# DIRECTV Announces Next 24 Markets to Receive High-Definition Local Channels



## lee espinoza (Aug 21, 2002)

DIRECTV Announces Next 24 Markets to Receive High-Definition Local Channels in Spring 2006; Local HD Markets Will Total 36, Representing More Than 58 Percent of U.S. Television Homes
EL SEGUNDO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 22, 2006--Continuing to widely expand its local high-definition (HD) programming services, DIRECTV, Inc. (NYSE: DTV), the nation's leading digital television service provider, today named the next 24 U.S. markets that will receive local HD programming.

Beginning in April of this year, DIRECTV will roll out the first of the 24 new markets, offering HD programming from the four primary broadcast networks -- ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC. Customers with the appropriate DIRECTV HD receiving equipment, who subscribe to a programming package that includes local channels, will receive both the standard and HD signals at no extra monthly charge.

The 24 local markets to receive HD programming include:

Baltimore
Minneapolis, Minn.
Birmingham, Ala.
Nashville, Tenn.
Charlotte, N.C.
Orlando, Fla.
Cleveland
Phoenix
Columbus, Ohio
Pittsburgh
Denver
Raleigh, N.C.
Fresno, Calif.
Sacramento, Calif.
Hartford, Conn.
Salt Lake City
Indianapolis
San Diego
Kansas City, Mo./Kan.
Seattle
Miami
St Louis, Mo.
Milwaukee, Wisc.
West Palm Beach, Fla.

"The expansion of local HD programming is one of the cornerstones of our brand strategy to provide the best entertainment experience for DIRECTV's customers and sets us apart from our competition," said Dan Fawcett, executive vice president, DIRECTV, Inc. "With the rollout of 24 new local HD markets, we will offer access to DIRECTV-delivered local HD programming to 58 percent of U.S. television homes. We expect to expand our HD local coverage to even more markets later this year."

DIRECTV currently offers standard-definition local channels in 141 markets, covering nearly 94 percent of television households in the country, as well as 12 HD local channel markets, including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Tampa and Washington, D.C. With the launch of two new satellites -- DIRECTV 10 and DIRECTV 11 -- in 2007, DIRECTV will have the ability to deliver more than 1,500 local HD and digital channels and 150 national HD channels, in addition to new advanced programming services for customers.

All DIRECTV local HD programming is being transmitted via MPEG-4 AVC, the new standard in digital video compression and advanced modulation that more than doubles the efficiency of DIRECTV's capacity.

Customers can receive local HD channels by purchasing the new H20 HD receiver and a satellite dish that has the ability to receive programming from five different orbital locations and Ka-band signals. Through Feb. 28, DIRECTV is offering new and existing customers a $200 mail-in rebate on the purchase of a DIRECTV HD Receiver. (Limit one rebate per account.) Receiving equipment is available at major consumer electronics retailers like Best Buy and Circuit City, and through DIRECTV.

About DIRECTV, Inc.

DIRECTV, Inc. is the nation's leading digital television service provider with more than 15 million customers. DIRECTV and the Cyclone Design logo are registered trademarks of DIRECTV, Inc. DIRECTV (NYSE: DTV) is a world-leading provider of digital multichannel television entertainment services. DIRECTV is approximately 34 percent owned by News Corporation.

CONTACT: DIRECTV, Inc.
Robert Mercer, 310-726-4683
[email protected]

SOURCE: DIRECTV, Inc.

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Statements in this press release regarding The DIRECTV Group, Inc.'s business which are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of such risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report or Form 10-K for the most recently ended fiscal year.

http://phoenix.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=127160&p=IROL-news


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## jaym (Sep 17, 2003)

now if they only had an HD DVR to accept these signals this might be worth something.


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## disco (Mar 27, 2000)

So, are they going by the list given there? Meaning, first Baltimore, then Minneapolis, etc. etc.? 

Happy to see they're finally announcing more HD markets...Dish is about to announce more, too....they've said Minneapolis in the first 5, and they have four markets now with HD locals (New York, LA, Chicago & Nashville). So, Minneapolis has to be any day now...


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## jmace57 (Nov 30, 2002)

I'm really confused.

I live in the Houston, TX area. The DirecTV website says that HD is available for local channels in my area.

But - is that only for the HD receiver...and not the HD-DVR?

Their site says:


> DIRECTV now offers locals in HD in select makets. Click here to see if locals in HD are available from DIRECTV in your area. If DIRECTV offers locals in HD in your market you will need a H20 model DIRECTV HD Receiver that is MPEG - 4 capable and 5 LNB satellite dish that is ka/ku compatible.
> <unquote>
> 
> Then you look at the HD-DVR section and they talk about you picking up local HD thru an OTA antenna.
> ...


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## gregstud (Jun 12, 2002)

jmace57 said:


> I'm really confused.
> 
> I live in the Houston, TX area. The DirecTV website says that HD is available for local channels in my area.
> 
> ...


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## Lee L (Oct 1, 2003)

Woo-hoo, Raleigh is on the list, now I can finally get my HD Locals. 

D'oh, thats right, I have been getting them via a strange technology called "over the air antenna" in perfect clarity (well, as perfect as the channels will put out) since 2001.


