Dish to expand HD

**Hall** · 01-09-2008 11:15 AM

Originally Posted by ggw2000

Local morons won't deal and this has been going on for over a year!

I do think it works both ways and that the cable companies want the channel for free, likely just like the analog is currently free, invoked by "must carry" by the TV station. The TV stations got the wise idea not to invoke the must carry clause and instead asked for payment.

Here's part of an e-mail from my local TWC's "Product Manager" regarding the lack of NBC and The WB carriage:

Here is what I know at this point. Our corporate office is in negotiations with NBC to carry WDTN-HD. WB, it is just a matter of time before we carry this channel in HD. I understand we're close.

That e-mail is from October 2004. Hey, at least they're "close". Neither channel is carried yet today. All of this was on-going before Oct '04 too, of course.

**darrencp22** · 01-09-2008 11:16 AM

Originally Posted by hall

There's nothing "HD" about it, it's digital. The TV stations have to convert to digital on their own by Feb 2009 regardless if they're carried by any cable or satellite company.

I understand that. I'm talking about something else. Regardless of the 2009 deadline, most stations are/will transmit HD as well. That requires new technology (ex HD cameras). I think they are being stingy with negotiations with Sat and Cable because they are looking to recoup these costs.

**drdroo** · 01-09-2008 11:17 AM

Yes but there's no reason to switch to digital and not upgrade to HD at the same time. The networks have HD programming ready to go and viewership only goes up with primetime in HD.

Just as a side situation:

Our local FOX station has claimed the FCC is the reason why they aren't able to offer in HD over the air. There's no process for them to easily get a license for another slot (since the FOX station is new), so they shoot out FOX on the ABC subchannel.

If what the station says is true, the FCC has made this conversion process more difficult as result. Once 2009 hits, the ABC station can move down to the VHF analog allocation for their digital feed, and the FOX station can stay in the current allocation.

A problem that Dish has is that several of their uplink locations for locals are receiving analog (including ours, I believe). If that's the case, they've gotta get on the ball or we could see missing locals. These stations are allowed to kill analog early, if it is required for their digital conversion plan.

**Hall** · 01-09-2008 11:55 AM

Originally Posted by darrencp22

I understand that. I'm talking about something else. Regardless of the 2009 deadline, most stations are/will transmit HD as well. That requires new technology (ex HD cameras).

No, you have a misunderstanding of this. The stations do NOT have to do anything in/with HD. They do not have to do their news or their own programming in HD, therefore no new "technology" is req'd. They can continue to use the same cameras, same sets, etc, etc that they use today. The programming that we watch from these stations, i.e. prime-time shows, comes from the network in HD, not the station. The stations just pass it along as-is.

**drdroo** · 01-09-2008 12:04 PM

This is correct. Our locally developed programming is not in HD and probably won't be for a while.

They still had to install new broadcast hardware and HD reception hardware for the network feed. For a long while ABC was pulling in the Nascar ESPN feed in SD. They finally did add the reception hardware necessary to bring it in HD and pass it through.

This is still probably a costly venture, especially for smaller stations. It isn't as costly as re-tooling all the local programming for HD (new cameras, etc).

Last I checked, Oprah isn't even in HD (unless somethings changed in the last year or two). It's mostly Prime Time programming and sports.

**NightRyder** · 01-09-2008 12:08 PM

All of our major (Portland, OR) local stations news is now in HD and I've even seen several local commercials shot in HD.

NightRyder

**drdroo** · 01-09-2008 12:18 PM

The Portland, OR DMA is almost 2 times larger than our entire state's population. Wikipedia says Portland, OR's 'metro' population is 2.3 million. Our state is around 1.3 and has 2 (almost 3) DMAs..

The problem is that most of these smaller DMAs don't have the money required to go fully HD. I'm sure they'll get there, and as hall pointed out, they're not required to go HD, just digital.

**dennispap** · 01-09-2008 01:30 PM

Quote:
Originally Posted by digiblur

If Jackson, MS is lit up on 61.5 then New Orleans will be also. Take a look at the map that posted in one of the CES threads here. You can see a dot for Jackson, MS and the dot is on the Slidell area which was meant for New Orleans.

Since i only get 110,119, and 129 i guess dish will have to come install a different dish.Which one gets all 4 sats ?

Originally Posted by Van

None can get the three listed and 61.5.
.

I guess Dish will be replacing a lot of dishes , or loosing a bunch of customers as directv offers the locals in hd on one dish. If i can get all of the programming on one dish with say 61,110, and 119, or whatever 3 sats i would need, great. if not, i am not putting 2 dishes on the house.
It seems like it will be awfully expensive to switch out all of the dishes in a certain area, if the locals are put on a sat, that is currently not being used in that area. If dish says you need 2 dishes, i think most people will drop dish and go to directv. Funny, when i signed up(11/2006), the cr said the hd locals would be up before xmas 2006. Not only did that not happen, he definitely didnt say i would need a 2nd dish.Well see what happens.

**darrencp22** · 01-09-2008 01:35 PM

Originally Posted by hall

No, you have a misunderstanding of this. The stations do NOT have to do anything in/with HD. They do not have to do their news or their own programming in HD, therefore no new "technology" is req'd. They can continue to use the same cameras, same sets, etc, etc that they use today. The programming that we watch from these stations, i.e. prime-time shows, comes from the network in HD, not the station. The stations just pass it along as-is.

Umm.. I know the difference between national and local programming. i've seen local programming in HD. I've seen news programming in HD. I've also seen local programming NOT shot in HD. One day they WILL ALL be in HD. To do this they will need to purchase new equipment. Those cameras and "technology" cost $$. I'm just saying in this case, some stations are probably trying to recoup/fund costs when they negotiate new contracts.

**drdroo** · 01-09-2008 01:42 PM

Originally Posted by dennispap

I guess Dish will be replacing a lot of dishes , or loosing a bunch of customers as directv offers the locals in hd on one dish. If i can get all of the programming on one dish with say 61,110, and 119, or whatever 3 sats i would need, great. if not, i am not putting 2 dishes on the house.
It seems like it will be awfully expensive to switch out all of the dishes in a certain area, if the locals are put on a sat, that is currently not being used in that area. If dish says you need 2 dishes, i think most people will drop dish and go to directv. Funny, when i signed up(11/2006), the cr said the hd locals would be up before xmas 2006. Not only did that not happen, he definitely didnt say i would need a 2nd dish.Well see what happens.

E* has been committed to the 1 dish solution (from what I've seen). However, they use the 61.5 sat because they acquired it from Rainbow DBS. I think we'll see the comeback of a single dish solution when the new sats are launched.

If things are still all screwed up after that, there should be a cause for concern, but don't forget that they intend to do an all-MPEG4 service too (see the CES thread), which should help overall for people who have HD.

I'm in 18 month again as of Sept or so, but I'll sit back and watch the show anyway. It'll be a colder day in hell before I go back to D*. I'd sooner go without.