How Long Have You Had HD With Dish?

[dail24]

Since Dish Network picked up VOOM...

Ditto! Came over with Voom.

 

[nsaspook]

I traded in my original DirecTV RCA receiver for a Dish 6000 in the spring of 2000.

At the time, the OTA ATSC tuner wasn't even available. I had to wait months for it! The 6000's interface was also clunky and "Atari'eqse" compared to DirecTV at the time. I was quite disappointed at first, but Dish has come a long way with current HD-DVR models.

Late 2000.
I still have my 6000 for watching OTA sports (not subbed but connected to a dish) and only have the grandfathered HD 10$ pack for two 811s.

 

[tsduke]

Since the start of 2007.

Had HD with cable before that.

 

[TheForce]

A bit of history on the HDTV beginnings-

I was one of the pioneers that had the Dish 5000 with the 8VSB modulator connected to the Panasonic Tuner with the original DVHS VCR and recorded HDTV off of Dish's HBO channel when it went HD. That was before the days of compression below 19.4 mbs and the quality I have on those early DVHS tapes is stunning. I still have nearly 400 HDTV movies and other programming recorded back then. But, today, I play the tapes on a JVC DVHS VCR because the Panasonic / Dish 5000 system no longer works.
One individual, who pioneered the recording of HDTV by developing a link between the DVHS recorders and the satellite receiver sources using 1394 connectivity was Richard Adams. He is to be credited with bridging the gap that was left with the demise of the 8VSB technology of the Dish 5000 and satellite receivers that did not have 1394 output. He developed a retrofit kit to add 1394 firewire to various sat receivers both D* and E* I am proud to have been a part of his development work on this as a beta tester for both D* and E* sat receivers.

Back then it was still questionable whether HDTV would ever become a major player in the Digital TV formats. Also was the MPAA scare where MPAA wanted to kill HDTV and was openly afraid it would kill their industry of movie production. Yes, today, we laugh at this but back then only the vocal pioneers and a few strong manufacturers like Sony and Panasonic worked hard to make it all happen. Of course, Panasonic's work in DVHS was muscled off the market by the MPAA, but JVC picked up the call and kept consumer HDTV recording alive strong enough for the people at Echostar and a few other smaller operations to develop the 921 DVR. This DVR was the pioneer in HDTV, not the TIVO as many would like to believe. The HR 10-250 arrived about 7 months behind the Dish 921 and while #2 it was a better more robust technology for its day. I believe the HR 10-250 HD TIVO held the title of best HD DVR until Echostar introduced the VIP 622 series. I feel the VIP 622 and its successors givers us the final HDTV recording maturity, the happy medium between the MPAA paranoia and us, the consumer who just want to have the ability to watch and enjoy the programming that can be in HDTV.

 

[jsorak]

October 2006

 

[tomcrown1]

Since the 6000 first came out what a unit---2000??

 

[tnsprin]

Since 2000 when I had the model 5000 with the 8VSB modulator.

I switched to Dish in March of 2000, installing the 5000 with HD adapter. I think we only got HBO-HD back then.

 

[Max Wright]

A bit of history on the HDTV beginnings-

Thanks for the info Don. That was very interesting to see. I didn't realize there was a fight for HDTV. Sounds almost reminiscent of the recent format wars.

 

[whatchel1]

I'm a VOOM legacy so I have had E* since the month after VOOM went belly up. That would be May of 2005. So have been w/ E* 3 yrs now. In fact I just emailed ceo@echostar.com with my displeasure that they dropped all the VOOM nets. Even though I only really watched 3 of them (RAVE the most). thatI'm now considering dropping E* if D* would give me similar deal or if D* picks up VOOM.

 

[MikeD-C05]

I started with a 811( it sucked) and quickly traded it in for a 921 ( it sucked too). I believe that was in 2003. I then went with a 942 (loved them) and then a 622 and now a 722. I don't plan on buying another one unless they add slingblade modem to them and allow you to watch on your hard drive via the modem to another tv with out another receiver in perfect hd- (Who knows they could invent this). I now have hd from both DISH and Directv. LIke DISH receivers much better than DIRECTV's. But Directv has more hd channels in both national and sports (could care less about them). Either way I am covered.

 

[briani]

I also started in the 2000/2001 timeframe with the 6000. It was a meager selection of HD in those days but the PQ was excellent........actually the PQ on the SD channels was still very good in those days!

 

[AZ_Sky]

I've had HD service since it went active.

I've also been with Dish since they lit the first bird up back in 1996.

 

[denisincalif]

Thanks for the info Don. That was very interesting to see. I didn't realize there was a fight for HDTV. Sounds almost reminiscent of the recent format wars.

And, as usual with all new technology, the MPAA tried their best to commit suicide by trying to kill what was obviously a fantastic new income source for them. The next time a great new technology comes along and the MPAA tries to kill it, I vote we let them do it, and then let them die.

 

[atascaderokid]

I started with a 811( it sucked) and quickly traded it in for a 921 ( it sucked too). I believe that was in 2003. I then went with a 942 (loved them) and then a 622 and now a 722. I don't plan on buying another one unless they add slingblade modem to them and allow you to watch on your hard drive via the modem to another tv with out another receiver in perfect hd- (Who knows they could invent this). I now have hd from both DISH and Directv. LIke DISH receivers much better than DIRECTV's. But Directv has more hd channels in both national and sports (could care less about them). Either way I am covered.

wow... both dish and direct... that must hurt a lot.

I had direct back when they first came out, when I was in san diego. dumped our local cable for them. I had been one of the first 100 to sign up for cable in our community. Service sucked, no surprise. Direct was better, for a while, then our cable company got it together and beat the pants off direct. went back to cable, and got set up with HD with them. Moved to central coast of CA in 2004, no cable here, Dish was what most people have here. Heck, most houses still have old C band dishes in their yards, many have been made into bbq's.

If we ever get cable, it will probably be my choice, then I could dump Wild Blue.

It sucks to be a techno geek out here in the sticks.

 

[Yes616]

I came on board in 2/2005 when I got my first HDTV. A few months later Voom was added and boy was I happy with Rave and Monsters.

And now, this.

Bring back Voom!!

 

[kvnfl]

Since Dish Network picked up VOOM...

So, when do you become a previous Dish Network subscriber?

 

[riffjim4069]

I had HD with E* for about a year after they acquired VOOM DBS resources, and DishHD-Lite for almost two years after they downgraded their former HD channels. I finally dumped DishHD-Lite for Verizon FiOS HD early last month. Don't forget that E* downgraded almost all of their HD after October 2005 when formulating your response; HD-Lite doesn't count.

 

[rcbridge]

Started with a 6000 and paying a lot for one channel!!
OTA was available in my area so it was worth it.

 

[Oblong Desoto]

Almost 2 weeks!

 

[Tvlman]

I'm also for bringing back the Fish Tank. Cool jazz with pleasantly swiming fish was the perect ending to a busy day.