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story category DirecTV Launches 21 HD channels
More coming next month...
(old news - 08:55AM Wednesday Sep 26 2007)
tags: Video · business · content · HDTV · DIRECTV
Tipped by SteveCon See Profile
It appears that at least some of DirecTV's promised "100 HD channels by year's end" went live around 6AMEST this morning, according to the company's website and some DirecTV users. Twenty-one new channels showed up last night in total, and the company insists eighteen more are coming next month. One catch, of course, is that users will need to be upgraded to the company's MPEG-4 capable gear. The HR-20 will be the centerpiece of the company's new broadband-based on-demand service.

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  7. Is The NFL Slowly Starting To Get It?
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Forums » DirecTV Launches 21 HD channels
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Alpine
Premium
join:2000-01-11
Atlanta, GA

Good stuff...

We were all glad to see the new HD channels show up this morning after some snags last week. They're all MPEG4, too, and look great. Most can't tell the difference between them and the OTA equivalents.

Many of us have been testing the new On-Demand service, and it's "pretty good." Lots of choices, even though it's still only in beta. The drawback, of course, is that you have to download over your broadband connection. With Standard-Def stuff you can easily watch in real-time as it downloads with my 6 meg connection. HD content takes a bit longer.

Regardless - good stuff for D*.

Adam

Dmoralize

join:2004-12-17
Nazareth, PA

Concerns

My main concern is the need to upgrade my box. I'm using the HD-Tivo box which I rather like and paid decent money for. Now I have to upgrade to their box in order to receive these new channels. I'll have to get in touch with them about this but it's really a nuisance and yet more money i'll have to shell out.

ieolus
Support The Clecs

join:2001-06-19
Duluth, GA

Re: Concerns

I'm in the same position Dmoralize, and I'd rather stick with the HD-Tivo then receive new HD channels. I sure hope DirecTv gets the message and establishes a new relationship with Tivo.
--
"Speak for yourself "Chadmaster" - lesopp

Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02
You're not alone. I may not upgrade if I can't convince them to upgrade me for free....
compnurd
Premium
join:2001-08-16
Concord, NC
clubs:

Re: Concerns

UPGRADE. Ditch that horrible Tivo Software and enjoy HD channels no longer in HD LITE!!!!!!!!!!!

Camelot One
Premium,MVM
join:2001-11-21
Sarasota, FL
clubs:
·VoicePulse

Re: Concerns

While I think calling the Tivo Software "horrible" is a bit insane, I do have to agree that the upgrade is worth it. I loved my HR10-250, upgrading only because I had to have the dual output option of the HR20. And sure it took awhile for me to like it, mostly due to the buggy software at first, but they've worked all (atleast most) of those issues out, and have a pretty solid receiver now.

After a week or two of playing with the HR20, you'll never want to go back to the HR10.
--
Intel Quad Core QX6700 @3500Mhz/Asus P5N32-E SLI/4x 1024Mb Corsair/WD 74Gb Raptor/PNY 7800GTs SLI/Antec 550 True Control/Custom water cooler
tjlmbklr

join:2007-09-20
Milwaukee, WI

Re: Concerns

I agree with Camelot One; the HR20 is now very comarible to Tivo. Most recent updates have fixed a lot of bugs (IMO) I liked the feature on Tivo of when you go 3-4 speed in FF/RWD the software would automatically back up when you hit play knowing that you over shot you stop point. Now the HR20 does this. I still miss a lot of the Tivo interface though.

Jeffro58

@allrecipes.com

I "upgraded" to the HR-20 6 months ago when I got my HD set and I absolutely HATE this piece of junk. It's not at all intuitive and there are some basic functions that I still haven't figured out how to do yet. Not to mention the software bugs that have plagued this unit and they're just now ironing out. My wife and daughter hate it so much that they go up to the bedroom to watch SD on our old Tivo.

Camelot One
Premium,MVM
join:2001-11-21
Sarasota, FL
clubs:
·VoicePulse

Re: Concerns

said by Jeffro58 :

I "upgraded" to the HR-20 6 months ago when I got my HD set and I absolutely HATE this piece of junk. It's not at all intuitive and there are some basic functions that I still haven't figured out how to do yet. Not to mention the software bugs that have plagued this unit and they're just now ironing out. My wife and daughter hate it so much that they go up to the bedroom to watch SD on our old Tivo.
As far as I know, all of the bugs that existed when the unit first launched have been fixed. There have been a few minor issues introduced as they add new features, but even those have work arounds.

