3 edits | reply to gate1975mlm
Re: (Philly) Tons of HD Premium Channels will be removed! I'm not certain if I have the correct numbers.
Comcast Philadelphia area has 30 individual channels of premium movies in HD. I don't count Encore because Comcast doesn't package Encore as a premium movie channel.
Comcast Michigan (for Detroit) has about 25 individual channels of premium movies in HD.
With Encore counting as a premium movie channel, DirecTV has 34 in HD.
I went ahead and figured, but without counting Encore, the individual channels carried in HD for premium movie screens. This is for just the east feed. Because some are not applicable with the west. HBO has 7. Cinemax has 8. Starz has 6. Showtime has 7. The Movie Channel has 2. Epix has 3. That is a total of 33 in HD.
I looked at Comcast Philadelphia, Comcast Michigan (for Detroit), and DirecTV for total of HD channels. I did not count local affiliated stations. I did not count a whole bunch of regional sports beyond one's own (because cable is more limiting than satellite). I did not count pay per view. I did not count 3D. It looks like Comcast Philadelphia has about 135 HD. 30 of them being premium movies means 22%. Comcast Michigan (Detroit) has 115 HD. 25 of them being premium movies means 22%. DirecTV has 108 in HD. 34 of them being premium movies means 31%.
To compare Comcast to DirecTV, a lot less of a percentage of total premium movies in relation to national cable channels, to be carried in high definition, is an objective with Comcast. DirecTV wants a good 10-percent more of its lineup than Comcast for the premium movie channels. If premium movie channels like HBO are important to a subscriber, Comcast moving away from it -- and relegating much of that to On Demand -- means going with a company like DirecTV would be appealing. If Comcast reducing the premium movie screens, while DirecTV seemingly overly concentrated on those premiums means you get more basic channels like Bloomberg Television HD, Fuse HD, Nat Geo Wild HD, and TV Land HD, then DirecTV isn't particularly appealing or satisfying.
The two companies have different focuses. It's up to every informed consumer to decide on his. |
| I count 33 with Encore, IndiePlex and RetroPlex which all remain. 33 will drop to 9 in Philly next month. The suburban systems won't have any more than 6 or 7.
I count a premium channel as anything that shows unedited, commercial-free movies.
I count 35 with DirecTV. |
