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Gerard1234
join:2012-04-03

Gerard1234

Member

[HD] We do not get the Local on the 8

We do not get the local on the 8's here in Michigan. I thought that Comcast owned the weather channel?
Joe12345678
join:2003-07-22
Des Plaines, IL

Joe12345678

Member

very few comcast systems have the new hardware needed for LOT8 HD.

FureverFurry
RIP Daphne: 3/12/05 - 6/19/12
Premium Member
join:2012-02-20
49xxx

FureverFurry to Gerard1234

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to Gerard1234
I *think* it's partly the Weather Channel: the local on the 8s has been more like "local on whenever time we feel like it" as one this morning came on at 3:54. Other "8s" are just non existant.

andyross
MVM
join:2003-05-04
Aurora, IL

andyross to Gerard1234

MVM

to Gerard1234
said by Gerard1234:

We do not get the local on the 8's here in Michigan. I thought that Comcast owned the weather channel?

The HD version doesn't have the locals yet due to technical issues on how it's added in and how Comcast distributes HD channels.

Also, during prime-time, they tend to skip the locals except maybe once or twice an hour.

mikedz4
join:2003-04-14
Weirton, WV

mikedz4

Member

local on the 8s will probably never be in hd. Pretty soon local on the 8s will probably be removed.

Bink63
Namedrop THIS
Premium Member
join:2002-10-06
Everywhere

Bink63 to andyross

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to andyross
said by andyross:

said by Gerard1234:

We do not get the local on the 8's here in Michigan. I thought that Comcast owned the weather channel?

The HD version doesn't have the locals yet due to technical issues on how it's added in and how Comcast distributes HD channels.

Also, during prime-time, they tend to skip the locals except maybe once or twice an hour.

Cablevision on Long Island, NY has their *REAL* HD Local On The 8's running just fine. Since it's an SA System there, I'm wondering if it's partially an issue with Moto Headends.

telcodad
MVM
join:2011-09-16
Lincroft, NJ

telcodad

MVM

said by Bink63:

said by andyross:

said by Gerard1234:

We do not get the local on the 8's here in Michigan. I thought that Comcast owned the weather channel?

The HD version doesn't have the locals yet due to technical issues on how it's added in and how Comcast distributes HD channels.

Also, during prime-time, they tend to skip the locals except maybe once or twice an hour.

Cablevision on Long Island, NY has their *REAL* HD Local On The 8's running just fine. Since it's an SA System there, I'm wondering if it's partially an issue with Moto Headends.

Our system is an SA/Cisco one and we don't have Local on the 8s in HD here either (yet).

The current statement from TWC on this (»feedback.weather.com/kno ··· inition-) says that:
quote:
The ability to deliver a detailed Local on the 8s in high definition is now available and is currently being rolled out nationwide. It is a slow process however and requires complex planning and testing with each of the various providers. A detailed Local on the 8s in HD is available in some areas and is coming soon to others;
As far as Comcast's rollout of HD LOT8s, at the end a previous thread (»NJ- Weather Channel HD Local on the 8s and other local info) where this was discussed, gt1racer See Profile said:
quote:
Reply from The Weather Channel's Local On The 8's Support:

"Unfortunately, the Comcast rollout of HD locals continues to be stalled. No dates for implementation yet."

Someone can try contacting TWC on the latest status of this here: »theweatherchannel.uservo ··· ntact_us

andyross
MVM
join:2003-05-04
Aurora, IL

andyross

MVM

Comcast tends to bundle up to 3 HD's together at a master site in Colorado, then distribute that. It uses high-end compression and other stuff. Local inserts can replace the data for a single channel, but the bandwidth must be kept low since the master feed coming is variable per channel and you have to allow for worst case minimum-bandwidth.

In order to do locals, Comcast would more or less have to always override the master to put in the overlay, which would mean TWC HD would always look like crap.
The Q
join:2008-06-26
Collegeville, PA

The Q to mikedz4

Member

to mikedz4
said by mikedz4:

local on the 8s will probably never be in hd. Pretty soon local on the 8s will probably be removed.

wow, that is big news, do you have a source or a link that says that feature will be removed?
GTFan
join:2004-12-03
Austell, GA

GTFan to mikedz4

Member

to mikedz4
said by mikedz4:

local on the 8s will probably never be in hd. Pretty soon local on the 8s will probably be removed.

In your area maybe, but we've had it here in the ATL for over a year now.

mikedz4
join:2003-04-14
Weirton, WV

mikedz4 to The Q

Member

to The Q
they don't even do local on the 8s during programming especially primetime. sad thing is that is the time when the most people watch the channel and very little local on the 8s.

telcodad
MVM
join:2011-09-16
Lincroft, NJ

telcodad

MVM

said by mikedz4:

they don't even do local on the 8s during programming especially primetime. sad thing is that is the time when the most people watch the channel and very little local on the 8s.

Yes, these days there are almost as many hours of documentary series programs as there are actual Weather Center ones.

