National Geographic HD coming to D* early '07

[dishrich]

According to an article here:

http://www.cable360.net/cableworld/departments/meetprogrammer/21241.html

The ink is drying on its first MSO deal, with Comcast, which began adding the channel in late November, and DirecTV, which will roll it out in early 2007.

Sorry if this was posted before, but I didn't see it posted anywhere.
Wonder if this means they might be making this MPEG2 on the legacy birds.

 

[wneilson82]

:up:up:up:up

 

[rkr0923]

Sure hope so but not holding my breath
depends on D* and your version of "early"
mine is, say, March-April, to me that would be early 07
D* version is, I would say, November

 

[fluffybear]

Sure hope so but not holding my breath
depends on D* and your version of "early"
mine is, say, March-April, to me that would be early 07
D* version is, I would say, November

No Kidding! Some might recall that STYLE was suppose to have been added to our line-up when it first launched. That only took them a couple of years.

As for National Geographic, I would not expect to see that until at least one of the new satellites has been successfully launched (which is suppose to be sometime this spring).

As for it being on the MPEG2 stream, I am not counting on it. I figure by that time all HD will be MPEG-4.

 

[JamesJ]

bet this will be a new channel that launces with the new packages (maybe?? I dont know)

 

[Seanb61]

Someone who understands the tech please answer this:

Technically, can’t any of the existing national birds handle a MPEG4 stream, or are the new birds required for to send a MPEG4 stream. What I am getting at is with Sunday ticket over couldn’t the bandwidth used on a national level for that service be used to provide a few MPEG4 channels whilst D* waits for the launch of the new birds. When the new birds are up and running couldn’t they just migrate these MPEG4 streams over to them. This would allow them to provide MPEG4 HD channels nationally, now. I think I am correct that the compression scheme they send to the bird doesn’t matter.

 

[Tonedeaf]

Someone who understands the tech please answer this:

Technically, can’t any of the existing national birds handle a MPEG4 stream, or are the new birds required for to send a MPEG4 stream. What I am getting at is with Sunday ticket over couldn’t the bandwidth used on a national level for that service be used to provide a few MPEG4 channels whilst D* waits for the launch of the new birds. When the new birds are up and running couldn’t they just migrate these MPEG4 streams over to them. This would allow them to provide MPEG4 HD channels nationally, now. I think I am correct that the compression scheme they send to the bird doesn’t matter.

Spaceway 1&2 are the only birds up there(to my limited knowledge) that can broadcast signal in mpeg-4 and are being used for HD Locals utilizing spotbeams. The 2 new birds DirecTV 10&11 going up this year will be able to broadcast National HD channel. According to DirecTV will give capacity to broadcast 150 National and 1500 Local HD channels.

 

[JamesJ]

yes, any satellite can use Mpeg4 so technically if they wanted Directv could use Mpeg4 with whats up there now.......but who knows how much room they have as they did have to shut down a HD station with the PPv and some other channels to make room for Sunday ticket.

 

[scotsmanron]

Well, since Sunday Ticket is gone till next fall they may be using that bandwidth because the know that they will have the new sats up.

 

[digiblur]

Well, since Sunday Ticket is gone till next fall they may be using that bandwidth because the know that they will have the new sats up.

What do you do when NFL:ST starts back up? Remove the channel from the people that have been enjoying it on the 18inch 101W dish? Oh wait...they already did that on Sundays during last season.

 

[Juan]

Maybe they have purchased better MPEG-4 encoders allowing more HD channels per transponder

 

[JamesJ]

yeah, that would be great if they were sharing the E* Mpeg4 encoders, can you imagine the Hd we could have?!?!?!?

 

[scotsmanron]

It's going to be HD so it won't be that big a deal, besides D* has already shown that they have no qualms about screwing around with the lineups to suit themselves and not the customers.

 

[paulman182]

It seems like they should be able to find room for an HD channel or two as-is, but let's not forget we have MLB on the way and NASCAR.

I just read about E* combining 6 MPEG4 HD channels on one transponder. D* can't be far behind with that. I just have to believe we'll see something new, not a lot but SOMETHING, before the new sats are operational.

 

[rkr0923]

I wouldn't call Q3 early

DIRECTV to Offer 100 National HD Channels in 2007

LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 8, 2007--DIRECTV, the nation's leading satellite television service provider, is hailing 2007 as the "Year of HD" with the planned launch and carriage of 100 national high-definition (HD) channels. With this substantial HD muscle, DIRECTV will offer three-times more HD programming than any other multi-channel distributor, with the majority of these channels launching in Q3.

DIRECTV also announced today that it currently has signed agreements, or agreements in principle, with more than 70 major networks including:

-- A&E
-- National Geographic
-- Bravo
-- NFL Network
-- Cartoon Network
-- SciFi Channel
-- CNN
-- Speed
-- Food Network
-- TBS
-- FX
-- The History Channel
-- HGTV
-- The Weather Channel
-- MTV
-- USA Network

DIRECTV will also extend its leadership in HD sports programming by offering hundreds of games and other HD programming available from Regional Sports Networks (RSNs) around the country, including YES Network, Comcast Sports Net, New England Sports Network and FOX Sports.

To satisfy the insatiable appetite for a greater number of movies in HD, DIRECTV will offer an expanded line-up of HD programming available from all premium movie channels.

 

[charper1]

What shows of interest does National Geographic have in HD?

 

[Ricknau]

What shows of interest does National Geographic have in HD?

Hard to say since I can't see it in HD. But in SD I watch a lot of shows on NGC. Bring it on!!

And Speed! Can't wait...

 

[lou_do]

What shows of interest does National Geographic have in HD?

Anything has to be better than the reruns and old movies with commercials, that Universal and TNT HD have on. Most of those reruns were bad enough the first time around.

Everyone has their opinion on what they like to watch, but I would prefer see NGC in HD, than Universal and TNT, which I never watch.

 

[wneilson82]

What shows of interest does National Geographic have in HD?

I watch NG all the time without it being in HD.

Having some would be a plus for me.

 

[grydlok]

What shows of interest does National Geographic have in HD?

Plenty of good documentaries on NGC.

Looking forward to the history channel also.