12/08/08 Charlie Chat Will be Deal Breaker !
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Maybe it's something in the water (or the fact I drink more Dr Pepper than I do water), but I have always been something of an eternal optimist. I think the real thing to look at is the Ceil 2 launch this week.
Comedy Central, Spike, Nick, CMT, VH1, MTV, BET, FX, Speed, and Showtime.
10 Channels. Those 10 channels would do miracles trying to sell (or be pleased with) Turbo Bronze and Silver.
Last week dish uplinked essentailly 8 HD channels. E, G4, Style, and ESPNU were often tossed around as contenders for these slots (and were not mentioned on the chat).
I realized I could be giving Charlie, Eric and company WAY too much credit, but is it possible that these 8 channels are signed to contrats contingent on Ceil 2's successful launch? If Ceil 2 fails (Heaven Forbid
), would you rather dish fill what are about 8 remaining HD slots with E! and Style or Speed and Spike? Plus, in the nightmare scenario, Charlie can then pit Viacom against News Corp for the remaining bandwidth...
I know, I am probably crazy for even thinking this (esp here in the open); but I'd still like to believe all is not lost for the year...
Comedy Central, Spike, Nick, CMT, VH1, MTV, BET, FX, Speed, and Showtime.
10 Channels. Those 10 channels would do miracles trying to sell (or be pleased with) Turbo Bronze and Silver.
Last week dish uplinked essentailly 8 HD channels. E, G4, Style, and ESPNU were often tossed around as contenders for these slots (and were not mentioned on the chat).
I realized I could be giving Charlie, Eric and company WAY too much credit, but is it possible that these 8 channels are signed to contrats contingent on Ceil 2's successful launch? If Ceil 2 fails (Heaven Forbid
), would you rather dish fill what are about 8 remaining HD slots with E! and Style or Speed and Spike? Plus, in the nightmare scenario, Charlie can then pit Viacom against News Corp for the remaining bandwidth... I know, I am probably crazy for even thinking this (esp here in the open); but I'd still like to believe all is not lost for the year...
Did he really commit to new programing in that time frame? It was more or less; we are working on some agreements but nothing to announce.
I am not going anywhere unless he raises prices at outlandish rate or if D* and Echostar reach an agreement where you can use E* equipment on D*'s birds.
I just switched from cablevision to dish. If you have cablevision, then you really have something to complain about.
Good for you. Charlie Ergen needs to know that his customers want value for their dollars; we won't standby and be mindlessly led by The Great Leader.
He ain't Steve Jobs.
Granted I didn't listen to the whole thing but as best I can tell Charlie did what he always does and what everyone predicted: do everything to make people think he's going to add national HD but not actually say it.
You can't really blame him: he's learned (if only through these boards
) that people believe what they want to believe. When Charlie fails to commit to adding new channels most of us (me included) make up excuses why he couldn't come out and say it but rather had to send us "secret messages" to that effect. When the Charlie Chat disappoints, we start to think of the next reason why new national HD is "just around the corner". So why wouldn't Charlie just hint at things subscribers might be waiting for: this way each of us can make up the story that feels best.As I've always said (I agree with other posters): if you like another provider better and can, switch. Don't get stuck waiting for something that may never happen. The only way people and firms change their actions is when there are consequences. If Dish continues to lose subscribers at the current rate then perhaps Charlie will decide to do things differently.
Frankly, I am quite happy with all the new HD nationals we got in 2008. Only a few disappointments but not enough to make me want to switch. I would like to see FOXNews, MSNBC in HD as well. On Voom I do miss the channel that had extreme sports but most of the other Voom channels have replicas on other networks. I would bet there is a good replacement for the VOOM PIG channel too but haven't had the time to research it. I guess that is the real bottom line in all this at the end of 2008. There is so much HD now that I really don't have the time to watch it all.
I once had all three, DirecTV, Comcast cable and DishNetwork. yes, a 4th too, I had VOOM until it went bust!
I made a choice to drop both Comcast and DirecTV primarily because of the excellent programming choices I had with Dish and DirecTV but dropped DirecTV primarily because of inferior equipment features and earlier - picture quality. Dish just won out, all things considering.
So at the end of 2008, of the channels I like to watch, I guess FoxNewsHD and MSNBCHD would be the two remaining channels I would really like them to add. But, I won't give up my 622 / 722 with multiple external hard drives just to get those channels in HD.
