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DirecTV HDTV - Page 3

post #61 of 14325
9/26/07 at 6:48am
Quote:
Originally Posted by sleeks View Post

Call back. I'm sure that they are very busy today and don't have a chance to tell everyone about their successes for the day.

Call back, then call back, then call back.

I'm going to let them waste their money and send a tech here. He is sending him with a black HR20 which AI have tried to get several times with no success. Everything on my rack is black except the HR20. They tell me they have no way of telling what color the box is. I suggested that they try looking at it!
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post #62 of 14325
9/26/07 at 6:49am
Quote:
Originally Posted by acf53 View Post

Since the new HD channel contents are transmitted in MPEG4, will the content size be significantly smaller than that from the HD channels transmitting in MPEG2 ? I believe the compression ratio is a lot better than MPEG2. So I should be getting more than "30" hours of HD recording on the HD DVR ?

The HR20 will hold 50 hours of MPEG4 content. I don't remember where I read that, if it was by D* or someone else.

-K
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post #63 of 14325
9/26/07 at 6:50am
Is anyone else having problems?

I have the HR20 DVR. Around 6:00 am this morning all of my original HD package channels (Houston local channels, ESPN, HDNet, etc.) except ESPN2 suddenly stopped working. I see the new channels listed in the guide but I can't get them either. The test channels work fine, and I get the congrats message on ch. 498 as well.

Suggestions?
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post #64 of 14325
9/26/07 at 6:53am
This was posted on the DBStalk.com forum. This is a warning

Quote:


I have the same 721 problem and I'm about to call a CSR. Let me state this emphatically!!! DO NOT DROP PACKAGES ONLINE AND RE-ADD!! CALL A CSR.

The reason I say this is that I just upgraded to Premier a week ago in anticipation of the launch of new HD movie channels. Well if you downgrade a package within a short amount of time of upgrading you will be charged a fee for downgrading. So, if you have recently upgraded your package, don't remove/re-add online.
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post #65 of 14325
9/26/07 at 6:54am
Quote:
Originally Posted by justjoe View Post

On the H20, regardless how you set up your favs, entering a channel # on the remote WILL NOT bring you to the HD channel. PERIOD. Simple test. Go to CNN-hd, then press 202 on the remote. It brings you to the sd channel even if the sd channel is removed from your channel list.

Complain to D*. I would guess that they will release a software patch. They had to with the H20 early on because the same thing happened with the HD-LIL channels.
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post #66 of 14325
9/26/07 at 6:55am
Quote:
Originally Posted by hockeythug View Post

And is anybody watching Discovery(278) right now? I am getting little bars on all four sides of the image, not just the usual top and bottom ones you get with some programing that is in letterbox.

The reason you are seeing the little black bars on the side is because they are zooming and some kind of stretching their SD content to try to fit the entire screen. Personally I don't like it.

I was watching the DHD test channel last nite and a Best Buy HD commercial came on but it wasn't in HD. No joke, on my 42" TV with about 3% overscan all around, the bottom part of the commercial cut off with about 8 or 9 inches of black underneath and 2 inches at the top.
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post #67 of 14325
9/26/07 at 6:55am
OK. I've been watching and waiting... and now that they're live I just placed my order to come back to DirecTV. I requested one HD DVR, one HD STB, and two SD boxes (kids rooms). Does anyone know if:

(a) They'll have to have two coax lines running to the DVR like I did my old HD Tivo or have they found a way around that yet?

(b) Will all four receivers have to have a phone line?

I'm concerned that there will be a lot of wiring involved and I don't know if the installer will be prepared to root around in a hot attic in south Florida tomorrow! Anything I should know before they get here or anything I need to do first so they won't cry about it... or are they pretty good about that kind of thing? There's already a coax cable going to each TV via cable routing in the attic and since I won't need cable, I guess they can use those. I've always done my own installs though, so having a DirecTV tech install will be new to me. I've heard some bad stories.

