# DirecTV CES Press Release(cheerleading)



## moonman (Jul 21, 2004)

http://phoenix.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=127160&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=799955&highlight=


----------



## ebonovic (Jul 24, 2001)

Further on down this thread:
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=279896

discussion started about the Press Release...

Some key factors:

1) DirecTV 2Go was announced, apparently for now just for the new line of DVRs (not the TiVo powered ones)
2) "PRO" package comming late 2006 to have OEM 19" rack system equipment
3) DirecTV Dating (go figure that one out)
4) Video Game League
5) HR20 announced with a retail date of mid 2006
6) March Madness Interactive items (let's hope the HR20 is available then)
7) VOD (for the new line of DVRs) starting with NBC material
8) New DirecTV Original Programming Channel
9) Integrated LCD units with DirecTV recievers

Couple things to note...
No specific mentioning of the Home Media Center
MPEG-4 Recording is up to 50 hours (vs 30 hours of MPEG-2) on the HR20
Most newer "features" are geared for the new line of DVRs


----------



## GadgetFreak (Jun 3, 2002)

They didn't say it outright, but my impression was that the 19" rackmount PRO DVR was the media center.


----------



## ebonovic (Jul 24, 2001)

I would think the 19" would have some serious integration with Home Media Center.... but time will only tell, I guess.


----------



## tammyandlee (Feb 28, 2002)

No PBS HD and no way for me to download content to my work owned laptop


----------



## dt_dc (Jul 31, 2003)

ebonovic said:


> 3) DirecTV Dating (go figure that one out)


Comcast "Dating on Demand" has been (surprisingly) popular ...


----------



## pdawg17 (Mar 1, 2003)

I never really understood VOD...is that for when you forget to record something or don't have a season pass and just want to check a show out? Plus it looks like it will cost 99 cents to watch each program?


----------



## dswallow (Dec 3, 2000)

Well, one lame press release, huh?


----------



## willowtip (Oct 20, 2004)

super super lame.


----------



## oldguy (Feb 10, 2005)

dt_dc said:


> Comcast "Dating on Demand" has been (surprisingly) popular ...


Well, at 67 years old, I don't think dating channl would do much for me. Leave that to the Internet.

Now maybe if D* would send a hooker to my house...


----------



## whsbuss (Dec 16, 2002)

oldguy said:


> Well, at 67 years old, I don't think dating channl would do much for me. Leave that to the Internet.
> 
> Now maybe if D* would send a hooker to my house...


I'm all for that!


----------



## Barmat (Jun 1, 2001)

oldguy said:


> Well, at 67 years old, I don't think dating channl would do much for me. Leave that to the Internet.
> 
> Now maybe if D* would send a hooker to my house...


OMG  LOL :up: :up:


----------



## sp1dey (Jul 21, 2005)

The integrated LCD panels might be interesting. Might be just the ticket for my bedroom wall mount that I'm hoping for. But I'll likely just choose a better LCD and run an HDMI cable throught the wall.


----------



## jcricket (Sep 11, 2002)

> The integrated LCD panels might be interesting. Might be just the ticket for my bedroom wall mount that I'm hoping for. But I'll likely just choose a better LCD and run an HDMI cable throught the wall.


That's what I have set up. I don't have an LCD for the bedroom yet (prices still too high for the wife to approve), but the equipment goes in the adjoining closet and the wires run through the wall. Add in an IR repeater and it should be nice and quiet.

I do wish DirecTV would make their DVRs with upconverting DVD players in them. I know most of us have DVD players, but it seems like a logical option to include, and would reduce quite a bit of wiring for many people.


----------



## BillyT2002 (Oct 19, 2002)

Oooh Aaaahhh - STUPID!

Nothing they've announced so far is even remotely interesting to me.

If they were to announce that they have partnered with TIVO once again to provide a new high-definition DVR receiver with MPEG4/Ka-band capability and TIVO software built into it, then they have my undivided attention.

Oh well, keep moving - nothing to see here.

If they sent a hooker to my house, I wouldn't be interested. (My wife might not like it, though.)

If they sent Tanya Meme dressed like a hooker to my house, I'd thank them.


----------



## ebonovic (Jul 24, 2001)

willowtip said:


> super super lame.


It is not "that" lame.... But I think DirecTV had to whip something together really quick, since Humax leaked the DirecTV 2Go in their press release..

I kinda like the "PRO" aspects as well as the DirecTV 2Go (I will like it even more if, computer support is allowed... as some "pictures" have mentioned)


----------



## MichaelK (Jan 10, 2002)

sp1dey said:


> The integrated LCD panels might be interesting. Might be just the ticket for my bedroom wall mount that I'm hoping for. But I'll likely just choose a better LCD and run an HDMI cable throught the wall.


wouldn't hold your breath there- last year humax announced lcd's with tivo built in and they never showed up so Humax's credability drops a notch in my book. (I think i saw a post that they even had a month and model numbers announced so it wasn't like some nebulous comment...)


----------



## MichaelK (Jan 10, 2002)

ebonovic said:


> It is not "that" lame.... But I think DirecTV had to whip something together really quick, since Humax leaked the DirecTV 2Go in their press release..
> 
> I kinda like the "PRO" aspects as well as the DirecTV 2Go (I will like it even more if, computer support is allowed... as some "pictures" have mentioned)


you think humax would have caugh directv by surprise like that? I cant imagine with all the secret squirril they do that Directv doesn't write in 20 spots in all their contracts not to use their name without first getting permission.

I just think Directv has nothing good to say....

if cable could only get the cablecard tivo done....


----------



## ebonovic (Jul 24, 2001)

Nah... I am sure they had permission, but I think there was a communication breakdown on what was going to be released when.

Since today there was an announcment off a 2nd device for DirecTV 2Go...

Would have made sense to have the DirecTV 2Go press release before all the devices for it where announced.

What was everyone expecting from the DirecTV announcments? Nothing has "surprised" me yet with the announcements (accept for the dating thing, and the "PRO" aspect) most of the others stuff has been "leaked" on blogs for the last few weeks...

