**Tracking Weather for Montgomery County, Pennsylvania**

**From TWC Archive**

**IntelliStar Overview:**

The IntelliStar (stylized as IS1) was the fifth-generation successor to The Weather Channel's Weather Star systems. Installed at cable provider headends, the IntelliStar displayed local weather information over The Weather Channel's video feed until 2015 and continued to be used for the sister network, Weatherscan, until 2022.

**Manufacturer and Features:**

- **Manufacturer:** Wind River

- **Family:** Weather Star

- **Hardware:** Intel x86

- **Operating System:** FreeBSD

- **Graphics:** Custom OpenGL Renderer

- **Release Dates:**

- Domestic Beta: Q3 2003

- Domestic Final: Q1 2004

- Weatherscan Beta: February 2003

- Weatherscan Final: September 2003

- **Status:**

- Domestic: Retired - Decommissioned by The Weather Channel on November 16, 2015

- Weatherscan: Retired - Decommissioned by The Weather Channel on December 12, 2022

**Predecessor and Successors:**

- Preceded by: Weather Star XL

- Succeeded by: IntelliStar 2 xD and IntelliStar 2 Jr.

The IntelliStar offered numerous enhancements over its predecessor, the Weather Star XL. While all Weather Star systems received data via satellite connection, the IntelliStar had the ability to receive more complex information more efficiently. Domestic IntelliStar units included a Dual Feed feature, which allowed them to switch to a secondary network feed for local, regional, or national coverage from The Weather Channel. This feature was particularly beneficial during severe weather events, enabling localized coverage to specific IntelliStar units in affected areas.

The IntelliStar also featured improved graphics displays and advanced radar capabilities. The introduction of High-Resolution Aggregated Data (HiRAD) technology in 2006 enabled The Weather Channel to select any city, town, or landmark as an observation or forecast site, providing detailed data. However, HiRAD occasionally malfunctioned, in which case the National Weather Service sites were utilized, affecting only current conditions and previously available products.

In May 2015, it was announced that domestic IntelliStar units would be replaced with either the IntelliStar 2 xD or the IntelliStar 2 Jr. by October 1, 2015. The IntelliStar used for The Weather Channel was officially discontinued on November 16, 2015. A limited number of IntelliStar units for the Weatherscan network remained in operation until they were retired on December 12, 2022.