Thanks for any advice,
Mike
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post #68 of 14325
9/26/07 at 6:56am
anyword on if the "CW" will ever broadcast HD?
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post #69 of 14325
9/26/07 at 6:57am
Early impressions:

Not impressed. Mostly HD-Lite and typical zoom/strech BS


bob
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post #70 of 14325
9/26/07 at 6:59am
Quote:
Originally Posted by mchaney View Post

OK. I've been watching and waiting... and now that they're live I just placed my order to come back to DirecTV. I requested one HD DVR, one HD STB, and two SD boxes (kids rooms). Does anyone know if:

(a) They'll have to have two coax lines running to the DVR like I did my old HD Tivo or have they found a way around that yet?

(b) Will all four receivers have to have a phone line?

I'm concerned that there will be a lot of wiring involved and I don't know if the installer will be prepared to root around in a hot attic in south Florida tomorrow! Anything I should know before they get here or anything I need to do first so they won't cry about it... or are they pretty good about that kind of thing? There's already a coax cable going to each TV via cable routing in the attic and since I won't need cable, I guess they can use those. I've always done my own installs though, so having a DirecTV tech install will be new to me. I've heard some bad stories.

Thanks for any advice,
Mike

No phone lines needed

Tivo needs a line for each tuner that you want to use. You can use it with one, but then you can only record one thing at a time. If you can you also will want a separate line for OTA to the TIVO.
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post #71 of 14325
9/26/07 at 7:00am
Quote:
Originally Posted by mchaney View Post

OK. I've been watching and waiting... and now that they're live I just placed my order to come back to DirecTV. I requested one HD DVR, one HD STB, and two SD boxes (kids rooms). Does anyone know if:

(a) They'll have to have two coax lines running to the DVR like I did my old HD Tivo or have they found a way around that yet?

(b) Will all four receivers have to have a phone line?

I'm concerned that there will be a lot of wiring involved and I don't know if the installer will be prepared to root around in a hot attic in south Florida tomorrow! Anything I should know before they get here or anything I need to do first so they won't cry about it... or are they pretty good about that kind of thing? There's already a coax cable going to each TV via cable routing in the attic and since I won't need cable, I guess they can use those. I've always done my own installs though, so having a DirecTV tech install will be new to me. I've heard some bad stories.

Thanks for any advice,
Mike

Answer to (A) is called SWM but it is still in the testing phase. There's people now that are using it but they are apart of the voluntary CE. More about this device and the CE can be found at dbstalk.com. It should be available sometime this fall.
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post #72 of 14325
9/26/07 at 7:03am
Quote:
Originally Posted by spongebob View Post

Early impressions:

Not impressed. Mostly HD-Lite and typical zoom/strech BS


bob

Bob, you will never be satisfied will you?
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post #73 of 14325
9/26/07 at 7:04am
Quote:
Originally Posted by mx6bfast View Post

The reason you are seeing the little black bars on the side is because they are zooming and some kind of stretching their SD content to try to fit the entire screen. Personally I don't like it.

I was watching the DHD test channel last nite and a Best Buy HD commercial came on but it wasn't in HD. No joke, on my 42" TV with about 3% overscan all around, the bottom part of the commercial cut off with about 8 or 9 inches of black underneath and 2 inches at the top.

Its time to start complaining to them. While TNT has seemingly ignored complaints, maybe the Discovery family will listen.

IMHO channels should operate as follows:

1) No stretching/zooming ever. Let me decide if I want to zoom/stretch. Just give me the program in 16:9 if it was filmed that way, 4:3 if it was that way. And for movies, give me OAR (the way the Director intended it to be seen)

2) Use 5.1 DD

3) Keep the advertising bugs (especially the large animated ones) to a minimum

If they do those things at least they won't lose viewers because of those issues. It will then all come down to programming.

I know there are a lot of people who will not watch TNT because of these issues.
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post #74 of 14325
9/26/07 at 7:08am
Quote:
Originally Posted by sleeks View Post

Its time to start complaining to them. While TNT has seemingly ignored complaints, maybe the Discovery family will listen.

IMHO channels should operate as follows:

1) No stretching/zooming ever. Let me decide if I want to zoom/stretch. Just give me the program in 16:9 if it was filmed that way, 4:3 if it was that way. And for movies, give me OAR (the way the Director intended it to be seen)

2) Use 5.1 DD

3) Keep the advertising bugs (especially the large animated ones) to a minimum

If they do those things at least they won't lose viewers because of those issues. It will then all come down to programming.

I know there are a lot of people who will not watch TNT because of these issues.