(The gaming league was mentioned before as an evoloution of the Interactive abilitites)

Or is it "NOT GOOD" because everything has been mentioned for the new DVR line, and not the TiVo.. (again... did you expect anything different?)


----------



## dswallow (Dec 3, 2000)

It sucks because it's a bunch of boring unimportant announcements with no significance long-term at all; it sucks because it's disappointing to see DirecTV languish amidst such lame announcements as 90 minute dating blocks as the best they could come up with for the industry event of the year. It sucks because in combination with a lame HD rollout in local markets that is just the 4 major networks, we get nothing in HD to look forward to except a concert channel DirecTV will produce itself.

Ex-TiVo was so last year. Except for an ultimate "I told you so" in one direction or the other, that's a dead issue; not gonna change.


----------



## bpratt (Nov 20, 2004)

> The DIRECTV Plus HD DVR is able to record more than 30 hours of DIRECTV HD programming delivered in MPEG-2, or up to 50 hours of DIRECTV HD programming delivered in MPEG-4, or up to 200 hours of standard-definition programming.


This is the part I was disappointed with. I had hopes that the MPEG-4 format would use the same amount of space as MPEG-2 and give us back a high quality HD picture. With MPEG-4 being only 60% of the size of MPEG-2, I can now only hope the MPEG-4 quality is as good as MPEG-2.


----------



## ebonovic (Jul 24, 2001)

dswallow said:


> It sucks because it's a bunch of boring unimportant announcements with no significance long-term at all; it sucks because it's disappointing to see DirecTV languish amidst such lame announcements as 90 minute dating blocks as the best they could come up with for the industry event of the year. It sucks because in combination with a lame HD rollout in local markets that is just the 4 major networks, we get nothing in HD to look forward to except a concert channel DirecTV will produce itself.
> 
> Ex-TiVo was so last year. Except for an ultimate "I told you so" in one direction or the other, that's a dead issue; not gonna change.


I do agree with you on those points....
But CES isn't over yet... I hope.

But when has DirecTV ever announced new "channels" very far in advance like that (excluding locals as that is just a blanket statement). I think ESPN2-HD was the only one, and we see how well that went..

If we don't have to pay to watch the 90 minute block.... It could be like Comedy Central, kinda American Idolish...


----------



## charlieg (May 31, 2002)

Nothing said directly about the media center unless it's the "pro" system they mention. I hope they have more than this at CES.


----------



## dswallow (Dec 3, 2000)

bpratt said:


> This is the part I was disappointed with. I had hopes that the MPEG-4 format would use the same amount of space as MPEG-2 and give us back a high quality HD picture. With MPEG-4 being only 60% of the size of MPEG-2, I can now only hope the MPEG-4 quality is as good as MPEG-2.


Except the 30 hour quote was based on pre-over-compressed levels... so there's still hope (i.e. your unexpanded HR10-250 probably holds more than 30 hours of non-OTA HD right now).


----------



## MichaelK (Jan 10, 2002)

what doug said.


oh and my guess of the "pro" model- Take an Hr20 and put a 19inch peice of tin on it with some pretty silk screened graphics and the front buttons from an Hr10- Bammao look a pro model....


----------



## borgslayer (Mar 28, 2004)

I love the ability of the HR10-250 to capture OTA HD, what is the future of this?


----------



## Wilhite (Oct 26, 2003)

oldguy said:


> Well, at 67 years old, I don't think dating channl would do much for me. Leave that to the Internet.
> 
> Now maybe if D* would send a hooker to my house...


Guess you're looking for the "Pay per do" option, hmmm?


----------



## MichaelK (Jan 10, 2002)

borgslayer said:


> I love the ability of the HR10-250 to capture OTA HD, what is the future of this?


as long as you have it subbed to directv and connected to a dish it should last forever. I doubt they would ever force you to swap it. But they die and refuse to do anything but buffer a single tuner and playback from now playing unless they get the 'go' signal from the satellite every so often.


----------



## SpankyInChicago (May 13, 2005)

dswallow said:


> It sucks because it's a bunch of boring unimportant announcements with no significance long-term at all; it sucks because it's disappointing to see DirecTV languish amidst such lame announcements as 90 minute dating blocks as the best they could come up with for the industry event of the year. It sucks because in combination with a lame HD rollout in local markets that is just the 4 major networks, we get nothing in HD to look forward to except a concert channel DirecTV will produce itself.
> 
> Ex-TiVo was so last year. Except for an ultimate "I told you so" in one direction or the other, that's a dead issue; not gonna change.


I agree. As I approach my 10 year anniversary as a DirecTV customer this is the first time I have really considered switching to cable.

At last year's CES DirecTV was promising HMC by end of 2005. Now HMC is gone and being replaced by DirecTV PRO (so it seems) which is being promised for end of 2006.

HMC is the only thing that has been keeping me interested in DirecTV. Now it will be AT LEAST another year before we see an HMC type product.

DirecTV 2GO seems an interesting concept, but I already have an iPod. DirecTV will not work with iPod and I will not buy another PMP for several years, so it is meaningless to me for a couple of years.

All of the rest of the stuff is pure garbage. Gee, just what we need: more low-budget content produced by DirecTV.

Plus I'll add my old rant that they won't be offering PBS HD in the MPEG4 locals package. Lame.

Sorry I am so negative, but this CES announcement is a real disappointment to me as I had high hopes that 2006 would be "the year" from DirecTV.

If / when Tivo actually releases their dual cable card HD unit and Comcast supports it, I will probably switch.


----------



## tem (Oct 6, 2003)

> If / when Tivo actually releases their dual cable card HD unit and Comcast supports it, I will probably switch.


Ditto. Sunday Ticket & TiVO were the only reasons I got DTV in the first place and since they screwed the pooch w/ the ST price gouging and I didn't miss it, whenever Comcast gets a 2 tuner HD TiVO, hate to say it, but I'm there.


----------



## RightHere (Dec 17, 2002)

What are their competitors offering that is better than what DTV announced @ CES?


----------



## MichaelK (Jan 10, 2002)

RightHere said:


> What are their competitors offering that is better than what DTV announced @ CES?


whcih competitors?

