I'm an Ex-Voomer looking at DTV, Thinking of taking their $200 offer but have questions about their 2 new satellites expected to launch this year and their "1500 HD channels" (yeah right). What is the status of this project? Is it on schedule? Have they launched already or what? Or is this all just a marketing ploy? Also, will they raise the price of the HD package?
DTV's New HD Satellites
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Spaceway 1 is going to launch in 2 hours. DirecTV 8 is going to launch on May 21 and Spaceway 2 is going up on June 15. Everything is on schedule so far.
Sweet! sounds good. I hope I will like DirecTV althought it seems as though im taking a big step backwards after being spoiled by Voom 
. Thanks.
. Thanks.Just to clarify. There are two more Ka sats (DirecTV 10 and 11) that will go up in 2007 that will round out the 1500 channels. Spaceway 1 & 2 will have the capacity for 500 HD LILs. How many HD channels DirecTV 8 can handle is not known.
I assume you know this, but the 1500 HD channels are the total number of LiL HD channels that will be available. It's not like everyone will have access to 1500 channels. Given that most local markets have about 8 locals, and there are about 160 markets, that's where the 1500 comes from.
Although we don't know 100% for sure what national HD channels will be added along with the locals D* is working on the possiblities I've read about are TNT-HD, ESPN2 HD, Starz HD and INHD 1&2. I have seen the new Best Buy HD loop that shows the Outdoor Channel 2 HD so I am guessing at some time we will see that channel as well. In 2006 Food Network & HGTV will be launching in HD which will also show content from Fine Living and DIY. I would guess these channels would be picked up by D* at that time. I'm not really sure of what else is coming but I think if D* get those channels added it would be a strong lineup.
The latest I'm hearing for national HD offerings is listed below. Now again remember that this can change at anytime and could be wrong if my contacts were given wrong information.
ESPN2 HD
TNT HD
Starz HD East*
Cinemax HD East*
TMC HD East
InHD 1 & 2
Encore HD East***
*= West coast feeds are being highly considered which could also include HBO and Showtime.
***= The East coast feed of this channel will be offered when Encore relaunches this channel again in the future when demand builds.
ESPN2 HD
TNT HD
Starz HD East*
Cinemax HD East*
TMC HD East
InHD 1 & 2
Encore HD East***
*= West coast feeds are being highly considered which could also include HBO and Showtime.
***= The East coast feed of this channel will be offered when Encore relaunches this channel again in the future when demand builds.
Longhorn,
Nothing rumored about the Outdoor Channel 2 HD huh, I thought I had read that the channel is gonna be launched this summer around July. I am hoping this will also be a channel we get and like I had said they are showing it off at Best Buy now, although I do know that does not mean much, they are a D* dealer.
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I also wonder if Wealth HD might make its way over to D*. What other new or future HD channels are out there right now?
Nothing rumored about the Outdoor Channel 2 HD huh, I thought I had read that the channel is gonna be launched this summer around July. I am hoping this will also be a channel we get and like I had said they are showing it off at Best Buy now, although I do know that does not mean much, they are a D* dealer.
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I also wonder if Wealth HD might make its way over to D*. What other new or future HD channels are out there right now?
LonghornXP said:
Launched in Mpeg2 or mpeg4 or both? If in mpeg4 only many of us wont be able to receive it until when? 2006 to 2007 when this HDLIL crusade is over and all recievers are upgraded? And if they are launched in mpeg2 where is the dish to pick them up?
I'm hearing that all current and future HD Pak subscribers will need to have their boxes swapped out while customers who receive HD LIL channels will also need their dishes swapped out.
This means that new national HD channel offerings will be one current satellites that current dishes can tune but those customers will require just a new box until HD locals rollout in their area. That means they would be MPEG4 and within 6 months all customers will be required to have their boxes swapped at D* expense or they won't receive current and future national HD channel offerings.
Once customers boxes are swapped they can upgrade dishes for all their HD customers within months at which time all current HD channels will be moved onto either the Spaceway sats and/or DirecTV 8 KA space and all future channels will be offered this way. What will be done with the freed up space on current satellites when this occurs is anyones guess right now.
