Had a Great Tech Conference Yesterday!

[RocketFoot]

As some of you know, I was having some pixelation problems, mainly on my Pittsburgh Local Channels. So over the last month, I have been emailing Dish with all the info. THey finally called me last night with some great info!

The Tech took the time to explain to me how the satellites use transponders. Each transponder carries 10 tv channels. Each transponder is alotted 30 meg by the FCC, so each of the 10 channels gets 3 meg of bandwidth. However, the Pittsburgh Local transponder was carring 14 channels! That reduced the stream to 2.2 meg. Plus, other channels on the transponder can rob megs when they are playing a fast moving picture such as a basketball game. If you are watching a slow action show...you can really notice the digital compression...voila...my problem. The tech said that they made some changes to the Pittsburgh local's transponder yesterday and I should be in good shape now!

I ran home from work and turned on ABC and I was impressed! I guess customer service is still alive somewhere on this rock!

He also said that they will be allowed 60 meg of bandwidth soon! Mainly for HD programming.

BTW, the L258 upgrade for you 625 users was mainly a maintainence upgrade and doesn't include any feature upgrades. They will be upgrading the software to use the usb port for Pocket Dish soon. Right now, only the 942 works with Pocket Dish.

 

[SimpleSimon]

Well, you got part of the story - reasonably correct as far as it went.

The 3MB per channel (for 10/transponder) is an average. They use statmuxes and such to "move" bandwidth where it's needed on-the-fly.

I suspect the 60MB number thrown at you was an allusion to MPEG-4 which has been hyped as doubling bandwidth, but the reality is that level of compression still can NOT be done in real-time - which is why we don't generally need to worry about MPEG-4 compatibility quite yet.

Yes, it's likely that new local HD channels will be MPEG-4, but don't expect to see any nationals using it for quite some time.

 

[RocketFoot]

Good!, I am just happy to actually have a tech come straight up with me! Usually you get the run around when talking to these guys...

The ABC PGH Locals do look alot better! The Tech also said that there will always be compression issues (unless I go HD) but for the most part, it looks better! I can only see pixelation on dark gray or black screens. He said that there is no black in a digital signal...only color and gray scales. So some pixelation will occur in dark black/gray backgrounds and also during fast transition shots or fast action scenes...but this is normal.

 

[SimpleSimon]

He said that there is no black in a digital signal...only color and gray scales.

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.

That's NOT how it works. Could it be something like 3 bytes/pixel?

And if all 3 bytes were zero, that would be black?

Nah - couldn't be - a dish (so-called) tech says otherwise.

P.S. I see zero-pixellation hard black all the time when "appropriate" - like the dead seconds between commercials and the show.

 

[Bob Haller]

i hope this fix helps, the amount of break up pixeling, and audio drops was getting pretty bad. honestly I had been too busy to complain

 

[dragon002]

dude,

i think the problem in our area for you dish guys, is in the past 6 months, dish switched up links from the local stations. to using pittsburgh international teleport in plum boro. i installed a tech who worked there, actually he installed it and signed my W/O , so i got paid and he had warranty.

well , basically you pay for the uplink and capacity, and at pittsburgh teleport, dish is , well how do you say it, flying on the cheap compared to directv.

not making judgements , just stating what i was told. but it does not surprise me , considering we are talking about ergen

 

[BrettTRay]

Dragon002 is a huge Directv fan and likes to bash dish, if anyone is wondering. Check what his says will happen in 2006.
http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php?t=48683&page=4

 

[dragon002]

Dragon002 is a huge Directv fan and likes to bash dish, if anyone is wondering. Check what his says will happen in 2006.
http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php?t=48683&page=4

ahh, brett,

scott g said the same thing in 2005 as i did and agrees it probably will hapen in 2006.

cbs/ viacom split into 2 units 6 months ago for a reason.

directv/news corp is global, echostar is not, it is only a matter of time before he has to merge or sell, it is a matter of economics and fact.

im just curious, why do you defend a man who continues to crap on his subs, put out crappy irds and oversize dishes??

merry christmas , ill be watching tv on my r10 -80, my RCA440 and my d-11-500 i dont have to call directv and bitc* about pixelization and dropouts every other day.

but im glad you are content to pay ergen top dollar for sub standard eq and service. hell run out and get a top of the line 111:devil: im sure he has a garage full.
,

 

[BrettTRay]

We can all agree that if anybody does any buying it will be Ergen buying Directv.

