[thatguy79]

Ok, we've all seen these commercials by now, and when the new satellites launch, it should be truly great to have all local HD stations available through D*. My question is where do they get that 1500 number they're touting. According to checkhd.com, there are currently 823 stations broadcasting in HD. Granted, that could be out of date, but worst case scenario, I don't see it even coming close to 1500. What else are they adding with these new satellites??

 

[vurbano]

HD repeats of CBS, NBC, ABC, WB, PBS and UPN for every market in the nation.

 

[JohnA]

All D* is trying to say is that they will have the capacity for 1500 HD channels. It will probably be many years before all locals everywhere go HD but D* will be ready.

 

[MNBugeater]

I agree, I think the ad is misleading. Not necessarily confusing, just "lying by ommision".


NO one is going to be able to call and get "1500" channels, and in addition D* doesnt have nor will have 1500 unique channels even if they are to different markets.


Warren in MN

 

[bbevans]

Or...they could use that extra bandwidth to stop down-rezzing our HD and provide some real high quality HD. Remember that awesome promo that CBS ran with all their sitcoms? I haven't seen HD like that in a long time.

 

[Tigerriot]

Yeah, this commercial certainly caught my ear when I heard the "1500 HD channels" claim.

 

[lolowar]

Not sure what walmart has to do with any of this, but the D* ads do seem to be a bit misleading. Maybe they should also mention how long it will take to roll out. It seems like only the first 12 DMA's may get done this year if they are lucky. My town is ranked around 170 so maybe in ten years it will have an effect on me. We don't even have SD locals on D*. To bad moving is not an option for me. At least D* seem to be pushing towards more HD channels. That may hurt E*, because I haven't heard them mention anything about adding more HD channels.

 

[brewer4]

Quote:

Originally posted by MNBugeater I agree, I think the ad is misleading. Not necessarily confusing, just "lying by ommision". NO one is going to be able to call and get "1500" channels, and in addition D* doesnt have nor will have 1500 unique channels even if they are to different markets. Warren in MN

Its not lying its just marketing spin. Its done all the time. They are technically telling the truth but its just misleading.


Thank you Cpanther95!

 

[CPanther95]

Quote:

Originally posted by thatguy79 According to checkhd.com, there are currently 823 stations broadcasting in HD.

If you click "More Information" you'll find that even though they say "HD" on the front page, the data is actually digital broadcasting.


For a website that was supposed to educate the public, they're not doing the HD movement much justice. The AVS list shows 671 HD stations.

 

[sangs]

Hmm, misleading advertising practices. What a novelty!

 

[AnthonyB]

Oh, C'mon. Budweiser and Coors have been doing this for years.. Sexy women will bring your beer, sometimes even "TWIIIIIIINS!!!!!"

 

[JayDog_2]

Quote:

Originally posted by AnthonyB Sexy women will bring your beer, sometimes even "TWIIIIIIINS!!!!!"

Oh, See I always thought that beautiful women would just show up if I drank those kinds of beer...


Although, sadly, that wasn't enough reason for me to drink those kinds of beer...




Oh wait, we're going off topic again... CP's gonna be mad!

Maybe if I post a picture of the twins...
http://www.maximonline.com/girls/ela...wski/gm_l3.jpg

It's so airbrushed, it's almost unreal...
http://www.maximonline.com/girls/ela...wski/gm_l1.jpg

 

[jagouar]

"I'd buy that for a dollar"

 

[yanksno1]

You know, I was wondering about this as well. I think vurbano is right with the HD local repeats channels. It'd be nice if they came out with when the satellites will be launched and what channels will now be in HD. I'm just hoping it's not the voom type channels.

 

[mikey p]

"All D* is trying to say is that they will have the capacity for 1500 HD channels."


While I'm sure your right, I DON'T NEED OR WANT D* HD / DTV locals! I can receive them all in my market (BTW which is also one of the first 12).


Yes, I know there are places who don't have this advantage, some folks have for OTA. D* and the broadcasters be damed, let the folks BUY DNF's they want, like it use to be! (woops think CBS was behind this)


I would like more national HD channels, like TNT-HD, ESPN2-HD, (I can't believe I said that) Starz-HD, etc, etc HD channels EVERY ONE can BUY if they like, NOT the BS going on right now!


And remember this is WHY folks lie, cheat, and steal to get these offerings from D*, and why even if your in a O&O market (one only here, NO west coast BS) you "still" have to fight for your rights and pay for them to boot!


Opinions vary, yours might too.


Sorry to vent, well you get the idea.

 

[tonybradley]

What's the timeline for the Local HD channels on DirecTV. I'm in Market 62 per Neilson's Ratings. Can I expect to see my HD Locals on D* sometime in 2006, or is 2007 a more reasonable timeframe?

 

[CPanther95]

It's all speculation since D* has only announced the First 12 markets for mid-2005. But unless there's a major hitch, I'd assume 2006 at the latest for #62.

 

[fredfa]

If DirecTV wants to keep things simple, I'd think perhaps markets 1-50 or so in 2005 and early 2006. (There is, after all, space for about 500 channels.)

The other markets may have to wait until the next two birds in 2007.

In the long term it might be more confusing, yet better for D*'s bottom line, if it would think a little outside the box and quickly put up ABC/NBC/Fox/CBS/WB/UPN/PBS/RSN affils in as many markets as it can get agreements with and then worry about changing channel assignments when the new birds go up.

With all the bitching on this board and others about the "wasted band width" for LIL, DirecTV studies have consistently shown that 83%-85% of its subscribers consider LIL a must. And its subscriber base has increased dramatically since LILs were introduced.

 

[LonghornXP]

I agree with fredfa and I'm in Tampa and pick my channels up pretty well but I would rather not have to use an antenna and that is the bottom line and that is how most customers feel. Also I would expect markets in the 51-75 range maybe more to be up and running sometime in first half of 2006 and maybe before that. I'm hearing that they only said top 12 incase the sats didn't go up well and they could still offer them but if the sats go up and work as expected I'm hearing that the top 40-60 markets could be offered before years end.

 

[Ken H]

Quote:

Originally posted by mikey p "All D* is trying to say is that they will have the capacity for 1500 HD channels." While I'm sure your right, I DON'T NEED OR WANT D* HD / DTV locals! I can receive them all in my market (BTW which is also one of the first 12)......Sorry to vent, well you get the idea.

Yes, but you don't.


Q. If what you, and many others, say is right, then why did D* & E* put up locals?


A. Because the overwhelming amount of potential customers insist on all channels from the same provider.