Date when Dish stops broadcasting SD stations/data? Mar 2023?

[TheKrell]

I always wondered why NASA TV has never gone HD or better yet 4K!

Yeah, I have too. My conclusion: not enough of us watch NASA at all to justify it. We do apparently watch a TON of reality TV.

 

[Bobby]

Yeah, I have too. My conclusion: not enough of us watch NASA at all to justify it. We do apparently watch a TON of reality TV.

I watch NASA, when I do, via my NASA app on my Apple TV. It is in all its glory there.

 

[Jim5506]

A little off topic but I always wondered why NASA TV has never gone HD or better yet 4K! Its currently a SD channel that would simply play the SD content on a HD channel. Or be eliminated? The other I frequently watch is Hallmark SD and watching the Waltons on the Hopper Plus with no format ability sucks!

Can your TV do ZOOM?

 

[TheKrell]

Can your TV do ZOOM?

 

[Josephinelcajon]

Can your TV do ZOOM?

It has the ability but when I tried that it not available and if I select format, it only shows standard. It's a Samsung un49mu8000. Dish has the SD on letterbox stretched out to a very distorted picture to me. No Dish picture settings.

 

[chiodo]

NASA: I think because NASA is a public service channel like CSPAN, you can view NASA in HD from their app on streaming devices. I rarely watch any channel in SD on Dish, so yeah i'd be one of the ones that wouldn't notice if they were gone, other than not seeing them on the guide.

 

[Jim5506]

My Samsung has a pix shape button on the remote that corrects most problems like this.

 

[Renfru Muldoon]

So they take away 4 SD signals and put up 1 HD. Whatever.

Less TV'S that can only use SD and more demand for HD program providers needing HD channels.

 

[RTCDude]

This topic has been discussed in the “MPEG2 Western Arc shutoff” thread.

In answer to the original question, the current rumor gleaned from posts on this site and from other sources is that all MPEG2 feeds on the WA will be shutoff by about the end of July. All receivers that are only MPEG2 compatible will no longer work on Dish after that (such as the 625, just like the one I have). All of the MPEG4 compatible receivers (Hoppers, VIP, others?) will continue to be compatible after the MPEAG2 shutoff.

This process is already in progress having seen a lot of local market MPEG2 feeds shutoff (which were in SD) near the end of last year. Also, we’ve now seen dozens of MPEG2/SD channel shutoffs since the first of this month. However, as has be previously stated in this thread, only MPEG2/SD channels that are duplicates of the MPEG4/HD version are being deleted; leaving just the MPEG4/HD version. Those channels that only have a SD version will be kept but converted to MPEG4/SD. The NASA channel is an example of this. This means all channels (HD and SD) will be only in MPEG4; hence the MPEG2 receivers becoming incompatible and Dish trying upgrade everyone to a MPEG4 compatible receiver.

There has been a lot of shuffling of channels to/from 129 to/from 110/119 recently. And remember that MPEG4 takes up a lot less space than MEPG2. My guess (and it’s just a guess) is that Dish is using 129 as a buffer to temporarily shift lesser channels to 129 to make room on 110/119 to move other greater channels from 129. And once the full MPEG2 shutoff is complete, I think all channels will end up on 110/119 only since the elimination of all MPEG2 should free up enough room to do that.

The exact fate of 129 is not known. However, 129 has been a little sick for its entire life, some dead transponders, low power, some transmission upsets, etc. Also, Dish seems to have not renewed its long term lease for the 129 satellite. In addition Dish has recently ordered a new satellite, but its exact use isn’t known yet and it’s unlikely to fly for two years or so.

But given all of this, I think Dish is preparing a future replacement of 129. This whole MPEG2 shutoff was required to make enough space on 110/119 to clear off 129 for a replacement. In addition to it’s something Dish has wanted to do for quite awhile for more bandwidth. Dish would likely keep 129 around as a spare in case something happens to 110/119 until a replacement is ready and available. But I think the current 129 is on borrowed time now.

Now all of this is just my guess and speculation. But by reading the tea leafs and watching how Dish has operated over the last twenty odd years now, I think this is the most likely scenario.

 

[navychop]

I’m surprised Dish didn’t dump MPEG-2 long ago.

 

[Bobby]

I’m surprised Dish didn’t dump MPEG-2 long ago.

There were a ton of MPEG2 receivers in the western arc. They all needed to be replaced. I think they wanted to attrit most of those before advancing to MPEG4. They also needed the transponder space to bring it about as they are doing now.

 

[tjboston5676]

There were a ton of MPEG2 receivers in the western arc. They all needed to be replaced. I think they wanted to attrit most of those before advancing to MPEG4. They also needed the transponder space to bring it about as they are doing now.

Back in 2017, our whole summer was spent upgrading mpeg2 to mpeg4 receivers. So I expected it to have happened sometime in 2018 or 2019 but some how quite a bit of mpeg2 receivers are still out there. Basically if they have never called in for anything they haven't been upgraded. But it's been an ongoing process for 6 years now lol.

 

[RTCDude]

Yes, it’s been a very slow progression up until now likely only to free up space to onboard more channels. But now it appears to be an urgent matter to finally get it done.

 

[navychop]

Simplifies code maintenance.

 

[That American Girl]

But given all of this, I think Dish is preparing a future replacement of 129. This whole MPEG2 shutoff was required to make enough space on 110/119 to clear off 129 for a replacement. In addition to it’s something Dish has wanted to do for quite awhile for more bandwidth. Dish would likely keep 129 around as a spare in case something happens to 110/119 until a replacement is ready and available. But I think the current 129 is on borrowed time now.

This is my thought process as well. As well as simplifying the stock supply. Why keep replacement receivers, remotes etc for up to a dozen of the old outdated receivers when you can just stock/support a handful of current models?

 

[Jim5506]

This is my thought process as well. As well as simplifying the stock supply. Why keep replacement receivers, remotes etc for up to a dozen of the old outdated receivers when you can just stock/support a handful of current models?

But, but, but, Dish doesn't own the satellite at 129, do they?

 

[MikeD-C05]

But, but, but, Dish doesn't own the satellite at 129, do they?

The Ciel- 2 satellite was owned by a Canadian company: Ciel Satellite Group and DISH just leased it. It replaced Echostar V . It has spotbeam locals and used to have national HD programming. Now I think it just has Sirius Xm channels on it temporarily and a few national channels. I look for DISH to stop leasing it as soon as they find a way to move spotbeam locals to another satellite . I think DISH is moving to just two satellites for western arc, like they already have on eastern arc.

 

[Josephinelcajon]

I think some channels will simply show SD programing on a HD channel. Like TCM has for years. I would watch a lot more NASA if it was HD on a HD channel! I have noticed my locals use to be on 129 are now on 119. They have some signal issues on at least one or two of them. I welcome the changes especially moving off 129!

 

[BarnRat]

I would watch a lot more NASA if it was HD on a HD channel!

Agreed. It amazes me that a high-tech content channel is still broadcasting in SD ?????

 

[pgde]

Agreed. It amazes me that a high-tech content channel is still broadcasting in SD ?????

Perhaps it is because Dish chooses the SD version? NASATV streamed from their website is in HD. So NASA HD does exist.