Why is HD locals so important?

[Van]

Im trying out charters hd box and service free for the next 30 days, the channel line up leaves alot to be desired and reminds me of when Dish first started offering hd years ago.

Locals are a part of the package but I havent been a big locals fan since the late 90's when alot of good content was shut down and replaced in the name of scripted fake reality tv ( Thanks Real world and Road rules ). For me the only shows I watch on local stations are the CSI shows and thats about it, there isnt anything else out there that appeals to me other than reruns of That 70's show.

What is the draw for HD locals for everyone here? Is it the news in hd? if thats the case then I guess that I dont lead that boring of a life. I know that sports is a draw but with espn and its clones showing sports programming in hd and more of it than the locals can again Im wondering what the appeal is and why its so hotly contested and debated as to when Dish is going to have locals in one city or another in hd.

 

[bidger`]

For me, it's Sports and prime time programming. As far as Sports on ESPN, that doesn't do much good for the NFL games on CBS, FOX, and NBC. If I relied on ESPN for all my NFL, I'd miss out on the postseason.

 

[tsduke]

There is ton's of HD programming on local. Just depends are what you like to watch. Sports is big for me. NFL, Nascar, MLB on Fox, NCAA football and basketball to begin with.

There is also 24, Lost, The Office, My Name is Earl, Heroes, America Idol to name a few.

 

[kstuart]

In my house:
- Lost in HD
- 24 in HD
- Prison Break in HD

Full Stop. Nothing Else. I can't stand hospital dramas or lawyer dramas - both are based on false premises (but that's a long off-topic thread).

PS It's "Why are HD locals..."

 

[Van]

PS It's "Why are HD locals..."

I havent slept in three days so my already lack luster grammar is breaking down further but thats insomnia for you.

 

[Madtown HD Junkie]

Im trying out charters hd box and service free for the next 30 days, the channel line up leaves alot to be desired and reminds me of when Dish first started offering hd years ago.

Locals are a part of the package but I havent been a big locals fan since the late 90's when alot of good content was shut down and replaced in the name of scripted fake reality tv ( Thanks Real world and Road rules ). For me the only shows I watch on local stations are the CSI shows and thats about it, there isnt anything else out there that appeals to me other than reruns of That 70's show.

What is the draw for HD locals for everyone here? Is it the news in hd? if thats the case then I guess that I dont lead that boring of a life. I know that sports is a draw but with espn and its clones showing sports programming in hd and more of it than the locals can again Im wondering what the appeal is and why its so hotly contested and debated as to when Dish is going to have locals in one city or another in hd.

I tried Charter numerous times and would rather eat my own fecal matter then use them for TV again. It is bad around here. gl van

 

[TRSmudge]

I have such a hard time watching anything anymore in SD.....
I can only get 1 of the 4 networks in HD via OTA.....
I need and hope that Dish will someday come through for me with HD Locals.....

Like others I enjoy NFL, NASCAR, CSI, 24, really anything.....

TRSmudge

 

[dfergie]

CBSHD which I lost in Dec and LIN will not share with us was my main network HD source, but I have found other shows on the 3 nets I get in HD plus the other HD selections... HD networks are important...

 

[gadgtfreek]

Here is why:

Nascar
College Football
NFL
Golf
CSI's
24
Lost
The Unit
etc....

I honestly watch 80% of my tv during fall winter and spring from locals.

The locals OTA are just plain awesome. Have you seen NFL on CBS, DAMN. Lost on ABC, DAMN.

Now, that being said, when I had Comcast the HD locals looked good but near as good as OTA. This is the reason I went back to sat and set up an OTA antenna so I could record the full quality. I can only hope mpeg4 locals look as good as people claim, but I find it hard to believe that they will beat an OTA antenna straight to your HDTV.

 

[whatchel1]

Each to his own

News, CSI (all 3), L&O (all 3), Shark, 24, Lost, Prison Break, Ugly Betty, Crossing Jordan, Grey's Anatomy, My Name Is Earl, House, Bones, Heroes, Saturday Night Live, Jericho, Criminal Minds, NCIS, & American Idol, Sun Political Talk Shows. Let's see now I only see 1 reality show there. I know the Law shows have their weak points but if I let it ride that it is a story not real life I can enjoy it. The criminal forensic shows also have weak points too. Like the super search via computer of all those finger print data basis. I'd say my watching of local nets is probably around 70% of the time during the "new show" time periods.

 

[KKlare]

Don't worry about Crossing Jordan, they have had the Series Finale. I have a bunch on the recorder still to be seen. Earlier ones were marked HD but glipses showed some to be SD boxed. Grey's and Shark have had their Season Finale. I think House and A I (which I do not watch), too, if not most of them.

