INHD2, as well as HBO. I'm probably missing a few here as well.


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## dt_dc (Jul 31, 2003)

bap said:


> Most of which I don't bother to watch. Never heard of that one. I'll have to search for it once I get my S3!
> (...)
> I'm also on Comcast so I get all the usual suspects: ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS, UPN, ESPN, Discovery HD, INHD, INHD2, as well as HBO.


Bikini Destinations is on HDNet which is not available on any Comcast system AFAIK (except for the ones they just acquired from Adelphia).


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

I get...

ABC
CBS
NBC
FOX
PBS
Discovery HD
TNT-HD
ESPN-HD
HBO-HD
Sho-HD
Max-HD
Starz-HD
HDNET
HDNET Movies
MTV-HD

The only one I'm missing that I really want is The CW. Unfortunately my local station is still using a low powered "temporary" transmitter and only broadcasting in 480p. 

Dan


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## bkdtv (Jan 9, 2003)

In Northern Virginia on FiOS:

 ABC - DC
 CBS - DC
 FOX - DC
 NBC - DC
 PBS - VA
 PBS - VA (yes, two different HD feeds)
 UPN - DC
 WB - DC
 TNT HD
 ESPN HD
 ESPN 2 HD
 NFL Network HD
 HD Net
 HD Net Movies
 Universal HD
 Discovery HD
 Wealth TV HD
 National Geographic Channel HD
 MTV HD

All of the above with 180 digital channels for $34.95/mo ($39.95/mo if you don't get FiOS Internet), about half the price of Comcast.

And 5 Premium HD Channels:

 HBO HD
 Cinimax HD
 Showtime HD
 TMC HD
 Starz HD

They tell me a few more HD channels are being added in November.


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## wdave (Jul 16, 2000)

Ereth said:


> All the prime time network shows are in HD now.


Actually, most of my favorite prime time network shows are not in HD, and it really bugs me. Most importantly: Survivor, Amazing Race.

When are the reality shows going to finally switch to HD?


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## cekauzl (Sep 6, 2006)

Available HD channels, * indicates actual recording

Comcast Sports East
ESPN 1
ESPN 2
Discovery HD *
TNT HD
INHD 1 *
INHD 2 *
UHD 
HBO HD *
Showtime HD
Cinemax HD
Starz HD *
ABC *
CBS 
NBC
UPN
Fox *
PBS * (Seems to be a national feed of all HD programs, not the local WITF feed, not a bad solution because the local affilate is available in SD)


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## George Cifranci (Jan 30, 2003)

dt_dc said:


> Bikini Destinations is on HDNet which is not available on any Comcast system AFAIK (except for the ones they just acquired from Adelphia).


That's really unfortunate as both HDNET and HDNET movies have some really good programming. Mark Cuban who owns those channels is a major HD fan and advocate. Among other things they carry the live shuttle launches in HD (they supplied the cameras to NASA) which are pretty cool. All the movies they show on HDNET Movies are in true HD (they showed Kubrick's 2001 which looked STUNNING on my 60" Sony SXRD). They also show lots of concerts, TV series, sports etc... and of course as was already mentioned.... Bikini Destinations (The greatest HD show in the history of HD).

Check out this page....

http://www.hdtvgalaxy.com/whatson.php

They list all or most of the HD channels and what they show in HD (and in what resolution).



> Is it the HD movies, which actually arent really HD?


Most of the movies I watch on HBO HD, all the movies on HDNET Movies, and many Showtime HD movies are True HD (720P or 1080i and are not upconverted). While initially many of the movies used to be upconverted that isn't the case as much as it used to be. So I don't know what your talking about there. Once again, HDTV Galaxy lists all the HD channels and shows what is and what isn't upconverted...

http://www.hdtvgalaxy.com/whatson.php

Some of the recent movies I have watched, Star Wars EP3, Shrek 2, 2001, Kingdom of Heaven, Troy, Madagascar, Cinderella Man, I Robot, Million Dollar Baby, A Clockwork Orange and many many others look absolutely incredible and way beyond even what my Oppo upconverting DVD player puts out.


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## wdave (Jul 16, 2000)

bkdtv said:


> [Northern Virginia FiOS] tells me a few more HD channels are being added in November.


Do you know which ones? I'm assuming your lineup and mine will be similar.


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## mattn2 (Mar 23, 2001)

Well, here in one of the high tech areas (AMD, Xilinx, Seagate, IBM, Maxtor, etc), we are crippled by both OTA and Cable. SW Longmont can only see: 
OTA: FOX and CW.

And Comcast did an "upgrade" over the past 2 years that did not increase bandwidth.
CABLE: FOX, ABC, NBC, CBS

Only choice to get HD besides the above is w/ E* or D*.

