D* with NBC-HD E & W - What about it Dish?

[Wally]

Is there any hope for a similar deal with NBC-HD as CBS-HD? (w/similar qualifications, etc.?) CSR tells me they are "negotiating" with NBC.

Direct appears to have beat them in this venture. If Dish comes through it will be better, for D* forces sub to get basic package as minimum, while Dish WILL (does) allow a la carte! (I can get CBS (&HD) only, no basic, no other package!).

 

[MikeD-C05]

Dish is letting Directv lead this issue for now. They will follow what ever Directv does . They want to avoid the costly leagle issues with the Government and the FCC. I talked to a source with Dish and he said that Dish is in negotiations with NBC and they look to add the NBC station soon if the price is right with the negotiations. It is most likely a situation with Bandwith. I think you will see this station soon, after all didn't Dish have the NBC Showcase / 6 screen interactive menu on Dish HOME while Directv didn't? It's most likely coming when they get the new 105 sat up and running. It launches next month.

 

[David_Levin]

Anyone have a list of the NBC O&O markets?

Seems like if they were to add it is would be parked on the side birds next to CBS.

 

[Chris Freeland]

My guess is that once the new more powerful satellite is up and running at 105, we will see the same type of HDTV channel expansion on E* that has been rumored or announced for D*. Since the new satellite will not be launched until next month, D* will probably beat E* briefly in HD additions, however I do not think the advantage will last long. We will see a lot of D* people in these forums bragging and E* people growing and complaining but I suspect this will only last a few weeks and then E* will at least match the new D* additions.

 

[dgordo]

Anyone have a list of the NBC O&O markets?

Los Angeles, CA; New York, NY; Chicago, IL; Philadelphia, PA; Dallas, TX; Miami, FL; Washington, DC; San Diego, CA; Hartford, CT; Raleigh, NC; Columbus, OH; Providence, RI; and Birmingham, AL

 

[GaryPen]

You forgot San Francisco/San Jose/Oakland. (KNTV)

 

[dgordo]

There may also be others, thats just what they had on the directv website.

 

[GaryPen]

Better yet, check the NBC website for their O&O markets:
http://www.nbcuni.com/About_NBC_Universal/Company_Overview/overview02.shtml

 

[goaliebob99]

the bird wont be avabible for use till well after a month its up.

 

[David_Levin]

My guess is that once the new more powerful satellite is up and running at 105, we will see the same type of HDTV channel expansion on E* that has been rumored or announced for D*.

Putting HD on 105 is a tricky proposition. If you have locals on 121 and want 105 for HD your going to need 2 36" FSS dishes (unless they come up with a new super-super dish). That'll be a tuff sell.

They could duplicate the HD channels on 105 and 121 but that is just a huge waste of bandwidth.

My guess is that Dish will not get much HD bandwidth help until the new Spot beam satellite get's to 110. Unless they want to move some 110 markets to Superdish (also VERY painful).

 

[rad]

You need to remember, E*'s original plan for SuperDish was HD on 105, international on 121 and LIL's whereever. So I'm sure someone in E* had this all figured out

 

[Cyclone]

Well considering that they made the effort for a DPP44 switch, I'd think that they would put the HD stuff on another DBS slot such as the wings.

 

[rocatman]

I would expect that if Dish adds NBC-HD East and West that these would be put on 61.5 and 148 similar to the CBS-HD channels at least initially. It should also be pointed out that if Dish keeps 3 HD channels per transponder on 110 (I know degraded HD PQ), there would be room for 3 or 4 more HD channels there after the Olympics. In addition, it has been reported in other threads that the new 105 satellite should have the capability to do 16 SD channels per TP. This increases the channel capacity at 105 by 33 percent since Dish currently only has 12 SD channels per TP on the current 105 satellite. This frees up 8 TPs out of the 24 TPs currently at the 105 location. Based on this, one could assume that 3 HD channels per TP on this new 105 satellite would be okay from a PQ standpoint or at least much better than 3 HD per TP on 110. If this assumption is valid then actually 4 HD channels on the new 105 satellite would be equivalent to 3 HD channels on 110. This would give Dish the potential for 24 - 32 HD channels on 105. The DPP 44 gives Dish a great deal of flexibility as others have posted that they have been able to get 5 satellite locations. Dish could eventually move all the HD off the wings onto 105 which I believe was the original plan. I also believe there are spotbeams on the new 105 satellite that were planned to be used for Internet access. Perhaps instead these could be used for the future Regional Sports Networks broadcasting in HD. I hope after the 105 satellite gets up and running that Dish comes out with a standalone Dish only for 105 (or 121). It could be a bit smaller than the SuperDish and much easier to align. This would alleviate the need for someone to have two SuperDishes or for Dish to develop a massive Super DuperDish for 105, 110, 119 and 121.

If Dish were to offer the six months free HD Pak to current customers, this would lock folks in until Dish is able to get the 105 satellite up and running with more HD. This makes sense which is why Dish probably won't do it.

 

[David_Levin]

You need to remember, E*'s original plan for SuperDish was HD on 105, international on 121 and LIL's whereever. So I'm sure someone in E* had this all figured out

I do not belive the original plan included locals on 105 and 121 (or moving the HD to 110). Most people would not have needed both FSS slots. The "original plan" is pretty much blown away at this point (unless you're winking eye is saying that they have developed a dish for all for slots).

SuperDish became a means of adding more local markets. People in existing local markets did not need new hardware to get HD.

An many people posted, this change of direction for SuperDish left the impression that Echostar's "plan" changes from day to day.

With 3 HD per transponder, Dish can jam a few more channels on 110 to try and hold out for the new spot beam bird to free up bandwidth. But, I'm afraind they are going to lose ground to DirecTV which seems to have a more solid expansion plan.