NFL Superfan Red Zone Channel in HD This Year

[jcrandall]

Happy to report the red zone channel will be HD this year!!!!

Wonder if their technology would allow game mix to be HD? Not sure they can do that with 8 channels on one.

 

[rad]

Wonder where D*'s going to get the bandwidth for this? Last year they needed to shtu down an existing HD channel (TNT-HD or Uni-HD) to carry the SF HD games. Now they're adding another HD channel plus CBS is supposed to carry at lease one additonal HD game this year. D* web site doesn't say you need MPEG4 hardware, just the same old requirements as last year. Should be interesting to see how they'll do this.

 

[colebert]

RedZone is worthless.

Give me GameMix in HD!!

 

[colebert]

Wonder where D*'s going to get the bandwidth for this? Last year they needed to shtu down an existing HD channel (TNT-HD or Uni-HD) to carry the SF HD games. Now they're adding another HD channel plus CBS is supposed to carry at lease one additonal HD game this year. D* web site doesn't say you need MPEG4 hardware, just the same old requirements as last year. Should be interesting to see how they'll do this.

Perhaps they are moving other MPEG2 channels onto other sats thus freeing up bandwidth.

 

[joed32]

I love Red Zone, if my team isn't on at the time then RZ is the channel with the sound on. I use 5 TVs for Sunday Ticket. Now that it's in HD it will be on the main screen.

 

[colebert]

i use a plasma screen for the main screen and a front projector for gamemix. that's why i want GameMix-HD.

 

[joed32]

My big one is a 62" DLP but I think they waste too much of the screen space with borders and stuff thus the pictures are kind of small. I'm an older man though and the eyes aren't what they used to be. If they are a little bigger I would like it too, also if it was in HD it might be easier to see. Just two months away from football!

 

[bonscott87]

Perhaps they are moving other MPEG2 channels onto other sats thus freeing up bandwidth.

They can't....yet.

Two possibilities:

1) The extra CBS games will be in MPEG4 and thus an opportunity to upgrade someone to MPEG4 equipment.
2) They will have to shut down more MPEG2 HD channels on Sunday then just TNT-HD. All the MPEG2 HD channels should be mirrored in MPEG4 and thus if someone calls to complain it's an opportunity to upgrade them to MPEG4 equipment.

Either way, CBS ramping up HD more then expected has put them between a rock and a hard place on this one. Whatever they do it will make some people upset to whichever they choose we'll know come Sept.

 

[rad]

They can't....yet.

Two possibilities:

1) The extra CBS games will be in MPEG4 and thus an opportunity to upgrade someone to MPEG4 equipment.
2) They will have to shut down more MPEG2 HD channels on Sunday then just TNT-HD. All the MPEG2 HD channels should be mirrored in MPEG4 and thus if someone calls to complain it's an opportunity to upgrade them to MPEG4 equipment.

Either way, CBS ramping up HD more then expected has put them between a rock and a hard place on this one. Whatever they do it will make some people upset to whichever they choose we'll know come Sept.

Scott, for #1, if that's what they're planning to do then D* better start getting the word out ASAP so folks can decide if they want to upgrade. They also better be willing to give the upgrades out for no charge with a like for like exchange for STB's. How would you like it if you shelled out the $'s for NFL-ST and SF expecting to be able to see all the games and then find out you can't unless you upgraded?

#2, I know folks have guessed that D* would mirror the current MPEG2 lineup on the Ka satellites but do we know for sure that would happen? D*'s got some large HD expansion plans announced and IMHO, they're going to need all the space they can get on D10 available for all the new channels, and may not have room to mirror the existing 17 full time HD channels.

As I've said in the past, it should be an interesting September.

 

[colebert]

My big one is a 62" DLP but I think they waste too much of the screen space with borders and stuff thus the pictures are kind of small. I'm an older man though and the eyes aren't what they used to be. If they are a little bigger I would like it too, also if it was in HD it might be easier to see. Just two months away from football!

Yep, I definitely know what you're talking about... but my Front project is like 108" diagonal, so the wasted space isn't such a big deal.

But I see your point.

And whatever happens... we're still only 2 months away! :

 

[joed32]

Yep, I definitely know what you're talking about... but my Front project is like 108" diagonal, so the wasted space isn't such a big deal.

But I see your point.

And whatever happens... we're still only 2 months away! :

I would love to use a screen that size, I envy you. No way to make my room dark enough for a projector.

 

[bonscott87]

Scott, for #1, if that's what they're planning to do then D* better start getting the word out ASAP so folks can decide if they want to upgrade. They also better be willing to give the upgrades out for no charge with a like for like exchange for STB's. How would you like it if you shelled out the $'s for NFL-ST and SF expecting to be able to see all the games and then find out you can't unless you upgraded?

They basically already are upgrading people for free or nearly free. Just gotta get the right CSR.

I think this issues, along with everything else, really hinges on the launch of D10. Once it's up and in good working order then they can start rolling out plans ASAP. No matter what they do they have to do something.

 

[rad]

They basically already are upgrading people for free or nearly free. Just gotta get the right CSR.

If you're someone that watches this site and others then you know you can play CSR roulette or get to retention. But the common person's going to call say I want an HR20 and be told $199 and be ticked off that They've already paid $250 and maybe the $99 for SF to get HD games and now be told oh you have to pay for new hardware to watch programming you've already paid for.

 

[bonscott87]

You can bet that if they have to use MPEG4 in any way that free receivers will be given like candy.

Either way I don't care what they do, I've been ready for nearly a year.

 

[jcrandall]

I think they will squeeze one more year of NFL out in MPEG2, cutting channels off like last year the first few weeks, then moving them temporarily to the new sat for MPEG4 customers when the new sat is ready, week 2-4 or so.

The pressure/cost to switch all superfan subs to MPEG4 equip by September may prohibit them going straight MPEG4.

Also, by September 2008 many of these people will have upgraded on their own accord, with less expense to D*.

 

[Brewer4]

I like Red Zone channel. Cant wait to see it in HD.

 

[Jimbo]

My big one is a 62" DLP but I think they waste too much of the screen space with borders and stuff thus the pictures are kind of small. I'm an older man though and the eyes aren't what they used to be. If they are a little bigger I would like it too, also if it was in HD it might be easier to see. Just two months away from football!

I agree 100 %

 

[Jimbo]

I think they will squeeze one more year of NFL out in MPEG2, cutting channels off like last year the first few weeks, then moving them temporarily to the new sat for MPEG4 customers when the new sat is ready, week 2-4 or so.

The pressure/cost to switch all superfan subs to MPEG4 equip by September may prohibit them going straight MPEG4.

Also, by September 2008 many of these people will have upgraded on their own accord, with less expense to D*.

Heck, they were trying to move peoplel last year in time to do the football season in mpeg4, then scrapped the idea due to having to change all the dishes out before hand.

Jimbo