DirecTV HD a waste?

[JCHDTV]

Is it me or is the 10.99 a waste of money for HD on DirecTV? I have a HD antennae and I recieve most local stations in HD for a one cost of an antennae. For 10.99 a month DirecTV wants to give me only 4 stations?? Does anybody else think this is a waste of money? :?

[LonghornXP]

Well to start ESPN HD live events which will increase greatly next month and on do cost a lot of money to do in HD so that makes it a little more expensive. But the cost for this tier is high and we early adopters are paying more for this teir than what people will be paying when they get their sets in two years because there would be more channels in this tier to make the price more worthwhile. I don't expect this price to go up in a very long time since ESPN is by far the most expensive because it does live sporting events.

So to put it simply yes it is very expensive right now but more channels will be added to this tier in the future and that 11 bucks a month will get you many more channels in the future.

[teampozer]

Agreed. I've thought the same thing but then I look at an HD game on 206 then flipped to 73. Yep... I'll keep the package. It's a bit pricey but damn those football games look good. They better have something more after the 1st of the year when the NFL goes bye bye.

[LonghornXP]

Agreed about after football season. But on the other hand I do quite like both HDnet and Discovery HD. Also college BB in HD makes me think hard about cancelling this package. I was thinking of saving some money by doing this below but the D* CSRs don't know this question so maybe I will ask. If I were to drop the sports pack would I still get the Sunshine Network and Fox Sports Net Florida. Those are the only two channels in this sports pack that I care about and since they are florida channels I'm wondering if they would be blacked out or not get them at all without the sports pack. So I'm looking at saving about 3 bucks per month once my DirecTivo fee goes too 5 bucks. So for me to get the HD package for 8 bucks a month is worth it for me for HD basketball and HDNet as well as Discovery HD. I will only feel better once more programming is added. Hey if D* can get InHD 1 and 2 thrown into this pack than I'm sold. From what I read is that InHD is available or will be available to any provider who wants it including DBS. The website says only on digital cable but what they fail to say is for now only on digital cable.

[JCHDTV]

Yes I too have purchased my equipment (57" RPTV, Sony HD reciever, Bose Lifestyle 35) far before HD is worth it's weight in gold but football last night was great. Now I use an antennae to get my HD stations and I only paid a one time fee. Does anyone know if DirecTV will offer the local stations in HD in the future?

[CANDY76MAN]

Yes I too have purchased my equipment (57" RPTV, Sony HD reciever, Bose Lifestyle 35) far before HD is worth it's weight in gold but football last night was great. Now I use an antennae to get my HD stations and I only paid a one time fee. Does anyone know if DirecTV will offer the local stations in HD in the future?

Someone made a post here last week suggesting that they would at some point.

[LonghornXP]

Yes DirecTV has said in a press release that they would be getting out of the high speed satellite internet business for the most part and will be foucusing their business towards video services including HDTV local channels. They would be using their spaceway satellites which cost them about 1.5 billion with a total of three satellites going up between now and the end of 2004. We will most likely have to get a new dish because these satellites are Ka band and not Ku band like all the others. I think that they would be able to use existing HD boxes and the signal would be converted by the new dishes LNB. These satellites have the capacity to offer about 1500 full bandwidth HDTV channels. Also these satellites can use spot beaming as well and they have lots more bandwidth and they are truely 2 way satellites as well. To find this press release just do a google search for spaceway and DirecTV and it should be on the HNS website which is a Hughes website since DirecTV is owned by Hughes Network Systems. Hope this helps you and this just tells me that things could be a whole lot different in 2005 or earlier.

[CANDY76MAN]

two way satelites?

the directv pirates aren't gonna like that...lol

[LonghornXP]

That is one of the big reasons why they are thinking about putting all HDTV channels on those new satellites. HDTV channels are the most expensive channels to broadcast and if they can kick off pirates from all HDTV channels via two way satellites than that would be the most cost effective solution for them. I'm thinking that when they offer HDTV locals you will have to get their HD package at 10.99/month. That would make sense and people do have to realize that it really can't be free since unlike cable companies they have to carry well over 600 local HDTV channels whereas a cable company only has to carry no more than 10 local HDTV channels. From what I've been told so far is that the HDTV package costs per channels the following.

