Sci-Fi HD...when can we watch?

[bkushner]

I just got an email from CEO@DISHNETWORK after sending it three times about scifi HD.

Email said there is no current time frame to add SCIFI HD and that more channels would be coming Spring 2008. Ouch!

 

[tigerfan33]

I just got an email from CEO@DISHNETWORK after sending it three times about scifi HD.

Email said there is no current time frame to add SCIFI HD and that more channels would be coming Spring 2008. Ouch!

Ouch is right.

 

[Mojo]

[

My crystalball tells me 2nd quarter of 2008

 

[Spaz]

Spring of 2008.... WTF! So much for adding channels as they come available like they originally said.

 

[darrencp22]

Spring of 2008.... WTF! So much for adding channels as they come available like they originally said.

Spring of 08 is not good enough.

 

[MikeD-C05]

IT comes down to a couple of things. DO you want more hd channels right now ,even if they don't always show any hd? IF so go to DIRECTV. IF you want the best hd dvrs out there in the market complete with the ability to use endless external hard drives to archive and create a dvr library- you stay with DISH.

My decision was easy . I am staying with DISH. AFter having hd for over 4 years now the WOW factor has gone for me anyway. It is nice to have all channels in hd but I can wait. AFter all I am waiting till they settle the Blu-ray,HD dvd fight before I will invest in ANY high def dvd player. Until then I am using my upconverting dvd player . It looks very good to me.

Remember this also: DISH has been the hd leader for the industry for about 2 years and up until October they still were. DIRECTV subs waited for almost 2 years to get any ANY new hd channels added. I think that DISH subs can wait till next spring when you consider how long the DIRECTV subs waited for the PRomise of new hd.

THat being said If I see no efforts to add any hd channels at all next year by Spring I will make the decision that is best for my family. Loyalty goes so far and then common sense takes over. I would hate to leave DISH after 11 years with them but the main reason I stayed with them was low prices and the best high tech options out there. Hd channels are part of that cutting edge technology that I want. DISH should add at least Sci-Fi , Usa, FX in hd soon . THey have the room now if they shuffle some channels on the transponders , and add newer mpeg4 encoders that will allow upto 6 hd channels rather than 4 today. I expect to see some of these channels announced at CES and turned on soon after that. I think that most people would quit whining about hd if these 3 channels were turned on by next month. THen the wait of a couple of more months will bring more hd channels . IF CHarlie is correct about what he said last May , we will see 200 national hd channels, 100 dmas in hd, all existing sd and hd programming and international channels all received on one 18 inch sat dish.

Next year will be the year for DISH to reclaim their hd title. I can wait for more hd , after all it is just tv. If you can't wait there are options out there right now. But remember the grass isn't always as green as you think.

 

[Rangers484]

Next year will be the year for DISH to reclaim their hd title. I can wait for more hd , after all it is just tv. If you can't wait there are options out there right now. But remember the grass isn't always as green as you think.

You must not be watching their advertising. Dish is the HD Leader.

Please pass the Kool-Aid, thanks.

 

[rad]

Mike, the HR20/HR21's can add tons of external storage, in the multiple gigabyte range and you can swap drives so D* also has the ability to use endless external hard drives.

As for programming, even if E* does get the new satellites up there who says that they'll provide the same amount of programming that D* has now? It shouldn't have been a surprise to Charlie that a bunch of new channels that customers would want, like FX, Sci-Fi, USA would be coming online in the fall, why aren't those channels available to E* subs now? E* had the capacity to add them when they first went online but what was his response, HD PPV channels. D* has shown that they will go the extra mile to get channels that their customers want. Nobody thought that D* would get MSG HD but it's there. Folks have asked for PBS HD channels, D* and PBS come to an agreement, where does E* stand, from DirecTV to Carry Public TV Stations in HD - 12/19/2007 2:27:00 PM - Multichannel News

"Last month, at the Future of TV conference in New York, Lawson noted that APTS was in discussions with DirecTV about carriage of public television stations’ digital TV signals. However, he added, “We’re really nowhere with EchoStar [Communications]. This is a case where the marketplace is failing, and we’re hoping Congress and the FCC will step in.”

