DIRECTV today said it will carry 70 High-Definition channels by the end of the third quarter and 100 channels by year's end.
The satcaster made the disclosure in an investors call today following the release of its second quarter financial report.
DIRECTV CEO Chase Carey said the company has carriage agreements with 90 high-def networks, but many of them have yet to officially launch channels.
“It looks like we have 20 or 30 channels that are going to need a couple of months to get an HD feed online, which is why we’ll grow from 70 to over 100 in those few months” Carey said.
I'm hoping this announcement and more like it will speed things up for Time Warner and others.
How long can the cable companies hold out before too many people like me finally jump ship?
My only hold-out to switch to Direct TV or Dish is the HD-DVR issue. I keep hearing troubling news about this service from these companies.
If I knew that I could have two working HD-DVRs in my house for a similar rate, as I do now with Time Warner, I'd really be looking to jump ship.
Any better news out there than what I'm hearing?
Treehugger
My personal experience is that the previous issues have been resolved with DirectTV's HD DVR. When it was initially installed, I did have "problems"... most notably the unit would freeze up, and I would have to reset.
Now however, after several software updates (which download at night from the satelite(s), any bugs have been removed.
I am quite happy with my HR20... and find it better organized that Time Warner's unit.
I can not wait for the new HD channels... and am counting down the days until they launch!
In responce to Treehugger make the switch.I have had Directv almost a full year and have hddvr box with dual tuner.this box beats comcast which,I had before.First it has 50hrs.hard drive space in hd,compared to cable with only 15 hrs.in hd .Even though cable offers on demand service it when, it works is no comparison to my Directv service.Also price wise no difference then what I was paying but,with all the new hd channels comming on line sept.I am glad I made the switch.I also have a hd box on my other set which, gives me the same great picture as the dvr box.Buttom line make the switch .
Can you have two HD-DVRs with Direct TV? I would think this is the case, but I'd like to make sure.
And can they use the existing wiring in your home?
If all this is true - A) the HD-DVRs in two rooms work great - B) Direct TV will have 70 HD channels very soon - C) Direct TV has the NFL Network HD - and D) the weather is not a factor with the dish --- then I may be sold.
And if all this is true and cable is slow to catch up, won't more and more people jump to the dish systems?
Treehugger
Hallelujah!
Will the channels be offered at full 1920x1080 resolution or will they still downrez them to 1280x1080 like they are currently doing with their national HD channels?
When will someone post the channel list?
I hope that DirecTV's video on demand is in HD. If not id doesn't seem to be worth the effort. Who will be watching standard definition? We simply will not pay for standard def.
Nice. I've been getting "we want you back" letters in the mail from Direct TV for about a month but I think I will continue with Dish Network. It seems that they have worked out the bugs in the VIP 622 HD receiver and now they are making it to where you can add an external hard drive via usb so you can record more HD programming. Of course regulars of Swanni already know that. Anyway, by direct going ahead with the new HD channels perhaps Dish will put their new channels on the fast track.
The thing folks need to remember, is that despite the new Ka-band sat(s) on DirecTV were ordered over 4 years ago, it wasn't until it got close to first (rocket) launch that the HD channel originators (from CNN to HBO) started coming 'out of the woodwork'. Not cable, not FIOS, were the 'instigators'. It took DirecTV. Without it, half the channels wouldn't exist in HD. And as to the questions posed by 'Treehugger', yes, with the SWM (single wire multiswitch) being deployed now, your pitiful 30+ year old RG59 'cable' coaxial installed in your home can be used to feed multiple twin-tuner DVR's (up to FOUR on one line, even much more with the MDU model). And weather? Lets see, last winter the Comcast cable was out for over 3 weeks in my cul-de-sac, neighbors still having problems 8 months later (Comcast trucks almost live on my street; might have something to do with only 2 homes still without satellite). The dish was 'out' for a total of 5 minutes while I went out and brushed the snow off. Too bad the 'planned' communities surrounding our little neighborhood BAN dishes and OTA antennas, FCC rules tossed out by State Supreme Court (they bought the argument that they 'impact' the home values)!
Arnold,
I can't stand homeowners associations. I've made it clear to our board that a ban on sat-dishes has been ruled out by the court.
I know several friends who have dishes and have told me that the weather, other than very, very heavy rains, is not an issue at all.
Of course, in really bad weather like that, my cable service goes out as well.
So here I am, closer to making the switch. The HD-DVR issues had been a hold-up for me. Some time back, I checked into making the switch to Direct TV, but they had a back-order setup on the boxes. That pushed me away.
Treehugger
The rug continues to be pulled out from DirectTV subscribers....Wouldn't surprise me if the number was only 50 by years end...
I've had a DirecTv HD receiver since June 2007, but 1 month ago I made the upgrade to DirecTv's HD DVR (HR20-700). So far, except for the fact that it doesn't allow me to auto-tune a programme - without recording, it's almost perfect.
I am looking forward to this Fall. Now I can record Heroes and watch 24 on Mondays - or vise versa.
Treehugger,
I've had DTV's HR20 (HDDVR) receiver for about five (5) months. Although it took me a while to be weaned off TiVo, now I really enjoy my HR20 and have had no problems with it.
Bryant, judging from what Ergen of Dish Network said, you may be waiting a very long time to get the number of HD channels with Dish that DirecTV will be offering very soon!!
im a directv subscriber, the other day i received an update in my H20 receiver, since then the image quality of my HD channels is not the same, is not as clear and vivid as before, i tried to fix it playing with my tv settings, but still the same, one example of this is that the faces used to be so clear, but now they look to bright. SWANNI, is this because of my tv, receiver, or is directv playing around with the signals????if anybody noticed the same feel free to email me. thanks...
I can only say that I haven't noticed any difference of late in the picture.
I love the HD programming by Directv, but why are they so secretive with everything they do or intend to do. It is almost the middle of September now, and still nothing at all on their website about the new channels that will be the first online. They brag at lot, but don't seem to be baking up their bragging. I get more infomation from Swanni predictions than anywhere........
Come on Directv, get your act together before my H20 Receiver and HD television become obsolete with some newer technology being developed already in Japan.....
I had DirecTv total choice for 9 years. When I first subscribed I had 97 channels, 65 or more channels which I never cared for but had to take just to recieve the channels that I did want. Over the years, the number of channels grew to about 140 & the monthly charge damn near tripled, but last year I cancelled DirecTv because I had over 105 channels that I didn't care for. So, who's total choice is it, it sure isn't mine? I since went to Dish network & that's even worse.
I think the satellite industry needs to make some drastic changes in their programming packages. e.g. Packages geared to music buffs, history, movies, news, lifestyle, whatever at $10.00/10 or 15 channels/package. I'm over 60 years old and I don't care for MTV, cartoons, disney & nickalodian, spanish channels, home shopping, XM or the 31 music channels, espn's. Maybe I'm set in my ways, but I don't care to pay for something that I'll never watch.
Even better, why not let the customer choose the channels they want?
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