DirecTV Aims to Keep HD Crown

Today DirecTV seemed to get a one up on its archrival Dish Network by announcing that it is still the clear leader in HD programming.  A press release came out today trumpeting DirecTV’s HD dominance.

In the press release DirecTV announced it would launch more then 30 national HD channels on August 14^th.

While the 30 number sounds impressive there seems to be a lot of disappointment from HD enthusiasts in the online discussion forums.  The 30 new channels is made up of 23 regional sports networks, Showtime Extreme HD, Showtime Showcase HD, Planet Green, ABC Family HD and a number of additional HD Pay Per View Channels.

Folks online were confused that the new additions didn’t include channels like Fox News HD,  Travel Channel HD,  Outdoor Channel HD or the new HBO HD suite (which is being added to Dish Network on August 1^st)

Also in the press release DirecTV put out a preemptive strike against Dish Network in being the first satellite company offering movies in 1080p format.  The DirecTV press release stated that later this year DirecTV would be offering movies in full 1080p which is the highest resolution possible to home enthusiasts. As you might remember last week here in The Satellite Dish we told you how a web page showed up (and then was removed) on Dish Networks website that indicated they would be offering 1080p VOD.  This press release seemed to be put out to counter any official announcement from Dish Network.

While some were disappointed to see the new national HD channel list from DirecTV others were happy as DirecTV issued another press release moments later stating that they would add 44 more HD local markets by the end of the year.

The HD markets listed in the press release are as follows:

– Augusta, Ga. — Harrisonburg, Va.
– Bangor, Maine — La Crosse-Eau Claire, Wis.
– Baton Rouge, La. — Little Rock-Pine Bluff, Ark.
– Beaumont-Port Arthur, Texas — Lincoln-Hastings, Neb.
– Boise, Idaho — Macon, Ga.
– Burlington, Vt.-Plattsburgh, N.Y. — Mobile AL-Pensacola, Fla.
– Butte-Bozeman, Mont. — Myrtle Beach-Florence, S.C.
– Champaign-Springfield-Decatur, Ill. — Norfolk-Newport News, Va.
– Charleston, S.C. — Palm Springs, Calif.
– Chattanooga, Tenn. — Peoria-Bloomington, Ill.
– Colorado Springs-Pueblo, Colo. — Richmond-Petersburg, Va.
– Columbia-Jefferson City, Mo. — Rockford, Ill.
– Davenport, Iowa-Rock Island, Ill., Moline, Ill. — Rochester, N.Y.
– Dayton, Ohio — Savannah, Ga.
– Des Moines-Ames, Iowa — Sioux Falls, S.D.
– Dothan, Ala. — South Bend-Elkhart, Ind.
– El Paso, Texas — Springfield-Holyoke, Mass.
– Evansville, Ind. — Syracuse, N.Y.
– Fort Smith, Ark. — Tallahassee, Fla.
– Fort Wayne, Ind. — Toledo, Ohio
– Greenville-New Bern-Washington, — Traverse City-Cadillac, N.C. Mich.
– Harlingen-Brownsville, Texas — Youngstown, Ohio

It might have been hot outside for a while now, but it is good to see things heating up between the satellite companies.  It will be interesting to see what the next shot fired in the HD ways will bring customers.