What are you having trouble with? What do you need help setting up?
--
Intel Quad Core QX6700 @3500Mhz/Asus P5N32-E SLI/4x 1024Mb Corsair/WD 74Gb Raptor/PNY 7800GTs SLI/Antec 550 True Control/Custom water cooler

dbmaven
There's no shortage
Premium,Mod
join:1999-10-26
Sty in Sky
clubs:
·magicjack.com
·Optimum Online

Host:
Filesharing Software
No, I Will Not Fix..
Road Runner
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Computer Hardware ..

edit:
September 26th, @11:13AM

Most people with HR10-250s are able to get them replaced either for free or a minimal charge, provided your account is in good standing.

Call them up, at the voice prompt say "Cancel Service". This puts you in to a different group of CSRs than "Tier 1". Tell them you went to look for all the new HD channels based on Web News reports but can't get them, and tell them you paid a bundle for an HR10 D*TiVO. I'd bet you'll get a good deal....

Camelot One
Premium,MVM
join:2001-11-21
Sarasota, FL
clubs:

Re: Concerns

Yeah I think all I had to pay was the shipping fee. But I've had mine awhile now, I'm sure offers/deals/options have changed.

Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02
I read something about some people needing a new dish as well? Is that true?
WeKnSmith

join:2001-08-09
Noblesville, IN
·AT&T Midwest

Re: Concerns

Yes, the new channels are on a different satellite. They had to come out and install a new dish and installed an HR20 at our place a few weeks back (I already had HD service via two HR10-250 receivers.)

Check out this FAQ. It includes the hardware requirements for the new channels:
»www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=99528

fireflier
Coffee. . .Need Coffee
Premium
join:2001-05-25
Limbo
Yup. We're up to a big honking 5-LNB dish. From the looks of the mounting hardware, I think it could probably stay lined up after a direct strike from an F-3 tornado. . .

PolarBear
The bear formerly known as aaron8301

join:2005-01-03
Riverside, WA

Re: Concerns

I've mounted several... so long as the lag bolts are in good solid wood, I can hang from the mast, and I'm over 200 pounds!

PolarBear
The bear formerly known as aaron8301

join:2005-01-03
Riverside, WA
You'll need this bad boy, which direcTV will come out and install for free.

fireflier
Coffee. . .Need Coffee
Premium
join:2001-05-25
Limbo
·Skype
·RoadRunner Cable

Re: Concerns

And if they're replacing an existing dish where the cabling is already run and the receivers are already active, they can do it in no time! Took my installer about 10 minutes to mount it and align it.
mAlfunkti0n

join:2003-12-16
Loveland, OH

Finally!

I was happy to see the channels this morning too. I never watch TV in the morning, but I had some time to burn today. I guess its now time to upgrade our receiver upstairs to HD.

Jazzy1120
Premium
join:2003-07-26
..

Great

heres what i am getting AFTER resetting & renewing my favorites listing »is anyone getting the new channels yet
guppy_fish
Premium
join:2003-12-09
Lakeland, FL
·Verizon FIOS
·ViaTalk

H20's run hot

I did a commercial install last year, a total of quantity 16 of the H20 mpeg4 receivers and a pair of the new 5 lnb dishes.

In the last year, the site has had about 7 of the H20 fails as they run VERY VERY hot, even in an air conditioned location.

I have no idea what the warranty is for regular home owners, just thought I'd mention this if you considering upgrading ( and paying for it ) to verify what DTV will do if H20 dies before committing to a contract or upfront payment for the upgraded H20 system.

Interceptor
We want... A Shrubbery
Premium
join:2000-07-24
Birmingham, AL

Re: H20's run hot

Yes, that has been an issue with the H20-600. However, the H20-100 does not seem to have that problem. Another note in case some are not aware. The H20 is not the DVR. The HR20 is.

dbmaven
There's no shortage
Premium,Mod
join:1999-10-26
Sty in Sky
clubs:

edit:
September 26th, @11:14AM

*already explained - content removed

fireflier
Coffee. . .Need Coffee
Premium
join:2001-05-25
Limbo
·Skype
·RoadRunner Cable

From what I've been able to ascertain, if you walk into some place like Circuit City you're going to get an H20-600 (I bought two originally with months between and both were 600s though this may differ between regions). If you have a DTV installer out, you may well get a 100. My installer told me all he gets on his truck are 100s. Both my 600s died and DTV replaced them. I requested 100 series for both and they somehow managed to work that out for me.

I can vouch that 100s run MUCH cooler and respond much quicker to remote commands and menuing. If you can find a way, get the 100 series.
--
Wishes: When you wish upon a falling star, your dreams can come true. Unless it's really a meteorite hurtling to the Earth which will destroy all life. Then you're pretty much hosed no matter what you wish for. Unless it's death by meteor. --despair.com
Network Guy

join:2000-08-25
New York
·Verizon Online DSL

Just got 'em

Had to call DirecTV to re-authorized the HD receiver, but they come in.

Looks great.

