DirecTV’s NASCAR HotPass driver channels for today’s running of the Kobalt Tools 500 from Hot-Lanta Motor Speedway look like this:
795 – Mark Martin (#01) 796 – Tony Stewart (#20) 797 – Greg Biffle (#16) 798 – Jimmie Johnson (#48) 799 – Dale Earnhardt Jr (#8)
Between the racin’ and College Hoops, I expect the remote control will get quite a workout today.
-k-
Many times, SWMBO and I have made a major purchase, only to find the same or better product available elsewhere at a lower price. This usually occurs before we even get the purchase out of its box. So yesterday, when QVC presented a Sharp Aquos LCD TV identical to ours, I viewed the presentation with more than a little trepidation. The QVC price was 5 bucks less than we paid; QVC was offering 4 months easy pay. They also mentioned the high consumer ratings the Aquos has received. I feel very good about our purchase after watching the QC demo.
I’ll do a more in-depth review of the Sharp after we upgrade the DirecTV gear to provide HD input. So far, though, it’s an amazing TV, and we’re tickled pink.
-k-
Brush snow off the LNB. Do not neglect snow that has caked up on the parabolic part of the dish. After just returning from my 5th trip out to tend the dish, I have figured this out. Slow learning is better than no learning at all.
-k-
Technorati Tags: directv
The DirecTV NASCAR HotPass driver channels for tomorrow’s Auto Club 500 From California Speedway are as follows:
Looks like 799 for me tomorrow.
-k-
Hats off to Kevin Harvick, as he runs the Daytona Table this weekend. From yesterday’s Busch race, to the Cup race today, he was in position. And ran hard when it counted.
If’n you didn’t see at least parts of this race on HotPass from DirecTV, you have missed a huge experience, if the sound of engines revving moves you at all.
If I never see another race, I’ve seen one as I can only imagine it. Only 35 more to go.
-k-
Technorati Tags: directv, HotPass, kevinharvick, NASCAR
NASCAR and the NFL are a lot alike. I wrote here about the pre-game hypage for SB XLI. Not to be outdone, here’s the pre-Daytona 500 coverage, all times EST:
The FOX coverage also includes about an hour of pre-race hype; the green flag flies around 3:15. Also not included was ESPN2′s airing of the movie 3 at 8:00 this morning, as well as SPEEDtv’s marathon 70+ hours of broadcasting from Speed Weeks.
I plan to ass up and watch all the action on the new big teevee, and tune to one of the NASCAR HotPass channels (794 – 799 on DirecTV), to see a race as never before.
And, on this date in 2001, Dale Earnhardt was killed on the last lap of the 500. Another reason the racing’s not the same.
-k-
Technorati Tags: daleearnhardt, daytona500, directv, espn2, foxsports, hotpass, NASCAR, speedtv
And on XM Radio, or at least on XM via DirecTV, classical Christmas carols. I’m listening, as I perform my spontaneous combustion abatement exercises in the family room. In the spirit of the season, lyrics from an excellent carol:
Hark the herald angels sing
“Glory to the newborn King!
Peace on earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled”
Joyful, all ye nations rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With the angelic host proclaim:
“Christ is born in Bethlehem”
Hark! The herald angels sing
“Glory to the newborn King!”Christ by highest heav’n adored
Christ the everlasting Lord!
Late in time behold Him come
Offspring of a Virgin’s womb
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see
Hail the incarnate Deity
Pleased as man with man to dwell
Jesus, our Emmanuel
Hark! The herald angels sing
“Glory to the newborn King!”Hail the heav’n-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings
Ris’n with healing in His wings
Mild He lays His glory by
Born that man no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give them second birth
Hark! The herald angels sing
“Glory to the newborn King!”
-k-
I had a schedule which erroneously listed the Kansas vs. Winston-Salem State mens basketball game as being scheduled for last night. OK, the schedule was free, downloaded from an iCal sharing place, and imported into iCal, synced to the Palm, and noted during yesterday’s pre-work GTD daily review. I’m not upset, this was doubtless an honest mistake on the calendar creator’s part.
