hd programming

[minnis]

ive just invested in my new 1080p 57" tv, the question is is i have time warner and they only offer 9 hd channels,i would like to hear some thoughts and opinions on direct tv or dish network on their hd packages. i have heard rumors that one will soon have over 50 hd channels and that i could get abc,nbc,cbs and fox in HD i really want the most for my entertainment aT A REASONABLE price any input will help. thanks guys. also my cable network does not carry NFL network which satelite does??? its a must have for the next years football season

[redman733]

if the NFL sunday ticket package is a must for you then you want DirecTV..
Rumors are saying they will have 100 HD channels by the end of the year(whether you can believe that or not?)
I don't believe Dish has a nfl package?
Myself I just switched from directv to Dish network and right now they offer 31 HD channels..The networks are in HD and the sports are amazing :)
The only reason I switched was they offered alot quicker installation time because I just bought my HD TV and didn't want to wait 2 months to use it...(thats right DirecTV gave me a 2 month installation date) so I opted for Dish and I have no regrets so far plus I love the FREE HI-DEF DVR they offered too :)
also I bought my Dish through AT&T and I got a great package deal since I already had AT&T phone and DSL..

i had no problems with direct tv but I never had their HD package so hopefully someone can give you more info on that..

also DirecTV HD package is $10.99 (not sure if it will go up if they do get all the HD channels they are promising) and the Dish HD package is $19.99

[mjones73]

The price and available channels is listed on both sites for you to compare. Both system offer locals in HD in various cities, you can check their sites to see if either carries yours.

Directv is promising a large number of HD channels once they put their new sats up this year, will be interesting to see how that works out. I'm a current customer but I haven't upgraded my equipment for MPEG4 yet so I'm kind of in a holding pattern til more details come out on their plans.

[damondlt]

No real complaints about Directv HD package.It not as good right now as Dish Network.But Directv Claims they have contracts for 70 National HD channels. By the end of the year they are also claiming we will have them.Plus they are working on getting us Video on demand.So with all that I've decided to upgrade all My receivers ,in hope it all holds true.! as far as HD channels ESPN,ESPN2,Universal HD,TNTHD,Discovery HD Theater,HDNET,HDNET Movies,Some Citys Do have HD locals, Including RSN's Check you ZIP code.PPV HD,NFL package , ONLY IF YOU PAY FOR THE SUPERFAN PACKAGE!!!$99 extra.Plus HBO and Showtime if you have them.But you don't get them unless you HAVE HBO ,OR SHOWTIME,They don't come with HD package.Sometimes you can get other sports in HD from time to time ,on channel 95,Your local rsn sports. GOOD LUCK.

[kahanabob]

One caution on Dish. I have Time Warner also and while the HD stations might be better with Dish or Direct my problem with them is not with HD but as follows. Late night stations like Discovery,Animal Planet,History and the like all turn to paid programing. When you look at the channel line up later at night nothing but paid programing.

[Splicer]

I believe it is that way from the networks? not the providers fault...

[minnis]

i was wondering to the people who have satelite service, how is the reception and do u have frequent blackouts or distortion? i have time warner and no problems as far as reception ,but the hd package sucks!! only like 9 or ten channels . any output from u guys would be appreciated.

[ohheck]

I have Dish Network HD service and have had very little problem with it. If there is severe weather, I do lose my picture but that doesn't happen too often. SD PQ (at least for me) is very good. As for the HD programming, there quite a bit to choose from, mainly due to Dish having bought the old Voom HD service. However, many of those Voom channels are repetitive. At least the HD PQ is excellent. Hope this helps. :grandpa9:

[bcrab]

Only time I have any problems is when theres to much snow stuck on the dish. Nothing a broom wont take care of.

[mjones73]

Threads merged...

[kahanabob]

I believe it is that way from the networks? not the providers fault...

I have friends here that have Dish. I look at there program menu later at night and paid programing rules. Mine (Time Warner) not so and I am looking at the same chanels. Here in Hawaii we get the west coast feed on any kind of cable or dish. So when paid programing comes on a midnight west coast it is only 9pm here.

