What's new

Question about HDTV and network channels. (1 Viewer)

Gary GJB

Auditioning
Joined
Dec 30, 2002
Messages
14
I have Direct TV and I pay them for local network channels. If I get the direct TV dish and a HDTV receiver will I get the stuff that the network channels (ABC, NBC, CBS, etc.) broadcast in HDTV in high definition?
Gary.
 

Lew Crippen

Senior HTF Member
Joined
May 19, 2002
Messages
12,060
No you won’t. DirectTV’s local channel option only gives you the NTSC, local channel telecasts. You have to get local (all networks) channels ATSC telecasts over the air (OTA).

DirectTV only has Showtime, HBO and HDNet in HD. And you need the elliptical dish to get Showtime and HDNet (plus they will probably move HBOHD to another satellite in the future, so you will need the elliptical dish for that as well).

The only good news, is that HDNet is not a premium channel and all of the DirectTV HD STB’s will also decode OTA telecasts (both NTSC and ATSC). You will need an antenna. In many locations, an indoor antenna will suffice, but ymmv (and probably will).
 

Gary GJB

Auditioning
Joined
Dec 30, 2002
Messages
14
Lew,
You lost me in your last paragraph. Whats STB? Also what is ymmv? Can you put it in lay mans terms. I know nothing about this stuff.
 

Shawn C

Screenwriter
Joined
May 15, 2001
Messages
1,429
I have a questions as well. I just picked up my Mits. WS55511 this past weekend and am watching HD CBS from a Terk antenna mounted on my satellite dish. Anyways, are the CBS prime-time programs broadcast in 480p or 1080i?
 

Patrick Sun

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jun 30, 1999
Messages
39,659
STB = Set Top Box, otherwise known as a signal receiver of some sorts. In this case, it receives OTA (Over the air) HDTV signals and converts them for use with a HDTV set's inputs.

YMMV = Your Mileage May Vary.

CBS broadcasts in 1080i for HDTV. Only FOX does 480p for their DTV broadcasts, and it should not be consider HDTV.
 

Gary GJB

Auditioning
Joined
Dec 30, 2002
Messages
14
OK what if I had digital cable - would I get the local networks (CBS, NBC, ABC, etc.) primetime HD broadcasts in high definition then?
 

Patrick Sun

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jun 30, 1999
Messages
39,659
It depends. Does your local digital cable provider offer HD content on their service (particularly those channels), and do you have a new HDTV cable box which will decode the digital cable signal and output the HDTV into the correct output for your HDTV set?
My guess is "not yet". Currently, you can wait for your cable company to upgrade you (you will need to contact them as ask if they are offering HDTV over the digital cable feed), or you can buy a HDTV STB and an antenna and tune in the OTA HDTV signals and watch HDTV shows on those stations that are broadcasting HDTV content.
For my location (northeast of Atlanta), Comcast has stated that are doing trials for deliving HDTV content via the digital cable feed, and that requires the upgrade to a new cable box, and I've heard that Comcast is deploying the Motorola DCT5100 box for those lucky customers. But they are only offering Showtime, HBO, and maybe HDNet and one local channel in HD over the digital cable feed at this time during the trials. As time rolls on, more and more channels will be added to the HDTV lineup and much rejoicing will be heard throughout the land. Until then, you'll have to explore OTA options.
So, yes, YMMV...immensely, all dependent on where you live.
:D
 

Lew Crippen

Senior HTF Member
Joined
May 19, 2002
Messages
12,060
You lost me in your last paragraph. Whats STB? Also what is ymmv? Can you put it in lay mans terms. I know nothing about this stuff.
Sorry for the confusion, Gary. It was inadvertent, as I was in a hurry.

Basically, most HDTV sets do not have a tuner which will handle digital signals (regardless of whether these are HD or not). So an external tuner (sometimes also called a receiver or a Set Top Box (STB) must be added in order to tune (or decode) the digital signal (sometimes referred to as ATSC—analog signals in the States are NTSC).

