Maybe Asked and Answered, but help me out w/ locals

[litig8]

I searched for the forums for the answer to my question, and I didn't see anything so I apologize if I missed it.

Here goes. I live in Dallas and I am about to subsribe to D*. I am buying an 10-250 (HD DVR). As for HD programming, all I care about is my local ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX. I have ready several posts regarding HD Locals from D* that starting talking about antennas, waivers, and have grown confused.

Question is that if I have my HD Receiver, and buy Total Choice Basic programming, can I get my Dallas local channels in HD from D* without: (1) paying for any additional HD content, or (2) buying an antenna.

Please help out a newcomer

 

[hdtvtechno]

Directv does not yet offer local channels in HD
they will offer them later this fall

Or You can get your local channels with an OTA antenna if u have one.

 

[litig8]

Do any markets have local channels in HD at this point? I was under the impression that a couple markets have already started receiving them.

Do we have any news on when they will become available, and whether we will need to pay additional programming charges for them. I want to avoid spending the extra money for an OTA if I don't have to.

In fact, given that HD Locals are not available yet in my area, and from my understanding, we will need MPEG-4 in order to receive them, is there ANY REASON whatsoever to purchase the HD TIVO at this point in time. As stated previously, I have no intention of subscribing to HD content other than local channels once they become available. Perhaps it makes sense to take the free DVR (w/ rebate) now, and then go with the MPEG-4 unit when locals are broadcast in HD over satellite.

I know its a multipronged question, but it seems like every day I check the posts, I switch my purchasing strategy.

Thanks.

 

[osu1991]

NBC CBS and FOX are O&O in Dallas. You should qualify for the national distant HD feed of those networks, but you would need an antenna to receive ABC, WB, UPN and the other local digital channels.

 

[Tonedeaf]

OSU is correct. Dallas will be on of the first group of markets switched to Mpeg4 and will then have Local HD without antenna.

Whenever that is??????????????

 

[litig8]

is there ANY REASON whatsoever to purchase the HD TIVO at this point in time.

So . . . your response seem to suggest that I should go with standard DVR and wait it out (or spend some addiitonal money in the interim for an OTA)

 

[Neutron]

NBC CBS and FOX are O&O in Dallas. You should qualify for the national distant HD feed of those networks, but you would need an antenna to receive ABC, WB, UPN and the other local digital channels.

You still have to go through the waiver process since according to their HD eligibility dept their computer does all the qualifications for those channels and can't verify my Plano address.

 

[litig8]

You still have to go through the waiver process since according to their HD eligibility dept their computer does all the qualifications for those channels and can't verify my Plano address.

What does this mean?

 

[dragontat002]

So . . . your response seem to suggest that I should go with standard DVR and wait it out (or spend some addiitonal money in the interim for an OTA)

In this matter, if i were you.....i believe i would go ahead and get a standard DVR being that DTV is running a special on them at the moment.......as for the OTA, that's always iffy because you may or may not receive the locals you wish to get. I don't really know when HD locals will be offered, and as for the MPEG4, i don't know about that yet either...but i would definetly get the DVR deal they offer right now. Which from my understand is free after MIR for new customers, and 49.99 after MIR for existing. Especially while DTV is in the myst of the R15 unveiling....Just my two cents

 

[Neutron]

What does this mean?

You can ask for HD locals based on Dallas having CBS, NBC, and FOX owned and operated, but they will tell you that you that they need to submit waivers for these channels.

 

[mdonnelly]

So . . . your response seem to suggest that I should go with standard DVR and wait it out (or spend some addiitonal money in the interim for an OTA)

If I could get local HD OTA, I wouldn't spend the extra $ to get them from the satellite, compressed.

 

[litig8]

You can ask for HD locals based on Dallas having CBS, NBC, and FOX owned and operated, but they will tell you that you that they need to submit waivers for these channels.

How is this initiated? Is this done through an HD receiver or a SD reciever (b/c I have a built in tuner)? Do I need to be an HD subsciber for this?

 

[Neutron]

Oops, I didn't mean HD locals, I meant Distant network HD. My bad.

You call up Directv's HD DNS Eligibility hotline.

 

[litig8]

Oops, I didn't mean HD locals, I meant Distant network HD. My bad.

You call up Directv's HD DNS Eligibility hotline.

I appreciate the info. Once again, I am unclear whether I need to be an HD sub for this, and whether I need HD gear for this (other than my built-in tuner).

Thanks again.

 

[Neutron]

You just need a valid subscription, one of the packages, and an HD receiver to get those Distant network HD channels.