DIRECTV's Growing HDTV Shopping List
The satcaster is adding new channel announcements for 2007.
By Phillip Swann
Washington, D.C. (May 8, 2007) -- DIRECTV, which yesterday revealed it would add History Channel HD in September, has said it will offer 100 national high-def channels by year's end.
Here's a list of the HD networks that DIRECTV has revealed thus far that it plans to add this year or early next:
A&E HD
The History Channel HD
National Geographic HD
Bravo HD
MHD
The Tennis Channel HD
Weather Channel HD
ESPNews HD
Toon Disney HD
Disney Channel HD
ABC Family HD
Sci-Fi Channel HD
CNN HD
Food Network HD
Cartoon Network HD
Speed HD
FX HD
TBS HD
USA Network HD
The NFL Network HD
Starz HD (possibly four channels)
Cinemax HD
do you really think that number is going to 100? for real.
I don't know if I have ever seen anyone more "pro" DirectTV than Swanni. He's been humping DirecTV will have 100 channels in HD for so long, maybe he should go back and read his past columns and realize that DirecTV has always been - just wait until years end for new HD channels.... just wait until next year for new HD satlelittes.
I gave up their HD plans a while back - go to DISH Network, best HD-DVR on the planet (ViP 622).
My TV Prediction, DirecTV will NOT have 100 HD channels by year's end, and they will count certain HD channels to manipulate the numbers.
Mitchman
Mitchman, you are correct. I will not consider a switch to Direct TV until they deliver, all they have now is vapor ware. Anyone who buys now could be making a big mistake. I'll stay with Dish until something better comes along.
I don't know. A lot of those 22 channels listed up there are of no interest to me whatsoever, and I'm betting a bunch of the other ones are going to be things like "HBO 2 HD," "HBO Signature HD," "HBO Family HD," and so on. Not to mention "NBA HD 1" though "NBA HD 7" and so on and so on.
I love my HD DirecTivo, and I'm perfectly happy with it, but since I'll have to give it up to get these new channels, I think I'll just switch to FIOS at that point. That's after about ten years with DTV, btw.
This is from the same network that still doesn't carry HBO Comedy.
Where does it say anywhere that they will "carry" 100 HD channels? Everything I've seen says that they will have the "capacity" to carry up to 100 HD channels. But I do agree, I think a lot of those 100 channels will include the sport packages too.
Why not THE GOLF CHANNEL.
They rsponded to my question last year as to when they would go HD and the said early 2007.
Rob
i understand the importance of having HD channells, even dish is missing a hand full of good ones. but it has to come down to the hardwarde (receiver) at some point. I just switched to Dish from DirecTV and the 622 is leaps and bounds ahead of anything DirecTV ever tried to create or resell.
plus didn't Dish have a big meeting in Dallas this past week announcing two (and one delayed sea launch) new birds going up in the sky by years end? not that Dish doesn't already have space left on the dozens of birds already flying
I was one of the original DirecTV HD subscribers. I gave it up because there just was not enough good HD content. Tons of repeat programs. I am tired of hearing that DirecTV will have 100 channels by the end of the year. What DirecTV promises and delivers are two different things.
DirecTv could have had a lot more capacity for HD but they chose to use their satellite space for local HD. Who cares about local HD? Very few stations are doing anything but carrying the national HD feed. There is almost no local originated HD maaterial. What a waste of bandwidth. I always thought DTv should carry the network national feeds separately and keep the locals in standard definition until there is enough local programming to justify local HD.
Mitchman is right about Swanni being very pro direcTV. I have a feeling he is going to be very disappointed at years end when DirecTV once again ends up delivering much less than they promised. I have yet to see any pricing for the new HD programming and hardware package.
Why does he say DirectTV carries approximatly 10 HD channels. WTF!!! Can't he count. Put the number of channels in as fact. How hard is that when you do a story. LAZY!!!
What will happen when they have the 100+ HD channels.
Will you still have to pay and keep the SD channels?
