DIRECTV’s HDTV Satellite Launches Friday

SOURCE: TvPredictions.com 07.02.07

‘Washington, D.C. (July 2, 2007) — DIRECTV this Friday night is scheduled to launch the first of two new satellites to expand its High-Definition programming lineup.

Called DIRECTV 10, the spacecraft will launch on July 6 at 9:16 p.m. ET from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, using an International Launch Services Proton rocket.

If successful, the satellite should be operational in roughly 30-45 days, although DIRECTV is not likely to begin adding high-def channels until early September. The satcaster will require some time to test the satellite under real conditions.

DIRECTV says it will offer 100 HD channels by year’s end, but many are scheduled to be added in September.

The satellite service is expected to launch the second satellite designated for HD next year. After that satellite is operational, DIRECTV says it will have the capacity for up to 150 HDTV channels and local HD channels in most markets.’

DIRECTV Adds More HD (High-Definition) Channels

As part of DIRECTV’s highly anticipated high-def expansion, the nation’s largest satellite TV company has added nearly a dozen more HD channels just in time for the summer season.

Hoping to stay on track with its “100 high-definition channels by year’s end” goal, the nation’s largest satellite TV provider unveiled plans this week to launch four Discovery HD channels, five HD channels from Starz and CNBC and Chiller in HD.

Under terms of the agreement with Discovery, DIRECTV will launch four simulcasts - Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet and The Science Channel - and two other channels yet to be named (or launched) by Discovery sometime in the near future. The HD feeds of the four existing networks will launch in September, DIRECTV said.

Terms of the deal with Starz include the launch of three new HD movie channels: Starz Edge, Starz Comedy and Starz Kids & Family, as well as Starz’s East and West coast HD feeds. The new Starz HD channels, which the company said will feature first-run movies, and the coastal HD feeds will also launch in September.

The news comes on the heels of DIRECTV’s recent announcement that it will be the first to launch the History Channel HD, a new 24-hour HD network, and A&E HD later this year. DIRECTV also said it has inked a deal with Disney Channel for the exclusive rights to broadcast the premiere HD version of High School Musical 2.

DIRECTV Delivers Local HD Channels to Customers in Fort Myers, Florida

SOURCE: DIRECTV, Inc., 05.23.07

‘ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX Now Available in DIRECTV HD Offering More Vivid Colors, Wider Images and Clearer, Crisper High-resolution Images

WHAT: DIRECTV, Inc., the nation’s leading satellite television service provider, is now offering local HD programming to customers in the Fort Myers, Fla. designated market area. The following local broadcast networks are available in HD: WINK/CBS, WBBH/NBC, WZVN/ABC and WFTX/FOX. With the addition of Fort Myers, DIRECTV now offers local HD broadcast channels in 60 cities, representing more than 70 percent of U.S. TV households.

DIRECTV’s roll out of local HD channels in Fort Myers is part of a nationwide expansion of HD programming that includes plans to offer local HD channels in up to 75 markets and up to 100 national HD channels by year end.

WHEN: Beginning today, Wednesday, May 23, 2007.

DIRECTV Tops Cable in Customer Satisfaction for 7th Year in a Row

SOURCE: DIRECTV Inc., 05.15.07

‘EL SEGUNDO, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–May 15, 2007–For the seventh year in a row, DIRECTV, the nation’s leading satellite television service, received a higher score for customer satisfaction than all cable TV companies in the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI).

In this year’s ACSI survey, DIRECTV posted an index score of 67, reflecting customers’ overall satisfaction with the service, compared to the cable and satellite TV category, which scored a 62 overall. Customers surveyed by the ACSI in the first quarter of 2007 were asked about such issues as perceived quality, perceived value and their expectations prior to subscribing to the service. The ACSI also measures customer loyalty and retention.

“Once again, no other cable or satellite provider has a higher customer satisfaction rating than DIRECTV,” said John Suranyi, president, DIRECTV Sales and Service. “We take great pride in that knowledge and our employees are to be congratulated. While we improved in some areas, we still have work to do in others to bring our performance levels up to where we believe they need to be to consistently exceed the expectations of our customers. We have initiatives in place to achieve that goal and further distance ourselves from the competition.”

