Too much to ask????

[skottey]

Funny, maybe I did mean exiting as I tend to agree with you on the church thing.

But you are relieved of your duty as Spelling Police due to these spelling mistakes in your novel (happend, wothless, servicable, irrelvent).

Yes, I told you I type 6000 words a minute and of all websites I partake in, satelliteguys.us is the only site that seems to bung up the firefox spell checker. You get so far and it stops underlining misspelled words. Sometimes I remember to right click and turn off spell check and then right click and turn it back on again at the end. Sometimes I catch it during proofreading, sometimes not. It only seems to happen on this site. Perhaps it is the vBulletin software not playing nice with Firefox.

 

[Ronnie-]

Yes, I told you I type 6000 words a minute

 

[Paul Wozniak]

It ain't so much getting more HD channels, as finding HD content worth watching.

 

[skottey]

It ain't so much getting more HD channels, as finding HD content worth watching.

I agree with you. So that is why if a channel has one single show I watch in HD, such as Breaking Bad on AMC HD, it makes it worth it to me to get the channel.

With FIOS, I enjoy having every HBO/MAX in HD because 26 channels as opposed to 4 channels (east/west of the flagship) increases my odds at any given time that there is something to watch. I watch exclusively HD now days with few exceptions.

I watch Breaking Bad in SD, because I don't get the HD channel. I watch hockey games in HD, since Sun Sports only has a handful of Tampa Bay Lightning games in HD each year. I watch all premium channels in HD since they are almost all in HD with FIOS and I watch Fox News and Fox Financial all day while working at home and they are in HD on both FIOS and DirecTV. I really don't watch a lot in SD anymore. I am just trying to eliminate all SD viewing if at all possible.

But you know, it isn't even that SD in of itself is bad. It is the fact that the SD channels are of such bad quality. I have no problem watching an upscaled widescreen DVD. They look great. Not as good as Bluray, but they look good on my HDTV. It is just the crummy SD channels that look so darn bad. I couldn't stand to watch HBO Signature SD feed at this point in time. That is what is so aggravating about HBO On Demand. They don't have any HD, where as Cinemax and the others all have HD in their On Demand catalog. So other than Cathouse from time to time, I pretty much watch no HBO On Demand because it is SD.

I don't even think channel owners require a minimum bitrate on the SD feed. If Bright House Cable wants to squeeze Fuse to a worse than Youtube quality bitrate they can get away with it. But when it comes to HD channels, the cable channel owners not only adhere to the minimum requirement for HD, but they often have a higher minimum imposed upon the cable operators. For example, a cable company is required by Time Warner to carry each of the HBO/MAX HD channels in 8Mbps or higher. They cannot get away with 3 or 4Mbps. With SD, they can get away with less than ideal quality.

 

[ONUOsFan]

The other poster acts as if all I do is sit around and watch TV. That isn't the case at all. You don't have to be a couch potato to love movies and want all HD channels.

This argument of mine is a no brainer. Who the heck has an opposing view to me and doesn't want them to add channels? Come on now. The argument that "I go outside and play with my kids" is stupid and irrelvent to me wanting more HD.

I assume "the other poster" is me, and I wasn't trying to make any claims about what you should be doing with your time. I was just stating my own opinion.

Would it be nice to have more HD? Sure. I'm just not a a point in my life where it's important enough for me to come on here and complain about it, and I've realized I probably wouldn't watch it anyway. I'd be much happier if some of the shows I watch now (Amazing Race!) were broadcast in HD than I would if some random "cable" channel was added to D*'s HD lineup.

That being said, everyone on here (myself included) spends too much time in front of our TV's. If we didn't, we would never have cared enough to join this site in the first place. I can't condemn you for that...

 

[harshness]

I did my "due diligence" as you put it.

Yet you are here again several months later to complain about the paucity of premium movie channels on DIRECTV. Knowing what is going on in "the industry" must also include knowing what is not going on in the industry. Choosing to believe that the afterburners of channel additions could and would go on until everything available was carried is not supportable given history that you claim a familiarity with.

