Why DirecTV is the HD Leader (Video)

[ScoBuck]

D* lit a fire under cable, but E* lit a fire under D* IMO

No way. In September of 2004 (when D* put out the press release announcing their HD roll out plans the playing field between D* & E* in HD was prety much even. I'm even thinking that at that exact moment D* had a couple of more HD channels than E*.

DISH didn't get VOOM programming or its satellite until MAY of 2005 - 8 months AFTER DirecTV made their plans public. Additionally, for the DirecTV announcement to be made on September 8th of 2004, it is absolute fact that they HAD TO BE in negotiation with Boeing for some time before that to spec out and contract for D10, D11, and D12. I don't see any connection between what DISH had and what DirecTV was planning.

Seems to me that they actually took a hard look at what they needed to do to get themselves 100% for HD by 2008 and took the steps to get there. They have in fact done a superb job IMHO - and in fact are leading the industry.

 

[ScoBuck]

In May of 2004 DISH offered a total of 5 HD channels:

TNT
ESPN
HD Net
HD Net Movies
Discovery

DISH Network :: Investor Relations - News Release

At that same time DirecTV had (Jan of 2004) 7 HD channels:

ESPN
Discovery
HD Net
HD Net Movies
HBO
Showtime
CBS

DirecTV - Investor Relations - News Release

DirecTV also had all 4 major networks lit by Jan of 2005 in HD - also ahead of DISH.

It was only AFTER acquisition of a failed company (VOOM) that DISH had more HD channels. Good thing Charlie planned for VOOM to fail.

 

[rad]

Dish did have HBO and Showtime HD at that time. I know because I left D* earlier then that date for E* since E* had Showtime-HD and D* didn't have it yet.

 

[ScoBuck]

DirecTV had Showtime HD in 2004.

But that isn't in any way the point - I am responding to a post that E* lit a fire under D* - and have presented the rebuttal that when D* announced their HD plans that both companies were pretty much even. The press release from Sept of 2004 (which had to be in the planning stages for at least a couple of months before being made public) shows that D* and their planning was way ahead of the industry,

It was not until VOOM failed and DISH bought their sat and programming in 1 shot that they had any HD advantage. I would argue that if anyone pushed D* to plan for this it was VOOM - had VOOM succeeded they would be leading in HD, D* would be now moving in to second, and DISH would be a distant third.

Here is the DirecTV HD offering page from April 15, 2004 (notice SHOWTIME):
DIRECTV Customer Center

 

[rad]

Just pointing out that your list of E* channels was incorrect and missing those two. I don't disgreeed with your premises just your channel count of what E* had back then.

 

[ScoBuck]

Just pointing out that your list of E* channels was incorrect and missing those two. I don't disgreeed with your premises just your channel count of what E* had back then.

Well - I posted the info directly from the linked DISH press release - I guess they didn't mean that they had 5 HD channels when they said it. They didn't include or mention HBO OR Showtime, sorry.

 

[rad]

Well - I posted the info directly from the linked DISH press release - I guess they didn't mean that they had 5 HD channels when they said it. They didn't include or mention HBO OR Showtime, sorry.

Yes, D* did have it then, they didn't have it when I switch to E* which did have it, which was back around 2002 or so, don't remember the exact date. Then of course a bit after I switched to E*, D* added Showtime and HDNet and I had to wait months for E* to add HDNet.

 

[ScoBuck]

Again - I was responding to a post that said E* lit a fire under D*. Unfortunately, the facts from the September 2004 timeframe do not suport that argument in any way. DirecTV was ahead of DISH until they bought VOOM - and the D* plans to launch the 4 sats was made public while DirecTV was still ahead of DISH in HD.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

My feeling (and everyone thinks of me as a Dish Supporter) is that Dish while having more channels in HD has been actually dragging their feet on HD..

They got lucky with VOOM.

And yes they added a few new channels over time.

However I don't honestly believe for a second Dish would be adding HD in August and September if the DirecTV satellite did not get launched.

They didn't decide to launch these channels because they finally figured they had the space (they have always had the space) they launched them to combat DirecTV.

 

[ScoBuck]

Scott - I agree totally with you - and as your video clip also shows, the cable industry and analysts say that it is in fact D* that is pushing the industry towards more HD content and more HD channels.

And I certainly agree that the recent timing of announcements and launches of programming by DISH appears more and more as an attempt to steal back some headlines and to appease their subs until they also get their new birda up in the sky.

I don't think you have to be either a D* or an E* (or other) supporter to see this. It is obvious with the launch of DIRECTV-10 that D* is going to have close to 100 HD national offerings by end of year (including RSN's, etc.), and no matter how it gets sliced and diced or dissected - that will in fact be a powerful lineup, and not easy for the competition to match right away.

