D* & HD in the near future - Your Thoughts AFS

[CWS_kahuna]

D* & HD in the near future - Your Thoughts AST

I was thinking about all the talk just a few months ago about D* soon will have 24HD channels. I know that part of that "soon" probably meant that some of the channels would come after the next satellite launch in May, but there was also a lot of talk about the channels being kicked off AST (after sunday ticket).

All of this stuff with TNT and FOX just has me thinking that we really might not get anymore channels until the May Satellite launch. Should we think at all that there might be a decent chance to get any new stuff in Jan05 AST? We have all heard about ESPN2HD kicking off in Jan05. Will the available space AST be used to uncompress HBO, SHO, HDnetM or used for a few new channels?

About the 24 channels, I think I rememberd INHD being rumored as part of that. I thought I saw that Voom was taking INHD to court about them trying to get that channel. Does the Voom outcome have anything to do with D* getting INHD or would it be completely serperate issues? We need to hear some more good and exciting news in the satellite world, things have been very quiet of late.

 

[cr0mag]

I wonder if the new 95 slot that is being opened up for the Cricket package will be able to deliver HD content. To be honest, I'm sure Cricket is popular in some places but here I'm sure that D* would have more plans for that bird than just international sports.

 

[LonghornXP]

I wonder if the new 95 slot that is being opened up for the Cricket package will be able to deliver HD content. To be honest, I'm sure Cricket is popular in some places but here I'm sure that D* would have more plans for that bird than just international sports.

That bird is going to at some point early next year be the home of all current and new international programming and as a result would free up some bandwidth between 101 and 119 for new HDTV channels. Also some of the bandwidth from the first SpaceWay launch will be used for national HD channels. That bird even with a few delays should be ready to broadcast to your boxes at the lastest around summer as in June maybe July. Now if things go very smoothly it could be as early as March maybe April.

But it seems to me that TNT HD might still be coming but most of the new HD channels that are out won't be coming to DirecTV until after March or April. Now that doesn't mean that a few can't be added here or there such as TNT HD, Fox HD and ESPN 2 HD in Jan.

They are doing some shifting around and from what I've been told is that DirecTV could broadcast every current HD channel out there without hurting picture quality. Now that is assuming that the spaceway launch goes as planned.

So in the summer they would have room for the following channels below but I'm not saying these are coming to DirecTV but they would have room for them.

Fox and ABC E&W
TNT HD
ESPN 2 HD
InHD 1 & 2
HBO West
Cinemax E&W
Starz E&W
TMC East
Encore East
Showtime West

Now I've been told that the first spaceway sat would have anywhere between 15 and 30 national HD channels. Also moving the international programming to the 95 spot would free up another 3-5 HD channels. Also I've been told that customers that want NFL ST games next year in HD and the new HD channels might need to get a new dish but it should be offered for free with a one year agreement but it would be another setup. But as of now I don't know what there specific plans are but from what I know I'm sticking with DirecTV until at least the summer. Now if the sat launch goes well and they start offering HD locals and I don't start getting concrete plans from DirecTV on what is coming I will start making plans. I think DirecTV knows that most customers have been very nice to give them chances but they know they can't go on forever saying they are committed to HDTV but not show it. With that said I think they will show it in a big way.

 

[rad]

LonghornXP, your post has put a bit if a damper on my hopes. So you're saying that even after NFL-ST HD requirements end in January we won't see any more HD channels until the new satellites go up, except for maybe TNT-HD? What happened to FOX-HD that was to be right around the corner. How about Starz-HD and Cinemax-HD that I though we're in contract negotiations to be added shortly. This is depressing that we're now looking at summer next year for any real additional content. What happened to D*'s announcment of doubling HD channels THIS year???

 

[Barney]

I'll give 'em a chance this next year...we'll see

 

[slacker9876]

Given the fact that Spaceway 1 will give them the ability for 150 National or 500 LIL HD channels and any combination of the two, apply a little math (probably "new math" since this is me):

Top 30 DMA's: 120 HD LIL channels
Expand SD premiums to full 10-16 channel packages: 24 SD Nationals
Expand HD premiums: 12 National channels (including E/W)
Misc HD : Maybe 8 channels (including HD PPV)
Misc SD: Providing there are some left let's say 20 more channels

This bird should provide D* the ability to provide more than enough expansion room until Spaceway 2 is fired off in 2007 ... I would say spring of 05 should be a very interesting quarter for us as viewers and HD viewers. Even at HALF this capacity increase there is a great amount of bandwidth.

