Annoyed with wating for new HD

[skottey]

I bought into a bill of goods that I feel are good, but certainly could/SHOULD be better. When I shelled out $300 for two HD-DVRs in the spring for equipment I don't even own, and agreed to a two year agreement, I figured DirecTV would continue to add HD channels at a reasonable pace. I am very happy with the DVR and the online scheduling. I am mostly satisfied with the channel lineup, but as I see FIOS entering my neighborhood and their launch of all 26 HBO/MAX HD channels among other highly desireable channels, both premium and national, this is annoying. What should I do? Lower my package to the minimum package to comply with my agreement? Or should I pay the termination fee? After ten minutes of wating he told me it was $480 right now but it would go down each month. I have no intention of getting rid of them right now, but if they don't start adding channels I want, I will get mad and make a change at some point.

I was concerned enough that I called DirecTV the other day asking about us getting any of the 26 available HD HBO/MAX channels. I was directed to a special programming CSR. I figured that he would know something. Well, I cited a June of 2007 press release by DirecTV of 13 HBO and Max channels coming in HD in the fall (07) with last years big roll out. To this date, we have 4... the east/west feed of both HBO / Max. Where are the other channels? He didn't know. He continued to list off the four we get. "I am not asking about the 4 I know we get, I am asking about the other 22 available to providers."

I then asked about Fox News Channel in HD and he put me on hold for a while. When he came back he told me I get Fox HD on channel 13. "Yes, I know I get my local fox in HD on channel 13, but thanks for the reminder. Now tell me what you know about FOX NEWS HD!" He knew nothing, never heard of such a thing. Travel Channel HD? No news..

The bottom line, as almost to be expected, they knew nothing about any new HD nationals coming.

I was really hoping for Fox News HD before the election. Before the debates and major speeches, I find myself flipping over to CNN to watch the actual HD footage and then flipping back to Fox for the commentary. Election night is going to be less joyful if we don't get Fox News HD. There is huge demand for this channel. Why haven't they added it?

The premiums are on the back burner for now. I have 50 movies to watch recorded between DVRs, plus dozens of unwatched DVD/bluray discs. But I want my live news coverage in HD NOW!

DirecTV- GIVE US FOX NEWS HD!

My local cable company, which I also subscribe to, is slowly adding stuff. So far, the only thing they have added that I don't get on DirecTV is LMN HD. Never watch that, but does that mean they could be adding Fox News HD first?

 

[uncrules]

I feel your pain. I too am truly annoyed at D*'s slow pace. I don't know what the heck is going on but it appears that people's worse fear about Malone taking over D* have come true. D* was adding channels as fast as they could before but despite have capacity to do so, D* hasn't added anything new recently except for ABC Family HD, Planet Green HD, Showtime Showcase HD and Showtime Extreme HD.

 

[rad]

I also tried to get an answer about the HBO/Cinemax channels that their PR said they would have by EOY 2007. The response I got was we had to wait for an official announcement, what was the PR then, just BD I guess. I also tried to get an answer from PBS about the status of the D*/PBS agreement, no response at all.

IMHO though we're still doing better then the E* folks. How long did they have to wait for their bunch of new channels after D* had the fall 2007 launch? Then they get a bunch and Chuck pulls Voom. Now he said a bunch of new HD after E11 was launched and went active, that happened and those folks are still waiting.

 

[deez04]

I bought into a bill of goods that I feel are good, but certainly could/SHOULD be better. When I shelled out $300 for two HD-DVRs in the spring for equipment I don't even own, and agreed to a two year agreement, I figured DirecTV would continue to add HD channels at a reasonable pace. I am very happy with the DVR and the online scheduling. I am mostly satisfied with the channel lineup, but as I see FIOS entering my neighborhood and their launch of all 26 HBO/MAX HD channels among other highly desireable channels, both premium and national, this is annoying. What should I do? Lower my package to the minimum package to comply with my agreement? Or should I pay the termination fee? After ten minutes of wating he told me it was $480 right now but it would go down each month. I have no intention of getting rid of them right now, but if they don't start adding channels I want, I will get mad and make a change at some point.

