NFL Network in HD?

[bdraw]

With just three weeks to go till the first NFL game (hopefully in HD) on the NFL network, I wonder if there is any hope that BHN will add it to the lineup and not use SDV to boot.

Between the NFL network and the NFL ST, it appears I will have to subscribe to both BHN and DirecTV during football season, since I can't get TiVo with DirecTV and I can't get my football fix via BHN.
Ahh, well, it's only money.

[Zimmy]

With just three weeks to go till the first NFL game (hopefully in HD) on the NFL network, I wonder if there is any hope that BHN will add it to the lineup and not use SDV to boot.

Between the NFL network and the NFL ST, it appears I will have to subscribe to both BHN and DirecTV during football season, since I can't get TiVo with DirecTV and I can't get my football fix via BHN.
Ahh, well, it's only money.


How DARE YOU, SIR!?!?!

I spend my days and nights praying to the all mighty Bright House gods to get regular NFL Network and you dare ask about High Def? (like Verizon offers in Brandon)

Blasphemy!

In other words, don't hold your breath.

[Zimmy]

Just heard that Direct TV will have a bunch of HD channels by the end of August, including a full blown NFL Network in HD.
I think my time with Bright House is drawing to a close.
They just have no interest in moving forward, equipment-wise or content.
I'll be doing a cost analysis between the two once Direct TV's satellite starts transmitting and unless there is a huge difference in BH's favor, I'm jumping ship.
I want the NFL Ticket anyway.

[bdraw]

I hear you, the problem with BHN is that they negotiate their deals with TWC and their VP of content doesn't even own an HDTV. On top of her lack of personal motivation, they feel that they deserve the best price per subscriber since they have so many subscribers, as a result, new channels owners are never in a hurry to sign deals with them.

As long as DirecTV/Dish/FIOS have the bandwidth, they will probably always have the best lineup. DirecTV's new channels should start showing up in mid September.

[Zimmy]

Well here it is, the first NFL game of the season and do Bright House customers get to see it?

Nope.

Thanks Bright House.

[Roger 9]

Just heard that Direct TV will have a bunch of HD channels by the end of August, including a full blown NFL Network in HD.
I think my time with Bright House is drawing to a close.
They just have no interest in moving forward, equipment-wise or content.
I'll be doing a cost analysis between the two once Direct TV's satellite starts transmitting and unless there is a huge difference in BH's favor, I'm jumping ship.
I want the NFL Ticket anyway.

It's true about DirecTV and the NFL Net in HD. DTV is going all out with the NFL simply because they have exclusivity to the season package. I can't wait! :p

[Maestro]

Well here it is, the first NFL game of the season and do Bright House customers get to see it?

Nope.

Thanks Bright House.

Zimmy,

I got tired of waiting too. I was sure BHN would have a deal by now after I suffered all last season. Anyways, I called DirecTV and if you haggle with them a bit, you can get a great deal...Basically I got the HD-DVR and the NFL package for free. Paying 69 a month for 4 months, then I'll decide which package I want..
DirecTV came out and did a very professional install...Everything works great.

Steve

[bdraw]

Not sure why you think they care about waiting another season, perhaps you forgot how long it took for them to add ESPNHD and then ESPN2HD. The bottom line is they think they shouldn't have to pay as much as DirecTV, Dish, Verizon etc, because they have so many more subscribers.

[Roger 9]

Zimmy,

I got tired of waiting too. I was sure BHN would have a deal by now after I suffered all last season. Anyways, I called DirecTV and if you haggle with them a bit, you can get a great deal...Basically I got the HD-DVR and the NFL package for free. Paying 69 a month for 4 months, then I'll decide which package I want..
DirecTV came out and did a very professional install...Everything works great.

Steve

Steve, I did the same thing with DirecTV and there are little secrets with them if you live in a condo (like me) and get basic as part of your dues.

I can pretty much pick and choose what packages I want while adding certain specific stations a la carte. Every time BHN drops another basic station I just add it to the a la carte.

But here is a key. Currently I have duplications and there is a HUGE picture quality difference between BHN and DirecTV, even on BHN's CH. 100+ digital tier on a standard TV. The alleged digital tier doesn't give you any better picture than you get on the lower analog basic tier.

It appears to me that DirecTV is becoming a leader, not a follower when it comes to digital and there is no rental fee on my first box, the HD DVR. And when everything goes digital in the near future, I won't have to "rent" a box from BHN for my older set because I already hooked for digital.

