Nat Geo Hd Not Worth The Price

[Tvlman]

I will not be upgrading to the gold package just to watch Nat Geo HD. First of all they run as many commercials as TNT -HD (which does not cost extra) I'm going to pay for commercials??? Next, most of what I have seen is not HD but SD bumped up to HD. Can't believe they want us to pay extra for this. HGTV-HD is much better as to quality.

 

[BrianB]

I will not be upgrading to the gold package just to watch Nat Geo HD. First of all they run as many commercials as TNT -HD (which does not cost extra) I'm going to pay for commercials??? Next, most of what I have seen is not HD but SD bumped up to HD. Can't believe they want us to pay extra for this. HGTV-HD is much better as to quality.

You're not paying extra for NGHD - you're paying extra for NGSD and get the NGHD for "free" as long as you have the HD package. Dish has stated that all new HD channels will be put into the same package as the SD channel, which makes sense to me.

 

[DarrellP]

Dish has stated that all new HD channels will be put into the same package as the SD channel, which makes sense to me.

Except for people like me who watch zero SD. Looks like I'm stuck with the old Legacy HD channels forever, as I refuse to pay for a SD programming package that I will not watch.

 

[joeadt]

Bunch of crap

What a bunch of crap. Who gives a crap about the SD version when you have ANY HD pack you should get this channel. I dont know why I'm mad, I should have expected this from them. Same old, nickel and dime their customers to death. I wont pay.

 

[Ddavis]

Good grief, if you want NGeo channel, get the package that contains the NGeo channel. If not, shut up.

 

[dimi1963]

Good grief, if you want NGeo channel, get the package that contains the NGeo channel. If not, shut up.

Yeah, I am watching only NGHD, is great... The best HD addition yet.:up

 

[BrianB]

What a bunch of crap. Who gives a crap about the SD version when you have ANY HD pack you should get this channel. I dont know why I'm mad, I should have expected this from them. Same old, nickel and dime their customers to death. I wont pay.

If they just added all new HD channels to one package, there would eventually be no more silver, gold, platinum and everyone would have to pay full price for every channel. It makes complete sense that they are keeping the base package the same and will add the HD version of that channel to the same package and it goes online.

The fact is that the costs related to NG were high enough that they needed to place it as part of the gold package... why would the HD version be in a lesser package?

Should HBO be added to the silver package or is it OK in the normal package? What about SHO? Same logic there and nobody is complaining.

 

[RandallA]

Good grief, if you want NGeo channel, get the package that contains the NGeo channel. If not, shut up.

Well you're wrong too. I have the Dish HD Latino Gold which has the SD version of National Geographic yet I will not get the HD version of National Geographic once the free preview goes away. They want us to update to the HD Gold package just for one channel? I don't think so.

 

[Jeff_R]

Except for people like me who watch zero SD. Looks like I'm stuck with the old Legacy HD channels forever, as I refuse to pay for a SD programming package that I will not watch.

You can switch to Comcast if you'd like. Pay about 10-20 dollars a month more, get analog and SD digital channels for that price, pay an extra 5 dollars for the HD converter, and you get all of the HD channels, minus the premiums, for "free".

I understand what Dish is doing, but I don't necessarily agree with it. I think more and more of the next generation of HD channels will be HD simulcasts of the SD channels. I would much prefer the Discovery HD, Universal HD, and HGTV HD format instead, where each content provider has one or two HD channels to program from throughout their SD channel offerings, but we all know that won't happen, as it would make actual usable channel offerings, and not endless repeats of the same programming, in 3 hour loops, day after day, week after week.

 

[jcruz]

You're not paying extra for NGHD - you're paying extra for NGSD and get the NGHD for "free" as long as you have the HD package. Dish has stated that all new HD channels will be put into the same package as the SD channel, which makes sense to me.

I will have agree w/ this comment if Dish come out and said that you will give the HD channel if you subscribe to a package that will have the corresponding SD channel (and you have an HD receiver). Then you don't nee the metallic HD packages. DISH may want to have just a package that have those HD channels (i.e. VOOM) that there a not SD channels.

Saying that you get NGHD for "free" is you paid for NGSD, I think is not the right wayt to put this.

I believe this is a dollar issue. It cost DISH more to get NGHD; so they want to make sure that they cover their cost (which I could I agree with it); but I will be interesting as more HD channels comes out that have SD channel on the lower packages, how will DISH will package this then?

 

[BrianB]

I will have agree w/ this comment if Dish come out and said that you will give the HD channel if you subscribe to a package that will have the corresponding SD channel (and you have an HD receiver). Then you don't nee the metallic HD packages. DISH may want to have just a package that have those HD channels (i.e. VOOM) that there a not SD channels.

