Charlie speaks re: national HDTV plans

[Airblair]

Found this in this article, which is otherwise about the Dish/DirecTV broadband initiative:

Ergen said EchoStar currently makes about 23 national HDTV channels available to customers, with plans to expand that to 30 in 2006.

I think someone did the count earlier and right now, if you include HBO-HD and Showtime-HD, it's a total of 25 national HDTV channels.

Add HGTV and Food Network (which are slated for 2Q, possibly as soon as April 10), that makes 27.

We've seen a few hints that Starz might be coming down the pike (and isn't their contract up at the end of the month?). So that's 28.

I wonder what else?

Cinemax HD? Maybe some kind of Fox Sports Regional HD (ohpleaseohpleaseohplease), although I've heard no hints about that. Hmm . . .

 

[BobMurdoch]

Starz Hd, Cinemax HD, Encore HD (my guesses, I don't know why he wants Encore over a few others, but he's mentioned it twice in public forums)

 

[Airblair]

I also forgot about National Geographic HD.

 

[BFG]

Food Network & HGTV HD will be added when launched.

The other 3 channels currently being negotiated are:

Starz HD
National Geographic Hd
MHD

There's your 30.

 

[BlackHitachi]

Starz Hd, Cinemax HD, Encore HD (my guesses, I don't know why he wants Encore over a few others, but he's mentioned it twice in public forums)

Encore HD actually is a really good channel and shows alot of HD movies.

 

[BFG]

the HD feed of Encore got shut down when it was on voom.

 

[HDTVFanAtic]

Starz Hd, Cinemax HD, Encore HD (my guesses, I don't know why he wants Encore over a few others, but he's mentioned it twice in public forums)

Please correct me if I am wrong, but didn't EncoreHD cease broadcasting early last year? Starz cannot find enough HD programming for the main channel - much less any additional channels.

 

[jgags6]

Its good to hear Charlie say that were getting more HD channels but can we really count on this? I mean how many times has Charlie said one thing when we acually get another? Although i hope that we do get MHD and NGC HD.

 

[BlackHitachi]

the HD feed of Encore got shut down when it was on voom.

Yes you are right it did but they also said if more program providers want it ala E* they would start up again.

 

[HDTVFanAtic]

Yes you are right it did but they also said if more program providers want it ala E* they would start up again.

Again....StarzHD is the worse value in America for HD Programming. Outside of PPV your cost per actual HD Movie shown are double or triple every other channel.

So why put on Encore if they have trouble finding true HD movies for Starz?

Thats as bad as the thinking behind the Kung Fu Channel.

 

[BlackHitachi]

Again....StarzHD is the worse value in America for HD Programming. Outside of PPV your cost per actual HD Movie shown are double or triple every other channel.

So why put on Encore if they have trouble finding true HD movies for Starz?

Thats as bad as the thinking behind the Kung Fu Channel.

OK but when i had Voom starzHD like you are saying had very little HD but ENCOREHD had so much more. There is a old voom thread about it. Ask any other old Voomers. It was rated Encore Cine max. They have the most HD of any Premium channel!!

 

[nitstalker]

Well lets not forget:

DISH HD Demo Channel
NFL HD Channel
HD Event Channel
HD NBA Channel

Add Food Network and HGTV that makes 30...

That sounds more like Charlie's Math to me.....

 

[pdxsam]

Starz Hd, Cinemax HD, Encore HD (my guesses, I don't know why he wants Encore over a few others, but he's mentioned it twice in public forums)

I thought Liberty shut down Encore Hd because of low carriage and high expense for uplinking it.

 

[mike123abc]

With 129/61.5 Dish now has a large amount of capacity for HD. They could easily support 50 HD channels (once E10 goes online and the locals move off of 61.5/129).

Now it is just a matter of which channels can strong arm dish into carrying the HD channel (i.e. contract renewal) or are cheap enough that Dish will pick them up.

 

[Bluebull32]

Now it is just a matter of which channels can strong arm dish into carrying the HD channel (i.e. contract renewal) or are cheap enough that Dish will pick them up.

Anyone have an idea of how much our current HD channels are charging Dish, per sub?

Since Dish wants to charge us $20 for HD, I would hope that gives them plenty of spending money to shop for HD channels.

 

[BlackHitachi]

I thought Liberty shut down Encore Hd because of low carriage and high expense for uplinking it.

YEA thats it! Also they said they would start back up when carriage is higher.

 

[bkushner]

Food Network & HGTV HD will be added when launched.

The other 3 channels currently being negotiated are:

Starz HD
National Geographic Hd
MHD

There's your 30.

NG in HD should be amazing. My single wish for HD is the Sci Fi channel who upon my last inquiry told me they have no current plans to broadcast in HD. I just don't understand it, their programming just begs for HD.

Brian

 

[mike123abc]

My single wish for HD is the Sci Fi channel who upon my last inquiry told me they have no current plans to broadcast in HD. I just don't understand it, their programming just begs for HD.

Brian

I would love to see SiFi in HD and I think it would be extreamly popular... But, I think they they are being cheap and shooting all their original movies in SD and do not want to pay the money to upgrade their old movie transfers to HD.

 

[ceeveeb]

Wow,

did I read that right?


SciFi channel in HD?????



that would be amazing and wonderful


can anyone confirm SciFi channel in HD? does such a thing exist???

TIA

 

[astrosfan]

Wow,

did I read that right?


SciFi channel in HD?????



that would be amazing and wonderful


can anyone confirm SciFi channel in HD? does such a thing exist???

TIA

nope you got it backwards SciFI does NOT have any plans to go to HD. Truly sad since it would easily have the best HD if it did go that route. Oh well thats life. Also I don't undestand the dislike for StarzHD, more HD stations are always good.
Patrick