Should I stay with E* hd or move to D*

[shanewalker]

Dish has seen incredible growth in their HD customer base this past year...it's become a big part of their overall market strategy and focus as a company to be not just 'the affordable one' but also 'the source for HD'.

Does anyone really think its not one of their top priorities to maintain both that increasing and most lucrative customer segment AND the marketing clout that being the REAL leader in satellite HD provides?

I think they may just be playing their cards close to the vest right now. We'll see come summer if ANY of D*s 'new nationals' have come to fruition, and whether they are exclusives of any sort. You can talk satellites all you want, but its in the doing, and "agreements 'on principle'" sound pretty insubstantive to me.

I'm not holding my breath. I've seen E* deliver this past year. We may have hit a few month dry spell, but we're still sitting on the best HD package (hardware/content) out there at the moment. Proof in the pudding as they say.

 

[Justin Slotman]

For me the HD is the big reason I'm thinking of moving to Dish. I look at the Kung Fu and Filmfest and Monsters schedules and think--"Hey, there's a ton of really great stuff on." The VOOM programmers really seem like they know what they're doing (though I understand they repeat stuff quite often?)

(I'm actually thinking of keeping the one for the NFL and getting the other for the HD. I wish Dish still had the HD-only pack, it would make the decision a bit easier.)

 

[Pakbackr]

Good thread. Since I have also been considering a switch, I have read this with great interest. Only difference between me and the original post, is that I have been considering whether to make the switch from D* to E*.

For months, I have evaluated the two providers. By December '06, I had pretty much decided to make the switch...based primarily on E*'s edge in HD content as well as the stability, reliability and functionality of their Vip 622 HD DVR. I have been reluctant to leave my D* HD Tivo, but eventually, I will need to migrate to D*'s new HD DVR...and that seems to be a very unstable product at this time. Like I said, my mind was totally made up last Dec to make the switch...

Then came D*'s announcement at CES that they plan to offer 100+ HD channels by YE 07. I have to admit that that stopped me in my tracks! For days, all I could think was..."how can I leave now?" But this little voice in the back of my head kept saying "BS!..That's just BS! You know they are not going to add 100+ HD channels by YE...there aren't that many out there. Plus, when is the last time D* ever delivered ANYTHING on schedule?". And it really hit me that they made a big splash announcement because they had to...promising great things like this was perhaps the only way they could stop the bleeding of HD customers making the switch to E*. Plus, I figure no provider is going to have a huge lead in this race for too long. Anything they add that E* doesn't already have will probably be offered by E* in the very near future.

So now that I have had more time to think about it, I have decided to go ahead and make the switch to E*...especially now that they are offering the free Vip 622 deal starting Feb 1st. I figure that this is a low risk move for 18 months. And during that time, I get to enjoy a superior HD DVR and a content advantage that will probably last through half that period at least. If, during the next 18 months, D* fixes their HD DVR issues and gains some HD advantage either in quality or quantity of their HD content, I can always switch back.

 

[jappleboy]

I am staying for now

I am staying with dish for now. The new hd package from D will not be out before October, MLB extra will not swith tell 2008, And i here the vip-622 is alot better than Directv h20-700. So all in all this time next year looks good to me. For me it is the MKB extra that will be the sell for me.

 

[sprintcarcrazy]

I wrote to CEO at echostar and voiced concern about direct TV's announcement. I was told the following.

We do plan to carry new HD channels such as Sci-Fi / USA / FX, etc. Announcements will be made on future “Charlie Chats”.



Thank you,

J*********

Executive Communications

Echostar Satellite L.L.C dba DISH Network

Phone (**********
*******8@echostar.com

 

[MikeD-C05]

Did you think they wouldn't carry them? Dish is going to find a way to either match Directv's Hd channels IF they add them by years end. Dish has made a lot of strides this year in the way of Hd while all Directv does is talk about it. I fully expect them to not only keep up but maybe go a little farther if possible.

The real question is will you want the extra new hd channels if they add them at a premium price, instead of Directv's plan which is to just charge a flat tech fee at 10.99 and you get the hd versions for free if you sub to the sd versions . Dish already charges more at $20.00 a month, than either Directv or cable in regards to their hd pack. THey need to really think about this next year when they reorganize their programming packs. IF HD is the future, it does not make sense to keep charging more and more for the same channels in hd that you already paid for in sd programming packs.

