[Justin_P]

I remember reading a while ago about the possibility of hdnet coming to dish network in a sort of package deal with espn etc. is this going to happen yes/no/maybe when hell freezes over? I have not seen this discused lately.

Thanks,

Justin

 

[Ken H]

Quote:

Originally posted by Justin_P I have not seen this discused lately...

...because there is nothing to discuss. Unfortunatly, HDNet is still not available on Dish, sorry.

 

[bfdtv]

Justin,


If Echostar plans to launch HDTV service to its 121 satellite (using a single, larger 26" dish for all standard and HDTV programming), then we aren't likely to see much--if any--more HDTV on Dish Network until late June or July.

 

[Justin_P]

So they are out of bandwidth and can not add hdnet and probably will not add espn-hd either or any other hd channels?

 

[bfdtv]

Justin,


They are not out of bandwidth. They have capacity for perhaps a half dozen more HDTV channels on 61.5/148 (depending on the condition of E3), and probably two to three times that many on 110 with 8PSK @ 3/4 FEC.


However, if Dish wants to make 121 the slot for all future HDTV, then it's probably best for them to wait (June/July). Because once they add more HDTV to 61.5, they can't remove it; they've got to keep it there for a long time. In addition, if they want 121 to be the primary slot for HDTV, it will be easier to convince people to upgrade to the new 26" dish with 3-5 new HDTV channels (at once, all at that spot) than it would be if they had only one or two new HD channels at that spot.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

They also have lots of room for HD at 110 which is really empty because of all the locals moving to Spt Beams. (However I am feeling everything will be at 121 which will require a new larger dish)


Also as I have been saying all along since my site first broke the news of HDNet coming to Dish that it will be "this summer" when we see HDnet on Dish.

 

[Sean_S]

Quote:

Originally posted by bfdtv Because once they add more HDTV to 61.5, they can't remove it; they've got to keep it there for a long time.

Why?


Couldn't they have it at two locations.


Just curious. I'll have to read up on this 121* satellite. I do not know anything about it.


Sean

 

[bfdtv]

Sean,


Yes, they could have it at two locations. But if they put it on 61.5 (east coast) and 148 (west coast), consumers expect that service. For example, if Dish were to add ESPN-HD or Hdnet to 61.5 (or 148), there would be a lot of new customers installing dishes to receive that satellite and programming. So Dish can't very well say in July, "we're going to remove that programming next month." That would royally piss customers and installers off. Any HDTV programming on 61.5/148 now will have to stay there for a long, long time.


They may want to use 61.5/148 for other programming eventually; if they want to migrate customers off 61.5/148 to 121 over time, obviously adding more HDTV to 61.5/148 will not suit that goal. At some point, they may want to use the bandwidth on 61.5/148 for other programming, or they may want to sell their license for that spectrum to someone else like Cablevision, which seems at least conceivable with the recent [effective] purchase of a KU-FSS capacity at 105.


The 121 spectrum is in the KU-FSS band, and it will be delivered by the Echostar IX satellite, which they intend to launch in May (IIRC). Because the FSS satellite band represents a higher frequency, and because it will operate in closer proximity to other FSS band satellites, it will require a larger dish. Echostar is claiming that a 26" dish will be sufficient to receive all channels from 110, 119, and 121. So you would be replacing your 20-21" Dish500 with a 26" "Super Dish," and throwing out the second dish pointed at 61.5/148.


If 121 is the slot for all future HDTV (and remember, this is still speculation), then it will be interesting to see how they do the dish upgrade / replacement. I suspect they would include the new 26" dish with the forthcoming 921 HD PVR receiver. And it would likely be offered free (with free install ?) to existing customers that subscribe to a new HDTV channel package at 121.

 

[rad]

OK, so Dish starts putting up all new HD content at 121, so I need a new Dish. Will this new Dish be provided for free, along with any new switch needed to access four slots? I ask since Dish has some of my LIL channels on 61.5 so I'd still need it for that along with whatever they come up with for 121.


I'll also be a bit ticked off at Dish for saying spend the $49.95 now for the 8PSK mod to receive all new channels and then say, oh by the way you'll have to shell out even more $'s if you want to be able to receive those new channels.