Charlie Chat Recap 3-09-09

The problem with TCM going high def (and I think the reason they havn't yet) is the studios have not made high def transfers of 80% of the movies they own in their catalog yet. ....

I know, and TCM has made it clear that they have no interest going HD in the near future. I was just using it as an example to try to make a point. Subscribers are requesting popular channels that carry plenty of HD content, and Dish just goes ahead and adds more channels that are less popular and carry a relatively limited amount of HD content.

I guess in regards to everything else, I have to disagree. I have been happy with what Dish has been offering, they are even adding my locals in HD for Duluth, Minnesota this month, I am very content now. Considering where they were 8-9 months ago, I think Charlie has made leaps and bounds and deserves SOME credit.

The existing lineup of HD channels is very good. For the company to remain competitive however, it needs to be improved. Also, while the lineup is good, how bandwidth is allocated to each of the HD channels is not. This is probably why I'm getting so fired up about the group of Viacom channels being added. Your locals will be on a spotbeam I'm sure, and those seem to be given the amount of bandwidth they need. National channels are a different story. The way Dish handles their HD channels, less bandwidth is generally given to channels that air mostly real HD programming, and more bandwidth is given to channels that air mostly upscaled SD programming. By adding a bunch of new channels that are mostly upscaled SD, those new channels with further eat away at bandwidth needed by channels airing lots of real HD programming. At a minimum, they should be grouping all of the mostly-SD HD channels together on the satellite transponders so that they can't interfere with the mostly-HD HD channels. It would be a very simple change to make, but they just aren't thinking straight these days, so until they are there is probably going to be an increase in complaints about picture quality on national HD channels.


All negativeness aside, glad you'll have your HD locals at last. They're definitely much easier to get via satellite than OTA. :)
 
This was a pretty good Chat.

I like CMT and my grand-daughter will like Nick. I would like TMC in HD, those old black and white classics in HD would be spectacular. I've got Showtime too.

Too bad Speed and FX didn't make the list, Charlie's comment was that their current contract runs out this summer (?) and they're "negotiating." I love that NASCAR allstar race, the guys let it all hang out with no points at stake, just money and glory.

CONGRATS Mr. GREEN! I wondered if that was you when I heard the name read by Jim. We'll be "green" with envy.:)

Best regards,
Fitzie
Thanks!:D
 
I would like TMC in HD, those old black and white classics in HD would be spectacular. I've got Showtime too.

TMC (The Movie Channel) will be in HD, but it sounds like you're thinking of TCM (Turner Classic Movies) except for the Showtime part.

I would definitely take TCM HD over TMC HD any day. Won't be happening any time soon, but I'd take it very happily. I'm sure TMC will have some good programming in HD, but not any B&W classics. :)
 
laddyboy asked "Why does a contract have to expire before a new one can be struck?"

It probably doesn't, but Dish may be having difficulties coming to terms on adding SpeedHD and FX-HD as add-ons to the current contract. Dish may be paying hefty fees for Speed and FX in SD already, and feels it will be cheaper in the long run to just wait. It's possible the owners of the Speed and FX signals may just price themselves right off of Dish Network. That's apparently what happened with Smithsonian, based on Charlie's comment in the Chat, and is also happening with the Fisher group of channels. We'll just have to hope that doesn't happen (those of us that care one way or the other).
 
Now that Dish has a new deal with Viacom, does anyone thing NickGas will finally be shut down and the n/noggin will be split once and for all?
 
TMC (The Movie Channel) will be in HD, but it sounds like you're thinking of TCM (Turner Classic Movies) except for the Showtime part.

I would definitely take TCM HD over TMC HD any day. Won't be happening any time soon, but I'd take it very happily. I'm sure TMC will have some good programming in HD, but not any B&W classics. :)

Yes, good catch! I was definitely thinking of Turner Classic Movies, I'm a long-time fan of that channel. I'm also glad to have TMC-HD, but I watch more TCM than TMC. I mentioned Showtime because I'm a big fan of "Dexter," and the picture quality on Showtime is usually excellent.

(I edited my previous post to make the correction.)

Regards,
Fitzie
 
It's possible the owners of the Speed and FX signals may just price themselves right off of Dish Network.
24 was absolutely great tonight. Oh... the Chuckles Chat which I DVR'd took me 10 minutes to get through it... With no FX or SPEED on the horizon for god knows how long the rest is crap to me. Thanks Charles... what would Jack Bauer do..:rolleyes:
 
dfergie - In your list of "More HD Local Markets Coming Soon", you are missing Ft. Smith, AR.

