[Stuart Sweet]

2008 Olympic Games
DIRECTV delivers complete coverage of the 2008 Summer Games with Interactive TV, On-Demand Videos and a dedicated channel range.
More information available at directv.com/china2008
Olympic dedicated channel range: Ch. 750-756.
General Information
For the 2008 Summer Games, DIRECTV complements NBC´s broadcast of over 750 hours of live coverage with an interactive application, on-demand video a dedicated channel range to create an easy-to-use, exciting Olympics Experience.
Channels
All of NBC Universal´s cable networks plus dedicated basketball and soccer channels, all in one convenient range.

• Dedicated Channel range:
  • DIRECTV will mirror all existing cable networks in a dedicated Olympics channel range 750-756.

• Basketball and Soccer
• Special HD basketball and soccer channels during the Summer Games.
• Feeds will be live for 12 hours a day.
• Mandarin and Korean Language Channels
• Special Mandarin and Korean language channels covering the Summer Games.
• Feeds will be live for 6 hours a day.
• Korean feed: Ch.2085
• Chinese feed: Ch.2053
• USA (SD/HD)242/750
• CNBC (SD/HD)355/751
• MSNBC (SD Only)356/752
• Oxygen (SD Only)251/753
• Basketball (HD Only)NA/754
• Soccer (HD Only)NA/755
• Universal HD (HD Only)74, 259/756
• Mandarin Channel (SD Only)2053/NA
• Korean Channel (SD Only)2085/NA

Scheduling Notes

• Olympics Only Channel range appears in guide Aug 8, 2008
• As Basketball, Soccer, Mandarin, and Korean channels do not begin until 8/9, these channels will remain unmapped on Aug 8, 2008
• Menu
  The Menu is available through the RED color key on the remote.
• NBC Olympics Guide
  A detailed NBC Olympics Guide shows customers current and upcoming events. The guide lists by events by sport on the right and the individual events on the right. Program information will be updated in real-time.
• Medal Count
  A full-screen, country-by-country count of the total medals awarded, updated dynamically as medals are awarded. Three columns display the number of Gold, Silver and Bronze medals captured by each country, along with each country's total medals.
• Today's Trivia
  This quiz provides 2008 Olympic news to viewers in the form of an interactive challenge. New questions are posted each day relating to the Olympic events in Beijing from the previous 2-3 days.

Snipe
A "Welcome Snipe"will appear on first tune to any cable network or any additional Olympics-only Channel.

• Advertises the availability of interactive features
• Highlights links to bonus coverage.

Attract Icon
An "Attract Icon" will be used throughout the day, reminding viewers of the availability of the interactive features.

Sports Mix Banner
A banner will appear persistently on Sports Mix at bottom of the screen for the duration of the Games advertising the Olympics Experience channel range.

On Demand Videos
Additional Olympics video content -- including previews, historical reviews and athlete profiles with select programs in HD -- is available On Demand within the DIRECTV on Demand service.

• Pre-Games Content
  • Previews, historical reviews, athlete profiles
  • Available up to 30-days before games begin

• In-Games Content
  • Daily highlights by sport
  • Encores-long-form replay of the 5 best sessions/games per day

 

[spartanstew]

That would have been a cool post if it had graphics.

 

[dhines]

is this an additional package that we have to buy? or is it part of the sports pack, etc.

thanks,

 

[spartanstew]

Should be free dhines.

 

[Visman]

Do we need an Internaional Dish to get Mandarin Channel and Korean Channel or will we get it with our regular Slimeline Dish?

 

[scuba_tim]

Yeah, looks like some nice offerings. Would like to see some of those pics, but \\doris\ isn't playing nice.

 

[cdizzy]

4 more days!

 

[trh]

* As Basketball, Soccer, Mandarin, and Korean channels do not begin until 8/9, these channels will remain unmapped on Aug 8, 2008

The NBC Press release lists soccer starting at 5 AM EDT Aug 6th (Women's - Brazil vs Germany) followed by USA vs Norway. The USA vs Norway will be on MSNBC, but on the 6th NBC lists the Soccer channel carrying Women's soccer from 5AM - 5PM (eastern) and on the 7th, Men's soccer from 5AM - 7PM (eastern).

So I hope the Soccer channel will be mapped before the 8th.

 

[curt8403]

nice announcement. sorry the graphics did not go through. first pic is women's water volleyball with a well tanned woman in a black bikini. second, third and fourth images are just menus. fifth and sixth image is the same woman, the last is sports mix channel.
You do need the international dish to get the Korean or Chinese channels.
All of the programming is free.

 

[dhines]

Should be free dhines.

:dance01:

yahooooo!

 

[Sirshagg]

That would have been a cool post if it had graphics.

!rolling

 

[dstorm]

The NBC Press release lists soccer starting at 5 AM EDT Aug 6th (Women's - Brazil vs Germany) followed by USA vs Norway. The USA vs Norway will be on MSNBC, but on the 6th NBC lists the Soccer channel carrying Women's soccer from 5AM - 5PM (eastern) and on the 7th, Men's soccer from 5AM - 7PM (eastern).

So I hope the Soccer channel will be mapped before the 8th.

Yes, this doesn't make sense -

The soccer tournament kicks off in less than 48 hours - Also, is this release saying that if you don't have HD you won't be able to see the Soccer / Basketball channels?

Or will these channels be available to all? If not, will those channels just be blacked out?

 

[Steve615]

Thanks for the info Stuart.

 

[Thaedron]

Thanks for the post and thanks to DirecTV for providing the channels in a mapped location so they are in one block.

 

[oenophile]

Should be free dhines.

is this an additional package that we have to buy? or is it part of the sports pack, etc.

thanks,

Sorry if this is a dumb question but.....I do not have the "HD Extra Pack" (and I don't want it). Does this mean I will not be able to view the Universal HD simulcasts? (In other words, this isn't, in fact, free, even if you have the premier--you have to also get the Extra Pack?

Or is that not right?

 

[Grentz]

Very cool, cant wait to try out the interactive features.

Hopefully they are not too slow to respond like some of the other interactive things have been in the past.

 

[Koz]

Sorry if this is a dumb question but.....I do not have the "HD Extra Pack" (and I don't want it). Does this mean I will not be able to view the Universal HD simulcasts? (In other words, this isn't, in fact, free, even if you have the premier--you have to also get the Extra Pack?

Or is that not right?

It appears you have to have the HD Extra pack if you want to watch Universal HD coverage of the Olympics. The good news is that if you sign up, you get three months of HD Extra free. I just called and signed up today. I'm sure I'll cancel before the free period is over.

 

[Guest]

Why would anyone care about watching the Olympics when there's a full schedule of preseason football starting this weekend?

 

[Tinymon]

Why would anyone care about watching the Olympics when there's a full schedule of preseason football starting this weekend?

Because pre-season football is like kissing your sister. Who wants to watch a bunch of second and third stringers? No, the Olympics is where it is at for the next two weeks...Until the real football (English Premier League) season begins.:lol:

 

[Curtis0620]

The Soccer channel has programming Wednesday 8/6 and Thursday 8/7. Why will they not be available on Directv?