Eastern Arc Expands Again

[Scott Greczkowski]

DISH Network Expands MPEG-4 Advanced Delivery System To Reach 52 Markets

Leads Industry in Offering Best Quality Video and Sound for both Standard and High Definition Programming

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. – Oct. 23, 2008 – DISH Network Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH), the nation’s third largest pay-TV provider and the digital television leader, today announced it will begin transmitting the industry’s most advanced MPEG-4 delivery system to consumers in 21 additional markets in the eastern half of the United States. Now, consumers who sign up for DISH Network® in 52 markets will receive all standard and high definition programming in the MPEG-4 Advanced Video Coding Standard, which provides the best picture quality on any TV. In August, DISH Network became the first pay-TV provider to offer all-MPEG-4 service.

New customers in 52 designated markets* in the eastern half of the U.S. who sign up for any DISH Network HD package will receive the industry’s most advanced delivery system on all televisions connected to DISH Network service. This includes all standard and high definition programming broadcast in MPEG-4 via DISH Network’s award-winning MPEG-4 HD and HD DVR receivers. Additional markets will be announced at a later date.

To maximize the MPEG-4 TV experience, new customers can sign up for the best experience, quality and value in high definition with DISH Network’s TurboHD, the only 100 percent high definition programming package in the industry, starting at $24.99 per month. TurboHD is available in three separate tiers and comprises special “turbo-charged” features and benefits such as DISH Network’s industry- and customer-favorite DVRs, movies in 1080p resolution quality comparable to Blu-Ray disc™, and the most-watched HD channels that may be viewed on any TV – analog, digital or high definition. DISH Network offers up to 114 national HD channels today and will offer up to 150 channels by the end of the year.

Current DISH Network customers looking to add the industry’s best high definition experience can get a “turbo-charged” HD package for as little as $10 more per month.

For more information about DISH Network’s MPEG-4 service, 1080p programming, new HD channels, and TurboHD system and packages, visit DISH Network -- Home or call 1-800-333-DISH (3474).



*The newly-added 21 markets include: Abilene-Sweetwater, Texas; Atlanta; Birmingham (Anniston and Tuscaloosa), Ala.; Chattanooga, Tenn.; Columbia-Jefferson City, Mo.; Des Moines-Ames, Iowa; Florence-Myrtle-Beach, S.C.; Ft. Myers-Naples, Fla.; Huntsville-Decatur (Florence), Ala.; Jackson, Miss.; Joplin-Pittsburg, Mo.; Lincoln and Hastings-Kearney, Neb.; Memphis, Tenn.; Mobile-Pensacola (Ft. Walton Beach), Fla.; Omaha, Neb.; Quincy-Hannibal-Keokuk, Ill.; Sherman, Texas/Ada, Okla.; South Bend-Elkhart, Ind.; St. Louis; Topeka, Kan.; and Waco-Temple-Bryan; Texas. The first 31 markets launched are: Baltimore; Beaumont-Port Arthur, Texas; Boston; Chicago; Charlotte, N.C.; Cleveland; Columbia, S.C.; Detroit; Grand Rapids-Kalamazoo-Battle Creek, Mich; Green Bay, Wis.; Greensboro, N.C.; Greenville-New Bern-Washington, N.C.; Hartford, Conn; Knoxville, Tenn.; Lansing, Mich.; Madison, Wis.; Milwaukee, Wis.; Minneapolis, Minn.; Nashville, Tenn.; Norfolk-Portsmouth-Newport News, Va.; New York; Providence, R.I.; Orlando-Daytona Beach-Melbourne, Fla.; Philadelphia.; Raleigh, N.C.; Richmond, Va.; Tampa, Fla.; Washington, D.C.; West Palm Beach-Fort Pierce, Fla.; and Wilkes Barre-Scranton, Pa.

 

[bookette]

Yes...but I am more than a little upset that Dish gave me a 1000.2 antenna this summer when I got the 722 and failed to mention that I need a 1000.4 to get my Ames/Des Moines HD locals. What are they going to do about this?

Bookette in Ames

 

[Hemi 6.1]

Yes...but I am more than a little upset that Dish gave me a 1000.2 antenna this summer when I got the 722 and failed to mention that I need a 1000.4 to get my Ames/Des Moines HD locals. What are they going to do about this?

Bookette in Ames

Nothing.
Charge you $60 for a wing dish.

 

[Laddyboy]

Or maybe $0 for the winger if you extend your commitment.

 

[bookette]

Yes, that's what I thought. My Homeowners Association was nice enough to let me put up one dish, let alone two. No wing for me! Last night I experimented again with an external indoor HD antenna attached to the 722. This time it worked when I powered it! So I now have my 12 locals on my Guide anyway.
Another question about that though. Do I have to go in and delete my "locals" timers that I have set up or will they default and record from the OTA?

 

[Laddyboy]

You will have to delete the SD local timers and do new timers for the OTA HD.

 

[Opusnbill7]

Or maybe $0 for the winger if you extend your commitment.

Yeah...I was in the same boat as bookette. Just got mine installed about 6 weeks ago. Thought about raising a big stink to try to get a 1000.4 installed, but then I decided I'd just take the wing dish. 129 is about to get replaced, so I should have the "best of both worlds" once I have the 1000.2 and a wing dish pointing to 61.5. Not really happy about the second set of mounting holes, but I trust the installer so I'm not too worried about it.