 

[dragon002]

and how would that occur???

ergen cant afford core slots, he is arguing at the fcc , i cant afford to move my wings to full conus, well charlie you bought junk in space and you knew we said ONE dish, so what is the problem???

well, fcc, i guess stupid is as stupid does

come on .....ergen taking over the most coveted prize rupert EVER coveted?

THAT WILL NEVER HAPPEN

 

[JohnL]

and how would that occur???
ergen cant afford core slots, he is arguing at the fcc , i cant afford to move my wings to full conus, well charlie you bought junk in space and you knew we said ONE dish, so what is the problem???
well, fcc, i guess stupid is as stupid does
come on .....ergen taking over the most coveted prize rupert EVER coveted?
THAT WILL NEVER HAPPEN

Dragon,

Are you delusional.

Dragon Myths

1) Dish Network can't afford Core Slots

Dish was granted ONE Core Slot 119 with 21 transponders. Dish BOUGHT OUT Rupert Murdochs Bid to start his own North American DBS service. With that buyout Dish got license to 110 the LAST And ONLY other US DBS FULL CONUS slot as well as an almost complete uplink facility. Dish is now leasing several other Full Conus Slots. BTW what is wrong with a WING Slot to broadcast locals, or Locals in HD or International Programing. Lastly with the new leases of 129 as well as 105 and 121 FSS bandwidth DISH has VASTLY MORE Transponder licenses to use versus DirecTV.

Bottomline there are NOT ANY MORE FULL CONUS SLOTS DBS Transponder licenses Available at any cost.

2) Can't Afford to move satellites.

If you mean cost to move a satellite, that is ridiculous. If you mean can't afford the opportunity cost to move a satellite, then you are only partially correct.

Rainbow ONE is a very capable Satellite unfortunately for Dish it was designed for 61.5 so the spotbeams would likely be next to useless for any other slot. This does NOT diminish its capablility for 61.5. Dish's own Designed Spotbeam satellites are not as capable as DirecTV, but since DirecTV is much more starved for Full Conus transponders it is not as much as a concern for Dish. Dish also as their next Generation of satellites on order that are better than any other in orbit hardware for either company.

Bottomline all current in Orbit Dish hardware as well as leased hardware are more than capable to transmit Dish's current service as well as many more additional HD channels and Local Markets into the future, with more Satellites on order. In fact Dish even has unused In Orbit hardware for backup

3) One Dish Solution

In the SVHIA legislation there is a mandate for a one Dish Solution, but it DOES NOT mean that either or provider MUST provide ALL channels from ONE Dish.

The Law states that any SINGLE market must carry all of their local market channels from a ONE DISH solution, whether they come for one, two or Three orbital slots matters not, just as long as that ONE Dish can receive all of those three slots.

John

 

[goaliebob99]

ahh, brett,

scott g said the same thing in 2005 as i did and agrees it probably will hapen in 2006.

cbs/ viacom split into 2 units 6 months ago for a reason.

directv/news corp is global, echostar is not, it is only a matter of time before he has to merge or sell, it is a matter of economics and fact.

im just curious, why do you defend a man who continues to crap on his subs, put out crappy irds and oversize dishes??

merry christmas , ill be watching tv on my r10 -80, my RCA440 and my d-11-500 i dont have to call directv and bitc* about pixelization and dropouts every other day.

but im glad you are content to pay ergen top dollar for sub standard eq and service. hell run out and get a top of the line 111:devil: im sure he has a garage full.
,

Last I looked echostar was global infact dont they have recivers that are capable of reciving FTA in Europe right now ... and the thing about oversized dishes.. have you taken a look at the new dish D* is puting out for MPg4.. THAT thing is way bigger than a superdish ... Ird's are getting better oh and look at D*'s hd lite.. atleast were getting better resolution and we have TNT HD LOL... Dont even try going and saying about ESPN2 and Universal hd... They will be lit up in JAN! just a few short weeks and allready is on the bird just waiting to get turned on

 

[BrettTRay]

Wasn't Murdock going to sell Directv at one point awhile back? Am I imagining things again?

 

[hdtvtechno]

Wasn't Murdock going to sell Directv at one point awhile back? Am I imagining things again?

mergering with Dishnetwork, yes

 

[mneitzel]

With Directv losing money, you know they are running right. The correction is going to hurt subscribers.