Master list of 60 HD channels NOT offered in HD on DirecTV

[stonedog23]

Originally Posted by TomCat4680

Yes all premium movie channels are national because you pay a flat monthly fee for them with no additional super expensive out of market sports packages fees for the live games (which is the only thing worth watching on REGIONAL sports networks). In other words, they don't have blackouts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

College sports aren't blacked out and I love college football and basketball. The major league sports are blacked out and that's a bummer, but that is the fault of the professional leagues and not the regional networks. I do have the NBA package though. But the regional networks are national and there are live sports that you can watch on them.

[ridy163]

I agree, D* still offers more HD than any other provider, except fios may be... But the point is that it is the hardest and most expensive to the first . It is going to be much easyer and so much cheaper to deploy HD in the future, however it is a very complex and expensive process right now. It is easy to criticize, but in my opinion D* is doing a good job. I can say that I am a satisfied customer, I get everything or almost everything I like in HD, except may be just a few channels.
On the other hand life does not revolve around TV regardless if HDTV or SD. I think, spending your entire free time in front of TV (even if it looks great) is simply pointless.

And who cares of HSN or some infomertial channel in HD. Is this a joke.....Get a life, read a book.

[TomCat4680]

I don't spend all of my time in front of a TV, I go online and start threads like this too.

[JPL]

Originally Posted by ridy163

I agree, D* still offers more HD than any other provider, except fios may be... But the point is that it is the hardest and most expensive to the first . It is going to be much easyer and so much cheaper to deploy HD in the future, however it is a very complex and expensive process right now. It is easy to criticize, but in my opinion D* is doing a good job. I can say that I am a satisfied customer, I get everything or almost everything I like in HD, except may be just a few channels.
On the other hand life does not revolve around TV regardless if HDTV or SD. I think, spending your entire free time in front of TV (even if it looks great) is simply pointless.

And who cares of HSN or some infomertial channel in HD. Is this a joke.....Get a life, read a book.

I'm glad you're happy with your HD offerings, but I'm curious about one thing you wrote here. How, exactly, will it get easier to add HD in the future? Right now DirecTV is largely tapped out in terms of bandwidth. They CAN add a couple more HD channels if pressed, but that's about it. The next set won't come until later this year when they launch their next satellite (D12). Until that happens, though, DirecTV is pretty much at a limit in terms of how many channels they can add. And even with that satellite they may be able to get up to 150 - 175 HD feeds. Other providers are currently working on means to seriously expand bandwidth. Verizon has the bandwidth now to get to 160 - 175 HD channels, and when they go full IP (which is what they're working toward), they'll have unlimited bandwidth. U-Verse (AT&T) is IPTV, and so really has no bandwidth limitation. Many cable providers are going SDV, at least for some of their channels, giving them alot more bandwidth.

And cable/FiOS haven't even touched on going MPEG4 yet. DirecTV's already there with MPEG4. When cable does, they'll be able to up their HD offerings by 50%.

I don't mean to rain on your parade, but DBS has, by far, the biggest long-term bandwidth limitation out of any type of pay TV service.

[Richardmb]

How about Turner Classic Movies

[ridy163]

Originally Posted by JPL

I'm glad you're happy with your HD offerings, but I'm curious about one thing you wrote here. How, exactly, will it get easier to add HD in the future? Right now DirecTV is largely tapped out in terms of bandwidth. They CAN add a couple more HD channels if pressed, but that's about it. The next set won't come until later this year when they launch their next satellite (D12). Until that happens, though, DirecTV is pretty much at a limit in terms of how many channels they can add. And even with that satellite they may be able to get up to 150 - 175 HD feeds. Other providers are currently working on means to seriously expand bandwidth. Verizon has the bandwidth now to get to 160 - 175 HD channels, and when they go full IP (which is what they're working toward), they'll have unlimited bandwidth. U-Verse (AT&T) is IPTV, and so really has no bandwidth limitation. Many cable providers are going SDV, at least for some of their channels, giving them alot more bandwidth.

And cable/FiOS haven't even touched on going MPEG4 yet. DirecTV's already there with MPEG4. When cable does, they'll be able to up their HD offerings by 50%.

I don't mean to rain on your parade, but DBS has, by far, the biggest long-term bandwidth limitation out of any type of pay TV service.

well,
my point is that it is always more complex and expensive to deploy new technologies now than later. As of right now D* is building and new infrastructure of sats and it takes time. And I am very sure that 10 years from today everything will be in HD, HD will be just a standard ,just like B&W became color half a century ago.

[joed32]

Originally Posted by Richardmb

How about Turner Classic Movies

I wish! They are not even rumored to be planning to broadcast in HD.

[TomCat4680]

Originally Posted by ridy163

well,
my point is that it is always more complex and expensive to deploy new technologies now than later. As of right now D* is building and new infrastructure of sats and it takes time. And I am very sure that 10 years from today everything will be in HD, HD will be just a standard ,just like B&W became color half a century ago.

Yeah but not everyone adapts to new technology as fast as some would like, some people had b&w TV's only well into the 1970's. I'm guessing lots of people will keep their SDTV's well into the 2020's and therefore less popular channels will remain SD for at least another 10 years to serve those laggards.

[msmith198025]

Originally Posted by TomCat4680

I'm guessing lots of people will keep their SDTV's well into the 2020's and therefore less popular channels will remain SD for at least another 10 years to serve those lagards.

Why? No reason that a HD signal can not be displayed on a SD tv

[ridy163]

Originally Posted by TomCat4680

Yeah but not everyone adapts to new technology as fast as some would like, some people had b&w TV's only well into the 1970's. I'm guessing lots of people will keep their SDTV's well into the 2020's and therefore less popular channels will remain SD for at least another 10 years to serve those lagards.

agree with msmith198025,

Hm, i think that the transition to HD is actually going quite fast. Don't expect the change to happen over night. The new infrastructures have to be build and it's an extensive process. Don't forget about the networks, they have to upgrade as well.

[TomCat4680]

Originally Posted by msmith198025

Why? No reason that a HD signal can not be displayed on a SD tv

because of the laggards who refuse to subscribe to digital cable or DBS and are perfectly happy watching analog SDTV.

[ridy163]

Originally Posted by TomCat4680

because of the laggards who refuse to subscribe to digital cable or DBS and are perfectly happy watching analog SDTV.

there is nothing wrong with television for free.........

[TomCat4680]

no i meant basic analog cable subscribers

[msmith198025]

Originally Posted by TomCat4680

because of the laggards who refuse to subscribe to digital cable or DBS and are perfectly happy watching analog SDTV.

Things can still be converted/downconverted. Digital to analog, HD to SD. People keeping SD sets will have little impact on channels swapping to HD down the road.

[rickbbb]

Directv won't add all those HD channels since it costs them money. Plus they don't have enough room for the bandwidth it would take to have to add those HD channel's. Thats it in a nut shell.