HuskyVision, UConn’s on-campus video distribution provider, is now offering 14 high definition TV channels, with more on the way following a system upgrade.

“This was not just an upgrade to HD,” says Jack Babbitt, director of computing & networking infrastructure at UConn. “The upgrade enhanced the entire picture quality and services of the HuskyVision system. Additionally, the footprint for the new equipment is only 20 percent of that of the original equipment, so we have been able to reclaim space, reduce heat and electrical consumption, and again enhance general signal quality.”

High definition is now available to everyone on campus who has a high definition TV, but even those who don’t have HD capabilities will see marked improvement in the video quality.

“Because of the new distribution system, even the picture quality on standard definition sets has had a dramatic positive improvement,” says Babbitt.

The number of channels has also been expanded. The previous system allowed for up to 80 channels, but the new system could carry around 130 viewing channels.

“Somewhere on the horizon as time permits, we will also be doing some limited testing of IPTV [Internet Protocol television],” Babbitt adds. This would allow viewers to watch a subset of available channels on their computers via the Internet.

The list of HD channels includes:

81.1   WFSB Channel 3 HD Hartford
81.2   WVIT Channel 30 HD New Britain
81.3   WCVB Channel 5 HD Boston
82.1   WTXX Channel 20 UPN HD Waterbury
82.2   WBZ Channel 4 HD Boston
82.3   WTNH Channel 8 ABC HD New Haven
83.1   WTIC Channel 61 Fox HD Hartford
83.2   WEDH Channel 24 PBS HD Hartford
83.3   WGBH Channel 2 PBS HD Boston
84.1   WHPX Channel 26 PAX HD New London
84.2   NESN HD
85.1   WCTX – MyTV9 HD
85.2   WUVN – Univision – HD
86.1   YES – Yankees Entertainment & Sports – HD