D12 satellite - now we're receiving signals!

[skottey]

All I know is Direct TV advertising stopped the ads mentioning this capacity for 200HD channels stuff a few weeks ago. I suspected something then. Now I`m receiving the Starz package for some reason, never ordered it, and actually don`t even want it. I think DTV thinks throwing a crappy movie package out as a bone is a simple cover-up.

MY gosh... I never really thought of the possibility that there is something terminally wrong with the satellite and nothing is coming. You might be onto something. Like I said, I called a few weeks ago for another reason and when I asked about any new channels coming soon they offered me discounts on my current programming. I already get all the premiums so they gave me like $15-$20 off a month. Interesting. Let's see the the DirecTV defenders defend a broken piece of space junk. What a shame if that is true. But that would explain the "additional testing" and the fact that they aren't discussing new channels.

 

[uncrules]

I don't think D12 is junk. As I already mentioned, it appears it's getting ready to start moving and based upon when the STA runs out (assuming it doesn't arrive before the end date of the STA) it will only be a couple of days behind the schedule that was filed with the FCC back in December. Also if something was really wrong with the satellite, they would have to, by law, file that information with the SEC. This is because if it failed they couldn't deliver more HD which could impact their bottom line. Anything like this that would impact the bottom is required by law to be filed with SEC. You can thank the Sarbanes Oxley act from 2002 for that. Back when D10 was launched D* filed notice with the SEC back then when it was discovered that some of the spot beams failed which impacted their ability to deliver local HD channels.

While I would also like for D* to announce what's coming, I think some of their recent moves indicates that we will at least get more HD premiums. The list of test channels that were spotted included a couple of HD premiums. Also the moving of channels in the HD premium channel section seems obvious to me that room is being made for additional channels, including ones we don't even get in SD form. The gap in channel numbers that will exist in between the first HBO channel and the first Cinemax provides room for every HBO channel.

Based on past history, I would think that once D12 does start moving it will be about a month before new channels appear (3 weeks drift and another week of testing). Also based on past history when D* does start rolling out channels they won't do 70 at once. They will do it in batches over the course of probably a couple of months.

 

[MattJ2124]

skottey,
Dont get me wrong, I feel your frustration, I subscribe to the movie channels and would love to get more in HD. But, you seem like an educated guy, look at these quick points:

1. The bird is up there. Yeah, there is some type of malfunction (which, in todays tech world, anything can be fixed), but they are not going to spend millions on the satellite, the launch, etc for it to be a piece of junk. The channels are coming.
2. They are testing the channel slots. There was a report on here earlier about the (possible) channels that they memo-ed would be on there, and some of the new movie channels were on there, I believe one was The Movie Channel Xtreme (or something like that). The channels are coming.
3. They are moving around all of our movie channels to make room for more. This, in my opinion, is the best sign of all. I actually think we might see some of the movie channels first (which will piss off alot of users here because they want their nationals, and so do I, I want everything). The channels are coming.
4. We got users on here, Stonecold, who have been pretty accurate and have also come out with an initial list of new HD thats coming. There is another site too that has some pretty reliable "insiders" who pretty much say the same thing. The channels are coming.

I can see your completely pissed and tired of waiting, and for what we pay, I agree. But I do believe, they are coming, and we have to sit back and wait OR move on, simple as that. But I do feel for ya brother...

 

[raoul5788]

Incredibly stupid huh?

Complaining is a RIGHT of any customer.

Yes, incredibly stupid. That's what I said, and I stand by it.

You said "The HD channel lineup sucks and anybody that says it doesn't is full of it."

Like I said previously, you have the right to not like what Directv offers for hd, but your claim above is nonsensical. You can complain all you like, but use just a little common sense, just a little, and what you say will at least have some basis to it. When you make statements like you do, it's hard to take you seriously.

