Here is a blast from the past. Was having fun on "the way back machine" and checked out pricing for Directv for 1997. Now for the folks who don't know, there were TWO providers for "DSS"
Directv had most of the channels, Encore and Starz
USSB had the movie channels and Viacom channels (D* bought out USSB in 98 for the Viacom channels and the rest in 99 I think). USSB was based in Minneapolis (Hubbard Broadcasting)
So in reality you could have 2 bills a month or if you wanted just the movie channels you could get them with no other packages (ahh choices)
of course the equipment was still pretty expensive
So here are the packages that you could get with Directv and USSB circa July 1997. If a channel was renamed or changed, I noted that too
Directv pricing
PLUS DIRECTV 14.99
AMERICAS HEALTH (FIT TV)
ANIMAL PLANET
BLOOMBERG
CHANNEL EARTH (DEFUNCT)
CMT
CNN INERNATIONAL (NOT CARRIED)
COURT TV (TRUTV)
C-SPAN2
DISNEY EAST OR WEST
HGTV
HSN
MSNBC
MUSIC CHOICE
OUT OF MARKET RSN
SCI-FI
TCM
TV FOOD NETWORK (FOOD)
SELECT CHOICE 19.99
A&E
AMERICAS HEALTH (FIT TV)
BET
BLOOMBERG
CARTOON
CMT
CNBC
CNN
COURT TV (TRUTV)
C-SPAN
C-SPAN2
DISCOVERY
E!
ESPN
ESPN2
FAMILY CHANNEL (ABC FAMILY)
HEADLINE NEWS
HGTV
HISTORY
HSN
MSNBC
MUCHMUSIC (FUSE)
MUSIC CHOICE 5 SAMPLER
QVC
SCI-FI
TBS
TLC
TNN (SPIKETV)
TNT
USA
WEATHER
TOTAL CHOICE 29.99
SELECT CHOICE +
AMC
ANIMAL PLANET
BRAVO
CHANNEL EARTH (DEFUNCT)
CNN INERNATIONAL (NOT CARRIED)
DISNEY
FOX NEWS
LOCAL RSN
MUSIC CHOICE (ALL 31 CHANNELS)
NEWSWORLD INT (CURRENT)
TBN
TCM
TRIO (SLEUTH)
TV FOOD NETWORK (FOOD)
WGN
PLUS ENCORE 33.99
TOTAL CHOICE + 8 CHANNEL ENCORE
TOTAL CHOICE SILVER 39.99
TOTAL CHOICE + 8 CHANNEL ENCORE + IFC + ROMANCE CLASSICS + 4 STARZ
TOTAL CHOICE GOLD 39.99
TOTAL CHOICE +
CLASSIC SPORTS (ESPN CLASSIC)
GOLF CHANNEL
NEWSPORT (DEFUNCT)
OUT OF MARKET RSN
OUTDOOR LIFE (VS)
SPEEDVISION (SPEED)
PLATINUM 47.99
ALL CHANNELS AVAILABLE
USSB pricing
BASICS 7.95
MTV
MTV2
VH1
NICKELODEON
TV LAND
COMEDY CENTRAL
LIFETIME
ALL NEWS (DEFUNCT)
SUNDANCE 8.95
SELECT 1 10.95
5 HBO
4 SHOWTIME + FLIX
3 CINEMAX
2 MOVIE CHANNEL
SELECT 2 19.95
SELECT 2 MOVIE PACKAGES
HBO PLUS 24.95
HBO, 2 HBO FAMILY, 3 CINEMAX & BASICS
SHOWTIME PLUS 24.95
SHOWTIME, MOVIE CHANNEL, FLIX, BASICS
USSB ENTERTAINMENT PLUS 34.95
ALL CHANNELS (HBO, CINEMAX, MOVIE CHANNELS, HBO FAMILY, FLIX, SUNDANCE, BASICS)
TV LAND & MTV2 ARE IN ALL PACKAGES
I've also attached a spreadsheet for the D* part
So in all honesty for under $30 I could have what I want on TV (Select Choice and the basics)....during baseball season I'd go to Choice for the RSN
Enjoy!
