Added Dish HD channels!

[budda]

363 - INDIE
365 - RETRO
9430 - TRU
9450 - BBCA
9474 - E!
9483 - SMC
9512 - SHO-W
9520 - FSC
9482 - HLMRK (185)

Also for the weekend
channels 550-552


The New DISH HD Is Up For Many
February 11, 2010

As I reported here in Tuesday's edition of "The Satellite Dish" has come true, yesterday afternoon Dish Network lit up 9 new national HD channels to its customers.

A press release came out this morning announcing the new channels, but again I can see DISH Network is using fuzzy math. Just last week DISH was advertising that they had 150 national HD channels, and now by adding 9 channels they are claiming that they have over 160 channels.

I would love to see a list of all 160 national channels. I don't count the regional sports networks since DISH Network does not carry any of the RSN's except for the Big 10 Network 24 hours a day in HD. I don't consider "select games in HD" being real HD channels.

And while a lot of customers are happy with the new HD channels there are a lot out there who are not because they can't see the new channels.

DISH Network has placed the new channels on 129 and 72.7. For those who get their signals from 129 they are happy, but not too many people have Eastern Arc dishes in place to receive the 72.7 orbital location.

DISH Network issued a statement to me earlier today about the issue...

"A small number of customers have configurations that currently do not allow them to receive the recently launched HD channels. As each situation is unique, we are working with customers who wish to receive the channels on a case-by-case basis to determine the best solution for them."

What does Dish Network consider a "small number?" According to polls at SatelliteGuys.US and DBSTalk.COM over 40% of those Dish HD customers have reported that they are not getting the new HD channels.

Since DISH Network started offering HD the HD signals for the most part have always come off of the 61.5 orbital location. A few years ago DISH Network starting using 129 to transmit HD as many folks on the West Coast had a hard time hitting the 61.5 satellite. The 129 was a godsend to many folks, but Dish had to keep the programming mirrored on 61.5 as many in the Northeast and Florida couldn't receive signals from the 129 slot.

Now DISH has gone and placed its new HD on 72.7 and 129 leaving all of those pointing at 61.5 in the cold. Upgrading a customers DISH to one that can receive 72.7 is not a solution. 72.7 is part of Dish Networks all MPEG4 Eastern Arc service. Because is Eastern Arc it means that all of the receivers in a customers house must support MPEG4. Many customers will need receivers in their homes updated to ones that are compatible with the Eastern Arc service. These upgrades may require new commitments and out of pocket costs just to see the new HD. And for many they can not re point their 61.5 dish to 129 as the 129 satellite is too low on the horizon to be picked up. For these customers they might be out of luck getting these new HD channels and possibly any additional new HD that DISH night bring our way.

We will be keeping an eye on this one closely. We applaud DISH for bringing us new HD but we hope they can work a solution so that all HD customers can see all the channels they are paying for.