Sounds like a good idea. I figured that's what Dish is planning in the long term. When is Echo 14 going up and the sat to replace AMC 14? When do you think Dish will (if ever) offer the RSNs on a 24/7 basis in HD?
Echo 14 is to be launched, last I read, 1st quarter next year, or, think of it in the phrase, "in a few months."
Depending upon how Dish moves channels around and if they chose to uplink more HD LIL in cites that already have major nets in HD LIL, or even the local PBS in HD matter, when Echo 14 is put into sevice, it should result, after all the juggling, in even more bandwidth at the WA.
The real delay in 24/7 all HD Regionals is the Eastern Arc. Poor 61.5. Two sickie satellites that are depriving Dish of about HALF the licensed capacity there. There may be some chance of 24/7 HD RSN's when Dish gets to use the remaining half of Nimiq 5, but that satellite (correct me if I'm wrong) is Coun US only. While this suits 24/7 RSN's, if Dish chooses more LIL HD as the priority, then it would not result in as much capacity for the EA overall as if it were a spot-beam sat for both LIL and and 24/7 HD RSN, and it may not happen then.
Based on how Dish chooses to do things, they could make RSN's HD 24/7 with Echo 14 and all of Nimiq 5 in operation,
IF they choose to do that as the priority. If not, then we may have to wait until AMC 14's raplacement, which was/will be an extremely sophisticated sat with sterrable spots allowing for maximum efficiency at 61.5. AMC 14's replacement will probably launch early 2012, I was given the impression. The satellite will be complete before that, but it can take a fair amount of time to get to the launch date. Those are booked several months in advance.
From what I've read in the press, Dish considers the LIL HD PBS stations to be last on the list which means that RSN 24/7 is high on the list. However, Dish promised that if they can get what they want in the final re-authorization bill, they would make LIL PBS HD by 2012, although now they are saying they may not make that either, at least all LIL. We shall have to wait and see.
I'm betting that HD RSN's 24/7 will come with accessing the remaining half of Nimiq 5. Dish can put the HD RSN's for the WA at 129, and, if it is more efficient, move them 119 later when Echo 14 is on line to free up 129. All HD installs in the WA must also look at 119 and 110 so that Dish has the flexibility to move HD channels around the 3 sats for maximum efficiency.