Discovery HD = cost about 1.00
ESPN HD = cost about 80 cents
HDNet and HDNet Movies = cost about 1.00 for both combined.
So if they charge 5.00 for HDTV locals than that would leave a little over 3.00 left to offer HDTV national channels. But remember that the most expensive channels are there now. So we may have InHD 1 and 2 for about 1.00 which would leave about 2 bucks left for Bravo HD and any others that come about and those channels I can't see as being more than 30 cents per channels while most being around 15-20 cents.

Bright House Networks HD packaage is not worth it for the same reasons as DirecTVs HD package. BHN to customers is charging 6.99/month for InHD 1 and 2 while the truth is that those two channels actually cost 1/6 the cost of the package but as other HD channels are added the price will stay the same increasing the value of the package.

We all are early adopters and we are paying the piper for this package while new HDTV customers in two years would more than likely have another 10 channels in this same package for the same price. It sucks but thats what we get for having a technology that less than 5% of TV viewers have. But I will never complain because when I bought my HDTV set almost 3 years ago I never dreamed there would be this many HDTV channels to watch in a week. The two I was most shocked with to be honest was UPN for Enterprise and ESPN HD.

[audiolab]

For me, the D* HD package is worth it, although at the moment it's a little pricey for what you get in terms of programming alone. However, when you factor in the upgraded dish, installation, plus Samsung box all for $450, it becomes worth it. Even if all I watch is Sunday Night Football on ESPN, I've now got access to HBO-HD, Showtime-HD, plus all the local stations' digital transmissions, for $11/month. And now I'm capable of receiving anything HD D* wants to send now and in the future.

[LonghornXP]

It is worth it for me right now but I will tell you that if DirecTV adds Starz HD than all HD costs will be worth it for me. If DirecTV can get InHD 1 and 2 than I will be very very happy with this package. But from where I'm sitting right now I have ESPN HD, NBC HD (for Las Vegas) and UPN for Enterprise and Jake 2.0. Granted the last two are from my antenna but Las Vegas and Enterprise are two of my favorite shows and I can't see them in HD via BHN. So that alone makes it worth it for me.

[baja]

D* HD a waste :?: HDNET DiscoveryHD and HDNETMovies is some of the best looking HD there is..PERIOD . Unless you absolutely do not watch these channels this is a very well worth pkg IMHO.

[AnthonyB]

Don't forget SpiceHD coming on 2/1/04. That's surely a reason to get D* HD.

[dprice]

Ron Jeremy in HD on a 57" widescreen....God save us all.

Don

[CANDY76MAN]

Ron Jeremy in HD on a 57" widescreen....God save us all.

Don

I'de be tuning in more for the female "actors" but to each his own I guess 8O :lol:

[mikeymo]

Don't forget SpiceHD coming on 2/1/04. That's surely a reason to get D* HD.

How do you know DirecTv is adding SPICE HD or any other HD channel for that matter (CBS HD doesn't count since you know CBS 10 isn't about to grant us a waiver) :?:

[bdraw]

Don't forget SpiceHD coming on 2/1/04. That's surely a reason to get D* HD.

How do you know DirecTv is adding SPICE HD or any other HD channel for that matter (CBS HD doesn't count since you know CBS 10 isn't about to grant us a waiver) :?:

Over at avsforum.com they have an HDTV programming area. They always have the latest national information.

[jaymer]

mikey,
this probably wont help you, but
you can check your eligibility for CBS via DirecTV here:
http://directvdnseligibility.decisionmark.com/app/AddressEntry.asp

more info here:
http://www.directv.com/see/landing/cbs_hd.html

I entered a lakeland address and was not eligible due to "grade b" - but you might live further away than the test address i used.