Stay with Dish Net or Go with Cable?

[kpatterson]

I currently subscribe to Dish Network. Really happy with Dish, but the price for the Dish 6000 is rediculous. Been quoted locally $800+ for installation of the 6000 receiver, 8svb, 2nd dish, and switches. Can't get anyone to cut a deal. Any suggestions?

But, Comcast will be transmitting locals and at least 4 movie channels in High Def next month. I'm sure the high def channels will be awesome, but what about the remaining 140 channels.

Is there a substantial difference in picture quality between the sattelite and cable stations that are not in high def? And is there a difference in the high def channels?

I have a Toshiba 56x81 widescreen.

Or should I hold off a while longer? Dish has to start stepping to the plate. The main reason I got Dish Network was to eventually receive High Def signals. Do you think they will become more competitive with their pricing? I would rather not change, but $800 is a lot of money for a few High Def Channels. I am so ready for High Def.

Thanks for the info!

KP

[mikehbkwm]

OK im telling from someone who has worked for both CO.




STAY WITH DISH,,,,,, DIRECTV is an evil company

[Camelspudus]

Can you be more specific on teh evilness of Directv?

Currently have it, no problems.
However, only use 1 line. Am thinking of adding HD dish and receiver with my current subscription.

Thanks.

[spetsu]

Mike,

we all know about your dislike for DirecTV and their lack of IEEE support (see DVI vs. IEEE). The bottom line is DirecTV was simply coasting for the last couple of months due to sale/merger issue. I expect a lot more clear cut directives from DirecTV once it's sold off.

[mikehbkwm]

Thats the prob Direct is not going to be sold the merger isnt going to go through.. I still have some friends that work at both co. and Charlie Ergen the Ceo of echostar cant seem to get the merger to happen sooo Im not seeing directv go anywhere. The reason why I say Dish is because Charlie Ergen used to make C-band equip and thats where the co. first started in the 80's so the man has been in the biz for like 20 yrs... Im just telling ya from someone who knows Dish is overall the better Sat. co. to go with if your going to go with Satellite.. I like Cable the best because cable has more bandwidth for the future, and unless Dish or Directv dont send another Sat. up in the next few years they're not going to be adding that many more channels plus the PQ is going to start going downhill the more they add channels....

[kpatterson]

The issue isn't with Direct TV. I'm not considering them. I am happy with Dish Network. The question is with cable.

What about quality of signal from Comcast(cable) vs Dish Network? Mainly with non High Def channels.

I will most likely stay with Dish Network, it is just frustrating because of the cost of getting High Def.

KP

[mikehbkwm]

Well like I said in the post early cable has more bandwidth for the future so if you want the best looking HD channels and I can tell ya Cable will have a lot more HD channels in the future then small dish then go with Cable. I currently work for Cox Communications and we will launch our HD stuff with all out local channels HBO, SHO, HDNet and Discovery theater.....We will also add Espn and another sports station next summer so as you can see we're going to be adding alot of HD soon....

[r.jones]

I have both dish network and comcast. I can say at least in my area (Charleston, SC) the PQ of Dish is far superior than comcast cable on a RPTV (Toshiba Theaterview 61H70). I would be patient with the HDTV. I recently e-mailed DishnetworK concerning HDTV
and they stated that their goal was to offer the most HDTV.

[mikehbkwm]

Yeah thats the thing Dish says they will prvovide as much HD as possible but they just dont have the bandwidth up there to do it most people dont know but Dish and Directv share Satellites at 101' 110' and 119' with a spotbeam Sat behind the 101 a for backup and to provide locals....Unless they want to provide alot more channels in the future they going to have to send another Sat up there and people are going to have to another dish on there home with a multi sat reciever.... And yes some cable companies PQ isnt as good as others because depends on how many Mhz the network is running at... Cox here in OK (I also work there) is on a 750mhz and we will go up to 900mhz here in the near future.. also depends on if the house has RG6 running through it.. Another is there any ingress coming in at the node and so on and so on... so lots of different factors...... But I dont have a prob with Dish I think there a good company, but I personally like Cable the best for the fact that I get an awesome picture, I have the motorola DCT provided through COX with S-video.....