I will be real happy when USA Network comes in HD. I'm a Law & Order junkie.

dvd536
as Mr. Pink as they come
Premium
join:2001-04-27
Phoenix, AZ

Re: Just got 'em

said by Network Guy See Profile :

I will be real happy when USA Network comes in HD. I'm a Law & Order junkie.
Guess what? when you get USA-HD those old law & order eps are going to be... yep you guessed it: STANDARD DEF!
if they aren't shot in HD, the best they're going to be is "Stretch - o - vision" and depending on the agreements with NBC, the newer ones shot in HD could possibly be presented in standard def too(on USA-HD).
--
You can never be too rich, too thin or have too much Bandwidth
Network Guy

join:2000-08-25
New York

Re: Just got 'em

No up-converting?

I know TNT up-converts their Law & Order stuff. It's not stretched AFAIK.

dvd536
as Mr. Pink as they come
Premium
join:2001-04-27
Phoenix, AZ

Re: Just got 'em

said by Network Guy See Profile :

No up-converting?

I know TNT up-converts their Law & Order stuff. It's not stretched AFAIK.
Upconverted or whatever its not going to be as good as being shot in native HD.
-
upconverting is like taking a 128kbps mp3 and re-encoding it to 192kbps. sure you have a 192kbps file but the quality isn't any better than what you started with.
-
Wait til dadkins shows up on this thread
--
You can never be too rich, too thin or have too much Bandwidth
Network Guy

join:2000-08-25
New York
·Verizon Online DSL

Re: Just got 'em

Meh, I think your analogy is flawed.

When I watch Law & Order in TNTHD it looks slightly pixelated at worst depending on what you're looking at. Native HD provides awesome detail, yes, but upconverting is nothing like taking an already inferior-quality song and re-ripping it at higher quality. There truly is some enhancement, albeit the extent of such is subjective at worst.

djrobx

join:2000-05-31
Valencia, CA
·AT&T U-Verse
·AT&T CallVantage
·Time Warner VOIP
·RoadRunner Cable
·DSL EXTREME

quote:
upconverting is like taking a 128kbps mp3 and re-encoding it to 192kbps. sure you have a 192kbps file but the quality isn't any better than what you started with.

I have to wholeheartedly disagree with you. Yes, "upconverted" shows are horribly inferior to true HD shows, but the quality is still generally (and sometmes, markedly) better than what you get on standard def channels. Standard def can still be "DVD quality" with full color fidelity when upconverted. NTSC standard def channels, in contrast, are typically highly compressed with poorer color reproduction and dot crawl, detail being lost to NTSC/composite conversion somewhere along the line.

Your analogy is flawed. Typically watching standard def TV is like taking a 384kbps mp3 "pristine" source material and compressing it down to 96kbps to fit it with all the other channels the cable/sat tried to squeeze in (and/or add analog noise with NTSC color distortion).

Now it's like we have 768kbps 5.1 "high definition" mp3s. We can get the standard def 384kbps mp3s pretty close to their native form when upconverted to the 768kbps "5.1 hd channel", still a worthwhile improvement over that 96kbps "standard def" channel!
--
Laser eye surgery rocks! I love frickin' laser beams.
ffink20001

join:2002-12-18
Norwich, CT
you do know that NBC owns USA network and NBC Universal HD right?

dvd536
as Mr. Pink as they come
Premium
join:2001-04-27
Phoenix, AZ

HD-LITE

is this more hd-lite garbage or true HD?

See 6 replies to this post

MrPibb13



I Wish I could Get A New HD Box

I have my third appointment scheduled for thsi Saturday for the new HD box. After Waiting 12 hours two weeks ago they never showed. Also spent about two hours on the phone.

Two days later waited for four hours and agian nobody showed. Another hour plus on the phone.

They are supposedly coming this Saturday, but I will see.

Looking farward to the HD, but will definitely miss the TIVO.
beatbox32

join:2001-05-10
Irvine, CA

Dish Network

C'mon Dish! Don't let DirecTV run away with the torch!

Cjaiceman

join:2004-10-12
Aurora, CO

Re: Dish Network

Screw dish, come on COMCAST!!!! lol

TechieZero
Tools Are Using Me
Premium
join:2002-01-25
Wesley Chapel, FL

To The Right Of Science HD

In DTV's website --- what is to the right of the Science HD icon? What station name is that?

dbmaven
There's no shortage
Premium,Mod
join:1999-10-26
Sty in Sky
clubs:

Re: To The Right Of Science HD

The Weather Channel
Tim618

join:2003-10-14
Garrettsville, OH
·DIRECTV
·ViaTalk
·Windstream

good deal

After hearing about the trouble directv was having with the bband satellite, its good to see their starting to get a few channels launched. They look great. I am loving my directv service right now.

