HD - Locals

[lbostons]

The HD locals it appears are beginning to light up from what I am reading on the forums. What I find interesting is that if you go to the DirecTV website and search locals by zipcode, CBS is not showing up. That is al least for my zipcode (43105) and I assume all others around central Ohio would be the same. Hopefully they will now re-structure their intended plan and begin to offer more national HD channels to compete with E*.

[Robbiee19]

I have a ?. Is it worth up grading to the 5 lnb (already have the H20). I get all the locals vie OTA with good PQ, but will the new MPEG-4 improve the PQ on say ESPN, Discovery CH HD. Thats what I am looking for. I don't think I will upgrade unless it improves the non-locel HD Channels.

[NBC4ENG]

All of the Columbus local HD stations are now offered on DirecTV. The service started yesterday.

So you are aware, the local HD stations are received off air and sent back by fiber to the control point.

[lbostons]

I think that the PQ will still be better OTA b/c it is not compressed but who knows how much better. I would probably not be able to tell but maybe NBC4ENG could since he looks at it all closely. I will be waiting to upgrade myself until the new HD DVR is available. The original plan by D* was to not offer the current national HD channels via mPeg-4, but with E* doing so much recently with their HD lineup who knows. I do hope that the PQ will get better and also hope D* starts adding more national HD feeds but who knows.

CBS, as I stated earlier is not a current HD local via D*. The current rumor/information is that it will be turned on 1 May. We will see if this prediction comes true. The information was posted on a couple diirent forums.

Have a great weekend!

[Robbiee19]

Well, going to have the AT9 antenna installed tommorrow. Two reasons. D* is going to swap out the SIR-360 with a H20 (already have one H20) and I can play with the Local HDs like switching between say NBC OTA and D* to see if there is a different or not.

[lbostons]

Robbiee19 - Please post when you have an opinion on how the two compare. I am interested in finding out. Thanks, lbostons

[Robbiee19]

Well lbostons if D* doesn't clear their problem with Sports Time Ohio, I am going to drop D*. In my book you don't start showing a new channel and say its there, then change your mind and drop it! Oh by the way the other providers are broadcasting the ch in HD no less for this area! SO, I may only be able to test the two for a short time.

[lbostons]

I am still getting the channel for some reason? I am clueless why since I am one of the zip codes who should not but I totally agree with you!

[Robbiee19]

I am still getting the channel for some reason? I am clueless why since I am one of the zip codes who should not but I totally agree with you!
Same here. I am still getting the CH. I guess D* and STO don't have a clue. Thats OK as long as I am still getting the CH they both can be clueless. Also, on the CAVS game last Sat. I could not tell the difference between the OTA and D* HD CH. PQ looked the same to me.

[Gimpy McFarlan]

All of the Columbus local HD stations are now offered on DirecTV. The service started yesterday.

So you are aware, the local HD stations are received off air and sent back by fiber to the control point.

Please excuse the ingnorant question but I'm confused... How do I view these local HD broadcasts via Directv? I have the HR10-250 HD-DVR unit. I can see via the Directv web site that the local channels are available in HD but there is no indcation how they can be accessed. :confused:

[jpdublin]

If I am not mistaken, you need the MPEG-4 DVR and Dish in order to receive the locals via Directv. I decided to stick with my OTA for the time-being, since I get good reception and until Directv offers more HD programming than it already has, then I plan on upgrading.