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''WeatherStar 4000''
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current conditions ws4000jpg
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Manufactured:
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Amirix
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Family:
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WeatherSTAR
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Hardware:
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Proprietary
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OS:
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None
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Graphics:
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Vector
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Release Date:
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1988
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Discontinuation Date:
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N/A, still in use
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Category:
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Satellite Transponder Addressable Receiver
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Status:
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Used in few cable systems
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The was the first graphics-capable model of the WeatherStar line from The Weather Channel . It was introduced around 1988 and was designed and manufactured by Canadian electronics company Amirix (then the Applied Microelectronics Institute). It had an improved display font over its predecessor, the WeatherSTAR 3000. The first 4000s that were placed in service were programmed to operate text only like its predecessors (using its improved font instead). However, the 4000 used slightly different flavors (screen lineups) that included a graphical radar page at the end of the local forecast. During most of the 90s, the 4000 was widely used, but many cable companies began to replace the 4000 with the newer Weather Star XL in the late 90s and later the IntelliStar . The Weather Channel has not discontinued the 4000 and it is still in use by some (mostly smaller) cable companies today.
- - In these early days the 4000 was a replica of the WeatherStar 3000 , only with a cleaner font and a "Current Radar" image at the end of each Local Forecast.
- - WeatherStar 4000 gets new graphics featuring colorful backgrounds matching TWC's national weather segments at the time. The Weather Channel logo appears debut on the local forecast, and the "Regional Forecast" map debut with motionless weather icons.
- - The L Flavor local forecast is born, the graphical version of the "Extended Forecast" segment is created, replacing from the former NWS text based version, and "Almanac" (formerly "Regional Information") data is redesigned to show the moon phases. The E and K flavors' screen line-ups are re-timed now that the "Extended Forecast" segment is 1 graphical page instead of 2 text-based pages. Because of this, the narration of TWC staff announcer Dan Chandler is discontinued on these two flavors, and the regional weather icons became animated. The current radar is updated to include major roads.
- - Weather icons make the way to the "Current Conditions" segment; however, they are very large.
- - The "Current Conditions" segment is finalized.
- - Chandler re-records the narration for the WeatherStar 4000; the E and K flavors' narration is once again restored.
- - The Regional Conditions map was created based on earlier STARs' text-based Regional Conditions, the "Regional Forecast" map is cleaned up so that no city's information runs off screen and the icons used on the Current Conditions and Extended Forecast pages are in use on the regional maps. The Current Radar map is updated to include county borders.
- - The fade effect transitioning to and from the Regional Forecast product is removed. A second, more opaque dark blue to orange gradient background begins to appear layered over the existing dark blue to orange gradient background to smooth out the color transitions.
- - The icons originally used on the regional maps returns, fully revamped and Dan Chandler does one last set of narration for the WeatherStar 4000. The "36 Hour Forecast" segment is now narrated to say the forecast comes from The National Weather Service.
- - All local forecast flavors' screen line-ups are revamped. The "Local Radar" map is added, showing any precipitation in the area and its movement over 90 minutes. The "Travel Cities Forecast" segment becomes icon-based with a blue to grayish blue gradient background and the NOAA logo is added to the "36 Hour Forecast" product.
- - Reporting station in most locales nationwide are simplified. For example, ''"N Orleans Int'l"'' became ''"New Orleans"''.
- - The Regional Conditions map replaces the "Regional Forecast" during the K Flavor and Dan Chandler updates the narration on the flavor.
- - The date and time are nudged further downward to make better room for the local forecast screen segment titles.
- - The reporting station titles nationwide, and the "Latest Observations" segment began appearing in lowercase letters (it previously used all caps).
- - The regional icons are updated so that the multi-layered icons are smaller in size; the upper layer cloud moved almost directly on top of its underlying weather graphic.
- - "Travel Cities Forecast" background gradient is removed, and the Radar map screen becomes eight colors from its previous six-color graphics.
- - Some of the icons on the Regional Icon set are changed, such as "Snow" and others are added, such as "Sunny and Windy."
- - Flavor line-ups are changed once again as the '''Local Update''' segment is introduced from the National Weather Service as generated by WeatherStar , which took more than one screen. It gave a summary of what was occurring and what would occur over the next few hours. Chandler's narration is discontinued.
- - The first signs of system degradation are reported, with patchy reports from as early as 1997.
- - By this time, most cable headends have upgraded to the WeatherSTAR XL , however some companies still use the 4000.
- - The Weather Channel logo is modernized, and the point size of the fonts in the Local and Current Radar screens become smaller.
- - The NOAA logo is removed from the "36 Hour Forecast" segment and the NWS "Local Update" segment is discontinued, stabilizing the randomness of each flavor's screen line-ups. The "36 Hour Forecast" segment began appearing in mixed case letters and originate directly from The Weather Channel.
- - Text used on the Station ID became bolder and larger. Some of the old 4000 text are still in use up through August 2005.
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