Dish Network Files DVR Suit vs. TiVo
The satcaster says TiVo is claiming patent infringement.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (May 30, 2008) -- Dish Network has filed a lawsuit against TiVo seeking to prove that its new DVR software does not infringe TiVo's patents.
The filing is the latest salvo in the legal war between the two companies. TiVo sued Dish Network in 2004 for DVR patent infringement and a Texas jury in April 2006 found in TiVo's favor.
The verdict has since been tied up in appeals court, but TiVo said this week that a resolution is expected shortly. The company claims that Dish Network now owes it approximately $100 million in damages. Additionally, TiVo says Dish must disable all current HD and SD DVRs because of the patent infringement.
Dish, however, maintains that a recent software upgrade now makes the company's DVRs free of any infringement and therefore they do not need to be replaced.
The satcaster is asking a Delaware court to prove that contention.
"Today, DISH Network and EchoStar (Dish's sister company) filed a lawsuit against TiVo asking a Delaware court to find that our new DVR software does not infringe Tivo's '389 patent. The lawsuit is in response to TiVo's continued public statements that our new DVR software infringes," Dish said in a statement.
Dish also stated that it believes that TiVo's contempt motion in the Eastern District of Texas -- the site of the original patent court victory -- should be dismissed "because we are in full compliance."
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DIRECTV's Carey On HD: We Did It Our Way
The satcaster's chief says the company didn't get much help from retailers on High-Definition.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (May 30, 2008) -- DIRECTV CEO Chase Carey yesterday said the company was able to become the industry's 'HD Leader' largely through its own efforts rather than with the help of industry partners such as retailers.
That's according to an article by TWICE Magazine.
Carey yesterday was asked at the Lehman Brothers conference if DIRECTV has used its new high-def lineup to attract customers at the retail level. (DIRECTV has expanded its national HD lineup from nine to 95 over the last nine months, which contributed to a sharp rise in subscribers in this year's first quarter.)
The executive quickly dismissed the notion that retailers are responsible for the company's subscriber gains.
“We have successfully executed and established ourselves as the leader of HD," Carey said, according to TWICE. "The actual sales that still come through the consumer electronics channel (are) pretty small, so you do have to measure it in a broader sense...We deliver the product. I think we communicated it well. I think the (DIRECTV) marketing campaigns were and continue to be ones that really set us apart.”
The comments are not likely to sit well with CE retailers who sell DIRECTV systems and are often the first contact with potential high-def subscribers. Additionally, DIRECTV's competitors, including Dish Network and cable TV services, are increasingly expanding their retail partnership programs in an effort to boost their HD subscribers totals.
Carey also told the Lehman conference that DIRECTV will continue to expand its high-def offering, particularly exclusive content. He noted that DIRECTV has inked an exclusive deal with NBC to provide the first showing of next season's 13-episode Friday Night Lights series.
TWICE reports that Carey said that DIRECTV's new HD satellite, which was launched in March, should be operational in August, allowing the satcaster to further expand its HD lineup. He chided other TV providers who say they will offer more HD programming in the future.
“It’s one thing to say we are going to have this stuff — it is another to go out and execute," Carey said, according to TWICE. "I think it is going to take time, not that our competitors aren’t going to continue to get better. I think our challenge inside HD is to continue to improve and to build.”
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Vudu Charges For Opening 'HD Window'
The VOD service allows customers to watch rental films for an additional 24 hours.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (May 30, 2008) -- Vudu, the Broadband-enabled VOD service, is allowing customers to watch High-Definition movie downloads beyond the studio-imposed 24-hour period.
For a price, however.
The Hollywood studios are requiring home pay TV services, such as cable, satellite, Apple TV and Vudu, to include a 24-hour time limit for when a viewer can watch a PPV film. The 24-hour clock starts the minute the film is ordered, meaning that a subscriber will be unable to watch it a day later.
But according to Yahoo Tech!, Vudu has sent an e-mail to subscribers saying they can buy another 24-hour viewing period once the first one expires. The cost is an additional $3.99 for high-def movies, which initially cost $5.99 to order. That means the HD rental will come to $9 if you want to watch it in two different 24-hour periods.
Yahoo! reports that Vudu customers have a week to order the additional 24-hour window once the first one ends. After that, the subscriber must re-order the high-def film for the original rental price.
The studios are imposing the 24-hour time period because they say it will reduce the chances of illegal copying.
The Vudu set-top, which retails for $295, enables users to download movies over a high-speed Internet connection. The box, which can store 100 movies, includes both standard-def and HDTV films.
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TiVo: New Comcast Rollout Coming Soon
The DVR service also says Dish Network case could be nearing end.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (May 29, 2008) -- TiVo CEO Tom Rogers yesterday said Comcast will soon offer its DVR service to another New England state.
The cable operator now offers TiVo's SD and HD recording feature in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. But Rogers said a third state will be added "very soon."
