HD Distants

[waltinvt]

HD Distants - Now we'll see how true Dish is to their word

Dish went on public record early on that if they would be allowed to provide the digital signals of the distant networks to areas that could not receive them locally that they (Echostar) would in fact provide the HD feeds of the national networks and that they were ready to do so immediately.

I haven't got time to dig into all my records now but I know this was the case. I also have email correspondence with a person at Echostar's government relations office in Washington that confirmed this (because I wanted some assurance before I posted it back in July). This person asked me to not to use his name at that time (which I didn't) but he hasn't answered my recent emails yet either.

I'll give Dish the benefit of the doubt for a while as I'm sure they need to sort this out but they need to be forthcoming with some better specifics than that "up to three years" statement. With all the hype they presented this past Summer about this, they need to be ready to follow through now.
WaltinVt

 

[hancox]

my guess? Fat chance. Considering they've said that they're a year-ish from outlying DMA channels.........

 

[mike123abc]

It will be a while, the FCC has to come up with new rules to decide who is "served" with local digital channels and who is not served. Then they will be able to offer distant digitals to those not served.

 

[Stever1]

If you have already received a waiver for Distant Networks, does that mean that you would qualify for Distant Networks in HD, as well. I've got waivers for ABC and NBC (CBS local affiliate would not budge, even after several emails back and forth with the local GM).

 

[BobMurdoch]

Look for this to take YEARS. The networks have until 2007 to get their act together. The only real immediate good news is that superstations aren't going anywhere.

Long term, significantly viewed stations will become available and we MAY get some recourse to get distant networks in rural areas. The Bad news? The NAB is crowing that they are "happy" that this "pro consumer" bill went through and that digital white areas were NOT created (That's not how I read it, but they said that in their press release on SkyReport today)

 

[SatinKzo]

If you have already received a waiver for Distant Networks, does that mean that you would qualify for Distant Networks in HD, as well. I've got waivers for ABC and NBC (CBS local affiliate would not budge, even after several emails back and forth with the local GM).

I am wondering the same thing. Anyone?

 

[RBBrittain]

If you're in an "analog white area" (outside the grade-B contour of any station--that is, you qualify for analog distants right now, pre-SHVERA), HD distants should be available as soon as the President signs the bill. I'm not sure yet if an analog waiver will automatically qualify you for HD distants, but they could still issue HD waivers (as CBS did to E* in its O&O markets).

What's deferred for awhile is the rules for the testing that is required for those INSIDE grade-B to determine if you are in a "digital white area", including additional delays stations may request. One crucial page in that section is missing from the online SHVERA draft, but for that I'll take Charlie's word and say it's a 3-year delay.

NAB got to say they stopped "digital white area" because (a) testing is required if you're inside grade-B, (b) testing won't happen for another 3 years, and (c) before testing is available, NAB *hopes* its members will all have their full-power digital transmitters online, thus eliminating the potential for a "digital white area". (Full-power digital licenses were designed to provide the same coverage area as the analog licenses they are to replace.) If not, then the stations will pay; under the bill, the "loser" pays for the test (the station if you qualify, the carrier if you don't), unless the carrier refuses to test (in which case you can pay for a test yourself).

 

[billhdtv]

I now get analog CBS, ABC, and NBC because I am in a grade b reception and I get Fox on a waiver. Assuming E* does the right thing and adds the distant digitals in early December will I have to keep and pay for the analog versions of the networks? Whatch ya think?

Bill G

 

[BFG]

What happened to all that language we read that says if you subscribe to analog LIL you can get digital distants until 60 days after digital LIL is added. Was that wrong/out of context?

 

[Jimmy J]

Hey guys, love this forum. I live in rural Vermont. What part of Vermont isn't? I guess I'm in one of those so called digital white areas. The only local HD network is CBS out of Burlington, and they only started their HD service with Adelph about a month ago. (And no digital OTA's) How long would you expect before E* starts providing any HD networks to my area? I'm sure is heck ain't dropping E* for Adelph and their 1 lousy HD channel. Sure hope I can get some networks in HD soon! I think the $10/month for the HD pak is highway robbery. Lets face it, you can only watch so much Discovery HD, if you know what I mean.

 

[korsjs]

hd distant local question

I just looked at my account and am eligible for the SD abc, nbc, and fox for new york, atlanta, LA, and I think Dallas. If I took all the new yorks distants now, would I be able to get the HD versions when available? I am concerned that I might not be eligible for the distants when the HD ones become available.

 

[nippjas]

CBS-HD NY is already available on 61.5...The HD-specific waiver process is seperate and a bit different from that of the standard distants process...But if you qualified for NY distants and NY offered HD mirrors of those channels, in general you would also get them.

Jason

 

[RBBrittain]

What happened to all that language we read that says if you subscribe to analog LIL you can get digital distants until 60 days after digital LIL is added. Was that wrong/out of context?

That was my initial misread of the bill. I discovered my own error, and posted a correction with apologies in the original SHVERA thread (in the general satellite forum).

 

[BFG]

ah darn, my life has been crushed Man we've been douped but thanx for the clarifications.

 

[nippjas]

That was my initial misread of the bill. I discovered my own error, and posted a correction with apologies in the original SHVERA thread (in the general satellite forum).

You mean SHVIA? Satellite Home Viewer Improvement Act?

 

[don_riggins]

This is the reauthorization of SHVIA, as it was grandfathering clauses among other things were set to run out in december of this year.

 

[Larry]

I just looked at my account and am eligible for the SD abc, nbc, and fox for new york, atlanta, LA, and I think Dallas. If I took all the new yorks distants now, would I be able to get the HD versions when available? I am concerned that I might not be eligible for the distants when the HD ones become available.

Lucky you! So how do you live in Tampa and qualify for distant locals? How about sharing the zip code you're using so I can "move" there.