Get Ready For 100's of New HD Channels! Shaw Direct's New Satellite Has Launched!

[TVViewer]

Shaw Direct's new satellite which gives them more satellite capacity than anyone else in Canada has successfully launched! Shaw Direct now has OVER 210 HD CHANNELS, which is more than any other provider in Canada

Not only does Shaw Direct have more local HD stations than any other provider, but they have far more local HD stations producing local news in HD.

I personally made the switch from Bell to Shaw Direct on May 17th and I certainly don't regret the decision as I now have access to far more local news in HD on Shaw Direct than I ever did with Bell!

[bigoranget]

Yes, but what they might gain in local HD they may lose in Specialty channels. Also what makes you think that Shaw Direct will carry more locals than Bell? Bell already has 20-25+ locals? Between the additional locals, additional PPV channels, the HD channels that Shaw Cable has and probably more french HD, they probably wont have much more than what Bell has. Also until I see a list of what they are actually adding, I'm going to assume that both Shaw Direct and Shaw Cable will continue to be way behind the other providers in terms of providing specialty channels in HD.

[Mayhem]

I'm most excited about all the new local HD channels Shaw Direct will offer, this is a huge advantage over Bell satellite which barely carries any local HD channels actually producing local news in HD, despite the fact that local news is one of the most watched programs in Canada, oh well, those customers can get their local news in HD by switching to Shaw Direct :)

Your just happy because there is a good chance that one of those "100 New HD Channels" would happen to be Global News BC1, isn't it?

[bigoranget]

Here is the rumored list of Engish HD specialty channels coming to Shaw Direct. I posted this list in other forums as well. Obviously not official until Shaw Direct publishes information.

Business News Network HD
Discovery Channel HD
Animal Planet HD
Bravo HD
Comedy Network HD
Global News BC1 HD
YTV HD
W Movies HD
Treehouse HD
CMT HD
Nickelodeon HD
Sundance Channel HD
Comso TV HD
W Network HD
ABC Spark HD
Oprah Winfrey Network HD
Movie Central 3 HD (West only)
Rogers Sportsnet World HD
CityNews Channel HD
radX
eqhd
HIFI
Family HD
Disney XD HD
The Movie Network Encore HD (East only)
The Movie Network Encore 2 HD (East only)
MFun! HD (East only)
MExcess HD (East only)
MFest HD (East only)

[musimax]

oh well, those customers can get their local news in HD by switching to Shaw Direct :)

And to think there is actually some people on here that think TVViewer isn't associated with Shaw or is not promoting Shaw on here! wow!

Unfortunately for TVViewer and his motherlord Shaw, Bell has recently added a few more local HD channels; from Digital Home:

Omni 1 HD - 1055
Omni 2 HD - 1056
City Calgary HD - 1133
Omni Calgary HD - 1135
City Vancouver HD - 1153
Omni Vancouver HD - 1155
SRCM HD - 1801
SRCO HD - 1816
SRCE HD - 1830
SRCV HD - 1832

Presumably, the SRC ones above are Radio-Canada locals.

There's also GSN HD as well, channel 1732

So, I wouldn't switch just yet! and btw, would you honestly want to support a company that is associated by all accounted evidence on here with TVViewer? Yikes!

[TVViewer]

[QUOTE=bigoranget;61582]

Yes, but what they might gain in local HD they may lose in Specialty channels.

Bell doesn't even carry some popular channels in SD that will be available in HD on Shaw Direct (including FX Canada, Nat Geo Wild, and Global News BC1). Shaw Direct may not have all the low rated HD channels as Bell/Telus satellite have but those high rated specialty channels you listed along with all the HD locals should make Shaw Direct’s HD lineup pretty appealing to most people given Bell/Telus reluctance to carry some popular channels (like top 20 digital channel Nat Geo Wild) and HD locals actually producing local news in HD. Shaw Direct’s new capacity also opens the door for Shaw Media to launch HD simulcasts of Canada’s most watched digital channels, channels that Bell and Telus are unlikely to carry at launch (as they barely carry any new non-Bell channels at launch), in fact, on May 29th Slice will be launching in HD exclusively on both Shaw cable and Shaw Direct.

