All American Direct (AAD) in HD $25 EACH? OUCH!

[buckeyebrian]

No. $35 is the price if you don't have the big 4 SD package for $12.99.
If you Have the Big 4 pack the HD's are 24.99 per market.

Option #1: 8 SD channels(SF & NY) $12.99
4 HD channels(LA or Ch) $24.99
total: $37.98

Option #2: 4 HD channels with no SD $34.99

8 SD networks for $2.99 a month......what a bargain!

 

[Jim5506]

Well, if they charge too much, they will get too few subs to pay the freight and they will either have to lower the price to increase subscribers or go out of business at least for HD distant locals.

 

[ehren]

it's greed, they don't need to charge this much to make a profit.

 

[MikeD-C05]

it's greed, they don't need to charge this much to make a profit.

That is what I just sent in my email to the ceo of AAD. He will be hurting for subs at this price. Especially since DISH subs can "MOVE" and get them for $5.00. I would of loved it if they would allowed you both cities for the same price as the sd ones 12.99. DISH allows you to get hd locals for the same price as sd cities, I don't see why this guy is charging such a outrageous premium price for just 4 hd nets. He will price himself right out of business.

 

[rockymtnhigh]

That is what I just sent in my email to the ceo of AAD. He will be hurting for subs at this price. Especially since DISH subs can "MOVE" and get them for $5.00. I would of loved it if they would allowed you both cities for the same price as the sd ones 12.99. DISH allows you to get hd locals for the same price as sd cities, I don't see why this guy is charging such a outrageous premium price for just 4 hd nets. He will price himself right out of business.

I agree 100%. It is price gouging, and taking advantage of a monopoly. He has it, nobody else does, so he is charging an insane price. I was so looking forward to adding LA Locals in HD, but for $25 a month? I don't think so. :rant:

 

[jmccurrytech]

actually it would be cheaper to cancel AAD altogether, get a DirecTV Dish, buy a receiver on Ebay, get a basic package (I believe D* has a welcome package like E* does), and find an address that has no locals from D* and qualifies for Distants. Whew that's a mouthful! Would I do such a thing? Well I already have an EA and a Dish 1000+, I see no reason why I wouldn't want a 5LNB Slimline

 

[Mr Tony]

only problem is D* wont activate used equipment on a new account and most receivers with D are leased

 

[jmccurrytech]

Oh I see, I haven't been a D* sub in forever. Well I say bring back prime time 24, lets have some competition! I know theyre still in business some, but they dont offer much.

 

[Isaacbob]

actually it would be cheaper to cancel AAD altogether, get a DirecTV Dish, buy a receiver on Ebay, get a basic package (I believe D* has a welcome package like E* does), and find an address that has no locals from D* and qualifies for Distants. Whew that's a mouthful! Would I do such a thing? Well I already have an EA and a Dish 1000+, I see no reason why I wouldn't want a 5LNB Slimline

Does D* have a similar welcome pack? I know they don't have a local only option like E*, which is a bummer because D* provides locals to Lafayette IN and provide NBC in HD from Indy, which unfortunately E* doesn't.

 

[jself1982]

Well, I was told that I am not eligible for SF SD locals because I chose to have LA HD, this is what 2 agents said. They also said that the FCC laws that went into effect Saturday made this decision.

Bummed, paying $12.99 for just NYC SD then $24.99 for LA HD. I don't particularly care for SF SD, but if I am being charged for it, then they best give them to me, or next month I won't renew. Plain and simple, I just hate that I don't know who to call or how to approach this situation without giving away the fact that I am not using my own address to make me eligible, as many others are doing what I am doing.

 

[jmccurrytech]

Well, I was told that I am not eligible for SF SD locals because I chose to have LA HD, this is what 2 agents said. They also said that the FCC laws that went into effect Saturday made this decision.

Bummed, paying $12.99 for just NYC SD then $24.99 for LA HD. I don't particularly care for SF SD, but if I am being charged for it, then they best give them to me, or next month I won't renew. Plain and simple, I just hate that I don't know who to call or how to approach this situation without giving away the fact that I am not using my own address to make me eligible, as many others are doing what I am doing.

That's crazy, I'm receiving both SD cities as well as HD from LA, and if I wanted to mortgage the house I could get Chicago too

 

[Hemi 6.1]

Option #1: 8 SD channels(SF & NY) $12.99
4 HD channels(LA or Ch) $24.99
total: $37.98

Option #2: 4 HD channels with no SD $34.99

8 SD networks for $2.99 a month......what a bargain!

Option#3
1 network east and west SD $3.49 then the same 1 HD network for another $7.49 Total 10.98 for 3 channels.

Option #4 1 HD network for $9.99 per month

 

[nrholland]

Exactly! All American direct is a Distant Network provider. Not a Local channel provider like E* and D*. Thats why these guys don't have to follow these same rules as E* or D*. Remember we're not paying E* for this service, Were paying an independent DNS provider.
And ANYONE with a E* receiver sitting in their closet can receive these channels without E* service. Pending your smartcard.

