DIRECTV Announces New HD!

[Jimbo]

Still weak. Piss Poor Planning on their part. BBCAHD and AMCHD are obviosuly well requested channels, as well as more Premiums in HD. They should have had all this worked out well before now, especially looking at when the sat went active. All we got for the Summer, was two we already knew about, + the earlier add's they told us about. Now, at the end of August, we get "maybe in 6 weeks". I like Directv, but that does not absolve them from criticism, and I think they are doing a pretty lousy job at adding feeds in HD, they already have in SD.

I agree with the "We should have had more by now " theory...
But, when they launched the sat, we all thought more was coming right away.
I think many remember the Big HD push a few years back and expect a BUNCH at one time.

FD* had not had the contracts ready, why did they launch the sat ?
Probably because it fit into thier schedule.

It does seem pretty week that all we've got are a few channels so far, all summer.

Q. Does anyone know for sure that the few channels we got actually ARE off the new sat,or maybe they were turned up off of what was left from the last sat ?

 

[gadgtfreek]

I would understand that the sat launching and contracts work on a different mindset timeframe, but the ol girl has been up and beaming for awhile, no reason that could not have hammered out some deals by now.

I would expect less from a channel they don't already have, like Epix, but they've been doing business with AMC, HBO, BBC, etc... for awhile.

 

[Optimist]

Actually there are very few channels that I watch that are NOT HD, so for me the D* provided HD channels are doing pretty well.

Granted they haven't brought anything in a while, you would have thought they would have had more by now.

I'm sure your threat of leaving if they don't supply them within a year has them shaking .....

So let me get this straight ... Members here complain that at the other site there's nothing but DIRECTV fanboys who do nothing but dismiss legitimate complaints and stick up for DIRECTV, saying the complainer is crazy or the only one with the problem, and that's why the other site sucks, because we don't do that. But what do I see? A well written post by DS0816, saying rather than just complain here, he's going a step further to tell DIRECTV his concerns, and the immediate response is a dismissal saying: yeah, that's your problem, you're alone on that - my world is good, so you're definitely the one with the issue, everyone else is fine! And oh yeah, you're wasting your time calling DIRECTV! (Hyperbole, got to love it, right?!)

On top of that, then the guy is belittled in the final sentence for taking the time to share his thoughts with us. Was it necessary?? Maybe when you wrote it you had the mood I currently have, so I have to pull out this chestnut to get me back on track:

You know what Mother Theresa once replied when asked how someone with no wealth or power could make a difference in the world? She said "Smile more". In other words, happiness is contagious. So let's try not to go out of our way to not smile ... (I'll have to make it up somewhere, too.)

 

[Hemi 6.1]

I would understand that the sat launching and contracts work on a different mindset timeframe, but the ol girl has been up and beaming for awhile, no reason that could not have hammered out some deals by now.

I would expect less from a channel they don't already have, like Epix, but they've been doing business with AMC, HBO, BBC, etc... for awhile.

Agree.

I Directv has no excuse that I can see for not Launching more HD channels.

They have had YEARS to get contracts signed.

Cinemax, is another complete disaster of a D* programming option.

They Should just throw them 3 channels in with the HBO pack, Because charging $13 for 3 Channels , Jeesh now wonder D* customers don't want them.

 

[gadgtfreek]

Im not a premium channel sub, but I think it's pretty bad. I'd not pay that much for those channels, with only a few in HD. They did do better with Showtime lately, but...

I just get my HBO/Starz/Showtime series stuff from BB/Nflix, on Blu-ray

 

[Hemi 6.1]

Starz and Showtime are Top notch with D* , I'll give them that much.

But I there is still a fairly large list of HD channels missing on the HBO side ,as well as missing Base package HD channels.

 

[gadgtfreek]

Yeah, and HBO charges the most!

I honestly woulda thought, with this new sat, that Directv woulda loaded up the Premiums.