Also what makes you think that Shaw Direct will carry more locals than Bell?

What makes you think they wont? Viewers want their local stations in HD, they own 12 local stations which will dramatically benefit from HD carriage, they have the capacity to add them, adding them gives them a MAJOR advantage over Bell and takes away an advantage from the cable company, and they don't have to pay carriage fees to carry them in local markets.

Bell already has 20-25+ locals?

Very few of the HD locals Bell carries actually broadcast local news in HD. They carry several CTV (and some CBC) HD stations airing for the most part programming that is available at the same time on other HD stations with SD local news and channels like CHCH which mostly airs low rated programming very few watch and SD local news. Bell’s carriage of local HD channels appears to be more about getting viewers to watch CTV’s HD network programming on their local station as opposed to actually providing viewers with what they want (local content in HD). Even one of the few CTV stations with HD local news (CTV Edmonton) isn’t available on Bell satellite.

[bigoranget]

Shaw Direct’s new capacity also opens the door for Shaw Media to launch HD simulcasts of Canada’s most watched digital channels, channels that Bell and Telus are unlikely to carry at launch (as they barely carry any new non-Bell channels at launch)

You are wrong... Telus is currently carrying the complete suite of Corus HD channels. I believe the only provider in Canada carrying all of them. They just added last week; Treehouse, Cosmo, Nickelodeon, CMT and Sundnace.

Bell doesn't even carry some popular channels in SD that will be available in HD on Shaw Direct (including FX Canada, Nat Geo Wild, and Global News BC1). Shaw Direct may not have all the low rated HD channels as Bell/Telus satellite have but those high rated specialty channels you listed along with all the HD locals should make Shaw Direct’s HD lineup pretty appealing to most people given Bell/Telus reluctance to carry some popular channels (like top 20 digital channel Nat Geo Wild) and HD locals actually producing local news in HD.

Where do I start with this one...

1.) Telus DOES carry FX Canada HD and Nat Geo WILD HD. Along with a bunch of new Corus channels as well.
2.) Even after all the additions Shaw Cable/Shaw Direct is still missing these channels; Much HD, HLN HD, Peachtree HD, TCM HD, Sony Movie Channel, MGM Channel, AXN Movies, Warner Films, Discovery Science HD, Investigation Discovery HD, Travel + Escape HD, Cartoon Network HD, Teletoon HD, WPIX HD, KTLA HD, WSBK HD, NFL Network HD, CBS Sports Network HD, Game Show network HD, Spike HD, CBC News Network HD, CTV News Channel HD, CP24 HD, Bold HD, Documentary HD, Sun News Network HD, BBC World News HD, MSNBC HD. Don't tell me that all these channels are low rated channels. Many of these channels have demand and Bell and Telus carry a good chunk of these while Shaw/Shaw Direct still don't.
3.) Shaw has had a long history (10+ years) of dragging their feet on HD channel additions. People aren't stupid; there is a reason Shaw and Shaw Direct have been bleeding customers over the past few years. They are tired of the mediocre HD channel line-up. Why doesn't Shaw Cable carry all the Corus stations in HD? They have common ownership. The reason is because they don't want customers moving between Shaw Cable and Shaw Direct. Why didn't Shaw launch an HD version of Lifetime and H2 last year when these brands launched. They could have had these channels on Shaw Cable and I'm sure most other providers would have carried them as well. Pretty much every provider carries all of Shaw's HD channels with the exception of Global News BC1 and Nat Geo Wild.

Very few of the HD locals Bell carries actually broadcast local news in HD. They carry several CTV (and some CBC) HD stations airing for the most part programming that is available at the same time on other HD stations with SD local news and channels like CHCH which mostly airs low rated programming very few watch and SD local news. Bell’s carriage of local HD channels appears to be more about getting viewers to watch CTV’s HD network programming on their local station as opposed to actually providing viewers with what they want (local content in HD). Even one of the few CTV stations with HD local news (CTV Edmonton) isn’t available on Bell satellite.

