DIRECTV SpeedWeek Begins Today

DIRECTV SpeedWeek Begins Today Marking the Start of the 2008 NASCAR Season

Daytona Florida is buzzing with excitement today as DIRECTV SpeedWeek. People are pouring in to celebrate the start of the 2008 NASCAR season and be a part of this years exciting line of events. Even if you do not have tickets to go to the big race, there are plenty of NASCAR things to do in order to get your gears moving. If you cant be there in person, make sure you add NASCAR Hotpass to your programming. This year, included in your subscription will be the 36 races broadcast in HD. Toss that on with surround sound and you are in for a treat. You can almost feel the draft as pace car pull into pit row and feel the vibrations of the motors throttle your insides as they run 3 wide through the first couple of turns.

Each race this year will showcase 5 driver channels that allow you to follow a drivers every move. Get gauge readings and hear the actual pit communications between the driver, crew chief and the spotter. The 2008 NASCAR season is already set up to be one of the most exciting and interactive ever. If you are considering adding NASCAR Hotpass to your subscription, I highly recommend doing it quickly. You got to hand it to DIRECTV for being a major sponser of this sport. They really take care of the NASCAR fan.

Here is the lineup for DIRECTV SpeedWeek 2008.

DIRECTV HD Set to Have Another Amazing Year

Boeing delivers DIRECTV 11, giving DIRECTV the ability for 150 National HD channels and an additional 1,500 local channels.

This is amazing news for anyone who has been following the race for High Definition.  The delivery of this new satellite is proof-positive that DIRECTV’s focus on being the only choice for HD remains priority number one.  The DIRECTV 11 satellite (scheduled to be launched in March 2008) combined with DIRECTV 10 that was launched in 2007 will bring the total HD capacity to 150 channels and an amazing 1,500 local channels.  DIRECTV has already secured its mark as the industry leader in high definition programming as the Dish Network and cable struggle to keep up.  Once the DIRECTV 11 satellite begins its transmissions, the flood gates will open for new local markets and more HD choices.  All that money we are spending on these great high definition televisions will pay off in 2008 (assuming you are a DIRECTV HD subscriber).  If you have an eye for quality and want the best out of your DIRECTV HD DVR then you need to make sure you have as many HD channels as possible.  DIRECTV is definately listening to us and giving us what we want - the most HD choices available anywhere.

What to expect from your DIRECTV Installation

When you order DIRECTV you’ll get standard professional installation by a certified DIRECTV technician.  On the day of your appointment, he’ll arrive at your home within the specified time window.  Please make sure someone over 18 years old is home.  Just a friendly reminder, the actual installation work may extend beyond the appointment window and typically ranges from 2 to 5 hours.  Please make sure all your TVs are easily accessible and our service technician has a clean area to work.  First he does an interior and exterior site survey to determine the optimal placement of the satellite TV dish and the routing of the cables.  He takes into account future tree growth and new construction that may block its ability to communicate.  The DIRECTV satellite dishes need a clear view to the southern sky for optimum reception.  If you haven’t selected your programming package, he will give you materials to do so.  Then he meets with you to discuss the installation plan and to answer any questions.  He installs the DIRECTV satellite dish, routes the cables and connects each TV to a DIRECTV receiver.  The DIRECTV satellite dish is usually mounted on your roof but there are other solutions for special circumstances in order for you to receive the best reception.  He determines the hardware you’ll need for your location and programming package.  Some customers may need more then one DIRECTV satellite dish or other customized work.  He then connects your receivers to the phone line to ensure you get maximum use of your system.  He verifies that all your TVs are receiving the proper DIRECTV programming and he shows you how to use the remote control to work your receivers.  He will then give you a customer satisfaction checklist to fill out.  Finally, when the work is completed he will clean up any packaging left behind before leaving for his next appointment.  Now you can start experiencing the best TV experience available anywhere.  Remember, if you have any questions during your install, please feel free to ask our friendly technician or visit us at directstartv.com.  If you have any questions or concerns regarding you satellite TV installation, please do not hesitate to call our customer support team.  Additional component installation is also available should you need to expand and add-on to your current service.

