Post by xzi on Mar 1, 2008 14:29:54 GMT -5
Since this has come up alot (and just showed up on Engadget HD, too) I figured I'd actually put together a kick-and-count of what I actually get for real, HD channels on DirecTV here in Albany (zip code 12144).
I'll break it down by package, too, and we can count them up at the end and make a real comparison with Time Warner. This means I'll be exclusing anything you don't actually get, PPV, special event channels, etc. Plus, it will make it easier to "leave off" what you don't pay for, like movie channels and out-of-market RSNs. I also left off RSN-alternates like BTNa (Big-Ten network) as they are always dark. I also left HD-PPV out of the count because it varies, but I know they include it in their "90 HD channels" count.
This was done not using marketing materials, but by flipping through channels and knowing what's what so it is a "what we get today" count.
Here are the totals:
- Family Package with HD Access, $39.99/mo., 11 HD channels
- Choice Package with HD Access, $62.98/mo., 40 HD channels
- Choice Xtra or better with HD Access, $67.98/mo., 48 HD channels
- Premier with HD Access, $109.98/mo., 60 HD channels (not including the out-of-market RSNs)
Since I have Choice Xtra with HD Acces, and HD Extra Pack (locked in rate of $49.99 + $4.99 HD Extra + $9.99 HD Access -- total of $64.97/mo after my $20/mo off for 12 mos. promo expires) I get a total of 53 usable HD channels.
With premiere, all you can possibly get you're looking at 64 true HD channels 24-hours-a-day maximum. Maybe not 90, as they claim, but pretty good. I'm sure the rest is creative counting.
NFL Sunday Ticket, NHL Center Ice, NBA and MLB packages all include "HD channels" but they don't necessarily add to the overall count since they are all RSNs that DirecTV carries anyway since they are national... with cable they need to carry these seperately in an area so they can call these more channels if they choose.
Local Channels (All packages)
6 WRGB CBS Affiliate MPEG-4
10 WTEN ABC Affiliate MPEG-4
13 WNYT NBC Affiliate MPEG-4
23 WXXA FOX Affiliate MPEG-4
Family with HD Access
101 The 101 DirecTV Exclusive MPEG-4
229-1 HGTVHD NOT a simulcast of SD HGTV MPEG-4
231-1 FOODHD NOT a simulcast of SD FOOD MPEG-4
284 SCIHD The Science Channel MPEG-4
299 NICKHD Nickelodeon HD East MPEG-4
362 TWCHD The Weather Channel MPEG-4
276 NGHD National Georaphic MPEG-4
Choice with HD Access
79 HDNET HDNet was taken off Extra Pack MPEG-2
202 CNNHD MPEG-4
206 ESPNHD MPEG-2
209 ESP2HD MPEG-2
212 NFLHD MPEG-4
215 NHLHD MPEG-4
220 BTNHD Big-Ten Network MPEG-4
242 USAHD MPEG-4
244 SCIFIHD MPEG-4
245 TNTHD MPEG-2
247 TBSHD MPEG-4
248 FXHD MPEG-4
265 A&EHD MPEG-4
269 HISTHD MPEG-4
273 BRAVOHD MPEG-4
278 DISCHD NOT Discovery HD Theater MPEG-4
280 TLCHD MPEG-4
281 HDT Old Discovery HD Theater MPEG-4
282 ANIMHD Animal Planet MPEG-4
296 TOONHD The Cartoon Network MPEG-4
325 SpikeHD MPEG-4
327 CMTHD MPEG-4
331 MTVHD MTV in HD, Not "MHD" MPEG-4
335 VH1HD MPEG-4
355 CNBCHD MPEG-4
621 MSGHD Part of Albany Local RSN MPEG-4
622 YESHD Part of Albany Local RSN MPEG-4
624 FSNYHD Part of Albany Local RSN MPEG-4
625 SNYHD Part of Albany Local RSN MPEG-4
Choice Xtra with HD Access
217 TENNHD The Tennis Channel MPEG-4
266 bioHD MPEG-4
359 FOXBHD FOX Business News MPEG-4
601 NBAHD NBATV HD, not NBA PPV MPEG-4
604 VSGOLFHD VS/Golf HD MPEG-4
607 SPEEDHD MPEG-4
610 CSTVHD MPEG-4
612 FUELHD MPEG-4
HD Extra Pack ($4.99 with any package)
74 UNIHD Universal HD MPEG-2
78 HDNM HDNet Movies MPEG-2
255 MGMHD MPEG-2
267 SMITHD The Smithsonian Channel MPEG-2
332 MHD Music (MTV) HD, not MTV MPEG-2
Premiere (includes all movie channels and RSNs)
501 HBOEHD HBO East MPEG-2
504 HBOHD HBO West MPEG-4
512 MAXEHD Cinemax East MPEG-4
514 MAXWHD Cinemax West MPEG-4
518 STZFHD Starz Kids & Family MPEG-4
519 STZCHD Starz Comedy MPEG-4
520 STZEHD Starz East MPEG-4
521 STZWHD Starz West MPEG-4
522 STZEDHD Starz Edge MPEG-4
537 SHOHD Showtime East MPEG-2
538 SHO2HD Showtime 2 East MPEG-4
540 SHOwHD Showtime West MPEG-4
544 TMCHD The Movie Channel MPEG-4
7xx RSNs Various Out Of Market RSNs MPEG-4
Pay-Per-View/Special Events
94 RSNHD MPEG-2 versions of RSN (YESHD, etc) MPEG-2
98 DTVHD MPEG-2 Special Event PPV MPEG-2
99 DTVHD MPEG-2 Special Event PPV MPEG-2
Various PPV Various HD PPV Movies MPEG-4
I'll break it down by package, too, and we can count them up at the end and make a real comparison with Time Warner. This means I'll be exclusing anything you don't actually get, PPV, special event channels, etc. Plus, it will make it easier to "leave off" what you don't pay for, like movie channels and out-of-market RSNs. I also left off RSN-alternates like BTNa (Big-Ten network) as they are always dark. I also left HD-PPV out of the count because it varies, but I know they include it in their "90 HD channels" count.