What a load of crap. Bell offers more CTV channels because CTV is owned by Bell just as Shaw Direct will likely have more Global channels because Shaw owns Global. Even if Global didn't have HD newscasts on many of their channels; Shaw Direct would still favour Global over CTV. Look at how they implement simsubs since Shaw took over Global; Shaw Direct does blanket nation wide simsubs of Global HD over Eastern US feeds yet they don't do that with CTV's Toronto feed.

[bigoranget]

Also let's not forget the fact that up until about 2 years ago, Shaw Direct only carried CBLT and CFTO Toronto in HD. Bell at least has carried some locals from other areas. They have carried CBC and CTV Vancouver since 2005. They carried Global BC since 2008 and I believe CTV and Global Calgary have been carried since 2009.

These are the locals they carry right now.

CBHT-DT (CBC - Halifax)
CJCH-DT (CTV - Halifax)
CBMT-DT (CBC - Montreal)
CKAL-DT (City - Calgary)
CJCO-DT (Omni - Calgary)
CBOT-DT (CBC - Ottawa)
CBLT-DT (CBC - Toronto)
CFTO-DT (CTV - Toronto)
CIII-DT (Global - Toronto)
CITY-DT (City - Toronto)
CKVR-DT (CTV Two - Barrie)
CFMT-DT (Omni1 - Toronto)
CJMT-DT (Omni2 - Toronto)
CHCH-DT (Ind. - Hamilton)
CBWT-DT (CBC - Winnipeg)
CKY-DT (CTV - Winnipeg)
CKCK-DT (CTV - Regina)
CBXT-DT (CBC - Edmonton)
CBRT-DT (CBC - Calgary)
CFCN-DT (CTV - Calgary)
CICT-DT (Global - Calgary)
CBUT-DT (CBC - Vancouver)
CIVT-DT (CTV - Vancouver)
CHAN-DT (Global - Vancouver)
CKVU-DT (City - Vancouver)
CIVI-DT (CTV Two - Victoria)
CHNM-DT (Omni - Vancouver)
CBAFT-DT (Radio-Canada - Moncton)
CBFT-DT (Radio-Canada - Montréal)
CFJP-DT (V - Montréal)
CFTM-DT (TVA - Montréal)
CBVT-DT (Radio-Canada - Québec)
CBOFT-DT (Radio-Canada - Ottawa)
CBXFT-DT (Radio-Canada - Edmonton)
CBUFT-DT (Radio-Canada - Vancouver)

Bell currently carries 35 locals. I will be very surprised if Shaw Direct carries much more than this.

[TVViewer]

[QUOTE=bigoranget;61632]

You are wrong... Telus is currently carrying the complete suite of Corus HD channels. I believe the only provider in Canada carrying all of them. They just added last week; Treehouse, Cosmo, Nickelodeon, CMT and Sundnace.

I'm comparing Shaw Direct satellite to Bell and Telus satellite services, not Telus Optik TV. Telus satellite is restricted to carrying the channels Bell carries. However it's not like Telus Optik has a very good track record either, the new Corus channels are the exception, they haven't carried many of the other new channels at launch so and it's likely they wont do the same for any new Shaw Media specialty channels, but it's a very strong possibility that they wont be available on Telus satellite.

Where do I start with this one...

1.) Telus DOES carry FX Canada HD and Nat Geo WILD HD. Along with a bunch of new Corus channels as well.

Again, referring to Telus satellite.

2.) Even after all the additions Shaw Cable/Shaw Direct is still missing these channels; Much HD, HLN HD, Peachtree HD, TCM HD, Sony Movie Channel, MGM Channel, AXN Movies, Warner Films, Discovery Science HD, Investigation Discovery HD, Travel + Escape HD, Cartoon Network HD, Teletoon HD, WPIX HD, KTLA HD, WSBK HD, NFL Network HD, CBS Sports Network HD, Game Show network HD, Spike HD, CBC News Network HD, CTV News Channel HD, CP24 HD, Bold HD, Documentary HD, Sun News Network HD, BBC World News HD, MSNBC HD. Don't tell me that all these channels are low rated channels. Many of these channels have demand and Bell and Telus carry a good chunk of these while Shaw/Shaw Direct still don't.

