Center Ice HD

[Islandguy43]

I ordered CI last week since losing Expressvu with the new Nimiq 4 footprint, and DISH haven't shown any of the Leafs games in HD, except for the Saturday HNIC games. I wish I knew before I ordered that they didn't carry all the games in HD. I should have checked here that most of the games from Canada aren't in HD, now I am really pissed.

I should have just got Starchoice instead. I figured the $160 CI was cheaper than a year of programming, since I only had for the hockey anyway. But after years of just HD, it is unbearable to watch it any other way.

I've emailed Dish to see if I can cancel, but I'm sure I'm stuck.

Hmmm...If I recall their openner at Detroit was in HD on VS. I doubt you will get a leafstv, tsn, or rogers hd version, unless it is shown on the NHL Network, and I am positive a years programing on StarChoice would cost you 5 times for what you paid for nhlci on Dish.

[grb]

People in the Buffalo Area have their Sport Channel Blues right now. People with TMC can get the sabres home games in HD, but can't watch cbs sunday football, which usually has the Bills Games every week. People with dish can't get the Sabres games in HD on MSG.

Oh well, atleast Tuesday game on VS will be in HD for us.

Yeah, and Sabres won!

It wasn't pretty, though...

[grb]

Did anyone notice the difference in HD PQ between the San Jose feed and the Pittsburgh feed for the game at San Jose 10/28/08?

The San Jose feed had a clear crisp picture with brilliant color -- similar to the type of WOW factor experienced in the past on some of the Voom channels. The Pittsburgh feed, however was kind of bland and compared to a standard DVD quality picture.

I wanted to hear the Pittsburgh play by play but I couldn't turn off the San Jose feed -- it was that much better.

I'm assuming the difference was compression unless it was a 720p (FSN) vs. a 1080i quality picture.

[hockeyinsd]

CENTER ICE HD COMPARISON 08-09.xlsJust in case anyone is interested, here is my comparison of DISH vs. DIRECTV vs. INDEMAND (cable). It is through 10/31.

I have attached my excel spread sheet.

The long and short is (through 10/31/08):
72 - Dish Network
99 - DirecTV
27 - InDemand (cable)

btw - my comparison does not include duplicates --- if the game is in HD for both home and away feeds I count it as one game.

[AdamGott]

My biggest complaint is that of others - why they show both HD feeds of some games and none of others is beyond my capacity to figure it out.

This is the first year that I have purchased CI and I am enjoying it. I lost access to the Avalanche games on the HD only package and, due to my 'move' to Salt Lake City, I can now enjoy all of their games on NHL CI (except when they play the Coyotes I guess).

It is kind of fun to scan the channels every night and catch the last bits of a few games too!

[grb]

CENTER ICE HD COMPARISON 08-09.xlsJust in case anyone is interested, here is my comparison of DISH vs. DIRECTV vs. INDEMAND (cable). It is through 10/31.

I have attached my excel spread sheet.

The long and short is (through 10/31/08):
72 - Dish Network
99 - DirecTV
27 - InDemand (cable)

btw - my comparison does not include duplicates --- if the game is in HD for both home and away feeds I count it as one game.

What is "not in HD -- upconverted"? Does Direct show SD games in stretch-o-vision?

Obviously Direct has a superior package -- at the same price. I stayed with Dish for the current "HD Only" package (or whatever they call it now). It wasn't worth switching (at this time). If Direct offers HD packages similar to Dish (in cost and qualty), I will make the move after this hockey season, assuming Charlie still isn't up to speed on the RSN HD broadcast contracts...

[hockeyinsd]

What is "not in HD -- upconverted"? Does Direct show SD games in stretch-o-vision?

Obviously Direct has a superior package -- at the same price. I stayed with Dish for the current "HD Only" package (or whatever they call it now). It wasn't worth switching (at this time). If Direct offers HD packages similar to Dish (in cost and qualty), I will make the move after this hockey season, assuming Charlie still isn't up to speed on the RSN HD broadcast contracts...

"not in HD -- upconverted" is when the game is shown on the HD channel, but is 4:3 SD. Most of the time it is the Kings or Ducks games that they list as being on the HD channel, but when you tune to it it is the pillarboxed SD feed. My neighbors have Directv and CI and I occasionally go over to see what the story is.

Heres is the latest through next Friday:
DirecTV: 153
Dish: 122
Cable: 50

Dish is pretty close, and given the fact that I can't stand Directv's DVR, I'll probably stay with Dish for next season. Now I just need more Kings games in HD and I'll be happy!