Charlie speaks..... Finally!!!

**Poke** · 11-14-2007 04:49 PM

Man folks need to chill people are making a mountain out of a mole hill due to Direct adding more HD which they had to since they been behind Dish for so long. Direct just has a handful of National HD Channels that Dish does not and most of those HD Channels if not show very little HD content. Besides that Dish has the rest and had most of them longer and I think Dish will add the ones they dont have that Direct has. So overall Direct and Dish in the long run will offer about that same amount of HD Channels just like they do SD.

What it will come down to will be price and which one has better hardware like their HDDVR's which I think Dish HDDVR's are better just my 2 cents. In time we will be back to one format all HD no more SD and who has more HD channels wont matter any more. Due to there will only be some many HD channels available so what matters is that we are getting more HD in that more Networks are heading that way. Which is good for everyone.

**skottey** · 11-14-2007 04:50 PM

Originally Posted by ScoBuck

Your statement is just as true for people that take an initial comittment of 18 or 24 months. But it secures some return on their initial investment. Yes they refurb and resue boxes. But that is still a fraction of boxes put out for new subs.

I still hold the opinion that a commitment contract shows insecurity on behalf of the company. They are so unsure of their offerings that they need to rope in customers and trap them. They bait a customer and then the customer finds out DirecTV has a better offering and they spend the next 18 months feeling like sh*t because they are stuck with Dish and they don't want Dish. If the customer is happy, they will stick around without the contract.

I am sorry but I come to the table with integrity and pride in what I do in my business. I am so sure of my ability to satisfy my customers, that I don't need to sign contracts with my customers. They think I do a good job and keep coming back to me. Dish laying out all that money for equipment and installs is part of doing business. I put out money for advertising, which is very similar to dish and their equipment costs upfront. I make people happy, they stick around. Dish makes people happy, they stick around.

Things aren't going so well right now and they (Dish) are really pushing the contracts because of it. I think their churn is higher than they let on for sure. They are trying to stop the bleeding by signing people up with contracts.

Here's an idea Dish- You could try improving your service in an attempt to retain customers. Instead you are pushing contracts to retain customers. Have you given up on the HD race?

**skottey** · 11-14-2007 04:55 PM

Originally Posted by drummerguy

This is Turner we're talking about. Remember how they used to colorize all those classic movies? They don't respect the original material. They seem to think they can do whatever they want with it.

Yes, I remember that. I am only in my early 30's but I remember back in the 80's when people were up in arms all over the nation about them colorizing films. There was one film in particular that really pissed people off. Casablanca was it? I don't remember now specifically but I remember my grandparents bitching about it. I remember seeing it on the news and in print. You are right, Turner has no respect for the original material.

**rad** · 11-14-2007 05:03 PM

Originally Posted by Poke

Direct just has a handful of National HD Channels that Dish does not and most of those HD Channels if not show very little HD content.

Guess now we need do define what a handful amounts to. National HD channels, that carry HD programming and aren't PPV's or RSN that D* has and E* doesn't are: Sci-Fi, USA, FX, MGM, Smithsonian, HBO-W, Starz-W, Starz Comedy, Starz Edge, The Movie Channel, Showtime Too and Showtime-W, that's 12. If you throw in CBNC+ and FBN, which use the 16x9 realestate for additional stock info and not an upconvert then that's 14. As for the little HD content, which is worst having a channel that just repeats programming over and over or one that has only a few hours but shows new programming, I'll take the few hours of new programming anyday.

**skottey** · 11-14-2007 05:12 PM

Originally Posted by Poke

Direct just has a handful of National HD Channels that Dish does not

That is a pretty big hand I guess. You make it sound so insignificant and meaningless. You minimize it.

In reality, DirecTV is blowing Dish away. Let's all face the facts. It is very discouraging to hear Dish come out and stress only the HD locals. If they said they'd match the national channels of DirecTV AND add all those HD locals, I'd be happy as a pig in sh*t, but they didn't. They stressed the HD locals and that was it.

