Dish HD Channels and 4k liner Channels

I agree the OP is probably better off staying with DirecTV. He can always change providers at any time he chooses, just so long as he does not have DirecTV replace any of his malfunctioning equipment because DirecTV re-commits that subscriber to another 2 years without telling that subscriber-----OH, WAIT! They stopped doing that, right, because the FTC is suing DirecTV for that and other such deceptive practices that include failure to disclose and misleading what the "regular" price would be after the FIRST year of a 2 year agreement but misleading people to think the discounted price was for TWO years (my neighbors were victims of that and were PO'd--the whole point of Dish's "2 Year Price Lock" and the new "3 Year Price Lock") and MORE offenses.

I would rather deal with an unsolicited phone call from a Dish contractor than have those COSTLY, life in hell things above done to me by DirecTV or Cable Co ANY DAY! Not even a comparison. Also, there is the possibility that Dish may have not known the 3rd party contractors were violating the DNC list. That will be dertermained by trial, if Dish does 't settle before the judge issues their ruling. DirecTV CLEARLY in FULL control, DELIBERATELY did what they did, and KNEW EXACTLY WHAT THEY WERE DOING. It was DirecTV policy created by and carried out by DirecTV with no other parties involved. Far worse than a DNC list violation, but, certainly, punishment is proper for any DNC list violation, but it won't be anything close to $25 billion.

Personally, I think Dish, the Feds and the state A'sG are still hammering out some settlement, and I think ALL parties prefer a settlement to going through the whole trial.
 
For the OP:
For it's HD channels, DirecTV uses Ka band satellites that were reserved for satellite Internet via satellite services, such as those used by Dish for it's Internet via Sat services. While still under construction, DirecTV changed it strategy from offering Internet to offering HD channels (because just the week earlier, Dish announce they were abandoning internet service to provide the most HD channels), so those Spaceway birds (sats) were modified somewhat to handle live streaming TV channels more robustly. The Ka band for sat internet has more bandwidth per transponder than the Ku band DBS birds that DirecTV uses for its SD service and that Dish uses for all but its International services. The Ka band is what gives DirecTV more bandwidth for HD, or at least it did because now that Dish has completed its 8PSK implementation for SD channels, the situation could have changed.

However, the Ka band is more susceptible to rain fade than Ku DBS. I have heard several complaints from DirecTV subscribers who live in areas where they can get fairly strong and frequent rains. In my area, it is not an issue, so DirecTV makes a fine alternative.

As stated, the satellite is merely a TRANSPONDER, like a "repeater" and just uses RF to receive and then transmit data back down to earth, and that data is just data, it matters not if it is SD, HD or 4K, so, again, there is no such thing as a satellite that TECHNICALLY is limited to any format of video or audio. In the DBS industry, as a rule, capacity has more to do with the software (compression, modulation scheme, etc.) NOT the hardware on the satellite so much, but sometimes vital in the box at home. The number of transponders for DBS has not changed for decades (since day one, I believe).

However, the one exception to this I can think of, is that for DBS (or other industries that use satellites) the one way hardware (the satellite) can affect capacity is the number of spot beams a single satellite can beam to earth, but spotbeams for DBS are used to increase the capacity for LOCAL STATIONS (although Dish uses spotbeams for all channels for Alaska and Hawaii), not the national channels such as those you prefer in HD when considering Dish. The beauty of spotbeams is that it requires no different hardware at the receiver box at home.

Best of luck to your choice of TV provider.
 
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Since I have a 4k Tv I want to get ready. I think the Hopper 3 is better then the Genie. I just dont know alot about Dish. I know Directv launched a new Sat and it is supposed to give them more capacity. Dish is maxed out until they get something else up. When was the last time Dish added an HD channel? Also I am worried that they launched a 4k box and did not say anything about getting 1 liner channel.
 
Since I have a 4k Tv I want to get ready. I think the Hopper 3 is better then the Genie. I just dont know alot about Dish. I know Directv launched a new Sat and it is supposed to give them more capacity. Dish is maxed out until they get something else up. When was the last time Dish added an HD channel? Also I am worried that they launched a 4k box and did not say anything about getting 1 liner channel.

Dish added Smithsonian HD recently. Charlie Ergen has never, ever been caught not ready for the next innovation. I'm sure they know what they're doing and they're ready.
 
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Since I have a 4k Tv I want to get ready. I think the Hopper 3 is better then the Genie. I just dont know alot about Dish. I know Directv launched a new Sat and it is supposed to give them more capacity. Dish is maxed out until they get something else up. When was the last time Dish added an HD channel? Also I am worried that they launched a 4k box and did not say anything about getting 1 liner channel.
Right now all providers are going to be 4K on demand(Netflix will have 4K as well through the Hopper). ESPN is suppose to launch early this ear and that would likely be when we have more info.
 
Ok so should I switch? I really like the hopper 3 with Sling. I just wish that more channels were HD. Directv Genie Gui is getting old. Plus I hate their Genie plus Mini setup setup to get 4k.
 
Ok so should I switch? I really like the hopper 3 with Sling. I just wish that more channels were HD. Directv Genie Gui is getting old. Plus I hate their Genie plus Mini setup setup to get 4k.
Well, what do you watch in HD that Dish does not have? If there are any must have's don't switch, otherwise go for it.
 
If you are going to switch, You should definitely do it once the H3 is officially released, Because you will also get a 3 Years price lock.
And Dish is way better at giving 50% off premiums .
And At $10 for HBO offer, Plus $10 Cinemax and Starz.
Directv is way more expensive on their premiums.
 
If you are going to switch, You should definitely do it once the H3 is officially released, Because you will also get a 3 Years price lock.
And Dish is way better at giving 50% off premiums .
And At $10 for HBO offer, Plus $10 Cinemax and Starz.
Directv is way more expensive on their premiums.

Called Dish. The sales rep will call me tomorrow morning to make an appointment. I told him I only want a Hopper 3. So he will order on the 28th since it should be in the system then.
 
Called Dish. The sales rep will call me tomorrow morning to make an appointment. I told him I only want a Hopper 3. So he will order on the 28th since it should be in the system then.

So, you got them to start carrying your favorite channels in HD? You got the power.
 
Called Dish. The sales rep will call me tomorrow morning to make an appointment. I told him I only want a Hopper 3. So he will order on the 28th since it should be in the system then.

I wouldn't do anything until the Hopper 3 is actually released. There has not been an official date yet. If you are worried about HD channels just make sure the ones you watch are in Hd and don't worry about the rest. It's really not a big deal. The quality of products and the features they have far outweigh most HD channels.
 
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I think it's supposed to be linear. Linear channels broadcast all the time on a regular schedule, kind of the opposite of On Demand. :)
Thanks, that makes sense now. A liner goes in my garbage can. A linear is a 'reg' channel which is, or can be a 4k channel.

Some day I may need to buy a new TV and it will probably be an ultra 4k model. Til then I'll only use the liners in my garbage can.:bday
 
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Question on 4k. Will 4k be like Directv and use more then on tuner?
Thanks, that makes sense now. A liner goes in my garbage can. A linear is a 'reg' channel which is, or can be a 4k channel.

Some day I may need to buy a new TV and it will probably be an ultra 4k model. Til then I'll only use the liners in my garbage can.:bday

Lol I didnt even catch that, dang spell check on my Note 5.
 

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