# Future HD pricing



## tomallison24 (Dec 10, 2008)

Here's my question. If Turbo gold is $39.99 and supposedly new HD programs will be added as they become available. If you buy for example America's 200 for $49.99 plus turbo gold for $10.00 that's $20.00 more than turbo gold by itself. What will happen when turbo gold adds more and more HD programming to the point where no one will need America's 200 or 250. I can't believe Dish will be able to give up the extra $20.00 income. What do you think will happen in the future?


----------



## space86 (May 4, 2007)

I think in the future TV through E* will cost more not less.

In the 1980's cable was like under 10 dollars a month, now it is close to 50 dollars
to a 100 dollars based on how many channels you want.


----------



## Mr.72 (Feb 2, 2007)

space86 said:


> now it is close to 50 dollars
> to a 100 dollars *based on how many channels you want.*


You mean, based on _which_ channels you want.

I only want about 10 channels. Unfortunately to get those 10 channels, I have to also pay for another 200.


----------



## BattleZone (Nov 13, 2007)

http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=148142


----------



## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

tomallison24 said:


> Here's my question. If Turbo gold is $39.99 and supposedly new HD programs will be added as they become available. If you buy for example America's 200 for $49.99 plus turbo gold for $10.00 that's $20.00 more than turbo gold by itself.


AT200 at today's price of $49.99 ($52.99 in Feb) is the "Silver" level. You would get Silver HD for $10 more, not Gold HD.
TurboHD Silver (standalone) is $32.99 today ($39.99 in Feb). A $17 difference today (or $13 in February).



> What will happen when turbo gold adds more and more HD programming to the point where no one will need America's 200 or 250. I can't believe Dish will be able to give up the extra $20.00 income. What do you think will happen in the future?


The primary cost of the channels is the rights to carry the content. As long as providers package HD with SD it isn't costing DISH much more to give you HD along with the SD you already pay for ... although they do need some return on the investment in new satellites, etc.

HD only customers are not paying for the rights to the SD channels ... which saves DISH some money (and they offer a discount on HD only vs HD+SD). I expect that as new channels are added we'll see the HD only packages increase to cover the rights fees for new channels. The SD packages will go up less as they will only need to be adjusted for existing channels.

Eventually there will be only one package ... HD+SD ... but for now one can get the $10 discount for not subscribing to HD or an up to $18 discount for not subscribing to HD.


----------



## HobbyTalk (Jul 14, 2007)

James Long said:


> ... but for now one can get the $10 discount for not subscribing to HD or an up to $18 discount for not subscribing to HD.


Huh?


----------



## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

Reading the whole sentence ... "Eventually there will be only one package ... HD+SD"

For example, "Classic Silver 200 w/Silver HD" is a HD+SD package ($57.99 in Feb)

"... but for now one can get the $10 discount for not subscribing to HD or an up to $18 discount for not subscribing to HD."
Classic Silver 200 will be $47.99 (save $10 for not subscribing to HD)
Turbo HD Silver will be $39.99 (save $18 for not subscribing to SD)


(There was a mistype there ... I do not mean that there will only be one package, only that there won't be separate HD and SD packages. Eventually. Eventually (no, not in February and likely not in the next couple of years) all packages will include HD and SD.)


----------



## AED55 (Oct 2, 2008)

James Long said:


> Reading the whole sentence ... "Eventually there will be only one package ... HD+SD"
> 
> For example, "Classic Silver 200 w/Silver HD" is a HD+SD package ($57.99 in Feb)
> 
> ...


A friend of mine called DN and a CSR told him that HD only packages will be available as of Feb. 11. Has anyone else heard this from DN?


----------



## HobbyTalk (Jul 14, 2007)

Current customers will not be able to switch to the TurboHD packages until Feb. 1.


----------



## Jim5506 (Jun 7, 2004)

AED55 said:


> A friend of mine called DN and a CSR told him that HD only packages will be available as of Feb. 11. Has anyone else heard this from DN?


