TWC Today Forums
Present - The Weather Channel 2000 => Local Forecast => Topic started by: HulkieD on May 08, 2014, 12:15:01 AM
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I got this from a friend who works at a cable affiliate. I trust him, and know the information is accurate.
The Weather Channel will be ending its analogue feed on May 31st. Why is this important? Because the Legacy STARs - the 4000, the XL, and the WeatherStar Jr. - rely on that feed.
That means that come May 31st, all units prior to the Intellistar 1 will cease to function.
TWC knows this and is providing new units to ALL providers still using legacy STARs. If your 4000/XL/Jr. just got replaced by an Intellistar 2 SD unit, that's what they're rolling out.
Expect that rollout to start increasing dramatically. TWC wants everyone on the new Intellistar units by May 16th.
Basically?
If you still have a 4000, an XL, or a Junior, START TAPING NOW. You literally have days left!
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They had a good run... a quarter of a century of a good run... but the time has come for something better. Life's like that sometimes. :)
I'm still nostalgic when I see old videos from The Weather Channel on YouTube. I miss those days, but I also don't want my cable company to install a WeatherStar 4000 tomorrow, either. That would be the source of much unhappiness.
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The WeatherSTAR4000 has always been my all time favorite STAR and always will be. My only regret is I won't be as lucky to have the experience as some of you here who were able to find and witness working units during modern times in person.
(http://i.imgur.com/VUfRasd.png)
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I myself have been lucky enough to see two 4000s and three XLs in person over the years, but not one Junior sadly. :( A bit sad the legacy STARs are going bye-bye, but all good things in life must eventually come to an end. :itsok:
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Seems a little hard to believe. I mean, they're going to replace ALL legacy STARs in less than a month!? And who's paying for the upgrades? I doubt TWC has the money to do so, and I know that many cable companies don't have the money to upgrade. And where's the press release? :thinking:
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Seems a little hard to believe. I mean, they're going to replace ALL legacy STARs in less than a month!? And who's paying for the upgrades? I doubt TWC has the money to do so, and I know that many cable companies don't have the money to upgrade. And where's the press release? :thinking:
I can confirm I've independently verified this through a TWC employee.
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I can confirm I've independently verified this through a TWC employee.
You can confirm what? That it's true or not true? If it's true, who's paying for it and is there a press release? Seems like pretty big news.
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I can confirm I've independently verified this through a TWC employee.
You can confirm what? That it's true or not true? If it's true, who's paying for it and is there a press release? Seems like pretty big news.
I don't know why you would expect a press release on this. It's an internal matter between TWC and it's customers with units about to be officially retired. The general public has no idea what an analogue feed is.
As for your other question on who's paying for it - how many of these legacy units are still kicking? It has to be a low number, and perhaps TWC is just sending them a replacement unit or offering very attractive terms to get the legacys replaced.
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I can confirm I've independently verified this through a TWC employee.
You can confirm what? That it's true or not true? If it's true, who's paying for it and is there a press release? Seems like pretty big news.
That it is true. No press release, as the general public doesn't know nor really would care. There isn't a significant number of legacy units still floating around out there. I'm not sure who exactly is footing the bill. I'll try and find out.
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No press release, as the general public doesn't know nor really would care.
I could have sworn there was a press release when the 3000 was decommissioned. I can't think of any other way we found out about it. I remember Charles did a 30 Days of the WeatherSTAR 3000 in December 2004 on TWCC.
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TWC is providing the equipment to the legacy providers at no cost.
While this seems like it's insanity, as Tyler said the amount of legacy STARs still out there is not very large. Plus, you have to think of the long run here - while TWC might be taking a short term hit, they'll save money by not having to provide an analog feed and not having to support technology that's essentially two to three decades old.
I think the same thing is happening with the sudden spurt in the amount of Intellistar 2 units. TWC obviously caved and decided getting it out there was more important than charging a high price. Plus some cable systems will just replace the SD IS1 feed with a downconverted HD IS2 feed. Not having to run two separate units for local forecasts = money saved.
I don't think every legacy provider will upgrade by the deadline. Some might just be comfortable with the national feed, and they'll switch to that on their SD TWC feed.
