Is this article correct about SD & HD on Dish Network?

[simplexswrhs90]

I noticed a link to this on Dish's website saying they have more HD than DirecTV. I thought it was interesting.




The BRIDGE - October 2009 - How Satellite Stacks Up

[space86]

Interesting.

[simplexswrhs90]

Here's what it says on Dish's website:

DISH Network has more HD than DirecTV!

"A recent article published by The Bridge, an independent source, confirms that DISH Network leads the satellite industry with the most HD channels"

I don't think The Bridge is biased in any way, I'm only reporting what I've read.

[levibluewa]

As of 11-26-09, DISH currently offers the following channels in HD that Directv does not:

BETJ
FASHION TV
HALLMARK MOVIE CHANNEL
LIFETIME
LIFETIME MOVIE NETWORK
LOGO
MAVTV
MSNBC
TRAVEL CHANNEL
WGN AMERICA
WORLD FISHING NETWORK
ENCORE EAST

Directv has the following that DISH does not:

FUEL TV
MLB
SMITHSONIAN
SHOWTIME WEST
SHOWTIME EXTREME

[Scott Greczkowski]

Dont forget about 24 hour RSN's... which is something Dish Network does not have.

[whatchel1]

What happened to the the comparison list of what channels each has?

[priester68]

D* doesn't have Versus HD either.

[Bobby]

Dont forget about 24 hour RSN's... which is something Dish Network does not have.

And I'd really like that along with ESPNU-HD....

[MikeD-C05]

DISH has way more premium hd channels than Directv as well.

[Don Landis]

The real trouble with all these articles as well as just about anyone here who has ever tried to make a list or a statement about who has the most HD channels by count, do so with the proviso of making up their own rules to qualify the accuracy of their count. The article's special rule is a count by "HD Nets" So what the hell constitutes an "HD Net"?

MikeD-C05 just posted his rule of only counting "Premium HD channels" Now what does HE count as a premium channel?
levibluewa makes an interesting but by other posters somewhat inaccurate list of what one does have but the other doesn't. I'm not sure how you could derive any sort of total count from this method or rule for coming up with who has the most, especially if some channels are intentionally left out. Why were they left out? These are rhetorical questions. So, there is no need to define your personal rules.

Why do some want to count part time channels like NFL ST channels that only air a couple hours a week? How about a channel that the system allocates HD bandwidth but the provider offers programming half the time in SD? What about PPV HD channels? What about HD channels that only some of the total population of subscribers are eligible to even pay for? Does an HD channel count if I have been blacked out from seeing it? Or, it's outside of my spot beam?

The reality of all this is you can't accurately state a condition of who has the most if you make up any condition or rule for deriving the count. It just won't apply. But if there are no rules, and we just count a channel if it allocates HD bandwidth at some time during the broadcast week to some people regardless of how many are eligible to receive it as long as the HD technology is in place and allocated for HD, even if for only a couple hours a week. The trouble here is a provider could bounce the channel number around turning off and on different channels in any given week to boost his count for the sake of bragging rights. Still doesn't work, does it?

I think the only truth to all these- 'Who has the most HD' counts that matters is whether the provider offers YOU what YOU want in content. The fact that DirecTV has full games on a Sunday Afternoon that cost $350 a season only matter to those who have it. Never the less, shouldn't these channels have a count in the tally? They sure do matter to those who selected DirecTV on this basis. Fact is, a given count really doesn't matter to anyone except those doing the counting using their own rule set.

So, if quantity really matters to you, then go make up your rules and do your own count.

My rules for HD are quite different-
Which provider gives me the three dozen or so HD channels I like to watch at adequate picture quality so the picture quality doesn't make me address the" HD lite" or compression topic. ( Note- I'm reasonably tolerant on this.) Are there any channels the other provider offers and I don't get from my present provider that is reason enough for me to want to switch? And, I actually do switch.

I really do believe that no one spends his money subscribing to a provider based on who has the most by count as these articles and the members here constantly debate on. Rather, I'd bet most people subscribe on the basis of the rules similar to what I posted as well as a perception of who cost less.

The other decision rule might be the equipment quality and features too. While this is important to me for HD as I like to record, archive, and time shift, many people I know outside the techie crowd, place price over all other criteria and are happy to get a few important channels, regardless of HD or SD.