Directv What are you thinking?

[DodgerKing]

I understand the whole 'place holder' concept of the PPV's. However when I went to the D* website and counted the PPV movies available in HD there was 16. Not sure how many there were to begin with(it says 30+ total), but with the addition of 18 I would think there would be more than 16. There can't be that many on multiple channels? Or do they count the VOD movies as well? Or is it still a mystery how they actually count the channels?

You can look at it two ways. Either they are not making money because they have little to show, or it confirms the fact that they are placeholder because they don't have anything else to show.

 

[Rey]

Sounds like you need to switch to E*.

2 posts since 2006? slow down dude. try contributing more to the forums

 

[Rey]

Golden Girls in HD would be nice.... (that was meant to be a joke. I realize they shot Golden Girls before there was HD.... )

I heard that Lifetime does stretch-o-vision, is this true?

yes it's true

 

[DodgerKing]

yes it's true

Since they have little original content, it is a chick station, they stretch the SD programming (which is most of it), and I rather watch blurry 4:3 SD than stretch 16:9 clear SD, there is no reason for me to want this channel.

Why do networks do this? People can stretch the content on their own if they want. If it is already stretched, we cannot put it back to its normal aspect ratio. I wish they would leave everything in it proper aspect ratio.

 

[Rey]

i don't get it either. right now i have the pillar box option for my sd on the HR21. it looks so much better than stretching it till next week.

 

[DJ Matt]

Adding channels is just good enough for me right now. I just switched over from cable and they have only added 4 HD channels the whole year! I'm really happy with the current HD they have as its much more than I had before. I will be hoping for some more in the future such as Travel Channel HD and I'm sure my brother would like to see Fox News HD. It seems like those 2 channels are highly requested. I seen many posts here where people say they want these. I'm sure they will add them eventually. Does DirecTV monitor these forums by any chance to see what people talk about?

 

[Bear Paws]

I'll forgive you for being a Giants fan.

BTW, my wife is a Giants fan too and I am a die hard Dodgers fan. We are also on the opposite ends of the political spectrum (sort of like a Madelin and Carville...except the other way around. Although I too am bald).

Ahem.... thats MATLIN...
I was a Dodger fan... once.. Then they broke our hearts and moved to LA. Helloooo Red Sox.. :up

 

[Hookem99]

You can look at it two ways. Either they are not making money because they have little to show, or it confirms the fact that they are placeholder because they don't have anything else to show.

Yeah, I just figured that D* would use the PPV's to make some extra revenue until the new nationals were available. Revenue they could use to make D* even better...... (sigh)

 

[DodgerKing]

Ahem.... thats MATLIN...
I was a Dodger fan... once.. Then they broke our hearts and moved to LA. Helloooo Red Sox.. :up

Thanks. I fixed it.

 

[Skyboss]

Do you have anything constructive to add or do you just want to make it personal?

If the shoe fits...

 

[DodgerKing]

nevermind....

 

[Hemi 6.1]

18 new HD PPV, Comeon! As a coustomer and a shareholder of your's I requesting and demanding that all of these be taken down and national HD be added in place, like fox news hd, Travel Channel, ect. I expected better out of you! You have the best HD package, but that doesnt mean you should slack and not make it better. Come on. You know better! Expecally beause that is wasted bandwith :up If you want to play the HD numbers game add some real HD that i can get 24/7 not 4.99 per 3 hour block.

I agree with you 100% Totally wasted channel launch.

 

[HDRoberts]

What? Directv is actually taking there time with contracts to get a better deal? Perhaps (shockingly) Directv thinks Charlie has the right idea.

Not that I want failure for Directv, but its good for us Dish customers to see that all isn't all rosy on the other side. I, too, which they had launched more in order to help encourage Dish to gets its butt in gear.

 

[Rey]

What? Directv is actually taking there time with contracts to get a better deal? Perhaps (shockingly) Directv thinks Charlie has the right idea.

Not that I want failure for Directv, but its good for us Dish customers to see that all isn't all rosy on the other side. I, too, which they had launched more in order to help encourage Dish to gets its butt in gear.

patience grasshopper. it will happen "soon"

 

[MattJ2124]

I think what people dont get is that this is a PROCESS and, like all products, it takes time to expand and get everything (contracts, technical issues, etc) set into place. The problem is that people dont look at this as a product, it's television and they want Directv to magically flip a switch and voila, every channel is HD. It doesnt work that way with ANY product-----

Take the XBOX 360, it first came out and everyone moaned and groaned that there wasnt enough games (HD channels), and the games they had werent good enough (Boo Hoo I dont like Planet Green), and the games were not coming out fast enough (I want my HD channels NOW!!!).....then BOOM.....two to three years later there are hundreds of games and accessories and everyone that owns the system (for the most part, I am not talking hardware issues) is happy and pleased with the product.

My point is, a year from now, as the product has matured further, do you really think we will be having this conversation? I dont, I think we are going to have a ton of HD and not enough time to watch it all, it just takes time.....

 

[grydlok]

Cmon gpon upgrades for my area.

 

[NutFlush920]

I count DirecTV as having 43 national HD channels and Dish Network as having 34 national HD channels. This is directly from each websites list in comparable packages (DirecTV's Choice Xtra + HD package and Dish Network's America's Top 250 package). This count does not include locals, PPV, or any other channels that require extra money to receive them. As you can see DirecTV is still the leader and blows my local cable company way out out of the water.

