[kycubsfan]

My cable system offers local channels from two markets, Lexington, KY and Knoxville, TN. Will DirecTV ever allow such an arrangement, as I heard they would several years ago? I recall a beta page within directv.com that was set up for the purpose of determining which subscribers would be eligible for a "dual DMA," with the secondary DMA's channels being called "significantly viewed."

AFAIK it would be relatively easy, as the respective spot beams in my area intersect.

 

[leww37334]

simple, short answer, NO, you will not get adjacent channels on directv, next question.

There is actual legislation that allows directv to carry these significantly viewed stations.

Directv has had the ability to do this since 2004

http://broadcastengineering.com/digital_handbook/broadcasting_significantly_viewed_signals/

http://www.fcc.gov/mb/significantviewedstations.pdf

Directv has not done anything yet, the odds are very strong that they never will.

 

[kycubsfan]

That sucks. Any idea why they won't? It seems to be a relatively simple change that would add value to the service.

 

[Msguy]

simple, short answer, NO, you will not get adjacent channels on directv, next question.

There is actual legislation that allows directv to carry these significantly viewed stations.

Directv has had the ability to do this since 2004

http://broadcastengineering.com/digital_handbook/broadcasting_significantly_viewed_signals/

http://www.fcc.gov/mb/significantviewedstations.pdf

Directv has not done anything yet, the odds are very strong that they never will.

That is just ridiculous. It is ridiculous that the NAB and broadcasters won't allow DirecTv and Dish Network Customers the opportunity to purchase Out Of Market Distant Network Channels as well. I would be willing to pay an extra $5 a month and possibly $10 more a month if i could receive Chicago Local Channels. I would be willing to pay for them because I travel back and forth to Chicago alot and It would be really nice to be able to see what the Local news and weather is doing up there before i leave home.

 

[leww37334]

A lot of people have speculated that they are afraid of being sued for depriving the local station of ad revenue.

ie if your primary is DMA is Lexington and you watch Law and Order on a Knoxville station then the Lexington station's ratings go done and they can charge less for their commercials. Thus they have lost revenue.

Remember, the root of all evil is not money, it is lawyers going after money.

 

[Mike Bertelson]

I don't believe there is enough bandwidth to provide all the adjacent locals.

Heck, some people don't even have all their locals.

Mike

 

[JLucPicard]

Are all of what would be considered "adjacent locals" carried on the same spot beams as the regular locals? If they don't have a spot beam that covers the entire area that is "covered" by the two sets of locals, then they can hardly provide adjacent locals without doing something with the way the spots are configured.

Using Lexington/Knoxville for example, what if the Knoxville spot beam only covers half of the Lexington local area. They can't hardly offer Knoxville locals in the Lexington area if not all of the Lexington area would be able to receive them.

There may be many areas where the spot covers both areas that would considered "adjacent", but I'd be willing to bet there are a lot of areas where this would not be the case. Then what, duplicate those locals on two different spots, doubling the bandwidth usage for those areas?

I'm guessing there is a problem with the feasibility in a fair number of areas.





Or what MicroBeta said while I was typing.

 

[daniellee]

My cable system offers local channels from two markets, Lexington, KY and Knoxville, TN. Will DirecTV ever allow such an arrangement, as I heard they would several years ago? I recall a beta page within directv.com that was set up for the purpose of determining which subscribers would be eligible for a "dual DMA," with the secondary DMA's channels being called "significantly viewed."

AFAIK it would be relatively easy, as the respective spot beams in my area intersect.

well the "beta page" is still there...

http://www.primestar.com/DTVAPP/packProg/svLocalChannels.jsp?assetId=1200076

IMHO DirecTV shouldn't allow the cable companies to maintain this advantage - they should compete with them at every turn.

 

[jdspencer]

I don't believe there is enough bandwidth to provide all the adjacent locals.

Heck, some people don't even have all their locals.

Mike

Ding Ding Ding! We don't have ANY locals from DirecTV. And the last time I looked there aren't any significantly viewed stations for this area.

 

[FHSPSU67]

well the "beta page" is still there...

http://www.primestar.com/DTVAPP/packProg/svLocalChannels.jsp?assetId=1200076

IMHO DirecTV shouldn't allow the cable companies to maintain this advantage - they should compete with them at every turn.

That page is no longer there, unless your link is bad.

[edit] The link started working so disregard this post.

 

[kycubsfan]

Using Lexington/Knoxville for example, what if the Knoxville spot beam only covers half of the Lexington local area. They can't hardly offer Knoxville locals in the Lexington area if not all of the Lexington area would be able to receive them.

That would be fine, since only the southernmost counties in Lexington's DMA would be able to access Knoxville via OTA. Possible OTA reception is the basis for whether or not an out-of-DMA channel is "significantly viewed."

 

[n3ntj]

Bandwidth should not be an issue, if D* is already carrying the local HD channels in the city near you.

For example, I am in the Harrisburg/Lancaster, PA DMA. We get our local HD channels from D*, and D* also provides the Phily HD locals. As long as the spotbeam, that D* uses to provide people in Phily their local HD channels, overlaps and covers me too, D* would just have to tell my access card to allow viewing of the Phily HD channels from whatever bird and transponder is used. No extra bandwidth as these channels are already being sent down.

 

[scrybigtv]

Don't talk to me about "local" channels losing revenue. I couldn't care less what my so-called local channels lose. I live in Oklahoma, but the federal government says my DMA is Shreveport, LA. So those are the locals I'm stuck with. Legislation has been drafted in Congress that would allow the satellite programmers to beam local stations from adjacent markets to viewers like myself, who want their local news, weather and sports to be truly local. If that legislation is ever passed, satellite customers in rural areas may finally gain access to the local stations that are already enjoyed by almost everyone else.

 

[Kavh]

I live in an area where my locals are not available in HD. Two of the locals are difficult to receive and will grant waivers for me to receive DNS. My adjacent channels are available locally in their area. These adjacent locals are denying my DNS request. In my opinion If they have the ability to deny my DNS request then D* should allow me to receive their signal.

 

[CJTE]

There are some DMAs that get 'adjacent' locals.

I just cant find any information about it!
I think Raleigh was one of them.

 

[raoul5788]

There are some DMAs that get 'adjacent' locals.

I just cant find any information about it!
I think Raleigh was one of them.

We get them here in CT. Depending on your area, it is either Boston, Providence, or New York channels.

 

[Jhon69]

I live in a SV area our cable company offers both markets.I consider this a waste of bandwith.All I need is One PBS,One ABC ect.

 

[harsh]

We get our local HD channels from D*, and D* also provides the Phily HD locals. As long as the spotbeam, that D* uses to provide people in Phily their local HD channels, overlaps and covers me too, D* would just have to tell my access card to allow viewing of the Phily HD channels from whatever bird and transponder is used.

Those Ka spotbeams can be very small. Where the markets are close, it is likely that SV is possible. In other areas, the spots don't fully cover the territory they've been assigned so SV probably isn't an option there (or the SV channels are but the DMA channels aren't).

 

[Mike Bertelson]

I have to appologize to the OP because I thought we were talking about sub-channels.

My bad because I actually get the adjacent channels from RI.

It really doesn't make sense for me because I get my locals (CT).

I can see how you might want the adjacent channels in those areas were you're in a DMA thats not from their state.

Mike

 

[bjflynn04]

There are some DMAs that get 'adjacent' locals.

I just cant find any information about it!
I think Raleigh was one of them.

You are right Raleigh is one of them. My locals on Directv are currently Raleigh-Durham, NC and I am also getting the CBS and ABC station from Lynchburg, VA and also the ABC station from Richmond, VA.