I once had all three, DirecTV, Comcast cable and DishNetwork. yes, a 4th too, I had VOOM until it went bust!
I made a choice to drop both Comcast and DirecTV primarily because of the excellent programming choices I had with Dish and DirecTV but dropped DirecTV primarily because of inferior equipment features and earlier - picture quality. Dish just won out, all things considering.
So at the end of 2008, of the channels I like to watch, I guess FoxNewsHD and MSNBCHD would be the two remaining channels I would really like them to add. But, I won't give up my 622 / 722 with multiple external hard drives just to get those channels in HD.
I think the legions of subscribers that have been leaving Dish over the past few quarters speaks for itself. They are probably not going to reply here though...
Yep. :up
A co-worker/friend of mine came into my office yesterday... he's giving up Comcast and going with a dish. He said he'd done the research, and the lack of Fox News HD and 2 of our 4 locals in HD pushed him to pay more for DirecTV.
Your average Joe is canceling E* and going with others left and right. Ergen is just too arrogant and full of himself to see that.
I have a 622 and own and use 2 extra UHF remotes in different rooms.
I like and am very use to my 622 (commercial skip implementation especially).
But reasons I have for looking at D* are many.
I am a big MMA fan as well (SPIKE-HD is calling my name).
My Tarheels are in HD on ESPN-U HD a few times a year.
Free VOD options for my daughter would be great (D* is not as good as Cable but light-years ahead of E*).
Programming my DVR from the internet when someone mentions something cool they watched the night before at work or confirming a recording when gone overnight also interest me.
I haven't confirmed but heard D* just added a national PBS-HD feed (this may be the final straw).
I don't think an extra $10 or so a month would kill me. After all I paid good money for my 2 1080p tvs and feeding them off the Dollar Menu makes me feel a little guilty.
What is keeping me with E*? I have always been an E* fanboy but waiting for SPIKE-HD has really turned me somewhat. Then when I make a pro\con list the answer seems pretty clear. Of course the fear of trading in the worn in recliner for a nicer one that just may not feel just right has kept me where I am at. I also keep thinking NEXT week is THE week for HD (rinse and repeat).
I have used my buddy's D* HD DVR and the Free VOD and HD content blew me away but the feel of the remote and not being able to hit guide repeatedly to cycle to different guide views especially HD ONLY have kept me at bay.
I am definitely a creature of habit. But I am looking hard at D* and one day soon I can see me pulling the trigger.
I like and am very use to my 622 (commercial skip implementation especially).
But reasons I have for looking at D* are many.
I am a big MMA fan as well (SPIKE-HD is calling my name).
My Tarheels are in HD on ESPN-U HD a few times a year.
Free VOD options for my daughter would be great (D* is not as good as Cable but light-years ahead of E*).
Programming my DVR from the internet when someone mentions something cool they watched the night before at work or confirming a recording when gone overnight also interest me.
I haven't confirmed but heard D* just added a national PBS-HD feed (this may be the final straw).
I don't think an extra $10 or so a month would kill me. After all I paid good money for my 2 1080p tvs and feeding them off the Dollar Menu makes me feel a little guilty.
What is keeping me with E*? I have always been an E* fanboy but waiting for SPIKE-HD has really turned me somewhat. Then when I make a pro\con list the answer seems pretty clear. Of course the fear of trading in the worn in recliner for a nicer one that just may not feel just right has kept me where I am at. I also keep thinking NEXT week is THE week for HD (rinse and repeat).
I have used my buddy's D* HD DVR and the Free VOD and HD content blew me away but the feel of the remote and not being able to hit guide repeatedly to cycle to different guide views especially HD ONLY have kept me at bay.
I am definitely a creature of habit. But I am looking hard at D* and one day soon I can see me pulling the trigger.
DirecTV won't help you with the first one yet. They don't have ESPN-U either.
Also, DirecTV just added a few local PBS markets in HD. The have not added a national feed and will not.
The number of speudo HD channels out there can be counted on both hands.
They call themselves HD channels but give you SD upconverts 23/6.
We all know of several much balleyhooed channels that certain ones want - but these are very specialized channels - only interesting to 10% of the 10% HD subs.
I think 150 channels buy the end of the year is not only unreasonable but impossible - they aren't there and there is no there, there.
Don't be so full of yourself, enjoy what you've got, let your blood pressure come down and kick your dog.
