DirecTV customers - HD upgrade

Let us know what happens.

Dishnetwork currently offers over 30 HD channels and that will double to over 60 very soon.
Echostar14 launch was successful.

http://spaceflightnow.com/proton/echostar14/

Once the new satellite is online Dish subscribers should be able to start using the smaller 30" dishes, too! (tu)

Let us know what happens.

Dishnetwork currently offers over 30 HD channels and that will double to over 60 very soon.
Echostar14 launch was successful.

http://spaceflightnow.com/proton/echostar14/

OK, I got a copy of the letter but it's from the PR office I think and in Spanish. Here' the Google translation:

Good morning!

Sincerely,

I can't post in HTML format here so you can't see the icons for the HD channels but what I can make out are:

-TNT
-USA
-TBS
-Showtime
-DirecTV Showcase
-Starz
-ESPN
-ESPN2
-HD Theater
-Varios?
-MLB Pass
-PPV Boxing
-???

What's undetermined in my mind is whether this is the whole "package" or just a select list of HD channels (I hope the latter otherwise it's a slow start), whether these channels can be heard in English, and pricing. I've sent a follow up to Ms. Knight and hope to have a response soon.

Is your receiver HD capable? Or will they upgrade the receiver?

From the online Spanish literature I found on the Directvpr site I'm 99.9% certain my current receivers are standard definition only. I spoke to the local rep again and she told me a user would need to subscribe to one of the Digital packages (I already have one) as a pre-requisite but she doesn't have pricing on the HD content yet. She only has 6 people on her list so far which is surprising and disappointing as I would have expected more existing DirecTV customers to be interested.

OK, I just got an update...
Seems there will only be 8 HD channels for now for DirecTV for USVI! The cost will be an additional $20/month and the receivers are the better part of $200 each. There's also a $19.99 programming fee. What wasn't mentioned was whether another dish is needed and whether it's free like it is for the standard service.

Either way I'm thinking Dish is going to be my only option for HD. I'll probably try to keep the cheapest basic DirecTV service for my NFL team but move most of my programming to Dish. I recall someone said with the latest Dish satellite launch we should be able to move to just a 30" dish so I'll wait for that option and convert then.

I posted this a few months back but for those that didn't see it here goes.

"More to come" is getting close. Sometime after June 1.

The HD pac is supposed to cost $10 additional on Dish but they have not been charging for it for some time now. Maybe they will start once they can deliver more channels. 30 inch dish indeed. Lots of people waiting.

$20 for 8 channels?:-o

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I've had 2 requests for this list today so here goes. If you get Dishnetwork you can get the following in High Definition. With more to come!
USA
CMDY
Lifetime
Food
HGTV
A&E
Hist
SYFY
Bravo
FX
TNT
TBS
ESPN
ESPN2
CBS C
MTV
Spike
Nick
DisneyE
DisXD
Toon
Discovery
TLC
Animal Planet
Green
CNN
CNBC
TWC
WGN
HDNET
HD Theatre
HDNet movies

Also available in HD
Major Networks out of Chicago through All American Direct.
HBOE
SHOE
TMC
Encore
Starz
Starz EDGE
CI

Dish is the best option for HD in the Virgin Islands.

Missing from Alan's list.

HBO2E
HBOCY
MAX-E
MAX-W
ACMAX
5-MAX
SHOCS
STRZW

I live in PR. I had DirectTV for 2 years and HATED it. Now I have Dish with HD and love it! The DirectTV guide was wrong more than it was right and that screws up the DVR. The Dish guide/DVR is almost flawless.

RE Rotorhead

You must be picking those up off 61.5? That requires another dish and hopefully will be included on the 1 dish solution soon.

I'm letting people know what they can get with minimal expense.
Also, Channels on 61.5 are starting to be migrated over to 72.7 orbital slot.

What is the best choice for American football? (Here in Europe, "football" is what most of us would call soccer.)

RE Rotorhead

You must be picking those up off 61.5? That requires another dish and hopefully will be included on the 1 dish solution soon.

I'm letting people know what they can get with minimal expense.
Also, Channels on 61.5 are starting to be migrated over to 72.7 orbital slot.

You are correct. I am currently feeding 119, 118.7, 110 and 61.5 into my switch.

I should probably drop 118.7 and feed 72.7 into the switch just to see what's there even though the footprint for Nimiq 5 doesn't show coverage in the USVI.

http://www.satelliteguys.us/attachment.php?attachmentid=34905&d=1236633430

Rotor,

Please let me know your findings on 72.7.

I have a tough look angle on that sat and haven't fooled with it much yet.