NBC launches Hi-Def TV network

[az2004]

i'm in philadelphia and discovered it late september ...

tv listings did not exist, and i stumbled into track and field on a channel..

it's channel 249 on comcast digital...

haven't seen a HD channel yet...

if you get comcast, i'd llok for it

[wamego relays champ]

Not really all-HD. The article that was linked from the home page now has the following update:

The TV Week Magazine article, on which this article is based, originally ran its story under the headline, "NBC U Offers HD Sports Net to Stations" and said the new sports station would be in high-def. However, TV Week has since corrected its article to read "digital," not high-def. Consequently, the story below is incorrect. The new sports network will be in digital.

[skyin' brian]

I didn't realize that this was a over-the-air (as in free!) channel in many markets.

http://www.universalsports.tv/Universal ... on_TV.html

Unfortunately, it isn't available over the air or via cable in the Saint Louis market.

[gh]

from engagethd.com

<<If you thought for one second that when Weather Plus was killed that NBC was going to actually dedicate all of its allotted bits to bring you the HD you desire -- sans all the macro-blocking -- think again. We are glad that NBC learned that there aren't many people interested in yet another weather outlet, but evidently the next at bat is a 24/7 sports channel that's already available in some NBC Universal owned and operated affiliates.

Universal Sports will consist of 2400 hours of live sports coverage a year combined with 5000 hours of classic sports replays. The local stations will also be able to air a few of its own commercials as well as some local sports and sports related programming, which might be cool. Although we recognize the desire of DTV stations to find profitable uses for its extra bits, we don't approve if it interferes with the main programming. So this combined with NBC's recent track record in sports has us very skeptical -- you know messing up Football Night in America and things like the 12 hour Olympic sports delays.>>

[az2004]

could you provide a link so i can follow the schedule...

i discovered the channel about two weeks ago...

saw the doha meet, world juniors...chicago, the repeats, i didn't know when the were ....

saw the world xc meet from 2008 last week too

[Mighty Favog]

As I read it, yes it's just an HD version of the already-existing channel. I'm hopeful that I'll get it because it replaces a channel my cable provider carries but will go the way of the dodo by year's end.

This week's offerings, according to the website, include a 4 1/2 hour next-day broadcast of the Beijing Marathon, a 3-hour replay of the Chicago Marathon, two 30-minute highlights shows of the '08 London Marathon races (one for each sex), a 1-hour highlights show of the '08 World Juniors, and a 2-hour replay of the '08 Ostrava GP meet. And this is the off-season. Even if we get stuck with Carol Lewis doing most the announcing, overall I think I'll be quite happy.

[az2004]

isn't this just the HD version of the UNIVERSAL already available ??

my biggest problem is they don't tell you what'd being shown and when it's being shown...

enjoyed the world junior meet and the chicago coverage...

there were replays, but i had to check in periodically to see if the race was on

[Marlow]

So, you are the one who has been advising NBC on sports programming?

Network TV T&F presentation - just one of those of those things that make ya go . . . hmmmm. :?

[lonewolf]

So, you are the one who has been advising NBC on sports programming?

[Marlow]

I'm just praying that all content be shown 2 weeks after the meet, that hardly any field events get shown, that we have lots of 'up close and personal's, that Carol Lewis is the commentator, and that it often gets pre-empted by women's NCAA basketball conference semi-finals. Oh no, wait, we've already got all that!!

[gh]

<<...The channel, which will emphasize Olympic favorites such as skiing, track and field and gymnastics, will begin airing the World Cup Ski Season from October through March, TV Week reports....>>

Be interesting to see what kind of content and how much of it.