A few weeks ago, DirecTv sent me something that wasn't wrapping paper around my bill - notification that they would be "launching more than 75 HD channels … by year end." I've already talked about the DirecTv 10 and 11 satellites (see "Er, no, actually, you're watching them . . . .") back in March 2006. I've had most of the big local stations in hidef now over the satellite since March 2007 (NBC, CW, CBS, and FOX, MY, but not ABC or PBS!). Add one HBO channel, TNT, HDNet Movies, Universal HD and a couple of sports stations and the existing line up of HD stations on DirecTv still adds up to one big tease.

The letter I received from DirecTv was only sent to people who owned one of the newer mpeg4-capable setup box or DVR so they could receive local stations in high definition over DirecTv's satellites (as opposed to over the air). But while DirecTv was pretty confident I had an HR20-700 DVR, they were less sure that their crack installation team had hooked it up properly. Without the B-Band Converters (BBCs) in-line with each of the two satellite inputs on my DVR before September 1st, I wasn't going to be getting those extra channels (just call them if you don't see the little interface dongles and they'll ship them to you). So Sept 1st, 2007 is the earliest date these extra channels would be available, but the "by year end" is the CYA language that gives the good folks in El Segundo a little bit of breathing room.

But what, exactly, are these new stations? The letter indicates at least one more Discovery HD station, CNN, USA (yes, Monk, Psyche and Burn Notice!) and additional HBO and Starz HD offerings. Naturally they'll be lots of new sports offerings too, like NFL Network and the Tennis Channel. Wii!

What about the rest of the line up? Courtesy of our friends at dbstalk (sorry, you might have to register to get directly to this thread) here's what they know, or they think they know. I've carved out the relevant bits. So, coming in September:

• A&E (Ab Fab!?!)
• Animal Planet
• Big Ten Network (not sure what this is, but hey, if it's big, and it's a ten . . .)
• Chiller (spooks in hidef!)
• CineMax East (don't get it)
• CineMax West (don't get it 3 hours later)
• CNN (What with Paula Zahn leaving, what's the point of hi-def here?)
• Discovery Channel (simulcast)
• Food Network (Baam!)
• HBO West (not really new programming now, is it. . . )
• HGTV
• History Channel
• MHD (MTV)
• NFL Network (Full-Time)
• Science Channel
• Showtime West
• Starz! East
• Starz! West
• Starz! Edge
• Starz! Comedy
• Starz! Kids & Family
• The Movie Channel
• The National Geographic Channel
• TBS
• TLC
• The Weather Channel
• Versus/Golf (whatever "it' is, it wins)

But in the "Fall" meaning sometime before Christmas, comes:

• Bravo
• Cartoon
• CNBC (someone take my pulse)
• FX (more HD movies! And the next season of The Shield, watch out)
• HBO2 East (okay, some real new choices, sorta)
• HBO2 West
• HBO Family East
• HBO Family West
• HBO Latino East
• HBO Signature East
• MoreMax East
• Sci-Fi (Eureka!)
• Sleuth
• Speed
• USA (It's a Jungle Out There)

This lists isn't official, but it's probably very accurate. I didn't even mention the regional sports stations or what may be coming when the DirecTv 11 satellite goes live in the spring of 2008. Suffice to say, mpeg2 compression artifacts will soon be a thing of the past.