How long before we are forced to go metalic?

[Bluebull32]

I know this has probably been answered somewhere, but after a good effort, I still couldnt find this.

It is currently my intention to stick with the 811 and the old HD Pack. Voom doesn't appeal to me, and i get my HD locals OTA. How long can I do this before Dish forces me to "Dish it up" and pay more for the metalic pack?

 

[JamesJ]

I know this has probably been answered somewhere, but after a good effort, I still couldnt find this.

It is currently my intention to stick with the 811 and the old HD Pack. Voom doesn't appeal to me, and i get my HD locals OTA. How long can I do this before Dish forces me to "Dish it up" and pay more for the metalic pack?

I think you will be fine, until they switch to all mpeg4, at that point in time you will have to upgrade! and there is no timetable set for that-by the way you do know FoodHD is announced, that right there is good enough for me (/sarcasm)

 

[TNGTony]

I don't know. There are still customers on the DishPix package that hasn't existed in more than 5 years. I know some one who still has Westerns as part of the their Starz package. Westerns has no been available as part of the Starz package in 6 years. Dish is pretty good at keeping gradfathered customers grandfathered as long as they don't change programming.

See ya
Tony

 

[RobertsD]

They will not force you to upgrade to the matallic packs, until upgrading to MPEG4 recievers is mandatory.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

As Tony said, they have been extremely lenient over their history. But I don't think the MPEG2 options are going to be around for another 5 years. The HD receiver install base is not that large, and they are already reducing it by not allowing old receivers to be sold and reactivated. I think they are motivated to get all HD over to MPEG4, and will continue to drive customers there by offering all new HD channels in MPEG4.

I would not be surprised if they tried to phase out MPEG2 HD by the end of 2007.

 

[tdillon]

. . . I would not be surprised if they tried to phase out MPEG2 HD by the end of 2007.

Okay, that is the prediction for when MPEG2 will be phased out . . .

Do you have any predictions for when TRUE MPEG4 will be phased in? And I don't mean a MPEG2 stream with a MPEG4 Header.

 

[navychop]

Somewhere I recall seeing a posting with an expected date for shifting all HD to MPEG-4 around March 07. IIRC. That would mean by that date your 811 will go SD only and your HD programming pack will be discontinued.

Unless they change their minds again. :haha

 

[Tom Bombadil]

As far as what programming we are able to receive, it doesn't matter when true MPEG4 is fully implemented.

However E* has good reason to implement MPEG4 as soon as they can. They are the ones who will reap the benefits of more efficient transmission. So as soon as they can make it work reliably and with better compression than MPEG2 then they will roll it in.

 

[Dune]

This may be a dumb question, but is MPEG 2 backward compatible with MPEG 4?

If there is a way of still doing MPEG2 in the MPEG4 stream, then the older receivers could still be "grandfathered" until someone makes a programming change.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

Not really. Their option is to keep transmitting some of the channels in MPEG2 or convert them to pseudo or true MPEG4. The older receivers do not have MPEG4 decoding circuitry.

 

[kb7oeb]

There are some people on here who have upgraded to a 211 but are still on the old hd pack, if you upgraded your hardware you might still be able to keep the old package.

 

[Carl B]

So with an 811 and the old HD Pak I'm probably good until March 2007. Then I go cable or D*, if I don't do that this summer.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

Yes, if not longer.

But if I had an 811, I'd go for the $49 upgrade to the 211.

 

[RobertsD]

There are some people on here who have upgraded to a 211 but are still on the old hd pack, if you upgraded your hardware you might still be able to keep the old package.

That was only if they activated the 211 before 2/1. From Feb 1st on, if you want to activate the 211 with any HD(other then OTA), you are required to sign up for one of the matalic packs, or the standalone HD pack.

The old HD pack is gone now, as no mpeg2 HD recievers can be activated for HD anymore, and no Mpeg4 recievers can be signed up for the old HD pack.

 

[Weezknight]

Yes, if not longer.

But if I had an 811, I'd go for the $49 upgrade to the 211.

Everytime I've tried that route (even through CEO contacts) they've said that any upgrade will now require the new packages. Since I've still got 4 months of free HD Pak, I said I'd pass for now and keep my 811.

 

[oljim]

I have a 921 with the $9.95 HD pack, AEP and locals, I want to replace my 721 with a 622.
If I buy the 622 I was told I could keep the 921, same hd pack and just add the 622 in place of my 721.

 

[jerryez]

MPEG4 is backwardly compatible with MPEG2, but MPEG 2 cannot be backwarly compatible with MPEG4. since MPEG 2 came before MPEG4.

 

[Stacy A]

A question here. Theoretically, if someone rode the horse long enough, say with a Dish 6000 or an 811 and didn't upgrade, would there come a day when Dish would have to trade you out, at no expense whatsoever, in order to keep the same exact programming you currently have? Or, could they force you into a HD metallic package?

My way of thinking is that they would eventually have to provide you with a new receiver, free of charge in order to continue what you are getting - if you have a contract with them.

 

[RobertsD]

A question here. Theoretically, if someone rode the horse long enough, say with a Dish 6000 or an 811 and didn't upgrade, would there come a day when Dish would have to trade you out, at no expense whatsoever, in order to keep the same exact programming you currently have? Or, could they force you into a HD metallic package?

My way of thinking is that they would eventually have to provide you with a new receiver, free of charge in order to continue what you are getting - if you have a contract with them.

You might get the reciever free, but you would still have to upgrade to one of the mattalic packs.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

What kind of contract would you have with Dish that would not allow them to force you to buy a new receiver to continue to get HD in say, 2008? They are already offering a $49 upgrade. But perhaps if you wait long enough, they would ship you a free refurbished 211 that is already getting to be older technology.