Disgusted with Hd-Lite

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Apologist

SatelliteGuys Pro
Original poster
May 25, 2005
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I have been a very vocal member of several forums about this issue over the last few years. Things seem to be heating up and some people are actually seeing what a travesty this hd-lite thing really is. Being that D* is the leader/originator of hd-lite why is it that people think this will change with the new hd-model? I understand by looking at numbers how it could change but don't trust D* at this point to make a change. Why would they? It's all been about quantity not quality. Any comments welcomed.
 
all i shall say is first we shall see second no one except the orginal broadcasters are transmitting full hd no sat or cable company is in fact im willing to bet some local digital channels are now broadcasting full res hd
 
My thought is that while HD ramped up over the past 2 -3 years they were hamstrung with the very limited transponder space that they already had in orbit; realize that they must maintain some unused space in the event of an outage and that they would need backup.

Now grated I also see the addition of some very odd channels just like you do, BUT I also know that we are NEVER aware of the behind the scenes and that some channels are contracted to pay DirecTV to be aired and other could have long since been on a signed contract and added at a certain date. So I have enough common & business sense to look past that "for now".

Once the additional transponders are in orbit and useable, along with a new and better compression scheme, I think past the HD LIL, that we are in for some amazing things. THEN if they do not follow through we can all ride the complaint train and I will be the first to accept an "I told you so" from whomever dishes it out.
 
Kind of defeats the purpose of high definition. In fact I would say that good dvds are equal to most movie channel broadcasts on D*. With better sound.
 
charper1 said:
My thought is that while HD ramped up over the past 2 -3 year they were hamstrung with the very limited transponder space that they already had in orbit; realize that they must maintain some unused space in the event of an outage and that they would need backup.

Once the additional transponders are in orbit and useable, along with a new and better compression scheme, I think past the HD LIL, that we are in for some amazing things.

I hope you are correct because I have a lot of $ invested with D* at this point. A change wouldn't make sense. They have just lost my trust over the last few years with broken promises and half truths.
 
Apologist said:
Kind of defeats the purpose of high definition. In fact I would say that good dvds are equal to most movie channel broadcasts on D*. With better sound.

Given their situation before the new launches, would you have rather had ZERO, NOTHING, NADA, ZIP? Not me. I have enjoyed my network HD and NFL games in HD. Do I clamor for more? YOU BET! BUT I understand we can't have it all right now just because we cry for it. After the 4th launch I too will begin to demand the results that you speak of.

What are the broken promises and half truths that are based in facts; as in contractual information, not internet and rumor based guesses?
 
Apologist

I am regularly lynched and ridiculed over this topic at AVS and DBSforums. Any prior association with Voom makes the feeding frenzy even worse. Join the club.
 
charper1 said:
What are the broken promises and half truths that are based in facts; as in contractual information, not internet and rumor based guesses?

Double/tripling their hd offerings? Yes they did that for maybe a handful of people but most maybe got one to two new hd channels in two years. Uhd being one of them.

I am regularly lynched and ridiculed over this topic at AVS and DBSforums, join the club
Reminds me of jeffthurmont who posted for years.
 
Apologist said:
Double/tripling their hd offerings? Yes they did that for maybe a handful of people but most maybe got one to two new hd channels in two years. Uhd being one of them.

So the basically have kept up with what they said. it just not everyone will qualify. So be it, but they did do it. They do a decent job squeezing in the fine print disclaimer, I will give you that. The new 1500 HD channel capacity is the newest one. Do any of us take that serious to mean "all of us" or "nationally"? 1000% NO WAY! Because we are smart enough to know that they mean max capacity of spot beamed HD LIL and a few new national HD services. Its the same deal as before. But I can say this in total agreement with you, come the 4th launch they best be offering ALL the HD that is currently produced that they can contractually get their hands on! AND they best add them ASAP and in true HD like you say!
 
I don't know if this has been mentioned before, but I think that because D* was up for sale for such a long time, that no improvements were made until it was sold. It's kind of like a house...why spend all that money improving it if you're just going to sell it? Sell it for as much as you can get and let the buyer make the improvements.

Just my $.02
 
HD light sounds like
almost pregnant
or light beer
not to mention american beer, which is the prove, that water can be actually stronger :))
On the more serious side, what people are used of getting, which is unfortunately never the Best anyway, compared to the non HD context, - even the HD super-light might be better, than what they are getting now.
Matt :)
 
For the most part I could CARE LESS about HD LIL. I just want MORE national HD channels, I almost never watch network, and when I do, I have an antenna, and can recieve OTA, which, I'm sure that 90+ % of people who will be in the HD LIL markets are able to do.
 