Some of them are high rated (Teletoon, CBC News Network and to a lesser extent MuchMusic, Investigation Discovery, Discovery Science, and CTV News Channel) but many of them are low rated, like I said their satellite competitor doesn't have some popular channels available on Shaw Direct either (and they don't even have them in SD, at least Shaw Direct has most of the popular ones in SD) I stand by my statement that Shaw Direct's upcoming HD lineup will be appealing without those channels especially when you add in the popular channels not available on Bell/Telus satellite.

What a load of crap. Bell offers more CTV channels because CTV is owned by Bell just as Shaw Direct will likely have more Global channels because Shaw owns Global. Even if Global didn't have HD newscasts on many of their channels; Shaw Direct would still favour Global over CTV. Look at how they implement simsubs since Shaw took over Global; Shaw Direct does blanket nation wide simsubs of Global HD over Eastern US feeds yet they don't do that with CTV's Toronto feed.

What part of my statement do you disagree with? Of course it's because they own CTV, I was just going further into detail for why they added them. They want Bell subscribers to watch CTV's HD programming on their local CTV station, that's why they added so many CTV HD stations. They did it to help CTV, not to give viewers more local HD content. Not saying there is anything wrong with Bell wanting to help CTV (nor is there anything wrong with Shaw Direct giving Global simulcasts across Canada) but it should be pointed out that this is why these channels were added and how it resulted in little value for their customers.

Also, currently Shaw Direct does not favor carriage of Global over CTV. In every market where they carry a Global station they carry a CTV station from the same market. Before Bell was required to add all the locals there were some markets where CTV was carried but not Global, yet they made sure to carry a CTV station in every market they carried Global. Shaw Direct has had the opportunity to give Global and Global HD more carriage than CTV and they have not done so. Obviously this could change but to date Shaw Direct has not given better carriage to Global.

[TVViewer]

[QUOTE=bigoranget;61633]

Also let's not forget the fact that up until about 2 years ago, Shaw Direct only carried CBLT and CFTO Toronto in HD. Bell at least has carried some locals from other areas. They have carried CBC and CTV Vancouver since 2005. They carried Global BC since 2008 and I believe CTV and Global Calgary have been carried since 2009.

How does this have anything to do with Shaw Direct adding more channels with HD local news?

These are the locals they carry right now.

You are missing the point, again, Very few of those locals actually have local news in HD. It's not very impressive to have a bunch of locals airing the exact same programming at the exact/similar time as other CTV HD stations, local news is what makes these stations unique. I'm saying how they will have more locals producing news in HD and you are responding with how many HD locals Bell carries like there's no difference between a HD station with HD local news and a HD station with SD local news and HD programming available on other channels (in most cases available at the exact same time), well I think there's a pretty big difference.

Everyone one knows exactly what you are doing here; you are implying that Shaw Direct is going to carry all the Global locals because they have local news in HD; which is Bull. It's common ownership and nothing more. Also outside of Western Canada (where Shaw Direct probably has more subs anyway) Global isn't exactly a market leader in news anyway. Also many of the channels Bell carries that isn't affiliated with CTV have newscasts that are either HD or 16x9.

No, I never said that, i'm just pointing out the fact that all Global stations have their news in HD and will be carried on Shaw Direct. Who cares if it's because they own Global? What matters is with Shaw Direct you get more local news in HD than Bell. That's a fact.

Also there are plans for Bell to add Global Edmonton, Global Winnipeg and Global Halifax in HD.

Oh really, they are sure taking their time, why wait months/years for Bell to add them when they will be available to all Shaw Direct subscribers May 29th. What about other Global stations like Global Regina? Will Bell carry those? Shaw Direct will!

[bigoranget]

How does this have anything to do with Shaw Direct adding more channels with HD local news?

Because you think that Shaw Direct will have a superior product and I strongly disagree with that. I'm simply trying to state a fact that historically Bell has been much better at providing HD locals. Shaw Direct has basically ignored the west for nearly 10 years. Also there are plans for Bell to add Global Edmonton, Global Winnipeg and Global Halifax in HD.

