Gizmodo: DirecTV

AT&T to Dump Dish Network, Start Selling DirecTV

matt buchanan — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 17:10:36 EDT

After punting their agreement with Dish Network to sell satellite as part of a triple play package, AT&T has decided to settle down with DirecTV. They'll keep hawking Dish through Jan. 31, after which they'll offer DirecTV anywhere they can't give you U-Verse as a TV option. Multichannel notes that this leaves second-place Dish without a major reseller partner, so not great news for them. [Multichannel]

TiVo HD Coming to DirecTV Next Year

Mark Wilson — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 10:15:00 EDT

TiVo and DirecTV have a chaotic history, but now that it's all straightened out, the two companies can move forward to release new hardware. Now they're planning a follow up to the HD DirecTiVo, the aging, discontinued HD TiVo platform for DirecTV that used inefficient MPEG2 encoding. Expected in the second half of 2009, the new TiVo HD will support MPEG4 recording and newer TiVo features like Swivel Search. As a former TiVo user who's now running an HR21 with a less than optimal interface, I can only see more DVR options as a good thing. [Zatz Not Funny]

DirecTV Adding 30 HD Channels on August 14th, 1080p Movies Later This Year

Sean Fallon — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 18:00:00 EDT

DirecTV is poised to take the lead in the HD battle by adding 30 extra channels starting on August 14th. That would give them 130 channels of HD in total—putting them well on their way to the 150 mark they floated around early this year. By the end of this month they also plan to be the first company to transmit all of their HD programming in the MPEG-4 Advanced Video Coding standard with Dolby Digital Audio. And the icing on the cake will come later this year in the form of 1080p movies.

Some of these new HD offerings include: Showtime Extreme HD, Showtime Showcase HD, Planet Green HD, ABC Family HD, additional DIRECTV HD pay per view channels and an additional 23 Regional Sports Networks. DirecTV is also planning to launch satellite #12 next year, which will push the national HD content to 200 channels. Sure, there are compression issues and those 23 RSNs are all filler, but hey—its better than watching standard crap. [WSJ Marketwatch via Electronic House]

News Corp. Hires Hacker to Break Into Dish Satellite Network, Steal Security Codes for Pirate Cards

matt buchanan — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 18:30:00 EDT

This is classic corporate espionage/sabotage at its finest. Dish Network is accusing News Corp.—which used to have a 39 percent stake in DirecTV and still provides its security tech—of hiring hacker Christopher Tarnovsky to break into Dish's network, steal the security codes, and use them to make pirated cards to flood the black market. It sounds insane, but Tarnovsky admitted in court he was paid James Bond villain style, with $20,000 cash payments mailed from Canada hidden inside "electronic devices."

He says that he was just hired to write pirate programs to make DirecTV's own network more secure, but one of his projects for News Corp., the "stinger," can talk to any smart card in the world. Another hacker claims that he bragged about using the stinger with News Corps.'s people to reprogram a bunch of Dish's cards, but Tarnovsky claims he's being set up to take the fall.

Dish says the hack attack has cost them over $900 million. Either way, this whole thing is some serious material for a TNT movie of the week. [Reuters via Valleywag]

Is CBS Blocking Shows From Your DVR?

Benny Goldman — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 20:10:00 EDT

John Sciacca at Sound & Vision says his DVR no longer lets him record his favorite show, Survivor. Sciacca claims that despite setting his Time Warner box to record every episode of the reality show, when the time comes, it acts as if there is nothing to record. Sometimes, he says, the record light even goes on during the show, but it isn't saved to the hard drive. Apparently he's not the only one stuck without Survivor.

Following Sciacca's advice, I ran a Google search for "'Survivor' 'dvr' 'didn't record'", and found several message board posts detailing similar problems. The issue is present in other DVR types as well, including DirecTV and standalone TiVo. However, some other users say that they haven't experienced any problems with their time-shifted Survivor eps at all. To make sure this problem was confined to Survivor, I checked other popular shows like Lost and American Idol, and came up empty-handed.

We've put in a call to CBS to explain this paranormal activity, and the folks there are looking into the problem. Sciacca suggests that this may be a case of altering show metadata to instruct DVRs to stop recording—in the past, networks have been known to alter their programming to stop DVR users from getting content (and skipping ads)—but we will reserve judgment until we hear more. In the meantime, if you've been experiencing similar problems, please share. [Sound & Vision]

Man Uses Gun to Blow Hole in Wall for Satellite Dish, Kills Wife by Accident

Adam Frucci — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 14:30:00 EDT

This is what tools are for, my friends. Ronald Long of Deepwater, MO, was trying to install a satellite dish in his bedroom. He was having trouble putting the necessary hole in the wall and, thinking himself quite clever, decided to use his gun to get the job done quickly. Unfortunately, his wife was outside and caught the bullet in the chest. She was rushed to the hospital but was declared dead on arrival. On the upside, Ronald now has DirecTV. Silver linings, people. [KCTV via Boing Boing]

Proof Satellite Sucks: Dish and DirecTV Get FCC Approval to Downgrade HD Channels Until 2013

matt buchanan — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 13:00:31 EDT

High-def channels consume bandwidth like Britney Spears at a Frappuccino trough (props, last night's South Park). That's a problem for twinkly satellite providers Dish Network and DirecTV, who just don't have the capacity to blast every channel in HD—so the FCC just gave them the nod to downcovert broadcasters' HD signals until 2013. Basically, it means that just because a channel is broadcast in HD, they don't have to give it to you in HD.

In 2010, they'll have to have full HD carriage—"carry one, carry all in HD"—in 15 percent of markets where they offer HD, creeping to 30 percent the next year, 60 the next, and finally 100 percent of their HD markets in 2013. Since the FCC didn't tell them which markets the rollout would have to hit, people out in the sticks are going to be stuck with sub-HD signals on some channels for the longest, since the competition out there is softer than stiff.

