Austin360 blogs > TV Blog > Archives > 2008 > June > 02 > Entry
HD News: KEYE launches new channel, KVUE News goes HD
If you live in the HD world (and more of you do every week), you may have noticed that KEYE has a second channel now featuring classic TV series such as “Leave It To Beaver,” “Happy Days,” “The Fugitive,” “Perry Mason” and “Mission Impossible.”
The channel, called RTN (Retro Television Network), launched today over the air on Digital Channel 42-2 and Time Warner’s Digital Cable Channel 1532.
KEYE tested the equipment late last week, so some viewers may have gotten a peek at the channel early. But today’s the day for the full schedule, which runs 24 hours a day.
In addition to the old reruns, RTN is replaying KEYE’s early morning news, anchored by Fred Cantu and Elizabeth Dannheim, from 7 to 9 a.m. — a much more civilized time than the normal 5 to 7 a.m. (In my world, that’s still night.)
Also Sunday evening, KVUE jumped out early with a successful “soft launch” of its HD newscasts at 5:30 and 10 p.m. Today is the official HD debut, featuring a new set and all the bells and whistles that HD brings.
Check tomorrow’s Life & Arts section of the American-Statesman and Austin360.com for more info on KVUE’s HD transition. It is the second Austin station to go HD with local news. KEYE made the switch last November.
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By julie
June 4, 2008 11:13 AM | Link to this
I am not one who cares AT ALL about HD. I have seen it at other peoples houses, and i just dont get it. I dont NEED to see everything in almost 3D. It gave me a headache. I hope the time does NOT come where we are forced to have this like we are forced to have this digital thing next year. People in America should be able to CHOOSE whether they want these changes or not.
By Winchester
June 3, 2008 3:35 PM | Link to this
As to commercial sound volume, it is my understanding that there is a maximum volume set for braodcast, so a show would need some variation in the overall sound level. Commercials just max it out all the way.
By Josh
June 3, 2008 9:46 AM | Link to this
You just cant make some people happy. Its a new process. There's bound to be some mishaps. Give them credit for at least trying to improve their offerings.
By grouchomarc
June 3, 2008 1:57 AM | Link to this
...speaking of sound problems...
How is it "legal" for TV stations/networks to go to a commercial which has a sound volume that is extremely higher than the program we were watching prior to that commercial. We have to jump for the remote control to either lower the volume or click the mute button. And, of course, when the program returns, the volume has to be returned to a normal level. Please help me understand how "they" can get away with that?
By gdub
June 2, 2008 10:51 AM | Link to this
On KVUE's HD launch: If by successful, you mean there was a picture on the screen, I suppose they were successful. But there were sound problems from beginning to end of the 10 pm newscast. Mics didn't seem to be working, so they'd turn up other mics to get the anchor heard. A lot of poor sound quality, anchors cutting out and in — and at one point there was no sound for at 5-10 seconds. In fact, KVUE seemed to be having sound issues throughout primetime, where you had to turn it up a lot when changing from another channel to get ths same sound level.
One thing I did like was the picture on their reporter remotes was also in the widescreen format, unlike KEYE.