Discussion of D*s upcoming conversion to MPEG 4

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So please clarify for me.

1. Will new subscribers be able to purchase the HM clients and server starting in mid-year?

2. Will this require a different dish altogether? I have a two dish setup so can I just point one of the unuesed LNB's to the new sats?

3. Will the wireless setup use a/b/g/n?

4. Will the HM boxes still need a phone line or updates by satellite only?

I know you may not have all of the answers now, but please help me understand as best as possible. You all seem to have some reliable contacts who arm us with some valuable information in planning our future tv viewing.
 
Alan Gordon said:
So, basically NO new HD channels until 2005, or more likely 1Q 2006?!

~Alan

From what I've been told is that most likely all we would see in HD before summertime would be ESPN 2 HD, TNT HD and Starz HD. All channels beyond that will have to wait until all HD customers have been switched over so they can start using some spaceway bandwidth and MPEG4 and that is planned to be done and completed very early 2006 and that means completed not started but could be earlier.
 
veander said:
I know what you're saying is tentative anyway, LonghornXP, but what do you mean by this statement? Does it mean something different than is already in place with national HD feeds? I kind of hope so as I would appreciate not dealing with my local stations (ABC is sketchy and CBS gives me audio problems no matter the box I have). I wouldn't care that I wouldn't have locals, as long as I could get reliable HD networks.

When I say national HD I mean channels such as Starz HD or simply channels all DirecTV customers can get if they pay for it. Your network feeds won't be going anywhere until HD locals are offered to all DirecTV customers which would be sometime in 2007. After 2007 I would assume that both the NY and LA feeds would be moved over onto spotbeams and offered only to customers in those markets. But your NY and LA feeds will be upped in quality with MPEG4 no later than 1Q of 2006.
 
My big question is will they just mail us the new boxes or will they do a install? I have "moved" and will need the new box mailed to my "billing" address and do a self install.
 
jim tressler said:
any word on where the new dish will need to be pointed? and how many outputs will be needed.. just finished the basement and ran 4 lines for the triple lnb.. guess I need to preplan now :)

It's all in the same cluster. You'll just have a 5 LNB dish and maybe a bigger dish then the PhaseIII. But they are all between 99 and 119.
 
enthuzist said:
So please clarify for me.

1. Will new subscribers be able to purchase the HM clients and server starting in mid-year?

2. Will this require a different dish altogether? I have a two dish setup so can I just point one of the unuesed LNB's to the new sats?

3. Will the wireless setup use a/b/g/n?

4. Will the HM boxes still need a phone line or updates by satellite only?

1. No. Home Media Center won't be available until end of the year, maybe, first part of 2006 most likely.

2. Yes. Been mentioned a few times there will be a new, slightly bigger dish with a 5 LNB housing.

3. Nobody knows. They did say wireless would probably not be available at first.

4. Who knows. Since they will be built to connect to your home network they might take the opportunity to finally ditch the phone line requirement, but that is baseless speculation on my part.
 
hdtvtechno said:
hmm interesting, wonder what the speeds are for 802.11n ?
and whats the deal for wireless stb, whats the benefits ?

There are many advantages to being wireless.

-The initial install for a new customer with a 4 room setup would now be nearly as easy as a single room installation. The additional rooms just require plugging the box into an electrical outlet and connecting the video connections to the TV. This would signifcantly cut down on installation time/cost and make for a neater install with not needing 1 or 2 lines going to each receiver.

-If a customer adds/moves a TV an installer no longer has to come out and run line(s) from the dish. Connecting additional receivers is as easy as connecting a dvd player.
 
LonghornXP said:
When I say national HD I mean channels such as Starz HD or simply channels all DirecTV customers can get if they pay for it. Your network feeds won't be going anywhere until HD locals are offered to all DirecTV customers which would be sometime in 2007. After 2007 I would assume that both the NY and LA feeds would be moved over onto spotbeams and offered only to customers in those markets. But your NY and LA feeds will be upped in quality with MPEG4 no later than 1Q of 2006.
im not so sure about that only because those are the national feeds and are for those who are in white or unserved areas so i doubt theyll go on to a spotbeam .
 
hdtvtechno said:
mmm You can count on that, Go ahead and relisten the the meeing again, on the directv website.

it says they plan on launching VOD in the future :)
But isnt fair to say that with all the extra BW that providing VOD HD capable boxes now will ensure less hassle when they start rolling out this feature, I mean, why plan to provide a future product without making it capable for the next level (VOD). I belive right now some of the newer receiver are capable for Interactive features. I must admit, my viewpoint is purely speculative :yes however its not impossible! :no
 
My city and area doeosn't show on the DMA list. Is it possible I am lumped into one of the larger DMA's in California? I live in Redding, CA about 150 miles from Sacramento and THe Bay Area. I'm assuming we will be one of the last to get the upgrade if we aren't even on the list. :no
 
bonscott87 said:
It's all in the same cluster. You'll just have a 5 LNB dish and maybe a bigger dish then the PhaseIII. But they are all between 99 and 119.
Here's a picture of the satellites from the CES:

attachment.php
 
Wiggin78 said:
My city and area doeosn't show on the DMA list. Is it possible I am lumped into one of the larger DMA's in California? I live in Redding, CA about 150 miles from Sacramento and THe Bay Area. I'm assuming we will be one of the last to get the upgrade if we aren't even on the list. :no

Check the source city for the locals you get now. That's your DMA.

--Dino
 
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