ACSI was developed by the National Quality Research Center (NQRC) at the Stephen M. Ross Business School at the University of Michigan.

Last year, DIRECTV was ranked “Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Satellite/Cable TV Subscribers” in the 13-state Eastern region of the United States, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2006 Residential Cable/Satellite TV Customer Satisfaction Study(SM).’

DIRECTV First to Deliver The History Channel HD

SOURCE: DIRECTV Inc., 05.08.07

‘Las Vegas, NV (May 7, 2007) – The History Channel® and DIRECTV, Inc. today announced that DIRECTV will be the first to launch The History Channel HD, a new 24-hour high definition television network, scheduled to debut in September 2007. In addition, A&E HD, which debuted in 4Q 2006, will also launch on DIRECTV in September. The announcement was made by David Zagin, Executive Vice President of Distribution AETN.

The History Channel HD™ will simulcast the entire The History Channel lineup of original, non-fiction series and specials. The HD experience will serve to create a stunning new dimension for the compelling content and powerful storytelling that only The History Channel can provide. THC HD will feature a diverse range of programming including hit series Lost Worlds, Dogfights, Digging for the Truth, Cities of the Underworld, and Mega Disasters, and the recently announced Ice Road Truckers, The Universe and Human Weapon as well as thought-provoking specials such as Star Wars: The Legacy Revealed, The Lost Book of Nostradamus, The Hunt for John Wilkes Booth and Stalking Jihad.

“The History Channel HD will give our History fanatics an unparalleled view of History with stunning clarity and rich perspective that they will find nowhere else on the television landscape. We are equally delighted that DIRECTV, one of the nation’s largest programming distributors, will be there with us from the beginning of this exciting launch,” said Zagin. “We look forward to many more partnerships with distributors to bring The History Channel HD to their consumers.”

“The History Channel has a large and passionate following among our customers and we’re looking forward to being the first to provide them with their favorite programming in true HD,” said Derek Chang, executive vice president of Strategy and Development, DIRECTV, Inc. “Both The History Channel HD and A&E HD exemplify the kind of high quality programming that we’ll offer DIRECTV customers as we begin a significant expansion of HD channels this fall.”’

HDTV’s Most Reliable Brands

SOURCE: TvPredictions.com 4.11.07

Washington, D.C. (April 11, 2007) — When buying a High-Definition TV, you need to be sure that the set will not require frequent repairs. Reliability is almost as important as the picture.

With that in mind, Consumer Reports has just published a comprehensive review of the reliability of dozens of major brands, including big-screen TV makers.

Although the magazine said LCD, Plasma and some rear projection technologies are too new to draw final conclusions, it did offer some judgments based on data over the last two years.

LCD
In the LCD category, Consumer Reports said the following brands have shown “promising reliability,” meaning they have needed few repairs:

JVC; Magnavox; Panasonic; Philips; Samsung; Sanyo; Sharp; Sony; and Toshiba

However, the magazine said Dell LCD sets have needed “more repairs than average.”

Plasma
In the Plasma category, Consumer Reports said the following TV makers have shown “promising reliability”:

Fujitsu; Hitachi; Panasonic; Pioneer; Sony; and Toshiba.

Consumer Reports said Philips and Vizio Plasma sets have needed “more repairs than average.”

Microdisplay Rear Projection
In the Microdisplay Rear Projection category, the magazine said the following brands have demonstrated “promising reliability.”

Panasonic and Sony

However, it said RCA (DLP) and JVC (LCoS/D-ILA) have needed ‘more repairs than average.”

Based on data from 2001 to 2006, Consumer Reports also rated tube TVs from 30 to 36 inches. It said JVC, Sharp, Sanyo and Toshiba needed repairs only three percent of the time.

In the 34 to 36-inch category, the magazine said Toshiba tube TVs needed repairs only four percent of the time while Sony sets needed repairs just five percent of the time.