HPA Technology Retreat Report #2: HDV Camcorders, 3D NFL HD, and Broadcast Gear Demos

Technology Retreat Report #2
By
Todd Mitchell

LA QUINTA, FREBRUARY 6, 2004 - Today was Day 2 of the HPA Technology Retreat hosted by broadcast engineering guru Mark Schubin. Without a doubt the highlight was tonight's softball round robin tournament at Wrigley Field in the Field of Dreams Park in Palm Springs. The Spatial team led by Pat Griffis of Microsoft went undefeated with your humble correspondent playing first base on a 2 for 2 night. For those of you keeping score, HDTV Magazine contributor Pete Putman's Bit Depth team was soundly defeated by Spatial 7-3.

There are several outstanding demonstration exhibits here at the Tech Retreat, though only a few may be of real interest to the HDTV consumer. JVC has brought a keen demonstration of their full D-VHS based HD Distribution Suite. This includes their newly released DM-JV600 encoder, SR-VDA300US ProHD Mastering Recorder (basically an HM-DH3000U with a grafted ASI input box on the bottom), and the SR-VD400US ProHD D-VHS VCR (modified from the HM-DH40000U). Security on this digital daily system now contains up to three tiers of password protection. The system has been used on many recent films including Sea Biscuit and Pirates of the Caribbean. Combined cost of the package is well under $30,000. JVC officials are very hush hush with regards to a potential second generation HDV MPEG2 camcorder. However, I was able to learn at CES that plans are in the works for a true 720p/60 recorder, with an introduction that could come as soon as the NAB Convention in April. JVC also has the CU-VH1, a very cool portable tiny mini-DV HDV VCR with a pop-up LCD display. This is a natural travelling companion to an HDV camcorder. Price still not set but hopefully under $2K.

Sony is a signatory to the HDV format (along with Sharp and Canon) and they are also denying comment on rumors that their maiden HDV camcorder will be the first to incorporate the highly coveted 1080i 25mbs format contained in the HDV specs.

Sony is showing off their new HDCAM SR acquisition and storage system which can deliver a whopping 440 Mbps payload of full bandwidth 1080i with 10 bit video sampling.

 

These Faces Seen at the CES. Stroy tomorrow....

Charlie Ergan

Eddie Hartenstien

Another very cool and inexpensive product is the HDVI-10 from Doremi Labs. This tiny box will convert HD and SD SDI to DVI for use with the the 3840x2400 IBM and ViewSonic "Bertha" 22 inch wide screen LCD computer monitors. Forget everything you've heard about these displays not being capable of handling full motion high definition. With the HDVI-10 Bertha delivers honest to God full resolution HD video with ease. Price near $1000.

Mike Tsinberg of Key Digital is showing a box, the HD Hanna, aimed at the high end home theater user that will convert analog component to DVI scaled up to 1080p60 that should also be compatible with these very high resolution displays. Moreover, Hanna contains a true digital path ATSC STB with two firewire ports for archiving to hard disc or D-VHS with on board video scaling. Mike will also be moderating the high definition video disc panel tomorrow which should be a major source of fireworks. No word yet on whether the US Justice Department will be sending along a panelist.

The mother of all demonstrations this year without a doubt is the Cobalt Entertainment NFL in HD in 3D. Details of this system were discussed in a recent New York Times article. NFL Films has contracted with Cobalt and its CEO Steve Schklair to produce an NFL in 3D IMAX production using high definition cameras instead of IMAX film. Steve had just returned from the SuperBowl where he reports having captured both Janet Jackson and the streaker in 3D. Seriously, the demonstration footage shot with this system at a recent San Diego vs Seattle game was simply astonishing. Coming to an IMAX or Digital theater near you in less than two years!

Once gain we thank Todd Mitchell for his coverage of this important event.

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These Faces Seen at the CES. Story tomorrow....

Tom Campbell - The "Voice"	President of Comcast
Mark Cuban	Chuck Dolan - Voom

 

 

8:00PM ET/7:00 C
George Lopez

"God Needles George"
George makes a regrettable deal with God if Max's dog, Mr. Needles, is healed.

8:30PM ET/7:30 C
George Lopez

"I Only Have Eyes for You"
Carmen's first day at her new school turns the family upside-down when George misdirects his worry and concern for Carmen's safety and it's taken as distrust. Meanwhile, Max develops his first crush on a much older woman — Carmen's new high school friend.

9:00PM ET/8:00 C
Hope & Faith

"The Diner Story"
Kathie Lee Gifford guest stars as Marge, a disgruntled waitress. When Faith catches wind that a high-profile director is planning on shooting a film in Cleveland, she quickly hatches a foolproof plan that she expects will give her that second chance at stardom. Hope and Faith plan a chance meeting with the director at a local diner, but their strategy is turned upside down when they realize they have no money to pay for their dinner. Marge is less than captivated by their excuses, and the restaurant owner makes Hope and Faith wait tables to earn their meals. But when the elusive director finally shows, Marge decides that an acting career might be better suited to her than to Faith.

9:30PM ET/8:30 C
Hope & Faith

"Car Commercial"
Legendary talk show host Regis Philbin guest-stars! Philbin plays Handsome Hal Halverson, a used car salesman who hires Faith to co-star in his commercial in exchange for a free car. He soon discovers he got more than he bargained for when Faith tries to upstage him. Meanwhile, Hope is confident that Charley will remember the anniversary of their first kiss.
 

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Advertise your new HDTV services and products in the HDTV Magazine and reach your audience without fail.

 

8:00PM ET/7:00 C
Joan of Arcadia

of Grace"
After Joan joins the debate team per GodÂ’s wish, she and a stuttering student are paired together to defend the new and unpopular school security measures. Meanwhile, Will investigates a hate crime against a priest and Kevin begins to fight the momentum of his budding relationship with Rebecca.

9:00PM ET/8:00 C
JAG

"People v. SecNav"
When the International Criminal Court in The Hague charges the Secretary of the Navy with war crimes, Harm and Mac are assigned to defend him.

10:00PM ET/9:00 C
Cold Case

"Love Conquers Al"
Lilly reopens a case when a prison inmate looking for a reduced sentence relates a conversation he overheard 22 years ago intimating that the wrong man is currently serving time for the murder of a 16-year-old girl.
 

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8:59PM ET/7:59 C
ED

"Happily Ever After"
When Carol (Julie Bowen) convinces Ed (Tom Cavanagh) that their wedding plans need to be more spectacular, they decide to have a circus-themed wedding. As Ed's parents arrive, he and Carol go their respective ways for a bachelor-bachelorette party, while earnest student Warren (Justin Long) decides to make am ambitious video for the ceremony -- "The Ed Stevens and Carol Vessey Story." Meanwhile, Phil (Michael Ian Black) tries desperately to convince Ed to let him perform the wedding ceremony. Josh Randall, JanaMarie Hupp, Daryl Mitchell and Rachel Cronin also star.

10:00PM ET/9:00 C
Third Watch

"Sleeping Dogs Lie"
As Kim (Kim Raver) and Doherty (Eddie Cibrian) re-cement their romantic relationship, she worries when Doherty is offered a promotion that requires him to work in a dangerous part of the city and is later trapped in a sweatshop inferno with a woman he had hoped to rescue. Meanwhile, Officer Monroe (Nia Long) again runs afoul of the intense Cruz (Tia Texada) when she tries to prevent the wrong man from confessing to a brutal murder -- an admission extracted under pressure by the defiant Cruz. Back at the station, Doc (Michael Beach) frets that a new captain (as Steeper, guest star Paul Michael Glaser) will close their station as he has repeatedly done before. Jason Wiles, Anthony Ruivivar, Coby Bell and Skipp Sudduth also star.

 

11:34PM ET/10:34 C
 

Tonight's Guests

Naomi Watts

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6:00AM ET/5:00 C
Great Moments In Italian Art

"Rome: Art In The Imperial Era"
Rome is known as "the eternal city." Historically, this small city of farmers and warriors grew to be a great power and colonized a large part of the ancient world. Examine the extraordinary artwork Roman conquerors brought back as prizes.

7:00AM ET/6:00 C
The Jeff Corwin Experience

"Indonesia: The Orangutan Freedom Journey"
Wild experiences with a guy who loves adventure as much as he loves wild animals. A television series with a goal...to explore the planet in search of the most fantastic wildlife and wildest adventures before they disappear.

8:00AM ET/7:00 C
Anaconda!

South African photographer and adventurer Austin Stevens is travelling to the Amazon to catch a wild anaconda in the water, and attempt to bring it to land.

9:00AM ET/8:00 C
Okinawa's Coral Treasures

South Pacific reef systems are one of nature's marvels. The Japanese Islands of Okinawa are home to one of the most dynamic and varied tropical eco-systems on earth. This film illustrates the hidden life found deep in the layers of coral.

10:00AM ET/9:00 C
Killer Crocs Of Costa Rica

Amidst Costa Rica's breathtaking Pacific coast, rivers and tropical forest, follow the lives of a female crocodile and her young. Along the way they encounter a variety of wildlife, including caiman, predatory fish, army ants and coati.

11:00AM ET/10:00 C
Art Forms Of The Orient

"Episode 2"
In Japan the line between art and life is often hard to determine. Discover the patience and dedication it takes to create traditional Japanese art forms and how cultural values are such a strong influence.

12:00PM ET/11:00 C
A Wedding Story

"Cher & Johnny"
No Description Available.

12:30PM ET/11:30 C
A Makeover Story

"Beaux Art Beauties"
No Description Available.

1:00PM ET/12:00 C
Surprise By Design

"Day Dreamer"
Mary-Chris and Tim have a two-year-old son and twin four-month-olds, so their household is chaotic. Mary-Chris feels Tim needs a place to work while staying close to the family.

2:00PM ET/1:00 C
Weird Homes

"Earth Dwellers"
Nothing new under the sun? You just haven't gone "under" enough. Richard McKelvie mows the grass on his roof. An underground labyrinth is the desert home of Andre Forestiere. And when Charles & Rachel Stamps turned 70, they burrowed into a sand dune.

2:30PM ET/1:30 C
Weird Wheels

"Wild Inventions"
Car artists transform ordinary vehicles into the extraordinary and the comical. A Pontiac Sunbird sprouts wings and becomes the "Nat-mobile". The Push-Me/Pull-You Car doesn't know if it is coming or going, and the big, wheeled flower is always daisy-fresh.

3:00PM ET/2:00 C
Insectia

"Time Travellers"
Go back in time to discover the insects of old, trapped in amber and perfectly preserved in little time machines. Scientists have even extracted ancient insects' DNA from the huge number caught in the prehistoric amber of the Dominican Republic.

3:30PM ET/2:30 C
Great Canadian Rivers

"The Fraser"
The Fraser is the largest river in British Columbia. It begins at the foot of Mount Robson in the Rockies, crosses the desert-like interior of the province, snakes through the Fraser Canyon, and empties into the Pacific in Greater Vancouver.

4:00PM ET/3:00 C
The Jeff Corwin Experience

"Indonesia: The Orangutan Freedom Journey"
Wild experiences with a guy who loves adventure as much as he loves wild animals. A television series with a goal...to explore the planet in search of the most fantastic wildlife and wildest adventures before they disappear.

5:00PM ET/4:00 C
Anaconda!

South African photographer and adventurer Austin Stevens is travelling to the Amazon to catch a wild anaconda in the water, and attempt to bring it to land.

6:00PM ET/5:00 C
Okinawa's Coral Treasures

South Pacific reef systems are one of nature's marvels. The Japanese Islands of Okinawa are home to one of the most dynamic and varied tropical eco-systems on earth. This film illustrates the hidden life found deep in the layers of coral.


7:00PM ET/6:00 C
Before We Ruled The Earth: Mastering The Beasts

15,000 years ago, the Cro-Magnons had evolved to become the sole residents of Europe. They had all the abilities of modern humans: the power of speech, reasoning skills, and a belief in the afterlife.


8:00PM ET/7:00 C
Greatest Fireworks On Earth

Experience pyrotechnique displays around the world from a Las Vegas extravaganza to ceremonial rituals in Valencia, Spain.

9:00PM ET/8:00 C
Wright Brothers: First In Flight

Nearly a century after the Wright brothers built the first powered aircraft, a team of engineers is building a reproduction of the 1903 Wright Flyer. From original notes, blueprints and photos, they are uncovering the Wright brother's path to success.

11:00PM ET/10:00 C
Greatest Fireworks On Earth

Experience pyrotechnique displays around the world from a Las Vegas extravaganza to ceremonial rituals in Valencia, Spain.

12:00AM ET/11:00 C
Wright Brothers: First In Flight

Nearly a century after the Wright brothers built the first powered aircraft, a team of engineers is building a reproduction of the 1903 Wright Flyer. From original notes, blueprints and photos, they are uncovering the Wright brother's path to success.

2:00AM ET/1:00 C
Insectia

"Life In The Desert"
Find out how insects can stay alive in the arid expanses of the Sahara desert by preserving their precious water supply. Locusts, Desert Beetles, and many other insects store this resource to survive the Moroccan sun.

2:30AM ET/1:30 C
Great Canadian Rivers

"Klinaklini, The"
The Klinaklini River begins 12,900 feet above the Pacific Ocean, but only takes a short 200 kilometer course to complete it's journey. The early Chilcotan people named the river "Klinaklini, or "the river that winds back on itself."

3:00AM ET/2:00 C
Greatest Fireworks On Earth

Experience pyrotechnique displays around the world from a Las Vegas extravaganza to ceremonial rituals in Valencia, Spain.

4:00AM ET/3:00 C
Wright Brothers: First In Flight

Nearly a century after the Wright brothers built the first powered aircraft, a team of engineers is building a reproduction of the 1903 Wright Flyer. From original notes, blueprints and photos, they are uncovering the Wright brother's path to success.
 

NEWS ITEM....

DTV Drafthouse Returns for Second Round at NAB2004 More DTV Products and Technology in a New Location

Washington, D.C., February 5, 2004 - The Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC), the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) and the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) are partnering again to showcase digital television (DTV) products and technology in the "DTV Drafthouse: Technology On Tap!" at the upcoming NAB2004 Convention, April 19 - 22 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

"Last year's DTV Drafthouse was a real hit with convention attendees," said NAB President and CEO Edward O. Fritts. "We plan to build on that success this year with an even greater array of DTV technology and programming in a comfortable, tavern-like setting."

The Drafthouse will feature the latest DTV products to hit the consumer marketplace and demonstrations of technologies that utilize the broad flexibility of the ATSC broadcast standard.

"A keyword for DTV products in 2004 is integration," said Gary Shapiro, CEA president and CEO. "CEA member companies are focused on introducing a multitude of integrated HDTV products into the consumer marketplace while continuing to offer consumers a broad array of product choices. The DTV Drafthouse will provide NAB2004 attendees the opportunity to see the products that will soon be in the hands of millions of consumers nationwide."

"In addition to the wide array of consumer products, the latest technology based upon the evolving suite of ATSC Standards will be highlighted," said ATSC President, Mark Richer.

This year, the DTV Drafthouse has expanded to be bigger and better than ever in a new location - the Las Vegas Convention Center's South Hall Upper Lobby.

In addition to serving the latest in DTV technology, the Drafthouse will offer wine and beer for sale. The DTV Drafthouse will be open Monday through Wednesday, April 19 - 21, from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Thursday, April 23 from 9 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

For the past three NAB conventions, ATSC, CEA, and NAB have showcased DTV through the popular "DTV Store" exhibit and then the "DTV Drafthouse". A list of Drafthouse sponsors, as well as products and DTV programs to be showcased in the DTV Drafthouse, will be announced in late March.
 

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6:00AM ET/5:00 C
Isolados: A People Apart

The history of Brazil-or rather, the history of the entire continents of North and South America has been a history of contact between "civilized" people and "isolated" people. Now, the last of these people who live apart are being forced to the brink of extinction as modern civilization expands into their ancestral lands. This program focuses on a government body dedicated to protecting these isolated tribes.

7:00AM ET/6:00 C
Wild Secrets

Barbirusa: Unmasking a Legend - Two hundred and fifty years ago a Dutch explorer drew a picture of a strange animal he had glimpsed in the remote jungles of Sulawesi. A creature of myth and legend, little was know about the barbirusa. We journey for two days into the remote Indonesian jungle and share a rare encounter with a herd of barbirusa at a remarkable volcanic salt lake.

7:30AM ET/6:30 C
Tracks Ahead

Northlandz - Tracks Ahead takes a look at the gigantic layout called Northlandz. Ride with author and Chicago Sun Times literary critic Henry Kisor as he travels the Rocky Mountains. Check out an HO layout with an European flair.

8:00AM ET/7:00 C
Weekend Explorer

Redding, California - Jump a wave wakeboarding, feel the rush of whitewater rafting, experience the thrill of waverunning, and enjoy BBQ cooking in a hot tub while houseboating on scenic Lake Shasta. Tour one of the US's largest dams, walk among giant ancient stalactites in Shasta Caverns, explore the wildlife of Turtle Bay, and catch a rainbow trout while enjoying a fishing float trip.

8:30AM ET/7:30 C
Bass Champs

2003 National Skeeter Owners Tournament - National Skeeters Owners Tournament featuring Jay Yeales and the entire Skeeter Pro Staff.

9:00AM ET/8:00 C
Higher Definition

Pop-culture writer/host Robert Wilonsky sits down with Director Andrew Jarecki to talk about his amazing documentary Capturing the Friedmans, the story of a family unraveling after the father is accused of a horrible crime. Plus, previews of what's coming soon on HDNet Movies and HDNet entertainment.

9:30AM ET/8:30 C
Across America

Across America tracks a new way to win in Las Vegas: Desert Racing. Then power shopping inside the DC beltway. And tourists flock to a dry county in search of Tennessee whiskey.

10:00AM ET/9:00 C
HDNet This Month

February 2004 - Take a look at HDNet's weekly schedule with segments from the HDNet World Report, Across America, the NHL on HDNet, a new season of An American In Canada, the premiere of Odyssey 5, and exclusive high definition concerts from chart topping artists. HDNet This Month also gives you a sneak peak at the films you can see this month on HDNet Movies. HDNet is television like you've never seen before.

11:00AM ET/10:00 C
Johnathan Brownlee's atHome

Long Weekend - Home theatres, "smart homes" security, home gyms, hot tubs, spas and barbeques.

11:30AM ET/10:30 C
Square Pegs

Square Pigskins - High school sports takes a giant step backwards when an enthusiastic Lauren encourages a skeptical Patty to join her on the Weemawee girls' football team -- convince it's the "perfect" way to meet boys.

12:00PM ET/11:00 C
HDNet World Report

Siberia: A Tale of Two Soviet Cities - HDNet World Report cameras travel to two cities in the former Soviet Union to see first-hand how freedom has changed them. And, most importantly how their people have adjusted to new capitalist attitudes.

12:30PM ET/11:30 C
HDNet World Report

Rome: Papal Succession - HDNet World Report cameras travel to Vatican City to report on the procedures that must be followed by the Catholic Church when it is time to elect a new Pope. World Report goes inside the rooms where the Conclave of Cardinals will vote on the eventual successor to Pope John Paul II.

1:30PM ET/12:30 C
Hogan's Heroes

Drums Along the Dusseldorf - Hogan and his henchmen mine a bridge and then learn the first truck crossing it will be carrying American war prisoners.

2:00PM ET/1:00 C
The Fugitive

St. Christopher's Prayer - To visit his dying father in Pennsylvania, Kimble risks exposure by his uncle, betrayal by an ambitious reporter and, ultimately, arrest by Lt. Gerard.

3:00PM ET/2:00 C
Presidio Med

With Grace - Rae diagnoses Grace Rothman (Hallie Kate Eisenberg - Bicentennial Man), a spirited nine-year-old girl with leukemia. Initially confident that she can heal Grace, Rae feels like a failure when the treatments don't work as planned. Meanwhile, as her marriage to Sean (recurring guest star Robert Knepper) continues to deteriorate, Rae finds herself more attracted to Kokoris.

4:00PM ET/3:00 C
Designing America

Cinemark Movie Theatre - The owners of Cinemark Movie Theatres takes us on tour of their home. And you won't believe their media room! In "How Do You Do" we talk tool talk and a Lagniappe that's all about the bath. "The Finishing Touch" focuses on faux painting by artist Mary Mohr.

4:30PM ET/3:30 C
Weekend Explorer

Redding, California - Jump a wave wakeboarding, feel the rush of whitewater rafting, experience the thrill of waverunning, and enjoy BBQ cooking in a hot tub while houseboating on scenic Lake Shasta. Tour one of the US's largest dams, walk among giant ancient stalactites in Shasta Caverns, explore the wildlife of Turtle Bay, and catch a rainbow trout while enjoying a fishing float trip.

5:00PM ET/4:00 C
Higher Definition

Pop-culture writer/host Robert Wilonsky sits down with pop-star turned actor Mandy Moore, along with her Chasing Liberty co-star Matthew Goode; and, Jackie Kallen, the inspiration for the new Meg Ryan movie, Against the Ropes lets us in on a few secrets of the boxing world.

5:30PM ET/4:30 C
Nothing But Trailers

Sometimes the best part of the movie is the preview! So HDNet presents a half hour of Nothing But Trailers. See the best trailers, old and new in HDNet's collection.

6:00PM ET/5:00 C
Chinese Communist Party: The New Leap Forward

Thanks to reforms initiated by former party head and President Jiang Zemin and others, Chinese communism today appears to have adopted some remarkably capitalistic ideologies. These reforms have had profound effects on China's economy and have shaken up some fundamental parts of the culture. But as the drums of reform continue to beat, China is on the march.

7:00PM ET/6:00 C
HDNet This Month

February 2004 - Take a look at HDNet's weekly schedule with segments from the HDNet World Report, Across America, the NHL on HDNet, a new season of An American In Canada, the premiere of Odyssey 5, and exclusive high definition concerts from chart topping artists. HDNet This Month also gives you a sneak peak at the films you can see this month on HDNet Movies. HDNet is television like you've never seen before.

8:00PM ET/7:00 C
On the Set: An American in Canada

On the Set: An American in Canada is a tongue in cheek look at a "typical" day on the set of this award winning Canadian comedy.

8:30PM ET/7:30 C
True Music

This week's True Music episode is made up of bands with unusual names! Taking charge of the soulful rock category is the talented Nayroc, sister of the famed Eryka Badu. Playing the latest alternative rock (with a UK feel) is the band OHNO. And finally, True Music host Katie Daryl will be introducing Stoney LaRue and his country/southern rock tunes to you.

9:00PM ET/8:00 C
Across America

New Yorkers show Across America why the tango is the dance of passion. And, in Colorado, ice climbers dangle from spectacular frozen cliffs.

9:30PM ET/8:30 C
Bikini Destinations Premiere

Palm Springs - Bikini Destinations descends upon the desert oasis of Palm Springs. Our models find adventure from dusk till dawn at the celebrities' pick of premier retreats.

10:00PM ET/9:00 C
World Extreme Cagefighting: Cold Blooded Premiere

World Extreme Cagefighting from The Palace, in Lemoore, CA. Watch as fierce competitors battle it out in the cage! Hosted by Ryan Bennett, 1984 Olympic Gold Medalist Jeff Blatnick and Ron Kruck. Featuring: Deshaun Johnson vs. Yves Edward, John Polakowski vs. Olaf Alfonzo, and Joe Riggs vs. Alex Stiebling

11:30PM ET/10:30 C
On the Set: An American in Canada

On the Set: An American in Canada is a tongue in cheek look at a "typical" day on the set of this award winning Canadian comedy.

12:00AM ET/11:00 C
True Music

This week's True Music episode is made up of bands with unusual names! Taking charge of the soulful rock category is the talented Nayroc, sister of the famed Eryka Badu. Playing the latest alternative rock (with a UK feel) is the band OHNO. And finally, True Music host Katie Daryl will be introducing Stoney LaRue and his country/southern rock tunes to you.

12:30AM ET/11:30 C
Across America

New Yorkers show Across America why the tango is the dance of passion. And, in Colorado, ice climbers dangle from spectacular frozen cliffs.

1:00AM ET/12:00 C
Bikini Destinations

Palm Springs - Bikini Destinations descends upon the desert oasis of Palm Springs. Our models find adventure from dusk till dawn at the celebrities' pick of premier retreats.

1:30AM ET/12:30 C
World Extreme Cagefighting: Cold Blooded

World Extreme Cagefighting from The Palace, in Lemoore, CA. Watch as fierce competitors battle it out in the cage! Hosted by Ryan Bennett, 1984 Olympic Gold Medalist Jeff Blatnick and Ron Kruck. Featuring: Deshaun Johnson vs. Yves Edward, John Polakowski vs. Olaf Alfonzo, and Joe Riggs vs. Alex Stiebling

3:00AM ET/2:00 C
Ice-T: Smooth Trigger, Sex, Money & Guns

4:00AM ET/3:00 C
Across America

New Yorkers show Across America why the tango is the dance of passion. And, in Colorado, ice climbers dangle from spectacular frozen cliffs.

4:30AM ET/3:30 C
Thieves

The Green And The Black - While Johnny and Rita retrieve a stolen engraving plate used for counterfeiting, Rita becomes attracted to Eddie Hartman (Tim Guinee), Johnny's former partner who is now his nemesis. Meanwhile, a sexy and smart agent, Katrina Epstein (recurring guest star Wanda de Jesus), joins Shue's division. As Shue and Epstein fight for power, they can't deny their sexual chemistry.

5:30AM ET/4:30 C
A Caribbean Workout 2003

In gorgeous Almond Beach, Barbados features Chi Ball exercises.
 

 RETURN TO TOP

Taken from the files of Dale Cripps, publisher, HDTV Magazine

A Historical Perspective, Part I
by
Dale Cripps

I am going to present some of the long and arduous history of the HDTV movement for two reasons. The first is to introduce you to the monumental and painstaking international task that it has been and continues to be and to give you insight into the great strengths of HDTV which has allowed it to endure through all attempts at to destroy it. The people who were and are responsible for it getting to your home and mine met and overcame every adversity they encountered along the way--and there were many. They are worthy and deserving of honor and HDTV Magazine announces with great excitement the formation of the HDTV Hall Of Fame. There will be people inducted into this Hall that will continue to ring out in history for hundreds of years to come, not just for technical prowess and inventiveness that was called upon, but for their courage and unswerving devotion to bringing to birth something we all agree is a very good thing for everyone. Had it failed, every one of the people I am refereeing to would have had an indelible tarnish overlaid on their careers. All knew the stakes. Still they did what they had to do to get us to this point. The reason I know HDTV is the tool of leaders is because real leaders led it. It is more than about television and always has been.

This piece you will find below appeared in Widescreen Review in in 1997. I have updated it just a little. I wrote these articles -- about 50 of them in all -- to be read at this time as well as when they were published so the public can gain a sense of what went into getting them their last Sunday's Super Bowl in HDTV. This one article, which I picked at random, will only give you a flavor--a fly over-and the others will develop the meat on the bones. I also have most of the masters to the HDTV Newsletter (over 5000 pages), which I also wrote to be read as a document of interest for those who may enjoy an inside look today under the hood of the most prolific form of communications and influence the world has ever known. I will place those in due time in our members only zone and perhaps some revenue to propel us along can be generated by their redistribution.

 Part I

For years the HDTV movement was like the unruly British Parliament where pleas for “order, order, order!” are heard but responses short lived. The HDTV movement became most unruly when the first central force holding it together—the holy quest for a single worldwide HDTV production standard—became the innocent victim of a competitive brawl between Europe and Japan. But the movement, then motivated by the fear that Japan would succeed to commercial domination of the world in the next century, gathered strength to continue

The US broadcasters viewed it a quite differently. While expressing alarm over JapanÂ’s industrial expansion (never a concern over their advertising expansion), they adopted HDTV as their carrier for safeguarding "underused" UHF broadcast spectrum from hungry and covetous land mobile forces. (In the early 80s land mobile or portable telephone and messaging system operators were effectively organizing their political will to penitrate the FCc and Congress to gain control of spectrum that was traditionally in the broadcast allotment package. This was a frightening event for broadcasting was essentially standing still, or even losing ground, and the other world of communications was about to charge full strength ahead. Their growing strength could put the camel's nose under the tent of the broadcasters and cause very serious spectrum management issues ahead. The broadcasters decided to put a stop to land mobile's aggression, but how? They were essentially defenseless because they did hold spectrum which was very much underused. They could make no clear denial nor rationale as to why they should keep it other than they were reluctant to let go of any asset. Spectrum IS always valuable. Broadcasters had to do something and then HDTV appeared on the scene in 1981/82, not so much a white knight, but a Trojan Horse.) 

Europe had a far more distinct motive for paying attention to the HDTV from Japan. They urgently needed to protect their still-viable consumer electronic industry from a growing Japanese might. If Japan, they reasoned, had a hit with HDTV and Europe was not up-to-speed on the technology  it would threaten tens of thousands of European managed jobs and likely undermine Europe's socialist approach to community. They had to compete technically or slam the gates shut on international trade and foreign investment in manufacturing facilities. But they had already reached the mindset that said "doing business globally was the future ready or not."  The European Commission (then the Euoprean Union) and the national governments of Europe organized huge HDTV R&D programs under their famous Eureka initiatives to block Japan from rushing into any commercialization of HDTV by introducing their own unique standard in complete opposition to the standard being offered by Japan and backed up by our own Department of State. The block worked, though not without political head scratching when markets for HDTV failed to materialize any where. While many questioned the sincerity of the European initiative there was several hundred million allocated to bringing Europe up-to-spped, technically, and positioning some of their high profile companies as providers of professional HDTV equipment.  Europe was already in the middle of a transition effort with hybrid satellite system known as D#-MAC. The D-2 MAC was modified or extended to HDTV capabilities and stood in the world marketplace as a direct competitor to the Japanese satellite transmission system from NHK, the MUSE. Both did do signal processing in the digital domain internally to achieve some compression but the emission was analog. 

Flush with their new status as a world class influence the Japanese went to great lengths and staggering expense to demonstrate in the late 80s  their technical muscle. By this time it had more than occurred to the Japanese leadership that the next century would be marked by a new languange of icons and that HDTV would be the king of that language and their role would be as conquestador of the world through the vast influence that HDTV would ultimately provide for them. Neither Korea nor China were anywhere near the technical levels of sophisticated manufacturing that Japan had achieved. The US was unable to meet Japanese commercial technology in our own Military system and this gave Washington fits. HDTV would drive the semiconductor world forward and if Japan was dominant it would destabilize the world, at least from our government's perspective at the time. At their height (prior to the bubble in their economy bursting) Japan  cavalierly drove on with HDTV hoping to frighten others into accepting their system in a submissive fashion. That didnÂ’t work, but the process moved forward in a fertile United State to finally produce after a nine year developmental period (said by historians to be the longest time taken for setting a communications standard) what most heralded then as a "magnificent" advanced television system known first as the Grand Alliance system and later following their codification, the ATSC standard.

In the mean time Europe had grown sullen over HDTV. The Europeans did not put so much stock nor treasure television as have the Americas. Their European Union funded drew to a halt when the international press were goaded into telling the story that HDTV was just a rich man's device and it would not be important for main stream so why should hard earned tax money be spent on its development. They also viewed the US as only going through an exercise and regardless of the care taken to launch it the actual implementation or transition to HDTV would be a complete fiasco...so there was no big threat from Japan without the US market to worry over. It was a low period for HDTV forces and many questioned whey they were making investments in something that was going to be still born.

Digital transmission was developed in San Diego under the management of the present Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld. That change in technical approached forced a reassessment by all players around the world as digital did offer some keen advantages but it was also tricky and could prove expensive. The world had moved forward into the age of the Internet and what was true 18 months prior was not longer true the day you had to think about it nor would your conclusion be much good in another 18 months when everything changed still again. The hard core of HDTV people held their ground not because anyone had a super superior approach to achieving HDTV more than the next guy, but because the images were so wonderful that you could not fore sake them even for the trouble is was causing. Jim Gaspar, then with Panasonic noted with regularity how carrying the HDTV burden aged its supporters. He said, just prior to his own passing, "HDTV kills."

 Between the old rivals of Japan and Europe a technical wedge could be driven into into a circumstance as check mate to another's ambitions, but that was more associated with analog technology. With analog a line count and frame rate meant something from beginning to end but with digital it only meant some easy conversion from one thing to another. One may attempt to block an opponent by a technical maneuver but in digital it is only an annoyance rather than a full check mate. With digital you could destroy the technical barriers with a little bit of memory and some knowledge of algorithms.  Japan found themselves sadly isolated with their analog HDTV system which was born and nourished in the NHK laboratories and given governmental status. The Japanese are not very keen on competition in such big developments and, while it sounds reasonable to put big tasks in the most renowned hands in the nation those institutions tend to dig in and fight for whatever they have budgeted for rather than what meets the competition in a free associating capitalist society.  Once Japan saw that analog was hopelessly out of date they pinned their hopes on a new digital transmission scheme but there were not enough advances to rekindle the old idea of world domination. It was by that time enough to survive the burst of their economic bubble and keep Korea and China as manufacturing departments (similar to the US exporting of jobs to Japan following the war), 

"Those familiar with the digital systems," I penned in 1993, " have no doubt regarding the technical merits. Many US broadcasters, NBC, ABC/Disney, and, more, recently CBS/Westinghouse, have made very positive statements about moving onward into HDTV using a digital standard. Fox said that digital is fine (especially for multiplexing), but HDTV is irrelevant."

Following nine VERY bumpy years of grueling work the Grand Alliance HDTV broadcast standard was handed up to the Federal Communications Commission around the first week of 1996. It sat there with no agenda for its adoption even discussed. Handing over the standard had been the mission of the Advisory Committee on Advanced Television Services (ACATS), chaired by former FCC chairman Richard Wiley, since its organization in 1987. It was left to the FCC to stamp its final approval upon this industry-led conclusion. The FCC does not have the budget nor resources for even evaluating the standard in minute detail and in cases like this relies on industry-led standards and then rubber stamp endorses them through a report and order for their implementation. The only act that the Commission made was to grant new spectrum, and that was worked out by their staff and the MSTV in and make rules for the digital channelÂ’s usage. The famous timeline on when to make you building permit and when to turn it on was set by the FCC but it was not entirely their idea to do it the way it was written. Again, very strong lobbying was done and the outcome of all of this is related to that lobbying. I will discuss in other articles just how that influence was formed and who then exerted the most on the FCC to make it a rule. I will leave it to your judgment as to whether they were the right or wrong rules. The FCC Chairman at that time was Reed Hundt. He said upon receiving the standard in Washington, “Today we can only begin to imagine the many possibilities for delivery of entertainment and information that this flexible, dynamic digital standard can provide.” 

 To be continue tomorrow....

 

6:00AM ET/5:00 C
The Shawshank Redemption

R - 2:22
Cast: Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman, Bob Gunton Director: Frank Darabont
Film based on a Stephen King story about a young banker, who is wrongly convicted of murdering his wife, and sentenced to life in prison.

8:30AM ET/7:30 C
Fanny

NR - 2:13
Cast: Leslie Caron, Horst Buchholz, Maurice Chevalier Director: Joshua Logan
After the love of her life leaves for the sea, a woman finds solace in an older man.

11:00AM ET/10:00 C
Explorers

PG - 1:49
Cast: Ethan Hawke, River Phoenix, Bobby Fite Director: Joe Dante
Three friends travel to outerspace in their makeshift contraption.

1:00PM ET/12:00 C
North Shore

PG - 1:34
Cast: Matt Adler, Gregory Harrison, Nia Peeples Director: William Phelps
A mainland surfer from Arizona, makes his way to Hawaii to surf the big waves.

3:00PM ET/2:00 C
The Endless Summer II

PG - 1:49
Cast: Robert August, T.J. Baron, Jeff Booth Director: Bruce Brown
Sequel to The Endless Summer, which follows two hard core surfers as they search the globe for the perfect wave.

5:00PM ET/4:00 C
Freebie and the Bean

R - 1:53
Cast: Alan Arkin, James Caan, Loretta Swit Director: Richard Rush
Two San Francisco police detectives relentlessly pursue a mob boss.

7:00PM ET/6:00 C
To Kill A Priest

R - 1:57
Cast: Ed Harris, Christopher Lambert, Cherie Lunghi Director: Agnieszka Holland
A young priest speaks out against his church and is killed for it.

9:00PM ET/8:00 C
Permament Record

PG-13 - 1:31
Cast: Keanu Reeves, Alan Boyce, Michelle Meyrink Director: Marisa Silver
A student begins to understand the reasons behind his best friend's suicide.

10:45PM ET/9:45 C
The Real Cancun

R - 1:36
Cast: Alan, Amber, Ben Director: Rick de Oliveira
Sex and alcohol abound as a group of college students spend their spring break in Cancun.

12:30AM ET/11:30 C
Permament Record

PG-13 - 1:31
Cast: Keanu Reeves, Alan Boyce, Michelle Meyrink Director: Marisa Silver
A student begins to understand the reasons behind his best friend's suicide.

2:05AM ET/1:05 C
The Real Cancun

R - 1:36
Cast: Alan, Amber, Ben Director: Rick de Oliveira
Sex and alcohol abound as a group of college students spend their spring break in Cancun.

3:45AM ET/2:45 C
Striptease

R - 1:55
Cast: Demi Moore, Burt Reynolds, Armand Assante Director: Andrew Bergman
To make enough money to win custody of her daughter, a stripper becomes entangled in a blackmail scheme.

5:45AM ET/4:45 C
North Shore

PG - 1:34
Cast: Matt Adler, Gregory Harrison, Nia Peeples Director: William Phelps
A mainland surfer from Arizona, makes his way to Hawaii to surf the big waves.
 

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6:45AM ET/5:45 C
I Married A Monster From Outer Space

TVPG Time: 77  
A young woman discovers that her husband's body has been taken over by an alien monster, part of an invasion force that plans to conquer Earth, in this 1958 sci-fi classic.

8:05AM ET/7:05 C
Agnes Of God

PG13 Time: 98  
What happened on the night the old nun died? Was it a miracle? And who was responsible for the murder of the baby born in that cloistered convent? This engrossing adaptation of the hit Broadway play stars Jane Fonda as a court-appointed psychiatrist, Anne Bancroft as Sister Superior and Meg Tilly as the novice Agnes.

9:45AM ET/8:45 C
Love Thy Brother

TVPG Time: 9  
Two brothers become so consumed by their own fight that they fail to be concerned that their home is being burglarized in this amusing short film.

10:00AM ET/9:00 C
The Crow: City Of Angels

R Time: 85  
A Los Angeles man, who was murdered along with his son, is resurrected by a divine crow that gives him unearthly powers to punish the criminals who took their lives in this sequel to the dark 1994 thriller. When Ashe and his son Danny accidentally witness a murder at the hands of sinister drug boss Judah, the kingpin sends his cronies after the duo and Ashe and Danny are killed. But, with the help of the crow, Ashe is reborn and endowed with the bird's phenomenal powers to take vengeance on the thugs who wronged him in life. Starring Vincent Perez, Mia Kirshner, Richard Brooks, Iggy Pop, Thomas Jane, Vincent Castellanos and Thury Trang. Written by David S. Goyer; directed by Tim Pope.

11:30AM ET/10:30 C
Creature Features: Earth Vs. The Spider

R Time: 89  
In this remake of the 1958 cult classic, a young security guard transforms himself into a spidery superhero with devastating results. Quentin Kemmer (Devon Gummersall) is a twentysomething employee of a genetics research lab. After he is fired and his partner is murdered, Quentin decides to take fate into his own hands and turn himself into a superhero--by injecting himself with an experimental serum used to enlarge spiders. Soon after, he comes to the rescue of a pretty neighbor, but as the chemical continues to work its way through his body, Quentin metamorphoses into a full-blown arachnid...with a steady craving for human flesh! Starring Dan Aykroyd, Amelie Heinle and Theresa Russell.

1:00PM ET/12:00 C
Insomnia

R Time: 118  
An LAPD detective sent to Alaska to investigate a homicide commits a mortal mistake that forces him into a deadly game of cat and mouse with a serial killer in this "taut, tense and terrific" (Rolling Stone) remake of the 1997 Norwegian thriller. Al Pacino stars as Will Dormer, a veteran cop whose questionable methods have sparked an Internal Affairs inquiry that has him sent to look into a serial slaying in the town of Nightmute--where it's daylight around the clock. But Dormer's stress and inability to sleep result in a critical error that connects him to the killer...and forces him into the terrible dilemma of deciding between saving his career and stopping the madman. Robin Williams and Hilary Swank (Boys Don't Cry) co-star. Directed by Christopher Nolan (Memento).

3:00PM ET/2:00 C
One Hour Photo
Time: 95  
Robin Williams delivers a chillingly restrained performance in this creepy tale about a photo-processing worker who develops an unhealthy obsession with a young family. Sy Parrish (Williams) performs his duties at the giant SavMart store with meticulous care and precision, especially when the Yorkin family--mom Nina, dad Will and son Jake--arrive with their undeveloped film. Beneath his cheerful veneer, however, lies a deep-seated loneliness and rage that sends him over the edge when he loses the two things he values most--his job and his trust in the Yorkins. Connie Nielsen, Michael Vartan, Gary Cole and Eriq La Salle co-star in this "absorbing and unsettling psychological drama" (Hollywood Reporter). Directed by Mark Romanek.

4:35PM ET/3:35 C
About Last Night...

R Time: 113  
Singles in the big city, giving up on love and then giving it a shot--that's what this hip comedy-drama is about. Rob Lowe and Demi Moore are upscale Chicagoans whose romance zigs into sex and zags into love, but threatens to stall on the road to real commitment. Jim Belushi shines as a lustful young cynic sampling the singles scene, and Elizabeth Perkins plays his embittered female counterpart. A sharp look at the search for love, 1980s-style. Based on a play by David Mamet.

