# Halloween Music



## mcbeevee (Sep 18, 2006)

Directv music channel 815 (Holidays & Happenings) started playing Halloween music today. To receive this channel, you need the Choice Ultimate or Premier package, and access to the 119 satellite.


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

I wonder if they'll move it like they do at Christmas for those without access to 119. Guess they move it to lower packages at that point, never knew it required one that high.


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## ThomasM (Jul 20, 2007)

They only move "Holidays and Happenings" to the 101 and lower packages than "ultimate" for Christmas music due to endless complaining by subscribers. Actually, they don't "move" it-they replace another music channel that already IS on the 101 and in lower packages. (Last year I seem to recall it was the 40's channel)


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## marker101 (Nov 6, 2007)

Yeah, Channel 801. Although 815 starts playing Christmas music on 11/1, it doesn't replace 801 until around Thanksgiving. Consequentially, 801 is pulled on 12/26 while 815 still plays Christmas music well into January. And thankfully, DirecTV blackmailed me into getting a higher package for the channel cable customers get included. 

I do still want to hear the Piano channel, but I'm not getting the top package just for three more music channels...


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## Cyber36 (Mar 20, 2008)

What exactly is Halloween music anyways? Vinnie Price hammerin away on some old pipe organ??


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## Mike_TV (Jan 17, 2006)

Cyber36 said:


> What exactly is Halloween music anyways? Vinnie Price hammerin away on some old pipe organ??


Michael Jackson's "Thriller", Bobby "Boris" Pickett's "Monster Mash", come to mind immediately.


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## billsharpe (Jan 25, 2007)

It appears that DirecTV is the only provider that tiers their music channels.

FiOS gives everybody all the Music Choice channels. So does Comcast. Dish used to, but I haven't watched a Dish receiver lately.

These channels are a low-cost extra provided by the carrier and I can't figure out why DirecTV limits some of them to certain tiers.


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## bjdotson (Feb 20, 2007)

Mike_TV said:


> Michael Jackson's "Thriller", Bobby "Boris" Pickett's "Monster Mash", come to mind immediately.


Don't forget "Monster Holiday" by Buck Owens

You could also include, with a little bit of a stretch; purple people eater, teen angel, etc


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## MysteryMan (May 17, 2010)

billsharpe said:


> It appears that DirecTV is the only provider that tiers their music channels.
> 
> FiOS gives everybody all the Music Choice channels. So does Comcast. Dish used to, but I haven't watched a Dish receiver lately.
> 
> These channels are a low-cost extra provided by the carrier and I can't figure out why DirecTV limits some of them to certain tiers.


Obviously to draw people to those tiers.


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## mcbeevee (Sep 18, 2006)

Cyber36 said:


> What exactly is Halloween music anyways? Vinnie Price hammerin away on some old pipe organ??


Halloween music includes the usual suspects like Monster Mash, Thriller, and Purple People Eater, along with theme songs from tv shows (Addams Family, Munsters, X-Files) and movies (Halloween, Rocky Horror, Ghostbusters). Also, any song with a Halloween-related title like Witchy Woman (Eagles), Monster (Lady Gaga), Devil in my Car (B-52's), Dead Man's Party (Oingo Boingo), Eye (Smashing Pumpkins), etc.


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## midd (May 19, 2010)

As a premiere subscriber, I'm not getting the channel. channel 815, right?


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## Laxguy (Dec 2, 2010)

midd said:


> As a premiere subscriber, I'm not getting the channel. channel 815, right?


I don't get it, as I can't receive the sat. it's on. Yes, 815.


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## MysteryMan (May 17, 2010)

Premier sub here. Just checked. Channel 815 is working.


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## HoTat2 (Nov 16, 2005)

Yep;

Its on the 119w satellite Ku band, or DIRECTV 7S



Network ID|CH. Type|CH.#|TPN|Satellite|Long.|Description
3|SonicTap|815|30|D7S|119W|"Holidays & Happenings"-- The perfect sounds for holiday celebrations, including St. Patrick's Day, Cinco de Mayo, the Fourth of July,
*Halloween*
, Christmas and more.