Other DBS competitors? That would be Dish who has tons more national HD content (although you can sertainly say it's all garbadge at least it's a choice)- I also think Dish is doing some limited HD LIL from the Voom slot and the opposite wing???

other tv competitors? That would be cable and most cable systems accounting for the vast majority of the population have much better HD choices then Directv- typically every HD local, tons of nationals, vod, cheap bundled interent and phone, free or very cheap HD STB's and HD DVR's, no 2 year commitments, no "upgrade fees" to go with the committment to get a box that can get whatever content they offer and access to theior system with any cablecard device know to man.

Other hardware competitors? Pretyy much anything unde r the sun- Directv isn't offering anything special.

Directv has no positives at this point for many HD subs. The only plus they have is if you dont have a choice in your particular area. The used to be the leader, now cable is eating their lunch and Dish seems to be looking to steal their twinkies....

Maybe tomorrow or Firday they announce something big and keep me from being disgusted but sure doesn't look so from here. THis time last year I was so excited for the HD future at Directv and the Uncentric media server that I hardly kept coming her anymore- I spent most of my time at AVS- tivo was all but dead to me. Not anymore. Directv is basically dead and I'm drooling waiting for the cablecard TiVO. TiVo could still screw that up (they have missed tons before for sure)- but at this point I'm no longer DIrectv;s to lose but rather TiVo's to lose (and cable wins the war without doing a thing.)


----------



## Texceo (Mar 11, 2003)

MichaelK said:


> whcih competitors?
> 
> Other DBS competitors? That would be Dish who has tons more national HD content (although you can sertainly say it's all garbadge at least it's a choice)- I also think Dish is doing some limited HD LIL from the Voom slot and the opposite wing???
> 
> ...


Well why do you still have Directv then if they are so bad?


----------



## BillyT2002 (Oct 19, 2002)

Ever here of [for now] they're the best gig in town? The key part being the [for now]...

I'm in the same boat. Once the cablecard TIVO comes out, I'll be defecting from DirecTV to cable.

The only way that DirecTV can change that is to get back in bed with TIVO and produce an MPeg-4/Ka-band capable HD DVR with TIVO software built in.

TIVO has my loyalty and not DirecTV. For now - until I have a better alternative - which should be soon - DirecTV has only my money.


----------



## ebonovic (Jul 24, 2001)

There are reports that in Bill Gates LIVE Keynote tonight, he announced a partnership with DirecTV. For connecting the DirecTV DVRs and Windows MCE

Hopefully the webcasts will be available tomorrow, as well as a typed press release.

See the CES thread in the SD DirecTV forum, for DaveKatz link


----------



## dswallow (Dec 3, 2000)

Screw the DirecTV DVR's. Screw TiVo.

All I want are DirecTV receiver cards I can put in a Windows Media Center computer and a programming API that lets me grab guide data, tune SD and HD channels, and store the datastream received for playback. I'll write my own software and untie myself from the whims of everyone.


----------



## ebonovic (Jul 24, 2001)

Cranky tonight Doug? 

I agree, a nice PCI card that is a DirecTV tuner would be a major nice addition to the Media Center....

Maybe if this "partnership" goes well, we may just see that.


----------



## ebonovic (Jul 24, 2001)

CNet's article on Bill Gates's keynote:

http://news.com.com/Gates+shows+off...+page+2/2100-1041_3-6018529-2.html?tag=st.num


----------



## temp357 (Feb 18, 2004)

ebonovic said:


> CNet's article on Bill Gates's keynote:
> 
> http://news.com.com/Gates+shows+off...+page+2/2100-1041_3-6018529-2.html?tag=st.num


or

Gates also announced a multiyear partnership with satellite TV provider DirecTV Group Inc. to get the companys satellite video directly onto Media Center-based devices.


----------



## DTV TiVo Dealer (Nov 13, 2002)

Looks like everyone is staying up late tonight. However lots more coming tomorrow and well, I guess forever.

Don't you just love CES!

-Robert


----------



## RightHere (Dec 17, 2002)

Dish - I see ESPN HD, Discovery HD, TNT HD, HD Net and HD Net Movies. DTV has all of those with the exception of TNT HD, plus they add UHD and ESPN2HD. Dish's price is $1/month less than DTV's. For an extra $5/month, you can get the VOOM channels you mentioned. Nothing there really sounds compelling to me, and it's really just a lot of SD content (kind of like what UHD and HD Net Movies provides). But it is still a choice. I didn't see any info on their website about HD LIL. They offer CBS HD in limited markets, which I believe DTV also does. DTV adds another major HD network in some markets too (it's not offered in my area, so I don't know what other network it is...but I thought it was Fox, if a Fox O&O was in your area). DTV and Dish seem to be about even here.

Cable - You claim that they offer "tons of national HD channels". I took a look at Comcast in my area (Seattle). Above what D* offers they have all of the locals (which DTV will be very close to matching by EOY), STARZ! HD, Cinemax HDTV, INHD and INHD2. They don't offer HD Net, HD Net Movies, ESPN2 HD or UHD. Cable doesn't look to me like it offers a lot more. Also, Comcast was a hell of a lot more expensive than DTV last time I checked. But as you mention they do offer VOIP/Internet services and bundle them to bring the costs down. As far as the commitments, I believe that if you sign up for some of their offers that you have at least a 6 month, maybe even a 12 month commitment. Not as bad as 2 years, but still some sort of commitment. In these areas, cable is beating them. And VOD too. I used comcast VOD not too long ago, and they have a lot of free content available. It doesn't sound like DTV has any plans to do that.

"Access to their system with any cablecard device known to man" - LOL  Yeah, there are really TONS of these on the market!

You skipped over the innovative things they're doing with some of the programming they provide. The mix channels are great for sports nuts. I subscribed to Sunday Ticket again this year, and added their Superfan package. They had some cool mix-channel options for that (but they really only worked well with one of the interactive receivers). But they also offered NFL Short Cuts. They took EVERY NFL game they showed and cut it down to 30 minutes or less. You still see every play, but you don't get the delay between plays and no commercials. The only down side here is that this year they didn't offer that service in HD. I really hope they add that for next year. That feature alone makes the $50 upcharge for SuperFan worth it.