You are missing the point, again, Very few of those locals actually have local news in HD. It's not very impressive to have a bunch of locals airing the exact same programming at the exact/similar time as other CTV HD stations, local news is what makes these stations unique. I'm saying how they will have more locals producing news in HD and you are responding with how many HD locals Bell carries like there's no difference between a HD station with HD local news and a HD station with SD local news and HD programming available on other channels (in most cases available at the exact same time), well I think there's a pretty big difference.

Everyone one knows exactly what you are doing here; you are implying that Shaw Direct is going to carry all the Global locals because they have local news in HD; which is Bull. It's common ownership and nothing more. Also outside of Western Canada (where Shaw Direct probably has more subs anyway) Global isn't exactly a market leader in news anyway. Also many of the channels Bell carries that isn't affiliated with CTV have newscasts that are either HD or 16x9.

However it's not like Telus Optik has a very good track record either, the new Corus channels are the exception, they haven't carried many of the other new channels at launch so and it's likely they wont do the same for any new Shaw Media specialty channels, but it's a very strong possibility that they wont be available on Telus satellite.

Oh, and Shaw Cable and Shaw Direct have a good track record? By my count, two channels they launched day-in-date; Nat Geo WILD HD and Global News BC1; two channels they own. Give me a break.

Some of them are high rated (Teletoon, CBC News Network and to a lesser extent MuchMusic, Investigation Discovery, Discovery Science, and CTV News Channel) but many of them are low rated, like I said their satellite competitor doesn't have some popular channels available on Shaw Direct either (and they don't even have them in SD, at least Shaw Direct has most of the popular ones in SD) I stand by my statement that Shaw Direct's upcoming HD lineup will be appealing without those channels especially when you add in the popular channels not available on Bell/Telus satellite.

Again, there is demand for it and also I didn't list every channel. Let's not forget about the French channels, sports packages and international channels that is lacking on Shaw Direct. I wont even expand on their really dated hardware.


All I am trying to point out is that Shaw Direct has had a long history of providing an inferior product. They have spend the last 10-15 years over promising and under delivering and it shows in the sub counts. Bell has about 1.8 million subscribers, Shaw Direct has somewhere in the neighbourhood of 800,000.

[bigoranget]

One other thing that I wanted to point out is Shaw Direct's overall satellite capacity with the launch of Anik G1.

Currently Bell has 32 transponders at 82°W and 32 transponders at 91°W for a total of 64 transponders

Shaw Direct has 30 active transponders on Anik F1R and 24 on Anik F2 bringing the total to 54 transponders. With the addition of Anik G1's 16 transponders they will have 70 transponders. It's not that big of an advantage over Bell and remember Bell has already converted all of their HD and international channels to MPEG-4/8PSK turbo so the bandwidth available is probably about the same or possibly slightly better on Bell.

[InMontreal]

TVViewer uses marketing tactics by choosing his words carefully.

So far, all of the 11 Global stations produce local newscast in HD, while CTV converted only 14 of their 22 O&O stations to HD, but a minority of them produce newscast in HD. In his mind, Shaw Direct will provide all Global stations in HD along with the few CTV stations with HD newscast, therefor, "this is a huge advantage over Bell satellite".

Then, he mentions that Shaw Direct will carry "popular" channels. Shaw owns something like 6 out of the Top 10 analog and 6 out of Top 10 digital specialties, which will all be offered in HD. Everything else is meaningless, in his own mind...

[bigoranget]

Here is the list of specialities coming to Shaw Direct on May 29th

Global News BC1
Slice HD
H2 HD
Lifetime HD
W Movies HD
YTV HD
Family HD
Disney XD HD
Movie Central 3 HD (West Only)
The Movie Network Encore HD (East Only)
MFun! HD (East Only)
MExcess HD (East Only)
MFest HD (East Only)
Sportsnet World HD
radX
eqHD
HIFI
Comedy Network HD
BNN HD
Discovery HD
Animal Planet HD
Bravo HD

[bigoranget]

Here is a list of additional English locals coming to Shaw Direct on May 29th. Most of these will probably be SD MPEG-4 format