[57U]

There is going to be a lot more to this cable/satellite debate than HDTV. For example, cable is currently rolling out the following items which may not even be possible with satellite, at least not for a long time.

1. Video telephony.
2. Video on Demand (SD & HD)
3. Broadband internet "bundled into a good package price"
4. HDDVRs that offer multi channel functionality.
5. The most bandwidth for the most HD channels (satellite can compensate with more satellites, but would need to do a lot of catching up.)

That's not to say there won't be any satellite - rural areas, etc are especially good markets, however, in major metropolitan areas with upgraded cable, cable companies will have the advantage. Also, 70% of North Americans already have cable coming to their homes compared to 15% for satellite.

[mikehbkwm]

Exactly 57U thank you.... We will have SVOD with HD beginning of next year with telephone which is voice over IP next fall... So cable has soooo many options I love it...

[Ratman]

BUT... cable (coax) is also limited to the amount of bandwidth it can carry. As more services are provided (bi-directionally) over the copper, something will have to suffer.

IMO... broadcast TV, will be the first. The cable industry will compress and squeeze what they can on the TV side of the house because right now the 'cash cow' is data. Home shopping will be next and then financial services (paying bills,et al).

I would think that generally, most of the subscribers a) would not know the difference if PQ suffers, and b) have no where else to go for 65+ channels.

You can only fit so must stuff in a 5 lb. bag. The only saving grace for the cable subscribers, those of us with data and HD demands will be fiber to the house. OTher than that... I think that we will see the (already crappy) quality slowly degrade. And... it'll be a Lo-o-ong time before we see fiber at our doorsteps.

[57U]

Once cable can get rid of the bandwidth hogging analogue channels (which currently take up 50% or more of the current capacity), in a few years, the bandwidth issue should be moot for a while.

There are also some "less lossy" compression technologies in the works that are freeing up more bandwidth still. In the future, they may be able to get 3 HD channels into each 6MHz band instead of the current 2 at 19.4 Mb/s for example without a loss of PQ.

So, by taking 3 lb. out of your 5 lb. bag and by making some of the stuff lighter, well be able to fit in more, hopefully without a loss in quality...

[mikehbkwm]

Ratman your partially right and wrong.. Like I said I work for Cox and yes it depends on what system your in but where Im at they are thinking about replacing all the feeder line from the node to the house with fiber... Like I said they might do this but yes it will be expensive... Also as of right now we will soon in the future also take some of our analog side and put it over on the dig side to free up some space.... I know for a fact the channels 2-24 which are mostly local stuff which will not change but everything on up 25- to whatever will be switched to digital.. So depends on what cable system your on and in this area we are profiting for HSI but our cash cow is still the video side which brings in way more money the internet side.....

[Ratman]

I agree with your thoughts, but OTOH, compression is compression. PQ will be compromised in some fashion.

Also, since the cable industry is not as strictly mandated to convert/conform to standards for HD/digital, is it not possible that they will retain analog as long as possible to retain it's existing base of customers (as long as they are allowed), keep people from embracing digital TV and introduce newer technologies/services that will generate income?

I just don't think that they would be aggressive with rolling out a 'bandwidth hog' if they get no revenue in return.

(Not starting an arguement... just a hypothetical.)

[Ratman]

Originally posted by mikehbkwm
Ratman your partially right and wrong.. Like I said I work for Cox and yes it depends on what system your in but where Im at they are thinking about replacing all the feeder line from the node to the house with fiber... Like I said they might do this but yes it will be expensive... Also as of right now we will soon in the future also take some of our analog side and put it over on the dig side to free up some space.... I know for a fact the channels 2-24 which are mostly local stuff which will not change but everything on up 25- to whatever will be switched to digital.. So depends on what cable system your on and in this area we are profiting for HSI but our cash cow is still the video side which brings in way more money the internet side.....

