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DirecTV raises a new satellite & its prices
With the successful launch of DirecTV 12 yesterday the satellite company has already announced it will expand to more than 200 HD channels. Of course, by the time it starts operating in Q2 of 2010, viewers will already be paying off that launch in the form of increased rates. Multichannel News points out the email currently going out. highlighting increases from $3 to $5 for programming while DVR fees rise from $5.99 to an even $7 beginning February 9. At the same time subscribers will lose access to XM Satellite Radio channels in lieu of audio from SonicTap. Check out the rate increases for yourself (warning: PDF link) and tell us, are more channels and the prospect of a new DirecTiVo and 3D enough to keep you around?
DirecTV 3D broadcasts coming in early 2010?
Finding itself with a wealth of a additional bandwidth thanks to a new satellite going up today, DirecTV may have already decided its first big addition will be 3D. Citing the always popular unnamed sources, HD Guru says we should prepare for a CES announcement that the bird will be up and running by March beaming down a collection of movies, sports and TV shows in 3D HD, requiring only a firmware upgrade on existing set-top boxes to tune into the new stations. UK satellite provider Sky has already tipped its hand about 2010 3D plans, with a newly freshened HDMI spec expected to ease things along and nearly every manufacturer either already producing compatible displays or planning to announce them in less than a week there's very little doubt remaining about whether broadcast 3D is coming home this year, only how and when.
DirecTV 12 on its way to the launch site
No doubt DirecTV has spent a pretty penny on the great HD content race that we love so much, so of course it's no surprise that DirecTV's third new satellite in three years is on its way to the site of its December launch. According to Boeing, DirecTV 12 features both national and spot-beam Ka-band transmitters which will help boost DirecTV's HD offerings by 50 percent; and when combined with DirecTV 10 and 11, will allow DirecTV to offer a total of 200 national HD channels and 1500 HD locals. As for how long you'll have to wait for the additional HD goodness, DirecTV 11 took about four months after launch to get into service -- assuming nothing goes wrong that is.