[damondlt]

[QUOTE=minnis]i was wondering to the people who have satelite service, how is the reception and do u have frequent blackouts or distortion?


Satellite is all Digital,which means you either have a picture or you don't,No fuzzy screen,like cable.If weather is real bad like thunder storm you may lose you signal for a few minutes,5 minutes for me in the last year.If your dish is set up right, your picture will good . Sometimes the broadcasters will provide a Crappy picture ,but not much you can do about that.Some cable lovers will say all Satellite is HD LITE,but I'm still waiting for their proof that Cable is TRUE HD.

[mjones73]

"Some cable lovers will say all Satellite is HD LITE,but I'm still waiting for their proof that Cable is TRUE HD."

I'm a Directv sat user and I already know that it's HDlite, the facts are out there. Directv passes all their 1080i MPEG2 channels at 1280x1080 instead of 1920x1080 to lower the required bandwidth for them due to lack of capacity. Dish cuts down a number of their 1080i channels and there are cable systems out there that do the same thing and/or over compress channels for the same reason.

OTA usually offers the best PQ though that depends on how many sub channels the station has which take bandwidth away from the primary HD channels. If the cable system in question has the capacity, they should be able to pass stations as received from the local broadcast stations also.

Depending on how many lines of resolution your set can display, this may or may not make a big difference for your PQ.

[57U]

For more information on HD-Lite, see the following:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hd_lite

The term HD-Lite was actually coined by DirecTV users, specifically after they learned of the bitrates (significantly lower) used for HD a few years ago.

Also please remember that many cable companies now have an all channels digital lineup, and most cable companies also provide up to 19.4 Mbps bandwidth available - same as OTA for the HD channels. Only in select bandwidth-limited areas are the HD channels further compressed on cable.

Edit. - The way to establish the actual bitrate is usually via an HTPC - not via the information box on a TV.

[kevinw]

I am not sure what DISH is sending out. If I have the box set to 1080i, my tv is telling me the source is 1920x1080 @60 HZ. If I set it to 720p, the TV shows 1280x720 @60HZ. Oddly I can put on a non HD channels and it gives me the same source info. So it must be upconverting the SD to faux HD and converting 720p to 1080i( which is then converted to 720p by the TV)

[OWENF]

are any ota stations broadcasting 1080p. Posibly special sport events like the final four. Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

[kevinw]

are any ota stations broadcasting 1080p. Posibly special sport events like the final four. Thanks in advance for any thoughts.
No, And not likely to for at least 10 years if at all. 1080p will be the realm of high def DVD players and Video games. 1080p Tv's have been around about a year in comparison the 1080i/720p for almost 10 years.

[tdti1]

Thing with pizza dish is they offer quantity over quality, there SD looks very bad on a large display, basically anything over 36" will look bad on SD, there HD is cut down washed out, and heavey rain can cut you off of your paid service.

Cable if in a good area should have better picture for SD and HD )analog may be fuzzy), and you can get a deal with internet, no problem with rain, of course if you are in a area with getto cable then you will have poor service.

Fios is great if offered in your area, the picture is great internet speeds are super fast and you get a deal with all the services if you take them.

4dtv great picture you will have access to the main distribution feeds, no problems with rain may have issues with very hard wind, you need a big 10' dish and the 4dtv is not compatible with many distribution feeds so you are very limited to what you can get.

OTA if you can get a tower antenna they are the best, you will get the nets free and the picture in most area's will look great.

[kevinw]

Thing with pizza dish is they offer quantity over quality, there SD looks very bad on a large display, basically anything over 36" will look bad on SD, there HD is cut down washed out, and heavey rain can cut you off of your paid service.


This is not necessarily true my SD is very good, as good as OTA in many cases. MY Sd offerings look great upconverted while not HD much better than most cable in my area. I have had people say how good the picture is and thinking were watching HD when they weren't
I rarely have rain fade issues. Actually many more with cable. (ghetto cable- Comcast formerly known as Adelphia.)
You can't generalize and say something is always bad. Each case is different.