Some of you act as if they will add a bunch of HD nationals along with the locals, as if it goes without saying. No! It needs to be said. They need to talk about their plans. If they are doing both, say so! Stop the speculation and tell us what's coming.

**Senato** · 11-14-2007 05:13 PM

Originally Posted by Poke

Man folks need to chill people are making a mountain out of a mole hill due to Direct adding more HD which they had to since they been behind Dish for so long. Direct just has a handful of National HD Channels that Dish does not and most of those HD Channels if not show very little HD content. Besides that Dish has the rest and had most of them longer and I think Dish will add the ones they dont have that Direct has. So overall Direct and Dish in the long run will offer about that same amount of HD Channels just like they do SD.

What it will come down to will be price and which one has better hardware like their HDDVR's which I think Dish HDDVR's are better just my 2 cents. In time we will be back to one format all HD no more SD and who has more HD channels wont matter any more. Due to there will only be some many HD channels available so what matters is that we are getting more HD in that more Networks are heading that way. Which is good for everyone.

Forget for a bit what you or I think. Look at the net new sub numbers - an area that DISH led the past few years. They lost big time last quarter, and have already begun to downplay this quarter. There are all the makings of a huge win again for DirecTV. No, that doesn't mean the END of Dish, but it could mean a fairly long downward spiral to catch back up.

Take your blinders off for just a few minutes and look at this objectively.

**MikeD-C05** · 11-14-2007 07:06 PM

Remember that last May during the team summit Charlie promised two new sats launched by this December( not that has been now delayed due to launch site problems) . He promised a relaunch of DISH in full mpeg 4 for all sd channels and upto 200 national hd channels , locals in both sd and upto 100 hd locals markets and all internationals all on ONE 18" sat dish. Now he has said that they will launch 3 new sats next year and add hd locals. So it looks like DISH will do all hd locals as well next year as DIrectv is supposed to do. IF only the sat launch site hadn't suffered so many explosions/delays we would already have two new sats going up next month.

***REMEMBER this though ATT will make a decision on which company it will stay with and most likely BUY, by the end of next month. THis will affect all the above plans by both sat companies. Next year will be a year of change no matter which provider you are with. I personaly am hoping that DISH stays independent and the hell away from ATT grasps. I just can't see a big corporation wanting to work with subs on picture quality issues or even use Echostar type receivers. I think it would be a disasterous step backwards for DISH subs. If it happens I will have to consider breaking the bank and going to Directv fully for all sat needs.

**Stargazer** · 11-14-2007 07:59 PM

If Dish cannot offer HD they will have to offer something else. Perhaps lower prices to compete. You have to compete one way or another by offering what nobody else has or the best price. There will be people out there that would rather save money than have HD while others could care less about HD. That is how Dish might have to get new customers along with existing customers to stay or offer them more channels for the same amount of money. Otherwise Dish will start losing even more subscribers to DirecTv and wont get them back anytime soon as they will be under a longterm contract with them.

**RealityCheck** · 11-14-2007 08:00 PM

With all the BS in the past couple of years regarding the 'promises' that DIRECTV had made - and all the ragging by ECHOSTAR people - the truth is more things promised by good old Chuckie have never happened!

Where should I start?

DISH 500? Superdish? The list is ENDLESS!

And you know what - it's time for his RealityCheck!

**qsoundrich** · 11-14-2007 08:32 PM

DirecTV is getting so many new subs mainly due to their $300 off a new TV promotion, as well as the absolute marketing blitz they have been on. Also 3rd quarter was the start of the NFL season, and you could get Sunday Ticket basically for free as a new sub. That by itself would pull me over to DTV, except that the season is almost over now so it doesn't seem worth much anymore. I see DTV stuff plastered all over at Best Buy, in moving packets from the USPS, in every coupon junk mail I get, and on TV ads. Avg cost to get a new sub less for Dish? No kidding! Still Dish can offer a free HD-DVR. I think the 14 extra channels DTV has don't really sway me much, aside from Speed.