BigTen Network launches Thursday, but will you get it?
By Ben Drawbaugh 
posted Aug 28th 2007 4:46PM
posted Aug 28th 2007 4:46PM
Most HD fans love sports, and all sports fans love HD (right?), so it's only natural that every sports lovin' HD fan wants every HD sports channel they can get their hands on. The BigTen network is a big deal for sports fans, -- especially if you follow any BigTen teams -- and we love the fact that 92% of their football games get the HD treatment. But unfortunately when the channel launches this Thursday most won't be able to enjoy it, 'cause only a few providers (like DirecTV and AT&T U-Verse) have signed on. Like most of these deals, a big part is money, but some of it is the ol' basic tier Vs extended BS. So if you're in the unlucky colum, then go ahead and call your provider and if they can't get the deal done, you'd better hope you have a nice southwestern view of the sky.
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Does anyone know what DirecTV channel this will be on?
Me and my roommates (who are big IU fans) switched to DirecTV for this. Although it does little for me since I'm a BSU fan... I get to depend on the slingbox I left at my parents place back home :|
It's going to be a pain finding coverage, but I'll be watching my Iowa Hawkeyes 'till the band plays "In Heaven There Is No Beer" come hell or high water.
Let's Go Hawks!
Marshall
realht.info
sure am glad i have directv already. oh yeah, steve, channel 220. starting thursday
What will be the HD channel(on DTV) for these games that are in High Def?? They won't be on channel 220 will they?
Do you have to have the new Mpeg4 dish and DVR to get the Big Ten Channel in HD?
Why the hell nobody put soccer in their programing!!!
If you have comcast you get FOXSOCCER Channel but not HD which makes me mad. Has anyone heard anything about Comcast getting this new channel?
For DirecTV: Channel 220 is the base channel, then the few channels up and down from it are the overflow channels... (Note: For this week the Illinois game is on ESPN2... so be sure to check your Big Ten School's schedule, to see if it is on BTN or being carried by one of the other national carriers).
On DirecTV
As for HD... It will not be available in HD for at least the first weekend, and probably the second.
If all published "estimates" are correct (see the FCC filings), that new SAT should be in place the first week of September...
So..... Hopefully by week 3.
And yes, you will need the new dish and an MPEG-4 compatible HD receiver (HR20 or H20)
Also... with DirecTV... it is expected that the "HD" channels, will be the same as SD channel number.
The HR20/H20 will first select the HD version of the channel (when available)... (you can access the SD version via the guide, or using channel up once you tune to the HD).
On non-MPEG4 systems, you will be directly tuned (and only have access to), the SD channel
That new channel won't have the good Big 10 games. ESPN already has those. The Big 10 channel will only show crappy football games. So then what do they do for the rest of the year ? Chess matches between Iowa and Penn State. Comcast is doing the right thing. If you want this channel then pay for the sports package but don't expect me to pay more so you can watch MSU vs. Perdue in womens rowing.
"Crappy" to who?
There are a lot of Alumni, that are not "fair-weather" fans... that still want to watch the school they love. And that is going to be fantastic, as even though I am in Chicago... I only got 2 or 3 Illinois games last year... now... I can watch all of them.
As for the rest of the year....
You do realize there is a basketball season right? And the Big-Ten is pretty good? and the national coverage is usually only during the weekend (With regards to ESPN).
Then you have several sports that are going to be carried... "Olympic" style sports, the Hockey, Tennis, Volleyball.... This isn't the BTN - Football network...
@Earl:
2 or 3 games? Way to exagerate. Despite finishing at the very bottom of the Big Ten, 4 UofI games were on ESPN2 (Rutgers, Penn State, Wisconsin, OSU). 4 others were available though ESPN-Plus/Gameplan. This year, unless you happen to have DirecTV, you certainly won't be getting 8 Illinois games.
That's right Earl, I said crappy. If you want to see those games get Directv. Don't make everybody in the Chi Town area pay to see your team loose every game. Do you know what the Big 10 wants per household for their crappy product? From what I understand it would be the second highest rate per household in all of TV. Do you think the ratings will warrent that? I don't think they won't, I know they won't.
Already have DirecTV...
And yes, I do know the reported amounts that the Big Ten is asking for:
Here is what it calculates to:
For COMCAST:
Basing it off a 22,000,000 subscriber base, 5,000,000 in the 8 Big Ten States:
If the $0.10/$1.10 is the correct price:
17,000,000 X .10 = $1,700,000
5,000,000 x 1.10 = $5,500,00
$7,200,000 per month
~ $0.32 per subscriber per month
If other reports are correct, and it is only $0.75 per sub in the 8 states...
0.23 per subscriber per month... that is not even $0.01 per day
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Dish Network:
It comes out to about:
$0.28 per month/per subscriber for AT100
$0.19 per month/per subscriber for AT200
See this thread for the calculation estimates, and basis:
http://www.dbstalk.com/showpost.php?p=1067809&postcount=344
Close. $1.14 per household. I like how you spread the cost out as if the people who live in Big 10 country would get a check from the people who don't live in BT country. You really think the cable company would eat this cost ? You have DirecTV so I hope you enjoy your channel. I'll stick with ESPN, ESPN2, CSTV, ABC, NBC, and my regional sports channel to show me the college games worth watching.