What high quality HD channels remain?

[Tom Bombadil]

For those with the capability to monitor the HD channels' resolution and bit rates, are there any left that are being broadcast in true native resolution with bit rates in the 15mb/s range?

In recent days I've seen some sharp images from HDNET and ESPN. Haven't caught ESPN2 lately.

HBO and Showtime look sharp at times, like the resolution is still good, but there are telltale compression artifacts that suggest low bit rates.

I guess we'd have to know which satellite is being used too, as channels aren't getting the same bit rates on both 129 and 61.5.

 

[BFG]

It's easier to mark what channels are down-rezzed

All voom are 1280

Starz, NFL HD are 1440

1080i HD locals are 1440

HDNet, HDNetMovies, and NFL HD are 1440

for bitrates look here - http://www.satelliteguys.us/bfg/dish-hd.htm

 

[AskATech]

I wouldn't know because I was refused an install because I didn't have line-of-sight for 110. Yes, I wouldn't get TNT/ESPN/Discovery HD (the only 3 missing that I'd care about), which I clearly wouldn't be pleased about missing, but locals could've come from OTA. I know it's irrelevant but this was the first opportunity I've had to complain.

 

[dfergie]

The HD on 148 should be untouched... SHO / HBO and CBS HD west...

 

[Tom Bombadil]

Still trying to build the list of channels not being downrezzed or bit-starved.

From above information this seems to be:

TNT HD 1080i
HBO 1080i
Showtime 1080i
ESPN 720p
ESPN2 720p
Nat Geo 720p
? Food 1080i
? HGHD 1080i

Showtime rarely gets much bandwidth.
Food and HGHD both look like they are being compressed
Nat Geo shows low bandwidth from the numbers in the chart
TNT shows low bit rates in the chart

This leaves HBO, ESPN, and ESPN2 by my count.

Am I missing any?

 

[BlackHitachi]

The HD on 148 should be untouched... SHO / HBO and CBS HD west...

YES and still looks so much better then HBO and SHO on the 110 sat!:up

For now at least?

 

[scooby2]

Dish has limited bandwidth so they can do either quality or quantity but not both. Marketing wise it makes more sense to add as many channels as possible. They realize they may lose a few, a few dozen, or a few hundred hard core people but they will draw in thousands for every hardcore person that leaves.

Some of us unlucky bastards live in SBC/Comcast areas so we will never see Fios. Lightspeed is definitely not an HD solution and Comcast is pretty strapped in most areas until they upgrade. Hopefully Dish has something up their sleeve or maybe DirecTV will be the answer when they get their new sats up next year.

Unfortunately marketing always rules and the techies get ignored.

 

[GeorgeLV]

^^ that's the problem Scooby, what if the "upgrade" for Comcast and other cable providers is to imitate D* and E* and stuff 3 HD channels per QAM.

 

[scooby2]

^^ that's the problem Scooby, what if the "upgrade" for Comcast and other cable providers is to imitate D* and E* and stuff 3 HD channels per QAM.

What can we do about it? SD once looked good and has not for years. Like I said Marketing pushed to add more channels then the tech types would want. No reason not to think HD will not follow.

Its not that Charlie and co. don't want to do it there just is not a way to make everyone happy and they will do what they can to keep the masses happy.

Thousands and thousands have bitched and moaned about Sci-fi quality in the Detroit area on Comcast. To this day years later, it is still crap. I'm sure its not even 1% of their customer base in the area so our cries fell on deaf ears.

HD-DVD/BluRay will most likely be the only way for most to get true HD.

 

[BlackHitachi]

HD-DVD/BluRay will most likely be the only way for most to get true HD.

This is sad but looks like its going to be true.

 

[upnorth]

It's easier to mark what channels are down-rezzed

All voom are 1280

Starz, NFL HD are 1440

1080i HD locals are 1440

HDNet, HDNetMovies, and NFL HD are 1440

for bitrates look here - http://www.satelliteguys.us/bfg/dish-hd.htm

Is there a URL showing bitrates for D*?

 

[scooby2]

Is there a URL showing bitrates for D*?

Its not perfectly up to date but close:

http://www.widemovies.com/dfwbitrate.html

 

[Tom Bombadil]

HD-DVD/BluRay will most likely be the only way for most to get true HD.

Can't count on that either.

Current Blu-ray releases have a bit rate of just 10-12Mbps.

This could go up in the future as Sony releases the 50GB discs.

 

[gammadude]

OTA used to be the MPEG2 HD gold standard but many broadcast HD with a full SD subchannel or weather radar robbing bandwidth from the main HD channel. This is most noticeable during sporting events.

 

[HDTVFanAtic]

Still trying to build the list of channels not being downrezzed or bit-starved.

From above information this seems to be:

TNT HD 1080i
HBO 1080i
Showtime 1080i
ESPN 720p
ESPN2 720p
Nat Geo 720p
? Food 1080i
? HGHD 1080i

Showtime rarely gets much bandwidth.
Food and HGHD both look like they are being compressed
Nat Geo shows low bandwidth from the numbers in the chart
TNT shows low bit rates in the chart

This leaves HBO, ESPN, and ESPN2 by my count.

Am I missing any?

SHO gets much higher bitrate than HBO.

HBO signal on 110W is clearly bitstarved....even 148W is not what is sent out via C-Band. HBO has the same bitrate the same on all showings of a title. They are all over the road on 110W and 148W for each showing, so Dish plays games with it.

For example, Star Wars 3 was about 9.14 Mbps coming off C Band every showing - but was anywhere from 8.70-9.11 Mbps on 148W depending on the showing. It was anywhere from 8.25 - 8.90 Mbps on 110W.

SHO on 110W is less than 148W....but as you cannot get SHO-HD East via C-Band it is impossible to tell how much is getting cut. I have actually seen SHO-HD on 148W in the 16's - but 15s are normally the high water mark. Sheena was in the 15s on 110 and 148.

However, most SHO titles will be 2-3 points lower on 148 and 3-5 points lower on 110.

 

[HDTVFanAtic]

Its not perfectly up to date but close:

http://www.widemovies.com/dfwbitrate.html

6 months is an eternity of outdated info these days

 

[yaz96]

SHO gets much higher bitrate than HBO.

HBO signal on 110W is clearly bitstarved....even 148W is not what is sent out via C-Band. HBO has the same bitrate the same on all showings of a title. They are all over the road on 110W and 148W for each showing, so Dish plays games with it.

For example, Star Wars 3 was about 9.14 Mbps coming off C Band every showing - but was anywhere from 8.70-9.11 Mbps on 148W depending on the showing. It was anywhere from 8.25 - 8.90 Mbps on 110W.

SHO on 110W is less than 148W....but as you cannot get SHO-HD East via C-Band it is impossible to tell how much is getting cut. I have actually seen SHO-HD on 148W in the 16's - but 15s are normally the high water mark. Sheena was in the 15s on 110 and 148.

However, most SHO titles will be 2-3 points lower on 148 and 3-5 points lower on 110.

I have a 148 dish, and list both channels at 110 and 148. What are the channel numbers for HBO and SHO on 148? I'd like to watch the best quality I can.
Thanks!

 

[BlackHitachi]

Hbo 9440 Sho 9430

 

[yaz96]

Thanks!

 

[Jim5506]

Can't count on that either.

Current Blu-ray releases have a bit rate of just 10-12Mbps.

This could go up in the future as Sony releases the 50GB discs.

Since movies are shot at 24 fps doesn't that make 15 mbps 1080i/24 equivalent to 18 mbps for 1080i/30?