Cus why would you want them
I have a hard time watching them now
Directv needs to a better job with NHL in HD
What Directv does well is market itself very well. It says they are best in customer service, so many believe it. It says it has the best HD, so many believe it. They want to charge me, as a customer, several hundreds to have in my house, not own, then pay each month for programming they don't improve, a HD DVR that only works part of the time. Did I mention the 6 months it takes to have the opportunity to have one installed.
There is a perception that Directv is on the leading edge with all these things, programming, customer care, HD, service. All I can say is if that is true, Dish Network and every other cable or internet provider must be dismal at best.
Years ago yes. Not now. They have forgotten what got them where they are. They promise, then don't deliver. What about being ahead of the curve for a change. Oh yeah, they treat their installers like dirt as well. I even looked into working for them, what a joke.
And what about the west coast time feeds of HBO, Show, ,etc., etc. We have turned off these premium channels on Directv because by the time we want to watch something, only the late night low quality stuff is on in HD and we won't (can't) watch the standard channels anymore. A decent HD DVR might solve this, but even that requires forethought...
This is an issue I haven't seen discussed. All the HD channels are the east coast timings and the is very discouraging for HD people out here on the left coast.
Who the heck cares about watching Trinity in HD?
we need more movie networks. more HBO, Cinemax, the movie channel, Starz in HD.
no WB? er, i mean, CW?
You are forgeting a few channels
see here
http://www.hdtvtechno.com/dbslineup.htm
We switched from Comcast to DTV a few years ago...MUCH better! I haven't gotten HD yet becasue of the limited content, and I'm with some of you here who say to see it to believe it. When it happens-I'm on it! The list of 22 or so is good enough for me ( I just wish they had my locals in HD-national feed or not...but I'm sure by then they may).
Plus they're quicker to add new networks/channels then most. I LOVE DTV...so far.
I live in the country with no chance of ever getting cable and I'm still amazed at what I can get through a small satellite dish. It is great to live in America and have two companies competing against each other so we can bicker about which one is better. Mean while, the competition makes both companies better and better. God Bless America and the 21 century.
Dish Network will be adding many more channels and will continue to be a better value. Out
Momma says she invented HD
One major headache is the act of congress and there founding fathers prohibiting recording hd content of networks and movie channels. HBO feels some possible lawsuit. What about our recording rights to hd content. The democrats and the republicans our wasting tax dollars and time taking our rights away. Senator Diane Feinstein standing behind many bill including the perform act.. I rest assure president G.W. Bush sign the bill and lawsuit happen, and we all pay much more for our service bust or broke..
I hope Charlie Ergen can guarrantee FREE HD PROGRAMS WITH STANDARD DEF.. To pay $10, $20, or $30 more is redic...
I agree w/Tim. We have more channels than we could ever want, and we complain it's not enough.
AND, DIRECTV has stated that they will not increase the cost of their HD package when the new channels go up. I'm sticking w/them. $9.99 w/DIRECTV vs. $20 w/Dish...no dilemma there.
It seems that many are complaining about hardware and not content. To me it is very simple. I agree that the new HD-DVR unit is not nearly as nice as Tivo units, but I can handle it for the additional programming Directv offers. Directv has the best options with programming. Nothing is better than NFL Sunday Ticket and since they are the only ones that have it, they have me as a customer. The addition of the HD channels will be great to have.
I've been with directv almost 12 yrs. and I have owned 7 receivers,I didn'T have any trouble with any of them,and now I pay $126.00 for a directv one and they say I am leasing it,with 90 days warranty,It looks to me like if I am leasing thier stuff they should have to keep it working,I have the h20-100 receiver and it ain't worked right yet,and I've had it about two wks.I waited six mo. before I bought it,to give them time to get the bugs out of it,but they don't have them out yet,who ever they have making these things must not know what they are doing,I think they should go back to letting other companties make them!!!!! 0 bxxx
I had direct tv for about 8 years. I got tired of the limited HD offerings and switched to Sunflower cable. I had a heck of a time getting disconneced from dtv because I do not speak Indian. What ever happened to all the English speaking associates that use to work for dtv?
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