I believe that Dish has previously announced a portable media device. Did they ever have a demo to show? Did they announce a partner? (holy crap...I just went and looked on their site and these things are for sale. Yeah, they really must be taking the consumer market by storm if I haven't seen them in a store anywhere, or even seen a commercial or web ad for the things  )

The HD-DVR they are offering may be something special. It's too early to say. The DTV Pro thing, while certainly light on the details, sounds like something cable and Dish aren't offering. The Home Media Center project they've discussed is certainly a lot more innovative than anything being done by the Cable vendors or Dish. There are other PC software companies providing solutions here, and DTV apparently announced that they'll be doing something to make their service work better with Windows Media Center. Again, they were light on the details. Hopefully more news comes out this week.

I have a choice in my area. I haven't heard a lot of positive things about the HD DVR's being offered by Comcast, so I'm sticking with DTV. I'm not happy with the HD offerings from DTV up to this point, but it seems to be as good or better (depending on your taste in content) than what their competitors offer.

Dish really has a lot of twinkies to steal. Approximately 3 million according to the subscriber numbers released today.


----------



## inaka (Nov 26, 2001)

oldguy said:


> Well, at 67 years old, I don't think dating channl would do much for me. Leave that to the Internet.
> 
> Now maybe if D* would send a hooker to my house...


Forget "Video On Demand" when you can get "V.D. On Demand"....


----------



## JonInVA (Jan 17, 2005)

ebonovic said:


> I agree, a nice PCI card that is a DirecTV tuner would be a major nice addition to the Media Center....


Not exactly what you're looking for, but a step in the right direction:

ATI's OCUR Brings CableCard support to the PC

Forget Christmas, CES is the most wonderful time of the year.


----------



## raygundan (Oct 29, 2003)

I jumped from DirecTV because at the time, it was the only way to get all-digital, two-tuner tivo. I'm hanging on for now, because the tivo still works-- but the second there's a Comcast tivo or a cablecard tivo that does HD and has two tuners, DirecTV will be shown to the door.

Of course, DirecTV could keep us if they went back to Tivo and put together some sort of 2-tuner mpeg4 HD unit, or an unrestricted PC tuner card. Doesn't seem likely, though.


----------



## moonman (Jul 21, 2004)

sp1dey said:


> The integrated LCD panels might be interesting. Might be just the ticket for my bedroom wall mount that I'm hoping for. But I'll likely just choose a better LCD and run an HDMI cable throught the wall.[/QUOTE
> -----------------------------
> some further details.............
> HUMAX USA Ready With DirecTV-LCDs
> ...


----------



## dt_dc (Jul 31, 2003)

JonInVA said:


> Not exactly what you're looking for, but a step in the right direction:
> 
> ATI's OCUR Brings CableCard support to the PC
> 
> Forget Christmas, CES is the most wonderful time of the year.


I guess it depends on whether announcements or availability is better ...

None of the Vista/OCUR/CableCard products are expected till ... "Holiday Season 2006"

Merry Christmas


----------



## dswallow (Dec 3, 2000)

dt_dc said:


> I guess it depends on whether announcements or availability is better ...
> 
> None of the Vista/OCUR/CableCard products are expected till ... "Holiday Season 2006"
> 
> Merry Christmas


Of course we don't exactly have a specific ETA for a CableCard TiVo or for the Comcast TiVo implementation. It could be a very merry holiday indeed.


----------



## BeanMeScot (Apr 17, 2002)

RightHere said:


> Cable - You claim that they offer "tons of national HD channels". I took a look at Comcast in my area (Seattle). Above what D* offers they have all of the locals (which DTV will be very close to matching by EOY), STARZ! HD, Cinemax HDTV, INHD and INHD2. They don't offer HD Net, HD Net Movies, ESPN2 HD or UHD. Cable doesn't look to me like it offers a lot more. Also, Comcast was a hell of a lot more expensive than DTV last time I checked. But as you mention they do offer VOIP/Internet services and bundle them to bring the costs down. As far as the commitments, I believe that if you sign up for some of their offers that you have at least a 6 month, maybe even a 12 month commitment. Not as bad as 2 years, but still some sort of commitment. In these areas, cable is beating them. And VOD too. I used comcast VOD not too long ago, and they have a lot of free content available. It doesn't sound like DTV has any plans to do that.


There is some misinformation here. I just moved from D* to Comcast. They don't need HD Net or HD Net Movies. You can get free HD movies (and regular movies, for that matter) through On Demand. They don't need another channel for that. The INHD channels have some sports (different stuff like snowboarding and horse show jumping) and they also show a LOT of IMAX stuff. That is some HIGH quality video that looks beautiful in HD.

Also, there are no commitments. There is a time frame for how long you can get the discounted pricing but for me, one price is good for 12 months, the other for 16 months. Their prices are higher if you pay full price but they will discount it a lot to get you to ditch the dish. My pricing is actually cheaper (I am paying a little more but getting a LOT more for it, so to me, the pricing is actually better). Again, the price will go up in 12-16 months but I can look at my options again at that time. They will probably offer some kind of continued discounting to keep me as a customer.


----------



## ebonovic (Jul 24, 2001)

But a LOT depends on what area you are in.

For me, here in the Burbs of Chicago... according to Comcast's website.

If I translate InDemand channels to the HDNet channels

Comcast has extra:
Cinemax HD; StarzHD; ComcastSportsNet HD

DirecTV has extra:
Espn2HD; Universal HD;

So the way I look at it... StarzHD is the only one I will really mis, as the ComcastSportsNet HD is primarily for HOME Baseball/Basketball games so since I will be attending more WhiteSox games this year....

They didn't list the OnDemand offerings so I couldn't compare those.

If you mix in the fact that via OTA (which I don't know if I can mix with the Comcast HD box), I can access about 6 more Digital Channels that have 3-4 multi-channels on each of those... I do get some more programming then I would with comcast.

But then again... EVERY area is different...


