Where's the High Def Channels?

[hammerdown]

Part 1
With OTA HDTV having 19.3Mbps bandwidth limit and subchannels being added to boot, DBS sat doing bitrates of 10Mbps, and the invention of HD-Lite (downrezzing)... What kind of picture quality does the C-Band HD movie channels and DiscHD actually have? Any numbers on bitrates? 25Mbps/38Mbps/45Mbps?
Part 2
I browsed through Lynsat and unless I'm missing something obvious... where are these channels?
HDNet & HDNet Movies
ESPN HD & ESPN2 HD
TNT HD & Universal HD
Are the channel owners simply bypassing C-Band uplinking and doing Fiber to the various providers? Is it no longer economical to send these out on C-Band? Is C-Band out of bandwidth?
Even more puzzling, where are the NBC/ABC/CBS/etc HD feeds on C-Band? These networks have several SD subchannels and live feeds on C-Band, but don't uplink the HD? Seems strange?

Hammer

 

[iammike]

I can't answer part 1, as I don't have cband HD capability yet. On part 2, all of the channels you mentioned are on c-band. They're just encrypted in modes (DCII-combo/powervu) that consumer receivers can't get.

 

[Gary Murrell]

different equipment/encryption being used by broadcasters that the consumer 4dDTV receivers cannot see, it is as simple as that

if that weren't the case I would be telling Dish to go take a flying you know what off the nearest bridge

I can tell you that no channels are even 25 Mbps, most directly from the source are less than 19 Mbps

You think that maybe if updated 4DTV receivers would be released 4DTV would gain some more sub's, kinda sounds that way to me, instead they sit back everyday and loose hundreds of sub's

-Gary

 

[hammerdown]

Ok, I see the channels now.
So is the the channel owner's decision to not offer them in DCII (4Dtv) format so that regular folk could get them? Or is it 4Dtv fault for not updating the consumer hardware?
Hammer

 

[mkm4]

You think that maybe if updated 4DTV receivers would be released 4DTV would gain some more sub's, kinda sounds that way to me, instead they sit back everyday and loose hundreds of sub's
-Gary

The Programmers aren't actually losing anybody. The subscriptions are mostly just moving from one provider (C-band) to another one (Cable or E* or D*). They don't care because they still make the money. The few cbanders that remain are insignificant source of income. There are what 200,000 or so active cband subscribers? Compare that to the 24,000,000 or so combined base of E* and D*. That's about 0.8%. If they all dissappeared and weren't recovered, you wouldn't even notice that on a balance sheet.

 

[iammike]

Both. 4dtv hardware development seems to be pretty much dead. I don't think they even manufacture the HDD-200 units any more, so HD is pretty low on the priority list. I've read that combo mode gives a higher data rate than standard DCII so that may be why the providers are using it. I'm not sure I fully understand though, since Lyngsat doesn't show the symbol rates being any higher.

 

[determined]

I can get HDTV with a general instruments 4DTV receiver. There are several on satellite G9 and some on C4 also. There are others as well but they don't come to mind as I do not have an HDTV so I don't watch them. I can tune them in but they look pretty funny as my regular TV won't resolve them properly. They are there with a strong quality reading, usually in the 90's, and if I had an HDTV I could undoubtedly watch them. They are all digital signals, no analog. I have no idea what the bit rates are. I've been thinking about the HDTV but they are so expensive that I thought I'd wait a bit longer.

 

[tdti1]

Part 1
With OTA HDTV having 19.3Mbps bandwidth limit and subchannels being added to boot, DBS sat doing bitrates of 10Mbps, and the invention of HD-Lite (downrezzing)... What kind of picture quality does the C-Band HD movie channels and DiscHD actually have? Any numbers on bitrates? 25Mbps/38Mbps/45Mbps?
Part 2
I browsed through Lynsat and unless I'm missing something obvious... where are these channels?
HDNet & HDNet Movies
ESPN HD & ESPN2 HD
TNT HD & Universal HD
Are the channel owners simply bypassing C-Band uplinking and doing Fiber to the various providers? Is it no longer economical to send these out on C-Band? Is C-Band out of bandwidth?
Even more puzzling, where are the NBC/ABC/CBS/etc HD feeds on C-Band? These networks have several SD subchannels and live feeds on C-Band, but don't uplink the HD? Seems strange?
Hammer

The SD and HD on the big dish blow away small dish hands down, though many new channels are going DCII megapipe or SA's power vu, and the 4dtv can only get DCII, I get:
Starz HD east and west:
HBO HD east and west:
Showtime HD west:
Discovery HD:
PBS HD
Wealth TV HD:

I do hope Encore will bring back the Encore HD feed, we had it while it was there.

 

[iammike]

Just out of curiosity, what happened to EncoreHD? Also, has anything ever gone from megapipe to regular DCII? It would be nice to think there was a least some hope of a channel like ESPNHD coming to C-band some day.

