Extra Innings Question

[clayface1000]

A friend with cable wanted to see if he Extra Innings was available on an ala carte basis from Directv. I believe this was possible once upon a time, but I'm not sure if they now require some sort of basic subscription package.

Also, are all the Extra Inning transponders on the satellite at 101 degrees? Assuming he can do the ala carte-thing, he wants to make the installation as simple as possible -- none of this AT-9 business if at all possible!

Thanks for any information or advice...

 

[Tony1097]

I am 99% positive they will make you have at least the total choice package just to be able to order EI. They let people order just Sunday Ticket for the longest time but stopped that just this past year.

 

[charper1]

These are my assumptions based on history.

If this package will start this upcoming season (because I do not know) it will be from the 101°w location.

It will require a minimum subscription level package. As of today's structure, they do not do à la carte, but "add-on" items.

Is he doing a self install? Either dish setup would be easy for a pro, and the best overall solution would be a multi-LNB; especially if any HD is desired now or in the next 6 months.

 

[clayface1000]

Thanks for the quick answers! I doubt if he'll do it if he has to sub to a package. He's an ex-New Yorker, now living in San Diego. He lives and dies with the Yankees (ugh), which is why he wants EI. However, he's also fallen in love with the Padres, and of course, their games are not available on the MLB package. He's trying to figure out a cost-effective way to get both teams. He may have to resort to MLB.com, but the poor video quality may be a deal breaker.

Charper, I know what you mean about going ahead and getting a "regulation" 5-LNB dish installed, but he has it fixed in his head that if he does this, he wants to do it cheaply and simply...

 

[purtman]

If poor video quality is an issue, he'll want the 5-LNB and the HD. The Padres should be on the EI. If it's not their own games, EI will pick up the broadcast of the other teams. I saw several Padres' games last season on EI.
PS Go Yankees! .

 

[clayface1000]

No, I meant web video looks terrible even in comparison to SD satellite TV video (which doesn't look all that great).

Actually he has Cox Cable to get the Padres games in HD, so Directv wouldn't be able to come close to matching that deal. He might get lucky with an occasional HD Padre game, but I believe Cox televises all home games in high definition.