D* Delays launch of New HD

[Tom Snyder]

Only fitting that 25 years ago this week, Tim the Rock and Roll Animal went out on the ledge of WQFM's studios to protest the Who not coming to Milwaukee.

Reading the threads at AVS and DBStalk, it looks like a lot of D* subscribers are going out on ledges this morning... :bang:

From TVPredictions:

DIRECTV HD: No Expansion Yet

Rumors that the satcaster would launch its high-def expansion at 6 a.m. ET today prove untrue.
By Swanni
 
Washington, D.C. (September 19, 2007) -- DIRECTV HD viewers have been busy this morning, trading rumors and speculation on Internet message boards and occasionally checking their on-screen guides for updates.

But as of 6:30 a.m. ET today, DIRECTV has not kicked off its much-anticipated expansion of high-def channels.

DIRECTV has teased HD owners for several months now with promises of offering up to 100 high-def channels. And there are several indicators that the satcaster might begin the HD expansion today with the addition of 20-30 channels.

For instance, DIRECTV's customer service representatives have been telling callers that new HD channels will be added today. And an internal DIRECTV document, which was leaked at the web site SatelliteGuys.us, states that the expansion will begin on September 19.

Yesterday's hot rumor on popular message boards such as SatelliteGuys was that the launch would begin today at 6 a.m. ET.

That rumor heated up during today's early morning hours when DIRECTV's web site suddenly shut down for a few hours. However, when the web site returned, there was no additional information posted there to suggest the channels will be added today.

Fueling the rumors about a September 19 launch: Zap2It, the online TV listings site, today has September 19 listings for the new DIRECTV HD channels, including MHD and The History Channel HD. Zap2It.com receives its listings information from DIRECTV. (Zap2It.com did not have the new DIRECTV HD channels in their September 18 listings.)

So, stay tuned. TVPredictions.com will have updates on this story as they develop.

Link to Article

[Talos4]

At the time of this post,

Both Sat guy's and DBStalk are down.

Should I speculate that "somethings" happened to jam the servers?

[Tom Snyder]

"somethings" happened to jam the servers?

While I love a good conspiracy theory, I would have the say that AVS would have to go down too before I start looking to the grassy noll.
 
Satellite guys and DBStalk are smaller sites and they simply crashed under the weight of all the traffic that the D* HD no show caused this morning.

DBStalk is upgrading their equipment in preparation for what will obviously be another glut when the HD channels finally do start to roll out. I'm sure their server admin is keeping his fingers crossed that there isn't a repeat performance.

But there's no doubt this is a huge PR problem for D*. There is a huge information vacuum today (of their own making).

Before the Internet, the axiom was: A happy customer tells 1 person, and unhappy customer tells 10. The Internet multiplies that audience by a factor of 1,000.  D* is just getting the snot kicked out of them today in a very, very public way.  And they deserve it, and their lack of response isn't strategic.. I believe they honestly don't know WHAT to do about this.

[Talos4]

Well, we have one channel so far. 498.

Single slide confirming your equipment is set up properly to receive the new channels from D10.

I'm just wondering if this is going to be a phased roll out. Considering that D*'s computer system choked on the "let's do them all at one time" switch flip.

Just waiting patiently on this end.  

Although I am enjoying the endless rumor and speculation threads at both Sat guy's and DBS talk.

[vetrev]

I just happened to check one of my HR20s before I left for work and got the test slide on channel 498. It's nice to see that things are moving forward. The discussions on DBStalk are insane! A thread that started at 5:00 a.m. has over 27 pages of responses already. I must admit that this is sort of exciting.:cool:

[Bebop]

I got a working screen on my H20, but a gray screen with the HR20 on 498.

 If you have a gray screen. You can test on 480 and 481.

[Tom Snyder]

Oh boy... I have a screen that says I can get the new HD channels. I don't have time to watch this screen now, I'll just DVR it so I can watch the fact that all my favorite channels will be live.... later. :huh?:

[gparris]

My brother, who at my insistance replaced his Directv box with an H20 box when he got his HDTV and the new 5LNB dish some time ago, asked me where all those new HD channels were.
So I told him to be patient, afterall, at least with Directv, you know what is coming and approx., when, unlike TWC HD subs.

A few days or even a week off the 19th date is not bad at all.
-At least Directv HD subs know what HD channels they will get - and an idea of when.

Heck, I'd take that over not knowing at all like with TWC!;)

[RCNUT]

Hey,
  Check out channels 9300 & 9301 *D* has been testing off and on the a few of new HD Channels. FYI I have both an H20 and a HR20-700 and there are times I will get a program on CH 9300 on one unit but not the other.