Major Digital Channel Lineup Changes to Time Warner

[TvPat]

Time Warner is making major changes to its digital channel lineup. Channels will be grouped by category above 100, with digital equivalents to the analog channels mixed in. For example, the sports channels, including ESPN and ESPN2, will be in the 300's. The new lineup has more of a DirecTV look to it. The changes are being made in Columbus on October 14.

Here is a page with more information:
http://www.timewarnercable.com/midohio/learn/new_digital_lineup.html

Here is the new lineup:
http://www.timewarnercable.com/MediaLibrary/4/124/Content%20Management/documents/digital_channel_lineup.pdf

In Cincinnati there is some controversy because they are dropping several PBS stations:
http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=PluckPersona&U=5c49394b12564ab6832411d82ad3a991&plckController=PersonaBlog&plckScript=personaScript&plckElementId=personaDest&plckPersonaPage=BlogViewPost&plckPostId=Blog:5c49394b12564ab6832411d82ad3a991Po st:3931b317-a0e1-4878-91c2-455af915016f&sid=sitelife.cincinnati.com

[MFRONE]

Ugh...seems like such a headache

EDIT: If they are moving channels like ESPN/ESPN2 and MTV to locations over 100, what are they going to use for 1-99?

[DublinDoodah]

The channels from 2-99 stay the same.


Q: Are you moving some of my Standard Service channels to Digital Cable?
A: No, your Standard Cable lineup for the most part remains unchanged. However, many of those channels also will appear as part of a theme-based category on the Digital lineup as a convenience to make the programming easier to find. So, for example, if you receive ESPN and ESPN2 on Standard Service channels 33 and 34, they also will appear on the Digital lineup in the Sports Category where they will be grouped with other digital sports channels such as ESPNU, ESPN Classic, and ESPN News.


It actually make sense to me: grouping channels by genre.

[MFRONE]

It seems unnecessary to have ESPN in two different locations

[nicholc2]

It seems unnecessary to have ESPN in two different locations

+1

Instead, how about some more HD channels!

[DublinDoodah]

It seems unnecessary to have ESPN in two different locationsThis is probably to accomodate those who have only basic cable service and those of us that have bedroom TVs connected to the raw cable.

Instead, how about some more HD channels!This is a non sequitur. Reorganizing the channels does not affect their ability to add HD channels. It doesn't necessarily require additional bandwidth -- they're already simulcasting most (if not all) of the analog channels in digital or SDV. Also, there's nothing preventing them from mapping more than one channel number to the same channel.


The only downside I can see from redundant channels (and it's minor) is that when I use the "Find Shows" feature I'm going to get more clutter when the same show is on three different channels -- 1 analog, 1 digital, and 1 HD. I'll gladly live with that to clean up the disorganized mess they have now.

[bspvette86]

I told the family about this and they were not pleased. (better to get them over it in advance) Too bad we can't map the channels ourselves and group them by the ones we actually watch, throwing away all the infomercialish channels. Would also be nice to have the ability to force the HD channel for a channel that was available in SD and HD.

I had a bad dream last night. TWC had remapped all the channels early and we woke up not able to find Boomerang. No Scooby Doo! :eek: THE HORROR! If it weren't for those meddling kids....

[TvPat]

I think what they're doing makes sense. For example, right now the sports channels are spread all over the place. The most popular ones below 70, but there are some that are almost as popular above 100. This groups them all together, so that ESPN and ESPN2 will be right next to ESPN News and ESPNU.

Time Warner already has digital equivalents of all of the analog channels. If you tune to channel 31 on their converter box, you are not tuning to analog channel 31 but its digital equivalent, which tends to have a more consistent picture. Cable ready TV's are the only way to see the analog channels. This rearragement merely puts the some of the digital chanels on two channel numbers, but does not increase the bandwidth used.

It will still be interesting when it happens, though. Channel changes tend to be unpopular. Even thoough they are not touching standard (below channel 70) service, they are changing about 500 channels.

[Thombil]

Probably a good time to think about changing providers if you have been considering a switch. All new numbers to learn either way.:D

[honavery]

I told the family about this and they were not pleased. (better to get them over it in advance) Too bad we can't map the channels ourselves and group them by the ones we actually watch, throwing away all the infomercialish channels. .

You can sort of already do this (right?). If you set favorite channels, then set "show favorites first" in the menu options, you will see those channels in the guide first....so for instance I marked almost all the HD channels as favorites, along with 4 or 5 SD channels. So in the guide it jumps all the way from 51 to 704.

[alexz]

too bad no new HD channels listed.....I had hoped for more this summer...although they added the horrible MAVTV and the unnecessary/redundant Smithsonian channel.....

[mey]

I think the timing for this sucks. All the new programming will start in September and then you will have to reprogram all the channels when the alignment occurs. They couldn't do this sooner ?

[nicholc2]

I think the timing for this sucks. All the new programming will start in September and then you will have to reprogram all the channels when the alignment occurs. They couldn't do this sooner ?

In the past when they have re-did the channel numbers, any programs already in the system automatically updated with the new channel numbers. Hopefully this will be the case this time around as well. We can only hope. :D

[rossl]

does anyone know if they are going to move channel assignments for the unencrypted QAM locals?