I saw your post after I submitted.....

Agreed... it depends on the system. When I refer to "cable", I can only speak to my opinions about Comcast.

To run fiber to (the doorstep) Comcast's existing customer base would be excessive in cost. I can't see that being cost justifiable for them at this time.

For them to convert channels 25 and up to digital (which requires a converter) would not make existing 'analog only' customers very happy if they have to rent a box.

I know that I am about ready to kick 'em to the curb (I have analog only). The PQ stinks on many channels, and I can get more from satellite at a lesser cost per month. (I get all my locals digitally OTA).

Sorry... I tend to ramble.

[mikehbkwm]

Oh no your cool man youve totally helped me out with ?'s many times.. Well from what Ive been told heres how it works in our system 2-73 is the analog side... channels 83-110 are all digital (which are channels 100-999 on the dig box)but thats were they are on the analog side but as you know one analog channel can hold up to like 12 dig channels. So 83-100 hold those dig channels.. Now on our HD channels 113, 114, 115 and on up are going to be our HD stuff and our SVOD(subscription video on demand) HD will take up one whole analog channel right now and we can go all the way up to channel 160 from what Ive been told by our head technician at our MTC center where all the programming is processed... But he told me that we might be able to go up to 180 here soon just depends on whether they want to spend the money on it... But hope that answered your ?

[tcable]

I'm in the unique position where my town is laying all new infrastructure for CATV inorder to get rid of AT&t/Comcast. We're getting an all fiber backbone that will support anything that is forecast for now.

Tim

[MLapointe]

Time Warner Cable in my area of Tampa Bay Florida is holding off adding more HD Channels at the current time. I'm very upset with this move but when I found out the details I'm somehow happy with their move. Here's why.

Time Warner is upgrading to a 900Mhz system that will be completed by the end of this year. Once this is done Time Warner Cable will be offering pretty much all at the same time all of our local channels that broadcast HD signals as well as Discovery HD and HDNet and will be launching ESPN HD shortly after the April release. They are also testing a PPV HD channel that may or may not be a VOD channel.

Here's what I'll have once this is done.

ABC HD
FOX DT
CBS HD
NBC HD
PBS HD
WB HD
UPN HD
Discovery HD (will be priced better than satellite)
HDNet
ESPN HD
HBO HD East and West
Showtime HD East and West

They will be launching around the same time other Subscription Video on Demand channels as well as some free ones too.

HBO on Demand (currently have)
Cinemax on Demand
Showtime on Demand
The Movie Channel on Demand
Starz/Encore on Demand (no timeframe or date is set on this)

SVOD will be only 6.95/month for on demand access to the premium channels for which you subscribe too.

If you order only HBO you will get HBO on Demand for 6.95/month
If you order all premium channels you will get HBO, Cinemax, Showtime, TMC and Starz on Demand channels for still only 6.95/month. Any extra boxes will be no extra cost but whichever box you watch the program on is the box you have to watch it on. The 6.95/month is for unlimited access to all the on demand channels you subscribe too and is not a pay per view type system. Watch as much as you want as many times as you want for still only 6.95/month.

Free on Demand includes (no charge for digital customers
Music on Demand (will have between 50-150 music videos for on demand viewing)
BBC on Demand
Biography on Demand
Cartoon on Demand
CNN on Demand
Comedy on Demand
HGTV on Demand
Food Network on Demand
DIY on Demand
Fine Living on Demand (coming later)
Court TV on Demand (coming later)
A&E on Demand (coming later)

When everything goes digital in 2006 or 2007 time warner cable will be able to free up some bandwidth because with the upgrade to a 900Mhz system TWC will be able to fit 12 analog channels into one analog space but these channels will be digital now.

TWC will be able to get all of their 70 or so analog channels in 6 analog channels spots while giving customers these channels with digital picture and sound.

Since TWC will not have an analog line-up after 2006 TWC will be about where Satellite is if not better.

