Dish to start upgrading HD customers to MPEG4

I think the problem Dish is running into is that customers with MPEG2 equipment do not know they can get additional channels and they are loosing customers to Directv because of this.

Might as well upgrade them and give them more channels before they switch to Directv.

Im sure there is not many customers left out there with mpeg2 equipment.

This is great news for several reasons:

- It would allow the "number of HD hours available" listed in the DVR's "My Recordings" screen to be accurate for the first time in years.

- It would allow a half dozen new national HD channels to be added to 110 viewable to all subscribers, due to the bandwidth savings.

- It would significantly increase the picture quality of the most popular HD channels (HBO-HD,SHO-HD,ESPN-HD,TNT-HD,HDNET-HD,HDTHR-HD).
 
I still have my owned 921 on my account even though I use the 622. Been lazy to have it removed. I think I'll just wait and see if they do something with that. I don't need a second receiver but would take one if it could be driven with a single coax RG6 from the Dish. Then I could install it in the Kitchen.

I'm pretty sure this is only for customers who have no ViP receivers, i.e. who have only MPEG2 receivers and have MPEG2-HD receivers to receive HD which will "vanish" when it is converted to MPEG4.

If you read the text, it says "MPEG2 HD subscirbers" not "MPEG2 HD receivers".

There was a voluntary exchange some months ago, and if you never took advantage of that, you will soon have a $1000 door stop.
 
A good questions is...If you OWN your MPEG2 HD reciever will you OWN the one they upgrade you too?

Some months ago, they did this on a voluntary basis when they moved most of the MPEG2 HD channels to MPEG4.

If you do a search of this Forum, you should find the exact details of what was offfered.

IIRC, it was a leased receiver offered for free and no additional commitment required.
 
I wonder how they will handle the grand-fathered $10 mpeg-2 HD accounts? Mine's pre-paid for a year. They can have both my 811s but the 6000 I'll keep because of the VGA output works with any old computer monitor. (only used for OTA anyway.)

My guess is that you will continue to get the same channels for the remainder of that year - except they will be in MPEG4-HD instead of MEPG2-HD.

If you also have an AT100 or greater SD package, you can get more HD channels by converting to "HD Essentials" for the same $10 per month.

If you don't have any SD package, then you can get all the HD channels by converting to Dish-HD-Only for $30 per month.
 
When Voom converted to MPEG4 the $5 Voom add on package was eliminated even though I had an MPEG4 box. I expect the old HD pack to be removed, its not worth keeping anyway. The current cost to keep the old HD pack on an MPEG4 box is $23. It does not make sense to not get the $30 standalone package.
 
I'm pretty sure this is only for customers who have no ViP receivers, i.e. who have only MPEG2 receivers and have MPEG2-HD receivers to receive HD which will "vanish" when it is converted to MPEG4.

If you read the text, it says "MPEG2 HD subscirbers" not "MPEG2 HD receivers".

There was a voluntary exchange some months ago, and if you never took advantage of that, you will soon have a $1000 door stop.

Thanks for your opinion on that. Like I said we'll have to wait and see. But as far as a $1000 door stop???? I don't follow the economics on that at all. I used it well until; last summer when I added the 622 so during that time, I was depreciating it's value with use. I do have 3 hard drives for it with content that can't be recovered but about 20% of that I have found and re-recorded on 622 archive drives. Nothing to lose sleep over. :) Plus during that time I'd say it saved me a considerable amount of money on DVHS tape since that 921 DVR replaced my very costly DVHS HD recording system.
 
Probably not. This only affects existing MPEG2-HD customers with 6000, 811, 921, and 942 receivers.

Brad

I recently switched my 921 to a 722. I still have my 921 because I bought it years ago. If was was to replace one of my 311s with the old 921, re-activate the 921 now would they offer me an upgrade at a discount or reduced free? Anyone have any thoughts on how I could get my old 921 converted to a 722 or something similar? I would be excited to have a 211. The 311 is hooked up to a 26" LCD behind my bar.
 
Last edited:
I am with D* and we are also waiting for the MPEG2 channels moving to MPEG4 I notice that ESPN2HD is MPEG4 with Dish, just curious is the picture quality that much better than ESPNHD which is MPEG2.
 
