Flying in the face of those who think that cable operators are allowed to encrypt every channel, Cablevision has petitioned the FCC for a waiver to do just that. Evidently it is argued that even the basic tier should encrypted to save money on truck rolls that are currently required to disconnect service. As usual, the FCC is requesting the comment of opposing views, so it's not to late to be heard. But it seems to us that Cablevision is going to have a hard time arguing to protect these channels in the clear, when it's the every same channels you can get for free with an antenna. Add in all the customers who brought home a new TV and just plugged it into the cable and did a channel scan, and you have yourselves a waiver we'd like to see denied.

[Thanks, Mike]

Looks like Verizon's not the only one to have beef with Cablevision's treatment of its MSG HD channels, now that AT&T has also petitioned the FCC to compel the cabler to sell the high definition feeds to its competitors. AT&T cites stats showing high definition is a big deal for consumers, with 45% saying they'd switch providers for a superior sports package, claiming it can't compete in Connecticut without the networks. Just as before, Cablevision claims it can do as it likes, that it already sells them every single game (in SD format) and that AT&T is a bigger company that doesn't need a bailout. We've had plenty of summertimes squabbles about who was and wasn't playing by the rules that ended with one side claiming they'd take their ball and go home, but we usually didn't bring the FCC in to settle it. The FCC is still on a five month clock to consider the complaints and the "terrestrial loophole," 'til it responds we can't guess how this one will end.

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 - Cablevision Significantly Expands Free Video On Demand Lineup With Programming From Eight Popular Networks
Read - Tour de France: live at Riverview Theater
Read - Comcast rolls out 80 new channels in Marin
Read - Fox signal returning; ABC gets upgrade (Montana)
Read - High-definition nearing for UH (Hawaii)
Read - Cox Communications adds 27 HD channels
Read - Time Warner Cable Will Buy More Samsung Tru2way Boxes

NYC Metro FiOS subs will look on with interest as Verizon has petitioned the FCC to rule on whether or not Cablevision can continue to refuse offering its MSG channels in high definition to FiOS customers. Naturally Cablevision has responded calling the idea of a regulatory bailout for a phone company ten times its size "absurd," and claiming that it doesn't have to license its local HD programming to anyone. As Multichannel News explains, at issue is the "terrestrial loophole" which requires satellite delivered programming to be made available to competitors, but since the MSG channels aren't that rule does not apply. Still, it could be a while before we know if local Rangers, Knicks, Islanders, Devils and Sabers games are coming to FiOS as Verizon has asked for a decisions within five months, which, while not in time for the basketball season, should still be made well ahead of the Knicks ever being any good again.

Read - Verizon Petitions FCC to Rule on Cablevision's Refusal to Make MSG Channels Available in HD
Read - Verizon Files Program Access Complaint Against Cablevision

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.

It seems like Cablevision and others have been trying to roll out "remote storage" network DVRs forever, and now that the Supreme Court has decided against hearing the appeal of the Hollywood studios looking to block it, they should finally be able to deliver as soon as this summer. Of course, there's benefits to having a locally stored copy of I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, but just in case we forgot to queue up a recording, the power went out or suffered some other manner of catastrophe, we'd still have access to all the Lou Diamond Phillips anyone could ask for, and there's really no way the highest court in the land could get in the way of that.

IFC in Theaters has been offering day-and-date premieres of independent theatrical flicks through video on-demand for a couple of years, but now comes word that this month it will begin offering them in high definition on Cablevision and Comcast. Starting June 17, $7.99 (a buck premium over SD) will be the price for avoiding a trip to the local art house theater, which sounds more than worth it if you don't have one nearby, or just really want to avoid (other) hipsters.

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 - Cablevision Adds High-Definition Titles From Starz/Encore To iO TV(R) Video On Demand Service
Read - DIRECTV TO OFFER ESPNU IN ITS CHOICE™ PACKAGE
Read - DIRECTV Delivers Local HD Programming to Customers in Odessa-Midland, Texas
Read - Time Warner adding 5 channels, dropping 2
Read - 21 Additional HD Channels Added to Cox Line-Up in Hampton
Read - COMCAST ADDS ESPNU AND ESPN360.COM TO LINE UP WITH CONTENT
ON TELEVISION, ON DEMAND AND ONLINE

