I beleive the rights to show the sports in Canada is one of the problems HDnet is facing right now.

Thats pretty much whats holding things up right now. Once HDNet is available, it will probably be a shareware version (ie cheap Canadian version) similar to Spike TV.

I beleive the rights to show the sports in Canada is one of the problems HDnet is facing right now.


Grrr is that Canadian content issue etc? :rolleyes: Go figure. We still can't watch what we want.

When will that ever change?

Grrr is that Canadian content issue etc? :rolleyes: Go figure. We still can't watch what we want.

When will that ever change?

Not a canadian content issue, more that other canadian companies own the canadian rights to the sporting events.

I called *Choice service yesterday to make an official request to have Super Écran HD channel as soon as possible. All the other HD channels are great and I appreciate all of them but since there is a very limited amount of *C custumers subscribing to Super Écran (the french equivalent of the Movie Network) and an even more limited number that have the HD equipment then I figured I should make the effort of letting them know I would appreciate to see my movies in HD.

The customer service guy didn't confirm any new HD channel in particular besides the 3 coming this October 12th but he mentioned that *Choice was adding 20 more HD channels in December!!! Some french and some english. I have no idea if this guy knew what he was saying but personnally I doubt it will happen.

I called *Choice service yesterday to make an official request to have Super Écran HD channel as soon as possible. All the other HD channels are great and I appreciate all of them but since there is a very limited amount of *C custumers subscribing to Super Écran (the french equivalent of the Movie Network) and an even more limited number that have the HD equipment then I figured I should make the effort of letting them know I would appreciate to see my movies in HD.

The customer service guy didn't confirm any new HD channel in particular besides the 3 coming this October 12th but he mentioned that *Choice was adding 20 more HD channels in December!!! Some french and some english. I have no idea if this guy knew what he was saying but personnally I doubt it will happen.


they meant to say adding 1 more to make 20 total.

I called *Choice service yesterday to make an official request to have Super Écran HD channel as soon as possible. All the other HD channels are great and I appreciate all of them but since there is a very limited amount of *C custumers subscribing to Super Écran (the french equivalent of the Movie Network) and an even more limited number that have the HD equipment then I figured I should make the effort of letting them know I would appreciate to see my movies in HD.

The customer service guy didn't confirm any new HD channel in particular besides the 3 coming this October 12th but he mentioned that *Choice was adding 20 more HD channels in December!!! Some french and some english. I have no idea if this guy knew what he was saying but personnally I doubt it will happen.


I did send a written communication to SC about SÉ HD earlier this week. I complained that TMN HD is currently available and free (both are owned by Astral). SÉ HD is making their début on October 30th (as per Astral.com).

To resume their answer from SC: We are sorry but we don't have any plan in the near future to satisfy your request.

I do have the following question:

How long did it take for TMN HD to be offered by SC after it was available?

At least, it may give us a better idea of how long we will have to wait for SÉ HD.

How long did it take for TMN HD to be offered by SC after it was available?

Can't remember the exactly, but it was some time after MCHD became available. At a guess I'd say between 4 - 6 months.

...At least, it may give us a better idea of how long we will have to wait for SÉ HD.
I don't see how that would be an indicator at all.
There are other mitigating factors such as other available content, audience appeal and market size, available transponder space, revenue or non-revenue generating, etc.

and the Fact that Shaw/ Starchoice has been hesistant to add French premium channels ever since Premiere Choix (French Movie Network) had less than 100 subscribers in Western Canada back in the 1980s

I completely agree with the numbers. This may then come to a decision like any other businness decision. Can *Choice a SHAW company provide quality service to the french subscribers?

Astral Media will start broadcasting 7 french channels in HD starting October 30th. I can understand that *Choice will not be offering all of them at this date and this is why I made the request that my priority is Super Écran. If *Choice can only provide 1 french HD channel (SRC) when there is at least 8 available and that other service providers like Bell or cable are offering all of them then they will at some point start loosing their subscribers because they don't provide the service they should.

They will have to upgrade to MPEG4 very soon. This is only one more proof that HD is coming and should be taken seriously. I do like that they can answer the phone when I call them but I would also appreciate to get the channels offered to me when they are available. Charge extra $ if they have to. Isn't it what this business is all about?

Anyone else having problems with a few HD channels. It seems to be flickering but no picture thus no ball game. :(

Thanks

Less than 2 days to go until 3 new HD channels are "supposed" to hit the air!

I say "supposed" as they are not showing up in Guide. One would think that with less than 2 days to go that the channels would be mapped by now!

So, how realistic is October 12th? Just a thought!



Mike

I say "supposed" as they are not showing up in Guide. One would think that with less than 2 days to go that the channels would be mapped by now!

Nah, they usually get mapped the night before launch. That way they don't get people calling to complain that the channels aren't working!! :)

I just got a 505 and I'm very pleased with the HD contents picture quality. :D However, what I would really like to see in HD are some movies... I tried buying a few Viewers Choices movies but they're all in 4:3 standard definition. You would think that at $4.99 a piece, they would at least be in 16:9... :mad:

What are the options? Are they some HD movies somewhere and I don't see them? :confused: I don't mind paying a few bucks to see a movie, but when I pay extra, I expect more then a crappy 4:3 picture... For now I'm sticking to DVDs for my movie fix, but I would love to use the HD fonctionality of my 505 to watch some movies.

TMN HD! :-)

I just got a 505 and I'm very pleased with the HD contents picture quality. :D However, what I would really like to see in HD are some movies... I tried buying a few Viewers Choices movies but they're all in 4:3 standard definition. You would think that at $4.99 a piece, they would at least be in 16:9... :mad:

What are the options? Are they some HD movies somewhere and I don't see them? :confused: I don't mind paying a few bucks to see a movie, but when I pay extra, I expect more then a crappy 4:3 picture... For now I'm sticking to DVDs for my movie fix, but I would love to use the HD fonctionality of my 505 to watch some movies.

There are occasional movies shown on the HD network channels, but the quality is variable from awful to half-decent.

If you get the optional $20/month movie bundle, it includes one HD movie channel that shows an HD version of one of the movies currently playing on the SD channels (in the west it's Movie Central HD on 283).

In other words, the availability of HD movies is very limited, so you'd better count on DVDs for the moment.

Thanks for the replies guys.

What about Viewerschoice or anyting on PPV? Isn't there any HD content on those channels?

/edit
The reason I'm asking is because sometimes movies preview on VC mention HD... Are those ads a refference to the Movie Central HD channel?

PPV HD is not available through StarChoice (yet). The channel is out there, and other service providers do have it available, but not with *C.

I wish it were though, so I could have used my PPV credits on HD content instead of the crappy 4:3 SD version.

As a newbie to the HD world I didnt realize that any PPV stuff was not in HD. Was wondering if the UFC PPV was in HD...so you answered my question:mad:

New HD channels are now on in Winnipeg at noon . Yeah, but now I want more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!