"We are preparing to make it available in a new New England state beyond Massachusetts and New Hampshire very soon. Comcast and TiVo are pleased with the rollout so far and we expect Comcast will expand their marketing efforts this summer as the rollout continues in the New England region," Rogers told analysts in an investors call following yesterday's release of the company's new quarterly report.
Comcast, which first announced a partnership with TiVo more than two years ago, has been slow to actually rollout the DVR service to its subscribers. The partnership -- and future cable licensing deals -- is considered vital to TiVo's long-term success.
The DVR service reported yesterday that overall subs declined again, from 3.95 million in the last quarter to 3.8 million now. TiVo has been hurt by the loss of a marketing partnership with satcaster DIRECTV, which now uses its own DVR.
The companies continue to provide service to existing DIRECTV/TiVo subscribers, but DIRECTV no longer markets the service to new customers. TiVo CFO Cal Hoagland said yesterday that company will likely "continue to see declines from the DirecTV sub-base revenue."
The company hopes the deal with Comcast -- and a similar licensing partnership with Cox -- will generate new customers.
Despite the sub loss, TiVo reported a $3.6 million profit for the first quarter of this year. In other issues:
* TiVo said its DVR patent lawsuit against Dish Network could be nearing an end. A jury has ruled that the satcaster has violated a TiVo patent, but the case has been tied up in appeals court. Rogers said the court is expected to hold a "status conference" next week on the case, but TiVo chief counsel Matt Zimm refused to comment on whether the companies are discussing settlement terms.
* TiVo hopes that bundling its TiVo HD DVR with the sale of high-def sets will improve its sub numbers in the HDTV audience -- and its overall sales numbers at retail. The company has tested a bundle offer with TV maker Mitsubishi.
"I would say that the most significant activity that we are working on that we think will help boost our stand-alone sales is relationships with third parties some of which we began to test this last quarter with bundling with HDTV set sales, working either directly with a consumer electronics manufacturer or retailers on the bundling of the TiVo sales and potentially content partners who have particular reasons to see TiVo sales driven," said Rogers.
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NetFlix: 20 More Years For Blu-ray & DVDs
But the online rental service eyes video streaming.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (May 29, 2008) -- NetFlix CEO Reed Hastings says Hollywood studios will release films on DVDs and Blu-ray high-def disc for another 20 years.
The executive made the comments yesterday in an investors meeting, according to Home Media Magazine.
Hastings was asked about reports that hard media will soon be replaced by digital downloads.
"Our view is that the studios are going to publish DVD and Blu-ray for another 20 years," he said. "I don't think there's going to be another physical optical disc."
Hastings added that the DVD/Blu-ray industry will probably not "peak" for 5-10 years. Despite the long-term confidence in discs, the executive said the online rental service is aggressively developing online video streaming services.
“We’ve been looking forward to these years for a long time,” Hastings said of video streaming.
“Our DVD shipments will probably peak in 5 to 10 years … the streaming can be thought of as defensive, protecting our turf, or offensive,” he said, according to Home Media.
NetFlix this month began selling a $99 set-top that enables subscribers to download movies over the Net directly to their TVs. The company also offers a streaming service at its web site, which is free to subscribers.
Hastings said that NetFlix ultimately could generate 20 million subscribers to video streaming; the company now projects having 10 million DVD subscribers by year's end.
He also said NetFlix is still examining ways to charge more for Blu-ray rentals, an idea floated by the company earlier this year.
In related news, Sony CEO Howard Stringer yesterday told an industry conference that he also believes that Blu-ray has an advantage over digital downloads because it offers a better picture.
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Best Buy: Best Blu-ray Offer Ever?
The $349 player comes with $100 in disc coupons.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (May 28, 2008) -- Best Buy is now selling a Blu-ray high-def disc player for $349 -- and the offer includes a $100 in-store coupon for Blu-ray movies.
The offer could be the best deal ever on a Blu-ray high-def disc player. Some retailers have bundled the Sony Play Station 3 for $399 with a similar $100 Blu-ray movie coupon.
Best Buy's offer includes the new Insignia Blu-ray player, which is priced at $349 -- about $50 less than other entry-level Blu-ray set-tops.
But the Insignia player, which also includes an upconversion feature for standard-def DVDs, does not support the new interactive features available on BD Live-capable discs.
The player will decode Dolby Digital Plus and DTS-HD audio and it includes component video and HDMI connections.
The $100 coupon can be redeemed on movies from Disney, Touchstone and Miramax.
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Nielsen: 10 Percent Not Ready For Digital TV
The company says even more people are only 'partially ready.'
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (May 28, 2008) -- Nielsen Media Research says roughly 10 percent of U.S. households are not ready for next year's transition to Digital TV.
That's according to an article by Multichannel News.
On February 17, 2009, all full-powered local stations must switch their analog signals to digital which means viewers will need a Digital TV, a digital converter box or a pay TV subscription to watch television.