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## dishrich (Apr 23, 2002)

billsharpe said:


> Dish used to, but I haven't watched a Dish receiver lately.


Since DISH did move ALL the SXM channels down to AT120, the ONLY music they now tier, are the 18 (mono) music channels that come in AT250 - which is NOT a big loss anyway.

Agree with you otherwise, & yes it IS very stupid D* didn't simply move a pretty "common" channel to the 101 bird & include it in ALL tiers - considering all cable companies that provide DMX, DO carry H&H in even their limited 30+ channel offerings.


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## midd (May 19, 2010)

I called yesterday to find out about channel 815. Wanted some theme music since trick or treat was going on. After being transferred to technical support, the woman told me the channel was inactive and that's why I could not get it.


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## FenixTX (Nov 11, 2005)

"midd" said:


> I called yesterday to find out about channel 815. Wanted some theme music since trick or treat was going on. After being transferred to technical support, the woman told me the channel was inactive and that's why I could not get it.


Do you have a three LNB dish or a five LNB dish? I believe the channel is on the 119 sat which you will need a five LNB dish to receive the channel.


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## MysteryMan (May 17, 2010)

midd said:


> I called yesterday to find out about channel 815. Wanted some theme music since trick or treat was going on. After being transferred to technical support, the woman told me the channel was inactive and that's why I could not get it.


That's bullsh*t. Channel 815 is and has been up and running.


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

"FenixTX" said:


> Do you have a three LNB dish or a five LNB dish? I believe the channel is on the 119 sat which you will need a five LNB dish to receive the channel.


Right. They generally don't move it until the day after Thanksgiving.


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## Paul Secic (Dec 16, 2003)

Cyber36 said:


> What exactly is Halloween music anyways? Vinnie Price hammerin away on some old pipe organ??


Halloween music seriously?


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## Dude111 (Aug 6, 2010)

billsharpe said:


> It appears that DirecTV is the only provider that tiers their music channels.


Yes its stupid.... Nothing really that good ... THEY SHOULD OFFER THEM ALL ON ONE TIER!!


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## zimm7778 (Nov 11, 2007)

Well I was going to go see what this channel was. But I'm not getting 815. Guess I'm not seeing 119.


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## spartanstew (Nov 16, 2005)

There's no such thing as Halloween Music.

There's a few Halloween Songs, perhaps, but that's it.


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## tulanejosh (May 23, 2008)

With Pandora you can get everything you could possibly want without worrying about what bird a channel is on or what time of year it is or what package you have.


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## MysteryMan (May 17, 2010)

tulanejosh said:


> With Pandora you can get everything you could possibly want without worrying about what bird a channel is on or what time of year it is or what package you have.


True. But keep in mind a sizable portion of DirecTV subscribers don't have access to high speed internet.


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## RunnerFL (Jan 5, 2006)

spartanstew said:


> There's no such thing as Halloween Music.


Yes there is...


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## carl6 (Nov 16, 2005)

MysteryMan said:


> True. But keep in mind a sizable portion of DirecTV subscribers don't have access to high speed internet.


How did you come up with that assessment?


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## Laxguy (Dec 2, 2010)

MysteryMan said:


> True. But keep in mind a sizable portion of DirecTV subscribers don't have access to high speed internet.


Pandora doesn't need broadband. Nice to have, but not necessary. What percentage of subs don't have high speed? I'm not questioning that it's sizable, just what size and what source?


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## MysteryMan (May 17, 2010)

carl6 said:


> How did you come up with that assessment?


Through DirecTV employees and personal experience. I live in a very rural area. Nearest city is 22 miles from my location. My home is located off a state highway. Cable didn't reach us until 2010 and only because it was expanded on the state highway and nowhere else in my area.


