BREAKING: DirecTV Internationals

[grydlok]

I just had some training on the New Dish. So far only a few guys have installed them for the HSP I work for.

 

[mhking]

Dumb question: my receiver takes channel number input in the form of XXX-XX (i.e., three digits, followed by a dash then two digits). How are the four-digit channels input?

(and I promise not to go on a rant about International channels like I did last week. I've had my coffee today)

 

[Incaico]

Dumb question: my receiver takes channel number input in the form of XXX-XX (i.e., three digits, followed by a dash then two digits). How are the four-digit channels input?

(and I promise not to go on a rant about International channels like I did last week. I've had my coffee today)

Only if you have a D10 (DIRECTV) receiver or upgrade your receiver after you auto-configure, will the receiver be able to accept 4 digits.

 

[mhking]

Only if you have a D10 (DIRECTV) receiver or upgrade your receiver after you auto-configure, will the receiver be able to accept 4 digits.

OK. Next stupid question. I've got a Philips DSX5500 that I got a year and a half ago. How do I upgrade/auto-configure?

 

[Poppa Smurf]

wait a minute!

isnt multiple dishes what got dish network in such an uproar? they may have to remove theirs but direct can still do it? that doesnt seem fair. how can direct get away with having customers use two dishes when dish cant?

 

[Incaico]

OK. Next stupid question. I've got a Philips DSX5500 that I got a year and a half ago. How do I upgrade/auto-configure?

Not familiar w/your reiver but it should be in your installation/setup menu

 

[ChrisPC]

Poppa Smurf, two dishes aren't the problem, both D* and E* make them free according to FCC rules. E* is splitting a cities' locals between two dishes, while D* puts every local in a city on the same dish. Some people with E* only get 4 or 5 locals, and don't even know they can get others for free with a second dish. That's what the FCC had a problem with.

 

[mhking]

Poppa Smurf, E* is splitting a cities' locals between two dishes, while D* puts every local in a city on the same dish. That's what the FCC had a problem with.

I understand that part. My question is whether or not I would be able to receive these new channels that D* is coming up with -- if I understand correctly, they are of hte form XXXX.

I can only receive channels that are formatted XXX-XX. If D* is using four-digit channels, how would I be able to receive them (and presumably any content that I actually WOULD be interested in, as opposed to the recently announced Vietnamese channels).

 

[conflictofinterest]

I was sent this by a few contacts. Thought I would pass it along. It appears soon Dish Network will have REAL compition when it comes to internationals!

I wouldn't call it real competition (as if it didn't exist before) with this announcement.

Cable companies already offer international programming in many markets.

There is another service Globecast that carries several international channels also, more than DirecTV.

Also, the small 18" dish provided by Dish for ethnic is easier to install, and works as a better selling point. DirecTV also imposes the customer get Total Choice.

It looks to be a small offering by DirecTV. As an analogy, it's as if Echostar is Wal-Mart with a great breadth of product offering, and DirecTV would be the newsstand store at an airport.

It's also interesting that DirecTV chose to make up their own channels (as in in-house made channels), such as HindiDirect. Dish on the other hand carries two of the top three cable channels from India (Zee TV, and Sony Entertainment Television), along with Zee Cinema(sister to Zee), and for the Southern Indian, popular Sun TV, and several other channels.

Maybe this is just a small offering until more is done. NewsCorp owns several international channels, or has stakes in them, and has yet to use that to influence the programming arrangements. Dish had exclusive rights to Zee, and several of the other big ones. I don't know if it still remains, and how long if so.

 

[Incaico]

I wouldn't call it real competition (as if it didn't exist before) with this announcement.

Cable companies already offer international programming in many markets.

There is another service Globecast that carries several international channels also, more than DirecTV.

Also, the small 18" dish provided by Dish for ethnic is easier to install, and works as a better selling point. DirecTV also imposes the customer get Total Choice.

It looks to be a small offering by DirecTV. As an analogy, it's as if Echostar is Wal-Mart with a great breadth of product offering, and DirecTV would be the newsstand store at an airport.

It's also interesting that DirecTV chose to make up their own channels (as in in-house made channels), such as HindiDirect. Dish on the other hand carries two of the top three cable channels from India (Zee TV, and Sony Entertainment Television), along with Zee Cinema(sister to Zee), and for the Southern Indian, popular Sun TV, and several other channels.

Maybe this is just a small offering until more is done. NewsCorp owns several international channels, or has stakes in them, and has yet to use that to influence the programming arrangements. Dish had exclusive rights to Zee, and several of the other big ones. I don't know if it still remains, and how long if so.

Spoken like a true uninformed consumer.

1. You can certainly get FTA programming that requires separate hardware and installation and now you are dealing with 2 remotes, 2 receivers, etc., not intergrated with DIRECTV.

2. With the WorldDirect service by DIRECTV, you are not required to sign up for TOTAL CHOICE. You select from 2 English component packages, BASIC ($9.99 - 50 channels) and PREFERRED CHOICE ($29.99 - 86 channels).

3. Echostars comparison to DIRECTV?

4. DIRECTV is creating channel lineups that is custom fitted to the customer. For example: HindiDirect has been created to cater to the Hindi speaking customer, unlike Echostar that "makes" the customer buy into channel packages that also brings other programming that may not interest the Hindi customer.

5. As you mentioned, Dish has 2 of the top 3 channels. DIRECTV will carry the top channel.

That is all for now.

 

[Chris Freeland]

Spoken like a true uninformed consumer.


2. With the WorldDirect service by DIRECTV, you are not required to sign up for TOTAL CHOICE. You select from 2 English component packages, BASIC ($9.99 - 50 channels) and PREFERRED CHOICE ($29.99 - 86 channels).

