DirecTV does some awesome “Mix Channels”, which you can see in the image to the right. They are basically one station with 8 picture-in-picture (PIP) windows that show other stations. They are interactive now, meaning you can highlight a PIP and hear the audio on it without switching to that channel.

Going on right now is the Australian Open (that’s tennis for you sports illiterates out there), and you may have already seen it pop-up in the lower 700′s.

Tomorrow, for the excitement and hoopla surrounding Barack Obama’s Inauguration, there will be a special mix channel just for that. It should be on channel 102 or 352, and also available in HIGH DEFINITION. Not sure if 102 is the HD channel or not, but it shouldn’t be hard to find.

EDIT: By the way, I know how to spell Obama, not sure why I went with O’Bama at first…maybe I thought he was Irish for a second?

Which ones are you most excited about? I’m pumped, but I really was looking for FX, SciFI and ESPNews and I don’t see them. Bummer.

265: A & E HD
282: Animal Planet HD
220: Big Ten HD
202: CNN HD
278: Discovery HD
206 / 73: ESPN HD
209 / 72: ESPN2 HD
70/501/509: HBO HD East
269: History Channel HD
76: HD Theater (was Discovery HD Theater)
79: HDNet
78: HDNet Movies
280: Learning Channel HD (TLC HD)
544: Movie Channel HD
212: NFL Network HD
284: Science Channel HD
538: SHO Too HD
71/537/543: Showtime HD
540: Showtime HD West
267: Smithsonian HD
519: Starz Comedy HD
520: Starz HD East
521: Starz HD West
522: Starz Edge HD
518: Starz Kids and Family
247: TBS HD
245 / 75: TNT HD
74: Universal HD
604: Versus HD / Golf Channel HD
362: Weather Channel HD
Also, if you are curious about the video/audio output on each, here is that info from DBSTalk.com, which may not be entirely 100% accurate:

HD channels formats (video and audio)

CNN – 1080i DD5.1
ESPN – 720p DD5.1
ESPN2 – 720p DD5.1
NFL – 1080i DD2.0
BTN – 720p DD2.0
TNT – 1080i DD5.1
TBS – 720p DD5.1
A&E – 720p DD2.0
SMTH – 1080i DD5.1
HIST – 720p DD2.0
DSC – 1080i DD5.1
TLC – 720p DD5.1
APL – 1080i DD5.1
SCI – 1080i DD5.1
TWC – 1080i DD2.0
VSGF – 1080i DD2.0
UHD – 1080i DD5.1
HDT – 1080i DD5.1
HDNM – 1080i DD5.1
HDN – 1080i DD5.1

[tags]direct tv,hdtv,channels[/tags]

Check it out, make sure you can see it. The image to the left is a screenshot I took of it. The only downside to the channel is that it seems to mention that most of the HD channels are coming in October? Ugh. At least it still seems to mention this month.

Technorati Tags: directv,hdtv

He is is – for what its worth-

I just go off the phone with my ‘insider’.

Bottom line – they are having technical problems. He told me that they in fact had extra staff in today for the launch, that they are working on resolving the issues (he either wouldn’t tell me what or didn’t know what the problems are). They were fully expecting a ‘go live’ today.

They are still trying to resolve and get stuff up today, and they don’t have a date as to when it will be resolved – they are all over it to get things fixed.

Certianly not the news I was hoping for, but I will give him a call back tomorrow if nothing occurs or no official news is released.

Anyways…frustrating to wait, but oh well. At least the network channels are in HD for next week and all the new season premiers.

I’ll pass on anything I hear.

The specific time is around 3am Arizona time, 6am Eastern.

Will it really happen? Who knows? But I have heard the 19th for a week or two now, even though Tyler was sure it was Sunday. It’s not Tyler’s fault, the DTV customer reps are usually..well…below average and not too up-to-date on things going on at their own company.

So there you have it. I’m hoping for a glorious and utterly beautiful high-def picture on ESPNews when I wake up in the morning.

