Wrap it up with Bundled Satellite Packages

There once was a day when satellite TV service cost a fortune, as did high-speed Internet and other newer technologies. As satellite television becomes more and more integrated with the fabric of daily life in America, these services are being offered at lower and lower prices. And as the customer base for these services rises, so does the demand for simplified and consolidated bills.

Many satellite companies are dealing with this desire by giving customers the option to wrap their satellite TV, phone and high speed Internet bills into one. And phone companies are linking up with high-profile satellite companies to offer great deals on some of these packages.

Consumers can now enjoy these services for one reasonably low price, along with the option to personalize each one. Having the ability to customize the viewing, talking and surfing experiences while paying one monthly bill is what’s drawing so many to these deals.

While consumer behavior is driving the convenience factor of the all-in-one bill, market forces may be the impetus for falling prices. Because the phone and Internet companies are working together with the satellite companies to fight the cable companies for business, the price is driven down. The total bill is generally less than the sum of the bills would be if a customer purchased their phone, Internet and satellite separately.

Some packages even include a cell phone service, as well as a long distance home phone service. And many companies tout special offers such as free satellite for a given amount of time when bundling the plan with Internet and phone service. The convenience and cost effective nature of these plans has made them a popular choice of the American consumer.

So is there a downside to this new phenomenon? Yes, in a way, there is. By packaging services together, these companies convince customers to use newer technology. Someone using dial-up Internet, for example, would be forced to upgrade to high-speed if they want to bundle a package. High-speed Internet, even in a packaged deal, is more expensive than dial-up. In this manner, companies are prodding the public to keep up with changing technology and higher prices.

So far, however, consumers seem quite pleased with the convenience that accompanies the upgrade to better technology — even if it costs a bit more than dial-up. Science is not slowing down, and consumer goods will keep changing. Soon companies will be trying to wean consumers off of these satellite packages in favor of the latest design. But for now, bundled satellite packages are a great way to get it all.

Speed Racer in HD on DirecTV Pay-Per-View

Do you long to hop behind the driver’s seat of the coolest race car on the planet, the lovable Mach 5? Millions of people across the country fondly recall when the animated adventures of the beloved boy driver, Speed Racer, burned up the television airwaves each afternoon. For those of us who remember those days, it is a joy to see our children becoming fast friends with Speed and all his friends.

Warner Bros. Pictures brought the life of Speed Racer to big screens across the country with an outstanding cast of characters. Emile Hirsch played the starring role of Speed Racer who competed against drivers to save his family’s business and protect the sport of racing. John Goodman rang in as Pops Racer, and Susan Sarandon co-starred as Mom. Trixie, Speed Racer’s girlfriend, was played by Christina Ricci. And Speed’s competitor, Racer X, was played by Matthew Fox.

This high-action movie is filled with as much speed and intensity as the beloved cartoon. On September 16, this film came to DirecTV Pay-Per-View in standard definition and stunning high-def. This is an HD experience unlike any other. The incredible details that have gone into recreating the cartoon cult classic are outstanding.

 In this high-impact, adrenaline-pumping HD experience, Speed is a racer at heart and everything related to the sport is his life. His parents build race cars, and his father designed the Mach 5, the car that would win the hearts of millions. Speed’s brother, Rex, a former racer, was killed while racing in the Casa Cristo when Speed was a young boy. The Casa Cristo was an amazing cross-country rally whose participants had a reputation for rough play.

Viewers climb behind the wheel with Speed as he enters the race of the Casa Cristo 5000. With the amazing clarity and depth of color that HD brings to the screen, it is easy for viewers to become deeply taken in by the Mach 5. Royalton Industries offers to sign Speed for the race, which presents an interesting plot twist as the company’s reputation for fixing races comes to light. We follow this fast-paced thriller along with Speed’s friends and family as they battle their way through the race with surprises at every curve and an even bigger surprise at the end.

DirecTV is the nation’s leading provider of satellite television services and includes over 130 channels in amazing high-def. This television provider has a variety of premium and local channel offerings in HD. DirecTV’s Pay-Per-View channels include a variety of movies that are presented in both standard-def and high-definition. Fans of Speed Racer may enjoy tuning in to NASCAR HotPass, one of the sports packages available to subscribers. DirecTV is the exclusive provider of NASCAR stock car racing television content. If you enjoy climbing behind the wheel of the Mach 5, tune in to Direct TV’s Driver channels for live NASCAR racing at its finest.

High Definition Satellite TV is Becoming the New Standard

You may have heard the buzz about high definition programming and high definition TVs.  It seems that everywhere you look these days there are different companies singing the praises of a new HDTV or HD satellite service. 