Suckier still, if a digital station "demands HD carriage," then Dish and DirecTV don't have to offer it in standard def to people without HD boxes. Cable on the other hand, got none of these concessions from the FCC, so while it might be harder on them, it's better for us, at least on the surface. [Multichannel, Image via Flickr]

DirecTV Video-On-Demand to Be Half Satellite, Half Internet Next Quarter

Jesus Diaz — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 12:10:29 EDT

According to the Wall Street Journal, DirecTV is testing a new video-on-demand service that depends on both the customers' satellite dish and their internet connection. To be launched in the second quarter, the service will use the satellite to send a limited number of movies to store in all DirecTV DVRs, for instant on-demand playback, while the rest of the movie catalog will be available not-so-instantly using regular ground-based broadband. Movies like Kevin Costner's Waterworld will be sent on VHS tapes via regular mail from DirecTV's office in Madagascar. [WSJ]

Best Buy Says It Will Cover Part of Your DirecTV Bills

Wilson Rothman — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 12:57:11 EST

Best Buy just announced that it would pay a portion of customers' DirecTV bills each month for a year. That is, if you spend $999 or more on a high-def TV and switch to DirecTV's high-def package, Best Buy says it will credit you $30 per month on your bill for 12 months. If you are cheap enough to dip below $999 on your HDTV purchase (yeah, Insignia buyers, I'm talking about you), Best Buy still has your back, with six months of payments. It's funny how far a chain will go to not have to give you a free HDMI cable, am I right? Jump for the fine print.

Best Buy to Help Pay Customers' DIRECTV(R) Bills
Unique offer brings cost savings to new HD set-ups
MINNEAPOLIS —(Business Wire)— Mar. 3, 2008 Ready for HD? Best Buy is ready to help you pay your bills.

Beginning March 2, Best Buy will launch a relationship with DIRECTV(R) where Best Buy will pay $30 monthly on new customers' DIRECTV bills.(1) Designed to encourage customers to experience the best in high definition, Best Buy will actually pay a portion of customers' bills in the form of a credit appearing on each monthly statement. Customers can receive the credit through one of three new offers:

— Twelve months of credits when adding HD Access(2) and buying any HDTV priced at $999 or higher (a $360 value).

— Six months of credits when adding HD Access and buying any HDTV priced under $999 (a $180 value).

— Three months of credits when activating any new DIRECTV service (a $90 value).

The offer continues Best Buy's efforts to promote a complete HD experience for customers. Through advertising, promotions, in store and online education efforts, Best Buy has worked to educate people that high definition television is about more than just the television. Connecting to an HD source, using the right cables, adding surround sound and having the home theater professionally installed are all vital elements of HD.

"We know that customers buying HD televisions are doing so because they want a certain kind of experience," said Chris Homeister, vice president of merchandising for home entertainment services for Best Buy. "By offering to help pay a customer's DIRECTV bill we're making a dramatic statement about the importance of connecting a television to the right source for HD programming. We want customers to have the same quality picture in their home that they saw in our stores."

The promotion runs until June 24, 2008.

About Best Buy Co., Inc.

Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE:BBY) operates a global portfolio of brands with a commitment to growth and innovation. Our employees strive to provide customers around the world with superior experiences by responding to their unique needs and aspirations. We sell consumer electronics, home-office products, entertainment software, appliances and related services through nearly 1,300 retail stores across the United States, throughout Canada and in China. Our multi-channel operations include: Best Buy (BestBuy.com, BestBuy.ca and BestBuy.com.cn), Future Shop (FutureShop.ca), Geek Squad (GeekSquad.com and GeekSquad.ca), Pacific Sales Kitchen and Bath Centers (PacificSales.com), Magnolia Audio Video (Magnoliaav.com), Jiangsu Five Star Appliance Co. (Five-Star.cn) and Speakeasy (Speakeasy.net). Best Buy supports the communities in which its employees work and live through volunteerism and grants that benefit children and education.

Notes

(1) Customers who order new DIRECTV service at a participating Best Buy store between 3/2/08 - 6/24/08 and activate DIRECTV service (along with HD Access and purchase a qualifying HDTV for 6 and 12 month offers) before 7/24/08 will automatically receive a $30 bill credit per month for 3, 6, or 12 consecutive months, depending upon offer selection. Bill credit provided by Best Buy(TM). AFTER 3, 6 OR 12 CONSECUTIVE MONTHS (BASED ON OFFER), BILL CREDITS WILL AUTOMATICALLY DISCONTINUE AND ALL SERVICES TO WHICH CUSTOMER IS SUBSCRIBING, INCLUDING $9.99/MO. HD ACCESS FEE, WILL AUTOMATICALLY CONTINUE ON THE 4TH, 7TH OR 13TH MONTH AT THE THEN-PREVAILING RATES (WHICH MAY INCLUDE REMAINING PROGRAMMING AND/OR BILL CREDIT OFFER(S) FROM DIRECTV). LIMIT ONE $30/MO. BILL CREDIT OFFER PER DIRECTV ACCOUNT. Account must be in "good standing," as determined by DIRECTV in its sole discretion, to remain eligible for either offer. Hardware and programming available separately. DIRECTV System lease requires 18 consecutive months (24 for advanced receivers) programming commitment at $29.99/mo. or above. HD Access fee required for HD or HD DVR lease. Receipt of DIRECTV programming subject to DIRECTV Customer Agreement; copy provided at directv.com/legal and in your first DIRECTV bill. (C)2008 DIRECTV Inc. DIRECTV and the Cyclone Design logo are registered trademarks of DIRECTV, Inc. All other trademarks and service marks are the property of their respective owners.

News Corp Set-Top Box Becomes DVR: Just Add External Hard Drive

Wilson Rothman — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 16:55:00 EST

How much simpler can it get? You take the HD satellite set-top box already sitting in someone's living room, perform a quick firmware update, plug an external hard drive into the USB jack and voila, it's a bleedin' DVR. Voila is right, though, since this News Corp-owned software fix is currently only available to Canal+ satellite customers in France. Correct me if I'm wrong, but there's no such thing for News Corp's DirecTV customers in the US, right? Nah, letting people keep their existing hardware is so un-American. It's bad for business, I tells ya! Press release after jump.

CANAL+ Chooses the Latest Generation of NDS Middleware to Transform Subscribers' Set-Top Boxes into Digital Video Recorders
¶ Highlights: ¶ — CANAL+ GROUP has deployed the latest generation of NDS' MediaHighway(R) middleware, allowing subscribers to easily transform their HD set-top boxes (STBs) into HD digital video recorders (DVRs) ¶ — CANAL+ and CANALSAT subscribers in France can now add an external hard drive via the USB port on their HD STB to have a fully functional HD DVR ¶ — CANAL+ has also deployed NDS' MediaHighway to support its latest dual-tuner HD STB
LONDON & PARIS —(Business Wire)— Feb. 26, 2008 NDS (NASDAQ:NNDS), the leading provider of technology solutions for digital Pay-TV, today announced that CANAL+ GROUP, France's leading Pay TV provider, has chosen the latest generation of MediaHighway(R) middleware to enable subscribers to transform their HD STBs into DVRs. CANAL+ launched its first HD STB two years ago and currently there are about 250,000 HD satellite STBs installed in subscribers' homes.