Here are a few of the important ones:

HD Access will remain $9.99 per month. And don’t forget that the Plus HD DVR package includes HD Access.All programming and pricing subject to change at any time.

And the big one:

How do I know what HD channels I’ll get?

For the channels in your current programming package, you’ll automatically receive the HD versions that are offered as long as you have the HD Access service. For example, if you get ESPN in your current package, and you have or add HD Access, you’ll receive ESPN HD. If you subscribe to HBO you’ll be able to receive the HBO HD channels if you have or add HD Access.

There you have it! No charge for extra stuff…if you get the channel now, you’ll get the HD version as well.

Sunday is the day. He said on Sunday, or Sunday morning even, the channels will be out. You need to use your All HD channels on your guide to get them of course, or to see them.

One thing to note though: If you are using your favorites for your guide, I think choosing All HD channels, or Sports Channels, etc., just filters through your favorites, not all channels, but I could be wrong. You need to go change your guide to use all channels, or edit your favorites to include the new ones. I’ll pass on whatever I find out.

Regardless of all that…I’m crossing my fingers, hoping Tyler is right! Thanks Ty for the info

(oh, and I am sitting here bored in Vegas and just found out this computer I’m working on has internet. Praise God!)

On the same topic, a picture has surfaced of the new channels, which ones you get with which package you have and so forth. In the picture is an area saying “HD Extra Pack”, which is something new. It appears that it will be an extra charge, even though we currently get three of the channels listed there (HDNet, HDNet Movies and UHD). HOWEVER, those of us that already get them will be “grandfathered” in I’m told.

It does appear that some of the channels will only be available under the Family plan, or Extra plan, so I personally wont get all of them. The only ones I care about would be the National Geographic and HGTV ones. Jina loves HGTV.

Anyways, check out the channel lineup and tell me what you think.

On a funny side note, CNN HD launched this past week, but only five people could watch it and they were all at the CNN studios. DTV is the only carrier with an agreement in place, but since they aren’t releasing the new channels until later this month, no one can watch it. Hilarious.

Read on for the entire, juicy list. Engadget is still predicting a release date of September 15th for the first bulk of new channels.

When you are done with the list, check out this article, which supposedly shows where the channels will be located, and their numbers.

Here is the list DirecTV customer service reps have reported, the full list from DirecTV after that.

1. A&E HD
2. Big Ten Network HD
3. Cartoon Network
4. CNN HD
5. Food Network HD
6. Versus HD\Golf HD
7. HGTV-HD
8. History Channel HD
9. NFL Network HD
10. National Geographic HD
11. Smithsonian (channel 267)
12. TBS in HD

Channels that they will market to customers, but no exact dates.

1. A&E HD
2. ABC Family HD
3. Bravo HD
4. ESPNews HD
5. Food Network HD
6. Fuel TV HD
7. FX HD
8. HGTV-HD
9. Cartoon Network
10. Chiller HD
11. CNBC HD
12. CNN HD
13. History Channel HD
14. MHD
15. USA Network HD
16. National Geographic HD
17. Discovery Channel HD
18. Disney Channel HD
19. TBS in HD
20. Animal Planet HD
21. The 101 HD
22. TLC HD
23. Toon Disney HD
24. Weather Channel HD
25. Big Ten Network HD
26. Tennis Channel HD
27. Speed Channel HD
28. NFL Network HD
29. Versus HD/Golf Ch HD
30. Sci-Fi Network HD
31. Science Channel HD

Channels they plan to add, but carriage agreements have not be finalized.

1. HBO HD West
2. HBO2 HD East
3. HBO2 HD West
4. HBO Family East
5. HBO Family West
6. HBO Latino
7. HBO Signature
8. Showtime HD West
9. Cinemax HD East
10. Cinemax HD West
11. MoreMax
12. The Movie Channel HD East
13. Starz HD East
14. Starz HD West
15. Starz Edge HD
16. Starz Comedy HD
17. Starz Kids & Family HD