3. Echostars comparison to DIRECTV?

4. DIRECTV is creating channel lineups that is custom fitted to the customer. For example: HindiDirect has been created to cater to the Hindi speaking customer, unlike Echostar that "makes" the customer buy into channel packages that also brings other programming that may not interest the Hindi customer.

5. As you mentioned, Dish has 2 of the top 3 channels. DIRECTV will carry the top channel.

That is all for now.

Please!! Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. Their are no where near 50 channels in the D*Basic $9.99/mo package, closer to a dozen or so PI and shopping channels plus locals, check out Value Electronics who has a list, you can get E* Internationals with just a $5/mo access fee which also will get you 4 or 5 channels FTA. You are close on the PC package if you count locals and the 31 MC music only channels, this package is possibly a slightly better value then AT60w/locals at E*, both go for $29.99/mo however PC requires a subscription to a D*W channel or package, AT60 does not require any additions. D*W and E*I are not competition for each other because at this time these channels are only on one service or the other and most if not all buyers of International channels are only interested in a particular channel or set of channels that fit their ethnic group. Until D*W and E*I start offering some of the same channels like they do in their English and Spanish channels, they do not compete in this specialty with each other.

 

[Incaico]

Please!! Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. Their are no where near 50 channels in the D*Basic $9.99/mo package, closer to a dozen or so PI and shopping channels plus locals, check out Value Electronics who has a list, you can get E* Internationals with just a $5/mo access fee which also will get you 4 or 5 channels FTA. You are close on the PC package if you count locals and the 31 MC music only channels, this package is possibly a slightly better value then AT60w/locals at E*, both go for $29.99/mo however PC requires a subscription to a D*W channel or package, AT60 does not require any additions.

Unfortunately, your logic is flawed. Both E* and DIRECTV have PIO's and music channels in the channel count. BASIC & PREFERRED CHOICE are 50 and 82 channels, including locals.

D*W and E*I are not competition for each other because at this time these channels are only on one service or the other and most if not all buyers of International channels are only interested in a particular channel or set of channels that fit their ethnic group. Until D*W and E*I start offering some of the same channels like they do in their English and Spanish channels, they do not compete in this specialty with each other.

Agreed.

 

[GaryPen]

...the D*Basic $9.99/mo package, closer to a dozen or so PI and shopping channels plus locals...you can get E* Internationals with just a $5/mo access fee which also will get you 4 or 5 channels FTA.

The D* Basic is basically the same as the E* $5 access fee, which gives you the FTA stuff, but with the addition of locals.

Hmmm. How much does the E* access fee plus locals cost? That would be $10.99.

Which is the better value. That would be the D* Basic w/locals for $1 less, wouldn't it?

I'll loan you my calculator, if you need it.

 

[Chris Freeland]

The D* Basic is basically the same as the E* $5 access fee, which gives you the FTA stuff, but with the addition of locals.

Hmmm. How much does the E* access fee plus locals cost? That would be $10.99.

Which is the better value. That would be the D* Basic w/locals for $1 less, wouldn't it?

I'll loan you my calculator, if you need it.

I do not disagree with you, however with the E* $5 access fee you do not have to take the locals and pay for them if your area either does not have them on E* or just do not want to pay for them, not sure if D*Basic is available without locals for a discount or not. Also I still say E* and D* do not really compete with International channels at this time (granted this could change in the future) because for the most part they offer different channels and even mostly different ethnic groups, most people who get Internationals will go with the provider who has the channels from their particular ethnic group and it will not matter to them if it cost $9.99 for D* basic with locals or E* access with locals at $10.99 or pay just $5 and not get your locals.

 

[Chris Freeland]

Agreed.Unfortunately, your logic is flawed. Both E* and DIRECTV have PIO's and music channels in the channel count. BASIC & PREFERRED CHOICE are 50 and 82 channels, including locals.

No, you are wrong on both counts. D* Basic only includes the PI channels only period, that comes to roughly 12 or so channels. D* PC comes with a total of approximately 50 TV channels that include those PI channels, plus 31 MC audio music channels and however many locals that are in your particular DMA. E* AT60 w/locals includes approximately 60 TV channels including PI channels and a dozen or so shopping channels and however many locals in your particular DMA, but no, zilch 0 Nada music audio channels, to get the music audio from E* you have to pay either $4.99/mo and add 32 Dish CD channels to AT60, DL or the access fee or get AT120 or DLD or above and you also get 60 Sirius satellite radio music channels with the larger packages mentioned.

 

[rjruby]

Whatever happened too all of the international channels that were to be added????

More vaporware????

I would jump to Directv in a heartbeat if I could get the same Arabic channles I get on Dishnetwork.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Im told we will hear something this week at CES.

I have been wondering what the hold up has been as well.

 

[hdtvtechno]

i want my Polish channels

 

[rjruby]

Im told we will hear something this week at CES.

I have been wondering what the hold up has been as well.

I guess E* isn't the only purveyor of vaporware!

 

[jtcombs]

I'm new here in the forum because of the recent announcement by DirecTV about the international programming.

We have been watching the Vietnamese programming beamed by the Vietnamese government on Intelsat Americas 5 at 97, with a FTA receiver and 24" dish with linear LNB.

Can I just pick up a cheap DirectTV receiver, circular LNB, and move my dish two degrees east to the 95 position to get the new Vietnamese programming? (We would subscribe of course with the $10 base package and $15 Vietnamese fee.)

I know a 36" dish is specified by DirecTV but in my experience on IA5 in Colorado, a 24" dish works in all but the heaviest rains. Is the FSS signal that much weaker than the DVB signal I get now quite adequately with a 24" dish?