2006 NFL Sunday Ticket Games in HD: Mpeg2 or 4?

[Greg johnson]

Does anyone have any idea yet how D* will transmit the HD games next season? If they remain in the Mpeg2 format I think I'm going to take a pass on "upgrading" to Mpeg4.
Let me start out by saying that NFLST is the ONLY reason that I am a D* customer and I can think of far more reasons not to upgrade to Mpeg4 than to upgrade.
I already receive my HD locals via an antenna and have zero interest in receiving them from D*. In fact with the location I am in with a rotor I can Receive both Chicago and Rockford digital channels.
I think at present my 2 LG3200 receivers I use are better or more feature packed than the the H20.
Not being able to diplex the antenna signal anymore is going to complicate things for me a great deal. I only have 2 cables fed to the bedrooms upstairs in a 2 story home. I really don't want to give up my antenna feed to my HD set in my bedroom.
With no new national HD channels being added until D10 and D11 are launched there really is no reason at all besides Sunday Ticket for me to upgrade to Mpeg4

 

[CPanther95]

Nobody knows for sure yet. From comments made at CES, it appears D* will be aggressively upgrading the Mountain and Pacific time zones first with free upgrades to MPEG4. Only reason for that would be to eliminate the LA MPEG2 channels from the national birds.

What they plan to do with that space is unknown. If they plan to convert every sub in the country with MPEG2 NY & LA channels prior to the 2006 NFL season, those freed up spots could be used to keep NFL on MPEG2 along with some additional channels (or they could expand their dating service )

If the upgrade goes smoothly and they are able to include all NFL ST HD subs, then they could very well move NFL ST to MPEG4.

Bottom Line: Nobody knows for sure at this point.

 

[Proc]

Nobody knows for sure yet. From comments made at CES, it appears D* will be aggressively upgrading the Mountain and Pacific time zones first with free upgrades to MPEG4. Only reason for that would be to eliminate the LA MPEG2 channels from the national birds.
What they plan to do with that space is unknown. If they plan to convert every sub in the country with MPEG2 NY & LA channels prior to the 2006 NFL season, those freed up spots could be used to keep NFL on MPEG2 along with some additional channels (or they could expand their dating service )
If the upgrade goes smoothly and they are able to include all NFL ST HD subs, then they could very well move NFL ST to MPEG4.
Bottom Line: Nobody knows for sure at this point.

Could it be possible that D* will move the Mountain and Pacific AND national Sunday Ticket folks to MPEG4 before hitting up the rest of its customer base? Can they get everyone in the M/P time zones AND NFLST subs converted by September? This entails the AT9/5LNB dish and H20 for all, which will be quite the undertaking.

Honestly, The Ticket is the main reason I have D* as well.

 

[CPanther95]

We know that ultimately they will be upgrading ALL HD subs to MPEG4. Until we see the exact timeline that unfolds we can only speculate as to the pace. Pacific and Mtn. timezones could just be Phase 1 of the transition that will last through 2007 or it could be completed by August '06.

As usual, we're left to guess with little hard info from D* who likes to keep even the most mundane details to themselves until the very last minute.

 

[Greg johnson]

Thanks for the replies.
I guess as long as we know by summer I'll be OK. Since I live in the Chicago area and upgrading to the new dish will require me to change to a pole mount. D* wont upgrade me until warmer weather anyway.

 

[CPanther95]

What you do know is that D* must accomodate NFL ST subs - and that will include NFL ST HD subs. If you wait until D* needs you to upgrade, that's when you'll get the best deal (should be free). There's really no reason to make your own guesstimate on the best time to upgrade to MPEG4 unless you need HD LILs - wait for D* to contact you.

 

[aec4]

Sunday Ticket is the ONLY reason I subscribe to DirecTV. If they convert, they better come up with a better solution for the dish. I don't have the ability to put it on a pole, so they better come up with something that works on my roof.

 

[Greg johnson]

That sounds like excellent advice.
On another note: Can one still subscribe only to Sunday Ticket? I know in the past you could. That's another option I guess. Comcast and D* just for ST. Although an expensive option.

 

[fkostyn]

There has also been rumors that the NFL ST HD could be in MPEG4 over the current satellites also.

 

[Proc]

That sounds like excellent advice.
On another note: Can one still subscribe only to Sunday Ticket? I know in the past you could. That's another option I guess. Comcast and D* just for ST. Although an expensive option.

I think you have to subscribe to the Total Choice Pkg. to get NFLST.

I would rather have the new dish on the roof, but due to tree issues, I have it on my garage out back. I think I may have to do the pole mount next spring. Reluctantly, but it is the price to pay for watching football.

 

[charper1]

Yes, it has been said no more NFL ST without a minimum subscription package.

 

[herdfan]

Is 2006 the year that the NFL mandated that ALL games be shown in HD? If so, there will be some more games (CBS) that will need transponder space. So they can either eliminate the LA feeds which should free up enough space or move all ST feeds to MPEG-4.

Remember though, D* can move ST to MPEG-4 and keep them on the KU birds, so all that would be needed would be a receiver swap. They could then cram 4 games on a transponder.

 

[ocnier]

Yes, it has been said no more NFL ST without a minimum subscription package.

Unless you're already a prexisting cusotmer with the ST in place already without any minimum package in place (hence the term grandfathered in...)

 

[charper1]

I have also read that grandfathered status will also end and even long-time current users will be required to upgrade to TC or above. That is what I have been reading so someone post to correct that statement please.

 

[Jimbo]

Is 2006 the year that the NFL mandated that ALL games be shown in HD? If so, there will be some more games (CBS) that will need transponder space. So they can either eliminate the LA feeds which should free up enough space or move all ST feeds to MPEG-4.
Remember though, D* can move ST to MPEG-4 and keep them on the KU birds, so all that would be needed would be a receiver swap. They could then cram 4 games on a transponder.

Maybe they don't need more space .....
There was 4-5 channels this year that had nothing on them in the 700 ST area, I think it was like 716-718 at least and they may have changed weekly, I really didn't pay close attention, think there were afew in the 720's as well

Jimbo

 

[slacker9876]

AllI can say is they better sinulcast. It isonly right with all that bandwidth!!!!