----------



## sp1dey (Jul 21, 2005)

Not meaning to threadjack but posting this here seems more appropriate then started anew... there was speculation some time ago that D was going to add some national HD channels after ST ended (since ST will be moving to MPEG4 for next season). Aside from the obvious HD channels we are missing, I think National Geographic, HGTV, and Food Network were set to launch HD channels very shortly. Any speculation? It just seems to me that D needs to make some kind of splash to hold people over... for what I don't know.


----------



## ebonovic (Jul 24, 2001)

No news yet about any new HD national feeds.


----------



## dirk1843 (Jul 7, 2003)

Anyone want to buy an HR10-250?? LOL.......

No wait.............I am only half joking, after another year of HDLite, no new HD content, no media center on the horizon, and then all this crap they are patting their selves on the back about, I am thinking of getting out while the gettings good.

C'mon TiVo..........save us!! We need a standalone soulution comparable to D* TiVo's!!!


----------



## MichaelK (Jan 10, 2002)

Texceo said:


> Well why do you still have Directv then if they are so bad?


cause I'm waiting to see what shakes out at ces and the next few months before i commit my time or money to someone else.

Mostly i am waiting for a cablecard tivo. I can live with my current HD Directivo until then... (if it's soon enough...)


----------



## MichaelK (Jan 10, 2002)

dswallow said:


> Screw the DirecTV DVR's. Screw TiVo.
> 
> All I want are DirecTV receiver cards I can put in a Windows Media Center computer and a programming API that lets me grab guide data, tune SD and HD channels, and store the datastream received for playback. I'll write my own software and untie myself from the whims of everyone.


if you spot me a copy of your software, I'd put up with directv with that setup.


----------



## kas25 (Mar 10, 2003)

I can pay $0.99 to watch a show from NBC that I could have recorded on my DVR for free? Who does this benefit really?


----------



## ebonovic (Jul 24, 2001)

Here is the only useage for me.... 

If, for what ever reason the DVR didn't catch the recording.. Be it too many conflicts, and unscheduled conflict... The President piped in, sports even ran long, ect.... Extra 5 minutes not accounted for in the guide... ect

For me... Basically it covers when the original recording screwed up for what ever reason.

$0.99 isn't that bad of a price, vs trying to get it from other methods.


----------



## MichaelK (Jan 10, 2002)

RightHere said:


> Dish - I see ESPN HD, Discovery HD, TNT HD, HD Net and HD Net Movies. DTV has all of those with the exception of TNT HD, plus they add UHD and ESPN2HD. Dish's price is $1/month less than DTV's. For an extra $5/month, you can get the VOOM channels you mentioned. Nothing there really sounds compelling to me, and it's really just a lot of SD content (kind of like what UHD and HD Net Movies provides). But it is still a choice. I didn't see any info on their website about HD LIL. They offer CBS HD in limited markets, which I believe DTV also does. DTV adds another major HD network in some markets too (it's not offered in my area, so I don't know what other network it is...but I thought it was Fox, if a Fox O&O was in your area). DTV and Dish seem to be about even here.
> ....





RightHere said:


> ...
> 
> Dish really has a lot of twinkies to steal. Approximately 3 million according to the subscriber numbers released today.


DISH Network is expanding its HD channel lineup in 2006 by adding five new original VOOM channels -- bringing the total to 15 -- as well as other new HD networks including ESPN2 HD and Universal HD. In addition, DISH Network will launch high-definition local channels through its satellite service in up to 50 markets in 2006, starting with Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles and New York in February, and reaching more than 50 percent of U.S. TV households with local HD channels. 

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=68854&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=801106&highlight=

I dont know but I think I call that Twinkie eating....



RightHere said:


> Cable - You claim that they offer "tons of national HD channels". I took a look at Comcast in my area (Seattle). Above what D* offers they have all of the locals (which DTV will be very close to matching by EOY), STARZ! HD, Cinemax HDTV, INHD and INHD2. They don't offer HD Net, HD Net Movies, ESPN2 HD or UHD. Cable doesn't look to me like it offers a lot more. Also, Comcast was a hell of a lot more expensive than DTV last time I checked. But as you mention they do offer VOIP/Internet services and bundle them to bring the costs down. As far as the commitments, I believe that if you sign up for some of their offers that you have at least a 6 month, maybe even a 12 month commitment. Not as bad as 2 years, but still some sort of commitment. In these areas, cable is beating them. And VOD too. I used comcast VOD not too long ago, and they have a lot of free content available. It doesn't sound like DTV has any plans to do that.


Again as I said it depends on any one particular system- but where I live my dink ass cable company has ALL my locals (not just the big 4 but WB, UPN, and BOTH PBS in my area) and I doubt Directv will come close to matching that in Seattle either any time soon- maybe by year end but who knows- have you seen ANY WORD AT ALL FROM THEM when the will add something past the big 4? Could BE 2007. Besides locals I can also have Showtime, movie channel, tnt, HDnet, HDnet movies, ESPN, Discovery, Universal, WealthTV, INHD 1, and INHD2  so I guess Directv has them by ESPN2 So that's like 9 more HD channels then directv can offer me (and I'm in NY DMA) with one missing- sorry I guess that might not be Tons of nationals, but by D* math I believe that is something like Double- No? Plus I'll get my HD RSN WHENEVER it is on- not just when D* can fit it. So maybe I was over zealous with "tons" more but it's a hefty difference. (oh and about half of that is free with the rest costing around D*'s $9).

I would really need to sit down and do a tv to tv cost analysis but it doesn't look SO bad to me (I agree tv to tv cable likely is higher in almost anyplace but I was very clear though to point out their bundled pricing is what kills directv). Perhaps in your area they require commitments but not by me. Also i have no up front cost for the boxes like i do with directv which can amount to hundreds of dollars for HD service.



RightHere said:


> "Access to their system with any cablecard device known to man" - LOL  Yeah, there are really TONS of these on the market!


I believe there are scores if not hundreds of TV's available with cablecard NOW with plenty more coming and at least a couple of DVR's (Sony I think has a couple themselves?)- so more then the single HD DVR Directv will be offering at some later point this year. And if I understand correctly cable MUST give you a firewire STB if you want so you pick a recording device from that route too.



