End of LA Locals in MPEG2?

[jaymo]

I'm an old Los Angeles customer on a grandfathered contract. I get the first tier LA locals (only) for about $90 per year.

I watch them from the Midwest (my current residence) on an RCA DTC-100 MPEG2 receiver and single LNA dish. I lost the second tier LA stations when I moved east, presumably because they were spot-beamed only to SoCal. Not a problem because I just watch the evening news.

I'm getting voicemail messages from D* telling me that I must upgrade my receiver to a new (albeit free) one. I'd love to avoid this because D* will figure out that I'm out of my assigned DMA. I could have them install the new receiver at my former LA residence and take the hardware east post-installation as I did previously.

But with my luck, KCBS, KNBC, and KABC in HD will be spot-beamed and I'll lose all coverage.

How long can I continue to ignore D*'s insistence on a receiver upgrade? My annual $90 subscription fee is drawing near.

 

[Sori4mvp]

They probably just want to get you off your grandfathered contract, I mean if you don't want to upgrade your receiver just don't do it. If they did upgrade you can they then lock you in and get you off your grandfathered plan?

 

[Jimbo]

I'm an old Los Angeles customer on a grandfathered contract. I get the first tier LA locals (only) for about $90 per year.

I watch them from the Midwest (my current residence) on an RCA DTC-100 MPEG2 receiver and single LNA dish. I lost the second tier LA stations when I moved east, presumably because they were spot-beamed only to SoCal. Not a problem because I just watch the evening news.

I'm getting voicemail messages from D* telling me that I must upgrade my receiver to a new (albeit free) one. I'd love to avoid this because D* will figure out that I'm out of my assigned DMA. I could have them install the new receiver at my former LA residence and take the hardware east post-installation as I did previously.

But with my luck, KCBS, KNBC, and KABC in HD will be spot-beamed and I'll lose all coverage.

How long can I continue to ignore D*'s insistence on a receiver upgrade? My annual $90 subscription fee is drawing near.

You can continue to ignore them as long as you want... they will eventually turn the signal off.
There has been a message on the screen for quite awhile now thatnthe channel has moved to the normal channels (for LA) or in then 380's.

Personally, I would have the install done at the residence that they have you at, provided you still live there and move it to your current afterwords. Like you have previously.

As for losing your signal being outside of the spotbeam, that depends on how far you have moved.

 

[jaymo]

Does any reader know the geographic signal coverage of the new MPEG4 HD locals for the Los Angeles DMA?

Are they CONUS as the MPEG2 channels are now?

 

[stone phillips420]

Does any reader know the geographic signal coverage of the new MPEG4 HD locals for the Los Angeles DMA?

Are they CONUS as the MPEG2 channels are now?

the big (abc,cbs,fox,nbc) are conus but wb cw ktla kcal and other are spotbeamed

 

[Jimbo]

They probably just want to get you off your grandfathered contract, I mean if you don't want to upgrade your receiver just don't do it. If they did upgrade you can they then lock you in and get you off your grandfathered plan?

Changing receivers will not change your programming, the OP will still be grandfathered.

Jimbo

 

[Hemi 6.1]

Changing receivers will not change your programming, the OP will still be grandfathered.

Jimbo

No but he will be locked into a 2 year commitment! As soon as he calls Directv to active his new H21 or HR21. Unless this switch somehow fell under the protection plan, which I'm sure it doesn't!

 

[DodgerKing]

No but he will be locked into a 2 year commitment! As soon as he calls Directv to active his new H21 or HR21. Unless this switch somehow fell under the protection plan, which I'm sure it doesn't!

Hemi,

OT but curious. Why do you have both Dish and Direct and why do you have sooooo many receivers?

 

[Hemi 6.1]

Hemi,

OT but curious. Why do you have both Dish and Direct and why do you have sooooo many receivers?

I have 6 receviers. I have a HR-20 and 622 in my living room,HR-20 and 211 in my bedroom.I have an H20 and TV2 port of my 622 in my office,and my daughters playroom has a D10. I've had D* for a long time,E* I got last summer when I got tired of waiting for D* to get more HD.

 

[nmstough]

I think that unless you want to have them come out and install everything, you will have to buy the new dish and receiver and install yourself. Then you can just call them and inform them the new receiver and access card and tell them to turn on the new MPEG4 channels.

 

[shodobe]

I live way out of the DMA for LA stations and recieve all the locals, except for HD. Does it look like Direct might put all of the locals for LA on a spotbeam where I will not be able to recieve them from where I actually live, 600 miles away. I use them exclusively for Dodger and Angel baseball games that are only played on the local KCAL. I have EI but not all games are played on EI. I would hate to lose these for that reason.

 

[joed32]

No but he will be locked into a 2 year commitment! As soon as he calls Directv to active his new H21 or HR21. Unless this switch somehow fell under the protection plan, which I'm sure it doesn't!

They gave me 2 Hr21s in an upgrade a few months ago and they said it would not change the commitment. That may or may not have been true. I am committed anyway as long as they have Sunday Ticket.