http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/17/directv-migrating-west-coast-locals-to-mpeg4-only/ Engadget HD Comments for DirecTV migrating West Coast locals to MPEG4 only http://hd.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://hd.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/17/directv-migrating-west-coast-locals-to-mpeg4-only/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/17/directv-migrating-west-coast-locals-to-mpeg4-only/Jan 17th 2008 11:30AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/17/directv-migrating-west-coast-locals-to-mpeg4-only/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/17/directv-migrating-west-coast-locals-to-mpeg4-only/
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Actually, you'd be wrong - I use a projector and it doesn't have a tuner. Besides, that's not the reason I wouldn't be able to use OTA -- the reason is that I only have 4 cables coming from my dish; I current diplex the signal from the OTA antenna onto a line with the DTV signal to get it into my basement, but once I upgrade, I won't be able to diplex that anymore, so my antenna will be useless :( Running new cable isn't really an option either, since I ran it initially when the house was being built...]]>Jan 17th 2008 1:47PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/17/directv-migrating-west-coast-locals-to-mpeg4-only/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/17/directv-migrating-west-coast-locals-to-mpeg4-only/Jan 17th 2008 1:48PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/17/directv-migrating-west-coast-locals-to-mpeg4-only/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/17/directv-migrating-west-coast-locals-to-mpeg4-only/
As a new subscriber, I can't believe the horrific problems I encounter each day, regardless of whether or not the method of data compression encoding or decoding is MPEG2 or MPEG4. Pixels, picture and/or sound dropouts, and picture lagging behind sound make for a constant battle, and are experienced on my HR-10 better than 40% of the time.

Unless Direct can guarantee customers an environment as stable as their former TIVO environment, I think the Federal Trade Commission needs to have a look at this and compel Direct to let people out of contracts with no penalties if unsatisfied. After all, DirecTV may be committing fraud and is is certainly breaching their contract with customers when they do not deliver a service that can be viewed or heard as advertised and expected.

Indeed, how many would contract for any service, whether satellite or cable, if they heard that the technology is still experimental and only works 60 - 70% of the time?

Fix the technology, and then do your rollout. ]]>Jan 17th 2008 12:00PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/17/directv-migrating-west-coast-locals-to-mpeg4-only/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/17/directv-migrating-west-coast-locals-to-mpeg4-only/
I think you must have bad dish aiming, bad wiring, bad multiswitch, or SOMETHING.... Because I have an HR10-250, and it runs flawlessly for HD from the antenna and from the dish... Never had a single problem, actually.]]>Jan 17th 2008 1:49PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/17/directv-migrating-west-coast-locals-to-mpeg4-only/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/17/directv-migrating-west-coast-locals-to-mpeg4-only/
What DirecTV is moving at this point is HD DISTANT Network signals, not local.
This is why the quote in the article says "customers with HD DNS channels will start to see crawls,". This is NOT the same as your HD locals. These are channels 86-89 only.

Additionally the HR21 does not include an OTA tuner despite the comment submitted by "The Big Bad". That's why DirecTV showed an add-on OTA tuner (AM-21) at CES last week.]]>Jan 17th 2008 3:00PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/17/directv-migrating-west-coast-locals-to-mpeg4-only/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/17/directv-migrating-west-coast-locals-to-mpeg4-only/
However, the story, is slightly old - as I posted the same info 12 hours earlier than the original feed after the Palm Springs SD Story - and the channels are already up and operational.

The banner, which has run since at least yesterday, tells viewer to check out the details which are set up on Channel 85 as a barker channel.

It details all the information of what is needed and how to check if you can get 391/393/397/399 and a number to call if you cannot.]]>Jan 17th 2008 4:13PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/17/directv-migrating-west-coast-locals-to-mpeg4-only/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/17/directv-migrating-west-coast-locals-to-mpeg4-only/
Now if that rumored USB box is true, and HD, and you could combine it with a TiVo Series 3, well, then, I'll consider...]]>Jan 17th 2008 4:16PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/17/directv-migrating-west-coast-locals-to-mpeg4-only/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/17/directv-migrating-west-coast-locals-to-mpeg4-only/
The HR20/21 interface is superior to the Tivo in many ways. Yes there are some shortcomings, but the interface also exposes where Tivo lacks.]]>Jan 17th 2008 10:07PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/17/directv-migrating-west-coast-locals-to-mpeg4-only/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/17/directv-migrating-west-coast-locals-to-mpeg4-only/Apr 1st 2008 1:05PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/17/directv-migrating-west-coast-locals-to-mpeg4-only/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/17/directv-migrating-west-coast-locals-to-mpeg4-only/
More channels! Um... not if it means the existing ones will suffer visually.]]>Jan 17th 2008 7:23PM