Time Warner has 99 analog spots now and when they go digital here's the channel capacity they will add.

Take 99-6 for the current analog channels they will compress and we get 93 analog spots left.

This will give TWC and extra 1000 channels of digital content
93 times 12 = 1016

or TWC will have an extra 279 avialable channels for HDTV

or TWC can mix and match the extra bandwitch between HDTV and digital content or SVOD, FOD and the like.

Some TWC areas have been using two high speed cable networks.
1= non Docsis 1.1
2= Docsis network

TWC will sometime later next year be sending out letter to current high speed cable customers on the non Docsis network to come in to the lobby and swap out their modem and change over their account to the new Docsis system. Will not cost current customers extra. Once these letters go out if customers do not swap out their modems and change over their account with-in 45 days their internet will no longer work until they do so.

Time Warner will be freeing up the bandwidth for that and will start using it for cable.

We will also be getting the new Explorer 8000 boxes for non HDTV customers and the Explorer 8000HD boxes for HDTV customers that give customers the ability to pause live Tv and record up to 45 hours of programming on a single box. This box will allow customers to record one show while watching another show that both air at the same time. Customers can record two live shows at once while playing back a recording show.

These boxes will give customers a software based PiP even if your TV doesn't have PIP on it. What's great it's all in one box with the same program guide your used too and is simple to use.

These boxes will have monthly DVR service charges of either 9.95/month per box or 4.95/month per box. I've heard that it will be 4.95/month.

The DVR fee is in addition to the monthly box rental which will stay the same as it is now. The monthly rental for digital and HD boxes are the same and the DVR service fee will also be the same for HD enable DVRs too.

Let's see now Tivo cost 12.95/month for one box and has gone up in price and I think will keep on going up over time.

So the Tivo way to get 3 TV will Tivo like options I would have to spend at the least 200.00 per box and I will have to pay 12.95/month per box.

600.00 dollars in upfront hardware
39.00/month for Tivo service (3 boxes also need access to a phone line too)

TWC way below
I just swap out my 3 current digital boxes for no extra charge
I will pay at the worst 30.00/month for DVR service but will likely pay from what I've heard 15.00/month for DVR service for all three boxes. Plus none of my boxes needs access to a phone line and I still have only on box.

Just to answer your question I don't work for TWC or work for anyone or company that deals with TWC. I just love TV and I like where TWC is moving.

Where Satellite was the best choice for TV when they introduce digital picture and sound and many more channels than cable could offer now times have changed

Now cable will be like the Satellite companies in the HDTV era.

Cable has much more bandwidth than satellite and by then will be either HDTV or digital with no analog line-up anymore.
Cable will have other services such as VOD, SVOD and Free on Demand channels.
Cable will always have the best prices for High Speed Internet
Cable will have digital video recorders at much more competitive prices than Satellite companies and Tivo or Replay TV too.
I've heard word from a friend and relative from the NFL that when the NFL and DirecTV contract runs out for the NFL Sunday Ticket the NFL will not offer DirecTV or anyone for that matter exclusive rights. There's two situatiions for this.

The NFL will allow anyone cable and/or Satellite company to offer the NFL Sunday Ticket. In the Situation that CBS and FOX don't like this and won't allow it the NFL will create what they like to call packages like this for other companies to offer.

NFC Sunday Ticket (has all the NFC games)
AFC Sunday Ticket (has all the AFC games)

If the NFL offered these packages CBS and Fox could not stop them because they will not be offering the NFL Sunday Ticket which CBS and Fox have in their contract that only DirecTV can offer it. The NFL Sunday Ticket will have to contain all games but if TWC sold let's say the NFC Sunday Ticket CBS could not deny the NFL and TWC this right because TWC is not breaching their contract because they are not selling the NFL Sunday Ticket (which has to contain all the games). The NFC Sunday Ticket does not contain all the games as the NFL Sunday Ticket so CBS or Fox can't by law stop TWC from offering the NFC Sunday Ticket because it does not offer all of the games that the NFL Sunday Ticket has and so by law can't be stopped.

