Call Direct TV for WGN in HD!!

by MolineCubsFan on Apr 24, 2008 9:57 AM CDT

Posting to see if others are having this problem.

I live in Washington, DC (will be at Sat and Sundays game... my wife and I will have our BCB shirts on!) and I have EI on Direct TV. The annoying Saturday black-outs aside, EI isn't too bad so far this year. My main problem is that Direct TV doesn't carry WGN's HD signal - a few times I've been forced to watch the opposition broadcast in HD (which can be brutal...say what you want about Len and Bob, but they are much better than the Pittsburgh guys).

I found this on Len and Bob's blog...and urge others with Direct TV to call in!

WGN Sports in HD outside the Chicago area: Superstation WGN is available in HD to cable, telco and satellite providers throughout the U.S. and Canada. Unfortunately, DIRECTV and DISH Network have not yet chosen to carry Superstation WGN in HD. If your cable, telco or satellite provider does not carry Superstation WGN in HD, please contact them and ask for “Superstation WGN in HD.” You may contact DIRECTV at 800-DIRECTV and DISH NETWORK at 800-333-DISH.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

Tweet Comment 24 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

What about CSN?

I live in Milwaukee and was thinking about switching over to DirecTV because Time Warner is just awful. Does anyone know if DirecTV carries the Comcast feed in HD? What about if I sign up for the MLB package? Are those games in HD?

by CubFan81 on Apr 24, 2008 11:02 AM CDT reply actions

Yeah

CSN is available in HD on Directv. I live in Maryland so I get the Orioles and Nationals in HD, yippppeeee!!!!

So nobody has to see the scroll bar on my posts!!!!

by McRipper on Apr 24, 2008 11:05 AM CDT up reply actions

I just sent them an email

They need to get this channel. When they play on ESPN, I don’t want to listen to their announcers, but I want to watch it on HD.

So nobody has to see the scroll bar on my posts!!!!

by McRipper on Apr 24, 2008 11:11 AM CDT reply actions

I can't even get DIsh to add...

my local sports network in HD. Can’t see them adding WGN either.

by bison on Apr 24, 2008 5:19 PM CDT reply actions

CSN Chicago is available in HD on DirecTV...

...at least where I’m at.

I has a blog.

by cwyers on Apr 24, 2008 5:35 PM CDT up reply actions

Same here.

by sue369 on Apr 24, 2008 7:01 PM CDT up reply actions

Question for those with EI.

EI’s schedule page usually has a few games noted to be in HD. Who’s carrying these HD channels? I can’t find them on Comcast cable in Chicago.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Apr 24, 2008 6:01 PM CDT reply actions

I know DirecTV has HD channels for EI.

Several, in fact.

I has a blog.

by cwyers on Apr 24, 2008 6:27 PM CDT up reply actions

Actually each channel

on EI in Direct TV has an HD counterpart, but all are not used each day. There’s usually 5-8 games a day in HD, and usually the east coast teams first , with a good number of Cubs games as well. Even the Royals were in HD last night I think. tjhey seem to scatter it around. I watched the Braves and Marlins last nioght, and it was the Turner South network feed. Joe Simpson I think was the color guy.

Cubs Win!! Cubs Win!

by Ihatethecards on Apr 25, 2008 9:04 AM CDT up reply actions

This still doesn't answer my question about Comcast.

Anyone know?

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Apr 25, 2008 9:22 AM CDT up reply actions

Sorry -

Yes, I have Comcast in HD all of the time.

Cubs Win!! Cubs Win!

by Ihatethecards on Apr 25, 2008 9:43 AM CDT up reply actions

You have the EI channels in HD?

What channels are they?

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Apr 25, 2008 9:48 AM CDT up reply actions

If you have Direct TV

The EI package is channels 720 – 750 or so. Each game channel has an HD counterpart if you buy the “Superfan Package” which is another $40 or so a year. With the Fan package, you get an 8 game channel on one screen that’s kind of cool, you can move the audio to any of the channels, and then just click on that screen to go directly to that game on full screen. You also get a couple of highlight channels, and an HD channel for each game (like 725-1). As stated above, all of the HD channels are not active each night – it’s usually about 5-8 of them that will have a game in HD.

Since I’m in Omaha, my regular Comcast HD channel (640-1) will be blacked out when an MLB game is on it. Sometime, not always, that feed will be available on EI.

Cubs Win!! Cubs Win!

by Ihatethecards on Apr 25, 2008 10:46 AM CDT up reply actions

Sigh.

