NC State students returning after the winter holiday will notice major changes when they turn on their televisions in their residence hall.

This month, OIT plans to completely overhaul the campus cable system, including installing new equipment, adding new channels and rebranding the entire system, WolfTV. The new WolfTV will deliver all channels digitally in high-definition (HD) as long as OIT receives HD channels from its service providers.

For several years, OIT has been looking at ways to improve the existing analog system, which provides limited channels. WolfTV will deliver a significant upgrade in quality — both picture and content — and better service at the same price point. Home shopping and local government channels are no longer available, and several new channels have been added, including:

• new sports channels: ESPN Buzzer Beater and Goal Line, all of the regional Fox Sports affiliates, Fox Sports 1 and 2, the NHL, MLB networks, and NBA TV. Wolfpack Sports Television will also be in HD.
• 16 movie channels including the HBO and Showtime suites of channels and Sundance. The current system has 10 movie channels.
• seven music-related channels: MTV, mtvU, MTV2, VH1, BET, WLFL Country, and WolfBytes Radio.  
• NC State on Campus, a new cultural and informational channel that pulls content directly from NC State’s iTunes U.
• a completely overhauled WolfBytes Television.

These changes are part of the first phase of improvements for WolfTV. Subsequent phases, planned for early spring, may include streaming options. More information on the new service is available at WolfTV.

Current cable subscribers do not need to do anything to receive the new WolfTV. New subscribers can sign up at WolfTV. The service will work for subscribers who have newer televisions that have both analog and digital tuners. Subscribers with older cathode ray tube (CRT) televisions would need to get a digital tuner or set top box.