Why is the Red Wings game not in HD?

[jjsanders281]

The game is on VS being shown on channel 95 but it isn't in HD. I know the game is being broadcast in HD cause the announcers keep saying it.

I'm getting a little tired of putting up with this crap from DirecTV. Half the games listed on channel 95 I can't even get (like the Red Sox game earlier)

Hey DirecTV! If its not available to me or its not in HD Don't put it on 95!!

Just Venting...

[StangGT909]

I actually called them on and was on the phone for 20 minutes for this issue. He even went and got his supervisor and they both claimed that I was supposed to get the game in HD. (game in my DMA, I subscribe to a package with FSN, and have the HD package). They tried resetting my card and receiver and both did nothing.

I assume that the error wasn't that I was not receiving that programming I subscribe to, that they are not correctly doing the blackouts for the right DMA's. This board is littered with sports DMA errors so all I can think to do is to call and complain and if enough people do maybe they'll get their act together.


What I don't get though is if someone at a supervisor level claims you are sUPPOSED to get a program, why can't they manually override it and have it magically work?

[DCSholtis]

Versus wasnt televising the game in HD tonight. They are getting the CBC feed thats why your not seeing it in HD. And yes it states on the Versus website no HD.

[DCSholtis]

The game is on VS being shown on channel 95 but it isn't in HD. I know the game is being broadcast in HD cause the announcers keep saying it.

I'm getting a little tired of putting up with this crap from DirecTV. Half the games listed on channel 95 I can't even get (like the Red Sox game earlier)

Hey DirecTV! If its not available to me or its not in HD Don't put it on 95!!

Just Venting...

As far as you not getting the Sox game earlier in HD. Unless you purchased the Superfan package for MLB EI. No more HD freebies for you. The Superfan free preview expired after Sunday's games.

[bwaldron]

Versus wasnt televising the game in HD tonight. They are getting the CBC feed thats why your not seeing it in HD. And yes it states on the Versus website no HD.

However, the game is being broadcast in HD by CBC (I am watching it on my Star Choice system). I guess VS only has rights to simulcast the SD version, and DirecTV doesn't have the rights to directly show the CBC-HD feed.

[StangGT909]

Versus wasnt televising the game in HD tonight. They are getting the CBC feed thats why your not seeing it in HD. And yes it states on the Versus website no HD.


In Detroit, it's on FSN-Detroit (channel 636) with their station logos and local announcers. So does that mean Fox is taping it too? So does that mean the DTV channel was trying to show FSN-HD or VS VIA CBC? What doesn't make sense is that if they were playing Dallas, I'd say it's FSN-Dallas showing up if you live in the Dallas DMA but what's screwed up is that it's in Calgary! No FSN-regional and Directv doesn't even offer service there!

[StangGT909]

DirecTV doesn't have the rights to directly show the CBC-HD feed.

BLAME CANADA

[bwaldron]

BLAME CANADA

Like I said, just a guess on the rights issue. I just wanted to point out that the CBC is broadcasting the game in HD, even though D* (via VS.) is only showing an SD upconvert.

[DCSholtis]

However, the game is being broadcast in HD by CBC (I am watching it on my Star Choice system). I guess VS only has rights to simulcast the SD version, and DirecTV doesn't have the rights to directly show the CBC-HD feed.

Thats correct Versus says on their site that games shown in progress OR bonus coverage games will not be in HD. Only games presented by Versus would be HD.

[DCSholtis]

In Detroit, it's on FSN-Detroit (channel 636) with their station logos and local announcers. So does that mean Fox is taping it too? So does that mean the DTV channel was trying to show FSN-HD or VS VIA CBC? What doesn't make sense is that if they were playing Dallas, I'd say it's FSN-Dallas showing up if you live in the Dallas DMA but what's screwed up is that it's in Calgary! No FSN-regional and Directv doesn't even offer service there!

Tonight for the Wings game Versus used the CBC feed.

[masterdeals]

Three words...........Bettman....ESPN....DOH!

[masterdeals]

If it is any consellation, FSN Detroit was SD only as well. So no HD for the local fans either.

[mhayes70]

So why does Directv waste the channel and bandwidth by putting it on channel 95? Why don't they just leave it on channel 608 only?