# Matt


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## Ereth (Jun 16, 2000)

George Cifranci said:


> All the movies they show on HDNET Movies are in true HD (they showed Kubrick's 2001 which looked STUNNING on my 60" Sony SXRD).


Oh god yes! 2001 was simply amazing in HD.


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## cotton168 (Aug 8, 2006)

I found it funny that when I went to BB's Magnolia stores, they actually had Bikini Destinations playing on all their HD screens. The guys were all checking it out while I just continued on ingnoring the screens. LOL


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## jmoak (Jun 20, 2000)

WESH (NBC)
WKMG (CBS)
WFTV (ABC)
WMFE (PBS)
WOFL (FOX)
WRBW (My Network TV)
WKCF (WB)
HBO HD
Showtime HD
INHD
INHD2 
HDNet 
HDNet Movies 
Universal
TNT HD
ESPN HD
Discovery HD Theater

17 channels, I'd like to record all of 'em.


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## talmania (Sep 7, 2006)

Interesting to see the different Comcast HD lineups...here's mine:

ABC
CW
CBS (finally after years of local fighting over HD programming)
Discovery
NBC
PBS
FOX
Starz
Espn
Espn2
HBO
TNT
Universal HD
Cinemax
MHD
Showtime
iNHD


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## bkdtv (Jan 9, 2003)

David,

Don't know. Food-HD and CSN-HD are likely suspects, though.


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## davecramer74 (Mar 17, 2006)

i mainly just record HD primetime shows (24, greys anatomy) and HD concerts. I record alot of the IMAX specials too that are on INHD. Some of those look frickin great in HD. My dvd player is pretty good quality, so i dont get a huge boost on movies in HD. At least i cant tell that much of a difference. HD is obvioulsy better, but not enough to where i dont use my DVD player.

heres my hd channels although its not accurate. We have NFL HD now and i think Music and universal HD. But our guides been changing left and right lately, so im not sure anymore, hehe.

702 KTVU-2 (FOX) HD High-Definition TV 
703 KNTV-HDTV High-Definition TV 
704 KRON-HD High-Definition TV 
705 KPIX-(CBS) High-Definition TV 
707 KGO-HDTV High-Definition TV 
709 KQED-HDTV High-Definition TV 
719 InDemand - HD High-Definition TV 
720 FSN Bay Area - HD High-Definition TV 
720 INHD2 High-Definition TV 
722 Discovery - HD High-Definition TV 
723 ESPN - HD High-Definition TV 
724 ESPN2 - HD Sports 
725 HDSE Sports 
725 ESPN2 - HD Sports 
730 HBO-HD High-Definition TV 
732 Cinemax-HD High-Definition TV 
734 Starz!-HD High-Definition TV 
736 Showtime-HD High-Definition TV


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## heroineworshippe (Nov 13, 2006)

Comcast seems to have cancelled Discovery HD service for the San Francisco Bay Area as of Nov 11. That was probably the best deal in the limited basic package and it wouldn't be suprising if it was bumped to a premium plan.


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## Bierboy (Jun 12, 2004)

I refuse to pay the cable company's outrageous fees for upgrading from basic --> expanded basic --> digital --> HD tier. So, therefore, what I get in HD is strictly OTA --

ABC
CBS
NBC
Fox
PBS

But most of what I want to watch is network fare anyhow, so I'm a happy camper paying about $25/month for analog cable and getting my HD "free".


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## Jerry_K (Feb 7, 2002)

I am like Bierboy at this point OTA, I get the networks from both Washington and Balitmore. Once in a great while the programming is different. PBS from three sources, Baltimore Washington and Annapolis. And some goofy channels like My20 or somesuch, and one from a university. My lovely wife and I have some favorites on the networks, CSI of all kinds, Law and Order of all kinds, Numb3ers, etc. I like Desparate Housewives, she likes ER. At any rate thee will be plenty to put on Season Passes as soon as the S3 arrives.


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## btwyx (Jan 16, 2003)

heroineworshippe said:


> Comcast seems to have cancelled Discovery HD service for the San Francisco Bay Area as of Nov 11. That was probably the best deal in the limited basic package and it wouldn't be suprising if it was bumped to a premium plan.


Its still there for me, I've no idea what I subscribe to to get it, Comcast's website doesn't mention this.


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## Shawn95GT (Oct 7, 2005)

Cox in Phoenix:

CBS Phoenix
CW Phoenix
PBS HD 
Fox Phoenix
NBC Phoenix
ABC Phoenix
ESPN HD
INHD
INHD2
Discovery HD Theater
Universal HD
TNT HD
MTV HD

They offer Showtime / HBO etc in Hd but I don't subscibe.

