Messages

226

Everything Else TWC / Re: New weather.com look

« on: October 07, 2013, 11:59:34 AM »

It truly looks as if weather.com is trying to emulate Windows 8.  In my opinion, it's an unholy and disorganized mess in which nothing looks good.

227

Everything Else TWC / Re: Local Weather Always On

« on: October 07, 2013, 11:58:05 AM »

This of course is proof that TWC is trying so hard to be more like every other cable channel rather than being a unique, valuable place where viewers go for something different.

You're right, and it's sad.  There is hardly any uniqueness amongst cable channels anymore.  They're all falling over themselves to be exactly the same as everyone else.

In any case, I'm on satellite and see no LDL on screen during the commercials.  During the normal programming, a LDL showing weather info for select cities appears.

As it is right now, LDLs over commercials are errors, not the norm, so no one should really be seeing them... yet.  I strongly dislike when my IntelliStar 2 goes down (or just doesn't get cued - happens too often) and I see the national LDL instead.  It's as useful to me as the "Travel Cities Forecast" national feed local forecast from ages ago - one line in the whole segment may be useful, but not very, and you have to wait forever for it to show up.

228

Programming and Graphics / Re: New Graphics coming to TWC

« on: October 05, 2013, 11:41:49 PM »

There was word back in July that all of the existing legacy STAR units will soon be replaced with something new for the cable headends that still use the older STARs:

https://twctodayforums.com/forums/programming/new-graphics-coming-to-twc/msg184191/#msg184191

I had forgotten about that.  I wonder who will have to pay for this - the individual cable companies or TWC?  Will they be upgraded to the same technology as everyone else, or will there be another "budget model" that isn't quite as good?  And what will "not quite as good" be, exactly?  So many questions...

229

Programming and Graphics / Re: New Graphics coming to TWC

« on: October 05, 2013, 09:59:26 PM »

I don't like how simplistic the radar looks though, it just looks bland and not as good as the radar on the Intellistar

As much as I disliked the XL (other than the obvious advance in graphics and information over the 4000), I have to say that the first version XL had the best-looking radar on any Star I've seen.  I just loved the texture.

230

Programming and Graphics / Re: New Graphics coming to TWC

« on: October 05, 2013, 09:57:56 PM »

I would hope TWC uses this "relaunch" to provide uniformity across all platforms.  Therefore, this look would be on both SD and HD channels and all "STARS" (if that's even what it's going to be anymore) look alike.

I think the 4000 and the Jr. are quite helpless in this regard.  Maybe even the XL can't do it.

231

Programming and Graphics / Re: New Graphics coming to TWC

« on: October 05, 2013, 09:54:36 PM »

EDIT #2: Sorry, I thought about something else, is this going to replace the existing STARs (IS, XL, 4000)?

I guess that depends on the cable companies involved.  Can they be forced to upgrade their equipment?  I doubt it.  Otherwise, it would probably have happened by now.  As has been said before, the WeatherStar III was discontinued only by FCC order, which meant there was no question about it.

That said, those stuck with legacy systems will probably be missing out on an awful lot, even more than they're missing now.  As it is now, they're stuck with the national LDL, and they only get to see their own local weather during local forecast segments (whether full-screen or a full screen over the squeezeback).

232

Programming and Graphics / Re: New Graphics coming to TWC

« on: October 05, 2013, 10:13:32 AM »

Oh, geez... how many ways are there to say "ugly"?  And such a waste of the IS2's capabilities...

233

Everything Else TWC / Re: Local Weather Always On

« on: October 03, 2013, 06:12:35 PM »

I agree - that would be the best solution.  One can only speculate why that hasn't yet happened, other than TWC's dwindling interest in actually showing weather reports.

234

Winter Weather / Re: Winter Storm Central 2013-2014

« on: October 03, 2013, 11:28:17 AM »

As much as i want to call it a publicity stunt they must know alot more than the average viewer who complains about it to do the names for a 2nd year in a row. i say give it time and it will become a staple like the current Hurricane names we are used to every year.

The difference is that the government has a mandate to issue names for tropical cyclones, and, as such, they're recognized the world over, just as names issued by other governments in their own areas are also recognized.  These winter storm names are coming from a private business, essentially, and are mandated by no one; in fact, they're actively rejected by the U.S. government.  However, the press is increasing its use of them - not only NBC, for obvious reasons, but also various newspapers and other media.  That alone may turn the tide into widespread acceptance of these names, even if they remain "unofficial."

235

Everything Else TWC / Re: Local Weather Always On

« on: October 03, 2013, 11:25:58 AM »

It would make sense to have the LDL's scroll during the commercials because they show relevant weather information the current 60 second locals don't.

Maybe that's not part of the deal with advertisers, if they have any say in the matter.  I'm sure advertisers would prefer to have their commercials playing without anything else on the screen to detract attention from them - emergency weather bulletins notwithstanding.

236

Winter Weather / Re: Winter Storm Central 2013-2014

« on: October 02, 2013, 12:58:17 PM »

I feel like I'm in 12th grade literature class all over again...

Ha ha ha ha ha ha

That was my least favorite class, too.  I even liked math better than that!

237

Local Forecast / Re: Emergency Feed Sightings

« on: October 02, 2013, 11:21:00 AM »

Apparently, these problems haven't carried over to "Day Planner."

238

Local Forecast / Re: Emergency Feed Sightings

« on: October 02, 2013, 10:54:08 AM »

Also interesting is 10am to 10:42am there were no local forecasts or commercial breaks.
They filled in the commercial and LOT8's time with live forecast segments from ATL then went back to WUWA on tape from 6am.

Now that's interesting if they're doing live "emergency" segments again.  Someone's computer had a hiccup!

239

Local Forecast / Re: Emergency Feed Sightings

« on: October 02, 2013, 10:30:58 AM »

I just tuned in at 10:29.  The cloud/TWC logo was where the LDL should have been, and when the "Wake Up With Al" segment started again, the national LDL is being shown instead of the IS2.  (My cable company repeats the HD feed on the SD channel, so I can't comment on what the SD feed's doing here.)

I'll have to wait a few minutes to see what happens with the local forecast.
Edit at 10:42: The IS2 local forecast came on just fine, and now the IS2 LDL is working again, too.
Edit at 10:50: The national feed HD local forecast came on, and the IS2 LDL was on for about half of it.

240

Winter Weather / Re: Winter Storm Central 2013-2014

« on: October 01, 2013, 07:49:31 PM »

I feel like I'm in 12th grade literature class all over again...