Will the hd rsn's ever not be spot beamed?

[adgreer]

The rsn's that dishnetwork carries in hd are not spotbeamed. Has anyone heard if the hd rsn's for D* will be conus when the new sats go up.

[litzdog911]

I haven't heard one way or the other for the HiDef Regional Sports Networks.

[terryfoster]

Chances are that they will be national once they have the bandwidth so they can sell them as a part of the PPV sports packages, otherwise they'll still be stuck with this piecemeal version of HD RSN offerings.

[BJM]

I presume this works differently than the infamous blackout issue...

It shouldn't be too much to ask that if you receive the SD version of the RSN, you should receive the HD version as part of "HD access."

[bonscott87]

Most likely yes they will go on CONUS beams with the new sat. That way anyone authorized for the channel can get it, even if they don't get HD locals or it's not on a spotbeam. It will solve one of their major problems they have right now (re: see all the gnashing of teeth about YES and NESN outside New York and Boston).

[Sharkie_Fan]

Most likely yes they will go on CONUS beams with the new sat. That way anyone authorized for the channel can get it, even if they don't get HD locals or it's not on a spotbeam. It will solve one of their major problems they have right now (re: see all the gnashing of teeth about YES and NESN outside New York and Boston).

I went around and around with D* when I first got my HR20, because their website said I could get FSN Bay Area in HD, and so did the FSN Bay Area website... but I wasn't getting it... which is when we first discovered the spot beaming of the RSNs...

At any rate, in all those discussions, I went as far up the ladder as I could to get any kind of resolution, and, from what I understood from that, you are correct that they should go CONUS when the new birds are up and operational...

Of course, this was from someone up the ladder on the customer service side of things, and we all know how well informed they are, so take it with a grain of salt, I suppose! :)

It would seem to make sense though, as sports pack subs could get HD channels, and everyone receiving the SD version of an RSN could in turn receive the HD version... I think that it's strictly a bandwidth issue and when the bandwidth is available, we'll see the change to CONUS beams.

[tonyd79]

How else will they get to 100 HD channels?

[Earl Bonovich]

How else will they get to 100 HD channels?

RSN's are not going to be in the 100 HD channel count.
As for the most part... they are not "new" they already exist

[uncrules]

RSN's are not going to be in the 100 HD channel count.
As for the most part... they are not "new" they already exist

I've always interpreted the 100 HD channels boast to include existing HD channels, not just new ones. And with the D* guy admiting that they are counting the NFL ST HD games as part of the 100 HD channels, to me that also implies that existing channels are part of the 100 HD channel list.

[Earl Bonovich]

I've always interpreted the 100 HD channels boast to include existing HD channels, not just new ones. And with the D* guy admiting that they are counting the NFL ST HD games as part of the 100 HD channels, to me that also implies that existing channels are part of the 100 HD channel list.

Time will tell..
But RSN's are more considered to be "locals" then a national channel.

So with that description, they have WAY more then 100 HD channels.

[islesfan]

I went around and around with D* when I first got my HR20, because their website said I could get FSN Bay Area in HD, and so did the FSN Bay Area website... but I wasn't getting it... which is when we first discovered the spot beaming of the RSNs...

At any rate, in all those discussions, I went as far up the ladder as I could to get any kind of resolution, and, from what I understood from that, you are correct that they should go CONUS when the new birds are up and operational...

Of course, this was from someone up the ladder on the customer service side of things, and we all know how well informed they are, so take it with a grain of salt, I suppose! :)

It would seem to make sense though, as sports pack subs could get HD channels, and everyone receiving the SD version of an RSN could in turn receive the HD version... I think that it's strictly a bandwidth issue and when the bandwidth is available, we'll see the change to CONUS beams.

Ditto, as this was exactly my experience when I got the HR20 in October, but couldn't see the Sharks in HD as promised.

[paulman182]

RSN's are not going to be in the 100 HD channel count.
As for the most part... they are not "new" they already exist

D*s press release from January 8 announcing the 100 HD channels said this:

"DIRECTV will also extend its leadership in HD sports programming by offering hundreds of games and other HD programming available from Regional Sports Networks (RSNs) around the country, including YES Network, Comcast Sports Net, New England Sports Network and FOX Sports."

Since they were specifically mentioned in the press release (http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/global/contentPage.jsp?assetId=P4130030)
I just assumed they were to be counted.

