DirecTV -- News and Updates
09-26-07, 12:17 PM
#176
DVD Talk God
Yeah, some of the older content is just going to be upconverts. Not true HD, but still looks better than the SD stuff.
09-26-07, 01:20 PM
#177
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Well, I'm not giving up my HDTivo, but I'd like to see the new channels of course. Is there any way to use both the HDTivo and the DirecTV HD DVR, understanding that the Tivo won't get the new MPEG4 channels? Can I keep it for the OTA HD stations and the SD channels? I know I'd have to get the new 5 LNB dish.
09-26-07, 01:50 PM
#178
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
Originally Posted by dstrauss
Well, I'm not giving up my HDTivo, but I'd like to see the new channels of course. Is there any way to use both the HDTivo and the DirecTV HD DVR, understanding that the Tivo won't get the new MPEG4 channels? Can I keep it for the OTA HD stations and the SD channels? I know I'd have to get the new 5 LNB dish.
09-26-07, 02:07 PM
#179
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Yes, I've been using my HDTivo for almost a year now as a backup machine in the kitchen..
Still works like a beauty, and picks up the channels in the 70-79 range, or did anyway. I'm unclear if they are staying mpeg-2 or changing to mpeg-4 and also picks up locals no problem OTA
Still works like a beauty, and picks up the channels in the 70-79 range, or did anyway. I'm unclear if they are staying mpeg-2 or changing to mpeg-4 and also picks up locals no problem OTA
09-26-07, 02:16 PM
#180
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Originally Posted by dstrauss
Well, I'm not giving up my HDTivo, but I'd like to see the new channels of course. Is there any way to use both the HDTivo and the DirecTV HD DVR, understanding that the Tivo won't get the new MPEG4 channels? Can I keep it for the OTA HD stations and the SD channels? I know I'd have to get the new 5 LNB dish.
09-26-07, 03:26 PM
#181
Anybody who is annoyed by HD channels stretching and otherwise messing with their programming to the point where it is unwatchable, emailing might help if enough people send something. Here's what somebody at DBSTalk posted, take the points you want and put them in your own words, as getting the same emails from 1000s of people will probably lead to them being ignored.
The email addresses of channels known for stretching, etc., are:
TNT HD: [email protected] Use TNT in HD in the subject
A&E HD: [email protected]
The A&E email is for the entire suite of channels including History.
Discovery HD: Couldn't find an email address. You can use this.
http://extweb.discovery.com/viewerrelations
TBS: [email protected]
TNT-HD does so many things wrong, many knowledgeable viewers won't watch the channel. Even if a movie/show they enjoy comes on. To me, when you are broadcasting in a way that sends people to go watch your competition, you have a problem. You aren't even letting your programming pull people in.
Some points of concern:
1) No stretching/zooming of any kind. 16:9 shows shown 16:9, 4:3 shown 4:3 and movies shown OAR. These were all filmed with certain aspect ratios in mind, leave them alone. Most of the cable/sat boxes will let people stretch/zoom the picture. Why not let your viewer decide if they want to do it.
2) Please use DD 5.1
3) Keep the advertising bugs to a minimum (especially the giant animated ones) and keep them as transparent as possible. Its annoying and distracts from the viewing experience. I realize you need to advertise and in the day of TIVO/DVR doing it during the show may be more effective, but not if you are doing it so often as to drive viewers away.
Note to networks:
1) Your HD channel should be your premium offering. Tuning to that channel should offer viewers the best way to experience your network. You should not force viewers to tune into your SD channel to get the best quality for the 80% of the time you are sending SD content. IOW, Do not distort, crop or zoom the standard definition programming (unless it is formatted letterboxed on the SD feed).
2) Don't call upconverted standard definition programming "HD" in the program guide - you aren't fooling us. Those that you do fool, what do you gain? You're just as likely to have viewers form a negative opinion of your "HD" compared to other network's actual HD.
Some points of concern:
1) No stretching/zooming of any kind. 16:9 shows shown 16:9, 4:3 shown 4:3 and movies shown OAR. These were all filmed with certain aspect ratios in mind, leave them alone. Most of the cable/sat boxes will let people stretch/zoom the picture. Why not let your viewer decide if they want to do it.
2) Please use DD 5.1
3) Keep the advertising bugs to a minimum (especially the giant animated ones) and keep them as transparent as possible. Its annoying and distracts from the viewing experience. I realize you need to advertise and in the day of TIVO/DVR doing it during the show may be more effective, but not if you are doing it so often as to drive viewers away.
Note to networks:
1) Your HD channel should be your premium offering. Tuning to that channel should offer viewers the best way to experience your network. You should not force viewers to tune into your SD channel to get the best quality for the 80% of the time you are sending SD content. IOW, Do not distort, crop or zoom the standard definition programming (unless it is formatted letterboxed on the SD feed).
