NASA Mandatory HD Upgrade?

[raoul5788]

WTF?
I have directvHD, HD access and I don't see it. Why HD and HD access for a public access SD channel? DirecTV is starting to look like Dish.

Do you have a favorites list set up without NASA in it?

 

[hvcomputech]

Do you have a favorites list set up without NASA in it?

No, my favorites includes NASA which I was watching last night past midnight. All I see now is the "NASA moved" message on the screen.

 

[JerseyMatt]

WTF?
I have directvHD, HD access and I don't see it. Why HD and HD access for a public access SD channel? DirecTV is starting to look like Dish.

When they did whatever they did, it knocked 289 out of your custom channel list. You have to go in and re-add it.

IMO they should do this to all SD channels. Get rid of all of the MPEG-2 SD feeds and move them to MPEG-4 (just delete the SD duplicates altogether), recall all the old equipment (have the HD > SD downconversion done by the boxes), and it'll free up bandwidth for more HD.

 

[JerseyMatt]

No, my favorites includes NASA which I was watching last night past midnight. All I see now is the "NASA moved" message on the screen.

I see it just fine. I had to re-add it to my list, but it's showing Russian Mission Control right now.

 

[hvcomputech]

I see it just fine. I had to re-add it to my list, but it's showing Russian Mission Control right now.

You da man! Thanks!!!

 

[Joe Diamond]

How about NASA editing their feed?

They could trim years of guys watching screens while expaining, with HD pics, what went on out there. They could have segments on the qualifictions of their tech, needs for additional folks & job placement for the several thousanf they just kicked under the bus.

Directv could eat these costs...just because!

Joe

 

[tvropro]

IMO they should do this to all SD channels. Get rid of all of the MPEG-2 SD feeds and move them to MPEG-4 (just delete the SD duplicates altogether), recall all the old equipment (have the HD > SD downconversion done by the boxes), and it'll free up bandwidth for more HD.

They should do that but there are too many SD boxes out there and Direct won't eat the cost. Isn't the new guy in charge trying to trim fat and make more profits? At some point in time they will need to get rid of all SD. Unfortunately that by the time they do it fiber penetration may be to that point that Direct & Dish will be going out of business as satellite tv providers. History will repeat itself as technology marches on.

The timeline is this who is king. C Band >> DBS >> Fiber >> New technology.

C band still hangs in there and progresses in other ways because its got a hobbiest following. DSS is not a hobby, its another version of Cable so when its done it's done.

 

[tvropro]

How about NASA editing their feed?

They could trim years of guys watching screens while expaining, with HD pics, what went on out there. They could have segments on the qualifictions of their tech, needs for additional folks & job placement for the several thousanf they just kicked under the bus.

Directv could eat these costs...just because!

Joe

Nasa has other channels besides the Mission Control channel that you see with Direct. These show some interesting programs. Direct could provide those if they wanted.

 

[raoul5788]

DSS is not a hobby, its another version of Cable so when its done it's done.

Now where have I heard that before?

 

[JerseyMatt]

They should do that but there are too many SD boxes out there and Direct won't eat the cost. Isn't the new guy in charge trying to trim fat and make more profits? At some point in time they will need to get rid of all SD. Unfortunately that by the time they do it fiber penetration may be to that point that Direct & Dish will be going out of business as satellite tv providers. History will repeat itself as technology marches on.

The timeline is this who is king. C Band >> DBS >> Fiber >> New technology.

C band still hangs in there and progresses in other ways because its got a hobbiest following. DSS is not a hobby, its another version of Cable so when its done it's done.

It would be helpful if they'd STOP INSTALLING IT!

I highly doubt anything would put DBS out of business. Fiber penetration means nothing. I have fiber to my house (the telco migrated their entire system to FTTH a few years ago) which is great for the internet, but their TV offering sucks. It's almost as bad as the digital cable offering, both of them are worse than Dish as far as equipment fees, and neither one of them has Center Ice. Directv is a much better deal even after the rebates expire.

 

[tvropro]

Trust me DBS has a lifespan and will run its course. Fiber has the bandwidth that will kill satellite even in the commercial game eventually. All dishes will be bird baths.

 

[mdram]

Trust me DBS has a lifespan and will run its course. Fiber has the bandwidth that will kill satellite even in the commercial game eventually. All dishes will be bird baths.

only if they get off thier duffs and put fiber in rural areas
as long as rural america has no other choice dbs will be around

 

[tvropro]

only if they get off thier duffs and put fiber in rural areas
as long as rural america has no other choice dbs will be around

If the bottom line drops below a certain point and the majority of subs from the fibered area take away numbers from DBS they will go under & drop rural America in a heartbeat. It's all about numbers and profit. Just look at C band and what happened as numbers dwindled. History will repeat itself.

