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Post by xzi on Mar 22, 2008 10:07:38 GMT -5
DirecTV indeed counts their HD PPV channels, and the just added another 10 last week.
If you count all their out-of-market RSNs in HD (if you get the Sports Pack) you can add another 15-20 or so, too, on top of that (they alren't on that page, only their full-time RSNs are). Not sure if they do count though, though. In Albany, we get 4 HD RSN (MSG, MSG+, YES and SNY)
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Post by xzi on Mar 18, 2008 16:30:23 GMT -5
DirecTV: 87 (4 locals, no subchannels) - avg. in HD - 55.0%
Dish: 56 (no locals or subchannels) - avg. in HD - 73.0% (obviously because of Voom, which is junk IMO)
Time Warner: 45 (all locals, some subchannels) - avg. in HD - 57.0%
OTA: 21 (all locals + sub channels) - avg. in HD - 20.7%
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Post by xzi on Feb 20, 2008 13:14:36 GMT -5
It's probably because SNY carries the Mets, YES carries the Net and Yankees, and MSG carries the Knicks and Rangers. Albany doesn't have any "local" teams on FSN so why carry them I guess. I believe they carry Devils sometimes, but that's not even a NY team. Islanders and Sabres are both not available in Albany unless they play the other 2 teams. It'd be a waste. We have it on DirecTV in HD, and it's usually just blacked out when Islanders or Sabres are on anyway here. If you have Center Ice, though, you get FSNNY in HD anyway. I think the Islanders part is what I was missing. I was unaware they didn't show in ALB. The Sabres actually do show here sometimes though(there usually on the MSG SD channel) I seem to remember getting Sabres on MSG with Time Warner, too. DirecTV defintely blacking it out here, though, and just like TW it's never on the MSG-HD, it's always on "NYa" -- an MSG-alternate feed--but blacked out.
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Post by xzi on Feb 19, 2008 21:53:35 GMT -5
Yea, I know that with national channels. It just seems odd they carry every other RSN for NY in HD, I thought there might have been a specific reason. It's probably because SNY carries the Mets, YES carries the Net and Yankees, and MSG carries the Knicks and Rangers. Albany doesn't have any "local" teams on FSN so why carry them I guess. I believe they carry Devils sometimes, but that's not even a NY team. Islanders and Sabres are both not available in Albany unless they play the other 2 teams. It'd be a waste. We have it on DirecTV in HD, and it's usually just blacked out when Islanders or Sabres are on anyway here. If you have Center Ice, though, you get FSNNY in HD anyway.
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Post by xzi on Dec 15, 2007 1:45:07 GMT -5
I would tend to agree with hurnik. DirecTV just announced that Local channel HD was coming by mid 08. It may be here by Feb, as it is already in one area that was in the same press release. It may also be trying to slow down customer switching to sat. Only they would know how many people are switching, and it may be enough that they felt they needed to do something. It will be interesting to see how soon the new channels are available. I think they are ready to go pretty quick on DirecTV... all my local channels disappear and reappeared in the correct order for Albany this week so something is in the works (it used to show MORE than just the Albany locals (neighboring areas too)--now it is "correct" and shows only 6,10,13,17,23,45 and 51)
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Post by xzi on Dec 13, 2007 18:17:27 GMT -5
Now that we are seeing them add the HD channels that are "replacements" for the old SDs (i.e. same programming with the exception of Vs/Golf) hopefully they are smart enough to start using the DirecTV approach and stop using the 18xx channel range... DirecTV just puts the HD version right over the same number as SD... avoiding this worrying ab out whether they are HD or not. As they add more channels I think that becomes more important.
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Post by xzi on Dec 24, 2007 20:46:59 GMT -5
The NFL allows the "home" viewing areas to show the games Over-the Air so those without cable and/or sattelite can watch the game. Unfortunately, Albany is not considered within the "home" viewing area of NYC. I believe shanedude is saying he will tap into his friend's HD Slingbox who lives in the NYC area and can use his OTA receiver to watch the game. The Slingbox transmits the TV signal over the internet. Unfortunately, there is only one allowed remote connection at a time. I'm not sure the game is on in NYC, is it? I know there is a station in Boston that thinks they are going to carry it but I'm not sure they will be able to. A national blackout is just that--a game that even the local networks are not allowed to carry, and I believe with the NFL Network games, this is the case. It does appear to be listed as WWOR and WNYW in NYC and on WCVB in Boston/Hartford so ya I guess it is in in their DMAs. In that case, everyone is probably getting a little out of control considering the rules aren't any different than they are any other time. It's not as bad as baseball where your local team is blacked out on Monday nights and if you don't have ESPN, forget about it. NFL is esentially one of the last sports you can still get OTA for that matter, and all this pissing and moaning is going to be on deaf ears considering baseball isn't even as popular as the NFL, but their TV deal is probably more lucrative to cable and satellite operators at this point. I think this is just the beginning of the end... get used to I guess. Or get DirecTV.