I'm NOT going to toss a TV that will probably run for years (had a Mitsubishi Diamond Vision console that was still going great guns after 23-years when I gave it away).

IMHO, with BH it's all about the money. With DirecTV, it's all about service.

[Maestro]

I have been happy with the PQ from DirecTV. However, no VOD really kills it for my wife. I have read countless articles about how it is coming...well...er...where is it!?

Also, with the recent rains, I experience the "It doesn't take much to knock out satellite blues". Luckily, I had BHN to fall back on. Once DirecTV adds all those HD channels I will re-evaluate whether or not I am keeping BHN. For now I will keep both.

[bdraw]

I have both FIOS and DirecTV, and I've previoulsy had BHN for years, if it doesn't take much rain to knock out your DirecTV then you need to check your equipment, (dish alignment etc) 'cause my DirecTV works as long as the sky isn't black in the middle of the day. But if a big black cloud gets in the way, no doubt it goes south.

[CactusJack]

But here is a key. Currently I have duplications and there is a HUGE picture quality difference between BHN and DirecTV, even on BHN's CH. 100+ digital tier on a standard TV. The alleged digital tier doesn't give you any better picture than you get on the lower analog basic tier.
I was under the impression that BHN is ALL digital now, even channels 2 - 99, with 2 - 99 still simulcast in analog. Is this not true?

Cactus

[bdraw]

You're right, I never watch the SD channels, so I didn't realize they were doing this now.

[Bschneider]

Greg stated in a thread that not all areas are all digital at that time. Perhaps they are now..

[bdraw]

You can confirm by going into the service menu on a digital STB while tuned to a channel in question.

[ramarc]

The NFL Network is now more/less a dead issue for *any* cable company. NFL Network refused to be on a sports tier (demanding basic/extended-basic and their higher subscriber fees) and negotiations with Comcast and Time Warner have ended. That pretty much kills it for all but the maverick cable operators (and BHN surely isn't a maverick at all).

http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2007/08/31/cable-tackles-the-nfl.aspx
http://www.journalnow.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WSJ/MGArticle/WSJ_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1173352569103&path=rss

[Maestro]

The NFL Network is now more/less a dead issue for *any* cable company. NFL Network refused to be on a sports tier (demanding basic/extended-basic and their higher subscriber fees) and negotiations with Comcast and Time Warner have ended. That pretty much kills it for all but the maverick cable operators (and BHN surely isn't a maverick at all).

http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2007/08/31/cable-tackles-the-nfl.aspx
http://www.journalnow.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WSJ/MGArticle/WSJ_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1173352569103&path=rss

Yup. 1 year ago I saw NO WAY they would go without the NFL network. I was sure it would cause massive exile to DirecTV and FIOS (at least here in Tampa)...However, that has not been the case. I even posted a poll somewhere on this forum and I asked if people would leave BHN if they did not get NFL network. I was sure it would be overwhelmingly YES. But it wasn't.

So basically, BHN played their hand and are happy with the results. If there was a mass exodus to other providers you can bet they would add NFL network in a second. It just is not happening.

So I played my hand and got DirecTV.

[bdraw]

The reason why it isn't as big of a deal as many thought, is because they realized that the NFL will not lock anyone out of seeing their local team. So even if the bucs did play a game that was only available on the NFL network, (like a Thursday game on Thanksgiving) everyone in the Tampa Bay area could still watch it on a local channel.

So in the end, it's only about 8 national HD games, which isn't enough to switch providers over. Odds are if you are the type to want to watch every national game, you'd already have DirecTV for the NFL ST.

On top of this, the NFL's own highlights show (NFL Total Access) isn't produced in HD yet.

In the end it is replays of games, and 8 national games. Personally I love it, but I'm a ST subscriber.

[Maestro]

The reason why it isn't as big of a deal as many thought, is because they realized that the NFL will not lock anyone out of seeing their local team. So even if the bucs did play a game that was only available on the NFL network, (like a Thursday game on Thanksgiving) everyone in the Tampa Bay area could still watch it on a local channel.

So in the end, it's only about 8 national HD games, which isn't enough to switch providers over. Odds are if you are the type to want to watch every national game, you'd already have DirecTV for the NFL ST.

On top of this, the NFL's own highlights show (NFL Total Access) isn't produced in HD yet.

In the end it is replays of games, and 8 national games. Personally I love it, but I'm a ST subscriber.

Ben,
While I agree it is mostly about the games, I also love the programming on NFL network. (I guess I am a football nut!). The replays, the behind the scenes, all of it.

