Updated: This article was originally published in 2016, based on what we were told at that time. For more information about how this change will affect you, call your representative at [email protected].
Almost 15 years after the company first rolled out HD channels, they’re pulling the plug on standard definition. There’s a firm cutoff here… DIRECTV announced that their plan is to stop all new SD service activations in 2019. While you have some time to plan, it’s time to start thinking about your options if you’re still rocking that round dish.
SD service for DIRECTV started in 1994 when HD was still a faraway hope. Throughout the years, DIRECTV launched more and more satellites to add SD, HD, and 4K capacity, but they made a decision some years ago that the future was HD-only and stopped adding SD capacity to new launches. That means the satellites that carry SD local and national channels are getting older and older. By 2019, the last of them will have reached its operational limits and DIRECTV will stop all SD service.
Satellites stop being useful when they run out of fuel. While the everyday work of a satellite is powered by the sun, a small amount of fuel is used to keep the satellite from drifting out of its assigned spot. When fuel supplies are low, a final command is sent to the satellite to either move it to a parking orbit high above other satellites or send it down to Earth. The final move exhausts the last bit of fuel and the satellite stops being useful. That’s what will happen, although to be honest I don’t know if they’ll park it or burn it up.
Starting today, DIRECTV is on a path to an SD-free life that started several years ago when they stopped lighting up new MPEG-2 markets. The list of markets that require HD boxes keeps growing, and in 2015 DIRECTV stopped activating new SD-only customers. Today the only way you can get an SD DIRECTV receiver activated is to use it to replace a broken one… but DIRECTV doesn’t want you to do it. They want you to move to HD, and right now.
It will take three years to swap out the remaining millions of boxes and get every customer HD-ready, and they’ll be working with manufacturers of mobile dishes as well to make sure that no one is left out. Your friends at Solid Signal will be here every step of the way to make sure the transition is smooth for you, and we do have three years to help you through it.
Update: March, 2018
It’s not completely clear what will happen after the 2019 date. Certainly any channels that are currently coming off the 119 satellite will stop broadcasting, since that satellite is being decommissioned. There are approximately 800 channels on the 101 satellite that may continue broadcasting, since there is really nothing else that can be done with that satellite capacity. It was designed for standard definition, not for HD.
I actually advocated for this ten years ago but I understand now it didn’t make financial sense. Today we’re more than 7 years since digital broadcasting came to local channels and the last SD-only TV was made close to 10 years ago. Seriously, it’s about time.
If you’re looking to make that jump, call your friends at Solid Signal at [email protected] and we’ll make it easy. We can get your equipment swapped out and get you ready for the world to come!
I’m confused about your March update, what do you mean the 101 satellites were designed for SD and not HD? What about them prevents them being used to send an HD signal? Satellites are just bend pipes aren’t then, you send a signal up and they send them back down, it’s just ones and zeros, it doesn’t care if it’s a SD or HD or 4K channel, or am I misunderstanding something here?
Sorry for digging this old post up, came across it looking for something.
I’m confused about your March update, what do you mean the 101 satellites were designed for SD and not HD? What about them prevents them being used to send an HD signal? Satellites are just bend pipes aren’t then, you send a signal up and they send them back down, it’s just ones and zeros, it doesn’t care if it’s a SD or HD or 4K channel, or am I misunderstanding something here?
Sorry for digging this old post up, came across it looking for something.
As I understand it, the transponders on the 101 satellites don’t have the same bandwidth as the ones on the newer satellites. Therefore, in order to put HD on them, you lose a certain amount of utility, because you can’t just have 1 1/2 HD channels on a transponder, it has to be 1 or 2.
Directv has had 4 HD channels on one Ku transponder on 119 for years, and could probably fit 5 if they wanted. WAY more than 1 or 2.
I wasn’t saying they had one or two, I was using that to illustrate the math issue. But thanks for clarifying.
I wasn’t saying they had one or two, I was using that to illustrate the math issue. But thanks for clarifying.
As I understand it, the transponders on the 101 satellites don’t have the same bandwidth as the ones on the newer satellites. Therefore, in order to put HD on them, you lose a certain amount of utility, because you can’t just have 1 1/2 HD channels on a transponder, it has to be 1 or 2.
OK, I have an RV, and it has an older auto seek KVM dish. It will not work with HD. Not a lot of options but to buy a new “EXPENSIVE” dish. Has anyone figured out what will happen and when with us RV’ers? Not happy!
OK, I have an RV, and it has an older auto seek KVM dish. It will not work with HD. Not a lot of options but to buy a new “EXPENSIVE” dish. Has anyone figured out what will happen and when with us RV’ers? Not happy!
I believe that the “end of SD” means the end of SD duplicates. some channels will remain in SD, if their source is only SD. It means the end of support for all receivers that can only receive the original Ku band DSS signals, which is how most of the SD signals are transmitted. When they clear off the redundant SD signals from 101, they will convert most of those transponders to their A3 propietary standard, and transmit those signals as mpeg4. That is totally incompatible with the old receivers. Some, maybe as few as one, transponders on 101 will have to be maintained as DSS rather than A3 for the boot-up process. I’m sorry for all you RV customers out there. Maybe they will move the most popular HD channels to 101, for the RV and trucker crowd. I don’t know what transponders the auto-aiming antennas use, but they will only be able to lock on to old DSS modulated transponders. The A3 transponders are invisible to anybody who doesn’t know their secret code.
What makes some of the satellites at 101 obsolete, is that they can’t reach Puerto Rico. With the move of the T15 (D15) satellite to 101, replacing D8, all odd number transponders reach Puerto Rico today. If they kill all the local SD spot beams, they can put all of the 101 transponders on T15. I expect local channels will only be on 99 and 103
Progress also means the death of the old technologies, it’s just a part of life. That being said, I’m still rocking Serato with control Vinyl Records at the clubs… I refuse to give up my turntables, same with a few other DJs LOL. I have even noticed many stores are starting to carrying vinyl records again LOL. So some technology has resisted change and continues to prosper even against all odds LOL. But as far as TV goes HD and 4K are way better to look at, just gotta shell out for the upgrade. 🙂 – http://www.djemir.com
lol