TechTV

Tech TV, formerly ZDTV*, is a cable television channel devoted to the so-called "digital lifestyle," featuring shows that celebrate & explore technology and geekdom: the culture, the economy, and the toys.

Ever since it's inception (mid 90's) the channel has done well, starting as cracker jack Silicon Valley local television, growing into a large nationally broadcast TV superpower! (almost anyway) On no other channel can you see people playing Quake III Arena and taking apart iMac's! Some popular shows:

• The Screen Savers - with Leo Laporte, Patrick Norton (formely with Kate Botello)
• Call For Help - with Leo Laporte
• Big Thinkers - with John C. Dvorak
• Silicon Spin - also with Dvorak
• Fresh Gear - with Sumi Das and Jim Louderback

...among others.

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*As of September 2000, ZDTV, changed it's name to Tech TV, or ZDTV 2.0 (as they like to call it.) The name change is part of a new brand identity strategy, as it expands coverage over Time Warner's and AT&T's cable networks. The channel was bought by Vulcan Ventures, Inc. from ZD Inc. on January 21, 2000.

TechTV was formerly ZDTV, owned by the publishing conglomerate, Ziff-Davis. In January, 2000, ZDTV was sold to Vulcan Ventures, based out of Bellevue, Washington. Vulcan Ventures is run by the Microsoft Cofounder Paul Allen.

Supposedly, TechTV is pledged to "help viewers improve their computer knowledge and participate more fully in the digital age". Whether it does this or not depends on what knowledge you're looking for... most of the stuff could be found on the internet in 1/10th of the time, but then again, this is in tasty TV format. All of the shows have their own corresponding website under TechTV's homepage (http://www.techtv.com), some of which are updated DURING the show. That's cool!

Here's the list of TechTV's current shows:

Tech Live - (Daily x 9.5 hours/News and Information)

AudioFile - (Weekly x 30 minutes/News & Information)

Big Thinkers - (Weekly x 30 minutes/Information)

Call For Help - (Daily x 60 minutes/Information)

CyberCrime - (Weekly x 30 minutes/News & Information)

Extended Play - (Weekly x 30 minutes/News & Information)

Fresh Gear - (Weekly x 30 minutes/News & Information)

Internet Tonight - (Daily x 30 minutes/News & Information)

The Screen Savers - (Daily x 90 minutes/Information)

Silicon Spin - (Daily x 30 minutes/Information)

TechTV News - (Daily x 30 minutes/News & Information)

The inherent problems with only having this many shows are as follows. All Weekly shows are repeated at the same time every day, I am pretty sure. Sometimes they run out of the dailies and repeat those too. The Screen Savers is worth watching sometimes, it's kinda fun and interesting.

Some of this info was obviously found on http://www.techtv.com -- Nodeshell Rescue!!