RightHere said:


> You skipped over the innovative things they're doing with some of the programming they provide. The mix channels are great for sports nuts. I subscribed to Sunday Ticket again this year, and added their Superfan package. They had some cool mix-channel options for that (but they really only worked well with one of the interactive receivers). But they also offered NFL Short Cuts. They took EVERY NFL game they showed and cut it down to 30 minutes or less. You still see every play, but you don't get the delay between plays and no commercials. The only down side here is that this year they didn't offer that service in HD. I really hope they add that for next year. That feature alone makes the $50 upcharge for SuperFan worth it.


maybe you should see what cablevision has- car ads, real estate, dating (like Directv), lotto, weather, customizable stock tickers, tons and tons and tons of VOD. 20 free video magazines on demand. sportsskool- baseball, skiing, yoga, fitness, soccer, tennis, etc coaching videos free on demand. Disney, PBS, Anime, Here!, IFC, and playboy on demand. That's innovation- Directv has a couple gimmicky tid bits.



RightHere said:


> ...
> I believe that Dish has previously announced a portable media device. Did they ever have a demo to show? Did they announce a partner? (holy crap...I just went and looked on their site and these things are for sale. Yeah, they really must be taking the consumer market by storm if I haven't seen them in a store anywhere, or even seen a commercial or web ad for the things  )
> 
> The HD-DVR they are offering may be something special. It's too early to say. The DTV Pro thing, while certainly light on the details, sounds like something cable and Dish aren't offering. The Home Media Center project they've discussed is certainly a lot more innovative than anything being done by the Cable vendors or Dish. There are other PC software companies providing solutions here, and DTV apparently announced that they'll be doing something to make their service work better with Windows Media Center. Again, they were light on the details. Hopefully more news comes out this week.


Yup Dish ALREADY has the handheld thing- BEFORE Directv even announced this crop and so far to my knowledge they have NOW an HD DVR that can get all their content for all their customers. I also believe the Dish toy is a windows drm device so for all we know dish will soon work with all the microsoft compatible things too. Home media center vaporware- where is that? Maybe Christmas of 2020 if you get lucky. "pro" is vaporware too at this point- I dont even believe they have a mockup. I'd bet a donut it's an HR20 in a 19 inch piece of tin with fancy silk screening and the front panel controls just like one of the nicer series2 tivos (toshiba made the pretty one maybe?).

*I'm not saying Directv is worse then cable everywhere. But they clearly are no longer way way way way ahead of the pack like they were just a few years ago. They just aren't. And in some areas they are very much behind cable.*


----------



## unclejon (Feb 5, 2003)

I just got back from the DirecTV booth at CES after having a long talk with a few engineers. I also got to try out the new DVR (I'm sure I'll get used to it, but TiVo interface is still MUCH better)--the remote looks very much like the one that comes with the DirecTV receiver. Here's what they said (sorry if I'm repeating any info already on the forums):

1. HD DVR is dual tuner, with MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 decoding, and ATSC over-the-air tuning as well. Will be ready in Q2.

2. Box has USB and Ethernet ports on it. He said at first Ethernet could be used to help with bandwidth when downloading VOD programs, and also to move programs from one DVR to another. But ports will also come into play for moving content off the DVR to a computer (with DRM, of course).

3. He said he thinks they will swap boxes for free, but there's still no official statement.

4. The engineer just had the 5-LNB dish installed, and he said it's about 40% larger than the current dish, and weights about 30 pounds.

I'm sure there was more, but I need to get back to work


----------



## ebonovic (Jul 24, 2001)

Cool... then I didn't mis-understand when I was told that there will be an internet connection on it.... I just thought it woudl be via USB.... not an integrated nic...


As for downloading via VOD... I hope they are carefull with that. I can see some people getting "ticked" for maxing out their broadband connections. Espeically if Comcast and other Broadband provider begin monitoring bandwith usage again.

But other than that... Cool.


----------



## Cubfan (Aug 19, 2000)

Press Release said:


> "Beginning in first quarter of 2006, DIRECTV will provide consumers with access to the top programs of NBC and its cable entertainment networks, USA, SCI FI and Bravo, within hours after they air, commercial free, for just 99 cents."


Sounds like a yawn at first, but if this means we'll be able to pay a mere 99 cents to watch Battlestar Galactica (per episode) in full HD, I'm all for it! Sign me up.


----------



## moonman (Jul 21, 2004)

ebonovic said:


> There are reports that in Bill Gates LIVE Keynote tonight, he announced a partnership with DirecTV. For connecting the DirecTV DVRs and Windows MCE
> 
> Hopefully the webcasts will be available tomorrow, as well as a typed press release.
> 
> See the CES thread in the SD DirecTV forum, for DaveKatz link


Following you now!!!  
Intel, DIRECTV Advance Digital Home Entertainment Experience; Intel and DIRECTV Announce First Ever Premium Digital Broadcast Entertainment Service to Embrace Intel(R) Viiv(TM) Technology 
LAS VEGAS, Jan 05, 2006 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- DIRECTV, Inc., the nation's leading digital television service provider, and Intel Corporation today announced a ground-breaking joint effort to enable remote viewing of DIRECTV's entertainment services and programming to PC screens, laptops, portable media players and set-top boxes through Intel(R) Viiv(TM) technology later in 2006. The move gives DIRECTV's customers a seamless way to enjoy the company's programming from the television, PC and personal consumer electronic devices.

The companies also plan an extensive joint marketing campaign that educates consumers about the benefits of DIRECTV's entertainment experience and Intel's digital home efforts.

Announced today at the 2006 Consumer Electronics Show, DIRECTV expects to enable this capability on the company's next-generation set-top boxes with deployment to customers slated for later this year. The two companies also plan to collaborate on the development of a PC tuner that would enable DIRECTV customers to enjoy the high-quality digital DIRECTV entertainment experience. This would include a broad range of high-definition, exclusive and original programming from DIRECTV's lineup -- available on PCs, laptop computers or other hand-held devices. DIRECTV expects to complete the product verification later this year and provide the tuner through PC makers which offer Intel Viiv technology-based PCs.