Saying that you get NGHD for "free" is you paid for NGSD, I think is not the right wayt to put this.

I believe this is a dollar issue. It cost DISH more to get NGHD; so they want to make sure that they cover their cost (which I could I agree with it); but I will be interesting as more HD channels comes out that have SD channel on the lower packages, how will DISH will package this then?

DISH has stated (at least through Scott) that the same method will apply for all new HD channels.

The cost difference between the SD and HD packages are the same at all levels ($20), so you're comment about them wanting to make sure they cover the cost doesn't really work. You are paying an additional $20 for the right to see HD channels no matter what package you get.

 

[Jeff_R]

The cost difference between the SD and HD packages are the same at all levels ($20), so you're comment about them wanting to make sure they cover the cost doesn't really work. You are paying an additional $20 for the right to see HD channels no matter what package you get.

But for that $20, you also get ALL of the HD channels available up to your subscription package level. You get all 15 Vooms, Discovery HD Theater, HDNet, etc. which don't have a package requirement other that the "HD Pack".

As I recall reading here a while back, the agreement with Rainbow for Voom requires Voom to be sold in the basic HD package. Remember, there is the current standalone HD package that recently went up to $30 dollars a month by itself and includes all HD channels, except currently for NGHD.

All MSO's are struggling with how to market and package HD channels, and it is apparent that at this point they are going to include them in their regular channel lineups, and get what little amount in extra charges they are able to. In concept, I agree with the way Dish is doing it (offering the HD-only channels in a package, and include the HD versions of the SD channels in the appropriate package. Unfortunately, it doesn't sound like the communication and PR has been consistent with the actual practice.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

DISH has stated (at least through Scott) that the same method will apply for all new HD channels.

The cost difference between the SD and HD packages are the same at all levels ($20), so you're comment about them wanting to make sure they cover the cost doesn't really work. You are paying an additional $20 for the right to see HD channels no matter what package you get.

This is all true, however Dish is still offering only a pricing plan that forces you to buy channels that you don't want and I don't know why anyone here would be in favor of them doing this.

Dish is paying a few cents a month to carry NG. However someone with HD Bronze has to pay an extra $20/month to watch NGHD. Why? Because Dish is forcing them to buy dozens and dozens of extra SD channels to get NGHD.

For the time being, Dish could easily implement an HD Plus package, which would carry the HD equivalents of AT180 for another $5/month and actually make money from it. It will be a long time until the total cost of the extra SD/HD channels in a HD Plus package would actually cost Dish $4/month in programming fees. This could take a couple of years.

 

[HDTVFanAtic]

Forget it.

I reluctantly came off my $10HD/$5 Voom Package and doubled my cost to $30 a month for UHD.

I will not triple it to now get NGHD.

Sorry - Enough is Enough.

Dish is making it VERY tempting with type of gouging for people to buy 6 month bootleg subscriptions for $180 to deal with situations like this.

Very sad that this is the direction they have taken.

 

[Jeff_R]

Forget it.

I reluctantly came off my $10HD/$5 Voom Package and doubled my cost to $30 a month for UHD.

I will not triple it to now get NGHD.

Sorry - Enough is Enough.

Dish is making it VERY tempting with type of gouging for people to buy 6 month bootleg subscriptions for $180 to deal with situations like this.

Very sad that this is the direction they have taken.

I would venture to say that people who subscribe only to HD channels are very few. Most households still need to have the core SD channels in order to maintain peace in the home. There's no way that my household, for example, can do without HGTV-SD, Nick, and Disney Channel.

I agree that a sharp increase in the HD pack price wasn't fair to existing subs, or even existing subs who wanted to get a few of the new channels. However, Dish is now also kicking HD content into full gear, and are making their programming packages reflect that.

I'm much happier paying for HDGold now, than I was paying $5 a month just for the priviledge of having Discovery HD Theater 5 years ago. More channels, a lot less than $5 a month per channel.

 

[BrianB]

Forget it.

I reluctantly came off my $10HD/$5 Voom Package and doubled my cost to $30 a month for UHD.

I will not triple it to now get NGHD.

Sorry - Enough is Enough.

Dish is making it VERY tempting with type of gouging for people to buy 6 month bootleg subscriptions for $180 to deal with situations like this.

Very sad that this is the direction they have taken.

As I have said before, I think putting NGHD in the gold package with NGSD makes complete sense. However, I agree with you that they should also include it in the HD only pack, even if it means that it's optional for $1 month or something. They will need to provide some mechanism for people with HD only to get the HD channels that are in higher packages.

 

[blocker]

I really hope that E* will come up with a different way for HD programming enthusiasts to add NatGeoHD without going up to Gold...