Re. Rogers Cable HD Lineup

faibs · 05-17-2004, 11:08 PM

Hey Guys eh,
WHo has Rogers HD here? Are their HD channels HD all time or just some times?

Geo · 05-22-2004, 10:15 AM

Faibs,
Geo here. I just got Rogers HD last month and I am still sorting all this HD stuff out, but... I would venture an opinion and say that not ALL HD channels are displaying "HD" formats. I have read from various websites that this is due to NUMEROUS factors:
1) The orginator of the program may not have used the BEST(or ANY) HD signal at all when filming his/her show. I have seen Network shows like Leno or various News stations which are "broadcasting" HD material( but in a 4:3 ratio). HD format was supposed to have been approved Federally as a 16:9 ratio image and a DD 5.1 (AC-3) sound format. Now in addition to 1080,720 etc. etc. we now have issues of various image ratios to contend with. It is all very confusing to the consumer when everyone who creates HD TV material does their own thing in this new frontier. Caviat Emptor seems to be the approach of the regulatory 'crats. The Law is requiring "Digital" transmision NOT HD "Digital" transmission. You can re-broadcast cheap and plentiful current analog 480i crap -Digitally- and still be seen to accomodate the Law.
2) the Network which broadcasts/re-broadcasts(those affliates) the show may not have the proper equipment/facilities to send out the HD signal in any of its formats,
3) the cable/satellite operator also, may not have the equipment to pass on any HD formatted signal. If these operators DID have the equipment, they may be employing signal compression technologies which almost surely effect the quality of the transmited format you recieve. I have read that some affiliates/cable co.s will downconvert HD signals to an SD signal and transmit them Digitally (thereby "adhering" to the inpending Law/requirements). Their motivation to do this is simple economics right now. Why use up all that channel's Bandwidth for one/a few HD channels when they can use that Bandwidth to send out MANY "Digital" (but SD signals ) channels -with all kinds of genres that haven't been tapped into yet? They are a business after all.

We are still at a crossroad with regard to HD TV makers(Sony, Toshiba etc. etc), HD Show Producers, and HD Network/ HD Channel broadcasters. Each argue that it is premature to go all-out in creating their "product" for HD when the other industries haven't gone all-out either. It's kind-of-like a Mexican Stand-Off. Who will make the first plunge/serious investment into HD? Somebody has to go first but who's "first quarter" will be sacrificed first?
Happy viewing of the channels we do have (and these will be more obvious because of their clarity).
I hope I have paraphrased correctly the info I have read along the way, and if someone out there is more expert on any of these subjects -PLEASE feel free to correct my findings.
CIAO
Geo

Geo · 05-24-2004, 01:32 AM

Hello again fellow Forumites,
I came across this web link a while ago, just found it again and I think some of you might find it useful. It's on Sound and Vision's website. Nifty article on what constitutes HDTV and what is simple DTV etc. etc..
Happy reading.
Geo

http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/art...article_id=565

faibs · 05-26-2004, 11:26 PM

After a week or so of HD usage, i would like to say that Rogers is absolute Crap! Horrible Picture Quality and 5 percent of the day is HD broadcasting. and when it is, its poor.

I will probably return my HD tv as 1000 bucks for a tv thats gonna be used for xbox (cause the cable quality is poor) isnt worth my money.

Geo · 05-27-2004, 01:40 AM

Hey faibs,
I hear ya brother...BUT before you decide to take the ole TV back why don't you consider Satellite (CDN provider or otherwise)?
I must agree with you, I think that yes Rogers has its issues with nailing down better signals BUT you know the old expression "Garbage in / Garbage out" ...Rogers can only work with what the "Networks" give 'em to begin with.
Right now there is still a huge gap in the supply of GOOD HD programming but as the months/weeks go by this changes. Notice by the way that some of the 5 Movie Network channels show "HD" movies in their regular line-up. NOT just on the TMN HD Movie Channel. I was surprised to find this out. You will notice though that TMN STILL crops most of their movies into Pan and Scan format-even the HD versions! I've e-mailed off a nasty letter of rebuke to them already about this. I told them that their product is inferior/outdated to that which is standard in ALL video stores now -namely Widescreen and DD 5.1 movies on DVDs. Why should I come back to them? Needless to say -no reponse from TMN yet.
How will you know/decide when the right time is to get back in? Besides nothing ventured nothing gained right? Until more viewers have HDTVs, the Networks will say It just isn't worth the extra effort right now. Until there is more HD programming the consumers will also say why bother. I can only suggest that you might enjoy the ED "Digital" channels more than the HD channels right now. It sure beats the analog round-up. Some of the ED Digital channels can put some of the HD channels to shame. And as I suggested earlier give the other providers a whirl first.
Don't despair, the day IS coming.
Geo

faibs · 05-27-2004, 08:41 AM

Hey GEO
My problem is this, I live in a Townhouse complex, and therefore, cannot mount anything on the wall (ie DISH). So at the moment Rogers is my only way to go.