 

[LOBO2999]

Come this time next year everyone will be here saying D dropped the ball again , sorry but I don't believed they will have the new sat's up when they are suppose to . I don't see any new HD by the end of this year or by middle of next year because my wifes brother has a friend whos cousin sister's boyfriend knows someone who works at D cleaning the toilet's heard someone ( while he was hidding in one of the stalls )high up say they might have some new channels coming soon.

 

[CWS_kahuna]

I guess I am just hopeful that once Sunday Ticket is gone, freeing up about 8 channels, that whatever amount of compression is being applied to the HD channels will be stopped. If we can also throw in one or more HD channels until the new satellite launch that would be cool.

Does anyone know if the channel RUSH on Voom is specific to them or can other satellite companies pick up that channel? I personally would like a channel like RUSH in HD available on D*.

 

[mulesqb]

Come this time next year everyone will be here saying D dropped the ball again , sorry but I don't believed they will have the new sat's up when they are suppose to . I don't see any new HD by the end of this year or by middle of next year because my wifes brother has a friend whos cousin sister's boyfriend knows someone who works at D cleaning the toilet's heard someone ( while he was hidding in one of the stalls )high up say they might have some new channels coming soon.

The only thing is that your source could be full of s#@%.

 

[LonghornXP]

Sorry I didn't make this clear. We wouldn't see much more than TNT HD and Fox HD E&W until after football season. Now once football season is over we will start seeing some of the other channels such as Starz HD until they have maxed out their bandwidth until the new sat launches. Now to go further of the specific plans that I know of.

First Spaceway after its launch will be the home to all current and new HD channels except maybe just a few such as Special Events and PPV HD. That includes all other channels being moved to Spaceway. Also international programming will be moved to the new 95 degree slot as well. The reason for this is so they can add more SD LIL markets and improve picture quality as well. They also are going to use some of that bandwidth left over on the main sats to add more premium channels or the SD ones such as OuterMax and such.

So to do a breakdown of what is going where.

Spaceway 1 will hold the top 30-40 markets HD locals as well as all new and current HDTV national channels.

SAT A, B and C will be shuffled this way.

All HDTV from SATs A, B and C will be moved to SpaceWay 1. All international programming on SATs A, B and C will be moved to the 95 degree slot.

So the bandwidth freed up from moving the HDTV and international channels from SATs A, B and C will be used for these three tasks below.

1. Offer more SD local markets.
2. Improve picture quality on all channels.
3. Add many premium SD channels as well as other requested channels such as Nick Games and Sports and the like.

Now from what I gathered is that the first two satellites will offer combined anything between 50-100 national HD channels while the other two sats will be used mostly for HD LIL markets and will leave room for the future on the national HD side. Between all 4 sats they can offer combined over 150 national HD channels and all 210 DMAs HD channels even if they don't currently broadcast HDTV but when they do they will have room for them. Now I'm hearing that DirecTV is being very carefull to make sure they keep enough national HD bandwidth so they don't get shorted if they cut it too close because they think if a big surge like this happens they would have to respond to cable which is who would be doing the surge. But if 2007 gets closer and a major surge hasn't happened and they don't see anything major like 50 plus more national HD channels popping up they would add more HD LIL markets as they get closer. They are mainly going to decide what they do as the market decides. They will offer national HD channels if they are popping up like crazy but if they aren't they will offer more HD LIL markets.

Sorry to go so long but I thought I should say this now. Also all the PPV channels that were removed will be used for new interactive channels not yet launched.

 

[LonghornXP]

The only thing is that your source could be full of s#@%.

Good one there and I hope many others picked up that bit of humor there. If he isn't full of it he has it around him all the time right.

 

[rad]

Sorry I didn't make this clear. We wouldn't see much more than TNT HD and Fox HD E&W until after football season. Now once football season is over we will start seeing some of the other channels such as Starz HD until they have maxed out their bandwidth until the new sat launches.

Thanks for clearing that up a bit, the prior post didn't sound very good at all. Have you heard anything that you can say about the TNT-HD contract negotiations, are they progressing or things not looking good???

 

[mulesqb]

Good one there and I hope many others picked up that bit of humor there. If he isn't full of it he has it around him all the time right.

Absolutely. I need to laugh a little while waiting for D* to make all this happen. Sounds great. Thanks for the info. Still holding out hope D* will give us a few more channels before the year ends.

