February 24, 2008
Now that pitchers and catchers have reported and baseball is in the air, let’s take a look at the MLB Extra Innings package.
Extra Innings is an out of market sports package distributed by most digital cable and satellite tv providers in North America. The package allows its subscribers to see up to 60 out of market Major League Baseball games a week using local and national television networks.
Currently, the only major satellite tv company to offer MLB Extra Innings package is DirecTV. In March, 2007 DirecTV signed an all exclusive deal with MLB, but that offer was met with much critism from fans as well as anti-trust complaints from politicians (mainly Massachusets senator John Kerry) so by April 1 of that year MLB decided to offer the package to the cable networks as well as Dish Network with the stipulation that the companies would have to pick up MLBs new Baseball Channel (set to debut in 2009). When the smoke cleared an agreement was reached with the cable entity iN DEMAND. Cable providers that had the iN DEMAND sevice could now offer the Extra Innings package to its customers. Some of the cable companies that offer iN DEMAND/MLB Extra Innings are: Time Warner, Cox, ComCast, Charter among others. Dish Network opted not to carry the Extra Innings package, you can see an explanation from them here.
Baseball game broadcasts of a major league team in its home market are blacked out in that area if the same game is on the Extra Innings schedule. In almost all cases, these games are available on a local channel or cable channel anyway.
Nationally-broadcast games on Fox, Espn or TBS are not available on Extra Innings.
FOX TV has exclusive broadcasting rights for Saturday afternoon games. Any game starting prior to 7:00 Eastern time on Saturdays will not be broadcast on MLB Extra Innings.
The ESPN Networks have exclusive broadcast rights for Sunday evening games. Any game starting after 8:00 PM Eastern time on Sundays will not be broadcast on MLB Extra Innings. ESPN also televises a number of other games throughout the week. These, however, are not blacked out.
Popularity: 95% [?]
February 21, 2008
More breaking news:
DirecTV is going to roll out a Masters Mix Channel for all four rounds of the Masters this year. The mix will include one channel devoted to Augusta’s Amen Corner (holes 11, 12 and 13) and one devoted to holes 15 & 16. Both channels will have dedicated cameras and announcers.
A third channel on the DirecTV mix will be totally devoted to tournament highlights, and the last one will have ESPN coverage from the first 2 rounds, and CBS coverage of the final two rounds.
All four of the above channels will be on the mix channel and will be viewable simultaneoulsly for subs with the correct (interactive) receivers.
And best of all this expanded coverage is free. In the digital cable vs satellite battle, score another one for DirecTV.
Popularity: 93% [?]
February 19, 2008
Bigfoot has just confirmed that the NFL Network will be removed from the Dish Network AT100 package late February 20, 2008.
The NFL Network (and NFL Network HD) will still be available in the AT200 package and higher (and the Hi Def version is available with any HD package and the AT200 package or higher.)
This is a surprising move since the Dish Network were advertising heavily that NFL Network was available in all AT Packages. Oh well, Oh well.
Popularity: 27% [?]
February 17, 2008
By February 17, 2009, analog television consumers will have to buy a digital converter box or a new tuner to able to watch TV. At the beginning of the year Uncle Sam began taking applications for coupons to give to U.S. families who need to purchase the digital to analog converter boxes. The coupons are for $40 each with a maximum of two per household. The coupons are supposed to start going out mid to late February, 2008.
Apply for your coupon
Despite continued discussion of the transition from analog to digital, there’s a significant number of people who aren’t aware of the impending change. The FCC is spearheading a campaign to let people know of the transition, but critics say they are moving too slow. The FCC has had an educational campaign and website for sometime and they are currently running an ad on Dish Network to help get the word out.
Popularity: 23% [?]
February 14, 2008
Dish Network has become the first satellite tv provider to offer its customers a HiDef only package.
This new HD only package… aptly named DishHD, is priced at only $29.99 a month and offers 44 national HD channels (5 of those channels are HD PPV channels). A number of customers have reported that this move has dropped their Dish Network bill from over $100 a month to just over $40 a month. (This price includes the DishHD Package, HD Locals and DVR fees.)
Popularity: 20% [?]
February 12, 2008
AAAAAAAAAAAAAArrrrrrg, Bigfoot hates price increases. We spoke about DirecTVs price increase in the last post, but Dish Networks satellite tv price increase is not so cut and dry. Last month Dish Network announced a price freeze on its most popular packages, including DishDVR Advantage, that rate of $39.99 or $49.99 depending on your programing will stay the same until February 2009. However the prices of most of their other tiers are going up, including “Americas Top 100″ (about 15%) and “Americas Top 250″ (about 3.7%). Overall the prices appear to go up about 8% across the board.
Popularity: 24% [?]
February 10, 2008
Effective February 27, 2008- New prices for DirecTV customers
Choice $52.99 (up $3.00)
Choice xtra $57.99 (up $3.00)
Plus DVR $62.99 (up $3.00)
Plus HD DVR $72.99 (up $3.00)
Premier 104.99 (up $5.00)
HBO $14 (up $1.00)
People who are involved in a promotion with DirecTV will not see these increases until their promotion ends. I will post news on Dish Network and cable increases soon.
Popularity: 22% [?]
February 7, 2008
Here is a breakdown of the cost involved in the ongoing digital cable vs satellite arguement.
Cable TV fees across the country average $39.99 per month. In our area the cost for cable TV is $37.30 a month for 64 channels, plus $10.95 a month to add digital channels. Installation in one room is $39.95, plus $9.95 for each additional room.
Satellite TV fees from Dish Network are $31.99 per month for 60 channels, while DirecTV charges $41.99 per month for 115 channels. Both satellite TV providers currently offer free satellite TV equipment and free installation in up to four rooms.
Popularity: 23% [?]