Congressional leaders and industry analysts have expressed concern that millions of consumers will not be ready for the transition due to various reasons including insufficient educational programs.
Nielsen's report will likely heighten those concerns with the company saying that only 78 percent of U.S. households are 'completely ready' for the switchover.
In addition to the 9.4 percent described as 'not ready' -- meaning they don't have TV sets equipped to get digital signals -- another 12.6 percent are only 'partially ready,' meaning they have some sets that are not equipped.
Nielsen said it would delay its February 2009 sweeps ratings until March, anticipating problems with the transition, Multichannel News reports.
The ratings company said African-American and Hispanic households are most unprepared for the digital switchover.
“In terms of ethnicity, Hispanic households would be most impacted if the DTV transition occurred today,” Nielsen said, according to Multichannel News. “Although they make up 11.3 percent of the total U.S., Hispanic households currently make up 19.9 percent of completely unready households.”
Nielsen said 16.3 percent of black households are not ready for the transition.
Milwaukee was cited as the city with the most 'unprepared' households with 18.3 percent. Hartford-New Haven was the lowest with 3.1 percent.
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Cable Operators to Eliminate Set-Tops?
Sony signs deal with cable services for new TVs.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (May 28, 2008) -- Sony has signed an agreement with six major cable operators to develop new 'two-way' TVs that offer cable services without need of a set-top.
Unlike today's CableCard sets, which can display HD and SD cable programming without a set-top, the new Sony TVs would offer such services as Digital Video Recording and Video on Demand. The current CableCard sets would require a separate set-top for those services.
It's unclear when Sony will begin producing the 2-way sets or when they will be available at retail. In announcing the agreement, the cable operators and Sony urged other TV makers to participate in the program. Panasonic and Samsung have already announced plans for 2-way TVs.
The six cable operators that have signed the agreement are Comcast, Cox, Time Warner, Cablevision, Charter and Bright House Networks.
The 2-way TVs would answer consumer demands for less cluttered living rooms by removing the set-top. However, it would also poses problems for current cable set-top makers Motorola and Cisco. Dave Clark, a Cisco director for product strategy, tells MarketWatch that cable set-tops will likely still continue, although their purpose will change.
"It's going to be providing the functionality coming into the house to be able to decode High-Definition content, move it around the house, and ultimately, out to other places -- your hotel room, or what have you," Clark said.
DVR service TiVo, which has aggressively pushed the CableCard concept, could also benefit from the 2-way sets. However, viewers interested in video recording could use the 2-way set rather than buy a TiVo set-top at retail.
Sony and the cable operators said their agreement also calls for uniform standards for new interactive services, which could lead to greater innovation.
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DIRECTV Testing New HD Satellite
The satellite is expected to be operational in September.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (May 27, 2008) -- The Federal Communications Commission has granted DIRECTV permission to test its new High-Definition satellite for the next 30 days.
The satcaster launched the new satellite, DIRECTV 11, in March. Once operational, it will enable DIRECTV to offer up to 150 national HD channels. (It now offers about 95.)
DIRECTV also plans to use the satellite to expand its delivery of local HD channels to more than 100 markets, representing 84 percent of U.S. TV households.
The company said the DIRECTV 11 should be operational in September. Until then, it's unlikely that DIRECTV will have sufficient capacity to add a significant number of new high-def channels.
In recently filed documents, the FCC said DIRECTV has 30 days to test the satellite, beginning May 25.
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LA Not OK With Cable HD Offering
Residents get fewer high-def choices than most big cities.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (May 27, 2008) -- Los Angeles area cable customers are getting far fewer High-Definition channels than their big city counterparts.
That's according to an article in today's Los Angeles Times.
The newspaper reports that Time Warner Cable, the top cable provider in Southern California, offers just 16 high-def channels there, compared to 40-50 in other markets such as San Antonio and New York.
Cox Communications provides 36 HD channels in parts of Orange County, which is south of LA, but Charter offers only around 20 in other Southern California markets.
Los Angeles, the entertainment capital, ranks last among the five largest U.S. markets in the number of high-def channels, the Times reports.
Cable operators blame several reasons for the shortage, most notably that Time Warner purchased several LA-area systems from bankrupt operator Adelphia a few years ago.
Because Adelphia invested little money in upgrading their systems, Time Warner has been forced to play catch up in installing new infrastructure that would permit more high-def channels.
"In the last stages of Adelphia's existence, they were bleeding money," Parks Associates analyst Kurt Scherf told the Times. "They were putting very little into infrastructure upgrades."
Time Warner says it will add 12 high-def channels in Los Angeles by July 1, but many local viewers are contemplating switching to DIRECTV and Dish Network which offer dozens of HD networks.
However, many LA residents are unable to switch because they live in apartments.
"It makes you feel trapped," 27-year-old Scott Benson told The Times.
Benson recently sent an e-mail complaint to Time Warner that said: "I have become tired of browsing the same HD channels over the past few months when your competitors are adding HD channels at much faster rates."