The NFL may do this until CBS and Foxs contracts run out in 2005 and then any company who wants the whole NFL Sunday Ticket can offer it if they want to pay for it and offer it to their customers.

Once this happens what will Satellite have to offer that cable doesn't or maybe should I rephrase this what does cable offer that Satellite doesn't offer.

SVOD and FOD at competive prices as well as other services that may come about later.

Now times have and will continue to change. In the future Cable will have all the lastest technology and channels (espically when it comes to HD channels) and picture quality on all channels will be up to par with Satellite and Cable will have PVRs for better prices than Satellite. Cable will have still the best prices with High Speed Cable Internet. Cable will have all of on demand access to your premium channels as well as other channels as well. And cable will have all of the PPV sports packages including the NFL Sunday Ticket. What will Satellite be able of offer that cable doesn't allready have or should I say what will cable be offering in the future that Satellite won't have or is unable to get because of their bandwidth and/or technology. Cable will still not have any upfront cost on hardware whereas Satellite customers will allways have to upgrade their hardware at their own cost to have the latest and greatest services and/or channels while cable will just give you a new box for this stuff at no extra cost or very little extra cost. I've said enough and I think you have the idea of where Satellite and Cable is going in the near and far future.

[kevinivey]

Being a TWC customer I really appreciate all of this information.The one thing that seems to have been forgotten in this thread is the price of the service.TWC service is very expensive,they just increased there price again.I believe this was the fourth increse in four years.As for new STBs,the 8000 NTSC tuner is already in my area,and has been a complete nightmare.This box has a ton of glitches,and may impact on how soon or if ever there will be a ATSC 8000 distibuted.My equipment and service:SA 3100hd,Digital Tier,HBO,Showtime,and HBO on Demand,total price $89.00 per month plus tax!This will increse by $2.00 next month,not really a deal is it?

[57U]

MLapointe. You may also wish to reread your long post. There are several instances where you say analogue, but mean digital. (for example you say you can fit 12 analogue channels into one analogue spot), when you meant 12 digital.

You can click on the "edit" button (bottom right of your post) to make changes.

[MLapointe]

Your cost is always going to be more because the hardware TWC is providing to you is put into the bill whereas with Satellite you buy the hardware upfront. You have to take these facts into account. I've priced DirecTV for myself. I called DirecTV to get a quote in case I wanted to switch. To get everything I have now while keeping my Road Runner I would be spending 147.00/month including all taxes for DirecTV and Road Runner plus Road Runners Taxes. My TWC bill now with Road Runner is only 155.11 and this includes HBO on Demand. If I get the Explorer 8000s for all my rooms that will cost me an extra 15.00 per month. Where if I got Tivo DirecTV with all 3 boxes this would not cost me any extra with the exception of the hardware itself.

So the extra 25.00 that I'm paying for TWC get's me HBO on Demand which is an extra 6.95/month which Satellite doesn't have and is actually an extra cost that I wouldn't have if I did not have HBO on Demand. That reduces that 25.00 to 18.00. This 18.00/month is well worth paying with no upfront hardware cost and to have the peace of mind that if TWC offers a new service and I will need a new box to get this I can swap it out for no cost or very little cost. The only box that TWC will be offering that will be an extra cost will be the Explorer 8000. If DirecTV launces a new satellite to offer more HD channels you may have to buy a new add-on dish. What happens if your box breaks for some reason. You may have to buy a new box or you might have to spend something more than let's say I would have too with TWC.

It all evens out. TWC doesn't get and offer these boxes for free. Someone still has to pay for them you know.

Here would be my upfront cost. (A direcTV hardware package deal was not available for my needs)

I would need the Hughes HIRD-E86 HDTV box for two out of my three TVs.

500.00 per box = 1000.00

My last TV would have the Hughes GCEB0 which I would need this one over a cheaper one because I need an optical output for my AC3 system.

