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Dish first to deliver 1080p HD television programming

By Ed Oswald, BetaNews

July 31, 2008, 4:00 PM

Satellite television service Dish will be the first to offer live programming "full HD" 1080p resolution, while the return of an all-HD package hearkens back to the days of Voom.

Dish purchased the assets of Cablevision's Voom in 2005, and much of its content was folded into the satellite provider's offerings. None of the Voom HD channels exist on Dish any longer, as they disappeared in May. Now, however, it seems like the company is ready to try the Voom approach once again: a package of only HD channels.

Such an offering is now much more viable considering the Dish network offers 114 separate high-definition channels, with plans to expand to 150 by the end of the year. At its height, the all-HD package from Voom only included 21.

17 new HD channels will be added on Friday, mostly in Dish's premium lineup, including one new Cinemax channel, Encore, seven new HBO channels, and four Starz networks. Other additions include CBS College Sports HD, Lifetime HD, Lifetime Movie Network HD, and Planet Green HD.

Another difference is the price: the entry level package for what Dish is calling 'TurboHD' would begin at $29.99 USD per month (which includes local channels). Exact details of Dish's HD pricing tiers were not available by press time, and BetaNews is awaiting a response to a request for clarification.

To support the new 1080p programming, Dish is sending out an upgrade to all MPEG-4 HD DVR receivers that would allow the units to display content in that resolution. The company says the update should roll out to all of its subscribers by early August.

As part of the rollout, Dish will offer a 1080p version of I Am Legend for free to those who have the HD boxes through its pay-per-view offering.

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By Hocuspokus

edited Aug 1, 2008 - 12:02 PM

1080p sounds great.

........ now tell us the bitrates they'll be using and which codecs at that bitrate.

What sort of audio will they broadcast, vanilla stereo or vanilla Dolby Digital, or is all the bandwidth to be taken up so they can use a shiny little 'p' instead of the same 'i' everyone else (the whole world over, practically) is using.

Cos some high def has all the labels - but the detailed spec shows why it still looks like unimpressive cr@p.

Score: 0

By fewt

edited Aug 1, 2008 - 10:22 AM

I already switched to the Dish all (by all I mean no standard definition channels) HD package, it was called Dish HD Ultimate but it only comes with ~50 HD channels. It even came with local channels in HD.

I'll be upgrading as soon as it's available.

Hmm, looks like my DVR is supported with just a firmware update (which came in last night), and I already have what they call TurboHD Gold (it has all the channels the "ultimate" package had).

SWEET

Score: 0

By ir0nw0lf

posted Jul 31, 2008 - 11:25 PM

Is this TRUE 1080p or the Dish Network's idea of 1080p? I know in the past they got flak over their HD channels not being fully HD, ie. pseudo or quasi-HD.

Score: 0

By mjm01010101

posted Aug 1, 2008 - 2:56 AM

It is 1080p compressed to 400i. :)

Score: 0

By God Dammit

posted Aug 1, 2008 - 2:50 PM

The actual picture quality normally depends on the movie and channel you're watching. Currently Dish offers HD at two resolutions: 1280x720 and 1920x1080i (not 1920x540). Unlike Comcast, Dish uses almost no extra compression and actually looks identical to Verizon's FiOS TV. I doubt that Dish would make as big of a mistake as you suggest.

Score: 0

By morrigen

posted Aug 3, 2008 - 10:59 AM

God Dammit what you on about ,1920x1080 is progressive not interlaced as 1280x720 is,Derh.

Score: 0

By Hollywood__

posted Jul 31, 2008 - 11:23 PM

It should read "Dish to deliver 1080p that no one can tell the differentce from 1080i"

Score: 0

By Paradise-FH-

posted Aug 1, 2008 - 5:11 AM

you need a bigger tv.

Score: 0

By fewt

posted Aug 1, 2008 - 8:02 AM

He's right, most people can't see the difference. It's documented all over the place, google it.

Score: 0

By Hocuspokus

edited Aug 1, 2008 - 12:04 PM

If your HD TV has decent deinterlacer built into it there is no difference.

Your HD TV (excepting the original CRT HD types) physically cannot show anything other than a progressive image anyways.

If you have a panel with a 1920 x 1080 resolution you are seeing 1080p no matter how it is tagged up.

Score: 0

By dvferret

posted Jul 31, 2008 - 7:35 PM

"17 new HD channels will be added on Friday, mostly in Dish's premium lineup, including one new Cinemax channel, Encore, seven new HBO channels, and four Starz networks. Other additions include CBS College Sports HD, Lifetime HD, Lifetime Movie Network HD, and Planet Green HD."

Great so when will directv get these?

Score: 0

By dvferret

posted Jul 31, 2008 - 7:34 PM

Dang I think this might be higher than the directv ones, atleast for hbo it seems.

Chop chop directv, I want my 1080P.

Score: 0

By kappen

edited Aug 1, 2008 - 10:22 AM

Ask and yee shall receive

DIRECTV Remains Clear HD Leader with 130 HD Channels
on Tap for Mid-August
Jul 28 at 10:26
Profile hits: QU1

DIRECTV Adding More Than 30 New HD Channels and is First to Offer All HD
Programming in MPEG-4 AVC and Dolby Digital; Will Offer HD Movies in 1080p Later
This Year

EL SEGUNDO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
DIRECTV, the nation's leading satellite television service provider,
continues to dominate the HD landscape by delivering significantly more quality
national HD channels than any other television provider in the nation via the
most advanced technology. Beginning August 14, DIRECTV will launch more than 30
additional HD channels, bringing the total HD channel lineup to 130.

