HDNet has just announced the start of its Division I College Basketball coverage, featuring basketball powers such as Indiana, Louisville, Iowa, UMass and Xavier – all broadcast in full 1080i resolution and in widescreen 16x9 format. The schedule kicks off November 9. The first seven games are listed below. In December, HDNet will announce the schedule for the remainder of the season. Sun. Nov. 9, 9:00 pm ET - Harlem Globetrotters @ University of Massachusetts Sat. Nov. 29, 1:30 pm ET - 2003 Wooden Tradition - Louisville vs. Iowa Sat. Nov. 29, 4:00 pm ET - 2003 Wooden Tradition - Indiana vs. Xavier Sat. Dec. 6, 1:00 pm ET - BB&T Classic - George Washington vs. West Virginia Sat. Dec. 6, 3:30 pm ET - BB&T Classic - Maryland vs. Gonzaga Sun. Dec. 7, 3:00 pm ET - BB&T Classic - Consolation Game Sun. Dec. 7, 5:30 pm ET - BB&T Classic ...

Readers frequently write into us complaining about the video quality of the picture that they get from their cable company or even their satellite providers. Just the other night I watched my beloved Philadelphia Flyers play the San Jose Sharks in a rare West coast match up. The video on this San Jose feed broadcast on the NHL Center Ice package from DirecTV looked lousy. It was snowy, pixilated and downright nasty by the standards I have become accustomed to with DirecTV. The lousy picture during the game was possibly more disappointing than the zero-zero tie score.

Cable provider, Cablevision, recently introduced Voom, a new HDTV oriented satellite TV delivery system that will compete directly with DirecTV and Dish Network as well as large scale cable providers in a market as big as the continental United States. Voom isn’t available in Canada, Alaska or Hawaii. Voom’s first priority is to HDTV programming and it comes out of the gates with 21 channels including some unique channels produced by Cablevision as part of their $39.90 per month plan. Their most expensive plan is closer to $100 per month is it has even more HDTV channels than the standard 21 offerings including Discovery HD Theater, HBO, Showtime, Stars and Encore. The traditional channels found on Voom are still sparse at this point and will leave TV enthusiasts wanting to keep their existing digital cable or satellite provider so that they can have a more robust choice of non-HDTV programming. A representative from Voom claims ...

CBS and UPN announced that they have partnered with Zenith to broadcast scripted primetime television programming in high definition format. The partnership marks CBS's fifth consecutive year of offering its primetime programming in HDTV and the first year for UPN, which will kick off HDTV broadcasts with STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE and JAKE 2.0 starting Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2003 (8:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT). “We've very pleased Zenith is partnering with CBS for the third year in a row to sponsor our primetime comedies and dramas in high-def, and we are very excited to be working with them on UPN's first ever HDTV broadcasts, which serves as a giant step toward a sharper, clearer future,” said Leslie Moonves, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, CBS, who also oversees UPN. “CBS was the first network to broadcast HDTV prime time, daytime and major sports, and now those same CBS executives are lending their expertise and leadership to launching UPN’s high-definition ...

Showtime Networks will launch its second high definition television (HDTV) channel, THE MOVIE CHANNEL HD, on December 1, 2003. The company will transmit an East Coast feed of Showtime Networks' all movie service in the highest picture resolution format available -- 1080i -- with the original widescreen aspect ratio (16:9) to preserve theatrical presentation. The announcement, made today by Mark Greenberg, Executive Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Communications for Showtime Networks, reinforces the company's commitment to providing its premium subscribers with the highest quality home entertainment experience. In December, HDTV titles on THE MOVIE CHANNEL HD will include “Bandits,” “Hardball,” “Novocaine,” “Rollerball,” "Sidewalks of New York," “What’s the Worst that Could Happen?” and many others. With 75 percent of the service's primetime schedule offered in HD, THE MOVIE CHANNEL HD will also feature Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound.