I want Weather Channel HD and Local on the 8's

[buckeyevets]

I've been with U-verse for about 6 months now, and I love it (much better than Time-Warner).  But I miss my Local on the 8's desperatley, and I want TWC HD!!  I emailed The Weather Channel and got this response from them:

Jennifer.

Thank you for contacting The Weather Channel Interactive.

AT&T U-verse is a wired system, just like cable, except that it uses phone
lines to deliver the signal. Currently, AT&T U-verse subscribers will get what
amounts to our direct broadcast feed; basically, a series of current
conditions and forecast products for the forty-five largest television
markets, as well as regional radar and satellite depictions for the nation.
AT&T U-Verse has the capability to deliver local if they choose to do so.
They just have to get IntelliStar computer units. AT&T U-verse has never
signed an I-Star agreement with The Weather Channel; therefore their
subscribers will not receive a local forecast experience on the eights of the
hour. (The I-STAR or WEATHER STAR computer is the piece of equipment that
provides our cable affiliates with a local weather product on the eights of
the hour, as well as on the weather strip along the bottom of the screen.)  In
the best interest of their subscribers, The Weather Channel would like to see
them add these I-STAR units, and we are more than willing to work with them on
it, but the decision is entirely theirs. Our advice would be to contact AT&T
U-Verse, who is usually very responsive to their customers, and let them know
that you would like to see them provide a local weather experience on the
eights of the hour.

We are always happy to hear from our viewers and hope you will continue to
watch The Weather Channel for many years to come.

Sincerely,

Chris Hoitsma
Solutions Center/TWC

So, come on U-verse.  Sign the agreement and give us our local on the 8's and our local scrolls!  And while you're at it, give us Weather Channel HD!!!

Jen and Greg

-Weather Channel addicts

[MarkShadid]

One or two people have asked for the same thing.

[randyl]

http://utalk.att.com/utalk/board/message?board.id=DVR&message.id=6483&query.id=8404#M6483

[dohspc]

The WOD feature is a good attempt but not the same as local on the 8's.

[NorthLineTony ACE - Professor]

---

dohspc wrote:
The WOD feature is a good attempt but not the same as local on the 8's.

---

Do you have WOD in your area? Or do you just like the man's voice on TWC's LOT8'S?

[mibrnsurg ACE - Master]

Buckeyevets, ATT is going the route of AccuWeather's WOD module and I doubt they are going w/Weather Channels LOT8.  If they decide to go w/LOT8, all the money they spend on WOD will have been wasted and most profit-oriented companies won't do that.  Also have you thought about the fact the I-STAR may not be compatible w/IPTV, this is not a QAM tuner system like cable companies and FIoS.

Chris

---

I want FSN Detroit HD (all local sports HD), MGM HD, Speed HD, Travel HD & Weather Chan. HD.
Local on the 8's or good weather w/radar & 5 day forecast -coming soon!
Please NO SD stretch-o-vision HD Channels

[tompen01]

AMEN!!!

[dohspc]

---

NorthLineTony wrote:

Do you have WOD in your area? Or do you just like the man's voice on TWC's LOT8'S?

---

Yes I have it!

[rickz0rz]

@mibrnsburg: It actually should be quite compatible, since the transit route is the same between FiOS/Cable/U-verse, in that the Weather Channel signal is recieved from the satellite, and that signal is transported to your VHO (U-verse/FiOS) or head-end (Comcast), at which point the Intellistar gear would feed into the satellite signal to recieve updates and do the overlays, and the output of the Intellistar unit would be a usable signal with the proper Lot8's information that would essentially replace the direct satellite feed being sent out.

People have sent e-mails to the Weather Channel for a long while now, and the Weather Channel is placing blame on at&t for not doing anything.  The Weather Channel mentioned they'd be happy to help out getting the intellistars working with U-verse.

It's at&t's fault, or at&t's business model.  I'll let you decide which one.

[NorthLineTony ACE - Professor]

As much as I miss LOT8'S, what s lacking from WOD?

In Tampa Bay, the NBC, CBS, and ABC stations each have an all weather digital station.

[mibrnsurg ACE - Master]

---

rickz0rz wrote:

@mibrnsburg: It actually should be quite compatible, since the transit route is the same between FiOS/Cable/U-verse, in that the Weather Channel signal is recieved from the satellite, and that signal is transported to your VHO (U-verse/FiOS) or head-end (Comcast), at which point the Intellistar gear would feed into the satellite signal to recieve updates and do the overlays, and the output of the Intellistar unit would be a usable signal with the proper Lot8's information that would essentially replace the direct satellite feed being sent out.

People have sent e-mails to the Weather Channel for a long while now, and the Weather Channel is placing blame on at&t for not doing anything.  The Weather Channel mentioned they'd be happy to help out getting the intellistars working with U-verse.

