NESN HD - letter to CEO

[Jim5506]

Looks like the full time status of NESN is exactly what is keeping it off Dish - it requires a full time transponder spot which dish may not be willing to give at this time.

Well - I'll be watching my 2-3 Rangers games per month plus ESPN-HD.

 

[cosmo_kramer]

Looks like the full time status of NESN is exactly what is keeping it off Dish - it requires a full time transponder spot which dish may not be willing to give at this time.

Well - I'll be watching my 2-3 Rangers games per month plus ESPN-HD.

Personally, I would be thrilled with only receiving the game feeds right now, just like the other HD RSNs that have been provided. Screw the other 21 hours of the day, that could come later when E* is drowning in bandwidth

 

[SarKen]

Well - I'll be watching my 2-3 Rangers games per month plus ESPN-HD.

That is 2-3 more then Red Sox fans get.

 

[waltinvt]

Looks like the full time status of NESN is exactly what is keeping it off Dish - it requires a full time transponder spot which dish may not be willing to give at this time.

Well - I'll be watching my 2-3 Rangers games per month plus ESPN-HD.

Still, a lie is a lie.

NESN is claiming to be in HD and I have not seen any disclaimers that say only where available.

I have an HDTV and the Dish AEP & Dish HD package but my NESN is only in SD.

Seems to me somebody is not being truthful here.

 

[poppasnoop]

I realize this may be naive, but couldn't E* and NESN work out a temporary arrangement to broadcast games only in HD, with E* promising to add NESN full-time when space is available?

 

[db2]

I realize this may be naive, but couldn't E* and NESN work out a temporary arrangement to broadcast games only in HD, with E* promising to add NESN full-time when space is available?

I'm sure the could but they won't. The fact that NESN is a 24/7 HD channel is not the only problem, they also show too many games in HD. No, I'm not kidding. When E* was deciding which RSN's to launch in HD they looked at the proposed HD game schedules of each RSN and they launched the ones that did not have conflicting schedules. The fact that NESN shows every Red Sox game in HD means that it would essentially hog the shared transponder space.

The solution here would be to use more transponders for HD RSN's but E* has reserved the remaining tp's for 6 more national HD channels.

IMHO the HD RSN's have been a colossal blunder from start to present. First they announce they have contracts with roughly a dozen HD RSN's and the will be coming, "very, very _ _ _ _." Then we hear or see nothing for a long time. Then the HD RSN's are uplinked and stay that way for a ridiculous amount of time before anything is activated. Then when they do decide to activate them they decide to only activate the ones showing the least amount of content!! So now you have some Dish customers with the HD RSN in their channel lineup wondering why the heck it never shows any games and the rest of us who live in markets where a lot of games are broadcast in HD have nothing.

It's like your favorite band announcing a reunion tour but only playing in cities where no one can see them.

Nice move Dish.

 

[SarKen]

I believe E* is saving the space for free HD channels that show little to no HD content. Like A&E HD. This way they can keep the national HD count higher then everyone else and keep the HD leader title.

If they used the current space up now with real HD channels like NESN HD and SCIFI and Weather channel launch their HD channels next month and will not charge E* to broadcast then E* will not have room for them.

So I think (I hope I am wrong) E* will not add anymore RSNs until the new satellites are up and running.

Ken

 

[db2]

So I think (I hope I am wrong) E* will not add anymore RSNs until the new satellites are up and running.

I fear you are correct.

After some of the HD RSN's launched and others did not I asked myself why they would bother with launching any at all? Then I figured it out, they launched them just to be able to say they launched some HD RSN's. When I saw them bragging about the HD RSN's on the recent tech chat I was disgusted and my suspicions were confirmed.

Looks like we're in for a long wait boys...

 

[Jim5506]

Thinking outside the box - how many more viewers nationwide are more apt to watch SCI-FI-HD or Weather Channel-Hd than viewers in New England who will watch NESN.

RSNHD channels are similar to HD locals, a lot of work for a little return, really a perk.

Dish is being pushed by DirecTV to add both, but in reality, there is not a great return here, especially when you consider that they are essentially free to subs, but aren't free to include.

I don't begrudge anyone for the channels they want, but Charlie has a larger picture to look at.

 

[splat10]

...
Dish is being pushed by DirecTV to add both, but in reality, there is not a great return here, especially when you consider that they are essentially free to subs, but aren't free to include.....

I mentioned earlier that i would be VERY willingto pay $3 or so a month for NESN HD. I realize it's a slippery slope but that's how cable did NESN "back in the day". I'm sure they could work out a package to make the cost justifyable.

I think that it's bandwidth issue as well and they can't fix that while still chasing their marketing goal of National HD count leader.

 

[gkw]

First post ever here, but why not PPV for NESN? I would be willing to pay $.99 or even $1.99 for Sox games. That would be better than what I am now considering which is to add DirecTV just for NESN! I have been quoted $29.99 per month for some package which would include NESN HD.

I absolutely LOVE my D* service and DVR, but NESN HD is very important to me and I am tired of waiting...

GW

 

[Jimmy J]

First post ever here, but why not PPV for NESN? I would be willing to pay $.99 or even $1.99 for Sox games. That would be better than what I am now considering which is to add DirecTV just for NESN! I have been quoted $29.99 per month for some package which would include NESN HD.

I absolutely LOVE my D* service and DVR, but NESN HD is very important to me and I am tired of waiting...

GW

FYI...

D*= Direct TV
E*= DishNetwork

 

[Aridon]

If D* catches up with their HD programming E* is going to lose its really only distinct advantage is has going for it. I do miss the sports on D* but I put up with it because of E*s superior HD offerings.

If that changes I'll drop E* ETF or not I really dont' give a crap

 

[SarKen]

First post ever here, but why not PPV for NESN? I would be willing to pay $.99 or even $1.99 for Sox games. That would be better than what I am now considering which is to add DirecTV just for NESN!

E* does not want to give up the space for NESN HD. They need space for national HD channels that show repeats all day long with only about 10% of them being HD. That is how you get the title of HD leader.

 

[ahope577]

Is there any kind of movement on adding any additional RSN's in HD, Anyone have anycrumbs to feed us?

 

[SarKen]

My latest reply.....

Ken,

Thanks for the email and your programming request. I have sent this request to our programming department for review. We do not currently have a contract with NESN that would allow us to broadcast NESN in HD. We do not have a date in which we may be able to provide this RSN in HD. Unfortunately, there is no further info regarding this issue.

Thanks for your patience. Please let me know if you have any other questions.

Contact info removed
EchoStar Satellite L.L.C.
Dba DISH Network

 

[splat10]

I've snt a few emails to NESN and gotten no response at all. At least dish is acknowledging we are out there. It's too bad because if D* ever gets their spotbeam so i can pick it up in Saratoga, NY i'll be switching (with "moved").

 

[tnsprin]

Is there any kind of movement on adding any additional RSN's in HD, Anyone have anycrumbs to feed us?

Dish announced two more coming, beyond that all is speculation.

 

[SarKen]

During Charlie Chat on June 11th, Charlie stated that sports are great in HD then talked about the RSNs that E* offers. No new news, still no NESN HD. Then they showed the Bruins on the screen when showing the HD map downs. Talk about rubbing it in......

 

[SarKen]

It was nice to see that the ESPN game was not blacked out last night.