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Retailers: Blu-ray Will Soon Top DVD Player Sales
Executives say consumer demand is there.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (May 26, 2008) -- Blu-ray players will outsell standard-def DVD players by this August, according to several high-end electronics retailers, as reported by Video Business.
The research firm NPD said this month that sales of standalone Blu-ray players (not including Play Station 3 consoles) fell 40 percent from January to February in the U.S. Blu-ray sales increased two percent from February to March.
The sales numbers were disappointing because Toshiba announced in February that it was pulling the plug on Blu-ray's high-def disc rival, HD DVD.
But the retail executives say Blu-ray player sales have been slowed by a lack of supplies, and not a lack of interest from consumers. Ultimate Electronics, Crutchfield and Bjorn's all say demand for Blu-ray players has exceeded demand for the standard-def DVD player since the format war ended.
The executives say Blu-ray makers such as Sony, Panasonic and Samsung will soon launch new players, leading to more supply at retail. Additionally, the new set-tops will likely allow stores to lower prices on current Blu-ray models, which also could trigger more sales.
Rick Souder, executive vice president of merchandise for Crutchfield, tells Video Business that Blu-ray supplies have been low because companies were surprised by the sudden end to the format war.
“People have been waiting weeks for Sony players, but it should get better later in the summer,” said Rick Souder, executive VP of merchandise at Crutchfield. “In August, it will be the first time that Blu-ray overtakes (standard DVD) sales for us on a unit basis.”
Souder said Blu-ray revenue has already exceeded revenue from the sales of standard-def DVD players.
Mat Duda, merchandising director for Ultimate Electronics, told Video Business that more retailers will use Blu-ray as a vehicle to educate consumers on the benefits of High-Definition.
“There should be a healthy supply (of Blu-ray players) by August and (manufacturers) should be caught up in production,” said Duda. “You’ll see Blu-ray catching up with standard DVD.”
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NetFlix Set-top Creator: It Can Do HDTV
But the device may need an ultra-fast Internet connection for high-def.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (May 22, 2008) -- Anthony Wood, CEO of Roku, the company behind NetFlix's new 'Net TV' movie player, says the set-top could display High-Definition videos.
That's according to an article by the Associated Press.
The $99 set-top, which NetFlix began selling this week at its web site, can deliver movies streamed from the Internet directly to the TV screen. However, at launch, the Netflix 'Net TV' service will only include standard-def titles; no High-Definition movies or TV shows.
Wood tells the AP that the device is capable of delivering high-def titles. However, the wire service says that HD streaming would likely require a download speed of at least 6 mbps, which is faster than what's available in many Broadband-enabled homes.
The Roku executive said the NetFlix set-top would also deliver Surround Sound audio if the online DVD rental service decided to include it.
The 5"-by-5" set-top, which was manufactured by Roku, can connect to the TV through a variety of connections including HDMI, component video or even S-Video. The box, which has an Ethernet connection, also can be connected wirelessly to the Net using a Wi-Fi feature.
Apple TV and Vudu, two rival Net TV set-top services, now offer high-def movies and TV shows. However, their boxes include hard drives which allow for videos to be stored for later viewing if the connection is slow, AP writes.
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The Problem With Voom
Why aren't more TV providers carrying the programmer's high-def channels?
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (May 21, 2008) -- Voom, the programming division owned by Cablevision's Rainbow Media, owns and operates 15 High-Definition channels.
Cable and satellite operators (and the telcos) say they need more high-def channels to fill out their lineups.
So, what's the problem? Why aren't they carrying Voom? And, why did Dish Network just drop Voom's entire 15-channel suite from its lineup, replacing it with several 'HD channels" that actually broadcast very little in high-def.
The answer: Money and politics. (Surprised?)
Voom's 15 channels, which includes such niche channels as Equator HD (nature shows); HD News; Rave (music) and Treasure HD (antiques), airs more real high-def than most of the so-called HD simulcast channels that have launched in recent months.
For instance, other than the network's Sunday afternoon baseball game, TBS HD's lineup consists largely of standard-def programs 'upconverted' to fit the high-def widescreen. (This is mocked in some circles as 'Stretch-o-Vision.)
Voom's channels, which include both original and repeat programming, offers very little upconverting; a high-def show is usually the real deal -- and broadcast in 1080i.
So, why would Dish, and other TV providers, carry TBS and not Voom?
Three Reasons:
1. Politics
TBS is owned by Turner Broadcasting, which also owns TNT, CNN, the Cartoon Network and Turner Classic Movies. These are highly rated, basic-cable networks -- and a must-carry for any TV operator. Turner knows this so when it negotiates a carriage deal with a TV provider, it usually mandates that it carry the company's entire programming suite. That gives TBS HD a tremendous edge over Voom.
