DirecTV and 700,000 HD Subscribers

[woljr]

With 70,000 HD subscribers DurecTV receives almost one Million dollars a year from this source alone. ( Not counting premium channels and pay for view) . This could potentially double in the next 12 months if they would only recognize what the future holds. If all they are going to add is locals in HD and "so called" more SD stations then Dish may be the only place available for a high tech operation.

DirecTV sort of reminds me of the "new -talent expert" for the Grand Old Opera that told Elvis Pressley to go home and get a job pumping gas at the local gas station.

 

[riggscm]

I believe you mean the "Grand Ole Opry" and Elvis Presley.

Well I mean that is if you are going for conventional history...
but if you do mean Elvis Pressley then he may, very well, have sang at the Grand Old Opera.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Hmm When was the Grand Ole Opry named the Grand Ole Opry? (Or was it always Old and Grand?

 

[LOBO2999]

This is the reason why I got reid of the HD pack . They have no real plans, all talk and misleading. I will wait until someone steps up and then I will get there HD package. I wish I could get only the Dish HD pack .

 

[riggscm]

Hmm When was the Grand Ole Opry named the Grand Ole Opry? (Or was it always Old and Grand?

The Grand Ole Opry show has been around since 1927.
The Grand Ole Opry Theater building was built in 1974.




Source: http://www.opry.com/MeetTheOpry/Intro.aspx

 

[lou_do]

If all they are going to add is locals in HD and "so called" more SD stations then Dish may be the only place available for a high tech operation.

First of all D* has announced that they are adding more than just locals, in HD. Here is part of their announcement from this past January.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DIRECTV announced last September plans for a dramatic expansion of local and national HD programming over the next two years via four new Ka-band satellites to support the carriage of 1,500 local and 150 CONUS HDTV channels plus other enhanced services. The satellites are now under construction and two will be launched early this year.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Their Press release did say that they will be launched by now, but we all know they have had technical problems, with the satellites and launches. It is important that everything work right from the launch, to the implementation of the satellite broadcasts. Putting a satellite into orbit that doesn't work isn't going to do anyone any good, just delay the implementation of entire project even longer. Right now they are limited to bandwidth with their current satellite configuration, and more is needed to add any more HD channels. HD channels take up a lot more bandwidth than regular channels do.

I don't work for D* but have worked in electronics most of my life and know that sometime a major project, like they are undertaking, will have set backs. But I am sure that once everything is in place we will have many more HD signals.

I personally could care less about the local HD stations, I already have mine set up with an antenna, in my attic. I would like to see more nationals. As far as locals, if you have your own antenna you will get first generation OTA broadcast and I am sure it will be better quality than second generation satellite broadcasts.

As far as E*, the only thing different from D* is they have TNT instead of Universal, and the VOOM package. My neighbor has E* and says that VOOM is nothing but the same thing played over and over. I guess that is kind of like Universal and the Olympic Games. I haven't seen any plans for anything from E* for enhancements to their HD channels, like D* has announced.

 

[Chado]

If D* only has 70,000 HD subs, you can see why it is taking so long for everything. Even if the HD subs doubles, its still quite a small percentage of the total subs. That number explains a lot to me.

 

[Smthkd]

The HD sub number is low because we have a lowsy HD Package and are paying more than everyone else for it! Im mean, what do they expect if they dont provide the needed HD Channels! D* position is far different from VOOM's because they have over 2.5 millions subs already! If they release a large HD pack like V*, I bet you a Million bucks they're HD sub numbers will increase by 500% or more!!!!

 

[brainiac]

Believe that was 700,000 HD subscribers, not 70,000. Big difference!

 

[Wiggin78]

700,000 is the correct figure. Voom had something like 46,000 before they went under. If D* only had 70,000 HD subs we sure as hell wouldn't be seeing any birds flying this year.

 

[Smthkd]

Believe that was 700,000 HD subscribers, not 70,000. Big difference!

OH! Then that brings a whole new picture to view!

 

[Stargazer]

700,000 is VERY impressive considering the low amount of HD channels available. Can you imagine how many more HD customers there would be once they get more HD channels launched? A lot more would come on board once they get all of these additional HD channels launched. I wonder how many Dish Network HD customers there are.

 

[Smthkd]

700,000 is VERY impressive considering the low amount of HD channels available. Can you imagine how many more HD customers there would be once they get more HD channels launched? A lot more would come on board once they get all of these additional HD channels launched. I wonder how many Dish Network HD customers there are.

My thoughts exactly!

 

[hdtvtechno]

Believe that was 700,000 HD subscribers, not 70,000. Big difference!

Yes your correct
Look Here

 

[mfegley]

Maybe if everyone would e-mail or snail mail D*, they could guage the amount of dissatisfaction.

 

[cfarm]

A little less than 600k HD subs on DirecTV per the CEO last week. First quarter it was reported there are 25k HD Tivo users, so I'd expect that is 30-35k today.

Before anyone hurts their arm patting D* on the back for these HD channels, keep in mind carriage of HD locals was discussed as a requirement for the sale to News Corp. IOW, it's the gov't telling them they have to, not D* going out of their way for the consumer.

 

[woljr]

First of all D* has announced that they are adding more than just locals, in HD. Here is part of their announcement from this past January.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DIRECTV announced last September plans for a dramatic expansion of local and national HD programming over the next two years via four new Ka-band satellites to support the carriage of 1,500 local and 150 CONUS HDTV channels plus other enhanced services. The satellites are now under construction and two will be launched early this year.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Their Press release did say that they will be launched by now, but we all know they have had technical problems, with the satellites and launches. It is important that everything work right from the launch, to the implementation of the satellite broadcasts. Putting a satellite into orbit that doesn't work isn't going to do anyone any good, just delay the implementation of entire project even longer. Right now they are limited to bandwidth with their current satellite configuration, and more is needed to add any more HD channels. HD channels take up a lot more bandwidth than regular channels do.

I don't work for D* but have worked in electronics most of my life and know that sometime a major project, like they are undertaking, will have set backs. But I am sure that once everything is in place we will have many more HD signals.

I personally could care less about the local HD stations, I already have mine set up with an antenna, in my attic. I would like to see more nationals. As far as locals, if you have your own antenna you will get first generation OTA broadcast and I am sure it will be better quality than second generation satellite broadcasts.

As far as E*, the only thing different from D* is they have TNT instead of Universal, and the VOOM package. My neighbor has E* and says that VOOM is nothing but the same thing played over and over. I guess that is kind of like Universal and the Olympic Games. I haven't seen any plans for anything from E* for enhancements to their HD channels, like D* has announced.

should we take in consideration the fact the E now owns all of VOOM equipment and can add HD channels with the throw of a swithch???

 

[hdtvtechno]

should we take in consideration the fact the E now owns all of VOOM equipment and can add HD channels with the throw of a swithch???

not all Voom equipment.

 

[Barney]

700,000 is the correct figure. Voom had something like 46,000 before they went under. If D* only had 70,000 HD subs we sure as hell wouldn't be seeing any birds flying this year.

Correction: its 699,999 now.....

 

[gchasse]

I think there are a couple reasons why there are not more subs.

Regional sports in HD is one reason. My best friend up in Maine gets the Bruins, Celtics, and Red Sox in HD through cable. D* does not offer that right now. When they do, subs will increase.

Another reason is that the cost to get in is not cheap, and given the equipment you need to buy, people instead opt for cable, which has no equipment costs.