It's at&t's fault, or at&t's business model.  I'll let you decide which one.

---

I think we've seen that ATT is going the route of AccuWeather WOD, as I don't think that Lot8 would work properly (forecasts for each individual city in the Detroit metro area for example) under Uverse's multicasting scheme.  That's why they are setting it up on the 'on demand' unicast scheme.  It's the easier way to go to give everybody indiviualized weather since unicasting works alongside multicasting.

Chris

---

I want FSN Detroit HD (all local sports HD), MGM HD, Speed HD, Travel HD & Weather Chan. HD.
Good weather w/radar & 6 day forecast -coming soon!
Please NO SD stretch-o-vision HD Channels

Message Edited by mibrnsurg on 10-13-2008 01:31 AM

[showtime48 ACE - Master]

the problem is their is way to much weather around the country...

[rickz0rz]

Well, that would bode well for the HD Weather Channel Lot8s... at least from what we've seen thus far.

The Lot8's HD that's being trialed in NYC on CableVision is MUCH more broad, and covers a larger, more regional area.  This is not to say that there is not a more local setting, or even a way to make the SD Intellistar more regional...

And while the idea of replacing the Intellistar with WOD is acceptible (I guess, this hurts as a Lot8's junkie), they have to do SOMETHING to make it load faster than 2-3 minutes.  That's pretty unacceptible.

Message Edited by rickz0rz on 10-13-2008 07:16 PM

[buckeyevets]

The Weather Channel believes it is a problem with ATT and only ATT.  Not a technology problem, not a compatability problem, just an ATT problem.  I switched to U-verse from Time Warner,which I admittedly hated.  I do like the U-Verse tv in that it has more HD channels than TW, and has less pixilation than TW had.  But, the lack of local on the 8's makes me want to change back.  Yes, LOT8's is THAT important to me.  I find it ridiculous that I lost not only LOT8's, but NBC weatherplus and the local CBS affilitates local 24 hour weather channel by switching to U-verse.  Not to mention that my wireless internet access absolutely sucks on Uverse. My wireless router with ATT DSL was better, and yet I'm paying more!!!

So, I am using this forum to address the fact that my family wants LOT8's back.  I've heard that ATT is open to suggestions from their customers, so that is why I posted.  I don't care about the seemingly lackluster WOD feature.  That's not what I'm asking for.  I want WC HD and LOT8's just like every other darned cable company subscriber gets.  ATT--fork out the dam*ed money, give all these people on these forums what they want!

I know it's not U-topia, but for the price, it had better come closer than it is right now.

[stevej1]

Yep, I'm with you! Just sent a feedback comment to that effect. But...I'm not entirely optimistic, since I see as I browse the U-Verse site that they're starting something called Weather On Demand which they will be charging extra for. Thus, not a lot of motivation to make LOT8s available for free. But, we can always hope. I too will consider switching if there's another service (but not <shudder> Comcast...maybe Verizon fiber optic when it comes to Ann Arbor?) which does offer LOT8s.

[mibrnsurg ACE - Master]

They are not charging for Weather on demand, it is being slowly rolled out to all the markets.  It just runs through the on demand system and will be on 227 and through the menu "Interactive". 

Chris

---

I want Good weather w/radar & 6 day forecast -coming soon!
I want CBET Channel 9 Please NO SD stretch-o-vision HD Channels
1-800-983-2811 to avoid Mr. Voice Recognition

[MarkShadid]

Was there weather before TV?

[spd2demun ACE - Expert]

You learn to adjust.

[elect007]

lots of the local stations has 24/7 weather with radar on a subchannel.  For a while,  all 3 networks did in Houston. Since Subchannels are not yet required by FCC as MUST CARRY,  they should be.

Also,  the subchannel is tons better than LoT8. 

LoTs require automatic switching to insert the Intellistar feed of LoT8 broadcasts. AT&T would have to install this automatic equipement at each regional Video Control Center (same place that VoD is added)  building just like the cable companies do at their Head-end building (dish location).

[uchick63]

   Me personally, I like weather -on -demand much better.

[c72032]

Okay, WOD is available anytime, with extra button pushes.  LOT8s is every 10 minutes.  My problem is the Accu Weather radar is worse than I get on my cell phone.  LOT8s has very good radar in my area. 

[unterwagj]

It is now March of 2011. Still no true Local on the 8's from the weather channel

I called the office of the President of ATT yesterday and expressed my desire to have true local on the 8's.

The number is {Content Removed: Keep it Safe} ask for the office of the president, if you care to call.

John U

[dhascall ACE - Master]

The CEO's contact info is availble at Consumerist.org.  I have complained about some missing features and they eventually were added, so it may help!