QUOTE:“DISH Network further establishes itself as the leader in high-definition TV.”
"The addition of these original channels makes the DISH Network high definition package the best in the pay-TV industry."
Best my arse. Dish and all the others still suck!
I frankly don't know what all the excitement is about with Dish. Personally, I'd only watch about 3 of those channels, but then that's just me.
V* was going to add 70!!! new HD channels to the 39 it already had. It's pretty damn sad that D* is now the "LEADER" with their paltry HD offering. We'd all be watching over 100 HD channels by now, and I'm sure with V*'s DVR (now THAT would have been a LEADER!!!) except that all those bozos who bought HDTV's didn't have the smarts to sign on to VOOM.
I switched over to Charter Communications Digital Cable for $55/month, which reflects a $25/month credit for 12 months ($300 not the $200 D* is offering) for being a satellite subscriber; although I don't think you really have to be because they never asked me to provide ANY proof that I was. The package includes a neat Scientific Atlanta Explorer 8000HD DVR (for no initial cost at NO rental charge for at least the first 12 months-
Why would you pay $250 for one from Dish? 
), HBO, Cinemax and STARZ. You also have the choice of one more premium package (see below).
There are NO upfront costs and NO COMMITMENT whatsoever!
There is also a 30-day moneyback guarantee (i.e. try it for 30 days for free). Mine was installed the day after I called. It took about fifteen minutes. You've got nothing to lose by trying it out for free.
I love the DVR (don't know how I lived without one). Naturally, I'm down to only a handful of HD programming - ESPNHD, NESNHD, HBOHD, DiscoveryHD, ShowtimeHD, WCVB(ABC ch.5), WFXT(FOX ch.35), WHDH(NBC ch.7) and my four local HD's. The package also includes 6 HBO's, 8 Cinemax and 6 Encore channels, all in SD.
Dish's pick-up of those VOOM HD's is not even a temptation for me to switch to them. It would take a lot more than what D* and dish are offering to tempt me; and even then I'd think long and hard. I haven't had D* for a few years and I still have a very bad taste in my mouth. And I've read some pretty nasty customer reviews on Dish.
I'll wait till something like VOOM comes along. (Which, sadly, will probably be a VERY long time.) When it does, I will painlessly make the switch because I'm under NO commitment whatsoever.
I'll feel a pang in my heart for VOOM for a long time but $55 a month for one year is, to me, darn good for what I get. Get Dish or D*, pay your up-front costs, make your commitment, get your x months at a reduced cost and
then take a look at your bill.
P.S. The PQ on many SD channels sucks compared to VOOM, but so did D* when I had it and I'll bet it sucks on Dish and every other provider. Also, the customer support at Charter could not be any better. I've called the a couple of dozen times with various and sundry questions and I've always got CSR virtually immediately 24/7.
P.P.S. Just noticed a post that Dish will carry all of VOOM's 21 channels sometime NEXT year. You can bet that the other satellite and cable operations will be talking to Rainbow too in the meantime.
Premium Packages:
FAMILY DIGITAL TIER
BBC America/Discovery Home Channel/Military Channel/Do It Yourself/Discovery Kids
Nickelodeon Too-West//Noggin/Nickelodeon Games and Sports/Nickelodeon Toons
Soap Net/FOX Movie Channel/Lifetime Movie Network/Women's Entertainment
Independent Film Channel/Sundance-East The Science Channel/Discovery Health/
Discovery Times/Bloomberg/Biography/ History Channel International/
Fuse (Much Music)VH Uno/MTV Espanol/ MTV Jams/MTV Hits/VH-1 Classic/
VH-1 Soul/VH-1 Mega Hits/VH-1 Country/Great American Country/Jewelry TV/AZN
MOVIE DIGITAL TIER:
Showtime Too-East/Showtime Showcase-East/Showtime Extreme-East
Showtime Beyond-East/FLIX-E/The Movie Channel-East/TMC Xtra
SPORTS DIGITAL TIER:
ESPNews/ESPN Classic/Fox College Sports – Atlantic/Fox College Sports - Central
Fox College Sports – Pacific/Fox Sports en Espanol/Fox Soccer Channel
NFL Network/Fuel/CSTV - College Sports Television/TVG/Fit TV
