[drakejb]

I tried to watch some NFL footbal today on my local channels in HD (Denver) and discovered that all my local HD stations had gone bad. Terrible pixelation and sound breakups to match. Picture would actually go to a blue screen every 20 seconds or so.

I called DirecTv to complain and they had me go through the normal reset/reauthorization dance with no sucess on my H20. After a transfer to another level of tech support, they explained that, yes this is known problem for 3 or 4 days and they are very sorry (this was after I spent 30 minutes doing resets and such.)

I then asked that they authorize me for the Broncos game on the NFL ST channel in HD since their service was not working. And they refused. They explained that I was getting all my HD in locals for free and that I really had no right to be unhappy! I was confused - I pay $10 a month for an HD package and around $45 a month for a package that includes an extra charge for locals but somehow I was getting the HD locals for free. Now I understand their logic - that I didn't get charged anything more when the HD locals came on-line. But I have to pay $55 a month to get these "free" channels which don't make them free at all.

So here I am watching the Broncos game in SD - yuck- and wondering if anyone else is having problems. I was surprised there wasn't another thread already on this. Is this isolated to Denver locals?

 

[JLucPicard]

Point of clarification - you had a package that included your locals (SD probably when you subscribed). If you subscribe to locals and your area is lit up for HD, you get the HD version as well. The locals have nothing to do with the HD package, and you don't need to subscribe to that to get your locals in HD.

If you do not subscribe to ST, there is no way they can allow you to get the ST Denver game. And aside from that, I thought the Denver game would be blacked out on Sunday Ticket in your area (based on zip codes), so they couldn't even give it to you if you did subscribe to ST. There are some rules they can't get around even if they want to.

 

[joeevtc]

Local HD Channels were out in Cincinnati also, have been for 3 days, they came back in last night and went out just in time so I could see the Bengals get beat in SD.

Double dissappointment.

I now have to research (this forum) and see how to integrate my new HD "off air" atennae so I don't have to rely on unreliable Local HD from D* and a HR20 that gives me all kinds of unexpected "cough cough" features.

(just a note: ALL of my local HD are out, the package HDs are working great....so this is not a black out event)

 

[Knepster]

I just checked the 5 Mpeg4 channels (4, 7, 9, 31 plus the Altitude HD game) and all look ok to me. I wonder what's going on for you.

 

[mtnagel]

Local HD Channels were out in Cincinnati also, have been for 3 days, they came back in last night and went out just in time so I could see the Bengals get beat in SD.

Double dissappointment.

I now have to research (this forum) and see how to integrate my new HD "off air" atennae so I don't have to rely on unreliable Local HD from D* and a HR20 that gives me all kinds of unexpected "cough cough" features.

(just a note: ALL of my local HD are out, the package HDs are working great....so this is not a black out event)

Weird, mine worked fine. I don't recall if I watched anything in HD on Friday night, but I watched SNL recorded on Sunday morning in HD and it was perfect. Also, the Bengal's game in HD was perfect too.

Fox's HD is SOOOO much better than CBS's. I hope they fix it before the Super Bowl. I was thinking about having a party since we have a new TV and HD now, but it would be an embarrassment to have people see the awful pixelation on CBS's HD. ABC and Fox are great and NBC is good, but CBS is almost painful to watch. Thankfully I don't watch much on CBS except football.

 

[Reggie3]

I just checked the 5 Mpeg4 channels (4, 7, 9, 31 plus the Altitude HD game) and all look ok to me. I wonder what's going on for you.

The Avs pregame and the first ten minutes of the game were not there in HD. Just a blank screen - then sound - and finally the game. I suspect that was due to a problem with Altitude channel.

 

[drakejb]

Point of clarification - you had a package that included your locals (SD probably when you subscribed). If you subscribe to locals and your area is lit up for HD, you get the HD version as well. The locals have nothing to do with the HD package, and you don't need to subscribe to that to get your locals in HD.

OK - but my point is that I pay extra to receive my local channels (SD and HD). I could get the cheaper package without locals if I chose. Not to mention the money I've paid to upgrade to the H20 just to be able to get the locals in HD.

 

[drakejb]

I just checked the 5 Mpeg4 channels (4, 7, 9, 31 plus the Altitude HD game) and all look ok to me. I wonder what's going on for you.

By last evening, the HD locals in Denver had come back. I have not checked since then to see if they are still good. Hopefully this is a one time problem but I'm still very disappointed with DirecTv's response.