"DIRECTV recognizes consumers are viewing television on PCs and portable and mobile devices. The power of Intel Viiv technology will enable us to offer consumers nationwide the best entertainment experience -- when, where and how they want it," said Chase Carey, CEO, DIRECTV, Inc. "Through our strategic relationship with Intel and joint commitment to an industry standards-based approach for securely delivering a premium TV experience on the PC, we will advance how our customers view and enjoy their digital programming."

"Simply said, this effort will help reshape how consumers view their digital programming with a television leader such as DIRECTV embracing the PC and Intel Viiv technology," said Paul Otellini, Intel president and CEO. "DIRECTV is providing its customers with ultimate control over how and when they enjoy their entertainment and information, which also accelerates our shared vision of delivering an easier and more secure digital entertainment experience to families when and where they want it."

The introduction of Intel Viiv technology today marks an effort by Intel to enable a broad choice of entertainment and information from around the world so that consumers can more easily download, view, manage, store and enjoy their content anytime and on a variety of devices.


----------



## darthrsg (Jul 25, 2005)

Well sonny, i member back in ought6 when E* kicked the s**t outta D* wit dat dare HD stuff. we called it da provider wars. it werent pretty.


----------



## moonman (Jul 21, 2004)

Anyone care to interpret what this is saying??? Especially the part about Silicon integrating SVP technology in future boxes. I don't have a clue!!
http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=127160&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=801314&highlight=


----------



## moonman (Jul 21, 2004)

Pics of HR20 MPEG4DVR.......
http://gear.ign.com/articles/679/679224p1.html


----------



## dswallow (Dec 3, 2000)

moonman said:


> The two companies also plan to collaborate on the development of a PC tuner that would enable DIRECTV customers to enjoy the high-quality digital DIRECTV entertainment experience. This would include a broad range of high-definition, exclusive and original programming from DIRECTV's lineup -- available on PCs, laptop computers or other hand-held devices. DIRECTV expects to complete the product verification later this year and provide the tuner through PC makers which offer Intel Viiv technology-based PCs.


As long as this provides a way to create one's own programs to manage the datastreams, this is precisely what I've always asked for. With these, we can create our own TiVo-like application, or, perhaps better, TiVo could offer a PC version of their system. With the CableCard PCI devices announced, and regular ATSC and NTSC tuners, and IP video sources, all things could then finally converge onto a platform that's open for development to anyone.


----------



## dswallow (Dec 3, 2000)

moonman said:


> Anyone care to interpret what this is saying??? Especially the part about Silicon integrating SVP technology in future boxes. I don't have a clue!!
> http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=127160&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=801314&highlight=


SVP is technology to secure video. SVP stands for Secure Video Processor. It will allow content to be transported between technologies while keeping content protection/digital rights management intact.

More info: http://www.svpalliance.org/


----------



## RightHere (Dec 17, 2002)

First off, sorry for the misinformation on Comcast & commitment lengths. My brother just signed up with them, and I thought he told me to get one of the special offers that he had to agree to stick w/ them for some amount of time (and no, it was separate from only getting the discount for a limited period of time).

MichaelK - I'm really lost on the twinkie eating comment now. I thought it was in reference to Dish being almost as big as DTV. DTV has 3 million more users than Dish.

With the HD content additions mentioned in that PR, which include a bunch of additonal lame channels (Kung Fu HD, Monsters HD, etc.) AND require you to now pay $15/month, it's still pretty much even. Dish has more crappy channels. DTV makes you pay less for the crap they have.

Their HD LIL offering won't be as broad as DTV's by the end of 2006. A DTV win, Dish is playing catch-up. Cable beats all.

If you call the Superfan and Sports Mix stuff "gimmicky" then clearly you're not a sports fan and you've probably never watched them. A football game is on for 3-3.5 hours. Using my Tivo to watch the game and ff manually where possible, I can get the game down to about half that, generally a little less. DTV gives me the game in < 30 minutes. That means I can watch 2-3 full games in the time it used to take me to watch one. What cable company is providing ANY service that offers this kind of time shifting??

I spent about a week on vacation using Comcast. They had the VOD stuff (though PVR's are still vastly superior). The rest of the stuff you describe (car and real estate ads? Who watches ads on tv anymore??) sounds pretty much worthless to me. I can do all of that stuff on my PC today. When I say I'm looking for innovation, I mean I want something that other people aren't doing.

HMC - too early to call it vaporware. It seems likely that the DTV Pro thing is the same as HMC. And if they interface w/ Windows Media Center, then I don't give a crap about the HMC since I'll have a solution that works! 

It's also a little too premature to call something just announced (like DTV Pro) "vaporware".


----------



## moonman (Jul 21, 2004)

dswallow said:


> SVP is technology to secure video. SVP stands for Secure Video Processor. It will allow content to be transported between technologies while keeping content protection/digital rights management intact.
> 
> More info: http://www.svpalliance.org/


Thanks Doug...I'm not gonna go there(DRM)...  
I went to the site you posted..since this will be in all future D* boxes...did not
mean to start another copy protection thing going....


----------



## MarcusInMD (Jan 7, 2005)

Another disappointment from DirecTV. In about 20 days my 1 year (our first year with DirecTV) commitment is up. The days of overpriced HDLite are coming to an end soon in our house. 

I posted several months ago about my disappointment in DirecTVs HD pricing and the quality of the HDTV. I was holding out hope that we would see some new stuff come down in the national HD feeds. So far nada. There are so many new HD channels going up, FoodTV HD, Outdoor Channel HD to name a few. 

Were we not supposed to have the HR20 by the end of 2005? Wait, we were supposed to have the 6.5 Tivo software by March of 2005. How is everyone enjoying it? Well, I suspect that the HR20 will be along sometime in the next 5 years. Maybe we will get lucky and see it in 2.5 years? Sigh. When I jumped ship from C-Band and a setup using SageTV I thought I was jumping into a more state of the art company. I thought I could deal with the horrible SDTV that DirecTV passes as TV as long as I could have really good HDTV. Then they started to reduce the quality of the HDTV signal. LEt me tell you something. HDTV on DirecTV is no better than the BEST ANALOG or DIGITAL SD on C-Band. It's a crying shame, but this company is a joke. I resist going to cable, adelphia is in our area and it bites too. My parents have Dish. With their new announcment to actually show their HDTV channels in REAL HDTV I might be jumping ship to dish I guess.