 

[Jimbo]

Incredibly stupid huh? I am not complaining specifically about the number. I am complaining about the channels offered. What is incredibly stupid is to have only the flagship east and west of HBO and Cinemax in HD. That is really stupid. Adding HD channels like the Viacom suite (MTV or VH1) long before they aired their first HD programming before channels like HBO 2 HD east and west that actually aired HD movies was really stupid. Their stupidity lies in not adding extremely desired channels like Travel Channel HD but instead adding less desired garbage. Then they go and add RSNs that nobody gets outside their local market unless they pay for an expensive games related package like Center Ice or Extra Innings and have the nerve to add it to a national count. Sure, you can get a sports package with non-games on the RSNs with hunting and fishing or highlights shows but all the Fox sports channels air the same syndicated garbage. People want RSNs for the games, not that other fluff, yet they include that in the national count.

There are tons of HD channels we do not get, and a satellite that increases the capacity of the service to 200 channels, yet they give us no idea of what sort of channels we can expect. Are we going to get desired channels like Travel Channel HD, AMC HD, TCM HD, etc.? How many of the available HD premium channels will we get? There are 26 HBO/MAX HD channels and we currently get 4. Will we get 8, 12, 15, all 26? We have no idea!

Giving us a list of channels to come, even a partial list, is a selling point. Telling people you have the capacity for 200 channels is NOT a selling point.

Think about it. If a person is moving into the country and deciding between DirecTV and Dish Network, what is DirecTV doing to sell itself? They are saying "200 channel capacity." That means nothing to nobody!

And of course you end your response with the typical "If you don't like what you get, go someplace else." So typical. Why not offer up a solution to D* to keep customers?

Stupid comments like "go someplace else" or "patience grasshopper" just piss off people and offer nothing.

Complaining is a RIGHT of any customer. Across the Internet from topic to topic, things are no different. Whether it is Xbox 360 vs. PS3, Mac vs. Windows, AT&T vs T-Mobile, etc., it is the same. You get the diehards defending their product no matter what they do. Try admitting that DirecTV is handling this "incredibly stupid," and offer solutions vs. defending BS.

So you think that RSN's in HD should NOT count ?
Why would that be, you have the opportunity to get the channel so why should it not count, you mentioned that you have to pay extra for it, fine, but you have to pay extra for the Premium channels as well, should they NOT count ?

Personally, when they added 1 HD RSN for me was one of the very BEST moves they made.
Everyone cries that they should add more Premium channels and in HD, OK thats fine, but it won't do a damn thing for me, I don't watch premiums or movies, according to you I should get on here and start complaining that they are wasting bandwidth on something that I have no need for ....
But you don't see me doing that, just because I may like a channel in HD doesn't mean it should go HD, others may not like it, it goes both ways.

You want a list of channels coming ?
Were you around in '07 when the BIG rollout happened ?
Do you remember the grief it was because when they gave everyone a list with dates people bitched because it might be a day late.

D* is not going to put them selves in that position again and I don't blame them one bit.

They will get here when the do.

Fwiw, they usually show up on Wednesday's

 

[cfb]

Not to get in the middle of this, but all I know is that about 1/3 of the stuff I want to watch isnt in HD, and for those channels every other major provider (comcast, dish and uverse) in my area have all of those channels in HD.

Given that my 2 year contract ends this month and I'm not going to do anything to enter into another one and lose my ability to take my business elsewhere if I'm not getting what I want, they ought to resolve this problem pretty quick.

That they're doing something and that its probably going to work is great. That they've decided to save some money and do it later than they should have isnt great.

 

[Jimbo]

Not to get in the middle of this, but all I know is that about 1/3 of the stuff I want to watch isnt in HD, and for those channels every other major provider (comcast, dish and uverse) in my area have all of those channels in HD.

Given that my 2 year contract ends this month and I'm not going to do anything to enter into another one and lose my ability to take my business elsewhere if I'm not getting what I want, they ought to resolve this problem pretty quick.

