Nesn HD and other RSN Info

[keenan]

Ditto Keenan - I live in the Hartford, CT area and have seen the upper 90 block range run with games out of my area. Still to date my channel guide doesn't show a channle 96 am I doing something wrong? IF I manually goto 96 the channle flips to 'Lifetime'?!

What receiver are you using? You'll need the H20 and the AT9 dish to get MPEG4 channels, which locally mapped channel 96 has now become. When using a MPEG2 HD receiver it will say channel not available when you select it. Of course, whether or not you get anything on the channel depends on if DirecTV has your local RSN being carried-I'm guessing it's NESN..? There are others here that know way more about the status of NESN than I. I would ask someone who is in your same area.

 

[keenan]

Sorry to disagree with part of your explanation. The Regional Sports Networks seen on ch 96 are downlinked using spotbeam. It is true that the San Francisco RSN and the Atlanta RSN may be using different transponders on the Satellite. However, Spot Beam technology allows Direct TV and Echostar to transmit to multiple cities as long as the spotbeam does not overlap and the transponder has available bandwith. A theoretic example could be, the HD Locals for New York, Chicago, Denver and Los Angeles could be spot beamed using the same transponder since the spotbeams would not overlap. Likewise, Seattle, Las Vegas, Atlanta and Boston could be downlinked using the same transponder. Currently, Direct TV is using a different transponder for each new city that is added in HD. Eventually, they will reach a point where they will have to use an individual transponder for multiple cities. Each Ka Satellite has 48 transponders compared with 32 transponders on the Ku birds. Obviously, there are more than 96 (2 ka sats) markets, so there has to be be multiple DMA's on the same spot beam.

Yes, thanks for the explanation, the point I was making is that the actual signal being transmitted to SF is not the same signal being transmitted to Atlanta, even though they are locally the same channel number. IOW, channel 96 has become part of the local channel lineup, just like your 2 through whatever even though it still resides where the bulk of the national HD channels are in the guide.

Question, how large can these spotbeams be? For example, FSNBA covers the cities of SF, Sac, Reno, Fresno and maybe a few more...now being that these cities/markets all have their own HD locals will the FSNBA feed be available to markets outside of SF? It should be, but I don't know if it actually is, yet.

 

[SF Bay Area]

Yes, thanks for the explanation, the point I was making is that the actual signal being transmitted to SF is not the same signal being transmitted to Atlanta, even though they are locally the same channel number. IOW, channel 96 has become part of the local channel lineup, just like your 2 through whatever even though it still resides where the bulk of the national HD channels are in the guide.

Question, how large can these spotbeams be? For example, FSNBA covers the cities of SF, Sac, Reno, Fresno and maybe a few more...now being that these cities/markets all have their own HD locals will the FSNBA feed be available to markets outside of SF? It should be, but I don't know if it actually is, yet.

Since San Francisco, Sacramento and Reno share FSNBA, and since Sacramento and Reno are on different spotbeams and different satellites (99 position) than San Francisco (103 position), then FSNBA would be transmitted on 3 different spotbeams. At some future date it will make no sense having 25 different regional sports channels duplicated by spotbeam into multiple cities as that would consume lots of bandwidth. All the HD regional sports channels would probably then be switched from Spotbeam to CONUS transponders. I hope that helps a bit..

 

[raoul5788]

What receiver are you using? You'll need the H20 and the AT9 dish to get MPEG4 channels, which locally mapped channel 96 has now become. When using a MPEG2 HD receiver it will say channel not available when you select it. Of course, whether or not you get anything on the channel depends on if DirecTV has your local RSN being carried-I'm guessing it's NESN..? There are others here that know way more about the status of NESN than I. I would ask someone who is in your same area.

I'm also in the Hartford DMA, our local rsn's are NESN, YES, FOXNE, FOXNY, MSG, and SNY. I have the H20 and AT9. Channel 96 says not available for me, too. YES HD is shown on channel 95. I have yet to see SNY or NESN in HD.

 

[SF Bay Area]

I'm also in the Hartford DMA, our local rsn's are NESN, YES, FOXNE, FOXNY, MSG, and SNY. I have the H20 and AT9. Channel 96 says not available for me, too. YES HD is shown on channel 95. I have yet to see SNY or NESN in HD.

Just for the record, Channel 95 is downlinked from one of the Ku-band satellites (101/110/119) using a CONUS transponder. That is why the Guides for the mpeg 2 receivers such as the H10, show a listing for a Yankee game and no description for ch 96 which is mpeg 4 spotbeamed in Ka band. Sorry that you folks on the east coast are not able to enjoy the RSN's in HD resolution as we are able to in Northern California. Perhaps, MSG, SNY, NESN, etc. are still having contract issues with Direct TV.

 

[raoul5788]

Just for the record, Channel 95 is downlinked from one of the Ku-band satellites (101/110/119) using a CONUS transponder. That is why the Guides for the mpeg 2 receivers such as the H10, show a listing for a Yankee game and no description for ch 96 which is mpeg 4 spotbeamed in Ka band. Sorry that you folks on the east coast are not able to enjoy the RSN's in HD resolution as we are able to in Northern California. Perhaps, MSG, SNY, NESN, etc. are still having contract issues with Direct TV.

Maybe some of the rsn's are in dispute, but I am getting YES in HD, just not from channel 96.

 

[keenan]

Maybe some of the rsn's are in dispute, but I am getting YES in HD, just not from channel 96.

Are you talking about ch 95? That's a CONUS signal that airs select HD games from many different RSNs as part of the MLBEI package. It's not a 24/7 channel, nor is it exclusively YES programming.

