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

[Dvlos]

I don't know about your area, but most people are fed up with cable in my area, drive around Ft. Lauderdale/West Palm/Miami areas and all I see are dishes on peoples homes (some dude around here still sports a Primestar dish in the FRONT of his house what the???). DBS offers them more channels with locals, and better quality here in THIS area than cable.

Now when D* adds networks in HD are they going to be 2 specific stations from the east and west coast, or will they be your locals, that offer HD in HD (except for the area you are not from), and if you still want to see your "true" local channel that would be an additional channel slot?

 

[Darin]

They are adding the major network local channels for the NY and LA markets (I'm assuming here that ABC is coming at some point). So if you live in either the LA or NY markets, they will be YOUR local channels, in HD. Additionally, in the interim, if you live in a white area, or have a waiver, or live in a market where the network owns the local affiliate, you will be able to get the NY or LA major network(s). Won't be your locals, but you will at least have access to a network feed from an out of town affiliate. Once Spaceway comes online, I'd expect to see true local channels in HD, probably introduced for the larger markets, and worked towards the smaller ones.

So basically, they are starting with the two largest markets now, which includes an interim solution for SOME people to get out of market HD major network channels until they get other markets online. I'd guess that would start late next year.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I have just received word that Bravo HD+ will be available tommorow on DirecTV channel 74.

It is currently online and testing in engeneering mode.

It will be part of the HD package.

 

[Alan Gordon]

I have just received word that Bravo HD+ will be available tommorow on DirecTV channel 74.

Hey Scott, in case you didn't read my post here, do you have any thoughts as to why DirecTV doesn't appear to be planning ahead anymore than they are?!

~Alan

 

[slacker9876]

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).

Also there has been substantial growth since the HU datastream was shut off! I was not in those numbers but I do know about 10 "new" subscribers that never received the $4,000 letter from D*

Either way ... StarzHD is a must. If they producde this one I'll be acquiring an HD Tivo and keeping it this time.

 

[Cyclone]

Alan, I would read into the channels numbers tightening as being an indication of their capacity. If more channels arrive that don't fit into the sub-100 listings, I'm sure that they will find a place for them reguardless.

 

[Alan Gordon]

Alan, I would read into the channels numbers tightening as being an indication of their capacity. If more channels arrive that don't fit into the sub-100 listings, I'm sure that they will find a place for them reguardless.

I agree, I'm just saying that if they are fixing to move Showtime HD to a new channel to clear the #90 - #99 channel range for ST-HD, PPV HD, and Special Events HD, then why not go ahead and redo the rest in anticipation of the channels they plan on adding when this (theoreticly) leaves them with only four "unused" channels (why #70 is part of the local channel groupings, I don't know), and those "four" channels are in the HD Package channel group, which means that they have NO channel numbers around the HD movie channels (HBO-HD, ShowTime-HD) grouping area. Of course, they could also get rid of HBO-HD on #88, ShowTime-HD on #89 and leave their channel numbers at #509 and #541(?) and then keep Starz-HD (and others) near their respective packages, but if that's the case, why move ShowTime-HD to #89, unless they don't plan on adding any HD movie channels until after ST, and even then they might decide to keep the same channel numbers for ST next year, which I personally don't understand why they don't just add the ST HD feeds to near the ST SD feeds are aired.

I mean, I know we don't currently have any "official" remark to make us believe that ABC-HD E&W will be coming, or that Starz-HD, Cinemax-HD, Encore-HD or TMC-HD will be coming to DirecTV, nor do we have any indication that DirecTV will soon have 20+ HD channels, but I just think they should have done everything all at one time instead of doing it half-way now, and then all the way later...

~Alan

 

[Darin]

That whole channel listing is odd to me. It's not current YET, as they haven't moved Showtime, yet it appears it won't be current in the future, as it doesn't include Bravo, which appears to be just around the corner. So basically, it will never be used. Why was it generated?

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

From what I understand DirecTV will be moving the HD stuff when the major rollout happens.

If it seems as though some of this is being done by the skin of their teeth, the truth is some of it IS being done by the skin of their teeth.

Things are moving fast and they are trying to beat everyone to the punch. (They are also trying to do stuff before sites like our make news out of it)

 

[Alan Gordon]

That whole channel listing is odd to me. It's not current YET, as they haven't moved Showtime, yet it appears it won't be current in the future, as it doesn't include Bravo, which appears to be just around the corner. So basically, it will never be used. Why was it generated?

To give one of the boss's nephew some busy work so he won't accidentally make a satellite fall out of the sky?!

BTW, are you the Darin that posts on DBSForums.com?! Are you the Darin that posts on AVSForum.com?! Are you both or neither?! That's been bugging me...

~Alan

 

[Alan Gordon]

From what I understand DirecTV will be moving the HD stuff when the major rollout happens.

That's kind of what I was wondering, as that was the only thing I could figure out. The 900s perhaps?!

~Alan

 

[Darin]

I am both. I'm also the Darin that posts at TiVoCommunity. But I'm NOT the Darin that has posted at DBStalk. Hope you can keep it all straight.

 

[Alan Gordon]

I am both. I'm also the Darin that posts at TiVoCommunity. But I'm NOT the Darin that has posted at DBStalk. Hope you can keep it all straight.

Gotcha! It's always easier to know when I'm speaking to a fellow Georgian... that way I know when not to use the "big" words!


~Alan

 

[Darin]

Excellent point. I've updated my profile so now EVERYONE will know I'm from Georgia. Hopefully I won't get any big words from anyone now.

 

[LOBO2999]

Hey Scott , are they moving fast to drop 22 channels on us tomorrow? Wishful thinking.

 

[steverobertson]

I thought it was 24 channels.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

No its 22, but they may 24 HD channels up (2 not running programming 24 hours a day)

 

[Tele-TV]

There's something "wrong" (VERY jumpy) with the audio on Bravo HD.

 

[Hell Raiser]

I need more pins!!

To think I was very close to being a Voomer months ago but the good ole dudes at D convinced me to stay with them.

Well its been 5 months, and I want my HD as promised!!! When will it happen??

I am running out of pins, I hope to use nails soon..I need to nail this HD with D down.

 

[BFG]

I can see D* is moving in the HD direction...

Now you can even get $100 of an HD receiver when you buy a Samsung HDTV over $999. It's still not free though

As well as 6 months off the HD package

And since I'm in a bellsouth area, that's another $5 off my bill.

I'll be with E* until february. But I might have to take a ride with D* if they keep rolling.