Quitting E* ?

[mceb]

Am I nuts or is my local cable system now offering better HD than both E* or D*.

http://www.io.tv/index.jhtml?pageType=hdtv_programming

How did satellite let this happen? Things looked good 2 years ago when E* was bragging about leading HD and my cable had 80 channels. Now E* has done very little over last 2 years in HD and cable has past them. Is it a temporary situation, will sat rise again or has competition caught them for good?

 

[Harrypr]

If HD Programming is top on your list, VOOM beats both the Dish, Directtv and cable. I'm getting it installed on Wedneday. Check out their website!

 

[rad]

Am I nuts or is my local cable system now offering better HD than both E* or D*.

http://www.io.tv/index.jhtml?pageType=hdtv_programming

How did satellite let this happen? Things looked good 2 years ago when E* was bragging about leading HD and my cable had 80 channels. Now E* has done very little over last 2 years in HD and cable has past them. Is it a temporary situation, will sat rise again or has competition caught them for good?

While DBS will probably be able to offer HD national channels I really don't see them being able to do all the local HD programming. Even then, if you when with DBS and used an OTA antenna for the locals you still might miss out on a regional sports channel that's doing HD that you could get only via cable. Right now, I see both DBS companies making LIL their priority since they get more revenue from that service then any HD that they might offer. Cable already has the local channels so they can put their resources into getting more HD programming which will give them the edge for awhile. My bottom line to your question is that I feel that cable has the better edge, based on what's known right now, to be DBS for HD programming when you look at a total package. Yes, Voom has more HD but they're lacking on a number of SD channels that people will want and with only a few transponders at 61.5 they'll never be able to be nothing more then a nitch HD programming provider IMHO.

 

[mceb]

True DBS can't provide some of the local coverage (local sports for example) but even the national stuff they already seem to have more. (they have HBO, SHO, TMC, Starz, Max in HD).

The big winner will be those who can provide all networks NBC, CBS, ABC and FOX in HD. Most people still watch network sticoms & dramas.

On the Voom thing, yes I've seen that but it does appear a small player right now (owned by my local cable co BTW). They seem to be pushing the HD angle but do lack much of the SD needed. Might be a nice add-on. Strange business angle for a cable company to compete against DBS with a satellite. I've heard a few rumors of E* buying it but not sure where the whole Voom thing is headed.

Right now I'm stuck with E* and 2 dishes (1 of which appears will be obsolete soon), 2 of my free HD channels moving off 61.5 which will require money for a converter and the need to upgrade receiver to 811 soon (which seems to have problems of it's own).

 

[AndyMon]

If HD Programming is top on your list, VOOM beats both the Dish, Directtv and cable. I'm getting it installed on Wedneday. Check out their website!

Sorry, but that statement has to be qualified. I still will not accept the v* "exclusives" as legitimate, quality programming. As it stands, several cableco's currently have superior HD offerings in qualitative quantity. One case in point, v*'s (current) parent, Cablevision, has them beat right now. Of course, this may change soon.


E*, the HD laggard........ :evil:

 

[mike123abc]

It would take a minimum of 3 years I would say before they could even begin to offer HDTV locals for any more than the top 10 maybe 20 market (assuming only major nets).

If it were to happen right now that VOOM goes out of business and sells to E*/D* and they decide to use rainbow-1 for HDTV LIL they could probably get ABC/CBS/NBC/FOX in 22 cities (via the 22 spot beams).

To do LIL HDTV they would need to find a lot more bandwith (Ku-FSS, K-DBS middle slots like 105, or Ka), then build a lot of spot beam satellites.

But, the real problem they would probably run into is that all the "minor" stations in each DMA would start to sue to get their digital feed in its entirety uplinked.

Of course it is possible that DIRECTV could do something with the spaceway birds. But, even with one of the three going up this year, it would probably take new equipment to recieve it. Design, testing, etc., I would be surprised if anything happens before late 2005, and then probably only the top cities.

 

[Stargazer]

I agree with AndyMon. The content on their exclusive channels is not up to par.

Dish and Direct will not concentrate on getting local HD network markets up until all the SD network markets are up in which should take another year or two. This gives time for Dish and Direct to get more satellite space and to build satellites for HD.

 

[deathopie]

I'm one of the ones leaving E* for cable. I've had the E* hd package and to tell you the truth I haven't watched much on any of the new channels. So it's off to Adelphia HD. I get a break on my internet access price, which is way too expensive but I'm not going back to dial-up, and I get abc, nbc and pbs locals in hd plus HBO for about the same price as my current E* package. And it doesn't include HBO. I just need E* for a couple of more weeks so hopefully I'll be watching the Pats in the superbowl!!!!!!! I don't know why Adelphia doesn't have CBS-HD yet.

 

[Stargazer]

I think we will see cable to start increasing their HD lineup greatly as they have a lot of bandwidth to do so and upgrading their consumers to the boxes under a lease or for no additional cost.