**rbinck** · 06-12-2004, 11:20 AM

Canada does not have any rules allowing dishes and antennas like the US does?

faibs · 06-13-2004, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rbinck

Canada does not have any rules allowing dishes and antennas like the US does?

i do not think we have any rules regarding dishes.

TheDarkCanuck · 06-14-2004, 12:57 PM

Back when the dishes were huge I think there might have been a law or two but now that they're tiny the only rules one runs into are the condo board. The condo townhome complex I live in has rules stating that we cannot attach anything to the outside of the unit (like a dish), so cable is my only option. I don't mind much (now that the cable company has fixed some of their prior problems) because I also use the same company for my internet and cell phone, so I get a small discount overall.

petermwilson · 06-30-2004, 09:16 AM

Hi,
As a condo dweller, I'm also a slave to Rogers including their HI-Speed Internet. As an early adopter I picked up the SA3100hd decoder box the week it came out a few years ago and have enjoyed watching the growth in program offerrings to the point where my nightly watching is almost excluseively HD now.

Anyway I traded in the SA3100hd for the SA8000hd PVR which really guarantees that my HD golf is recorded while I'm out playing or "Law & Order" in HD is recorded from the west coast feed if it's past my bed time so personally, I'm in HD heavan and it gets better every day.

Remember the Olympics in HD are coming. I'm not quite sure how you get a poor picture in HD unless your set is not adjusted properly. Having it ISF'd by a liscenced tech will fix that because HD pictures are either perfect or there's no signal. There's no such thing as snow in HD land.

I was reading in some of the AV mags that folks no longer have the excuse that there's nothing on, they finally have to admit the BMW takes priority in their discretionary spending.

Peter m.

05-17-2004, 11:08 PM	#1
faibs High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: May 2004 Location: Toronto Age: 28 Posts: 71	Re. Rogers Cable HD Lineup Hey Guys eh, WHo has Rogers HD here? Are their HD channels HD all time or just some times?

05-22-2004, 10:15 AM	#2
Geo A couch and an HDTV to go please. Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 8	Hey Faibs Faibs, Geo here. I just got Rogers HD last month and I am still sorting all this HD stuff out, but... I would venture an opinion and say that not ALL HD channels are displaying "HD" formats. I have read from various websites that this is due to NUMEROUS factors: 1) The orginator of the program may not have used the BEST(or ANY) HD signal at all when filming his/her show. I have seen Network shows like Leno or various News stations which are "broadcasting" HD material( but in a 4:3 ratio). HD format was supposed to have been approved Federally as a 16:9 ratio image and a DD 5.1 (AC-3) sound format. Now in addition to 1080,720 etc. etc. we now have issues of various image ratios to contend with. It is all very confusing to the consumer when everyone who creates HD TV material does their own thing in this new frontier. Caviat Emptor seems to be the approach of the regulatory 'crats. The Law is requiring "Digital" transmision NOT HD "Digital" transmission. You can re-broadcast cheap and plentiful current analog 480i crap -Digitally- and still be seen to accomodate the Law. 2) the Network which broadcasts/re-broadcasts(those affliates) the show may not have the proper equipment/facilities to send out the HD signal in any of its formats, 3) the cable/satellite operator also, may not have the equipment to pass on any HD formatted signal. If these operators DID have the equipment, they may be employing signal compression technologies which almost surely effect the quality of the transmited format you recieve. I have read that some affiliates/cable co.s will downconvert HD signals to an SD signal and transmit them Digitally (thereby "adhering" to the inpending Law/requirements). Their motivation to do this is simple economics right now. Why use up all that channel's Bandwidth for one/a few HD channels when they can use that Bandwidth to send out MANY "Digital" (but SD signals ) channels -with all kinds of genres that haven't been tapped into yet? They are a business after all. We are still at a crossroad with regard to HD TV makers(Sony, Toshiba etc. etc), HD Show Producers, and HD Network/ HD Channel broadcasters. Each argue that it is premature to go all-out in creating their "product" for HD when the other industries haven't gone all-out either. It's kind-of-like a Mexican Stand-Off. Who will make the first plunge/serious investment into HD? Somebody has to go first but who's "first quarter" will be sacrificed first? Happy viewing of the channels we do have (and these will be more obvious because of their clarity). I hope I have paraphrased correctly the info I have read along the way, and if someone out there is more expert on any of these subjects -PLEASE feel free to correct my findings. CIAO Geo Last edited by Geo; 05-24-2004 at 01:50 AM.

