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Posted by David Ward on 12/17/2008 at 03:43 PM in DIRECTV, HDTV, PDI-SAT, SMATV | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Technorati Tags: directv, hcs6000ra, hd, hdtv, hospitality, lg, smatv
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Well that didn't take long but it's unfortunate for those Dish customers that rely on Dish Network to receive their local Young Broadcast stations. According to Dish Network and WKRN, there has been a retransmission consent agreement and details of the agreement would be released soon.
In addition to Nashville, the Young TV station markets affected by the dispute are in Lansing, Mich.; Lafayette, La.; Albany, N.Y.; Knoxville, Tenn.; Green Bay, Wis.; Richmond, Va.; Davenport, Iowa; San Francisco; Sioux Falls, S.D.; and Rapid City, S.D.
Posted by David Ward on 12/15/2008 at 08:06 AM in Dish Network | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Technorati Tags: dish network, programming dispute, young broadcasting
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When will they learn? Dish Network would rather alienate it's customers and programming partners than step up and negotiate a programming contract in a civilized manor. This time it's WLNS TV6, serving the Lansing - Jackson Michigan area, owned Young Broadcasting who understandably wants Dish Network to pay a penny per day per subscriber in the local DMA.
Here's a statement from the WLNS website: DISH's contract with WLNS TV 6
originally expires on December 10, 2008 . WLNS TV offered a short
extension of the contract to alllow more time to reach an agreement
with DISH. The extension was not accepted by DISH For the past several
months our company has attempted to reach a new agreement with DISH.
Unfortunately DISH has elected not to accept our proposal.
I don't think this is too much to ask considering both Dish Network and DIRECTV charge $4.99 for you to receive the local channels over satellite. Yes, the local over the air broadcast channels are free but only if you have an acceptable off-air antenna but many in rural areas cannot receive their local channels unless they subscribe to Cable TV or Satellite TV. Since the satcasters are charging a fee to receive these channels, they should pay the programmer for the redistribution rights and $.30 per month per subscriber is not too much to ask.
Dish Network has been through these battles many times with both over-the-air broadasters as well as other programmers but somehow fails to learn it's lesson. Each time, they lose subscribers because you can bet that many of those who rely on Dish Network to supply the affected channels have already or will be calling DIRECTV or their local cable operator to switch. Oddly enough, how often do you here of these programming fights with DIRECTV?
Posted by David Ward on 12/11/2008 at 05:49 PM in Dish Network | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Technorati Tags: directv, dish network, wlns tv6
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From Skyreport:
DIRECTV added 10 more markets to its lineup of HD local public
television stations on Wednesday, after launching in 14 markets last
week. The new stations include WCFE in Burlington, VT-Plattsburgh,
NY;
WGTE in Toledo, Ohio; WNEO in Youngstown, Ohio; WFUM in
Flint-Saginaw-Bay City, Mich.; WFYI in
Indianapolis; WKOP in Knoxville, Tenn.; KPBS in San Diego; KQED in San
Francisco-Oakland; WGBY in Springfield-Holyoke, Mass.; and WEDU in
Tampa-St. Petersburg, Fla.
Posted by David Ward on 12/11/2008 at 12:12 AM in DIRECTV | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Technorati Tags: directv, pbs hd, public broadcasting, public television
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Looks like the waiting game is over, rather, DIRECTV's HDPC-20 is over. According to a company spokesperson, "DIRECTV has suspended the development of the HDPC-20 tuner project that was designed to integrate DIRECTV service into Windows Media Center after assessing the impact of missing the August 2008 release of Windows Media Center update and considering timing of the next release.
Both DIRECTV and Microsoft understand the desirability of offering consumers an all encompassing DIRECTV programming solution via Windows-based PCs. We are continuing to explore ways to integrate DIRECTV service with Windows-based PCs in the future.
