DirecTV HD Rumor

[rad]

OK, so they put in AT-9's everywhere, what does that have to do with new national HD channels? SW1/SW2 are spotbeam satellites and LonghornXP has said in another thread that D* thought they might be able to configure them to allow for a psuedo national beam but that didn't work out , unless that's changed and LonghornXP hasn't received the word.

So are folks now thinking that D* would offer new national channels but ONLY to folks that are in one of the new KA/MPEG4 LIL-HD markets? How much of a stink would that cause if someone in Austin TX for example couldn't get one of these rumored channels because the signal doesn't get there, I would think that would cause D* more bad press/ill will then not adding them. If they could free up a transponder on 101/110/119 they could use that for a new MPEG4 stream for 3 or 4 channels but you don't need an AT-9 for that. Sorry but I just don't see it happening.

 

[hancox]

I just was told that emails started going out to retailers informing them on this change. The effective date is February 6th (not the 5th as I reported) and a AT9 MUST be installed for any customer getting a HD D-20 Receiver installed.

Well, that's a completely different animal. This should have been the requirement from the beginning (for new installs and rebated upgrades).

 

[minorthr]

Could it be that they just decided to do this so in the future they do not have to upgrade these people. I'm betting we are not getting any new channels

 

[DTV TiVo Dealer]

Something is up at DirecTV, this morning I got a call from one of my inside contacts telling them they will soon be releasing a fax to all dealers telling them as of February 5th all new HD installs require the installation of the new AT9 5 LNB Dish (and it does not matter where the customer is and it also it does not matter if HD locals are available to the customer or not)

My guess is soon they will announce some new national HD however it will only be available via the AT9 Dish.

Scott, you are correct again.

-Robert

 

[JPShinn]

I have to say that I find this quite disturbing, especially when they don't have the HR20 available. What about us poor saps who have an HR10 but don't want to upgrade until the HR20 arrives? Are we left out in the cold?

 

[rad]

Could it be that they just decided to do this so in the future they do not have to upgrade these people. I'm betting we are not getting any new channels

Agreeded.

 

[vurbano]

I have to say that I find this quite disturbing, especially when they don't have the HR20 available. What about us poor saps who have an HR10 but don't want to upgrade until the HR20 arrives? Are we left out in the cold?

looks that way

 

[Alan Gordon]

Scott, you are correct again.

Which part is he correct about?!

BTW, if you're not in a HD-LIL DMA, and they don't have any "national" beam, how will the installer be able to aim it properly?!

~Alan

 

[hancox]

I have to say that I find this quite disturbing, especially when they don't have the HR20 available. What about us poor saps who have an HR10 but don't want to upgrade until the HR20 arrives? Are we left out in the cold?

Read it again. You wouldn't be a new install, nor would you be replacing your HR10-250 with an H20, from the sounds of it.

 

[VettePilot]

A friend of mine recently called DirecTV and ordered the HR10-250 and is scheduled to have it installed this Friday (Feb 3rd) and the Sales person at DirecTV told him they would install the new AT9 5 LNB dish as well :up

They stated that DirecTV would upgrade him to the new HD-DVR (for free) when it was released. They also told him that DirecTV will have 150 HD channels by the end of this year

They said they will charge him $599 before the $200 mail in rebate. He is supposed to call DirecTV later today to verify the details with them because I am considering doing the same thing in a week or two before the rebate expires.

I would wait for the new HD-DVR to be released but not all of the locals here in Dallas are being broadcast in HD over the dish so I have decided to go with the HR10-250 instead and get the HD locals over the air

 

[Satmeister]

I just was told that emails started going out to retailers informing them on this change. The effective date is February 6th (not the 5th as I reported) and a AT9 MUST be installed for any customer getting a HD D-20 Receiver installed.

This sounds like they are only making sure no more 3LNBs get put up for HD receivers - which makes sense, but would have made even more sense since day 1 that the H20 was deployed. Maybe they felt that they wanted to make sure the AT9 Dishes worked OK, before going mainstream with them.

