Swanni's take on D* HD count

[wolfjc]

Here is Swanni's story on D* HD count.

2. DIRECTV Has 130 National HD Channels
In August, DIRECTV said it had 95 national HD channels. But before the month was over, the satcaster said it had 130 national HD channels, although it had only added four actual national HD networks.

So, how did it go from 95 to 130 with the addition of just four high-def networks?

The satcaster also converted nine regional sports networks to full-time (24/7) channels and it added 18 PPV HD channels. By DIRECTV's estimation, that brings it to 130.

Even if you count the nine sports channels, the 18 PPV channels and the four high-def networks, that would seem to leave it a few short of 130. But let's give DIRECTV the benefit of the doubt and say its count is correct.

However, here's the real problem:

PPV channels are not channels. If you tune to DIRECTV's channel 144, let's say, to watch The Incredible Hulk on PPV HD today, it might not even be on. The satcaster's PPV movies start from 30 minutes to every two hours so if you don't tune in at just the right time, you can't watch the movie. The on-screen message says the movie is not available. How can that be called a channel? It's not even a "choice" unless you tune in at the right time.

So, Why Lie?
DIRECTV has orchestrated an expensive marketing campaign to promote that it's the 'HD Leader' -- meaning it has the most channels. However, Verizon's FiOS and Dish Network this year expanded their high-def lineups (in some markets for FiOS) to around 100 HD channels. So, DIRECTV, which now doesn't seem to have the capacity for more real channels, simply cooked the books and inflated the menu to 130 channels.

But, it's just a lie.




_______________________________________

 

[waltinvt]

Here is Swanni's story on D* HD count.

2. DIRECTV Has 130 National HD Channels
In August, DIRECTV said it had 95 national HD channels. But before the month was over, the satcaster said it had 130 national HD channels, although it had only added four actual national HD networks.

So, how did it go from 95 to 130 with the addition of just four high-def networks?

The satcaster also converted nine regional sports networks to full-time (24/7) channels and it added 18 PPV HD channels. By DIRECTV's estimation, that brings it to 130.

Even if you count the nine sports channels, the 18 PPV channels and the four high-def networks, that would seem to leave it a few short of 130. But let's give DIRECTV the benefit of the doubt and say its count is correct.

However, here's the real problem:

PPV channels are not channels. If you tune to DIRECTV's channel 144, let's say, to watch The Incredible Hulk on PPV HD today, it might not even be on. The satcaster's PPV movies start from 30 minutes to every two hours so if you don't tune in at just the right time, you can't watch the movie. The on-screen message says the movie is not available. How can that be called a channel? It's not even a "choice" unless you tune in at the right time.

So, Why Lie?
DIRECTV has orchestrated an expensive marketing campaign to promote that it's the 'HD Leader' -- meaning it has the most channels. However, Verizon's FiOS and Dish Network this year expanded their high-def lineups (in some markets for FiOS) to around 100 HD channels. So, DIRECTV, which now doesn't seem to have the capacity for more real channels, simply cooked the books and inflated the menu to 130 channels.

But, it's just a lie.




_______________________________________

Some people still recognize a"lie" when they see one. Of course a similar statement could apply to the way Dish counts channels too.

 

[nlk10010]

Doesn't make any difference what the "channel count" is. You already have much more specific information; i.e. what channels each provider carries. You know that DirecTV carries a number of national HD (as well as some RSN HDs) that Dish doesn't and you know that Dish carries a few that DirecTV doesn't.

I don't know anyone (granted, I'm a shut-in) who makes their decision based on the "channel count".

 

[uncrules]

That's a recycled Swanni rant from back in August when D* announced the "130 HD channels." I'm not saying he's wrong but it's an old rant. He says D* only added 4 channels which is what they did back in August but D* has since added 2 more. If he's going to recycle a rant, he should at least update it.

 

[JonE]

Both satellite providers and even cable have this problem. It's not exclusive or D* or E*.

 

[Ronnie-]

I agree, this is a recycled article and the issue isnt exclusive to D*

 

[goaliebob99]

Also, D* does have the compasity, they just are not using it. instead they chose to put PPV up. Hopefully the next three weeks will be a telling tail.

 

[wolfjc]

Both satellite providers and even cable have this problem. It's not exclusive or D* or E*.

You are right I don't really care about how many HD channels any one has just that the channels which I want to see in HD are on my service.
So far E* has about what I want.
Also it really gets me when E* adds some HD channel that a lot of people want and than they complain that the channel does not have much real HD content as if this was E*'s fault E* can only carry what is given to them to retransmit.

 

[Ronnie-]

Also, D* does have the compasity, they just are not using it. instead they chose to put PPV up. Hopefully the next three weeks will be a telling tail.

Yeah I just noticed that line in it also. The capacity is there, according to quite a few people.

 

[dangue]

Here is Swanni's story on D* HD count.

So, Why Lie?
DIRECTV has orchestrated an expensive marketing campaign to promote that it's the 'HD Leader' -- meaning it has the most channels. However, Verizon's FiOS and Dish Network this year expanded their high-def lineups (in some markets for FiOS) to around 100 HD channels. So, DIRECTV, which now doesn't seem to have the capacity for more real channels, simply cooked the books and inflated the menu to 130 channels.

But, it's just a lie.

This doesn't make too much sense. If they have the capacity to add 18 HD PPV channels they could have just as readily added national HD channels. Unless HD PPV channels somehow use less bandwidth than regular HD channels, the argument doesn't make any sense.

 

[uncrules]

This doesn't make too much sense. If they have the capacity to add 18 HD PPV channels they could have just as readily added national HD channels. Unless HD PPV channels somehow use less bandwidth than regular HD channels, the argument doesn't make any sense.

D* does indeed have capacity for probably around 16 or so channels. About 19 or 20 of D*'s 33 HD PPV channels are split part time between being used for part time game only RSNs and HD PPVs. They do take up the same space as a regular HD channel.

 

[Jim5506]

There aren't that many more real HD channels out there to add and many of the "HD" channels on E* and D* are SD upconverts 80% of the time.

 

[vampz26]

gee...what happened to HD raining from the sky and the hopes of endless capacity that D* has been prophesizing over the years?

Wow...how our gods have feet of clay...

At the end of the day, lets not forget D*'s so-called full-time RSNs that blackout their most valid content, and display the same thing as the other the rest of the time...

now THATS bogus...

 

[DishSubLA]

The problem is that Direct TV has made the most noise and biggest claims. Cable and Dish are compelled to "cook" their own "books." Direct also started the notion of a specific number of channles, as Ergan noted in one quarterly conference call when asked about Direct TV's plans for a hundred HD channels, "[Direct TV's] 100 [channels] is a good round number." We have Direct TV to blame for this STUPID 100 or 150 or whatever specific HD channel count.

 

[navychop]

I'd rather see a rant from him about "HD" channels with little or no HD, and it get wide play in the press. Help all of us.

 

[Ronnie-]

I'd rather see a rant from him about "HD" channels with little or no HD, and it get wide play in the press. Help all of us.

He has to wait until enough people on here post about it. Thats where he seemed to get his "breaking stories" in the past

 

[navychop]

Ain't it the truth.