CANAL+ subscribers can connect an external hard disk to their HD STB via the USB port. Only external hard disk units which meet the requirements of CANAL+ for performance, stability and security will be integrated to provide the service. On its website, CANAL+ GROUP publishes a list of approved hard disks that are now available to buy in retail outlets.

As part of the adoption of the new version of MediaHighway, the middleware has automatically downloaded new software to each HD STB. The HD STBs now detect the addition of a new external hard drive and format the drive for use as a DVR. Subscribers may use more than one external hard drive if they wish.

CANAL+ has kicked off a marketing program to encourage customers to upgrade to HD and DVR functionality.

In addition, NDS today announced that CANAL+ has deployed NDS' MediaHighway to support its latest satellite dual-tuner HD STB for the French market.

MediaHighway is the market-leading middleware for digital pay TV worldwide. There are currently over 76.4 million NDS middleware clients deployed, and there are over 10.4 million NDS-powered DVRs in viewers' homes around the world.

"MediaHighway was the only middleware that enabled CANAL+ to offer its consumers the choice of industry-leading pay-TV solutions it required. MediaHighway has demonstrated yet again that it can handle complex requirements," commented Caroline Le Bigot, NDS Vice President, EMEA.

About CANAL+ GROUP

CANAL+ GROUP is the leader in Pay-TV in France with more than 10 million subscriptions to a wide range of offers including CANAL+, CANALSat and the former TPS. Within its offer, CANAL+ LE BOUQUET, the first multi-channel premium offer in France, available via satellite, cable, digital terrestrial television and ADSL networks, features six premium content channels built around the leading premium general-interest channel, CANAL+. CANAL+ GROUP also produces a range of channels dedicated to subscribers' favorite themes which include films (CineCinema), sport (Sport+, Infosport), news (i>Tele), series (Jimmy), documentaries (Planete) and programs for young people (Piwi, Teletoon). CANAL+ GROUP distributes CANALSAT as well, a multichannel offering available on satellite, cable, ADSL, DTT through a minipack and adapted for third generation (3G) mobile telephones. CANAL+ GROUP is also a major producer of French pay-TV channels and, through StudioCANAL, a significant contributor to the financing, acquisition and distribution of films. A pionner in new technologies, CANAL+ GROUP is the first Pay TV operator to have launched HD programs via satellite in Spring 2006 and have today the largest offering in the French TV market with more than 10 HD channels.

About NDS

NDS Group plc (NASDAQ:NNDS), a majority owned subsidiary of News Corporation, supplies open end-to-end digital technology and services to digital pay-television platform operators and content providers. See http://www.nds.com for more information about NDS.

New DirecTV Satellite Capable of 150 HD and 1,500 Local Channels

Sean Fallon — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 16:20:04 EST

The latest DirecTV 11 satellite just built by Boeing could potentially increase the total capacity of their programming network to 150 national HD channels and 1,500 local channels. So get ready to fire up those HDTVs—the satellite is expected to launch in March. [Boeing]

DirecTV DVRs Get Cellphone Scheduling on the Go

Jason Chen — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 15:00:29 EST

DirecTV's rolling out its cellphone-enabled mobile DVR scheduling for its HR20-700 units. This means that you can hop on your cellphone and queue up American Idol (just about the only new show on right now) to watch when you get home. Other DirecTV models will follow in February. Hit the jump for a list of compatible phones. [dbstalk]

* Apple - iPhone
* RIM Blackberry 8100 (Pearl), 7290, 8700c, 8820, 8300 (Curve)
* LG VX 8300
* Motorola KRAZR K1 M, i850, RAZR V3, SLVR L7, v360, v365, RAZR V3x, ROKR L6W
* Nokia 2610, 6103, 6133, 6315i, 5300, 6102/6102i, 2660, 6086, 6126, 6300, N95
* Palm Treo 680, Treo 700p
* Samsung U740, a707, a870, a920, Blackjack
* Sanyo Katana SCP-6600, MM 7500
* Sony Ericsson W300i, W810i, z525a, K550i, Z500
* ...and any phone with Internet Explorer or Opera.

DirecTV PC Tuner Photos Surface Online

Adrian Covert — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 15:23:47 EST

Scans of DirecTV's PC Tuner showed up on the DBStalk forums. The tuner supposedly has two coaxial inputs, one USB output, Ethernet and USB inputs, Vista Media Center support and a DVR interface that uses your PC's HDD. No word on whether the tuner is HD or SD, but If this is the real deal, it looks promising. [DBStalk Forums]

Afternoon News: HP and Compaq Laptops May Brick, Comcast and DirecTV Have a Catfight, I Weep For My Home Town and More

Benny Goldman — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 15:59:00 EST

• A security researcher published code that is capable of ~~bricking~~ corrupting Windows boot sectors on most HP and Compaq laptops. That doesn't sound too good. [Slashdot]
• Microsoft continues to rename everything in sight, this time folding IPTV, HD DVD, and Media Center into one group called Connected TV. [News.com]
• Comcast settled a lawsuit with DirecTV about the latter's hissy fit over an ad campaign last spring. Terms of the settlement were not disclosed, but from the sound of it, Comcast came out on top. However, when anything involves these two companies, does anyone really come out on top? [Ars Technica]
• THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS LOSE!!!...At a chance to show their last game to Time Warner Cable customers after TWC would not agree to binding arbitration with the NFL. Gotcha! [Consumerist]
• Finally, stepping out of the gadget world for a second, here's something that happened in my home city of Detroit. A bus driver transporting special needs students was arrested for soliciting an undercover cop for prostitution at 7 in the morning! It's funny because it's tragic! [Detroit News]

DirectTV-Enabled Media Centers Still Coming, Says Microsoft Job Listing

Jason Chen — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 13:34:29 EST

Chris Lanier, Media Center fan, has just found a couple job postings by Microsoft that point to an long-delayed introduction of DirecTV support in their Media Centers. The job postings point to Pay-Per-View access, HD in H.264, two-way communications to and from the satellite, and integration with both US and European satellite systems. The one note that Chris adds is that the Xbox 360 Extender will need to get another H.264 update in order to comply with the DTV's standards before this whole tuner business ships. [Chris Lanier's Blog]

Afternoon News: Harry Potter Is Too Close for Comfort, DirecTV Breaking Promises?, Best Buy's Profits Soar and More

Benny Goldman — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 16:00:00 EST

