CSN Chicago says Dish has HD capacity issues

[talljoel]

Comcast SportsNet Chicago has explained why the May 20th White Sox game was not in HD.

I sent the following e-mail to Comcast SportsNet Chicago:

Dish did not have last night's ( May 20, 2008) White Sox game in HD. In Chicago; Dish Network only had the game on the Comcast SportsNet SD channel 429. The Comcast SportsNet Chicago HD channel 429HD had the message " check back often to see if your favorite team is playing in HD).

I have asked Dish Network why the game was not in HD. I was told the game was not an HD broadcast.

Was last night's game an HD broadcast?

If yes, do you know why the game was not shown in HD on Dish Network's Chicago Comcast Sportsnet HD channel?

I appreciate your help.

I received the following relpy from CSN Chicago.

Thanks very much for checking in with us.

I speak to the fine folks at Dish Network frequently concerning this issue.

The fact is the shear number of HD baseball games this season is putting an enormous strain on their capacity, so Dish has to make frequent and very difficult decisions with regard to which games they can transmit regionally and nationally in HD and which ones have to go SD ( even though they are produced and received by Dish Network in HD by the respective networks).

So, as an example you brought to our attention, last night's Sox game on CSN was unfortunately not available on Dish in HD; tonight's Cubs game will be in HD on Dish. They truly try to strive for balance with regard to the number of HD games they will have available - White Sox and Cubs combined.

This situation is at the highest management levels at Echostar/Dish Network as they work to manage customer expections and address how to increase HD capacity in the near furure.

Thank you very much for warching Comcast SportsNet and please let us know if you have any further questions.

_____________________________________________________________

 

[gmitchell]

I have dish and I am in OHIO and have STO and watched the game in HD the tribe lost...

 

[DAVEGTESTR]

Comcast SportsNet Chicago has explained why the May 20th White Sox game was not in HD.

I sent the following e-mail to Comcast SportsNet Chicago:

......

I received the following relpy from CSN Chicago.

Thanks very much for checking in with us.

I speak to the fine folks at Dish Network frequently concerning this issue.

The fact is the shear number of HD baseball games this season is putting an enormous strain on their capacity, so Dish has to make frequent and very difficult decisions with regard to which games they can transmit regionally and nationally in HD and which ones have to go SD ( even though they are produced and received by Dish Network in HD by the respective networks).

So, as an example you brought to our attention, last night's Sox game on CSN was unfortunately not available on Dish in HD; tonight's Cubs game will be in HD on Dish. They truly try to strive for balance with regard to the number of HD games they will have available - White Sox and Cubs combined.

This situation is at the highest management levels at Echostar/Dish Network as they work to manage customer expections and address how to increase HD capacity in the near furure.

Thank you very much for warching Comcast SportsNet and please let us know if you have any further questions.

_____________________________________________________________

I don't believe that one bit. There weren't that many games in HD on last night, if you exclude East Coast/Florida games. I counted 6 or 7 others. I believe they have 2 transponders on 129.

 

[goaliebob99]

I watched the game in HD on directv. Dont let dish give you that load of BS. Every game is in HD!

 

[talljoel]

I don't believe that one bit. There weren't that many games in HD on last night, if you exclude East Coast/Florida games. I counted 6 or 7 others. I believe they have 2 transponders on 129.

Well, Dish says the game in the Chicago area was not in HD. We know that is not true. All Comcast Sportnet Chicago games are in HD. Directv's Comcast SportsNet Chicago channel had the game in HD.

If the explanation from Comcast Sportsnet Chicago is not correct: Dish received the game in HD but only showed in SD because of HD capacity concerns - What is the reason why Dish did not have it in HD?

I say this in jest; but maybe it is true: The guy who turns on the HD switch called in sick.

 

[flyingsquirrel]

According to a friend of mine connected to the teams ad agency, Dish is going to miss approximately 20-30 games in HD this year. They only have capacity for about 6 RSN HD broadcasts at the same time. This includes Big Ten network overflow.

They do NOT expect the situation to improve at all this season.

The message is: ALL GAMES on WGN, WCIU or COMCAST SPORTS NET, home or away, are produced in HD (there are a couple of FOX games that are stretchovision).

So if a game is not on HD on Dish, it is the fault of Dish Capacity constraints.

Interestingly, Dish could have fixed this by cutting back on PPV, but has chosen not to.

IF you want all the Comcast games in HD, you have to go to Directv or Comcast or another cable company.

 

[db2]

Why can't dish put games on another transponder?? Yes, they might have capacity issues on certain transponders but they do NOT have capacity issues with their overall system right now.

 

[Mojo]

I watched the game in HD on directv. Dont let dish give you that load of BS. Every game is in HD!

Dishnet lied to a customer?

