The HD Absolute "Missing" SD Channels - anyone know why?

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FitzAusTex

FitzAusTex

SatelliteGuys Pro
Original poster
Jan 3, 2007
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Austin, TX
HD Absolute does not have the following SD channels authorized. Anyone know why? Did E* fall asleep at the wheel on these, like they did for a few days to a week with CNN, SciFi, etc?

Or is this intentional?

No real rhyme/reason to this list, as other ABC and NBCUni SD channels are authorized for Absolute. Strange that only 7 are not authorized...

Bravo
ESPN News
Disney East
Toon Disney
ABC Family
CNBC
WGN America
 
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ripnbigc said:
Every other channel that has both HD and an Sd counterpart are included. Don't know why though, why would you watch an sd channel when there's an Hd one?
Click to expand...

I can tell you why. If you have a 622 or 722 hooked up in Dual mode for kids TV's then you would want the SD version because if you only have the HD version in dual mode it will be streched on a 16X9 Tv. My daughter has a 26 inch LCD in her room and in dual mode it is ok w/ SD but with HD it is streched. If you have it in single mode then it looks fine but then my daughter cant use her TV independent of the other one.
 
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ripnbigc said:
Every other channel that has both HD and an Sd counterpart are included. Don't know why though, why would you watch an sd channel when there's an Hd one?
Click to expand...
Mainly just curious, but the SD versions are ok for the small 4:3 TVs I have in my house that are fed via TV2 from my 622s. SD is actually preferable on my 15" 4:3 TVs, as the HD letterbox is a bit too small to see on these tiny TVs, and the SD versions do a better job of cropping than setting the format button to 'Normal' on the HD version.

Still just wondering why these 7 channels don't have an SD version available in HD Absolute, and all the others do.
 
jmjunkin said:
I can tell you why. If you have a 622 or 722 hooked up in Dual mode for kids TV's then you would want the SD version because if you only have the HD version in dual mode it will be strched on a 16X9 Tv. My daughter has a 26 inch LCD in her room and in dual mode it is ok w/ SD but with HD it is streched. If you have it in single mode then it looks fine but then my daughter cant use her TV independent of the other one.
Click to expand...
Exactly, and the kids can DVR the SD version, which takes up a hella lotta less space, especially since they can go DVR crazy.
 
ripnbigc said:
Every other channel that has both HD and an Sd counterpart are included. Don't know why though, why would you watch an sd channel when there's an Hd one?
Click to expand...
I read somewhere over the discussion of this phenomenon that the techs said the sd inclusion was an error. So the Absolute package has this error allowing channels that you would ordinarily have to subscribe to a regular package and add HD onto it.

I subbed to the HD Only because that's all I needed or wanted. It has bothered me that people keep hammering away at Dish about this. It seems to me Dish will just make the package go away rather than fix the problem one way or another and force us to pay more sooner than later.

OP: If you want SD, sub to it. Don't screw up the only good deal in HD to be found anywhere.
 
8bitbytes said:
I read somewhere over the discussion of this phenomenon that the techs said the sd inclusion was an error. So the Absolute package has this error allowing channels that you would ordinarily have to subscribe to a regular package and add HD onto it.

I subbed to the HD Only because that's all I needed or wanted. It has bothered me that people keep hammering away at Dish about this. It seems to me Dish will just make the package go away rather than fix the problem one way or another and force us to pay more sooner than later.

OP: If you want SD, sub to it. Don't screw up the only good deal in HD to be found anywhere.
Click to expand...

Well said!! That is why it was called HD only/absolute!! Just because they have a few SD channels included as a bonus doesn't entitle you to the SD for each HD channel. That is why it is a great deal. If you want both get the AT packages + HD.
 
ripnbigc said:
Every other channel that has both HD and an Sd counterpart are included. Don't know why though, why would you watch an sd channel when there's an Hd one?
Click to expand...

Easy... Maybe you would rather watch SD (even overcompressed) at 4:3 rather than stretched upconverted SD pretending to be HD at 16:19. Food Network, HGTV, TNT, TBS, A&E, Cartoon Network, History and Biography are at times completely unwatchable!
 
allargon said:
Easy... Maybe you would rather watch SD (even overcompressed) at 4:3 rather than stretched upconverted SD pretending to be HD at 16:19. Food Network, HGTV, TNT, TBS, A&E, Cartoon Network, History and Biography are at times completely unwatchable!
Click to expand...

Not really, if it's that crappy I just won't watch it. By the way what is 16:19?:D
 
8bitbytes said:
I read somewhere over the discussion of this phenomenon that the techs said the sd inclusion was an error. So the Absolute package has this error allowing channels that you would ordinarily have to subscribe to a regular package and add HD onto it.

I subbed to the HD Only because that's all I needed or wanted. It has bothered me that people keep hammering away at Dish about this. It seems to me Dish will just make the package go away rather than fix the problem one way or another and force us to pay more sooner than later.

OP: If you want SD, sub to it. Don't screw up the only good deal in HD to be found anywhere.
Click to expand...
Oh come on, really now...I'm just asking a question. If my question screws up the only good deal in HD to be found anywhere, so be it.

34 channels have SD versions (82.9%). 7 don't. (17.1%). I just want to know why the 7 don't. I don really care if they take all the SD versions away, I just want to understand the inconsistency.
 
HD Absolute includes a TON of SD channels and not by accident either. All the PI channels which are SD are included.

Also another very good reason for including the SD versions, say you have a 622 and 501 on your accout... if you get Absolute, your SD receivers don't become door stops!

see ya
Tony
 
Stretch-o-vision?

It appears to me that the channels with SD versions are the ones that use stretch-o-vision. I know this because I immediately switch to the SD alternate channel when I see something in stretch-o-vision. Stretch-o-vision gives me the creeps: it's dizzying and makes me wanna puke... :( I've never seen stretch-o-vision on the channels without SD, although I may be wrong.
 
Dr. Cool said:
I've never seen stretch-o-vision on the channels without SD, although I may be wrong.
Click to expand...

Probably not. Wouldnt surprise me that such channels choose not to pay for the rights to broadcast OAR in HD. So they upconvert and/or stretch. Cheap bastards if you ask me.
 
FitzAusTex said:
Oh come on, really now...I'm just asking a question. If my question screws up the only good deal in HD to be found anywhere, so be it.

34 channels have SD versions (82.9%). 7 don't. (17.1%). I just want to know why the 7 don't. I don really care if they take all the SD versions away, I just want to understand the inconsistency.
Click to expand...


It's Dish - there will be no good answer and no complete sd service either!

BTW: I know your question isn't going to screw up HD Absolute. In all actuality it will be me being a subscriber.

I have owned:

Atari Computer
Sony SuperBetamax
Toshiba HD-A2

Dish is doomed...

:D
 
Hod do you get TV2 to show the letterboxed version of the HD channels? Mine only crops off the sides of the HD picture. I would rather it letterboxed it on my 27" CRT.

Thanks,
Ted
 
ncted said:
Hod do you get TV2 to show the letterboxed version of the HD channels? Mine only crops off the sides of the HD picture. I would rather it letterboxed it on my 27" CRT.

Thanks,
Ted
Click to expand...
In Dual mode, use the * (format) button to toggle btwn Normal and Letterbox.

In Single mode, you get the regular format toggles, but Normal probably cuts off sides a bit.
 
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