2) Don't call upconverted standard definition programming "HD" in the program guide - you aren't fooling us. Those that you do fool, what do you gain? You're just as likely to have viewers form a negative opinion of your "HD" compared to other network's actual HD.
TNT HD: [email protected] Use TNT in HD in the subject
A&E HD: [email protected]
The A&E email is for the entire suite of channels including History.
Discovery HD: Couldn't find an email address. You can use this.
http://extweb.discovery.com/viewerrelations
TBS: [email protected]
09-26-07, 03:58 PM
#182
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Thanks for the info, everyone. We had two sets of satellite lines running into our living room since we had both a HDTivo and a SDTivo, but the SDTivo died on us a couple weeks ago. If we get the DirecTV DVR, since my Philips HDTV has 2 HDMI inputs, we could use both on the two HD units.
And boy, that was too many damned acronyms in one paragraph.
Anyone have a specific line where I can go to beg, er, ask, for a good deal on the new PVR? I don't know whether I'm out of contract or not, it's been probably a year and a half since I got my HD.
And boy, that was too many damned acronyms in one paragraph.
Anyone have a specific line where I can go to beg, er, ask, for a good deal on the new PVR? I don't know whether I'm out of contract or not, it's been probably a year and a half since I got my HD.
09-26-07, 04:15 PM
#183
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
What is the problem with your SDDVR? Mine was stuck on the welcome powering up screen a few weeks ago. I ordered a replacement HDD from weaknees.com and it fired right up. And it has about 3 times the capacity.
09-26-07, 04:47 PM
#184
Originally Posted by dstrauss
Anyone have a specific line where I can go to beg, er, ask, for a good deal on the new PVR? I don't know whether I'm out of contract or not, it's been probably a year and a half since I got my HD.
So if you can't get it for free or for $20 upfront, the MOST out of pocket you should have upfront is $120 ($100+$20 S&H), but in that case you should definitely get enough credits to make it near free.
You might have to call a couple times to get a good CSR, they have gone way downhill in the last couple years (used to be all English speaking Americans...now most are Indian or Hispanic who are ESL, kind as can be, but still annoying to deal with).
Oh, and make sure you get the HR20, not the H20 - that's how my order got royally screwed up. CSR accidentally put down H20, when I told her HR20 and even had her repeat it back to me.
09-26-07, 06:34 PM
#185
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The TWC response to questions about new HD channels is:
"Thank you for contacting Time Warner Cable. We are happy to assist you. At present, Time Warner Cable is actively negotiating contracts for several new HD channels to be added. However, these contracts have not been finalized. Until our contracts are final, the identity of these channels cannot be released at this time. Please be assured that you will see new HD channels added to your HD selection in the near future."
"Thank you for contacting Time Warner Cable. We are happy to assist you. At present, Time Warner Cable is actively negotiating contracts for several new HD channels to be added. However, these contracts have not been finalized. Until our contracts are final, the identity of these channels cannot be released at this time. Please be assured that you will see new HD channels added to your HD selection in the near future."
09-27-07, 07:10 AM
#186
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Nice to see the new channels are finally on. I got a new dish and the HR20 a couple weeks ago so I would be ready for them. Starz has quite a few Blu-ray exclusive titles running, so I signed up for their package.
09-27-07, 11:55 AM
#188
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by uteotw
Love the new channels, so keep 'em coming. They all look pretty darn incredible.
09-29-07, 10:52 AM
#192
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Originally Posted by uteotw
Love the new channels, so keep 'em coming. They all look pretty darn incredible.
09-29-07, 10:58 AM
#193
DVD Talk God
Originally Posted by Lara Means
I tried looking at the new HD channels, but I keep getting a message saying I haven't purchased them. wtf?
Two ways to solve this. If you "request" them on the website, it will resend authorization to your boxes. That usually fixes it. Or just all them. Shouldn't take much more than that.
09-29-07, 02:13 PM
#194
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Originally Posted by pjflyer
Do the HBO and Starz type channels show films in widescreen or do they just stretch the pan and scan versions?
10-01-07, 02:54 PM
#195
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
Originally Posted by TallGuyMe
4x3 OAR content distorted and stretched to 16x9 is incredible to you??? Most of these new HD stations are bullshit.
10-01-07, 03:10 PM
#196
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by uteotw
No, that's actually not what I said. I didn't think I needed to go through each channel one by one and rate it on a 1-10 scale. I don't favor changing the OAR and never have, but the picture quality on most of the new channels looks leagues above standard definition.
10-01-07, 07:05 PM
#197
Sounds like we'll be getting a few new channels each Wednesday in October. No idea what they'll be, but I'd guess NGC, MHD, HGTV, Food Network, and RSNs will be some of the first things we see.
10-01-07, 10:33 PM
#200
Now let's just hope these new "HD" channels are actually HD, not only HD capable, as is the case with TBS and most of the content on all the other new channels. At least the game tonight was in HD, and looked quite good. Now how about you air Raymond and The Office in HD. Grrrr.