And this is not to harp on Turner and TBS. NBC Universal, which owns NBC, CNBC, Universal HD, MSNBC, etc., uses the same leverage to get carriage for its entire programming lineup.
At this time, Voom is relatively unknown and, consequently, does not generate as much interest in the TV audience. It's easier for a TV provider to say yes to Turner and no to Voom.
2. Money
Because Voom is a small unit, the company must sell all 15 channels as a programming block, rather than offering each niche channel individually. This requires a TV provider to pay more in carriage fees if it wants to add Voom's suite to its lineup. So it's easier -- and cheaper -- for the TV provider to simply go with the established channels from companies such as Turner and NBC.
3. Bandwidth
While cable and satellite operators are rapidly expanding their high-def capacities, many still lack the system space to add 15 HD channels all at once. Even if Voom was owned by a powerhouse such as Turner, it would have difficulty getting 15 channels on the air at the same time.
Voom now has only one carrier left: Cablevision; and that deal is scheduled to expire next month. Unless Voom reworks its marketing -- and carriage strategy -- i's hard to see how it can survive much longer.
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Will HDTV Beat John McCain?
Respected politicos are wondering whether the 71-year-old can stand up to high-def's cameras.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (May 21, 2008) -- Sen. John McCain, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, has been a tireless supporter of next year's Digital TV transition. However, some influential political journals are now questioning whether McCain's backing of High-Definition TV will come back to haunt him.
In an article by Timothy Noah, Slate Magazine yesterday openly suggested that the 71-year-old McCain will not fare well under the unforgiving lens of high-def.
In addition to the normal wrinkles and aging signs for a 70-plus person, McCain had to undergo facial surgery to remove some cancerous growths from the left side of his face. After watching McCain in high-def on Saturday Night Live over the weekend, Noah said he was reconsidering his review of McCain's candidacy, particularly the age factor.
"As someone who'd pooh-poohed the age issue, I found myself gasping at McCain's mug as transmitted in glorious HDTV. Wrinkles, blotches, liver spots, scarry tissue—none of these were hidden by McCain's makeup," Noah wrote.
Noah's comments were echoed by The Politico in another recent piece on HD and the presidential campaign by media writer Michael Calderone.
"John McCain may joke on the campaign trail about having 'more scars than Frankenstein,' but does the senator (or viewers, for that matter) want them broadcast in high-definition?" Calderone asked.
Slate's Noah wondered whether Sen. Barack Obama, McCain's likely Democratic opponent in the general election, will have an advantage because of his youth (45) and good looks. This fall's presidential debates will undoubtedly be broadcast in high-def, as were many of the primary debates.
TVPredictions.com has frequently written here about the effect of high-def on celebrities and politicians, but Slate and Politico are widely read in the political world. The articles by Noah and Calderone could have a ripple effect, causing more people to wonder if McCain will be a victim of the 'First HDTV Election."
"Had HDTV been available (in 1968), I'm not sure Nixon could have won the Republican nomination, let alone the presidency," Noah says.
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Study: Comcast, Charter Tied For Last in Customer Service
DIRECTV and Dish Network finish second and third.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (May 20, 2008) -- Comcast and Charter Communications tied for last among TV providers in consumer satisfaction, according to a new study from the University of Michigan.
The university's annual 'American Customer Satisfaction Index' found that consumer satisfaction with cable and satellite TV operators is at its highest ever. But the industry still ranks second to last in the 18 categories measured in the report. (The airlines are last.)
The Associated Press reports that the average 'consumer satisfaction' score for a cable or satellite provider is 64, an increase of 3.2 percent from last year.
Comcast and Charter, however, scored only a 54, which tied them for last in the category.
DIRECTV and Dish Network scored 68 and 65 respectively, according to the Index, giving them a second and third place finish. The AP reports that Dish's rating was an all-time low.
Finishing first in the survey: The 'all-others' category, which included several small cable systems and Cablevision, scoring 69.
Cox Communications was fourth in the study with a score of 63 while Time Warner was fifth with a 59.
The University of Michigan said its phone survey included roughly 20,000 people, but they were not asked about video service from telcos AT&T and Verizon.
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NetFlix to Sell $99 Net TV Device -- But No HD
But the rentals are free to NetFlix subs.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (May 20, 2008) -- NetFlix's web site today will begin selling a $99 set-top that can deliver movies streamed from the Internet to your TV screen.
However, at launch, the Netflix 'Net TV' service will only include standard-def titles; no High-Definition movies or TV shows.
The 5"-by-5" set-top, which was manufactured by Roku, can connect to the TV via an Ethernet port through a variety of connections including HDMI, component video or even S-Video. The box also can be connected wirelessly to the Net using a Wi-Fi feature.
NetFlix says the Net TV service will offer roughly 10,000 titles at launch, compared to 100,000 DVDs available at the online rental store.