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I don't think every legacy provider will upgrade by the deadline. Some might just be comfortable with the national feed, and they'll switch to that on their SD TWC feed.
Once upon a time, every cable company that offered TWC was required to install a WeatherStar. I wonder if that's still the case, though I can't see why such a requirement would be taken away, even considering TWC's massive growth in non-weather programming to attract "a wider audience."
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Don't forget there is a lot of really old legacy equipment that has to be maintained on TWCs end to keep data flowing to the older systems. To be honest it's an amazing technological feat that systems 10-20 years old are still functioning.
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I have been fortunate to see the 3000, the Jr., the 4000, and most of the Intellistars.
Knowing that the 4000 was based on an SGI derivative and SGI went bankrupt in 2006, it proves that they had a good product and could keep it going.
With those who still discussed the 4000, it was noted that it was having more trouble keeping up with the changes in TWC's formatting of the local forecast in general. With this latest "kindergartener icon/Windows8" garbage playing now, there was a marked increase in the troubles the legacy stars were having if there were any left out there. It's expensive to even find some of the ways to fix them anymore. It's easier to hand out a newer system and go.
We still have the Simulator, and even that has been running into external site issues!
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Knowing that the 4000 was based on an SGI derivative and SGI went bankrupt in 2006, it proves that they had a good product and could keep it going.
I think you may have meant the XL there, since the XL was essentially an SGI o2 model inside a different enclosure.
I was so happy to see a STAR 4000 five years ago in Virginia. Here's a video to relive that memory as well.
Chincoteague, VA WeatherSTAR 4000 (NOT FAKE!!!!!) #1- LM Flavour (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3DOsCItums#)
Also, I'm probably the only person here that has never seen a STAR XL in person ever :(
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Also, I'm probably the only person here that has never seen a STAR XL in person ever :(
Really? Interesting. I've unfortunately never seen anything below an XL in person (4000, 3000, Jr, etc.) but I have seen versions 2 and 3 of the XL. In fact, I'll never forget when Dallas still had the XL and my reaction when this new local forecast suddenly appeared (the IntelliSTAR :P ).
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I'm starting to wonder what will happen once the legacy STAR units are disconnected and decommissioned by the cable headends who still had them. :thinking: Perhaps maybe the headends are going to just throw the units away or even try to sell them to TWC fans? :dunno:
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Wouldn't count on that second possibility.
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I'm starting to wonder what will happen once the legacy STAR units are disconnected and decommissioned by the cable headends who still had them. :thinking: Perhaps maybe the headends are going to just throw the units away or even try to sell them to TWC fans? :dunno:
Previously, headends that upgraded were required to return the old Stars to The Weather Channel, which still owned them. However, when the WeatherStar III was discontinued because of a change in FCC policy, headends were instructed to dispose of them. I honestly don't know what the requirement will be for the 4000, XL, and Jr. Stars. However, it's extremely unlikely that headends will have permission to sell them to the public - or anyone, for that matter.
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I believe it's up to the headend on what they want to do. I'm sure a majority will scrap their STARs while some may go to eBay to sell theirs. However, I don't see why TWC would need them anymore if they're going to be out of service now.
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I believe it's up to the headend on what they want to do. I'm sure a majority will scrap their STARs while some may go to eBay to sell theirs. However, I don't see why TWC would need them anymore if they're going to be out of service now.
But do they have the right to sell the old Stars, or even dispose of them in a manner that TWC doesn't specify? I highly doubt it. When the III was decomissioned I remember reading a document written by TWC specifically instructing the headends to dispose of the old units.
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I believe it's up to the headend on what they want to do. I'm sure a majority will scrap their STARs while some may go to eBay to sell theirs. However, I don't see why TWC would need them anymore if they're going to be out of service now.
From what I was told by Vala over at Taiganet, her local cable company was directed to send all of their equipment back to TWC. That may be due to their contract (between the operator and TWC) but who knows. But to bring it all down, I think it depends on whether the operator purchased the machines or if they were leasing them since it seems like they either wind up in the trash or wind up being sent back to TWC. I also wouldn't count on eBay. Very rarely do they pop up on there. Chances are they'll just sell all of it to a liquidator or put it on a storage rack depending on company policy.