Nevermind - misread the post!


----------



## Paul Secic (Dec 16, 2003)

James Long said:


> Reading the whole sentence ... "Eventually there will be only one package ... HD+SD"
> 
> For example, "Classic Silver 200 w/Silver HD" is a HD+SD package ($57.99 in Feb)
> 
> ...


Wouldn't it be cheaper to get AEP rather than trying to figure out these metal packages??


----------



## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

Paul Secic said:


> Wouldn't it be cheaper to get AEP rather than trying to figure out these metal packages??


AEP is the most expensive package. How can just settling for the most expensive be cheaper?


----------



## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

Paul Secic said:


> Wouldn't it be cheaper to get AEP rather than trying to figure out these metal packages??


Not really, although James had to help me with my understanding of the math. Here's my metal:









I think AEP would cost me $13.99 more. But I'm currently getting the Cinemax for a penny deal. If I actually had to pay for a fourth premium, the difference I think would only be $4.99. There's only so much time in the day so I don't know what I'd get for the $4.99. As I've mentioned elsewhere, we basically record off of 27 channels, but I have to buy the package above to get all of them.


----------



## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

Part of the confusion is that "America's Top" packages will be called "Classic Bronze 100/Sliver 200/Gold 250" (and even Classic AEP!). Don't confuse the rename of the AT packages with the Turbo HD packages with similar names.

The price increases are better explained in the price increase thread in the main DISH forum. This thread was kept alive for hypothesis on the future ... beyond Feb 2009 when there are a lot more HD channels.

BTW: An AEP subscriber currently gets 194 SD video channels plus RSNs/PPVs and promotional channels (the 194 includes shopping networks and PIs). There are currently 56 of those 194 channels available on DISH in HD plus eleven HD onlys available (in "AEP" w/GoldHD+PlatinumHD).

29% of the base AEP channels available in HD is pretty good considering there are 27 PIs and 15 shopping channels in the 194 that few want in HD (HD QVC and HSN would be good for the shoppers, HD NASA would be good for space buffs). Eliminating those would make it 37% of the base AEP channels available in HD via DISH today.

The future will bring more channels in HD ... and as speculated in this thread something will have to be done with the "HD Only" prices to pay for that new content. I expect that when we get to 100 or 125 real national HD channels on DISH (instead of the 67 I count today) we will see the end of the "HD Only" discounts. Or perhaps the same price for SD only as HD only and $10 more for HD+SD.

Time will tell.


----------



## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

I would assume some or all of the price realignments would occur. Dish has to start making serious money or someone better buy it.


----------



## Paul Secic (Dec 16, 2003)

James Long said:


> Part of the confusion is that "America's Top" packages will be called "Classic Bronze 100/Sliver 200/Gold 250" (and even Classic AEP!). Don't confuse the rename of the AT packages with the Turbo HD packages with similar names.
> 
> The price increases are better explained in the price increase thread in the main DISH forum. This thread was kept alive for hypothesis on the future ... beyond Feb 2009 when there are a lot more HD channels.
> 
> ...


One would have to pay for the PPV movies seperatly in AEP correct?


----------



## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

Paul Secic said:


> One would have to pay for the PPV movies seperatly in AEP correct?


Yes. The Multi-Sport (all RSN) package is also not included in AEP.


----------



## Paul Secic (Dec 16, 2003)

James Long said:


> Yes. The Multi-Sport (all RSN) package is also not included in AEP.


Hmm? Then why are the RSN'S listed in AEP description and channel lineup?


----------



## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

You only get the RSNs for your area ... probably a footnote (or a footnote missing).


----------



## Paul Secic (Dec 16, 2003)

James Long said:


> You only get the RSNs for your area ... probably a footnote (or a footnote missing).


You're right. They have all of the RSN'S listed in AT 250. My bad.


----------

