# Where is Echostar/DishNetwork getting the bandwidth??



## disco (Mar 27, 2000)

Suddenly they're adding all these HDTV channels...I understand that the VOOM channels are off the VOOM/Rainbow dish, but what about the others: HGTV-HD, FoodNet-HD, ESPN2-HD, locals in HD, etc. etc.

I thought they were stretched already. I know these are in MPEG4, but HDTV MPEG4 still requires more bandwidth than an SD channel. I thought D* was better set for HDTV with the launch of Spaceway 1 & 2, but DishNetwork is taking all the press by storm lately...so, where are they getting the bandwidth??


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## newsposter (Aug 18, 2002)

aren't they lite? Im not a voomie just read some about it on dbs

I had no idea food was in HD...yummmm


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## kdonnel (Nov 28, 2000)

disco said:


> I know these are in MPEG4, but HDTV MPEG4 still requires more bandwidth than an SD channel.


I didn't know that Dish had any MPEG4 receivers. I thought they were still all MPEG2?


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## morgantown (Mar 29, 2005)

kdonnel said:


> I didn't know that Dish had any MPEG4 receivers. I thought they were still all MPEG2?


I thought so too. They did announce they would be transitioning to MPEG4, but I am not aware that it has actually occurred. Then again, I don't much follow Dish news.

Edit: Well it sure looks like the Dish 411 receiver is for both MPEG2 & 4, FWIW.


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## newsposter (Aug 18, 2002)

dish has a pvr that outputs HD and SD to 2 different TV s at the same time..pretty cool


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## urnote96 (Apr 21, 2004)

My question about bandwidth is Directv is only using transponders 8,10 and 12 on satellite 110.....what are the other transponders for???

same with 119 they are only using the last 12 or so what about the first 20???

hmmm...


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## forecheck (Aug 5, 2000)

Dish Network has control of the other transponders on 110 and 119. When you add up the total transponders for all 3 locations (101 is the other), DirecTv has 46 and Dish has 50. Of course there are other locations that the majority of the HD will come from.

Here is a good chart with who owns what:

http://www.dbsforums.com/compare/chart.html


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## morgantown (Mar 29, 2005)

FWIW... Dish Network, The Reigning HDTD Content King

"Dish Network, The Reigning HDTV Content King"

Well, if their is one reigning pusher for your daily HDTV fix that stands out amongst the crowd at CES, it would have to be Dish Networks. Voom used to be the HDTV King but with their recent demise Dish has stepped in to take their place. In fact, quite literally. Dish Network has now actually bought the rights to Voom's former HDTV channels and have added 15 of them to their existing HDTV lineup. All in right now today they have the following in high def: ESPN HD, ESPN2HD, HDNET, TNT, RushHD, World Sport, HDNET Movies, HBO HD, SHOHD, Monsters HD, World Cinema, Film Fest HD, FU (all martial arts action all the time), Discovery HD, Equator HD, Animania, GamePlay, Family Room, Dish Network Pay Per View, Gallery HD (Stunning imagery and stories fro the front lines of the art world), HDNews, RAVE, TreasureHD, Ultra HD, plus all four of the networks, Whew!

In addition, I was told that Dish would be adding more (possibly from Voom) HD channels in the future.

Like DirecTV, Dish is working at present on rolling out local network HD all over the U.S. Unlike DirecTV though they have not announced yet a partnership with Microsoft to begin offering their service through Vista Media Center later this year. This is a disappointment for me as with the strongest HD line up, more HD channels than DirecTV or any of the cable operators, Dish would seem to represent the best possible entertainment package. Not having a Media Center option though will force me not to consider them as a provider come this fall. Both reps from Dish and Microsoft did indicate to me however that they were talking. Hopefully we see an announcement from them shortly. Quite frankly it would be dumb if they didn't as it would pretty much automatically preclude them as a service provider for a growing number of Media Center users.

Now going OT: Showtime's interactive service on the Dish Network.

Like DirecTV Dish is now broadcasting in MPEG 4. Like DirecTV they also have the six channel in one view. They also have various interactive type content and they showed me their interactive showtime screen where you can see all of the movies and shows Showtime is pitching, etc.

The Dish ViP 622 DVR

I did get a chance to play around with Dish's ViP 622 DVR, their highest end receiver that they offer. The unit boasts a 250 gig hard drive, which is capable of recording 180 hours of standard definition and up to 25 hours of high def programming, and is capable of getting all of their HDTV content today. Unlike Dish's other units there is no part of the 250 gig hard drive that is "reserved" for Dish's predownloaded movies for video on demand.

Like the DirecTV TiVo box and DirecTV's upcoming NDS HDTV DVR it is a closed box system and their is no way to get any content off of the box. It does have a USB port but this is not activated. Personally as much as I liked Dish's expanded HDTV lineup I was a little disappointed with this box. The screen changes felt clunky and slow and not as elegant and smooth as my TiVo or Media Center. Also the unit only has two tuners, 1 HD tuner and 1 SD tuner. So while you can watch and record two different shows at the same time, they have to be in SD and HD -- you can't record and watch two different shows at the same time in high def. My DirecTV HDTV TiVo at present has 4 tuners (2 HD and 2 SD) and this is a much more comfortable arrangement which has results in virtually no recording conflicts.

The ViP 622 DVR felt clunky to me with screen changes happening slowly in some cases.

My biggest hope for DISH is that they strike a deal with Microsoft in the upcoming months. This would be wise to do and if they did I very well could see myself switching to their service when I buy my Vista Media Center PC later this year.


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## Diana Collins (Aug 21, 2002)

Dish Network is leasing bandwidth. Much of their HD content is on slots leased from Americom, using standard Ku dishes (i.e. the so-called "Super Dish" which is over a meter wide). Dish Network can not, however, deliver spotbeams from any of this leased capacity, so HD locals are, for all practical purposes, out of the question.

DirecTV opted to launch their own satellites and use the Ka spectrum. While in the short term, this allows Dish Network to deploy more national HD channels, DirecTV will ultimately have the advantage in HD locals. While Dish Network holds some Ka licenses as well, they have yet to do anything about developing them.


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## disco (Mar 27, 2000)

Dan,

So Dish Network's HD locals announced for March '06 are not spot beamed??


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