Directv due to add 100 new HD channels by year's end

[Woochifer]

Lost amidst the flurry of product introductions at CES was perhaps the most important HDTV announcement in ages -- Directv will add 100 national HD channels to its satellite feed by the end of the year, including many that as of now have not yet begun broadcasting in HD.

This is a huge announcement not just for Directv subscribers (who up to this point have had a relatively lean selection of HD channels), but for digital cable and Dish Network subscribers as well. Why? Because now we know that the following channels will start up HD broadcasts by the end of the year, since these channels were included in Directv's announcement:

- A&E
- History Channel
- Food Network
- HGTV
- MTV
- CNN
- USA Network
- FX
- Sci-Fi Channel
- Cartoon Network
- TBS
- The Weather Channel
- Speed Channel

Directv supposedly has agreements on 60 new national HD channels already in place. Speculation is that the 100 channels will be rounded out by regional sports networks that won't necessarily be available to all subscribers.

TV Predictions thinks that Directv will force competitors to upgrade their HD channel selection, even if they don't have Directv's planned bandwidth. This will lead to some channels, in particular feeds for other time zones, to get bumped off of digital cable and Dish Network's channel grids. Either way though, the HD landscape is going to get a lot more interesting by the end of the year. Looks like 2007 will indeed be the year that HDTV really goes mainstream.

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix....332&highlight=

http://www.tvpredictions.com/dtvanalysis010907.htm

[paul_pci]

I sure hope they follow through with this because they made a similar promise for last year and because my father just got the HD service on our DirectTV.

[Woochifer]

I sure hope they follow through with this because they made a similar promise for last year and because my father just got the HD service on our DirectTV.

I think they've been waiting on their satellite launches, which I believe were originally supposed to happen last year.

In the meantime, they've actually been quietly adding local HD channel coverage for the past year. They didn't even update their website information on which markets now have local HD channels. I had to get the local HD channel coverage information from a satellite TV forum. For now, Directv has local HD channels up and running in most of the big markets, but usually only the ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox and maybe CW affiliates (no indies or PBS stations yet). They need the additional bandwidth before they can fill in the rest of the local HD broadcasts.

Another obstacle to Directv (or anyone else) offering more HD options has been the lack of national channels with HD feeds. None of those channels that I listed currently broadcast in HD, but obviously that situation will change quite a bit by the end of this year.

[Geoffcin]

When my HD-DVR is literally PACKED full of HD programming that I can't even find the time to watch, why invest in one of the new disk formats? It's not going to give me anything I don't have now, infact it's LESS ergonmic than the DVR.

[topspeed]

I've heard this from DirecTV for over a year now. I'm in the camp of "I'll believe it when I see it (literally)."

If it happens, that's awesome. I already get my OTA HD feeds from an antenna, so local channels in HD is no biggie. Do you know if the broadcasts are going to be in MP4?

[ericl]

wow! I am not a direct tv subscriber, but if they go through with it, this is great news! Hopefully comcast follows suit. In SF the HD selection is starting to feel pretty weak.

[Woochifer]

When my HD-DVR is literally PACKED full of HD programming that I can't even find the time to watch, why invest in one of the new disk formats? It's not going to give me anything I don't have now, infact it's LESS ergonmic than the DVR.

I wouldn't necessarily go that far. I think the biggest reasons that Blu-ray and HD-DVD have yet to catch on are simply the limited number of HD households (unlike with DVD where anyone could see the difference between DVD and VHS resolution, to see the difference with Blu-ray and HD-DVD, you need a HDTV and for now, only about one-third of households own one), and the strength of the DVD format itself (for many consumers, the DVD is good enough). While those factors impede Blu-ray and HD-DVD from catching on with mainstream consumers, the issue with the format war has given pause to the early adopters (i.e., which format to support?).

The available of HD programming thru other channels is definitely another factor, but I think that many people still want an avenue for on-demand programming and building up a video collection, which DVRs don't provide. HD downloading and on-demand services have yet to crash the party, but they are looming and will further damage the long-term prospects for Blu-ray and HD-DVD if those formats don't catch on before those looming on demand channels start making a market impact.

I've heard this from DirecTV for over a year now. I'm in the camp of "I'll believe it when I see it (literally)."

If it happens, that's awesome. I already get my OTA HD feeds from an antenna, so local channels in HD is no biggie. Do you know if the broadcasts are going to be in MP4?

I've been hearing this as well and seeing virtually no changes to Directv's HD offerings during that time. But, this announcement has a target time period and specific channels that will be offered in HD, so I get the impression that this will amount to more than vaporware.

For all I know, those long promised satellites have already launched and they're simply slated to go online during the summer. I read that one of the three planned new satellites has already gone online, and Directv's currently using that satellite for their MPEG4 streams (yes, all of the new HD coverage will be in MPEG4), which currently consists of local HD broadcasts and sports feeds. Regardless of whether Directv's plans will go forward as scheduled, it looks like a lot of those national channels are (finally) going HD, which I think is the best news.

