Swanni: DIRECTV to Be HDTV Leader in 2006

[cablewithaview]

The satcaster will dramatically expand its high-def lineup, says the TV futurist.
Special to TVPredictions.com

Washington, D.C. (Dec. 24, 2005) -- High-Definition TV is expected to be in more than 20 million U.S. homes in 2006. But which TV provider will offer the best HD programming lineup for high-def owners?

Phillip Swann, aka 'Swanni,' and the president of TVPredictions.com, predicts that satcaster DIRECTV will emerge as the HDTV leader in 2006. Here's what Swanni has to say about DIRECTV and HDTV:

"With DIRECTV launching four new satellites, it will be able to offer more HD channels than any other cable or satellite provider by the end of 2006. However, DIRECTV desperately needs to shore up its customer service area to handle the expanded services," Swanni says.

Swanni's forecast is one of 23 predictions he has made for the upcoming year.

To read all of Swanni's predictions, click:
http://www.tvpredictions.com/2006predictions.com122005.htm
http://www.tvpredictions.com/2006parttwo122005.htm
http://www.tvpredictions.com/2006partthree122005.htm

http://www.tvpredictions.com/dtvhdtv122405.htm

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I think he gave the last perdiction last year.

Maybe someday it will come true.

 

[Juan]

Its a shame that D* themselves dont expect to a real force in "national" HD till 2007 when their next 2 satellites are launched

 

[cablewithaview]

I'm not excepting much out of DirecTV and not impressed with anything they have come out with recently. They are getting worse and there boxes and DVR's are buggy and with flaws. I use to think you profected a product first before rolling it out. now it's the one that does it first and Dish Network isn't any better. If these companies had gone with Motorola or Scientific Atlanta and stayed with TiVO, they might actually have a product that best serves the consumers.

 

[Juan]

Motorla is no better than e* or d* and scientific atlanta is on the verge of bankruptcy....now TIVO is the betamax of the dvr industry They have a superiour product that is just fadeing away!!!

 

[hbk409]

scientific atlanta is on the verge of bankruptcy

wasnt sa brought out by cisco?

 

[Juan]

wasnt sa brought out by cisco?

Its not a done deal yet!!

 

[cablewithaview]

I use Motorola in a commercial compacity, and I have SC and had Voom which also used Motorola. The only problem I had with Motorola commercially was the DSR 4402X had a dc voltage issue which was cured by using a dc block and once in a blue moon did I ever have to reboot Voom or SC at anytime. no where close to as much as I do with DirecTV HD receiver which is all the time.

 

[cablewithaview]

and scientific atlanta is on the verge of bankruptcy....

they did when Adelphia went into bankruptcy, but they have been able to turn things around and haven't looked back. I have a friend at SA that was laid off because of Adelphia but him and some others has been able to return to work since and all is good.

 

[dragon002]

I'm not excepting much out of DirecTV and not impressed with anything they have come out with recently. They are getting worse and there boxes and DVR's are buggy and with flaws. I use to think you profected a product first before rolling it out. now it's the one that does it first and Dish Network isn't any better. If these companies had gone with Motorola or Scientific Atlanta and stayed with TiVO, they might actually have a product that best serves the consumers.

hey cable,

i used to defend directv a lot, some thoughts though.....

the d11-500 is a very good ird,,the 100 and 300 leave a lot to be desired. they should have stuck with tivo, the R-15 is .....well.....i think they had the dark side (ergen) build it:devil: .........and motorola ,, ive been doing hd plasma installs to diversify,,, i know know what drove voom under......motorola and its boxes.......directv will get my r-10 tivo and my rca 480 boxes when they pry them from my cold dead hands (or 2009 which ever)

 

[cablewithaview]

SC doesn't seem to have any real problems with there Motorola. Voom should have launched "regional locals" in SD/HD to start until they got better on there feet. this alone would have helped the cause in the long run instead of the off air antenna, which runned them in the ground. people think antennas, like c band is a thing of the past when in reality are still used alot and has a future. I use an off air antenna and I get extra programming now that I use not get. I wouldn't give it up, DirecTv and Dish will never uplink all those feeds. I get extra music, programming, I ch. carries a west coast feed along w/ 2 others, news and weather. Cable is putting on these feeds in there digital packages to expand there services.

 

[vinnyv07]

I'm not excepting much out of DirecTV and not impressed with anything they have come out with recently. They are getting worse and there boxes and DVR's are buggy and with flaws. I use to think you profected a product first before rolling it out. now it's the one that does it first and Dish Network isn't any better. If these companies had gone with Motorola or Scientific Atlanta and stayed with TiVO, they might actually have a product that best serves the consumers.

I'm not really expecting much from directv in 2006 either. The lack of national hd offerings is what made me take the plunge for an 811 HD receiver from dish and just sub to the hd ch's. I actually enjoy alot of ther movies on TNTHD on the weekend and have always loved MonstersHD. Voom's motorola receiver had its problems ....but then again so did the whole company.

 

[vurbano]

Dont you have to offer HD before you can be the leader in it?

 

[Smthkd]

Dont you have to offer HD before you can be the leader in it?

I here Ya Vurbano! I was thinking the same thing! D* definately need to step it up! This has gotten friggin rediculous!

 

[LonghornXP]

I here Ya Vurbano! I was thinking the same thing! D* definately need to step it up! This has gotten friggin rediculous!

I wonder if a new startup lawyer would take on this case as false advertising. If you compared true HDTV as in what the channels themselves provide to DirecTV I guess you could say that DirecTV offers less than nearly every satellite and cable company.
I do agree that DirecTV needs to speed up this process and get this party started because if they don't have it done before Verizon starts getting revved up they are going to be sitting ducks.

Edit. I have tons of contacts with DirecTV but nobody can call me a fan boy of DirecTV that is for sure.

 

[DanWard]

I have been a patient customer of DTv since 2000, and a HD Sub since Jan. of last year.
Verizon is in my neighborhood 6-7 days a week lately (AA County, MD) and I think FiOS will be at my door in a few months.
DTV may lose me then if they don't get their act together -- SV channels, HD LiLs, MPEG-4, HD DVR (that is good enough to replace my HD Tivo) -- it has all been "promised", now let's see it happen! (or else it's bye bye DTV and hello FiOS for me.)