I was concerned enough that I called DirecTV the other day asking about us getting any of the 26 available HD HBO/MAX channels. I was directed to a special programming CSR. I figured that he would know something. Well, I cited a June of 2007 press release by DirecTV of 13 HBO and Max channels coming in HD in the fall (07) with last years big roll out. To this date, we have 4... the east/west feed of both HBO / Max. Where are the other channels? He didn't know. He continued to list off the four we get. "I am not asking about the 4 I know we get, I am asking about the other 22 available to providers."

I then asked about Fox News Channel in HD and he put me on hold for a while. When he came back he told me I get Fox HD on channel 13. "Yes, I know I get my local fox in HD on channel 13, but thanks for the reminder. Now tell me what you know about FOX NEWS HD!" He knew nothing, never heard of such a thing. Travel Channel HD? No news..

The bottom line, as almost to be expected, they knew nothing about any new HD nationals coming.

I was really hoping for Fox News HD before the election. Before the debates and major speeches, I find myself flipping over to CNN to watch the actual HD footage and then flipping back to Fox for the commentary. Election night is going to be less joyful if we don't get Fox News HD. There is huge demand for this channel. Why haven't they added it?

The premiums are on the back burner for now. I have 50 movies to watch recorded between DVRs, plus dozens of unwatched DVD/bluray discs. But I want my live news coverage in HD NOW!

DirecTV- GIVE US FOX NEWS HD!

My local cable company, which I also subscribe to, is slowly adding stuff. So far, the only thing they have added that I don't get on DirecTV is LMN HD. Never watch that, but does that mean they could be adding Fox News HD first?

I understand your pain 100%. I am a huge sports fan and college football guy. I was so excited that ESPNU HD was coming online and I thought for sure that D* would have it for this season. I have heard all those rumors about ESPN wanting the U in a lower package and I am all for that. It just sucks to see my local TWC have aded this channel and I cannot watch.

This has to be the month for HD! It has to be! This was the month last year and the guys at dbstalk.com are thinking the ame thing. I am not a premiums guy but would consider it if D* added some more HBOs. Their Cinemax package is a joke!

DO you like baseball? If so, you can at least count on one more HD channel that is guaranteed and in the contract on 01/09----MLB HD!

If I was you and I had invested that much money, which I also have, I would wait it out or go with FiOS and D*. That way you get all you coul want and more. I would just wait it out and not pay that huge termination fee.

 

[uncrules]

This has to be the month for HD! It has to be! This was the month last year and the guys at dbstalk.com are thinking the ame thing.

Those guys also thought it would be August, then they thought it would be September. Now they are thinking October. When it doesn't happen in October then they will be saying it will happen in November. Point is they don't know more than anybody else.

 

[Rey]

I hate the fact that I haven't gone through the joy you guys had when all this new hd was being added between last year and the beginning of this year . since i signed up for D i have yet to experiment that. i signed up right after the addition of espnews hd. since then we've had the addition of planet green and ppv hd. right? oh and rsn's

 

[uncrules]

I hate the fact that I haven't gone through the joy you guys had when all this new hd was being added between last year and the beginning of this year . since i signed up for D i have yet to experiment that. i signed up right after the addition of espnews hd. since then we've had the addition of planet green and ppv hd. right? oh and rsn's

Since you've joined we've gotten ABC Family HD, Planet Green HD, Showtime Showcase HD and Showtime Extreme HD, the part time RSNs converting to full time and more HD PPVs than I care to count.

I blame you!!!!

 

[rad]

And while it's not new HD they did move HBO, Showtime, EPSN, ESPN2, Universal HD, TNT, Discovery HD Theater, HD Net and HD Net Movies over to D11 in MPEG4 which improved their picture quality.

 

[Rey]

Since you've joined we've gotten ABC Family HD, Planet Green HD, Showtime Showcase HD and Showtime Extreme HD, the part time RSNs converting to full time and more HD PPVs than I care to count.

I blame you!!!!

yeah that's right i forgot about abc family and the 2 premiums going hd.

by the way the ppv idea was mine d gave me lots of dough for that one $$$

 

[uncrules]

And while it's not new HD they did move HBO, Showtime, EPSN, ESPN2, Universal HD, TNT, Discovery HD Theater, HD Net and HD Net Movies over to D11 in MPEG4 which improved their picture quality.

