Channel 103: Equipment Upgrade
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When you tune into channel 103 there's a message about certain channels that will no longer be broadcast in SD and how to get a free upgrade to HD.
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Are they going to waive the Advanced Technology fees for those who aren't already paying them?
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I bet there’s a pretty fat chance that will happen, but I don’t know the terms and I haven’t had SD equipment for like 15 years now.
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this seems like the start of the end of MEPG2
Are they still offering the all in one packages??? me and my neighbors bills are different. i don't pay the 10.00 fee for HD example. i'm also wondering if the all in one packs require a genie system of some sort??
That started a long time ago
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They are dropping 5 or 6 channels. Hopefully it is the beginning of the end of MPEG2, but that was originally scheduled to happen over two years ago. Given recent filings with the FCC it seems likely Directv will at least drop a bunch of local markets that currently get MPEG2 SD duplicate locals from 101 by Dec. 2023, whether they go all the way and drop MPEG2 SD entirely remains to be seen.
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If memory serves, they were talking in their financial documents and conference calls about transitioning away from MPEG2 perhaps ten years ago or earlier. The method that they were going to use was attrition (assuming MPEG2-dependent customers would either upgrade on their own or walk away).
This is perhaps the third official deadline issued since 2015. It is the first notice with a "date certain" (as opposed to the previous "mid-2019" that was pushed off to 2020).
As slice1900 points out, this isn't a complete MPEG2 shutdown but it is an unprecedented show of commitment to meeting a long-standing goal.
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Did you ask them about the free HD upgrade for SD receivers or did you ask them about what's on channel 103?
Their scripts don't know what's on channel 103.
Supposedly, they are moving 5 HD channels to 101... MSNBC, CNN, Fox News, HGTV, and I can't remember the last one. It wasn't ESPN, which surprised me. This was announced a while ago, but kinda forgotten about. At the time, these specific channels listed on ch 103 were mentioned being dropped in SD to make room on 101. There was no mention of upgrading boxes or whatever. Who still has SD in 2022? Besides those with like boats or analog hotel installations.... Adding these 5 channels to 101 will allow them to "come in better" during bad better because of the Ka/Ku band technical stuff. And allow those in those situations I listed to get those 5 channels in HD. According to Directv last year when the announcement was made, those were the 5 most watched channels on the service.
We all probably have unique top-5's that we would like to see added for improved rainfade. Personally, I don't understand how ESPN and HBO aren't on there - or ACC Network. But at the same time, certainly not everyone has HBO or watches ACC sports. But like others have mentioned, hopefully this is the start of the end of MPEG 2 for all satellites. Then there will be more room on 101 for more HD, theoretically. We've seen them do it for 119 and 95 and successfully stop using those spots, using MPEG 4 SD on 99 and 103, mostly 103 I guess (all 103? 119 went to 103.) Hopefully there will be no SD duplicates and any SD-only channel with be broadcast in MPEG 4 in proper aspect ratio within a few years - just in time for the service to be nearly irrelevant.
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You really think ACC Network is in the top 5??? Conference networks are not watched by many, it is probably not even in the top 25.
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The other channel was Hallmark.
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