HD only pack with Missing SD?

[Hemi 6.1]

When is E* going to finally give us ALL the SD channels that we have in HD,in the HD only pack?. Have they forgotten that our 622 and 722 only have 1 HD tuner for our dual room, so it would be nice if they could hurry up with that. HD with bars on the sides look like crap on an SD TV. I never thought I'd be asking for more SD. But Com'on already.

 

[kb7oeb]

Change tv2 to zoom and it will get rid of the side bars

 

[Hemi 6.1]

Change tv2 to zoom and it will get rid of the side bars

Your right! it Zooms it so far you can't even see the channel logs. Zoom is made for mostly 16x9 tv's not 4x3 SD. Not a fix! I'd rather see the bars! I guess if you have HD only pack the TV2 option is a rip then!

 

[kstuart]

Your right! it Zooms it so far you can't even see the channel logs. Zoom is made for mostly 16x9 tv's not 4x3 SD. Not a fix! I'd rather see the bars! I guess if you have HD only pack the TV2 option is a rip then!

He gave you the wrong setting, it is "Stretch" not "Zoom".

Stretch makes it look normal on a 4x3 screen.

PS the 622 and 722 have 3 HD tuners, not 1 HD tuner.

PPS It's an "HD only" pack. You should be getting zero SD channels. I think that Dish is just providing them to make subscribers happy, and are just waiting for the channels to sue them before removing them...

 

[Hemi 6.1]

.PPS It's an "HD only" pack. You should be getting zero SD channels. I think that Dish is just providing them to make subscribers happy, and are just waiting for the channels to sue them before removing them...

I see your point, I guess, but a 622 serves 2 rooms,Right. 1 HD and 1 SD I guess E* is going to start asking people if they are getting the HD only pack then right so they know not to give out SD receivers, because its HD only.? They should only allow Vip 612 then for HD only pack. Sounds dumb right! So does giving me a 2 Room receiver 1 room HD and one room SD and only giving me HD channels to view with my SD tv output. Thats dumb too! But I guess I should be happy with Half.

 

[TalonDancer]

..PPS It's an "HD only" pack. You should be getting zero SD channels. ....

kstuart,
You keep posting this assertion as if you actually KNOW that it is true. Please post a link to a Dish statement that supports your repeated assertion.

For others reading this thread,
The dishHD package (that is often erroneously called the "HD only" package) has included MANY SD channels from it's inception. For example, several SD shopping channels and SD public interest channels. In addition, if you also subscribe to a premium movies or locals package, you get the SD version of these channels EVEN when an HD version is available. So it is extremely unlikely that the dishHD package will drop to "zero SD channels" in the near future

OTOH the OP was probably referring to the SD version of the current HD channels in the dishHD package. To date, Dish has made available these SD versions (when they exist) within a few days/weeks of the HD version becoming available. This may or may not continue. But AFAIK Dish has NOT made a clear statement either way. In the absence of a clear statement from Dish, assertions about Dish's policy w.r.t. these SD channels is SPECULATION.

Talon Dancer - a dishHD sub since it's inception

 

[kb7oeb]

Add WGN to the list of no SD. My recollection was TV2 does Letterbox and Zoom but I could be wrong.

Other than some of CNBC the channels without SD mirrors don't stretch 4:3 and can be cropped.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

Thank you ! I don't think I'm asking for much. I just want the SD version to support the TV 2 SD output for my SD tv that E* supplies along with 1 HD output for my other tv. If E* not going to do that then I guess they shouldn't sell people HD receivers with SD anything. I don't care if its HD only pack or not, HD only means you only get channels that have an HD twin right? I'm not asking for FX SD. I'm asking for ABC Family SD,Disney SD, Stuff I have in HD but is of NO use to my TV2. I'm paying $18.96 Just in Fees For 3 rooms 2 HD and 1 SD $54 per month for HD only pack and I should demand the SD version for that price. Nice try! If I paid for the top 200 pack and HD essentials, Then I don't get half the HD channels I had with HD only pack. Com'on The networks don't have agreements that if your going to carry the HD channel in a package ,you have to carry the SD version as well? I bet they do ,but we will never know untill he gets sued by another network.

 

[Jim5506]

I have 2 ViP receivers and two SD receivers with the HD Absolute package.

Dish is slowly adding the SD versions of the HD channels we get to the package, but they are taking their time.

When the 20 channels were added (just before the VOOM massacre), there were 10 HD channels without SD equivalents in the package.

I haven't audited them lately, but I have seen several show up.

 

[Charise]

Bravo was available as a free preview, although I thought it was available because the HD version was in the Dish HD package. With a 622 and a 721, I definitely wanted the SD versions too, but Bravo was dropped from free preview 2 days after I went with the Dish HD package.

I don't see them adding it back or adding other SD channels, given the title of the package.

 

[grb]

Bravo was available as a free preview, although I thought it was available because the HD version was in the Dish HD package. With a 622 and a 721, I definitely wanted the SD versions too, but Bravo was dropped from free preview 2 days after I went with the Dish HD package.

I don't see them adding it back or adding other SD channels, given the title of the package.

Since the title of the package has been changed to "HD Absolute", can we now have the SD channels?

I was told by "Dish Executive" that we were getting the SD channel versions now only because of technical difficulties in removing them from our package. They told me that I was getting the SD channels "for free" now.

