DirecTV to add 44 HD local markets (Updated with Launch Schedule)

[unclepoppy]

Toledo listed as a new market - but not listed in the Launch Schedule.

 

[jcrandall]

You're right, Toledo is the only one not on that schedule. I'll try to get clarifiation on why.

 

[Jimbo]

You're right, Toledo is the only one not on that schedule. I'll try to get clarifiation on why.

Thank you Jason,
Hopefully we will find it was just an ommision.

Jimbo

 

[RawisTheGameHhH]

When is Chicago going to add WCIU and UPN in HD; I can't watch the Sox games on WCIU standard def

 

[rad]

When is Chicago going to add WCIU and UPN in HD; I can't watch the Sox games on WCIU standard def

For WCIU there's two strikes against that happening soon. The 1st is that D*'s not been very fast with adding more then the four major networks in HD. Heck, they still haven't started to rollout the PBS HD channels that they announced and agreement on over 8 months ago. The 2nd strike is that WCIU is owned by Weigel Broadcasting and it looks like they're playing hardball with DirecTV on HD retransmission rights. Weigel also owns the CBS station in Milwaukee and D* doesn't have that HD channel up while they have the other three HD local networks going.

If you want WCIU that bad you might want to just bite the bullet and get an OTA setup.

 

[MattJ2124]

Maybe they bumped Toledo for Youngstown

 

[Jimbo]

Maybe they bumped Toledo for Youngstown

Don't know what they are thinking, you would think they would go by number of viewers, but I guess thats not the way they look at it.

Jimbo

 

[agregjones]

As has been stated numerous times, the size of the DMA does not necessarily indicate the relative number of DirecTV subscribers. A smaller DMA may have a disproportionately high number of DirecTV subscribers specifically because of fewer options from cable. A more rural area will have a smaller concentration of viewers in total but is much less likely to have cable as an option to all of them.

Going after customers (current or potential) that are not served by cable is a good bet. These are also customers that are much less likely to bail for a triple play option.

 

[MattJ2124]

That makes sense, Youngstown and Warren has a ton of smaller towns all around them, everytime you cross the street you are in a new zip code. Also, we have a ton of rural area's around us. The tech that put up my latest set up when I moved commented that this is one of the busiest areas he has worked and that they usually have to do six days a week to keep up with the demand....

 

[rob40wilson03]

2 newbie questions (im on a directv reconnaissance mission for my dad):

1) what does HD LIL stand for? (just my own curiosity)

2) my parents live in the Richmond, VA market, but live an hour away in Farmville... when the Richmond-Petersburg HD locals, will we definitely get them?


thanks, and i did some searching, so dont flame me too bad

 

[atp1313]

HD-LIL = High Definition Local-into-Local
In other words, if your local stations are carried by D* and broadcast in HD, you would get their HD signal through D* and not need an antenna. D* only carries the main 4 networks as HD-LIL right now in those markets where they are available. Eventually they will be adding PBS, and maybe later they might go back and add CW, WB, UPN, or whatever else you might be able to get via antenna now either as a direct channel or a sub-channel.

As for the range of the Richmond spot beam, I don't know the specific size, but I am on the fringe of the Augusta spot beam in Charleston, and they are over an hour away...and I am getting it at mid- to upper-70's signal strength. So I would imagine a larger city like Richmond would have at least that big a spot.

 

[CarAuto]

Couple items which I am hoping might still mean Toledo locals will be available in HD.

Last night for about a half an hour my locals when out. During that time Directv put up a message that stated we were given the national feeds during this service time.

I am hoping this might be them moving the locals to the new satellite. However I have nothing to prove this theory.

I also saw a report that lenawee county (where I live) in SE Michigan is going to be offered HD locals through comcast. Maybe this is because Directv finally is going to offer HD locals also.

Currently I have a second directv dish to pickup my locals I would love Directv to move them to the new satellite so I could take the small dish off my roof.

Anyone else experience the locals dropping last night around 9:30?

 

[vurbano]

norfolk in october.............

 

[rancidzombie79]

Couple items which I am hoping might still mean Toledo locals will be available in HD.

Last night for about a half an hour my locals when out. During that time Directv put up a message that stated we were given the national feeds during this service time.

I am hoping this might be them moving the locals to the new satellite. However I have nothing to prove this theory.