[Earl Bonovich]

D*s press release from January 8 announcing the 100 HD channels said this:

"DIRECTV will also extend its leadership in HD sports programming by offering hundreds of games and other HD programming available from Regional Sports Networks (RSNs) around the country, including YES Network, Comcast Sports Net, New England Sports Network and FOX Sports."

Since they were specifically mentioned in the press release (http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/global/contentPage.jsp?assetId=P4130030)
I just assumed they were to be counted.

Time will tell...

I always think of the RSN's as more of a "local" channel, then a national.

[Sharkie_Fan]

Time will tell...

I always think of the RSN's as more of a "local" channel, then a national.

I would agree with you, but unlike "local channels", RSNs out of market can be had by subscribing to the Sports Pack.... So, for an extra $12 a month, you can get all these SD RSNs, along with their HD counterparts...

So in that respect, RSNs could be counted as "national" channels...

[morgantown]

I would agree with you, but unlike "local channels", RSNs out of market can be had by subscribing to the Sports Pack.... So, for an extra $12 a month, you can get all these SD RSNs, along with their HD counterparts...

So in that respect, RSNs could be counted as "national" channels...

Fair point and I've had that thought a few times myself. I would find it hard to believe that DTV's promotion of "up to" 150 national HD channels really had the HD RSN's in mind though.

Perhaps they should now advertise 200-250 national HD channels? I don't pay attention to the number of non-local RSN's other than when deleting them from my guide.

It is going to be difficult enough to have 50 "real" national HD channels available for them to offer anytime soon. Let alone 100...and that's subtracting out the sports and premium movie channels from the 150.

Still looking forward to September all the same :D.

[AreBee]

Can we say with certainty that SNY-HD and YES-HD are spot beam only and not on CONUS?

I am trying to diffuse DirecTV's argument that they cannot give me NESN-HD because the Boston spot beam will overlap with the Hartford spot beam.

[Earl Bonovich]

Can we say with certainty that SNY-HD and YES-HD are spot beam only and not on CONUS?

I am trying to diffuse DirecTV's argument that they cannot give me NESN-HD because the Boston spot beam will overlap with the Hartford spot beam.

Yes... nothing in MPEG-4, from the current two 99 and 103 SATs... are CONUS beams... they are all spot-beamed.

Doesn't mean they are not spot-beamed to multiple areas... but they are all spot beams right now from the 99/103 SPACEWAY birds

[texasbrit]

Can we say with certainty that SNY-HD and YES-HD are spot beam only and not on CONUS?

I am trying to diffuse DirecTV's argument that they cannot give me NESN-HD because the Boston spot beam will overlap with the Hartford spot beam.

It's true that they are on spot beams only but the argument about spot beam overlap is very doubtful. The spot beams are on different frequencies, they are even from different satellites.

[bonscott87]

Their issue with the spotbeams is this:

Right now in their computer system the RSN's in HD are authorized with the HD locals package, all together.
So I'm guessing that unless they can guarantee that all subs that would get that locals package should actually get the RSN as well, it won't be on the spotbeam (could also be not enough room on the spotbeam).

So NESN-HD is on the Boston spotbeam as every zip code in the Boston DMA has NESN as their RSN. My guess is why it's not on the Hartford spotbeam is I'd bet that there are zip codes in the Hartford DMA on the border with New York that aren't in NESN territory. Thus if they activated NESN with anyone with Hartford locals then there would be people that shouldn't get NESN that get it and they could be sued.

Why they chose to tie it to the HD locals I don't know but they will have to change that once they go CONUS and authorize them the "normal" way. What they are doing now is just a stop gap.

Either that or they just don't know what they are doing. ;)

[CTuser]

So NESN-HD is on the Boston spotbeam as every zip code in the Boston DMA has NESN as their RSN. My guess is why it's not on the Hartford spotbeam is I'd bet that there are zip codes in the Hartford DMA on the border with New York that aren't in NESN territory. Thus if they activated NESN with anyone with Hartford locals then there would be people that shouldn't get NESN that get it and they could be sued.

Why they chose to tie it to the HD locals I don't know but they will have to change that once they go CONUS and authorize them the "normal" way. What they are doing now is just a stop gap.

