4K Events Discussion Thread

[pattykay]

Looking at that uplink report from early this morning, it appears that there are a couple of Texas locals that were on spotbeam and moved to ConUS transponders, and in the process 10 HD PPV movie channels were taken down. But only taken down on Western Arc. Eastern Arc still has those channels.

I notice that it is only SD feeds that are being moved from spotbeam to CONUS. Perhaps this is part of some preparation to drop those SD feeds completely, and make those markets HD-only, requiring everyone in those markets to switch to MPEG-4 equipment. This could also be part of the reason behind Dish's decision to allow subscribers to drop local channels, so that those subscribers who don't want to upgrade their equipment won't have to keep paying for locals that they can no longer receive.

The removal of the HD PPV movie channels is strange, though. At one point, Dish had dropped down to only five SD PPV movie channels, then it was expanded to ten SD PPV movie channels, which is still a lot less SD PPV channels than there had been before. So, I would have expected Dish to completely eliminate the SD PPV movie channels before removing any HD PPV, thus giving subscribers even more incentive to upgrade to MPEG-4 equipment if they want to watch PPV movies.

 

[zippyfrog]

I notice that it is only SD feeds that are being moved from spotbeam to CONUS. Perhaps this is part of some preparation to drop those SD feeds completely, and make those markets HD-only, requiring everyone in those markets to switch to MPEG-4 equipment. This could also be part of the reason behind Dish's decision to allow subscribers to drop local channels, so that those subscribers who don't want to upgrade their equipment won't have to keep paying for locals that they can no longer receive.

The removal of the HD PPV movie channels is strange, though. At one point, Dish had dropped down to only five SD PPV movie channels, then it was expanded to ten SD PPV movie channels, which is still a lot less SD PPV channels than there had been before. So, I would have expected Dish to completely eliminate the SD PPV movie channels before removing any HD PPV, thus giving subscribers even more incentive to upgrade to MPEG-4 equipment if they want to watch PPV movies.

The part that surprises me the most is that they were only removed on Western Arc - usually dropping channels like that, even if it is temporary, is done on both arcs.

 

[Bobby]

The part that surprises me the most is that they were only removed on Western Arc - usually dropping channels like that, even if it is temporary, is done on both arcs.

If you are talking about channel 540, it was dropped from both arcs.

 

[pattykay]

If you are talking about channel 540, it was dropped from both arcs.

No, he is talking about channels 503, 504, 507, 516, 517, 518, 519, 520, 521, and 522.

The part that surprises me the most is that they were only removed on Western Arc - usually dropping channels like that, even if it is temporary, is done on both arcs.

...or, if they are only dropped from one Arc, it would usually be Eastern Arc. (think SD duplicates) Removing HD-only feeds from Western Arc is the exact opposite of that.

 

[Bobby]

No, he is talking about channels 503, 504, 507, 516, 517, 518, 519, 520, 521, and 522.


...or, if they are only dropped from one Arc, it would usually be Eastern Arc. (think SD duplicates) Removing HD-only feeds from Western Arc is the exact opposite of that.

I see what you are saying. You have to keep in mind that VOD, pay channels, can be quickly removed to provide emergency transponder space. While nothing has been said to say that such an emergency exists it would seem that might be the case. There would not be a reason to suspend those channels on both arcs. It is not like those are channels that are part of anybody’s subscription tier.

 

[pattykay]

I see what you are saying. You have to keep in mind that VOD, pay channels, can be quickly removed to provide emergency transponder space. While nothing has been said to say that such an emergency exists it would seem that might be the case. There would not be a reason to suspend those channels on both arcs. It is not like those are channels that are part of anybody’s subscription tier.

Well, by that logic, channel 540 should still be available on Eastern Arc. If you are going to point out that channel 540 is included in certain subscription tiers, then Dish should offer a free dish re-point or additional wing dish to anyone on Western Arc who complains about losing channel 540.

 

[Bobby]

Well, by that logic, channel 540 should still be available on Eastern Arc. If you are going to point out that channel 540 is included in certain subscription tiers, then Dish should offer a free dish re-point or additional wing dish to anyone on Western Arc who complains about losing channel 540.

The transponder that 540 was on, western arc, was used to put all of the Alaska channels that were on an Alaskan spotbeam that may have failed for all we know. Because channel 540 was on an eastern and western transponder that carried just that channel it would make sense to drop it from both arcs because that channel was part of subscription tiers on a very part time basis.

 

[pattykay]

The transponder that 540 was on, western arc, was used to put all of the Alaska channels that were on an Alaskan spotbeam that may have failed for all we know. Because channel 540 was on an eastern and western transponder that carried just that channel it would make sense to drop it from both arcs because that channel was part of subscription tiers on a very part time basis.

Still, if Dish is contractually obligated to carry those 4K events, then I have to wonder how FS1 is going to react to channel 540 being missing.

 

[Bobby]

Still, if Dish is contractually obligated to carry those 4K events, then I have to wonder how FS1 is going to react to channel 540 being missing.

