Most of DirecTV channels in HD starting Jan. '04??? (1 Viewer)

[Grady Hollums]

Anyone hear anything about a huge upgrade by DirecTV that will include lots of HD channels? I was talking with a DirecTV rep just now and they told me that almost the entire lineup of DirecTV would be in HD by Jan. '04. Any truth to this? This does not sound true, but I thought I would ask. It might be worht the $52.00 per month if this would happen. Thanks for your help!

I would not even give this rumor a thought, but since it came from a DirecTV rep over the phone I thought I would ask here..."where people know what rumors taste like."

(Sorry, bad joke with Pace Picante Sauce ad take off)

 

[Douglas*A*R]

It can't be true since most of the DirecTV lineup isn't produced in HD.

I'd suggest looking here for a listing of what channels are/will soon be available in HD.

Edited to add that in my experience, DirecTV customer service reps are very ill informed (or, in the worst case, knowingly lying) about what's available. Take what they say with a grain of salt the size of your head.

 

[Grady Hollums]

Well I could see that it could be a possibility, because I just went to the web site voom.com and they have several channels that are "regular" channels and they are saying that they will all be HD channels. channels like: Spike TV, Hallmark, WeatherChannel, VH1, etc (go here to see all the channels they are claiming to be in High Def by Feb '04. If they can say this then I can see how DirecTV could say the same thing.

(but you would think they would be putting out some ads for it, like Voom is doing.)

 

[Douglas*A*R]

Where did you see that "regular" channels would be in HD? There was a line in the flash introduction that they'd have 39 HD channels by Feb. 2004, but I didn't notice anything that listed which channels those would be.

The only way that "regular" channels could be viewed in HD is if they are upconverted.

The fact of the matter is that the only channels capable of airing native high-def programming are in the link I posted above. The others simply do not yet (yet being the operative word) have the appropriate broadcasting and/or production equipment for a 1080i or 720p transmission.

 

[Grady Hollums]

Well I guess I am the master at assuming, because the way it is worded here seemed like al of the "regular" cable channels were in HDTV too, but I can see how they are not.

I guess they are counting all of their cinema10 channels are part of those Hd channels and that ups the number by 10 and then their HDTV Exclusives ups it even more. Those are just generic channels and really does not get me too excited about Voom more than than the others.

Oh well, thanks for bringing me back to reality, but giving me hope for the future.

 

[TonyD]

grady thatlink in the post above mine is for voom not directv.
voom will be all hd upconverted or otherwise.
i doubt directv will have more then 5-7 new hd after the next sat gets launched.

 

[Steve Schaffer]

Voom is promising 39 HD channels by Feb of 04. 21 of these will be their own proprietary channels, including the 10 movie channels. They also plan to carry in the neighborhood of 80 SD channels--they are far from being an "all hd" service.

If you don't count Voom's proprietary channels they currently have less HD content than DirecTV or Dish--no ESPNHD, no HBOHD, no HDNet or HDNet Movies. They are promising all programming free until the end of February, during which time they hope to be adding new non-proprietary HD channels. One encouraging thing is that they are already offering both East and West feeds for Showtime HD.

Bravo HD is already up, but not on any satellite system,and a few others will be coming up within the next 6 months or so.

Speculation is that DirecTv will be able to free up space on thier current Conus (able to reach the entire US) transponders that are now carrying locals by moving them to a new spot-beam (only broadcasts to smaller areas) satellite going up soon. The space freed up on the Conus satellites should allow them to add more HD channels, but at most only 6 or 7.

 

[TonyD]

They also plan to carry in the neighborhood of 80 SD channels--they are far from being an "all hd" service.



true i forgot abot that. i was thinking about the 39 main channels.

 

[RickGr]

http://money.excite.com/jsp/nw/nwdt_...&date=20031104



Capability of 1500 HD channels. This news is a bombshell for HD lovers.