----------



## formulaben (Jan 27, 2003)

tem said:


> Ditto. Sunday Ticket & TiVO were the only reasons I got DTV in the first place and since they screwed the pooch w/ the ST price gouging and I didn't miss it, whenever Comcast gets a 2 tuner HD TiVO, hate to say it, but I'm there.


+1


----------



## Cubfan (Aug 19, 2000)

moonman said:


> Pics of HR20 MPEG4DVR


The pics look OK. I notice an ethernet port, which is good... wonder if it will be active for anything right off the bat?

Looks like it's a free upgrade for people out west and $99 for the others who want to be "early adopters." I've got a DirecTivo from Best Buy with their big waranty, so I wonder if mine "breaks" I'll get this one in its place?

Time to start considering what I'll do and when I'll do it, I guess. They seem pretty serious about promising Q2 it seems.


----------



## Kevin L (Jan 10, 2002)

I like the idea of the integration of WMC with DirecTV. My biggest concern is that I won't be able to use it. I run a domain at home with Windows 2003 SBS and networked WinXP Pro workstations. I have a copy of WMC, but since it can't join a domain, I can't use it. Since Windows Vista has WMC built-in, I'm hoping that will take care of this problem.


----------



## newsposter (Aug 18, 2002)

ebonovic said:


> Cranky tonight Doug?
> 
> I agree, a nice PCI card that is a DirecTV tuner would be a major nice addition to the Media Center....
> 
> Maybe if this "partnership" goes well, we may just see that.


Obviously a lot of you guys/gals are more techo than me. I dont personally have the need for/desire for interacting with a PC for TV viewing in any manner. And as far as networking, which I now can see why you would want it for remote viewing, it's nothing I couldn't accomplish with some rg6 and a decent distribution amp. I'm quite happy with that. But it seems like the techo people on here are getting left in the dust because no networking of directivos (or the new dvrs even) and other features that 'you' DO find important. You must be even more frustrated than me.

The thing I dont get (and obviously I'd fail miserably in DTV's marketing dept), is WHY they can't get the SAME locals that our cable co has? not including WB and UPN is such a simple thing and yes, people do watch those channels. Plus not having all the premium HD channels really stinks. If they can't get that simple thing right, no way would i ever count on new techno things from DTV to be right either. Also, since DTVs standard locals are abominable at least in the philly area, what makes anyone thing mpeg4 will be any better? But that's really secondary to not including the other 2 networks and premium HDs if you ask me. Rumors say they may come down the road in a year or 2 but that's way too long for me.  I'm no cable advocate because i love tivo and the better pic than my cable had 3 years ago. But if cable cleaned up their act meantime and the moxi box is anywhere near tivos ability, i may just consider it. It's only 5 bucks more than i pay now and gets more channels i want.

now that the rant is over, i guess it can be summarized by saying, how do you expect them to get the new things right when they don't even have the old perfected yet? I think you are all dreaming. And I dont mean that in a mean way. Just past performance and all that....I'm really disappointed as I've advocated tivo and dtv to multiple people over the years.


----------



## ebonovic (Jul 24, 2001)

In defense of DirecTV....

I don't think *ANY* TV Content provider, cable-co, DBS Based, 16 foot Dish based, or even OTA... has it complete correct or perfected yet.

As long as all the companies are in it for the Money... They will always have a slant on it for THEIR benefit... not ours.

Only one's close... Are the PBS networks... In general weren't they they first to be ready for Digital broadcasts? And the first to regularly push out HD content?


----------



## newsposter (Aug 18, 2002)

Isn't the basic premise/assumed service of every provider to deliver tv channels? Period. Everything on top of channel selection is truly gravy. And i love my tivo gravy. Obviously everyone's desires/channels are different but bragging about 1500 locals then having people not get UPN WB PBS is simply going to cause heartache. And let's not forget, us on this board are usually more 'informed, nutty' or whatever term you want to use. We will actually know this. But a lot of other people will buy a new system then be mad the 'free' HD channels aren't even available to them on the bird. that's my analogy. Get the 'free' channels right at least. (starz tmc etc is just gravy)


----------



## moonman (Jul 21, 2004)

Missing link??? Is this the HMC in hiding?
http://www.lightreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=86467&WT.svl=wire1_1
------------------
Home AV Center II - NDS has teamed up with Samsung and Broadcom to demonstrate a prototype home entertainment server system that includes a full suite of NDS software solutions: XTV HomeNet; XTV Ready; and MediaHighway middleware. The server has five tuners, a 300 GB hard drive for storage, IP connectivity, two USB 2.0 ports, router capabilities and VoIP. With the new server, consumers will be able to enjoy High Definition programming in multiple rooms, they can transfer content - such as video, music, games and photos - between the DVR and portable devices, and they can control a range of peripheral devices such as printers and security cameras


----------



## RxMan (Aug 20, 2002)

The HR20 will have a $200 price tag? Seems a bit low. No trade in of the HR10 required???


----------



## newsposter (Aug 18, 2002)

not in any article i read....what would they do but send them out as warranty replacements anyway?

thing i'm worried about it i have a 5 yr on the hdtivo...will there be one to replace mine if it goes bad?


----------



## MichaelK (Jan 10, 2002)

dswallow said:


> ...or, perhaps better, TiVo could offer a PC version of their system. With the CableCard PCI devices announced, and regular ATSC and NTSC tuners, and IP video sources, all things could then finally converge onto a platform that's open for development to anyone.


that's what i am starting to think. Apparently at the end of this year I'll be able to build my own monster MCE with a fat raid array, tons of memory, but kicker CPU's, and cablecard or directv tuners.

Is it realistic for tivo to port their software over to win MCE or even to make a version in linux with pc drivers for some approved list of hardware to pick and choose from? I'd pay Tivo alot more then the $50 they charge for a box now (loosing money one the hardware) for the software plus either the monthly fee or the lifetime fee for service.

Is that a possibility?


----------