First, if Dish continues to pay FS1 their due even though no one gets to see the programming, FS1 doesn’t care. Second, for all we know this is a very temporary band aid. After all Alaska seems to have lost HD programming. So far not one FS1 4K event has been missed. We have seen just one event a week so far...

 

[pattykay]

First, if Dish continues to pay FS1 their due even though no one gets to see the programming, FS1 doesn’t care.

Good point. I forgot that the 4K feed does not have commercials. Now, if channel 150 had been dropped, that would be a different story.

 

[pattykay]

Looking at that uplink report from early this morning, it appears that there are a couple of Texas locals that were on spotbeam and moved to ConUS transponders, and in the process 10 HD PPV movie channels were taken down. But only taken down on Western Arc. Eastern Arc still has those channels.

The part that surprises me the most is that they were only removed on Western Arc - usually dropping channels like that, even if it is temporary, is done on both arcs.

Those HD PPV movie channels were removed from Eastern Arc today.

 

[zippyfrog]

Those HD PPV movie channels were removed from Eastern Arc today.

Thanks for the update. At least these uplink reports are giving us something to talk about!

 

[pattykay]

Thanks for the update. At least these uplink reports are giving us something to talk about!

...and fewer channels to watch.

 

[pattykay]

Looking at that uplink report from early this morning, it appears that there are a couple of Texas locals that were on spotbeam and moved to ConUS transponders, and in the process 10 HD PPV movie channels were taken down. But only taken down on Western Arc. Eastern Arc still has those channels.

Combing through this week's uplink reports, it looks like the mystery about Texas (and maybe Alaska) has been solved. Dish is in the process of finally converting the spotbeams from QPSK to 8PSK, and those local channels must have had to be moved temporarily while their spotbeam was being converted. If all of the other SD locals on Western Arc are still QPSK, look for this process to repeat itself region-by-region across the country, until all of the spotbeams are converted. This of course begs the question: what is Dish going to do with the space freed up on the spotbeams by the 8PSK conversion? Maybe add some more channels, such as subchannels, in select markets?

 

[zippyfrog]

Combing through this week's uplink reports, it looks like the mystery about Texas (and maybe Alaska) has been solved. Dish is in the process of finally converting the spotbeams from QPSK to 8PSK, and those local channels must have had to be moved temporarily while their spotbeam was being converted. If all of the other SD locals on Western Arc are still QPSK, look for this process to repeat itself region-by-region across the country, until all of the spotbeams are converted. This of course begs the question: what is Dish going to do with the space freed up on the spotbeams by the 8PSK conversion? Maybe add some more channels, such as subchannels, in select markets?

The other thing it makes me wonder is how much longer they are going to be keeping SD versions of the channels that already had HD channels... I really thought that at some point we would see all the local SD channels that had HD versions just disappear instead of going through the 8PSK conversion, and the locals that had only a SD version - those would be the ones converted to 8PSK. So going through this makes it seem like there are still enough SD only receivers out there that Dish isn't going to do that yet. It's been over 2 years since the CONUS transponders on Western Arc were converted to 8PSK - I really thought all the SD only receivers would be gone by now.

In terms of how the space would be used, I would love to see some of the subchannels.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

They are required to keep the SD channels as part of their contract with the programmers. We will have SD versions until the programmers themselves say its ok for DISH to turn them off.

 

[pattykay]

So going through this makes it seem like there are still enough SD only receivers out there that Dish isn't going to do that yet. It's been over 2 years since the CONUS transponders on Western Arc were converted to 8PSK - I really thought all the SD only receivers would be gone by now.

I seem to remember some posts a little more recently than that, from at least one subscriber who was great-grandfathered with a Locals Only package, or maybe Locals + some international channels from the 118 satellite, still using old otherwise obsolete QPSK receivers. If there are more subscribers like that out there, then perhaps Dish has to go through each and every account in a local market, making sure that every subscriber has current equipment, before Dish can convert that market to 8PSK.

They are required to keep the SD channels as part of their contract with the programmers. We will have SD versions until the programmers themselves say its ok for DISH to turn them off.

Except on Eastern Arc, every time a local HD feed launches, the SD feed is immediately removed. As far as the local SD duplicates on Western Arc, I would expect Dish to start with some of the smallest markets, converting every subscriber to MPEG-4 equipment, and then drop the SD feeds for that market. Once enough entire markets are converted to MPEG-4, then perhaps the nationwide MPEG-4 conversion can begin.

In terms of how the space would be used, I would love to see some of the subchannels.

Perhaps Dish will wait until they start removing the duplicate local SD feeds, which would free up a lot more room to add even more subchannels.

 

[pattykay]

Looking at that uplink report from early this morning, it appears that there are a couple of Texas locals that were on spotbeam and moved to ConUS transponders, and in the process 10 HD PPV movie channels were taken down. But only taken down on Western Arc. Eastern Arc still has those channels.

By the way, the HD PPV movie channels are back!

 

[eddie willers]

I'm just hoping for the Rose Bowl in 4K.
Go Dawgs!

 

[Bobby]

I'm just hoping for the Rose Bowl in 4K.
Go Dawgs!

I’ll be rooting for your Dawgs as well but the game will be ESPN. There will be no 4K...