DISH NETWORK® UNVEILS BIGGEST HIGH DEFINITION UPGRADE IN TV HISTORY

[sampatterson]

component cables are only capable of analog up to 1080i

Component can carry 1080p 50/60 fine. Some TVs/component switches/equipment can't handle it correctly.

[mlb]

Let me play devil's advocate on the 150 channels by end of year. Where in the world are they getting the capacity to do this?

I'm thinking the same thing... from everything Scott has told us about how filled the main satellites are (61.5, 129, 119, 110) I'm confused as to where room for this many more HD channels are coming from. I'm also confused as to where they suddenly came up with 114 channels of HD beginning tomorrow.

The numbers don't seem to add up.

[Islandguy43]

The lack of New York stuff was what made me get D* instead of E*. In retrospect I'm happy I made the decision for other reasons that weren't apparent to me at the time, but I got it for my mom since we couldn't get SNY and lost MSG with Cox, and with Dish we'd have to lose YES to get SNY, so we went with D* to get both. Lack of YES will forever be a thorn in E*'s side, even beyond just the NY market.

To top it off; earlier this year the yanks were on tbs and when I went to view it, I got you are being blacked out and not allowed to view it message. Its almost like, hey if you want the NY channels, go somewhere else because we don't care. I will give them until the end of september to make a commitment that the sabres at the very least in HD. If not I will jump on the D* for the free hd dvr with nfl st and the aaa extra $10 off a month and learn to like D* dvrs.

[mlb]

Islandguy, you can't blame Dish for that. It is part of the Major League Baseball blackout rules. I assure you that Dish would love to be able to show you the game on TBS.

[Don Landis]

In answer to the technical question on "1080p over component" --
While there is no specification for this, last I knew, it is technically possible to do. It is restricted by license on movies, however and must be output over analog at 1080i. Other content such as games can be output at 1080p x1920 over analog. ( xbox360 and PS3) From a design viewpoint, 1080p30 or 60 x 1920 is best done using all digital as the conversion from digital program source to analog and then back to digital would introduce artifacting that may mull the quality harming the picture integrity of the original content. In otherwords, just being able to use component cabling designed to transport the signal does not mean the signal will be digital accurate. Additionally, there are other factors not entirely related to the component issue but more so the content original. This is the frame rate. While video to video can be accurately done at 60 fps, film is still originally done at 24fps. So the movies would still be best transported and displayed at 24 fps, not 60. The purest accuracy is to use digital on movies at 1080p24 x 1920 over hdmi.



As for the news, it just keeps getting better and better. Made the upgrade to 1080p last year well worth the investment.

I have bluray, HDDVD set top players, XBOX360 with HD DVD player and 92" wide 1080p 60, 24 x 1920 display system with 5x1 HDMI switching. VIP 622 with 2.5 Tb storage. I think I'm ready!

[120inna55]

...Although, I expect most won't really be able to tell much of a difference. The allusion that the DISH PPV "I Am Legend" and the Blu-ray version will be of similar quality is a nice spin, but I doubt it...I just imagine that it will not be as earth-shattering as some current HD customers expect.

Curious as to what "Earth Shattering" news would have to be? 10,000 HD channels for FREE?

My comment was with regards to 1080i/720p as compared to 1080p via satellite. I simply meant that while some will notice a difference (those with larger 1080p native sets), others will probably see only a marginal difference if any at all.

Again, my comment wasn't intended to downplay the announcement. I am quite excited about the ability to set my receiver to 1080p (especially since I have a 62" 1080p TV)

[dmendenjr]

Let me play devil's advocate on the 150 channels by end of year. Where in the world are they getting the capacity to do this?

It said this in the press release:

DISH Network now offers up to 114 national HD channels and plans to expand that line-up to 150 channels by the end of 2008, made possible by the recent launch of Echo XI, the most powerful satellite in the company’s fleet.

Does this mean the additional 36 HD Channels will be CONUS since E11 is set for 110? I don't see how that will help the arch plans; unless they are moving more of what is not HD on 61.5 off of it and on to 110...

I'm also confused as to where they suddenly came up with 114 channels of HD beginning tomorrow.
The numbers don't seem to add up.

Good question: If you add up the nationals (45), premiums(19), part time RSNs & Big Ten & Mav TV (27), Big Ten Alts(5), PPVs(6), and 4 locals in a market (if you are so fortunate) plus the two NBC HD olympic channels and you get 108... still missing 6.

[Islandguy43]

Islandguy, you can't blame Dish for that. It is part of the Major League Baseball blackout rules. I assure you that Dish would love to be able to show you the game on TBS.

According to MLB I live in the Yankees Territory and should have been able to watch that game, just not on tbs. Since Dish doesn't carry YES, and they are the priority broadcaster the Yankees Territory, I was blacked out on all fronts.

[mlb]

I understand, Islandguy. But your statement basically said Dish wouldn't show it to you on TBS where they had no option.

Obviously they don't have YES, you knew they didn't have YES when you ordered Dish, so complaining about it now doesn't make any sense.

[FitzAusTex]

Does this mean the additional 36 HD Channels will be CONUS since E11 is set for 110? I don't see how that will help the arch plans; unless they are moving more of what is not HD on 61.5 off of it and on to 110...

That's what it sounds like in the announcement. I'm glad to get more HD channels, but how on Earth does E* go from having 100 HD channels on 8/1/08 to already having 114 on 7/31/08? Where did this 114 number come from? I checked my guide this morning, and I don't see any new channels...

Guess it's going to be easy to hit 150, when we already have 114...