Dish response to Directv's plan to deliver local HD channels in 12 cities in 2005?

[MattN4]

Has Dish/Echostar responded to DIRECTV's January 6, 2005 announcement indicating that Direct will carry HD locals in 12 major cities in the second half of 2005?

DIRECTV Announces First 12 Markets to Receive Local Channels in High-Definition This Year
New HD Local Markets Mark First Stage in Dramatic Expansion of HD Programming Over the Next Two Years


Las Vegas, NV Jan 6, 2005 DIRECTV, Inc., the nation's leading and fastest- growing digital television service provider, announced today that 12 of the nation's largest designated market areas (DMAs) will be among the first to receive DIRECTV-delivered local channels in high-definition (HD) in the second half of this year. DIRECTV will begin a historic expansion of its capacity with the planned launch of four next- generation satellites that will deliver more than 1,500 local HD and more than 150 national HD channels and other advanced programming services to consumers nationwide by 2007.

The first group of DMAs to receive local HD channels is: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, San Francisco, Dallas, Washington D.C., Atlanta, Detroit, Houston and Tampa. These markets represent nearly 36 million homes or 32.8 percent of all U.S. TV households. Additional markets to receive local HD programming this year will be announced at a later date. Today, DIRECTV offers local channels in standard definition in 130 markets, including these 12 markets. ...


(Full press release: http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/aboutus/mediacenter/NewsDetails.dsp?id=01-06-2005A)

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[Paradox-SJ]

Brilliant!

 

[korsjs]

no they have not.

 

[rad]

I thought that E* had sort of responded. They told the FCC that E* shouldn'tbe forced to carry LIL HD channels. They told the FCC that they didn't think that D*'s LIL KA band solution would work. They've said that they want to be allowed to carry local HD channels downrez'ed to SD (OK, I haven't seen an official notice on that one myself but I think I saw someone mention it somewhere else).

 

[mathius8]

bad business

I know we all whine a little bit about dishs problems, everyone has them sure, but honestly i'm counting the days until my contract runs out. the thing that gets me most is the blatant lies. i had a csr call me around christmas and try to sell me a 921 for 500, some kind of special deal, i told her i wasnt interested and she said why?. i told her we didnt have many hd channels and that i was disappointed in that. she said we (dish) will be adding many more hd channels and in fact we will be adding a new hd channel at the beginning of december or early january. obvious lie, i didnt bite. i wonder though if they train their csrs to lie like that. another thing is that iwantmyhdtv thing they had on that channel for months. yes i wrote my congressman over that (it seemed to help directtv viewers) but what ever came of it. dish said we will be ready to offer locals in hd immediately if it passes, another lie. IS LYING TO YOUR CUSTOMERS GOOD IN ANY BUSINESS. i know dish says they have big plans but there all contradicting, didnt charlie just say about a month ago that their wasnt any compelling hd. charlie let us decide whats compelling!!!!! starz hd, cimemax hd, universal hd, espn 2 hd, local hd. i dont care if their compelling or not, i want them and so do most people who subscribe to your 9.99 hd pack. sorrry i just needed to vent.

 

[Airblair]

Speculation: E*'s reply might not come until the FCC approves their purchase of the Voom satellite, within 2-3 months. Once that's done I would think that Dish would announce what they intend to do with that satellite, along with the others they're still testing (like the replacement for 105).

Again, speculation (perhaps also "wishful thinking"): They may plan to begin negotiating with local stations in large DMAs for LIL coverage once it becomes clearer that the FCC will approve the sale. Thus, E* could possibly bring in HD-LIL for certain large markets before D* does and before switching to MPEG-4.

That would be awesome.

I freely admit I may be kidding myself.

 

[hancox]

I think you are now, considering D*'s LIL coverage for the top 2 markets already, along with the same channels given to O&O's. If Dish had something with ABC/FOX/NBC like D*, I'd hear you.

 

[Paradox-SJ]

Speculation: E*'s reply might not come until the FCC approves their purchase of the Voom satellite, within 2-3 months. Once that's done I would think that Dish would announce what they intend to do with that satellite, along with the others they're still testing (like the replacement for 105).

Again, speculation (perhaps also "wishful thinking"): They may plan to begin negotiating with local stations in large DMAs for LIL coverage once it becomes clearer that the FCC will approve the sale. Thus, E* could possibly bring in HD-LIL for certain large markets before D* does and before switching to MPEG-4.

That would be awesome.

I freely admit I may be kidding myself.

Kidd away...E* never does anything quickly and never does it right the first time. I will be shocked if rainbow1 is used for ANYTHING else accept a replacement bird for the peace of junk that is (ready to fall out of the sky) already at 61.5.

 

[upNdown]

I haven't heard this addressed at all, but has D* mentioned how much they're going to comrpress these HD locals? Because the more I think about it, the more I think I'm better off getting my locals OTA instead of having them stomped of and compressed like they are with E* right now.

 

[hongcho]

DirecTV will not get rid of OTA ATSC tuners for HD receivers any time soon.

BTW, there is one asnwer that Dish came up with: Allow Dish to down-rez OTA HD channels (refer to another thread).

Hong.

 

[Foxbat]

BTW, there is one asnwer that Dish came up with: Allow Dish to down-rez OTA HD channels (refer to another thread).

Hong.

That reminds me: Since the NFL Season Ticket ended, has DirecTV restored full 1920x1080 resolution to DiscoveryHD, HDNet, HDNet Movies, UniversalHD, HBO-HD, Showtime-HD, and 1280x720 to ESPN-HD?