SMATVEE

DIRECTV Adding 7 HD Channels by January 31st!

DIRECTV announced today that they are adding 7 more HD channels with the following launch schedule:

January 24^th:

• TV Land HD
• Investigation Discovery HD
• Lifetime Movie Network HD

January 31^st:

• Headline News (HLN) HD
• Independent Film Channel (IFC) HD
• Cooking Channel HD
• H2 HD

There were rumors that Encore Action HD would be launching as well but no confirmation yet from DIRECTV.

Follow up to the DIRECTV Channel Changes - Making Room for Additional HD Channels

Here's an update from DIRECTV on the channel changes:

Beginning March 17, the following groups of channels will be moving to new channel ranges: SHOWTIME^®, Starz^®, Encore^®, Cinemax^® and HD Extra Pack. The move will take place over a six–week period, ending on April 21.

• Each week during this transition, one group of channels will be available on both the old channel numbers and their new channel numbers.
• At the end of that week they will be removed permanently from the old range.
• For example, from March 24 to 31, you will be able to see SHOWTIME^® channels in the new range (chs. 545–549) as well as the old range (chs. 537-542).
• After March 31, you will no longer see these channels on the old range – you'll see an on–screen message directing you to the new channels.

On April 22, the transition will be complete.

Here is an overview of the new channel ranges once the transition is completed.

• Cinemax® channels will start on ch. 515 (currently ch. 512)
• Starz® channels will start on ch. 525 (currently ch. 518)
• Encore® channels will start on ch. 535 (currently ch. 526)
• SHOWTIME® channels will start on ch. 545 (currently ch. 537)
• HD Extra Pack channels will be consolidated into one channel range starting at ch. 560

For more details on specific channels, please view the table below.

Old Channel Number	New Channel Number	Channel Name	Change Date
544	554	The Movie Channel East/The Movie Channel East HD	March 24
545	555	The Movie Channel West	March 24
547	557	FLIX	March 24
549	558	Sundance	March 24
550	559	Independent Film Channel	TBD
537	545	Showtime East/Showtime East HD	March 31
538	546	Sho2/Sho2 HD	March 31
539	547	Showtime Showcase/Showtime Showcase HD	March 31
540	548	Showtime West/Showtime West HD	March 31
542	549	Showtime Extreme/Showtime Extreme HD	March 31
526	535	Encore East	April 7
527	536	Encore West	April 7
528	537	Encore Love	April 7
529	538	Encore Westerns	April 7
530	539	Encore Mystery	April 7
531	540	Encore Drama	April 7
532	541	Encore Action	April 7
533	542	Encore WAM	April 7
512	515	Cinemax East/Cinemax East HD	April 12
514	516	Cinemax West/Cinemax West HD	April 12
518	525	Starz Kids & Family HD	April 14
519	526	Starz Comedy HD	April 14
520	527	Starz East/Starz East HD	April 14
521	528	Starz West/Starz West HD	April 14
522	529	Starz Edge/Starz Edge HD	April 14
523	530	Starz in Black	April 14
552	561	HDNet Movies HD	April 21
255	562	MGM HD	April 21
259	564	Universal HD	April 21
267	565	Smithsonian HD	April 21
289	566	Crime and Investigation HD	April 21
332	567	Palladia HD	April 21

URGENT! DIRECTV Channel Changes

DIRECTV®’s channel changes are coming next week which will affect your commercial/SMATV properties. After the dates below, these channels will no longer be available on your assigned channels and will need to be reassigned in your head end. Please contact your Head End Administrator, DIRECTV dealer, or Service Operator for details today. Thanks to PDI-SAT for the announcement.

Looks like DIRECTV may be making room for more HBO channels, hopefully in HD!

DIRECTV Begins Public Beta of Multi-Room HD DVR Service

DIRECTV has started the public beta of it's much anticipated Multi-Room HD DVR Service. I don't know about you but I've been waiting for this new service for quite some time.

Here's some details from DIRECTV:

Watch what you want, when you want, in any room you want. With just one HD DVR, you can watch your recorded shows on any TV in your house that's connected to an HD receiver. But that's just the beginning. You can also:

• Start watching a recorded show in one room and continue watching it where you left off in another room
• Record and delete shows from any TV connected to an HD receiver, not just the one connected to the HD DVR
• Record two shows at once, while watching two different shows in separate rooms
• Set separate parental controls for each TV

If you have more than one HD DVR, the DIRECTV Multi-Room HD DVR service keeps things simple by showing you a single, combined playlist of all your recorded programs on any connected TV.

