Successful Launch for Echostar / Bye Bye NASCAR Speedpass?

It was a picture perfect launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan this morning. The Proton rocket blasted off carrying the new CIEL II satellite, which will be used by Dish Network at the 129 degree West orbital location.

So far all reports are that all phases of the liftoff and mission have been nominal.

This was the second satellite that was launched this year for use by Echostar/Dish Network at the Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Unfortunately the last launch for Echostar failed to reach proper orbit because of a malfunction of a Briz-M upper stage engine. 

This is an important launch for Dish Network as it needs this satellite to replace the aging satellite which is currently in use at the 129 locations.  Many Dish Network customers have been reporting signal issues with the current 129 satellite as it is not as powerful as today’s modern satellites.

When the new satellite is fully tested and moved to this final orbital location the CIEL II will allow Dish Network to expand its HD offerings and will also allow Dish to expand its Local into Local HD markets.

Congrats to ILS, The CIEL Team and Echostar / Dish Network on the successful launch!

DirecTV Suspends HDPC-20 Project

Yesterday afternoon I received an email from DirecTV that surprised me.  The email was letting me know that the long awaited DirecTV HDPC-20 project was suspended.

The HDPC-20 was a special project between DirecTV and Microsoft that would allow consumers to use a special USB DirecTV Tuner (the HDPC-20) to be able to use their Windows Media Center PCs.  This would essentially turn your PC into a DirecTV Receiver and DVR.

Up until just last week it looked like we could soon be seeing the HDPC-20 becoming available,  in fact last week I was talking with DirecTV and they were really excited about the project.

According to DirecTV “Both DIRECTV and Microsoft understand the desirability of offering
consumers an all encompassing DIRECTV programming solution via Windows-based PCs. We are continuing to explore ways to integrate DIRECTV service with Windows-based PCs in the future.”

A few weeks ago Ben Drawbaugh of Engadget.COM  got to go to Microsoft and see the HDPC-20 in action.  Like me Ben was very surprised to get this notice from DirecTV that the project was suspended.

I know many folks were actually holding off on upgrading their computers as they were waiting for the new Windows Media Center with DirecTV support.  Now it’s unsure when this will ever happen.

Bye Bye NASCAR Speedpass?

Rumors are swirling that DirecTV could annouce as soon as today that they will not be carrying the NASCAR SPEEDPASS package for the 2009 racing service.  This will be an interesting one to follow.