I want to move so I can get the national HD locals

[ChromeAce]

I am retiring and now have the option to move wherever I like, and would like to choose a location which makes me eligible to receive all the networks in HD on DirecTV's national feed. That way I won't need an antenna to record CBS, NBC, ABC, and FOX on my HR10-250 in HD.

Does anyone know which areas have this eligibility? I heard Los Angeles might be good because the stations there are what DirecTV beams nationally anyway, so the residents there don't need an antenna. Is this true?

And what about PBS? Is it true you can't get PBS in HD on DirecTV?

[Earl Bonovich]

Well the "national" HD-DNS feeds are basically going away.

They are getting harder and harder and harder to have turned on, as the stations are basically denying the waivers.... and it is just going to get harder as time goes on.

DirecTV is planning to turn OFF all HD feeds that are in MPEG-2.... there is no exact time frame, but you are looking at probably 18-24 months from now.

At that point, the HR10-250, if you don't have an OTA antenna... would only be a large SD recorder.

In LA, the residents are already recieving the MPEG-4 Local feeds... but the DVR for that is not released yet (currently that looks like maybe August for the HR20)

As for PBS... nope there is NO PBS-HD on DirecTV's data stream. Not in MPEG-2 nor MPEG-4..... it is possible that maybe in the comming months, it "may" be included in MPEG-4 Locals... but that hasn't been stated nor confirmed.

[ChromeAce]

So let me clarify what you're saying:

DirecTV is going to stop broadcasting all MPEG-2 HD feeds within 2 years, meaning everyone will have to upgrade to a 5-LNB dish to get any HD at all from DirecTV.

Doesn't this seem a bit unlikely considering how many people are out there with dual and triple LNB dishes watching HBO in HD, and also considering how that would immediately render obsolete all the HR10-250s out there which DirecTV is currently still selling?

And what about the people who don't need waivers that get the national HD feeds? The people who live in rural areas with no way to get locals via antenna? Those are the areas I want to consider moving to. You don't need waivers. You simply qualify by zip code. If I find such an area, do I simply tell DirecTV i am moving there, give them my new address, and then get the national feeds turned on?

I don't see why DirecTV would have any reason to remove any HD or national network feeds from the MPEG2 satellites. There are many legacy customers with HR10-250s who still need HD on those satellites and there are many rural customers who get their national network feeds from those satellites. Unless DirecTV wants to shut down their MPEG2 satellites completely, I see no reason why they wouldn't leave the programming on them as they are.

[Earl Bonovich]

That is exactly what I am saying. For the last year (18 months or so), DirecTV has stated they are going to replace ALL existing HD equipment with MPEG-4 equipment...

The "2 Year" estimate is my number.... based on what is out there, and that the swap outs have already started out on the West coast. DirecTV hasn't stated a date when the conversion will be complete, and thus when the HD-MPEG2 feeds will be taken off.

The HR10-250 is a reciever that will be "upgraded"... it's replacement is the HR20.

Yes, you are correct. Eventually, the HR10-250 will be "obsolete" from a DirecTV-HD point of view.

It has been discussed, hashed out, and hammered to death over at www.tivocomunity.com... but ultimately...... the MPEG-2 HD feeds are going to be shut off.

Why? Bandwith. Those MPEG-2 HD's take up so much space, if DirecTV wants to provide 150 HD channels and continue the additon of more SD channels (where are staying MPEG-2), they had to change the technology.

As for the "zipcode".... Those are the SD National DNS rules. I dont' think there is anything covering the HD broadcasts (as in blankent waivers)

[harsh]

I am retiring and now have the option to move wherever I like, and would like to choose a location which makes me eligible to receive all the networks in HD on DirecTV's national feed.Is there such a thing as a "big four" DirecTV national HD feed?

I would suggest one of three things:

1. Put up a suitable OTA antenna and be among the happiest DirecTV subscribers alive.
2. Physically move to a market where HD is offered and forget about a DVR until you can "upgrade" your current receiver this fall.
3. Seek out a different provider.

[harsh]

I don't see why DirecTV would have any reason to remove any HD or national network feeds from the MPEG2 satellites.It is all about bandwidth. There are still around 60 markets that aren't even served with SD locals, much less HD locals.

[MikeW]

Are you seriously considering a physical move so that you can get HD via satellite? I don't think this could be the only consideration for where you are going to physically locate yourself.

[ChromeAce]

Are you seriously considering a physical move so that you can get HD via satellite? I don't think this could be the only consideration for where you are going to physically locate yourself.

Yeah well, I watch a lot of TV. And I'm sick of antennas. And I want to keep the HR10-250 because I have it fully pimped with 1TB of storage and video extraction for my archive library. So those needs rule out Dish Network or the new MPEG-4 HD PVR from DirecTV.

I also have a motorhome, and they don't make MPEG-4 dishes for motorhomes yet.

So I need the HD national network feeds for now while they're still on. I can then switch to DirecTV's HD PVR when it becormes hackable.