NEXT 10 HD lil Markets

Status
Please reply by conversation.

ScoBuck

'Just Chillin'
Original poster
Supporting Founder
Jul 11, 2006
3,167
0
Long Island, NY
Dates tba shortly. Des Moines, Flint MI, Ft Myers, Little Rock, Norfolk, Mobile, Oklahoma City, Santa Barbara, Springfield MI, Toledo.
 
um Source please ?

D* press release of 10/10/2006:

The 25 local markets to receive HD programming from DIRECTV include:

-- Albuquerque, N.M. -- Mobile, Ala.
-- Buffalo, N.Y. -- New Orleans
-- Des Moines, Iowa -- Norfolk, Va.
-- Flint, Mich. -- Oklahoma City, Okla.
-- Ft. Meyers, Fla. -- Portland, Me.
-- Grand Rapids, Mich. -- Providence, R.I.
-- Green Bay, Wisc. -- Reno, Nev.
-- Greensboro, N.C. -- Santa Barbara, Calif.
-- Greenville, S.C. -- Spokane, Wa.
-- Harrisburg, Pa. -- Springfield, Mo.
-- Jacksonville, Fla. -- Toledo, Ohio
-- Little Rock, Ark. -- Tulsa, Okla.
-- Madison, Wisc.

So D* is just playing "catch-up" right now, but I'd bet that these markets will be on sooner than "Late 2007."
 
D* press release of 10/10/2006:



So D* is just playing "catch-up" right now, but I'd bet that these markets will be on sooner than "Late 2007."

2 things -

first they are beginning their 'work' on the next sub-set from that list.

second, my source for the post was an 'insider' and yes it does in fact confirm their previously published intentions.
 
As far a I know, these next 10 markets have no official promise date. The only thing that I have from D* is that my market (Flint/Saginaw) will be up by the end of 2007.
 
Of the 8 remaining from the OP listing:

The only one with a firm launch date right now is Ft. Myers - it will light on May the 23rd. They are working on the others as we speak and those dates will start becoming known soon.
 
Only two affiliates, eh? I don't see why the satellite co's don't get all the contracts signed. Kinda makes it pointless if you have to put OTA up to get the other two why not just get them all OTA and skip the middle man. Guess DirecTV and DishNetwork figure it is better than nothing.

Honestly, I think you're missing something important here (at least regarding DirecTV).

Going back to the 'PLAN' (yes that HD roll-out plan) - it remains in DirecTV's best interest to get as large an installed base of MPEG4 IRDS and DVRS and 5lnb dishes as they can, in a somewhat orderly fashion now, in advance of the launch and lighting of DIRECTV10 - and thus it would make absolutely no sense to stop the HD local roll-out over a channel or two, when the goal is to have an MPEG4 ready installed base in as many markets and homes as they can by end of the summer (early Fall at the latest)- right when they expect to begin the HD national expansion. Remember, they are saying they intend to offer HD lils to 75 markets (currently at 59) by end of 2007- and are now back to opening markets on a consistent basis.

Yeah, the satellite has to launch and work and all that great stuff we banter about every day. But in reality it is coming, and they have done a wonderful job in building out their home user infrastructure in advance IMO. This is a side of the story that rarely gets mentioned, but one that is of great importance. It definitely plays into the plan the way and time frame they have used to roll-out the locals, and thus continue to get that MPEG4 base ready. Much better to have the equipment (and the dishes) ALREADY in the field than to turn it on and have no one to watch, and a huge rush to sign up (and I'm talking first about the current base, not stealing customers even). It also has allowed them the 'luxury' of not having to supply the entire market with equipment in one shot, as well as to iron out most of the video bugs we had in the very onset of MPEG4.

Another factor, which has been tossed around, is that 90% of their subs get their locals from them, and do NOT utilize OTA (yes it's pretty silly IMO, but true never the less). For all of those people and those that somply cannot receive OTA, it is a great addition all by itself.
 
Excellent post! I must say I never really considered any of the user installation plans and how they figure into all of this before - but it certainly ties everything together for me. Nice work.
 
Excellent post! I must say I never really considered any of the user installation plans and how they figure into all of this before - but it certainly ties everything together for me. Nice work.

Nothing personal, but you are a bit of a rookie around here. Scobuck made this point a long time ago. It is a very important one, but definitely worth repeating. The D* bashers tend to ignore it, but without everyone having the right equipment, the new sats would mean nothing.
 
Status
Please reply by conversation.