OFFICIAL: Dish Network Not Enough New HD Complaint Thread

[treiher]

I think someone realizes that as soon as SciFi/USA/Fx/Weather/CNN HD all get lit up, there will be a massive shift to the HD ONLY package.

I'm not sure which wait for me is more annoying - FiOS or these 5 HD channels.

I think more importantly, there will be an massive shift (as in increase) networks charge Dish to carry their HD content, which I believe is what is driving the delay more so than bandwidth restrictions. It's the only explanation which makes sense to me, why they would not light these channels up now, and why would they consider filling up valuable HD bandwidth with some of those 2nd tier channels that appear to be uplinked?

With the mounting pressure to add content, I'd be willing to bet the networks are attempting to get a premium, and they know Dish and Direct TV are in a bit of an HD content war. I can see how Dish would want to hold out until some of the novelty wears off. They may lose some subscribers, but if they are looking at long term use fees, it might be worth the short term loss. What is worse, if they were engaged in this type of strategy, they obviously could not be open about, as it would tip their hand even more, which would result in the deafening silence we have on the matter right now.

I don't know, maybe I'm giving them too much credit, and I am assuming there is a premium being charged to carry HD content. But it is the only explanation in all this that seems to make sense to me.

 

[TheKrell]

But it is the only explanation in all this that seems to make sense to me.

Same here. :up

 

[waltinvt]

I think more importantly, there will be an massive shift (as in increase) networks charge Dish to carry their HD content, which I believe is what is driving the delay more so than bandwidth restrictions. It's the only explanation which makes sense to me, why they would not light these channels up now, and why would they consider filling up valuable HD bandwidth with some of those 2nd tier channels that appear to be uplinked?

With the mounting pressure to add content, I'd be willing to bet the networks are attempting to get a premium, and they know Dish and Direct TV are in a bit of an HD content war. I can see how Dish would want to hold out until some of the novelty wears off. They may lose some subscribers, but if they are looking at long term use fees, it might be worth the short term loss. What is worse, if they were engaged in this type of strategy, they obviously could not be open about, as it would tip their hand even more, which would result in the deafening silence we have on the matter right now.

I don't know, maybe I'm giving them too much credit, and I am assuming there is a premium being charged to carry HD content. But it is the only explanation in all this that seems to make sense to me.

Where do you think the money to settle the WGA strike is coming from? Surely you didn't think the producers were going to eat it.

This is just the tip of the iceburg. Tech advances over the last 10 years may have increased the quality of what you watch and lowered the cost of what you watch it on but hollywood has rationalized they deserve a piece of that action. They have been quietly putting in place ways to gain more control over HD content and once that's done there will be nothing to stop them from charging more for every aspect of their industry.

 

[harshness]

I think more importantly, there will be an massive shift (as in increase) networks charge Dish to carry their HD content, which I believe is what is driving the delay more so than bandwidth restrictions.

How about the lethargic expansion of the cable companies to provide the bandwidth to carry the programming? We've all seen Comcast counting their entire HD VOD library to compete when the fact is that keeping programs around for a little longer doesn't introduce new content.

 

[allargon]

When is that new bird going up? Isn't it next month already?

 

[flyingsquirrel]

March 15. However, once it is in orbit there will be testing and then movement of satellites .....

and fine tuning. I don't think you are going to see new HD as a result of that launch until May at the earliest.

That's all conditional on the launch going on as scheduled. The record of the industry has not been stellar as of late.

 

[Madtown HD Junkie]

More HD Dish. Contract is up in 1 MONTH...... tell us what's up. Give us something. No news is the worst news.
And quit the "leader in HD" crap.

and lower the price on HD. You get more for less from D*. Do you guys/girls get that E*? Really? do you get it....

 

[flyingsquirrel]

Just my opinion mind you, but I don't think there will be anything significant until AMC 14 is launched March 15, is tested and a bunch of changes are implemented.

So, I would think there would not be anything much until May. If everything goes as expected, I would expect Dish to catch up to D* by fall (October), though.

 

[AT&TDishman]

I was watching a show last night about the funniest joke in the world. A comedian said all jokes have two parts, the story that sucks you in and then the twist at the end. That describes E* to a tee!!!

 

[AT&TDishman]

Oh, here is the funniest joke in the world supposedly:

Two hunters are out in the woods when one of them collapses. He doesn't seem to be breathing and his eyes are glazed. The other guy takes out his phone and calls the emergency services.
He gasps: "My friend is dead! What can I do?" The operator says: "Calm down, I can help. First, let's make sure he's dead." There is a silence, then a gunshot is heard. Back on the phone, the guy says: "OK, now what?"

 

[jrp]

Green Bay Packers....Super Bowl Bound in 08'......write it down

Madtown - looking at your signature. You do realize that Super Bowl '08 has already been played? Were the Packers in the stand?

