The Travel Channel began simulcasting in HD yesterday, but consider yourself lucky if you can find it on your high-definition television.
While the “official” launch of Travel ChannelHD was today, Cox cable affiliate have had access to the signal since the start of the new year. Cox Communications purchased the Travel Channel last year from Discovery Networks. Cox is currently the third largest cable tv company.
While the HD version is rolling out on Cox, Dish Network and DirecTV customers will not find the signal at this time, as no distribution deal has been struck with the satellite tv providers. No indication of any imminent deal is found on the TravelChannel HD website either, just the usual “Call your satellite provider, and tell them you want the Travel Channel HD.”
According to the Travel Channel HD Landscape Study, commissioned in fall 2007, the Travel Channel HD was the most anticipated new HD channel by current HD subscribers, and the second most anticipated HD channel among those expected to subscibe to HD in the near future.
The Travel Channel in HD would be a nice addition to the HD lineup of any pay tv operator. The channel features documentary style travelogues from around the world, but has added a few different takes on travel during the last year.
One caution, many may not really want to see Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations and Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern in HD. Watching these guys munch disturbing platters full of animal parts in high-definition may be a little too much for some stomachs.
The Travel Channel currently reaches about 90 million homes currently. Until Cox gets some of the big boys on board with the HD simulcast, the Travel Channel HD will be a non- factor for most television viewers.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Travel Channel HD is nowhere, they better get moving now or people wont care
Travel Channel could be one of the more interesting channels to view in high def.
The Travel Channel HD is available in my county of Hilton Head, SC by the local provider Hargray, but I switched to DTV because of cost and more HD channels with DTV. They seem to only not have The Travel Channel in HD.
Travel channel is awesome as it is…..HD will make an already great channel that much better. I forget the show, I think it may have been called Planet Earth or something, but that show was amazing in non-HD. I need to see that in HD now!!! Like, right now!
Good news!