This was done not using marketing materials, but by flipping through channels and knowing what's what so it is a "what we get today" count.
Here are the totals:
- Family Package with HD Access, $39.99/mo., 11 HD channels
- Choice Package with HD Access, $62.98/mo., 40 HD channels
- Choice Xtra or better with HD Access, $67.98/mo., 48 HD channels
- Premier with HD Access, $109.98/mo., 60 HD channels (not including the out-of-market RSNs)
Since I have Choice Xtra with HD Acces, and HD Extra Pack (locked in rate of $49.99 + $4.99 HD Extra + $9.99 HD Access -- total of $64.97/mo after my $20/mo off for 12 mos. promo expires) I get a total of 53 usable HD channels.
With premiere, all you can possibly get you're looking at 64 true HD channels 24-hours-a-day maximum. Maybe not 90, as they claim, but pretty good. I'm sure the rest is creative counting.
NFL Sunday Ticket, NHL Center Ice, NBA and MLB packages all include "HD channels" but they don't necessarily add to the overall count since they are all RSNs that DirecTV carries anyway since they are national... with cable they need to carry these seperately in an area so they can call these more channels if they choose.
Local Channels (All packages)
6 WRGB CBS Affiliate MPEG-4
10 WTEN ABC Affiliate MPEG-4
13 WNYT NBC Affiliate MPEG-4
23 WXXA FOX Affiliate MPEG-4
Family with HD Access
101 The 101 DirecTV Exclusive MPEG-4
229-1 HGTVHD NOT a simulcast of SD HGTV MPEG-4
231-1 FOODHD NOT a simulcast of SD FOOD MPEG-4
284 SCIHD The Science Channel MPEG-4
299 NICKHD Nickelodeon HD East MPEG-4
362 TWCHD The Weather Channel MPEG-4
276 NGHD National Georaphic MPEG-4
Choice with HD Access
79 HDNET HDNet was taken off Extra Pack MPEG-2
202 CNNHD MPEG-4
206 ESPNHD MPEG-2
209 ESP2HD MPEG-2
212 NFLHD MPEG-4
215 NHLHD MPEG-4
220 BTNHD Big-Ten Network MPEG-4
242 USAHD MPEG-4
244 SCIFIHD MPEG-4
245 TNTHD MPEG-2
247 TBSHD MPEG-4
248 FXHD MPEG-4
265 A&EHD MPEG-4
269 HISTHD MPEG-4
273 BRAVOHD MPEG-4
278 DISCHD NOT Discovery HD Theater MPEG-4
280 TLCHD MPEG-4
281 HDT Old Discovery HD Theater MPEG-4
282 ANIMHD Animal Planet MPEG-4
296 TOONHD The Cartoon Network MPEG-4
325 SpikeHD MPEG-4
327 CMTHD MPEG-4
331 MTVHD MTV in HD, Not "MHD" MPEG-4
335 VH1HD MPEG-4
355 CNBCHD MPEG-4
621 MSGHD Part of Albany Local RSN MPEG-4
622 YESHD Part of Albany Local RSN MPEG-4
624 FSNYHD Part of Albany Local RSN MPEG-4
625 SNYHD Part of Albany Local RSN MPEG-4
Choice Xtra with HD Access
217 TENNHD The Tennis Channel MPEG-4
266 bioHD MPEG-4
359 FOXBHD FOX Business News MPEG-4
601 NBAHD NBATV HD, not NBA PPV MPEG-4
604 VSGOLFHD VS/Golf HD MPEG-4
607 SPEEDHD MPEG-4
610 CSTVHD MPEG-4
612 FUELHD MPEG-4
HD Extra Pack ($4.99 with any package)
74 UNIHD Universal HD MPEG-2
78 HDNM HDNet Movies MPEG-2
255 MGMHD MPEG-2
267 SMITHD The Smithsonian Channel MPEG-2
332 MHD Music (MTV) HD, not MTV MPEG-2
Premiere (includes all movie channels and RSNs)
501 HBOEHD HBO East MPEG-2
504 HBOHD HBO West MPEG-4
512 MAXEHD Cinemax East MPEG-4
514 MAXWHD Cinemax West MPEG-4
518 STZFHD Starz Kids & Family MPEG-4
519 STZCHD Starz Comedy MPEG-4
520 STZEHD Starz East MPEG-4
521 STZWHD Starz West MPEG-4
522 STZEDHD Starz Edge MPEG-4
537 SHOHD Showtime East MPEG-2
538 SHO2HD Showtime 2 East MPEG-4
540 SHOwHD Showtime West MPEG-4
544 TMCHD The Movie Channel MPEG-4
7xx RSNs Various Out Of Market RSNs MPEG-4
Pay-Per-View/Special Events
94 RSNHD MPEG-2 versions of RSN (YESHD, etc) MPEG-2
98 DTVHD MPEG-2 Special Event PPV MPEG-2
99 DTVHD MPEG-2 Special Event PPV MPEG-2
Various PPV Various HD PPV Movies MPEG-4