 

[tigerfan33]

Any hints on what new channels may come in six weeks or so?

 

[goaliebob99]

If I had to take my own guesses,

EpixHD,
AMCHD,
BBCAHD
Comcast channels in HD, IE G4, E, Ect in HD
TCMHD
and maybe some more HD movie channels such as outermax HD, ect...

 

[FreddyvsJasonvsAsh]

well AMC HD just went live on Dish so we shouldn't be far off.....I hope we get it before Oct 31st The Walking Dead starts that day

 

[spokybob]

Univision 402 is now in HD. The news program I am watching is pillarboxed.

 

[DodgerKing]

Univision 402 is now in HD. The news program I am watching is pillarboxed.

That has been in HD for a while now

 

[DodgerKing]

If I were to guess which channels will be in HD in the next coming weeks, I would say BBC and the Military Channel. Both of these have been shown in HD on channel 101

 

[TheRatPatrol]

If I were to guess which channels will be in HD in the next coming weeks, I would say BBC and the Military Channel. Both of these have been shown in HD on channel 101

I hope its more then just 2.

 

[DS0816]

My previous writings aside, for more channels to be coming shows DirecTV is recognizing the demand (and the fact that competition, particularly Dish Network, have risen to the challenge).

My apologies to anyone I turned off. But one other respondent stated that the criticism of the s-s-slowness in adding national HDs onto the lineup by DirecTV is earned. I think it's warranted.

 

[sudnshok]

But I there is still a fairly large list of HD channels missing on the HBO side ,as well as missing Base package HD channels.

Sorry to get off topic, but I can't believe they still don't have HBO On Demand either.

 

[RandallA]

OK, what's up with Cinemax? Only 3 channels and only 2 in HD? They really need to add more premium channels in HD if they want customers to add those premium movie packages.

 

[skottey]

well AMC HD just went live on Dish so we shouldn't be far off.....I hope we get it before Oct 31st The Walking Dead starts that day

Since when has DirecTV hurried up and added channels because Dish did? Umm.. they don't.

AMC HD has been in existence since at least the first season of Mad Men when only Cablevision carried it. Just because Dish finally added it doesn't mean DirecTV will.

Look at their history... Dish added HBO/MAX channels in HD... DirecTV made empty promise in 2007 and nothing.

Epix... a lot of people cry for Epix... DirecTV... nope.

Travel Channel HD... it was like pulling teeth getting that out of DirecTV.. instead they gave us Planet Green or whatever it is called these days, at launch.

It is clear DirecTV is out of touch. I signed up for Bright House Networks last week and lowered my package of DirecTV. I have been waiting for over 12 months since I moved into this house for FIOS (I'm wired) and finally gave up on that. I am giving up on DirecTV too. Once I clear my DVRs I will probably scrap them all together. They beat BHN with Showtime and Starz HD channels but that is it. I'm not into Sunday Ticket or any of the sports packages, as I can see my local teams and that is good enough.

DirecTV has no excuse at all anymore. Months after the new satellite went up and they think a handful of premiums in HD is enough? Nope... I'll be enjoying AMC HD and some of my favorite shows (Breaking Bad, Mad Men, Rubicon) from now on. There is absolutely no excuse for DirecTV not to carry AMC HD in 2010. And yeah, I am still mad about the HBO HD like of June 2007. I'll be enjoying all eastern HBO/Max channels too. Sorry DirecTV... I am SICK OF WAITING!

 

[otis29]

My wife and I are switching over from Dish Network to DirecTV as we speak. I did an analysis of the HD offerings between Dish and Direct and Direct's was clearly superior (although obviously that's dependent on our taste in programming).

Bummer though, we love AMC, and we are losing the chance to see it in HD now. But small price considering the better sports access, etc.

 

[otis29]

To add

I may be comparing apples and oranges on the package. With Dish we had the "America's Top 200" plan, and I was comparing that plan to the "Choice Xtra" plan with Direct.