Good question about boxed: what percentage of the HD size does it take? I notice that MPEG-4 takes as little as 1/2 full HD while the 921 used a 7:1 ratio for HD to SD and IIRC the 622 uses 6:1 for its estimate. Would like to be able to sort by disk size so I could get rid of the pigs. This means I would be "offing" the best quality HDNet and DiscoverHD first--too many Planet Earths.
-Ken

 

[mikenewy]

NFL, Golf, CSI, Raines, its great to record and zip through the commercials, and you don't have to remember when to record, the DVR does the memory work for you.

 

[AT&TDishman]

Why are HD locals so important? Well. for me it's making use of all the technology that is available. Why invest hundreds of dollars for (leasing in my case) top-of-the-line receivers and then not getting top-of-the-line programming? It's like buying a car with navigation and then not using it since a map is good enough for you.

 

[Pakbackr]

OTA HD signal is much better than satellite HD, so if you can get your locals OTA, you're in pretty good shape. But even if you can, here's the benefit of having local HD - it helps when you are recording two network shows at same time. The 622 can record two HD shows from satellite feeds at same time, but its limited to recording just one OTA show at a time. Since I live in Raleigh area, where WRAL (CBS) and WRAZ (FOX) have strong OTA signals, but are not yet part of the local HD line-up, I cannot record both 24 and Two & a Half men at the same time...at least not in glorious HD. If they were both on local HD via sat., problem solved!

Two of our locals in Raleigh are available via sat in HD (ABC & NBC) and I find that I often lose the OTA signal on clear but windy days, yet the sat signal for the same channels stays solid. So this is another advantage.

All-in-all, I would say the answer to the "why is HD locals so important?" question is, its all about options.

 

[waltinvt]

In my house:
- Lost in HD
- 24 in HD
- Prison Break in HD

Full Stop. Nothing Else. I can't stand hospital dramas or lawyer dramas - both are based on false premises (but that's a long off-topic thread).

PS It's "Why are HD locals..."

We've yet to see "24" & "Lost" in HD (our 2 favorite shows) in HD.

PS to your PS:

I know I'm sticking my neck out on this one but I think the OP's use of "IS" could be considered correct with "Why is HD Locals......", since the term "Locals" can be construed as a single entity (package) even though it consists of multiple stations. Sort of like "Dish HD" even though it contains multiple channels is still a "single" package.

 

[KAB]

All of the above,

 

[odbrv]

It is simply a matter of number of viewers. The major networks still get a majority of viewers during prime time. 18-28 million viewers watch a top ranked show. The best cable non-network show , The Sopranos, averages 10.8 million viewers. About 1/3 the best network show. Right now E* is not serving more than 1/2 of their HD subscribers who watch network tv. That is probable approaching 1.5 million subscribers and growing quickly as HD sales climb. If D* meets its HD pledge and can offer local or distant network HD to most of its subscribers, then the move from E* to D* becomes a significant market problem for E*.
Our family watches about 80% of our tv during the fall/spring season on networks. That includes the prime time shows as well as the weekend sport shows. We currently cannot get them on HD . We have tried moving and dislike it. We miss all our local sports shows and news. We cannot get OTA reception ( HD nor SD). We do qualify and receive distant networks from Atlanta and San Francisco. We cannot wait until the supplier delivers distant network HD.

 

[8bitbytes]

The HD Local channel allows me to dvr my show on OTA and another show that my wife or kids want to watch at the same time on the HD Local channel and still have a free tuner for checking news or sports.

I just don't have a lot of time for watching tv much less watching any of it live or even nearly live so dvr is important to me if I'm going to watch anything. Just this week I finally saw the finale to Jericho (cancelled), Lost, 24, and House.

Anymore, I find that I just watch one show then buy the DVD set for the other shows later and watch that way. I may not need any service in another year or so with just watching a series on dvd a year or two late. I'm just now watching SGA Season Two on DVD. Never watched it until I go the DVDs last month.

 

[whatchel1]

grammar

We've yet to see "24" & "Lost" in HD (our 2 favorite shows) in HD.

PS to your PS:

I know I'm sticking my neck out on this one but I think the OP's use of "IS" could be considered correct with "Why is HD Locals......", since the term "Locals" can be construed as a single entity (package) even though it consists of multiple stations. Sort of like "Dish HD" even though it contains multiple channels is still a "single" package.

Consider your head removed. Had he said local programming then is would have been correct. With the addition of the s on local then it has to be are for correct grammar.

 

[Van]

I love watching the Michigan Wolverines play ( best college football team around ) and I would catch the Red Wings when I was able to, seeing both in HD would be a plus for me but for other sports I could care less really.

CSI is about the only show that I watch on the local stations, outside of that I watch the pay channels as does my wife, what programming my daughter watches is on PBS local.

With my trying out Charters HD box and service under the fathers day special I have tuned in mostly to DHDT, HDNET, and UHD and I would probably be watching one of them right now but my wife has of late become a crime junky so she is watching Court tv's Phorensic Files.