Is Dish going to provide the NBC 3D Channel for the Olympics?

[RebelWithaCause]

Hate to burst your bubble but the best HD PQ is OTA HD PQ.

I said better. Not best.

 

[Jhon69]

I said better. Not best.

OK sorry I stand corrected.

 

[Pepper]

Best broadcast HD that I've ever seen has to be what my new microHD box is showing from PBS on 125 and NBC on 103. Much better than anything I've seen OTA.

 

[Michael2000]

I can even understand their general poor attitude towards 3D, in general, even if I disagree with it. But, this "not enough BW" excuse for not carrying the 3D Olympic channel is pure, unadulterated BS. Just use the bandwidth freed up by dropping AMC HD and SD, plus IFC, WE, and Sundance. It's only for a couple of weeks, for cryin' out loud. Jeez.

If little podunk cableco's like Armstrong, Blue Ridge, Suddenlink, WideOpen West and Bend Broadband can do it, Dish certainly could. But, they are letting this anti-3D attitude permeate every programming decision. My guess is it's a top-down philosophy from the skinny guy himself.

I have to think someone in management has the same sort of illogical anti-3D bias that you see by a few here on the forums. Maybe the guy is 3D blind, and bitter. Who knows? In the end, it is going hurt them. If there was some technical reason they couldn't broadcast it (and I can't think of one reason why since they have 3D for VOD), then at the very least, they should put the 3D programming on Dish Online for download by computer.

Michael

 

[TheKrell]

Michael, it almost certainly costs money to get the rights to retransmit the 3D programming. While the smaller providers, because they are small, don't pay much, I'll bet NBC saw $$$ and demanded a great deal, or placement on every package, or both.

 

[Mochuf]

Michael, it almost certainly costs money to get the rights to retransmit the 3D programming. While the smaller providers, because they are small, don't pay much, I'll bet NBC saw $$$ and demanded a great deal, or placement on every package, or both.

Smaller providers will pay less because they have less eyes watching them. But I'm bet it's roughly the same, percentage-wise, as the big boys pay. And what about Comcast and Direct TV? They're both quite a bit bigger than Dish and they didn't have a problem paying (and probably paying more than what Dish would have to pay). I don't have any 3D equipment, so it really doesn't affect me. But it is a shame that Dish customers are left out of this.

 

[TheForce]

I think its definitely a cost issue. I used to be a stock holder but after meeting the new management at CES, Charlie has in place I went back to the hotel that night and accessed my account and sold all my DISH stock. I have no faith in the new CEO nor the top team. Since the new management took over, Dish has lost earnings per share over the past year. In a market where most good companies have gained EPS, Dish was a loser. The rub was they gained subscribers at great cost to their bottom line. Just recently I saw Dish has placed an offering of $1B in senior notes to be used for general operating budget. When you borrow money to cover current operating costs that is like when we buy groceries and pay our electric bill with a credit card and then hope things will get better when the bill comes in because our monthly bills exceed our salary. This is usually a bad sign of trouble to come for a company when current revenue doesn't meet operating expenses.

So, while I did hear some scuttle of execs telling me that 3D has no interest among their subscribers, the truth is, I believe the company cant afford to increase expenses unless it has an immediate return on investment. If they felt they could charge for a temp channel they may have done it but since all the other MSO's aren't charging, how would that look?

Here is a partial quote from the STREET publication just 5 days ago:

Despite its growing revenue, the company underperformed as compared with the industry average of 13.3%.
Since the same quarter one year prior, revenues rose by 11.1%. This growth in revenue does not appear to
have trickled down to the company's bottom line, displayed by a decline in earnings per share.
Regardless of the somewhat mixed results with the debt-to-equity ratio, the company's quick ratio of 0.97 is
weak.
Net operating cash flow has slightly increased to $858.55 million or 1.68% when compared to the same
quarter last year. Despite an increase in cash flow, DISH NETWORK CORP's cash flow growth rate is still
lower than the industry average growth rate of 16.04%.
In its most recent trading session, DISH has closed at a price level that was not very different from its closing
price of one year earlier. This is probably due to its weak earnings growth as well as other mixed factors. The
fact that the stock is now selling for less than others in its industry in relation to its current earnings is not
reason enough to justify a buy rating at this time.
The company, on the basis of change in net income from the same quarter one year ago, has significantly
underperformed when compared to that of the S&P 500 and the Media industry. The net income has
significantly decreased by 34.4% when compared to the same quarter one year ago, falling from $549.39
million to $360.31 million.

 

[The Fat Man]

Exactly...& because no enough people brought their over priced 3D ppv...maybe dish believe there is not enough demand on their system.

Piggy backing on you and Scott. Why have $7.99 PPV when they own Blockbuster and send you 2 discs by mail for $15 a month. I certainly watch them as soon as i get them and send them back. The only thing I'm sure of is whether Blockbuster has a big 3D library. I kids got the Smurfs movie and it was one with a choice for either HD or 3D.

 

[lern4483]

any idea when the tennis will be played?

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I was just watching my DIRECTV box setting timers for the 3D broadcasts and the channel I was on (I think it was Discovery Channel) had a ad inserted by DIRECTV advertising the Olympics in 3D.

Not only is DIRECTV carrying the Olympics in 3D they are promoting it!

 

[The Fat Man]

I have to be the one that asks, but is there even room for 3D on the Satellites? We are forever getting the story that there is little room for more HD. My solution is to remove all SD repeats and then there is more room. The only problem is that as of now there are more subscribers who would care about missing SD than those who care about missing 3D. I think it's time to force them to change though. We're stalled due to those that are stuck in the past.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

There is plenty of room up there for more HD channels. A 3D channel takes up the same room as a 3D channel.

I have a special feed of the BBC from London and I am watching the Opening Ceremonies live. (About an hour and a half away from the real ceremonies starting) and I am now kind of sad as a DISH subscriber as it appears 3D will have a big part in the opening ceremony as everyone in the stands at the opening ceremonies have been given 3D glasses. I guess I will need to wait until 5am tomorrow to watch it in 3D to see what all the 3D looks like.

 

[dennispap]

A 3D channel takes up the same room as a 3D channel.

Hopefully.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Whoops that should have said a 3D channel takes up the same space as a HD channel. (3D over satellite is transmitted in Side by Side format.)

 

[dwarren2]

I've had BBC World going on my Roku box. Hope they will broadcast the Ceremonies live at 4 pm. Anyone know of any other channel on the Roku that may be carrying them live.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I am watching live via a Slingbox hooked up to a Sky satellite receiver in England.

Watch UK TV Abroad | British Satellite TV Slingbox Streaming | UK VPN Access

 

[dwarren2]

Is the UK broadcast on Sky or BBC?

 

[Pepper]

To answer the "no bandwidth available for Olympics 3D" issue once and for all, has AMC-HD and IFC et al been turned back on yet?

 

[KAB]

Is the UK broadcast on Sky or BBC?

Both...Sky will be getting BBC channels/feeds But, BBC is originating.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I am watching on Sky (which is a satellite service like DISH or DIRECTV) its also on the other satellite service which is called FreeView.

I am tuned to BBC 1 HD and the PQ is excellent.

Below are a few pics I grabbed a few moments ago as they get ready to start the opening ceremonies. Look how good the PQ looks!