You need an HD DVR* (models HR20-23) and at least one compatible HD receiver (models H21-23) that are already networked, along with HD Access and DVR service.

Visit DIRECTV for more information or check out the DIRECTV MRV Beta Technical Forum.

DIRECTV Delivers Local HD Programming To Customers in Missoula, Mont.

Local HD Programming from DIRECTV Now Available in 136 U.S. Cities

–(BUSINESS WIRE)– DIRECTV, Inc.: 

WHAT:

DIRECTV, Inc., the nation’s No. 1 satellite television service, is offering local HD programming to customers in the Missoula, Mont., designated market area. The following broadcast networks will be  available in HD: KTMF/ABC, KPAX/CBS, FOX/MNT, KECI/NBC, KUFM/PBS, and CW in standard-definition. DIRECTV now offers local HD broadcast channels in 136 markets, representing more than 92 percent of U.S. TV households.

HOW:

To receive DIRECTV’s local HD programming, customers must have an H20, H21 or H23 HD receiver, or an HR20, HR21 or HR23 DIRECTV Plus® HD DVR and a Ka/Ku band dish. For information on how to get DIRECTV HD consumers can visit directv.com. Eligibility for local channels is based on service address within certain designated market areas as defined by Nielsen Media Research, Inc. Visit directv.com for more information.

MEDIA CONTACT ONLY:

rgmercer@directv.com

CUSTOMER SERVICE:

1-800-DIRECTV

Press Release Contact Details:

MEDIA CONTACT ONLY: DIRECTV, Inc. Robert Mercer, 310-964-4683 rgmercer@directv.com

DIRECTV to Deliver Local Programming in Marquette, Michigan

Seven Local Stations Available via Satellite for the First Time Throughout the Market Area

EL SEGUNDO, Calif., Nov 11, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- DIRECTV, Inc., the nation's No. 1 satellite TV service, now offers local programming, including three networks in HD, to customers in the Marquette, Mich., market area.

The channels, available to Marquette customers for the first time via DIRECTV digital satellite, will include WBUP/ABC, WJMN/CBS and WLUC/NBC - all in HD, and FOX, WBKP/CW, WNMU/PBS, WNMU2/PBS and WZMQ/MNT in standard-definition.

With the launch of locals in Marquette, DIRECTV is rolling out a special offer for customers who need to upgrade their equipment: the first receiver is free and all additional receivers are only $49 along with free standard professional installation. To upgrade, customers should call 1-800-DIRECTV or visit directv.com.

With the launch of the Marquette market, DIRECTV will offer local broadcast channels (both HD and standard-definition) in 155 markets, representing more than 94 percent of U.S. TV households. Including Marquette, DIRECTV will offer local HD channels in 136 markets or more than 92 percent of U.S. TV households.

"We appreciate the leadership and support of Congressman Bart Stupak in our effort to launch local channels in the Marquette market," said Larry Hunter, DIRECTV president and CEO. "Local channels carry essential programming and consumers depend on them for critical news and weather information along with entertainment, and now for the first time, they're available via DIRECTV with three networks in crystal-clear HD."

To receive DIRECTV's local HD programming, customers must have an H20, H21 or H23 receiver, or an HR20, HR21 or HR23 DIRECTV Plus HD-DVR, and a Ka/Ku band dish. More information on programming package pricing and receiving equipment is available at directv.com.

About DIRECTV

DIRECTV, Inc. (NASDAQ:DTV), the nation's No. 1 satellite television service, presents the finest television experience available to more than 18.4 million customers in the United States and is leading the HD revolution with more than 130 HD channels - more quality HD channels than any other television provider. Each day, DIRECTV subscribers enjoy access to over 265 channels of 100% digital picture and sound, exclusive programming, industry-leading customer satisfaction (which has surpassed all national cable companies for nine years running) and superior technologies that include advanced DVR and HD-DVR services and the most state-of-the-art interactive sports packages available anywhere. For the most up-to-date information on DIRECTV, please visit directv.com.

SOURCE: DIRECTV, Inc.

DIRECTV, Inc.
Robert Mercer, 310-964-4683