Dish Network Retailer Chat Recap - July 10, 2007

[mdonnelly]

do you ever say anything intelligent?

Nice talk for a "Proud Staff Member".

 

[lakebum431]

do you ever say anything intelligent?

:haha

 

[dslate69]

Yeah well until the Networks gets all of their hardware on MPEG4 that is when things will be allot better. For now many of them have not made the switch yet.

What Networks are going MPEG4?

Are you saying Networks are going to start sending their signal to the Cable companies in MPEG4 so that then they will have to turn around and convert it to MPEG2 to distribute to their users?

 

[ndyclrk]

HBO has committed to sending all 26 of their channels in MPEG4 HD only.

 

[Paradox-SJ]

They will be RELEASING the External Hard Drive support! (Leslie then explains how it all works) it will be for the 622 and 722
She talks about DRM which will apply to external storage and says there will be a one time fee to enable external hard drive support, this fee is good for ALL receivers in the house.

I remember someone saying that there was going to be some sort of limit on the size of the external drive.....

what was that size and it is confirmed?

And will it only be able to connect via USB? Will a NAS device work?

 

[TuxCoder]

Are you saying Networks are going to start sending their signal to the Cable companies in MPEG4 so that then they will have to turn around and convert it to MPEG2 to distribute to their users?

Cable companies already in effect "turn around and convert" much if not all of their content (depending on analog/digital tiers, encryption, etc.). So a network being delivered to the cable company in MPEG4 generally won't be any different from content delivered in other forms.

 

[navychop]

I remember someone saying that there was going to be some sort of limit on the size of the external drive.....

what was that size and it is confirmed?

And will it only be able to connect via USB? Will a NAS device work?

Final word is not out. Beta testers say current limit is 750GB. USB. Don't count on NAS. Should know for sure within a month. Stay tuned for further changes.

 

[Stargazer]

I will be AT LEAST December before the 211 can support an external hard drive. As we all know delays happen.

Lets hope they make it for December.

I am going to guess that the 211 is going to be the standard receiver once all new customers will be going to be using the new slots that will be only MPEG-4. This means that all new customers will have DVR capability with their receivers by simply putting an external hard drive on it. This would be great. I still prefer the dual tuner though. Is Dish going to charge a DVR fee on the standard 211 receivers if you connect an external hard drive to it? Or perhaps to turn on the software to allow it to record to the external hard drive it will cost an x amount per month. I remember it being said where there will be a flat one time fee to do this but how will they handle the fee on a 211? A one time PLUS per month fee?

 

[Timmernator]

Anyone know when we'll be forced to upgrade to MPEG4 receivers? I've got a 942 that I'll want to swap for a 722 sooner or later...

 

[navychop]

Is Dish going to charge a DVR fee on the standard 211 receivers if you connect an external hard drive to it? Or perhaps to turn on the software to allow it to record to the external hard drive it will cost an x amount per month. I remember it being said where there will be a flat one time fee to do this but how will they handle the fee on a 211? A one time PLUS per month fee?

It is expected/believed that the one time fee will activate external storage for the entire account. AND once the ViP211 is enabled to act as a DVR, the DVR fee will be charged. That's only fair. Otherwise, most folks would get ViP211/222s and not ViP622/722s.

 

[navychop]

Anyone know when we'll be forced to upgrade to MPEG4 receivers? I've got a 942 that I'll want to swap for a 722 sooner or later...

Nope. Well, a qualified Nope.

To keep receiving Voom, as of August 15 this year you must have an MPEG-4 capable receiver, because all Voom shifts to MPEG-4 on that date. Next will likely be all HD. There is some talk of that happening around the end of the year, but I rather imagine that's a bit early. Maybe next year sometime, and maybe we'll know that date in the next 2-3 months.

After that, they'll probably convert the Premiums, and start at the top AT package and work downward. Earliest guess for a full conversion to MPEG-4 is the end of 2009. A year or 2 after that might be more likely. This conversion rate is probably contingent upon the success of the next 2 satellites and their "all MPEG-4" service.

But nobody knows for sure. At least, nobody that's talking.

 

[Timmernator]

Thanks, navychop...

I don't have Voom, just HBO and the other usual HD channels (110/119).

So I guess I'm SOL on ESPN2-HD, and the others until I Dish-it-up to a 622 or 722? Are the new HD channels going to be all MPEG4?

 

[BFG]

of course the new channels are gonna be mpeg4

 

[Timmernator]

Is there a list somewhere of MPEG2 and MPEG4 channels?

I'd like to know what I'm missing out on by not having an MPEG4 receiver, and if it's worht the upgrade fee. Anyone know of any Dishin' it Up deals coming in August?

 

[Smith P.]

check bfg's profile

 

[dslate69]

One could also go to Dawn: Redirect and look at the list of HD channels. Every HD channel listed that you don't currently receive with your mpeg2 receiver is only able to be received on mpeg4 hardware.

 

[navychop]

Is there a list somewhere of MPEG2 and MPEG4 channels?

I'd like to know what I'm missing out on by not having an MPEG4 receiver, and if it's worht the upgrade fee. Anyone know of any Dishin' it Up deals coming in August?

Go here. Look at channels 9419 & up - the HD channels. Look at the far right hand column for numbers referring to notes. (6) indicates MPEG-2 and (6*) indicates MPEG-4.

dslate69: You want us to go buy Dawn dishwashing liquid?

 

[dslate69]

dslate69: You want us to go buy Dawn dishwashing liquid?

I could have found the site if I was looking for the channel chart. No guarantee I wouldn't have seen some dish washing liquid first though.

 

[charlesrshell]

Scott,

I am close to ordering Dish. When do you think Dish will have the 722 ready for new customers? When will The Dish Store have plenty in stock?

 

[MikeD-C05]

Dishdepot.com already has it on its site. You can pre order it for $549.99 and they take trade ins too.