Retailer Chat Recap - November 10th, 2005

[Scott Greczkowski]

Hey folks, this one almost snuck past us today! I was out on the road when a friend of mine called me and reminded me the chat was on and he set the phone down near his TV so I could listen in.

No real breaking news from the programming side, but there was some breaking news from the hardware from including the introduction of the 211 VIP MPEG4 HD Receiver.

Dish talked a lot about the new PocketDish and mentioned all three models are now available and that they are going to have a rebate available soon at http://www.pocketdish.com

The rebates are as follows

$20 Rebate for 2.2 Inch PocketDISH
$40 Rebate for 5 Inch PocketDISH
$60 Rebate for the 7 inch PocketDISH

Details will be available soon at http://www.pocketdish.com

(BTW DishStore.NET still has 7 inch units available on the SatelliteGuys Powerbuy for only $529 when you use the coupon code satguysdeal at checkout, this deal is going to expire soon. With the $60 rebate it makes the 7 inch model cheaper then the 5 inch model. )

The other interesting thing they discussed was the new MPEG4 receivers, the 411 and new 211 MVP were shown.

The specs were basically the same as the current 811 but they could do MPEG4. The only difference I heard between the 411 and 211 MVP was the 211 had a ethernet jack "for future use"

The 411 will be available by "hopefully" the end of the month and the 211 VIP will be available in Mid December. The MSRP on both units is $399. There will only be a "small number" of units available by the end of the year.

They did not discuss anything about MPEG4 programming.

Other then that, that was about it worth mentioning from the chat.

Sorry for not having a chat for the chat, with all that was going on this week I forgot all about it.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

If I can go out on a limb here, I believe that the VIP on the 211VIP might just stand for VIDEO (over) IP.

Dish did not tell anyone what the ethernet jack on the 211VIP was for but instead labeled it "for future use".

If I had to choose a 411 or 211 VIP I think I would wait for the 211VIP.

 

[jbcheshire]

Scott,
Does the pocketdish at Dishstore.net have the 40gb or 100gb harddrive?

 

[jbcheshire]

Never mind, silly me.. I clicked on the pocketdish link and found out... Thanks!!
It's the 40gb model..

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I do not know of any pocketdish with a 100 GB hard drive.

 

[mdonnelly]

Well, it looks like we may get a look at this stuff in the Tech Forum on Monday night, anyway. Maybe they'll have some info on 811/6000u trade-in's.

 

[korsjs]

interesting about the 211vip.

i changed the date on the subject from 11th to 10th.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I doubt it, dont look for that information until January or February at the earliest.

If there is even 200 units released in December I will be shocked.

 

[John Kotches]

With this VIP product do you suppose there might be more coming with SBC? SBC certainly can build out the infrastructure for Video over IP and in conjunction with Dish they would have a tremendous amount of delivery capability.

Just idle speculation on my part of course...

Cheers,

 

[RandallA]

SBC is supposed to have a joint venture with 2wire where they will use their Media Portal box.

http://www.2wire.com/?p=11

I'm wondering now if this 211 MVP receiver is somehow similar or the same.

Edit: Never mind. "The only difference I heard between the 411 and 211 MVP was the 211 had a ethernet jack "for future use"

 

[goaliebob99]

dont you mean ATT Still no news for us hd dvr owners.... I think i will wait till around febuary before i make a mpg4 decishion but if something good comes up between now and then thats allways subject to change..

 

[BFG]

Strange but okay....

Why would a satellite company have offerings over your IP?

 

[mwgiii]

Couldn't they provide on-demand programming over IP?

They wouldn't tie up satellite space that way.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Couldn't they provide on-demand programming over IP?

That would be my guess.

If Dish was smart they wouldnt tie the server to any one ISP to work. I know I myself would love VOD service but I don't want to switch ISP's or Phone companies just so I can use the Dish Network service.

 

[Cegarrett]

Home networking?

Strange but okay....

Why would a satellite company have offerings over your IP?

Could this be a way to distribute the Video over/in a home network?

The programming would run coax from the sat. Dish to a central "receiver" and then the receiver could use CAT5 to distribute the video to the rest of the house. Aren't most new houses wired for network?

Just thinking outside of the Box,
Cegarrett

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Thats a good idea too, but it don't fall into the V.I.P. letters or maybe it does. Video over IP still works if I think about it harder.

 

[riffjim4069]

This is all very interesting stuff, but I feel that MPEG-4 is going to be a slow and measured transition for E*. By measured, E* would prefer to give new customers MPEG-4 receivers, replace existing receivers at the end of its normal life, and sell discounted MPEG-4 receivers to customers...just as long as they sign on that dotted line for 12-24 months of programming service. In other words, I don't see E* customers getting mass quantities of MPEG-4 receivers in the near future. Also, E* intends to move as quickly, or as slowly, as the competition dictates. If D* satellites remain standing on the launch pad and Verizon FiOS TV is stuck in Cable Franchise legislation, then don't look for E* to move at the pace of a tortoise. Like Scott said, I doubt we'll see more than a handful of 211/411 receivers in the coming months. VOOM DBS played this "Great Hardware Coming" game for more than a year. I'll remain pessimistic until I see a press release and pricing information.

 

[OoTLink]

That would be my guess.

If Dish was smart they wouldnt tie the server to any one ISP to work. I know I myself would love VOD service but I don't want to switch ISP's or Phone companies just so I can use the Dish Network service.

Doesn't this sound EXACTLY like a thread I posted a little over a month ago? Dish boxes that did OnDemand by Video over IP?

And of course, why would a satellite company have Video over IP? Simple -- it's still portable and will work anywhere as satellite TV service. OTOH, Video over IP can be just as portable, and isn't tied down to any specific landline provider or service technology (it could work over FIOS, vDSL, shoot even regular DSL or *GASP* CABLE INTERNET!)...

That, and you could brag to the cable company you use their internet service to get ondemand on your satellite box *evil grin*

 

[BobMurdoch]

Any word of a mpeg4 942 replacement..? I'm still limping along with my 921 until they bring an mpeg4 HD PVR to market.

 

[Juan]

Strange but okay....

Why would a satellite company have offerings over your IP?

VOIP phone service!!!!