You may want to think about the commitment, as I just signed on for 2 years to get a free wing install, but really only extended my overall commitment by about 6 weeks (since I'd have to stay the 2 years anyway already from my original install).

 

[Opusnbill7]

Yes, that's what I thought. My Homeowners Association was nice enough to let me put up one dish, let alone two. No wing for me! Last night I experimented again with an external indoor HD antenna attached to the 722. This time it worked when I powered it! So I now have my 12 locals on my Guide anyway.
Another question about that though. Do I have to go in and delete my "locals" timers that I have set up or will they default and record from the OTA?

Actually, I'm pretty sure they can't stop you from installing another dish if you want to. If they try, I would point them at CFR 25.104. Another helpful link is: 47 My Community Has Restrictive Covenants And Dishes Are Not Allowed.Is There Anything I Can Do To Watch Satellite TV?

Of course, now if you don't want another dish on your roof (I'm not thrilled by it either), then that's another issue entirely...

 

[cloudy]

Excuse me for my Newbie styled question.
But, if I'm in the midwest, with my dish pointing SE (for 110 119 and 129), does that mean the 61.5 (eastern arc) will point to the east?
I'm just wondering. The 129 is getting worse and worse each month. I'd prefer to point to a satellite that has some years left in it.

 

[intrac]

110 and 119 question

With the moves to EA (and WA), what's going to happen to 119 and 110 for existing subs that have these 2 sats plus 61.5?

 

[Opusnbill7]

Excuse me for my Newbie styled question.
But, if I'm in the midwest, with my dish pointing SE (for 110 119 and 129), does that mean the 61.5 (eastern arc) will point to the east?
I'm just wondering. The 129 is getting worse and worse each month. I'd prefer to point to a satellite that has some years left in it.

Are you sure it isn't pointing SW? 61.5 is off to the SE (from Nebraska at least) and 110/119/129 is off to the SW. However, yes, 61.5 should be "east" of wherever 110/119/129 is pointed.

As far as 129, yes, it's falling apart rapidly it appears. Luckily, its replacement is supposed to be launched here in a few weeks, so *knock on wood* they should have a good satellite at 129 around the first of the year I've heard...

 

[Opusnbill7]

With the moves to EA (and WA), what's going to happen to 119 and 110 for existing subs that have these 2 sats plus 61.5?

What I've read is that the programming on 119 and 110 will be mirrored on 72.7 and 77 for the EA. So, you'll get the same programming whether you're EA or WA. Eventually, they may change everyone in EA/WA areas over to their respective satellites, but I don't know why they would bother unless you were doing some kind of upgrade at the time anyway.

 

[Laddyboy]

With the moves to EA (and WA), what's going to happen to 119 and 110 for existing subs that have these 2 sats plus 61.5?

Both arcs, Western (110, 119, 129) and Eastern (61.5, 72.7, 77) have identical programming. 110, 119, 61.5 is the same as 110, 119, 129. There is no reason for anyone to make any changes to their existing setups unless E* changes where their HD locals are placed (assuming your lucky enough to have them at all).

 

[OrlandoSGM]

OK, now in simple English, whats does this mean to us that already have HD programing in one of the new markets???

 

[b0471@kzhosting.com]

How far west is the Ea going? Does anyone know?

 

[sdschramm]

.....and yet out of the 5 Wilkes Barre-Scranton, PA locals, only ONE was uplinked in HD, and even that ONE ch that we should be getting can't be picked up by 90% of the people in the area! I'm really getting fed up with these FALSE ADVERTISEMENTS from Dish! I think its time to write letters to the CEO.

 

[huskerpat]

How far west is the Ea going? Does anyone know?

It's affected Omaha and Lincoln, Nebraska, so I'm guessing about halfway across.

 

[Laddyboy]

OK, now in simple English, whats does this mean to us that already have HD programing in one of the new markets???

If you already have the programming you want, you aren't affected in the least. Existing subs are only affected in some way if E* moves your locals to a satellite you don't currently receive. In that case, you may need to either repoint a dish or install another, depending.

 

[cloudy]

Are you sure it isn't pointing SW? 61.5 is off to the SE (from Nebraska at least) and 110/119/129 is off to the SW. However, yes, 61.5 should be "east" of wherever 110/119/129 is pointed.

As far as 129, yes, it's falling apart rapidly it appears. Luckily, its replacement is supposed to be launched here in a few weeks, so *knock on wood* they should have a good satellite at 129 around the first of the year I've heard...

Oops. Yeah you're right, it is at SW now.
I didn't know they were replacing 129 so soon. Thanks for the info.

 

[MikeD-C05]

I've said this before and I will say it again. IF you use the eastern arc service with ALL MPEG 4 channels being broadcast , you should get more internal hard drive space on your hard drive because mpeg 4 takes up less room than mpeg 2. Mpeg 4 should look better too, in regards to picture quality. I would compare and tell you if it looks better if I ever get my replacement smart cards . I have both a dish 1000.4 and a dish 1000.2. I could keep one of my dvrs on the western arc and one on the eastern arc, record the same show and see what the hard drive space is once I move it to my external hard drive.