EchoStar spokesman Parker McConachie declined to comment. The company operates the Dish Network direct-broadcast satellite service."

So yes, D* folks waited 2 years for the plan to come together so either go with the company that has what they said now or hope that one with a history of combative relationships with content providers that may or may not add channels, your choice.

 

[nlk10010]

Basically (I'm in the same boat) don't keep beating yourself up about Charlie's lack of interest in our plight.

With the disclaimer that some people are locked into contracts with E*, there are of course costs involved and (the big one) D*'s dish is a monster, don't wait for someone else to get you the HD you want. YOU have the power to do it and you'll feel MUCH better about things in general and yourself in particular if you simply pick up and switch to D*. It's not like DirecTV is a closed-end fund and you waited too long to get in.

I'm not a therapist (nor do I play one on TV) but use the power you have to get the HD you want. On top of that you'll send Charlie an (albeit small) message.

=NLK=

 

[Super Dave]

Right now I am happy with Dish's offerings, the only channels I would like added is SciFiHD and FXHD, but I have plenty now and not much free time anyway. The only way I could see switching at this point is if DTV made it possible for dual tuner use with one coax feed, like Dish.

 

[db2]

I expect to see some of these channels announced at CES and turned on soon after that.

Be prepared for a disappointment. Last year most people, including Scott, said they fully expected E* to turn on the HD RSN's at CES last year and we all know how that turned out...

Prediction for CES 2008:

Cable Customer: I got more free HD movies on demand!!

DirecTV Customer: I got more HD channels!!

Dish Customer: I got a rock.

 

[cosmo_kramer]

I don't think we're even getting a rock. But if we do, it will be an SD one....

 

[emathis]

I don't think we're even getting a rock. But if we do, it will be an SD one....

and they will be sued by a rock company for patent infringement.

 

[db2]

and they will be sued by a rock company for patent infringement.

LOL :haha

Come to think of it I'd like to see Chuck negotiate with a rock. He may finally meet his match.

 

[gjh3260]

My opinion is that Dish will give us an HD channel or two sometime in January to soften the blow of the price increase in February.

 

[Stacy A]

What? They don't say "You're one of our best customers" anymore. I'm not calling them again.

Well, I was disappointed when I found out they said that to everyone, but I didn't feel too bad for long because I knew when they said it to me, it was the truth.

 

[Widescreen]

At this stage, I don't think Dish would be wise to give their customers rocks.

 

[nlk10010]

At this stage, I don't think Dish would be wise to give their customers rocks.

Naah, they'll probably uplink a couple and keep us dangling.

 

[goober]

I have heard nothing new since Wednesday. But I am still confident we could see it this afternoon.

If for some reason it does not come on today then it will not be flipped on until Wednesday, however again, all signs point to it launching today before Mondays Charlie Chat.

wellll how about an update!!!

 

[flyingsquirrel]

To paraphrase Al Sleet, the Hippy Dippy Weatherman:

"If you don't like the weather, MOVE."

Dish is CAPACITY CONSTRAINED. Dish will be CAPACITY CONSTRAINED until one of two things happens:

They get new satellites launched (not until at least April)

--OR--

They figure out how to upgrade the millions of existing MPEG 2 receivers through software so that they can decode MPEG 4 SD signals (could that be why there are so many SD mpeg 4 channels on the west coast sat? Hmm.)

Until one of those two things happens, you are stuck with today's lineup with the POSSIBLE addition of USA and SCI-FI and the Likely addition of SPEED in February.

But THAT IS IT until one of the above happens. I am hearing BAD THINGS about getting a satellite launched. Dish is in the unfortunate position of having two perfectly good Satellites, which they paid millions each for, sitting in Garages somewhere, and likely to stay there for some time. The first one might not be launched until JUNE.

SOOOO, If you want more National HD channels than Dish provides today, move to Directv. If you are happy with Dish, console yourself with the knowledge that at least you don't have CABLE. Our local Cable company is just now adding the Discovery Channel in HD. They don't have NFL, NBA, NHL, Big Ten, HGTV, Food, AE, History, TLC, ESPN2, NatGeo, Science, Universal, MHD.

They do have Versus, which should tell you which Cable company it is.