# Starz HD on DirecTV



## GrnBayViper (Aug 21, 2005)

I was at Radio Shack this week checking out antenna's for my OTA HD channels (Yes, I still can't seem to find a decent antenna that will work). They sell Dish Network there and see on the pamphlet that they have Starz HD. Does anyone have a clue when I can expect to get Starz HD from DirecTV?


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## stevecon (Apr 29, 2005)

GrnBayViper said:


> I was at Radio Shack this week checking out antenna's for my OTA HD channels (Yes, I still can't seem to find a decent antenna that will work). They sell Dish Network there and see on the pamphlet that they have Starz HD. Does anyone have a clue when I can expect to get Starz HD from DirecTV?


I don't know about Starz HD but I do know Stark Electronics has the Channel Master 4228 (look 1/4 - 1/3 down the page) for $50. This is an awesome performer for UHF / HD reception. I have one on my house and love it.

Check out this site for a ton of info and about as exact a way to pick an antenna as you'll ever need.

Good luck!


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## vertigo235 (Oct 27, 2000)

The 40" Yagi Antenna at Radio Shack works really well for me. It was only $25 too.


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## wmcbrine (Aug 2, 2003)

GrnBayViper said:


> Does anyone have a clue when I can expect to get Starz HD from DirecTV?


I'll put my money on Never. Second choice is, Whenever they start launching MPEG-4 nationals (i.e., it will never be on MPEG-2).


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## GrnBayViper (Aug 21, 2005)

I know the reason DirecTV can't add more HD channels is becuase of bandwith but, does cable have this problem too? It seem like just because DirecTV is dragging their feet on updating, I as the customer gets screwed over.


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## Guindalf (Jun 13, 2001)

Please tell me this is not another "I'm getting screwed by the man" thread!

No-one is getting "screwed over". D* Does not offer Starz HD, end of story. When they start, you'll know about it. It's YOUR choice what service you buy and watch. Just because one service does not offer what you want, it does not mean that they are screwing you. You have free will don't you? You can choose whether to have D*, Dish or cable, can't you? Choose the one that gives you what you want.

If it means giving up TiVo to get StarzHD, then that's your choice. Don't come on these boards and claim unfairness!

For the record, I'd like to see ALL channels avaialble in HD. But as it isn't happening, I don't come here and complain!


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## vertigo235 (Oct 27, 2000)

They should replace the NY and LA HD feeds with some more HD channels and move those to MPEG4, that should make room for at last 6 Channels right?


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## GrnBayViper (Aug 21, 2005)

I like Vertigo's thinking. Or maybe remove the mix channels. No one really watches those anyways I'm sure.


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## Rognish (May 17, 2005)

i could care less for stars-hd. that's only people who subscribe to stars. i would like to see more not subscription hd like scifi.


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## fastep (May 22, 2004)

Have starz hd (and cinemax HD) since switching to comcast and movie choices have quadrupled!! I will never understand how D* let the competition kick their butt like that. It is almost like they think they are the only game in town. Pretty dumb.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

Rognish said:


> i could care less for stars-hd. that's only people who subscribe to stars. i would like to see more not subscription hd like scifi.


Is there a SciFi HD channel available?


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## fastep (May 22, 2004)

dish is rumored to have secured starz, national geographic hd and HGtv Hd possibly by next month. Anyone else heard if this is true and whether D* or comcast plans to follow?


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## Smthkd (May 23, 2005)

Its true! As a matter of fact they have all ready been spotted uplinked on Dish's transponders. The following will be added: StarzHD, NGHD, HGTVHD and NFLHD (possible fulltime)!


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## newsposter (Aug 18, 2002)

GrnBayViper said:


> I know the reason DirecTV can't add more HD channels is becuase of bandwith but, does cable have this problem too? It seem like just because DirecTV is dragging their feet on updating, I as the customer gets screwed over.


yes cable does. In my local philly thread they are always saying stuff like (i'm making up the particulars of course): "hey is 202 sports net here in smith twp and are you guys in princeton getting that channel?.....hey they took off oln to give us 4 more shopping channels.....did you notice channel X is now on channel Y...i never got notified of it'

basically as bad as dtv sounds, they generally aren't switching channels around or adding/subtracting them as much as i hear those cable guys complaining..one day something is on an analog then an extended package and they are always changing stuff around....it seems nuts

so love em or hate em, DTVs stagnation at least doesn't make us chase around channels or wonder will we have them the next day


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## newsposter (Aug 18, 2002)

fastep said:


> Have starz hd (and cinemax HD) since switching to comcast and movie choices have quadrupled!! I will never understand how D* let the competition kick their butt like that. It is almost like they think they are the only game in town. Pretty dumb.


my tiny cable co also has all the premiums in HD..is embarrassing that DTV doesn't


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## cstelter (Mar 18, 2002)

GrnBayViper said:


> I know the reason DirecTV can't add more HD channels is becuase of bandwith but, does cable have this problem too? It seem like just because DirecTV is dragging their feet on updating, I as the customer gets screwed over.