I am with D* and we are also waiting for the MPEG2 channels moving to MPEG4 I notice that ESPN2HD is MPEG4 with Dish, just curious is the picture quality that much better than ESPNHD which is MPEG2.
It's better. How much better ? It's subjective.

People also make snap judgements.

A few days ago, there was an NBA playoff game on TNT-HD and it looked like crap (on all systems).

Last night, the TNT-HD NBA game from Lakers' arena looked excellent - much better. So, there was definitely a source difference - probably a difference between the equipment on the HD truck used back east, and the one used in L.A. It's even possible that the Lakers' arena has built-in top quality HD cameras and support (for their regular season broadcasts).

So, the point is that you have to be careful that you are really evaluating the overall PQ of the channel, and not just the PQ of the program source. Often I have thought that a program looked like PQ, only to find that the commercials looked quite good - meaning that the PQ problem was not due to Dish, but instead due to the program source being somewhat sub-standard...
 
If I get this straight, MPEG4 is higher quality at greater compression so less bandwidth is needed. If so, won't our HD recordings take less space? BTW I am watching Transformers I recorded off Cinemax earlier today and it looks beautiful, whatever the MPEG is.
 
I recently switched my 921 to a 722. I still have my 921 because I bought it years ago. If was was to replace one of my 311s with the old 921, re-activate the 921 now would they offer me an upgrade at a discount or reduced free? Anyone have any thoughts on how I could get my old 921 converted to a 722 or something similar? I would be excited to have a 211. The 311 is hooked up to a 26" LCD behind my bar.

I don't think they'll let you reactivate the 921 as an HD box.


Does this mean just the old HD boxes or all mpeg2 boxes?

Just the HD MPEG-2 only boxes, such as the 921 & 942.
 
I have a 942 that I use to view and record standard-definition satellite channels and high-definition over-the-air channels. I own the box and don't pay for any warranty. I don't subscribe to any satellite-delivered high-definition channels but don't have to pay any "HD enabling fee" either. As long as I can watch my network channels in high-def and some core "cable" channels (AT100) in standard-def, I'm happy.

My questions are:

1. If I want the same programming (AT100 + locals), will I now need to pay that dreaded HD enabling fee?

2. Will I be trading an owned receiver for a leased one?

I'll take a receiver upgrade if I can get the same programming that I do now for the same price. I know an upgraded receiver for free would be somewhat of a windfall, but if it increases my monthly bill, I'm not interested.
 
kstuart said:
- It would allow a half dozen new national HD channels to be added to 110 viewable to all subscribers, due to the bandwidth savings.
With Eastern Arc installations set to begin later this year, I wouldn't expect any more national HD to be available only on 110.
 
whom cares as they dropped Voom? do I really care to see the weather channel or cartoons in mpeg4 or SD? hmmm do I have idiot on my face? I'm not giving dish a penny more of my business if they do not bring back Voom. content is what is important and dish has little of that right now for an expensive price.
 
I have a 942 that I use to view and record standard-definition satellite channels and high-definition over-the-air channels. I own the box and don't pay for any warranty. I don't subscribe to any satellite-delivered high-definition channels but don't have to pay any "HD enabling fee" either. As long as I can watch my network channels in high-def and some core "cable" channels (AT100) in standard-def, I'm happy.

My questions are:

1. If I want the same programming (AT100 + locals), will I now need to pay that dreaded HD enabling fee?

2. Will I be trading an owned receiver for a leased one?

I'll take a receiver upgrade if I can get the same programming that I do now for the same price. I know an upgraded receiver for free would be somewhat of a windfall, but if it increases my monthly bill, I'm not interested.

There is no reason to upgrade you because you are not losing any channels because of the conversion.
 
Have 811

I have an old crappy 811 and a SuperDish - AT250 w/locals and the MPEG 2 $10 HD's. I have some questions...

1.) Will I be contacted by E* and they will tell me about the upgrade or should I call them? How long shall I wait?
2.) Will I be offered a "free" upgrade to either 622 or 722?
3.) Will I need a new dish (1000?) and is that free?

Also, my retailer told me that the 622 is no longer offered and if I go direct to E* - if they do give me a 622 it's refurished. Is that true?
THANKS!