 

[Shawn95GT]

I wonder if there will ever be a new HD receiver produced that'll do Megapipe. Something like the HDD200.

I won't be holding my breath judging by Motorola's current course of action with the 922.

 

[tdti1]

Just out of curiosity, what happened to EncoreHD? Also, has anything ever gone from megapipe to regular DCII? It would be nice to think there was a least some hope of a channel like ESPNHD coming to C-band some day.

Since at the time Encore HD was around and nobody but big dish and Voom had the bandwidth for it, Starz cut it and said they may return when there is room for HD in the future.

Sorry we all wish that they would change from megapipe, but to be honest who in there right mind would? they can fit more on a transponder with megapipe and this saves money and improves quality, its like buying a new PC with a big harddrive and sick ram, then trading it in for a commodore 64... not going to happen

We have seen the opposite happen though and I think it was last year, we lost Showtime east HD

 

[iammike]

I figured it was something like that. Guess there's no really good solution for HD these days. Pizza has most of the channels, but not the capacity to present it properly. C-band has the bandwidth, but the consumer hardware can't handle the modern encryption so the channels are limited. Thanks for the info.

 

[hammerdown]

Good to hear PBS HD is there! Is that free?

If I were rich enough, could I get a professional receiver that decodes DCII-combo/powervu/megapipe HD? Or is there also an authorization issue?

Hammer

 

[iammike]

Good to hear PBS HD is there! Is that free?
If I were rich enough, could I get a professional receiver that decodes DCII-combo/powervu/megapipe HD? Or is there also an authorization issue?
Hammer

I believe its a free channel (I can get the sound anyway). It's on T5 channel 603

 

[gizzer777]

Hmmmm

Since at the time Encore HD was around and nobody but big dish and Voom had the bandwidth for it, Starz cut it and said they may return when there is room for HD in the future.
Sorry we all wish that they would change from megapipe, but to be honest who in there right mind would? they can fit more on a transponder with megapipe and this saves money and improves quality, its like buying a new PC with a big harddrive and sick ram, then trading it in for a commodore 64... not going to happen
We have seen the opposite happen though and I think it was last year, we lost Showtime east HD

I get Starz HD on G9 122 and 124 + Discovery HD on C4 600 + of all things the Wealth channel on G5 601 <free>

HBO HD is also on G9 and Showtime has at least 1 HD channel. saw a PBS feed as well but forgot where!

Jeff

 

[Gary Murrell]

You can get a receiver that does megapipe, they pop up on ebay from time to time, but the problem is getting it authorized, you have to be a provider(cable etc.)

If they would release a updated receiver I would go to 4DTV right now

anyone know what mode HDNet uses??, it is not listed at lyngsat

-Gary

 

[gizzer777]

Do not think Motorola gives a ****

I do not think they would even entertain the thought...too bad since it is still the best show in town!
regards
jeff

 

[voomvoom]

where are these channels?

where are these channels?
HDNet & HDNet Movies
ESPN HD & ESPN2 HD
TNT HD & Universal HD
Are the channel owners simply bypassing C-Band uplinking and doing Fiber to the various providers? Is it no longer economical to send these out on C-Band? Is C-Band out of bandwidth?
Even more puzzling, where are the NBC/ABC/CBS/etc HD feeds on C-Band? These networks have several SD subchannels and live feeds on C-Band, but don't uplink the HD? Seems strange?
Hammer

HDNet & HDNet Movies = DVB, probably SA's power vu
ESPN HD & ESPN2 HD & Universal HD = megapipe DCII
TNT HD (Bravesvision) = DVB, probably SA's power vu
NBC HD = DVB 4:2:2 (ku-band)
ABC HD = don't have a clue
CBS HD = DVB (C-band)
WB HD = DVB (C-band)
UPN HD = don't have a clue
PBS HD = DVB (ku-band)
PBS HD = DCII (this is a Nebraska ETV channel)

Al

 

[Kb Cool]

<<If they would release a updated receiver I would go to 4DTV right now>>

Why not just have both systems. Like I do. Who knows if more Idiots would do the same we might finally get an updated mega-pipe 4dtv receiver.
I get all my premium movie channels on 4dtv plus a small digital basic pak.
I then Sub to Dishnetwork's HD pak only to get the HD channels not available on 4dtv.

And yes the 4dtv PQ is superior to DishNet's in side by side channel for channel comparisons available on each receiver.

 

[gizzer777]

Good idea!!

<<If they would release a updated receiver I would go to 4DTV right now>>
Why not just have both systems. Like I do. Who knows if more Idiots would do the same we might finally get an updated mega-pipe 4dtv receiver.
I get all my premium movie channels on 4dtv plus a small digital basic pak.
I then Sub to Dishnetwork's HD pak only to get the HD channels not available on 4dtv.
And yes the 4dtv PQ is superior to DishNet's in side by side channel for channel comparisons available on each receiver.

Like your idea but I will not deal with the D* people...do not like their tactics (or prices)

happy new year
Jeff