Special Retailer Chat Recap - March 18, 2008

[jacmyoung]

I understand the West Coast thing, I have asked the same questions myself and have received no answers.

Unfortunatelly with all my digging I don't have all the answers.

Scott, the fact that even you could not get anything about the west coast HD plan is very disturbing.

The closest I read here is if they can move some spots from 129, 110 or 119 to 61.5, they may free up some BW for national additions. But if those are spots to begin with, how would that help?

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Yup, really easy to swap the cards. Take old card out (if it has a card) then slide the new card in, call the 800 Number activate the new card and your done.

BTW I am hearing a rumor that NYC locals could be moving to Spot Beam soon.

 

[Poke]

I wonder what the results would have been had it been specified that "Assuming you have no access to HD locals....." That would have put things on a more level playing field for that question.

I'm 50 miles from the Cleveland sats and I'm in a low-lying area, so an antenna is pretty much out. I think people that already have HD locals, tend to forget not everyone can get them OTA.

Locals are just that locals I think in time most folks will be able to get their locals in HD. But for most part there is allot more content on National Channels so Nationals are always the main ones to get. I get my locals in HD but I watch allot more shows and movies on National Channels than locals.

 

[skyviewmark]

It's hard to be a retailer who's livelyhood depends on things happening in certain ways. I have DirecTV and Dish at my house and office. I have all the HD channels that both services offer. And I like Dish best of the two companies. So therefore I would love Dish to stock up and blow DirecTV away with National Channels. The hard part about it though is knowing what is best to put food on the table for my family. And HD Locals would do this by making sales go through the roof.. Every one around here that wanted Satellite, pretty much already has it. The cable company already has HD Locals, so I can't get those customers away from them without having HD Locals.. It's purely business to me for one or the other company to get HD Locals here..

So how about I say, Let DISH just add national channels And let DirecTV bring us the HD Locals. Then I can win on my personal feelings and still put food on the table for my seemingly always hungry wife.

 

[darrencp22]

Yup, really easy to swap the cards. Take old card out (if it has a card) then slide the new card in, call the 800 Number activate the new card and your done.

BTW I am hearing a rumor that NYC locals could be moving to Spot Beam soon.

Great, with Buffalo not even on the list, i'll be losing HD before gaining.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

]The closest I read here is if they can move some spots from 129, 110 or 119 to 61.5, they may free up some BW for national additions. But if those are spots to begin with, how would that help?[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

You obviously have no idea what your talking about. You need to learn what SPOTS are and what CONUS is.

The West Coast again can pick up 61.5. It may be hard in some locations but it can be done.

There are no spots on 129.

Besides arn't you a DirecTV subscriber? None of this should matter to you or are you just trying to sling mud at Dish?

 

[rad]

Locals are just that locals I think in time most folks will be able to get their locals in HD. But for most part there is allot more content on National Channels so Nationals are always the main ones to get. I get my locals in HD but I watch allot more shows and movies on National Channels than locals.

But then again, it was reported that the man making the decisions said E* had a bad quater because of lack of HD locals. From DISH Network Cedes More HD Ground With Satellite Troubles DISH Chief Executive Charles Ergen cited the lack of HD local channels as a major contributor to the weakness. So maybe the all mighty $ will make the decision for you.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I think the need to weigh it almost equal, as HD locals do sell systems, but then again DirecTV with its with 80 HD national channels with dish with its 38 true national HD channels need to add more national to so they can attract the customers who want the national HD channels.

Its going to be a balancing act for sure.

 

[brownover]

Hasnt cleveland been uplinked? I think it may be a misprint.

Yes, Cleveland uplinked on Mar. 12 and earlier statements I believe in January, had Cleveland scheduled for March. Still 2 weeks left in March!

 

[shrefler]

Harrisburg

Anyone have any info on plans to release Harrisburg, PA Locals in HD?

 

[db2]

I think the need to weigh it almost equal, as HD locals do sell systems, but then again DirecTV with its with 80 HD national channels with dish with its 38 true national HD channels need to add more national to so they can attract the customers who want the national HD channels.

Its going to be a balencing act for sure.

I agree they both carry equal weight but timing is the issue. If Dish is interested in penetrating a new HD LIL market that D* already has it would make sense for them to add national HD first.

 

[Poke]

Yeah well locals are just that they all show the same content and there is allot more National Channels which means more content in HD and things you will not see on your locals. Either way I hope to see them add both as they can due to the more the better but I watch more National HD Content than local. Which is due to more to choose from and more things to view. But yet again its a win win situation if they can add more local and National.

 

[charlesrshell]

I don't see any smart cards in my DVRs. So I don't need to worry about it, right? What is that smart card ID I see in the system info menu?

 

[LER]

The 722's have internal smart cards that are NOT user replacable. There is a slot, but I doubt it'll ever be used.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

The 722's have internal smart cards that are NOT user replacable. There is a slot, but I doubt it'll ever be used.

Beep wrong answer.

From what I am hearing the ViP receivers will be the first ones to receive new cards. When you insert the new card the old card on the motherboard will be disconnected.

 

[db2]

From what I am hearing the ViP receivers will be the first ones to receive new cards. When you insert the new card the old card on the motherboard will be disconnected.

That's correct.

 

[charlesrshell]

Beep wrong answer.

From what I am hearing the ViP receivers will be the first ones to receive new cards. When you insert the new card the old card on the motherboard will be disconnected.

Is it the same for the 625 too?

 

[NightRyder]

The West Coast again can pick up 61.5. It may be hard in some locations but it can be done.

In the Pacific NW that number might be 20% (I think that's high). If we could get 61.5 most of us wouldn't be putting up with the POS at 129.

NightRyder

 

[kb7oeb]

I do not subscribe to locals from Dish because I get them all OTA but if I could not get OTA I wouldn't go with DBS. The cable company carries all of the local HD and most of the interesting sub channels. Dish can't even get the guide data right for OTA.

 

[LER]

I do not subscribe to locals from Dish because I get them all OTA but if I could not get OTA I wouldn't go with DBS. The cable company carries all of the local HD and most of the interesting sub channels. Dish can't even get the guide data right for OTA.

They get it right for me on my OTA locals.

I suspect the issue was fixed a while ago. The data doesn't come from dish directly, it's from Tribune Media Services.