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robertf390
join:2011-04-16
Nesconset, NY

robertf390

Member

The Weather Channel - New Graphics starting today

For those interested, the Weather Channel has introduced new graphics today. The SD channel has the local on the 8's in VHO-5 for NYC, Farmingdale and Hartsdale, as before with different design. Also, as before, the HD channel still gets the National version which is useless.

I reached out to both Verizon and The Weather Channel as to why the HD channel cannot get the local version, as many of us only watch HD. The Weather Channel claims Verizon doesn't want to pay for the local version and decided for a s/t fix by having that dopey local forecast widget (the one that has inaccurate info most of the time - particularly radar images).

Since the HD service has been available for 6 years now, its time for Verizon to step up and provide the local data on HD - not just for convenience but if a serious weather situation comes up quickly and you are only paying attention to the HD channels, you could be in a dangerous situation. Verizon claims to have the state of the art technology - this should be a no-brainer and easy to provide!

SeattleMatt
Streaming Tech Director
Premium Member
join:2001-12-28
Seattle, WA

SeattleMatt

Premium Member

Robert-
Comcast refuses to pay for the HD Intellistar's as well.

Meanwhile, small MSO's in Central PA offer it...
bsangs
join:2002-08-21
Montclair, NJ

bsangs to robertf390

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Not trying to be a d-bag, but in the era of internet, smart phones and tablets, who regularly uses the TV for weather forecasts anymore? That's probably why they don't want to shell out extra for an HD channel nobody really watches. Hell, from what I've seen lately, TWC itself is about as much about actual weather as MTV is about music videos.

bohratom
My Jersey Giants finally winning again..
join:2011-07-07
Red Bank NJ

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said by robertf390:

its time for Verizon to step up and provide the local data on HD

Sure, long as they bill you for the cost....

nycdave
MVM
join:1999-11-16
Melville, NY

2 recommendations

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As JeepMatt already explained, this isn't getting solved any time soon and it isn't unique to Verizon. TWC requires all MSO's to have very expensive HD Intellistars installed in each headend. In Verizon's case, this would require an HD Intellistar in every VSO - costing many, many millions.....Verizon doesn't want to spend the $ which then gets passed on to every customer.
robertf390
join:2011-04-16
Nesconset, NY

robertf390

Member

Hi Dave / Jeep -

Thanks for the responses - I was told via email from TWC each unit costs $6,000 which is why I questioned why we didn't have it yet. Clearly if it cost millions as you say, it not reasonable.

I'd be happy to forward you the email he sent me if you want to dm me - they should not be passing out inaccurate info. It's from Robert Farmer. The whole point of this new roll-out was to provide local info 24/7 - even during commercials which made it seem practical.

And as Jeep says, Comcast doesn't offer it either, which is hard to understand since they own TWC via NBC Universal.
sbernstein5
join:2005-01-18
10024-5650

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I used to care about this, about 5 years ago. But now instead of waiting for the "Weather On The 8s" I can hit weather.com or The Weather Channel iPhone cellphone app, and get the same info exactly when I want it. So really, what would be the value in the investment for Verizon?

aaronwt
Premium Member
join:2004-11-07
Woodbridge, VA
Asus RT-AX89

aaronwt to robertf390

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to robertf390
said by robertf390:

For those interested, the Weather Channel has introduced new graphics today. The SD channel has the local on the 8's in VHO-5 for NYC, Farmingdale and Hartsdale, as before with different design. Also, as before, the HD channel still gets the National version which is useless.

I reached out to both Verizon and The Weather Channel as to why the HD channel cannot get the local version, as many of us only watch HD. The Weather Channel claims Verizon doesn't want to pay for the local version and decided for a s/t fix by having that dopey local forecast widget (the one that has inaccurate info most of the time - particularly radar images).

Since the HD service has been available for 6 years now, its time for Verizon to step up and provide the local data on HD - not just for convenience but if a serious weather situation comes up quickly and you are only paying attention to the HD channels, you could be in a dangerous situation. Verizon claims to have the state of the art technology - this should be a no-brainer and easy to provide!