150.00 for this box.

By the way none of these boxes has Tivo options.

I would need the RCA DSA8900H multi-room HDTV capable Satellite dish which would be 100.00

Plus the Satellite C upgrade kit would cost me an extra
40.00 at bestbuy but DirecTV tells me that if I install it and can wait for it in the mail they would provide this for free so I won't count this.

1000.00 plus
150.00 plus
100.00 equals

1250.00 of upfront hardware cost with out Tivo.

So with this said if I didn't get the Explorer 8000 boxes with TWC I would be spending 155.00/month while DirecTV would cost me 147.00/month.

Now the 155.00/month for TWC includes the 7.00/month charge for HBO on Demand so if I take this cost out as if I didn't have it I would be spending 148.00/month for TWC.

So here's the final cost

DirecTV...
Total upfront cost for hardware is 1250.00
Monthly charge for service including Road Runner is 147.00

Time Warner Cable
Total upfront cost on hardware is nothing
Monthly charge for service including Road Runner is 148.00

So when you look at the whole picture it turns out to be the DirecTV is about the same per month as TWC but DirecTV has much more of an upfront cost than TWC. There you go now.

[mikehbkwm]

Man TWC is a ripoff... Our customers here in OK only pay like 75.96 a month for the biggest pack we have and that pack has 270 channels in it... I cant believe TWC rips off there cust like that....

[MLapointe]

I think everyone else understands what I'm saying but you. If you want to be an english teacher for a hobby website you can knock yourself out be I don't think anyone really cares whether I used analog channels or Standard Definition channels. I know I made mistakes and if someone got confused about what I said they would reply and ask me what I actually meant and then I would look again and correct it to Standard Definition instead of analog. I'm sorry to be this blunt but the truth of the matter is if I spend my time looking for errors in everyones posts I would end up doing more correcting for stuff that everyone allready know what they meant than I would be actually helping or giving good advice. Please get a life. Take this what ever way you want too but if someone didn't understand what I was saying they would ask what I meant not correct everything I said wrong. That's from Psyc 101.

[mikehbkwm]

MLapointe

Do you even work for TWC cause if you dont just like 57U just said you sound ignorant.. Ive worked for C-band, Dish Network, Directv, and now Cox Communications so I can back up what I say and Im pretty sure 57U knows 10 times more about HD then you do.....

[MLapointe]

I referred to my TV situation. Your TV situation may be cheaper with Satellite while others situations are cheaper with Cable. Most people refer to Satellite as always being better than Cable. I was trying to point out that Satellite is not always the best or cheapest option for everyone. Like me I have two HDTVs and the best offer I can get with DirecTV would be for three rooms with only "one" HDTV at a package price where I can get monthly credits for equipment using my programming subscription. You may stand by C-Band or any other provider than cable if Satellite is cheaper for "your" situation. I'm not being ignorant at all. By others always saying that Satellite is better than cable no matter what...that right there is being ignorant. Peoples needs are different.

My belief is this.

If I had 3 TVs that are all non HDTVs DirecTV would by far be the best option for me than cable under this situation.

If I had 3 TVs total with one HDTV set I think DirecTV would be a little bit better than Cable at the current time but when everthing goes digital than I think they would be equal because Cable would not have the drawback of an analog line-up anymore.

If I had 3 TVs total with two HDTV set's (which is really my situation) Cable would by far be the better alternative for my needs based on cost, service and channels. My only one drawback that I would have would be an analog line-up but that will be no more after 2 years. I do know that TWC will be adding all of my local channels on a digital teir to promote digital cable which means yes I will have an analog line-up still but I will be able to watch those same channels in digital on another channel. So I had to think of the future knowing this. My only one drawback now would be gone within a couple years. So for my needs Cable was much cheaper now and will be for me in the future too.

I have used DirecTV for the NFL Sunday Ticket only. I noticed that those channels look worse than my cable digital channels. They pixelate much more than my cable does. While other areas the cable is far much worse than satellite. In my area the digital channels on my cable is way better than the digital chanenls on DirecTV.