My problem with TNT is when they are showing Law And Order I get motion judder. I don't have this problem with any other channel except for TNT HD Law and Order programming only.
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post #75 of 14325
9/26/07 at 7:09am
Quote:
Originally Posted by sleeks View Post

Its time to start complaining to them. While TNT has seemingly ignored complaints, maybe the Discovery family will listen.

IMHO channels should operate as follows:

1) No stretching/zooming ever. Let me decide if I want to zoom/stretch. Just give me the program in 16:9 if it was filmed that way, 4:3 if it was that way. And for movies, give me OAR (the way the Director intended it to be seen)

2) Use 5.1 DD

3) Keep the advertising bugs (especially the large animated ones) to a minimum

If they do those things at least they won't lose viewers because of those issues. It will then all come down to programming.

I know there are a lot of people who will not watch TNT because of these issues.

I agree. And I'm one of those that wont watch TNT.
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post #76 of 14325
9/26/07 at 7:09am
I get the new HD channels only if I first go to Channel 206 ...then 207 and then to one of the new HD Channel numbers ...such as 267. It then comes in fine.

Once I change to a different non-new HD channel, then I again must go back to Channel 206 and 207 before I can get a new HD Channel.

Is anyone else having this problem? What is the cure? DirecTV customer service was no help.

Quote:
Originally Posted by richard korsgren View Post

Let say you have a favorite list of HD channels. Now, if you press 202 I am quite sure you will get CNNHD, channel 202.

=======================================

That does not cure the problem. I can only get CNNHD if I first got to Ch. 206 and then 207.

Question: Why do I first have to go to Ch. 206 & 207 to get a new HD channel. Sort'a gettng frustrated.
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post #77 of 14325
9/26/07 at 7:10am
My work has 5 H20s. 4 of them will let me tune to the CNNHD and Weather HD channels, but all say "Channel not purchased". The fifth one won't even tune to the new HD channels.

I was on the phone with a CSR for 50 minutes and she kept telling me that "not all channels broadcast in HD so you won't get HD for every channel". I had to direct her to the DirectTV website where it says CNNHD and Weather Channel HD have just launched.

While on the phone with her, one of the 4 almost-working H20s started showing the 771 message when I tried to tune to CNNHD. She then called technical support and that person told her that there were some problems launching the channels and none of them would be available until October. I asked if that was just for businesses and she said that the tech person only deals with business accounts so they wouldn't know anything about residential accounts.

Is anyone with a commercial account able to get the new HD channels?
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post #78 of 14325
9/26/07 at 7:12am
Quote:
Originally Posted by spongebob View Post

Early impressions:

Not impressed. Mostly HD-Lite and typical zoom/strech BS


bob

#1 the HD Lite has nothing to do with the zoom stretch stuff. That stuff is broadcast from the channel and has nothing to do with directv what-so-ever. When those same channels have a show that is recorded in HD playing there will be no zoom stretch issue.

#2 The HD channels that are actually showing HD content look amazing compared to the HD lite channels. I'd suggest buying a new tv if you cant see the difference.
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post #79 of 14325
9/26/07 at 7:13am
I don't watch any channels with 4:3 programming stretched to 16:9. Too blurry and distorted.

And there enough fat people in the US already, without making everyone look that way on TV.
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post #80 of 14325
9/26/07 at 7:15am
I seen that it went live this morning with the channels listed.

But I want to see if anyone else has MTV-HD on their Standard tuner? MTV-HD wasn't one of the HD channels listed and I don't get it on my HR20, but I get the station 332content and I am able to watch it on my standard receiver from 1997.

I have a Tivo hooked up to this receiver and I got the message about a week ago stating that MTV-HD has been added and last night I was able to view the channel and content.
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post #81 of 14325
9/26/07 at 7:17am
Am I the only person here who ISN'T having an issue with seeing these new HD Channels? Man, I never thought I'd see the day.
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post #82 of 14325
9/26/07 at 7:17am
Quote:
Originally Posted by TallGuyMe View Post

anyword on if the "CW" will ever broadcast HD?

They already broadcast in HD
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post #83 of 14325
9/26/07 at 7:18am
Quote:
Originally Posted by SRIBB43 View Post

Wondering if the remaining Braves games this week on TBS will be shown in full hd on TBS-HD?