I couldn’t find the game last night, checked the KU Athletics website, and found the game is on tonight. No problem. A keyword search for “Kansas” on the TiVo reveals nothing. I’m still OK; pre-season games are sometimes not broadcast; I don’t like that, but such is life.
So tonight, after Emeril Live, I’m trolling through the ESPN Pay Channels, only to find the game early in the start of the second half, the fact that the guide for that channel failed to show the game at all to the contrary notwithstanding.
Now, I don’t mind the hundred bucks we pay for this, but I’d think for that, I wouldn’t have to scour every channel where it might be just to find what I paid for. And, I also don’t know whom to blame, ESPN for not providing schedule data, or DirecTV/TiVo for failing to get the schedule updated. I do know that it’s not worth my time to find out. I also know I’ll remember this incident when the ESPN’s Full Court Press comes up for renewal next year. It could then be time to vote … with the remote. And listen to the games on the internets.
-k-
Technorati Tags: directv, espn, GTD, kansasjayhawks, espnfullcourtpress, tivo
I’d previously bemoaned the fact that my brother-in-law’s CableCo doesn’t carry the NFL Network, resulting in our not watching the Kansas City Chieves on Thanksgiving night. Scott, aka The Fat Guy, suffered through listening to his Cowpokes on the radio, since he couldn’t get NFLnet.
Only yesterday, I wrote about NASCAR’s HotPass package for 2007.
Let’s compare and contrast the two plans:
Neither the NFL nor NASCAR is ashamed to squeeze the last nickel out of fans, but the NFL’s network is in the position of browbeating CableCos, SatelliteCos, et.al., into carrying it. And the NFL wants the carriers to pay them up front, and oh by the way, please put NFLnet in your base package lineup. The result is spotty coverage for the network at best, and the ones who lose are the fans, who are deprived of the chance to see their team play. To say nothing of market penetration and such.
Now, look at NASCAR. Fox Sports has paid dearly to carry NASCAR events next year; on their own, Fox developed the HotPass idea, ran it by NASCAR, who loved it. Presumably, NASCAR got paid again for HotPass. Fox is providing the additional cameras, equipment, and announcers to make it a reality. Now, Fox has subscriptions to sell, with making a profit in mind. In the meantime, conventional race coverage is not affected; fans won’t miss out on what they’ve had for years. Those who opt-in can have a real value add in HotPass.
So let’s sum up: NFLNet tries to squeeze out more money, by providing just another means to distribute an existing product. It can hardly be argued that Bryant Gumbel and Chris Collinsworth bring much to the microphone to make the telecasts sizzle.
NASCAR, having already been paid, probably twice, provides another way for the fans to enjoy the sport, without taking away what anyone already has.
-k-
I was trolling the DirecTV channels earlier this AM, when I happened upon an Early Bird Offer for DirecTV’s exclusive HotPass, which will broadcast all 36 of next season’s NASCAR Nextel Cup races from an in-car, driver perspective. I’d blogged about it briefly here.
From DirecTV:
NASCAR HotPass uses five channels to focus on five of NASCAR’s top drivers each week of the NEXTEL Cup Series. 25 dedicated cameras will cover only these five drivers for that race. Cameras will include an in-car camera, two overhead corner cameras in turns 1 and 3, a pit box overhead camera and a pit crew shoulder camera giving you unique access to the drivers during the race. Real time data tracks the speed, RPMs and other stats. HotPass will also change the way you listen to NASCAR: each HotPass channel has two NASCAR announcers describing the action of that particular driver, and youll also hear communications between the driver, his spotter and team
The FAQ also says:
HotPass also includes network coverage of the race in a smaller window on your screen so you will not miss out on their great coverage of the bigger race developments of that race.
And, best of all worlds, the Early Bird offer consists of two payments of $39.50, or $79, as opposed to the regular price of $99. I’m in. As I wait out the 64 days until the Daytona 500, I can lobby SWMBO for a bigger screen teevee.
-k-