Upcoming SD-LIL DMA Launches! [Archive]

Alan Gordon

09-14-07, 10:24 PM

I mentioned in a previous thread that DirecTV was about to add SD-LIL for Columbus, GA (DMA #128), and a few days later, somebody posted on SatelliteGuys.us that DirecTV was preparing to offer Beaumont - Port Arthur, TX SD-LIL (#140), but I'm happy to report that DirecTV is about to offer SD-LIL to Albany, GA (DMA #145) and Montgomery - Selma, AL (DMA #117).

There may be more, but those are the ones I know so far...

Though I previously thought otherwise, DirecTV will be offering these SD-LIL DMAs via a Phase III dish and legacy equipment should still be able to pick them up.

Again, these markets are:

Montgomery - Selma, AL (DMA #117)
Columbus, GA (DMA #128)
Beaumont - Port Arthur, TX (DMA #140)
Albany, GA (DMA #147)

I do not know when the locals are coming on-line, though I know Albany, Columbus, and Montgomery will be at the same time. The poster on SatelliteGuys.us stated that Beaumont should be on around October 17th, so I wouldn't be surprised if the same can be said for the rest...

~Alan

Alan Gordon

09-15-07, 05:09 PM

I've also heard that Butte, MT will be added this fall... but you'll need a HD receiver to get them, just like in Alaska and Hawaii.

I'm still not entirely convinced the markets I mentioned above aren't going to require one, but according to an installer, a triple LNB dish and current receivers are all that is required. I'm trying to get more information, so hopefully I'll get confirmation soon.

My DMA, Albany, GA is kind of a strange market. We have a NBC affiliate, a FOX affiliate, a independent station, two repeaters of Atlanta's GPTV, and sorta a CBS affiliate. TNGTony at Dish Channel Chart (http://www.dishchannelchart.com) had this to say about it:

*WSWG is licensed to Valdosta, GA which is in the neighboring TV market of Tallahassee. The studios and tower are within the Albany TV market. Technically, this station does not qualify for Must Carry in Albany, but it does in Tallahassee.

I will say this though, DirecTV could REALLY mop up some business here if they do it right!! Dish never really has...

Dish Network added SD-LIL here in the Summer of '04, but only the NBC and FOX affiliates, as well as the already uplinked Atlanta PBS. The independent affiliate, as well as the UPN station were uplinked, but never became available. People here could apply for waivers from ABC and CBS and receive the Atlanta networks of these two channels. Most people would get ABC approved, but CBS would always be denied (my neighbor only had to apply to two CBS affiliates, but elsewhere in the county, three had to approve it).

Later, after the option became available, Dish Network started offering WCTV (Tallahassee, FL CBS affiliate) to the Albany, GA DMA via "Significantly Viewed"... even in counties where it wasn't considered SV. Later, after Dish Network lost the ability to offer distants, subscribers lost access to both CBS and ABC. When Dish started offering DNS via a third party, people were unable to get approval for either network.

Later we found out why people could no longer receive ABC DNS whereas they previously could. It turns out, when Dish Network lost the ability to offer distants, and started offering them via a third-party, thousands of people (including former President Jimmy Carter) submitted requests for DNS ALL AT THE SAME TIME... which changed WTVM's (Columbus, GA's ABC affiliate) previous approval of all DNS requests outside their DMA.

Later, Dish Network added WSWG which became a CBS affiliate previously allowing people to receive CBS again, but still no ABC on Dish Network here.

Almost every other house you see has a Dish Network dish out front, but if DirecTV would offer WALB (NBC), WFXL (FOX), WSWG (CBS), WACS/WABW (PBS) and WSST (Ind), as well as a "Significantly Viewed" ABC (WTXL in most of the DMA, and WTVM in several of them), I suspect that a LOT of those Dish Network dishes would start changing to DirecTV dishes.

I'm of two minds regarding the SD-LIL. I USED to want it really badly, but now I'm not as interested in it as I was. I have CBS from NY and LA, I have ABC from NY and LA, PBS and CW DNS, so I'd only be gaining NBC and FOX. Don't get me wrong, I want SD-LIL, I'm just not in as big of a hurry. For starters:

1. The unsureness of whether or not the SD-LIL will be broadcast in MPEG4 or MPEG2. I have two TiVo units that sure would be hard to replace.

2. West Coast DNS... this sure has come in handy on a stormy/rainy night.

3. HD-DNS - Currently, I can receive 1 NBC, 2 FOX, 2 CBS and 2 ABC affiliates. I'm not worried about CBS as I can receive both VERY well, and strictly use the HD-DNS as backup, but ABC is a sticky situation as reception of both affiliates are hit and miss... so losing ABC-HD could be a bad thing... especially considering the HR20 only receives guide data for TWO DMAs instead of THREE. I've also been hoping that DirecTV would add a CW HD-DNS feed which I may or may not get with a "regional" CW feed. It's a shame that HD-LIL didn't come at the same time...

Hopefully, I'll figure out some of these issues as I certainly would like to have SD-LIL as it would save me money over the $7.50 I'm currently paying for DNS.

~Alan