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## dswallow (Dec 3, 2000)

jmace57 said:


> I'm really confused.
> 
> I live in the Houston, TX area. The DirecTV website says that HD is available for local channels in my area.
> 
> ...


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## Billy66 (Dec 15, 2003)

Lee L said:


> D'oh, thats right, I have been getting them via a strange technology called "over the air antenna" in perfect clarity (well, as perfect as the channels will put out) since 2001.


That's good for a lot of us. Even preferrable. But for others it simply isn't possible. This is good news for those customers and removes a barrier to entry for the subset that could receive them OTA but don't want the hassle.


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## Jon J (Aug 23, 2000)

They could have made this more confusing, but it would have take work.

Nashville gets locals...but not until April. However, the rebate deal applies only to receivers purchased by February 28 and not to a DVR which has yet to be developed.

Nowhere is the 5-LNB dish installation mentioned.

For some reason I have a feeling Comcast is going to be the beneficiary of this.


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## Billy66 (Dec 15, 2003)

Jon J said:


> They could have made this more confusing, but it would have take work.
> 
> Nashville gets locals...but not until April. However, the rebate deal applies only to receivers purchased by February 28 and not to a DVR which has yet to be developed.
> 
> ...


It's not confusing at all. It's an announcement about the next 24 markets. It indicates when they will go up and it also says that users will need a different receiver and a dish that supports MPEG-4. What's confusing about that?

It wasn't about a DVR. Believe it or not, MOST users don't use them.

Re-read it and you'll see the dish was in fact mentioned. Maybe the confusion is coming from the thoroughness with which you read the release and not the release itself.


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## Jon J (Aug 23, 2000)

Billy66: Thanks for your kind remarks. I considered responding point by point but decided I'd just recommend you cut back on the coffee.


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## Billy66 (Dec 15, 2003)

Jon, if you're confused by all means break it down. I'm sure we can resolve any remaining questions that you have.


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## newsposter (Aug 18, 2002)

Lee L said:


> D'oh, thats right, I have been getting them via a strange technology called "over the air antenna"


I think a pic would have been appropriate here with many people not knowing about such a strange thing  I just hope the gov't doesn't jam our signals some day


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## morgantown (Mar 29, 2005)

Any news yet as to which birds will be providing the spot beams. Surely this has been mentioned numerous times... The reason for the question is I'm looking at moving to HD with the Pittsburgh locals when they come online. The installer seemed to think that a huge wide view would be required (trees, etc.) and claimed that I would not be able to get the locals.

My point is if I can get 101 and 119 are not the remaining birds relatively within that view? Yea, I know don't believe everything a CSR or installer says...


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## marktd (Jan 9, 2005)

Could someone who has them already (if anyone - I haven't really been following the MPEG-4 rollout) comment on how the MPEG-4 HD channels look? (Never mind the lack of any way to record them). In my market at least, the SD locals look quite horrible. I mean really, really bad... any SD programming for which image quality matters I watch over the air - for example trying to watch football is impossibe as you can't see the football and the players are just pixelated blobs. Same for the Olympics. (As a side note, and as has been said by many others in other threads, I initially switched to DirecTV eight years ago _because_ of the (then) high image quality). And now that I think about it - any speculation as to future HD image quality? Do they have adequate bandwidth for expansion or will we again see dramatic reductions in image quality as they add channels?

Thanks, 
Mark


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## dswallow (Dec 3, 2000)

morgantown said:


> Any news yet as to which birds will be providing the spot beams. Surely this has been mentioned numerous times... The reason for the question is I'm looking at moving to HD with the Pittsburgh locals when they come online. The installer seemed to think that a huge wide view would be required (trees, etc.) and claimed that I would not be able to get the locals.
> 
> My point is if I can get 101 and 119 are not the remaining birds relatively within that view? Yea, I know don't believe everything a CSR or installer says...


All HD local spot beams come from 99 and 103 degrees -- the Ka-band satellite locations. 110 and 119 are only needed for some of the HD national channels that are still MPEG-2.


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## HogarthNH (Dec 28, 2001)

morgantown said:


> My point is if I can get 101 and 119 are not the remaining birds relatively within that view? Yea, I know don't believe everything a CSR or installer says...


The important new birds are at 99 and 103.
If you can get 101, you should generally be OK, especially if you can get the 119 too.

H


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## morgantown (Mar 29, 2005)

Thanks Doug and H. That fits within my reasoning MUCH better.


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## Mark W (Dec 6, 2001)

Is the new HD-DVR definitely being developed off of the R15 code? When it comes out, should we expect the same machine/features with HD support?


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## lee espinoza (Aug 21, 2002)

Mark W said:


> Is the new HD-DVR definitely being developed off of the R15 code? When it comes out, should we expect the same machine/features with HD support?


you will have the same interface but the same machine/features that is unknow to me.


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## HogarthNH (Dec 28, 2001)

Mark W said:


> Is the new HD-DVR definitely being developed off of the R15 code? When it comes out, should we expect the same machine/features with HD support?


Yes, and I would, although hopefully with a few more bugs ironed out.
(They're all based off NDS XTV in the first place.)

H


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## Ereth (Jun 16, 2000)

I'm actually HAPPY that Jacksonville isn't on the list. That means my HDTivo continues to do everything for at least another year! No MPEG4 for me, thank you very much!


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