Pac-12 Network

I just received the official e-mail from Dish advertising that they have the Pac-12 Networks (note the plural). But too few details to do me any good. They said nothing about people living in Pac-12 states (like me) getting it at no additional cost if they have some minimum package (such as Top 200?). They only say you can get it if you buy the Sports Pak for $9/mo. There was no information about any channels other than the national feed. No statement saying if it is in HD and for what fraction of the time. No statement about any possible extension of last week's free preview. So I will wait until tomorrow to see what develops. I do not want to miss the two games Saturday that are on the national feed.
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On more careful examination, I see that it is included for anyone with Top 120 or better. But still no discussion of the regional networks or amount of HD coverage.
Pac12 is available for $9.00/ Quit complaining its your choice.
 
I haven't been paying attention so maybe it's been like this.

413HD has "PAC12HD" for program info tonight, but starting tomorrow it mirrors the SD channel.
 
I saw that this was in Top 120 and higher. I was surprised by that, seeing Big Ten is regional or MSP. What is odd is that Pac-12 is in the MSP as well, but what packages are available that doesn't already have Pac-12 but can still get MSP?
 
The Pac12 network is in the Top 120 if you are in the Pac12 footprint. It's available in the Multi-Sport Package for everyone else.
 
The Pac12 network is in the Top 120 if you are in the Pac12 footprint. It's available in the Multi-Sport Package for everyone else.

I chatted with DISH yesterday with a query about what areas received PAC12 as part of AT120. The example I gave was that Hawaii receives Southern California RSN's as part of our ATxxx packages. My hope was that PAC12 would be considered the same way since I dropped multi-sport a few weeks ago because there were no more PAC12 games on the FOX/Root/Comcast RSN's.

The rep told me I needed multi-sport. I referred to previous Satellite Guys threads that said people were getting 6 months of multi-sport for free. The best they could do for me as an existing customer was 6 months at half price.

My recollection is that the DISH website mentions that the PAC12 free Preview runs through 9/18 so if you're going to sign up for multi-sport, ask for the discount.
 
Hawaii is in the Mountain West Conference, so I wouldn't see why they'd include Pac-12 with that..

Though you could talk to another Dish Rep and say it is called the "Pacific Athletic Conference" and you live in the middle of the Pacific Ocean... put 1 and 1 together! :D
 
If I were you, I'd have waited until the free preview ended to see if, in fact, Hawaii was not part of the footprint. I know, a day late and $32.50 short... ;)
 
Pac12 is available for $9.00/ Quit complaining its your choice.
???
I wasn't complaining. I was merely stating what I could figure out from Dish's incomplete information on the web.

NOW I am complaining. Game-only HD really stinks. Based on my past experience, it also has the potential to screw up manual timers. More than once in the past, when recording Fox Sports West or Prime Ticket, I set up to record HD and got hours of a splash screen because Dish chose to show the game in SD. I hate to record SD if HD is available. But I was never able to figure out in advance whether or not a game on FSW or PT was available in HD. When setting up manual timers, both FSW and PT appear twice in the channel list, both with the same channel number, but one labeled HD and one not. Either you have to pick the unlabeled (SD) channel, or you take a gamble that you might get nothing. Now, the Pac-12 network only appears once in the channel list, and it is NOT labeled HD. If I record that channel I fear I will get SD even though everyone seems to believe that this weekend's games will be available in HD. Maybe an HD channel will show up today some time and I can set my timers in peace.
 
307758_10151203410705851_493656877_n.jpg
http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/307758_10151203410705851_493656877_n.jpg

Above you will notice Dish's facebook cover photo.
You will also notice that Dish is proud to carry it in America's Top 200 Plus and higher packages. *smh*
 
???
I wasn't complaining. I was merely stating what I could figure out from Dish's incomplete information on the web.

NOW I am complaining. Game-only HD really stinks. Based on my past experience, it also has the potential to screw up manual timers. More than once in the past, when recording Fox Sports West or Prime Ticket, I set up to record HD and got hours of a splash screen because Dish chose to show the game in SD. I hate to record SD if HD is available. But I was never able to figure out in advance whether or not a game on FSW or PT was available in HD. When setting up manual timers, both FSW and PT appear twice in the channel list, both with the same channel number, but one labeled HD and one not. Either you have to pick the unlabeled (SD) channel, or you take a gamble that you might get nothing. Now, the Pac-12 network only appears once in the channel list, and it is NOT labeled HD. If I record that channel I fear I will get SD even though everyone seems to believe that this weekend's games will be available in HD. Maybe an HD channel will show up today some time and I can set my timers in peace.

Using the receiver to find the games in HD is very hit or miss.This week I used the game finder on Dish's web page.Then I set my timers.It's much more reliable.
 
So can any of you experts give me the quick 411 on why Dish would chose to run a full time SD channel and a part time HD channel? I know they do that for Root Sports too. My first guess is that it is a bandwidth issue? Pac-12 only broadcasts in HD, so the SD signal is just a downgraded HD signal. Why not just broadcast it it HD, and let the few remaining SD customers watch the letter boxed HD channel?