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## Dolfan13 (Oct 31, 2012)

I just called Directv services about the lack of Halloween music on their Holiday's & Happenings channel. I am currently getting pop music and not holiday music as the channel advertises it plays. Customer service indicates that the programming has not yet updated and will between now and Thanksgiving. So I guess they might start playing Halloween music on Thanksgiving. :nono2:

I recommend all Directv subscribers to contact customer support requesting them to play what they advertise they will play on channel 815.


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## maartena (Nov 1, 2010)

carl6 said:


> How did you come up with that assessment?


A fairly large portion of Dish and DirecTV subscribers are in rural areas, or in areas without cable. Many of these areas also don't offer a lot in the way of internet connections. I have a relative in Arkansas that has DirecTV, plus a few radios with Sirius in the house.... but no option but dial-up for Internet. It is a widespread community of about 500 people, and only a few (closer to the railroad that runs there and where the local telco office is) can get a DSL connection. No one runs cable services there.

Sure, these are small communities.... but start adding up the small communities, and you come to a surprising amount of DirecTV (and Dish) customers.

No wonder I see Hughesnet commercials all the time on DirecTV.


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## maartena (Nov 1, 2010)

Dolfan13 said:


> I recommend all Directv subscribers to contact customer support requesting them to play what they advertise they will play on channel 815.


You DO have to know that DirecTV is only leasing channels from SonicTap, which is DMX Music, and completely independent from DirecTV. And it is they who determine the content of the music channels, not DirecTV.

Complaining to DirecTV about it, is just as effective as complaining to DirecTV that the TNT channel isn't showing your favorite Halloween movie tonight. DirecTV doesn't have *ANY* influence in this case. At least not on short notice.

DMX Music, by the way... does not only operate SonicTap (which besides DirecTV, is also available through C-Band and some local, small cable operators), they are also operate the business version of Pandora. (Which might explain why it is available on DirecTV).

In any case, calling DirecTV about it.... is probably a waste of time.


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## Dolfan13 (Oct 31, 2012)

So Direct TV I guess has no say on weather Halloween Music will play on the holiday channel.


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## Dolfan13 (Oct 31, 2012)

maartena said:


> You DO have to know that DirecTV is only leasing channels from SonicTap, which is DMX Music, and completely independent from DirecTV. And it is they who determine the content of the music channels, not DirecTV.
> 
> Complaining to DirecTV about it, is just as effective as complaining to DirecTV that the TNT channel isn't showing your favorite Halloween movie tonight. DirecTV doesn't have *ANY* influence in this case. At least not on short notice.
> 
> ...


Thanks Maartena. You are right of course and I should have realized this and frankly feel a bit ashamed for failing to do so.

I did contact DMX Music as you suggested. They were very nice, but the indicated that this channel will only play Christmas Music starting after Thanksgiving. I did ask DMX about the text in the more info window indicating among others that Halloween music would be played. DMX indicated that Directv is responsible for the text contained in the information window, so I suppose Directv needs to fix the text to accurately display what subscribers can expect to hear.

With that being said, I am still a bit disappointed with the outcome of this. I have been a long time customer of Directv (mostly because of the Sunday ticket) and have enjoyed many years of great Halloween music on Halloween.

At least I have Pandora (while not as good as the previous programming on Directv, still pretty good). I hope this posts answers others who have wondered the same.


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## ThomasM (Jul 20, 2007)

carl6 said:


> How did you come up with that assessment?


I don't know but he is right. I don't have conventional high speed internet but I have lots of DirecTV receivers! I use an air card wireless modem from Sprint which isn't compatible with DirecTV (or Pandora).


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## carl6 (Nov 16, 2005)

I fully agree that the rural customers typically don't have high speed internet (or at least any good options). However, I would argue that when you combine all of the rural customers nationwide, they do not even start to become a "sizable portion" of DirecTV's 20+ million customers.


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## JcT21 (Nov 30, 2004)

well, holidays and happenings is playing christmas music on channel 801 & 815

hope to see more christmas music on other channels in the coming days...


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