rplace Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 Anybody out there know anything about the process of getting your local channels (ABC/CBS/NBC/FOX) in HD via Satellite, not an off air antenna? The DirecTV people called it a local waver...or some such thing. DirecTV came two weeks ago and installed a second dish for HD at my house. They told me I would have better luck getting wavers from my local affiliates if I did not have an off air antenna. These wavers would allow me to get either the east coast or west coast feeds for network programming. Well Saturday the post card arrived and all were denied except for CBS. Other then me missing my local news and local commercials, of which I could watch the local news on standard signal if I wanted to. Why would they not grant me the privilege of watching their programming? So as it sits now I get local channels via regular signal for all networks and CBS gives me HD as well. I would think networks are worried enough about cable and the like eating into their share of viewers and would willingly give me as much access to their programming as I want. I would really like to watch more programming in HD, but there is just not that much of it. Not quite sure we are at the point where is it worth the cost of the equipment and premium content cost yet. Frustrated and confused![8-)][*-)] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
customsteve01 Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 I remember we got that same crap just to get the regular channels and then out of the blue they said we could get them, for 5 extra dollars a month of course. I haven't purchased my HD TV yet so I am going to be watching this thread to see how this turns out. Have you called Dish to see how it would work for them if you were to switch?? Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rplace Posted February 6, 2006 Author Share Posted February 6, 2006 Steve, I choose DTV over Dish because in my area they had provided local programming for free and Dish did not have it. Not even for an extra fee. Strange that you would have to pay for local content, I have not known DirecTV to do that. Do you have DTV or some other provider? BTW Steve, Check out my reply to your post in 2channel. I don't think you are actively checking that thread. http://forums.klipsch.com/forums/677299/ShowPost.aspxI know I could PM you...but too lazy for that. Oh yea, it is a pretty picture! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
customsteve01 Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 I have DTV and I guess they really don't charge for the local channels but you have to pay the extra for the upgraded basic package. I think they call it the "total choice" or something like that. I didn't have that package before but to get the locals I had to change to that. With out dealling with the HD stuff my main pet peeve with DTV is the lack of 5.1 audio content. I would prefer to rent my movies from them but most don't have 5.1 audio, so I go pay more at the local video store that is 10 miles away. Yes I too live in the middle of nowhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougdrake Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 If you have the option to do so, a cable provider and a QAM tuner will probably give you all kinds of "broadcast" HD content for a pittance. I pay Comcast $13.50/month for the most basic cable service. With a QAM tuner (either standalone or in a PC - mine's in a PC), I can tune in all the networks in HD (WB, CBS, ABC, NBC, Fox) and lots of other channels in digital format (not HD, but much clearer than their analog counterparts) - such as ESPN, CNN, HGTV, etc... (I even can pick up other's on-demand movies as they are streamed in QAM format in a digital signal - pretty funny watching it and then it all of a sudden speeding up or pausing as the viewer controls the feed.) There is a surprising amount of HD content out there if you watch any network shows on the Big 5. (Grey's Anatomy in HD after the 'bowl was great!) I cannot get the HD feeds of specialty channels, however, like Discovery HD or ESPN HD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rplace Posted February 6, 2006 Author Share Posted February 6, 2006 I see now what you mean. I believe when I signed up for DTV there were 2 or 3 channels we wanted in that total choice package and they gave you about a zillion for that extra few bucks. I did not realize that you had to have that package to get local channels. At any rate I now have HD for CBS right from the sat. dish with no off air antenna. Sad that I can't get the rest of network programming. I have been racking my pee brain to find a reason why the local ABC/NBC/Fox affiliates would not want me watching the network programs in HD. They themselves broadcast in HD and they (Networks/DTV) allow me to view it in standard broadcast...so why no HD? I have heard some rumblings that DirecTV is going to have a new Satellite launched and that there is some new HD dish in the works that will give local HD channels to all. Anyone know the details about that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rplace Posted February 6, 2006 Author Share Posted February 6, 2006 DougDrake, no cable in my area. Even if there was I doubt I would switch. I have lived all over the U.S. and find I get way better picture/sound (standard that is) with my DirecTV satellite service then I ever did with any cable company. Also, the hype about snow on dishes, wind or trees are an out right lie. I do however wish there was cable service in my area for Internet access. I would kill for a Cable modem or DSL. No neighbors on my 10 acres so I can blast the tunes/movies without a neighbor banging on my walls...but everything seems to have it's pros and cons. My con is slow Internet access....and the 6+ acres of grass to mow in the summer. Time to plant more trees.[] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