DIRECTV will also transmit all of its HD programming in the MPEG-4
Advanced Video Coding standard, by the end of this month - the first to do so in
the industry. All HD programming will also be available in the Dolby Digital
audio format, and later this year, DIRECTV will begin offering movies in 1080p,
the highest resolution format available for HD video enthusiasts and the same
format used by Blu-Ray HD DVDs.

Among the new HD channels that DIRECTV will launch next month are Showtime
Extreme HD, Showtime Showcase HD, Planet Green HD, ABC Family HD, additional
DIRECTV HD pay per view channels and an additional 23 Regional Sports Networks
(RSNs) in HD 24 hours a day.

"Despite all the sound and fury of confusing HD claims from our
competitors, our customers understand that DIRECTV is the destination for the
most compelling and complete lineup of HD content," said Derek Chang, executive
vice president, Content Strategy and Development, DIRECTV, Inc. "Our message is
clear - DIRECTV is the content leader, and our delivery of the best quality HD
via the most advanced technology is one way we continue to dominate this
category and offer our more than 17 million customers nationwide an unparalleled
entertainment experience."

In addition to its full lineup of linear HD channels, DIRECTV continues to
lead the industry with the most sports HD programming available, by broadcasting
exclusive, interactive sports packages like NFL SUNDAY TICKET(TM), NCAA(R) MEGA
MARCH MADNESS(TM) and NASCAR HOTPASS(TM) all in crystal-clear HD. DIRECTV will
also continue to add HD content to its newly launched DIRECTV on Demand
platform.

The full DIRECTV HD programming lineup, including the new channels, and
details on receiving equipment needed for the new DIRECTV HD services, are
available by calling 1-800-DIRECTV or visiting directv.com.

With the DIRECTV 11 satellite now part of the fleet and the launch of the
DIRECTV 12 satellite next year, DIRECTV will have the capacity to deliver 200
national HD channels and 1,500 local HD and digital channels in addition to new
advanced programming services for customers nationwide.

About DIRECTV, Inc.
DIRECTV, Inc. (DTV), the nation's leading satellite television
service provider, presents the finest television experience available to more
than 17 million customers in the United States and is leading the HD revolution
with 95 national HD channels - more quality HD channels than any other
television provider. Each day, DIRECTV subscribers enjoy access to over 265
channels of 100% digital picture and sound, exclusive programming,
industry-leading customer satisfaction (which has surpassed all national cable
companies for eight years running) and superior technologies that include
advanced DVR and HD-DVR services and the most state-of-the-art interactive
sports packages available anywhere. For the most up-to-date information on
DIRECTV, please visit directv.com.

Source: DIRECTV, Inc.
Contact: DIRECTV, Inc.
Robert Mercer, 310-964-4683
or
Darris Gringeri, 212-462-5136

Score: 0

By darkfire79

posted Jul 31, 2008 - 5:10 PM

Naw, Comcast can do it.. at least in the Minneapolis area.. They'd just set the compression high. 1080p COMCAST HD...! Now with special comcast pixelation effect! It's comcastic!

Score: 0

By RootWebGod

edited Jul 31, 2008 - 8:59 PM

Hell yes, that's how we do cable TV in the U.S. ...pixelate the already crap service with some premium crap pixels in 1080p crap vision like there's no tomorrow (for Comcast at least)!
LOL :)

Score: 0

By ladylust

posted Jul 31, 2008 - 4:47 PM

I have optimum.. ill take 1040i for free...

Score: 0

By jeffca

posted Jul 31, 2008 - 4:43 PM

I have Charter cable...they have a horrible HD channel offering in Long Beach...Hardly worth the price for so little programming!

Score: 0

By arossetti

posted Jul 31, 2008 - 4:19 PM

Comcast doesn't have the bandwidth to do this. Even if they did, they'd charge twice as much.

Score: 0

By nate

posted Jul 31, 2008 - 4:15 PM

Comcast needs to do this.

Score: 0

By mancode20

edited Aug 1, 2008 - 7:34 AM

You guys shouldn't even complain! I have Atlantic Broadband cable and their HD line-up is so pathetic, that they expect us to pay extra for A&E HD! Let me repeat: A&E! Arts & Entertainment. Does anyone else have to do that? I don't know how I'll live without seeing Gene Simmons' Family Jewels, Chris Angel's Mindfreak, and Paranormal State in HD, he says sarcastically. Literally they have 3 shows that I'm barely interested in, and they expect us to pay extra for it? It's hilarious! Here's our great line-up of HD channels: CBS, ABC, FOX, FOX Sports, NBC, TNT, ESPN 1 only, Discovery Theater, Starz, HBO, and Cinemax. 11 measly channels! Don't even have the network CW in HD! No ESPN2 or ESPNNews! No Sci Fi channel or USA network! My bill is $90 a month for the lowest tiered digital package I can get with HD and a DVR, and these f'ers can't even give me frickin' A&E HD for free??
Ridiculous!!

Score: 0

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