 

[mike123abc]

AMC-15 will be lucky to be in place by the end of May. They are launching it to a different slot for testing (in the 50s), they usually take up to 6 weeks doing tests, then they have to move it back, usually takes a couple weeks. It could be the end of June.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

Just because the launch is in May,doesn't mean May is when your channels coming. I bet more like Mid July at the earliest. And thats with No Problems! Fat chance in June ,If its launched May 1st, which its not going to be, Early July would be the fastest. I'll bet money if anyone is game?:

 

[rich88]

Just because the launch is in May,doesn't mean May is when your channels coming. I bet more like Mid July at the earliest. And thats with No Problems! Fat chance in June ,If its launched May 1st, which its not going to be, Early July would be the fastest. I'll bet money if anyone is game?:

The Sat is being launched in mid-March. We "HD" customers are hoping it will be ready in May.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

The Sat is being launched in mid-March. We "HD" customers are hoping it will be ready in May.

Mid May should be a go! I would think! as long as there are no delays. What channel is the launch going to be on? Bets off then! You would have HD by July For sure then.

 

[AT&TDishman]

Conspiracy theory: E* announces satellite explodes on take-off. No new channels of any sort coming soon, and promised HD locals will be delayed until 2009 at least. Also, someone forgot to insure the launch so E* customers must foot the bill, but will receive a rebate in 6-8 weeks. Second satellite is launched after long delay due to weather in the Pacific. All goes well, except the satellite is shot down by an axis-of-evil country. Chuckels comes on all channels to announce he is running for president and asks E* customers for donations to his campaign with a promise to provide the most HD channels and a box of Cuban cigars if he is elected. The three other presidential candidates announce they subscribe to D*. E* stock price plunges to 1 cent a share. Chuckles announces E* will go off the air soon. I wake up from my nightmare in a cold sweat.

 

[nlk10010]

Just because the launch is in May,doesn't mean May is when your channels coming. I bet more like Mid July at the earliest. And thats with No Problems! Fat chance in June ,If its launched May 1st, which its not going to be, Early July would be the fastest. I'll bet money if anyone is game?:

Just because satellites are launching in March, May, June, or September doesn't mean any new national HD is coming at any particular time. There's no evidence as to which channels, if any, DN will launch once the birds are up. They could be there for completely different reasons. Oh I suppose we can be SURE about cheapies like WeatherHD, perhaps CNNHD and/or the famous WTFN-HD, maybe a couple of others, but I am amazed as to why people think these satellites will make national HD suddenly appear.

 

[flyingsquirrel]

But I am amazed as to why people think these satellites will make national HD suddenly appear.

Well, there are those of us who believe that the reason Dish has not launched any new HD lately is because Dish is capacity constrained at the moment. The answer to that is new satellites, two of which should launch in the next 2-3 months. And there will be some transponders freed up March 31 when SkyAngel goes IP.

The other end of this is paying for new programming, which Dish has been reticent to do in the past. We all realize that.

Well, some of us are pretty convinced that at least a few of these channels are already "secured" in the sense that Dish is committed to carrying them through previous contractual terms etc. These channels might just be waiting for good homes on satellite transponders.

Among these are all HBO HD, All Starz HD, Speed HD, ESPNnews HD, Disney HD, etc. Dish likely had to agree to carry many of these in HD in previous negotiations with the distributors as part of the deal for other entities of the same distributor. Others, Dish "won" as part of a deal.

For example, I would not be surprised if the rights to carry Speed HD were included in the package to carry Big Ten Network (best HD PQ on Dish, by the way. I mean "wow"!). Both are distributed by Fox, and Big Ten was looking for immediate distribution in the rural midwest when Dish picked them up. I know if I were Dish, I would have asked for the rights to carry everything else Fox distributes in HD in return for doing Fox a "favor" with BTN.

My guess is that the reason Speed HD is not up there yet is related to capacity. And I have said elsewhere that after basketball season is over, you might see Speed HD (around March 10).

 

[ben_D]

Now that would just be ridiculous. Saying that they are the hd leader with only one hd channel. That would be almost as bad as saying that they are the hd leader and have 75 or 95 (whatever they are saying) hd channels and they only really have 44.

75-95 hd channels include PPV. The pic quality of Dish is horrendous, the amount of complaints i get and disconnects i see because of this is unreal.

 

[8bitbytes]

The pic quality of Dish is horrendous, the amount of complaints i get and disconnects i see because of this is unreal.

Based on the number of people who buy HDTVs and then hook them up with RF, composite, and s-video to their SD service and then wonder why their picture looks horrendous and then take the tvs back, I'm not surprised.

The PQ of any service is typically proportionate to the IQ of the customer. Based on your reporting, I'd say IQ is way down these days. This also explains why so many are fine with watching tv and movies from iTunes.

Dish HD looks great on my 8 foot screen. Of course, I have mine setup correctly, so that helps quite a bit.