# Fox Sports in HD on 95?



## vdubuclet (Jul 20, 2003)

FSSW is showing Dallas vs Denver on 643. Channel 95 has Dallas vs Denver in HD. When I tune to 95 is says "not available in your area". I call D*TV and they say that the FSN affiliate showing the game in HD is not my Fox sports affiliate. Why would one Fox sports channel have the game in HD it not be available to the other affiliate? It seems if they are broadcasting the game in HD, I pay for the HD package and the game is showing on the same network I should be able to watch it. Arggh


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## SevronD (May 8, 2004)

I had a similar experience today, but with FSN Bay Area HD (San Francisco Bay Area). I actually was watching the Dallas vs. Denver game on D*TV on channel 95 in HD (sorry vdub!) while I waited for the San Jose Sharks game to come on in HD on ch. 95. It was listed in the guide on ch. 95 but when Sharks gametime came, it blacked out! I had to watch it on FSN Bay Area *NON* HD on ch. 654.

Channels 654 and 95 are FSN Bay Area and FSN Bay Area HD. I don't understand why they would black out the HD. I pay for local channels. I pay for HD. Why can I not receive the game in HD when it's on the other channel??? On the non-HD channel they even remarked that the game is being broadcast in HD. Yeah? Too bad you won't let me view it.

Anyone know why this is? D*TV has given me the runaround before that the NHL themselves restricts viewing, of which I'm skeptical.


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## ssandhoops (Feb 23, 2002)

Channel 95 is not dedicated to any specifc Fox regional network. What you see on channel 95 is the HD feed from whatever network is originating the broadcast. In this case, channel 95 was most likely carrying the FSN Rocky Mountain broadcast. Consequently, only folks who normally get FSN Rocky Mountain or subscribers to the Center Ice package would be able to view 95.


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## bonscott87 (Oct 3, 2000)

ssandhoops said:


> Channel 95 is not dedicated to any specifc Fox regional network. What you see on channel 95 is the HD feed from whatever network is originating the broadcast. In this case, channel 95 was most likely carrying the FSN Rocky Mountain broadcast. Consequently, only folks who normally get FSN Rocky Mountain or subscribers to the Center Ice package would be able to view 95.


Exactly. Same thing happened to me earlier in the year when the Red Wings vs. Kings game. It was on 95 but because it was a Kings home game the feed they used was Fox Sports West and thus because my RSN is Fox Sports Detroit I was blacked out so I had to watch the SD version on 636.

Basically it's like this:
If the feed used on 95 is a feed you normally would not be blacked out for then you'll get it on 95.
If the feed is from an RSN that you *are* blacked out for then it will be blacked out.
Only exception is if you subscribe to Center Ice and hope they don't mess it up.

Same rules will apply for the NBA.

You can thank the NHL and the NBA for these rules. DirecTV certainly doesn't want to mess with blackouts, it's not only a pain for us but a pain for them as well.

Typically the feed on 95 will be the feed from the home team.


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## SevronD (May 8, 2004)

So a helpful "Tim" from D* called me back this morning (Sunday!). Point for good customer service. He said in the future, Sharks games for me will be only on ch. 96. Actually, he said a number of things, some of which conflicted with each other:

- There are 3 'alternate' HD channels offered by D* : 95, 96, 97.
- Ch. 96 and 97 can be received only with "new" equipment (at least a 5 LNB dish).
- Future broadcasts of FSN HD Sharks games will be on ch. 96 (even tho my guide says 95).
- I won't ever receive ch. 96 or 97 without an upgrade to a 5 LNB dish (have HR10-250 w/3LNB).
- A message '727' means 'Blackout because the league says so'.
- NHL Center Ice does not have any HD feeds (guess I'm glad I don't have that).

and the conflict that stumped him was:
- The HD version was likely blacked out by the NHL, not D*, but...
- But, he could not explain why I *was* allowed to see it on 654 (FSN BA).

He could not tell me why the Sharks game could not be put onto 95, but ssandhoops' explanation makes sense. The screen was black and I think it said "PROGRAM NOT AVAILABLE IN YOUR AREA", even though the guide said it should be HD hockey. It did not make sense to Tim that the NHL would only blackout the HD version (the game was sold-out, so should not have been blacked out anywhere).

He said the next step is to wait for the next game that will be on both FSN BA and FSN BA HD and then call them back. They'll then be able to figure out why I cannot see the game in HD, even though I can see it in SD. However, it seems ssandhoops may already know 

Was anyone able to watch hockey on ch. 95 at 8pm - 10pm (Pacific time) last night??? It was black for me.

Oh, had to take 1/2 customer-service point away at the end since he tried to forward me to the Installation Department and it hung me up (do they really work on Sundays??).

Is the 5 LNB dish all I need, or do I need a new box too (I still haven't talked to the Installation Dept)?


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## bonscott87 (Oct 3, 2000)

95 is just a "best of" channel. They take this and that in HD from the NHL, NBA and NFL Network. it's really a crapshoot as to what games will be shown on 95 and can even change the day of.

