Why DirecTV is the HD Leader (Video)

[Scott Greczkowski]

Check this out, this sounds a lot like what I have said in the past about DirecTV being the HD leader and why they are the HD leaders.

You can view the video at the link below:
DirecTV's HD Push Stimulates Competition - TVWeek - News

 

[txranger]

Now if they would just lower there programming prices to match E* then they would be a good choice

 

[rad]

I've been saying that for months, that D*'s push to get content providers to pony up HD channels is leading the group. The video talks about cable switched video leveling things. TWC in Austin has been implementing switched video and while they do have a few more HD channels then D* has now they aren't carrying many of the other channels out there, so what good is having the physical plant capacity if you're not going to put the channels out there?

 

[rad]

Now if they would just lower there programming prices to match E* then they would be a good choice

The way I see it, D* is cheaper, for me at least, compared to E*.

D* = Premier $99.99 + HD Access $9.99 = $109.98

To get the same with E*

E* = Everything $89.99 + Locals $5.99 + RSN package $5.99 + HD Access $20.00 = $121.97

 

[Smthkd]

That Time Warner Cable lady sounded nervous!!

 

[bonscott87]

The way I see it, D* is cheaper, for me at least, compared to E*.

D* = Premier $99.99 + HD Access $9.99 = $109.98

To get the same with E*

E* = Everything $89.99 + Locals $5.99 + RSN package $5.99 + HD Access $20.00 = $121.97

Same here. D* has always been cheaper then E* for the same programming for me. Only thing E* is cheaper at is the lowest packages you can get.

 

[uncrules]

I've read in my local area forum from an engineer who works for a fox tv station that SDV hasn't been a sucessful as cable would like it to be. Seems to only work for less popular channels.

Greensboro, NC - HDTV - AVS Forum

What is being found out is that SDV is REAL good for PPV channels and little watched channels, but your locals, and high viewer channels like ESPN, FNC, CNN, A&E, History Channel, etc do not do release enough bandwidth to be useful. From what several cableco employees off the record have told me, SDV is turning out to NOT be the big bandwidth saviour cable had hoped for and it is causing more problems than it is supposed to help.

Personally, I don't know. I am with sat myself!

 

[rad]

This link How Time Warner Austin Did Switched Digital - 6/21/2007 11:59:00 PM - Multichannel News has a story about the TWC Austin system, which has been playing with SVD for a few years.

 

[obermi]

"E" is cheaper because of the number of boxes that I have! "D" could not match or even make me a better deal!

 

[Impala1ss]

First, while I am new here, I have been on other HD sites for years and have had HDTV for at least 5 years. That being said, most discussions always center around the number of channels available, their cost, who is better, etc. NO ONE seems to care about Picture Quality (PQ) which to me is the premium.

I don't want a lot of crappy , low PQ channels. I want as many HD channels I can get; and not just HD but crystal clear HD. Not HD Lite either.

I now have Brighthouse Network which has excellent quality with no compression of the signal. Their problem is that there seems to be no concern for adding additional HD channels. The Direct TV additional 150 HD channels starting in September has caught my attention. However I only read about the current crappy overcompressed DTV signal resulting in microblocking, pixilating on fast motion sequences, etc. I have none -0- of this on Brighthouse Cable.

No one seems to talk much about this regarding DTV, except to accept it as part of the experience. MPEG 4 is just another compression scheme, and compression is the enemy of a clear, picture which looks life-like. Bit rate is another picture killer. My question therefore is there anyone here who is an "expert" (define it in your own way) in what to expect about the September rollout of DTV HD channels.:

 

[Brewer4]

No one talks about PQ with regard to DTV? OMG. Thats been talked about at nausea over the past 5 years. I think folks are just sick and tired of talking about (except Vurbano and a few others). Even the HD Lite watchers have been quiet as of late. The main reason, MPEG4 is coming for Directv's HD and should look as good as it can given their capacity and source feeds. We wont know until that day so feel free to join the speculation.

And BTW, nothing comes from any cable company or sat provider uncompressed. They all use different methods but you are not getting the raw feed from the channel provider. The reason folks are anxious and happy about September as most report MPEG4 HD locals look as good as the versions you pick up via OTA. If that does turn out to be the case, all MPEG4 will be as good as you can get from a small dish or cable provider.

 

[atp1313]

That Time Warner Cable lady sounded nervous!!

And a little defensive...

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

First, while I am new here, I have been on other HD sites for years and have had HDTV for at least 5 years. That being said, most discussions always center around the number of channels available, their cost, who is better, etc. NO ONE seems to care about Picture Quality (PQ) which to me is the premium.

I am guessing you have not seen DirecTV's MPEG4 yet.

