Thread: HITS Package Prices Increased

Originally Posted by PopcornNMore

I'm sure HITS will still be available 5 years from now, but possibly not to backyard dish owners if we don't subscribe to support the service. If the subscriber numbers are low it wouldn't be in their interest to supply us with additional channels and to provide an updated receiver.

There used to be 4DTV channels on Ku X4 when I was with NPS and then they were all moved to C band. Skyvision used to offer Ku packages too. I used a 10 foot and never tried a small Ku dish and they came in great. I was wondering how much the signal would degrade if they offered them on Ku again and that way people with dish size limits could subscribe and the numbers would grow. If a 30" to 39" dish was used then the rain fade issues would be minor compared to the pizza services. It would almost look like Primestar was still alive!

Originally Posted by PopcornNMore

I'm sure HITS will still be available 5 years from now, but possibly not to backyard dish owners if we don't subscribe to support the service. If the subscriber numbers are low it wouldn't be in their interest to supply us with additional channels and to provide an updated receiver.

When SRL's programming business is in jeopardy of failing. Thats when i expect them to do something to keep it alive! So, the lower the subscribers the more chance we may see a new receiver.

Originally Posted by PopcornNMore

I just timed how long it takes a channel to appear when changing channels on my Motorola DSR-410 HITS receiver VS. my VIP722K Dish Network receiver and here are the results:

Motorola DSR-410 took 2 seconds for the next channel to appear.
Dish VIP722K took 4 seconds (I almost could say 5, but I'm on the being fair ) for the next channel to appear.

Which receiver is slow as molasses?

My 4DTV DSR922 when I had Pick ten subscription last year. Doesn't matter anymore now. I watch FTA C BAND and my wife watches Dishnt family. I still have to chnge out the battery on the DSR922. I do miss TCM.

Right now I've got the Super Pak that runs out 2/2.I'm probably going to move to the Family Pak when I renew.I'll lose a bunch of channels I never watch,a few I rarely watch and one I watch almost every day.But it's only for one show and I've been thru the cycle numerous times already so it's not that great a loss.
The only person I have to entertain is me so H2H,OTA and FTA suits me just fine,for now anyway.When something changes then I'll look at other options.

Originally Posted by PopcornNMore

Is it me or do the HITS channels look worse than about 6-12 months ago? I remember thinking "WOW"when I first signed up to HITS about a year ago. Since then I have subscribed off and on.

When changing channels the picture pixels sometimes break up for about a second or two before returning to normal. I just don't remember seeing this before. Perhaps my dish needs readjusting this spring. The signal quality on some channels is around 59% and others it is in the mid 80's. It just seems weird.

If only they would make available the DSR-600 HD receiver with HDMI output for HITS more people would subscribe and the picture quality would improve. I'm thinking twice about renewing for another month.

I'm watching Pale Rider on History & I'm noticing a smearing in the dark areas, like the high contrast areas are smearing, almost like a washout or something. All my connections are good and the S-9 shows crisp & clear on those channels that have good signal. Of course, my 922 is failing I think since the picture will blink off then back on again. It's only done it once tonight so far.
The signal is at 100 & the quality is at 78.

Originally Posted by Dishman Dan

There used to be 4DTV channels on Ku X4 when I was with NPS and then they were all moved to C band. Skyvision used to offer Ku packages too. I used a 10 foot and never tried a small Ku dish and they came in great. I was wondering how much the signal would degrade if they offered them on Ku again and that way people with dish size limits could subscribe and the numbers would grow. If a 30" to 39" dish was used then the rain fade issues would be minor compared to the pizza services. It would almost look like Primestar was still alive!

Kinda look that way in some places already with the Hughes et al and HD dishes pushing the HOA's limits....lol

True, bigger is better generally speaking but comparing rain fade on C vs Ku is is a lost fight. At 12+ gigs Ku is MUCH more susceptible to attenuation from atmospheric moisture content than the 4 gig C band. That goes for foliage as well. Beside being "legacy", feeds have remained predominantly on C band for this reason...reliability. Even with the Ku birds at 10X the output they cant equal the "punch thru" of the C band signal under poor atmospheric conditions. I've watched my C band signals literally thru Cat I hurricane conditions and the Ku had long died from LOS. Factor in the "digital cliff effect" and over the top FECs found in S2 signals and I'm amazed Ku is even as reliable as it is.
Give me an analog master feed and the only visual advantage HD has is that it's screen format matches the 16:9 theater.
Those that have seen an analog master feed know this, those that havent will never have the chance now.

Update:

After having H2H back for a month now I have to say that I'm no longer happy with both the service and programming. I'm thinking twice about renewing when my subscription runs out on February 26. I might just raise the white flag and call it quits for H2H.

As I flip through the channels within the Digital Basic Package I find nothing but reruns, reality shows and programming that can be found elsewhere. My wife and daughter still refuse to use it and when you add that the service uses an outdated receiver, displays only SD, guide is 30 minutes behind, channels left (TV Land and GMC), no additional channels are becoming available and prices of the packages are increasing it just isn't worth it anymore.

If anyone is interested in a working Motorola DSR-410 receiver there just might be one advertised within the classifieds section on February 27th.

I can then use the 6' dish to receive AMC 1 or Galaxy 16 C band to gain acess to plenty of free ITC channels, some of which are available in HD. The money I receive for my DSR-410 receiver could be used to purchase a new MicroHD receiver from Satellite AV next month.

I loved my 4DTV over the years and enjoyed it for 9 years, but in the end it didn't fit my needs.

I boxed up all my Motorola gear and gave up myself 7 months ago and not looking back. Batteries probably discharging as I type. One of the Prodelins still pointed at 105W, thinking about where to point it.

Originally Posted by Corrado

One of the Prodelins still pointed at 105W, thinking about where to point it.

The CBC stuff at 107.3 is great.