6:30PM ET/5:30 C
Enough

PG13 Time: 115  
A pretty waitress's storybook romance with a handsome customer takes a nightmarish turn in this thriller starring Jennifer Lopez. Slim (Lopez) waits tables in a small L.A. diner when she quickly finds herself swept off her feet--and right down the aisle--by a wealthy contractor named Mitch (Billy Campbell). Several years and a baby later, Slim discovers that Mitch has been cheating, but her accusation leaves her beaten and on the run for her life. With no one to help her, Slim learns to defend herself--while bracing for an inevitable confrontation with the malevolent Mitch. Juliette Lewis, Dan Futterman and Noah Wyle co-star. Directed by Michael Apted (The World is Not Enough).

8:30PM ET/7:30 C
The Crow: City Of Angels

R Time: 85  
A Los Angeles man, who was murdered along with his son, is resurrected by a divine crow that gives him unearthly powers to punish the criminals who took their lives in this sequel to the dark 1994 thriller. When Ashe and his son Danny accidentally witness a murder at the hands of sinister drug boss Judah, the kingpin sends his cronies after the duo and Ashe and Danny are killed. But, with the help of the crow, Ashe is reborn and endowed with the bird's phenomenal powers to take vengeance on the thugs who wronged him in life. Starring Vincent Perez, Mia Kirshner, Richard Brooks, Iggy Pop, Thomas Jane, Vincent Castellanos and Thury Trang. Written by David S. Goyer; directed by Tim Pope.

10:00PM ET/9:00 C
The Silence Of The Lambs

R Time: 118  
Jonathan Demme's 1991 Best Picture Oscar(R)-winner introduced the world to one of cinema's most terrifying villains: Dr. Hannibal "The Cannibal" Lecter. Played by Anthony Hopkins, Lecter is the imprisoned devil to Jodie Foster's angelic FBI trainee Clarice Starling, and their dramatic quid pro quo exchanges--him providing clues to a serial killer's identity, her providing details of her personal life--earned both much-deserved Oscars(R) for Best Actor and Actress. Based on Thomas Harris's acclaimed bestseller, the film follows Starling's hunt for a madman who skins his victims. When a senator's daughter is snared in his psychopathic web, it's up to Starling to indulge Lecter's whims in order to stop the killer. Liver and fava beans, anyone? Scott Glenn, Ted Levine and Anthony Heald co-star.

12:00AM ET/11:00 C
The Best Sex Ever 06: Private Eyes

TVMA Time: 25  
Hired by a suspicious husband to spy on his wife, a private investigator falls for the cheating woman after watching her action and begins his own affair with her. With Angela Davies, Randy Spears, Joel Polis, Julia Kruis, Candace Washington and John Crown.

12:30AM ET/11:30 C
Lord Of The G-strings

TVMA Time: 87  
A sex-craved Throbbit and her two friends are forced into a quest by the omnipotent wizard Smirnoff to destroy a powerful G-string with mysterious powers in this seductive fantasy. The brave Throbbit, Bildo Saggins, enlists the help of her friends Hornee and Spam through the enchanted woods where they find erotic companionship with various forest creatures--including the renowned Queen Araporn--as they thwart danger on their journey to destroy the G-String. Starring Misty Mundae, Darian Caine, A.J. Khan and Barbara Joyce. Directed by Terry M. West.

2:00AM ET/1:00 C
Mercy

TVMA Time: 93  
A small circle of people involved in rough sex and bondage begin dying one by one at the hands of a killer in this shocking thriller. Ellen Barkin stars as a homicide detective who is assigned to the case and soon finds herself heading into a dangerous world of murder, abuse, cross-dressing and sadomasochism. Also with Peta Wilson, Julian Sands, Wendy Crewson and Stephen Baldwin.

3:35AM ET/2:35 C
Savate

R Time: 88  
Martial arts excitement comes to the Old West in this hard-kicking action flick. Olivier Gruner stars as a mysterious, kickboxing Frenchman who comes to the aid of homesteaders beleaguered by a wealthy land baron and his thugs. With Marc Singer and James Brolin.

5:05AM ET/4:05 C
The Silence Of The Lambs

R Time: 118  
Jonathan Demme's 1991 Best Picture Oscar(R)-winner introduced the world to one of cinema's most terrifying villains: Dr. Hannibal "The Cannibal" Lecter. Played by Anthony Hopkins, Lecter is the imprisoned devil to Jodie Foster's angelic FBI trainee Clarice Starling, and their dramatic quid pro quo exchanges--him providing clues to a serial killer's identity, her providing details of her personal life--earned both much-deserved Oscars(R) for Best Actor and Actress. Based on Thomas Harris's acclaimed bestseller, the film follows Starling's hunt for a madman who skins his victims. When a senator's daughter is snared in his psychopathic web, it's up to Starling to indulge Lecter's whims in order to stop the killer. Liver and fava beans, anyone? Scott Glenn, Ted Levine and Anthony Heald co-star.
 

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6:30AM ET/5:30 C
The Artists' Specials 02: Mary Cassatt:American Impressionist

TVG Time: 55  
Great artists come to life through the eyes of fictional young people in this intelligent family series. Nineteenth-century American artist Mary Cassatt finds her niche among the Impressionist painters in Paris. But things are upended when her brother, his wife and their three boisterous children arrive--and provide a completely unexpected inspiration for her paintings.

7:30AM ET/6:30 C
Bingo

PG Time: 89  
Meet the most amazing movie pooch since Benji! Bingo is a circus dog who adopts a football player's family, only to be left behind when they move. But Bingo doesn't give up easily, and sets off from Denver to Green Bay--with lots of charming adventures in between.

9:00AM ET/8:00 C
Houseguest

PG Time: 108  
On the run from thugs, a warm, street-smart dreamer named Kevin (Sinbad) is mistaken for a rich man's childhood friend and seizes the opportunity to stay as a guest in his luxurious suburban home. Unfortunately, the real friend is everything Kevin is not--including a wine connoisseur, an athlete, a vegetarian and a famous dentist--and hilarity results as Kevin tries to fill his golf shoes! In the meantime, he has a lot to teach the family he's living with in this "enjoyable romp" (The New York Post). With Phil Hartman, Jeffrey Jones, Kim Greist. Directed by Randall Miller; written by Michael J. Di Gaetano and Lawrence Gay.

11:00AM ET/10:00 C
Great Balls Of Fire!

PG13 Time: 107  
Dennis Quaid shakes nerves and rattles brains in this piano-quaking, music-slaking biography of early rock-'n'-roll bad boy Jerry Lee Lewis. Winona Ryder co-stars as the music legend's 13-year-old cousin whom he married, causing a scandal that nearly derailed his career for good. Also with Alec Baldwin, Lisa Blount and Trey Wilson. Directed by Jim McBride; written by McBride and Jack Baran. "Brash, bold and broad" (Newsweek).

1:00PM ET/12:00 C
Iron Eagle

PG13 Time: 116  
When a teenager's Air Force officer father is shot down in the Mideast, State Department bureaucrats drag their heels in getting him back. So, with the aid of retired officer Louis Gossett Jr., the boy "borrows" a couple of jets and sets out to rescue Dad himself!