In the end, it comes down to what they do and not what they say or imply. DIRECTV is in good company with many of its peers who promise a ride "up to" the moon but don't get all the way there. Then again, if you can't make it to the moon, a shuttle ride is pretty cool.

 

[skottey]

Yet you are here again several months later to complain about the paucity of premium movie channels on DIRECTV. Knowing what is going on in "the industry" must also include knowing what is not going on in the industry. Choosing to believe that the afterburners of channel additions could and would go on until everything available was carried is not supportable given history that you claim a familiarity with.

In the end, it comes down to what they do and not what they say or imply. DIRECTV is in good company with many of its peers who promise a ride "up to" the moon but don't get all the way there. Then again, if you can't make it to the moon, a shuttle ride is pretty cool.

Sounds like you are incoherently posting drunk or something. I am of the opinion that providers run a fluid business. They are ever changing. They are ever adding channels. Look at the history of ANY provider. They don't reach a point where they have as many channels as they are going to add and then just stop. They keep adding here and there FOREVER. They keep making the product better. My point is that DirecTV has stopped adding channels for the time being. Who would have thunk it?

Almost 3,000 posts under your belt, you cannot possibly always be this venomous can you? What is your problem anyway? Playing devil's advocate? Why are you coming after me? You are right. I am just a d-bag and DirecTV has no business adding channels. They should stay right where they are and not add anything. You are right, I am wrong. Are you happy now? You win.

 

[harshness]

They are ever adding channels. Look at the history of ANY provider. They don't reach a point where they have as many channels as they are going to add and then just stop. They keep adding here and there FOREVER. They keep making the product better. My point is that DirecTV has stopped adding channels for the time being. Who would have thunk it?

Anyone who has observed the industry over a period of time should have noticed that channel additions at DIRECTV often come in fits and spurts as new bandwidth becomes available. Before DIRECTV 10, they went for many, many months adding only a single national HD channel (TNT?). Most of DIRECTVs HD premium movie offerings (channel count wise) came in a single stroke when the Showtime and Starz channels were turned up (9/26/07).

It would be wonderful if carriage negotiations were a handshake deal between one representative from each company, but as you should have noticed, they seem to come one parent company at a time and that's never going to be a steady process.

 

[homerofwar]

DirecTv, currently, at the moment is not concerned about adding HD channels, there trying to sell there company right now, (AT&T will most likely to make the purchase). Then it will be up to at&t or whoever makes the purchase to add HD channels.

 

[tds4182]

You will find, as has been the case for years, that D* has little interest in adding HD channels for the typical customer. We waited how long to have more than just a handful of HD channels while D* used bandwidth for LIL and then slapped us again in the face when they dedicated HD bandwidth the STHD channels that went live for a one day a week! And now how many HBOHD channels do we have? Not very many because they know you will sub to it anyway. HD? This is a company that has been BETA testing this DOG of an HD DVR for how many years???? I bet there are Gitmo prisoners with less time than the CE jail we have been in. Someone please give me 2 grand for 2 HD tivo XL's and lifetime memberships so I can run to FIOS?

Vurbano, I agree with the general sentiment of your post.

Having said that, NOBODY in the history of SatelliteGuys griped longer or louder about not having their HD LILs in their local market than you.

Now you finally have them and you're still not happy.

You've threatened to quit D* before, borrow the $2k if you have to, and get your 2 Tivos and go to FIOS.

Then you can gripe about them!

 

[skottey]

Anyone who has observed the industry over a period of time should have noticed that channel additions at DIRECTV often come in fits and spurts as new bandwidth becomes available. Before DIRECTV 10, they went for many, many months adding only a single national HD channel (TNT?). Most of DIRECTVs HD premium movie offerings (channel count wise) came in a single stroke when the Showtime and Starz channels were turned up (9/26/07).

It would be wonderful if carriage negotiations were a handshake deal between one representative from each company, but as you should have noticed, they seem to come one parent company at a time and that's never going to be a steady process.