Schedule DVR Recordings from DIRECTV on PC or Mobile Devices

You can now schedule your DVR from any PC or hand held device with an internet connection. The DVR Scheduler Mobile Beta is a small application that allows you to search for shows by title, description or channel and select them for recording on you home DVR (login to your DIRECTV account is required and secure). The beta version only works for customers that have the HR20-700 HD-DVR. If you have another model do not worry, DIRECTV should be supporting them starting throughout Q1 2008. You are able to see schedules up to 3 days in advance and even select a programming that is currently being aired. With shows currently on air the recording has a very slight delay and if your receiver is not previously tuned to the channel, you will not capture the start of the show. There is not much to the application. It is mostly text based and works wonderfully from mobile devices. It is great that DIRECTV is able to provide features like this for when we forget to set our DVRs. Scheduling a show takes less then a minute and requires basic installation of your DVR. Start by going to https://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/mobile/firstLogon.jsp

DIRECTV DVR Scheduler Login Page. Login to your DIRECTV account.

The main menu page is self explanatory. If you know the channel number, date, time and duration then you can select “Manual Record”. If you want to be sure you select the proper settings, select “Search for Shows”. For this example we will select “Search for Shows”

You can search for your favorite show or look through the line up on your favorite channel. For this example we will search through the line up on channel 212 (The NFL Network)

Channel 212 The NFL Network is available in SD and HD. I will be selecting channel 212 NFLHD however if you are running thin on DVR space, you may want to select the SD channel.

The next page shows us the current programming on channel 212-NFLHD. We can browse the line up for the next 3 days and select the programming we want. Simply click on the show you want your DVR to record.

After selecting your programming choice, the DIRECTV DVR Scheduler will show you the programming details for the show you selected to help you verify your selection. If this is what you intended to record, select “Schedule Recording”.

DIRECTV is always thinking in advance. If you really want this show and have no room on your DVR, you can have it delete the oldest recording in order to make room. If the should would be nice to see but isn’t that important, simply select “Record if Possible”.

There you have it. Your show is now set to record on your home DVR. Since the application is mainly text based and built around mobile technology, these pages load fast and process quickly.

Free NBA League Pass Preview

DIRECTV announces its latest “freebie” to its customers this week.  From Monday January 21st through Sunday January 27, 2008, DIRECTV will be opening up the doors NBA League Pass to all it’s subscribers.  This free week couldn’t come at a better time as the playoff race is heating up.  January marks the half way point in the NBA season and many people are wondering if Boston can continue to remain on top in yet another sport.  NBA League Pass airs up to 40 games per week of live action giving any basketball fan enough stats and excitement to chew on for the week.  The free week includes DIRECTV NBA TV (Channel 601) which is available in SD and HD.  Not only will this help get fans ready for the playoff run, but also spark the interest for Mega March Madness and ESPN  Full Court the DIRECTV programming choices for college basketball.  Dont forget to tun in or at least set your DVRs for some amazing NBA action from the 21st through the 27th.  Thanks to another freebie week from DIRECTV.

NHL Center Ice on DIRECTV in HD

Now that football season is winding down, I find myself being drawn back to Hockey to fill the void of aggression in my life. Over the last couple of months I have noticed that more and more Hockey games on NHL Center Ice are being aired in High Definition. I bought my HDTV for 3 reasons - sports, music and games.  NHL Center Ice in HD looks absolutely amazing (there is no additional charge to receive games in High Definition). Secondly, when the Buffalo Sabres play the Carolina Hurricanes, I can choose which home town broadcasting to watch (have to go with Rick Jeanneret). Unfortunately only one HD feed is available. The detail of the ice after the zamboni does its job to the detail of the puck hitting the back of the net is nothing short of amazing.

DIRECTV is definitely the place to be for HD programming. 2008 is scheduled to be just as remarkable as 2007. So many people are switching to DIRECTV from cable and dish for their commitment and focus to high definition. Hockey fans also have a new station dedicated to hockey 24/7. Head on over to the NHL Network (Channel 215) and check out one of the newest additions to the DIRECTV lineup (available in HD) .

Get NHL Center Ice Now!