Winter Olympics Coverage

[Indy]

I have made several calls and have sent several emails-to Dish concerning the HD coverage of the Winter Olympics. No answers to the emails yet after 2 days but have heard the same story from 2 separate CSR's. The Olympics will only be in Mpeg 4 and will only be on the 129 satellite. Is this true or have I been given erroneous information?

I have decided to wait until the dust settles to swap out for Mpeg 4 but the Olympics are a must see for me and really need an answer.

Also the same story again concerning the upgrades for equipment. "Not until February first!"

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Take my word for it...

The Olympics in HD will be on 110 and will be in MPEG2.

 

[Indy]

Thanks Scott. That is what I remember from the "Chat" but I did not understand the conflicting and repetitive responses form the CSR's.

 

[Peter Iowa]

I just read that first page from "dish info" thread: Dr. Ergen on his "chat" said
the olympic channel in hd would be available to everyone who had HD, now I see
(SURPRISE, a lie) you need "Bronze pckg." to get that channel which will be "universal HD" - sounds like that time DOCTOR ERGEN said he TAKES his receiver
to his summer home and hooks it up there, and that it's "OK."

Ergens nose would totally hide that of Pinnochio's....

 

[ptech]

I just read that first page from "dish info" thread: Dr. Ergen on his "chat" said
the olympic channel in hd would be available to everyone who had HD, now I see
(SURPRISE, a lie) you need "Bronze pckg." to get that channel which will be "universal HD" - sounds like that time DOCTOR ERGEN said he TAKES his receiver
to his summer home and hooks it up there, and that it's "OK."

Ergens nose would totally hide that of Pinnochio's....

There will be a whole channel devoted to the Olympics alone just as it was with the summer games and Universal will also have coverage. If I remember correctly, it will be in the clear. Correct me if I'm wrong Scott.

 

[garys]

Channel 9399 was uplinked this morning for Olympic HD on the 119 sat. Look for it on Feb. 1.

 

[waltinvt]

Take my word for it...

The Olympics in HD will be on 110 and will be in MPEG2.

Well, NBC HD ran it's first 4 hours of HD coverage last night, how much of it did Dish make available?

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I didn't watch NBC last night, I opted for the CBC on ExpressVu where it was LIVE, in HD where the announcers were kept to a minimum and where they didnt break ever 10 minutes for commercials.

 

[waltinvt]

I didn't watch NBC last night, I opted for the CBC on ExpressVu where it was LIVE, in HD where the announcers were kept to a minimum and where they didnt break ever 10 minutes for commercials.

OK Scott but you're our main man here . Where can we find what Dish actually said regarding Olympics coverage in HD? I know I certainly got the impression that Dish promised a WHOLE LOT MORE HD coverage than it appears we're going to get from the UNHD channel.

Before any of us jump into a blistering rant, I want to give Dish the benefit of the doubt and I think the best way to do that would be to post what Dish / Charlie actually promised and then we can compare to what they're actually delivering.

 

[tomes]

I sure hope they do something better than unhd for us people stuck with 811s... If I miss most of the olympics in HD, it's another nail in the coffin for my relationship with Dish, Echostar and Charlie...

On a related note, anyone know if one can upgrade to another receiver for free, or do we have to pay for installation, new receiver, and/or new dish? (I have that 'lease' thing... If I have to pay anything, that will pretty much send me running for DirecTv...)

 

[timfouts]

My 411 is picking up TWO (2) Universal HD channels 9426 & 9427. I don't know if one is MPEG2 and the other MPEG4.

 

[rthomp03]

I sure hope they do something better than unhd for us people stuck with 811s... If I miss most of the olympics in HD, it's another nail in the coffin for my relationship with Dish, Echostar and Charlie...

On a related note, anyone know if one can upgrade to another receiver for free, or do we have to pay for installation, new receiver, and/or new dish?

The only thing 811 people will miss is HD locals if you can't get them OTA. Fortunately I can. From what I can tell about the only thing on UNIHD as well as MSNBC and CNBC is hockey, hockey and more hockey. How 'bout giving some decent bobsled, luge and downhill coverage, rather than the small snipets on NBC squeezed in between countless athlete profiles. Why can't the coverage be like it was back in the 60s and 70s where you actually saw the athletes perform instead of hearing their life story. Is it a guy thing? :devil:

 

[Stacy A]

That is so right. Hockey used to be rarely seen on the Olympic coverage, but now its apparently a staple of the coverage. I think I'm going to be very disappointed, not only with the coverage from NBC, but with the fact that my local NBC does not do HD, just digital, and that UNiHD will not have that much Olympic covergae either. What do we have to do to get the Olympics away from NBC? How much is left on their contract?

 

[MacKenzieIII]

OK Scott but you're our main man here . Where can we find what Dish actually said regarding Olympics coverage in HD? I know I certainly got the impression that Dish promised a WHOLE LOT MORE HD coverage than it appears we're going to get from the UNHD channel.

Before any of us jump into a blistering rant, I want to give Dish the benefit of the doubt and I think the best way to do that would be to post what Dish / Charlie actually promised and then we can compare to what they're actually delivering.

No I think it is blistering rant time, and yes while I am sure that the Canadian coverage of the olympics would obviously be far better than anything NBC could make at any resolution most of us do not have that option. I am just blown away that DISH could make such a big deal in their press release about HD olympics and then not give it to anyone but those with the Mpeg4 recivers. I mean they recognized the need for the superbowl, why wouldn't they do the same for the olympic coverage on NBC?