So here's my point. People shop for HDTVs just like people shop for TV services. You can stand by let's say Pioneer Elite line as being the best TV you can buy but if A) I can't afford it or B)It doesn't quite fit my needs like size or settings does this make other brands like Toshiba or JVC all of the sudden crappy and not worth buying. Do you see what I'm saying. If I was rich and money wasn't an object the Pioneer Elite would be the best option for my situation for example. But if I wan't to enter into the HDTV market but I didn't have tons of money and I bought a Toshiba this TV would be great for my needs and situation but I doesn't make this TV the worst TV you can buy or not worth buying at all because it's not a Pioneer Elite TV. If I could afford B&K speakers I would get them in a second but I can only afford Bose speaker now does that make Bose a bad speaker or a bad brand to buy or not worth the money. No No NO.

If this sounds ignorant to you then so be it. But as I wrote here I have not favored one thing over the other. I favored one over the other for "my needs". Not yours or anyone else's nees. Just mine. I was trying to point out others ignorance by saying that Satellite is far superior to cable and what not.

[mikehbkwm]

I apologize then and yes your right different products meet different peoples needs... Im in OK and I work for Cox Communications and yes I get all the services for free but if I wasnt working here I would still pick cable over sat because the simple fact of what Cox offers and its cheaper out here. But yeah for me cable is totally the better option plus from the stand point that ive worked for all the major co. Id have to say for all things combined cable is better..........

[MLapointe]

You know the only thing I don't like about TWC and most cable companies in general is that they don't offer much international programming like DirecTV or Dish Network. But the only channels that I'm even interested in on DirecTV are just 2 or 3 channels and it's really hard to spend the extra hardware costs for 2 or 3 channels. I've called TWC many times asking them to add these channels since other TWC markets such as New York actually have these channels on their line-up. But they still tell me they have no plans to offer these channels because customer demand is too low in my area to warrant the extra cost of adding and maintaining these channels. Kinda sucks doesn't it. Since you have worked for these companies you may be able to help me. With my DirecTV and my NFL Sunday Ticket channels do you know off hand why these channels would look worse than my regular digital cable channels. My signal strength is between 93% and 100% most of the time. When I first got access to digital cable in 1999 TWC service was worse at the time when it comes to pixelation or my picture tiling all of the time. Ever since I got the NFL Sunday Ticket with DirecTV all of these channels for the games have been tiling constantly whereas now my digital cable has a great picture and hardly ever tiles at all and if it does at all it will be during storms and even during storms the tiling on my digital cable isn't a problem. What could be the problem. It's wierd. My digital cable was far worse at the beginning and once I got Satellite those digital channels on Satellite are now way worse than my digital channels on digital cable. Since I've had digital cable TWC has done many many software updates which over time fix all of these problems. One of the things that's funny when I start a show on HBO on Demand these movies don't even tile at all either. I figured to myself the HBO on Demand should tile more than my digital channels on Satellite but it doesn't.

Oh if you do have digital cable and HBO on Demand here's some good news for you. HBO has released a whole lot of their movies in Dolby Digital 5.1 surround for on demand access. It's really nice to go to channel 200 and start Black Knight or Harry Potter when ever I want with pause, rewind and fast forward capabilities and also be able to watch it in Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound. This is really nice to me. Showtime on Demand will be the same way as well as Starz on Demand will also have Dolby Digital 5.1 titles in their on demand library. Just thought you might want to know this in case you didn't know allready.

[mikehbkwm]

the reason why is something that i had mentioned early in the post.. Small dish is slowly but surely running out of bandwidth thats maybe why your ticket is starting to look bad.. could be your reciever maybe.. Lots of different reasons this could be happening but like I said dish or direct better started send one or 2 more sats up there cause they are way overloading themselves with channels.... The only prob with that is people are going to have to switch totally over to multi sat recievers or add another dish on top of that and it just starts to get crazy after that point...