I hope this is the right place for this question - if not I apologize - newbie here.
I currently have a DishPro 500. I get the 110 and 119 bird but trees block the low bird (61?) which kept me from getting HD. As I understand it now the HD signal has been moved to another Sat (129?). If this is the case can I keep my current dish and pick up that bird and upgrade my box to HD and receive HD progams
Thanks.
There are a number of issues that fall into place when considering HD service via Dish... HD Nationals reside on 61.5 and 129 (Locals, Discovery, Food, etc), per se, while HD v of HBD, MAX, SHO, Starz, ESPN, reside on 110, etc...
1.) Where are you located, and where do you reside in 129's footprint?
2.) There can be absolutely no obstructions when looking at 129 (weaker signal, 129 replacement slated late 2008 and should be up and running 90 days after launch).
3.) Is HD worth it... Absolutely!!! The difference is tantamount to watching TV through a screen door when viewing SD content v HD. I'm a 'HD Only' client (subscribe to no SD service). Very, very happy... movies, sports, documentaries... there's just no comparison.
4.) Once you get a taste, its incomprehensible to consider going back.
5.) HDTV costs... 1080p LCD sets consume less power than their Plasma counter parts, but plasma will give you the best contrast ratios (blacker blacks, better shadows, better low light scenes)... but again, plasmas put out some serious heat, as well as LCDs, just more so from plasmas. Prices have fallen rather dramatically. The true test of an HD set is in normal lighting conditions — i.e., a dimly lit room. That's where you're going to see just how black is presented in relation to the screen. My 47" Aquos LCD has a native contrast ratio of 2000:1 and a dynamic (software driven) contrast ratio of 10,000:1. My screen in a dimly it room, when the screen is black, appears similar to what you would see in a movie theater, but I want black to be black, and that is where plasma does a superb job. Just consider, power consumption on plasma v LCD is around 25%+ more, and that means more heat coming off the set. In the fall, winter and early spring, it doubles as kind of a heater, but in the summer months, it adds considerable heat, making your air conditioner to work a wee bit more.
6.) You'll want the 1000.2 parabolic antenna kit, as it gives about a 5 db boost in signal gain... fairly important for 129 acquisition.
7.) You might want to consider OTA (Over The Air) antenna to capture locals... in my market Dish provides around 4 HD (7 SD) locals, when I have 21 DTV channels via OTA. Understand, in Feb '08, analogue TV is to be scuttled (taken off air) in leu of DTV.
8.) If you're interesting in International Programing, there is a 1000.4/5 kit... Think about this now, as I should have... I wanted EuroNews... its not an option for me unless I commit to a 24 month contract for a 1000.4/5 or dedicated dish, and am not comfortable with that concept, at present (I'm out of contract).
Good luck to you and your decision(s)...
newbie.
