A lot of the digital channels are so compressed, though, that it really compromises the picture quality. It was okay on my old TV, but I just got a new Sony WEGA that really makes it obvious. DIRECTV has some compression that is noticable on their HDTV channels. I can get Los Angeles OTA HDTV signals which are most excellent. When I look at the same channels that are on DIRECTV on my Sony HDTV they show the compression a bit.
More bandwidth needed on the SAT but I hear that's a ways off.
Leventhal on Fox.
DirecTV doesn't do local HDTV stations. It'd take up WAY to much bandwidth right now (about 19.5Mbps per HDTV channel). The locals you're seeing through DirecTV are the analog stations that are converted to digital and VERY compressed.