• Daniel Radcliffe, a/k/a Harry Potter, just bought an apartment in Manhattan. Coincidentally, it's only four blocks from our NYC headquarters. Luckily we have our own Dark Lord Balthazaar to protect us from his spells. [Gridskipper]
• Less than two weeks remain for DirecTV to add 15 more HD channels in order to reach their promise of 100 by the end of 2007. Hope you like the sound of Drying Paint HD, Growing Grass HD and Water Boiling HD, DirecTV customers. [Broadband Reports] [Thanks, Erin!!]
• Toshiba is joining IBM, AMD, Samsung, and others to work on 32nm chip technology. Now the alliance is just an wind, fire and heart away from summoning Captain Planet. [Reuters]
• XM Satellite Radio has settled its lawsuit with Universal Music Group over the time-shifting recording capabilities of XM's Inno player. Surprisingly, the terms still allow for the creation of more time-shifting devices. [Digital Trends]
• Best Buy's profits spiked 52% this quarter, due to fewer promotions on flat-panel TVs. Thanks a lot, Best Buy. [Market Watch]

DirecTV buys ReplayTV for MoneyTV

Wilson Rothman — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 08:42:09 EST

The oft-bought-and-sold ReplayTV found a new master today in the form of DirecTV. My theory is that they just really liked each other's names. (In case you didn't realize it, there's no such thing as MoneyTV—I made that up.) But the deal makes sense for other reasons. D&M Holdings, the parent of Denon and Marantz, really isn't in the software biz, while DirecTV has boxes that could use better software. Replay has been pushing hard to develop DVR products for PCs and Macs. The real money is in set-top boxes, and DirecTV knows that business better, being one of its largest customers. [Zatz Not Funny!]

What Satellite Service is Better for Your HDTV?

Matt Buchanan — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 16:00:16 EST

On Black Friday, some of you walked home with your first HDTV. Or second. Discount voodoo is understandably hard to resist. But unless you've got HD content, you've got nothin' but a pretty frame. Since it's the holidays, you probably don't wanna screw around in customer service hell. If you've narrowed your choice down to satellite because of where you live or a prior (bad) experience with cable, we've done some homework for you, sorting through the near-legalese of HD packages and talking to chipper sales reps from the two majors, Dish Network and DirecTV. Which one offers the most HD goodness at the best rates?

Getting 'Em to Your Door
Dish and DirecTV both have online package-builder tools to keep you off the phone. You are supposed to punch in what kind of TV(s) you have and what services you want, but the tools are worthless. Our unexpected advice? Dial, don't click. The crappy flash interface leaves too many questions unanswered, and our phone experiences were shockingly good—short waits and friendly reps. Besides, they'll call you after you submit the online build anyway.

Our Dream Gear
Taking one for the team, we went through the online package-builders anyway, with an imaginary setup of one HD DVR and one vanilla HD receiver. For some bizarre reason, Dish would not allow us to select the HD DVR at all—the options is grayed out on the gear screen—despite the main pages blasting its awesomeness (it's a free upgrade!) far and wide. When we called, though, we could order it. DVR runs about $5 a month from both, and the functionality's worth the fee. Extra standard-def receivers are free (to a point).

So, What's on TV?
Dish promises over 70 national HD channels. DirecTV touts 75. But half of those will cost you extra—premium channels like HBO and Showtime plus 22 regional sports channels— so your base lineup in either case is something closer to 35.. Both carriers offer an "everything" package that includes, well, everything, though you can always add premiums a la carte. We should note Dish wouldn't give us a definite number of HD channels with the "Everything" package, saying it's changing every month and it depends on what region you live in, which goes for DirecTV too—another reason to call. The rates listed in our chart include the fees for local channels and DVR service.
The Total Damage
DirecTV's startup fees are painful, totaling nearly $300—$200 for the HD DVR, $100 for our second HD receiver. Dish has a much more reasonable $50 activation fee, but they're running a promotion that refunds it with an 18-month contract, according to the rep, and it also nets you their best HD DVR for free. Both are offering so-called "free" install.

Making Your Choices for You
The analysis that made the most sense for us was to pit DirecTV's two HD DVR service offerings against Dish's Top 200 and America's Everything plans. You get about the same stuff for around the same price, though DirecTV's a bit cheaper. When all things were about equal, it seemed the deal-breaker was DirecTV's massive up front cost. The best value then is Dish's Top 200 since it doubles what you get with their 100 channel package for only about $8, and start-up and install is apparently gratis with the current promotion.

We realize price isn't everything so we went to hallowed customer surveyor JD Power & Associates to ask which satellite provider takes care of its customers best, and again it turned out to be a toss-up: JDP's last survey from April showed "no statistical difference between DirecTV and Dish" regarding satisfaction with their HD service.

Let's skip the JD Power and go straight to Giz Power: If any of you guys are DirecTV and Dish HD customers, what horror stories can you share to keep potential comrades in arms from entering a treacherous pool of satellite-beamed misery? Or maybe, you know, what kind of high praise can you sing because it's nothing like all that? We've supplied the data, but now it's your turn to share the real-life experience. [Dish Network, DirecTV, Flickr]

Direct TV Offering NASA HDTV in International Space Station, Service Calls To Be a Real Mother

Brian Lam — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 15:48:19 EST

When it comes to product placement, I can't think of a more high-profile scoop than the International Space Station. DirecTV is wisely offering NASA a chance to install a 42" HDTV, DirecTV Satellite DVR/receiver and a remote covered in Velcro to avoid losing the remote to spacewalk in the orbital lab. Guess you'd get tired of viewing the entire friggin' planet from space after a few days. [Forbes]

DirecTV Sat-Go Gets a $500 Price Drop

blongo3 — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 16:20:32 EDT

For those of you who wanted the Sat-GO, DirecTV's briefcase shaped TV that can pull in satellite broadcasts, but weren't willing to pay the exorbitant $1499 price tag, good news! DirecTV dropped the price of their Sat-Go portable satellite system by $500, to the still relatively expensive price of $999. But hey, $500 is still $500. And Now you will be able to go out and enjoy the great outdoors without missing any NFL action next weekend. [Product Page via Zatz Not Funny]

21 New DirecTV HD Channels Go Live, More To Come

Adrian Covert — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 22:40:25 EDT

DirecTV rolled out 21 of its promised 100 new HD channels today, boosting its HD count to 37 networks in all. Some of these, such as Showtime too, Starz West, and The Weather Channel, are total fluff. However, some of these, such as the NFL Network and A&E, are welcome additions. Animal Planet and the Discovery Channel were also listed among the new titles, but weren't there already HD channels for these two networks? Either way, we're just happy to have more pretty pretty TV to drool over. [DBSTalk]

DirecTV HR21 Pro Series, For Professional TV Watchers Only

Charlie White — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 18:10:22 EDT

We kid about Professional TV watchers, because if there were such things they would use this rack-mounted two-tuner HD monster. We laid our hands on this baby, liking most of it and loathing some.