If you’re in the market for satellite services, you may wonder how this HD business affects you.  Is it worth the extra money to get programming in high definition?  Is the quality any better than standard programming?

High definition satellite programming gives you a number of benefits.  The resolution of the picture is much higher, meaning that the pictures you see on your screen will be crisper, clearer, and much more detailed image.  Colors will be brighter and the pictures will seem more alive and rich.

All high definition programming is broadcast digitally due to the amount of data that has to be transferred for HDTV to work.  As a result, HDTV is able to give you more than twice as many lines of resolution on your TV screen, resulting in a picture that’s roughly twice as clear as an analog picture.

High definition programming is broadcast in a wider format than standard programming.  The format is 16:9, which is about the same as a screen at the movie theater.  The different aspect lets you capture more details and feel more immersed in the picture.

The benefits don’t stop with the picture, though.  High definition satellite TV also gives you superior sound quality.  All HDTV is broadcast in Dolby Digital Surround Sound; this enhanced sound experience puts you right in the middle of the program and lets you hear every little detail.

What do you need to get the superior picture and sound of high definition satellite television?  You’ll first need a television that supports high definition.  These are extremely easy to find these days; in fact, it’s probably harder to find a TV on the shelves that’s not high definition. 

Next you’ll need high definition service from your satellite provider.  DirecTV is a great deal because they offer more high definition channels than any other service.  If you already have satellite service with DirecTV but you don’t have the HD package, you’ll need to add it on to your subscription.  You’ll then get a high definition receiver, which is different than a standard receiver and allows you to view HD programming.

A lot of satellite subscribers think that high definition is only for the truly devoted television fans who always need the newest technologies.  The fact is that HDTV is becoming the new standard.  Eventually, standard definition television will probably go the way of analog TV and be phased out.

But that’s not the only reason to get HDTV.  The benefits above illustrate that HDTV isn’t simply a new fad; it’s a far superior way to watch television.

DirecTV can offer you over 130 HD channels, more than any other satellite provider.  When you’re ready to make the switch to HD, DirecTV is unquestionably the best place to go for the best quality satellite programming.

Five Reasons You Need Satellite TV Today

It might seem a little frivolous to say that you “need” satellite TV, but let’s face it: watching TV enriches our lives in so many ways. It helps us learn new things, keeps us informed of world events, and brings us some of the finest entertainment out there. And if you’re going to watch TV, you might as well watch the best quality TV you can get. That means watching satellite TV. As the highest-rated satellite provider in the country, DirecTV is the best source for satellite programming.

So why is satellite so much better than cable? As it turns out, there are five simple answers to that question.

1. Higher quality picture and sound. Cable really was a great idea when it was new. It provided data transfer at speeds and sizes that no one ever thought was possible. But technology has progressed so that cable is no longer necessary. Satellite TV doesn’t suffer the degradation that a cable signal does on its way to your home. The signal is digital all the way from the satellite in space to the satellite dish on your roof. What’s even better is that you get more HD programming with satellite TV than cable could ever dream of offering.

2. Much better channel selection. Cable TV simply can’t offer the kind of programming selection available on satellite TV. This includes nationwide channels as well as sports and news from different local markets around the country. And while it’s true that satellite TV did not offer local programming at one time, that has all changed. Local programming is now available to just about every satellite TV household in the country.

3. More availability. Cable television relies on an infrastructure of cables. These run above and below ground to take the television signal to your home. Unfortunately, this infrastructure does not include all areas. There are plenty of towns all over the US where cable television isn’t available. Satellite television, on the other hand, is available everywhere under the sky. Even out in the middle of nowhere, a satellite dish can pick up the signal to give you high-quality television.

4. Lower prices. Cable companies like to say that satellite TV is more expensive than cable, but it’s not a fair comparison. Cable only offers about one-third of the channels that satellite TV does; even with DirecTV’s smallest package, satellite comes out to be a better value. In fact, some studies have shown that satellite subscribers pay an average of $10 less per month than cable subscribers.

5. Exclusive programming, special features, unbeatable packages. Satellite TV has a distinct edge over cable TV with exclusive programming. The sports programming and packages are one of the biggest benefits, according to subscribers. DirecTV’s sports packages allow you to access information like scores and stats right from your remote control.

It’s easy to see that satellite has a distinct advantage over cable TV. DirecTV is the industry leader in satellite programming and can bring you all of these benefits and more.

