DirecTv / HBO question (1 Viewer)

[SteveMc]

I am researching the HD possibilities for DirectTV, but they don't list list specific HBO channels that you get in the package. Is the HBO-HD channel (509) part of their package or is it an extra to the extras?
Aside from that, looking at the line up, it looks like it has some decent HD programming. See an episode of From the Earth to the Moon coming up. Even older movies such as Armed & Dangerous and Beverly Hills Cop 2. How does their HD material look? I have nothing to judge it against so it'll look amazing to me. But do they have a standard ratio or res that they broadcast in or does it vary?
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[Daniel Mai]

That's right. They don't list it and most the CSR at DirecTV does not have a clue, so don't even bother mentioning it or inquiring about it. I just got set up a few weeks ago and is overall happy with it. Most of the HD programming looks very impressive especially Band of Brothers and Sopranos. As far movies go, it depends, some looks stunning while others are fairly good. I've read that some are upconverted, that's why they don't look as "stunning", but still pretty good. Also, you'll get HDNet on 199 which is very good and they will be extending to programming to 16 hours a day soon (mostly sports). Good luck!

 

[Daniel Mai]

BTW, I forgot to mention that it's part of the HBO package and it does not cost any extra for it. Don't forget, you have to have an oval dish to pick up regular signal on 101 and HD signal on 110 or an additional or regular dish pointing at 110 to get HD.

 

[Daniel Mai]

OOPS! It's getting late and I'm loosing it. HD signal is at 119, not 110. Sorry! Time to go sleep.

 

[Jesse Leonard]

Like Daniel said, HBO-HD comes "free" as part of the DirecTV HBO package. With just a basic DirecTV programing package you also get for "free" HDNET.
HBO's quality is very sparadic. Some things look absolutly great while other things look pretty weak. They don't always broadcast in OAR for their movies, either. They tend to crop 2.35:1 movies to 1.78:1. They also show some Pan and Scan movies. Most of their movies look as though they were just upconverted from 480p to 1080i.
But that said, most everything on HBO-HD looks far better than any other channel on DirecTV (except HD-Net which has the best HD picture out there). Most of the movies on HBO-HD are comparable to a DVD transfer (with some looking better and some looking worse).
I have not watched any PPV movies (HBO in their infinite wisdom has chosen to make these available only during the middle of the night). Can anyone comment on the quality of the PPV channels? (I assume they will be comparable to HBO-HD).

 

[Rex Bills]

Is it possible to just get HBO, Showtime and all HD programming without all the regular channels? If so, what is the cost? I would like to supplement my regular cable TV.

 

[Alan Markow]

There's no Showtime HD on HBO. Dish carries Showtime, but not HBO. HBO is a premium channel, but basic service is required to get it. HDNet is also part of basic service, so you'll want that as well. Local stations, if you choose to get them via Direct TV, are not HD. Hope that helps.

 

[Daniel Mai]

Rex,
You can get HBO only package for $12/month. You'll get all HBOs, including HBOHD #509, HDnet on 199, NASA, and a few other channels. I had mind hooked up about a month ago-works well. When calling DirecTV, tell them you only want HBO package and nothing else. CSR may not know, but insist that you only want HBO Package and it should only be $12/month. I was put on hold twice so that CSR would check with his supervisor. Sure enough I got HBOHD and HDNet with it, the bill came a week later for $12.

 

[HenryT]

Daniel, you mentioned that Band of Brothers looks good on HBO ch 509. It does not seem so for me. HDNet and OTA(CBS) beats it bigtime. Is there something I may have done wrong? I'm using Proscan STB (same as DTC-100).

 

[Daniel Mai]

Henry,
I use a Mits. SR-HD5 decoder. Yes, HDNet and some PBS looks the best. But Band of Brother and the Sopranos looks very good on my Mits 65" also and to me it seems like it's in the same league with CBS shows such as Everybody Loves Raymond, CSI, Guardian, and Wolf Lake to name a few.

 

[Juan_R]

I am watching the same stuff you guys are and the PQ to me looks very good. Band of Brothers makes me feel like I am there with them, specially with DD 5.1 on. CSI looked very good to me last night as well. I am using a Tosh DST-3000 with my Tosh 65H80.

 

[Rex Bills]

If HBO alone is $12 a month, how much more is it to add Showtime? I know the latter is not HDTV, but I want to add it to my basic cable. I could not find this info on the Directv website.

 

[Daniel Mai]

I would think it would be the same as HBO. I was only after HD proramming on DirecTV, so did not bother w/Showtime. I'm in agreement with you Juan-Band of Brother looks very good to me.

 

[Kenneth R]

The quality of Band of Brothers i.e. resolution and DD 5.1 sound are superb. I just wish that Speilberg and Hanks had not decided to give the colors that old washed out look like the whole thing was photographed through a brown filter to make it look like it was "old WWII footage".
The same photographic techniques were used in Saving Private Ryan. I would rather have seen a full palate of colors. Nevertheless it is like being there and really presents the Hell of war like I had never seen before.
Larry

 

[James FT]

Ken
I agree with you comments that brown filter just spoils the picture for me. In fact I am so turned off by I do not watch it any more.Although the story may have some artistic merit I beleive they went too far with the colour to the point of spoiling the picture.

 

[RichardK]

what channel is the NASA channel? is it OTA or DirecTV? i have only DirecTV right now....

thanks

 

[DanP]

DirecTv channel 376 coming off the 119 bird.

 

[RichardK]

DanP , thx for the info. i'll check it out.

when you say 119 bird. is their a different NASA non-hd channel on the 101(?) bird. i know i get HBO-HD on ch509 no prob and HDnet on ch199 as well.

on the NASA channel does it always broadcast in HD (1080i,480p) or is it only selected times etc. i think i have seen it at some retailers and that looks pretty sweet. views of the earth from above etc.

please advise.

thanks.

 

[DanP]

Theres only 1 NASA channel, the one I mentioned. At this time it shows no HD material. It's not an HD channel. You may have seen some shuttle footage in HD at a retailer, but it would have been part of the Dish Network demo loop more than likely because they had some segments of that.

When a previous poster mentioned that channel in the same breath as some others, he was just meaning that it was included in most any package...but not to infer that it was actually broadcast in HD.

 

[RichardK]

okay danp, that makes sense now...oh well....