Also I haven't heard anything about Wealth HD or The Outdoor Channel 2 HD but I would expect to hear more as time goes on. Also how far this goes I don't know but one of my contacts said last night that D* is in talks considering a deal with Cablevision for some or all of Vooms channels. Again consider this rumor but the fact that they are talking is at least a good start.
This means that new national HD channel offerings will be one current satellites that current dishes can tune but those customers will require just a new box until HD locals rollout in their area. That means they would be MPEG4 and within 6 months all customers will be required to have their boxes swapped at D* expense or they won't receive current and future national HD channel offerings.
Once customers boxes are swapped they can upgrade dishes for all their HD customers within months at which time all current HD channels will be moved onto either the Spaceway sats and/or DirecTV 8 KA space and all future channels will be offered this way. What will be done with the freed up space on current satellites when this occurs is anyones guess right now.
Also I haven't heard anything about Wealth HD or The Outdoor Channel 2 HD but I would expect to hear more as time goes on. Also how far this goes I don't know but one of my contacts said last night that D* is in talks considering a deal with Cablevision for some or all of Vooms channels. Again consider this rumor but the fact that they are talking is at least a good start.
LonghornXP said:
So we are still looking at 5 to 6 months before any new national channels come on board?
TimGoodwin said:
Well I would think that in a worst case scenario we will all have our new boxes by late August right before the football season starts. That is if they are gonna make it a requirement to be able to receive HD channels that is.
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Longhorn thanks again for sharing that little tidbit of info on possible talks with Cablevision. The Voom Package would certainly be a welcome addition, if that's what Cablevision decides to do with Voom.
That is indeed the timeframe until new national HD channels are offered. We have to remember that all HD customers within the next 6-9 months will be required to have both their dish and HD boxes swapped out and when a customer is given the deadline if they fail to schedule an install before that date they will have lost their current HD channels until they make that date.
I'm also hearing that their multiroom HD DVR might very well be out before football season and as such I'm hearing that they are considering waiting another month or two to upgrade customers so they can offer them the option without having to send another tech two months later. That might be were the fall press release came in where they always said summer and from what I've heard they said fall on purpose so they can decide how close and stable the multiroom HD DVR is.
I'm also hearing that their multiroom HD DVR might very well be out before football season and as such I'm hearing that they are considering waiting another month or two to upgrade customers so they can offer them the option without having to send another tech two months later. That might be were the fall press release came in where they always said summer and from what I've heard they said fall on purpose so they can decide how close and stable the multiroom HD DVR is.
Million dollar question is when is are the HD Locals coming to my house. I live in Washington DC, so if i just buy another DirecTV HD Receiver, can i get them with in the next couple of months?
Thanks in advanced
Pyrr
Thanks in advanced
Pyrr
A bit more reading of the threads in this forum could yield your answers.
But, DC is in the first group that will be upgraded. As stated in other threads and in this one, will probably be in the fall.
But, DC is in the first group that will be upgraded. As stated in other threads and in this one, will probably be in the fall.
Wouldn't we assume that the top 12 DMAs should be up and running well before the NFL season starts? http://www.nielsenmedia.com/DMAs.html
I would assume that of those in the first 12, that only the CURRENT HD users of 6 months or more under their belts, will be given the preferred conversion subsidy.
I can't see (although I may be dead wrong) D* signing up 1000's more customers just 45 - 90 days before needing to switch them to a new system? Can you guys?
Once the conversion needs & processes are finally rolled out, and the kinks worked out of that process, and the first 12 are up and running, I can see future DMAs rolling out even faster & and in much larger groups.
I would assume that of those in the first 12, that only the CURRENT HD users of 6 months or more under their belts, will be given the preferred conversion subsidy.
I can't see (although I may be dead wrong) D* signing up 1000's more customers just 45 - 90 days before needing to switch them to a new system? Can you guys?
Once the conversion needs & processes are finally rolled out, and the kinks worked out of that process, and the first 12 are up and running, I can see future DMAs rolling out even faster & and in much larger groups.
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