As far as any new channels, if they add 1-2 new HD nationals (like HG or TNT, and maintain the SD version as well, that would be consistent with everything else they do - you have to have HD equipment in place and the HD package. Perhaps through some channel swapping, they've "created" or "found" enough bandwidth for another channel or two on sat 101, where the AT9 Dish isn't mandatory FOR NOW.

 

[CPanther95]

It makes sense to minimize the cost of upgrades in the (near) future. They've already said that they will be upgrading all customers in the PST & MST time zones to MPEG4 sometime around mid-year.

I still believe this upgrade should be at minimal, if any, cost - which means, unlike E*, any MPEG4 national HD channels will be the result of bandwidth restrictions - not as motivation to entice subscribers to fund the cost of the upgrade.

 

[scotsmanron]

A friend of mine recently called DirecTV and ordered the HR10-250 and is scheduled to have it installed this Friday (Feb 3rd) and the Sales person at DirecTV told him they would install the new AT9 5 LNB dish as well :up

They stated that DirecTV would upgrade him to the new HD-DVR (for free) when it was released. They also told him that DirecTV will have 150 HD channels by the end of this year

They said they will charge him $599 before the $200 mail in rebate. He is supposed to call DirecTV later today to verify the details with them because I am considering doing the same thing in a week or two before the rebate expires.

I would wait for the new HD-DVR to be released but not all of the locals here in Dallas are being broadcast in HD over the dish so I have decided to go with the HR10-250 instead and get the HD locals over the air

Why isn't there a rolling on the floor laughing emoticon!!!!???

 

[ddobson]

Since this is just a rumor...does anyone care to speculate what this National Channel will be?

Two New National HD Channels

QVC-HD
HSN-HD


:up

 

[jpn]

Scott, you are correct again.

-Robert

Robert, can you elaborate a bit?

Is there a pending announcement of one channel? Or a new group of channels?

 

[ddobson]

They stated that DirecTV would upgrade him to the new HD-DVR (for free) when it was released. They also told him that DirecTV will have 150 HD channels by the end of this year

There's no doubt they'll have 150, probably more. All that takes is 10 Local HD Channels in 15 markets. Everyone has been jumping up an down that I talk to about 1500 HD channels by the end of 07. People aren't going to get 1500 HD channels, we all know that....

I can get the Local HD stuff now if I choose to with an antenna plus I can get the multi-cast. National HD channels are what we're all after. Hopefully they will have at least 30 or 40 of those in the next 5 years. I'm not holding my breath though....

A friend of mine has a new install to get local HD's in Chicago and to my surprise he's only getting 4 Chicago station. CBS, NBC, ABC & Fox. No UPN or WB yet and none of the independents in HD.

Hardly seems worth the hastle for me.

 

[waltinvt]

Maybe the scheme of launching new programing but restricting it to new equipment is going to be the new trend. Afterall, "E" is trying it, why not "D"?

Could this be an indication that "D" & "E" are teaming up in other areas besides:
http://www.satelliteguys.us/showpost.php?p=466836&postcount=1

Think of what this could mean for satellite customers: Voom's control goes to "E", then "D" & "E" start colaborating on ways to gain more control over customers. Yup, gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling all over.

 

[Alan Gordon]

It makes sense to minimize the cost of upgrades in the (near) future. They've already said that they will be upgrading all customers in the PST & MST time zones to MPEG4 sometime around mid-year.

Very true! Plus, with converting the four PST & MST time zones' DNS to MPEG4 this Summer, and most likely CST AND EST this Fall, they will save quite a bit of bandwith from converting 8 channels to MPEG4 that (I would think) they could easily add another HD-Lite (MPEG2) channel, or a couple of MPEG4 channels.

~Alan

 

[bjs188]

Today when I looked at my DIRECTV account online, it would not let me unsubscribe to the HD package. Unless I am mistaken, last week I could uncheck the box. Now I have to call to have it cancelled. Is this new or are they going to try and sucker me to stay with the HD pack?

 

[Alan Gordon]

A friend of mine has a new install to get local HD's in Chicago and to my surprise he's only getting 4 Chicago station. CBS, NBC, ABC & Fox. No UPN or WB yet and none of the independents in HD.

How many Independents in HD does Chicago have?!

~Alan