Will DirecTV's HD push stimulate competition?

Arguments have already begun over who will eventually reign supreme as the dominant HD provider, and while cable has had years to take advantage of their increased HD offerings compared to satellite carriers, that gap is quickly closing. DirecTV has already launched one HD-centric bird into orbit and apparently has number 11 ready to rock, and the firm's recent HD marketing campaign just might "light a fire in cable to reconsider the pace at which they invest" in HD rollouts. Of course, DirecTV's latest stunt (you know, the sixty-second countdown commercial) is full of asterisks and features a quick-lipped dame throwing in a multitude of "up to"s and "potentially"s, but what's clear is how harshly it comes down on cable. Hey, we're all for taking the gloves-off approach to getting things done, especially if we cable customers actually benefit from DirecTV's aggression.