It has twice the capacity of the TiVo-less HR20, bringing 100 hours of HD and 400 hours of SD video to the festivities. We liked the pretty black design of the HR21, and the touchwheel-shaped control wheel up front looked nice but felt a bit cheap.

Although there's still no TiVo on board despite the renewed agreement between the two companies, we were impressed with the snappy response of its user interface. But it's ugly like most other b-grade non-TiVo DVR interfaces. Meh. And look at that tacky remote, looking more like a kid's toy from Fisher Price than a pro-installed remote control.

Another pro-install innovation is the optical HDMI, where you plug an HDMI cable into an black box that turns those signals into optical impulses, transmitting them over fiber optic cable to another black box that turns them back into HDMI signals. Neat. And hey, it still does HD!

DirecTV to Release Prosumer, $1,000+ HD DVR Unit

Adam Frucci — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 16:45:00 EDT

DirecTV is unveiling their new, top-of-the-line DVR unit at CEDIA, able to record 1080p and supporting optical HDMI. Dubbed the HR21 PRO, it's more than your regular piece of home theater equipment; this thing can be rack mounted and is designed to be professionally installed, which isn't something most people need or want. We don't have a ton of details on it yet, but word is the price will be somewhere above $1,000. We'll give you more info as we get it. [Multichannel]

Get a free 19-inch HDTV when you sign up ...

blongo3 — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 19:09:27 EDT

Get a free 19-inch HDTV when you sign up for DirecTV HD at Best Buy. [Best Buy]

DirecTV Offering Powerline Broadband/VOIP

Mark Wilson — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 08:59:26 EDT

We (ok, I) always thought that sending broadband over powerlines was one of those empty threats used to gain leverage on cable and DSL providers. But DirecTV has just announced a partnership with Current Group to provide their Dallas/Fort Worth market with high speed Internet through their wall sockets.

The resulting BPL (Broadband Over Powerline) should be a lot faster than DSL, with theoretical transmission rates hitting between 256k/s and 2.7 MB/s. 1.8 million subscribers will get to find out starting late 2007 and into 2008. Now let's get the gas lines going, too. Maybe the power companies will stop bill-raping us if they're making a bit more on their lines...nah! [cnnmoney]

Hype Sheet: DirecTV Couldn't Afford Newt

Brendan I. Koerner — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 12:00:47 EDT

The Pitch DirecTV's ingenious ad agency, Deutsch Inc., mods yet another cinematic classic, this time selecting a flick that's sure to delight the Gizmodo crowd: James Cameron's superb Aliens. Yes, that's the real Sigourney Weaver, made up to look 21 years younger and slotted into a similar-looking robot-arm apparatus. This time, though, no dirty mouth—the script elides her use of the B-word, instead cutting to a deliberately cheesy paean to a DirecTV deal (new subscribers may qualify to get the first four months free). The moment's all the funnier, of course, because Weaver—er, Ripley—is battling Mama Alien while praising a DBS service. Funny stuff, and the most geek-friendly of DirecTV's long-running "Fourth Wall" ad campaign since last year's Star Trek spot. But can these inventive ads fend off the specter of Verizon's FiOS and other triple-play providers?

Rip-Off Of Obviously, the whole point of this ad is that it's ripping off Cameron. I wonder what James thinks of his sci-fi masterpiece being modded in such a manner—and I wonder how much they had to pay Sigourney Weaver to reprise her Ripley role. I guess she needed some scratch after Happily N'Ever After flopped.

The Spin Contrary to some earlier ads in this campaign, which stressed DirecTV's picture quality and other specs, the accent here is on value. Aside from the pitch for the four-month intro offer, Weaver chats up DirecTV's vast array of channels—a menu that's only going to get bigger in the coming months, as the service adds several dozen high-def channels. In the 30-second version of the ad, Weaver also adds a gratuitous dig at cable, comparing the thrill of killing an alien to the joy of ditching Time Warner, or Comcast, or whoever has the monopoly in her neighborhood. But let's face it, the real point here is the wow factor—DirecTV still needs to break down the resistance of technophobes, who recall the mammoth satellite dishes (and shady satellite salesmen) of yore. Setting tongues wagging over the ads' cinematic wizardry makes newbies feel more confident that they're dealing with pros—as well as pros who understand the raised-in-the-'80s demographic that's now the sweet-spot for premium TV providers.

Counterpsin Big discounts are often a sign of semi-desperate circumstances, and that certainly seems to be the case here. Anyone who follows tech stocks knows that DirecTV's been having a hard time this year (down about 14 percent), largely because investors are increasingly skeptical of its ability to compete with the likes of Verizon's FiOS and other fiber services that can offer broadband-TV-phone bundles. That's forced DirecTV to focus on price in order to compete; note that there's no 1080i shout-outs in the campaign's recent entrants, unlike in the early days of Jessica Simpson's spokesmodeling.

Takeaway Trite as it might sound, DirecTV's at a crossroads. It's in the midst of being sold, from Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. to Liberty Media. That's probably good news for gearheads: News Corp. made a bollocks of its in-house DVR system, and all signs point to a reconciliation between TiVO and DirecTV under the new regime. DirecTV also has to play some tech catch-up; for example, though it'll be using MPEG-4 transmission for its new high-def channels, the older TiVO HR 10-250 DVR apparently won't be compatible. On top of that, will DirecTV keep having to slash prices in order to compete with the likes of Verizon and Comcast? Because right now, FiOS in particular seems to be eating DirecTV's lunch.

Hype-O-Meter 7.5 (out of 10). Another great ad in the Fourth Wall campaign, and all due to respect to Deutsch Inc.; a "making-of" series on YouTube would be most excellent. But you can also tell that this ad approach is getting a wee bit tired—just ask investors. DirecTV needs to give more thought to how it's gonna confront the emerging competition from fiber, or it'll fall back to niche status one of these days. Let's hope its rekindled relationship with TiVO is a step in the right direction.

Brendan I. Koerner is a contributing editor at Wired and a columnist for both The New York Times and Slate. His Hype Sheet column appears every Thursday on Gizmodo.

