Losing Locals in TN (?) Any advice?

[tonypitt]

Information was posted today in the Tri Cities, TN-VA thread in the HD Locals forum here about DirecTV service changes that may be forthcoming. Since most people outside that area don't read that thread I thought I'd ask a general question here.

Apparently, it is possible that later this week DirecTV will drop our local NBC and Fox affiliates. (http://wcyb.com/DirecTV-May-Remove-This-Station-From-Their-Service/3650951)

I'd been hoping that we'd have these channels in HD soon (currently DirecTV only broadcasts these in SD). Now I'm concerned that we may not have them at all. It seems as if this information was not made public until very recently.

I know that this is a business negotiation between DirecTV and the broadcaster. Likely both sides are going to point to the other as being the problem. I've already emailed DirecTV expressing my concern about this situation.

Does anyone have any advice on things that can be done? Since I live in a location where I cannot erect a broadcast antenna, my only choices are DirecTV and Comcast. Since I recently invested in DirecTV HD equipment, and since I still have many months of commitment ahead, I feel I'm locked in to a bad situation.

I did recently submit a DNS Waiver request through DirecTV since they didn't have these stations in HD. It was denied.

[Satelliteracer]

You're not losing them....that was a station group playing hardball. A deal was struck with the station group as D* and them have been in negotiations for awhile. Why they chose to put up this screen crawl is interesting. Nevertheless, you are not losing any local channels.

[tonypitt]

That's great to hear Satelliteracer. Thanks for taking the time to post that update.

It's weird that the TV stations just released this today if things are settled, but I know how often the right and left hands don't know what each other are doing.

(Now I just have to keep my fingers crossed on HD, which I'll assume would have been a part of all this negotiation.)

[Satelliteracer]

That's great to hear Satelliteracer. Thanks for taking the time to post that update.

It's weird that the TV stations just released this today if things are settled, but I know how often the right and left hands don't know what each other are doing.

(Now I just have to keep my fingers crossed on HD, which I'll assume would have been a part of all this negotiation.)

The agreement came later today, but for some reason they felt the need to jump the gun and put this out there. Unfortunate. The games people play.

[inkahauts]

Information was posted today in the Tri Cities, TN-VA thread in the HD Locals forum here about DirecTV service changes that may be forthcoming. Since most people outside that area don't read that thread I thought I'd ask a general question here.

Apparently, it is possible that later this week DirecTV will drop our local NBC and Fox affiliates. (http://wcyb.com/DirecTV-May-Remove-This-Station-From-Their-Service/3650951)

I'd been hoping that we'd have these channels in HD soon (currently DirecTV only broadcasts these in SD). Now I'm concerned that we may not have them at all. It seems as if this information was not made public until very recently.

I know that this is a business negotiation between DirecTV and the broadcaster. Likely both sides are going to point to the other as being the problem. I've already emailed DirecTV expressing my concern about this situation.

Does anyone have any advice on things that can be done? Since I live in a location where I cannot erect a broadcast antenna, my only choices are DirecTV and Comcast. Since I recently invested in DirecTV HD equipment, and since I still have many months of commitment ahead, I feel I'm locked in to a bad situation.

I did recently submit a DNS Waiver request through DirecTV since they didn't have these stations in HD. It was denied.

Good news your not loosing your stations..

I do have a question though.. What is the reason you can' put up an antenna? If your simply in a place that you can't receive a signal even if you have one up.. yeah, I see the problem. If not, you can put up an antenna.. I only mention this in case you want to get other locals that aren't in HD on Directv, if you have any others...

[Max Mike]

Good news your not loosing your stations..

I do have a question though.. What is the reason you can' put up an antenna? If your simply in a place that you can't receive a signal even if you have one up.. yeah, I see the problem. If not, you can put up an antenna.. I only mention this in case you want to get other locals that aren't in HD on Directv, if you have any others...

It may not be he cannot put up an antenna but like me there is no point in putting up an antenna. East Tennessee is a very mountainous area and getting digital reception is a nightmare.

We do not get HD locals via DirecTV… I live no more than 30 miles from all the digital towers in our area so hoping to get HD locals I put up a good Winegard UHF/VHF zone 4 antenna rated for 40-60 miles complete with preamplifier/booster. I might as well just burned the money.

Due to terrain I get only ONE channel reliably and that is NBC, PBS maybe 75% of the time, CBS (which DirecTV does have in HD) 50%, ABC 25% or less, and with Fox I get no signal at all. As bad as that is NBC will be dropping from UHF to VHF in February so I will almost certainly not get it then.

The digital transition effectively will mean most of those that use over the air antennas in this area will lose at least one channel and many will lose most of them.

I have been patient with DirecTV but I want my locals in HD if I do not get them within six months I am done with DirecTV.

[tonypitt]

My reason is a variation of what Max has said. Given where I live, I'm not sure I would be permitted by covenants and other similar restrictions to erect an antenna. I have not bothered even pursuing this since my research has indicated that it's unlikely that putting up an antenna would give me what I'm seeking anyhow. Terrain here makes signal reception problematic.

[JLester]

I was worried about this too. Not just for home, but I support several schools that also use DirecTV. Does anyone know if HD is included in the new agreement?

Jason

[Lanthom]

I found a way to fix not getting locals in HD. Move from Tri-Cities to Knoxville.

I was hoping for NBC and ABC in HD but my company is relocating me to Knoxville and they are all in HD. I really do hope everyone else in Tri-Cities get their locals in HD soon. Anything I DVR has been in SD as it's reliable and I miss my HD when I watch those recordings.