Anyword on new HD channels, mainly what and WHEN?

Well, if you've only got Tivo boxes, I'm afraid the wait will be sometime since DirecTV has launched a satellite that will only be used for the mepg4 datastream and that requires one of DirecTV's home-grown boxes. None of the DTivos will be able to pick up the new signals.

 

Consensus is 70 additional HD channels by the end of September this year, followed by an additional 30 by the end of the year. Apparently this was mentioned during DirecTV's 2nd Quarter Investor Conference Call.

But as RS4 mentioned, you won't be able to get these channels unless you have one of the new MPEG-4 DirecTV receivers.

 

Last week they again committed to 70 HD channels in September and 100 by year's end. The satellite is up and users have gotten signals on previously quiet tranponders from the new 103. It is there and it is doing it's tests.

These contract delivery dates have been announced publicly...

There are the 14 Current National HD Channels
HBO East
Showtime East
ESPN HD
ESPN2 HD
Discovery HD Theater
HDNet
HDNet Movies
TNT in HD
Universal HD
HD PPV
ABC (75%, local, 10% national feed waivers)
CBS (75% local, 10% national feed waivers)
NBC (75% local, 10% national feed waivers)
Fox (75% local, 10% national feed waivers)

24 Contracts Require Delivery in September
A&E HD
Animal Planet
Cinemax East
Cinemax West
Chiller HD
CNBC HD
Discovery Channel
HBO East
HBO2 East
HBO West
HBO2 West
HBO Family East
HBO Family West
HBO Latino
HBO Signature
MoreMax
TLC
The Science Channel
Starz East
Starz West
Starz Edge
Starz Comedy
Starz Kids & Family
The History Channel HD

That's a total of 38 HD Channels if you are keeping score contracted for availability in Sept. that have been stated publicly.

21 Contracted 2007 Deliveries not promised as September Delivery:
ABC Family
Big Ten Network
Bravo
Cartoon Network
CNBC
CNN
ESPNNEWS HD
Food Network
FX
HGTV
MTV
National Geographic
NFL Network
SciFi Channel
Showtime West
Speed
TBS
The Tennis Channel
The Weather Channel
USA Network
Versus HD

So that is 59 named HD channels promised for this year.

Add in the 10+ RSN's in HD and we found 69 of the promised 100 channels for 2007.

Also they have stated that they will offer the following channels but we have heard they may not arrive until 2008:
Disney Channel
Discovery Health
Discovery Military
Toon Disney

We are still only at 73 HD Channels.

We know that there are at least 30 other HD channels are already being broadcast or announced but not promised by DIRECTV. Those remain to be seen.

 

Of these I wonder how many are really going to have high definition content? Most of the time ESPN and ESPN2 have a standard definition frame embeded with a high definition frame.

 

ESPN and ESPN2 do broadcast games and other programs in full HD right now.

We watch the Cubs when they are on 73 in HD. We saw a great HD Cubs game on 73 this weekend.

 

Uh huh. I wouldn't suppose Chiller has deep enough pockets to re-telecine all of those old "Rockford Files" and "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" (-ses). And I still don't see FX anywhere. Looks like "The Shield" will be cancelled before HD ever hits. I want to see Vic Mackey run through a wall and smash a guy's face into a stove burner in High Definition, dammit!

 

Now I don't feel too bad keeping my HR10-250. Other then Nat'l Geo there is nothing there I care about. No FX. Fortunatly I get all my locals off-air.

 

Here's an interesting thread on DBSTalk.
http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=87235

 

Here are some of the key official press releases:

DIRECTV to Offer 11 HBO/Cinemax Channels in HD

DIRECTV Adds New HD Channels for Fall; Four Discovery HD Channels, Five Starz HD

DIRECTV First to Launch The History Channel HD (THC HD) Set to Debut in September 2007

DIRECTV to Offer 100 National HD Channels in 2007

FX is promised for 2007 but not specifically promised for September.

 

+1

 

i may have to just keep this thread on sub so i dont have to go over to the dark side so often

 

I guess DIRECTV has never heard of PBS!

 

Wot? No TrinityHD???

 

Yeah, this is a little confusing, if DirecTV is counting "SD content from the source, but not as manhandled by us thanks to the new pipe" as HD, then I have even less incentive to go to the DirecTV DVR.

I have never looked into HD any place else, but if HBO has HBO-HD then wouldn't that mean that all of their other channels are not being sent out by them in HD?

 

Yes... they have heard of PBS... and the PBS will ultimately be added as part of the HD-LIL expansion when both of the SATs are up and are functional.

 

all subchannels of PBS ?

and i'd miss the Tube on 17-2 in philly if i didnt have OTA.

 

Don't know...

Here in Chicago, the Tube is a sub-channel of WGN

Maybe they should just get their own channel....

 

At what point will Directv consider high def as standard and not start grouping them into a High Definition package? Will you need to get the Hi Def package to see these new channels? Example: I have HBO and locals (national feeds) now in high def and I'm not paying for a high def package. As the new stations come on, which will be available in a high def package only?