NetFlix subscribers will not have to pay extra for rentals purchased through the Roku set-top. However,
“That’s a major improvement versus the clutter of trying to choose from 10,000 films on the TV,” Netflix CEO Reed Hastings said in a statement. “There are no extra charges and no viewing restrictions. For a one-time purchase of $99, Netflix members can watch as much as they want and as often as they want without paying more or impacting the number of DVDs they receive.”
NetFlix's new box will take on Apple TV and Vudu in the Net TV category. Both Apple TV and Vudu offer high-def programs.
NetFlix is also planning to offer a streaming service on a LG-branded set-top later this year. The company has said it's not likely to include high-def shows and movies at launch.
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Comcast: We Have 500 'HD Choices'
The cable operator plays up its On Demand lineup.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (May 19, 2008) -- Comcast says it now offers more than 500 High-Definition programming "choices" in its On Demand lineup.
Trying to counter claims by satcasters DIRECTV and Dish Network that they have more HD channels, the nation's cable operator says it has increased its HD VOD menu with added programming from Showtime, Encore, MoviePlex and Starz.
"With this content increase, the company strengthens its leadership position in offering more HD movies and programming than anyone else," Comcast said in a statement released today.
DIRECTV now has 95 national HD channels while Dish has roughly 80 high-def channels. Comcast has fewer than 40 HD channels in many markets, with some cities getting far less than that.
However, Comcast is echoing the cable industry's claim that its Video on Demand service provides a competitive edge over satellite and the telcos.
"This month, we're adding the most HD content ever," said Derek Harrar, senior vice president for Comcast. “We’re working with top premium channels like Showtime and Starz to add hundreds of entertainment options in the categories consumers say they want the most...HD movies and television shows.”
Comcsat says it has added more than 150 hours of high-def programming from premium channels such as Showtime and Starz.
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Fox Sports Net: Full Time HD In 2009
The regional sports network will air more than 3,000 games in high-def.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (May 19, 2008) -- Fox Sports Net today said it will broadcast its entire lineup in High-Definition by the first quarter of 2009.
The channel, which operates 16 different regional sports networks nationwide, said it will air more than 3,000 pro and college baseball, basketball, football and hockey games next year in HD.
In 2008, Fox Sports Net is scheduled to deliver more than 1,700 games in high-def.
“This is the next step in the evolution of FSN’s commitment to being the leaders in HD sports production. It’s one of the best ways we can serve the local sports fans throughout the country, and it also allows us to offer tremendous value to our team partners and distributors," said FSN President Randy Freer, who made the announcement at this week's cable convention in New Orleans.
Although Fox Sports Net will offer more games in high-def, that doesn't mean each cable or satellite service will deliver them all to local areas. Depending upon bandwidth issues, some TV providers may opt to broadcast just a portion of the schedule in HD.
FSN noted this reality in its press release, urging the providers to carry all the games.
“HD is one of our distributors’ and their customers’ highest priorities, so it’s incumbent upon us to offer them our most popular services in HD. We have consistently found that sports drives the adaptation of new technologies, and the deep emotional commitment local fans have to their teams will accelerate the HD and digital transition," said Mike Hopkins, executive vice president and general manager for affiliate sales for FSN.
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Studios May Offer HD VOD Movies Before DVD Release
The films would be available at home shortly after their theatrical release.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (May 16, 2008) -- Cable and satellite operators may soon offer first-run movies on HD VOD shortly after their theatrical release -- and well before their DVD and Blu-ray release.
That's according to an article by ContentAgenda.com.
The web site writes that the studios have filed a petition with the Federal Communications Commission that seeks a waiver from federal regulations barring TV providers from turning off analog connections to a TV. The waiver is necessary, the studios says, to ensure the high-def programming is restricted to digital outputs which carry anti-copying protection.
If the waiver is granted, the studios say they plan to offer "high-value, High-Definition digital movies to consumers for enjoyment in their homes sometime prior to release on prerecorded media such as DVD."
ContentAgenda.com says further details were unavailable in the petition, such as pricing and launch dates. The site said the studios did not return inquiries seeking comment.
Cable and satellite operators -- and studio executives -- have openly speculated in recent months about offering some movies on HD VOD in advance of their DVD release, with some officials even saying some films could be offered on the same day as the theatrical release.
Presumably, the early HD VOD release would carry a larger price tag than other VOD films, which usually cost around $3.99.
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Dish Network, Bring Back Voom!
It would be a smart business move.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (May 15, 2008) -- For the past two decades, cable and satellite TV operators have eliminated channels to make room for new ones. The old channels are usually jettisoned because they are either unpopular -- or their parent companies ask for too much in programming fees.
Over the years, the TV audience has come to accept 'channel swapping' as part of doing business, although there have been occasional protests from small groups loyal to one channel or another.
But the days of quiet acquiescence have come to an end.
Dish Network's decision this week to eliminate 15 special-interest Voom channels from its high-def lineup has provided fresh evidence that once you add an HDTV channel, you can't take it away.
Not without howls of protest, anyway.
