Dish Network upgrade of HD

[Nels Harvey]

I'm very pleased with the August First upgrade in the number of HD channels from the Dish Network!  HBO has several offerings now in HD, instead of just one, and there are HD PPV movies, and Movies on Demand!

Picture quality seems quite good.  I guess their new satellite is working!

Nels....

[tbarney]

I'm very pleased with the August First upgrade in the number of HD channels from the Dish Network!  HBO has several offerings now in HD, instead of just one, and there are HD PPV movies, and Movies on Demand!

Picture quality seems quite good.  I guess their new satellite is working!

Nels....

The new HD channels didn't do much for me. I don't have Starz or HBO, so this really only added 5 channels for me.  For once they are up on D*, but it looks like they'll be behind again in another 2 weeks when D* goes to 130 channels. Sucks to be Dish, they manage to get over 100 channels and then get topped a couple weeks later. Oh well, nice while it lasted.

[basshive]

Sucks to be Dish, they manage to get over 100 channels and then get topped a couple weeks later. Oh well, nice while it lasted.

Just remember that the competition makes it great for both camps. While TWC sits doing whatever it is they are doing, D* and Dish continue to ramp up new offerings! 100, 130, 150.. at the end of the day we are all feasting!

[brewtownska]

I didn't know where exactly to post this question, so I picked a Dish network thread as a starting point.

I just ordered Dish tonight, with the install set for Fri Sept 5th (got an 8am appt, so hopefully they won't be "out" of my receiver or behind from a previous call).  The one thing the lady on the phone couldn't tell me was whether I'd see Brewer games on their FSN sports channel(s).  She said I'll get FSN North in my TurboHD Silver package, which I assume with get me SOME games, but probably not as many as with FSN WI or FSN Midwest.  Can anyone with Dish chime in and let me know what selection of Brewers games you've been picking up recently.

Mike

[troyriley]

I didn't know where exactly to post this question, so I picked a Dish network thread as a starting point.

I just ordered Dish tonight, with the install set for Fri Sept 5th (got an 8am appt, so hopefully they won't be "out" of my receiver or behind from a previous call).  The one thing the lady on the phone couldn't tell me was whether I'd see Brewer games on their FSN sports channel(s).  She said I'll get FSN North in my TurboHD Silver package, which I assume with get me SOME games, but probably not as many as with FSN WI or FSN Midwest.  Can anyone with Dish chime in and let me know what selection of Brewers games you've been picking up recently.

Mike

All Brewer games shown on FSN Wisconsin will be available on Dish Network. However, your 24-hour local regional sports network will be the Minnesota feed of FSN North on 436. The Wisconsin feed of FSN North (FSN Wisconsin) is only available for Brewers and Bucks games as an alternate sports channel, usually somewhere in the 440's. FSN North is blacked out in our area when Twins and Timberwolves games are on. Minnesota Wild games are available, however, since we are in their NHL territory.

Dish Network usually carries the HD feed of the Brewers games when FSN broadcasts those games in HD. There have been a few instances where they are scheduled to be on in HD, but were only on in SD on Dish. I'm not sure if that's Dish's fault, or if there was a change in the HD schedule by FSN WI.

[brewtownska]

Great, that's the confirmation I was hoping to hear!

[tbarney]

Great, that's the confirmation I was hoping to hear!

I wouldn't be so sure at this point.  I thought  I remember reading somewhere that the Turbo packages don't get the RSN unless it is a full time HD network. Since FNS-WI is a "game only" HD channel then you may not get any of the games unless you switch to a Top 100 or Top 200 package with an HD add-on pack.

[brewtownska]

Here's what my confirmation email told me for programming:

Selected Programming:
DishDVR Advantage (TurboHD Silver), You Saved $3.98!
COMCAST SPORTS CHICAGO
DISH HOME PROTECTION PLAN
FOX SPORTS NORTH
HBO
MILWAUKEE WI LOCALS
STARZ! SUPER PAK
TurboHD Silver
 
Equipment:
110/119 ORBIT
MPEG4 only allowed Equipment
Wing Dish
 
Promotion: DIGITAL HOME ADVANTAGE
DIGITAL HOME ADVANTAGE (DIRECT)
****************************************************

I'm also getting Cinemax for a penny for the year because I set-up auto-payment, though it's not listed here (I confirmed afterwards with a phone call).
The HBO and Starz are a 3 month free trial, and they upgraded me to TurboHD Platinum (I think it's only like 7 more channels) for free for 3 months.  I don't plan to keep any of the stuff after the free 3 months, so I'll call to cancel it at the appropriate time.

All this for $39/month, which is exactly what I was paying TWC for analog cable (though I could pick up the QAM locals on that).  I'm happy with the price as long as the service lives up to what I expect it to be.  I'm excited to have a DVR again.  I used to have one with TWC about 4 years ago when I had another roommate splitting the cable bill...just couldn't justify it after he left.

Mike