DIRECTV to Carry 11 HBO/Cinemax Channels In HD

[Voyager6]

I have got to ask.....why so interesting to someone that has no intention of getting D*?

I monitor the E* and D* boards. The discussion about the upcoming HD channels is very interesting on both boards. This was the first mention of mpeg4 only that I've seen for all the new HD channels on D*. D* does not put that requirement in their press releases about the national HD channels. It is only in the HD local releases. I doubt that most D* HD subs know about this new requirement.

BTW - I do not currently have HD but am extensively researching both D* & E*. The one dish option for D* is interesting, along with the new channels. My world does not revolve around sports so only the real national HD programming is of interest to me. The quality of the mpeg4 channels on D* is very attractive to me. If the quality that Scott describes stays with the new national HD offerings then D* might get my business. The mpeg2 HD quality on D* is not of interest to me. I've seen it and don't want it.

 

[bonscott87]

This was the first mention of mpeg4 only that I've seen for all the new HD channels on D*. D* does not put that requirement in their press releases about the national HD channels. It is only in the HD local releases. I doubt that most D* HD subs know about this new requirement.

Wow, you've been out of the loop. It's been discussed to death for the past couple years here and elsewhere. No biggy though.

It's been the plan for 3 years now. D* needed to launch new sats to get the bandwidth for new HD. Those happen to be KA sats and at 2 slots that D* wasn't using before (99 and 103).

Thus the need for the 5 LNB dish and new receivers which can see those sats.

And since D* would have to get HD customers new receivers anyway they decided to go with MPEG4 as well at the same time.

So you'll need an H20 or HR20 (DVR) receiver as those are the only 2 that are MPEG4 capable (and able to see 99 and 103).

ALL new HD is in MPEG4. All current MPEG2 HD will be converted to MPEG4 and shutdown as quickly as they can get a critical mass of MPEG4 receivers in current HD sub hands. Won't be all that difficult since they didn't have that many HD subs when they started this nearly 2 years ago when the H20 became the only HD receiver available to new subs (other then the HR10). And it's coming up on a year since only the HR20 has been available HD DVR to new HD subs.

So it's safe to say that the majority of HD subs they have today already have MPEG4 equipment and are ready to go. Light up all the new HD and the rest will quickly follow.

 

[hdtvtechno]

One more
Dont forget those little adapters B-band covertors.... they'll be needed this fall