why does Dish have so many more HD channels than DTV?

[Leila]

why does Dish have so many more HD channels than DTV?

just curious...

[Runch Machine]

Dish has more satellite capacity dedicated to HD. However, look at the content of the HD Channels Dish has, most are pretty boring nature channel type stuff. Good if it appeals to you, but not much plot otherwise.

[Dssturbo1]

dish picked up alot of voom hd channels when voom went kaboom, bankrupt.

as RM points out most of them are not worth watching. of course your mileage may vary........

[fastep]

They are simply behind the pack in terms of HD right now. In order to compete (survive) they will eventually have catch up. Instead of waiting, I opted for 20 HD channels with comcast (no voom stuff included) and have been very satisfied since most stuff I watch is HD. Also, the pq is noticably better with Comcast. However, if comcast doesn't add national geographic hd and HGTV hd then I will probably try Dish. (the rumor is that comcast should have these channels by the end of august...we'll see....).

I cannot comment on voom content but I can say that having starz hd and cinemax hd has substantially increased the number of decent hd movies available at any given time. I also like the fact that my local HD recordings are always in my now playing list and complete! I had a big problem with reliable OTA hd with the hr10.

If you are like me and prefer more HD content right now, you should check your options. If you are a patient person, I think D* will eventually get there! Hopefully they will stop trading pq for bandwidth when they do!

[hildred]

it seen like comcast has better picturn as far as hdtv is this so that dish/dish

[BillyT2002]

DISH Network may have more HD channels than anyone else, but from what I understand, most of those HD channels repeat the programming on them ad nauseum.

[HomieG]

it seen like comcast has better picturn as far as hdtv is this so that dish/dish

Huh?

[super dave]

Huh?
Can't understand youbonics? ;) ;)

[Adam1115]

why does Dish have so many more HD channels than DTV?

just curious...

Most of them are crap. They really only have 2-3 worthwhile channels over Dish, DirecTV should have capacity to add soon.

[Lenarro]

I have worked with a few mentally challenged people, yet I am still confusedl

it seen like comcast has better picturn as far as hdtv is this so that dish/dish

[super dave]

it seen like comcast has better picturn as far as hdtv is this so that dish/dish
What he said! :D

[TyroneShoes]

I'll take a stab, although I might be answering a question that wasn't actually asked :confused: .

DISH, having a bit more bandwidth to play with, likely does not do any down-rez and might not compress quite as much. At least there is less motivation for those kinds of shenanigans than there is over at DTV. That can translate into the potential for slightly better PQ, but that would only apply to 1080i programming on 768p or 1080p displays, and then only if the potential is realized by the content, which it often is not. No one has seemed to report any dramatic difference in PQ compared to DTV, but then let's face it--the best PQ (OTA) isn't dramatically better than DTV, either, and DISH is not as good as OTA.

They have more HD because they made a fairly exclusive deal to carry the Voom cast-offs, figuring that quantity is more important to customers than actual quality of programming. They might be right about that. But then they needed something to offset their comparitively pukey DVRs.

[Leila]

Didn't someone say that porn was one of the top reasons for the internet's
great success? Perhaps DirecTV should carry some porn channels in HDTV? :D


On a more serious note.... what current HD channels carried by DTV are worth
the $9.99 monthly charge? :) I basically got it for HBO in HD.... :D

[super dave]

Didn't someone say that porn was one of the top reasons for the internet's
great success? Perhaps DirecTV should carry some porn channels in HDTV? :D


On a more serious note.... what current HD channels carried by DTV are worth
the $9.99 monthly charge? :) I basically got it for HBO in HD.... :D
If I understand DTVs policy you don't have to sub to the HD package to get HBO HD, you only have to sub to HBO.

[Rob Helmerichs]

If I understand DTVs policy you don't have to sub to the HD package to get HBO HD, you only have to sub to HBO.
My understanding is that if you subscribe to the HD package, you get any premium channels you already subscribe to at no additional charge. But you DO have to subscribe to the HD package to get any HD at all.

[Scott in CO]

You can get HBO HD and Showtime HD without subscribing to the Directv HD package. These two HD channels are part of their respective premium channel packages and are not dependent on the HD package.

[TonyD79]

Didn't someone say that porn was one of the top reasons for the internet's
great success? Perhaps DirecTV should carry some porn channels in HDTV? :D


There is a porn channel in HD. Saw it listed in the handout that came with my last bill.

