Dish Network News

[drdroo]

This is a Time Warner market, and they're just now starting to get HD channels that have been on E* for year(s). Their price is outrageous too.

It's funny to see the threads on AVS about though. The hell of it is, they don't have NFL Network AT ALL, in HD or otherwise..

 

[db2]

Maybe the entry level HD pack will be the mpeg2 HD channels??

 

[GeorgeLV]

Not sure.. If E* has an existing contract/agreement with HDNet, HDNet could end up with a handful of other HD-only channels in the 10$ tier. If D* wins the lawsuit with HDNet (I think it's still ongoing?) then maybe E* would be fine with doing the same.

DirecTV and HDNet settled a long time ago. They agreed to keep HDNet in the base package and put HDNet Movies in the Extra tier.

 

[jacmyoung]

Well that seals that. Both satellite companies now admit that in order to keep you as a customer they have to rope you into a contract. They BOTH have no confidence in their product if they HAVE to FORCE you into a contract, not even giving you the option of buying out of the contract.

WTG satellite companies. You are now everything cable was 15 years ago.

Someone explain to me again why satellite is better again? They both have crappy SD PQ, for the most part their HD quality is in the tank, only thing D* has to hang their hat on is "LOOK AT THE CHANNELS WE HAVE!" And E* doesn't have that yet.

One would have to have a pretty danged crappy cable company not to at least equal E*.

We have Charter down here in LA and it easily equals E* in HD channels. PQ is about the same, from what I see. Price increases abound for ALL providers, not just satellite.

What's the advantages of satellite again?

It is no surprise both D* and E* are going with contracts to cut down churn. Cable has been bleeding hard partly because of no commitment. And look at how ATT Uverse is doing, they don’t have contract either.

For E* to compete with D* at this moment, assume no or very little new HD channels will be added in the near future, they must include as many HD nationals in this new HD pack as possible, including non-simulcast HD channels.

The ideal arrangement would be $10 HD pack to include ALL HD nationals, then $5 to add all VOOM channels, another $5 you can get one or two premium channels like Cinemax, with or without SD ones. Keep in mind that they are already doing the $0.01/year Cinemax deal now.

The more likely arrangement is $10 for simulcast HD channels your package contains, $5 to $10 for VOOM, and another $5 to include the non-simulcast HDs. Yes it will end up like what you pay now, but you have the option of not paying some you don’t want. By doing so they can say our HDDVR package is the most value in the industry because of the simple fact E*’s basic programming packs cost less than D*’s.

 

[drdroo]

DirecTV and HDNet settled a long time ago. They agreed to keep HDNet in the base package and put HDNet Movies in the Extra tier.

Thanks for the heads up. That's probably what E* would end up doing then.

 

[RandallA]

"another $5 you can get one or two premium channels like Cinemax, with or without SD ones."

This will never happen. The only way you get the premium channels is if you pay, that's why they have their own pricing.

 

[Poke]

Yeah well to me premium channels are a waste they just show old movies..

 

[drdroo]

Yeah well to me premium channels are a waste they just show old movies..

I love my Starz Super Pak and HBO. I view Pay Per View as a waste, especially considering about 1 in 10 movies are actually worth seeing period nowadays.

Admittedly - Cinemax is mostly a turd (for those who actually would pay full price for it), they should just roll it into the HBO pack.

 

[Poke]

I love my Starz Super Pak and HBO. I view Pay Per View as a waste, especially considering about 1 in 10 movies are actually worth seeing period nowadays.

Admittedly - Cinemax is mostly a turd (for those who actually would pay full price for it), they should just roll it into the HBO pack.

Yeah thats cool I know there are some that do like the channels.. I just rather rent a movie and it be something new. Than to pay for a movie channels that show stuff thats be out for awhile is all.

 

[mike123abc]

Soon they will want lifetime commitment... 2 years (yes I know they are following the lead of DIRECTV) is getting too long. At least with dish you can pay for stuff yourself and still have no commitment. DIRECTV seems to make you commit no matter what.

 

[JH1949]

"Entry level HD Package". Probably 3-4 worthless channels. ......My opinion, Gerry

2 yrs. now? You've got to be kidding. The HD entry level package is gonna be 3 or 4 channels just like mentioned above.

What 3-4 HD channels in the Entry Level HD Package are you calling uselesss ?

Option #1: a package off of 110/119 only such as: TNT, HDNet, USA, SciFi ?

Option #2: or are you suggesting 3-4 only from the wing sats, such as: TBS, A&E, Hist, Disc ?

