Why keep 942 if MPEG2 HD going away?

[drjdan]

I currently have a 942. I plan on getting a 622. What I don't understand why I would want to keep the 942 if the HD channels are going to be transferred to MPEG4 and thus not viewable on the 942? When will the HD MPEG2 be discontinued?

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

You still have over a years worth of HD programming it will pick up.

 

[drjdan]

So you are saying that the current MPEG2 HD channels will stay on MPEG2 for at lease a year?

 

[gdarwin]

That's what Scott is saying. You will receive what you get now for quite awhile.

Keeping mine until I'm forced to get rid of it.

 

[n0qcu]

Also OTA HD will ALWAYS be mpeg2.

 

[tomdkat]

Sold my 921 on ebay for $300 today. Payed $549 18 Months ago. I got my moneys worth.

 

[tonyp56]

This goes back to what I've been saying. Everyone assumes that they have to get rid of their 942 that they just bought for $700 or whatever 3 months ago right now. You don't, you can still receive the channels you get now for another year or so. So why even upgrade? If you have to have everything now, then go ahead and upgrade, but if you can make it another year or so without having all the new channels, and you aren't going to get rid of your 942 anyways, why not just wait to upgrade to the 622?

 

[RobertsD]

I actually just bought a 942(for the great price of $125) to use with the current HD pack, and OTA HD. Even when all the channels in the old HD pack go MPEG 4, I will still keep it to use with OTA HD.

 

[seandudley]

Also OTA HD will ALWAYS be mpeg2.

Unfortunately

 

[motorcycle_rider]

Ummm is OTA in mpeg at all?

 

[gutter]

Ummm is OTA in mpeg at all?

I was questioning the same thing. OTA is not MPEG anything. It has a separate compression method.

 

[n0qcu]

I was questioning the same thing. OTA is not MPEG anything. It has a separate compression method.

You're thinking modulation. OTA is 8vsb and sat is either qpsk or 8psk.
Both currently use mpeg 2 for compression.

 

[bryant232]

Keeping my 942

When I ordered my 622, I asked what was going to happen to mpeg 2 and I was told that E has over 12 million customers and that only a very small percentage of those customers are actually interested in HD (us). The rep went on to say that mpeg 2 will be around for at least 10-15 years. You figure 12 million customers and at least a 1/4 of them have 2 boxes. that means that they have approx. 15 million pcs of equipment. That is a lot of boxes to change out if they were to dump mpeg 2.
What do you guys think?

 

[Tom Bombadil]

It will be around for several years, for SD channels.

Scott has been saying for some time now that his sources say that HD channels will cease to be transmitted in MPEG2 in about a year.

 

[drjdan]

I agree the MPEG2 is here for a while for the customers that do not have HD. That would be a huge transistion. But the HD users are a much smaller number that would make sense to transistion. If dish does not need the space on the old MPEG2 sats, then I would see no reason to rush to terminate the current HD off of them. But if they need the space to support non HD, then I could see their rush. I would think they will not be adding mush new non HD programing in future so I think the need for space on old sats would be as transponders fail.

 

[bryant232]

it will be very interesting to see what happens if or when Dish starts taking HD channels away from 921,811,942, owners.

 

[frontdischarge]

The question is: Can you get a replacement for the 942 for $99? (after 4/1/06). If, in keeping your 942 for x number of years you are forced to pay ($99 + X) dollars to replace it, depending on X you may not "come out ahead."

In other words, there may not be another deal like the rebate after 4/1 for 942 owners.

What do you think?

Kelly

 

[drjdan]

Does anyone know for how long after 4/1/06 will be avalable?

 

[KeithInDallas]

I actually just bought a 942(for the great price of $125) to use with the current HD pack, and OTA HD. Even when all the channels in the old HD pack go MPEG 4, I will still keep it to use with OTA HD.

When did you activate the receiver? Was it before or after Feb 1, 2006? I am curious to know if anyone has been able to activate a 942 since Feb 1. Thanks!

 

[KeithInDallas]

I currently have a 942. I plan on getting a 622. What I don't understand why I would want to keep the 942 if the HD channels are going to be transferred to MPEG4 and thus not viewable on the 942? When will the HD MPEG2 be discontinued?

I don't want to "upgrade" because they are asking me for property I own to be given back for a lease' because the new HD channels don't have a lot of compelling content for me; because I don't want to pay even more money then I have already spent on receivers; because the new HD package price has gone up; because my 942 will continue to receive all my channels for at least a year (or so they say); and because I watch HD OTA the most. That about covers it!