NEW HD RUMOR; 24 HD Channels for DirecTV..Bye bye Voom

[Hell Raiser]

Wait just a minute now!

The logo's you guys are finding for NBC,ABC, and the rest are OTA HD Channels as it is in the website I think.

Dig dig dig oh I found a bone!

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Still searching for pins?

 

[Dvlos]

So the logos are there, are the channels showing up?

 

[Neutron]

Do you think they will have the new dish at CEDIA?

 

[Daihard]

Here in Hawaii, we install two 35" (90cm) dishes for Chinese and Spanish and three for HD so it is already possible.

 

[vurbano]

Hmm snooping around on the DirecTV website it appears that Bravo HD will be on DirecTV soon...

http://www.directv.com/images/imagine/hd_logo_bravohd.gif

It also appears Spice HD will be on DirecTV soon as well

http://www.directv.com/images/imagine/hd_logo_spice.gif

NBC

http://www.directv.com/images/imagine/hd_logo_nbc.gif

Fox

http://www.directv.com/images/imagine/hd_logo_fox.gif

ABC?!?!?!

http://www.directv.com/images/imagine/hd_logo_abc.gif

Just some things to make you say Hmmmm!

Big deal, 3 of those few will be able to get and one is a smut PPV channel. The last one BravoHD well, its garbage at this point.

 

[rkr0923]

and you don't think your voom ultra is garbage?
as well as a few others

 

[jamieh1]

Spice HD is on already Thur-Sun over night on ch 85

 

[Hell Raiser]

Hey A-Holes!! Pound in another PIN

The ABC,NBC,FOX,WB etc LOGO's are there because Its part of the OTA HD channels that DirecTV shows from this link!
http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/imagine/HDTV_localchannels.dsp

BravoHD is the only new one , and as everyone stated its garbage, I want StarHD, CinemaxHD, TNTHD, INHD1 and 2 just to name a few.

So this searching for logo images is dumb as I said they are all there because of the OTA channels


Pound in another PIN!! :shocked

 

[andrzej]

and you don't think your voom ultra is garbage?
as well as a few others

your voom ultra? LOL. You guys take it so personally.

 

[vinnyv07]

BravoHD is the only new one , and as everyone stated its garbage, I want StarHD, CinemaxHD, TNTHD, INHD1 and 2 just to name a few.

Agreed. Starz is a good HD ch that Directv is missing. But I think that Directv really wants to add a ch that they could add to their HD pack...and StrazHD wouldnt be one of them.

 

[Darin]

It all comes down to negotiations. We're getting BravoHD now because it tagged along with the negotiations needed for the Olympics. Other channels will come, but there are many things that determine the priority.

 

[veander]

Hmm, strange logic indeed. I guess Ferrari knows nothing about cars because there is probably about one Ferrari Maranello per 100,000 Toyota Corolla.

I don't see how that relates, but it is funny I suppose. If Voom cost about $10,000 to setup or something I could see the comparison to the Ferrari/Corolla theory.

V

 

[Dolfan]

This may have already been said as I did not read the entire thread. I believe that whether you like V or not, V is putting tremendous pressure on D to launch more HD programming so that D can maintain their claim as the dominant HD and satellite provider, and for that I think we can all be thankful.

 

[Chris Freeland]

This may have already been said as I did not read the entire thread. I believe that whether you like V or not, V is putting tremendous pressure on D to launch more HD programming so that D can maintain their claim as the dominant HD and satellite provider, and for that I think we can all be thankful.

Naw, it is competition with big urban area digital cable's HD line-ups that will encourage D* and E* both to expand HD once bandwidth permits, not V* who may or may not even be in business this time next year.

 

[fredfa]

Agreed, Chris.
Most of D* and E* sub growth is coming from current cable customers.
They have 67 million potential DBS accounts.
At the moment (as of June 30th), VOOM offers just 25,000.
That is why the network O&O signals are important, even though most people won't qualify for them. The folks who WILL qualify live in well-cabled communities that the DBS companies have had problems cracking.
The number of people D* or E* would attract by adding a premium channel in HD, say Starz, is minuscule compared with the number they might get by adding networks and the broader-based appeal of other channels such as TNT (and Bravo when NBC/U finish upgrading its programming).

 

[Darin]

The number of people D* or E* would attract by adding a premium channel in HD, say Starz, is minuscule compared with the number they might get by adding networks and the broader-based appeal of other channels such as TNT (and Bravo when NBC/U finish upgrading its programming).

