Once upon a time, a smattering of new HD channels in one major metropolitan area was a huge deal. Nowadays, it's almost expected that one area or another will experience some HD expansion each week. In order to keep things nice and tidy around here, we deliver high-def expansions, market expansions and anything else dealing with HD channel growth right here. If we missed an area that you're familiar with, drop us a line in comments so everyone can catch up. The more the merrier, we say!

Read - More high-definition channels roll out (Great Falls, Montana)
Read - ATMC Launches CNN HD (North Carolina)
Read - Cable high-def on hold at WKTV (Utica, NY)
Read - Comcast customers to see up to 64 new HD channels (Washington, Thanks, Tyler)
Read - RCN Brings Digital Revolution to Lehigh Valley, PA Cable TV Customers in September; Providing 100 High Definition (HD) Channels to Customers
Read - AT&T U-verse TV Adds ShortsHD and New International Channels
Read - More HD Coming For Puerto Rico
Read - Comcast Expanding HD in Bay Area
Comcast adding History, CNN, USA, Discovery, Animal Planet, AMC in New Jersey (Thanks, Margo)
Comcast adding Biography HD, G4 HD, Lifetime HD, Lifetime Movie Network HD, MTV HD, VH1 HD, Comedy Central HD, Spike HD, Nickelodeon HD, The Weather Channel HD, IFC HD, WE-HD, FUSE HD, Planet Green HD, TVOne HD, and Style HD in Connecticut September 1 (Thanks, Michael)
Read - Bright House Networks in Michigan adds 10 HD channels (Thanks, Kyle)

Remember that tru2way-related Memorandum of Understanding that was all the rage about this time last year? It appears the 6 cable companies haven't lived up to at least one part of their agreement, collectively missing the deadline of July 1 to have 100% of their digital cable headends compatible. No word on how close they got, but Comcast, Cox, Time Warner, Charter, Cablevision and Bright House still insist it's "not that far off" though we don't see how missing important milestones is helping move the technology forwards.

Once upon a time, a smattering of new HD channels in one major metropolitan area was a huge deal. Nowadays, it's almost expected that one area or another will experience some HD expansion each week. In order to keep things nice and tidy around here, we deliver high-def expansions, market expansions and anything else dealing with HD channel growth right here. If we missed an area that you're familiar with, drop us a line in comments so everyone can catch up. The more the merrier, we say!

Read - DIRECTV Delivers Local HD Programming to Customers in Harrisonburg, Va.
Read - Telemundo 47 Now Available In HD On Time Warner Cable New York
Read - Bright House Connects With YES 'National' In Orlando
Read - Time Warner adds HD movie channel, expands HD tier 33%
Read - Some Oceanic Time Warner customers can soon watch Smithsonian Networks (Hawaii)

Neither Verizon nor Bright House Networks can provide those oh-so-snazzy interactive mix channels like DirecTV and DISH Network can, but what they -- along with a few other providers, most likely -- can do is provide free access to HBO for a day. This Sunday (that's tomorrow for the continental US, the day after tomorrow for Point Hope, AK, Kihei, HI and surrounding areas), FiOS TV and BHN digital TV subscribers will all be given a fee-free look at HBO's exclusive live broadcast of the "We Are One: The Obama Inauguration Celebration" concert from the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. Better still, both carriers are providing HD feeds for those looking for the best in clarity (read: you), and those scouting the full lineup of artists and speakers can find just that in the links below. Trust us, this is like a hundred million times better than trying to get within 50 miles of The District this weekend.

Read - Verizon announcement
Read - Bright House Networks announcement
Read - Time Warner Cable announcement

Update: Turns out, HBO's letting anyone with a STB tune in gratis. Classy move.

Although you wouldn't know it from the big press events at CES, tru2way is still on track for mass deployment and July 1st is the big day. The six biggest MSOs, signed on to that date some time ago -- it should be noted that Verizon still hates the idea -- and both Time Warner Cable and Comcast are proud to re-iterate that it's actually going to happen. Ten of TWC's 22 divisions have already deployed tru2way boxes -- no 3rd party device support yet -- which is about half of its customers. Comcast has already started supporting 3rd party tru2way boxes in Chicago and Denver back in October and also expects to have every market ready by July. The MSOs also agreed -- in the same Memorandum of Understanding -- that by July, 20% of its own new boxes would be using tru2way as well. So while it appears the MSOs will be ready for tru2way in 2009, based on the announcements at CES, we'll all have to wait until 2010 before we really see the TV manufacturers fulfill their end of the deal.

We're not sure how this demand will be received, but the American Cable Association's argument is simple: if only Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks subs are in danger of losing MTV Networks channels at the stroke of midnight, why are we all bothered with an annoying crawl message? Of course, that plea is couched by statements backing TWC and BHN's reluctance to agree to new higher programming fees, but those of us eagerly anticipating a Miley-Sized surprise during tonight's NYE celebration that have a different provider could do without the interruptions.