[Ratman]

OTA if you can get a tower antenna they are the best, you will get the nets free and the picture in most area's will look great.

In the U.S., a "tower" is only a last resort for distant x-mitters in rural areas. Many can get a stable signal by using an indoor antenna or an attic mounted antenna.

Generally... the roof is optimum for stable reception without going to the expense and permits for a tower.

[tdti1]

You can't generalize and say something is always bad. Each case is different.

Hmm with the over compression it is hard to think the picture can look good, I used all the mini dish services and the SD looked very bad, my good quality dvd's and my big dish always mad the fuzzy washed out pizza SD unwatchable.

I did find nice looking SD on Star choice, but dtv, Dish and Bell all looked pretty bad.

[Ratman]

Although your observations may be correct, the unfortunate reality is that not everyone can install a BUD on their property.

[damondlt]

[QUOTE=mjones73 I'm a Directv sat user and I already know that it's HDlite, the facts are out there. Directv passes all their 1080i MPEG2 channels at 1280x1080 instead of 1920x1080 to lower the required bandwidth for them due to lack of capacity.




I Guess when Directv starts using MPEG 4 for the HD ,Maybe then I"LL see what everyone is talking about.

[kevinw]

Hmm with the over compression it is hard to think the picture can look good, I used all the mini dish services and the SD looked very bad, my good quality dvd's and my big dish always mad the fuzzy washed out pizza SD unwatchable.

I did find nice looking SD on Star choice, but dtv, Dish and Bell all looked pretty bad.
Have you used the 622 or the 811 tuners? When you say over compression how much is to much or how much is still enough and have a good picture?
Your BIG DISH doesn't make anything unwatchable. You may mean in comparison but BUD is not the answer to everyones problem that only you think they have. Lets do a comparison. You post pictures from Nickelodeon, Hd news and Food network HD and Non HD version,

[tdti1]

Although your observations may be correct, the unfortunate reality is that not everyone can install a BUD on their property.

True but many Verizon FTTP/FiOS users basically get the same thing, again though not everyone has fios in there area.

Most cable in downtown area's look great.

[tdti1]

Have you used the 622 or the 811 tuners? When you say over compression how much is to much or how much is still enough and have a good picture?
Your BIG DISH doesn't make anything unwatchable. You may mean in comparison but BUD is not the answer to everyones problem that only you think they have. Lets do a comparison. You post pictures from Nickelodeon, Hd news and Food network HD and Non HD version,

On my system I never had Dish HD but have some buddy's that have it, I only had the SD setup about 3 years ago.

It's hard to say how many channels they can put on one transponder untill it starts getting real bad, it all depends on the type of compression and how they configure the FEC and other things.

If you look at the HBO distributon feeds on Galaxy-15 http://www.lyngsat.com/galaxy15.html (this is where mini dish and cable get HBO) you will see they use a SR 29270 FEC of 7/8 on transpoder 23 and they seem to have 16 channels running, they look very good and I find them to look a bit better than the Starz distribution feeds, like on transponder 13 Starz has 11 channels with a SR of 19510 and a FEC of 3/4. Both are using MPEG II compression for there distibution and both are encrypted using Motorola's DCII.

I do know pizza dish company's allocate more bandwidth for certain channels and they should look better than others, mostly the higher priced channels like HBO, Sho and others should look better than most channels.

Yes I do get the main distribution feeds for the programming I subscribe to and so I am kind of spolied in a way I guess you can say, this makes me notice over compression flaws more than the average user but if what you have looks good to you, then enjoy it :)

To be honest even the distrbution feeds have picture quality issues and could use more bandwidth but I do find they look much better than what I have seen on other systems, I have seen rare sports distribution feeds that have made my best dvd's look bad so I do know what they can do, but with the cost of bandwidth and the greed of company's we are stuck with what we are fed.