What's the Scoop on 1080P for DirecTV HD???

Just a few weeks after Dish Network announced that it would offer 1080p on-demand movies, it looks like DirecTV is getting ready to match them. According to Scott Greczkowski's blog on Multichannel News, DirecTV is currently running a beta test that allows subscribers to download 1080p on-demand movies as well.

I read on Internet you will have to upgrade your HD box to receive 1080P? The upgrade to the software wont do this. Thoughts on this?

From what I've read, if the HD decoder can decode H.264 1080i at 60 fields per second, it can properly decode H.264 1080p at 24 frames per second. Expect 1080p on-demand to be in H.264, and limited to 24p film content. The "new hardware" may be involved with non-DVR boxes. An HD DVR will be required for HD On Demand content.

I'm not sure how de-interlacing (or upconverting 720p to 1080/60p) would affect decoder processor demands.

No - to both your questions. VOD only and it will only be certain specific content that will be 1080p.

I've participated in the beta test. 1080p/24 plays fine on the current DirecTV DVR HR20-700 and HR20-100 (I have both).

when i select 1080P, it tells me "this TV does not support Directv's 1080P broadcast".

my screen is a panny 6510UK and is 1080P, that's for sure.

anybody know what's going on?

So now they will both have the marketing gimmick.

Don't know that it qualifies as a "gimmick". I downloaded The Bucket List and The Bank Job as part of the test and they both looked exceptionally good.

For comparison, I do have a Panasonic BD30 Blu-ray player at also supports 1080p/24.

I'm seeing the same issue as joetoronto. I have a Samsung 1080p and when I select 1080p option from my setup screen I get the same message about the TV does not support 1080p. Anyone else see this and more importantly figure out what the issue really is?

It's a gimmick because 24p (film content) converted to 60i and back to 24p with 3:2 pulldown already happens with 1080i broadcasts.

reboot your TV and or A/V receiver, jeoneal, mine's fine now.

So are you saying no PQ improvement?

basically, yes.

I certainly will not argue over the mechanics, since it is really the end result that matters to me.

If DirecTV can continually provide movies with as outstanding a PQ as what was presented in the VOD beta tests, I'll be satisfied.

I agree, I downloaded both of these movies as well and watched them on my Sammy LCD. Exceptional quality. But they take forever to download, at least a couple of hours on Comcast cable, probably longer, I don't remember exactly.

It needs to support 1080p24, which many TVs don't.

How do you know what they are doing with 1080P? You are assuming that 24p film content is converted to 60i in the material they are offering.

That's not what he's saying. He's saying that 1080p24 content that is broadcast at 1080i60 is the same as 1080p24 native content when 3:2 pulldown is applied. He wasn't saying DirecTV's 1080p content is broadcast in that manner, because it's not.

What is the big deal/fuss about if there is no improvement in PQ?

I would beg to differ about 1080p24 content (as seen on my BP500S Sony Blu-ray) is the same as 1080i. I have a 120Hz Mits which doesn't need to use 3:2 pulldown. But when you say DirecTV's 1080 p is not broadcast in that manner what are you telling me?

DirecTV's 1080p content is native 1080p24. It is not broadcast at 1080i60, so 3:2 pulldown does not need to occur.

The scoop on DirecTV HD?

24P may allow more efficient encoding, so there could be a benefit for PQ.

1. on 1-10 scale if a blu-ray picture is rated 10 this will be rated ?

2. can it do 7.1 sound ?

1) PQ is about a 9.

2) 5.1 sound only

So far all 1080p on DirecTV has been downloaded from the internet it is not being transmitted over the satellites yet. Dish Networks 1080p however IS transmitted over the satellite, which at this point is an advantage as many ISP's are now limiting how much data you can download on your internet connection. A few 1080p downloads in a month and you might find your internet service turned off by your ISP.

So, if I am understanding this thread correctly, those of us who have TVs that do not accept 1080p24 will not be able to view these HD VOD from DirecTV unless we get another TV? Great! You get a TV that does 1080p thinking that whenever they get around to carrying 1080p programming, we will be able to view it. Now we can't because it's a special kind of 1080p. Unbelievable. Oh well, it's about time for a new TV anyway. This one is starting to have problems with dark scenes.

I knew that their VOD to this point has been via Internet, but I didn't even think about the 1080p stuff being done that way. So, is that the way they are going to keep it, or are there plans to have it come thru the dish? This just keeps getting more frustrating by the minute.

lol, that's the spirit, silentsaregolden.

That is what I would think they are doing. So, I think we agree. Do you think it is possible that in the future they could broadcast 1080p60? No pulldown involved there.