Will Dish have MPEG4 by year end?

[nuts4scuba]

Will Dish have MPEG4 receivers by year end? On 05-26-2004, Scott gave us our first look at the upcoming 942 receiver. Today Scott has said he heard the 942 will be pushed back until early April, almost a year after Dish showed the receiver at Team Summit. Dish was showing off the 921 at shows almost 2 years before it was released to the public. My question is has anyone seen the new MPEG4 receivers that Dish is saying they will have at the end of the year? How are they going to make that timeframe?

 

[DucTape]

Will Dish have MPEG4 receivers by year end? On 05-26-2004, Scott gave us our first look at the upcoming 942 receiver. Today Scott has said he heard the 942 will be pushed back until early April, almost a year after Dish showed the receiver at Team Summit. Dish was showing off the 921 at shows almost 2 years before it was released to the public. My question is has anyone seen the new MPEG4 receivers that Dish is saying they will have at the end of the year? How are they going to make that timeframe?

I'm figuring it will be no sooner than 06/07 till we see anything Mpeg4 from anyone installed, despite the hype and then they will probably be at an inflated price.

 

[korsjs]

dish is always pushing things back. i am betting it will be mid 06 before we see it.

 

[Stargazer]

It would be silly to bring out an MPEG-2 HD DVR at about the same time as an MPEG-4 HD DVR in my opinion.

 

[Larry]

It would be silly to bring out an MPEG-2 HD DVR at about the same time as an MPEG-4 HD DVR in my opinion.

True, but it was also silly to announce a new model MPEG-2 HD-DVR after announcing that all new HD would be in MPEG-4.

 

[korsjs]

you are very correct. they are hoping most people will not realize this.

by the way. nice avatar. go team hendrick. where did you get it from. i would like to have a 24 like your 48.

 

[rocatman]

I believe the 2wire mediaportal unit that was shown at CES is MPEG4 compatibly. I believe the expected release date was June 2005 but it has been reported that it will only be available to SBC/Dish customers.

 

[bavaria72]

Yup, the 2 Wire box is MPEG4.

http://www.2wire.com/?p=13

 

[korsjs]

yes it is, but dish has said it will not be available for regular dish network subscribers. most likely sbc is going to branch off and leave dish network behind.

 

[Stargazer]

Maybe before all the MPEG-4 units are out something new will come along again. Technology is changing so rapidly that they need to make the receivers easily upgradable with slots. Maybe they will eventually learn their lesson and do this.

 

[bavaria72]

yes it is, but dish has said it will not be available for regular dish network subscribers. most likely sbc is going to branch off and leave dish network behind.

This is an interesting possibility. I'll probably lease a 942 when it comes out and (assuming there is a year commitment) see where SBC is regarding their strategy at the end of the commitment.

 

[KKlare]

Technology is changing so rapidly that they need to make the receivers easily upgradable with slots.

How long has it taken for MPEG-4 adoption? Wasn't it H264? H264 has been around for many years.
-Ken

 

[Paulus]

Mpeg4

Given the problems E* has had with their recent batch of receivers, why don't they partner with the likes of Dell or HP to modify their media PCs to turn them into a receiver/DVR?

 

[Cyclone]

I think that the likely senario will be that Dish will make new HDTV channels available using MPEG-4. Sorta like how Discovery HD Theater required 8PSK when nothing else did. Then when the HD pack came out, the 8PSK module could be had for a 1yr commitment.

I think that there will be MPEG4 by the end of 2005. That it will be for new HD channels only, and that Dish will have some kind of "pretty good offer" to convince you to stay with them instead of switching providers.

When I hear them say that "It will take years and years to migrate to Mpeg4", I recognize that they are thinking about all channels both SD and HD. Sure it will take years to get all of the low dollar customers rolled over. But lets face it, the folks on these dbs boards are the cutting edge HD geeks, so MPEG-4 HDTV Channel numero uno is important to us. That I think will happen by end of year.

I also strongly suspect that the first MPEG-4 receiver will be a 942 with its MPEG2 replaced with a MPEG-4 chip.

 

[ScottChez]

Remember Direct TV has announced in Writting FREE equipment upgrades for MPEG 4.

Dish will do something close so they do not look bad.

 

[WeeJavaDude]

Yup, the 2 Wire box is MPEG4.

http://www.2wire.com/?p=13

Remember all MPEG4 is not created equal. I read the specs and it is Hard to say if this box is ready to receive HD level MPEG 4 stream. Just because it says MPEG4 does not mean it will support Dish's MPEG4 stream.. HOwever, it is a good first step. Based on what I read, I got the impression it was software level MPEG4 decoding. Could be wrong.. But something gave me that impression. Time will tell.

Oh... Slicklooking box. WIsh Dish would OEM it from SBC.

 

[WeeJavaDude]

yes it is, but dish has said it will not be available for regular dish network subscribers. most likely sbc is going to branch off and leave dish network behind.

Branch off?? wonder what you mean by that. Dish provides the content so I am not sure where SBC would be branching off to. Hmm perhaps a DSL delivery mechanism? Maybe if Fibre would become a reality to the home.

 

[SimpleSimon]

Ron - that's exactly what SBC is planning/executing. Satellite will be dropped from the equation as soon as they can git-r-done.

Personally, I think Charlie was even stupider than usual to make his deal with the devil (SBC).

Of course, the more city customers E* and D* lose back to land- and air-based service, the better us rural folks like it.

 

[WeeJavaDude]

Ron - that's exactly what SBC is planning/executing. Satellite will be dropped from the equation as soon as they can git-r-done.

Personally, I think Charlie was even stupider than usual to make his deal with the devil (SBC).

Of course, the more city customers E* and D* lose back to land- and air-based service, the better us rural folks like it.

Boy that will be one huge undertaking from SBC. Not surprised. SBC has been wanting to get into the cables backyard for a long time since Cable is trying to jump into theirs.

If this is true, this is definitely is not a good sign that Dish will OEM their 2Wire box. Well of course I am assuming that SBC has some exclusivity agreement with 2 wire.