FiOS needs to just dump the SD version.

matcarl
Premium Member
join:2007-03-09
Franklin Square, NY

matcarl

Premium Member

said by aaronwt:

FiOS needs to just dump the SD version.

But the SD version is the one showing the local weather.

CELTICPRIDE
@verizon.net

CELTICPRIDE

Anon

I know i'm in the minority but i dont even want much less own a smart phone ,I prefer to watch tv on a big screen television through a AV receiver and 5.1 surround sound. I cant even conprhend watching a tv show on a cell phone but a 8'' tablet maybe.
bsangs
join:2002-08-21
Montclair, NJ

bsangs

Member

said by CELTICPRIDE :

I know i'm in the minority but i dont even want much less own a smart phone ,I prefer to watch tv on a big screen television through a AV receiver and 5.1 surround sound. I cant even conprhend watching a tv show on a cell phone but a 8'' tablet maybe.

Talking about weather forecast though, not a TV show. You really need the 5-day forecast on a big screen in surround sound?
sbernstein5
join:2005-01-18
10024-5650

sbernstein5

Member

Yeah...it's just text and some music. Nothing too exciting or more exciting than what's available on the "Weatherscan" channel in SD

Thinkdiff
MVM,
join:2001-08-07
Bronx, NY

Thinkdiff to robertf390

MVM,

to robertf390
said by robertf390:

Hi Dave / Jeep -

Thanks for the responses - I was told via email from TWC each unit costs $6,000 which is why I questioned why we didn't have it yet. Clearly if it cost millions as you say, it not reasonable.

I'd be happy to forward you the email he sent me if you want to dm me - they should not be passing out inaccurate info.

If we take what Dave said - need one unit per VSO (FiOS TV equipped central office), it is easily many millions.

I don't think the number of Verizon VSOs is public knowledge, but here's a list of the central offices just in south east PA:
»www22.verizon.com/wholes ··· tePA.pdf
Now some of them are closed or virtual or might not have FiOS, etc. But the point is Verizon has a lot of COs to cover one geographical area. I estimated roughly 70 per page at 6 pages. That's $2.5 million at the price TWC sent you. Not hard to imagine it would cost a ton to cover the entire FiOS footprint - and the ROI is basically zero.
thetick
join:2009-06-22
White Plains, NY

thetick to sbernstein5

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to sbernstein5
5 years ago this would have been great. Now it's a waste of money and unnecessary cost that would passed to all consumers and only benefit the very few users without a smartphone. If the HD equipment was real cheap like a few hundred dollars at each VHO sure.. but not the millions low volume electronics costs.

DocDrew
How can I help?
Premium Member
join:2009-01-28
SoCal

DocDrew

Premium Member

If it were only needed in the VHO, no problem thats just a few, but Local on the 8's would be the same for that entire VHO. What's the point of even doing that?

For close to accurate Local on the 8's every VSO would need one.

brahunter
@verizon.net

brahunter to robertf390

Anon

to robertf390
If a serious weather condition comes up I ain't waiting for weather channel local on the 8 for info. Like during sandy every local network has better coverage than weather channel can provide.

nascar
join:2000-02-28
Verona, NJ

nascar

Member

Don't agree. The Weather channel was spot on days out.
said by brahunter :

If a serious weather condition comes up I ain't waiting for weather channel local on the 8 for info. Like during sandy every local network has better coverage than weather channel can provide.


SeattleMatt
Streaming Tech Director
Premium Member
join:2001-12-28
Seattle, WA

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said by DocDrew:

For close to accurate Local on the 8's every VSO would need one.

I can tell you, the Intellistar's are NOT at the VSO's, only at the VHO.