That they're doing something and that its probably going to work is great. That they've decided to save some money and do it later than they should have isnt great.

A 1/3 rd of the stuff you watch in NOT HD ????

WOW .....

I think there may be TWO channels that I watch that is not HD.

 

[raoul5788]

Not to get in the middle of this, but all I know is that about 1/3 of the stuff I want to watch isnt in HD, and for those channels every other major provider (comcast, dish and uverse) in my area have all of those channels in HD.

Given that my 2 year contract ends this month and I'm not going to do anything to enter into another one and lose my ability to take my business elsewhere if I'm not getting what I want, they ought to resolve this problem pretty quick.

That they're doing something and that its probably going to work is great. That they've decided to save some money and do it later than they should have isnt great.

I'm with you here. I may go to my local cable company if the new hd channels aren't to my liking.

 

[raoul5788]

A 1/3 rd of the stuff you watch in NOT HD ????

WOW .....

I think there may be TWO channels that I watch that is not HD.

About all I watch that isn't hd is DIY (Amy Matthews...mmmmm) and History International.

 

[skottey]

skottey,
Dont get me wrong, I feel your frustration, I subscribe to the movie channels and would love to get more in HD. But, you seem like an educated guy, look at these quick points:

1. The bird is up there. Yeah, there is some type of malfunction (which, in todays tech world, anything can be fixed), but they are not going to spend millions on the satellite, the launch, etc for it to be a piece of junk. The channels are coming.
2. They are testing the channel slots. There was a report on here earlier about the (possible) channels that they memo-ed would be on there, and some of the new movie channels were on there, I believe one was The Movie Channel Xtreme (or something like that). The channels are coming.
3. They are moving around all of our movie channels to make room for more. This, in my opinion, is the best sign of all. I actually think we might see some of the movie channels first (which will piss off alot of users here because they want their nationals, and so do I, I want everything). The channels are coming.
4. We got users on here, Stonecold, who have been pretty accurate and have also come out with an initial list of new HD thats coming. There is another site too that has some pretty reliable "insiders" who pretty much say the same thing. The channels are coming.

I can see your completely pissed and tired of waiting, and for what we pay, I agree. But I do believe, they are coming, and we have to sit back and wait OR move on, simple as that. But I do feel for ya brother...

I get what you are saying. I too had a good feeling about them moving those premiums. That would be fantastic if they added all HBO/MAX E/W channels and they could do that given the spread of the channel moves. Wouldn't that be something if they added all premium channels, including the upcoming Encore multiplex HDs that nobody has yet? That would shut many of us up. I thought they would do something along those lines and have been checking back for an announcement. Rather than an announcement though I see the talk about more testing with the new satellite. That in of itself isn't a problem, but then I read on various sites the problems they have had with this new bird. This could be all rumors and I hope so. But then I ask myself, why don't they just make an announcement. Back in 2007 when they launched all those HD channels they bragged about it for months and talked it up. Other than the HBO press release like the one in June 2007, they came through on most. Surely they have worked out whatever dispute they had with HBO and other channels by now. I guess the silence fuels rumors. I mean, if you own a gas station of a small town and rumors are going around that you are selling bad gas, you'll do whatever you can to correct these rumors if you knew they weren't true. It seems D* is sitting there allowing the rumors to continue.

I hope I am wrong. How great would it be if they leapfrogged all the competition with a ton of premiums and nationals. They wouldn't just be the sports leader, they'd be the premium and HD national leader.

The part of me that says, "oh maybe they are just remaining silent" for a big press release when everything is ready is shot down when I think about the press release they recently put up about the 3D channels. 3D is another topic, but a topic I don't suspect most care about. They are talking about 3D like everybody cannot wait for it, meanwhile they remain silent about HD channel adds, which are all the rage still. When people are considering leaving because they just wont add channels or at least make an announcement of forthcoming HD adds, that is a problem. I just get the feeling they don't know what the public wants and it is so simple really. MORE HD!