 

[lurch]

Is there a site to check the top 30 -40 markets?

 

[LOBO2999]

The only thing is that your source could be full of s#@%.
LOL yes they are full of S#@% . My point is it just keeps getting crazy hearing all of the things that are coming or going to happen. I just wish they would do something . I am not going to leave D they do take care of me if and when I have any problems , I just want somemore HD

 

[Neutron]

Anyone have a picture of the new dish that D* has that will see 95 and the existing satellites?

 

[LonghornXP]

The only thing is that your source could be full of s#@%.
LOL yes they are full of S#@% . My point is it just keeps getting crazy hearing all of the things that are coming or going to happen. I just wish they would do something . I am not going to leave D they do take care of me if and when I have any problems , I just want somemore HD

Yes I could be getting sh*t from my contacts and this is what I know and hopefully all three of my contacts aren't blowing the same exact same smoke. Some of this stuff isn't just a choice. Most future HDTV channels require more bandwidth and we can't just snap our fingers and have a new satellite ready to go within minutes. I'm just being honest here. Now DirecTV shouldn't be in the shape they are now with bandwidth but to be really honest I didn't think we would have as much today just a little over a year ago.

First off I never dreamed we would have the NFL ST coverage in HD as we do now. Also I didn't think we would have Bravo HD+ or TNT HD for that matter. ESPN HD wasn't that big of a shocker. Also I never thought that Starz or Encore would be in HD nor did I think Cinemax and TMC would go HD. As much as I hate to say this I was just as much suprised about all these new channels that we have to today that its no wonder DirecTV didn't have time to prepare for it. The only company that has all of this is Voom and they started fresh as could be and have been losing massive amounts of money even when offering very little or no startup costs for the customer. They even have massive churn with rental customers as well. Now you look at Dish Network and they are maxed out bandwidth wise until same time as DirecTv. The only other companies that have bandwidth in most markets today is cable and they aren't adding squat when you look at the overall picture. I wish this was different but this isn't just a DirecTV issue here and I would be that those in the top 30 markets within 8 months will be very happy with DirecTV on both the local and national HD side of things and if you have an HD Tivo and NFL Sunday Ticket you will be in heaven.

The sad thing is I can't prove it for you or for myself but I can only go with the fact that I've had at least 3 different contacts tell me the same thing without giving them even a hint of what I've been told before. Some add more specific info while others don't but on the generalized plans they all say the same thing. Now maybe all three are blowing smoke but for that to happen they all would have to guess the same things or be in this together as a joke and I don't think this is the case IMO.

Now I'm hopefull that we will see more HD channels now and even more after football season but once space is maxed out I know I'll have to wait until a new sat goes up. How many more HD channels can they add total after football is a question I don't know.

Also on the TNT HD side of things last thing I heard was that a contact was done and signed but hardware problems have stalled its launch. Now my contact said she was 85+% sure that a contact has been signed. Now because an announcment hasn't been made yet I'm leaning towards them not having a contract signed. Now maybe somebody else like Scott could chime in with what he knows. Frankly they are being so quiet now I don't really know what their specific plans are and some aren't too happy about this but we can't change it unless we use our wallets. But sometimes even cancelling everything won't get us what we want if they don't have the bandwidth to add it. Also IMO I don't think we need to vote with our wallets until summer or at least until after football season and at that point they would have had plenty of time to get off their behinds and if they haven't done anything I will flat out cancel everything I have with them until their channel lineup has many more HD logos next to it. Now I don't think I'm going to have to resort to this because they are planning to add new stuff.

 

[slacker9876]

Anyone have a picture of the new dish that D* has that will see 95 and the existing satellites?

I thought Scott had posted one back when the rumors were flying but i was not able to locate it. I may able be mistaken and have seen a mock up or something on another site. Scott?!?!

Thanks for the updates LonghornXP!

 

[Barney]

My understanding is InHD is supplied by SAT, so it should also be offered to DSS providers. How long is their contact, if it prohibits D* from getting it yet? just would like to know if there is a contract keeping D* from having Inhd & when it expires.
Also, are we going to need to replace our 18" oval dish w/3LNBs to enjoy the "possible" additions next year?

Barney

 

[smitty825]

Is there a site to check the top 30 -40 markets?

Try this site: http://www.nielsenmedia.com/DMAs.html (It lists the top 210 DMAs)