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HD: It's a Numbers Game
October 22, 2007
It has been said that advertising is a license to lie. We have been seeing a lot of lying as of late from both satellite companies. But to call both companies’ liars is a little harsh, so I guess I will say instead that both companies are playing a numbers game.
DirecTV claims “now over 70 HD channels” are available, and DirecTV’s archrival Dish Network is putting out press releases and newspaper ads claiming “75 channels, leading the industry in HD.”
But this folks is a numbers game. There is no Dish Network or DirecTV customer anywhere receiving anything close to 70 HD channels. In fact if you look at the channels offered and you had the programming package, which included all the channels, you could possibly get, you would be lucky if you received 45 channels in HD.
Let’s take a look at the real numbers for both providers:
DirecTV (Source DirecTV.COM)
- National HD Channels (included in current HD package): 35*
- Subscription Pay TV HD Channels: 12
- Regional HD Sports Networks: 9
- HD Pay Per View Channels: 8
- Distant Network Channels in HD: 8
Total HD channels: 72 (*Golf HD and Versus HD are listed as two separate channels on DirecTV’s website, but share one actual channel)
Dish Network (Source DishNetwork.COM)
- National HD Channels (included in current HD package): 36
- Subscription Pay TV HD Channels: 4
- Regional HD Sports Networks: 22
- HD Pay Per View Channels: 9
- Distant Network Channels in HD: 0
Total HD Channels: 71
Ok now that we have that broken down, how many channels will most people get?
On DirecTV they will get the 35 national HD channels, maybe a RSN or two, which brings us to 37, and if they are in an area where HD locals, or HD Distant Network are available this brings the count to 41 channels they could get from DirecTV. If the customer subscribes to all the pay channels (HBO, Showtime, etc.) this number grows to 52.
I don’t count Pay Per View channels, since no one subscribes to them 24/7.
On the Dish Network side of things customers can get all 36 national HD channels, and maybe 2 HD regional sports networks. (Note: Dish only carries game time broadcasts of the RSN’s these are not full time HD channels) Dish Network does not offer HD Distant Network service, however if Dish offers your locals in HD that brings the count up to 42 HD channels available to the customer. If the customer subscribes to all the premium channels this number grows to 46 HD channels.
As you can see from both providers this is much less then the 70+ HD channels being advertised.
Now while the numbers may be in DirecTV’s favor you need to take a look at the actual HD channels themselves. Many of these new HD channels do not currently show any programs in HD, while others only air an hour or two a day of true HD content. Just because a channel is called HD does not mean that what is being shown on those channels is HD.
If you had the count the amount of hours between both companies that show true HD broadcasts, Dish Network would come out ahead of DirecTV because of their 14 VOOM channels that transmit real HD programming 24/7.
To make matters even more confusing DirecTV will soon be moving a number of existing HD channels out of it’s $9.99 HD package, and will be moving them to a new package which customers will need to pay an additional $4.99 a month to continue receiving these channels.
As you can see it truly is a big numbers game.
Posted by Scott Greczkowski on October 22, 2007 | Comments (4)
