WARNING on 1080p VOD

[Laserich]

There is a new 1080p VOD offering (10,000BC) on channel 501. Outlined in this sticky post: http://www.satelliteguys.us/dish-network-forum/143908-how-dishs-1080p-going-work.html - there is supposed to be a test that checks your gear for compatibility.

There is no *Test*. This appears to have changed with the latest software update (L613).

If you've never seen or run the test for the I Am Legend event, as is what happened to me, and if you're following those guidelines looking for the test, you can end up buying the event before you know it or even want it.

 

[8bitbytes]

Has anyone verified that 613 removes the testing or just that the testing is only performed once on your configuration and the results stored for future reference.

 

[DougE]

I watched 10,000 BC on Saturday on VOD (channel 501). At no time was I advised that it was in 1080p, and no option for a test was given. I never did check to see if I was receiving it in 1080p since it was not stated anywhere that that was an option.

I paid $6.99 for a mediocre film (my opinion of course), and found the rez to be quite good as was the audio. I have not received 6.13 as of yet.

 

[Laserich]

The 1080p version is $2.99 and is listed as 1080p in the on screen guide.

 

[B_Kranski]

I tried watching it but it would not fill my screen. I have a Panasonic 1080p 42" plasma tv. It was maybe half the screen size short on both side and bottom. Even the guide would not show up properly when I was in the 1080p movie. :-( was looking forward to watching my first 1080p movie. Bill

 

[garys]

Not all the VOD are HD let alone 1080p, it usually tells you which ones are in the guide info. None of the VOD in my guide currently are listed as HD.

 

[fredp]

Not all the VOD are HD let alone 1080p, it usually tells you which ones are in the guide info. None of the VOD in my guide currently are listed as HD.

Yep. For me, 10kBC(an incredibly bad film) is the only one listed as HD and 1080p. My other choices are just SD. Dish would have to pay me $2.99 to see that again.

 

[lwien]

The test/no test issue is NOT an issue for just L613.

I am still running L612 and played around with trying to get IAL in 1080p numerous times. When I brought it up, 80% of the time it gave me the option to run the test. The rest of the time, there was no test attached to it. It seemed to be random issue as to if you were able to run the test or not.

 

[B_Kranski]

Looks like my fix, was setting it to 4:3 mode instead of 16x9 not sure why that would make a differance, but it did. Bill

 

[bnewt]

I tried to run the test also............but wound up making the purchase.

 

[DishSatUser]

I tried watching it but it would not fill my screen. I have a Panasonic 1080p 42" plasma tv. It was maybe half the screen size short on both side and bottom. Even the guide would not show up properly when I was in the 1080p movie. :-( was looking forward to watching my first 1080p movie. Bill

Just to be sure, the result you saw wasn't because the show was in original aspect ratio (OAR) versus an adjusted 16:9 ratio (AR) right?

"I am Legend" was AR instead of OAR for example, but wouldn't be the case for all films.

 

[Y2k06]

My daughter inadvertently chose what she thought was a PPV movie, but the same movie was on VOD. Not knowing the difference, she just clicked on the VOD one and confirmed the 'rental' fee then didn't see it in list of DVR events where things normally, so she went back to the PPV site and tried to pay for it again and it would not let her buy the PPV event.

In addition, much to my dismay - on the VOD, there looks like a 24 hour view or it's gone feature, where PPV showed a date in the future - like a month or so, maybe more or less.. ( I didn't pay that much attention to it).

And, when we finally DID find the VOD event, there were no messages, no testing, no ANYTHING. It just started playing in 4:3 mode and there was no way I could change the aspect view using the E* remote control (the star button).

Needless to say I was beyond ticked! I am perfectly content with my 2 HDTV - 720P/1080i sets and could not care less about 1080P on anything less than a 55 or 60 inch screen. All this 1080P bull crap is just a bunch of TV techno hype. On a 40 / 42 / 47 inch screen the actual BROADCAST difference, which nobody is or has ANY plans on doing, is so subliminal 95% of average viewers would never see the difference between 720p and 1080p.

Am sick and tired of the 1080P buzz...... Then again, I often said "that will happen when they put a man on the moon" in my younger years!