Yes DirecTV's MPEG2 HD Sucks (and I mean SUCKS)

Yet DirecTV's MPEG4 that I get (which are my Hartford Locals) look just as good as getting via OTA. I am amazed how good their MPEG4 looks.

If thats a sign of the future, then the future looks bright.

 

[richiephx]

As of late, E*'s HD leaves much to be desired. Starz and Max as an example aren't as good as they were a month ago. I hope that E* will improve picture quality in light of the competition or I fear they will begin losing subscribers, myself included.

 

[Juan]

The way I see it, D* is cheaper, for me at least, compared to E*.

D* = Premier $99.99 + HD Access $9.99 = $109.98

To get the same with E*

E* = Everything $89.99 + Locals $5.99 + RSN package $5.99 + HD Access $20.00 = $121.97

Thats true for 1 tv..What if you have 4? E* has dual tuner receivers for the cost of a single tuner

 

[rad]

Thats true for 1 tv..What if you have 4? E* has dual tuner receivers for the cost of a single tuner

And that's true if the other TV is a SD TV. But if you have multiple HDTV's then the 622's 2nd TV output doesn't really help. You can also factor in DVR costs if you want, D* charges only once for all DVR's in a home, E* charge for each DVR. If you want two 622's then you're looking at two DVR fees vs. one DVR fee for D*.

The response that you quoted was directed to the post that said D* needed to lower their program pricing to match E* which in the example I gave showed E*'s pricing was more expensive then D*.

 

[jcrandall]

And that's true if the other TV is a SD TV. But if you have multiple HDTV's then the 622's 2nd TV output doesn't really help. You can also factor in DVR costs if you want, D* charges only once for all DVR's in a home, E* charge for each DVR. If you want two 622's then you're looking at two DVR fees vs. one DVR fee for D*.

The response that you quoted was directed to the post that said D* needed to lower their program pricing to match E* which in the example I gave showed E*'s pricing was more expensive then D*.

Everyone's situation will be different.

What if you have 4 DVRs, with E* that is 4x$6 in DVR fee, with D* it is just $6.

At least there is no external storage enabling fee

 

[MikeD-C05]

I've already argued this in another thread but I will say it again. DISH used to be customer friendly with No CABLE like fees. Now they have a fee for everything PER RECEIVER. Directv has less fees and if they have one it is PER ACCOUNT. DISH has the most hd for NOW but they charge more for it than anybody else at $20.00 a month. THis is because they include VOOM in the pack. I would say $10.00 of that $20.00 is for the VOOM channels themselves. Before Voom it was $9.99 a month. Then they added 10 VOOM channels for $5.00 more, than they added 5 more VOOM channels for another $5.00 and the price ballooned up to $20.00.

Directv is going to add all those hd channels and has publicly stated there will be no increase for it. So if you take Their 9.99 or 10.00 hd tech fee and add it to the PRemier pack (99.99+ 10.00 = 109.99) you come out much cheaper than with DISH and their AEP + HD pack + Multi sports pack (94.99 + 20.00+ 5.99= $120.98). I think once more hd channels are added to Directv, that people actually watch , that DISH will see that they are charging way to much in the way for HD. They should reconsider charging for VOOM in the basic pack and spin it off as ala carte. They should also reconsider charging all their fees PER RECEIVER instead of per account.


DISH wants to be the low priced leader and have the most hd but they can't accomplish this by nickel and diming their customers to death with FEES and they can't be the HD leader if they charge more for it than the competition. The time that you can charge for hd as a premium is running out. Soon HD will not be considered a niche service , but will BE expected as the norm for all channels. THose companies that don't learn this will be left behind in the HD Race.

 

[Impala1ss]

No one talks about PQ with regard to DTV? OMG. Thats been talked about at nausea over the past 5 years.

******But I want to hear from those who can compare current/projected PQ from DTV HD to cable TV HD.


SNIP The main reason, MPEG4 is coming for Directv's HD and should look as good as it can given their capacity and source feeds.

*****What does as good as it can. I assume for the last 5 years DTV looked as good as it could. Correct?

We wont know until that day so feel free to join the speculation.

And BTW, nothing comes from any cable company or sat provider uncompressed.

*******Brighthouse give us everything that comes from the provider and adds no compression. DTV does compress on their side I am told and that is the reason for the less than perfect PQ on HD.

They all use different methods but you are not getting the raw feed from the channel provider.

**** are you sure?

The reason folks are anxious and happy about September as most report MPEG4 HD locals look as good as the versions you pick up via OTA.

***** Is that as good PQ as comes from cable HD?

If that does turn out to be the case, all MPEG4 will be as good as you can get from a small dish or cable provider.

Impala1ss

 

[vurbano]

D* lit a fire under cable, but E* lit a fire under D* IMO