Who will be the dominant HD provider?

by Ben Drawbaugh posted Jun 26th 2007 at 2:08PM

One of the most fascinating aspects of HD is the evolution of it as a medium. Back in the early days of HD, the combination of an antenna and DirecTV was king, and most cable companies didn't even try to compete. Here we are years later and while DirecTV chooses to concentrate all of its efforts on HD locals, cable has managed to catch up and pass DirecTV's HD offerings. Now DirecTV is ready to get back in the game, and in a few weeks will be launching the first new HD satellite dedicated to national HD channels and with it a torrent of new HD channels. Cable isn't standing by, they are testing out new ways to expand their capacity (SDV) and at the same time phone companies are also rolling out cable service in certain areas of the country. While the market will probably never be dominated by a single provider again, we are really looking forward to watching all of this play out in the months ahead.

Filed under: Industry, Cable, Fiber, OTA, Satellite

Tags: DirecTV, OTA, Satellite

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Neutral

Evan Martin @ Jun 26th 2007 3:11PM

Isn't this article largely ignoring Echostar?? Neither DirecTV nor Comcast are currently top dogs when it comes to # of HD channels offered. Dish Network has consistently "one-upped" the competition since the inception of HD offerings.

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dslate @ Jun 26th 2007 3:59PM

DISH is the HD champ and there is No reason to think they will lose that title anytime soon. Empty promises must weigh heavy with biased writers.

Neutral

Ben @ Jun 26th 2007 4:17PM

Echostar is the only provider that hasn't been making crazy claims lately, that is why I didn't mention them specifically. There is no bias for or against Dish. Also DirecTV has more subscribers.

In case anyone else cares the only reason why Comcast is mentioned is because they are the biggest cable provider.

Neutral

Christopher Johnson @ Jun 26th 2007 4:18PM

Last time I checked, Dish Network had the most channels. Why didnt you mention them? Is there a bias?

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Marten @ Jun 26th 2007 3:23PM

Not meaning to nit-pick, but "dominate" is a verb. "Dominant" is the adjective.....which should replace it :)

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Dominic @ Jun 26th 2007 4:25PM

I'll have to chime in about Dish. Although they haven't been advertising HD like DirecTV is an extremely poor reason not to mention them (Bad Ben, Bad!). Dish even uses Mpeg-4 (on newer receivers). So is there any news on Dish, or you going to keep stating the obvious with recycled crap. Come on Ben.

Neutral

Evan Martin @ Jun 26th 2007 4:27PM

I understand your perspective, Ben. Thanks for elaborating. These 2 have been making a barrage of "crazy" claims lately.

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Evan Martin @ Jun 26th 2007 4:29PM

I understand your perspective, Ben. Thanks for elaborating. These 2 have been making a lot of "crazy", outlanding claims lately regarding their future potential.

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dslate @ Jun 26th 2007 4:35PM

DireTv has been making claims only an Idiot would believe. DISH will match every channel that DirecTv adds and still have more (but not 100 in 2007). So how is it that an HD site wouldn't give better coverage to a company that is walking the walk instead of talking the talk.

Neutral

hummer197933 @ Jun 26th 2007 4:31PM

i hope so
i'm tired of looking through the on screen guides to see what on the hd streams
lemme guess
boring movies on hdnet movies, star trek/smallville/arrested development on hd.net, nothing good on tnt tonight, universial only plays crap
oh well
maybe next week

Neutral

Brendan @ Jun 26th 2007 4:48PM

Dish Network fans read this. http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=68854&p=irol-news Where are the press releases talking about future HD-Content, they don't exist. Comcast and Directv have made some extraordinary claims, it time to wait and see who actually comes through.

Engadgethd has little bias when it comes to programming, my proof, you think they favor Directv. I believe they (engadgethd) are out to get Directv. We both can't be correct so if they are annoying both of us they must be doing their job.

BTW if HD channels are available and no one watches them do they exist? (Voom)

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Ben @ Jun 26th 2007 4:49PM

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zik @ Jun 26th 2007 7:36PM

"Engadgethd has little bias when it comes to programming, my proof, you think they favor Directv. I believe they (engadgethd) are out to get Directv. We both can't be correct so if they are annoying both of us they must be doing their job."

No they aren't doing their jobs when they give the impression that the HD options are between cable and Directv. Especially when Dish has the best and most extensive HD lineup of all the providers.

Neutral

Spyvie @ Jun 26th 2007 5:05PM

Regarding fairness, something like this is exactly what my lawre recently told me. If both sides feel ripped off then it was a fair settlement.

Applies to Mac vs PC coverage on the parent site as well.

Neutral

Lionel Mandrake @ Jun 26th 2007 7:57PM

Direct was slated to become the HD king until a problem with a SeaLaunch satellite messed up their schedule. Once Direct's transponder-rich new bird is up and certified; we can expect Direct to really have something to sell. And I'm looking forward to the competition between Dish, Direct, and the shameless asswipes over at Comcast to truly heat up. Dish will very quickly move into last place among these three. Fiber to the home (which I've only seen Verizon pushing on the East Coast) remains a worthy holy grail.

LM

Neutral

007baf @ Jun 26th 2007 6:36PM

I used to have Dish Network, loved it. I went to work for Comcast (free cable). I don't work for Comcast anymore, I'm a research analyst for a small firm serving a large public entity (Uncle Sam).

