So is Dish now officially the HD leader?

[harshness]

Why does it need to be addressed? There isn't a problem with channel changing to begin with.

There are not-so-infrequent complaints about the speed of channel changing and how it seems to be quite variable.

 

[DodgerKing]

You get what you pay for. No other mainstream provider offers an HD-only package.

One would think that HD Only would include HD channels (all of them), no???

To answer the question in the title of this thread. Yes, Dish is the national HD leader. They have more basic national HD than Direct. FiOS and U-Verse are not national enough.

 

[harshness]

One would think that HD Only would include HD channels (all of them), no???

The packages include all the channels they have. What you're suggesting sounds like all packages include every channel available.

If you buy the HD package with a lesser package, you get less channels. It is true of E* as well as D*.

With D* for example, you pay $9.99 for the HD package on top of the Family Package and you get only 7 HD channels (excluding locals). For the same $9.99 you get access to over 60 channels if you have Premiere.

 

[DodgerKing]

The packages include all the channels they have. What you're suggesting sounds like all packages include every channel available.

If you buy the HD package with a lesser package, you get less channels. It is true of E* as well as D*.

With D* for example, you pay $9.99 for the HD package on top of the Family Package and you get only 7 HD channels (excluding locals). For the same $9.99 you get access to over 60 channels if you have Premiere.

I agree. I am only pointing out that subs are often confused with all of the packages. One would think that the highest HD only package would include every HD channel in the comparable basic package.

 

[ehren]

People who think E* has better PQ need an eye exam

My folks have HD now thru Directv and it far exceeds the 7 channels per transponder garbage that Dish is pumping out.

 

[whatchel1]

How many

People who think E* has better PQ need an eye exam

My folks have HD now thru Directv and it far exceeds the 7 channels per transponder garbage that Dish is pumping out.

So how many chs is D* pushing out?

 

[Hemi 6.1]

7 channels per transponder garbage that Dish is pumping out.

Stop compairing channel per transponder, Because KA and KU are completely Different setups.
Not at all the same.
If D* was using KU for its HD, Then you fairly compair its 5 channels per transponder vs E* 6-7.
We know D* has slightly better PQ, But compairing KA-KU and Channels per transponder is completely different.
D* could put 1 channel per transponder on a KA, It doesn't mean the PQ will be better then if E* had 4 channels on their KU.
D* has an FCC Frequency that it has to follow, so how D* chooses spread those channels out is up to them.

Also KU has a Much wider Signal beam then KA.
Thats Why E* 1000.4 and 1000.2 dish is only 19x24
While D* Slimeline ,Even with a 3 LNB (99,101,103 users) is still 24x32
D* could easily use a Phase III 18x20 for its 99,101,103, But I bet one cloudy rainy day your signal would be poor at best.

 

[whatchel1]

DING DING DING Hit the target

Stop compairing channel per transponder, Because KA and KU are completely Different setups.
Not at all the same.
If D* was using KU for its HD, Then you fairly compair its 5 channels per transponder vs E* 6-7.
We know D* has slightly better PQ, But compairing KA-KU and Channels per transponder is completely different.
D* could put 1 channel per transponder on a KA, It doesn't mean the PQ will be better then if E* had 4 channels on their KU.
D* has an FCC Frequency that it has to follow, so how D* chooses spread those channels out is up to them.

Also KU has a Much wider Signal beam then KA.
Thats Why E* 1000.4 and 1000.2 dish is only 19x24
While D* Slimeline ,Even with a 3 LNB (99,101,103 users) is still 24x32
D* could easily use a Phase III 18x20 for its 99,101,103, But I bet one cloudy rainy day your signal would be poor at best.

Bingo hit the nail on the head.

 

[satjay]

HD Premuims/Nationals=Dish

HD Sports=Directv

Cable=Still Sucks


Just thought I would add a bit of humor to our posts, we all win with the Dish adds, hopefully this is momentum that Dish contiunes to carry and grow with the rest of the year. I am sure Direct will have there adds soon!

 

[bebop]

Dish takes over the lead in basic national HD for the first time in over a year and you Dish fanboys are gloating like a child that went to Disneyland for the first time.

Honestly, with the dismal quarters Dish has had and probably their worst one yet to come (losing more subs than just about any provider), I guess when something good does finally occur you fan boys think it is the best thing since the invention of sliced bread.

Seriously, I am glad that you guys got all of these HD channels. Healthy competition is good for both providers. Lets face it, Dish was not providing much in the way of competition lately, so maybe this is the first step in Direct stepping up a little as well.

Out of the HD channels that you guys got that Direct does not have yet, there are only 2 I want. The others like BET and WFN, ex, I will not watch those at all. The two I want are Travel and WGN (WGN I don't need as much since I can see just about every Cubs game in HD anyway. In fact I can watch more Cub games in HD than nationwide Dish subs can watch).

Although Dish does have more real national HD channels than Direct now, it still comes down to which provider is best for each individual. Basically, which one provides the package you want at the price you are willing to pay. For some, premiums are important and Dish is the leader in this field. For some cheaper package options are a priority and Dish lead here as well. For others, sports is their main focus, and Direct is the leader in this realm. Also, once people start adding equipment and packages, Direct becomes the better price deal in many situations as well. People may also look at which provider gives them the best local offerings in both SD and HD.

