DirecTV Adding Over 30 New HD Channels And Offering Movies In 1080p

The nation’s leading satellite television service provider, DIRECTV has announced that they will launch over 30 new HD channels starting August 14, bringing the total number of HD channels to 130.

The new HD offerings include: Showtime Extreme HD, Showtime Showcase HD, Planet Green HD, ABC Family HD, additional DIRECTV HD pay per view channels and an additional 23 Regional Sports Networks (RSNs) in HD 24 hours a day.

According to the release, “DIRECTV will also transmit all of its HD programming in the MPEG-4 Advanced Video Coding standard, by the end of this month – the first to do so in the industry. All HD programming will also be available in the Dolby Digital audio format, and later this year, DIRECTV will begin offering movies in 1080p, the highest resolution format available for HD video enthusiasts and the same format used by Blu-Ray HD DVDs.”

“Despite all the sound and fury of confusing HD claims from our competitors, our customers understand that DIRECTV is the destination for the most compelling and complete lineup of HD content,” said Derek Chang, executive vice president, Content Strategy and Development, DIRECTV, Inc. “Our message is clear – DIRECTV is the content leader, and our delivery of the best quality HD via the most advanced technology is one way we continue to dominate this category and offer our more than 17 million customers nationwide an unparalleled entertainment experience.”