[rw]

Just got my Novemeber DirecTV bill, and there's a new line item on it. It says:


Partial Month Charge HDTV


The amount is $0.00.


Could this mean that DirecTV is getting ready to impose a new charge for HDTV content? Seems to me they'll have to have some, first . . .

 

[RichYak]

It's on my statement as well.

 

[lrowland]

I just saw this line also. I called DirecTV and the customer service type person had no idea what it meant (no surprise). If they do start charging for it, you better believe I'm canceling my subscription. At least Dish doesn't do this type of double charging and they have a lot more HD content.


Larry

 

[Lee L]

If you hit the INFO button on your Dish 6000 while you are looking at HBO or SHO, you will see where it says free preview. That would lead me to believe that Dish may one day charge for HD as well. Also, in some of the merger hype, one of the bullet points to a financial benefits presentation was an increase in revenue from HDTV offerings. It would not surprise me if they slapped a $10/month HD package together once they have 8 or 9 channels to run.

 

[jluzbet]

I saw mine too, Hum I will be happy to pay them $10.00 extra if they get 10 HDTV Channels..

 

[jerryez]

Ten isn't very many:

1. HBO E

2. HBO W

3. ST E

4. ST W

5. ABC E

6. ABC W

7.CBS E

8. CBS W

9. NBC E

10. NBC W


Throw in fox E & W for FREE, since no one would pay for 480p.


I would not pay $10.00 for this 10. For $10, we need some real content. I notice Comcast cable is charging $10 for 5 of the above channels now. Bend over and get ready for the SHAFT.


Jerry

 

[jacmyoung]

I think $10 is fair. I pay $13 for HBO package on Dishnetwork and I hardly watch their SD channels at all. $15 if they can throw in HDNet and PBS.


But I don't think an HD package will come soon. Aside from the bandwidth and rights issues, it will only replace the revenue from some of the SD packages. For example, I will be foolish to buy the above HD pack and still keep my SD local package.


My guess is DirecTV may consider in a later time an HDNet a La carte option.


BTW, does this new line only show up on people who have at least one HD receiver? I know mine is (DTC100).

 

[rw]

Quote:

BTW, does this new line only show up on people who have at least one HD receiver?

As a data point, I do have an HDTV receiver registered with them.

 

[ph3isme]

Quote:

Originally posted by jerryez I notice Comcast cable is charging $10 for 5 of the above channels now.

The $10.95 is a rental fee for the Motorola sidecar decoder. Now please do not get me wrong I am in no way defending Comcasts pricing they nickel and dime for everything. But I do want to clarify that you can 'buy' the sidecar and not pay the rental charge to get the 4 HDTV channels they are offering.

 

[Steve Bruzonsky]

Obviously some day both DirecTV and DISH will charge extra for HDTV, when enough content is available to do so. Right now, they're still "promoting" it and trying to get enough folks hooked on it to pay. Can you blame them. After all, they're not a non-profit venture. And we want more HD offerings and we better be willing to pay for them, or why should they provide it?


I think all this means for now is that it perhaps gives DirecTV

a better method for tracking in their billing department how many subscribers get the HD channels, so that at some point down the line, whether months or years, they may decide to charge us.

But in a way, isn't this a positive, that they're paying attention to us HD subscribers on the bills, and that as the # of billed subsribers with HD grows, this may help them decide to offer more HD???

 

[chs4]

Quote:

If you hit the INFO button on your Dish 6000 while you are looking at HBO or SHO, you will see where it says free preview. That would lead me to believe that Dish may one day charge for HD as well.

With HBO-HD and SHO-HD you're already paying for HDTV content. While I have no hard numbers, I'd have to believe that HBO and Showtime have the cost of their HD channels built into the package pricing. I'd also guess that E*/D* don't have the authority to "break out" the HD channels from these packages and sell them seperately without consent from the respective providers.


What I think we may see (someday) is a network HD package as has been mentioned. I'm sure E* could cut a deal with the networks (ala CBS) to provide national east/west HD feeds for a fee. If the merger should come to pass we may also see an HD sports package (HDNet/ASCN/???) offered.


That being said, they'll be hard presssd to charge for HD content until there is additional programming available to justify it.

 

[orbillius]

I would glady pay $10 for the added content. My movie renting has drasically dropped ever since getting HBO HD.

 

[SuperVision2010]

Dishnetwork has had a line item for CBS-HD ....$0.00 for several months already.

 

[jerryez]

Quote:

Originally posted by Lee L If you hit the INFO button on your Dish 6000 while you are looking at HBO or SHO, you will see where it says free preview.

I have a Dish 6000, subscribe to HBO & Showtime. I hit the info button, while on HBO HD or ST HD and do not get the FREE PREVIEW.


What do you subscribe to and where in the box is it stated. I do notice that the left lower box is blank.


Jerry