However, when the WeatherStar III was discontinued because of a change in FCC policy, headends were instructed to dispose of them.
Any documents to cite? TWC told me that III's were still out in the field as of 2012. That, and I have documents from TWC that prove the III was made compliant to these new FCC regulations in 2004. Until then, I believe that the III's are still out there (given thats what I was told from TWC when I requested some information from them). That, and the III uses the same exact data format and transmission/decoding methods as the Junior. Just change the dials on the front of the III with a Junior serial and you're in business.
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The documents I saw were a decade ago. I'm sure they're out there somewhere, but I wouldn't know where to look.
As I understood it, it was possible to add a device to the III to make it sound a warning tone at every instance of a warning appearing, not just the first one, so that the unit would comply with the new FCC regulations, but TWC decided it was too much to have to worry about a 20-year machine. Therefore, since the III would no longer be in compliance with the FCC regulations, it couldn't be used anymore. The Jr. did get that upgrade, however.
According to what I saw back in 2004, the headends were at liberty to simply dispose of the III units instead of returning them, since TWC had no future use for them, anyway. To be honest, I've heard no reports of a III being used beyond 2004. Unless I missed something at the last minute, and haven't heard otherwise in the decade since, there were to be no exceptions to the rule discontinuing all III units by the end of 2004.
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As I understood it, it was possible to add a device to the III to make it sound a warning tone at every instance of a warning appearing, not just the first one, so that the unit would comply with the new FCC regulations, but TWC decided it was too much to have to worry about a 20-year machine. Therefore, since the III would no longer be in compliance with the FCC regulations, it couldn't be used anymore. The Jr. did get that upgrade, however.
You're somewhat correct with that. Refer to this document: http://star.fru.me/legacy_audio_alert_rel_notes.pdf (http://star.fru.me/legacy_audio_alert_rel_notes.pdf)
TWC has updated the machine remotely according to that document, which makes sense. It's a simple software change, no big hardware change. The Junior is a bit of a different story due to it using ROMs (which is why the external alert generator was needed). If they did discontinue the III, why would they have made that update and tell me in 2012 that it is still in production? I'm not trying to argue; just a friendly little debate.
On the back of the III, you are right. You can add external equipment on the terminal strips. The Junior alert generator actually could be used on this terminal strip and operate properly as the generator is seriously just a 5V relay that triggers sound to overlap the incoming audio.
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On my STAR database site I'm currently working on a new page for IS2 Jr units which I hope to have ready by tomorrow. Quick question for anyone who might know just out of curiosity -- for the legacy STARs, wouldn't the STAR ID numbers remain the same as before with the new IS2 Jrs or would it be a different number?
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On my STAR database site I'm currently working on a new page for IS2 Jr units which I hope to have ready by tomorrow. Quick question for anyone who might know just out of curiosity -- for the legacy STARs, wouldn't the STAR ID numbers remain the same as before with the new IS2 Jrs or would it be a different number?
I doubt it. Back then, STAR IDs were actually tied to the headend, meaning as a headend went from the I/I/III, to the 4000, and then to the XL, the headend ID # remained the same. Ever since the IntelliStar, the ID number has been tied to the unit itself.
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On my STAR database site I'm currently working on a new page for IS2 Jr units which I hope to have ready by tomorrow. Quick question for anyone who might know just out of curiosity -- for the legacy STARs, wouldn't the STAR ID numbers remain the same as before with the new IS2 Jrs or would it be a different number?
I doubt it. Back then, STAR IDs were actually tied to the headend, meaning as a headend went from the I/I/III, to the 4000, and then to the XL, the headend ID # remained the same. Ever since the IntelliStar, the ID number has been tied to the unit itself.
Oh okay that makes sense. When Charter cable in Omak, WA upgraded from a III to a 4000 in '04 the STAR ID remained the same.
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Apologies for double-posting but I just opened the new IS2 Jr page on my STAR database, which features 4 known units so far. Here's the link:
http://weatherstardatabase.webs.com/intellistar-2-jr (http://weatherstardatabase.webs.com/intellistar-2-jr)
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Perhaps maybe the headends are going to just throw the units away or even try to sell them to TWC fans?