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Post by xzi on Dec 23, 2007 22:42:30 GMT -5
I dont give a hoot, will continue to enjoy the games via my pals hd slingbox. He lives down state and can just grab it right off the air All well and good, except the Pats-Giants game is not over the air on Dec 29th... DirecTV only unless Time Warner figures this out.
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Post by xzi on Dec 4, 2007 16:34:26 GMT -5
For those that don't know, the Albany River Rats will be on NHL Network, Thurs. Feb. 28th against Rochester at 7 PM.
Anyone know if this (and the other AHL games every Thurs. night) are in HD? Haven't caught one yet...
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Post by xzi on Apr 2, 2008 9:32:30 GMT -5
In researching this I find that Directtv DOES in fact charge a fee above and beyond their normal packages if you would like to access anything in HD ($9.95 per their website). Looking over my timewarner bill which I just got I only see a charge of about $2 that I am paying to access HD services (I get their sports channels for NHLHD). There are packages such as "Choice Xtra Plus HD DVR" that do NOT charge extra for either DVR or HD access service with DirecTV. You have to be careful trying to compare them down the line like that because where TW itemizes EVERYTHING, DirecTV will package them up. Choice Xtra Plus HD DVR gets you DVR fees, HD fees and 265 channels, 95 HD channels for $72.99. Each additional box is $4.99/mo and the first one is free. Time Warner for the same package (I say same, but of course they aren't) with 1 HD-DVR would be $59.99 for digital cable and $9.95/mo. for DVR service. I believe their first box is included, but if not that's another $7.15 + .30 for a remote each month, too, and for each additional. These are the latest, "raised" 2008 prices and they are very similar.
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Post by xzi on Apr 2, 2008 9:20:33 GMT -5
Just so you know, not even including their new business contract-incentives, DirecTV -- apples to apples -- tends to be about $8-10 cheaper/mo. than cable. Long gone are the days of satellite being the premiere priced option to cable. Since their STB is $5/mo not $8, and their DVR fee is $5 and not $10, it actually gets cheaper as you add more TVs, too. The only time it's more expensive, is if you split your cable to severals TVs in the house becuase you can't do that with DirecTV and if you want more than 1 HD or HD-DVR box becuause you do pay $100/ea. on day one for those (first one free and as many SD boxes free as you want). You can read my review here if you're interested in my personal experience of ditching TWC-Albany for DirecTV this year. www.qwowi.com/2008/02/technology-and-gadgets/directv-satellite-television
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Post by xzi on Mar 24, 2008 9:47:27 GMT -5
But they lowered the price of the STB by like 15 cents each. That should make up for it right?
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Post by xzi on Mar 21, 2008 21:06:25 GMT -5
I'm still receiving TBS, A&E, and UNI HD with my CC (3/21 @7pm). Shhhh... don't tell TW. Maybe your neighbors are watching em.
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Post by xzi on Feb 27, 2008 14:30:48 GMT -5
Absolutley, XZI, but for the 6 bucks or whatever the difference is from the card, to me its worth not having to deal with all the headaches and problems I keep reading about on here. Like I said, they basicall told me the card sucks, so it just saves me some headaches, aspirin isnt cheap either. To each their own right. Yup... I went a different way, and figured if I had to get STBs again, I was going to do it for $5/mo and get boxes with 90 HD channels.
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Post by xzi on Feb 27, 2008 10:49:12 GMT -5
I agree Shane, I had cable card, realized it was junk... got rid of it.Now I use converters, not perfect, but much less problems. I don't believe that cable is "Forcing" me into buying a cable card, I can get a dish, a converter, or for now 'rabbit ears' if I choose to do so. What changed my mind was when the cable guy was at my house for the 4th time for cable card, and basicaly said "look, these arent going so well, we waste more time & money rolling trucks and sendinf people out for these, and at the end of the day,we cant' totally fix everything, your better off with a converter,if not I'll be back in a week or so if you want to keep the card." Swtiched... havent seen them since Lets not forget though that CableCards for $1.75/mo and STBs are $8/mo. So no they aren't forcing you, but YOU are paying for the issue, not them. And that's bulls***
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