 

[gjh3260]

The Twins game last night was not in HD on Dish even though it was HD on D* and Comcast from what I have heard.

That stinks if Dish is going to pick and choose what games will be in HD and which ones wont.

 

[wolfjc]

Cincinnati Reds & HD

I live in Cincinnati and get the Reds from FSN Cincinnati and the listing said that the Reds game was in HD.
But when the game started it was not in HD after about a half hour I checked back and it was in HD.
I don't understand if they have a capacity issue they sure fixed it fast.

 

[CubsWin]

So if a game is not on HD on Dish, it is the fault of Dish Capacity constraints.

Interestingly, Dish could have fixed this by cutting back on PPV, but has chosen not to.

IF you want all the Comcast games in HD, you have to go to Directv or Comcast or another cable company.

Is there any way to see E*'s HD PPV numbers? I find it hard to believe their overpriced PPV is a significant source of income.

 

[Skyhi]

I watched the Tribe/Sox game in HD on Dish on STO. When situations like that happen, they should let you guys in Chicago at least see the STO feed in HD (I know, I know...they can't)

 

[talljoel]

Dish responds to CSN Chicago had HD capacity Issues

I forwarded to Dish the e-mail I received from CSN Chicago regarding Dish not having in Chicago the May 20th White Sox game in HD.

CSN said the game was not in HD on Dish because the number of regional baseball games puts enormous strain on Dish's capacity and Dish must choose which games to show in HD. Due to Dish's HD limitations Dish decided not to show in Chicago the White Sox game in HD.

Dish carefully reviewed the e-mail from CSN Chicago. Dish's explantion why the game was not in HD: Information regarding CSN Chicago HD is not currently available. They would like to add the channel; but they do not know when or if it will happen.

My HD tv currently tuned to channel 429HD. The logo in the upper right hand corner of the screen says" Comcast SportsNet HD". The picture looks like it is HD. So, I guess I should thank Dish for giving me this bonus HD game.

 

[John Kotches]

I don't believe that one bit. There weren't that many games in HD on last night, if you exclude East Coast/Florida games. I counted 6 or 7 others. I believe they have 2 transponders on 129.

Florida is part of the East Coast, the last I checked.

Can you "skip" those games? If the timelines overlap, IMO you can't.

 

[Pepper]

I forwarded to Dish the e-mail I received from CSN Chicago regarding Dish not having in Chicago the May 20th White Sox game in HD.

CSN said the game was not in HD on Dish because the number of regional baseball games puts enormous strain on Dish's capacity and Dish must choose which games to show in HD. Due to Dish's HD limitations Dish decided not to show in Chicago the White Sox game in HD.

Dish carefully reviewed the e-mail from CSN Chicago. Dish's explantion why the game was not in HD: Information regarding CSN Chicago HD is not currently available. They would like to add the channel; but they do not know when or if it will happen.

My HD tv currently tuned to channel 429HD. The logo in the upper right hand corner of the screen says" Comcast SportsNet HD". The picture looks like it is HD. So, I guess I should thank Dish for giving me this bonus HD game.

That (bold above) is the exact answer they give EVERY time their programming department gets any kind of inquiry. I for one appreciate your sense of sarcasm.

 

[headband]

Dish gives priority to teams playing at home, after that they look at what games they think are going to be the best matches. instead of having some games broadcast for both teams they could just mirror the home teams feed onto the visiting teams RSN, they could also do an SAP with the visiting teams announcers, although some RSNs might not go for that because of thier graphics, commercials, ect.

 

[fish2222]

I just love watching a bunch of out of shape over paid cry babies playing in HD. Why waster the bandwidth? Sorry, couldn't help it. Since the last strike, I have not watched a single game.

 

[USMCGrunt0307]

I just love watching a bunch of out of shape over paid cry babies playing in HD. Why waster the bandwidth? Sorry, couldn't help it. Since the last strike, I have not watched a single game.

Jesus man...the strike was in what...1995? Let it go, lol...its been 13 years....there are ball players out there (children I mean) that have gone there whole lives having the midsummer classic.

not all players *cough*Pujols*cough* are cry babies....some *cough*Sheffield*cough* are but not all

 

[db2]

instead of having some games broadcast for both teams they could just mirror the home teams feed onto the visiting teams RSN, they could also do an SAP with the visiting teams announcers, although some RSNs might not go for that because of thier graphics, commercials, ect.

They could also just devote more TP's to HD RSN's. Plenty of bandwidth available...

My guess is that it would interfere with their 100 HD LIL plans.

 

[hockeynut5150]

They could also just devote more TP's to HD RSN's. Plenty of bandwidth available...

My guess is that it would interfere with their 100 HD LIL plans.

they just did just that, added an extra transponder on 61.5 for sports feeds

HD LIL has nothing to do with their bandwidth crunch, those are spotbeamed