Anyways a big dissapointment.

 

[goaliebob99]

No I think it is blistering rant time, and yes while I am sure that the Canadian coverage of the olympics would obviously be far better than anything NBC could make at any resolution most of us do not have that option. I am just blown away that DISH could make such a big deal in their press release about HD olympics and then not give it to anyone but those with the Mpeg4 recivers. I mean they recognized the need for the superbowl, why wouldn't they do the same for the olympic coverage on NBC?

Anyways a big dissapointment.

??????

I get the olympics on my 942.. universal hd 9426.....
in MPG 2

Plus I get OTA NBC....

 

[MacKenzieIII]

??????

I get the olympics on my 942.. universal hd 9426.....
in MPG 2

Plus I get OTA NBC....

Well many of us do not get OTA NBC. And it would seem that most of the HD olympics are only going to be shown on HD NBC. So just like for the superbowl last weekend, I expected Dish to provide that in Mpeg2.

And yes I get Universal HD and yes it is NBC's fault that they are showing nothing but Hockey in HD on that channel. But Dish should have realized that and gotten an HD feed of NBC for those of us that can't get it OTA.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

NBC is broadcasting the Olympics in HD via only two channels.

NBC HD
Universal HD

There is no other Olympics HD feed. NBC owns the Olympics rights, Dish has no say in this matter.

Dish decided to provide Universal HD in MPEG2 to all HD Pack subscribers. They are doing this. This channel is available to anyone who subs to the HD Pak and has a 6000, 811, 921, 942, 211, 411, or 622 receiver.

NBC did not grant Dish the rights to nationally broadcast NBC HD. They are protecting their local stations, for whom the Olympics are a big ratings draw.

NBC is also broadcasting Olympics coverage in SD via USA, MSNBC, and CNBC. Dish is also carrying these channels. Along with the special NBC Olympics highlights channel on 9399, which I believe is in SD.

There is no other Olympics coverage!!!!

If someone is disappointed in this, then contact NBC, not Dish. There is nothing Dish can do about it.

http://medialifemagazine.com/artman/publish/article_2149.asp

 

[joedoe]

NBC is broadcasting the Olympics in HD via only two channels.

NBC HD
Universal HD

There is no other Olympics HD feed. NBC owns the Olympics rights, Dish has no say in this matter.

Dish decided to provide Universal HD in MPEG2 to all HD Pack subscribers. They are doing this. This channel is available to anyone who subs to the HD Pak and has a 6000, 811, 921, 942, 211, 411, or 622 receiver.

NBC did not grant Dish the rights to nationally broadcast NBC HD. They are protecting their local stations, for whom the Olympics are a big ratings draw.

NBC is also broadcasting Olympics coverage in SD via USA, MSNBC, and CNBC. Dish is also carrying these channels. Along with the special NBC Olympics highlights channel on 9399, which I believe is in SD.

There is no other Olympics coverage!!!!

If someone is disappointed in this, then contact NBC, not Dish. There is nothing Dish can do about it.

http://medialifemagazine.com/artman/publish/article_2149.asp

Everything you are saying it correct, but Dish promised to show Olympics in HD and didn't delivered and should be held responsible for that.

 

[waltinvt]

NBC is broadcasting the Olympics in HD via only two channels.

NBC HD
Universal HD

There is no other Olympics HD feed. NBC owns the Olympics rights, Dish has no say in this matter.

Dish decided to provide Universal HD in MPEG2 to all HD Pack subscribers. They are doing this. This channel is available to anyone who subs to the HD Pak and has a 6000, 811, 921, 942, 211, 411, or 622 receiver.

NBC did not grant Dish the rights to nationally broadcast NBC HD. They are protecting their local stations, for whom the Olympics are a big ratings draw.

NBC is also broadcasting Olympics coverage in SD via USA, MSNBC, and CNBC. Dish is also carrying these channels. Along with the special NBC Olympics highlights channel on 9399, which I believe is in SD.

There is no other Olympics coverage!!!!

If someone is disappointed in this, then contact NBC, not Dish. There is nothing Dish can do about it.

http://medialifemagazine.com/artman/publish/article_2149.asp

We get it already and you don't have to talk down to us like we're idiots. It's been obivious since the games started which channels are covering what.

What was never obvious is how little HD coverage Dish Network actually intended to provide "ALL their HD customers" and anyone that thinks it was has problems with reality.

The point is what Dish said vs what they're doing. If they didn't have the contracts, they never should've said the things they did.

I defy anyone to reconcile the kind of HD Olympic coverage Charlie said Dish would be providing to all HD subs; with what Dish put in their press release; what Scott said they told him and what others have been told by Dish reps with what we're are actually getting via UNHD.

Anyone that doesn't agree, I invite you to read the Chat recaps, press release and various threads and then say Dish wasn't disingenious about what they were going to provide.

Scott, you're awful quiet about this. How about your opinion about this. Do you think Dish was up front and honest about their intents for the Olympic HD coverage ?

 

[shlin]

NBC is betting on HDTV owners who cannot get OTA will watch SD (no rating loss). I hope there's enough of us HDTV owners who would turn off their TV and hurt their rating.