I only have digital cable / cable cards because the triple-play deal ends up cheaper than if I just did analog cable / cable modem + VoIP.


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## infinitespecter (Jul 23, 2004)

Time Warner Cable in Claremont, CA

KCBS - CBS
KNBC - NBC
KTLA - CW
KABC - ABC
KCAL (independent)
KTTV - Fox
KCOP - MY Network TV
KCET (PBS)
KOCE (PBS)
INHD
INHD2
Universal HD
HDNet
HDNet Movies
Discovery HD Theater
ESPN HD
TNT HD
HBO HD
Cinemax HD
Starz HD
Showtime HD


... With MTV HD, National Geographic HD, and ESPN 2 HD constantly on the horizon.


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## scottrob (Jan 29, 2003)

Comcast Dale City Virginia

WJLA - ABC
WRC - NBC
WUSA - CBS
WTTG - FOX
WETA - PBS
Discovery HD
HBO HD
Showtime HD
Comcast Sportsnet HD
ESPN HD

This is a very old cable plant. When FIOS eventually rolls thru here, Comcast will have serious problems keeping up.


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## laria (Sep 7, 2000)

I am on Comcast and I get 17 HD channels:

* WGBH PBS (Boston)
* WBZ CBS (Boston)
* WCVB ABC (Boston)
* WHDH NBC (Boston)
* WMUR ABC (Manchester, NH)
* WFXT FOX (Boston)
* MHD
* TNT HD
* WSBK38 UPN (Boston)
* Discovery HD
* Universal HD
* ESPN HD
* ESPN 2 HD
* NESN HD
* WLVI WB (Boston)
* INHD1
* INHD2/NESN HD

We record things regularly off CBS, ABC, NBC, FOX, and whichever one of those WB/UPN stations is the one that is carrying CW stuff... I think it's the WB one.  We'll also watch sports on ESPN/ESPN2/NESN for sure, and stuff on Discovery and INHD1/INHD2.


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## Jiffylush (Oct 31, 2006)

Timewarner cable in north carolina

UNC (PBS) HD 
WCNC-DT
WBTV-DT 
WTVI-DT
WSOC-DT
WCCB Fox 
WJZY HDTV 
WMYT HDTV 
Discovery HD Theater 
TNT HD 

ESPNHD
INHD
INHD2
HD Net
HDNet Movies

Showtime HD


I could also get some more premium hd stuff, but by the time a movie comes on I have already seen it, or I don't want to see it.

I really just got showtime for weeds and dexter.


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## ashu (Nov 8, 2002)

Adel...Cast in Northern VA

Free:
NBC
FOX
ABC
CBS
PBS

$5 HD package:
ESPN
HDNet : Will likely be turned off when the Comcast transition completes.
HDNetMovies : Will likely be turned off when the Comcast transition completes.
InHD1 : A complete waste of badnwidth. Turn this off instead!
InHD2 : MORE of a bandwidth waste. They ARE replacing this with MOJO

Free with paid Premium subscriptions:
HBO
STARZ : Quite possibly the best HD channel for me ... STARZ easily has the best range of movies!
SHO

Hopefully they'll soon add

DISCOVERY
CINEMAX
UNIVERSAL
ESPN2

They can keep (and save the bandwidth for something nicer) these proposed-to-be-added channels

MTV HD
FOOD HD (WTF? Why?)
MOJO
TNT (and their glorious stretch-o-rama craptastic resolutions and ridiculously awful stretched aspect ratios that can't be corrected by any TV's stretch/squeeze etc modes)

Maybe they can provide HD versions of
CSN
MASN

Whew.


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## mattn2 (Mar 23, 2001)

Comcast Longmont, CO

KUSA - NBC
KCNC - CBS
KMGH - ABC
KDVR - FOX
ESPN HD

OTA S.W. Longmont, CO (just 25 miles N of Denver, CO)

KDVR - FOX
KWGN - CW

# Matt


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## CTLesq (Jan 19, 2003)

Presently, not enough to really justify the cost in light of what the larger screen HDTV does to the other 800 channels which aren't in HD - ie providing a slightly worse picture.

But I love what I do get in HD.


