What are the missing channels?

[Scott Greczkowski]

I had a member PM me and ask me if I had a complete channel lineup for the Dish Network TurboHD Bronze package.

Accroding to the Dish Network website they state the package has "Over 50 channels" yet they only list 24 of the 50 channels.

http://www.dishnetwork.com/turbohd/programming/default.aspx

Anyone know what the other 26 are?

 

[RandallA]

Don't they count the HD PPV in this packages? I think there's 10 HD PPV channels. Who knows where the other 16 channels are coming from, we know they use accounting from the University of Dish Network anyways to count the channels.

 

[goaliebob99]

I think they do.. I dont think they count the RSN's sence dish doesnt offer any full time RSNs in HD.

 

[Lt Disher]

On one list, I also saw VOD channels.

There has been recent discussion that the shopping channels are also open to the Turbo subscriptions. I know they are not HD, but maybe they are counting those.

 

[wetz73]

"Overall, there are 24 national HD channels, six pay-per-view HD channels, and 14 HD video-on-demand channels." (Dish Network Turbo HD 4/6/09)

Wait, that's only 44! Viacoms?

 

[jdmacor]

I have a follow-up question too:

Notice how on Dish's Turbo Page that the channel claims start at 50 for Bronze, then jump to 60 for silver (but only 8 additional channels are listed!), and then jumps to 65 for Gold (but again, 8 more channels are listed!). Are they counting channels on some sort of log scale?! The math is getting screwy...

 

[TheKrell]

Counting PPV channels, or any other extra cost channels, as though they were part of any specific package, is outrageous and a new low for Dish. By that inflated nonsense measure, Dish could claim that their Turbo HD Bronze package has all the channels Dish offers! They just cost more.

Further edit: Agree with jdmacor. Free channels (public service, shopping, maybe even the info channels) might count. Extra cost channels including all PPV/VOD/locals/RSNs should not count. OK, I am somewhat mollified.

 

[jdmacor]

"Overall, there are 24 national HD channels, six pay-per-view HD channels, and 14 HD video-on-demand channels." (Dish Network Turbo HD 4/6/09)

Wait, that's only 44! Viacoms?

I think they must be counting the shopping channels and Nasa and crap; anybody not too lazy to count those freebies out?

I sure hope they don't count channel 100...

 

[dembinskij]

It could be that they are counting 4 local hd's (ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC-although some don't have 4 local HD's) then the 10 HD PPV channels, 6 HD sport alternates, 1 HD Fox Sport Net(Some areas have 2 or even 3). That would bring us up to 45 to 47. I still can't get to 50 either. They maybe counting the double mapping for the HD channels. Who knows their math is fuzzy at the least, and misleading!

 

[garys]

Some areas get five HD locals, NY and LA has the big four and the CW.

 

[jdmacor]

It could be that they are counting 4 local hd's (ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC-although some don't have 4 local HD's) then the 10 HD PPV channels, 6 HD sport alternates, 1 HD Fox Sport Net(Some areas have 2 or even 3). That would bring us up to 45 to 47. I still can't get to 50 either. They maybe counting the double mapping for the HD channels. Who knows their math is fuzzy at the least, and misleading!

They can't count locals, because you have to pay extra for them. Also, I think you don't get your RSN until you are at the Silver level for Turbo packages; not sure about that though.

 

[Laddyboy]

I just turned on my set so I'll count them up. Will edit after the count.

I have 23 regular HD channels plus 4 HD locals. There are also 11 HD VOD and 5 HD PPV. There's also HDNET, HDTHR and PLDIA. There are 2 HD ORDER channels. No RSNs. I think that's 48 total. If you count all the special interest and shopping channels and the SD channels, the count goes way up.

 

[Borgie]

They are counting PPV and ondemand. I asked this very question via email. I have the email at home, I will post the answer tonight.

 

[PHXHoward]

The programming in PPV and VOD channels should not be considered part of TurboHD Bronze. There are extra charges so they should not be included. It just says "over 50 channels" not 50 HD channels so I assume they are including the shopping and religious channels that are in every package.

 

[dennispap]

They are counting PPV and ondemand. I asked this very question via email. I have the email at home, I will post the answer tonight.

That is bs. If you say you get 50 channels for this price, but some of those channels cost more, YOU DONT GET 50 CHANNELS FOR THAT PRICE!!!.
If that is what Dish does, that is flat out lying/fraud.

 

[drummerguy]

Do Turbo HD subs get the standard def versions of the HD channels, too? I think my dad does (he's in Turbo HD Silver). If so, maybe Dish is counting those.

 

[RandallA]

That is bs. If you say you get 50 channels for this price, but some of those channels cost more, YOU DONT GET 50 CHANNELS FOR THAT PRICE!!!.
If that is what Dish does, that is flat out lying/fraud.

They've been doing this for a while now and I'm surprised that they haven't been sued for false advertisement. I must add that the other providers do the same.

 

[Pepper]

There you go, expecting Dish to count their channels using decimal numbers. Maybe they count in octal. But... even in base 6, "50" is a lot more than the "24" decimal number Scott came up with.

 

[wetz73]

They all count channels this way. Every single RSN is a channel, they assume 7 locals for everyone, PPV movies and temporary sports channels, etc.

 

[TheKrell]

They all count channels this way. Every single RSN is a channel, they assume 7 locals for everyone, PPV movies and temporary sports channels, etc.

I think you are missing the point of this thread. Indeed Dish might count all those channels and call them "available" to some people with the right packages and dishes and a deep pocketbook. But to call them part of a specific package means that you can't count extra-cost channels like those you mentioned. Otherwise, Dish could just count all the channels they have available and state that all packages get them.