BTW, did you see that DirecTV is also offering online streaming of all the ST games if you have the superfan. Love that option! I have ORB on my PC and with my motorola Q this means football anywhere the wife drags me!

Steve

[bdraw]

Interesting, you let your wife drag you places on Sundays during football season? ;)

[Maestro]

Interesting, you let your wife drag you places on Sundays during football season? ;)

Only kicking and screaming...However, somewhere, someone is keeping score and she definetly makes more sacrifices for me than vice versa! So I can't complain (but that hasn't stopped me!).

[bdraw]

Haha, that is all to true, I all of a sudden feel very lucky that my wife likes to watch football. Actually the way I got her into it was because of a football pool and now she even plays fantasy in my league.

[marcuslaw]

Reading each of your messages on this thread has exacerbated my frustration with BHN failure to reach an agreement with the NFL for its channel. My problem is, and surely you will all laugh at my frugality, that my neighborhood homeowners assoc. has a contract with BHN for a reduced rate. I have the digital plus package and receive a credit for the portion of my HOA dues earmarked for BHN. So, if I go with DTV or Fios, I'll be throwing money away sadly into the pockets of the fat cats at BHN. I've been told you cannot avoid paying BHN in our HOA dues by having cable disconnected. I hate to turn this thread into a therapy session, but did anyone overcome this "problem" in some way?

[bdraw]

BHN is pretty smart about the way it's marketing it's product these days. What can be better than guranteeing that everyone in a neighborhood is a customer?

As far as I'd be concerned you sign up to pay that regardless, so switching providers will at least withhold any additional money from them for premium content, which is probably where they expect to make any of their money off the deal in the first place.

If you're a really big football fan, then you might as well get DirecTV and the ST, which is really great. I hate paying the $300 a year for it, but really do enjoy having access to every game, every week. Then you'd get all the new HD channels they're launching and the NFL Network to boot.

[Kendo]

Responding to Marcuslaw, look at the “bright side” you’ll get all those analog channels without a box for those little used TVs (guest room, kids room, or even the bathroom to watch Baynews 9 as you shave in the morning). BHN has been doing that in most of the newer communities, but it has created such a rift that I doubt any of the HOAs renew after the contract expires. Which brings in to question the legality of it anyway, these contracts were negotiated with the builders and not the HOA itself. The homeowners never got to have a say in the negations. Over time these types of contracts have peeved off so many people that the pendulum will swing back against BHN in a couple years.

Now for some good news –

For all us NFL fans I did find that little glimmer of light in the sea of BHN darkness. The MyTV network (WTTA 38? BHN 15/611) is broadcasting “NFL Network: Total Access” at 9pm on Saturday nights in SD. I saw it while channel surfing and recorded it last night. I don’t know if it’s in HD OTA or not.

[bdraw]

FYI, NFL total access on the NFL network isn't in HD.
Yeah, I know, sucks doesn't it?

[marcuslaw]

I'm going to contact the HOA management co. to find out more about the contract. I'll follow-up with a posting should anything interesting come out of it and in the meantime will continue dreaming about the NFL channel. On a slightly unrelated note, is there a way to delete channels from the BHN program guide?

[Maestro]

Let me say this Sunday was my first experience with the Sunday Ticket and the RedZone channel in HD...All I can say is that I loved the experience so much I felt like I was cheating on my wife!

The supercast though, sucked! DirecTV was obviously not prepared for that kind of internet traffic..

Steve

[marcuslaw]

I'm jealous . . .

Well, at least I was able to watch one of the two nationally televised Bengals games on ESPNHD last night.

[bdraw]

Yeah the RedZone channel in HD rocks.
I found myself watching it most of the time on Sunday. Too bad the bucs usually play at the same time as everyone else.

Also, did you notice that the RZC stopped working half way through the 4pm games?

[Maestro]

Yeah the RedZone channel in HD rocks.
I found myself watching it most of the time on Sunday. Too bad the bucs usually play at the same time as everyone else.

Also, did you notice that the RZC stopped working half way through the 4pm games?

Yup...DirecTV did not have their act together on Sunday. Here's hoping this sunday is better (though I will be at the Buc's game).

Steve

[Zimmy]

Yup...DirecTV did not have their act together on Sunday. Here's hoping this sunday is better (though I will be at the Buc's game).

Steve

This past Sunday (2nd week) was much better in regard to the watching the game stream on my laptop. It was quick and great quality. I know DirecTV gets bashed for raising their price but at least they are adding features.
The experience is 10 times better than last year for me.