What to expect from Dish?

[dummy]

If I understand the future a little, I think that OTA channels will be digital in Feb., which will produce much higher picture quality on HD TVs than SD. This makes me wonder how Dish can charge money for all these crappy SD channels I'm paying for.

I've seen for months that Dish has bragged about all their HD channels, yet when I go down the list, I see dozens of SD channels, like Fox News and many others. Is Dish going to be worth it? Will the day come when they will actually provide mostly HD TV or will 2009 be like 2008 when they add several HD channels and, at the same time, remove a bunch of other HD channels (Voom, for example)? Frankly, I'm thinking about dumping this whole satellite thing and buying from NetFlix or some outfit like that.

I'd be interested in any comments from all the experts here who know more than me. Thanks!

 

[Skibum]

Bottom line is you should just go with what suits you. I happen to like Direct right now for their HD, even though I exclusively install Dish. If it wasn't for my roommate's HDTV, I wouldn't have TV service at all!

Debate if you want, but your opinion is the only one that should matter to you.

 

[KAB]

Bottom line is you should just go with what suits you. I happen to like Direct right now for their HD, even though I exclusively install Dish. If it wasn't for my roommate's HDTV, I wouldn't have TV service at all!

Debate if you want, but your opinion is the only one that should matter to you.

:up:up

 

[SKrueger]

If I understand the future a little, I think that OTA channels will be digital in Feb., which will produce much higher picture quality on HD TVs than SD. This makes me wonder how Dish can charge money for all these crappy SD channels I'm paying for.

Don't bet on it unless they are actually transmitting in HD. From what I've seen on some locals here, SD digital OTA can still look as crappy as analog on an HDTV.

 

[jerryez]

The local ABC has there news in HD. None of the other programs except prime time network and some sports are in HD. None of the other local networks even provide the news in HD. Your cable company and your sat companies are already broadcasting in digital and your SD tv receives and decodes this signal. Nothing will change in Feb 2009, unless your only receive analog tv with an antenna. NOTHING!

 

[dummy]

The local ABC has there news in HD. None of the other programs except prime time network and some sports are in HD. None of the other local networks even provide the news in HD. Your cable company and your sat companies are already broadcasting in digital and your SD tv receives and decodes this signal. Nothing will change in Feb 2009, unless your only receive analog tv with an antenna. NOTHING!

I guess I don't understand this stuff. I thought improvement were on the way. Thanks very much for all the responses

 

[navychop]

You do understand, those digital channels are being transmitted today, right? With an antenna and good location, you can get the digital versions right now. I think they do look better than the analog versions, most of the time. But I'm talking OTA reception, not the Dish LiLs.

 

[jerryez]

The 722, 211 and other HD receivers upconvert the SD signal to an HD signal at the present time. The quality of an SD picture upconverted to HD with an HD TV is much better than the SD picture on an SD reciever like the 311. That is already available with an HD receiver now. Feb 2009 will not improve that reception. As more an more sat/cable channels start to broadcast in HD, TV pictures will get better, but there is not a deadline or even a requirement for sat and cable channels to convert to HD. Also, Dish cannot add them, if they are not broadcasting in HD. It is up to each cable/sat channel to make that decesion. there are plenty of HD channels though, that Dish has not added yet. Dish claims that they are negotiating for a fair price with each of those broadcasters.