While I agree with you on the networks, I'd say that StarzHD would probably have more appeal that TNT or Bravo. In this case, I'd bet that it has more to do with timing of agreements than anything else. I expect all of these are coming, sooner rather than later, as the agreements fall in to place. Of course, maybe I'm just confusing my preferences with those of the masses.

 

[ckudrna]

I have not read this whole thread...........

Any talk of more HD on Directv is great news. I as well am skeptical as to where all the additional bandwidth will come from, but make it work and I will be happy.

Maybe Directv wants to start a sort of HD premium service like VOOM with the additional dish? If it is cheaper than $50 or $80 (or whatever VOOM costs) i will certainly toss up another dish.

 

[Dvlos]

Agreed, Chris.

The number of people D* or E* would attract by adding a premium channel in HD, say Starz, is minuscule compared with the number they might get by adding networks and the broader-based appeal of other channels such as TNT (and Bravo when NBC/U finish upgrading its programming).

People in "heavily cabled" areas or metro areas that already appreciate HDTV, it doesn't matter if your D*, E*, or V* have already installed a digital OTA antenna for the locals. They are offered at a higher bandwidth, and better quality for most metro customers than having them filtered and compressed and sent over the satellite. If I'm not mistaken the network feeds may still be available to certain customers only or with waivers. The amount of people that do not have access to OTA signals due to the fact they live in rural areas represent the minority my friend. I am also sure that most of these rural people have horrible cable companies in their area and are already subscribing to some sort of Satellite service, probably D*. While they would like it, I do not think they would signify "hoardes" of new customers. However D* is going to use it as "padding" for their marketing, instead of Ooo look 12 HD channels! It's more like OOOO look 22 HD channels (throw logos at your face).

I agree with vinny and a few others, StarzHD and EncoreHD would be more attractive for D*'s current HD customers to subscribe to would = immediate additional dollars without having to spend a dime on installation. In addition to helping attract more customers. Also I don't know about your area, but HD cable in South FLorida kind of sucks (comcast), I'd take D* or V* over ComCast any day. With that in mind I think V* is a direct competitor and driving D*. If V* IS in business this time next year, with a DVR and more HD channels I think for sure D* will be adding more HD channels regardless of what cable is doing.

 

[Darin]

People in "heavily cabled" areas or metro areas that already appreciate HDTV, it doesn't matter if your D*, E*, or V* have already installed a digital OTA antenna for the locals.

I fall into that category. I live in the city, close to all my towers, but because of multipath issues, and because the towers are in all different directions from me, I've installed three different antennas, with the appropriate filters to combine those signals. It cost some money, and was a big PITA. The typical consumer is NOT going to go through all that to get TV. They haven't had to deal with antennas for a long time, and they aren't going to start now if they can just get cable instead. If DirecTV wants to compete with cable, by far their biggest competitor, they will have to carry locals. This has proven true with SD, and will prove true once again for HD.

If I'm not mistaken the network feeds may still be available to certain customers only or with waivers. The amount of people that do not have access to OTA signals due to the fact they live in rural areas represent the minority my friend.

DirecTV already has CBS E/W, they will have Fox and NBC E/W in the coming weeks, and I wouldn't be surprised if ABC came some time soon as well. Even before you count the O&O territories and white areas that will be able to get these signals, this provides the NY and LA markets with all the major networks in HD from satellite. Those two markets combined are close to 12% of the total market. Once you add the white areas and the O&O areas, that's a pretty big chunk of the market where they will be able to compete with cable. That's a pretty big deal. More markets will come with Spaceway, but obviously these are a higher priority, due to the large percentage that they serve.

However D* is going to use it as "padding" for their marketing, instead of Ooo look 12 HD channels! It's more like OOOO look 22 HD channels (throw logos at your face).

I agree with vinny and a few others, StarzHD and EncoreHD would be more attractive for D*'s current HD customers ...

It's not about being able to market channel count, it's being able to provide the most demanded channels to the largest number of people, particularly people who are not yet customers. Sure, those of us who have gone to the trouble of getting our locals OTA couldn't care less about getting them via satellite. But we are a niche market. And many of us are already DirecTV customers. If they want to grow their market share, they have to compete with cable. And to do that, they need to appeal to cable customers. Most cable customers do what's easiest. That's the biggest benefit of cable. DirecTV has to make themselves as easy as cable if they want to steal their customers.