I think most people with HD service and and HDTV would agree that once you go HD, you never want to go back to SD. I can live with an upconverted 16x9 SD DVD but I cannot live with an SD channel SD movie anymore. The quality of SD is just so poor now that we have been spoiled.

 

[skottey]

Yes, incredibly stupid. That's what I said, and I stand by it.

You said "The HD channel lineup sucks and anybody that says it doesn't is full of it."

Like I said previously, you have the right to not like what Directv offers for hd, but your claim above is nonsensical. You can complain all you like, but use just a little common sense, just a little, and what you say will at least have some basis to it. When you make statements like you do, it's hard to take you seriously.

So carry on being a jerk. I guess that is what you do best. Let me rephrase just for you then, "Any non-Sunday ticket subscriber that says the DirecTV HD channel lineup doesn't suck is full of it."

I say you are full of it because most channels from most genres other than sports lacks in HD.

Movie fans- Missing most HBO/MAX HD channels, missing Encore, Indie, Retro, IFC, Sundance, all but the flagship TMC, many Showtimes, Epix.

Basic cable (movies, women, entertainment, specialty)- AMC, Lifetime, Lifetime Movies, Flix (E/W), We, E!, G4, WGN America, Fuse, Hallmark, Hallmark Movie, TRAVEL CHANNEL, Tru, Investigation Discovery, Turner Classic Movies, and the list goes on....)

Local channels- In my market, PBS, and a few Independents

So find me a TV viewer that watches something other than sports who is completely happy with the offerings of DirecTV and I'll show you a viewer that is either full of it or one in a million!

As far as sports are concerned, the average sports viewer ins generally a fan of their locally zoned professional teams. Sure, people move, but for the most part local cable companies or the "other" satellite provider has you covered.

For example. I am a Tampa Bay area sports fan. I get my Rays and Lightning on FSN and Sun. DirecTV, Dish, Bright House Networks, and FIOS all carry those two channels. As far as the Lightning are concerned, let's keep in mind that DirecTV went most of the hockey season without a carriage deal for Versus. In my market, channel 44, an Independent UPN/WB, or whatever they are calling it now station carried some Lightning hockey games. DirecTV does not carry 44 in HD. So I had to use an antenna or watch them in SD. So much for the sports leader. As far as football, all carriers carry my Fox and CBS stations in HD. Don't need the "sports leader" for the Buccaneers football games. If I were a basketball fan, I'd get the Orlando Magic games on FSN or Sun Sports with any or my available providers.

So, seriously, what exactly am I missing as a common folk sports fan if I didn't have DirecTV? For anything else I can go to any number of sports bars and see any event for free minus the food and beer. I am not much of a UFC fan and certainly not a wrestling fan, but even if I was, I sure as heck wouldn't pay for it with DirecTV on PPV. But even if I was a big spender and willing to spend $50 on a Wrestling event, I am pretty sure the other carriers have those events on PPV too.

So what is the advantage to DirecTV? Sunday Ticket? Yeah, for those few displaced sports fans that moved to new cities. Sheesh.

 

[dcowboy7]

So what is the advantage to DirecTV? Sunday Ticket? Yeah, for those few displaced sports fans that moved to new cities. Sheesh.

If u think ST is just for displaced fans u really are lost.

 

[skottey]

So you think that RSN's in HD should NOT count ?
Why would that be, you have the opportunity to get the channel so why should it not count, you mentioned that you have to pay extra for it, fine, but you have to pay extra for the Premium channels as well, should they NOT count ?

Yes, I see a big difference. Here is why.

