DirecTV 7S Satellite Launched!

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Scott Greczkowski

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Sep 7, 2003
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This morning the new DirecTV S7 Satellite was launched into space from a launchpad in the Pacific Ocean!

So far (20 minutes in the air) all is good.
 
I am watching the live video, this show has some very good production values, although the lady whos hosting reminds me a lot of Mrs. Puff from Sponge Bob. :)

Looks like the launch is a complete success. DirecTV will have the bird online by June!
 
Just finished watching the launch live on directv and it was great. Loral and directv always have brought a great show when they launch there new birds. Can't wait for spaceway to come with more HDTV content.
 
Just a update, if you have a open card you can watch on channel 855, directv will is re-broadcasting all day. Not sure if all subs can get this channel.
 
I still can't believe that all went according to plan, and nothing kept them from delaying this launch another week or something like that. This is the first part of this mission that has went to smothly and according to plan.
 
MORE INFO ON DIRECTV PLANS for 2004, 2005, and beyond

I decided to listen in to the 1Q D*TV results financial conference call today, since these sometimes reveal more than just numbers. Here are 4 things I thought were most interesting:

1) D*TV's plans for the next 12-24 months include a migration to HD LOCAL stations (rather than analog), first in the top 30 markets in 2005, then more with the 2006 new sat. D*TV seems to feel that locals in HD would be a big competitive advantage, especially to those with little or no HD locals now via OTA - also the feeds would be more reliable than OTA.

2) D*TV plans to grow HDTV in 2004 after the new locals on 7S are all turned on. Their 8S (2Q 2005) and 9S (2Q 2006) sats will allow D*TV to expand their HDTV channel offerings to "well beyond what anyone else will have to offer", according to Eddy Hartenstein (CEO). He also stated that "unlike some other content providers, we will add quality content, not just HD for the sake of saying something is in HD. We will be the HD leader for many years to come." He added that "the timing of HDTV channel offering expansion beginning in July-Nov 2004, along with much more in 2005, ties into the anticipated new content that will become available".

3) FOX HD will be the first new offering, both for national feeds "much like we did CBS", as well as for their 6 weekly NFL Ticket games starting in September. In addition, "other channels will be rolled out between July 1 and the end of the year".

4) The added 460,000 new NET subscribers in 1Q 2004 - WOW. Well ahead of anyone's projections.

With the successful launch of the new 7S sat today (which allows to load up new and existing locals onto it, and open up bandwidth for HD on their other sats), the 2Q 2005 8S, and the 2006 9S sat, Hartenstein stated that "we'll have more bandwidth than anyone can even think of using".

Since the lead time on new sats and their launches is usually measured in years, this shows a clear direction for D*TV for the next 5 years.
 
what do you mean by local HDTV? do you mean that they will buy the HD/digital signal from the local stations only and then convert it to SD digital for their customers? OR do you mean a full line-up of HD locals for the top 30 markets?
 
mini1 said:
what do you mean by local HDTV? do you mean that they will buy the HD/digital signal from the local stations only and then convert it to SD digital for their customers? OR do you mean a full line-up of HD locals for the top 30 markets?
What THEY meant (I didn't say it) is a full line-up of HD locals for the top 30 markets?
 
That is exciting news. Was considering adding VOOM for more HD while keeping DirecTV. Think I will just wait for a while and see what happens.

Wish they were adding Fox in time to see the end of 24!!! Oh well. Would be even better if I could get CBS HD in my area but we are not allowed. HD local channels would be great, although I get many of them with OTA antenna now (except CBS, of course :( ).
 
Talked to a Directv CSR said they will be launching 2 more satellites this year and from what understand more HD content would be added but didn't specify what though
 
johnv1970 said:
Talked to a Directv CSR said they will be launching 2 more satellites this year and from what understand more HD content would be added but didn't specify what though

I'm positive it won't be this year. Here are 2 paragraphs from the press release......

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DIRECTV 8, to be delivered in the late first quarter of 2005, will provide national coverage from the 101 degrees West longitude orbital slot, DIRECTV's primary orbital slot. The satellite will also be able to operate from DIRECTV's orbital slots at 110 and 119 degrees West longitude. The satellite will carry 16 high-power transponders for high-quality national digital video services.

DIRECTV 9S, scheduled for delivery in the late second quarter of 2005, is designed to operate from orbital locations at 101 degrees West longitude or 119 degrees West longitude. As a back-up for DIRECTV's 4S and 7S satellites, it will be capable of providing up to 54 transponders for high-quality local and national digital video service broadcast into 27 beams. In an alternate configuration, the satellite will be capable of providing up to 44 transponders broadcast into 30 beams.
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