DirecTV
1 A&E HD
2 ABC Family HD
3 Animal Planet HD
4 Big Ten Network HD
5 Biography Channel HD
6 Bravo HD
7 Cartoon Network
8 CMT HD
9 CNBC HD+
10 CNN HD
11 Discovery Channel HD
12 Disney Channel HD
13 ESPN HD
14 ESPN2 HD
15 ESPNews HD
16 Food Network HD
17 Fox Business Network HD
18 Fuel TV HD
19 FX HD
20 HD Theater
21 HDNet
22 HGTV-HD
23 History Channel HD
24 MTV HD
25 National Geographic Channel HD
26 NFL Network HD
27 NHL Network HD
28 Nick HD
29 Planet Green HD
30 Science Channel HD
31 Sci-Fi Channel HD
32 Speed Channel HD
33 Spike HD
34 TBS in HD
35 Tennis Channel HD
36 The 101 HD
37 The Weather Channel HD
38 TLC HD
39 TNT HD
40 Toon Disney HD
41 USA Network HD
42 VERSUS HD/GOLF CHANNEL HD
43 VH1 HD

Dish Network
1 A&E HD
2 ABC Family HD
3 Animal Planet HD
4 Big Ten Network HD
5 Biography Channel HD
6 Bravo HD
7 Cartoon Network
8 CNBC HD+
9 CNN HD
10 Discovery Channel HD
11 Disney Channel HD
12 ESPN HD
13 ESPN2 HD
14 ESPNews HD
15 Food Network HD
16 Halmark HD
17 HD Theater
18 HDNet
19 HGTV-HD
20 History Channel HD
21 Lifetime HD
22 National Geographic Channel HD
23 NFL Network HD
24 Science Channel HD
25 Sci-Fi Channel HD
26 TBS in HD
27 Tennis Channel HD
28 The Weather Channel HD
29 TLC HD
30 TNT HD
31 Toon Disney HD
32 Travel HD
33 USA Network HD
34 VERSUS HD/GOLF CHANNEL HD

 

[jcrandall]

Here are my feelings about today from a different thread:

When E* added WGN HD in June, I thought about getting their $30 HD only pack just to watch the Cubs. I said, nah, D11 would be up in mid-August, I'll wait.

Well, here we are, mid-August, and they only had agreements to add TWO non-premium channels. TWO.

Anyone whose primary package doesn't include showtime, or frequently watch PPV, has every right to show some disappointment today.

Like I said earlier, they've known for a long time when this sat would be ready, they simply weren't proactive in their agreements. To me that is poor execution in their programming department.

Outside of sports, there are only 2 channels I have watched series on this late-summer.

TNT - Closer - in HD, and very nice in MPEG4.
AMC - Mad Men - and it looks terrible.

Other than that, I mostly watch baseball. And with the Tigers implosion, I'm watching the Cubs. Even with Extra Innings, there is still a around 2 games a week in just SD, being on WGN with no alternate team HD feed. Not good for a sports leader.

So personally, I'm a bit frustrated, given there hasn't been much for me to watch this summer, and two channels I was REALLY looking forward to didn't happen.

 

[DJ Matt]

DirecTV
1 A&E HD
2 ABC Family HD
3 Animal Planet HD
4 Big Ten Network HD
5 Biography Channel HD
6 Bravo HD
7 Cartoon Network
8 CMT HD
9 CNBC HD+
10 CNN HD
11 Discovery Channel HD
12 Disney Channel HD
13 ESPN HD
14 ESPN2 HD
15 ESPNews HD
16 Food Network HD
17 Fox Business Network HD
18 Fuel TV HD
19 FX HD
20 HD Theater
21 HDNet
22 HGTV-HD
23 History Channel HD
24 MTV HD
25 National Geographic Channel HD
26 NFL Network HD
27 NHL Network HD
28 Nick HD
29 Planet Green HD
30 Science Channel HD
31 Sci-Fi Channel HD
32 Speed Channel HD
33 Spike HD
34 TBS in HD
35 Tennis Channel HD
36 The 101 HD
37 The Weather Channel HD
38 TLC HD
39 TNT HD
40 Toon Disney HD
41 USA Network HD
42 VERSUS HD/GOLF CHANNEL HD
43 VH1 HD

Yeah, this is good for me as I don't care for the premium channels much. All the movies I see when they come out on Blu-ray anyway. After my 4 free months is up I will be going to the Plus HD DVR package. Eventually over time more HD channels will be added as well. I was only getting 19 HD channels with my cable provider (not counting locals).

 

[DJ Matt]

Here are my feelings about today from a different thread:

When E* added WGN HD in June, I thought about getting their $30 HD only pack just to watch the Cubs. I said, nah, D11 would be up in mid-August, I'll wait.

Well, here we are, mid-August, and they only had agreements to add TWO non-premium channels. TWO.

Anyone whose primary package doesn't include showtime, or frequently watch PPV, has every right to show some disappointment today.

Like I said earlier, they've known for a long time when this sat would be ready, they simply weren't proactive in their agreements. To me that is poor execution in their programming department.

Outside of sports, there are only 2 channels I have watched series on this late-summer.

TNT - Closer - in HD, and very nice in MPEG4.
AMC - Mad Men - and it looks terrible.

Other than that, I mostly watch baseball. And with the Tigers implosion, I'm watching the Cubs. Even with Extra Innings, there is still a around 2 games a week in just SD, being on WGN with no alternate team HD feed. Not good for a sports leader.

So personally, I'm a bit frustrated, given there hasn't been much for me to watch this summer, and two channels I was REALLY looking forward to didn't happen.

They will eventually add more HD eventually. At least one would think. I am looking forward to Travel Channel HD as it tends to have a lot of outside content on it a lot of times. With Dish Network rolling out a huge advertisement campaign for Turbo HD you would think DirecTV will want to keep the pressure on. I am always seeing commercials for it, pretty much everyday when I turn on the TV there is a Turbo HD commercial. My guess is DirecTV will add more regular HD channels in the next 2-3 months (at least I hope).