New DirecTV DVRs Can Mess Up Plasma TVs, But Not LCDs

Wilson Rothman — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 23:32:49 EDT

According to Gary over at HD Guru, the newest DVR receivers from DirecTV, the H20 and HR20 models, border nearly every standard def 4:3 channel with vertical black bars. The black may be a nice touch visually, but if you leave one of those channels on your plasma TV too long, those bars will glow strangely bright when the whole screen is in use. LCD TV owners, of course, need not fret.

Most DVRs offer gray bars and gray letterboxing as a way around this dilemma, because gray is the color of average, even screen wear. It is odd that DirecTV would allow for a breach this major so deep into the game. That said, I am sitting here wondering if this is less an indictment of DirecTV's homespun DVR box, and more an indictment of plasma technology. I've owned a plasma for some years, and have always been careful not to do anything that might introduce uneven screen burn, but now that LCDs are looking so tasty, I'm wondering if what was once a minor sacrifice is now a fatal flaw. [HD Guru]

DirecTiVos to Get Updates (For Some Crazy Reason)

Brian Lam — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 22:34:44 EDT

Hallelujah! For some reason, TiVo and DirecTV are updating the older Series 2 generation DirecTiVos as part of an ongoing agreement to explore bringing "future enhancements" to DirecTV TiVo owners. The improvments now include the addition of the Recently Deleted shows folder, Remote Booking, and Overlap Protection (recording conflict resolution).

They don't even sell these anymore, but they were definitely the best satellite DVR ever, hands down, even when they were left behind while straight up TiVo boxes got the service updates. No word on whether this is for the SD or HD versions, as both were technically Series 2 boxes.

DIRECTV to Introduce Additional TiVo Features
EL SEGUNDO & ALVISO, Calif., Jul 31, 2007 (BUSINESS WIRE) —

DIRECTV, Inc. (NYSE:DTV), the nation's leading satellite television service provider, and TiVo Inc. (NASDAQ:TIVO), the creator of and a leader in television services for digital video recorders (DVR), will develop a software upgrade to enhance the user experience for DIRECTV customers who have DIRECTV DVRs with TiVo(R) service built on the Series2(TM) platform.

Launching in early 2008, the new software download will provide these customers with DVR enhancements offered with the TiVo service, including a Recently Deleted Folder and Overlap Protection(TM), as well as DIRECTV's Remote Booking feature. In addition, DIRECTV and TiVo will continue to explore ways to bring future enhancements to DIRECTV customers with TiVo receivers.

"It is important to us that our customers with TiVo service also have access to the latest DVR technology and we look forward to exploring additional opportunities with TiVo," said Derek Chang, executive vice president, Content Strategy and Development for DIRECTV, Inc.

"DIRECTV's launch of these additional features underscores the uniqueness of TiVo's DVR service," said Naveen Chopra, vice president, Corporate Development and Strategy for TiVo.

DIRECTV and TiVo began their relationship in 2000 with the launch of the first DIRECTV DVR with TiVo. In April 2006, both companies announced an extension of their commercial and advertising relationship through early 2010.

About DIRECTV, Inc.

DIRECTV, Inc., the nation's leading satellite television service provider, presents the finest television experience available to more than 16 million customers in the United States, through exclusive content, industry-leading customer satisfaction (which has surpassed cable for six years running) and superior technologies. Each day, DIRECTV subscribers enjoy access to over 250 channels of 100% digital picture and sound, exclusive programming and the most comprehensive collection of sports programming available anywhere, including NFL SUNDAY TICKET(TM) and MLB EXTRA INNINGS(R). DIRECTV (NYSE:DTV) also leads the digital television technology revolution with exclusives such as NFL SUNDAY TICKET SuperFan(TM), US Open Interactive and YES Network Interactive and will soon have the capacity to offer over 150 channels in HD. For the most up-to-date information on DIRECTV, please visit directv.com.

About TiVo Inc.

Founded in 1997, TiVo (NASDAQ:TIVO) pioneered a brand new category of products with the development of the first commercially available digital video recorder (DVR). Sold through leading consumer electronic retailers, TiVo has developed a brand which resonates boldly with consumers as providing a superior television experience. Through agreements with leading satellite and cable providers, TiVo also integrates its DVR service features into the set-top boxes of mass distributors. TiVo's DVR functionality and ease of use, with such features as Season Pass(TM) recordings, WishList(R) searches, and TiVo KidZone, have elevated its popularity among consumers and have created a whole new way for viewers to watch television. With a continued investment in its patented technologies, TiVo is revolutionizing the way consumers watch and access home entertainment. Rapidly becoming the focal point of the digital living room, TiVo's DVR is at the center of experiencing new forms of content on the TV, such as broadband delivered video, music and photos. With innovative features, such as TiVoToGo(TM) and online scheduling, TiVo is expanding the notion of consumers experiencing "TiVo, TV your way.(R)" The TiVo(R) service is also at the forefront of providing innovative marketing solutions for the television industry, including a unique platform for advertisers and audience measurement research. The Company is based in Alviso, California.

DIRECTV, NFL SUNDAY TICKET, MLB EXTRA INNINGS and SuperFan are trademarks or registered trademarks of DIRECTV, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. TiVo, the TiVo logo, Series2, Season Pass, WishList, Overlap Protection, TiVoToGo, and 'TiVo, TV your way.' are trademarks or registered trademarks of TiVo Inc. or its subsidiaries worldwide. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

This release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements relate to, among other things, the timing and nature of future software developments for DIRECTV DVRs with TiVo and future negotiations between TiVo and DIRECTV on other product initiatives. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as, "believe," "expect," "may," "will," "intend," "estimate," "continue," or similar expressions or the negative of those terms or expressions. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to vary materially from those expressed in or indicated by the forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially include delays in development, competitive service offerings and lack of market acceptance, as well as the other potential factors described under "Risk Factors" in DIRECTV's public reports and TiVo's public reports, including each company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent current and quarterly reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Each of DIRECTV and TiVo cautions you not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which reflect an analysis only and speak only as of the date hereof. Each of DIRECTV and TiVo disclaim any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

SOURCE: DIRECTV, Inc.

500 HD Channels on Cablevision? No More Programming Until CableCard Is Easy!

Wilson Rothman — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 09:23:25 EDT

Reuters today said that Cablevision would have "the capability" to carry over 500 high-definition channels. This would include the 15 channels that Lazarus-like startup Voom HD Networks (now owned by Cablevision) plans to introduce next Tuesday, along with the 20-some HD channels that are allegedly in the lineup now plus, I suppose, 460 more channels of come what may. (Never mind the fact that Cablevision doesn't even carry BBC America, the company itself acknowledges there are not yet 500 channels worth of HD programming.)