Internet message boards, including the Readers Forum at TVPredictions.com, are overflowing today with comments from irate Dish viewers threatening to cancel their subscriptions.
"We canceled Dish today because we miss kungfuHD & monstersHD; we very, very mad on dem (sic) for spoiling our favorites by makin' dem invisible," said one poster named 'bigtech.'
While some posters say they won't miss Voom, the overwhelming majority are expressing the sentiment that Dish Network has betrayed them by eliminating Voom. Many say they subscribed to Dish specifically because of the Voom channels. The fact that Dish Network added 20 high-def channels when it eliminated Voom is cold comfort.
"This is a truly deceptive enhancement that Dish pulled on its HD customers. Dish Network exchanged Voom, which was HD commercial free and with unique channels like, World Cinema, Equator HD and Animania, with commercial saturated channels like the ABC Family, Cartoon Network HD, Weather Channel, etc." said poster 'Armand.'
Why are people so upset? More upset that viewers who may have lost an analog channel in years past?
Despite spending thousands of dollars on a new set, the average HDTV owner has had fewer than 10 high-def channels in his/her cable or satellite lineup until the last two years. But most HDTV owners have been very patient, realizing that cable and satellite operators needed time to rebuild their systems to create more high-def capacity.
So now that the capacity has expanded, the high-def viewer wants to be rewarded for his/her patience. They want more channels, not less -- and they certainly don't want channels to be removed. That's the ultimate insult.
Dish Network and Rainbow Media, Voom's corporate parent, are now engaged in a court battle over the elimination of the 15 channels, among other issues. But Dish execs would be wise to tell the attorneys to take a break while they work out a peace treaty with Rainbow. Dish needs those Voom channels back on the air to restore confidence with the high-def audience.
The satcaster may not have room for Voom on its satellites at this time. However, the company is expected to have two new satellites up and operational later this year. If it doesn't have room now, Dish should issue a press release saying Voom will be returned to the air when those satellite are ready.
Dish, you need to bring back Voom.
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Blu-ray Helps Play Station 3 to Sales Boost
Sony's video game console outsells the XBox for the first time.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (May 15, 2008) -- Sony's Play Station 3 outsold Microsoft's XBox 360 in the U.S. during the first quarter, the first time that has ever happened.
The PS3 sold 806,000 units to the XBox's 746,000, according to the NPD Group, as reported by The Wall Street Journal. The newspaper credits the rise in PS3 sales to a 20 percent price decrease (it now starts at $399) and the end of the Blu-ray/HD DVD high-def disc format war.
The PS3 has a Blu-ray player inside while the XBox offered an HD DVD player attachment. (Toshiba pulled the plug on HD DVD in the first quarter.)
Despite PS3's success, the video game console still trailed Nintendo's Wii, which sold 1.4 million units in the U.S. in the first quarter. However, a year ago, Wii was outselling PS3 by a 4-1 margin while the XBox was winning by a 2-1 margin.
Thanks in part to the PS3, Sony yesterday reported a profit of $277 million in the last quarter. Perhaps not surprising then, the company also said yesterday that it won't cut PS3 prices any further this year.
"We're not looking to do that this year. It's not in our plans right now," said Kazuo Hirai, president of Sony's videogame division, according to WSJ.
While some reports this month have indicated that standalone Blu-ray players are struggling at retail, the rise in PS3 sales should help boost the Blu-ray industry. However, some analysts question whether PS3 buyers will use the console for movies as well as games.
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Poll: Nine Percent of Consumers to Buy Blu-ray in 2008
Harris Interactive says the high-def disc is not catching on with consumers.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (May 14, 2008) -- Only nine percent of consumers say they plan to buy a Blu-ray player in the next year, according to a new Harris Interactive poll.
The survey company asked 2,529 U.S. adults for their opinions on Blu-ray following the high-def disc format's victory over rival HD DVD. (Toshiba pulled the plug on HD DVD at the end of March.)
According to Harris, only four percent of Americans say they own standalone Blu-ray players while another five percent said they have a Play Station 3, which has a Blu-ray player inside.
The intent-to-buy rate is low, Harris said, even though about 70 percent of Americans have heard that Blu-ray won the high-def format war.
Noting that 87 percent of consumers say they have standard-def DVD players, Harris concludes: "it seems that the recently resolved High-Definition format war is not motivating consumers to purchase the advanced DVD players any time soon."
Twenty-three percent of consumers who were aware of the format war said they were waiting for it to end before buying a high-def disc player, although they had not done so by April.
Harris estimates that 10 percent of HDTV owners now have a Blu-ray player.
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Dish Network Expands 'Chutzpah Capacity'
The satcaster declares it has 95 national HD channels -- when it knew it wouldn't just hours later.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (May 14, 2008) -- Does everyone at Dish Network have a long nose today?
The satcaster issued a press release on Monday saying it would add 22 High-Definition channels this week. The announcement appeared to put Dish on par with high-def programming leader DIRECTV, which carries 95 national HD channels.
