[RAD]

The CBS affiliate for Raleigh says that they won't grant D* the right to carry their HD channel because D*'s HD coverage does not cover their entire DMA. I found that it appears that D*s HD LIL for Nashville doesn't cover the same foot print that their SD coverage does (zip code 38501 qualifies for Nashville SD but not HD channels).

So I have to wonder, how many HD LIL spot beams don't cover an entire DMA, since nobody's put up KA spotbeam maps yet is this just a localized problem or it is something that can be a problem once the analog channels get shut down?

 

[Earl Bonovich]

I don't know if it is a "technical" limitation because of the spaceway birds being used now, or the angles or what ever.

But I do find it odd that an affiliate would "refuse" carraige because of it.
I mean, even though it might not cover the entire DMA (which in some areas may be very large), it is still coverage.

There are still a lot of people that don't want to put an OTA antenna, or even can put up an OTA antenna.

Will it "hurt" DirecTV..... depending on the reasons, I would think Dish would have the same limitation, and then it just goes back to typical Cable/SAT arguments.

Hopefully in April when the first SAT goes up, things like that won't e an issue any more.

 

[bobnielsen]

There are a lot of DMAs where OTA won't come close to covering the entire DMA. That's why cable got started in the first place (1950s).

 

[RAD]

There are a lot of DMAs where OTA won't come close to covering the entire DMA. That's why cable got started in the first place (1950s).

Who said anything about OTA, this is D*'s HD-LIL service not covering an entier DMA.

 

[bobnielsen]

Who said anything about OTA, this is D*'s HD-LIL service not covering an entier DMA.

True, but if they broadcaster can't hit the whole DMA they shouldn't stonewall the Directv customers about it. Getting HD to a lot (if not all) of the potential viewers (i.e., their customers) who might not have any other way to view the channel should be looked at as a "good thing" by the broadcaster (and more importantly, ts advertisers).

 

[RAD]

True, but if they broadcaster can't hit the whole DMA they shouldn't stonewall the Directv customers about it. Getting HD to a lot (if not all) of the potential viewers (i.e., their customers) who might not have any other way to view the channel should be looked at as a "good thing" by the broadcaster (and more importantly, ts advertisers).

It's not the broadcasters in the case of Cookeville being able to get Nashville HD via D*, it's D* saying they don't provide them. Why, they don't say but it's got to be that the Nashville HD/KA/MPEG4 beam doesn't cover the entire DMA where the SD/KU/MPEG2 beam does. Cable and E* both do provide the local HD channels. So my point is, while D* is saying they're rolling out all this HD LIL access will they be loosing customers to E* or cable because the KA spot beams are not covering an entire DMA?

 

[lwilli201]

D* is showing ABC, NBC and CW HD. CBS and Fox seem to be the only holdouts.
If you have a HDTV quess which channels you will be watching in Prime Time.

 

[aramus8]

The CBS affiliate for Raleigh says that they won't grant D* the right to carry their HD channel because D*'s HD coverage does not cover their entire DMA. I found that it appears that D*s HD LIL for Nashville doesn't cover the same foot print that their SD coverage does (zip code 38501 qualifies for Nashville SD but not HD channels).

So I have to wonder, how many HD LIL spot beams don't cover an entire DMA, since nobody's put up KA spotbeam maps yet is this just a localized problem or it is something that can be a problem once the analog channels get shut down?

This may be some kind of misunderstanding. Do you have the article that states the station won't carry for that reason? The information on reception of HD channels on the D* web site is some times wrong. When I went with the HR20, the D* web site showed my zip code, 89883, in an outlying area with no HD locals. When you put in one of the downtown area zip codes they showed up. When the install was finished, the MP4 locals worked fine.

 

[RAD]

This may be some kind of misunderstanding. Do you have the article that states the station won't carry for that reason? The information on reception of HD channels on the D* web site is some times wrong. When I went with the HR20, the D* web site showed my zip code, 89883, in an outlying area with no HD locals. When you put in one of the downtown area zip codes they showed up. When the install was finished, the MP4 locals worked fine.

Here's the thread where someone posted the response from the GM of WRAL in Raleigh as to why they haven't given D* the OK to carry WRAL-DT.

As for the zip codes, the same thing occurs for Nashville, put in a Nashville ZIP and it shows the HD channels, put in the Cookeville zip and you don't get them.

I'm checking this for my brother in law. I can't say to go ahead and try it since if he can't get the MPEG4 channels then he's stuck for 24 months.