96 and 97 are MPEG4 only available with the 5LNB dish and an H20 or HR20. HD games only are shown here, but only in certain areas right now.

Like mentioned above, the game on 95 was NOT from FSN BA but from a different FSN, thus why it was blacked out to you.


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## PhysicalPresence (Jun 24, 2006)

You're telliing me that Nashville's FSN sent an HD truck all the way cross country. VERY UNLIKELY!! Most regionals only show their teams home games in HD. It's too cost prohibitive to secure an HD truck for road games, especially across country.

Center ice almost always shows the home teams feed as part of the package. The Sharks were at home, which means Center Ice probably showed their feed for the package. I'm not absolutely sure about that because I'm in the Sharks' home market and as such, I have to watch their feed regardless of what Center Ice is showing. However, if Center Ice is showing the Sharks' feed, there's no reason that they should black out the HD feed on 95(assuming that it's FSN Bay Area's feed).


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## bwaldron (Mar 16, 2003)

PhysicalPresence said:


> You're telliing me that Nashville's FSN sent an HD truck all the way cross country. VERY UNLIKELY!! Most regionals only show their teams home games in HD. It's too cost prohibitive to secure an HD truck for road games, especially across country.
> 
> Center ice almost always shows the home teams feed as part of the package. The Sharks were at home, which means Center Ice probably showed their feed for the package. I'm not absolutely sure about that because I'm in the Sharks' home market and as such, I have to watch their feed regardless of what Center Ice is showing. However, if Center Ice is showing the Sharks' feed, there's no reason that they should black out the HD feed on 95(assuming that it's FSN Bay Area's feed).


The HD feed of that game on 95 was from FSN South, not Bay Area. Surprising, but true.


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## bonscott87 (Oct 3, 2000)

bwaldron said:


> The HD feed of that game on 95 was from FSN South, not Bay Area. Surprising, but true.


And thus only those authorized to get FSN South would get that game on 95.


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## bwaldron (Mar 16, 2003)

bonscott87 said:


> And thus only those authorized to get FSN South would get that game on 95.


Yes--and Center Ice folks, which is how I got to see it. Folks in the Sharks-claimed viewing area would have been blacked out, regardless of Center Ice status.


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## bwaldron (Mar 16, 2003)

bonscott87 said:


> And thus only those authorized to get FSN South would get that game on 95.


Yes (and Center Ice folks, which is how I got to see it). As you note, those in the Sharks-claimed viewing area would have been blacked out, regardless of Center Ice status.


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## gregl (Mar 13, 2001)

Does anybody know what feed was on ch 95 for last night's (Dec 21) Dallas vs. Sharks game? I had my HR20 set to record it, but it didn't and says "Cancelled" in the history page. If it was the Dallas feed, then I can understand why ch 95 was blacked out because this game was also covered in HD for the bay area. Also ch 96-97 did not list the game in the guide and I was not home to check if the local FSN HD broadcast was on either of those. How in the world can I schedule a recording if I have no idea if it will be there or not?


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## bwaldron (Mar 16, 2003)

gregl said:


> Does anybody know what feed was on ch 95 for last night's (Dec 21) Dallas vs. Sharks game? I had my HR20 set to record it, but it didn't and says "Cancelled" in the history page. If it was the Dallas feed, then I can understand why ch 95 was blacked out because this game was also covered in HD for the bay area. Also ch 96-97 did not list the game in the guide and I was not home to check if the local FSN HD broadcast was on either of those. How in the world can I schedule a recording if I have no idea if it will be there or not?


There was no hockey game on 95 last night, D* showed the NFL game.


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## gregl (Mar 13, 2001)

Sorry, my mistake, it was on 96, but it still got cancelled according to my HR20. Today the history entry shows "This showing was partially recorded because it became unavailable. (13)". I guess I need to dome some google searching, but if the HR20 dumps a recording because D* stops broadcasting it when the game is over, then this would happen almost every time I try and record something on those channels.


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## bldxyz (Feb 8, 2002)

I don't know what y'all are talking about here, because I don't get to see *anything* on channel 95. It is very annoying because I have an Auto-Record Wish-List that will record (empty) the shows on 95 for my favorite team. It never, even once, has recorded a single thing. I guess it is always showing me things that are blacked out.

To make this even more annoying, when I try to disable channel 95 by de-selecting it in the *Channels You Receive* settings, it just comes back the next day. I've done this a dozen times.

So I seem to be trapped having this channel that thinks it is recording things but isn't.

Anyone seen this before?


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## cramer (Aug 14, 2000)

bldxyz said:


> To make this even more annoying, when I try to disable channel 95 by de-selecting it in the *Channels You Receive* settings, it just comes back the next day. I've done this a dozen times.


Yes, I hate that behavior. "New" channels are automatically enabled. The only way to kill them is use the favorite channels list. As long as the guide is only showing favorites, your wishlists shouldn't record from any other channels. (that works on other DTivo's. The HR10's 6.3 software might not work that way anymore.


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