Charlie Chat Tonight!

[Texas Red]

I guess I am getting old and grouchy. I was insulted (PO'ed)by the Clock Channel act.

 

[CygnusTM]

yep. Since there are only 2 stations that show US programs (CTV & Global/CH), when there is conflicting info, they move it a day early

Some areas have only CBC & CTV so it makes it real interesting (Thunder Bay CTV shows Global stuff and moves its CTV stuff to CBC)

I'd be happy if Dish just gave us CBC. That way I could watch Hockey Night in Canada without using an antenna and with PVR features. That is, assuming HNIC will ever be on again.

 

[Mr Tony]

I'd be happy if Dish just gave us CBC. That way I could watch Hockey Night in Canada without using an antenna and with PVR features. That is, assuming HNIC will ever be on again.

yep...main reason I got ExpressVu and now Star Choice.....too bad Saturday nights are now "Movie Night in Canada"

 

[mathius8]

avoiding questions

Charlie Ergen is pathetic, he is no leader in hd. If anyone had to guess, what topic do you think most people watching the so called chat wanted to be covered. Remember most people dont even know about the chat and would by no means watch it at 9:00 on monday night. WE WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT HDTV. I KNOW MORE ABOUT HIS JOB THAN HE DOES. He thinks espn is launching a new channel. Theres no thinking about it, it will be launched in january. He dosent even know about universal hd. Hd distant locals are already offered by his biggest competitor, direct tv. His comments lead me to assume he keeps his head where the sun dosent shine.

 

[Tahoerob]

Here is the BIGGEST problem with what was said last night.
CE eluded to that they may not add new HD until MPEG4 is available. THUS, ALL NEW HD MAY BE IN MPEG4. This would require a replacement of ALL HD UNITS including the 921. I did not spend $1000 a year ago to have a useless unit 2 years later because they totally change formats.
If this pans out his way, then Dish will permanently lose me as a customer. I will easily be able to switch to Voom (new DVR soon & will support MP4) or Directv.
Charlie & Co. have made a HUGE mistake with thier approach to MPEG 4 unless the really compensate us with discounts to change receivers.

 

[MikeD-C05]

I still believe that they will give the hd customers the option of leasing the newest hd receivers and trade in the older hd receivers for a credit of say 25.00. They might offer the same trade in deal and let you buy them out right but it will be costly. I already paid $1000.00 for this 921 receiver and I will not be buying anymore for quite a while. So leasing will be the way I approach anymore upgrades to hd. I imagine that they will offer it as one of the "dish n it up" upgrades offers. Like the 811 receiver is offered now. Dish wants everyone to go the lease plan and this would be the way to do it. If you want Dish to replace your old mpeg2 receivers then you trade them in and lease the new ones or buy them out right for a high price. :shocked

 

[bavaria72]

I don't think "eluded" is a strong enough word. He pretty much said no new HD until MPEG4. So once again why bother with the 942 if it will be obsolete in 12 months? And what about future software updates for the 921/811? One more rev. and then pure maintenance? Charlie obviously has a road map but it is also very obvious that he does not want to share it with his Customers because the what they are about to do to us. Going to get ugly folks. You won't have to replace your current boxes but you won't be able to get any new HD channels/new channels. They will all be MPEG4. It will be a passive force change. If you want the new channels, going to have to get a new box.

 

[Mike Greer]

I wouldn't worry much about Dish switching to MPEG4 and obsoleting their current HD receivers... It will be years before Dish can pull something like that off.

Look at the 921 as a good example... Wasn't it nearly 3 years from the time they announced the 921 to when people could actually buy it? And it still has major problems/deficiencies.

The 921 didn't even make any changes to the way HD was delivered... Just imagine how long it will take them to re-engineer a new way to deliver the HD and design/build new HD receivers.

I just don't see how they can make it happen any time soon.

 

[bavaria72]

I don't think they will switch existing HD programming to MPEG4 anytime in the near future. BUT any new HD channels will be MPEG4 and you will need a new box to get them.

 

[mothergoose45]

So, did the caller ask the screener the MPEG4 question and get through or did they use a bluff question? It seems like the filters were off for this chat. A lot of decent questions getting on air

Actually I did tell the screener what question I was going to ask. It was the actual question I asked Charlie. No bluffing.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Actually I did tell the screener what question I was going to ask. It was the actual question I asked Charlie. No bluffing.

