Sunday Ticket and the HR10-250

[Jimzo]

Hi all

Does anyone know whether or not the HD Sunday Ticket games this season will be viewable on my HR10-250 Tivo? Or will I have to "upgrade" to the HR20 because these games will now be transmitted using the mpeg 4 codec?

I am currently signed up for the Sunday Ticket and Superfan package (and have even paid for part of them) and I just realized that it might not work on my receiver this year.

Please alleviate my anxiety.

Thanks

Jim

 

[charper1]

I have not read anything saying that the NFL Sunday Ticket will be moving off of MPEG2 yet. Where are you reading this year is the MPEG4 switch for ST?

 

[JAG72]

I personally think you will be OK with the HR10-250 this year. This is what D* says about the HD offering with Super Fan.

"†† To access DIRECTV HD programming, Multi-Satellite dish, along with a DIRECTV HD Receiver, HD television equipment and HD Access fee ($9.99/mo.) is required. In some markets, a five-LNB Dish and H20 model DIRECTV Receiver are needed to receive HD local networks delivered by DIRECTV."

DIRECTV: DIRECTV - NFL SUNDAY TICKET™ SuperFan™

It looks like they are just saying you would need MPEG4 equipment to receive the HD local channels if offered.

 

[Jimzo]

I haven't read that anywhere. I guess I just have been hearing a lot lately about the new mpeg4 channels that will be available this 'fall' and paranoia set in.

I hope I am off base here, but I think it is a legitimate concern because:

• I believe that more (but not all) of the games will be in HD this year relative to last year
• They shut down one of the other HD Channels last year during ST broadcasts to satisfy the bandwidth requirements of ST

This got me thinking that as soon as the new satellite was available that some if not all the ST games would be moving off of mpeg2.

Jim

 

[Brewer4]

Theres been lots of theories and you certainly should have concern. I personally would keep your HR10-250 if you like it and see if Directv will upgrade you for a small fee. That then can get all your new HD and still enjoy the Tivo. Its also a great backup plan just in case the HD is only MPEG4. I agree with most since we havent seen anything definitively posted, it will be in MPEG2 for legacy boxes. We will problably see all other HD channels mirrored and possibly some MPEG2 versions shut off for MPEG2 only hardware on Sundays.

 

[charper1]

I can assure you that it will NOT happen this year, NEXT year maybe 60/40 and a good bet in 2009.

 

[JAG72]

I would have to agree with Brewer that the current MPEG2 channels will be mirrored in MPEG4. They will most likely shutdown the MPEG2 channels on Sundays. This should not impact as many people this year since many already have the MPEG4 equipment.

 

[Brewer4]

So Jizmo as folks are all saying with different twists, there is a 99% chance that Sunday Ticket HD channels will be on existing sats in MPEG2 and viewable with HR10-250.

 

[Jimzo]

Thanks for all the informative replies. I feel better about it now.

I wouldn't be opposed to switching to the HR20 (or maybe the HR21 if it is somehow better when it comes out), but am not sure if I can receive the new channels at my location. I live in a high rise apartment building with its own "cable" system that pulls its channels from the satellite. A few people in the building including me don't use the "cable" system and get our signal straight from the dish. I don't know what dish they are using or whether it will pick up the new D* satellite. Since I don't want to be in the building much longer, I would just assume not mess with my current setup if I don't have to.

Cheers.

Jim

 

[scimeca]

NFL ST HD will still bein MPEG 2 this year...I got this information from the following link.
http://www.satelliteguys.us/directv...irectv-statement-regarding-nfl-hd-2007-a.html

 

[iceturkee]

Thanks for all the informative replies. I feel better about it now.

I wouldn't be opposed to switching to the HR20 (or maybe the HR21 if it is somehow better when it comes out), but am not sure if I can receive the new channels at my location. I live in a high rise apartment building with its own "cable" system that pulls its channels from the satellite. A few people in the building including me don't use the "cable" system and get our signal straight from the dish. I don't know what dish they are using or whether it will pick up the new D* satellite. Since I don't want to be in the building much longer, I would just assume not mess with my current setup if I don't have to.

Cheers.

Jim

yep, you are safe this year...but not next!

 

[Jimzo]

Thanks.

Maybe a little off topic... but is there anyway they COULD upgrade the HR10-250 (with software or a reasonably simple piece of hardware) to get the mpeg4 channels?

I think it is unlikely, but support for their Tivo products certainly isn't dead:

DIRECTV to Introduce Additional TiVo Features

I got an automated call announcing the new features today too.

Jim

 

[charper1]

I would bet 99.9% that this is a chipset requirement that is NOT flashable and therefore requires the new units.

 

[Brewer4]

Thanks.

Maybe a little off topic... but is there anyway they COULD upgrade the HR10-250 (with software or a reasonably simple piece of hardware) to get the mpeg4 channels?

I think it is unlikely, but support for their Tivo products certainly isn't dead:

DIRECTV to Introduce Additional TiVo Features

I got an automated call announcing the new features today too.

Jim

I got this call too almost a week ago. I found it very strange given the features are not coming until 2008 and they are about to embark on the largest and most complex conversion in their history and it does NOT involve a Tivo. Very odd.