Either that or they just don't know what they are doing. ;)

This was one of the most intelligent posts about this problem, to date. Yes there is a county (Fairfield) in CT, which isn't authorized NESN as an RSN. Their local RSN's are YES, SNY, MSG and probably some other. Your response now makes perfect sense. It's too bad D** couldn't phrase it that way.
see thread
http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=86843

[texasbrit]

Their issue with the spotbeams is this:

Right now in their computer system the RSN's in HD are authorized with the HD locals package, all together.
So I'm guessing that unless they can guarantee that all subs that would get that locals package should actually get the RSN as well, it won't be on the spotbeam (could also be not enough room on the spotbeam).

So NESN-HD is on the Boston spotbeam as every zip code in the Boston DMA has NESN as their RSN. My guess is why it's not on the Hartford spotbeam is I'd bet that there are zip codes in the Hartford DMA on the border with New York that aren't in NESN territory. Thus if they activated NESN with anyone with Hartford locals then there would be people that shouldn't get NESN that get it and they could be sued.

Why they chose to tie it to the HD locals I don't know but they will have to change that once they go CONUS and authorize them the "normal" way. What they are doing now is just a stop gap.

Either that or they just don't know what they are doing. ;)

This is my understanding of why it works the way it does, also. If having NESN HD on spotbeams was the "final" solution then DirecTV would have to implement a more complex authorization system for locals, because some people would be allowed only to see a subset of the channels on each spotbeam. But since NESN-HD will almost certainbly be on CONUS sometime in the fall, it's not worth doing all that work because it will not be needed later this year, since the logic is already there for CONUS stations.

[AreBee]

Their issue with the spotbeams is this:

Right now in their computer system the RSN's in HD are authorized with the HD locals package, all together.
So I'm guessing that unless they can guarantee that all subs that would get that locals package should actually get the RSN as well, it won't be on the spotbeam (could also be not enough room on the spotbeam).



That is why I am confused that I am getting YES-HD and SNY-HD full time. I am not part of the NYC DMA, I'm part of the Hartford DMA. I don't subscribe to New York nor even Hartford local channels, and geographically I'm closer to Boston than NYC. I just don't get it.



Either that or they just don't know what they are doing. ;)

I think this statement is the most accurate Scott! ;)

[Rolando42]

That is why I am confused that I am getting YES-HD and SNY-HD full time. I am not part of the NYC DMA, I'm part of the Hartford DMA. I don't subscribe to New York nor even Hartford local channels, and geographically I'm closer to Boston than NYC. I just don't get it.



I think this statement is the most accurate Scott! ;)

I'm in Berkshire County, 10 miles from the NY state border and I am getting SNYHD full time and YESHD at all times except during live Yankees broadcasts (I do get Yankees Encore in HD which is fun to watch when they get beat 14-2). I do not get any local channels from D* (I have the Distant Networks). I too am closer to Boston than NYC and I get NESN SD. If I wasn't getting 85+ on the NESN HD transponder, I might buy the arguement that I am on the fringe and D* doesn't want to give me a poor quality signal.

One of these days, hopefully before the season is over, I will get NESN HD. As of today, I don't get it and I too don't get it!

[texasbrit]

I'm in Berkshire County, 10 miles from the NY state border and I am getting SNYHD full time and YESHD at all times except during live Yankees broadcasts (I do get Yankees Encore in HD which is fun to watch when they get beat 14-2). I do not get any local channels from D* (I have the Distant Networks). I too am closer to Boston than NYC and I get NESN SD. If I wasn't getting 85+ on the NESN HD transponder, I might buy the arguement that I am on the fringe and D* doesn't want to give me a poor quality signal.

One of these days, hopefully before the season is over, I will get NESN HD. As of today, I don't get it and I too don't get it!

According to DirecTVs web site you are in the Albany DMA. A couple of months ago DirecTV started to deliver SNY and YES in HD to people in the Albany DMA thru a new spotbeam (and also to people in the Buffalo area). I'm still not sure why they did this, it was very unexpected. They could presumably do exactly the same thing (deliver thru multiple spotbeams) for NESN HD.
I don't believe there is any TECHNICAL or "carriage rights" reason preventing DirecTV from delivering NESN HD thru the Hartford and Providence spotbeams, or to some zip codes outside Boston on the Boston spotbeam, they have just decided not to do it.

[stoutman]

Competition. TWC provides both to upstate NY. YES has better ratings than some broadcast stations during baseball season:)