Is it me, or has HD become the standard in television as of today? With DISH network now giving out free HD, hasn't it now officially become the standard? That's what I think! It's a historical day!
HD, THE NEW STANDARD
- Thread starter OrangeCounty
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I have always wondered if Dish is getting some/any compensation $$ from LCD/Plasma manufacturers ??
Free HD (as part of our AT packages) would seem like a good incentive for more HDTV buying - now only if they would make their equipment 722, etc. cheaper
Free HD (as part of our AT packages) would seem like a good incentive for more HDTV buying - now only if they would make their equipment 722, etc. cheaper
I don't think Dish or Directv pay anything additional for the HD feeds of SD channels, and considering that HD receivers probably cost no more than SD receivers to manufacture this only makes sense.
The only sad part is that the providers are using this to shove credit card autopay in everyones face.
The only sad part is that the providers are using this to shove credit card autopay in everyones face.
Being a former broadcaster (retired 2 months ago) I know that cable, dish and Direct payed extra for our companies HD signals. There was one rate for SD and another for HD. The indrustry followed suit.
Seeing how HD has been seen by many as a premium all along, it only made sense that when most channels became HD that it would be considered the norm. One satellite provider was going to be first in doing this and Dish decided to beat Directv to the punch. Seeing how they are still collecting a premium from many customers for HD, they figure they could get away with squeezing the last little bit they can out of getting something out of HD which is a two year commitment or $99 before they probably end up giving everybody HD included in all packages without any extra fees whatsoever.
If they start providing HD for free to everybody eventually then I would think that the premium that the providers pay for the HD channels would no longer apply unless they still thought extra should be paid for the HD feed. That may end up with contract renewal disputes I would think if they pay a big enough premium for HD.
If they start providing HD for free to everybody eventually then I would think that the premium that the providers pay for the HD channels would no longer apply unless they still thought extra should be paid for the HD feed. That may end up with contract renewal disputes I would think if they pay a big enough premium for HD.
Right on that
King World Distribution tried to pull that Sh** then for Jeopardy & Wheel. There was another company that tried it too but can't remember who it was ( may have been Oprah's co) since all those are also in HD. Now since much of that is file based transfer and too many stations told them to put it where the sun don't shine ( I know the GM where I worked at that time pretty much told the rep that at NAB). Pretty sure that now has stopped.
King World Distribution tried to pull that Sh** then for Jeopardy & Wheel. There was another company that tried it too but can't remember who it was ( may have been Oprah's co) since all those are also in HD. Now since much of that is file based transfer and too many stations told them to put it where the sun don't shine ( I know the GM where I worked at that time pretty much told the rep that at NAB). Pretty sure that now has stopped.
if you think the providers dont charge extra for the hd feeds, then why did it take so long for so many local markets to get all channels in hd? my local market had one that held out and it was in the local news paper that the channel would be in hd as an agreement was met between them and dish. agreement always means money.
and why would some rsn's have their games not avail in hd on dish but on other providers. reason why is money. a channel giving away something as valuable as their hd feed is like you paying a tech to hook up that extra dish for their guesthouse or run the mirrors at no charge. its just not gonna happen.
It cost the station itself to upgrade to hd , but the national cable channels themselves don't cost any more to provide than the sd versions. Cable companies have stopped charging for the cost of hd channels on their locals a long time ago and have been advertising the fact that they don't charge for them. The only channels that DISH is charging for are the plat pack with no sd equivalents in the lower programming packs. DISH is finally doing what I said that they should of done years ago and stop charging for the hd versions of the regular programming packs. Except for the $99.00 charge for those who don't want a commitment. OF course now Directv is doing the same thing to compete.
Eon't make anymore
Local channels don't get any more $$ for their being carried in HD than in SD. It is strictly a contract issue. The station that held out for more didn't get it. They most likely were told that if they did allow carriage of the HD then the SD would be dropped. Recently several of the companies that have numerous OTA's tried that and this is why E* went to the congress and is now allowed to put a station in from the next DMA for carriage of the networks. So now the stations can't hold them hostage anymore. They don't want to be nice then E8 just says we will put in the same net from "down the road".
Local channels don't get any more $$ for their being carried in HD than in SD. It is strictly a contract issue. The station that held out for more didn't get it. They most likely were told that if they did allow carriage of the HD then the SD would be dropped. Recently several of the companies that have numerous OTA's tried that and this is why E* went to the congress and is now allowed to put a station in from the next DMA for carriage of the networks. So now the stations can't hold them hostage anymore. They don't want to be nice then E8 just says we will put in the same net from "down the road".
Locally, my cable company doesn't charge for locals in HD, but they do charge a fee for the box you need to get that HD. They get $7.00 a month for a non-DVR HD box and $13.00 for a DVR. THat's why I didn't mind paying what Dish charges for its much better VIP722.
If you just get the $18.00 basic cable package - locals only - and don't get a tuner box, you can use the QAM tuner in your TV to get all the locals in HD at no extra charge. In fact they even give us out of market channels in HD.
Of course there is no charge for HD service if you use an antenna - as long as the channel is in HD, as all the major channels are in my area.
That is opposed to Dish which only offers very fuzzy SD versions of some of my local channels.
I'm still paying for cable just to get locals in HD.
There are other costs too. Dish has to do backhaul and HD takes a lot more, plus Dish needs satellite space too. That is why they can do 100% SD but not all HD.
Which brings up a question. As a retired engineer, I'm interested in how all this technology works, so I have been wondering just how my local (Binghamton, NY) stations get up on the satellite in the first place. I thought perhaps the signals were being uplinked directly from this area, but I noticed the Uplink Activity lists refer to Hartford. So are they using a dedicated fiber link from here to a satellite uplink in Hartford, CT or do they use an internet connection or pony express? If anyone here has knowledge they are willing to share I would be very interested.
Several ways
It just depends on the station. Some do have fiber link to E* uplinks. Many of the stations though are picked up OTA and then sent via fiber. So if the station has faber already installed there is a chance that it will be linking into E*.
It just depends on the station. Some do have fiber link to E* uplinks. Many of the stations though are picked up OTA and then sent via fiber. So if the station has faber already installed there is a chance that it will be linking into E*.
HD is the standard unless your in my house,then it's SD for everyone!.
(still have a SDTV,50" great picture).
My HD is not free.
It cost $64.99 for the top 250, which includes some HD, plus $10 for the platinum HD.
So what is free?
Platinum is a few channels in HD that are not part of a regular AT package. Think of it as the HBO of HD. Free HD is the AT channels that you can get in HD without paying the $10/month HD enabling fee. For the last year or so, new customers (and old customers that worked the web site) got a deal for both HD and plat for one $10 charge instead of the old deal of $20 ($10 each). Now you have the option of dropping platinum and keeping AT HD channels at no charge.