Dang I feel sorry for the screener who let that one get through.

Mothergoose your DishStore Gift certificate will be emailed to you in a little bit, be on the lookout for it.

Thanks again!

Happy Holidays!

 

[Cholly]

So, did the caller ask the screener the MPEG4 question and get through or did they use a bluff question? It seems like the filters were off for this chat. A lot of decent questions getting on air

Actually I did tell the screener what question I was going to ask. It was the actual question I asked Charlie. No bluffing.

Thanks for asking the questions that were on EVERYONE's minds .
I was pleasantly surprised to hear them get through, AND that Charlie actually answered them :shocked .
re: new HD channels only MPEG4 obsoleting the 921 -- not really.Would I buy a 921 or 942? Sure -- they'll record all existing channels (and OTA channels as well?). Really not as bad a deal as some would think.

 

[Stacy A]

With Dish's track record on timelines, I'd say no one will see MPEG4 for at least one and one-half years. It's pretty obvious to me that Charlie's plan is just on paper right now. Nothing's been thought out yet, I would be willing to bet.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Charlie made it clear, no new HD until MPEG4, of course this was the same Charlie who said on previous chats that Dish would be adding more HD in the fall. Fall has come and gone (well almost)

Charlie is just doing what Charlie does best and that is stringing us all along.

Shame on you Charlie.

 

[boba]

How many of you have the 6000 and were forced to buy the QPSK upgrade so you could continue watching the HD channels? How many are happy about having to upgrade to MPEG 4 to continue receiving DISH'S future HD programming? How many are leasing HDTV receivers that DISH may want you to pay to upgrade?

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I believe I still have the Dish Demo channel on tape where Laurie Farkus says that the Dish HD expansion Module would be "all you need" to receiver "all" future HD channels on Dish Network.

Anyone remember that?

 

[Tahoerob]

I don't think they will switch existing HD programming to MPEG4 anytime in the near future. BUT any new HD channels will be MPEG4 and you will need a new box to get them.

THIS IS THE PROBLEM!!

Voom plans on DOUBLING its offerings this year as well as have a DVR.

Directv is also going full bore HD after Murdoch take over. Planning new channels including DISTANT HD as well as new sats to offer LOCAL HD.

They will make Dish look like UPN, a step child in the industry with regard to HD!!

 

[JohnC]

E* Hd

From what Charlie said last night and in the earnings call reported by Scott, it appears that E* will have few or no HD channel additions until about this time next year when the new additions will be MPEG4 encoded and will require a new HD receiver to decode. It also appears that the new 105 satellite (AMC15) will not be used for HD and that HD will be carried on AMC16 at 85 or a later launched satellite. That means that most customers will need a SuperDish plus another dish for 85 with 4 total satellite feeds. This is going to get hairy! Plus it is not clear if the new HD receivers to be announced in January will have MPEG4 capability or can be upgraded. The VOOM STB is upgradable with a plugin card.

If D* and/or VOOM come through with their substantial HD expansions and VOOM adds a number of desirable SD channels that they should have the capacity to add, there will be few E* HD customers left by this time next year.

I obtained a $149 6000 receiver with the 8VSB and 8SPK modules during the closeout last year, so I'm not complaining yet. I'm just waiting to see how things shake out in the HD world. Also will be checking to see if E* acquires VOOM. I do not see VOOM surviving as they are now.

 

[long_time_DNC]

I was seriously considering buying a 921 in January, but not anymore. If they're not going to be adding any more HD programming until they get MPEG4 going (and that's, at best, about a year from now) and who knows how that'll affect the existing users/owners of 811's/921's...why on earth should I be the slightest bit willing to throw money away on a receiver that may be useless/worthless in a year?

This is very disappointing news.

 

[mothergoose45]

Charlie always tries to word bad things to sound good. Pretty much he said for new HD on MPEG-4 platform, it will require you to buy a new reciever. Thats bad news for people that gave up $1000 bucks for the 921. I know new technology evolves every day that replaces the old technology, but, for example, my 2 year old HDTV will still show me HD for years to come, a 921 will just be able to give you the same crap HD channels that Dish offers now, but not later.