As a Cablevision subscriber with all of the channels the carrier now offers, all I can say is, "Please, dear God, no more programming!" Why would I say this?

The story mentions that Comcast and DirecTV are also building up capacity for HD, but not once does the story mention how the hell anyone intends to access this veritable sh'load of content. Cablevision, based mostly in and around the New York metropolitan area, uses the same Scientific Atlanta Explorer 8300HD that its archrival Time Warner Cable NYC uses, yet with an even worse user interface, if you can imagine it:

• There's no way to search for shows (without growing a full beard in the process)
• There are 17 redundant options for scheduling a season pass, yet no way to skip recording one given episode
• By default, old content stays and when capacity is reached it stops recording new content, with no warning
• DVR and VOD options are separate channels, so there's no good way to do contextual search, among many other problems

I have been contemplating it, but now I will solemnly vow it: I will walk the fiery-coal path towards a Cablevision CableCard, to use with DVRs from TiVo and Microsoft. I will do so in the name of Giz, and in the name of 500-channel shitty-DVR sufferers everywhere. Down with the CableCo-mandated EPG!!! – Wilson Rothman

Cablevision could air 500 HD channels by year-end [Reuters]

DirecTV and EchoStar Partner For WiMAX Internet Access

Jason Chen — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 14:00:38 EDT

This deal between DirectTV, EchoStar (DISH's parent), and Clearwire (a WiMAX service provider) seems to be the first big solid WiMAX push in the US, if everything goes to plan. In the agreement two big satellite TV providers will get a broadband service of their own—something they apparently think they need to compete with cable and DSL—and Clearwire's WiMAX will get some large exposure to the public.

With its WiMAX service, Clearwire targets two markets: those who are out of the reach of wired broadband service and those who are looking for an alternative to cable and DSL providers. The bundled service is inteded to make its offering more attractive to the latter group.

Seems like a meshing of two separate interests combining for their mutual benefit. Kind of like how Slowpoke and Shellder combine to form Slowbro, which helps both of them. Holy shit, did I just compare satellite TV and WiMAX to Pokemon? – Jason Chen

Satellite TV guys say: why not WiMAX [Ars Technica]

Image credit Sci Fi and Matt Krueger

Over 800 HD Channels from Comcast by 2008, But Still Nothing Will Be On TV

Matt Buchanan — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 23:00:24 EDT

Aiming to one-up (or rather, eight-up) DirecTV's promise of 100 HD channels by year's end, Comcast is boasting that it will have over 800 HD channels by the end of 2008. If, that is, you consider an endless run of CSI episodes and a perpetual loop of Ghost Rider to each be their own channels. Sure, a Heroes "channel" is a channel in a certain sense, but not in the typical television parlance consumers are accustomed to.

Why is Comcast making with the verbal jujitsu?

First and foremost, for the same reason the 800 number made your eyes pop out: There simply isn't that much HD content to go around. As Ars notes, most cable networks "have yet to commit to launching HD versions of their programming," so even the 100 channels DirecTV tossed out brought its share of skeptics. What's out there is growing, for sure, but the market's far from mature, so there's a wide gap to fill.

Problem two is bandwidth—HD content devours it, and cable companies only have so much. One solution is Switched Digital Video, which only sends content to your home from the neighborhood node after you've requested it, selectively using only the necessary amount of bandwidth. Of course, IPTV only requires transmission of a few channels at a time, giving it an edge in this particular area.

Bottom line? Despite the growing number of HDTVs landing in homes, hurdles on both the content and technology sides are going to limit what's on and what's available for at least a while longer, whatever big numbers the cable and satellite companies might throw at you. – Matt Buchanan

Comcast: 800 HDTV Channels? [TV Predictions via Ars Technica]
Image via Flickr

DirecTV Sat-Go Portable Receiver Seen on...TV

Brian Lam — Fri, 25 May 2007 20:22:51 EDT

Here's early video of a Sat-Go, DirecTV's portable satellite receiver, as presented alongside an innocuous collection of grads' and dads' gadget gifts on NBC.

See it? Just fast-forward past the Carbon Fiber Zero Halliburton case, and a snowboarding jacket from Burton's Audex line. (In June? Nice timepeg, guy.) – Brian Lam

Exclusive Pics from USA Today's DirecTV Sat-Go Grope

Wilson Rothman — Thu, 17 May 2007 20:30:00 EDT

Ed Baig and Jeff Graham, the reviewin' duo over at USA Today, were among the first to press with a review of DirecTV's new mobile receiver, the Sat-Go. As you Giz readers probably already know, the kit by Humax has a 17-inch LCD screen, integrated receiver, "laptop-style" battery, remote and antenna. That is, the lid of the carrying case is the antenna. Ed and Jeff were kind enough to share with us some of the shots they took that didn't make it into the final story. Follow the jump for excerpts from Ed's review.

While the $1499 kit isn't portable in the sense that a laptop is, the guys say it's as "luggable" as any mobile computer built before 1990. Says Ed:

The trickiest part of setting it up is finding a suitable (and hopefully flat) spot to place the antenna. As with any DirecTV installation, the antenna requires an unobstructed view of the southern sky [hence the compass built into the side of the carrying case]...The quick-start guide shows you dish-pointing coordinates for 15 major markets, with a lengthier list inside the manual. Pressing a button on the TV shows you a signal-strength meter; you'll need 50% or better to pull in a picture.

There's more bad news:

It's hard to imagine in this day and age, but tree leaves are the great technical barrier. They prevented me from ever getting a signal in my backyard. After a bit of trial and error, I was able to get reception in my front lawn.

If you're truly in the middle of nowhere, forget about catching much of the game if you have to rely on the replaceable lithium-ion battery; it lasts just an hour, and a full recharge takes eight hours.

The good news(?):

Under ideal circumstances, you'll connect Sat-Go to a wall jack, or cigarette lighter adapter for powering it up through your car or boat.

Since the satellite receiver is built into the LCD, you can use Sat-Go as an additional TV tuner in your house. Under that scenario, you connect the LCD by cable to the more typical dish installation on the roof.

Truth be told, while Ed gave it three stars out of four and called it "really cool" right in the headline, he seems smitten with the idea—especially for gameday tailgaters—not the execution. If you are still holding out for one, you might want to read Ed's column in full, skipping over the headline of course, or check out the more amusing video of Ed and Jeff discussing Sat-Go. (I'm no theater critic, but something tells me Jeff is just feigning ignorance.) – Wilson Rothman

DirecTV Sat-Go [Gizmodo]

DirecTV Shoots Out Sat-Go TV Anywhere Service

Jason Chen — Thu, 03 May 2007 18:45:32 EDT

For those of you who really need to get DirecTV everywhere, you were probably eagerly awaiting DirecTV's Sat-Go satellite-tv-in-a-box service. Well, the wait's over, since DTV's just rolled it out officially.

