# Discovery: Six New HD Channels Coming



## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

*Four new HD channels this fall, two early in '08.*

By Phillip Swann, TVPredictions.com

Washington, D.C. (May 7, 2007) -- Discovery, which launched Discovery HD Theater
five years ago next month, plans to launch four new High-Definition TV network this fall.
Then, in the first quarter of 2008, Discovery says it will add two more high-def channels. ...

More @ TVPredictions.com


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## cavihitts (Mar 11, 2007)

Awesome!


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## Guest (May 7, 2007)

There have been a lot of posters in this forum questioning whether there would be enough HD channels for DirecTV to get to 100 this year. That's 7 new channels (4 Discovery + 3 Starz) announced in the past few days.


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## Larry G (Apr 13, 2006)

Boy, I hope these are in D*'s plans for this year.


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

You can sure of that - I would wager one of Charlie's billions that DirecTV and Discovery are talking.


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

So if they create "Discovery Channel" HD... would Discovery HD Theater, be shutdown ?

Or is HD Theater going to be a 5th channel used for special events, and a catch all for those networks not carring all the other 4...


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## kevinwmsn (Aug 19, 2006)

This will be nice.. Discovery will likely have a lot of real HD content, not a bunch upscaled SD stuff.


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## cavihitts (Mar 11, 2007)

kevinwmsn said:


> This will be nice.. Discovery will likely have a lot of real HD content, not a bunch upscaled SD stuff.


+1! Even though I never thought I would, I have found myself watching Sunrise Earth from time to time. May not be the most watched programming but that HD draws me in.


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## ralphfurley (Jun 12, 2004)

cavihitts said:


> +1! Even though I never thought I would, I have found myself watching Sunrise Earth from time to time. May not be the most watched programming but that HD draws me in.


that's why I find myself watching HOGAN'S HEROES and ANDY RICHTER so much.

All of these announcements have to be tied to D's plans. They wouldn't announce if they didnt have carriage deals.

Plus it's more than 7; CNN. The Weather Channel. Disney's suite of channels. Also NFLN,NGC,A&E.MAX.MHD.

Not quite 100, but getting up there.


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## dave1234 (Oct 9, 2005)

I'm hoping these will be added at no extra cost.


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

> _"I'm hoping these will be added at no extra cost."_


Nice try, pal. There are always a few who expect to get something for nothing... 

HD is expensive. Why on Planet Earth would you think that HD subscribers are
not going to have to bear their fair share of the incremental increase in cost?


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## hdtvfan0001 (Jul 28, 2004)

Nick said:


> Nice try, pal. There are always a few who expect to get something for nothing...
> 
> HD is expensive. Why on Planet Earth would you think that HD subscribers are
> not going to have to bear their fair share of the incremental increase in cost?


Because the HD package has been overpriced for just a few channels ever since day one. 

They've already said there will be a tiered pricing schedule available, based on how many channels one gets. Stay tuned.


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## n3ntj (Dec 18, 2006)

Can't wait for more HD programming (especially the Discovery branded channels).. bring 'em on! Awesome.


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## sansha (Apr 27, 2007)

Re to charge extra, how about different programming (even just time shifted) rather than just simulcast HD of the same SD fare. 

And if they are charging us by the channel, I'm wondering who bears the cost of the premium HD channels that i don't see, since I only have the top 250 on Dish, and no premiums. Do those who have the premium packages pay for the HD content (in which case, those without HD are paying for something they can't see) or do those of us who have the HD package pay for them (in which case, those who pay for HD programming ought to be able to see that one premium channel.


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## lovswr (Jan 13, 2004)

ralphfurley said:


> that's why I find myself watching HOGAN'S HEROES and ANDY RICHTER so much.
> 
> All of these announcements have to be tied to D's plans. They wouldn't announce if they didnt have carriage deals.
> 
> ...


Last Friday, just before I went to see Spidey 3, I was in my local BB (Southlake Mall, Morrow GA). They were playing a loop on all of the HDTV's. One of the programs was Weather Channel HD. I did not realize it until I was walking out of the store. I actually thought I was getting senile (I just turned 40 last Monday  ). Glad to know that I'm not quite ready to be sent out to pasture yet! :grin:


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## TheRatPatrol (Oct 1, 2003)

I hope they get the Military Channel and Mail Call in HD.


