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Time Warner’s new HD channels and why Costa Mesa, Tustin get them first

October 29th, 2008, 3:00 am · 9 Comments · posted by Tamara Chuang, a.k.a. The Gadgetress

This is the third in a 3-part series of posts. Read the first at “Time Warner still cleaning up cable merger mess in O.C.“ and second at “”Time Warner Cable’s new features finally coming to O.C.“

While most of Time Warner Cable’s Orange County subscribers will have nearly 50 high-definition TV channels by the end of the year, certain customers in Costa Mesa and Tustin will have at least 63 and up to 85 (list of what to come is after the jump).

While it may not be enough to appease some residents, there is an explanation, said Fred Stefany, president of Time Warner’s O.C. operation.

When Time Warner acquired Comcast customers in Orange County last year, Comcast offered fewer analog channels than Time Warner did. In fact, Comcast offered 33 analog channels to its customers in Costa Mesa. In other areas, Time Warner offered 78.

Analog channels take up a lot of space in the cable pipe. One analog channel is equivelent to 15 digitals or 3 HD channels, Stefany said. Time Warner can only transmit a set amount of channels and services before the pipe gets clogged. So get 30 analog channels or 450 digital channels? Hmm… That is definitely one incentive to switch to digital — or move to Costa Mesa or Tustin. 

“Costa Mesa and Tustin, the ex-Comcast areas, they were getting 22 to 33 analog channels to begin with. So, we reclaimed those channels and have room for more HD,” Stefany said. “We’ll have 85 channels of HD (in those areas) by the end of the year.”

Of course, if you’re not a Time Warner customer, you may already have 85 HD channels. DirecTV offers 130 HD channels. Verizon’s FiOS TV offers at least 104 HD channels. Not quite there: Most of Cox Cable’s O.C. customers have 51 HD channels, DishNetwork offers around 60 HD channels, and AT&T’s U-verse just announced 30 new HD channels, bringing its total to 75.

Time Warner shared with me its list of future HD channels. This chart shows the two types of customers in Costa Mesa: Former Comcast customers and existing Time Warner customers. Several unannouced channels :

COSTA MESA Fmr Comcast Legacy TWC
Food Network HD Available Available
HGTV HD Available Available
CNN HD Available Available
History HD Available Available
A&E HD Available Available
Golf/Vs HD Available Available
Discovery Channel HD Available Available
TLC HD Available Available
Disney Channel HD Available Available
ABC Family HD Available Available
ESPNews HD Available Available
National Geographic HD Available Available
KCOP HD Available Available
Planet Green HD 16-Dec TBD
The Weather Channel HD 16-Dec TBD
BIO HD 16-Dec TBD
Toon Disney HD 16-Dec TBD
Cartoon Network HD 16-Dec TBD
ESPNU HD 16-Dec TBD
Speed HD 16-Dec TBD
The Tennis Channel HD 16-Dec TBD
Lifetime Movie Network HD 16-Dec TBD
Hallmark Movie Channel HD 16-Dec TBD
HBO East HD 16-Dec TBD
Cinemax East HD 16-Dec TBD
Showtime East HD 16-Dec TBD
The Movie Channel West HD 16-Dec TBD
Starz East HD 16-Dec TBD
INDemand Sports HD 1 16-Dec TBD
INDemand Sports HD 2 16-Dec TBD
Fox News HD 17-Dec 17-Dec
Fox Business Network HD 17-Dec 17-Dec
FX HD 17-Dec 17-Dec
Animal Planet HD 17-Dec 17-Dec
Travel Channel HD 17-Dec 17-Dec
Science Channel HD 17-Dec 17-Dec
NBA TV HD 17-Dec 17-Dec
NHL Network HD 17-Dec 17-Dec

Earlier:

Part One: Time Warner still cleaning up cable merger mess in O.C.

Part Two: Time Warner Cable’s new features finally coming to O.C.

Related stories:

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 9 Comments

  • Phebe Adams says:
    October 29, 2008 at 3:18 pm

    What’s the big deal about having umpteen hundred channels. You can only watch one at a time–and maybe record one or two more. I don’t have Dish or Cable, and probably never will, again. But if they want my business, they will offer an a la carte service where I can select what I want and pay only for that. Or even, a pay for view. Record everything I watch, and bill me so much per viewing at the end of the month. That probably wouldn’t work, though. I watch so little they’d go broke.

  • Cagal says:
    October 29, 2008 at 8:17 pm

    TWC sucks! Poor customer service, channels and pricing!! Switching to Direct TV this weekend.

  • caseclosed says:
    October 29, 2008 at 8:44 pm

    I switched to Direct TV fromTWC and it was the best move ever.

  • CableH8tor says:
    October 30, 2008 at 8:19 am

    I wish I could switch to Dish, my apartment wont let me, TWC sux, overpriced and 1/2 the channels I dont like
    I hope for Ala-Carte but TWC will fight it with my money
    Now I hear they will raise their rates again, Digital TV wont work on rabbit ears, so I either have to move or give up on TV on Feb 17 2009 when they go full digital

  • John G. says:
    October 30, 2008 at 8:37 am

    I live in Anaheim and am a former Adelphia customer. I noticed you don’t mentiomn my area at all. When I called TWC, I ws told that Anaheim was not going to get the new HD channels, period. But I’ll bet I wind up paying the same rate as those areas that do get them.

    Whatever happened to anti-trust laws? And where’s the Anaheim city government when you need them? Probably partying in Downtown Disney on Disney campaign contributions!

    Disgusted in Anaheim.

  • Jimmy says:
    November 4, 2008 at 11:59 am

    I live in LA County, Diamond Bar in particular…several months ago, I called TWC and inquired when we are getting more HD channels. The person on the other end said November of 2008. It’s November now and so far I haven’t heard anything from them. But I’m quite sure that before adding more HD channels, they will do a price hike first to justify the new channels. I’ve been thinking of switching to DirectTV. If only they can give me a free HD/DVR, I would really consider it.

  • David says:
    December 5, 2008 at 11:27 pm

    Just an FYI… Corona Del Mar, parts of Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, Santa Ana, and Seal Beach.(Legacy TWC) just got pushed back to January per their website. :(
    This stinks so much!

  • Time Warner’s O.C. phone outage felt in Hawaii - Alt+Save with the Gadgetress - OCRegister.com says:
    December 23, 2008 at 3:38 pm

    [...] Time Warner’s new HD channels and why Costa Mesa, Tustin get them first [...]

  • Time Warner Cable may lose Jon Stewart, MTV, more - Alt+Save with the Gadgetress - OCRegister.com says:
    December 30, 2008 at 11:20 pm

    [...] Time Warner’s new HD channels and why Costa Mesa, Tustin get them first [...]