New Directv Channels for May 2010

[frostman]

Finally we get some action.

DIRECTV Extends Its HD lead With Over 160 HD Channels
MSNBC HD, ESPNU HD, Travel Channel HD, Hallmark Channel HD, Lifetime HD and Univision HD Are Among the New HD Channels to Begin launching in May

EL SEGUNDO, Calif., April 20, 2010— DIRECTV, the world's most popular video service, continues to deliver more full time HD channels than any other television provider in the nation with the addition of over 30 new HD channels. These new channels will begin rolling out in May and will continue in the following few months bringing DIRECTV's total HD channel lineup to more than 160.

Among the 30 new HD channels that DIRECTV will begin launching next month are:


CSN Bay Area HD
CSN California HD
Encore HD East
ESPNU HD
FSN Florida HD
GolTV HD
Hallmark Channel HD
Hallmark Movie Channel HD
HBO2 East HD
HBO Zone HD
Lifetime HD
MSNBC HD
Showtime Beyond HD
Showtime Next HD
Showtime Women HD
STARZ Cinema HD
STARZ In Black HD
Telefutura HD West
TMC Xtra HD East
Travel Channel HD
Univision HD East
WGN HD
Additional DIRECTV Cinema Channels
"From day one we have led the way with HD and, to the dismay of our competitors, that has not changed," said Derek Chang, executive vice president, Content Strategy and Development for DIRECTV. "While DISH Network is very skilled at grossly inflating their HD numbers, you'd be hard pressed to find an actual list of comprehensive HD channels that match their recent claims. We invite consumers to go to DIRECTV.com/hdchannels to see a list of all of DIRECTV's 160 HD channels. We challenge DISH to publish a list of all their full-time HD channels so consumers can decide and count for themselves."

In addition to the new HD channels, beginning this June, DIRECTV will launch a suite of 3D channels, which will include N3D™ powered by Panasonic, ESPN 3D, a 3D DIRECTV Cinema channel; and a 3D DIRECTV on Demand channel.

DIRECTV continues to lead the industry with the most sports in HD by broadcasting exclusive interactive sports packages like NFL SUNDAY TICKET™ and NCAA® MEGA MARCH MADNESS™ all in crystal-clear HD. DIRECTV will also continue to add HD content to its DIRECTV on Demand platform. In addition, DIRECTV delivers local HD programming to 138 markets, representing 92 percent of U.S. TV households

[puckhead]

Today DIRECTV went 100% operational with its DIRECTV12 satellite, also known to us at DBSTalk as 103(ca).... and five new channels launch as well!

Check your favorites list and be sure to add:

277 Travel HD
307 WGN HD
356 MSNBC HD
560 Hallmark Movie Channel HD (HD Extra Pack subscribers only)
614 ESPNU HD

Also, remember to redo any series links you may have for the SD version of these channels!

You may need to refresh your services to get HallMarkHD to work correctly: https://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/mydir...zationBody.jsp

[Lloyd]

Woo hoo! And just in time for Geek Week on The Rachel Maddow Show! Okay, I'm sure it's just reruns, but that was the last channel I watched regularly that was not in HD.

[puckhead]

Happy day for those with premium packages:

Hallmark HD - 312
Lifetime HD - 252
HBO2 HD East - 502
HBO Zone HD - 509
Showtime Beyond HD - 550
Showtime Next HD - 551
Showtime Women HD - 552
TMC Xtra HD East - 556
Starz Cinema HD - 531
Starz in Black HD - 530
Encore HD EAST - 535
CSN Bay Area - 696
CSN California - 698
FSN Florida - 654

[Lloyd]

None that really impact me (I'm too cheap), but always nice to see them getting added. Now here's hoping that pressure from Dish will get them to eliminate the HD fee.

[digital0ne]

When I still had DirecTV, that was one thing that really bugged me. I had to pay extra to get the HD channels, and even then it didn't include all of them. There was, and I believe still is, a separate $5 fee for a group of like 5 channels or something.

[Lloyd]

Yeah, they're frustrating me on that front. I like the multiroom thing, but the extra fee for HDNet Movies and others is annoying since the only first run movies they see are the ones they produce ("Ondine" was pretty good). And not carrying the NFL Network's Red Zone Channel to avoid competition with Sunday Ticket might someday make me switch. And why isn't ESPN Classic in the basic tier?

[puckhead]

Cinema 3D (104) and n3d (103) added today.

Wish I could tell you how they look.