 

[JerseyMatt]

only if they get off thier duffs and put fiber in rural areas
as long as rural america has no other choice dbs will be around

Psst.. I am in rural america.. Where tiny towns with double digit populations are separated by miles of corn fields and cow pasture. The phone and cable companies here have fiber infrastructure that would shame some major metropolitan areas. Hell in a town with three roads, two businesses on Main Street, no post office, and population 142 I can get 50/50Mbps internet from not one but TWO different companies, plus we have access to 4G wireless through another company. Like I said though, their fee structure on TV and equipment is a whole other story (it's very similar to Dish, which hikes the price steeply if you have multiple TVs). But trust me, we HAVE choices.

 

[mdram]

Psst.. I am in rural america.. Where tiny towns with double digit populations are separated by miles of corn fields and cow pasture. The phone and cable companies here have fiber infrastructure that would shame some major metropolitan areas. Hell in a town with three roads, two businesses on Main Street, no post office, and population 142 I can get 50/50Mbps internet from not one but TWO different companies. But like I said, their fee structure on TV is a whole other story.

nice for you, i cant get cable, fios, or dsl. and there are others in the same situation
10% of the us cant get broadband
Broadband map shows up to 10% in U.S. lack good Internet - USATODAY.com

 

[JerseyMatt]

Only "up to" 10%? I honestly thought that number wouldve been higher. That means 90+ percent has it. That's a pretty good number. And looking at that map, MD looks like it's pretty solidly covered.. Oh and that map doesn't figure in satellite. You could always use that.

 

[Joe The Dragon]

also I-guide used on lot's of cable boxes sucks. also fios with all it's bandwidth does not have the BIG TEN HD overflows, VS HD ALT, only has the very limited in HD cable ver of MLB EI, NBA LP, and NHL CI.

 

[Joe The Dragon]

It would be helpful if they'd STOP INSTALLING IT!

I highly doubt anything would put DBS out of business. Fiber penetration means nothing. I have fiber to my house (the telco migrated their entire system to FTTH a few years ago) which is great for the internet, but their TV offering sucks. It's almost as bad as the digital cable offering, both of them are worse than Dish as far as equipment fees, and neither one of them has Center Ice. Directv is a much better deal even after the rebates expire.

also some systems like ATT U-Verse force you to BUY STARS AND SHOWTIME to get MLB network (not also in sports pack), NBA TV (not also in sports pack), , Reelz Channel, Fox Business Network, NASA, Planet Green, Discovery Fit & Health, Centric, and others. Spotrs pack to get NHL netowrk, CBS Sports Network, Tennis Channel and others.

on D* I can get all of that on choice extra.

 

[Andrewwski]

The "nasa" channel should be going the way of the dodo entirely after next month anyway, if you follow the space program you know what I am refering to already, there will be no purpose to a 24/7 "nasa" channel except to further delay and for deadwood at the top to continue to collect a paycheck for sitting around doing nothing like they have already been doing unchecked for the last decade. Just more government waste. See my location.

NASA does a whole hell of a lot more than shuttle. And it's not all "government waste." NASA does a lot, and while like any government program it does have inefficiencies, it's invaluable.

Look at today's announcement about Mars. Some sort of liquid is flowing on Mars, and there's a chance it may be water. That's huge.

And thanks DirecTV...forcing customers to pay for an HD package to get a SD channel that you pay nothing for? That sounds like a giant scam. I understand taking it off SD satellites, but charging people with the proper equipment to receive it? That's wrong.

Thankfully, NASA has a nice Ustream broadcast of NASA HD for free. And it looks pretty decent.

 

[cypherstream]

Since the move to MPEG4, the SD picture quality of NASA looks much better. I was switching back and forth between it and other SD channels. It's quite an improvement since MPEG4 is much more efficient. DirecTV bit starves all of their SD, and at MPEG2 it's really noticeable.

I'm sure they moved NASA TV, as well as God TV and those few others because they are low watched channels in the grand scheme of things. Perhaps DirecTV is testing the waters by slowly moving these lesser viewed networks.

Now that DirecTV keeps adding customers and they are up to 30 million, its going to be even harder to migrate to MPEG4. The more SD stuff they put out there, the more stuff to replace! The fact they still install SD equipment shows there are no plans to do a big migration. Maybe a few channels here and there, and maybe certain tiers or packages will eventually go, but I don't see any of the first three "Choice" packages migrating to MPEG4.

Unless they release some kind of MPEG4 to MPEG2 converter box that sits between each SD receiver like a B-Band converter or Deca kit. Not sure if that would even be possible. Resources better spent in just replacing the old SD receivers.