HDTV Question

[CraigSca]

Does anyone know the status of any of the major satellite providers carrying local HD channels through their service?

I've been receiving conflicting information regarding DirecTV. One local company says DirecTV is planning to begin offering HD locals by the end of the year, while another company says it won't happen for another two years.

I'm contemplating buying an antenna, but don't want to buy one if I only need it for 3 months.

Anyone know the real story?

[gstelmack]

DirecTV will start rolling out MPEG-4 service (with full HD locals) "soon". They are starting with the top 12 TV markets, and rolling out the rest of the country as they can. This was slowed up by problems with one of their satellite launches (the booster had issues, so they've got another launch scheduled), but is still on track to begin this year. If you're in a top market, it will be soon, if you're in a small market, it may not be for 2 more years. They have to roll out all new equipment to everyone to make this happen.

When they are done with this, they'll have full HD locals coverage throughout the country, with room for something like 150 other HD channels to go with it. So their HD offerings should be pretty nice.

I've got an antenna for my locals through DirecTV and it works fine. I can't wait to do away with it, but it's working well so far.

[moriarty]

Does anyone know the status of any of the major satellite providers carrying local HD channels through their service?

I've been receiving conflicting information regarding DirecTV. One local company says DirecTV is planning to begin offering HD locals by the end of the year, while another company says it won't happen for another two years.

I'm contemplating buying an antenna, but don't want to buy one if I only need it for 3 months.

Anyone know the real story?

The real story is this: DirectTV has announced plans to launch an additional HD satellite. This will add significant HD bandwidth including many HD locals. There were issues with getting it launched (not sure if it's actually launched yet or what the updated timing is). But even when it is up and running, you will likely need a new dish and possible a new receiver. There has been no announcement from DTV on this (will they swap for free, etc...). Suffice it to say that I would expec the timing on this to be more than a year out, but it's purely speculation.

You may be able to receive "local" broadcasts already from DirectTV. I say "local" because it's NBC, CBS, ABC, and FOX but what you'll really receive is the east coast or west coast feeds. I.e. your local news will be New York. This gets kinda hairy. Basically whether or not you can get these feeds depends on your location, and more precisely upon the local affiliates. I'm not sure on the legality, but if you're in close range to certain affiliates, directTV cannot send you the local HD signal (the affiliates want you to use their signal so you see their adverstising, not some NYC advertising). You can get a waiver from the local station which will exempt you from this and allow you to receive the directTV signals. This usually is an issue if you're near a bigger city. For example, I live near Washington DC and i have to use the antenna to get HD NBC, CBS, and ABC but i can get the directTV HD for Fox off their east coast feed. Weird huh?

Bottom line is if you're in/near a big city you may be able to get a cheap attic antenna which may pick up the signal. You can usually get these for less than $100 and it will cover you until if/when the laws are changed and/or DTV adds more satellite coverage.

[moriarty]

BTW - I should note Detroit is the test market (i.e. first market up on MPEG4). Likely followed by NY/LA etc... So if you live in Deleware it may be a while.

Also early indications are that they'll swap your HD receiver for free but you have to pay to upgrade any normal SD receiver. Sounds like installation of the new dish is free w/ 2 year committment. But as always with DTV nothing's for certain until you get it in writing and even then chances are the customer service reps have never heard of it.

[CraigSca]

We live in Delaware, but we're considered a Philadelphia-local. The affiliate signals are about 50 miles away, so they said I would need an amp plus the antenna for about $300 total (including installation).

If I indeed have to wait only a few months (even up to 6 months) I'll just wait it out.

Btw - the conversation that precipitated this post was with an installer who showed up at my house today (erroneously). He told me that local HD channels wouldn't happen for a couple of years. I said, "But I thought it was a few months - that's why they're going to to the MPEG-4 format so they can get the additional bandwidth." He said MPEG-4 was about the additional bandwidth, but had nothing to do with getting the locals in HD.

The postings I'm seeing here are more inline with what I thought it was going be. Thanks for setting me straight (and the good news is the icing on the cake).

[CraigSca]

The real story is this: DirectTV has announced plans to launch an additional HD satellite. This will add significant HD bandwidth including many HD locals. There were issues with getting it launched (not sure if it's actually launched yet or what the updated timing is). But even when it is up and running, you will likely need a new dish and possible a new receiver. There has been no announcement from DTV on this (will they swap for free, etc...). Suffice it to say that I would expec the timing on this to be more than a year out, but it's purely speculation.