I also saw a report that lenawee county (where I live) in SE Michigan is going to be offered HD locals through comcast. Maybe this is because Directv finally is going to offer HD locals also.

Currently I have a second directv dish to pickup my locals I would love Directv to move them to the new satellite so I could take the small dish off my roof.

Anyone else experience the locals dropping last night around 9:30?

Yes, mine were also out last night in Perrysburg. Didn't really think much of it at the time, but I REALLY hope you're right!

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I just got this updated list...

Augusta , Ga.
Bangor , Maine
Baton Rouge , La
Beaumont-Port Arthur, Texas
Boise , Idaho
Burlington Vt.-Plattsburgh, N.Y.
Butte-Bozeman , Mont.
Champaign-Springfield-Decatur , Ill
Charleston , S.C.
Chattanooga , Tenn.
Colorado Springs-Pueblo, Colo
Columbia-Jefferson City , Mo.
Davenport , Iowa-Rock Island, Ill., Moline, Ill
Dayton , Ohio
Des Moines-Ames , Iowa

Dothan , Ala.
El Paso , Texas
Evansville , Ind.
Fort Smith , Ark.
Fort Wayne , Ind.
Greenville-New Bern-
Washington, N.C.
Harlingen-Brownsville , Texas
Harrisonburg , Va.
La Crosse-Eau Claire, Wis.
Little Rock-Pine Bluff, Ark.
Lincoln-Hastings, Neb.
Macon, Ga.
Mobile AL-Pensacola, Fla.
Myrtle Beach-Florence, S.C.
Norfolk-Newport News, Va.

Palm Springs , Calif.
Peoria-Bloomington , Ill.
Richmond-Petersburg , Va.
Rockford , Ill.
Rochester , N.Y.
Savannah , Ga.
Sioux Falls , S.D.
South Bend-Elkhart, Ind.
Springfield-Holyoke , Mass.
Syracuse , N.Y.
Tallahassee , Fla.
Toledo , Ohio
Traverse City-Cadillac, Mich.
Youngstown , Ohio

 

[VMI90]

Hopefully someone from Augusta, GA.; Chattanooga, Tenn.; Lincoln-Hastings, Neb.; Rochester, N.Y. will let us know when they get them and how/if they were notified. Those are the cities slated for this month.

 

[Mr.HoggLegg]

Does D* serve the local markets of Columbus GA and Montgomery AL

Hey O!
I'm not a D* subscriber; but will be sometime later (hoping to be by September, just waiting on Ship to arrive at the dock, my Boats keep sinking in the Harbor!)
What I would like to find out is whether Columbus GA and Montgomery AL local channels are offered in those areas.
The reason being, I'm an hour and 15minutes from Columbus GA and I'm an hour and a half from Montgomery AL.
I'm a mere 45 minutes away from Dothan AL.
So, quite naturally, I'm interested in receiving Local Channels if offered.
Also, Dothan AL only has 1 TV Station (ABC). Another town (Ozark AL) has 1 TV Station (FOX); Just wondering if that station will be included in the upcoming Local Channel Addition for Dothan AL.
Sorry for being so long winded. That happens to be a character flaw of mine. LOL!
Thanx ... Hope everyone has a Blessed Evening!

 

[atp1313]

Hopefully someone from Augusta, GA.; Chattanooga, Tenn.; Lincoln-Hastings, Neb.; Rochester, N.Y. will let us know when they get them and how/if they were notified. Those are the cities slated for this month.

I am in Charleston (about 100-125 miles from Augusta) and just yesterday starting seeing mid-70's on a couple of spotbeam transponders on the new bird (1 and 5 I think it was). Charleston is not set for HD-LIL until October, but Augusta might be on now (or will be soon). Or these could be spots from Columbia, but they are either not on the upcoming list or are already in HD on another sat. I am just about as close to either and no other markets in my major geographic area are scheduled until September (Myrtle Beach). So maybe that is the good sign you are looking for.

 

[brauchtw]

I live in Chattanooga, TN and was wondering if anyone has an exact date for the locals to go live and if we will be receiving all 4 major networks. I know that Dish only has CBS and FOX.

 

[MattJ2124]

Youngstown, OHIO--my locals went out as well last night and just like you guys they gave me the national channels until they came back on, I too have a second dish to pick up my locals, I wonder if that has anything to do with it???????