All American Direct HD Prices

[Tampa8]

wow, am glad I have Directv and not get robbed like you guys just to get HD/SD locals from outside your area. And who cares if I have to watch my locals from my area, could care less.

Wow, talk about completly missing the point......

This is something Direct does not offer. Without getting too much in detail, If I Had Direct I would have no chance at getting the distants unless I also put up a Dish Network Dish too.

This is nothing anyone HAS to get unless they have no access to locals, in which case they could get the SD version for a very good price. Or decide it is worth it to pay to be able to see them in HD. At least it's a choice.

As for just watching locals - Getting these allows for seeing many out of market games, allows to get a program that has been pre-emted or as often happens in the Summer, (and on Cable here also) broken transmision with the loss of signal from the local station during storms. (Not talking about loss of Dish signal) And allows for easy recording of programs that are on at the same time. Many of us enjoy watching local news from different areas, especially LA.....

 

[goldengoose]

An inexpensive option for network news from a wide variety of markets US and world is
LiveNewsCameras.com - Watch Live Streaming News From the USA & World - Beta Version

tune in at the time that market broadcasts and you can watch full broadcasts.

also great for watching raw feeds of car chases in LA etc as many of the feeds are the raw ones going into the station for broadcast. Was able to wacth detailed info on wildfires in CA last year and lots of helicopter feeds.

also storm chasers feeds

 

[levibluewa]

While I consider the prices high and more than I want to pay! Like other things I think are priced too high I have to make a judgment. Going out and spending $50 for a dinner that's going to end up in a toilet in 8 hours...not me! Spending $15 for 1 movie ticket and $7 for a box of popcorn...not me; I'll wait for the dvd and microwave a $2 bag of popcorn. Etc.

A month or two from now perhaps there'll be an adjustment in pricing, maybe not. Months ago the chat was that AAD couldn't afford the transponder space for the HD. That they've kept the SD feeds surprises me. We all have to remember that AAD is leasing the transponder space from Charlie. Maybe Charlie is giving AAD a bargain price and charging them twice as much...remember Charlie does have his lawyers and someone has to pay for them in order for him to keep his prices low!

 

[odbrv]

After a blanket response to my first e-mail, I have not received any responses from the ceo at AAD. My latter e-mails gave strong proof that AAD could make more money with a lower price and larger new subscriber base for HD. Looks like they just don't care. I also suggested they look at this pole and see the the overwhelming numbers who might subscribe if the price was right and are not subscribing now. Again no response.

 

[Laddyboy]

Just how large is the potential subscriber base? I don't think it is as large as one might think. First, it's limited to only E* subs. Second, it is limited by the FCC service contour maps. Yes I know people can lie about their location, etc., but most people aren't even going to know about doing that or would be unwilling to do so imho. Does anyone know how many SD subs they had? They say only 30% will be HD subs. That may not be that many people. It also doesn't seem to be the case that one can simply say I'm not getting a broadcast signal and automatically get that network broadcast from AAD. If you're within a local broadcast service area, they aren't going to give it to you automatically. This is different from what Charlie and Co. were saying on the last Chat, isn't it? They made it sound like the bard door was open. AAD seems to be operating exactly as they were before.

 

[Brussam]

I seem to remember that 900,000 were affected when E* lost the DNS business

 

[Hemi 6.1]

I seem to remember that 900,000 were affected when E* lost the DNS business

While 900,000 is a large sum of E* customers. Not really a large sum overall.

 

[briani]

Just how large is the potential subscriber base? I don't think it is as large as one might think. First, it's limited to only E* subs. Second, it is limited by the FCC service contour maps. Yes I know people can lie about their location, etc., but most people aren't even going to know about doing that or would be unwilling to do so imho. Does anyone know how many SD subs they had? They say only 30% will be HD subs. That may not be that many people. It also doesn't seem to be the case that one can simply say I'm not getting a broadcast signal and automatically get that network broadcast from AAD. If you're within a local broadcast service area, they aren't going to give it to you automatically. This is different from what Charlie and Co. were saying on the last Chat, isn't it? They made it sound like the bard door was open. AAD seems to be operating exactly as they were before.

Good post! Whatever the opinion about the price, the potential customer pool appears rather limited. A lower price would tempt more people to get the channels dishonestly, but its people who truly can't receive local channels that are confronted with this choice:

Option one: Sub to the SD feeds at a more reasonable monthly price($12.99)

Option two: Pay an exorbinate price for HD feeds($24.99 or $34.99)if you have to
have the four networks in high definition.

