BBC America finally in HD!

[Redfern]

I just noticed that DirecTV is finally providing a high definition channel for BBC America! Yay! Yes, I know the network itself has been transmitting a hi-def signal for a while, but only now has DirecTV opted to offer it as part of its line-up.

Up shot? Newest season of Doctor Who will show every nick and smudge on those Dalek casings! Yay...again!

Sincerely,

Bill

 

[Enterprise is Great]

This is great timing. Yay DirectTV!

 

[Photoman15]

Today (Thursday 8/15) Verizon FIOS also started BBC America in HD. After over a year of me bitching to them

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

It's been on DISH for a while now. I guess those guys finally caught up with the Joneses

 

[MadOnion]

Now if only I could afford an HDTV.

 

[auntiehill]

YAY! Maybe our crappy cable provider will finally add BBCA in HD.

 

[Worf2DS9]

I'll be able to watch DW in HD for the first time here in Canada too. SpaceHD is now no longer Bell-only and available on Rogers. Woo-hoo!

 

[Mr. Adventure]

Sounds like great news for a lot of you and perfect timing. Being colorful and bigger than life Who is a great fit for HD.

 

[davejames]

About time.... although I think I'll probably be sticking with the longer, unedited versions anyway.

The way BBCA inserts those commercials is so awkward, and just kills the flow of the story completely.

 

[tomalak301]

I hate Crapcast for many reasons, and not having BBCAmerica in HD is one of them.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

I hate Crapcast for many reasons, and not having BBCAmerica in HD is one of them.

I've had it for quite a while, it all depends where you're at I guess.

 

[OmahaStar]

I hate Crapcast for many reasons, and not having BBCAmerica in HD is one of them.

I've had it for quite a while, it all depends where you're at I guess.

I have Cox here. I've been calling about once a month for a year, asking for BBC America. I finally talked with someone in their marketing department, who claimed that no one had ever requested it, which is bogus since I sure did. I asked why they would have fricken GOLF in HD, but not BBC America. She said they got so many requests that they did it.

Then she said that they had tried to get BBCA in HD, but BBCA didn't want to let Cox have it. I asked if that was company-wide. She said yes. I then asked why there were several markets that had Cox with BBCA in HD, offering to point out which ones they were. A quick google search gave me several. She stammered and said she would get back in touch with BBCA to request it again.

I went to the BBCA website and did the "contact me" form, politely requesting that they allow Cox in the midwest to air in HD. I get the feeling the marketing woman didn't really know what she was talking about, but a request directly to the network can't hurt.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

^ Most people you talk to at any company probably have no idea what they're talking about.

And that's even if you're talking to an actual employee of that company and not someone in a call center in another part of the world.

We used to have Cox cable here in the Chicagoland area in the 80's, I figured they'd been bought out by Comcrap since I haven't heard the name in many years.

I would have thought that since there are so many options for TV, that the service would be better overall, with no monopoly by any one company. It's sad that each and every provider is so cavalier about customer service.

And even more sad that one provider like Comcrap could be so far behind in the HD market.

I guess they all figure they will have their share of the market no matter what.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Cool news, although it doesn't affect me since an HD TV is out of the budget right now.

 

[Similitude]

Does anyone know if BBCA will be cutting the episodes down from the British versions to fit with commercials? Or will they just run long?

 

[Mr. Adventure]

Does anyone know if BBCA will be cutting the episodes down from the British versions to fit with commercials? Or will they just run long?

I think the specials can be different but that they will run them in a one hour spot and likely trimming a little somewhere. Historically though the first airing is trimmed less than the repeats.

 

[auntiehill]

^That's true. First airing of specials might be OK, but not after that. To date,I think they've cut every regular episode for commercials. I think only the Christmas Specials have been immune--on first airing only.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Yeah, I understand first airing to be ok, but not after that. I'm not sure about On Demand.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

Does anyone know if BBCA will be cutting the episodes down from the British versions to fit with commercials? Or will they just run long?

I think the specials can be different but that they will run them in a one hour spot and likely trimming a little somewhere. Historically though the first airing is trimmed less than the repeats.

^That's true. First airing of specials might be OK, but not after that. To date,I think they've cut every regular episode for commercials. I think only the Christmas Specials have been immune--on first airing only.

BBCA did 1:15 (total) on the first-run of any longer DW episodes (like Eleventh Hour), then cut them down to 1:00 for subsequent showings.

It was noticeable if you watched the first airing, but they didn't cut anything that was too important to the story.

 

[Sindatur]

The hour long (without commercials) specials are shown in a 1 1/2 hour time slot first run (IE: Should be without cuts) and then cut into an hour slot with commercials in re-airings