We all want the same thing right? The ability to watch any show we want, whenever we want, and wherever we want. Sounds easy, but even in this day and age to achieve this easily isn't possible. Currently there are a few ways this might happen down the road, and one that looks to be coming our way sooner rather than later is Cablevision's Network DVR. While a traditional DVR has a hard drive in it to store your shows, the Network DVR wouldn't. Instead it would stream the content from a centralized data store, like VOD. You'd still have to pre-schedule your recordings and presumably you'd still have a set limit, but ordering DVR service wouldn't require a new box and best of all, you should have access to all the same content in any room of the house. This has been in the making for a long time now -- three years actually -- but Hollywood has been tying it up in court. Luckily the courts have been on Cablevision's side, but it does appear that the consumer may still get the shaft. That's because it seems there's a chance that the Network DVR won't let you fast forward through commercials, which would obviously make it a show stopper for most.

The six cable companies involved with Canoe Ventures -- Comcast, Time Warner, Cox, Charter, Cablevision and Bright House -- will be turning loose the targeted ad technology that has been in the works for a while now. Especially in the midst of the economic crunch, you just know that tax brackets are going to drive the tailoring of the bespoke ads, which go by the friendly name of CAM (community addressable messaging). Fully interactive ads will have to wait for tru2way, so for now CAM 1.0 will swap in one of two versions of a spot, depending on whether the destination is in a zone designated as "over $100,000." We foresee some interesting water cooler discussions ahead as coworkers report seeing different ads at halftime and thus give away some personal info.

Cablevision is back at it again, forcing us out of the weekly update by dropping 30 new HD channels on Bronx and Brooklyn area customers, while all other areas should have 8 new channels to enjoy as of the 24th. Despite being a clearly shameless bid to replace RCN as the official service providers of Lord Tariq & Peter Gunz, we can find little wrong with these additions, thanks goes to SatteliteGuys.us for the list of channels.

[Thanks, Jack]

While RCN has been crushing analog all over America, it's Cablevision making the decision to totally nix the sale of analog service by 2010. Granted, only five percent of its 3.1 million video customers currently receive its analog expanded basic package, but it's still a move in the right direction. Of note, those folks currently receiving analog will still get their fix when we ring in the next new year, but the carrier will no longer be marketing those analog services after 2009. Remember kids, less analog means more space. And more space means more channels. And more channels often means more HD.

On the eve of his resignation, now-former FCC chairman Kevin Martin got in one last shot against nine of the biggest cable companies -- including Comcast, Time Warner, Cox and Charter -- to the tune of $25,000 each. Citing the MSOs (Multiple System Operators) for failing to respond to the FCC's investigation of how they moved channels from analog to digital tiers, additional fines were then added on, bringing the total damages to all nine companies to a cool $510,000. Top honors go to Time Warner, which racked up a $137,000 bill. Wielding his poisoned pen, Martin wrote that the actions of the MSOs "... exhibits contempt for the FCC's authority," and by forcing customers to pay for digital set-top boxes, "... customers have been receiving less from the cable companies but paying the same price." Strong words, but would we wouldn't expect anything less from the FCC chairman who oversaw some of the biggest changes in telco this country's seen.
[Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family]

We had every reason to believe that these channels were coming, but now Cablevision itself has stepped forward with a confirmation. Starting right about now (and continuing over a three-day period), customers of the carrier with HD set-top-boxes can find 15 new premium movie channels in high-def. Yep, the whole lot consists of HBO, Showtime, Cinemax, Starz and Encore variants, and while it's certainly not admitted, we have all ideas that these were added after the removal of the 15 VOOM HD networks a few months prior. Regardless of the motives, we better not hear a single complaint from movie buffs who happen to get their pay-TV from this carrier.

[Image courtesy of Reuben]

Okay, so Cablevision isn't apt to come right out and say that these newcomers are the replacements for the 15 VOOM HD networks that were marked for deletion late last year, but it may as well have. Coincidentally, 15 new high-def channels are reportedly lined up to join the Cablevision EPG in short order, though every single one is a premium movie channel. Encore HD, Starz Kids & Family HD, Starz Edge HD, HBO Signature HD, HBO Family HD, HBO Comedy HD, HBO Zone HD, HBO2 HD, HBO Latino HD, Action Max HD, More Max HD, @MAX HD, Outer MAX HD and Showtime Too HD are all expected to show up starting on January 21st, with rollouts continuing across all markets until January 23rd. We know, your first reaction is probably something along the lines of "What? All movie channels?," but at least you're getting something out of the deal -- if you opt to pay up, of course.

[Thanks, LI PC Tech]