Should be, and it's what I've been waiting most for.


Fred
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post #84 of 14325
9/26/07 at 7:18am
Quote:
Originally Posted by estasi View Post

#1 the HD Lite has nothing to do with the zoom stretch stuff. That stuff is boradcast from the channel and had ntohing to do with directv what-so-ever. When those same channels have a show that is recorded in HD playing there will be no zoom stretch issue.

#2 The HD channels that are actually showing HD content look amazing compared to the HD lite channels. I'd suggest buying a new tv if you cant see the difference.

How does your response negate his impression. If most of the "new HD channels" that they are broadcasting are upscaled/stretched SD, then the channels may be mostly unimpressive. That doesn't mean the service is unimpressive, just the content that is available right now. FWIW, just about everybody, since the launch of TNT-HD, has denigrated it as a poor excuse for HD (A&E is even poorer) due to its incredibly low bit-rate and really awful upscaling/stretching. General impressions are that many of these "HD channels" are doing the same thing for the time being (which isn't that big of a surprise).

Also, not good to antagonize the "old farts" with noobish suggestions like "get a new TV if you can't tell the difference."
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post #85 of 14325
9/26/07 at 7:22am
Quote:
Originally Posted by justjoe View Post

On the H20, regardless how you set up your favs, entering a channel # on the remote WILL NOT bring you to the HD channel. PERIOD. Simple test. Go to CNN-hd, then press 202 on the remote. It brings you to the sd channel even if the sd channel is removed from your channel list.

I have two H-20's and an HR-20. The HR-20 works as it should, punch in 206 and it takes you to ESPN-HD. Both H-20's work as you describe, so definitely a problem with the H-20 boxes. I know in my Favorites set up the new HD channels are listed below the SD ones on the H-20's. On the HR-20 the HD channels are listed 1st.

Brian
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post #86 of 14325
9/26/07 at 7:23am
Quote:
Originally Posted by rlb View Post

Example: HBO East is MPEG2 on 70 and 509; MPEG4 on 501. Picture on 501 is definitely better. Bottom line: MPEG4 channel is the "ghost" of the prior SD channel. Old MPEG2 channels for now stay MPEG2 for all the legacy viewers/STBs.


So Channels ending in "H" are MPEG2, channels ending in "HD" are MPEG4.


Fred
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post #87 of 14325
9/26/07 at 7:24am
OK, what is the deal with all this "error 771 searching for satellite" nonsense I am getting on half these channels?

Don't tell me I have to have a tech guy come out here or even have to swap out my HR-20. Anyone else dealing with this?
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post #88 of 14325
9/26/07 at 7:24am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fred M View Post

I get the new HD channels only if I first go to Channel 206 ...then 207 and then to one of the new HD Channel numbers ...such as 267. It then comes in fine.

Once I change to a different non-new HD channel, then I again must go back to Channel 206 and 207 before I can get a new HD Channel.

Is anyone else having this problem? What is the cure? DirecTV customer service was no help.



=======================================

That does not cure the problem. I can only get CNNHD if I first got to Ch. 206 and then 207.

Question: Why do I first have to go to Ch. 206 & 207 to get a new HD channel. Sort'a gettng frustrated.


I am guessing that you have an HR20.

1) Are you diplexing OTA on one of your tuners. If so, either move the BBC or stop diplexing and see if that works.

2) You have a bad BBC. Tune to one of the channels that should come in but doesn't. Swap your BBC's between tuner 1 and 2 and you will know if this is the issue or if you have a bad tuner.

What you are doing by chaning channels is switching between the tuners.
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post #89 of 14325
9/26/07 at 7:26am
Quote:
Originally Posted by arhughes View Post

The fifth one won't even tune to the new HD channels.

Is anyone with a commercial account able to get the new HD channels?

Same here -- as I posted a little while earlier, commercial CSR told me there'd be no new HD for those accounts until next month.

But that fifth receiver sounds like a seperate issue -- check in the menu that it's set for 5-sat dish, confirm it has BBC connected, etc. A restart wouldn't hurt either, I guess.
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post #90 of 14325
9/26/07 at 7:26am
Quote:
Originally Posted by sleeks View Post

I know there are a lot of people who will not watch TNT because of these issues.

I'm one of them.
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