The HDPC-20 tuner that appears on the driver list of a pre-Beta build of Windows 7 is an artifact that was listed prior to the decision to suspend the tuner project. As our plans progress toward a Windows Media Center-compatible product, we will make an announcement at the appropriate time.
Posted by David Ward on 12/10/2008 at 09:20 PM in DIRECTV | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
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From Skyreport 12/9/08:
As the digital TV transition draws near, one misperception may have gained some steam: People actually think they’re gonna get high-def with the DTV changes.
According to recent research from Frank N. Magid Associates, more than 40 percent of U.S. households that have purchased a HDTV in the last year have yet to obtain high-def service from their TV provider. The problem, stated the report, may come down to consumer confusion.
"We believe that many of these HD service rejecters believe they will automatically start receiving their programming in high-definition concurrent with the digital broadcast transition," said Maryann Baldwin, vice president of Magid Media Futures. That, of course, is an incorrect notion.
Beyond the confusion, the study found that 41 percent of HDTV owners don't feel high-def programming service is worth the added cost. Also, 30 percent of survey respondents said they can't afford HD and 18 percent said there are not enough channels available in HD to make the service worthwhile, stated the Magid study.
Posted by David Ward on 12/09/2008 at 07:28 AM in HDTV | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
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STANDARD IRDs
Update on existing Issue:
Existing Issues:
DVRs
Existing Issues:
HIGH-DEFINITION IRDs
Update on Existing Issue:
Existing Issues:
HIGH-DEFINITION DVRs
Existing Issues:
Miscellaneous notes:
Posted by David Ward on 12/08/2008 at 12:00 PM in DIRECTV | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Technorati Tags: directv, dual tuner, hd dvr, ird, mpeg 4, swm, tech tips
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From Skyreport:
On Wednesday, DIRECTV began launching local public TV stations in high-def format in markets across the country.
The HD launch of local public stations started in 14 markets and will continue to roll out to additional markets through the end of the year and in 2009, ahead of the nation's Feb. 17 digital TV transition, the company said.
Markets getting the local PBS HD feeds from DIRECTV are: Cedar Rapids-Waterloo-Iowa City-Dubuque, Iowa; Chicago; Davenport, Iowa-Rock Island-Moline, Ill.; Detroit; Houston; Los Angeles; Miami-Fort Lauderdale; Minneapolis-St. Paul; New York, Norfolk-Newport News, Va.; Phoenix; Portland, Ore.; Rochester, N.Y.; and Waco-Temple-Bryan, Texas.
The local public television HD launch follows a deal struck by DIRECTV, the Association of Public Television Stations and PBS. Under the agreement, DIRECTV will offer HD programming from local public stations in markets where it now provides local HD channels to customers.
DIRECTV said it offers local high-def programming in 115 markets, representing more than 87 percent of U.S. TV households.
Posted by David Ward on 12/04/2008 at 08:32 AM in DIRECTV | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Technorati Tags: directv hd, high definition locals, pbs hd, skyreport
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Welcome to SMATVEE! I'm betting that most of you will be wondering what the heck SMATVEE is or means. Well, SMATVEE is really an expression for SMATV which means Satellite Master Antenna Television. SMATV is pronounced SMAT-VEE so I thought it was only appropriate to call my new blog SMATVEE!
This blog will serve to support my new position as Regional Sales Manager for PDI-SAT, a DIRECTV Master System Operator and a division of PDI Communications, Inc. based in Boca Raton, FL. I will be posting useful news, articles, product information and any other SMATV/MDU system information. SMATVEE will mainly be geared towards Commercial Satellite Dealers and Installers but hobbyists and other DIY'ers will also find the information to be useful and interesting.
There are 3 ways to read SMATVEE:
Whichever method(s) you choose to keep up with SMATVEE is up to you, the only thing I ask in return is for you to please contribute by commenting on posts and asking questions.
Posted by David Ward on 12/01/2008 at 06:55 PM in Site News | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Technorati Tags: directv, mdu, satellite, smatv, smatvee
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