During these programs, the LOT8s info is usually displayed on the "Lower Display Line" as discussed in the Wikipedia article (»en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lo ··· n_the_8s) on it:
quote:
In recent years with the inclusion of original programming such as Storm Stories and Full Force Nature to The Weather Channel, the local forecasts now generally air only four times an hour during long-form entertainment-based programs and some forecast programming on the channel. Local weather information is provided during the other "8"'s on the Lower Display Line during these programs. The standard "Local on the 8s" segment airs during non-forecast programming once every half-hour, while at about the :18 and :48 point of every hour, the "Local on the 8s" local forecast information is aired during a live national forecast update by one of the channel's meteorologists, running in a simultaneous picture-in-picture.
However, I subscribe to the Preferred Digital tier, so when I want to see the local weather, I usually just tune to the Weatherscan channel. Unfortunately, I can't get that on my DTAs, though.

cypherstream
MVM
join:2004-12-02
Reading, PA
·PenTeleData
ARRIS SB8200

cypherstream to mikedz4

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to mikedz4
I'm pretty sure Service Electric Cablevision down here where I live in PA has Local on the 8's in HD. So it's def. possible.

Maybe it should just be replaced with a software button. Have the set top box generate the HD graphics and grab the data from a server. Maybe that would be easier?
Joe12345678
join:2003-07-22
Des Plaines, IL

Joe12345678

Member

or weather scan HD

SeanWhite
@comcast.net

SeanWhite to Joe12345678

Anon

to Joe12345678
This has been a topic of contention for years, and many customers have bitterly given up ever seeing the glory of locals in HD

camper
just visiting this planet
Premium Member
join:2010-03-21
Bethel, CT

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said by telcodad:

Yes, these days there are almost as many hours of documentary series programs as there are actual Weather Center ones....

 
You are being charitable when you label The Weather Channel's low-budget reality programs as "documentaries".

telcodad
MVM
join:2011-09-16
Lincroft, NJ

1 edit

telcodad

MVM

said by camper:

said by telcodad:

Yes, these days there are almost as many hours of documentary series programs as there are actual Weather Center ones....

 
You are being charitable when you label The Weather Channel's low-budget reality programs as "documentaries".

OK, I guess, TWC just calls them "series." More are on the way for the 2013-2014 season too:

Weather Channel Announces Five New Series
Network planning new morning show, enhanced local forecasts for fall

By Andrea Morabito, Broadcasting & Cable - April 3, 2013
»www.broadcastingcable.co ··· ries.php
quote:
The Weather Channel is planning for 2013-14 to be a season of transformation for the network, which will include 20 primetime series, up from eight in 2012.

Network president David Clark detailed five of those new series at Weather Channel's upfront presentation on Wednesday morning. They include Secrets of the Earth, which premieres May 23 and uses computer graphics and expert scientists to reveal new aspects of the planet; Weather That Changed the World, launching June 6, which explores how weather impacted historic events like the sinking of the Titanic and the Hindenburg disaster; and August's Storm Warriors, which shows how people use incredible machines to work in the world's worst weather environments.

On tap for September is Strangest Weather on Earth which explores what causes phenomenon like raining frogs and volcano smoke rings, and Freaks of Nature which searches for people who have the ability to perform feats that would harm or kill the average human. Clark also announced the next edition of its Coast Guard series, Cape Disappointment, which follows rescuers at the headland in on the Columbia River in Washington.

Those join returning series like Coast Guard Alaska, Deadliest Space Weather, Forecasting the End, Hurricane Hunters, Lifeguard! and Prospectors that helped Weather Channel grow its ratings 10% with adults 25-54 in 2012.
GTFan
join:2004-12-03
Austell, GA

GTFan

Member

Of course, why bother with covering the weather anymore when 'reality' shows are so much better?

Joe12345678
join:2003-07-22
Des Plaines, IL

Joe12345678

Member

said by GTFan:

Of course, why bother with covering the weather anymore when 'reality' shows are so much better?


CNN should of been the one to buy out TWC.

The weather network does not have all of this reality BS.

mikedz4
join:2003-04-14
Weirton, WV

mikedz4

Member

comcast needs to quit calling it the weather channel. Call it the documentary channel 2. Most of the severe storms happen in the late afternoon and evening and instead I have to watch shark hunters or ice berg hunters or reef wranglers.
The weather channel is the new MTV!!!

andyross
MVM
join:2003-05-04
Aurora, IL

andyross

MVM

If there is widespread severe weather, they do pre-empt the scheduled shows. This happened in May several times with those EF5 tornadoes.
GTFan
join:2004-12-03
Austell, GA

GTFan

Member

Widespread, sure - but his point is valid, they don't really care about covering the weather anymore unless they get ratings.

MarvinsMagic
@comcast.net

MarvinsMagic

Anon

The Local on the 8s segments, really don't provide a lot of detail anymore, especially with all of them being a minute long. It used to be that some of them were at least two minutes long and provided additional information (regional observations, air quality, almanac), but that stopped I believe late last year. It's a shame what the Weather Channel has come to, but it seems like a lot of cable channels have drifted from what their original intent was. I wouldn't mind having WeatherNation, since they only focus on the weather, but I'm not holding my breath on getting it anytime soon. But, at least I can watch the live feed on their website.
»weathernationtv.com/LocalWeather