I feel sorry for people who have to pay extra for the same HD channels that MOST of the country receives at a fraction of the AAD price, but at least they now have a option.

 

[odbrv]

.......its people who truly can't receive local channels that are confronted with this choice:

Option one: Sub to the SD feeds at a more reasonable monthly price($12.99)

Option two: Pay an exorbinate price for HD feeds($24.99 or $34.99)if you have to
have the four networks in high definition.

I feel sorry for people who have to pay extra for the same HD channels that MOST of the country receives at a fraction of the AAD price, but at least they now have a option.

I am already paying the $12.99 for network coverage. That is $7 more than E* customers who can get locals. The E* customers who can also get the HD versions I believe pay the same $5.99. To get SD and HD locals I would have to pay $31.99 more than most E* customers. That price is closer to network blackmail than a business model. I hope E* gets locals to my area soon so I can drop even the more than 2x local costs I currently pay.

 

[Brussam]

I received an email from AAD explaining this is an issue of cost structure divided by an extremely small expected market, < 30% of the DNS base (maybe 300,000). That is a very small number considering the cost of the transponders, backhaul and other equipment.

Compare that to prorating a transponder over 30 million.

I wondered why not drop the SD DNS channels and save the transponder cost there but then again, the number of MPEG-4 receivers is a rather small number compared to all the receivers out there and that would cut the number of DNS users for ADD.

While we all would like to think we are the most important people in the world, sometimes we are in the minority and services for us cost more.

 

[ckinninger]

Their small base problem does not explain why they want an extra $25 for the second HD city when you already pay $25 for the first one. There is such a small benefit for a person to get both cities and to pay full boat?

By the way, I just called twice about SD and was told that new customers can only get either NY "OR" SF in SD for $13/month. Two operators said the same thing. They also said existing customers with both NY&SF will be grandfathered. Their site still says the same "east & west" for $13 so maybe a good time to order if you don't have them.

 

[Dishlover]

DNS isn't the only option, there is the internet.

 

[amoni]

"I am already paying the $12.99 for network coverage. That is $7 more than E* customers who can get locals. The E* customers who can also get the HD versions I believe pay the same $5.99. To get SD and HD locals I would have to pay $31.99 more than most E* customers. That price is closer to network blackmail than a business model. I hope E* gets locals to my area soon so I can drop even the more than 2x local costs I currently pay. "


I know what you're saying. Being in the Williamsport area, our "locals" are the Scranton/Wilkes Barre channels, two hours away. But for some reason only the the Scranton/Wilkes Barre area can receive the HD channels and Dish to this day has not admitted there is a problem. I would do the LA HD feeds (I even have the waivers) but I'm not paying $25.00 for something people in my "local area" are getting for free. If Dish credited me the difference, then it would be fair, but of course according to them I should be getting the HD feeds.

And as for AAD claiming all these costs, I'm sure it's in Dish's best interest to give them the best deals they can. They need them as much as AAD needs Dish

 

[rockymtnhigh]

DNS isn't the only option, there is the internet.

Yeah, stream the internet to a 50" screen. Its not the same, and everyone knows it.

 

[Jim5506]

Maybe they aren't being charged a flat rate for the transponder, maybe, Charlie is charging per sub and raking it in.

You add a city Charlie's fee goes up too.

 

[Satguy44]

FYI to the editors of this thread & Satelliteguys:

Maybe you should add this to the Poll Question

No, I was not aware of the Quarterly Special Pricing - 3 months for the price of 2


Across the board - the quarterly special applies.
3 months for the price of 2.

One HD channel can be added on to an account that has the SD service for $14.98 for 3 months - or a net monthly price of $4.99

 

[Jeff0575]

 

[MikeD-C05]

So now you pay $4.99 for each network x 4 = $19.96. Looks like the price is already starting to drop. Still too high for my taste.

 

[ehren]

hey where did it go

edit: weird, it popped up a minute later

 

[Yacdogg]

I'm half way between cleveland and columbus, my DMA is cleveland, I want the columbus locals in HD, and I checked out AAD and it says NY and LA stations are available to me, WTF why not columbus ? ? ? hell even detroit or chicago. I don't understand it