Then we hear now that DIRECTV-11 will launch months ahead of ECHOSTAR-11, and that will give D* for some time additional bandwidth superiority over DISH. They will be able to light virtually the entire country in HD lils first, and so on. We all know the importance of subs being able to receive their locals played in getting BOTH D* and E* into millions of homes when the laws changed 5-6 years ago (whenever that was). D* says they also intend to start adding the additional HD channels in their lit markets also - so ALL the local market programming will be in HD - another huge advantage over DISH and FiOS and cable.

I agree that my MPEG4 HD reception is excellent in PQ - and if D10 delivers that type of signal in September, than that is another edge for them for the near-term.

Yeah - D* might have had 5 fewer mainstream HD channels than DISH the past 2 years, but they might just have 30 more HD channels for 6 months to a year ahead of their competition now - along with exclusives on the NFL and other sports offerings not on DISH.

 

[rad]

Again - I was responding to a post that said E* lit a fire under D*. Unfortunately, the facts from the September 2004 timeframe do not suport that argument in any way. DirecTV was ahead of DISH until they bought VOOM - and the D* plans to launch the 4 sats was made public while DirecTV was still ahead of DISH in HD.

Ok, last try at this, I said I don't disagree with your argument, just that your channel count that you provided in your post was incorrect, no matter what you say why you were posting it, it was incorrect since it was missing HBO-HD and Showtime-HD on E*. I'm done.

 

[rad]

My feeling (and everyone thinks of me as a Dish Supporter) is that Dish while having more channels in HD has been actually dragging their feet on HD..

They got lucky with VOOM.

And yes they added a few new channels over time.

However I don't honestly believe for a second Dish would be adding HD in August and September if the DirecTV satellite did not get launched.

They didn't decide to launch these channels because they finally figured they had the space (they have always had the space) they launched them to combat DirecTV.

Yea, it's surprising how all of a sudden E*'s found a way to add all the recently announced HD channels. Why did it take them so long to add Cinemax-HD, then all of a sudden with no new satellites they find a way to add it?

Bet it's frosting Charlies rear end a bit that he has to make all those deals for V* customers to get their STB's upgraded/replaced so thet can continue to receive the channels once they go to MPEG4.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

Well - I posted the info directly from the linked DISH press release - I guess they didn't mean that they had 5 HD channels when they said it. They didn't include or mention HBO OR Showtime, sorry. But also, D* DID HAVE Showtime also at that time.

What HD CBS channel Did Directv have in 2004? NY? LA?. I know I didn't receive it.

 

[ScoBuck]

The had channels 80 and 81 (as now) it was offered to those in the O&O markets and those with waivers.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

Directv never would grant me Distant networks except FoxHD channel 88. But for some reason on E* I'm able to have East and West DNS from some company that does E* DNS channels.. https://www.mydistantnetworks.com/ ,and I still get to keep my Scranton /Wilkes-Barre Locals as well. But none in HD. My question is why can I get an East and West channels on E* but not on D*?. Directv always told me it was my local networks that wouldn't allow me to have them.

 

[ScoBuck]

Directv never would grant me Distant networks except FoxHD channel 88. But for some reason on E* I'm able to have East and West DNS from some company that does E* DNS channels.. https://www.mydistantnetworks.com/ ,and I still get to keep my Scranton /Wilkes-Barre Locals as well. But none in HD. My question is why can I get an East and West channels on E* but not on D*?. Directv always told me it was my local networks that wouldn't allow me to have them.

The networks grant the waivers NOT the providers. DISH used to offer them themselves but lost a legal case - than that other company started offering them using E*s satellites. NOt sure how they can do it, but it is offered. But it is NOT the fault of DISH or DIRECTV in either case.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

I think its great having them. I can't wait for Football season.That was the best part about Satellite tv. The fact you could watch programming from all over the USA. Now I guess its all about ratings,because other then that I see no reason you couldn't have them. After all their not free channels.

 

[ScoBuck]

The networks have signed agreements with their affiliate stations - it prevents them from broadcasting within the affiliates DMA. This protects the local affiliate and its advetisers, and since ratings in each market determine advertising rates and the such, it makes perfect sense.

 

[rad]

Directv never would grant me Distant networks except FoxHD channel 88. But for some reason on E* I'm able to have East and West DNS from some company that does E* DNS channels.. https://www.mydistantnetworks.com/ ,and I still get to keep my Scranton /Wilkes-Barre Locals as well. But none in HD. My question is why can I get an East and West channels on E* but not on D*?. Directv always told me it was my local networks that wouldn't allow me to have them.

As ScoBuck mentioned in his post, E* was playing fast and loose with granting DNS to folks that really shouldn't have been receiving them, while D* was following the rules better. Some of the stations took E* to court about their practice and finally was told that they had to stop offering DNS. To get around the court order E* leases a transponder to this other company and it's that company that you're dealing with for DNS channel so now E* is not in violation of the law anymore. As for why you can get Fox all I can guess is that since D* can still do DNS they sent a waiver request to your local stations and only the Fox station gave them the OK to allow them.

 

[bonscott87]

Simple: D* follows the law and E* didn't.