Slashdot Mirror
TechTV.com RIP
SlashdotOgre writes "It has finally happened, www.techtv.com is no more. This was
somewhat expected after Comcast decided to give the
ax. This is a bit of a shame; as many users know, the
site was an excellent resource for both product reviews and
software. Most noteably, the Call for Help section has
disappeared and The Screen Savers only has recent episodes in the Episode
History section. If Comcast does own the rights to older
material, I do hope they decide to post some of it (but I doubt that
will be enough to ge me to watch their "new" network)."
It's merged with the G4 network and is now G4TechTV.
Just as well to, as I get G4 on my current digital package, but TechTV was up on a higher tier. To get it, I'd have to get out of my current promotion and reassemble into a new package with the techtv tier - taking a normally $6.95/mo tier up to almost 40$ - since I'd lose the savings I was currently getting!
Looking for hardware (Currently need: Large Etch-a-Sketch) Have one? See my journal!
Archive.org has some archives of the old site. Much of the old data can be found there.
The Technonaut
"Where's the Archive? The past three months are available now. The entire archive is coming soon! " on the site... guess all that good info will be back soon?
The new G4TechTv on Dish. So far everything I have seen that has come over from G4 is really lame. I'm not saying that everything on TechTv was awesome, but the quality of the shows I've seen from G4 is not very good. Has anyone seen PLayers? Yikes, I really do NOT want to watch uninsteresting people play video games. Am I missing any G4 shows that are worth my time to watch at all? As it is I'd rather watch and laugh at 'The Big JOe Polka Fest' on one of the crazy community access channels... it's like a bad accident-- nobody wants to see it, but everybody looks.
~Z
This seems fairly self-explanatory to me...
It is really sad to see this day finally come. I haven't watched techtv much recently but I was a loyal fan of ZDTV back in the day when the network first launched.
In addition to the computer related programming, I really liked having one channel where you didn't see the same old crap being advertised. They had mostly technology commercials and weird little artsy zdtv "amaze yourself" ones. Then they actually let users make their own little "we'll be back after the break" clips via webcam..... Its been mostly downhill since the big advertisers stepped in and redirected the network.... too bad.
I've only tuned into the channel once since the takeover occurred and was annoyed how their logo G4TechTV was now at the top of the screen, large, colorful, and covering up the computer screens that they were displaying.
Oh well. I still have my "ZDTV Dot Coms not Sit Coms" bumper sticker.. Good luck fired techtv employees.
Belive in Technology and AMAZE yourself. -- RIP ZDTV/TechTV
This will also affect TechTV Canada, as stated on their website:
Toronto, On (May 13, 2004) - Recently TechTV in the United States changed names to G4techTV. This was as a result of the Comcast Corporation becoming the new owner of the channel thru G4 Media inc.
G4techTV will be the new name for the Canadian digital channel TechTV Canada. It will combine popular programming from both technology lifestyle channels, G4 and TechTV. As part of the deal, G4 Media inc. assumes one third ownership of TechTV in Canada.
Rogers Media, based in Toronto, will continue to operate the channel as managing partner and G4techTV will continue to be available on digital cable and satellite in Canada
The full press release can be seen here, and the FAQ for the Canadian merger can be found here.
Last I heard, comcast in my area doesn't show techtv. Not even on digital cable. I've been watching it on cband satellite for a long time, since it was zdtv. Anyways, I don't think comcast likes to do what the customers want. So for those of you hoping for archives of the old techtv.com, good luck.
01100010 01101001 01110100 01100101 00100000 01101101 01100101
I have had the opportunity to watch the new network, and I am not sure if I like it. Many of the shows show potential, but are just plain boring in practice. I don't want to watch a bunch of geeks deathmatch on Arena. I did like the E3 coverage with Dane Cook, he is just a really funny comic though, I am not sure anyone else could have carried that segment. I am miffed that they kept Thunderbirds from TechTV, I don't know about any of you guys, but I think that show sucks bigtime. I do hope they keep Wil Wheaton, I was getting into his subtle ribbing of the callers on Call For Help. Comcast is making a huge mistake, IMHO, why fix something that is not broken? If they can get rid of all of the "robots battling each other" shows, I will be at least slightly happy. I will give the network a chance though, granted they keep Leo.
I hate sigs.
I'm a sys-admin at TTV and my claim to fame is that I made the DNS change on the TechTV end that redirected all traffic to g4tv.com
AFAIK, TechTV is no more. I know it is called a merger but I think a more appropriate term here is a scavenge. Comcast bought us and G4 picked the best parts of the carcass. It definitely isn't a meeting of minds to take the best of each channel.