I expect them to be thrown out. A few of us here, myself included, who possess a legacy STAR unit rescued them from a dumpster. Shipping a giant paperweight like that back to TWC is ridiculously expensive.
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It would be kinda neat to have one - if they would allow it knowing that they don't want them back.
I have an SGI Indigo that still works.
.....my avatar will live on! B) :rofl:
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Perhaps maybe the headends are going to just throw the units away or even try to sell them to TWC fans?
I expect them to be thrown out. A few of us here, myself included, who possess a legacy STAR unit rescued them from a dumpster. Shipping a giant paperweight like that back to TWC is ridiculously expensive.
They're seriously fun little machines. I'm having a great time programming my data generator for it... people just don't understand the true power and value of these machines. I would hope headends would realize what the hardware is and do something other than throwing it in a dumpster. Same goes with TWC... at least part them out for us who own existing hardware.
I have an SGI Indigo that still works.
Indigo's are nice! I have an IMPACT 1000 as well as the teal "Max" edition... can't recall which processor is in it. I think the R7000 with Irix 6.3. The IMPACT has some old revision of 6.5. Something that'd help me is to get an adapter for that Sun/SGI video port. I have two but neither work due to the pinout :(
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I'm visiting my grandpa in Fairfield Bay, Arkansas this weekend. Finally saw a LF on TWC, and I'm sad to report that their WeatherSTAR 4000 (which was a 3000 in the early to mid 90s) was upgraded to an IntelliSTAR 2 (or whatever one has Jim Cantore narrating).
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A few weeks ago, I was stopped at a Valero gas station in Rockport, Arkansas and TWC was on inside. There was an XL warning crawl on the screen. It was during severe weather pre-emption so I couldn't see the actual LF. Also don't know the current status of the unit.
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So today is the day TWC's analog signal goes bye-bye. R.I.P. 4000s, Jrs, and XLs. :(
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I've have not seen a legacy STAR since August 2005, but we shall be here today not to mourn but to celebrate the passing of the Jr, 4000, and XL.
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As of right now, my XL is still running. Just saw the LF. So we will see what happens later on..
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its still chugging along like the grim reaper had mercy on the technology that pioneered the company..
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My XL is still downloading data as of 12:23PM Pacific Time with the analog feed... lets hope it stays this way... :biggrin:
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As of right now, my XL is still running. Just saw the LF. So we will see what happens later on..
My XL is still downloading data as of 12:23PM Pacific Time with the analog feed... lets hope it stays this way... :biggrin:
Now I'm starting to question the validity of this entire thread. :thinking:
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As of right now, my XL is still running. Just saw the LF. So we will see what happens later on..
My XL is still downloading data as of 12:23PM Pacific Time with the analog feed... lets hope it stays this way... :biggrin:
Now I'm starting to question the validity of this entire thread. :thinking:
XL is still on and running the local forecast here..(http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n285/claytonleffler/_20140602_044542_zpsa79ad769.jpg)
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I've got a feeling that TWC delayed the removal of the analog signal.
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This always seems to happen. Of course, I'm not hoping they cut off the analog soon, but there was another rumor about this same thing in early 2013. If TWC is going to do it, I just wish they would already instead of not meeting their own deadlines. Maybe there's more sentimental employees at TWC than we realize.
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I guess TWC must have realized that not all of the headends with legacy STARs have received the IS2 Jr so they must have extended the deadline for ceasing the analog signal, who knows? :dunno:
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Maybe there's more sentimental employees at TWC than we realize.
I'm sure there has to be a legitimate business reason behind delaying cutting off the analogue feed other than that enough people at TWC are "sentimental" about the legacy STARs. This is a large country with a huge number of headends, and, even with plenty of advance notice, chances are not everyone's going to be ready for such a major change. Given the choice between meeting its deadline but losing viewers or quietly extending the deadline in the hope that those headends that haven't caught up to modernity yet eventually will, TWC would much rather retain viewers through the use of antiquated equipment.
I'm sure not every headend operator can easily afford to upgrade to new equipment to keep up with the rapidly-changing times, and The Weather Channel usually isn't at the top of the list of priorities for where a headend's money should be spent. If money were no object, then every headend would be equipped with an IntelliStar 2. My cable company is currently in the process of upgrading to an all-digital signal, years behind some of the bigger players in the cable TV field. And there are plenty of cable companies smaller than mine that are lucky to still exist, basically.
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My cable company is currently in the process of upgrading to an all-digital signal, years behind some of the bigger players in the cable TV field. And there are plenty of cable companies smaller than mine that are lucky to still exist, basically.
In my area, Mediacom is in the process of completing their transition to all-digital as well
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I honestly think this entire thing is a hoax. No one gave any documents or elaborated on it so we're making this assumption blindly based off of peoples words. My XL is still running with analog data...
Can anyone release any documentation on this to prove this claim? It's all based on peoples words which are appearing not to hold up to their words... If that makes sense. Not meaning to sound harsh but really guys. We've been told this multiple times before and it never happened...
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Mattoon/Charleston WeatherSTAR XL was decommissioned early this morning. RIP XL 6/3/2014.
Now we have whatever this is called.
http://www.youtube.com/v/Eh1Hd2mFWUc
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Mattoon/Charleston WeatherSTAR XL was decommissioned early this morning. RIP XL 6/3/2014.
Now we have whatever this is called.
[url]http://www.youtube.com/v/Eh1Hd2mFWUc[/url]
I believe that's the IntelliSTAR 2, which is what my grandpa now has in Arkansas.
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I honestly think this entire thing is a hoax. No one gave any documents or elaborated on it so we're making this assumption blindly based off of peoples words. My XL is still running with analog data...
Can anyone release any documentation on this to prove this claim? It's all based on peoples words which are appearing not to hold up to their words... If that makes sense. Not meaning to sound harsh but really guys. We've been told this multiple times before and it never happened...
I don't really see any reason to think this is a hoax, it's already been happening and ongoing as per members here reporting the upgrades. Maybe not as fast as what was previously expected, but it's obviously happening.
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http://gilramirez.net/Star-XL/I2JR.pdf (http://gilramirez.net/Star-XL/I2JR.pdf)
Perhaps this link I found on the IS2 Jr Wikipedia page may officially confirm the unit's name. It's a PDF of an installation guide.
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Is TWC just using headend locations as the CC city for all STARs now, regardless whether it's centralized in the viewing area or how large the city is? :wacko:
The radar choices aren't the best either, omitting many major cities for lesser known ones. It's like the system just randomly selected cities rather than the technician choosing them themselves.
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I asked about an LDL coming for the IS2Jr Just got word from Melissa Medori "Just heard from the team that this is in process. The I2JR STAR boxes should get an LDL when the enhanced products launch next Tuesday (6/10)." Enhanced products? I wonder if the HD IS2 is getting these enhancements too
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Is TWC just using headend locations as the CC city for all STARs now, regardless whether it's centralized in the viewing area or how large the city is? :wacko:
That's something I noticed in Arkansas. My grandpa's STAR was always a city nearby (but never particularly close). Now it's his city (which is pretty small).
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I wonder if the new IntelliStar 2 Jr. is eventually going to get the same graphics package as what the original IntelliStar has now? I don't like how the maps are designed, it's too small. Even the IS2 Jr.'s graphics just looks as horrible as IS/IS2 HD's graphics. Yet, I haven't seen my old 4000 since September 1999 and my old XL v2 since March 2004. TWC is now officially dead to me. :cry3:
R.I.P. legacy STARs.
WeatherSTAR 4000: 1990-2014
WeatherSTAR Jr.: 1993-2014
WeatherSTAR XL: 1999-2014
Analog TWC satellite signal: 1982-2014
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Nostalgia's all good and everything, but why is everyone crying over computers that are over 20 years old? As much as I miss TWC's glory days, I'd be extremely upset if I woke up in the morning to find out that my cable operator's downgraded to anything less than an IntelliStar. I like to look at up-to-date graphics generated by a modern-generation computer.
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6/10 might mean the Windows 8 look is coming to the IS2 Jr when i asked if the enhancements are coming to the IS2 HD.
