WVIT "NBC Connecticut HD"?

[bg02445]

I remember hearing about how WVIT would be launching newscasts in HD from their new studio soon a few months ago. Has this happened yet? If it has, that leaves us in Providence as the 4th largest market without HD news, after Harrisburg, PA (#41), Greensboro, NC (#46), Buffalo, NY (#51),

[kms575]

Looks like they're going to launch sometime this week.

[Skynet74]

In the year 2009 everybody should be in HD by now. It's not like TV stations didn't know this was coming. They've had years and years to prepare and buy the equipment. They have only hurt themselves by taking so long. I watch news from a competing market because I do not like the black bars on the screen during my local news. I may be missing News happening that is closer to my house, but I don't care. I'm still not looking at those ugly black bars on my HDTV.

[Ron.]

In the year 2009 everybody should be in HD by now. It's not like TV stations didn't know this was coming. They've had years and years to prepare and buy the equipment. They have only hurt themselves by taking so long. I watch news from a competing market because I do not like the black bars on the screen during my local news. I may be missing News happening that is closer to my house, but I don't care. I'm still not looking at those ugly black bars on my HDTV.

NEWS?? in HD?? WHY?  So I can count how many zits the anchors used to have?  Don't like the black bars?  There's a button somewhere called "stretch" or "ratio" or "format" or "zoom" some such to make them go away.

No one but a small circle of friends even cares that the news is in HD.

[Whale]

Seriously, only a real technophile cares.   It's a big waste of money and I can't imagine anyone's going to watch WVIT only because it's in HD.   Sports are really the only programming people see to care if its in HD.   I don't personally.

[kms575]

If you have a big screen TV, I think it really makes a difference.

[Ken]

So will that make NBC 30 be the first to have news in HD? I sure thought WFSB would of done HD when they moved into their new home.

[qunewsguy]

WVIT flips the switch at 11:00 a.m. tomorrow, and it might be just in time. They were having studio issues tonight. Gerry Brooks mentioned that the lights in the old building kept cutting in and out on them during the 11pm news.

[kms575]

So will that make NBC 30 be the first to have news in HD? I sure thought WFSB would of done HD when they moved into their new home.

You are correct. WFSB has not gone HD yet. I'm sure it's only a matter of time.

[BRNout]

It's about time!  During a very recent trip to CT, I was checking out a relative's TV/HD box setup and was shocked to see that not one station in the Hartford/New Haven market had news in HD!  In fact, if anything, the news on some HD feeds looked to have been very poorly converted and you could see lines from missing information - as if the original was shot in 480p (Fox 61, this means you). 

The omission is particularly jarring during those morning "news" shows like Today and GMA.  WTNH would cut from a nice robust HD GMA feed to a local news cut-in with 1980's quality video.   Very evident, particularly when you're used to full HD as offered in other markets.  Most larger markets have most of their news offered in HD now - at this point the norm seems to be 3 of 4 major channels offering it (Fox seems to usually be last).  And yes, if you have an HDTV, it does make a huge difference.  Zits or no zits.