And if you weren't clear about that, Dish underscored the point in the release by including this quote from Eric Sahl, the company's senior vice president of programming:
"We are excited to extend our competitiveness in HD by enhancing our already comprehensive HD lineup with these 22 channels, bringing our total HD lineup to over 95 channels," Sahl said.
Problem is -- at the very moment when the press release was issued -- Dish Network was preparing to remove 15 Voom HD channels from its high-def lineup, starting Monday night.
And, by Tuesday night, all 15 Voom HD channels were gone, leaving Dish Network with around 80 national HD channels. (The satcaster needed to remove the Voom channels to make room for the 22 new high-def channels
That's right. Despite knowing that it would only have 95 national HD channels for, oh, about eight hours, Dish Network allowed the media -- and consumers -- to think it now had as many high-def channels as DIRECTV.
"Dish Network said it has launched today 22 additional national high-definition channels for its direct-to-home satellite service. The company said it now has 95 national HD channels," read the lead paragraph at Twice.com.
By saying it had 95 HD channels -- even though it knew it would not have 95 HD channels later that day -- Dish allowed millions of people to think its high-def lineup was just as good as DIRECTV's high-def lineup.
And if the publications that wrote those stories on Monday never bothered to update them with the Voom news, well, even better for Dish's sagging subscription efforts, huh?
From company CEO Charlie Ergen on down, Dish Network should be ashamed today. If not a boldfaced lie, Monday's press release was clearly an attempt to fool the public into thinking Dish was something it's not.
Such behavior can only make this reporter wonder if this wa
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Dish Network Removes Last 5 Voom Channels
The satcaster says it will make room for more popular networks.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (May 14, 2008) -- Dish Network last night removed the last five Voom High-Definition channels from its programming lineup.
The satcaster dropped the first 10 Voom channels on Monday night, just hours after it added 20 other high-def channels.
In an analysts call yesterday following the release of the company's first quarter report, Dish CEO Charlie Ergen said the remaining five would be removed as soon as possible.
“We believe we can replace those channels with other channels that have more value for our customers,” Ergen said.
The loss of Dish Network means that Cablevision is now the only U.S. carrier of the Voom 15-channel high-def suite. With Cablevision's agreement expiring next month, the future of Voom appears to be in serious doubt this morning.
Dish Network's decision to eliminate Voom is not unexpected. The Supreme Court of New York last month denied Voom's request for a preliminary injunction to block Dish Network from terminating its agreement to carry all 15 high-def channels.
The satcaster informed Voom last year that it would move the 15 HD channels to a less watched programming tier. Voom objected to the plan, saying it would reduce its programming fees and jeopardize its business. Following a series of negotiations, Dish informed the programmer that it planned to terminate the agreement entirely, which led to the court battle.
Rainbow Media, the Cablevision unit that owns Voom, told Multichannel News that the company plans to fight Dish's decision to eliminate the channels.
"EchoStar's decision (EchoStar is Dish's sister company) to drop the Voom channels is unjustified and, we believe, is a violation of our distribution agreement. We are intent on enforcing our legal rights in court. Because the litigation is ongoing, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time." a Rainbow spokesman said.
Although the Voom channel reduction is not unsurprising, the timing is. Dish Network this week announced it was adding 22 high-def channels this week, starting with the 20 on Monday. In the announcement, the company said the new channels means that Dish would now have "over 95 HD channels."
However, the Voom reduction now would appear to lower that number to around 80.
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Disney: Blu-ray's a Sleeping Beauty
The studio looks to awaken the high-def disc format.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (May 13, 2008) -- Disney plans to stuff several interactive features in the October Blu-ray release of Sleeping Beauty, including local weather conditions and customized video messages.
That's according to an article by USA Today.
The publication reports that Disney will use 'BD Live' to add interactivity to the Sleeping Beauty disc. BD Live is a new technology that enables owners of later model Blu-ray players to download content over the Internet.
According to USA Today, the Blu-ray Sleeping Beauty will include a menu backdrop of the film's castle which can be customized to reflect the weather in the viewer's hometown.
Blu-ray owners will also be able to chat with fellow viewers on the movie screen, using a laptop or BlackBerry, and they will be able to insert video messages in the movie and send them to friends via e-mail.
Other interactive features will include trivia games and ringtones.
"(Sleeping Beauty) will revolutionize the way people will interact with and view movies in the home," Bob Chapek, president of Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, told USA Today. "We pulled out all the stops in launching this technology."
While some industry observers dispute whether home viewers will want to interact with their TVs, Disney has been a consistent and strong supporter of the ITV component. The studio believes that the interactive Blu-ray discs will generate more interest in the format.
However, the ITV features will only be able on the Sony PlayStation 3 and the later model Blu-ray players which support BD Live.
Sony recently released two films with BD Live features -- The Sixth Day and Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story.
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