That is why, for instance here in Northern DE - the local forecast on the Weather Channel and Weatherscan always centered around Philly (since that's where the hardware was - I saw the actual server). Then after some complaints they tweaked the settings to eventually swap in forecasts for Delaware, and then up north towards Trenton on a rolling basis.
ansky
join:2009-05-18
West Orange, NJ

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With the way the local newscasts hype the weather, you don't need a smartphone, internet, or the Weather Channel. Two nights ago the top story on the local news was about how cold it will be the next 2 days. And if there is even the remote chance of any kind of severe weather there will be scrolls going across the bottom of the screen, beeping, etc.
bsangs
join:2002-08-21
Montclair, NJ

bsangs

Member

said by ansky:

With the way the local newscasts hype the weather, you don't need a smartphone, internet, or the Weather Channel. Two nights ago the top story on the local news was about how cold it will be the next 2 days. And if there is even the remote chance of any kind of severe weather there will be scrolls going across the bottom of the screen, beeping, etc.

I know, right? They were outside reporting in the flurries - that weren't even sticking to the ground! - like it was the start of some sort of blizzard. It flurried for about 20 minutes. Ridiculous.

matcarl
Premium Member
join:2007-03-09
Franklin Square, NY

matcarl

Premium Member

I can't believe how weather forecasters over-react when we get a couple of cold days. We have been so spoiled by all these above normal temperatures, that people forget what it should be like at this time of year. It's supposed to start getting cold now, it's almost December. But I bet they won't say anything this weekend when we are 15 degrees above normal again. No one remembers what the weather should be like anymore. I didn't need my heat this year until a month later than normal. The leaves didn't start falling until a month later than normal either. But of course, no mention of that.

Nezmo
The name's Bond. James Bond.
MVM
join:2004-11-10
Coppell, TX

Nezmo

MVM

said by matcarl:

I can't believe how weather forecasters over-react when we get a couple of cold days. We have been so spoiled by all these above normal temperatures, that people forget what it should be like at this time of year. It's supposed to start getting cold now, it's almost December. But I bet they won't say anything this weekend when we are 15 degrees above normal again. No one remembers what the weather should be like anymore. I didn't need my heat this year until a month later than normal. The leaves didn't start falling until a month later than normal either. But of course, no mention of that.

Try being in TX. When it rains here it's top of the news with a roving reporter standing at some intersection with cameras showing water on the road.
billhere
join:2011-10-21
Santa Monica, CA

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Last year we got less than five inches of rain in Southern California.

There's not much need for the Weather Channel out here.

SeattleMatt
Streaming Tech Director
Premium Member
join:2001-12-28
Seattle, WA

SeattleMatt

Premium Member

Well, ironically just read news today that Comcast IS in progress of adding HD LOT8's.

Already hit Chicago, and all areas will have it by end of Q1 '14

bohratom
My Jersey Giants finally winning again..
join:2011-07-07
Red Bank NJ

2 recommendations

bohratom

Member

said by SeattleMatt:

omcast IS in progress of adding HD LOT8's

O NO, have to cancel my FIOS now and get Comcast no matter the price....

icemannyr1
join:2001-04-11
Township Of Washington, NJ

icemannyr1

Member

A FiOS customer was talking via Twitter with TWC CEO and he said FiOS is in the testing phase for the IS2 for HD local forecasts on TWC HD and in about 3 months they should be up and running.
»twctoday.com/forums/twc- ··· 113/#new
ansky
join:2009-05-18
West Orange, NJ

ansky

Member

said by icemannyr1:

A FiOS customer was talking via Twitter with TWC CEO and he said FiOS is in the testing phase for the IS2 for HD local forecasts on TWC HD and in about 3 months they should be up and running.
»twctoday.com/forums/twc- ··· 113/#new

3 months = 1 year in Verizon world
thetick
join:2009-06-22
White Plains, NY

1 recommendation

thetick

Member

said by ansky:

3 months = 1 year in Verizon world

And just in time to justify an extra fee and jack up the package prices. Personally I would rather not have Verizon add this if it ends up in price increases. It's 2014, weather is on your cell phones, tablets and computers.

RScottyL
join:2004-12-28
Arlington, TX
Motorola MB8611
Ubiquiti UDM-Pro
Ubiquiti Unifi UAP-AC-LITE

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Click for full size
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Here are some screen captures!

dcowboy
join:2012-05-10
Pequannock, NJ

dcowboy

Member

Thats not local....isnt that what we have already have now ?