News
TV Tech: 10 Who Were Good Boys in
2011
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (December 19,
2011) -- Yesterday we named the
10 TV technology companies who have been
bad to their customers
this year -- and therefore deserve a lump of coal in their
stockings come Christmas time.
But today we are naming the 10 companies who deserve something
special from Santa Swanni because they were such good girls and
boys in 2011.
Okay, wait a minute. We need to clarity that statement because
some of the 10 'good' companies are also on our 'bad' list!
But that's the way life is. As the Bible, and multiple Stanley
Kubrick films, will tell you: good and evil can exist in the
same entity.
So, that said, here are 10 TV technology companies who did
something really, really good for their customers this year --
and deserve an extra special gift for their good deeds. (And,
for now, in the spirit of Christmas, we'll forget if they did
something bad as well.)
1. George Lucas &
Twentieth Century
Fox
The filmmaker and studio teamed to remaster all six
Star Wars movies and sell them as
a boxed set on Blu-ray. In addition to the films,
Star Wars: The Complete Saga
includes more than 30 hours of supplemental material. I'm not a
big Star Wars fan, but this was
a major event for those who are. To see the films in high-def is
like watching them again for the first time in the movie
theater. Bravo, Lucas and Fox.
2.
Comcast
The cable operator this year quietly added dozens of high-def
channels in small and medium-sized markets around the country.
For several years, Comcast had a tendency to ignore HD viewers
in smaller markets, sometimes offering fewer than 40 high-def
channels. But through greater investment -- and shifting some
analog channels to digital -- Comcast was able to expand its HD
lineup in a good number of cities. They have more work to do,
but keep it up in 2012, guys.
3.
Local Stations Who Switched to HD Newscasts
Kudos to all the local stations this year who switched to
high-def newscasts. It wasn't easy -- or cheap -- to do so. Some
SD to HD conversions required millions of dollars. But the
station owners had the courage and vision to go forward and good
for them -- and us. Watching your local news in high-def brings
you closer to your neighborhood -- and the people who bring you
the news.
4.
CNET
Over the years, the technology web site has been inconsistent in
its reporting on HDTV issues; it sometimes seems to think that
the tech world stops at the living room. But there's no
disputing that CNET's team of HDTV reviewers do an exceptional
job of evaluating new sets and their features. Before buying a
new TV, I would heartily recommend that you read CNET's review
first.
5.
Vudu
The Net-based Video on Demand service often is forgotten when
people discuss video streaming; Netflix seems to get all the
attention. But Vudu's lineup of HD movies is awesome and without
equal. If you're looking to watch a movie, old or new, in
high-def, I would suggest you look to Vudu first; chances are
good that it will be there. And this year, Vudu began expanding
its library of TV shows, even adding programs from HBO. (Take
that, Netflix.)
6.
DIRECTV DIRECTV this year offered the NFL
Sunday Ticket (including the HD broadcasts) for free to new
subscribers. Considering how much the satcaster pays for the
Ticket's rights, it was a gamble. But DIRECTV's good gesture
paid off with a whopping increase of 327,000 net subscribers in
this year's third quarter. Good job.
7.
TBS' Baseball Production Team
TBS this year again broadcast two rounds of Major League
Baseball's post-season playoffs. And, once again, the production
was outstanding and the picture was exceptionally sharp. Unlike
Fox, whose high-def baseball coverage is inconsistent at best,
TBS made you feel like you were at the stadium.
8.
Dish Network
The satcaster continues to add new HD channels while rival
DIRECTV doesn't. It's a shame that Dish doesn't see a
correlation in better sub numbers. But if DIRECTV doesn't get on
the stick soon, Dish just might in 2012. Keep adding those
channels, Dish. It will pay off eventually.
9.
Amazon & E-Tailers Who Sell HDTVs
Want the best price on a new HDTV? Chances are good that you'll
find it online. Sites like Amazon.com and TigerDirect.com
consistently offer lower prices than their retail counterparts.
And because they do, it puts pressure on the retailers to keep
their prices as low as possible. In a down economy, thank God
for the Internet.
10.
Verizon & AT&T
The two telcos fought for years to get the rights to carry the
two MSG regional sports channels, which broadcast the New York
Knicks and New York Rangers, among other teams. But Cablevision,
the channels' former owner, refused to license them because it
wanted to offer them exclusively in the New York area where it
competes directly with the telcos. But the telcos never gave up
and petitioned the FCC for help. They finally got the agency to
act last spring -- and after a few court appeals since --
Verizon finally began airing the MSG channels last week. (AT&T
is expected to add them in January.) Kudos to the telcos. Their
viewers in the New York area can finally watch their favorite
teams play at home.
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