This was much appreciated. Probably the best use of D11 so far.

 

[cebbigh]

I am going to give them up to the point that Ciel2 is up and working for Dish to replace E5 at 129. That will be about the first of the year. At that point I will evaluate the equivalent programing. As it stands now, I rate the 622/722 as superior to the HR20/21. But by that time there may be improvements so I'll hold on that evaluation.

I also have Fios TV as an option. The only reason I am not thinking along those lines now is the limited storage space on the Verizon HDDVR.

 

[Van]

Directs added several local hd markets lately since the launch of their latest satellite, they've also as of the last week added an interactive feature for the weather channel and an additional west coast feed of cartoon network. Local networks are a bigger priority for any provider that doesnt have them just as those same networks in hd are because people watch more local programming than they do cable branded channels wich will always take a back seat to locals until something changes drasticly.

This is an old complaint repeated over and over just change the names of the provider to dish or comcast or charter and even fios. What it comes down to is you cant have your cake and eat it to. Its not as if direct has been stagnant on adding hd or has been stagnant on adding any channels or content over the last two years and its not as if they dont have the most hd over anyone else either.

 

[Rey]

maybe tomorrow? i've heard D lights up new hd on thursdays too right?

 

[skottey]

DO you like baseball? If so, you can at least count on one more HD channel that is guaranteed and in the contract on 01/09----MLB HD!

Honestly, I am a bandwagon guy when it comes to baseball I guess. While I love football and hockey, I never paid too much attention to my local baseball franchise until about a month ago. Since my local team, Tampa Bay Rays, has done so well, I have been watching some games and will watch them in the playoffs. I thought FSN Florida was supposed to be in HD, like Sunshine Network HD, but every game I watched on FSN was in SD. My DirecTV channel guide says FSN Florida HD. I remember hearing something about a delay in adding the HD feed of this channel, but I don't remember for sure. All I know is that baseball looks horrible on FSN Florida SD. It was very hard to watch. I pay all this money for the DirecTV Premium package with the sports channels included, and the few baseball games I have watched looked like garbage. Go figure.

 

[skottey]

I hate the fact that I haven't gone through the joy you guys had when all this new hd was being added between last year and the beginning of this year . since i signed up for D i have yet to experiment that. i signed up right after the addition of espnews hd. since then we've had the addition of planet green and ppv hd. right? oh and rsn's

You just reminded me of something. I complained to the CSR on the phone that 30+ PPV channels do not count as HD nationals and their 130 HD channels count was skewed. And then he turned around asked asked if there was anything else he could help me with and recited that DirecTV is the "leader in HD, with 135, channels in HD." Now the lie has expanded from 130 to 135. When does it end. As I have stated before, if Verizon and all their bandwidth offered 125 HD nationals and 500 HD PPV channels, would you say, "Verizon offers 625 HD channels?" NO! PPV does not count. Planet Green... what a joke... Why not Travel Channel HD or Investigation Discovery in HD (doesn't exist yet I don't think).

 

[Rey]

You just reminded me of something. I complained to the CSR on the phone that 30+ PPV channels do not count as HD nationals and their 130 HD channels count was skewed. And then he turned around asked asked if there was anything else he could help me with and recited that DirecTV is the "leader in HD, with 135, channels in HD." Now the lie has expanded from 130 to 135. When does it end. As I have stated before, if Verizon and all their bandwidth offered 125 HD nationals and 500 HD PPV channels, would you say, "Verizon offers 625 HD channels?" NO! PPV does not count. Planet Green... what a joke... Why not Travel Channel HD or Investigation Discovery in HD (doesn't exist yet I don't think).

what are those other 5 channels ppv?

 

[uncrules]

what are those other 5 channels ppv?

D* has 36 HD PPVs.

133
134
135
136
137
138
139
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
163
164
165
166
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
197
198

 

[Rey]

D* has 36 HD PPVs.

133
134
135
136
137
138
139
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
163
164
165
166
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
197
198

oh goodie can we have more

 

[ramimac]

all those "Supposed" place holders

 

[HD#1]

D* has 36 HD PPVs.

133
134
135
136
137
138
139
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
163
164
165
166
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
197
198

Take that Fios and E* who's your daddy when it comes to HDPPV thats's right D* is