I have Comcast with HD. The problem I've faced lately is some of the HD channels just not working. Comcast's answer is to shut down the box (unplug it) for 10 minutes and than wait the 30 minutes to an hour for the channels to reload. It does work, but seriously folks is this any way to run a railroad? I don't have satellite because of the issues with our daily T-Storms here out west - no signal.

I don't believe any of them any more. I just want all HD channels! That's not asking much, is it?

Neutral

dslate @ Jun 26th 2007 7:03PM

Anyone that thinks Ben is impartial hasn't been listening to the podcast brought to you by DirecTv Sunday Ticket, BluRay and Tivo (probably more but I've stopped listening). Yes we know Ben dropped DirecTv, but only to get the new Tivo. He also has the Dish still pointed ready for the vaporware 100 channels and of course Sunday Ticket.
Nahh, he's not biased. ;)

Neutral

Eras2r @ Jun 26th 2007 8:11PM

Here is where the problem lies with Dish Network... They evolved into the HD market by gobbling up Voom and its lineup of crap HD channels that no one watches, unless you like to watch old kung fu movies in HD. I see where DirecTV is trying to go. They would have had more HD feeds than Dish with the current satellite's in orbit, but the company chose to listen to their subscriber base and dedicate these satellites to local HD feeds. Basically they swapped their focus in 2006 from national HD channels to Local HD channels. Now in 2007 they are attacking the national HD market. And I know all of this means nothing if you get your local HD channels OTA like I do. But I believe that Dish and DTV will be kings for a while as Comcast is limited in bandwidth currently. Comcast has already begun removing the old Analog cable feeds from certain markets. This will definitely recoup some bandwidth to deliver more HD feeds, but in turn they will lose many customers that only want Analog cable. The funny thing is that they will lose them to Dish and DTV. But SDV will be the only thing that will keep Comcast in the running with the 2 big sat providers. IMHO I think by the end of 2007 we should see the ranking shaping up nicely. In my gut I see is going down with DTV first, then Dish and then Comcast. But what do I know anaway :)

Neutral

Ben @ Jun 26th 2007 7:41PM

The post was about the future and who would be the best, obviously Dish is the best now in regards to the shear volume of content.

I was only giving DirecTV as an example, as was Comcast. It would have been more clear if I had an image with more logos, but I couldn't fit all of the cable logos.

Neutral

dslate @ Jun 26th 2007 8:56PM

DirecTv isn't even offering ALL available HD channels now. And they are promising 100 HD nationals that won't even exist in 2007. How does the failed sealaunch effect putting up channels that don't even exist?
DISH is launching 2 birds by the end of the year. Was that reported?
DISH is also starting the conversion to ALL mpeg4. All the VOOM channels converting Aug 15th, freeing up roughly enough space for 15 more HD channels. Did I miss that post by Ben?

Ben your excuse about only using the 2 logos as an example, is laughable since you go on to mention DirecTv 4 times by name in your story.

Neutral

Greg @ Jun 27th 2007 3:01PM

Talk is cheap when it comes to satellite and cable companies promises. As of now DISH has the most HD offerings.

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dave @ Jun 27th 2007 4:31PM

DirectV is king in HD Sports and that's all that matters in the good old USA!

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Brendan @ Jun 27th 2007 7:27PM

Talk isn't cheap when it comes to publicly traded companies Greg and dslate. It's delusional and childlike thinking to believe that Dish Network has ANYTHING up its sleeve, the modern business world doesn't work that way. Contracts need to be negotiated and stockholders need to be informed.

Neutral

dslate @ Jun 27th 2007 7:52PM

Brendan you are a true idiot. Do you know what DISH has up its sleeve? Launching 2 SATs and starting MPEG4 conversions this year not good enough for you? What contracts does DISH NOT have? You obviously have been sitting in on the negotiations so give us the inside scoop. Obviously DISH has negotiated more HD channels than DirecTv so why do you think USA, SciFi, etc would shut them out? Read my first sentence again.

Neutral

techwarrior @ Jun 29th 2007 12:31PM

eventually fios will catch up and will be the best because they have the most superior network. they will deliver the highest resolution to :)

Neutral

Brendan @ Jun 28th 2007 12:13AM

Well lets start with the biggies HBO all channels in high def, Stars all channels in high def, Cinemax all channels in high def. A few teeny tiny packages called NFL Sunday Ticket, MLB Extra Innings, Nascar.

It's just TV dude grow up. Your loyalty to Dish Network is bordering on psychotic.

Neutral

dave @ Jun 28th 2007 2:41PM

Amen

Neutral

dslate @ Jun 27th 2007 11:10PM

So you have inside info that HBO, STARS, and Cinemax won't have all the channels on DISH?
Sunday Ticket is the one thing keeping subs with DirecTv since their HDTV is obviously starving for HD content (unless you can tune to the "Empty Promises" channel). Will DirecTv have 100 national HD channels in 2007? Will DISH? NO, but they aren't the ones lying to their subs.
You threw the first stone with your "childlike" and "delusional" comment, which still doesn't make any sense since both companies obviously have plans for the future and both are publicly traded and have stockholders. The "walk the walk" mentality doesn't hold true for such companies?

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