Starting today, current DTV customers can get the service for $1,499 by calling 1-800-DIRECTV. If you're afraid of phones, the Sat-Go should be available at retail stores soon. How much is 1280x1024 TV anywhere worth to you? We can bet it's probably not worth a G and a half. – Jason Chen

Press Release [DirecTV]

Impressions [Gizmodo]

DirecTV Sat-Go Impressions (How Much is TV Anywhere Worth to You?)

Jason Chen — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 17:10:59 EDT

Earl of DBStalk really loves TV. He (and people like him) is the reason why DirecTV invented this 26-pound satellite TV box that lets you get satellite television anywhere. If you're asking yourself who would actually lug this thing around when they go camping, vacationing, or traveling, you're obviously not in the target "8 hours of TV a day" audience.

The LCD unit connects to the satellite receiver, which also has additional inputs in case you're carrying around a PS3 or an Xbox 360 with you as well. Head over to dbstalk to get more impressions of what you'd get with this system. On the bright side, Earl says the briefcase has a "James Bond" feel to it, which unfortunately gets washed away as soon as you pull out the TV and start watching Two and a Half Men. – Jason Chen

Sat-Go First Look [Dbstalk]

DirecTV Sat-Go Is Real, So Are 100 More HD Channels

kthompson — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 16:31:47 EST

Months ago, we told you about a DirecTV prototype portable TV called the Sat-Go. Imagine our surprise when one of DirecTV's CES announcements today was a fleshed out Sat-Go system set to debut this spring. It still folds up like a briefcase and features a removable DirecTV tuner, a 17-inch LCD screen and a handful of inputs including component and composite AV and USB.

More DirecTV announcements after the jump.

The Sat-Go is designed for the information-hungry traveler and is fed by DirecTV's satellite signals. For $4.99 per month you can mirror your home subscription package to your Sat-Go, so prepare to go dish everywhere if you want your dish to go anywhere. In addition to current programming, DirecTV also announced plans to add 100 HD channels to their service by the end of 2007. Pricing details won't be available until closer to launch. – Karson Thompson

DirecTV Turns Bad Guys Good in Christmas Spot

Charlie White — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 11:01:58 EST

DirecTV plays the Christmas card, putting together a beautifully-directed musical montage of movie villains turned good. It didn't make us want to subscribe to DirecTV, or even to watch any of the movies featuring those villains such as Chucky, Darth Vader and that girl from The Ring, but it's entertaining nonetheless.

The voice-over announcer says in Spanish at the end, "Some are good only on Christmas, others are good all year long." Of course that doesn't apply to DirecTV, the company that never saw an HD program it didn't overcompress, but it's a great example of turning the tables by the creators of this spot working for the Chilean division of the satellite TV company, masterfully using music to tug at the heartstrings. – Charlie White

Bizarre DirecTV Xmas Commercial [The Uber-Review]

DirecTV Adwatch: Jessica Simpson Brawls and Talks 1080i

Brian Lam — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 10:32:25 EST

"253 straight days in the gym to get this body and you're not going to watch me in DirecTV HD?...It's broadcast in 1080i. I totally don't know what that means, but I want it."

Ms. Simpson, I'm sure there's at least one Gizmodo reader out there who would be more than happy to teach you.

The ad is effective, targeting cable subscribers–Brian Lam

DirecTV SAT+GO! Brown Box Does Portable Satellite TV

Brian Lam — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 21:27:39 EST

Duh. Who knows if this'll see the light of day, but the DirecTV SAT+GO!, or Satellite To Go, has both an annoying name, and a brown color reminiscent of the swampy Zune. The briefcase sized box folds out to reveal a dish in the back, and an LCD on its face, with controls below it. I'm doubtful it's HDTV, but if so, that's a double leap in tech innovation. Sources also say this setup will have a data component to it, at least for the channel guides, if not for other data hookups. Of course, this photo is a pretty rendering a 2nd year design student could have pulled off. Don't get me wrong: It's a real honest to god DirecTV product in the making. But taking something like this to market, well...I'll believe it when I see it at Best Buy. Portable satellite TV is the TV Shoe of this decade. –Brian Lam

DirecTV Sat+Go! [Thanks Ryan!]

DirecTV HR20-700 HD DVR: First Review, In the Wild

Brian Lam — Wed, 16 Aug 2006 18:14:58 EDT

Best Buy prematurely(?) sold Earl Bonovich—if that is his real name—one of DirecTV's new HR20-700 high definition digital video recorders. The near-rabid fanboy wiped the foam from his mouth, and posted an exhaustive (exhausting?) review on DVStalk.com. Unlike the first high definition DirecTV DVR, this one isn't powered by TiVo. That makes us sad. But the HDMI-ready, 250Gig box does have some nice features, like the ability to scan 8 sports channels on one screen (something they like to call Sports Mix). If you're ready to plunk down your credit card, beware— some rather basic functions have been turned off by DirecTV. A video of, picture of the DVR's back panel, and more, after the jump. (And thank you, Earl, Duke of DirecTV DVRs)

Here's that ass shot from Earl's Review:

•High Definition TV Output (via HDMI and Component)
•2 Sets of RCA (Red/White/Yellow Outputs) - 1 S-Video
•1 Optical Digital Output
•Dual SAT Tuners
•Dual ATSC Tuners (functionality is disabled at this time, see notes later in the review)
•Wired RJ-45 Ethernet Port
•External SATA Connection
•300gb SATA Internal Hard Drive
•RF Remote Compatible with the Included RC24, and the soon to be released RC32RF

And here's that video of Sports Mix:

Estimated Recording Space (Not a cumulative value)
•30 Hours of MPEG-2 (OTA) HD
•50 Hours of MPEG-4 HD
•200 Hours of Standard Definition (SD)

The set does 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i, but no resolution of 1080p is supported. Fine, I guess.

Earl notes that the ATSC over the air HD tuners are in the box, but they've been disabled by DirecTV. That means many people won't be able to watch local HD channels. Boo! They do plan to enable them, but we'll wait til we see it live before we give them the golf clap.– Brian Lam

DirecTV HR20-700 High Definition DVR [DBStalk.com]
DirecTV HR20-700 High Definition DVR [DirecTV]