Sounds promising but it's hard to tell exactly what it means without checking and seeing the HD channels up & running. Anyone actually see these yet?

I was on the phone with tech support trying to get my DirecTivo problem resolved the other day and the tech told me that they were going to have 80 channels by the beginning of next year - trying to entice me into going HD on DirecTV. Until I lose my DirecTivos, there is no point in switching in my mind! I'm just getting a Series 3 HD Tivo for over the air broadcasts since network TV is what I watch most during regular season.

Which is exactly what I'm doing. I guess all these DirecTV HD channels are nice and all, but considering a good 3/4 of everything I watch I can get OTA HD: I can live without these channels.

Plus, I get to keep my TiVo that way. :)

from tv predictions



DIRECTV: 20-40 New HD Channels Likely By Sept. 16

The satcaster should have 70 new HD channels by the end of September.

By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (August 29, 2007) -- DIRECTV told TVPredictions.com tonight that it will likely add from 20 to 40 new High-Definition channels by Sunday, September 16.

That date coincides with the 59th Annual Emmy Awards and DIRECTV has scheduled a post-awards party that night in Los Angeles to promote its new high-def lineup.

Asked tonight if the HDTV expansion will have taken place by the Emmy party, Eric Shanks, DIRECTV's executive vice president of entertainment, said "it will be real close" to that date.

DIRECTV launched a new satellite in July to expand its High-Definition capacity to 100 channels by year's end. (The satcaster plans to launch another satellite to increase the capacity to 150 HD channels next year.)

In an interview with TVPredictions.com, Shanks said DIRECTV will have added 70 new high-def channels by the end of the third quarter, which ends at the end of September. He said it will have the 100 HDTV channels by year's end.

Shanks added that DIRECTV will add a minimum of 20 new HD channels on the first day of the expansion.

"It will be more in the 40 range if all goes well," he said. "It's still fluid so we can't say for sure."

After the first rollout, DIRECTV will add another group of channels soon thereafter and then another group until it reaches the 70 mark by the end of September. The satcaster now has approximately 10 national high-def channels.

In other remarks:

* Shanks said the new high-def channels will retain their current standard definition channel numbers. For instance, CNN HD will be channel 202, the same as the standard-def CNN.

The satcaster's HD receiver will automatically default to the HD channel when a high-def viewer turns to that channel. However, the standard-def channel will remain and can still be watched by going up or down the dial.

"We don't want people to have to learn new channel numbers," Shanks said.

HD DVR owners who have set those standard-def channels to record future programs will have to manually re-set the recording to HD if they want to watch the high-def version of the program.

* The new HDTV channels will be on DIRECTV's new satellite, launched in July, and will transmit in MPEG4. However, the NFL Sunday Ticket's lineup of HDTV games will remain on DIRECTV's current satellites and will transmit in MPEG2.

But Shanks said DIRECTV will not need to drop an existing HDTV channel from the lineup to make room for the high-def games each Sunday, as it did last year.

"We will do some shuffling to make room, but there will be no dropping of HD channels like last year," he said.

* DIRECTV's existing lineup of HDTV channels will remain in the channel 70s and will stay for now on the current satellites, which transmit in MPEG2.

http://www.tvpredictions.com/directvhdtwo082907.htm

I'm still trying to understand this somewhat complex HD/DirecTV game...

Tell me...where are you guys getting DirecTivo's? They don't sell them at stores anymore, correct? So where are you purchasing HD Tivos?

Second, I would love to have HD on, at least, my local channels since I probably am not going to subscribe to HD for DirecTV. Does it cost anything (aside from the 4.99 receiver fee, and the cost of the actual receiver) to get local channels in HD?

Also...I got a Samsung 19'' TV for my kitchen. Hooked it up and immediately got three HD broadcasts (PBS, CBS, and NBC). But no ABC or FOX. Why is that, and does that mean that would be the same issue if I got the HD Tivo and the OTA attena, or is that just the case with that specific TV because, maybe, it wasn't hooked up to any receiver or cable box?

Lastly...to get the HD channels, I would need an OTA attena, correct? And is this something where I have to call someone to mount it on my house like my DirecTV dish? And do you need a specific DirecTV dish to get even just locals in HD?