[CCarncross]

This keeps coming up in these discussions when the same event is on multiple channels. It is not a waste of bandwidth, as it is a single feed mapped to multiple channels. They could map one event to every channel they have and it would still only be one feed.

[jfm]

Three words...........Bettman....ESPN....DOH!

Agreed. When NHL went with amateur network, we get amateur broadcasts. When they changed their name and the best they could come up with was Versus...that's was a hint.

[shmengie]

i think someone else here posted this sentiment, and i agree: if bettman wants to help bolster nhl viewing, he needs to make better deals with content providers so that anyone who has hd, can get all hd broadcast games, regardless of market, bullsh*t blackout rules, etc.

at least the world series of poker is in hd...

[pedro4868]

This keeps coming up in these discussions when the same event is on multiple channels. It is not a waste of bandwidth, as it is a single feed mapped to multiple channels. They could map one event to every channel they have and it would still only be one feed.

thats the thing though, they didn't have to map out the game to another channel. Its standard definition on 608 and standard definition on 95! I think its a big waste of space.

[bonscott87]

thats the thing though, they didn't have to map out the game to another channel. Its standard definition on 608 and standard definition on 95! I think its a big waste of space.


There is no waste of space. It's the exact same feed, just different channel numbers.

[bonscott87]

So why does Directv waste the channel and bandwidth by putting it on channel 95? Why don't they just leave it on channel 608 only?

I think it's a good sign. DirecTV thought it was in HD so they planned to offer it to us after we bombed them with emails last week about not showing the HD feeds.

By the way, same thing happened on Dish Network. They also though the game would be in HD and had a dedicated HD channel for the game.

Once again Versus screwed up and didn't inform the satellite partners what was going on. Gee...who owns Versus...oh right, Comcast. Imagine that.

[mhayes70]

This keeps coming up in these discussions when the same event is on multiple channels. It is not a waste of bandwidth, as it is a single feed mapped to multiple channels. They could map one event to every channel they have and it would still only be one feed.

No, I don't think it is the same thing. If they were mapping 608 to 95 the the picture would look the same on both channels. But, they don't. Channel 608 is in SD and fills the whole screen like all other SD channels. Channel 95 had the pillar boxes on the sides. For example, when I am watching a SD show on a MPEG4 local HD channel. It still used the higher bandwith on the MPEG4 HD channel than it does on the SD MPEG2 channel.

I could be wrong but that is my understanding. I know the people with more knowledge on this will correct me if I am wrong.

[StangGT909]

So in summary,

Local fans got FSN-Detroit in SD
Canada (CBC) got it in HD in Canada
US National got it on VS via CBC but only in SD

So even though it said "black out" , no one in the US should have been about to watch it in HD since VS didn't carry it and DTV dropped the ball on updating the guide.


But what I don't get is if Fox is taping and broadcasting the game to Detroit, why did VS get the contract from CBC instead of Fox?

[bwaldron]

There is no waste of space. It's the exact same feed, just different channel numbers.

No, not in this case. 95 was showing the VS "HD" upconverted SD 1080i feed...not the same as the SD feed on 608.

[bwaldron]

No, I don't think it is the same thing. If they were mapping 608 to 95 the the picture would look the same on both channels. But, they don't. Channel 608 is in SD and fills the whole screen like all other SD channels. Channel 95 had the pillar boxes on the sides. For example, when I am watching a SD show on a MPEG4 local HD channel. It still used the higher bandwith on the MPEG4 HD channel than it does on the SD MPEG2 channel.

I could be wrong but that is my understanding. I know the people with more knowledge on this will correct me if I am wrong.

You are correct.

[mhayes70]

You are correct.

That's what I thought. Thank you for confirming that.

[bonscott87]

No, not in this case. 95 was showing the VS "HD" upconverted SD 1080i feed...not the same as the SD feed on 608.

Ok, got it. Still, DirecTV was carrying the "HD" feed which is encouraging. They (and Dish) wanted to show it in HD. Versus just screwed us out of HD.

By the way the Fox Sports Detroit feed was not in HD because they (like most other RSNs) don't do away games in HD.

[tonyd79]

The same "SD/HD" feed was on Comcast. It was a Versus mix up.