Basically like the days when Directv had Directv for some programming and USSB for the other stuff (I believe USSB had the premium movie channels).

 

[M Sparks]

I miss the Prime Time 24 days Different city for each channel, and decent prices.

Wasn't it $6 for the whole deal? What were the cities? I remember Seattle, San Francisco, LA, NY, Raligh, & Erie. Was Fox not included, or am I forgetting a couple of cities?

Also, I think originally there was a different city instead of Erie.

 

[M Sparks]

Basically like the days when Directv had Directv for some programming and USSB for the other stuff (I believe USSB had the premium movie channels).

USSB had HBO/Cinemax, and Showtime/TMC/Flix/Sundance. Starz/Encore was on DirecTV. Encore was included in the basic channels, and Starz was $5 as I recall.

But USSB also had Viacom channels. So you had to pay a little extra to get...I can't remember how many channels, but it couldn't have been very many. Viacom hadn't bought TNN/CMT yet...they hadn't launched any sister channels except MTV2...I think Comedy Central was included, but I'm not sure because Viacom only co-owned it then. And then there was All News Channel, which USSB owned, and it was basically fed by local Hubbard stations...so it was like the "national local news"

Oh, and USSB also had fXM (now Fox Movie Channel). I think you had to order two movie channels or more, and then they would throw in fXM.

It was a really weird system, but still not as confusing as DISH's current packages. I do remember that my bill was $35 from both sides...Total Choice + Starz was $35, and is was another $35 to get everything from USSB.

EDIT According to Wikipedia, Lifetime was also on USSB. So it was Lifetime, All News Channel, MTV, MTV2, VH1, Nick, and TV Land. 7 channels for (I think) $7. A terrible deal, but everything else was so much cheaper, so it balanced out.

I also remember that you could buy Sundance by itself for $9.

 

[pro96]

Watt a ripoff for just HD networks.

 

[odbrv]

You missed my point!! At a lower cost you would get 5 to 1 the subscibers you currently have. 1 at $24.99 compared to 5 at $9.99 = $49.95. You double your revenue!!! Even at 3 to 1 you do better. Go to the satellite guys forum and count how many say they subscibed to how many said no way at the prices you have. It was 5 to 1 rejecting your price.

--- On Mon, 6/15/09, Michael Mountford <mike@allamericandirect.com> wrote:


From: Michael Mountford <mike@allamericandirect.com>
Subject: RE: High HD prices
To: "Ralph Bravoco" <odbrv@yahoo.com>
Date: Monday, June 15, 2009, 8:28 AM


With the prices, I don’t like them either. I know they are high, but unfortunately with the cost of an HD DBS transponder, backhauls, equipment needed to provide the HD service versus our estimated revenue, (based on our small subscriber numbers and only 30% having HD capability) the choice came down to launching the service at these prices or not providing HD at all. We decided on the latter based upon input from our customer base. Hopefully you will see the value in the service.



Thank you for your support of All American Direct.com.



MM







-----Original Message-----
From: Ralph Bravoco [mailtodbrv@yahoo.com]
Sent: Sunday, June 14, 2009 7:25 PM
To: Michael Mountford
Subject: High HD prices

Dear Sir,

I called today to add HD network programming to my current SD network subscription. When I was informed that the cost would be $24.99 per month for 4 HD channels from either LA or Chicago plus the $12.99 I am currently paying for 8 SD channels, I was appalled. Twice the price for half the stations is unbelievable. $24.99 is more than the $22 per month to get the 2 premium channel package from Dish say HBO and Starz ( 14 HD and 16 SD channels). Dish offers local for $5.99 per month for 8 SD channels and when the HD version becomes available they don't quadruple the price( $14 is what I am seeing for both HD and SD). Your pricing has forced me to wait for Dish to offer HD in my DMA. I noticed on Satellite Guys that your pricing has turned off most( 5 to 1 ) that blog there. Please reconsider your pricing to a more acceptable economic model. If you do , you might get a 5 time increase in subscibers.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

I just sent a Reply as well.

 

[joecap1946]

From: Michael Mountford <mike@allamericandirect.com>
Subject: RE: High HD prices
To: "Ralph Bravoco" <odbrv@yahoo.com>
Date: Monday, June 15, 2009, 8:28 AM


With the prices, I don’t like them either. I know they are high, but unfortunately with the cost of an HD DBS transponder, backhauls, equipment needed to provide the HD service versus our estimated revenue, (based on our small subscriber numbers and only 30% having HD capability) the choice came down to launching the service at these prices or not providing HD at all. We decided on the latter based upon input from our customer base. Hopefully you will see the value in the service.



Thank you for your support of All American Direct.com.



MM




That's an automated response.

I got the same reply WORD for WORD.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

Scott ,
Please Fire up the "Multi Channel News " Van and get this thing Kicking.
We'll Provide you with fuel you need to contact All American Direct about this huge HD price. Thanks