Dish HD from Mpeg2 to Mpeg4 change over

[Indy]

Any definitive word on when Dish will migrate all the HD channel offerings to Mpeg4 and not support the Mpeg2 HD format? I am still with the old equipment and Mpeg2 with a Dish 6000 and a 811.

 

[lakebum431]

A long time!

 

[Jim5506]

First they will migrate those channels that are earmarked for ViP receivers only.

I believe they just converted another channel this week - I forget what is is, it was on the weekly uplink report.

 

[kb7oeb]

After the vip channels convert I bet the next batch will be the original 10 voom channels, few people have them on pre-vip hardware.

 

[Poke]

Yeah best bet is for everyone to be on one of the new MPEG4 receivers. Sooner folks do this the better it will be for everyone..

 

[navychop]

I believe it's been posted that there was a tentative date mentioned in a Chat to move all HD to MPEG-4 during 2007; I believe it was in the first half, maybe March.

Anyway, the real time MPEG-4 encoders have not improved as rapidly as hoped, so maybe this timeline will slip.

Definitive? Nope. Not even Charlie knows for sure.

 

[David_Levin]

First, Dish will have to start sending 622's out to all the 921 owners. Could take a couple of months to get all the 921's swapped out. And since we herd nothing about a swapout... Well, you can do the math.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

The origional plans were to migrate them in February of 07, however the MPEG4 encoders have not worked the way they have wanted, nor have they got the amount of MPEG4 equipment out the door that they wanted to.

I got to admit HGTV HD looks fine in MPEG4.

 

[MikeD-C05]

Looks like they will need to do a FREE hd mpeg 4 receiver swap out if they want to move all hd to mpeg4. Most people will not move until it is free. The quicker they get moving on all the receiver change outs, the quicker they will be able to squeeze more hd in mpeg4 .

 

[Smith P.]

And in the long line will be owners who spend $600-$700-$1000 for how many receivers/DVRs ?
"few people have them on pre-vip hardware" - how do you know ? Are you count 6000s, 811s, 921s and 942s ? Seems to me just shoot in the dark .

 

[navychop]

I'm not so sure it'll have to be "free" but I suspect it will be. After all, you will be getting a more capable unit, which will presumably last longer because it is newer. You've gotten years of use out of the old unit.

Anyway, any offer will likely apply only to active units as of a certain date. No sense in making an offer and have all the old 6000s and unused 921s/811s come out of the closets for a freebie. Unless, of course, they figure they'll sell more programming that way and come out ahead.

 

[Poke]

Yeah just another reason why folks should make sure to get there old receviers upgraded to one of the new MPEG4 receivers. That way Dish is not stuck with having to contiune serviceing old receivers out there which can slow other things down. The more folks on new receivers the better.

 

[waltinvt]

I'm not so sure it'll have to be "free" but I suspect it will be.

Having a "Running But" thread with over 300 posts probably isn't helping convince the hold-outs.

 

[bytre]

Look at the 5000 obsoletion process for a model of what they may do.

 

[navychop]

Just gave a cut off date, didn't they? Any discounted upgrade path/how long of a warning before it became a door stop?

 

[Dishlover]

The origional plans were to migrate them in February of 07, however the MPEG4 encoders have not worked the way they have wanted, nor have they got the amount of MPEG4 equipment out the door that they wanted to.

I got to admit HGTV HD looks fine in MPEG4.

"Fine" is not as good as it looked under MPEG2, still needs a little work. To look as good as MPEG2 and save bandwidth is what this is all about. I guess it is going to take a while.

 

[Jim5506]

I believe that HD channels that are MPEG2 and are visable to old HD receivers will stay that way indefinitely.

Otherwise Dish must replace all the 922's, 921's, 811's and 6000's out there.

I do look for those legacy HD channels to be bit starved.

 

[lakebum431]

I believe that HD channels that are MPEG2 and are visable to old HD receivers will stay that way indefinitely.

I disagree, I think it will change, but I think it will be awhile.

 

[John Kotches]

The origional plans were to migrate them in February of 07, however the MPEG4 encoders have not worked the way they have wanted, nor have they got the amount of MPEG4 equipment out the door that they wanted to.

I got to admit HGTV HD looks fine in MPEG4.

HGTV HD is a 720p channel. They can send this "as is" ie just converting from MPEG-2 to MPEG-4 without changing over to HD-Lite without a dramatic PQ loss.

Cheers,

 

[dude2]

I've been told that the crappy pq on the Home and Garden channel that used to be razor sharp is because it is in mpe4. Maybe you guys should think first if you want mpeg4 yet.