CES - Day 3

[Shane]

DirecTV has a new line of receivers hitting the market. Among them is an HD DVR with dual tuners, capable of buffering 90 minutes of live TV, or recording 30 hours of HD in MPEG-2, or up to 50 hours of HD in MPEG-4, or up to 200 hours of SD. This will be available "mid-year". Current Local HD channels are available in 12 markets, with 24 more coming in the April/May time frame.

[url=http://www.hdtvmagazine.com/articles/2006/01/ces_-_day_3.php]Read the Full Article[/url]

[dblack10219]

Shane,
Thanks for the updates on DirecTV receivers/ HD recorders. Any more specific info on the actual number of HD channels available or the precise release date for the new equipment? My local ISF person/satellite dealer says he keeps "hearing" spring of 2006.

[snidelyw]

A couple of the D* reps were saying "looking to an April launch" for the MPEG4 DVR.
Couple of comments:
When I first got D* (a year after they launched many years ago), all you needed was one 18" dish/LNB. (Dish area 243 Sq. inches) New required dish has about double the surface area. [My original box, dish LNB AND wiring still work fine! and I installed it myself!!!]
I think the 90 min. buffer you mention is for SD. Since HD uses 3 to 5 times more data space, the buffer of an HD program would be about 20 minutes or so.
D* showed a prototype of their MPEG4 HD DVR at last year's CES. Not sure it was a working model altho they did display a live working MPEG4 channel at the 2005 show.
As others have mentioned, no new HD channels on the horizon.

...mike

[dblack10219]

Mike,
Thanks for the info. Why are people out there talking about the MPEG-4 systems allowing for more "bandwidth" and more HD channels? Are these ideas coming from D* or is it just consumers wishing on a satellite?
Don

[Shane]

Mike,
Thanks for the info. Why are people out there talking about the MPEG-4 systems allowing for more "bandwidth" and more HD channels? Are these ideas coming from D* or is it just consumers wishing on a satellite?
Don

MPEG-4 video allows for roughtly twice the number of MPEG-2 channels in the same bandwidth. And rumor has it that is is more efficient at compression, which would mean less artifacts ... although I have not verified this visually or through detailed research.

- Shane

[glinde]

I am concerned about DirecTV's move away from Tivo with their new equipment. I have done some quick research by reading user comments on some of the electronics websites (e.g., CircuitCity.com and Amazon) and am dismayed by numerous user comments bashing the new DirecTV DVRs as having technical problems, an inferior interface, and a number of other issues. Granted, thesee are reviews of the SD boxes, so I am hoping that the new equipment coming in the next month or so has some significant improvements. However, given how reliant on and enamoured with the Tivo revolution we are, I am hoping this upgrade by DirecTV doesn't turn out to be a major step backwards.

[Shane]

I am concerned about DirecTV's move away from Tivo with their new equipment. I have done some quick research by reading user comments on some of the electronics websites (e.g., CircuitCity.com and Amazon) and am dismayed by numerous user comments bashing the new DirecTV DVRs as having technical problems, an inferior interface, and a number of other issues. Granted, thesee are reviews of the SD boxes, so I am hoping that the new equipment coming in the next month or so has some significant improvements. However, given how reliant on and enamoured with the Tivo revolution we are, I am hoping this upgrade by DirecTV doesn't turn out to be a major step backwards.

I would be concerned as well. I do not yet own a DirecTV TiVo, but am in the market (probably will wait for the MPEG-4 version). DirecTV is under contract with TiVo until February of next year. There is no indication yet of whether or not they will renew. It may have a lot to do with how successful their replacement service is, and whether they receive a lot of complaints about not being "up to par" with the TiVo units/service.

- Shane