Directv had most of the channels, Encore and Starz
USSB had the movie channels and Viacom channels (D* bought out USSB in 98 for the Viacom channels and the rest in 99 I think). USSB was based in Minneapolis (Hubbard Broadcasting)
So in reality you could have 2 bills a month or if you wanted just the movie channels you could get them with no other packages (ahh choices)
of course the equipment was still pretty expensive
So here are the packages that you could get with Directv and USSB circa July 1997. If a channel was renamed or changed, I noted that too
Directv pricing
PLUS DIRECTV 14.99
AMERICAS HEALTH (FIT TV)
ANIMAL PLANET
BLOOMBERG
CHANNEL EARTH (DEFUNCT)
CMT
CNN INERNATIONAL (NOT CARRIED)
COURT TV (TRUTV)
C-SPAN2
DISNEY EAST OR WEST
HGTV
HSN
MSNBC
MUSIC CHOICE
OUT OF MARKET RSN
SCI-FI
TCM
TV FOOD NETWORK (FOOD)
SELECT CHOICE 19.99
A&E
AMERICAS HEALTH (FIT TV)
BET
BLOOMBERG
CARTOON
CMT
CNBC
CNN
COURT TV (TRUTV)
C-SPAN
C-SPAN2
DISCOVERY
E!
ESPN
ESPN2
FAMILY CHANNEL (ABC FAMILY)
HEADLINE NEWS
HGTV
HISTORY
HSN
MSNBC
MUCHMUSIC (FUSE)
MUSIC CHOICE 5 SAMPLER
QVC
SCI-FI
TBS
TLC
TNN (SPIKETV)
TNT
USA
WEATHER
TOTAL CHOICE 29.99
SELECT CHOICE +
AMC
ANIMAL PLANET
BRAVO
CHANNEL EARTH (DEFUNCT)
CNN INERNATIONAL (NOT CARRIED)
DISNEY
FOX NEWS
LOCAL RSN
MUSIC CHOICE (ALL 31 CHANNELS)
NEWSWORLD INT (CURRENT)
TBN
TCM
TRIO (SLEUTH)
TV FOOD NETWORK (FOOD)
WGN
PLUS ENCORE 33.99
TOTAL CHOICE + 8 CHANNEL ENCORE
TOTAL CHOICE SILVER 39.99
TOTAL CHOICE + 8 CHANNEL ENCORE + IFC + ROMANCE CLASSICS + 4 STARZ
TOTAL CHOICE GOLD 39.99
TOTAL CHOICE +
CLASSIC SPORTS (ESPN CLASSIC)
GOLF CHANNEL
NEWSPORT (DEFUNCT)
OUT OF MARKET RSN
OUTDOOR LIFE (VS)
SPEEDVISION (SPEED)
PLATINUM 47.99
ALL CHANNELS AVAILABLE
USSB pricing
BASICS 7.95
MTV
MTV2
VH1
NICKELODEON
TV LAND
COMEDY CENTRAL
LIFETIME
ALL NEWS (DEFUNCT)
SUNDANCE 8.95
SELECT 1 10.95
5 HBO
4 SHOWTIME + FLIX
3 CINEMAX
2 MOVIE CHANNEL
SELECT 2 19.95
SELECT 2 MOVIE PACKAGES
HBO PLUS 24.95
HBO, 2 HBO FAMILY, 3 CINEMAX & BASICS
SHOWTIME PLUS 24.95
SHOWTIME, MOVIE CHANNEL, FLIX, BASICS
USSB ENTERTAINMENT PLUS 34.95
ALL CHANNELS (HBO, CINEMAX, MOVIE CHANNELS, HBO FAMILY, FLIX, SUNDANCE, BASICS)
TV LAND & MTV2 ARE IN ALL PACKAGES
I've also attached a spreadsheet for the D* part
So in all honesty for under $30 I could have what I want on TV (Select Choice and the basics)....during baseball season I'd go to Choice for the RSN
Enjoy!