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## Grandpa Train (Mar 19, 2005)

kevinwmsn said:


> This will be nice.. Discovery will likely have a lot of real HD content, not a bunch upscaled SD stuff.


 What makes you folks think we will get these new channels on DISH? Charlie will find a reason not to.


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

Well, "you folks" also includes D* subs, and a few of us poor cable subs,
too, but I don't think Charlie is going to give up the HD lead that easily.

It's going to be an interesting and, hopefully, exciting year for all of us as
the titans of tv duke it out for HD supremacy. Regardless of which of these
worthy competitors eventually takes the HD lead, it is we, the lowly subs
who will be the ultimate winners.

I've already begun having conflicts in HD programming, but that's a good
thing, I think. Thank goodness for multiple HD DVRs. Life is good. :sure:


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## dave1234 (Oct 9, 2005)

Nick said:


> Nice try, pal. There are always a few who expect to get something for nothing...
> 
> HD is expensive. Why on Planet Earth would you think that HD subscribers are
> not going to have to bear their fair share of the incremental increase in cost?


That's why I was hoping not expecting. 

I do see a time when most all channels are in HD with little incremental cost in the not too distant future(3-5years). I think competition between D and E and cable will keep the cost down. Adding HD is expensive, but all the providers are very profitable right now so I don't see any slow down in investment.


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## Cholly (Mar 22, 2004)

I keep hoping that Time Warner will expand their HD offerings. When INHD2 shut down, it was replaced by Universal HD. I'd sure like to see National Geographic HD. As to the Weather Channel, I dunno. I'm not too happy with their current format, reaching out to GenX viewers (definitely youth oriented, like so many of the "News" channels.). I guess I'm shoing my age.


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## purtman (Sep 19, 2006)

Earl Bonovich said:


> So if they create "Discovery Channel" HD... would Discovery HD Theater, be shutdown ?
> 
> Or is HD Theater going to be a 5th channel used for special events, and a catch all for those networks not carring all the other 4...


Earl, I believe the new stations are additional from what I have read. For once, I get to provide _you _with some info.


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

...except that they are _channels_, not "stations".


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

purtman said:


> Earl, I believe the new stations are additional from what I have read. For once, I get to provide _you _with some info.


Then that is good...

But what is Discovery HD Theater going to show... that the others won't?


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## cavihitts (Mar 11, 2007)

Earl Bonovich said:


> Then that is good...
> 
> But what is Discovery HD Theater going to show... that the others won't?


Maybe it won't show anything different but show "The Best of". Just my speculation.


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## rictorg (Feb 2, 2007)

I would suspect that Discovery HD Theater would be all HD, all the time, where as Discovery in HD would be a simulcast of their SD channel, playing the HD version of the program when its available.


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## cavihitts (Mar 11, 2007)

I hope that with these channel launches that most of the content will be hd and going forward work to have all of the content being broadcasted in HD. May take a while though


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## tomcrown1 (Jan 16, 2006)

Go here:
http://www.discovery.com/

You will notice discovery has several channels for example BBC America and( new BBC Amercia HD maybe) Animal planet and Animal Planet HD etc. Discovery has enough channels that they can more than 10HD channels if they want to.


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## Mixer (Sep 28, 2006)

As far as pricing goes, the talk for D* has always been that if you have a package that gets the SD version you will also get the HD version as long as you subsribe to the HD package.


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## NickD (Apr 5, 2007)

This is great news. I can't wait for these channels to come online. I can't wait for Deadliest Catch in HD!


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

:thats: That's the _other_ Nick!


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## Chandu (Oct 3, 2005)

And Echostar announced they plan to add 6 new HD channels to DISH by the end of this year.

Hmm. I don't think that "6 new channels" number is a coincidence.


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## purtman (Sep 19, 2006)

Chandu said:


> And Echostar announced they plan to add 6 new HD channels to DISH by the end of this year.
> 
> Hmm. I don't think that "6 new channels" number is a coincidence.


Only four of the Discovery channels will be available this year. However, Ergen did say "roughly".


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## overrheads (Feb 21, 2007)

That would be great! I love the programming they have on there!


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