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## tsings31 (Dec 13, 2003)

*TWCNYC*:

HBO HD	
WCBS HDTV	
Showtime HD	
WNBC HDTV	
WNYW HD	(FOX)
Discovery HD Theater	
WABC HDTV	
HD Specials	
Universal HD	
TNT in HD	
WPIX-HD (CW)
MSG HD (HD Specials)	
Thirteen HD	
Cinemax HD	
Starz HD	
INHD	
INHD2	
HDNet Movies	
HD Net	
ESPN-HD	
SportsNet NY HD


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## Jiffylush (Oct 31, 2006)

ashu said:


> TNT (and their glorious stretch-o-rama craptastic resolutions and ridiculously awful stretched aspect ratios that can't be corrected by any TV's stretch/squeeze etc modes)


I noticed this too, was thinking I had done something wrong.

Can they not fix that? do they not know they are broadcasting in a bad aspect ratio?

If they were releasing vids online they would surely be nuked!


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## Leo_N (Nov 13, 2003)

Jiffylush said:


> I noticed this too, was thinking I had done something wrong.
> 
> Can they not fix that? do they not know they are broadcasting in a bad aspect ratio?
> 
> If they were releasing vids online they would surely be nuked!


Their original content shows look great, it is just older shows that they mess with that weren't originally filmed in 16:9. Wanted and The Closer both look great.


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## gastrof (Oct 31, 2003)

laria said:


> ...We record things regularly off CBS, ABC, NBC, FOX, and whichever one of those WB/UPN stations is the one that is carrying CW stuff... I think it's the WB one...


Neither The WB nor UPN exist any more.

Only the CW network now exists in place of the other two.

It's carried by different OTA channels in different parts of the country.

You either get a local channel from your area that's hooked up to the CW network, an "imported" station from another TV market your cable system's bringing in, or (in rares cases) a cable slot's been set aside on your system to get a feed directly from the CW network because there's no affilate anywhere near you.


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## ashu (Nov 8, 2002)

Jiffylush said:


> I noticed this too, was thinking I had done something wrong.
> 
> Can they not fix that? do they not know they are broadcasting in a bad aspect ratio?
> 
> If they were releasing vids online they would surely be nuked!


They have an Everything->16:9 monkey button. They think THAT'S a fix 

Sometimes my local CBS will do this too. Sometimes, but not always (whew!)


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## ashu (Nov 8, 2002)

Leo_N said:


> Their original content shows look great, it is just older shows that they mess with that weren't originally filmed in 16:9. Wanted and The Closer both look great.


The frst and last thing I watched on TNT-HD (over the 3 weeks I had Dish HD before I cancelled it and moved to cable forever) was the movie Any Given Sunday (I think. The Keanu Reeves football one. Or was it the Replacements?)

I thought the football players looked quite disproportionate, even, .... for football players! Checked online and found out how 'intelligent' TNT is with their non-native programming. I wasn't sad to loose the channel on Adelphia


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## btwyx (Jan 16, 2003)

ashu said:


> TNT (and their glorious stretch-o-rama craptastic resolutions and ridiculously awful stretched aspect ratios that can't be corrected by any TV's stretch/squeeze etc modes)


That's why I basically ignore TNT-HD as a viable channel, after I watched Angel through the bits I missed the first time.


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## Leo_N (Nov 13, 2003)

ashu said:


> The frst and last thing I watched on TNT-HD (over the 3 weeks I had Dish HD before I cancelled it and moved to cable forever) was the movie Any Given Sunday (I think. The Keanu Reeves football one. Or was it the Replacements?)
> 
> I thought the football players looked quite disproportionate, even, .... for football players! Checked online and found out how 'intelligent' TNT is with their non-native programming. I wasn't sad to loose the channel on Adelphia


True they do mess with way too much of their programming. I don't want them to pull mine though, I want it for those original content programs they show and also for NASCAR, which is just as good as the big networks coverage. (well for the Nextel Cup, not quite as good for the Busch series)


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## ashu (Nov 8, 2002)

Leo_N said:


> True they do mess with way too much of their programming. I don't want them to pull mine though, I want it for those original content programs they show and also for NASCAR, which is just as good as the big networks coverage. (well for the Nextel Cup, not quite as good for the Busch series)


Ahh, but some of us (ME!) abhor non-stop-left-turns 

True, though - that sport is such a cash cow, I can't see them pulling TNT. Which is why I'm amazed my cash-strapped Adelphia hadn't added it yet!


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## laria (Sep 7, 2000)

gastrof said:


> Neither The WB nor UPN exist any more.
> 
> Only the CW network now exists in place of the other two.


I know, but I cut and pasted the lineup from Comcast's site and they are still labelled on there as UPN and WB. What I was trying to say was that I wasn't sure if I was getting my content from The CW from the old Boston WB affiliate or the old Boston UPN affiliate. After a quick look, it appears that its coming from the old WB affiliate, and I guess there's nothing left to watch on WSBK... I don't think they even carry Red Sox games anymore after this past season.


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