Biography Channel on DIRECTV HD

Of the 95 channels that DIRECTV offers in amazing high-definition, one channel inevitably piques viewers’ interests with its coverage of the people who have shaped our nation and world. That channel is The Biography Channel. Available to DIRECTV and cable subscribers, this A&E Network channel brings viewers non-stop biographical delights from crime story heroes and villains to entertainers to authors and so much more.

Years ago, many may remember the television series that became this station’s namesake. The series “Biography” has been running since 1962 and continues to draw a huge following, especially since the introduction of The Biography Channel in stunning HD. Originally this series presented biographies on many historic, political and social figures, and later introduced biographies about sports, business and entertainment figures. Some of the featured individuals on this show have been the legendary baseball player Babe Ruth, Elvis Presley, Judy Garland, Robin Williams, Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton, Barack Obama and even fictional characters such as Superman.

Today, The Biography Channel still plays its namesake series alongside an incredible lineup of shows including “Case Crackers,” “Notorious,” “Mobsters,” “Haunted History,” “Unexplained Mysteries,” “Ripley’s Believe It Or Not” and “Crime Stories” to name a few. Viewers who are looking for Hollywood biographies can tune in to “Famous,” crime enthusiasts can see actual parole hearings on “Parole Board,” and children ages 8 to 12 can tune in to “Bio4Kids” to learn about historical figures such as George Washington, Geronimo, Amelia Earhart and more.

There is something for everyone on this channel. Many of the programs have been around for years on a number of different network channels. Others are new with viewer numbers rising rapidly. These programs are an excellent way to keep your mind active whether you’re 10 or 50.

As A&E continues to keep up with the latest in technology, DIRECTV subscribers can see The Biography Channel’s splendor in crystal clear high-def all day every day. Watching the lives of individuals unfold on the screen as it was meant to be seen makes the HD experience incredible.

DIRECTV is the leading provider of satellite television services in our country, and the leading provider of high-def content surpassing both Dish Network and cable. Its television subscription plans offer subscribers more than 260 channels, including sports packages, movie packages, interactive events, and high-definition programming. Ninety-five channels make up the HD lineup available on DIRECTV, including A&E HD and Biography HD. Sports packages bring exclusive content from the National Football League with NFL Sunday Ticket, which starts this month. But during the off-season, or during off-nights, viewers will enjoy tuning in for an in-depth look into the life of an iconic or historical figure on Biography HD, DIRECTV Channel 266.

DIRECTV and Planet Green teach viewers how to “Go Green”

In a world that is trying to move toward becoming environmentally friendly, many households believe that it is either costly or difficult to make the transition to a green home. Planet Green and the hosts of “Wa$ted” teach viewers how to go green with this half-hour reality show available on DIRECTV.

Each show focuses on one home to analyze their water, energy, transportation, and waste. The show’s hosts then proceed to point out all the potential ways that the occupants are wasting money and hurting the environment. “Wa$ted” proceeds to teach the occupants how to be more environmentally friendly through tips and tricks. These tips often can be employed in the viewers’ homes saving homeowners money for years to come.

Each household on “Wa$ted” is given a three-week challenge in which they are to follow the suggestions for a green home. After the three weeks, they meet with the show hosts, Annabelle Gurwitch and Holter Graham, to review the results of the trial. There are often failures mixed in with successes as households try to make the grade to save the planet while saving money. An estimated savings is calculated for the 21 days to determine what the savings would be for the year. The yearly estimated savings is given to the family as a prize in cash.

“Dinner and a Movie” fans will recognize “Wa$ted”’s Annabelle Gurwitch who was one of the zany hosts on the TBS show. Environmentalist Annabelle and conservationist Holter are passionate about saving the environment and helping households learn how to make simple changes in their lives to do their part while saving money.

This series shows viewers how simple it is to make changes that can impact the world around you. Many companies are trying to make eco-friendly changes or are offering to reward their customers for “going green.” DIRECTV is one of the many companies offering its customers a cash incentive to enroll in paperless billing.

Each month, subscribers enrolled in paperless billing will receive an email informing them of their new bill. Subscribers can review their bill online or enroll in Auto Bill Pay. Using DIRECTV’s Auto Bill Pay will eliminate the need to write a check, which saves even more paper. As an added bonus, subscribers will get email updates of the latest news or programming information sent to their email as opposed to their postal mailbox.

This is a great way to begin helping the environment. Households across the nation are struggling to wade through the endless mounds of wasted paper that makes it way to landfills. Reducing paper billing can save trees and, ultimately, impact the environment if others follow.

DIRECTV provides subscribers with over 265 channels including 95 channels in high-definition. This satellite TV provider offers an incredible lineup of channels including many sports packages. Planet Green’s Wa$ted can be seen on DIRECTV’s channel 286.