DirecTV MPEG4 Rollout to begin
- Thread starter Scott Greczkowski
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Scott, I have very similar information, with a few exceptions.
The H20 will have a MAP of $199.99 and I am being told all existing DIRECTV HD customers will have all HD STB(s) that are active will be upgraded and your dish will be changed to the new Plus 5 LNB MPEG-2/4 99/101/103/110/119 system. DIRECTV will require a 2 yr programming commitment and may also request a one time upgrade fee of $49.99. In addition after November 25th you will be eligible for one $200 mail-in rebate when you purchase a H20.
The Detroit DMA may have an additional 1-week delay; so don't expect any upgrades in Detroit until the week of October 24th.
The R15 is scheduled for the first allocation to ship on November 7th. It is possible that DIRECTV may have a very limited availability for their direct sales a week earlier, but that’s not confirmed and the DVR model you actually get is subject to what your local HSP has on-hand. So that’s just another reason to buy from a dealer where you can specifically select the DVR model you want.
As charper1 wisely said, DIRECTV will keep the HD MPEG-2 signals up at least until the end of 2007. Also, we will see a few new national HD channels in MPEG-2, but the bulk of the promised 150 new national HD channels will begin to roll out in 2007 with MPEG-4 compression.
-Robert
The H20 will have a MAP of $199.99 and I am being told all existing DIRECTV HD customers will have all HD STB(s) that are active will be upgraded and your dish will be changed to the new Plus 5 LNB MPEG-2/4 99/101/103/110/119 system. DIRECTV will require a 2 yr programming commitment and may also request a one time upgrade fee of $49.99. In addition after November 25th you will be eligible for one $200 mail-in rebate when you purchase a H20.
The Detroit DMA may have an additional 1-week delay; so don't expect any upgrades in Detroit until the week of October 24th.
The R15 is scheduled for the first allocation to ship on November 7th. It is possible that DIRECTV may have a very limited availability for their direct sales a week earlier, but that’s not confirmed and the DVR model you actually get is subject to what your local HSP has on-hand. So that’s just another reason to buy from a dealer where you can specifically select the DVR model you want.
As charper1 wisely said, DIRECTV will keep the HD MPEG-2 signals up at least until the end of 2007. Also, we will see a few new national HD channels in MPEG-2, but the bulk of the promised 150 new national HD channels will begin to roll out in 2007 with MPEG-4 compression.
-Robert
I live in the "Detroit" area and after reading this, I called up and just asked if they had any updates on the upgrades coming down for local HD's...Well she sounded a bit confused she said, oh, your locals will just come on one day and you wont need your OTA...Well I am not a expert by any means, but looks like she was a bit uniformed.... 
Awesome. They're on schedule.
Will they have a 7x8/8x8 switch for the customers that need the 72.5/95 dish for locals and/or internationals? I have some international customers that have both HD and internationals and we use a 6x8 switch to do this but with this 5-LNB dish, we might need a 7x8/8x8 switch.
Will they have a 7x8/8x8 switch for the customers that need the 72.5/95 dish for locals and/or internationals? I have some international customers that have both HD and internationals and we use a 6x8 switch to do this but with this 5-LNB dish, we might need a 7x8/8x8 switch.
PLEASE DO NOT CALL DIRECTV ABOUT THIS...
THE CSR'S KNOW NOTHING AND WILL NOTHING ABOUT ANY OF THIS UNTIL THE TRIAL IS WELL ON ITS WAY.
I WILL TELL YOU WHEN YOU CAN CALL DIRECTV TO GET SIGNED UP.
THANKS
(Sorry for all caps, but I dont want DirecTV getting mad at us because everyone is calling them because of our post)
THE CSR'S KNOW NOTHING AND WILL NOTHING ABOUT ANY OF THIS UNTIL THE TRIAL IS WELL ON ITS WAY.
I WILL TELL YOU WHEN YOU CAN CALL DIRECTV TO GET SIGNED UP.
THANKS
(Sorry for all caps, but I dont want DirecTV getting mad at us because everyone is calling them because of our post)
I'm in the Chicago market. But I live far away enough that I was eligible for the NY HD network channels. I have an OTA to get most of the Chicago HD locals (except CBS whose signal strength is weak). I assume once the H20 is available in Chicago, they will do away with my NY HD network channels. However, I have the HDTivo and H20 is not DVR and I have to wait until Spring 2006 to get it. So I will have to live with just my OTA Hd channels (except CBS) until then. Are my assumptions correct?
I have a couple of questions:
How will the broadcast mpeg4 when the stations only send mpeg2? Since the TV stations said they are in no hurry to upgrade till more people have HD TV sets.
Sould I save my H-10 receiver for swapping out if I have both the HR10-250 and it.?
How will the broadcast mpeg4 when the stations only send mpeg2? Since the TV stations said they are in no hurry to upgrade till more people have HD TV sets.
Sould I save my H-10 receiver for swapping out if I have both the HR10-250 and it.?
Plywodstatebum said:
This covers the compression on the D* end, not the provider. You don't get the uncompressed MPEG2 feed now, so you won't get a "virgin feed" later.
As for the swap, I would ditch the H10 at first glance, and wait on the MPEG4 DVR for the Tivo.
Let me get this straight then....
So that sums it up.
I'll wait to be contacted. Heck, I just got my current 3-LNB dish aimed right and the OTA antenna working fine anyway.
- Detroit will be the first DMA to get the new MPEG-4, H20 receiver and that trial will begin later this month.
- DirecTV will contact subs directly to offer the switch from H10 to H20 and upgraded 5-LNB dish, so don't call.
- There is a $49.95 charge and 2-year commitment to get the H20
So that sums it up.
I'll wait to be contacted. Heck, I just got my current 3-LNB dish aimed right and the OTA antenna working fine anyway.
My problem with this it won't address the bandwidth issue until all the receivers have been replaced, so no HD feed will be added for at least a year... I'll stick with Dish for the next year, I think - then switch to FiOS TV, I guess.
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