The future of local channels on Directv?

[Chesterbeag]

This is something that I am very curious about.
I have a soon to be obsolete RCA DTC-210 with a phase 3 dish.
I am receiving distant locals for New York HD.

Is it to my advantage to wait and upgrade when Analog tv is turned off?

I am wondering if all the MPEG 2 local channels will be cut off at this time and we will receive HD locals MPEG 4 in our Basic packages?

Anyone know for sure?

 

[paulman182]

Those who receive LA HD locals are already being required to upgrade.
Soon, you will start seeing crawls on the NY HD channels, telling you of the need to upgrade to MPEG4, and that you will lose MPEG2 from NY. Someone has posted this will occur in summer 2008.

It doesn't have anything to do with the analog cutoff. D* is moving in an all-MPEG4 direction. After the cutoff, DirecTV could continue to offer only SD locals by receiving you locals digitally and downconverting the HD programming to SD, if they choose to not add them in HD by then. At any rate, within several months you will need the MPEG4 equipment just to receive what you are already getting.

As far as getting better deals at that time, I don't know the answer to that.

 

[Jimbo]

I have friends that will need to be changed eventually, are they offering an even swap, seeing your not gaining any channels (Non HD owner)

Jimbo