Washington, D.C. (April 11, 2008) -- I get scores of e-mails every week from readers asking everything from whether they should buy a new HDTV to when will their TV provider add new high-def channels.

So, from time to time, I will publish my responses here in this column called, "Ask Swanni!" If you would like to submit a question for a future column, send it to: swann@tvpredictions.com

Now, here's Ask Swanni!


Megyn Kelly of Fox News.

Q. Do you know why it's taken Fox News so long to launch a high-def channel. I love CNN HD. -- David T.
Time Warner Cable says Fox News will launch a high-def channel in the next few weeks. But even if that's true, Fox is late to the game. CNN went high-def last September just in time for the 2008 presidential primary coverage. For HD viewers, it's been an easy choice to decide which network to watch for the primary results. And although it can't be proven quite yet, I suspect it's had an impact on the ratings.

Although more than 30 million U.S. homes have HDTVs, I believe Fox decided that it had more time to offer a HD simulcast because many of those homes do not have the high-def tuners necessary to watch HD signals. But the HD audience is rapidly increasing - and it's demanding high-def programming. Fox missed a real opportunity by waiting until now (assuming it does launch shortly) to offer a HD channel as opposed to launching one before the primaries.

Q. Do you know why DIRECTV hasn't added WGN HD or the Travel Channel HD? -- Mike W.
Despite the rhetoric, DIRECTV's satellite capacity is nearly maxed out; it really doesn't have the room to add several HD channels now. That will change in September when its new HD satellite is operational.

Q. Would you recommend using TiVo's HD DVR or the HD DVR offered by the cable and satellite guys? -- Susan P.
TiVo HD, which cost $299, generally gets strong reviews; Business Week just raved about it. But keep two points in mind: 1. It doesn't work with satellite, only cable. 2. For the moment, it doesn't work with cable services that use Switched Digital Video technology, although TiVo is working on a solution for that.

Q. Would you get a Digital TV or one of those converter boxes when they switch to digital next year? -- Pauline T.
It depends -- maybe neither. If you have an analog TV, the digital converter box, which you can buy for around $50-60 (not including the $40 coupon from the feds), is designed to display the new digital signals without need of a new set.

But you won't need either a Digital TV or a converter box if you subscribe to cable or satellite; they will provide you with the right equipment so you can continue to watch TV. By the way, the Digital TV transition date is Feb. 17, 2009.

Q. Do you know why DIRECTV keeps showing programs on TBS HD that are not in HD? This drive me crazy! -- Charley S.
It's not DIRECTV's fault. The satcaster only shows what TBS HD broadcasts -- and many of its programs are not in high-def. However, FYI, TBS HD is now offering a Sunday baseball game of the week in high-def. And yes, it's really in high-def.

Click to read Part Two of Ask Swanni!

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Swanni (Phillip Swann) is president and publisher of TVPredictions.com. He has been quoted in dozens of publications and broadcast outlets, including CNN, Fox News, Inside Edition, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, The Financial Times, The Associated Press and The Hollywood Reporter. He can be reached at swann@tvpredictions.com or at 703-505-3064.

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