I'd gladly give up the TNTHD bandwidth in favor of Starz. As it is, I dropped HBO & Starz and went NetFlix because I couldn't stand the SD on Starz and too many movies were only on Starz.

The thing that really saddened me was when I realized exactly how compressed the DirecTV signals must be. I never realized how great 480i could be until I started recording DVD's from HD content. Sending the HD content through S Video to DVD and then playing the DVD back via DVI on an upscaling player really opened my eyes as to how great 480i can look. It's not HD, but it's a whale of a lot better than what I had always thought was 480i (i.e. SD channels on DirecTV)

If the Starz SD channels looked as good as the DVD Playback, I'd have nothing to complain about. I'd probably even take 1/3 of the channels offered to get it. Since the DirecTivo's record ~1hr/GB, it would seem that if they just halved the channel offering and doubled the bandwidth on the remaining channels that we could enjoy a picture similar to what I can record at 2hr/4GB DVD. That would be like *wow* to all their customers on a picture quality level.


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## dhines (Aug 15, 2003)

cstelter said:


> I'd gladly give up the TNTHD bandwidth in favor of Starz.


will never happen because of TNT's NBA coverage.


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## Dick Kalagher (Jan 13, 2000)

I was in Costco today and picked up a Dish flyer. They list Starz HD as one of the channels.


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## cstelter (Mar 18, 2002)

dhines said:


> will never happen because of TNT's NBA coverage.


Good point-- I'm not a basketball fan and am really annoyed with the channel. I'll typically scan the 70-80 range for any good movies that may be on. TNT seems to have a number of good movies that always catch my eye, but then I have to recall that they're not commercial free, have been edited for content, and all together too often have the world worst 4:3 Expansion algorithm applied. I get sick watching folks heads go from skinny to fat to skinny again.


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## AbMagFab (Feb 5, 2001)

FIOS TV will save us all...


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## GrnBayViper (Aug 21, 2005)

I wish I could get it but I live in Green Bay, WI where we don't have anything as far as technology is concerned. So FIOS TV is not an option for me.

It is amazing though how much clearer OTA HD channels are than DirecTV HD channels. Maybe HD is before its time yet. All the cable companies and satellite companies just don't have the bandwith (technology) to get all the channels. More and more networks are going HD but no provider can give everyone all of them. 

I don't mean to sound like I'm b***ching but, as a consumer it is a little frustrating that we can't use our expensive technology that we paid for becuase of things like bandwith and so on. I know its not DirecTV's fault as other providers are in the same boat but something has to give. Get the Mpeg 4 going and add more channels and do some upgrades or something.


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## jamesbobo (Jun 18, 2000)

AbMagFab said:


> FIOS TV will save us all...


In NJ it's just about a done deal for Verizon to offer FIOS throughout the state. It could be here as early as Sept. Not that every inch of the state will be covered, but most areas.


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## fastep (May 22, 2004)

does anyone know if verizon fios works with cablecard? I read some time back that cablecard would not work with fios. Thanks.


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## Generic (Dec 27, 2005)

fastep said:


> does anyone know if verizon fios works with cablecard? I read some time back that cablecard would not work with fios. Thanks.


I have heard that some verizon offices have provided cablecard 1.0 to some customers. I don't know if that is true because Verizon is working on cablecard 2.0 and it should be out by the end of the year.


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## bgtimber75 (Jun 2, 2002)

fastep said:


> does anyone know if verizon fios works with cablecard? I read some time back that cablecard would not work with fios. Thanks.


Yeah I just got a Verizon Cablecard yesterday so I can confirm that they offer them. And yes they are the version 1.0

It's not something they advertise but my office at least offers them. Oh, and they have to send out a tech to install them which is a complete pain since that equates to a day of missed work. I think it's $3.99 per month, the same as the standard STB.


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