Option #3: or are you suggesting splitting out 3 Voom channels into an HD Family Pack such as: HDNews, Family, and Anima ?

Just wondering how you came up with your category for "useless" ?

 

[drdroo]

Soon they will want lifetime commitment... 2 years (yes I know they are following the lead of DIRECTV) is getting too long. At least with dish you can pay for stuff yourself and still have no commitment. DIRECTV seems to make you commit no matter what.

DirecTV also makes people practically sign away the deed to their house in order to lease a HD-DVR (I think it's something like 300$?). I look at it more like Dish could do the same (probably with success) in lieu of the contract if they really wanted to, but they haven't done that as of yet. It's also always interesting that DirecTV has to have these big media/ad blitzes (like with Papa Johns, regular commercials, CC, BB). Dish isn't that far behind in subscribers without doing that crap.

I don't change programming carriers at the drop of a hat, so 18 or 24 months out it's not a big deal (though I always like the option to not take a contract on). The choices are Time Warner (not likely), DirecTV (Never again for 5000 reasons), and Dish.

 

[drdroo]

Just wondering where you got this idea from ?

I have no idea either. From what I've read in other threads, the carriage for these HD simulfeeds are free/virtually free.

I don't see why they'd not just offer those for 10$, and then offer the HD-only stuff for more money, maybe a throw in a HD-only channel (or two) just for a taste into better tiers/plans.

 

[goober]

How about this

$10 HD for AT top 100

$ 20 HD for AT top 200

$ 30 HD for AT top 250

$ 30 HD + Free premiums ( to account for $5 price increase) for AEP

Just a wild guess but it seems to fit

 

[jacmyoung]

"another $5 you can get one or two premium channels like Cinemax, with or without SD ones."

This will never happen. The only way you get the premium channels is if you pay, that's why they have their own pricing.

That is why I said the “ideal” arrangement, not practical. The only reasons I added that one were: 1. They already are giving us Cinemax at $0.01/year for the next two years; and 2) They need to have some incentive for people to get E* HD not D* HD.

Since they are already offering Cinemax practically free for the next two years, why not have an “ultimate HD package” for $25/mo. You get ALL HD channels (national and VOOM) plus the Cinemax HD (no HBO, SHO or Starz). That will go a long way of competing with D*.

Short of that they will need to add the new HD’s D* currently has to level the playing field. I see an opening for just that when they do this new HD pricing. They can turn off VOOM on CONUS slot, only do VOOM on 61.5 and 148. They can then easily add up to 20 new HD’s on CONUS slot, make a $10/month “entry level HD pack” that do away with VOOM, yet can compete with D*. If you still want to keep VOOM, pay another $5 to $10, commit to 24-month contract, we will come and add a second dish for you for free so you can continue to get VOOM.

Regardless what your theory, I believe you must always have D* in mind, because this is an obvious move in response to D*.

 

[jacmyoung]

How about this

...
$ 20 HD for AT top 200

$ 30 HD for AT top 250

...Just a wild guess but it seems to fit

That would be totally going backwards.

 

[JH1949]

And maybe the $10 HD would NOT have Voom, but the $20 HD would ?

 

[RandallA]

How about this

$10 HD for AT top 100

$ 20 HD for AT top 200

$ 30 HD for AT top 250

$ 30 HD + Free premiums ( to account for $5 price increase) for AEP

Just a wild guess but it seems to fit

and if they do this, they can go to hell. I will gladly pay the cancellation fee.

 

[drdroo]

I think Goober wants the "Droo bleeds out the ass each month" pricing plans.

20$ was just enough to stomach but if I have to pay 30$, I would most definitely have to choke a bitch.. Most cable HD plans are becoming 'included' nowadays, or are cheaper (on top of the base package, but still more expensive overall) than the sat carriers.

 

[RandallA]

What 3-4 HD channels in the Entry Level HD Package are you calling uselesss ?

Option #1: a package off of 110/119 only such as: TNT, HDNet, USA, SciFi ?

Option #2: or are you suggesting 3-4 only from the wing sats, such as: TBS, A&E, Hist, Disc ?

Option #3: or are you suggesting splitting out 3 Voom channels into an HD Family Pack such as: HDNews, Family, and Anima ?

Just wondering how you came up with your category for "useless" ?

I don't know why you quoted me since I never called the HD entry level package useless. All I said is that it will be a few channels.

This is what I said:
"The HD entry level package is gonna be 3 or 4 channels just like mentioned above."