 

[keenan]

Since San Francisco, Sacramento and Reno share FSNBA, and since Sacramento and Reno are on different spotbeams and different satellites (99 position) than San Francisco (103 position), then FSNBA would be transmitted on 3 different spotbeams. At some future date it will make no sense having 25 different regional sports channels duplicated by spotbeam into multiple cities as that would consume lots of bandwidth. All the HD regional sports channels would probably then be switched from Spotbeam to CONUS transponders. I hope that helps a bit..

Yes, that makes sense, I was just curious if our friends in those other cities were actually getting FSNBA now as I think Sacramento and maybe Fresno already have MPEG4 locals.

 

[lou_do]

Are you talking about ch 95? That's a CONUS signal that airs select HD games from many different RSNs as part of the MLBEI package. It's not a 24/7 channel, nor is it exclusively YES programming.

Still using my HTL-HD, I was seeing channel 96, until last Saturday, when it disappeared. Has anyone,in Florida, seen any programing from FSN-Florida or SUN Network on 96, using a H20, since Saturday?

 

[keenan]

Still using my HTL-HD, I was seeing channel 96, until last Saturday, when it disappeared. Has anyone,in Florida, seen any programing from FSN-Florida or SUN Network on 96, using a H20, since Saturday?

Not sure what a HTL-HD is, but Saturday was July 1st, the day DirecTV turned on a lot of local RSNs using channel 96 in MPEG4. I'm using a HD-TiVo and 96 doesn't even show in the guide anymore, when I tune to it, it says channel not available.

 

[raoul5788]

Are you talking about ch 95? That's a CONUS signal that airs select HD games from many different RSNs as part of the MLBEI package. It's not a 24/7 channel, nor is it exclusively YES programming.

Yes, I am talking about YES HD on channel 95. Nothing on channel 96, though.

 

[VIPERS-PIT]

Nothing on 96 or anyother sub 100 channel for sports in the pittsburgh DMA.

 

[lovswr]

Just to let everyone know in Atlanta our RSN TunerSouthHD is on Channel 96 right now live showing the Braves game!!!! PQ is just like OTA! AMAZING!!!

Ok, is that MPEG-4 only?

edit: Dammit Now I may be forced to get an AT-9!!

edit too For those of you with H-20's & the (dreaded) AT-9, is there a way to tell what resolution/bit rate 96 is? In other words, is it HD-Lite or not?

 

[Smthkd]

Ok, is that MPEG-4 only?

edit: Dammit Now I may be forced to get an AT-9!!

edit too For those of you with H-20's & the (dreaded) AT-9, is there a way to tell what resolution/bit rate 96 is? In other words, is it HD-Lite or not?

Yes its in MPEG4 only!
There is no way to tell the exact resolution at the moment however, the signal from TunerSouthHD looked just like the OTA TBSHD version. Tonight on FSSHD the picture looked a little bit soft but still no pixellations and much clearer than MPEG2 HDLite. IMHO they are giving us full resolution!:up

 

[Gator5000e]

I watched the D-Rays v. Red Sox game last night on FSN Florida (Channel 96, I believe) and it looked fantastic - the result was pretty good, also - Go Rays!

Also, when I watch the Orlando HD locals on D* vs the OTAs, I am very hard pressed to see any difference. Now I just need that MPEG-4 DVR and I will be a happy camper.

 

[lou_do]

I watched the D-Rays v. Red Sox game last night on FSN Florida (Channel 96, I believe) and it looked fantastic - the result was pretty good, also - Go Rays!

Also, when I watch the Orlando HD locals on D* vs the OTAs, I am very hard pressed to see any difference. Now I just need that MPEG-4 DVR and I will be a happy camper.

Your lucky, had to watch it SD. Been trying to call D* all afternoon to find out about getting a deal to switch my equipment switched over to MPG4, maybe after a few more tries I can get someone that will understand what I am asking about.

 

[boston area dtv]

I contacted D* customer service.

My question was what RSNs showing games in HD are available on channels 95 and 96. I asked about NESN and here is the response.

Dear Mr.

Thanks for writing. Major League Baseball games are available regionally in select markets. These games are shown as our HD broadcast capacity allows. Please check your on-screen guide from channels 90 to 99 a few days prior to game day to see if a Major League Baseball game in HD is available in your area.

Here is a listing of the RSNs that are currently offering HD broadcasts:

FSN South
FSN Florida
FSN Arizona
SportsTime Ohio
FSN Rocky Mountain
FSN Detroit
FSN Southwest
FSN Bay Area
FSN West
FSN Prime Ticket
FSN North
FSN Northwest

Please note that due to agreements between the RSNs and Major League Baseball, we are delivering HD feeds of games to customers who live within an RSN’s home area only. Viewers outside of an RSN’s home market who subscribe to MLB EXTRA INNINGS will receive the standard definition feeds of games in the MLB EXTRA INNINGS channels (734-749).

Tentatively, NESN HD games will be available sometime in late 2006.

Thanks again for writing and stay tuned to DIRECTV.com for the latest news and information about our service.

Sincerely,

Customer Service Representative



It wasnt the news I was hoping for..(late 2006)... but I respect D* for answering the question. Maybe this is a new age for D* in trying to keep their customer informed.

 

[Smthkd]

I guess you didn't see the official release by D* that stated JULY 18th for NESNHD!! and other RSN on that date.

 

[Questioner]

"Tentatively, NESN HD games will be available sometime in late 2006."

I'm still not convinced the press release is entirely accurate myself.

 

[lovswr]

Yes its in MPEG4 only!
--snipp--IMHO they are giving us full resolution!:up

OK, D* giving full resolution. Where the heck is Vurbano when you need him! (j/k)