Directv Press Conference Recap

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I'm looking forward to seeing the NASCAR Hot Pass. I'm a casual race fan at best, but think the multiple camera thing will make the race alot more interesting from the perspective of the couch.

I also like the talk of more HD programming this year...I like that alot...


We have heard enough talk, the press conference was vague on details to say the least . We could have guessed what major networks were going to be in hd, where else were they going to get the programming.

I wish they would have spent more time talking about hd specifics and video sharing instead of gaming and sat to go.
 
- Major Networks - CNN, USA, Sci Fi, Weather Channel, Food Network, TBS, Cartoon Network, Speed, FX

This is interesting, since we have had no indication at all that Sci Fi even has HD in the plans; and since Universal HD is showing a lot of Sci-Fi in HD, not sure why NBC would move to make that change yet... don't get me wrong, I would love SciFI HD, but I am leery of this.
 
I thought one of the new sats was going up late winter early sping. The report says both are going up this summer. If so, we won't see any new HD until next fall, and possibly later if there are any delays in launches, etc. Could someone clarify this for me? Thanks.
 
"Pursue things that add value..."

Normally in the business world, that means add-ons that the customer may not necessarily want, not improving or expanding the basic product.

I don't think most of us care nearly as much about "added value" in the form of gaming, connectibility, or portability, as we do better PQ and more HD.
 
I had a feeling microsoft announcing their IPTV plans would mean bye bye to video sharing with windows media center promised last year.

Very disapointing, my pc is powerful enough to be an all in one box right now, probably wont be by the time we get full sharing.
 
Question about quality and compression. Committed to bringing the best quality to the customer. Commited to providing an experience the customer expects.

Some other guy comes on and says the signal they are providing is of a superior quality than competitors and thier research says that customers are satisfied with the product they offer.


Living in denial??? :D :D :D :D
 
I had a feeling microsoft announcing their IPTV plans would mean bye bye to video sharing with windows media center promised last year.

Very disapointing, my pc is powerful enough to be an all in one box right now, probably wont be by the time we get full sharing.

I created a matrix multi-room scenario with my DVR's in one room and piped to other rooms because I knew the direct PC D* Media Center capture was not going to happen. I think they are putting all the eggs in the HR20 and thats it for 2007. I would like to have used my Media Center and Xbox 360 extenders but not surprised.
 
I'm looking forward to seeing the NASCAR Hot Pass. I'm a casual race fan at best, but think the multiple camera thing will make the race alot more interesting from the perspective of the couch.

I also like the talk of more HD programming this year...I like that alot...

I need more then talk. I will be happy when the first sat goes up and the first HD channels are released. If they can start delivering, then I will get my hopes up. Until then, its wait and see with curbed excitement.
 
Why did they even spend money on this?

As to the gaming. Just yesterday on Discovery HD Theater, they had a show on about how in S. Korea, gamers are rock stars & whatnot (MBC has a dedicated channel for this). They were playing starcraft of all things. Granted they are the best in the world, but to these almost 40 year old American eyes, I'd rather watch LIfetime & I hate Lifteime.


Now for the real question. Are they gonna deliver on the HD sats. I just don't get a "warm & fuzzy" from what I have read thus far. Actually, I read the E* press conference thread, & Charlie at least seems to have a little sense of humor, although as a company they are at about the same level as D*. It looks like both DBS providers are loaded far more on the "wow 'em with bs" this year. meh:tux:
 
Now for the real question. Are they gonna deliver on the HD sats. I just don't get a "warm & fuzzy" from what I have read thus far. Actually, I read the E* press conference thread, & Charlie at least seems to have a little sense of humor, although as a company they are at about the same level as D*. It looks like both DBS providers are loaded far more on the "wow 'em with bs" this year. meh:tux:

Yep, my excitement is muted. Take the Spaceways. They didnt get up and use until end of 2005 to very limited markets. Then, the MPEG4 channels only worked on the H20 and there was no HD DVR at launch. The HD DVR (HR20) didnt come out until September 2006. My Hartford market didnt launch until June 2006 and only CBS and NBC was available. ABC has yet to be available (LIN's fault). Then NESN HD launches but only for Boston zip codes. Not available in NESN Hartford market.

So you can see why I dont believe a damn word because of logistics, timing, delivery, etc. Anything can and will cause setbacks or delays. The first Spaceway was launched over a year and a half ago and the Hartford market only has 3 HD channels to show from it.

I know the new sats are different and the intentions are different, but announcing and hoping is much different then actually delivering 100 HD channels in 2007 to all D* subscribers. I am a betting man and I would put money that we dont see any channels until the 3rd quarter at best, and only 1-2 dozen by the end of year at best. Voom block may increase that but who knows.
 
Sci Fi HD

I just got off the phone with the Director of Publicity for Sci Fi in New York, and asked her about the DirecTV report. She had no knowledge of Sci Fi HD being in the works, and seemed genuinely surprised by my call.

I sent her a copy of the recap of the press-conference; hopefully I will hear back from her.
 
Well in many of the news articles online regarding when the new hd channels will be coming out. Third quarter seems to be what there saying so....July-September....Hopefully it does occur, intrested in what their On demand will look like
 
Not to pour salt in everyone's wounds, but this all makes me SO glad I bit the bullet last year and traded up from D* to E*. I've been loving my 622 DVR and 30+ HD channels, and the E* CES announcements were very exciting. E* is already preparing to release an UPGRADED model of their best HD DVR (the 622-1 with VC-1 and a 500 gig HD), which works damn good already, and they will start using it for HD-VOD and other new services. D* is still trying to convince the world that their DVR isn't a POS which is only marginally better than the Comcast Motorolla box.

As for PQ, I don't know what D* is smoking to say that they have the best HD PQ. I've seen the difference between D* HD channels and E*, and I can tell you first hand that E*'s channels, while still Lite, are MUCH less compressed than D*. Sorry boys, you can't snow us forever. Our eyes can see the difference.
 
Question about quality and compression. Committed to bringing the best quality to the customer. Commited to providing an experience the customer expects.

Some other guy comes on and says the signal they are providing is of a superior quality than competitors and thier research says that customers are satisfied with the product they offer.

Unbelievably lame answers. I guess this seals the deal. D* does NOT listen. 2 new satellites, what a great opportunity to say that they realize there is a problem and they will correct it.
 
Unbelievably lame answers. I guess this seals the deal. D* does NOT listen. 2 new satellites, what a great opportunity to say that they realize there is a problem and they will correct it.

I have to agree with you on this. Great opportunity to say we've compressed the hell out of MPEG2 HD and we have a better configuration with MPEG4 so we plan to roll out the new HD channels at better rates and compression this year and get away from MPEG2.

New channels, new compression, better quality. That would be my message.
 
I had a feeling microsoft announcing their IPTV plans would mean bye bye to video sharing with windows media center promised last year.

Very disapointing, my pc is powerful enough to be an all in one box right now, probably wont be by the time we get full sharing.

I'm not going to give up hope until the Vista launch on the 29th. This thing is a Vista thing after all. Notice how most all of the Hardware people who are doing Vista stuff are not saying anything....it's only 21 days away.
 
... D* is still trying to convince the world that their DVR isn't a POS which is only marginally better than the Comcast Motorolla box...
Really? I also have had all three and always thought the Motorola was better than the HR20-700 :eek:
 
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