I don't buy this rationale. Do they really think I am willing to pay extra for the downgraded version (i.e. SD) of the HD channels I am already paying for? Since the Dish equipment makes it impossible to view these HD channels properly on on a second TV (e.g. on Vip 622), they should provide the SD channel equivalents "free of charge". What's the big deal? It's like giving away snow in the winter...

 

[Hemi 6.1]

Since the title of the package has been changed to "HD Absolute", can we now have the SD channels?

I was told by "Dish Executive" that we were getting the SD channel versions now only because of technical difficulties in removing them from our package. They told me that I was getting the SD channels "for free" now.

I don't buy this rationale. Do they really think I am willing to pay extra for the downgraded version (i.e. SD) of the HD channels I am already paying for? Since the Dish equipment makes it impossible to view these HD channels properly on on a second TV (e.g. on Vip 622), they should provide the SD channel equivalents "free of charge". What's the big deal? It's like giving away snow in the winter...

Its another way to get you into a much Higher package, Just like no RSN's in the HD absolute pack. Even though its HD . My Guess thats why the changed the name from"HD only"! But you can't get any HD sports channels.

 

[TalonDancer]

....My Guess thats why the changed the name from"HD only"!....

AFAIK the moniker of "HD only" is just that -- a nickname we use to describe this package. And for all of the talk about "dishHD Absolute" (yes even by Charlie) the package in question is still listed as "dishHD" on the Dish web site. And OBTW my Dish bill still says I am paying for the "dishHD" package. I only point this out because IMHO a lot of the confusion/discussion about this package is due to the lack of clarity by Dish about even the name of the package, let alone which SD channels are included and when

Talon Dancer

PS It really doesn't matter much to me if Dish removes all of the SD equivalents of the HD channels, because I only have one "TV" attached to our 622 and it is HD.

 

[tempVAdish]

Simply going by the thread title, if you subscribe to an HD only pack, why would you expect to get SD included? Kind of defeats the purpose of an HD only pack...

 

[Hemi 6.1]

Simply going by the thread title, if you subscribe to an HD only pack, why would you expect to get SD included? Kind of defeats the purpose of an HD only pack...

I guess they should have gave me 3 Vip 612 then for 3 rooms.

 

[grb]

But you can't get any HD sports channels.

But I knew that going in and made the decision anyway.

Dish never advertised that the SD versions were included, but they were, so I assumed that what I was buying is what I was getting, so I expect to get the SD versions of the HD channels (where applicable).

It's too bad Dish has been unable or unwilling to communicate to its subscribers what the HD Package actually is supposed to consist of. Without that information, you can only expect that it consists of what is in the package when you sign up and that included the SD version of the HD channels...

 

[Hemi 6.1]

But I knew that going in and made the decision anyway.

Dish never advertised that the SD versions were included, but they were, so I assumed that what I was buying is what I was getting, so I expect to get the SD versions of the HD channels (where applicable).

It's too bad Dish has been unable or unwilling to communicate to its subscribers what the HD Package actually is supposed to consist of. Without that information, you can only expect that it consists of what is in the package when you sign up and that included the SD version of the HD channels...

The problem is they have 3 HD receivers that serve 2 rooms each. Here's the kicker they only serve 1 room each in HD. So with that in mind, don't you think every package should include SD programming that they have in HD to accomidate the fact that TV2 is SD only? Well I do,, and ZOOM ,Stretch, Crop all you want , But the screen never goes to a normal SD setting on a 4:3 TV. Been there done all of it! If you have a 622,722,or 222 then any programming package you pick should have the SD versions of your HD channels. Just like the rules they already have for HD channels, Remember ?? if you don't have it in SD then you don't get it in HD.
So now I have it in HD ,But I can't get them in SD?? WHAT?

 

[jwfgeol]

I get what you are saying about SD, but I have a question. By zoom are you referring to the 'format' button on the remote for TV2 that switches from 'Letterbox' to 'Normal'? Unless the image is stretched or there are graphics that go beyond the 4:3 screen, watching an HD program in 'Normal' on a 4:3 TV is the same as watching the program in SD on a 4:3. I tried it with Las Vegas on A&E and flipped between the HD channel in 'Normal' and the SD channel and it was the same picture (with HD looking better).

 

[Hemi 6.1]

I get what you are saying about SD, but I have a question. By zoom are you referring to the 'format' button on the remote for TV2 that switches from 'Letterbox' to 'Normal'? Unless the image is stretched or there are graphics that go beyond the 4:3 screen, watching an HD program in 'Normal' on a 4:3 TV is the same as watching the program in SD on a 4:3. I tried it with Las Vegas on A&E and flipped between the HD channel in 'Normal' and the SD channel and it was the same picture (with HD looking better).

Yes format

 

[kstuart]

Thank you ! I don't think I'm asking for much. I just want the SD version to support the TV 2 SD output for my SD tv that E* supplies along with 1 HD output for my other tv. If E* not going to do that then I guess they shouldn't sell people HD receivers with SD anything.

You keep saying this, but...

I have a ViP622, and I have an HDTV hooked up to TV1 and an SD TV hooked up to TV2, and I can tune any HD channel and watch it on TV2. (In fact, it will be better quality on the SD TV than tuning to the SD channel.)

Have you ever tried that ? You don't need the SD-equivalent channel unless you are using an old SD-only receiver.