I switched from E* to D* in 2/08, but around 6/08 added an E* foreign pack, then before 8/1 added the HD Absolute pack to compare the HD services between the two, with no E* early cancellation charge. Once the comparisons were done, I thought the E* HD PQ was acceptable, a bit downrezzed than D* but nothing to be noticed from a normal viewing distance.

Besides the E* HD Absolute pack was a killer deal, had all the channels the family watched anyway. I was going to put my D* account on a long vacation hold and called E* to see how they might be able to compete with D* on the multiple HDDVR and single DVR fee deal.

Well E* is still living in the same HD hardware lease world they did about a year ago, no more than 4 tuners on a lease, saving only the 2nd DVR fee if you have AT100 or up.

Even though I really liked The Travel Channels HD and the HBO HD lineup, another account cost is just not worth it, so dropped E* again. That was twice in about 7 months.

I feel bad becaue E* wanted me to go back so badly they give me all free installation, $120 discount, plus $50 discount, plus free HBO, Starz for free for 6 months and agreed not to charge me any early concellation fee if I left.

They probably lost $1,500 total in hardware, discounts and labor, all because they refused to lease me four HDDVRs, and I did not even mind the 612s, I only needed one 722, so three additional 612s would have been fine for me, but no no, can't do, we'd rather you leave.

Who knows, once I am totally gone, they might call me again and offer me some new sub deal again, taking another $1,500 hit just to add another statistics on their net new sub count, yet they could have just leased me four HDDVRs and kept collecting the monthly fees from me.

This was the same reason I left Dish a year ago. I left Directv for Dish a few years ago. I then wanted to have more than their limit of 4 tuners without spending the money on buying the hardware. They would not budge on it so i returned back to Directv. This was not the only reason that I left but if they would have helped me out I would have dealt with the other issues. Seems to me that they would change this policy but so far they haven't. I guess they think that people don't have a need for more than 4 TV's in their house.

After deciding to drop E* HD, I finally proceeded to download the CE program on to one of my HR21s to be able to get the new 1080p movies from D*. The download went well, both movies were downloaded without any issue.

In comparison to the DISH 1080p VOD program, I think the D* 1080p is better managed, in that you don't test your TV's 1080p/24 compatibility each time you start a movie, but do so in the setup menu. So if your set is not fully compatible, it will just stay at 1080i, you still get to watch the 1080p movies, only the output is in 1080i not 1080p/24 and there is no dreaded test at each movie start.

Not to mention the two free 1080p movies from D* (The Buck list and The Bank Job) are much better movies than the two $2.99/ea. movies from E* (I Am Legend and 10,000BC):)

Not to mention the two free 1080p movies from D* (The Buck list and The Bank Job) are much better movies than the two $2.99/ea. movies from E* (I Am Legend and 10,000BC):)
While the content is debatable, the underlined above is what makes them better at this point!:)

While the content is debatable, the underlined above is what makes them better at this point!:)

Ironically VODs that are free will stay for a long time, in the case of TBL and TBJ on D*, good till 12/08. Pay VODs like PPVs last only 24 hours, such as the IAL and 10KBC on E*.

And after seeing all four, to me there is no debate which two movies are better ones:)

After deciding to drop E* HD, I finally proceeded to download the CE program on to one of my HR21s to be able to get the new 1080p movies from D*. The download went well, both movies were downloaded without any issue.

In comparison to the DISH 1080p VOD program, I think the D* 1080p is better managed, in that you don't test your TV's 1080p/24 compatibility each time you start a movie, but do so in the setup menu. So if your set is not fully compatible, it will just stay at 1080i, you still get to watch the 1080p movies, only the output is in 1080i not 1080p/24 and there is no dreaded test at each movie start.

Not to mention the two free 1080p movies from D* (The Buck list and The Bank Job) are much better movies than the two $2.99/ea. movies from E* (I Am Legend and 10,000BC):)

Like it was said--the free matters more so than when the testing is done. AFAIK, the Dish receiver will also convert to 1080i if the display does not seem 1080p24 compatible. Dropping to 1080i is a rather strange statement as a lot of good 1080p displays can concert 1080i60 back to 1080p24.

Like it was said--the free matters more so than when the testing is done.

I agree, but for now because D* 1080p is in testing mode, we get them for free, and the free movies will stay on the harddrive long enough for everyone to get a chance to watch.


AFAIK, the Dish receiver will also convert to 1080i if the display does not seem 1080p24 compatible.

Unfortunately for a lot of displays that are not compatible, such as my Panny 1080p plasma, it does not say so, instead it played the movie as if they were compatible, but the images were on the upper left corners only. One would have to know how to go into the menu setup to reset to 1080i or 720p to correct it, but not all veiwers knew how to do that. I don't know if this is fixed now or not.


...a lot of good 1080p displays can concert 1080i60 back to 1080p24.

