Forgot how good this channel is. :)

Oh yeah, AMC HD for Mad Men, please.

Very curious if and when the new Sportsnet One channel will be added....and if there will be 4:3 SD version.

Sportsnet One is a Category 2 channel, meaning that it is optional for carriers to offer to their customers (Cat1 means that it has to be offered to customers). That said, Novus would be foolish not to offer it, since it's the only TV channel to show the 13 Canucks games that used to be PPV.

Both Sportsnet One and Setanta HD are pretty important to me for both EPL and Canucks coverage. If at least one of these isn't added to Novus' lineup in the month of August, I will consider switching to a provider that does (Shaw).

I e-mailed Novus just now asking about these two channels so I'll post their reply when I get it.

Both Sportsnet One and Setanta HD are pretty important to me for both EPL and Canucks coverage. If at least one of these isn't added to Novus' lineup in the month of August, I will consider switching to a provider that does (Shaw).

I e-mailed Novus just now asking about these two channels so I'll post their reply when I get it.
And that HD bandwidth they had previously reserved for Canucks PPV is now free.

Both Sportsnet One and Setanta HD are pretty important to me for both EPL and Canucks coverage. If at least one of these isn't added to Novus' lineup in the month of August, I will consider switching to a provider that does (Shaw).

I e-mailed Novus just now asking about these two channels so I'll post their reply when I get it.
Shaw hasn't announced any plans to carry the two channels either, so going to them will do nothing at the moment to relieve your need for SNet One or Setanta HD.

Both Sportsnet One and Setanta HD are pretty important to me for both EPL and Canucks coverage. If at least one of these isn't added to Novus' lineup in the month of August, I will consider switching to a provider that does (Shaw).

I e-mailed Novus just now asking about these two channels so I'll post their reply when I get it.

Newtown,

Why did you sign up with Novus if they don't have the channels (Sportsnet One and Setanta HD) your willing to switch providers for?

Newtown,

Why did you sign up with Novus if they don't have the channels (Sportsnet One and Setanta HD) your willing to switch providers for?
I've been with them for over a year now and news of these channels didn't come out till recently.

Shaw hasn't announced any plans to carry the two channels either, so going to them will do nothing at the moment to relieve your need for SNet One or Setanta HD.
Spoke to someone from Shaw and they told me they plan on carrying both these channels soon.

Anyways, this is the reply I got from Novus:

We currently are in negotiation for both channels. Please visit our website for updates regarding your inquiries, thank you.

I've talked to someone at Novus who's "in the know." While he couldn't supply all the information I was hoping to receive (or all that much really), he did tell me this:

Novus WILL pick up Sportsnet One, although a start date is yet to be confirmed.
Novus WILL pick up Setanta HD ... again, no start date confirmation.
Novus is very close to an agreement (it may have already happened) with AMC-HD.

Novus will add several more SD channels, although he only mentioned one as definite. It's called "ID-TV," which is Investigation Discovery. If you enjoy the forensic shows (documentaries, not CSI-like dramas), then you'll probably be happy about this one.

Hopefully, I'll be able to post some more info over the next few days, although Novus is usually pretty good about making the announcements in a timely fashion.

Can't wait. AMC-HD was the only downside of Novus so far for me. Every other aspect of their service is better.

I concur about AMC HD. That should be an essential offering. While the network itself sucks (badly formatted movies, rampant censorship), it's fare is improving. And it has Mad Men.

I really wish Novus would consider TMC HD.

Apologies to those expecting AMC-HD and other services I'd been informed were on their way. That's not to say they're not going to show up, just that it won't be quite as soon as I'd been led to believe.

And a very large Y-E-S to TCM-HD! Until skysaxon mentioned it, I had no idea the channel existed. Novus really ought to make every effort to add this to their lineup.

For one, it would be a great addition for the large number of TCM addicts (from all reports, we are substantial in number). Secondly, it would be a huge feather in the Novus cap, as no other B.C. provider is offering the service. TCM has a huge following throughout the country, and at the very least it would raise Novus-awareness to unheard of heights.

I think a campaign to plant the seed in the company's consciousness would be advisable. A simple phone call from as many of us as possible would be a good start. Further encouragement could follow later, depending on Novus's response.

In any event, I for one am genuinely excited about this prospect. Anybody else feel the same?

Sportsnet One added:

http://novusnow.ca/services/updates.php

Good work Novus. Just need Setanta in HD and I will be really happy.

Yep, thanks Novus. Great to see the Canucks last night.

Late Tuesday afternoon, I'm sure everyone that subscribes to Novus-TV received an e-mail on their computers, I-phones and surgically implanted chips. At long last, Sportsnet One was available on Channels 461 and 462, at least temporarily. For the record, my notice arrived electronically on Tuesday, September 28th, 2010, at exactly 5:30 p.m.

However, I didn't find it until late that same night. The mail program I use decided that the message was "junk," even though Novus is on that app's white list. Without any difficulty, I received the other Novus e-mail, the one about an upcoming shutdown of services for a short period. That one was delicately placed in my in-box, no problem at all. For the vital stuff (such as the long-awaited announcement of Sportsnet One's arrival in Novus-Land), I missed out.

