Standard Definition

[JB884]

Is DirecTV going to be eliminating all standard definition channels this year? I know there has been information about the locals being eliminated. I have an old grandfathered in subscription of NFL Sunday Ticket only with no other programming in Standard Def and wondering if it will still be around next year.

 

[mdram]

they are eliminating mpeg2 encoding. its only used on sd
they could always use mpeg4 for that if they choose

oh and an hd box can output sd also

 

[JB884]

So are they eliminating all SD mpeg2 channels this year or only locals?
All I really care about is the SD Sunday Ticket channels.

 

[mwdxer1]

You can run SD in MPEG4 easy enough and the pq is better. All channels are not available in HD as yet.

 

[Claude Greiner]

I have a feeling they will keep a small mpeg4 SD package on 101 for the customers who still have tailgate antennas. They will probably cram it in 2-3 transponders.

 

[mdram]

all mpeg2 will be gone
everything will be in mpeg4, be it hd or sd
what sd will remain, no one knows

this is why they are replacing mpeg2 receivers

 

[texasbrit]

They have already said there will be a "selection of popular channels" on 101. All will be MPEG4. No reason why any of them should be SD. With an HD receiver, people with RV dishes will be all set.

 

[mdram]

They have already said there will be a "selection of popular channels" on 101. All will be MPEG4. No reason why any of them should be SD. With an HD receiver, people with RV dishes will be all set.

except those people that have the old sd boxes and do not want to add the $10/month hd fee

 

[raoul5788]

except those people that have the old sd boxes and do not want to add the $10/month hd fee

They had a chance to swap their sd box for an hd version for no cost and with no hd fee. Pretty sure that offer has expired.

 

[slice1900]

They had a chance to swap their sd box for an hd version for no cost and with no hd fee. Pretty sure that offer has expired.

I wouldn't be surprised if the offer returns. I think the reason it went away is because they were forced to push back the MPEG2 retirement. They are still retiring a few DMAs here and there but it is slow going compared to the very aggressive plan they originally had scheduled to begin April of last year.

In the meantime they've gone back to letting attrition do its work, with SD customers either deciding to upgrade on their own or leaving Directv, so that there will be fewer free upgrades to give away when they get back on schedule.

 

[raoul5788]

I wouldn't be surprised if the offer returns. I think the reason it went away is because they were forced to push back the MPEG2 retirement. They are still retiring a few DMAs here and there but it is slow going compared to the very aggressive plan they originally had scheduled to begin April of last year.

In the meantime they've gone back to letting attrition do its work, with SD customers either deciding to upgrade on their own or leaving Directv, so that there will be fewer free upgrades to give away when they get back on schedule.

I can't imagine there are many left. I don't think I've seen a Phase III dish in a long time.

 

[TheTechGuru]

except those people that have the old sd boxes and do not want to add the $10/month hd fee

I don't want to give them ideas but why not add a HD output disable switch to the firmware. Make the receiver output 480p max if you don't pay the HD fee.

 

[texasbrit]

It's already there. Forpeople who have SD service but who live in one of the MPEG-4 only DMAs.

 

[jamieh1]

They have some MPEG 4 SD channels now, I have 2 local MPEG 4 SD channels in my local area.

 

[Claude Greiner]

except those people that have the old sd boxes and do not want to add the $10/month hd fee

On commercial accounts they are waiving the HD technology fees.

Basically swapping like for like, except customer now has HD

 

[HoTat2]

It's already there. Forpeople who have SD service but who live in one of the MPEG-4 only DMAs.

Yeah ...

Except for any local HD channels in those markets, which for some reason DIRECTV is charitable and allows the receivers on SD only accounts to output HD on them.

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[HoTat2]

I can't imagine there are many left. I don't think I've seen a Phase III dish in a long time.

Same here in L.A. I notice ...

Where all the remaining P.III triple-sats seem to have been either upgraded to SL-3/5s. Or are simply leftover derelicts where people have moved out and removed the LNB from the dish and took it with them. .....

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[HoTat2]

I wouldn't be surprised if the offer returns. I think the reason it went away is because they were forced to push back the MPEG2 retirement. They are still retiring a few DMAs here and there but it is slow going compared to the very aggressive plan they originally had scheduled to begin April of last year.

In the meantime they've gone back to letting attrition do its work, with SD customers either deciding to upgrade on their own or leaving Directv, so that there will be fewer free upgrades to give away when they get back on schedule.

It seems that the SD transition is about ...

1) Progressively turning off SD spotbeam locals at 119W and then 101W. Which is inexpensive, but very slow-going ....

2) Turning off the now duplicate nationwide SD programming (and 4 A3 HD channels on 119W) on 95 and 119W. And upgrading the equipment at the various DBS uplink stations at the LABC, CRBC, and others for A3 HD transmission like they've currently been doing for years now with the DBS station(s) uplinking the 4 Spanish channels to T7S tp. 24.

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[TheTechGuru]

At what time do I need to swap my SWM SL5 for a SWM RBSL3 to continue receiving ALL available channels? A RB is still needed to continue getting the channels that were on 119 before 119 gets shut down right? Or will they be moved to 101?

 

[HoTat2]

At what time do I need to swap my SWM SL5 for a SWM RBSL3 to continue receiving ALL available channels? A RB is still needed to continue getting the channels that were on 119 before 119 gets shut down right? Or will they be moved to 101?

No, initially both 95 and 119W were duplicated the RB on 99W.

Now recently the 119 duplicates on the RB have been moved to 103(ca) at 103W leaving only the 95W duplicates remaining on 99RB.

So your current SL-5 LNB can receive all channels except the international channels 95W of course and their duplicates on 99RB.

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