Universal HD

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Universal HD
Launched	December 2004
Owned by	NBCUniversal
Picture format	1080i (HDTV)
Headquarters	New York City
Formerly called	Bravo HD+ (until December 1, 2004)
Website	UniversalHD.com
Availability
Satellite
DirecTV	564
Dish Network	366
Cable
Available on most cable systems	Check local listings
Verizon FiOS	567
IPTV
AT&T U-verse	1105

Universal HD is an HDTV cable television network owned by NBCUniversal. The channel was known as Bravo HD+ until December 1, 2004. The network exclusively broadcasts in high definition 1080i. It includes a mix of films, dramas, series, sports, specials & performance arts programming from the NBCUniversal library, most having aired on one of the NBCUniversal-owned networks, including NBC, Bravo, USA Network, Syfy, Cloo, Chiller and Oxygen. The network began carrying a Wednesday night block of HD Sundance Channel content in August 2007. In early 2008, Universal HD unveiled a new logo and a newly redesigned website.

Universal HD also airs sporting events from NBC Universal networks such as providing the high definition simulcast of USA Network's coverage of the U.S. Open tennis tournament in 2006 and 2007, along with their first and second round coverage of The Masters and the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in 2007. In addition, the network was used to broadcast additional footage from the 2006 Winter Olympics not aired on NBC. This was mostly limited to men's and women's hockey qualifying rounds and semifinals. This is in addition to airing simulcasts of USA, MSNBC, and CNBC coverage of those same games.

In 2008 Universal HD has aired US Olympic Trial events during or soon after their original airing on MSNBC and USA. From August 9, 2008 through August 24, Universal HD aired Olympic event simulcasts taken from MSNBC, CNBC and USA Network in high definition.

Universal HD was the broadcaster for the live HD version of the Sundance Channel feed for Live Earth, which featured no commentary or hosts.

The network regularly airs horror movies branded "Chiller on Universal HD," often featuring titles from its sister NBCUniversal network.

In November 2007, Universal HD became the exclusive USA broadcaster of World Cup Volleyball.

In 2008, Universal HD added reruns of Jericho, Friday Night Lights, Kidnapped, Threshold, Touching Evil, Philly, Big Apple, Battlestar Galactica, Andy Barker, P.I., My Big Fat Greek Life, 3 lbs., South Beach and Sex, Love & Secrets, with some of those series having episode premieres on Universal HD, as they were canceled by their respective networks with episodes never aired. Movies continue to run edited for content (though presented in a 16:9 aspect ratio even if the original aspect ratio of the film was wider), but with limited commercial interruption. On Saturday, February 9-Sunday, February 10, 2008, the entire first season of Jericho was broadcast in a marathon. [1]

The network began to air same-week encores of the World Wrestling Entertainment programs Raw, which airs on USA Network, and ECW, which aired on Syfy, on Saturday nights beginning in early 2009. ECW was replaced by NXT after ECW was canceled in February 2010. NXT moved to WWE.com in October 2010 to accommodate SmackDown's move to Syfy. Currently, Universal HD airs Raw, SmackDown and the WWE's reality series Tough Enough.

External links[edit]

• Official website

See also[edit]

• NBCUniversal
• Universal Channel
• NBC Sports
• 13th Street
• Hallmark Channel