Rumor about DTV and HD?

[junki]

We all have heard about Voom Channels going to Dish Network.
We also have heard about the Locals being launched in HD via DTV in sometime in 2005 and 2006.
Well DTV ahe heard also.
I was talking to a friend at DTV Call center and rumor has it that DTV will be adding some new HD channels by July 05 to compete with Dish Networks and Voom Merge.
Lets Hope!

[Richard King]

Dish and Voom are not merging. Dish is simply now a customer of Rainbow Media, the programming arm that owns the former Voom channels. DTV is free to add the same channels if they have room and desire to do so.

[larrystotler]

Seems to be a lack of compelling content( stealing a phrase here :)). If only they actually showed stuff in HD instead of upconverting it. Oh well, look for the first 12 Digital/HD LiL around Sept 1.

[DCSholtis]

Dan Collins over at DBSForums.com is reporting that according to his sources expect a major HD announcement from D* shortly after the lift off of the 2nd Satellite in June.

[Capmeister]

I have to say, having had VOOM last summer, I do find their original channels to be lacking in compelling content. That's just me, though.

[wipeout]

I'm getting ready to dump my HD Package. The contect just isn't worth $11/mth.

[sobal]

I did dump my HD package last Friday. I only watch ESPN HD when there is a college football or basketball game on, and they won't be on again until September. The only other program I would watch occasionally was "Across America" on HDNet, but it isn't on any more. With no disconnect fee, why not drop what you don't watch?

[scottchez]

The rumors I have been hearing are similar to the big announcement that DBS F is mentioning.

Except Direct TV will never ever have the VOOM channels as Direct TV is owned by the same guys that own part of Fox.

Instead they plan to add all the Preimum HD Channels and many new FOX only HD channels yet to be announced.

In other words Fox is making there own Voom like HD package for Direct TV.

. We wont know till summer. But Im betting well never see Voom channels on Direct TV, if it was to be they would of added them by now instead of letting Dish get the jump on them.

All Just More Rumors

[wipeout]

When they say they are adding more HD and it ends up being Premium Channels I feel short-changed. These are not channels that will be part of the HD Package. If they were to offer all of the HD Premium Channels in one package for $11/mth that would be worth my money.

[n8dagr8]

I wouldn't feel so "short changed" if the HD channels I got didn't look like such crap. It's getting harder to tell the difference b/t HD over the sat. and SD over the antenna (other than aspect ratio and SD being a little clearer :( ).

[Stewart Vernon]

When they say they are adding more HD and it ends up being Premium Channels I feel short-changed. These are not channels that will be part of the HD Package. If they were to offer all of the HD Premium Channels in one package for $11/mth that would be worth my money.

As it happens, Discover at $7.99 a la carte seems to make up most of our current $9.99 HD pack... making the remaining channels in that pack a relative bargain at about 50 cents each. The new Voom Channels at $5 for 10 channels are also about 50 cents apiece.

I'm glad for the new additions, something no one else has right now... and for 50 cents a channel I can hardly complain. Also, when you figure it is optional and you don't have to pay $5 if you don't want them... I can't see where the pricing complaints come from.

That said... I would like to see UniversalHD and possibly ESPN2HD added to our current $9.99 HD pack, and would hope they do that without increasing the price of that package. Since I feel like DiscoverHD is an overwhelming majority of the price we are paying for that pack, I'd like to see more added to it to average out that package better.

So I see both sides of the fence.

I also, incidentally, would like to see an ~$10 HBO/SHO/Max/Starz etc Premium Movie Channel HD pack. In the future if they add those they are missing, I might be interested if I didn't also have to buy all the SD versions of those channels that I know I won't really watch. So I like your second point!

[ollags]

Just some Info:

I was at my local Bestbuys and they were displaying "Outdoor HD net comming in July on all their HD TVs.

I asked a sale person if the channel was coming to D, and he said yes.

[vinnyv07]

I also, incidentally, would like to see an ~$10 HBO/SHO/Max/Starz etc Premium Movie Channel HD pack. In the future if they add those they are missing, I might be interested if I didn't also have to buy all the SD versions of those channels that I know I won't really watch. So I like your second point!

Holy Cow!!! You want to pay 10 bucks for what you should get for free with the movie pack that you sub to? I understand that if you sub to that movie pack for 10 bucks then you wouldnt really need to sub to the SD versions. But they know that ....thats exactly why HBO and the rest of them force their "pack" on Directv and Dish and Cable .... those movie ch's wont ever be available without their SD ch's as well.

[Stewart Vernon]

Holy Cow!!! You want to pay 10 bucks for what you should get for free with the movie pack that you sub to? I understand that if you sub to that movie pack for 10 bucks then you wouldnt really need to sub to the SD versions. But they know that ....thats exactly why HBO and the rest of them force their "pack" on Directv and Dish and Cable .... those movie ch's wont ever be available without their SD ch's as well.

If I was buying all the SD versions, then I absolutely agree with you... that I'd want the HD versions for free.

But right now, since I'm movied-out for the most part... and buy a lot of DVDs to watch... I could be enticed by an HD-only premium pack for $10 if it included all those... and I could buy it independently of paying say $40 or so that it would cost right now for all the SD versions.

Sorry if my reply was confusing in that regard... I typed my response rather quickly.

[Skyboss]

In other words Fox is making there own Voom like HD package for Direct TV.


If this is the case, that would kick as. Fox has a hell of a catalog.

[DS0816]

But here's the important question: When is the Style Network coming to DirecTV? :)

[ramcm7]

But here's the important question: When is the Style Network coming to DirecTV? :)

Style Network is controlled by Comcast. If I was D*, I would require the carriage of Comcast SportsNet Philly as part of any future deals with Comcast. And I don't even live in the Philly DMA anymore. :mad:

[wipeout]

I agree, those of us in the Philly area are held hostage by Comcast Sports.

[stevesmall]

I agree, those of us in the Philly area are held hostage by Comcast Sports.
Well not exactly held hostage, i cancelled comcast sportsnet, ive had directv and was paying 2 bills, with no flyers and well no real baseball team to speak of
i didnt need it,

[satellite_king2002]

One thing you can bank on, is that adding new hi-def channels to DTV will most certaining NOT be free

[RAD]

One thing you can bank on, is that adding new hi-def channels to DTV will most certaining NOT be free

Well, they just said that the NFL-ST games will cost you an EXTRA $99 is you want them in HD along with the SD subscription price. So D* now has one less NFL-ST customer.