The Weather Channel

[Retail Fan+ (Justin Hill)]

Discuss everything about The Weather Channel, including the national weather segments, weather-related shows, and the Local Forecast/Local on the 8s, a local weather segment delivered through WeatherSTAR technology in real time via your cable headend.

[JimSawhill]

Discuss everything about The Weather Channel, including the national weather segments, weather-related shows, and the Local Forecast/Local on the 8s, a local weather segment delivered through WeatherSTAR technology in real time via your cable headend.

I'm still trying to figure out how 'mining' is weather related, but then... how is 'Storage Wars' Historic...?

[Retail Fan+ (Justin Hill)]

Discuss everything about The Weather Channel, including the national weather segments, weather-related shows, and the Local Forecast/Local on the 8s, a local weather segment delivered through WeatherSTAR technology in real time via your cable headend.

I'm still trying to figure out how 'mining' is weather related, but then... how is 'Storage Wars' Historic...?

...Or how 'live action' is cartoon-related (thinking about how Cartoon Network operates these days).

...And if you like the Local Forecast/Local on the 8s, you should check out The Weather Chazz's YouTube channel to see his custom Local Forecasts and other weather-related segments.

[ynkeesfn82]

The Weather Channel really went downhill after NBC Universal bought them. Weathernation, Accuweather, and other weather channels are much better.

[JimSawhill]

The Weather Channel really went downhill after NBC Universal bought them. Weathernation, Accuweather, and other weather channels are much better.

True...

[Retail Fan+ (Justin Hill)]

The Weather Channel really went downhill after NBC Universal bought them. Weathernation, Accuweather, and other weather channels are much better.

The Weather Channel is actually owned by three companies: Bain Capital, Blackstone Group, and NBCUniversal.

[Pikapower]

Discuss everything about The Weather Channel, including the national weather segments, weather-related shows, and the Local Forecast/Local on the 8s, a local weather segment delivered through WeatherSTAR technology in real time via your cable headend.

I'm still trying to figure out how 'mining' is weather related, but then... how is 'Storage Wars' Historic...?

...Or how 'live action' is cartoon-related (thinking about how Cartoon Network operates these days).

TV sure has gone downhill in recent years. It seems like only yesterday that Cartoon Network only aired cartoons instead of being a Nickelodeon "clone channel", and The Weather Channel had your weather forecasts, and so forth.

[Retail Fan+ (Justin Hill)]

Discuss everything about The Weather Channel, including the national weather segments, weather-related shows, and the Local Forecast/Local on the 8s, a local weather segment delivered through WeatherSTAR technology in real time via your cable headend.

I'm still trying to figure out how 'mining' is weather related, but then... how is 'Storage Wars' Historic...?

...Or how 'live action' is cartoon-related (thinking about how Cartoon Network operates these days).

TV sure has gone downhill in recent years. It seems like only yesterday that Cartoon Network only aired cartoons instead of being a Nickelodeon "clone channel", and The Weather Channel had your weather forecasts, and so forth.

At least you get much better programming over-the-air, with channels like TheCoolTV (An automated music video channel, similar to how MTV and VH-1 used to operate in the 1980s), The Country Network (loosely similar to CMT and TNN in their early years, they play lots of country music videos), ThisTV and Movies! (movie channels loosely similar to AMC and TCM on cable), RTV, AntennaTV, and MeTV (classic TV channels loosely similar to TV Land in its early years), PBJ, qubo (channels featuring kids' programs).

[Retail Fan+ (Justin Hill)]

A History of The Weather Channel's Local Forecast/Local on the 8s WeatherSTAR technology:

1982-1984: WeatherSTAR I
1984-1986: WeatherSTAR II
1986-2004: WeatherSTAR III (a.k.a. WeatherSTAR 3000)

The first three generations of WeatherSTAR technology were built around the same hardware, with ASCII-based text and slight changes in each new generation that have effects on the performance and forecast data used. WeatherSTAR systems I,II, and III have been discontinued since the end of 2004.

1990-present: WeatherSTAR 4000

The WeatherSTAR 4000 is the first graphics-capable model of the WeatherSTAR 4000, using 8-bit vector graphics. Standard features included detailed forecast segments using regional maps with weather icons, static radar map, and a time-lapse radar with 1 hour 30 minute loop. Special segments for the 4000 included Air Quality forecasts for Southern California, and Marine Forecasts for coastal areas, as well as the Local Update. The WeatherSTAR 4000 was prone to glitches. Few 4000s still operate at (mostly) small town cable TV providers today.

1994-present: WeatherSTAR Jr

The WeatherSTAR Jr is used in small cable TV providers where a WeatherSTAR 4000 or WeatherSTAR XL would be cost-prohibitive. The Star Jr had a similar appearance to the STAR III, but with text similar to that of the STAR 4000.

1998/1999-present: WeatherSTAR XL

The WeatherSTAR XL was a major leap forward in WeatherSTAR technology. It had many major advancements over the aging WeatherSTAR 4000, such as the ability to transition between segments, and animated weather icons. The WeatherSTAR XL first appeared in a beta roll out on select cable systems in 1998. Most smaller cable providers could not afford the STAR XL due to its high price tag, they opted to use STAR 4000, or STAR Jr until roll out of the Intellistar.

2003-2004-present: Intellistar

The Intellistar has many advanced features over the WeatherSTAR XL. In addition to getting its data via satellite, the Intellistar can also get information over the Internet. Unlike all previous WeatherSTARs, the Intellistar has the capability to receive more complex information efficiently.

2010-present: Intelistar 2

Intellistar 2 is the high-definition successor to Intellistar. Like previous WeatherSTARs, it is installed at your cable provider.
The system is rolling out in a gradual process.