Where oh where has my Tech TV gone? (1 Viewer)

[GaryEA]

Comcast has struck again, and this Max Headroom fan is not happy.

When the YES Network was installed as part of Comcast's line up for Northern New Jersey (I live in Essex County), they put it on channel 64, Tech TV's spot. I had heard from various sources, both print and newsgroups, that the channel would be coming back at a later time.

May 1st rolls around, and several channels are being introduced. In my head, it's a perfect time for Tech TV to return... only it doesn't. We got G4, which is great if you want to watch reruns of Starcade (dammit, I want that Tron game!), but paper thin in terms of content. And if it's supposed to replace Tech TV, they're insane.

Does anybody know if Comcast plans on bringing Tech TV back? There were quite a few programs I watched regularly, and the addition of Max Headroom only fuels my wanting it back. Soon.

Gary

 

[Patrick Cate]

Unfortunately I hear TechTV isn't doing very well. From what I hear the company has been laying off ton's of workers and if fighting to keep many cable companies from dropping them. My own cable company Cox has banished TechTV to their digital cable lineup and removed it from their older analog one altogether, which required me to upgrade to their more expensive digital cable service get it. Honestly I find myself not watching the channel nearly as much as I used to. Most of the original shows I used to watch religiously like "Call for Help" and "The Screen Savers" have lost a lot of the chemistry among the cast, and segments that made the shows so entertaining. The only show on the channel that I still never miss is "Extended Play", but now that Kate Botello has left I'm wondering if that will last (my guess though is that it will.) In my opinion, TechTV started their decline a couple of years ago when they went from ZDTV to TechTV, and not long after tried to switch to their CNN-like Tech Live format which bombed not long after. Now the channel seems to be going for a more Discovery Channel kind of feel with shows like "Tomorrows World" and "The Tech of ...". Personally I find none of the new shows appealing. That's unfortunate because if there is one thing I think TechTV desperately needs is more quality shows. Right now a huge chunk of their programming consists of repeats of "The Screen Savers", "Call for Help" and some of their other shows. This is painfully obvious on weekends when the entire days lineup is repeats, with some infomercials thrown in. I still hope the channel stays up and running, but I think it's going in the wrong direction in order to insure than.

 

[DeathStar1]

That's the problem with analog cable. One channel gets bumped in favor of another. Usually one you could care less for. When we had TCI, before Cablevision, they had a program called Ask TCI. One of the people suggested that they get rid of Cartoon Network for, ugh, the Golf Channel. And knowing my luck, it just might happen one of these days...

Only hope is to go Satellite, or go Digital, and leave Analog cable in the past. I'm still trying to find out what service my Paramus relatives have. I still say it's digital Optimum TV, because they mentioned something about firber optic wires. They also mentioned they have Cablevision, and I know it's not the IO Service. They also have one network I want, Gameshow Network. Don't know if us Wyckoffians can get it.

 

[GaryEA]

Just before Comcast dropped the station (from my digital service no less), I did notice that the network was leaning on reruns and infomercials, especially on the weekends.

I had no idea that Kate left "Extended Play". I was never really sold on her joining the show, but it was a better fit than than being Leo's side kick. Is she anywhere on the network, or is she totally gone now? (I'll laugh my ass off if she turns up on G4)

I think Tech TV really needs another re-launch, armed with a stronger commitment to fresh programming (not reruns from the BBC) and a stronger schedule that mixes technical programming with entertainment. How they can do that I don't know, but the scatterbrained version I last saw was getting tough to watch.

I still miss it, and for what it's worth, I'd like it back if not to watch Screen Savers, Fresh Gear, Extended Play, Audiofile and Max Headroom.

Gary

 

[Patrick Cate]

Kate left Extended Play and TechTV altogether to pursue a Broadway (or at least play/musical) acting career in NY. She has a background/training in that field, and after landing a short but lead fill-in role in the play "Christmas with the Crawford's" last year in NY, she got the acting bug again and decided to pursue it full time. I have the exact opposite opinion of her on TechTV. I thought she was great on "The Screen Savers" with Leo, and think that her leaving has been one of the reasons for the recline of the show. She just had great chemistry with Leo I thought. Whenever she would return to "The Screen Savers" for short segments, or to fill-in for Patrick Norton, I was always reminded of it. When she left to join "Extended Play" (she has been a long time gamer), I think she also developed a nice chemistry with Adam Sessler. Some people I know who saw the early "Extended Play" episodes without Kate (it was called Gamespot back then) have commented that Kate really gave a huge boost to the show. So I doubt you'll be seeing her on G4 anytime soon. As far as TechTV relauching, unfortunately they've been doing that the past couple of months with their "TechTV Technology Festive", where each week they give a theme to many of their shows. In my opinion it has been a disaster, and the promotions TechTV did for it on "The Screen Savers" with Leo and Patrick I found to be downright annoying. Now the channel seems to be resorting to showing old Sci-Fi B-movies on Friday nights, and science fiction shows like Max Headroom. To me the channel is just getting farther and farther away from the programming they had on in the early days that was so entertaining. Now there are rumors that if the channel continues its decline, when his contract expires Leo Laporte may leave the channel. If that ever happened, I think it would be the nail in the coffin for TechTV. Leo is one of the few entertaining hosts the channel has anymore, and one of the main reasons I watch the channel at all. By the way, you should check out the forums on http://www.leoville.com (Leo Laportes web site.) There is regular discussion about the going-on's at TechTV and about the cast and staff there.

 

[Matthew Chmiel]

Like Patrick, Cox here in Vegas banished TechTV to digital cable, and it was replaced on regular cable by a Mexican music station. I haven't watched TechTV in over a year (COX got rid of it a few months after they made the change from ZDtv to TechTV) and it saddens me that the channel has gone down the hill. I remember watching The Screen Savers (with Leo and Kate), Internet Tonight (I feel sorry for Scott, he usually gets fucked over... first with that Walt Disney World show, then with the Popcorn Channel, and now this), Gamespot TV (with the blonde guy and that one girl... right before she got canned and Kate later replaced her), and a few other shows (like Call For Help with Leo).
Man, those were those the good days. :frowning: