HD Locals

[davids]

I know zilch about the technology of how satellites work so could someone explain why the HD local areas are turned on a few at a time and why everyone that has SD locals now can't get HD locals. I realize that the satellite only has so much capacity, but why are only a few areas turned on at a time. I live in the Grand Rapids, MI area and I notice that we aren't even on the list to get HD locals soon. Is that because they will need another satellite or is it just a question of dollars? When Dish has turned on all of the 50 areas that they listed earlier this year will they be done, or will they then continue on to turn on the smaller markets?

[garys]

I know zilch about the technology of how satellites work so could someone explain why the HD local areas are turned on a few at a time and why everyone that has SD locals now can't get HD locals. I realize that the satellite only has so much capacity, but why are only a few areas turned on at a time. I live in the Grand Rapids, MI area and I notice that we aren't even on the list to get HD locals soon. Is that because they will need another satellite or is it just a question of dollars? When Dish has turned on all of the 50 areas that they listed earlier this year will they be done, or will they then continue on to turn on the smaller markets?

Answers - (why the HD local areas are turned on a few at a time and why everyone that has SD locals now can't get HD locals) Because it takes time and effort to set up uplink for E* to receive the HD locals in order to provide them, HD also takes up a lot more bandwidth and there has to be room on the satellites to be provided, the 13 sets of HD locals are available to the 13 dma markets only [I beleive you meant to say distant locals as opposed to sd locals, sd = standard defination, so anyone getting any locals are getting sd locals] E* also has to make sure customer is elligable to receive them according to FCC rules, HD has to adhere to SHIVA rules. And also E* has to have retransmission concent from the individual stations to provide the service. Only so many channels can be turned on at a time [again due to above listed reasons plus only so much manpower] I don't remember more than about 4-5 markets turned on over a monthly period at any time when E* were turning on those markets. As for you other questions, E* hasn't made that decission process known so one person's guess is as good as anyone else's. I hope this helps somewhat, I'm sure it doesn't help in it's entirety.