DIREC TV HD Package Available Now. (1 Viewer)

[Tino]

I just ordered the new HD package from DIREC TV which includes Discovery Theater HD, HDNET Movies, ESPN HD, and HDNET which I was alreay receiving along with HBO HD and SHOWTIME HD.

I asked if there was an introductory offer and I was given the first month FREE! After that it's $10.99 per month.

So far, they look great except for ESPN HD which looks like the regular satellite channel. Maybe they haven't started broadcasting in HD yet or maybe it's part time HD?

Anyone else order this package?

 

[Mike I]

ESPNHD is not 24/7 hd..They carry a limited number of special events..If you go to the ESPN website it will give you times and dates of the HD events..The rest of the time ESPNHd mirrors the regular standard channel..More and more actual HD events will be added as time goes on..

 

[Eric Samonte]

So..how much for the entire set-up then...if one is to get Direct TV for the first time? Also, how about local networks...also in HD?

 

[David Forbes]

Mike is right, ESPN-HD right now only broadcasts maybe six or eight hours of true HD a week. The rest is just upcoverted SD. Once their new headquarters is completed mid-2004, SportsCenter and other in-house shows will all be HD.

Eric,

It's not exactly cheap. You'll need a DirecTV high defintion receiver ($500 minimum, unless you find an open box deal somewhere). Lots of different brands, the current Sony HD-200 is well liked, as is the Zenith (which is the same as the Sony). I have an older Panasonic box.

If you need to hire an installer that will probably run you another $100-150. Now, the good news is that all DirecTV HD boxes can also receive over-the-air (OTA) HD signals. So if your local stations are broadcasting HD, all you have to do is put up an antenna and plug it into the DirecTV box, and the local HD channels will be integrated into your guide. You can use a simple bow-tie antenna from Radio Shack or an big yagi antenna if you have room (I have a Radio Shack yagi in my attic on a rotor, total cost was about $90).

Good luck!

 

[Greg_TSL]

Hey, maybe I'm just having a Monday (On Tuesday) but I cant find the channel numbers for the new channels anywhere on Directv's site or any of the HD channel's sites.
I ordered the package from work, and am only going to have a short time at lunch to check it out...can someone tell me the channel numbers?
TIA

 

[David Forbes]

Greg,

73 ESPNHD
76 DiscoveryHD
79 HDNet (also on 199 until 9/1)
81 HDNet Movies
84 HD Special Events (like the NBA, etc.)

Other non-HD-tier programming
85 HD PPV Movies
88 HBO HD (mirrored to channel 509)
91 Showtime HD (mirrored to channel 543)

 

[Michael Mathius]

I got the free month by just asking

 

[TonyD]

michael you better make sure they dont charge you after the first month. thats the way it's supposed to go. free first month auto billing the second and thereafter.

 

[Tyler DJW]

I just had DirecTV installed yesterday and signed up for the HD package. So far I'm very impressed with the quality of HDNet, HDNet Movies, and Discover HD theater. Discovery was particularly impressive in my opinion. Based on what I've seen from CBS, ABC, and PBS I'd say the quality of the DirecTV channels' presentation exceeds that available OTA.

ESPN-HD though... wow. Trust me, I fully understand that it's just upconverted SD material right now. However, I have yet to see a network do a worse job of their upconversion, and this includes OTA ABC. At least with SD material on ABC they add side-bars to 4:3 material, but everything I saw on ESPN-HD was just 4:3 stretched to 16:9... it looks terrible. And neither my TV or receiver allow you to change the aspect ration of a HD feed, so I'm stuck with this stretched image. Lame ESPN... please get your act together.

Oh yeah, for those who are asking. I got the triple LNB, Hughes E86 receiver and installation for $500 at GG. DirecTV offered 2 months free of their total choice plus and one month of the HD package free as well. I wish I didn't invest that much $$$, but overall I think it was worth it.

Sorry for getting carried away with the smilies.

 

[Michael Silla]

Tyler,

Hey dude, at least you found a place that had a CLUE in regards to HD. I spent a bit less on my setup but I had to do some work by myself,

RCA DTC100 - $140 used
Transcoder - $50 used
Silver Sensor for locals - $40
Triple LNB Dish - $99
Installation kit $15

In raw materials, that brings me to about ~$350. What it doesn't show was a weekend spent in frustration trying to get the dish aimed right. A simple error cost me nearly a days work but....there is nothing like turning on HDnet for the first time knowing that your sweat, blood, and skin (not necessarily in that order... ) put that channel on your RPTV

The nice thing also is that you aren't subject to any programming agreements this way. You still pay the $33.99 base fee and $10.99 fee for the HD tier (with the first month free) BUT.....you can drop service or change the level of programming WITHOUT worry of paying penalty fees.

IMHO it was the best option for me.

Michael.

 

[Tyler DJW]

Michael, it hadn't occured to me that you wouldn't have to sign a contract that way... that's a nice touch and something people should consider.

I think I found a relatively good deal, so I'm happy about that. My last gripe really is that my TV has an integrated tuner and the DirecTV receiver has a OTA tuner, I live 1 mile from the broadcasting tower with everything but NBC, yet I can hardly get OTA broadcasts.

I have too much multipath plus interference from the san francisco streetcars as they pass by my place... that's frustrating!

FYI - ESPN-HD looked better last night (from the couple time I checked). I looked upconverted to HD, but still streched horizontally. HDNet and Discovery were consistently excellent!

 

[Robert Crawford]

I was comparing the ESPN-HD to the regular ESPN yesterday during the Mets/Reds baseball game and the ESPN-HD picture was simply beautiful in comparison between the two channels.

Today, I'm going to watch one of the most visually made films in my opinion on HDNet Movie channel today. The film is the "The Wild Bunch" which I've seen countless times in a movie theater as well as various other video formats.





Crawdaddy

 

[Tino]

You said it Robert! The Wild Bunch in HD is going to be a treat.:b

 

[Grant B]

Tyler
I live less than 1/8 of a mile from Sutro and have a hard time with OTA. I had to put a rotor on my antenna since it was too directional. A couple of clicks and I can go from a SS 0f 90 to 0

 

[Joel Vardy]

79 HDNet (also on 199 until 9/1)

Will I be 'losing' my HDNET feed after 9/1? I don't think I want to add the 'package'. Also, are they providing people with a 'free' 3rd LNB for those with a dual LNB setup?

Joel

 

[David Forbes]

Joel,

My understanding is that, yes, you will be losing free HDNet after 9/1. As for the third LNB, call DirecTV and they can send it to you for shipping, which is about $8.00. If they try to sell it to you for more than that ask to speak to a supervisor because you read online that dozens of people have gotten it from them for cost (which they have, just do a search over at AVSforum).

 

[Dave Scarpa]

OK I cancelled my Direct Tv a while Back but what's the story behind this packahe? I Have a DTC 100 and two dishes one pointing where HDNet's sat used to be, will the new package work on my setup or do I need to buy new equipment or repoint the dish?

 

[Tim Sly]

It would be awesome to see Sunday Night Football games in HD on ESPN HD!

 

[TonyD]

My understanding is that, yes, you will be losing free HDNet after 9/1. As for the third LNB, call DirecTV and they can send it to you for shipping, which is about $8.00. If they try to sell it to you for more than that ask to speak to a supervisor because you read online that dozens of people have gotten it from them for cost

this is true, somewhat.

you can get them to send out the 3rd lnb, but they will say you must be subbed to a total choice package. the price for the lnb is $8.08 for shipping.

if you already have a sports package they count that as a programming package and shouldnt require you to have total choice.
just call 1-800-directv