Promise or not...right now its really very sad what Direct offers in their HD pack. It's just so sad.
 
Hi, Don't flame me for saying this, but how many people do you guys actually have HD. With the price of the equiptment and all involved in getting it, I have to say, it can't be that many right now. I know I don't. I can't afford $1000 for a T.V. And as for D* getting more hd content. well bottom line, that all takes money, and resourses. As HD subscribers are not the main subscriber base for D*, or any provider, (apart from voom) You can't really blame them for not going all-out on the content side. It just isn't clear whether HD is a real driver in new subscriber growth.

I know that we're all supposed to switch from anologue transmission within a few years, but I can tell you, I used to live in england, and the government there had to delay the analog-digital switch over for some time, because the technology wasn't reliable.
 
vinnyv07 said:
Promise or not...right now its really very sad what Direct offers in their HD pack. It's just so sad.
Yes, but I keep it in hope... and it is my only source for Hdlite networks Nbc and Fox...plus uhd...(beats the crap out of the sd locals I get from E*) but... E* with the V* pack makes D* look pretty sad...
 
cueman98 said:
Hi, Don't flame me for saying this, but how many people do you guys actually have HD. With the price of the equiptment and all involved in getting it, I have to say, it can't be that many right now. I know I don't. I can't afford $1000 for a T.V. And as for D* getting more hd content. well bottom line, that all takes money, and resourses. As HD subscribers are not the main subscriber base for D*, or any provider, (apart from voom) You can't really blame them for not going all-out on the content side. It just isn't clear whether HD is a real driver in new subscriber growth.

I know that we're all supposed to switch from anologue transmission within a few years, but I can tell you, I used to live in england, and the government there had to delay the analog-digital switch over for some time, because the technology wasn't reliable.

I would never flame anyone for his/her opinion because everyone here is entitled to say what they are thinking. I do feel that since this is the DirectHD section in the forum that alot of people do have HDTV's that read and contribute to it. I'm not rich by any means but I do work 2 jobs and around 90hrs a week and still had to charge a HDTV that I paid $1,700 for. It's turning out to be the best investment that I ever made. I love the sports and movies in HD. You are correct that it takes money to provide HD and there probably isnt enough subs out there with HDTV's to justify the cost. With that being said....that doesnt give Direct the right to take advantage of HD users by raising the price too high for what they offer. Dish added the VOOM HD ch's for 5 bucks extra. Im kind of glad Direct didnt get the VOOM pack because they would have tried an increase of double or maybe triple what Dish is asking for. Bottom line is that Direct and all other providers are in competition with each other and Direct is really coming up short. As a loyal Direct customer I am giving them the chance to catch up or do something to answer cable and Dish's HD offerings. If Direct doesnt then the people that care about HD will vote with their $$$. Who knows if it makes a huge difference. But eventually it will. Cable in my area offers TNTHD, ESPNHD, DISCHD, HDNET, HDNETMOVIES, INHD 1 and 2 for 8.99. For another 8 bucks they will rent me a HDDVR .....plus provide all my locals in HD. 18 bucks which is $5 more a mth than Directv and I will get INHD 1 and 2 and a HD DVR. HMMM. It might be expensive to provide HD but Direct shouldnt have increased the Sunday Ticket the way they did.
 
I have a question. I have a CRT RPTV, it only has 7" guns.......the max resolution of it or anyHDCRT RPTV is 950 lines ( according to Gergg Loewen, he ISF'ed my HD Toshiba). It seems the only folks that "should" notice the HD-Lite would be fixed pixel displays. Even then, do you really see the "soft" of the video now? just wondering.......I'm not defending D* with the down rez of their programing........but if my display will only display max of 950 lines & D* is feeding 1240 or 1280 (whatever it is).........just asking.....

Barney
 
Well? If you have a fixed pixel display........you may see the difference.....but how much difference by the human eye? Just asking guys.....would really like to hear from ya'll. Gregg ISF'ed my set in March, long after the HD-Lite issue. Again, I'm not supporting the down rezing (sp?) by D*.......

Barney
 
You know, if D* PQ wasn't so compressed (SD-Lite & HD-Lite) it probably wouldn't be bothering me as much right now. I think I would be happy with good PQ now knowing more will be coming soon. What about the rest of you?

But it's getting harder waiting for D* to let us know what they are going to do. Are they going to increase the PQ? Are they going to add more national channels? That's the two I'm most interested in.
 
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