I am at loss of this statement, can you elaborate?

Like it was said--the free matters more so than when the testing is done.

I agree, but for now because D* 1080p is in testing mode, we get them for free, and the free movies will stay on the harddrive long enough for everyone to get a chance to watch.


AFAIK, the Dish receiver will also convert to 1080i if the display does not seem 1080p24 compatible.

Unfortunately for a lot of displays that are not compatible, such as my Panny 1080p plasma, it does not say so, instead it played the movie as if they were compatible, but the images were on the upper left corners only. One would have to know how to go into the menu setup to reset to 1080i or 720p to correct it, but not all veiwers knew how to do that. I don't know if this is fixed now or not.


...a lot of good 1080p displays can concert 1080i60 back to 1080p24.

I am at a loss of this statement, can you elaborate?

Dup

Is there an echo in here? :D

Is there an echo in here? :D

:D

Dup


Is there an echo in here? :D


:D


Was that the echo bouncing back and forth?:)

Unfortunately for a lot of displays that are not compatible, such as my Panny 1080p plasma, it does not say so, instead it played the movie as if they were compatible, but the images were on the upper left corners only. One would have to know how to go into the menu setup to reset to 1080i or 720p to correct it, but not all veiwers knew how to do that. I don't know if this is fixed now or not.


Weird... My Mitsubishi DLP accepts 1080p24 with no "forcing" necessary. I know last year's Panny plasmas don't. They can't even get that part right. They definitely rushed it out sooner than it was ready. However, I'm 99% sure that's why the movies are "discounted," as the current 1080p HD VOD software is beta software pretending to be a primetime release.

I just don't get all this debate over 1080i vs 1080p.... I can barely tell the difference, and to even notice that difference, I have to concentrate on the picture quality rather than the actual movie itself.

Is this really that important to you guys?

I just don't get all this debate over 1080i vs 1080p.... I can barely tell the difference, and to even notice that difference, I have to concentrate on the picture quality rather than the actual movie itself.

Is this really that important to you guys?


You're in the wrong place then, because the geek-o-meter pegs pretty hard on that point.:) I think there's many that pay so much attention to the picture they don't even know what they're watching.

I just don't get all this debate over 1080i vs 1080p.... I can barely tell the difference, and to even notice that difference, I have to concentrate on the picture quality rather than the actual movie itself.

Is this really that important to you guys?

Great point.

You know, I had to un-move when I had to point to 61.5 this year instead of 129 due to tree growth, so I'm having to watch a few primetime shows in (gasp) SD since there's only one OTA tuner right now.

And guess what? The show is the same! I laugh. I cry. I throw things at the TV just like I do when it's in HD.

I thought they would not allow you to use it from EA, that it was only for new customers, or is that for the new dish being used for EA but all the channels are being duplicated on 61.5 that is on 129?

I just don't get all this debate over 1080i vs 1080p.... I can barely tell the difference, and to even notice that difference, I have to concentrate on the picture quality rather than the actual movie itself.

Is this really that important to you guys?

1080p/24 is most certainly important for those who actually have the right HD sets to make the best of it.

But for other HD owners, the benefit is that one can assume the 1080p movies do not suffer any downrezz or overcompression other 1080i shows do because they are downloaded in VOD form during a longer period of time, no need to overcompress the signal to fit in the limited satellite bandwidth, for live broadcast that is. EVen the 1080i HD shows on D* VOD are downrezzed because the sources are downrezzed. But the 1080p materials are not, they are piped in as VOD only, not impacted by the limited satellite bandwidth for live broadcast.

The 1080p movies I have seem, two from E* and two from D*, all had top PQ. For a lot of us, knowing that the PQ is top notch makes it a much greater movie viewing experience:)

i just hope that D's next dvr does 60hz because i ain't changing my set. I love my samy and D's dvr is the only thing i can't see in 1080p for my set. i guess i'll wait.

i just hope that D's next dvr does 60hz because i ain't changing my set. I love my samy and D's dvr is the only thing i can't see in 1080p for my set. i guess i'll wait.

I don't understand I assume you were talking CE. Just set your DVR at 1080i output.

After going solo with D* for my HD service, I have gone CE on two of my HR2xs, one HR21, one HR20.

While the HR21 is still slow on the remote response, the HR20 under the new software seemed to be much more responsive. If this lasts, it will be the best thing ever happened because the slow remote response was the most hated by the family.

I don't understand I assume you were talking CE. Just set your DVR at 1080i output.

After going solo with D* for my HD service, I have gone CE on two of my HR2xs, one HR21, one HR20.

While the HR21 is still slow on the remote response, the HR20 under the new software seemed to be much more responsive. If this lasts, it will be the best thing ever happened because the slow remote response was the most hated by the family.

agreed. the last few of the CE updates have been fantastic. Until their next DVR which i assume it will support more 1080p sets, i'll leave at 1080i which i'm fine with :)