 

[rad]

Did you think they wouldn't carry them? Dish is going to find a way to either match Directv's Hd channels IF they add them by years end.

I've seen posters here say that E* will match if not exceed what D* says they'll be able to do this year. The question I have is where will E* get all this bandwidth from to add all the channels? What is it, 4 HD channels per transponder, so lets say 40 new HD channels this year, does E* have 10 transponders laying around now doing nothing?

 

[rjfrandle]

IMHO, no way will there be 40 new national HD channels in one year. Lets remember also, just because a channel says they have plans to go HD this year, they too can take longer to accomplish this, just like D* and E* always take longer to add things. Just think of what we are still waiting for now. HD RSN's, side by side picture in picture, (that was suppose to roll out Dec 1st) and the local on the 8's on weather channel to name a few. I've learned to add at least 6 months to pretty much every announcement. If you going to D* just on future plans, I would reconsider. Right now E* has the best hardware, and the most HD channels. 18 month commitment, no big deal. D* will not blow past E* in that time. They may catch up or have a tad more HD's, but it will take more than 18 months if they are going to blow E* out of the water.

 

[rad]

IMHO, no way will there be 40 new national HD channels in one year.

That wasn't the question. Let's assume that they do come up we 40 new channels just for argument sake, which is 60 less then what D* says they have agreements or agreements in principle for. If they actually do happen, where does E* have the capacity in 2007 to match it?

 

[rjfrandle]

You're right, E* doesn't have room for 40 new channels. But since that ain't gonna happen, I'm not gonna worry about it.

 

[Madtown HD Junkie]

I don't think that anyone can give youa good answer. D* has announced a very ambitious rollout but we have no idea if they can deliver or what E* will do in response.


but why do it now when the new channels on D* are months away? I would wait and enjoy what E* has now and then when you know what the alternative is decide then.

agreed :up

 

[MikeD-C05]

Someone in another thread suggested that there won't be real hd channels added on Directv but upconverted channels, that will look much better but not true hd. In this way they would be holding a place for a channel that really wants to go full hd in the future. I have often wondered why Dish couldn't do something similiar in MPeg 4 . Maybe the mpeg 4 encoders will be much improved by years end which will allow more channels in the same bandwith . Dish also has lease deals for satellite useage. They have more sat slots sowed up to in the same space up there for all kinds of new sats not launched yet. I have confidence that Dish will keep up and even exceed on national hd channels -the rsns and the locals will probably take longer to keep up with Directv. I feel this will all happen unless the buyout by ATT or another company happens. Either way I would stay where you are till you see Directv do ANYTHING that they have been promising for the last 3 years. I will believe it when I see it.

2007 is going to be a very interesting year for Satellite tv: both DISH and DIRECTV.

 

[sprintcarcrazy]

And again, there are not 40 new channels of HD available or available soon. D** has to be referring to HD locals because not that many channels have announced plans to go HD in next 12 months. Maybe 5, not 40.

 

[Jeff_R]

If you were USA network would you sign with Echostar? 1 bird going up this year and no backup except what is up there already. Not to mention a long track record of Charlie fighting with providers and breaking the law.

If you were a niche (HDTV channels are still niche) cable network, would you limit the exposure of your channel to the viewers of one MSO, or would you want to ensure that you get the most viewers you can? If I were USA Network HD, I would sign with D*, E*, C*, and any other MSO that wants to pay my carriage fee to show my channel to their viewers.

It is no concern of the network what happens with E*'s satellite assets.

 

[rad]

And again, there are not 40 new channels of HD available or available soon. D** has to be referring to HD locals because not that many channels have announced plans to go HD in next 12 months. Maybe 5, not 40.

From looking at Lyngsat I see:

Showtime-HD West
Start-HD West
HBO-HD West
Cinemax-HD East
Cinemax-HD West
A&E HD East
History Channel East
Lifetime Movie Network East
The Movie Channel East
MHD
Outdoor Channel 2 HD

These are channels that D* and E* are not carrying at the moment, yea some are west coast feeds but I'm sure the left coast folks would like to have them.

Then if you believe the D* PR they say they have agreements with Bravo, Sci-Fi, CNN, The Weather Channel, Speed, TBS and USA Network for HD Channels.