They call themselves HD channels but give you SD upconverts 23/6.
We all know of several much balleyhooed channels that certain ones want - but these are very specialized channels - only interesting to 10% of the 10% HD subs.
I think 150 channels buy the end of the year is not only unreasonable but impossible - they aren't there and there is no there, there.
Don't be so full of yourself, enjoy what you've got, let your blood pressure come down and kick your dog.
Count me as another long term Dish Network guy who has made the switch to Direct. I've been with them for 8 years. With Direct I will save money and get channels I want: SpeedHD, Fox Business and the mtn to start. I've asked Dish many times when they might carry these and they keep giving the same canned answers. A bigger factor though is the horrible customer service on the phone. Usually you can't understand the person or if you can, half the time they are clueless. I really hate to ditch a "home" company (I am in CO) but I've had it. My install is set for Friday.
The same case could be made for crappy programming filling most of the channels SD or HD. I would like the choice to watch upconverted HD or not.
I still would think the so called HD leader would have all the HD channels the other guy has.
2008: A Year Dish Network would like to forget...
- DirecTV is beating them head-to-head, top-to-bottom, on the satellite front
- FiOS and Cable are beating them on the value front (gotta love the Triple Play and only DirecTV has major Telco partnerships)
- U-Verse and FiOS are beating them on the customer services front (customers appreaciate not dealing with a broken English speaking representative in the Philippines) and
- FiOS is providing superior HD quality and quantity (102 HD channels on my dial, 15 more coming (signed contracts), and that doesn't include counting BS PPV channels...nor the hundreds of hours of free On Demand HD content).
- DishHD is actually DishHD-Lite (more and more people know it)
When I moved to the Dallas area one of the requirements of our home purchase was the availability of FiOS. With the notable exception of the VIP622/722, FiOS TV is the anti-Dish Network. Dish Network has better plot an azimuth and right their course because their has been drifting aimlessly and taking on water during 2008. It's too bad, because we loved using our 622s and enjoyed the service, but 2+ years of DishHD-lite were all my eyes could take. The only way EchoStar is going to win my business at this point is to make a high quality direct-to-consumer "Digital Cable Ready" model of their VIP722 for use with my FiOS TV service.
As the World Churns...yep, I have never seen so many long-time subscribers jump ship like I have during 2008. Dish Network has lost the competitive edge then once held, and I see them losing as many as 40,000 customers during 4th quarter:
- DirecTV is beating them head-to-head, top-to-bottom, on the satellite front
- FiOS and Cable are beating them on the value front (gotta love the Triple Play and only DirecTV has major Telco partnerships)
- U-Verse and FiOS are beating them on the customer services front (customers appreaciate not dealing with a broken English speaking representative in the Philippines) and
- FiOS is providing superior HD quality and quantity (102 HD channels on my dial, 15 more coming (signed contracts), and that doesn't include counting BS PPV channels...nor the hundreds of hours of free On Demand HD content).
- DishHD is actually DishHD-Lite (more and more people know it)
When I moved to the Dallas area one of the requirements of our home purchase was the availability of FiOS. With the notable exception of the VIP622/722, FiOS TV is the anti-Dish Network. Dish Network has better plot an azimuth and right their course because their has been drifting aimlessly and taking on water during 2008. It's too bad, because we loved using our 622s and enjoyed the service, but 2+ years of DishHD-lite were all my eyes could take. The only way EchoStar is going to win my business at this point is to make a high quality direct-to-consumer "Digital Cable Ready" model of their VIP722 for use with my FiOS TV service.
I'm pretty happy with Dish except for rain fade, and I'm teetering on the edge of trying out Uverse. If I can get to the bottom of Uverse's PQ, or if Comcast somehow comes through in a big way and gets competitive with their HD, I may end up jumping ship. At this point I'm paying Dish over $150/month for AEP and two DVRs, so there's not much savings over cable anymore (although Dish has a much better HD selection at this point).
I read that you said Dallas, and I nearly flipped out! I thought, "only a few months ago, there wasn't any Fios here!"
Well, I guess Dallas (i live in the uptown area) still does not have it... But I checked out the available HD's in Plano, and I am impressed. Now, the edge for Dish is the wonderful HD only turbo package. I am thrilled to be able to subscribe to just what I want; unfortunately, I find myself in the situation where I want more... I guess that will always be the case though...