I have a HD DVR from DirecTV, that will be the only way to get the new channels that are coming out in HD..

I also have an older HD DirecTivo, but that is my backup recorder.

sweet, new HD channels. the directv HD DVR has been working nicely lately. they've upgraded the software a ton since i got it about a year ago.

Got them about a year and a half ago when DirecTV was clearing out their inventory. Supposedly you can still find a few stores online that still carry them.

I don't know that. I somehow doubt they have an HD local channels option, but you should call DirecTV and ask. Also you may need to upgrade your equipment (dish) to get HD at all.

Well you clearly have reception down there even without an antenna!

You don't NEED one if you're in an area where the signals are strong. I live within 5 miles of the broadcasting towers in DC so I can get all the available HD channels in my area with an indoor OTA HDTV antenna (my understanding is that a standard antenna works as well but never tried it).

As I said above, I suspect you need to upgrade your equipment.

The new Series 3 HD Tivo can record 2 live broadcasts using the same OTA antenna and runs about $300 (minus 12% if you use the Best Buy coupon I posting in the DVD Bargains forum today!;)).

But, cannot be used for DirecTV (HD or otherwise).

Correct - does not work with DirecTV. It will however do HD cable depending on the cable cards your cable company supports.

are the directv hd tivos still sought after? i got a couple of them in my garage that i should probably ebay if people still look for them.

So, in order to get these 70+ new HD channels, I'll need to get a new HD DVR, because my HD Tivo won't get them, right? How much is that gonna run?

Yes. The new channels are MPEG-4, which the older HD DirecTivos can't pick up.

I think the going price is $299. You could probably get them to $199 w/o much sweat, depending how long you have been a customer. If you are out of contract, you have them by the balls. Speak to a CSR, and when they offer up some lame deal, ask to speak to customer retention.

I still don't know how I am going to fit all these new HD shows on my DVR. I have been averaging about 70% available in the summer, but most of my recordings are non-HD.

You sure don't need an OTA to get local or national HD channels, IF you're in an area where they're offered in MPEG-4 by DTV, which is nearly all major markets in and elsewhere. I live 30 miles west of Chicago, get the HD channels and have just the one satellite up top.

Yes if you are out of contract, just keep calling to "cancel" until you get what you want. If you are in good standing you can currently get without too much hassle:

HR-20 free or at most pay $19.95 for shipping
HD /programming free for 12 months
Superfan for Sunday Ticket free ($99 waived)
New dish / lines / etc as needed for free

Some have reported getting an additional:
$10 / month credit for up to 12 months
DVR fee waived for 12 months
3 - 6 months free HBO / Showtime
a SECOND HR-20 for somewhere between free and $99 (or $199 more common on the second).

I was out of contract and decided to take what was initially offered to me after they put a "note" on my account, I tried calling back two additional times for more but no luck so I took:
HR-20 (paid just $19.95 shipping)
new Dish and line
HD programming for 1yr

Had to agree to two additional years. May call in a few months to see about a second HR-20, however right now I'm ok with my Direct-Tivo's in my other rooms.

damn, about 2 more weeks. its about time we got more than 10 HD channels.

Actually may be sooner than that. The request to the FCC to move from 9/14 to 9/1 was approved. However, there is talk that it will still take a few days after the 9/1 date. So maybe as soon as 9/4 or so there could be new channels???

I wonder if they'll actually announce the new channels are on if they turn some on before 9/14, or if the channels will just show up? Maybe they'll just turn on those that are certain to be working 100%, then wait until 9/14 to make the "official" announcement...

Not only are we finally getting a boatload of new HD channels, but VOD and remote scheduling are currently in beta status. :clap:

Well, here's the thing. All the new channels are MPEG-4. If you are getting your locals via DirecTV, those are MPEG-4, also. You can get 40 hours recording instead of the standard 30 hours with MPEG-2. I'm banking on that extra ten hours to help me out.

VOD I could care less about, but remote scheduling is cool.

I Just called Direct TV went to Customer Retention and just scored a Direct TV HD-DVR for $99.00 SHe saud she would charge me $299 and then offer me a $200 credit on my bill. YEAH!!!!

I would've held out for a better deal. ;)

Ditto.

Anyone please post when you see the new HD channels...