Breaking News - DirectTv Launches HD TV Package (1 Viewer)

[KenRen]

Et al,

Looks like a partial solution to my sat viewing woes. Direct TV is adding:

ESPN HD - A 24-hour high-definition simulcast service of ESPN that delivers the best lineup of quality sports events, news and information and entertainment telecasts currently available, including games from Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association , the National Football League and the National Hockey League.

Discovery HD Theater - Discovery HD Theater is the new 24/7 channel filmed entirely in high-definition. The channel delivers programs about nature, science and technology, geography, travel and world culture all designed to provide the highest-quality viewing experience available. It offers the world's most spectacular images delivered in the world's most stunning quality. Discovery HD Theater is like having a movie theater right in your own home.

HDNet - A 24-hour network featuring live sports like NHL® and MLS® games, boxing, drama series, concerts and original news and documentary programming including HDNet World Report and Across America.

HDNet Movies - Delivers a 24-hour schedule of blockbuster movie titles from Warner Bros., Sony, and other major studios, as well as made-for-TV movies , independent films and shorts.

Go to their web site:

http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/aboutu...id=06_03_2003A

Woo-hooooooooooooooooooooooooo

KenRen

 

[Jeff Adams]

Sweet! I was on the fences about getting the Zenith HDTV set top box. Now my mind is made up.

 

[Mark Zimmer]

Hm, sounds like time to ditch the cable service and move to satellite. ESPNHD is definitely an idea whose time has come.

 

[jeff lam]

So is that $11 extra on top of the standard package??? It should be included!!!

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

Whatever happened to DirecTV's offer of a 3rd LNB for those who bought the oval antenna with only 2 of them? I presume you need another matrix switch too.

 

[John Royster]

11 bucks!!!!!!!



I'm glad they got the channels going but not the "cable company" tactics of overcharging out the wazoo.

 

[Steve Schaffer]

Dennis,

The 3rd LNB and new switch come as a package called the "SAT-C kit".

I installed it myself when Showtime HD came up last year, took about 20 minutes.

The kit is free ($8.95 shipping charge) from DirecTV if you whine a little to the service rep, or you can buy it yourself from Radio Shack. I did the latter as I didn't want to commit to a year of Showtime.

I think $10.99 is pretty reasonable, Dish subscribers are charged $6.95 a month just for Discovery HD.

This does mean regular HDNet is no longer free, but we will get it 24 hours now instead of it switching to ppv 14 hrs a night.

With the glacially slow progress and iffy reception of local OTA HD here in Fresno, (only 2 channels so far do HD, no more for at least another year) getting 3 more off the satellite in one fell swoop is pretty exciting.

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

Yeah all I really want is Discovery HD, as I don't like sports and probably won't like the kind of movies they will put on HDNet movies.

Do you have to commit to Showtime, or just commit to the HD package listed above?

 

[Lee Scoggins]

I'm glad they got the channels going but not the "cable company" tactics of overcharging out the wazoo.

John, I actually thought it is was reasonable given the newness of the network. Someone has to pay for the initial capital investment of these networks which must be high. I am sure the price will drop as volume improves.

HDNet is superb though. I have seen some amazing content on this channel. They also do swimsuit competitions in high def.

 

[Scott Tucker]

John, I actually thought it is was reasonable given the newness of the network. Someone has to pay for the initial capital investment of these networks which must be high. I am sure the price will drop as volume improves.

That's funny, I've been paying over $90 a month for 9 years now, and my rates have never gone down. I don't think the price will ever drop. They may add channels and keep the price the same however. guess i'll have to increase my bill to just over a hundred since i am finally getting a HDTV Monday. Oh well, what ever the price i will pay. If i have to choose between buying gasoline or paying Directv, i can always walk to work.

 

[george kaplan]

Well any HD progress is good, but I'd much rather they figure out a way to give us HD network (CBS, etc.) instead. Having to get that OTA is a pain in the ass in my situation that basically means I don't get any of the network HD programming.

As far as their HDNet Movies (the only thing here that I'd be interested in), any idea if the films are OAR and uncut? If not, then this is just a waste.

 

[Lee Scoggins]

Would you buy music that sounded 10 times as good as DVD-Audio or SACD if it only came on vinyl LPs?

Yes, but I would want the SACD version in pure DSD for backup when my cartridge suffers the inevitable blowout.

 

[Steve_AS]

Excited about HD HBO and Discovery HD; don't give a rat's ass about the ESPN stuff; what I want to know is whether this gives DirectTV subscribers the HDTV programming broadcast by the networks. Looks like not. I pass, for now, then.

What I really want, and doesn't look like I will ever get, is enduser-chosen viewing packages at different price points. It'd be great if DirectTV would offer something like, "choose ANY 50 regular channels and ANY three pay channels, for *this* price". Like most people, I probably only watch a fraction of the channels I receive regularly.

And the idea that degregulation would lower cable/satellite costs? IT IS TO LAUGH.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

It's all very tempting, but there's still no HD DirecTivo though. If not for the fiasco w/ YES Network (in NYC area), I'd still hop aboard w/ Dish when their HD PVR receiver arrives this summer.

_Man_

 

[Steve_Cohen]

Thinking about getting the direct tv with HD. Any Idea about the hardware costs?

Thanks

 

[jeff lam]

Ditto! I wish I didn't have to pay for the 100+ channels and 30+ music channels I never watch. Just let me choose my favorites and charge me per channel.

 

[Lew Crippen]

Thinking about getting the direct tv with HD. Any Idea about the hardware costs?

You can find a HD tuner or set-top-box (STB) for between $400 for models no longer manufactured (e.g. Hughes E86) and ~$800 for the newest generation.

Dish probably costs ~$100–$150, but I’ve not really checked the prices in a while.

There are usually package deals available. Check at places like Best Buy or call DirecTV and see if they have a deal going.

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

Well the new HD package is set to kick off tomorrow, BUT there's still no ordering information at the DirecTV website. Just that letter that is linked in the first post of this thread.

I'm going to get the Sat C LNB kit from Circuit City for $40 as I am grandfathered into "select choice" programming for $27/month. This is almost all of "total choice" for $7/month less, so why would I want to sign up to TC just to get a free LNB?

 

[Joe Cole]

Dennis,

The new HD package is now available on line. I just ordered it.

199 had already stopped being free.

The cost in my opinion is too high, for 11 bucks it should include HBOHD and ShowtimeHD.

If the new service is not compelling I will be canceling just as quick.