DirecTV at Cornell

Residence Hall Entertainment Televison

DirecTV, as an IP-based entertainment television service, is available in the university residence halls.

For pricing and service detail, please visit the Campus Televideo website.
( www.campustelevideo.com/studentservices/cornell.asp )

Visit the Cornell Store to purchase the DirecTV set-top box and receive detailed instructions on how to subscribe.

You must have a valid credit card to order and subscribe to monthly services.

Services for university departments will be offered later in the Fall 2008 term.

Offered and supported directly by Campus Televideo and DirecTV, this service replaces CUTV as the entertainment television offering available to students, staff, and faculty via the Cornell campus data network. This new service makes available a number of new options and enhanced features to campus television customers, including:

More channels

Previously limited to approximately 50 channels, DirecTV includes options for over 200 channels, depending on the channel package purchased.

More choices

Unlike CUTV, which offered only a single channel line-up, the new service offers channel packages which allow customers to select their preferred level of service. These choices are the same channel package options as offered by DirecTV (www.directv.com) satellite service, although pricing varies; see next item.

No contract terms, no deposits, no prepayments, no credit checks

By special arrangement with Campus Televideo and DirecTV, many of the checks and contractual agreements normally required for DirecTV service will be waived for Cornell customers subscribing for the data network DirecTV offering. Because of this special arrangement, service pricing and package options are different for the Cornell service. Packages start at $29.99 per month for personal subscriptions. For detailed price information, please visit the Campus Televideo website.
( www.campustelevideo.com/studentservices/cornell.asp )

Hardware that is yours to keep

Instead of being required to pay a deposit and return your Set Top Box at the end of the year, customers purchase a Set Top Box outright, which is then yours to keep. This allows you to re-sell or give away your Set Top Box if you move off campus. Set Top Boxes are priced at $100 each (compared to the former CUTV security deposit of $150).

Cornell-specific channels included

In addition to the expanded choices offered by DirecTV, the service also includes Cornell-specific channels, including the broadcast of Cornell special events.

Premium movie channels and specialty sports networks available

The DirecTV service offers package options which include premium channels such as HBO, Cinemax, Showtime, and Starz.

Pay-Per-View (PPV) available.

The DirecTV service includes PPV capability (which can be ordered by phone or online via a web page).

As a television service being delivered over the IP data network (TV over IP), there are some differences between the publicly-available satellite version of the DirecTV service and the Cornell IP-based service offering. The new service also differs from the CUTV service in a few particulars.

High definition (HD) service is not available in the residence halls at this time. We hope to offer HD service in the future.
The DirecTV Set Top Box used by the service is specific to the Cornell IP network. You will not be able to use a DirecTV box from home (nor use your Cornell-DirecTV set top box at home).
A network connection is required to use the DirecTV at Cornell service. If you wish to connect your computer to the network at the same time, you will need a network switch. If you do not already have this hardware, subscription options include a Self Install Kit, which provides all the hardware needed to share your network connection between your computer and the DirecTV service. You may also request additional network jack activation for a fee.
A USB dongle version of the service - that is, a direct connection from your wall jack to your computer - is not available. All customers will need to use the DirecTV Set Top Box. If you are interested in viewing the service on your computer, many contemporary computer monitors also accept television A/V inputs which would allow you to use the Set Top Box with such a monitor. You could also use a TV tuner card or other video hardware to input the signal to your computer (although this is not supported).
All customers will need to pay by credit card. As a service managed by an outside vendor, billing is not handled through the university Bursar system. Staff and faculty will have the option of obtaining a personal subscription by credit card, or using a university procurement card to obtain an institutional subscription. Information for university departments will be available later in the Fall 2008 term.