CBAT (CBC - Fredericton)
CBET (CBC - Windsor)
CBNT (CBC - St. John's)
CISA (Global - Lethbridge)
CHWI (CTV Two - Weatley)
CFCN-5 (CTV - Lethbridge)
CHBX (CTV - Sault Ste Marie)
CICI (CTV - Sudbury)
CITO (CTV - Timmins)
CKNY (CTV - North Bay)
CICC (CTV - Yorkton)
CIPA (CTV - Prince Albert)
CJCB (CTV - Sydney)
CKCW (CTV - Moncton)
CKLT (CTV - Saint John)
CHAT (City - Medicine Hat)
CHEX-2 (CBC - Oshawa)

[bigoranget]

Oh really, they are sure taking their time, why wait months/years for Bell to add them when they will be available to all Shaw Direct subscribers May 29th. What about other Global stations like Global Regina? Will Bell carry those? Shaw Direct will!

You are seriously making this argument considering the fact that Shaw Direct has dragged their feet the last 10 years in terms of offering decent HD? Shaw Direct could have been offering more channels a long time ago if they had secured space on Anik F3.

[TVViewer]

You are seriously making this argument considering the fact that Shaw Direct has dragged their feet the last 10 years in terms of offering decent HD? Shaw Direct could have been offering more channels a long time ago if they had secured space on Anik F3.

Yes because I don't see how what Shaw Direct did in the past has anything to do with what they are doing now. The facts are Shaw Direct has these channels and Bell does not. How does it make any sense for someone who wants these Global HD channels (along with HD & SD feeds of Nat Geo Wild, BC1, Lifetime, FX, H2, Slice, ect.) to wait months/years for Bell to add them when they are available now on Shaw Direct just because Shaw Direct didn't have them before. Who cares if they didn't have them before, they have them now and Bell does not. That should be the only thing that matters to most people.

I'm not denying that Bell had a better selection of HD channels in the past but in my opinion Shaw Direct's selection of HD channels is now better, that's why I subscribe to them, and I know I wont be the only one with this opinion, there are several high rated HD channels available on Shaw Direct that are not available on Bell. The fact that they are Shaw Media channels changes nothing, they are still popular high rated channels many people want and they are only on Shaw Direct.

[bigoranget]

Sorry but I'm willing to bet that more people will still think Bell is superior not just for channel selection but also hardware. Bell still overs more HD specialties, more French HD and more HD sports packages. Plus don't forget all the ethnic services that Bell offers.

Also I don't think it will be long before Slice, H2 and Lifetime HD end up on Bell. Dito for Telus, Rogers, Eastlink and Cogeco.

[bigoranget]

As I predicted, there is some unhappy customers. No CBC News Network HD or any Canadian news channel, other than BC1 added. No CTV Two HD affiliate at all, still doesn't carry the complete suite of TMN channels, new US Superstations in HD and French Canadians really got short changed on this as well, only 4 additional French specialties.

[bigoranget]

This is what they are still missing in HD that many other carriers have.

Cartoon Network HD
W Movies HD
Animal Planet HD
BNN HD
CP24 HD
CTV News Channel HD
Investigation Discovery HD
Discovery Science HD
Fight Network HD*
OLN HD
CityNews HD
CBC News Network HD
Bold HD
Documentary HD
Travel + Escape HD
WFN HD
Wild TV HD
WPCH Atlanta HD
WSBK Boston HD
WPIX New York HD
KTLA Los Angeles HD
WWOR New York HD*
Spike HD
BBC World HD*
MSNBC HD
HLN HD
NFL Network HD
CBS Sports Network HD
Treehouse HD*
Cosmo HD*
Oprah Winfrey Network HD
CMT HD*
Sundance Channel HD*
Nickelodeon HD*
SUN News Network HD
MGM Channel HD
Sony Movie Channel HD
Warner Films HD
AXN Movies HD
Super Channel 3 HD
Super Channel 4 HD

MOI&Cie Tele HD
Yoopa HD
Prise 2 HD
Musimax HD
MusiquePlus HD
Super Ecran 4 HD
Cinepop HD
Zeste SD and Zeste HD
Explora SD and Explora HD
ARTV HD
TV5 HD
RDS Info HD
Disney Jr French HD
Addik HD
Casa HD
Planete HD

*Limited carriage, meaning they aren't widely distributed yet.