3:00PM ET/2:00 C
A Lesson Before Dying

PG13 Time: 101  
A black teacher in 1940s New Orleans is asked to restore the faith of an unjustly accused black man before his execution. As he undergoes an internal struggle to define his role to the young man and to his community, an unexpected bond forges between the pair. Adapted from Ernest J. Gaines best-seller. Starring Don Cheadle, Mekhi Phifer and Cicely Tyson.

4:45PM ET/3:45 C
The Making Of Ballistic: Ecks Vs. Sever

TVPG Time: 13  
Behind the scenes of this action-thriller about an FBI agent and a rogue NSA agent, each of whom has been assigned to kill the other. Antonio Banderas and Lucy Liu star in this film directed by Wych Kaosayananda.

5:00PM ET/4:00 C
Houseguest

PG Time: 108  
On the run from thugs, a warm, street-smart dreamer named Kevin (Sinbad) is mistaken for a rich man's childhood friend and seizes the opportunity to stay as a guest in his luxurious suburban home. Unfortunately, the real friend is everything Kevin is not--including a wine connoisseur, an athlete, a vegetarian and a famous dentist--and hilarity results as Kevin tries to fill his golf shoes! In the meantime, he has a lot to teach the family he's living with in this "enjoyable romp" (The New York Post). With Phil Hartman, Jeffrey Jones, Kim Greist. Directed by Randall Miller; written by Michael J. Di Gaetano and Lawrence Gay.

 9:00PM ET/8:00 C
Ballistic: Ecks Vs. Sever

R Time: 91  
Antonio Banderas and Lucy Liu star in this "white-knuckle thriller" (All Movie Guide) about a lethal government assassin who plots revenge against her devious boss while a former FBI agent is lulled out of retirement to stop her. Sever (Liu) is the trained killer who leaves a trail of mayhem everywhere she goes; Ecks (Banderas) is a top Fed who quit after his wife's death, but returns for this one last job when his boss reveals that she may not be dead. The action is fast and furious as it builds towards an inevitable confrontation between Ecks and Sever...but should they be fighting each other or joining forces to battle the mutual enemy that evades them? With Gregg Henry, Talisa Soto, Roger R. Cross and Ray Park. Directed by Kaos.

10:30PM ET/9:30 C
Sketch Pad 2

TVMA Time: 27  
Some of the greatest improvisational comedy troupes from the U.S. and around the world assemble on one stage for this all-new special dedicated to perpetuating the not-quite-lost art of scripted comedy. Following up HBO's original Sketch Pad special, this thirty-minute show features hilarious scripted shorts from troupes including The Groundlings, AC
 

12:20AM ET/11:20 C
Stiletto Dance

R Time: 97  
Passion and action create an electrifying mix in this high-flying action-adventure set in upstate New York. Eric Roberts and Romano Orzari star as Buffalo cops whose undercover operation has brought them within range of nailing a top Russian mob boss...if they don't wind up dead first! Shawn Doyle (Frequency) and Lucie Laurier (Mumford) co-star.

3:00AM ET/2:00 C
Black Cat Run

R Time: 91  
In this fateful thriller, a young man tries to free his girlfriend from the clutches of a murderer, only to be mistaken for the killer he pursues.

4:35AM ET/3:35 C
Death To Smoochy

R Time: 109  
Danny DeVito directed and co-stars in this ultra-black comedy about a nasty television clown who wants revenge after he is jettisoned for a mild-mannered replacement. Robin Williams stars as Rainbow Randolph, a mean-spirited alcoholic who gets the axe after it's revealed that his clowning around included taking bribes from parents who want their kids on the show. His replacement is Smoochy (Edward Norton), a squeaky-clean goofball in a pink rhino suit whose ratings quickly skyrocket...leading a furious Rainbow Randolph to go on a vile smear campaign! Catherine Keener, Jon Stewart and Pam Ferris co-star.
 

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11:30AM ET/10:30 C
Fidel

WIDESCREEN OAR HDTV
Dolby Digital 5.1 / CCAP
TV14 - VSL 3h 26m
Victor Huggo Martin stars in this original biography of one of the 20th century's most controversial political leaders, Cuban dictator Fidel Castro. Covering his rise to power, turbulent romances, friendships with revolutionaries such as Che Guevara (Gael Garcia Bernal) and his ultimate transformation from man of the people to despotic Soviet puppet, this fact-based drama is a comprehensive personal history of a fascinating, divisive historical figure. Patricia Velasquez and Tony Plana costar in this sweeping true-life saga.

5:30PM ET/4:30 C
An Officer And A Gentleman

WIDESCREEN OAR HDTV
CCAP
R 2h 5m
Richard Gere and Debra Winger star in this Oscar-winning romantic drama about a rebellious loser (Gere) who learns respect, discipline and honor when he takes on the brutally difficult tasks of completing a 13-week Navy pilot training course under the sharp-eyed watch of a no-nonsense drill instructor (Louis Gossett Jr.) and of winning the heart of a local girl (Debra Winger) with dreams of her own. David Keith, Grace Zabriskie, Lisa Blount, David Caruso and Robert Loggia costar in this modern-day classic.

7:45PM ET/6:45 C
Die Another Day

WIDESCREEN OAR HDTV
Dolby Digital 5.1 / CCAP
R 2h 13m
The 20th film in the series of James Bond spy thrillers finds Agent 007 (Pierce Brosnan) up against a sinister business tycoon and a disfigured North Korean officer in the race to stop the deployment of a powerful orbital laser. Halle Berry, Rick Yune, Toby Stephens, John Cleese and Rosamund Pike costar in this stylish, breathlessly-paced corker of an action flick from director Lee Tamahori ("The Edge," "Along Came a Spider")..

10:00PM ET/9:00 C
My Room

WIDESCREEN OAR HDTV
Dolby Digital 5.1 / CCAP
TV14 - VLD 44m
George gets a new roommate when Daisy Adair, the new grim reaper, moves in with her.

12:05AM ET/11:05 C
The Little Mermaid

WIDESCREEN OAR HDTV
Dolby Digital 5.1 / CCAP
TV14 - SLD 45m
In the third season premiere, Chris disregards Mona's advice about an extra $20 he accidentally receives at the bank, leading to her disappearance from her lair.

1:00AM ET/12:00 C
Robocop 2

WIDESCREEN OAR HDTV
Dolby Digital 5.1 / CCAP
R 1h 57m
This imaginative sci-fi sequel finds RoboCop testing his metal against a diabolical drug dealer (Tom Noonan) as well as RoboCop 2, a "superior" mechanical replacement built to rush the cyborg cop into early retirement. Peter Weller returns for this lightning-paced sci-fi spectacular directed by Irvin Kershner ("The Empire Strikes Back"). Nancy Allen and Daniel O'Herlihy costar.

3:00AM ET/2:00 C
Robocop 3

WIDESCREEN OAR HDTV
Dolby Digital 5.1 / CCAP
PG13 1h 45m
The cyborg law enforcer (Robert Burke) takes on a ninja nemesis while on a mission to help Detroit residents from being pushed out of their homes by The Company in this action-packed sci-fi sequel costarring Nancy Allen, Rip Torn, CCH Pounder and Mako.
 

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