Interesting thing about them too is that one of the guys in engineering at the local station said they were being told mid March by Dish. So who knows? I know what I'm rooting for!!!

Thanks for the recap!
 
Umm, how much of the content on those channels is actually HD or even widescreen for that matter? FX, Speed, MoreMax, etc. from previous promised channel lists are well worth the bandwidth they'll consume since they air a good amount of HD programming. These announced Viacom channels do nothing for me or many other people based on the feedback I'm seeing here.
Why not tell Viacom to go screw with their fake HD channels so the channels people actually want can be picked up instead? DIRECTV at least seems to be able to pick and choose the channels they want from Viacom. Ugh. Just more upscaled SD junk to inflate the total number of "HD" channels.
NickHD-- Very little
ComedyCentralHD-- Some
MTVHD-- Very little
VH1HD-- none I have spotted
CMTHD-- none I have spotted
BETHD
SpikeHD-- quite a bit

But keep in mind the SD on these channels beats their compressed counterparts...

I was wondering about this one myself... I hope that Dfergie posts this audio clip so I can decode it better.
Hopefully I got it all ;)
 
Charlie said "The 922 is a little bit more expensive so its obviously not for everyone". I wish they would have been more specific about cost. I hope it will be somehow included in a package for new subscribers or current subs with a commitment extension.

at CES we were told about like the first generation HD Dvr (the 921) $900 or so...
 
dfergie - In your list of "More HD Local Markets Coming Soon", you are missing Ft. Smith, AR.

Interesting thing about them too is that one of the guys in engineering at the local station said they were being told mid March by Dish. So who knows? I know what I'm rooting for!!!

Thanks for the recap!
Your Welcome :)Got it and fixed Chico (right hand 1 key off base on that);)
 
THANK YOU CHARLIE YOU MADE MY DAY (and made my year). Duluth, Minnesota locals in HD....YES!!!!!!!!! I couldn't be happier:). Too bad it was less than 2 weeks after the Academy Awards but I am too happy to worry about it.

I couldn't agree with you more! I hope its all of the locals but I would be happy if we at least got CBS. Their transmitter sucks, only 25% power. I can see the antenna from my window and still get marginal quality.
 
I was very..very disappointed that BETJ-HD will only be on PlatinumHD. :(
I was looking forward to this channel since I had it when I was on Comcast SD along time ago. I may still get it when I switch to all HD in the future.

Did they say what package ShowcaseHD would be on or is it a premium channel? Basically March 11th is no new HD for me if this is the case.

I'm still waiting for AMC-HD, FX-HD, and IFC-HD, along with TCM-HD in the future when it becomes available, before I go all HD and drop the SD.
My daugther is going to love NickHD and finally the addition of Spike-HD is great, so that is two good thing.


Upcoming National HD Channels!
Coming March 11th
The Movie Channel HD
BET JazzHD (PlatinumHD Package)
ShowcaseHD
Showtime2 HD


More Upcoming National HD Channels!
By April 1st

NickHD
ComedyCentralHD
MTVHD
VH1HD
CMTHD
BETHD
SpikeHD
 
Did everyone ignore charlies drugged out description of how to watch MLB TV on your VIP receiver by going on the internet? Is there going to be a vip web browser in the future? Sorry to bring this up again but non one was talking about it and i love baseball.
 
Why does a contract have to expire before a new one can be struck? Why would the Fox News and Fox Business contracts have a different expiration date than the others. How come all the contracts for Viacom apparently were negotiated at the same time and not Fox? Just questions. If the new HD isn't added to the Turbo packs, it'll get hot around here. :)
Thats called a lawsuit not a contract ;):D
 
I know, and TCM has made it clear that they have no interest going HD in the near future. I was just using it as an example to try to make a point. Subscribers are requesting popular channels that carry plenty of HD content, and Dish just goes ahead and adds more channels that are less popular and carry a relatively limited amount of HD content.

TCM announced an HD channel a year ago
 
Does anyone know what has to happen for HD locales to be turned on? I am in the Davenport Iowa DMA which was listed on the Dish site as coming soon then it was listed as late spring now it has dropped off the list all together.

I am with you ... it was announced with 5 other markets at the end of 2008. Since all these smaller markets are coming on and we have not even made the coming soon list. The Quad Cities has been up here for quite awhile now on Direct TV. What happened? :mad:
 

110 119 129 What are good readings?

use 622 dvr for OTA

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Total: 0, Members: 0, Guests: 0)

Who Read This Thread (Total Members: 1)

Latest posts