Spanish Channel packages Note

[Doug Brott]

Just an FYI .. If you subscribe to one of the following packages, some channels are being removed from these packages on or around January 22.


Familiar

FOX News Channel: Ch. 360.
ESPN2: Chls. 72, 209

Familiar Ultra

BET – Black Entertainment Television: Ch. 329
BET Jazz: Ch.330
Current TV: Ch.358
Fine Living: Ch.232
GSN (Game Show Network): Ch. 309
SOAPNet: Ch.262
VH1 Classic: Ch.337
CMT - Country Music Television: Ch. 327
ESPN2: Chls. 72, 209

Lo Maximo

BET – Black Entertainment Television: Ch. 329
BET Jazz: Ch. 330
Current TV: Ch. 358
Fine Living: Ch. 232
GSN (Game Show Network): Ch. 309
SOAPNet: Ch. 262
VH1 Classic: Ch. 337
CMT - Country Music Television: Ch. 327
ESPN2: Chls. 72, 209

[Littledude]

I dumped Lo Maximo last week because of ESPN2. When I asked the CSR about the change, she claimed no one there has heard anything. She put me on hold for several minutes while asking a supervisor, but they were surprised of the news. Just reconfirms that the CSRs are not given enough information to perform their job properly. Disappointing decision on the part of D*. On the positive side, I get more HD channel now with Premier.

[murry27409]

Will this change affect all legacy Spanish packages? I have Opcion Ultra Especial.

[Littledude]

I am not sure. Last I checked that issue was still under question. If you like the package, I would keep it until after the change on the 22nd or whenever. It only takes a few minutes D* to switch you.

[Losana]

Has anyone with a grandfathered package been effected by this announcement? I have Opcion Ultra Especial and I am currently receiving ESPN2 and Fox News etc...

[xarxa]

Has anyone with a grandfathered package been effected by this announcement? I have Opcion Ultra Especial and I am currently receiving ESPN2 and Fox News etc...

I have one of the grandfathered packages from the Directv Para Todos days (I can't remember its name offhand, but its the midtier one that offered most channels except the premium channels).

In any event, in cross-checking the list, the only channels I don't have now are:

# Current TV: Ch. 358
# Fine Living: Ch. 232
# GSN (Game Show Network): Ch. 309
# SOAPNet: Ch. 262

To tell you the truth, I don't know if I ever had these in the first place - I never watch them. I still have ESPN2, Fox News, VH1 Classic, BET, BET Jazz, and CMT.

ESPN2 and Fox News were the only channels that would have affected me - glad these are still there!

[xarxa]

I have one of the grandfathered packages from the Directv Para Todos days (I can't remember its name offhand, but its the midtier one that offered most channels except the premium channels).

In any event, in cross-checking the list, the only channels I don't have now are:

# Current TV: Ch. 358
# Fine Living: Ch. 232
# GSN (Game Show Network): Ch. 309
# SOAPNet: Ch. 262

To tell you the truth, I don't know if I ever had these in the first place - I never watch them. I still have ESPN2, Fox News, VH1 Classic, BET, BET Jazz, and CMT.

ESPN2 and Fox News were the only channels that would have affected me - glad these are still there!

Okay, now this is getting a little weird. When I posted this yesterday, I was checking the channels from my DirecTivo in my bedroom. Today, I was watching TV on my HR20-700 in the main room and ESPN2 is now gone. Fox News is still there as are the other channels with the exceptions I noted above. However, I still have ESPN2 on my DirecTivo in my bedroom.

This is ridiculous! Has anyone noticed the same problem among different receivers?

[donjuan2007]

yes is no Espn 2 now, lot of people are going to cancel directv, this channel the show the campions league, I one of them, bye directv.. wellcome fios

[Lyle Thorogood]

I have the legacy Ultra Especial too and everything is normal. H20's...

[CG Tustin]

No missing channels for me...Why is Direct TV doing this??:nono2:

[murry27409]

I have the legacy Ultra Especial too and everything is normal. H20's...

As of last nite I also had not seen a change. But I haven't checked all my boxes. I've got an HR20, a samsung SIR-TS160, and an directivo. I'll check those out 2nite and report back.

[sangu72]

I signed for the ultra last August when I moved from Dish (because of the whole GolTV ordeal). As of now I haven't noticed any changes. I hope that it doesn't affect customer who sign up under the previous contract. How else can you get ESPN Deportes and ESPN 2 at the same time?

[murry27409]

As of last nite I also had not seen a change. But I haven't checked all my boxes. I've got an HR20, a samsung SIR-TS160, and an directivo. I'll check those out 2nite and report back.

OK, I checked all three boxes. They are all still receiving all the ch's that were going 2 b dropped.

So far then the 1/22/09 date has come and gone with no differences. Is this an anomaly?

[xarxa]

Okay, now this is getting a little weird. When I posted this yesterday, I was checking the channels from my DirecTivo in my bedroom. Today, I was watching TV on my HR20-700 in the main room and ESPN2 is now gone. Fox News is still there as are the other channels with the exceptions I noted above. However, I still have ESPN2 on my DirecTivo in my bedroom.

This is ridiculous! Has anyone noticed the same problem among different receivers?

A quick update on this. I finally called D* to follow up on my HR20-700 not receiving ESPN2 while my SD receivers do. The CSR tried to resend authorizations and we reset my HR20-700 and ESPN2 in HD would not come up on Channels 72 or 209 and I still got a 721 error message.

However, ESPN2 does come up on the SD feed on my HR20-700 (I didn't realize this earlier until the CSR asked me to change my settings on the HR20 to show duplicate SD feeds).

The CSR didn't know what the issue was and never mentioned anything about my programming package being the reason. The CSR said she would forward the issue to the next level (tech support?) and that I would get a phone call in 24 hours.

What a weird situation! I'll do a follow up post once I hear back from D* on this.

[su_A_ve]

The problem seems to be that they drop these channels from the packages, but never sent the deactivation signal down the stream. So the channels are just taking it's time to drop off.

On Friday I still had ESPN2 even though I had lost GSN and FOX News. Last night, ESPN2 was gone (I did not check the SD one though).

English CSRs had no clue - The spanish CSRs knew about it and were basically saying that I did not 'loose' any HD channels as all these channels were SD and visible in HD as well. Just clueless.

Complained big time but of course got nothing back. Time for a letter to the office of the CEO. HD channels are being dropped even though we pay the HD access fee. And on top of that, the so called channels being replaced are spanish music channels.

BTW, I am in one of the grandfathered packages. I also tried to get the english add-on that they used to have but none of the CSRs were able to give me that...