DIRECTV customers may be in line for and HD upgrade in 2010, as the latest satellite that sends signals to subscribers successfully launched yesterday.
DIRECTV 12, a Boeing 702 commercial grade satellite made its way into space on Monday, launching from Kazakhstan. International Launch Services, or ILS, successfully carried the satellite into orbit marking their 7th commercial launch of 2009. Operations from ground stations have confirmed contact with the satellite, and report that DIRECTV 12 is operating correctly so far. Once the satellite becomes fully operational, probably in the 2nd quarter of 2010, DIRECTV will have the capability of offering more than 200 HD channels. But will they really beef up their HD lineup and cross the 200 HD marker?
That seems unlikely. Criticism of DIRECTV in 2008 and 2009 has continued, as the satellite TV operator has been slow in deploying new HD channels. DIRECTV made huge news a few years ago, expanding their HD lineup to nearly 100 channels by the end of 2007. Since then, it has been slim pickings for HD gurus, as Dish Network and Verizon Fios have surpassed DIRECTV in HD channel counts.
DIRECTV currently claims to offer 130 HD channels though the last round of HD expansion was mainly filler, composed mainly of regional sports networks and pay per view channels. Press releases from the company state that the DIRECTV 12 satellite will allow them to increase their high definition capacity by 50%, equaling the 200 HD channel count mentioned earlier.
While the DIRECTV 12 satellite may not fully deliver the HD content so sought after by subscribers, it could offer a look into the future. Rumors of DIRECTV deploying 3D TV have hit the internet in the past few days, with speculation the 3D sports programming could be on the horizon. An all 3D channel offering sports, movies and other programming could be in the works, and the Consumer Electronics Show being held in Las Vegas next week could be the forum DIRECTV uses to unfurl their plans for DIRECTV 12.
DIRECTV customers may be in line for and HD upgrade in 2010, as the latest satellite that sends signals to subscribers successfully launched yesterday.
DIRECTV 12, a Boeing 702 commercial grade satellite made its way into space on Monday, launching from Kazakhstan. International Launch Services, or ILS, successfully carried the satellite into orbit marking their 7th commercial launch of 2009. Operations from ground stations have confirmed contact with the satellite, and report that DIRECTV 12 is operating correctly so far. Once the satellite becomes fully operational, probably in the 2nd quarter of 2010, DIRECTV will have the capability of offering more than 200 HD channels. But will they really beef up their HD lineup and cross the 200 HD channel marker?
That seems unlikely. Criticism of DIRECTV in 2008 and 2009 has continued, as the satellite TV operator has been slow in deploying new HD channels. DIRECTV made huge news a few years ago, expanding their HD lineup to nearly 100 channels by the end of 2007. Since then, it has been slim pickings for HD gurus, as Dish Network and Verizon Fios have surpassed DIRECTV in HD channel counts.
DIRECTV currently claims to offer 130 HD channels though the last round of HD expansion was mainly filler, composed mainly of regional sports networks and pay per view channels. Press releases from the company state that the DIRECTV 12 satellite will allow them to increase their high definition capacity by 50%, equaling the 200 HD channel count mentioned earlier.
While the DIRECTV 12 satellite may not fully deliver the HD content so sought after by subscribers, it could offer a look into the future. Rumors of DIRECTV deploying 3DTV have hit the internet in the past few days, with speculation the 3D sports programming could be on the horizon. An all 3D channel offering sports, movies and other programming could be in the works, and the Consumer Electronics Show being held in Las Vegas next week could be the forum DIRECTV uses to unfurl their plans for DIRECTV 12.
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Tagged as:
200 hd channels,
direct tv 3d,
directv 12,
DISH Network,
hd,
Verizon FiOS