I might have to rely on Directv for HD broadcast channels because a few years ago my wife insisted on taking down that "ugly" aerial antenna that we "weren't using"! After going through all that trouble to take the thing down, I doubt that she'll want to put another one up.

[Woochifer]

wow! I am not a direct tv subscriber, but if they go through with it, this is great news! Hopefully comcast follows suit. In SF the HD selection is starting to feel pretty weak.

Right, but up this point, cable has had an advantage because they've had the local broadcast channels on their channel grid. If you think Comcast's HD offerings have been weak, you haven't seen what Directv's had available.

By the end of the year though, Comcast, Time Warner, and the other big players will need to step up with their HD offerings, if they intend to keep up with Directv on the HD front. But, from what I've been reading, the cable companies are banking on selling service bundles that tie together TV with broadband and phone services more so than their HD offerings to compete with satellite.

Up to this point, Dish Network has had the biggest selection with HD channels (partly because of their acquisition of Voom), but once Directv's new satellites go online Dish won't have as much bandwidth available as Directv. I read that Dish is rolling back prices on some of their service plans so they can compete on a cost basis.

[emorphien]

From what I've seen, I've not been impressed by the video quality of DirecTV's HDTV feeds. I haven't seen much on cable but they looked better (all 10 of the HD channels that cable offers).

[eisforelectronic]

Isn't one of the sat companies being sued for providing sub-par HD broadcasts?

[westcott]

From what I've seen, I've not been impressed by the video quality of DirecTV's HDTV feeds. I haven't seen much on cable but they looked better (all 10 of the HD channels that cable offers).

I agree. I switched from DirecTV to DishNetwork and I have been extremely happy with the audio and video quality superiority over DirecTV. The new VIP is an impressive piece of equipment that has yet to freeze up on me and offers much better video than DirecTV.

It is still good news because that means that Dish will probably bring the new stations on in HD.

The one station I did not see mentioned is TLC. I understand American Chopper is switching affiliates and I sure have gotten used to seeing it in HD.

[emorphien]

The one station I did not see mentioned is TLC. I understand American Chopper is switching affiliates and I sure have gotten used to seeing it in HD.

Can you really consider that "switching affiliates" since TLC is owned by Discovery (as are about a dozen other channels)?

[topspeed]

Does this mean Chopper will still be shown on Discovery HD Theater? I was curious about this as well.

[Woochifer]

From what I've seen, I've not been impressed by the video quality of DirecTV's HDTV feeds. I haven't seen much on cable but they looked better (all 10 of the HD channels that cable offers).

Isn't one of the sat companies being sued for providing sub-par HD broadcasts?

Directv's been sued for broadcasting what some people refer to as "HDLite". This affected their MPEG-2 feeds, which were streamed through their older satellites. Directv's MPEG-2 streams are limited by the available bandwidth on those older satellites. All of Directv's future HD feeds through their newer satellites will use MPEG-4. Doubt that this suit will have much of an impact on current customers because once Directv gets their two remaining satellites online, they plan to phase out the MPEG-2 feeds (which means that customers who have one of Directv's older HD tuners will have to upgrade their receivers) to free up bandwidth for their existing SD feeds. If you want to check the picture quality with the MPEG-4 HD feeds, check the local HD broadcasts and/or the local FSN affiliate HD feeds. This would be a better indicator of what Directv's service will look like by year's end.

I agree. I switched from DirecTV to DishNetwork and I have been extremely happy with the audio and video quality superiority over DirecTV. The new VIP is an impressive piece of equipment that has yet to freeze up on me and offers much better video than DirecTV.

It is still good news because that means that Dish will probably bring the new stations on in HD.

Question though is how many of these additional HD stations Dish can support on their system without having to bump up their signal compression. Up to this point, they've had an advantage over Directv because of their bigger bandwidth capacity after purchasing Voom's satellite. I don't know this for fact, but my understanding is that Dish will have a problem trying to provide local broadcast stations in HD.

The one station I did not see mentioned is TLC. I understand American Chopper is switching affiliates and I sure have gotten used to seeing it in HD.

Does this mean Chopper will still be shown on Discovery HD Theater? I was curious about this as well.

My understanding is that Discovery HD Theater is not a simulcast of Discovery Channel, so much as a "best of" channel that covers all of the various Discovery networks, which include TLC, Animal Planet, Science Channel, and Travel Channel. Just because a program switches over from Discovery to TLC does not mean that it will necessarily get bumped from the HD channel.

[westcott]

Thanks Wooch for the responses.

I am also hoping the Tour Day France will we in HD this year but it too has been on OLN which is not HD.

Not sure of the relationship of TLC and Discovery but I would be shocked to see the Tour on Discovery HD since it has not previously been aired on Discovery HD.

[topspeed]

Update:

Just talked to DirecTV last night regarding a billing issue and the CSR told me they are expecting the new HD channels to be ready by...are you ready for this...late Feb or the end of March. Let's all cross our fingers because that would be sweet!

I also asked about the MPEG4 receivers and she intoned that DirecTV will be doing an exchange progam for their existing clients. This is good news as well as I figured I would have to buy a new reciever altogether.

The New Year is looking good so far!