We get the feeling that we'll see quite a few carriers proudly announcing carriage deals with MLB Network during the run-up to its launch (January 1, 2009), and Bright House Networks is getting us started by promising its Tampa Bay, Florida customers the channel come the new year. Starting in 2009, MLB Network will be available in SD on digital cable channel 159 and in HD on slot 744, and Joe Durkin, senior director corporate communications at the carrier, has confirmed that it will be added at no extra charge. For those unaware, the channel will carry "live games, original programming, highlights, classic games and coverage of baseball events," and its signature show -- MLB Tonight -- is obviously aiming to take viewers away from Karl Ravech, John Kruk and the rest of the gang at ESPN's 'Baseball Tonight.'

We can't possibly overstate the awesomeness of competition, and it's readily apparent in this here scenario. After many Central Florida-based Bright House Networks customers were left without TV service for around eight hours earlier this month, the outfit made known that small refunds would be given. Now, it's stepping the apology up another notch by promising a free month of Showtime HD, The Movie Channel, Showtime on Demand and TMC on Demand. Additionally, it's adding in those four high-def stations -- SciFi HD (1369), FX HD (1370), Travel HD (1365) and USA HD (1399) -- a few days early, giving you four more to enjoy over the Christmas holiday. Thanks, AT&T.

[Thanks, Rob]

Well, what do you know? Two of the four HD newcomers that landed in Indy earlier today have appeared down in Tampa Bay, Florida. According to an ecstatic local, Golf HD (739), USA HD (740), Bravo HD (742) and SciFi HD (741) have all appeared in the Tampa / St. Petersburg area, keeping it somewhat in line with its Orlando-area lineup. Happy surfing!

[Thanks, Kaylan]

Indianapolis! How's it? If you call yourself a Bright House Networks customer, it's about to get a lot better. According to a local who was surfing aimlessly in the EPG today, USA HD (739), Travel HD (748), SciFi HD (768) and FX HD (771) are all available, and we'd wager that's no accident. Flip 'er on and enjoy your new material, Indy.

[Thanks, Rob]

There's hardly anything more awesome than a belated gift that your weren't even expecting, and that's exactly what has been given to Bright House Networks customers in Michigan. Just days after receiving Biography HD, Golf HD, Versus HD and Hallmark Movie Channel HD, the carrier has added FX HD to the mix on slot 267. Any other stragglers out there you can tell us about, BHN?

[Thanks, Dean]

So, there's great news, and then some not so great news. We'll start you off with the former. Bright House Networks has decided to add SciFi HD (1369), Travel HD (1365), USA HD (1399) and FX HD (1370) to the Central Florida lineup, bringing the total in the area to 40 HD channels. The rub? They won't debut until December 29th, and we all know you'll be focused entirely on college football's bowl bonanza during that time. Still, for non-sports fanatics, there's hardly a better foursome to ask for.

[Thanks, Russ]

With all the price hikes and complaints about quality, it's not often that you find a story tied to a cable company that's positive. And in fairness, it's totally not positive that Bright House Networks' subscribers in Florida had to deal with an eight hour TV outage starting at around 3:00PM Monday, but just bear with us. In an effort to express its "sincerest apologies," the carrier has decided to automatically issue credits to affected customers. Sure, the refund won't be huge, but it's a sentiment that's rare and much appreciated in today's cutthroat business world. The outage was unlike any other outside of times in which a hurricane had struck, and a corrupt database used to deliver programming to cable boxes was blamed for the incident. We know, you're still upset that you missed the series finale of Boston Legal and / or the trouncing of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but hopefully a few pennies back on your next bill will make things easier to get over.

The weather isn't enviable in Michigan right now, but the HD lineup on Bright House Networks certainly is. According to new information on the carrier's website, locals can now tune to Biography HD (249), Golf HD (233), Versus HD (274) and Hallmark Movie Channel HD (290; replaces MOJO HD). These changes come just weeks after BHN delivered a half dozen others, so we suspect customers in the state are already salivating at the thought of getting more just a few months from now.

[Thanks, Dean]

We certainly hope you Grant County residents in Indiana enjoy the Indianapolis anchors, because after this year, that's all you'll be seeing from Bright House Networks. Currently, this sector of the world is in a rare scenario, as its local cable carrier offers locals from both Indianapolis and Fort Wayne. Sadly, the Fort Wayne NBC (WISE-TV) / ABC (WPTA-TV) affiliates will be done away with after December 31st, and BHN's president of Indiana operations says the decision was based on how skewed the ratings were in the direction of Indy's locals. Not all is doom and gloom, however, as the MLB Network will join HD versions of The Weather Channel, Travel Channel, USA, FX and SciFi in the Grant County EPG next month. Six steps forward, two steps back? Deal.