[Walter Lambert]

During the past year, I have used DTV HR10, Comcast 6412 DVR, and Dish VIP 622. IMO In terms of both PQ and DVR, Dish is better at this point. None of the options are perfect, but the new Dish VIP 622 is very fast and reliable, and the PQ for Dish was a genuine surprise for both HD and SD. In addition, the sound quality on my receiver was much better with Dish than Comcast. Three months from now this all may be different, and obviously quality may be different in different parts of the country. Based on the "rave" reviews received by the new VIP 622, I decided to take a chance, and have been very pleased with the results.

[Adam1115]

My understanding is that if you subscribe to the HD package, you get any premium channels you already subscribe to at no additional charge. But you DO have to subscribe to the HD package to get any HD at all.

That is not correct. I get HBO-HD, I do not have the hd package.

[Rob Helmerichs]

That is not correct. I get HBO-HD, I do not have the hd package.
OK, my mistake. (I get HD through cable, perhaps I was conflating...)

[DTVPro]

yeah, I really want High def porn so if I want I can see the individual pixels of the makeup covering up the pimples on some porn stars hind end

[fastep]

During the past year, I have used DTV HR10, Comcast 6412 DVR, and Dish VIP 622. IMO In terms of both PQ and DVR, Dish is better at this point. None of the options are perfect, but the new Dish VIP 622 is very fast and reliable, and the PQ for Dish was a genuine surprise for both HD and SD. In addition, the sound quality on my receiver was much better with Dish than Comcast. Three months from now this all may be different, and obviously quality may be different in different parts of the country. Based on the "rave" reviews received by the new VIP 622, I decided to take a chance, and have been very pleased with the results.


My DD audio seems excellent and virtually identical with HDTivo, moto6412 and sony HDdvr. Are you saying that dish has somehow improved DD audio or that your comcast box was defective? (ie. is dish audio better than hr10 as well?).

Also - how would you compare sd and hd pq between comcast and dish? How is pq of dish hd locals via mpeg4 (assuming you have that) compared to comcast hd locals?

Thanks.

[Walter Lambert]

fastep:
Comparing the DD audio between moto6412 and Dish VIP 622, there is no comparison. The VIP 622 is far superior on my Sony receiver. I don't think that the moto6412 was defective, and I am not sure why the DD audio using the VIP 622 is superior. Using the VIP 622 and the default sound settings on my Sony receiver (same as I used with moto6412), the sound is stronger on all of my speakers, especially the rear left and right, and the dialogue is sharper from the main speaker. Even my wife commented on the dramatic difference.

Comparing the PQ of moto6412 and VIP 622, at least in my case, the VIP 622 is brighter and sharper using the same settings that I used with the moto6412. Obviously, PQ is in the mind and eye of the beholder, and the Comcast PQ was good (certainly better than DTV). That was the biggest surprise. I was really going for a better DVR when I went with the VIP 622, and received the added bonus of a better PQ (at least in my judgment). The PQ on the HD locals via Mpeg4 is superb. I do have a second dish that points toward the 61.5 satellite that has the HD locals, and the signal strength is strong. On the dbstalk posts, some people that use just the single 1000 dish and point toward the 129 satellite for HD locals may not be as satisfied.

[fastep]

fastep:
Comparing the DD audio between moto6412 and Dish VIP 622, there is no comparison. The VIP 622 is far superior on my Sony receiver. I don't think that the moto6412 was defective, and I am not sure why the DD audio using the VIP 622 is superior. Using the VIP 622 and the default sound settings on my Sony receiver (same as I used with moto6412), the sound is stronger on all of my speakers, especially the rear left and right, and the dialogue is sharper from the main speaker. Even my wife commented on the dramatic difference.

Comparing the PQ of moto6412 and VIP 622, at least in my case, the VIP 622 is brighter and sharper using the same settings that I used with the moto6412. Obviously, PQ is in the mind and eye of the beholder, and the Comcast PQ was good (certainly better than DTV). That was the biggest surprise. I was really going for a better DVR when I went with the VIP 622, and received the added bonus of a better PQ (at least in my judgment). The PQ on the HD locals via Mpeg4 is superb. I do have a second dish that points toward the 61.5 satellite that has the HD locals, and the signal strength is strong. On the dbstalk posts, some people that use just the single 1000 dish and point toward the 129 satellite for HD locals may not be as satisfied.

Nice to know there's another option in case cable doesn't pan out or fios doesn't come around. Hearing of your experience with Dish, maybe there is hope for D* after all when they convert to mpeg4. I, like you, just couldn't wait for it.

Thanks again for the info.