I guess no one really understood my question. I have Comcast Cable in Chicago. The EI schedule indicates HD channels, but I haven’t been able to find them on my cable system.

Do they exist on Comcast Cable in Chicago? Or not? Anyone know?

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Apr 25, 2008 12:16 PM CDT up reply actions

I think he thought you were talking about the comcast station

not the cable service. I have comcast in Nashville and we don’t get any of the MLB EI games in HD unless it is on a secret channel. I have noticed what you notice on the daily games listing it will say something like game 10 Cubs vs Rockies (HD).

by LT on Apr 25, 2008 12:58 PM CDT up reply actions

Not in Comcast.

In Demand, the entity responsible for EI on cable systems, offers about 10 games per week in HD through an additional channel that is ony available in a few cable systems. Comcast, like other systems including mine, do not offer that channel. Read this.

(According to the contract the cable comapnies signed they have to offer the 14 EI channels but the HD channel is optional, because of bandwith limitations.)

by Fraggin Judge on Apr 25, 2008 1:26 PM CDT up reply actions

Thank you.

That’s what I was wondering. Not a big deal.

Comcast Cable USED to carry the InHD channel that carried a couple of HD games a week, but they no longer do. (Or maybe that channel doesn’t exist any more, I can’t remember.)

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Apr 25, 2008 1:30 PM CDT up reply actions

InHD changed to Mojo

I don’t know what happened to the baseball games, although I have noticed a few of the NBA playoff games that weren’t on TNT have shown up there. That InHD deal was sweet while it lasted.

by LT on Apr 25, 2008 3:42 PM CDT up reply actions

I've noticed that too

and can’t find them anywhere either. I have Nashville Comcast. They are going to make me have to think about switching to Directv after baseball season is over this year. Give the customer what they want!!

by LT on Apr 25, 2008 9:08 AM CDT up reply actions

Just got a reply from the email I sent

Shot Down!!! They said WGN HD is not a channel that they are looking to add but check their website for news regarding the new channels that they will be offering. I don’t give a damn about Disney HD, I want WGN HD.

So nobody has to see the scroll bar on my posts!!!!

by McRipper on Apr 24, 2008 7:14 PM CDT reply actions

I got a similar E-mail from DTV

We need WGN in HD.

Cubs Win!! Cubs Win!

by Ihatethecards on Apr 25, 2008 9:06 AM CDT up reply actions

I spent five innings on the phone with DirecTV on this subject

I live in Philly and have DirecTV with the EI package and I pay extra for the games in HD. However, I cannot get the games on WGN in HD. I emailed WGN and they did not reply. However, DirecTV eventually got back to me and said,

“Thank you for writing. I know that HD programming is important to you and we’re committed to offering the best possible HD experience to you. We would love to provide WGN in HD but satellite capacity doesn’t allow us to do that yet.

We’re continuing to expand our HD capacity and hope to offer more HD channels in the near future. However, we cannot comment on channels that are in negotiations.”

by exileinphilly on Apr 25, 2008 7:10 AM CDT reply actions

Maybe Just Cubs Games?

I got the same reply you did from Direct TV. I may try again and ask them if they can carry the HD signal for just Cubs games or sporting events…I may be wrong, but I’m under the impression that some channels on Direct TV aren’t HD all the time. That may help with their “capacity” problem.

I can sort of see where DTV is coming from – why would they want to spend their HD capacity on episodes of “Funniest Home Videos”, “Corner Gas” and “paid promotional advertising” – which seems to be most of Superstation’s line-up when not showing the Cubs.

by MolineCubsFan on Apr 25, 2008 10:56 AM CDT up reply actions

I have to make a decision

I have dish network in central Iowa. I want CSN in HD which I can get by changing to Direct TV, and probably save a little by bundling with my DSL and phone. But, in my dish package of 200 channels, with no sports add-on or anything, the other night I had the Royals-Cubs-Brewers-White Sox and Cardinals games all free. If I understand the Direct TV package, I would not get Fox Sports but only Comcast/WGN unless I go premium or EI, which is too much $$ for me. Is it worth having HD cubs or all the games? While I always watch the Cubs if on, I like to check scores and follow the other games. Anyone clear this up for me?

This is only the beginning....Lou Pinella end of '07 season and Chicago Transit Authority (the band when they were really good).

by mrcubsfan on Apr 25, 2008 12:14 PM CDT reply actions