D* puts HD on back burner?

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It sounds as if D* already has their HD plans in place with the new satellites. Perhaps the broadband is the next step? We've taken care of the HD and bandwidth issues in 2007, now what do we want to concentrate on in the future?
 
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Yeah, I know about that place. I live in a city that give ONE cable company the franchise and ONE phone company the franchise. In other words, I have three choices, one or the other, or none. I swear someone in the city/county gov't here is getting their palms greased out of this.
 
Yeah, I know about that place. I live in a city that give ONE cable company the franchise and ONE phone company the franchise. In other words, I have three choices, one or the other, or none. I swear someone in the city/county gov't here is getting their palms greased out of this.

Alot of cities only have one choice for each, not all that unusual.
Those with many choices, should feel happy that they have a choice.

Jimbo
 
Hmmmmm.....I wonder if you're always perfect.

I don't even get that. What I am stating is that the thought of D* blowing off their HD plans with all that they have going is ridiculous. Now, maybe after they have the Sats up and running and implement their plans, then maybe they will put it on the so called back-burner, but it was implied here that they may have a turn around on their HD plans.
 
Satellite based-broadband is never going to go beyond a niche product. Why? Latency is a big problem — it makes gaming impossible and often can be an issue with streaming. For straight downloads, it's not horrible, but it's not great. If you can't any other service, it beats dialup. But that's about it.

As bandwidth needs increase, with more IPTV-like things, the whole model breaks down. So if Malone sees broadband via satellite as more lucrative than HDTV, he's badly misreading the marketplace — which admittedly, is an issue throughout the cable industry, as they've been very slow on wired buildout of newer technologies such as DOCSIS 3.0. For what it's worth, I don't think Malone is that dumb.
 
Satellite based-broadband is never going to go beyond a niche product. Why? Latency is a big problem — it makes gaming impossible and often can be an issue with streaming. For straight downloads, it's not horrible, but it's not great. If you can't any other service, it beats dialup. But that's about it.

As bandwidth needs increase, with more IPTV-like things, the whole model breaks down. So if Malone sees broadband via satellite as more lucrative than HDTV, he's badly misreading the marketplace — which admittedly, is an issue throughout the cable industry, as they've been very slow on wired buildout of newer technologies such as DOCSIS 3.0. For what it's worth, I don't think Malone is that dumb.


Fantastic post. This explains exactly why the idea of the new sats being used for broadband is complete hogwash.

Keep in mind that PC Magazine actually pays Dvorak. That should squelch any concerns about them actually knowing anything... :D
 
I seem to recall from an article that Malone wasn't thinking broadband through satellite, but through power lines. Not that there wouldn't be issues with that as well.
 
I spoke to a tech guy at D*tv a couple weeks ago about my receiver not working well, and we got into a conversation about HD programming. Basically, this is what he said.

There are a bunch of HD stations being tested right now and they will be implemented in the spring. We spoke at length, and while he did not give away anything, he did imply it would be a bunch of national channels, likely including sports channels, although the sports channels would be regionally broadcast.

We are both Red Sox fans, so one of my questions was whether the Red Sox would be carried in HD, and he said that only those games offered through MLB package in HD would be carried nationally (I live in Florida). I assume that means no, but hopefully the MLB package will include an enhanced package of HD games.

Regarding the dish, there is a new dish coming out that is lighter than the current 5lnb dish and will not be as bulky as the current one.

I told him that the house I am building will be done in April, and he said my timing of moving and getting the new dish and added HD channels will be just about right, so it sounds like it will be sometime March-April before we get the added HD channels.

This guy made no mention to me that D*tv is abandoning HD. On the contrary, he was pretty adamant that D*tv is looking to be the leader.
 
I spoke to a tech guy at D*tv a couple weeks ago about my receiver not working well, and we got into a conversation about HD programming. Basically, this is what he said.

There are a bunch of HD stations being tested right now and they will be implemented in the spring. We spoke at length, and while he did not give away anything, he did imply it would be a bunch of national channels, likely including sports channels, although the sports channels would be regionally broadcast.

We are both Red Sox fans, so one of my questions was whether the Red Sox would be carried in HD, and he said that only those games offered through MLB package in HD would be carried nationally (I live in Florida). I assume that means no, but hopefully the MLB package will include an enhanced package of HD games.

Regarding the dish, there is a new dish coming out that is lighter than the current 5lnb dish and will not be as bulky as the current one.

I told him that the house I am building will be done in April, and he said my timing of moving and getting the new dish and added HD channels will be just about right, so it sounds like it will be sometime March-April before we get the added HD channels.

This guy made no mention to me that D*tv is abandoning HD. On the contrary, he was pretty adamant that D*tv is looking to be the leader.

I'm thinking it won't be that early, D* needs to get the new sat up and tested and operational, all on which takes time. IF it goes up in April (just an example) it will be in testing stage between the group that launched it and then D*s testing before it will become operational, probably 4-5 weeks before it can be actually used.
But NO they are not going to abandon theier HD plans they have been working on for the last year and a half.

Jimbo
 
We are both Red Sox fans, so one of my questions was whether the Red Sox would be carried in HD, and he said that only those games offered through MLB package in HD would be carried nationally (I live in Florida). I assume that means no, but hopefully the MLB package will include an enhanced package of HD games..
I know last year D* put on quite a few Marlins game in MPG4 on channel 96, but for some reason NESN didn't, except for the Boston area. As a matter of fact family that live in the Portland/Auburn market, in Maine, told me they didn't get any NESN HD games. That is in the Red Sox market.

I told him that the house I am building will be done in April, and he said my timing of moving and getting the new dish and added HD channels will be just about right, so it sounds like it will be sometime March-April before we get the added HD channels.
Make sure you have them pre-wire each TV outlet, before they put up dry wall, with two runs of RG6. They may charge you extra for it but it is worth it. I didn't do that and had a heck of a time fishing lines down the walls from the attic. I say two runs of RG6 so if you put a DVR there, they won't have to try to fish extra lines or more than likely drill holes through your walls.
 
I know last year D* put on quite a few Marlins game in MPG4 on channel 96, but for some reason NESN didn't, except for the Boston area. As a matter of fact family that live in the Portland/Auburn market, in Maine, told me they didn't get any NESN HD games. That is in the Red Sox market.

Apparently you have not been reading the MANY posts about regional HD rsn's. NESN is, for now, one of the few 24/7 HD rsn's, but it can only be viewed in the Boston dma. It is not available in Portland ME, or Portland CT, because they are not in the Boston dma. Probably later this year, when the new sats are up, there will be enough bandwidth to have it in the entire region that the sd feed is in.
 
Boy, based on all the news over the past 2 weeks...this thread heading is sure off base. It looks like Malone is positioning DirecTV to, in fact, BE the HD leader in the near future.
 
Keep in mind that PC Magazine actually pays Dvorak. That should squelch any concerns about them actually knowing anything...

Well, if we go by that we might as well toss out every media mag, and every newspaper and TV news article in the country.
 
I'm thinking it won't be that early, D* needs to get the new sat up and tested and operational, all on which takes time. IF it goes up in April (just an example) it will be in testing stage between the group that launched it and then D*s testing before it will become operational, probably 4-5 weeks before it can be actually used.Jimbo

As long as it's before June 21, it technically is Spring. :)
 
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