# ENCORE ACTION HD and ENCORE DRAMA HD to launch on August 1.



## bluegras (Jan 31, 2008)

NCORE ACTION HD and ENCORE DRAMA HD to launch on August 1.

Starz Entertainment Enhances ENCORE with ENCORE ESPANOL, More HD, and New Channels

ENGLEWOOD, Colo., May 31, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Starz Entertainment is improving ENCORE, the nation's most popular premium network with more than 33 million subscribers, with changes across its family of channels. Expected to launch on August 1, 2011, the new ENCORE offerings will fortify the value proposition of the ENCORE brand and its companion multiplex channels for existing subscribers and enhance the ability of Starz Entertainment's multichannel affiliates to attract new ones.
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Launch ENCORE ESPANOL - The eighth ENCORE channel, ENCOREESPANOL, will mirror the programming of the flagship ENCORE channel, with big Hollywood movies uncut and commercial free for Spanish-language households.
ENCORE FAMILY Replaces ENCORE WAM - ENCORE FAMILY will satisfy the growing demand for ad-free channels safe from objectionable content. Following the success of STARZ KIDS & FAMILY, ENCORE FAMILY will leverage quality family-friendly movie programming for all audiences.
ENCORE SUSPENSE Replaces ENCORE MYSTERY - ENCORE SUSPENSE will expand the channel's reach by offering more programming options and further engage the audience for dramatic programming.
HD for ENCORE ACTION and ENCORE DRAMA - ENCORE ACTION HD and ENCORE DRAMA HD, two of the most popular ENCORE theme channels, will be the company's 10th and 11th Hi-Def channel launches.
MOVIEPLEX - MOVIEPLEX will become its own discreet, commercial-free premium channel and will no longer simulcast a daily rotation of the ENCORE channels. The change will drive even more variety for MOVIEPLEX with incremental movie programming that strengthens each of the respective brands. The new MOVIEPLEX will provide affiliates with even more flexibility in delivering premium content to their subscribers.
"ENCORE and its companion theme channels are the most heavily subscribed to premium services in the marketplace today, and with these enhancements to the lineup, we see a great opportunity to make them even more popular," said Stephan Shelanski, executive vice president of programming for Starz Entertainment. "With consistently strong viewership, ENCORE has long been viewed as a great value for affiliates and their subscribers given the quality movie product and flexibility we provide affiliates in packaging the premium service."
"We have listened to our affiliates and crafted these changes to meet new opportunities in the marketplace," said Ed Huguez, executive vice president, sales and affiliate marketing. "These enhancements will fortify the channels and - especially for ENCOREESPANOL - position our affiliates to capitalize on new opportunities which leverage our quality premium movie programming and grow their businesses."



> http://www.prnewswire.com/news-rele...panol-more-hd-and-new-channels-122859079.html


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## stevenv (Aug 4, 2004)

Excellent. Look forward to this.


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## Nighthawk68 (Oct 14, 2004)

This is good news indeed. With the added HD I think I might just up my package.

Maybe someone could explain why ENCORE ESPANOL is a mirror of the main ENCORE channel, HBO does this with Latino. Why tie up bandwidth with 2 channels, would it not be possible to do one channel with two different audio tracks? 


MODS: maybe we can move this to General Satellite instead of DISH only, the press release is by STARZ. This is a great find/announcement and many readers would benefit from this no matter who their provider is.


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## gpollock87 (Apr 13, 2011)

can't wait and see what movieplex will be like


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

Nitehawk^ said:


> This is good news indeed. With the added HD I think I might just up my package.


Noting that this is a press release from the channel provider, not a carrier ... while I expect that the new HD channels will be carried this release isn't announcing carriage - only that the channels will (finally) be produced in HD.



> Maybe someone could explain why ENCORE ESPANOL is a mirror of the main ENCORE channel, HBO does this with Latino. Why tie up bandwidth with 2 channels, would it not be possible to do one channel with two different audio tracks?


Is it a mirror? I thought there were times where the programming on the Espanol diverged from the English feed? At minimum the screen graphics could be different.

Having the second channel allows for a full presentation instead of treating the second language as a second class "SAP" presentation. MPEG would allow two channel numbers to share the same video feed - which we have seen done for many mirrored channels but has it been done for a "SAP" type channel? The only one that comes to mind is DISH's transmission of BabyTV (the multi-lingual Fox channel - not Baby First TV).


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## Paul Secic (Dec 16, 2003)

stevenv said:


> Excellent. Look forward to this.


I used watch Encore everyday before I had HD. Since they had only had one HD channel I haven't watched as much. I'm glad Encore is getting more HD. Kudos to STARZ/Encore!


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

James Long said:


> Is it a mirror? I thought there were times where the programming on the Espanol diverged from the English feed? At minimum the screen graphics could be different.
> 
> Having the second channel allows for a full presentation instead of treating the second language as a second class "SAP" presentation. MPEG would allow two channel numbers to share the same video feed - which we have seen done for many mirrored channels but has it been done for a "SAP" type channel? The only one that comes to mind is DISH's transmission of BabyTV (the multi-lingual Fox channel - not Baby First TV).


I was thinking about this too... I wasn't sure they were 100% simulcast of the English equivalent. I thought sometimes they might have some different content on for the Spanish-speaking audience.

Also... I wondered about the higher-quality surround sound... would they have enough bandwidth in the normal transmission to send 5.1 for English and Spanish on the same channel... or would Spanish get short-changed as 2-channel stereo if it is on SAP.


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## TheRatPatrol (Oct 1, 2003)

I don't understand why all of the Encore channels don't go HD, unless they're planning on launching them at a later date.


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

Stewart Vernon said:


> Also... I wondered about the higher-quality surround sound... would they have enough bandwidth in the normal transmission to send 5.1 for English and Spanish on the same channel... or would Spanish get short-changed as 2-channel stereo if it is on SAP.


Via satellite SAP (or digital TV) could have several high quality audio channels with the same video. It is not like old NTSC SAP where it was a limited subchannel. In digital the additional audio feeds could be better than the main and there can be as many of them as you want (within the size of the transponder).


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## steinmeg (Nov 23, 2006)

Paul Secic said:


> I used watch Encore everyday before I had HD. Since they had only had one HD channel I haven't watched as much. I'm glad Encore is getting more HD. Kudos to STARZ/Encore!


It does not meand that DirecTV will carry the HD or SD feeds....only that they will be available. Who knows if and when we would get them


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

steinmeg said:


> It does not meand that DirecTV will carry the HD or SD feeds....only that they will be available. Who knows if and when we would get them


The channels can't be carried in HD by any carrier until the provider puts out a HD feed. Starz! has been promising the Encore feeds in HD for years ... now that they will actually be produced in HD there is a much better chance some carrier will carry the HD feeds.


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