As for those of you who are worrying about the upgrade... i called on a whim, in the end of feb, beginning of march, wanting to find out if i could finally get local hd channels, because i couldn't without an off air antenna which i did not want. They said i could, but would need to upgrade my dish. They said because i was an "A-List" customer they could do this for free. Then i enquired about DVR, they set me up with the hr-20, thats right when it came out, so i was all set for the b-band launch. They also ended up installing the new satellite, receiver, moving my old hd receiver to another room, running new wire to 2 rooms, and setting up everything for free. I was quite happy about that! Plus they gave me free dvr service for 6 months! I'm liking the a-list thing. So call and see what they can do for you. . . I also ended up saving some extra money a month off of my bill because i forgot to terminate a receiver i wasn't using , so i did then and i also got rid of starz.

fireflier
Coffee. . .Need Coffee
Premium
join:2001-05-25
Limbo
·Skype
·RoadRunner Cable

Oh, WTF?

OK, anyone else have the 5-LNB dish, WITH the B-Band converter connected to an H20 who's NOT able to presently get any of the new MPEG-4 HD streams?

I've got two H20s, with the 5-LNB and BBCs on both receivers. Neither one is showing any of the new HD content, even after re-setting the receivers. I even went back through the setup on one and no dice.

Channel 77, all I get is searching for signal. Channel 498, searching for signal. Directly entering numbers for the other HD channels yields searching for signal.

Called DTV, they confirmed the satellite/transponder numbers are fine to be picking up the new HD streams and their only explanation is that "it's possible the new HD material hasn't been properly rolled out yet."

Obviously others in the forum are getting the streams so what's up?
--
Wishes: When you wish upon a falling star, your dreams can come true. Unless it's really a meteorite hurtling to the Earth which will destroy all life. Then you're pretty much hosed no matter what you wish for. Unless it's death by meteor. --despair.com
WeKnSmith

join:2001-08-09
Noblesville, IN

Re: Oh, WTF?

Have you seen this thread?
»www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=99528

fireflier
Coffee. . .Need Coffee
Premium
join:2001-05-25
Limbo
·Skype
·RoadRunner Cable

Re: Oh, WTF?

Not until now!

Looks like I'm going to have to do this. . . I'm OK on the other criteria listed.

Tip #2 right off the bat: If the only problem is a error x721 on the new channels, your account has not been authorized for the new HD channels yet OR the channel being tested is not available to your programming level. You have 2 options: 1) Call DIRECTV (more on this later), 2) try the DIRECTV.com website.

But, if you want to call NOW, you can try a very polite: "Please drop the old HD Access and re-add the new HD Access Tier". Some CSRs will understand and be able to help. Remember, at this point in this cycle you likely know more than them on this topic and are putting them in an awkward position, so be extra patient and polite.
--
Wishes: When you wish upon a falling star, your dreams can come true. Unless it's really a meteorite hurtling to the Earth which will destroy all life. Then you're pretty much hosed no matter what you wish for. Unless it's death by meteor. --despair.com

dtv tech

@verizon.net

check your signal strength on the 99 and 103 sats in the setup menu.....most likely you do not have good strength.....hows the strength on the 101? if its low you will most likely not get 99 and 103....your dish needs to be peaked....if the 101 is off by a little, the 99 and 103 suffer 2fold. also make sure you have at least 2 monopoles that are supporting the dish and that there are no obstructions in it's line of sight.

fireflier
Coffee. . .Need Coffee
Premium
join:2001-05-25
Limbo
·Skype
·RoadRunner Cable


edit:
September 27th, @01:36PM

Re: Oh, WTF?

Nah, signal levels are fine. 103 was showing in the 96-100 range. 99 was all 0 but I'm told it will be unless you have HD locals and they're not available in my area yet (of course I've been told wrong by their CSRs before).

I'm beginning to think it's an account issue--I asked them if there was any way it could be my account settings and they assured me not but the above thread seems to confirm it CAN be account settings.

Had an installer put the new 5-LNB dish up and watched him mount it and test the signal levels. I think he used every brace in the box. From looking at the dish, I don't think a nuke strike would mis-align it.

fireflier
Coffee. . .Need Coffee
Premium
join:2001-05-25
Limbo
Both receivers working great now. Thanks for the advice guys!

Turns out I was dealing with multiple problems.

Dezbend
Premium,MVM
join:2001-04-20

Which ABC, NBC, FOX?

I notice that ABC HD, NBC HD, and FOX HD are listed as national HD channels. Is this in all markets or only where locals are rebroadcast in HD? If it is national which ABC/NBC/FOX would I be getting?
--
DSLr Mafia Member.
Forums » DirecTV Launches 21 HD channels


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