Further, all signals from satellites must be decoded in any case, so a STB is necessary for both DirectTV and Dish. All of the DirectTV HD STBs allow Over the Air (OTA) signals to be properly decoded (both ATSC and NTSC), as well as decoding all of the satellite signals.

DirectTV has three satellites that carry (or could carry) HD channels. They make a special elliptical dish that will pick up all three satellites once properly aimed. Right now this is not necessary for HBOH, as it is temporarily on the 101 satellite, which is picked up by the round dish (it is the one that also carries all of the SD telecasts).

DirectTV has no local HD channels. Most cable companies also do not yet carry local HD content, although that is locally dependent. In some cases you Dish does provide a CBS-HD feed, but I’m not sure how that works.

As Patrick stated, CBS HD is 1080i. This is also what WB, and NBC use as their HD standard. The ABC HD format is 720p. Fox carries nothing in HD, but has a reasonable number of telecasts in 480p (sometimes in widescreen) on their digital stations.

All (or almost all) prime time on CBS is in HD (reality shows excepted). Most of NBC’s is as well (as is Leno). Much of ABC prime programming is in HD. Some of WB’s is as well.

ABC will telecast the Superbowl in HD. CBS is telecasting the rest of the AFC playoffs in HD. They had the U.S. Open (Tennis) in HD last year.

ABC/ESPN have announced that they will have a lot of upcoming sports in HD, such as the Stanley Cup playoffs in HD.

So there is a lot of programming out there for HD. And the picture quality is just great.

Hope that this helps. If I used any shortcuts that were not explained, it was inadvertent.
 

DavidGT

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Oct 1, 2002
Messages
120
What's with the sad face Gary? You can get HD without directv. Timewarner has excellent HD lineup with all the major networks and you don't have to buy STB because they will lease you one. Maybe with the exception of sad ass Adelphia, most cable providers are offering HD from cbs to fox...Cox, Charter, AT&T to name a few. And with cable, you won't an antenna like a directv customer like myself to get network HD channels. Timewarner may be the best though. You should put your location under your username so others can help you. Here's the timewarner link to see if they cover your area ok. Cheer up man! HD may be right around your corner. www.timewarneraccess.com
 

Tim Sly

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Nov 9, 1998
Messages
91
Those who get DISH network can get the CBS East HD channel even if they don't live in the Eastern USA. I live in Minnesota and requested a waiver to get the extra CBS channel and they granted it. I pay $1.50 per month to get it. Its nice to get shows like Jag and CSI in HDTV! Not to mention the NFL AFC playoffs! I'm in a rural area and satellite is the only way I can get HDTV.
 

DavidGT

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Oct 1, 2002
Messages
120
Man I can't believe I gave bad info to a hungry HDTV enthusiast. My biggest apology. It's actually accesstimewarner...Im not dyslexis. Here's the link for the LA div but once their you can navigate all over US alright. Good luck!
http://www.accesstimewarner.com/
 

StephanB

Auditioning
Joined
Jan 13, 2003
Messages
5
I have no problems with HDTV,receive them through Toshiba 3000 receiver, however you neeed the 2prong satelite dish which is never offered for free, in order to receive Hdtv you need signals from 2 Satelite 111 and 119 degree.I got 2 plasmas and everything works fine except i had to get a neww receiver to hook up the componet video from box and dvd player because my plasma only has one component video input.
 

Michael St. Clair

Senior HTF Member
Joined
May 3, 1999
Messages
6,001
Around these parts (I know, I tried with my own settop box) you can forget about getting OTA HD without a rooftop or attic antenna (with a rotor if you want all stations).

Thankfully, Time Warner saved the day last summer.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Forum statistics

Threads
356,710
Messages
5,121,108
Members
144,146
Latest member
SaladinNagasawa
Recent bookmarks
0
Top