I live in the Tampa market. My RSN's are Sun Sports and FSN Florida. I get Lightning games no problem. If I pay for the sports pack, I get Fox Sports Detroit, but the Redwings games are BLACKED OUT. Sure, I get the non-live hunting shows and round-table talk stuff, but I don't get the Redwings-Kings game. In order to get the Redwings-Kings game, I MUST subscribe to Center Ice. If I subscribe to a premium channel, I get EVERYTHING the channel has to offer. Nothing is blacked out. There is a huge difference. I would consider these RSNs as local channels. If I move to Detroit, I'll get Fox Sports Detroit and can watch the Redwings game without the Center Ice package. See the difference? I know, I know, you tried to catch me in a blunder, but you are mistaken my friend, not I.

I don't watch premiums or movies, according to you I should get on here and start complaining that they are wasting bandwidth on something that I have no need for ....
But you don't see me doing that, just because I may like a channel in HD doesn't mean it should go HD, others may not like it, it goes both ways.

No, I don't think you should get on here and complain about channels you don't watch and how we don't need them in HD. And I am not doing that either. I said RSNs shouldn't count in the national count (for the reason given above). But they deserve to be there. They are just pretty much local channels. Unless I can pay for a sports subscription and get everything on every channel, it doesn't count. They want me to pay for the sports pack AND pay for Center Ice. Then they want to count it as a national channel. No, don't think so.

You want a list of channels coming ?
Were you around in '07 when the BIG rollout happened ?

Yep, I was around in 2007. And that list of forthcoming channels was a huge selling point. I am pretty sure they had a huge surge of subscribers for a few quarters there because of it. Their only blunder was the HBO/MAX press release that they never fulfilled. Other than that, it was a success announcing channels coming soon.

Do you remember the grief it was because when they gave everyone a list with dates people bitched because it might be a day late.

No need for specific dates. Just tell the public specifically some of the channels that are coming. Nobody gives a rat's a$$ that they have the "capacity" for 200 channels. We want to know that some channels are coming. I want to hear they are finally adding the missing HBO/MAX channels. Tell me they are coming soon. For real this time! You don't need to tell me May 1st. Just tell me what is coming. Maybe I'll stick around! That really isn't confusing now is it?

 

[Hemi 6.1]

Displaced Cowboys fans from New Jersey you mean?

 

[skottey]

Not to get in the middle of this, but all I know is that about 1/3 of the stuff I want to watch isnt in HD, and for those channels every other major provider (comcast, dish and uverse) in my area have all of those channels in HD.

Given that my 2 year contract ends this month and I'm not going to do anything to enter into another one and lose my ability to take my business elsewhere if I'm not getting what I want, they ought to resolve this problem pretty quick.

That they're doing something and that its probably going to work is great. That they've decided to save some money and do it later than they should have isnt great.

I'm in a similar situation with my contract. I wanted to add some equipment but didn't because they would have had me renew the contract. I'll stick around for now but no worthy adds means I leave.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

Skottey, Just give it 45 more days.
You should see some results by then.
Trust Me !

 

[dcowboy7]

Of course RSNs count here is why:

Here in NY we get YESHD as its 1 of 4 RSNs in our DMA.
Dish doesnt offer YESHD so that is a major drawback for them here.

If you dont count RSNs that saying dish not offering it is meaningless....that makes no sense at all.

 

[dcowboy7]

Displaced Cowboys fans from New Jersey you mean?

& 3 people on my street have ST....2 giants fans & 1 jets fan.

edit: i should add i know a saints fan here with ST but hes just a bandwagoner.

 

[skottey]

A 1/3 rd of the stuff you watch in NOT HD ????

WOW .....

I think there may be TWO channels that I watch that is not HD.

No wonder you are so "happy."

My God... just off the tip of my brain....

HD stuff I am missing and want...

HD premiums (all flavors)

AMC HD (not the movies, Breaking Bad and Mad Men)

Investigation Discovery HD

Tru HD

Travel Channel

That was my five second brainstorm my friend, there are more. That is just a few of the channels I watch on a regular basis.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Ok come on guys.. relax everything will be ok... Doug Brott said so!

Feel better now?