For me personally, although Dish has 2 HD channels that I want that Direct does not have, Direct still is the best option for me. I am quite happy. First I pay less with my setup with Direct than I would for a comparable setup with Dish. Direct offers packages that I watch that Dish does not even offer. For my particular packages, I actually get more HD with Direct than I would with Dish. I also have more local HD with Direct than with Dish (8 to 6).


Have you ever owned an HR?

Yes, the VIPs do perform better and offer some better features than the HRs. As far as interactive features, the HRs offer way more than the VIPs.

The only issue(s) I have had with my HR occured due to a CE I downloaded last week and with the update this week the problem seems to be fixed. So performance is fine.

I'm cracking up over your post.
Do you get more money if D* gets more subs?

BTW - I'd pay 2x as much if I switched from Dish Network to Direct TV for the most similar channels. No thanks. I could spend that ~$500/year somewhere else.

 

[bebop]

Especially considering that many people cannot tell the difference between a stretched SD image and a true 16:9 HD image.

Not the people I know. Stretched SD looks horrible and mis-proportioned. When businesses started displaying stretched SD on HDTV's at 16:9, I thought - no way do I want to buy into that. Little did I know that it wasn't a real HD signal being output.

If you show someone a stretched SD side-by-side to a true 16:9 HD image, the majority would choose the HD. It blows your socks off.

Methinks you have to be joking, or a typo.

I do think it's funny that so many people HAVE HDTV's and they don't play and HD on them. I've already helped 3 neighbors get OTA HD and they all have been amazed at the difference it is compared to SD (stretched or not).

 

[TheKrell]

Worked well, plus you can change the channel on your receiver right from your computer.

Yet another feature to which I went blind. I did manage to switch my 722's TV1 output from a live program to a recorded one, which didn't make me too popular.

1) Can you give a step-by-step on how to change channels?

2) Is there any way to affect TV2 rather than TV1 output?

 

[bebop]

HD Premuims/Nationals=Dish

HD Sports=Directv

Cable=Still Sucks


Just thought I would add a bit of humor to our posts, we all win with the Dish adds, hopefully this is momentum that Dish contiunes to carry and grow with the rest of the year. I am sure Direct will have there adds soon!

Ding Ding Ding. +1 :up

Now if only everyone could see it that simply. Thanks for the humorous post, but for me it's not only humorous, but reality.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

I'm cracking up over your post.
Do you get more money if D* gets more subs?


BTW - I'd pay 2x as much if I switched from Dish Network to Direct TV for the most similar channels. No thanks. I could spend that ~$500/year somewhere else.

It would cost me $1 more for D*and I wouldn't get

1. Encore HD
2. Encore West
3. Encore Action
4. Encore Drama
5. Encore Love
6. Encore Mystery
7. Encore Wam
8. Encore Westerns
9. Hallmark Movie Channel HD
10. Lifetime HD
11. Lifetime Movie HD
12. Travel HD
13. WGN HD
14. HBO comedy HD
15. HBO 2 HD
16. HBO Signature HD
17. HBO Family HD
18. HBO Zone HD
19. ESPNU
20. Fox Soccer
21. Outdoor
22. TMC West
23. TMC Xtra West
24. Travel HD
25. KTLA.

So Yes D* is Clearly not the Bargin for me.
25 less channels then E* is giving me ,and D* would be $1 dollar more per month.

 

[Dish VIP]

With the addition of the new HD channels is Dish now out providing Directv in HD channels now?

Not when they JIP you! When it comes to the HD RSN channels, having them doesn't mean showing them. I'm still watching a Red's game where a Giant's game should be. The program guide says JIP. Ain't that the truth!

JIP Network. Ha ha.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

Yet another feature to which I went blind. I did manage to switch my 722's TV1 output from a live program to a recorded one, which didn't make me too popular.

1) Can you give a step-by-step on how to change channels?

2) Is there any way to affect TV2 rather than TV1 output?

Log into your account.
Click on the Remote access on your account page.
Your receivers will log in, your Guide will load.
Click on a program that Highlighted in White.
It will give you 2-3 options Record or Tune and something else but I don't remember. I'll check .
As fas as TV2 TV1 I'm not sure what your trying to do, But I'm not worried about that stuff, My DVR is always set to record on TV2.
What does it matter? TV1 and TV2 Share the same Hard drive anyway.

 

[AntDogg65]

That is an easy question to answer. E* is the official HD leader and I switched four months ago to D*, Dang it!!! Hopefully this lights a fire under the heads @ D*.

 

[Ronnie-]

Hemi, I saw you mention ESPNU. Is that one of the ones that E* added? If so, good add. That is realy all I am missing at this point.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

Hemi, I saw you mention ESPNU. Is that one of the ones that E* added? If so, good add. That is realy all I am missing at this point.

Not in HD, But what I was saying is Top 250 has ESPNU, Where as D* I would have to pay another $11 dollars to get, Unless its in the HD/DVR base pack now?

 

[Ronnie-]

Not in HD, But what I was saying is Top 250 has ESPNU, Where as D* I would have to pay another $11 dollars to get, Unless its in the HD/DVR base pack now?

It isnt. Yet.

Ok, I was wondering, because that would have been a big "screw you" to D* in a way.