"HD already has the "Enhanced Locals" from the original launch back in November."
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Nostalgia's all good and everything, but why is everyone crying over computers that are over 20 years old? As much as I miss TWC's glory days, I'd be extremely upset if I woke up in the morning to find out that my cable operator's downgraded to anything less than an IntelliStar. I like to look at up-to-date graphics generated by a modern-generation computer.
This is just my opinion, but if the XL hypothetically would have had the same hardware as the IS, they could have made a few minor adjustments (graphics wise and layout wise) to get it to match the current IS layout. The current version of the XL is not that much different graphically from the current version of the XL if you ask me. It's not like jumping as you said from the IS to a 4000 or JR.
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Nostalgia's all good and everything, but why is everyone crying over computers that are over 20 years old? As much as I miss TWC's glory days, I'd be extremely upset if I woke up in the morning to find out that my cable operator's downgraded to anything less than an IntelliStar. I like to look at up-to-date graphics generated by a modern-generation computer.
True that the 4000/Jr./XL's hardware was already showing its age, but I personally don't like how the IntelliStar 2 Jr.'s graphics look. I still think the IntelliStar 2 Jr. could have been better, but instead, it seems like TWC's technical engineers didn't put as much effort. It's basically like IntelliStar 2 HD's original version 1 graphics (circa 2010-October 2013), but with a "toned down, 4:3 safe version", yet most other stations are going widescreen these days. :hammer: Just look at all the other cable networks. It wouldn't surprise me if TWC were to permanently drop its 4:3 cropped broadcast on their official SD feed, or else, the IntelliStar 2 Jr. and even the original IntelliStar would officially be obsolete because both models can only display their local forecast video outputs in 4:3 video. Even the original IntelliStar is already ten years old, despite that it has the latest version 3 graphics that even matches the IntelliStar 2 HD's current version 2 graphics. As for the original IntelliStar, the version 3 overhaul from last November may even be the last ever major update to its software. Yet the IntelliStar Weatherscan model is a year older than its main TWC counterpart model, and even its last major overhaul came all the way back in September 2005, yet some minor updates were made since then, including the icons that were changed in 2010, but hasn't even been updated since last November.
Either way, hopefully someday, besides the 4000 Simulator and the WeatherScan XL Simulator, there would be emulators (or "simulators") that's based off some of TWC's other legacy STARs, maybe even the current STARs too. I have nothing against modern stuff, but I am also a bit of a nostalgia bluff too since I used to watch TWC regularly back in the early 1990s (hence my username because I remember watching TWC with a WeatherSTAR III back in the early '90s up until 1993 when we first got the 4000 at the time).
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They're actually working hard to get the graphics to match the current IStar look for the IS2jr, which will debut next Tuesday, as gt1racer|HD| Stated in a past post.
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Confirmed via Twitter this morning
@freddyflaxman: @daveclark @Gt1racer @gdlott Thanks for the tip, Alex! We sent a i2jr SD STAR to Mattoon. The new gfx will be released to it on June 10.
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Confirmed via Twitter this morning
@freddyflaxman: @daveclark @Gt1racer @gdlott Thanks for the tip, Alex! We sent a i2jr SD STAR to Mattoon. The new gfx will be released to it on June 10.
Maybe on a somewhat more related note does that mean the music will change next Tuesday as well?
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Confirmed via Twitter this morning
@freddyflaxman: @daveclark @Gt1racer @gdlott Thanks for the tip, Alex! We sent a i2jr SD STAR to Mattoon. The new gfx will be released to it on June 10.
Take it for what its worth, but Dave Clark told me via Twitter that I would have the IS2 by now on Verizon, and that was months ago. Yet to still have it.
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Analog retired as of 4:35 AM EDT today. There is now no more signal..
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Analog retired as of 4:35 AM EDT today. There is now no more signal..
Oh, that's sad.... I never got to see a legacy star in person. I guess I never will. :noexpression: RIP WeatherStars 4000-XL
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Analog retired as of 4:35 AM EDT today. There is now no more signal..