Later that night, after I'd found it and looked at the differences between the two messages, I convinced myself that the source of the problem was Novus's new-fangled message header, found at the top of the Sportsnet One e-mail. That, and that alone, is what defeated my otherwise great computer. The sudden shift in style must have confused it, which went haywire and overloaded its circuits, ultimately forcing it to wrongly place the message in the junk box. (It's a very sensitive machine, you know...)

Well, I mean to tell you, Novus, that your lack of foresight when changing your formerly recognizable e-mail header into one that is indecipherable has caused me severe mental and emotional distress that has yet to abate. Hurts like a mother.

Thus, I'm expecting the following to be forwarded to me or to my Novus account (whichever applies):

1. Because of Novus's inability to deliver a simple e-mail message without botching the job, I missed out on watching the Edmonton Oilers slapping the snot out of the Canucks on my big screen TV. (I also believe the outcome would have been vastly different if I'd been watching the game in the living room). : In compensation, Novus will grant WriterGuy one season of the complete National Hockey League Centre Ice package at no charge from Oct. 8, 2010 to June ... until he says he's done!

2. WriterGuy will receive a brand new computer, one that matches or exceeds his specifications. It will be delivered and installed at his home at the time of his choosing. This is compensation to replace the computer damaged by the strain placed on its system (and his); Novus will publicly acknowledge that the company itself caused the severe maiming of WriterGuy's personal home computer and it is very, very sorry.

Novus will admit it failed in its efforts to deliver e-mail in the usual accepted manner: i.e. INSIDE THE IN-BOX! Because of Novus's misguided and malicious actions, the previously happy and healthy computer runs at 37.5 percent of capacity. This growing-bigger-by-the-minute-storytelling-exercise is clearly due to the faulty and dangerous delivery methods currently employed by Novus. It would appear the company's behavior was wanton and reckless.

3. I also believe physical therapy is in order here. Due to Novus, I had to watch the game in my cramped office and not on Novus-TV in the more spacious living room area. Well, I'll have you know there wasn't enough desktop space to arrange all the goodies and what-not that go hand-in-hand with every Canuck game.

I burned the hell out of MY hands when I accidentally knocked over a pot of steaming hot coffee, which quickly proceeded to douse my hands, right down to the elbows! And for good measure, the scalding-hot coffee burned a bit of what's under the front of my pants. So, yes, definitely ... physical therapy ... massage sessions ... and a gym membership, while you're at it.

Put it all together and I'd say I am expecting full, complete, fair and balanced compensation for what amounts to a nasty case of mental stress and physical duress inflicted without cause by Novus.

I really mean this, Novus! You have 48 hours to respond.

*Finis*


Just havin' a little fun, a sort of busman's holiday, izzall. Feel free to ignore the entire post.
Hmmm ... maybe I should have put this warning up at the top......

So, I see there's a new channel, 127 Sportsnet Vancouver Hockey. I'm getting a Not Authorized message when I turn to it. This doesn't sound like good news. From the Vancouver Sun Sept 13:

Try and follow along with me, if you will. And I'm paraphrasing here, but 45 of the team's games will be shown on Rogers Sportsnet. Easy, peasy.
And 24 will be televised nationally on either CBC or TSN. Got it.

While the remaining 13 games will be shown on Sportsnet Vancouver Hockey. Exactly.

What in H-E-double hockey stick is Sportsnet Vancouver Hockey?

So I made a few calls and learned Sportsnet Vancouver Hockey is a “companion channel” to Sportsnet One. Yes, the same Sportsnet One that we in the West don't get as it's not carried by Shaw or Novus at this time. Actually, it's not offered by any cable provider other than Rogers, which is only available if you live in Southern Ontario, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador. Which we don't.

So basically, as of today anyway, those 13 games will not be available on TV. I know, talk about burying the lead.

Well this is what is on Novus' website today:

Sportsnet ONE, a new 24-hour national sports digital channel, offers more than 800 hours of live sports programming -- featuring the Toronto Blue Jays, Toronto Raptors and Barclays Premier League soccer -- the bulk of it in high definition.

Also scheduled to be broadcast are other MLB games, including the Seattle Mariners, and various NBA games.

When you subscribe to Sportsnet ONE you also get Sportsnet ONE’s companion channels called Sportsnet Vancouver Hockey. Sportsnet Vancouver Hockey will air exclusive Vancouver Canucks games on channel 224 in SD and channel 129 in HD.

Watch Sportsnet ONE free till October 31st on channel 223 in SD and channel 128 in HD.

We hope you enjoy your FREE PREVIEW of Sportsnet ONE.

So, what we are getting a free preview of is SNO, but what we need to see games is SNVH.

The first game is on Tues Oct 19th. The preseason games aired on SNO, so... who knows.

Thanks Warren for finding that clarification. All's well in Novusland.

Anyone got any updates on Setanta or AMC HD? Novustech maybe?