I don't think I want D* locals in HD.

[Brewer4]

Getting back to the original post
I have not had the problems others have had with the locals my MPEG 4 channels are very nice other than the rain fade and I have read where others have posted that the MPEG 4 locals are very close to OTA but I cannot confirm this.
All I can say is I am very happy with mine.

They are very close for the Hartford HD locals (only 2 right now). The Boston ones are definately not (only by my observation). The picture frozen might be the same but I cant get past the major issues and I highly doubt OTA have them (I can only get Boston OTA on perfect weather days).

 

[bonscott87]

HD Locals will give me one thing: A stable CBS HD signal as my CBS station is low powered and terrible. So for that it will be good for me. And in an area as vast as ours there are tens of thousands that cannot get a reliable digital signal. And ask anyone in San Fran how easy it is to get digital stations in all that crazy terrain.

 

[ncted]

I live only 28 miles from my local OTA stations. I can 3 of the 4 just fine with my CM 3019, but rain fade is worse than satellite ever thought of being. It is not reliable enough to trust my HD TiVo to receive a whole episode of a given show. I live in a small dip in the terrain apparently. One of my neighbors has an H20 and the HD locals (except CBS), and they look as good or better than cable HD channels. As soon as the HR20 comes out, I'll be trying it.

Ted

 

[Greg Bimson]

With some 90% of the country able to receive HDTV via OTA I think its nuts the FCC is requiring D* and E* to carry HDTV locals via sat.

As far as I know, there is no FCC requirement for Dish Network and DirecTV to carry HDTV locals. I believe the only reason it is being done is because each DBS company needs to compete with cable.

 

[charper1]

Correct; studies show that's what the vast majority of current and prospective users want.

 

[vgsantiago]

A is a large portion of people either do not have access to OTA HD affiliates or are in situations where topography and/or the costs of erecting a tower to place the antenna on; are ridiculous.

Agreed,

the people who erect antennas to get OTA HD are miniscule in comparison to the viewing public. We already know the # of HD viewers are in the minority.

I'm big on watching HD programming, but wouldn't bother myself with setting up an antenna on my roof, running cable, drilling holes, etc... to get HD

Only made sense to include HD locals with their HD programming. Those who think HD locals are a waste of money\bandwidth are in very very small minority and D* would defintely not mind losing your business to appeal to the very very large majority who couldn't wait for it to hit their area.