DIRECTV rolls-out 4 more major DMAs with MPEG-4 LIL HD

[yukon]

If I have the 4 major networks out out of NY now, but I live in the Macon market, is there anyway to switch the networks so I can get the Atlanta networks instead of NY?

 

[hdtvtechno]

If I have the 4 major networks out out of NY now, but I live in the Macon market, is there anyway to switch the networks so I can get the Atlanta networks instead of NY?

yes just change your service address to an Atlanta Address
but as the local channels are on spot beams i dont know if you able to get them

 

[yukon]

So does it not matter about my phone line being plugged in to do that?

 

[hdtvtechno]

doesnt matter

 

[yukon]

I probably need to go ahead and get MPEG 4 box too right?? Since my goal is the Atlanta Locals in HD

 

[spartan]

Just got off the phone with customer service (Atlanta). I bought my own H-20 at Best Buy and they wanted to charge me $113 just to upgrade to 5LNB and $99 if I wanted them to install the H-20. By the time I got done the upgrade to 5LNB was free and they "threw in" the istall of the H-20. Hang tough and they will change prices.

 

[gwinchilla]

$49

I live in the philly area and just called to get the HD upgrade. The CSR said the charge was $99 for the upgrade.

I said that I heard the upgrade was free so he said that he would check into it. After sitting at his desk silent for about 20-30 seconds he said that he found something....he said that the Free offer was for the Detroit area and was only for a limited time. The current offer is $99, but he can offer me a $50 dollar discount.

So a new H20, New dish and installation for $49...Not bad.

 

[yukon]

This sucks.. Its gonna take a year for Macon's Local's to be lit. Thats crazy. Why does it take so long to roll out if the bird is in the air?

 

[f300v10]

This sucks.. Its gonna take a year for Macon's Local's to be lit. Thats crazy. Why does it take so long to roll out if the bird is in the air?

Because the 2 Spaceways can only handle about 500 channels. D* is working from biggest to smallest market, thus serving the most people first. The full 1500 local channel capacity will not be online until D* 10 and 11 are up. That is scheduled for 2007.

 

[tibber]

And remember that each local needs to be negotiated with the station owner, received by a new HD receiver or fibre link, transmitted via a new ground link or sat. retransmission link to the main uplink facility, then spotbeam configured on the sat. (Actually, the last one maybe the easiest with these new Spaceways.) Lots of work, new equipment, and long leadtimes for some of this stuff.

Obviously, D* has been working on each station owner for some time, and part of Directv8's job maybe the retransmission, and then D* has been working with Level3 for fibre capacity across the country. So they ain't been sittin' still.

Hope you can get some OTA until then,
Tom

 

[yukon]

nope no over the air from where I live. What if I so called move to Atlanta and put my billing address the same. What I need to do to do that?? Just order the H20 upgrade and then change all my addresses??

 

[Fgsilva]

Is this for sure or just a guess?

Directv HR20-250 Mpeg 4 DVR
Available January 2006
also will have onscreen caller id feature

 

[hdtvtechno]

I dont know, i just passing along what LonghornXP has said in his posts

 

[jammy]

I live in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. I just called d* yesterday and the guy in installation informed me that upgrade to a 5-lnb satellite dish for local hd is not scheduled until mid-2006. As Dallas is one of the major markets, I find this hard to believe!

There was another email in here claiming that the upgrade for Dallas was due the week of December 8th 2005. Who is right?

 

[tibber]

Jammy, welcome to the forums!

As you will see reading many of these pages, don't trust the first CSR you talk to at D*, even the guys in installation. While I'm a happy D* customer, their call center training is pretty abysmal. (Ok, very abysmal.) Dallas is very soon and likely December 8.

Cheers,
Tom

 

[jammy]

Tibber

Thank you for the welcome and your response to my query.

I shall be waiting with bated breath to see what happens on December 8th.

I hope that the wait is worth it!

 

[ocnier]

I live in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. I just called d* yesterday and the guy in installation informed me that upgrade to a 5-lnb satellite dish for local hd is not scheduled until mid-2006. As Dallas is one of the major markets, I find this hard to believe!

There was another email in here claiming that the upgrade for Dallas was due the week of December 8th 2005. Who is right?

I also might advise to not be too quick to switch either, considering the issues with OTA diplexing and the fact that you lose your distant net feeds. I recomment you wait a few months even if the roll out is the 8th of December.

 

[newsposter]

Has anyone gotten the philly install yet? Just curious how it compares to ota

 

[Smthkd]

I also might advise to not be too quick to switch either, considering the issues with OTA diplexing and the fact that you lose your distant net feeds. I recomment you wait a few months even if the roll out is the 8th of December.

Thats intersting! I just got my new 5 LNB dish and two H20 receivers and all my National East feeds are still on! (88 FoxEHD and 86 ABCEHD)!

 

[chewwy420]

From what I herd you will not lose your distant network feeds until everyone in your DMA get converted to the new MPEG4 (per FCC I think I read somewhere else). and even then they may leave it up for a while incase some problems come up.