They have bandwidth. The PPV place holders can come down. It is time. Deals can be signed and crummy PPV bandwidth can be used. Problem solved. But they aren't doing that. Why not?

 

[DetFan]

Man if I could get Travel in HD I would be all set.

 

[skottey]

Man if I could get Travel in HD I would be all set.

I was thinking it was odd that DirecTV had Discovery Channels less popular channels in HD but then I found that Discovery sold their stake in the channel back in May of 2007. A few months ago they had it listed on the Discovery website as one of their channels but today I noticed it was gone from the site.

Wiki says this "Discovery bought 70% of the network in 1997, acquiring the rest in 1999. In May 2007, Discovery sold Travel Channel to Cox Enterprises subsidiary Cox Communications as part of a larger multi-billion dollar transaction. However, Discovery Communications still distributes the channel under Discovery Networks.

In the United States, the Travel Channel is available in 89 million homes."

How insane and out of touch with the public can Discovery get? Planet Green has been pushed and they get rid of Travel Channel. Thanks Al Gore for telling tall tales about the reasons for global warming. Never mind that we have only been polluting for two centuries max with industry, the fact remains the sea levels have been rising for 15,000 years and the planet is getting hotter. The sun is getting hotter (typical of a star in its lifecycle). I'm really tired of this "green" stuff being dumped on us. Discovery should have kept the channel and it should be in HD on DirecTV.

Thankfully, I get it in HD on FIOS or I'd be complaining about that one too. DirecTV should seriously carry this one, but now I know why they don't. Discovery doesn't even own it anymore.

I believe the line in the wiki that says "However, Discovery Communications still distributes the channel under Discovery Networks" is wrong now, because the Discovery site doesn't even acknowledge its existence as a channel anymore.

 

[DetFan]

Well luckily I can watch it in HD on Dish, but i am not sure how much longer I will have them.

 

[MikeinBaja]

I'll contribute to the "thread gone wild" but only to put in a plug to add WGN HD - tired of watching SD baseball.

 

[JEFFinINDY]

I'll contribute to the "thread gone wild" but only to put in a plug to add WGN HD - tired of watching SD baseball.

Cubs & Braves look great in HD tonight on Dish.

It's too bad DirecTV is slowing up. They had the chance to put the nails in the coffins of several different providers, but now they're being eclipsed again (except in premium sports packages). I guess as long as the quarterly reports continue to kick a$$, they're under no pressure to make changes.

 

[dcowboy7]

Cubs & Braves look great in HD tonight on Dish.

It's too bad DirecTV is slowing up. They had the chance to put the nails in the coffins of several different providers, but now they're being eclipsed again (except in premium sports packages). I guess as long as the quarterly reports continue to kick a$$, they're under no pressure to make changes.

yes when the new sat is up & running....theyve already said they will add 40-50 HDs by end of Q1-10.

& yes its too bad dish has to lower the quality of their HD channels to "squeeze" more into their topped out bandwidth.

 

[Ronnie-]

yes when the new sat is up & running....theyve already said they will add 40-50 HDs by end of Q1-10.

& yes its too bad dish has to lower the quality of their HD channels to "squeeze" more into their topped out bandwidth.

Yet they claim to have the best HD quality in their latest commercial (with nothing to back it up).

They also say they have over 30 million "viewers". Way to pump the numbers.

Anyone else seen this?

 

[gopherscot]

yes when the new sat is up & running....theyve already said they will add 40-50 HDs by end of Q1-10.

& yes its too bad dish has to lower the quality of their HD channels to "squeeze" more into their topped out bandwidth.

The "squeeze" works just fine for me. My Cubs and Travel look wonderful on Dish. Having had both I see little or no difference in quality and the DVR just blows away the slow Direct receivers.

 

[am7crew]

I would be shocked to not see them add more HD national but at least back up the press release they put out years ago promising all HBO's in HD like Dish, main reason I went back to Dish was the movie premiums. However with that said Directv owns in the sports dept.