Uplink Activity, Early Thursday Am Activity for September 29th 2005

[M Sparks]

If I had to select them I would pick Universal HD and ESPN2 HD.

Starz and Cinemax are still a waste of space.

Just curious why you consider Starz HD a waste. Is it all just upconverted SD?

As a movie addict, I'd consider Starz HD important, as HBO HD + Showtime HD + Starz HD = almost every major Hollywood movie in HD.

I'd love to see Cinemax HD & TMC HD as well, but I realize they run the mostly the same movies as HBO & Showtime, so that puts them lower on the importance scale. Technically speaking the "secondary" premiums actually have more variety, but they don't have the original shows that make HBO & Showtime "must buys". Back in my college days, HBO & Showtime didn't have much decent original programming and Cinemax was actually my premium of choice. They seemed to have more variety than anyone...remember the "Summer of 1000 Movies"? I remember when my cable company came out with a "Movie Lovers" Pack. For $22, you got HBO, Showtime, and TMC, plus "three new channels! HBO 2, HBO 3, and Flix!" I was irritated it didn't have Cinemax, but didn't want to pony up the extra $7 to get it.

Back to your point Scott- Universal and ESPN2 make the most sense. If they get the HD distants up as well on 129, they are totally ahead of DirecTV. They'd have everything DirecTV has, on one 3 LNB Dish, PLUS TNT and half of Voom. Then when the MPEG-4 machines come out, they can add the other half of Voom, Cinemax, Starz, INHD, or whatever else DirecTV finally gets around to announcing and compete on that level.

 

[JPointerWI]

Dish probably still has to honor a contract with Muzak, that's why they cant drop those audio channels

That, and Muzak is ONLY music, no station ID's, no DJ's, no promos. For a bar/restrauant using those channels for music, if doenst sound too good if the customers hear the stupid "you are listening to sirius chanel XXX" every 15 min.

 

[BFG]

I go to a reastrauant that plays Sirius and I like it. It gives name recognition to a station you also might listen to at home.

 

[TNGTony]

who's going to pick a mono channel over a professionally programmed sirius channel?

Two points:
1) The mono channels are just as "professionally programmend" as the Sirius channels.
2) The mono channels are specifically designed for businesses where a low dynamic range mono music source is preferabe to a high dynamic range stereo source. When piping music to a grocery store or barber shop or whatever, you want an even volume and stereo separation is a detriment...try to listen to a 1964 Beatles tune with only one channel going and you will get my point,

Anyway, the whole point is that the Muzak channels are aimed at a specific subscriber base.

See ya
Tony

 

[mikew]

try to listen to a 1964 Beatles tune with only one channel going and you will get my point

I do computer work for a fast food franchise. They use the Dish/Muzac combination. Somehow, the receiver was on a CD channel. It is setup with only the left channel going into the amp. Can't Buy Me Love was playing and was painful to listen to...

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Yes ESPN Deportes will launch today.

I am hearing some UNCONFIRMED BUZZ that ESPN2-HD could launch next week on Thursday. This one is HIGHLY unconfirmed and comes from only one source. More as I know it.

 

[riffjim4069]

It true, ESPN2-HD would be a welcome addition to the fall HD lineup.

 

[roachxp]

Sweet ESPNdesportes now I feel the VOOM nirvanna all over again.
Sweet 4 CL live matches per matchday.

ESPN2HD finally

 

[John Kotches]

Is Thursday the day of the first MLB playoff game being broadcast in HD on "The Deuce" out of curiosity?

Cheers,

 

[SummitAdvantageRetailer]

E* sure loves timing. They launched TNT HD when the NBA playoffs started. They launched NFL Network (and NFL HD) in time for the season but too late for the pre-season games. And they launched Voom channels on E* when V* went down. You gotta love the surprises.

 

[roachxp]

What channel is ESPNdesportes? Is it in AT180, or only Latino pak.

 

[RandallA]

ESPNDeportes is on the Latino packages only. It's channel 854.