Oh, that's sad.... I never got to see a legacy star in person. I guess I never will. :noexpression: RIP WeatherStars 4000-XL
Actually.. on a better note, I was wrong, there was something wrong with the ground station equipment. The analog is still with us :yes:
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Yay! I might still have a chance!
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Yay! I might still have a chance!
Well hurry up if you want to. You might only have days, if that... ;) :D :P
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According to SatelliteGuys, the analog feed is no more as of yesterday afternoon.
http://www.satelliteguys.us/xen/threads/the-weather-chanel-c3-13-leaves-analog.338956/ (http://www.satelliteguys.us/xen/threads/the-weather-chanel-c3-13-leaves-analog.338956/)
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I've always wondered if they put up a warning message before the analog signal's shutdown. I'm sure this doesn't effect cable systems that are already using digital satellite signals. Supposedly, TWC previously did this to the WeatherStar III back in late 2004. I've always wanted to see video of that.
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Aww, I miss the Legacy STARs. :censored:, I had one when I lived in New York's Finger Lakes region (it was a Jr.).
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I've also found out from Rick's Satellite Wildfeed & Backhaul Forums that there were symptoms over the past week described how soon The Weather Channel's analog feed would end. Although the analog feed would exclusively be for the commercial subscribers since the end of 2008, The Weather Channel was said to be fixed-key sometimes. One of the symptoms over the past several days included the color bars. http://rickcaylor.websitetoolbox.com/post/weather-channel-vc-2-3483212?&trail=30 (http://rickcaylor.websitetoolbox.com/post/weather-channel-vc-2-3483212?&trail=30)
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[quote author=Eric link=topic=5054.msg189782#msg189782 date=1401724712
I'm sure there has to be a legitimate business reason behind delaying cutting off the analogue feed other than that enough people at TWC are "sentimental" about the legacy STARs. This is a large country with a huge number of headends, and, even with plenty of advance notice, chances are not everyone's going to be ready for such a major change. Given the choice between meeting its deadline but losing viewers or quietly extending the deadline in the hope that those headends that haven't caught up to modernity yet eventually will, TWC would much rather retain viewers through the use of antiquated equipment.
I'm sure not every headend operator can easily afford to upgrade to new equipment to keep up with the rapidly-changing times, and The Weather Channel usually isn't at the top of the list of priorities for where a headend's money should be spent. If money were no object, then every headend would be equipped with an IntelliStar 2. My cable company is currently in the process of upgrading to an all-digital signal, years behind some of the bigger players in the cable TV field. And there are plenty of cable companies smaller than mine that are lucky to still exist, basically.
[/quote]
There are a number of reasons that TWC needed to get rid of the analog feed:
1. Videocipher. The Videocipher technology was a big help for TWC's systems. But that tech started going away in the 90s. General Instrument killed production of the VCII+/RS modules in 98. As time passed, working VCII encoders/decoders probably became harder to come by. That, combined with the shift of other broadcasters to digital format made it necessary to transition. And Motorola's decision to stop authorizing VCII/RS decoders at the end of 2008 cut off TWC from the BUD market. (I somehow envisioned in my home TWC's uplink using a Videocipher Encoder that still had "Property of HBO" stenciled on it somewhere :-D)
2. Cost-effectiveness. In the 90s, digital compression enabled more than one program to share a single transponder on a satellite. Where 25 years ago, you had 24 channels on a C-Band satellite (32 on Ku-Band), you can now fit a lot more. That and analog satellite equipment was probably becoming more expensive to maintain. And parts for the existing reception/transmission equipment were probably becoming harder to come by (like Videocipher). That and prices for digital reception equipment for existing cable headends have dropped over the years since digital transmission became the standard. And now, TWC, (and it's corporate overlords at NBCUniversal/Comcast), can take transponder 13 and add a compressed digital signal on that one transponder for its own use.
All in all, it was a day that was coming. The fact that it took more than five years is a miracle.
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If anyone get's hold of a star and wouldn't mind an enormous shipping cost...
But honestly I'm still surprised how long this legacy hardware has lasted. To be fair this day would have come sooner or later, I'm just surprised It finally took so long. Mind you, the BBC only just dumped Teletext last year.