customsteve01 Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 rplace, Check this out. I don't think it will make you happy tho.........[] http://www.tvpredictions.com/directvhdtv013105.html Steve Edit: oops I looked at the date and saw Jan. 31 and didn't notice the 2005, I guess you already have a MPEG-4 box............ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PiperG Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 I've known about the new satellites for a while now. As soon as I started to see the HD DVRs prices start to plummet, I knew something was up. They went from 999.00 to like 600.00 within 6-7 months. Here in Phoenix, I'm not sure when my local channels are gonna be HD, but I'm waiting it out. I think everyone should do the same! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ndskyz Posted February 7, 2006 Share Posted February 7, 2006 Wow that article is REALLY old...it was dated 1-31-05. DirecTv has already rolled out the new Dishes. I recently upgraded from Standard to HD with them. Bought the HD reciever from CC for 199.99. signed up for DTV HD service and got a $200 rebate. It really only cost me 49 bucks for the guy to come out and upgrade my dish, and run another pair of RG-6 into the house. As for the locals I hear DTV is going throught the same thing they went through years ago to carry the local channels. It's all about HOW MUCH the locals want to charge DTV for carrying their new HD signals vs how much DirecTv wants to pay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikey j Posted February 7, 2006 Share Posted February 7, 2006 "Effective 2-6-2006 all DIRECTV dealers will need to ensure that they install the required 5-LNB (Ka/Ku) multi-satellite dish with the H20 receiver in all DMA's, regardless of market or zip code" This is the equipment needed to receive local channels in HD. According to the information that I have, Phoenix should have locals in HD sometime this spring. If you have DTV HD equipment now, you can only receive HD networks (East or West coast) if your local stations allow you to (waiver). Local stations want you to see local advertising not N.Y or L.A.'s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toddvj Posted February 8, 2006 Share Posted February 8, 2006 I have been racking my pee brain to find a reason why the local ABC/NBC/Fox affiliates would not want me watching the network programs in HD. They themselves broadcast in HD and they (Networks/DTV) allow me to view it in standard broadcast...so why no HD? Because they want you to watch their channel, not the New York feed. They are happy to have you watch their channel in HD, but that is not what you'd be watching if you got the Networks in HD from DTV, you get the national feed. It's all about advertising. If you get the National feed, you won't get the local commercials. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merkin Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 I spoke with my local dish network provider and they would sell me a $40 dollar antenne to put in my attic or on the roof which would receive all the local HD stations. From what it sounded like was that it would feed into your hd receiver. So you get local HD plus what ever they provide on the satelite. But that might not be an option if you don't have good local reception. Is this a bad way to get local HD because I was looking at it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougdrake Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 Sounds like they are suggesting you just pull your HD for your local stations Over The Air, which is fine if you can get the reception. Most any good antenna will work for that. To predict your reception, go to www.antennaweb.org. There, you can input your address and they'll predict what stations you can receive in HD and what type of antenna you'll need to do so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Professor.Ham.Slap Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 I honestly think this whole waiver thing is a piece of crap. My parents are going through this but the problem is, they live in an area where HD reception is not possible without the dish feeds. Fox and CBS were nice enough to give us the waiver, but the others said no. So now basically not only are we not watching the national feeds, but we're not watching the network at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtkinney Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 I have a Dish Network HD receiver, and just pull the local HD and digital programming off of the air with an antenna mounted in the attic. I need 2-3 antennas to get all of the locals since their transmitters are not all in one direction, but it works great. I missed the Super Bowl in HD (not at home) but the World Series in HD with Dolby Digital surround sound off the air was great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTYoung Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 The reason the local affiliates won't grant you a waiver to get the network feeds over the Sat is $$$. If it were known that they routinely grant waivers to people living in their broadcast area it would affect the advertising money they could get for commercials they air locally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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