05-24-2004, 01:32 AM	#3
Geo A couch and an HDTV to go please. Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 8	Link to an article on HDTV and DTV. How they're different... Hello again fellow Forumites, I came across this web link a while ago, just found it again and I think some of you might find it useful. It's on Sound and Vision's website. Nifty article on what constitutes HDTV and what is simple DTV etc. etc.. Happy reading. Geo http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/art...article_id=565

05-26-2004, 11:26 PM	#4
faibs High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: May 2004 Location: Toronto Age: 28 Posts: 71	After a week or so of HD usage, i would like to say that Rogers is absolute Crap! Horrible Picture Quality and 5 percent of the day is HD broadcasting. and when it is, its poor. I will probably return my HD tv as 1000 bucks for a tv thats gonna be used for xbox (cause the cable quality is poor) isnt worth my money.

05-27-2004, 01:40 AM	#5
Geo A couch and an HDTV to go please. Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 8	Hey faibs, I hear ya brother...BUT before you decide to take the ole TV back why don't you consider Satellite (CDN provider or otherwise)? I must agree with you, I think that yes Rogers has its issues with nailing down better signals BUT you know the old expression "Garbage in / Garbage out" ...Rogers can only work with what the "Networks" give 'em to begin with. Right now there is still a huge gap in the supply of GOOD HD programming but as the months/weeks go by this changes. Notice by the way that some of the 5 Movie Network channels show "HD" movies in their regular line-up. NOT just on the TMN HD Movie Channel. I was surprised to find this out. You will notice though that TMN STILL crops most of their movies into Pan and Scan format-even the HD versions! I've e-mailed off a nasty letter of rebuke to them already about this. I told them that their product is inferior/outdated to that which is standard in ALL video stores now -namely Widescreen and DD 5.1 movies on DVDs. Why should I come back to them? Needless to say -no reponse from TMN yet. How will you know/decide when the right time is to get back in? Besides nothing ventured nothing gained right? Until more viewers have HDTVs, the Networks will say It just isn't worth the extra effort right now. Until there is more HD programming the consumers will also say why bother. I can only suggest that you might enjoy the ED "Digital" channels more than the HD channels right now. It sure beats the analog round-up. Some of the ED Digital channels can put some of the HD channels to shame. And as I suggested earlier give the other providers a whirl first. Don't despair, the day IS coming. Geo

05-27-2004, 08:41 AM	#6
faibs High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: May 2004 Location: Toronto Age: 28 Posts: 71	Hey GEO My problem is this, I live in a Townhouse complex, and therefore, cannot mount anything on the wall (ie DISH). So at the moment Rogers is my only way to go.

06-12-2004, 11:20 AM	#7
rbinck Administrator Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Katy, Texas Posts: 12,338	Canada does not have any rules allowing dishes and antennas like the US does?

06-14-2004, 12:57 PM	#9
TheDarkCanuck How can anyone watch standard def? Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 23	Back when the dishes were huge I think there might have been a law or two but now that they're tiny the only rules one runs into are the condo board. The condo townhome complex I live in has rules stating that we cannot attach anything to the outside of the unit (like a dish), so cable is my only option. I don't mind much (now that the cable company has fixed some of their prior problems) because I also use the same company for my internet and cell phone, so I get a small discount overall.

06-30-2004, 09:16 AM	#10
petermwilson High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Toronto, Ontario Age: 62 Posts: 61	Hi, As a condo dweller, I'm also a slave to Rogers including their HI-Speed Internet. As an early adopter I picked up the SA3100hd decoder box the week it came out a few years ago and have enjoyed watching the growth in program offerrings to the point where my nightly watching is almost excluseively HD now. Anyway I traded in the SA3100hd for the SA8000hd PVR which really guarantees that my HD golf is recorded while I'm out playing or "Law & Order" in HD is recorded from the west coast feed if it's past my bed time so personally, I'm in HD heavan and it gets better every day. Remember the Olympics in HD are coming. I'm not quite sure how you get a poor picture in HD unless your set is not adjusted properly. Having it ISF'd by a liscenced tech will fix that because HD pictures are either perfect or there's no signal. There's no such thing as snow in HD land. I was reading in some of the AV mags that folks no longer have the excuse that there's nothing on, they finally have to admit the BMW takes priority in their discretionary spending. Peter m.