You may be able to receive "local" broadcasts already from DirectTV. I say "local" because it's NBC, CBS, ABC, and FOX but what you'll really receive is the east coast or west coast feeds. I.e. your local news will be New York. This gets kinda hairy. Basically whether or not you can get these feeds depends on your location, and more precisely upon the local affiliates. I'm not sure on the legality, but if you're in close range to certain affiliates, directTV cannot send you the local HD signal (the affiliates want you to use their signal so you see their adverstising, not some NYC advertising). You can get a waiver from the local station which will exempt you from this and allow you to receive the directTV signals. This usually is an issue if you're near a bigger city. For example, I live near Washington DC and i have to use the antenna to get HD NBC, CBS, and ABC but i can get the directTV HD for Fox off their east coast feed. Weird huh?

Bottom line is if you're in/near a big city you may be able to get a cheap attic antenna which may pick up the signal. You can usually get these for less than $100 and it will cover you until if/when the laws are changed and/or DTV adds more satellite coverage.
How are you able to get HD Fox off the satellite? Did you have to get a waiver?

[CraigSca]

dola

Read another part of your post - I read that DirecTV has announced that they will upgrade current HD customers to the new dish/receiver for free. Availability, however, may be a problem in the short-term (especially my HD/Tivo Receiver, I doubt they'll have them right off the bat).

[Samdari]

To update what has already been said - the first of two new satellites to deliver HD locals has been in the sky since April/May. This satellite has more than enough capacity to serve the first 12 markets. The second MPEG-4 satellite is the one that had a lengthy launch delay (reportedly due to it being paired on a rocket with another satellite from another company that was not ready in time). They are already starting to sell the MPEG-4 boxes in Detroit, and are supposed to begin offering them to customers in early November (anywhere from the 1st to the 15 are dates being thrown around).

They have not yet retracted their statements that the top 12 markets will be getting HD LiL's by the end of the year, but since no details of how to upgrade/buy hardware, it seems unlikely to me that will happen. If you are not in those top 12, it could be a year wait, as the delay in offering these 12 markets, plus the delay in launching Spaceway 2 should push out dates to reaching other cities past the early 2006 that has been announced. They have not even announced what the next set of cities getting HD locals will be after the top 12, so if you're not in the top 12, get an antenna.

Also, moriarty, many seem to feel that NY and LA will be the last two cities offered, as they already get their HD locals through the current MPEG-2 boxes.

[moriarty]

How are you able to get HD Fox off the satellite? Did you have to get a waiver?

Nope. It has to do with whether the affiliates are owned and operated locally or not. I don't recall the specifics, but it's something along the lines of the other broadcasting stations (CBS, NBC, ABC) are locally owned & operated (which is why they want me to get their local feed for local advertising) and the local Fox station is owned by Fox itself (so it doesn't have to rely solely on local advertising and they don't care which feed I get as long as I'm watching Fox).

That might not be entirely accurate ... I've been on OTA (antenna) for 4 years so it's been a while since I had to look into it.

BTW - as pointed out, I was speculating on NY/LA being the next markets due to size, but considering they started in Detroit who knows. Also, I'm not clear on the range of the markets. So even if Philly goes in the next six months, I'm not sure if that would include nearby Delaware residents. I would suspect if your local NBC, CBS etc... is a Philly station then you have a good chance.

[moriarty]

We live in Delaware, but we're considered a Philadelphia-local. The affiliate signals are about 50 miles away, so they said I would need an amp plus the antenna for about $300 total (including installation).



Dola,

If it was me and I the $300 seemed like a lot of $$, I'd wait at least until the rollout plan for the next major markets is announced. You should know by end of year whether Philly is in the immediate plans ... and if you want you can always get the antenna installed by the SuperBowl (although you would have to give up New Years Bowl games under that scenario).

edit: In the mean time 50 miles might be enough to get a waiver. I'd look into that route while you wait.

[gstelmack]

I said, "But I thought it was a few months - that's why they're going to to the MPEG-4 format so they can get the additional bandwidth." He said MPEG-4 was about the additional bandwidth, but had nothing to do with getting the locals in HD.
They need the additional bandwidth to provide HD locals. It's something like 1200 local channels in the US, and the new satellites will support 1500, using MPEG-4 compression. So the rollout will let them do full HD locals for the entire country, something like 100-150 other channels in full HD, plus 100-150 channels for Pay-per-view, Sunday Ticket, etc.

Disclaimer: Those are all rough numbers. The concepts are correct (all US locals + lots of HD channels to everyone) but my number memory may be off a small bit.

[Samdari]

We live in Delaware, but we're considered a Philadelphia-local. The affiliate signals are about 50 miles away, so they said I would need an amp plus the antenna for about $300 total (including installation).

Somehow I missed this. If you get the Philly networks through DirecTV now, you will get them in High Def when they roll it out late this year/early next. Philly is in the list of the first 12 markets.