# Why can't Dish get me HD Locals?



## roadrnnr (Nov 21, 2004)

They say it is the stations and the stations say it is Dish.

My City, Burlington VT has been on that stupid list Dish put out two years ago and I still don't have HD Locals.

Can't get them over the air as a hill is blocking line of site from transmitter.

Enough excuses Dish..............Just do it!!!


Frustrated in Commie land
 (Vermont)


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## DBS Commando (Apr 7, 2006)

When both companies point at each other, than you know that it is a major contract dispute. Something is going to have to happen to really motivate Dish to settle with your Local channels. This could include a mass recession of subscribers to Direct or cable for HD locals, etc.


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## scooper (Apr 22, 2002)

Ever hear of an OTA antenna ?

Otherwise - I share the sentiment of the above poster.


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## Hunter Green (May 8, 2006)

roadrnnr said:


> Can't get them over the air as a hill is blocking line of site from transmitter.





scooper said:


> Ever hear of an OTA antenna ?




I'm in the same situation. DISH hasn't brought any of the cities scheduled for 2006 yet, though, so it seems likely it's DISH dragging its feet, not a whole bunch of individual contract disputes that coincidentally are happening at every station in every market scheduled for deployment for the last two years. Some people say it'll have to wait for the new satellite to go up.


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## whatchel1 (Jan 11, 2006)

roadrnnr said:


> They say it is the stations and the stations say it is Dish.
> 
> My City, Burlington VT has been on that stupid list Dish put out two years ago and I still don't have HD Locals.
> 
> ...


Is this a problem with all of the stations in your area or just 1.?


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## fredp (Jun 2, 2007)

whatchel1 said:


> Is this a problem with all of the stations in your area or just 1.?


I'm in Burlington Vt too. Its not just one channel but all local HD's. Its Dish as well as DirecTV. The only way we here can get HD channels is OTA or ugh... god forbid... Comcast.:nono2:


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## scooper (Apr 22, 2002)

If you REALLY WANT THE TRUTH - it's satellite capacity / size of market. VERY few cities have even the Big 4 in HD available, and I don't think ANYone is getting all the HD locals for their market. If you can't get them via OTA, then I'd suggest cable (if they are carrying them....)

Let's see - 
Raleigh - DMA # 28 - we DO have our Big 4 HD stations on Dish (although I do not have an HD Dish receiver yet.)

Burlington VT / Plattsburg NY - DMA #92 

Y'all think that MIGHT have something to do with it ?


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## kenglish (Oct 2, 2004)

Any translator stations in your area? They can be changed to DTV.


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## Steve H (May 15, 2006)

scooper said:


> If you REALLY WANT THE TRUTH - it's satellite capacity / size of market. VERY few cities have even the Big 4 in HD available, and I don't think ANYone is getting all the HD locals for their market. If you can't get them via OTA, then I'd suggest cable (if they are carrying them....)


Last time I looked there were maybe only two cities that dis has HD in that do not receive all 4 of the majors.

I thake that back.............its 4 cities.


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## Jim5506 (Jun 7, 2004)

kenglish said:


> Any translator stations in your area? They can be changed to DTV.


Most translators will still be SD even when they go digital, because it costs a lot of money to convert the microwave links to support HD bandwidth and translators are mostly a loosing proposition for OTA stations.


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## He Save Dave (Jun 6, 2006)

I wish I had HD locals too.


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## scooper (Apr 22, 2002)

Well roadrnnr - any further comments ? Like I said - I'd suggest the minimum cable package that will let you get your locals in HD. And just accept that Dish has a different set of priorities than you....


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## archer75 (Oct 13, 2006)

After all this time Direct only provides some of our locals in HD. However Dish provides them all in HD. Go figure.


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## Hound (Mar 20, 2005)

fredp said:


> I'm in Burlington Vt too. Its not just one channel but all local HD's. Its Dish as well as DirecTV. The only way we here can get HD channels is OTA or ugh... god forbid... Comcast.:nono2:


If you really can't live without HD locals, just sign up for Comcast limited basic service without any type of box and let your QAM tuner pick up the HD local channels. This assumes your HDTV has a QAM tuner. Then when E* gets the HD
locals in your area, cancel Comcast. I have Comcast limited basic service and E* for another reason.


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## mauijiminar (Oct 11, 2007)

What is a QAM tuner?


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## jmillecpa (Jul 17, 2003)

I was in the same situation, not satisfied with OTA antenna and patiently waiting for Dish to include my locals as shown on the list from two years ago. Direct picked up the locals in HD last spring. I finally gave up and made the switch. I have been very happy with Direct. If Dish had come through with the locals in HD I would have never changed. I think it is a problem with capacity.


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## david_jr (Dec 10, 2006)

Where is this list?


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## psnarula (Aug 13, 2005)

^ http://ekb.dbstalk.com/hdlocal.htm


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## bidger (Nov 19, 2005)

mauijiminar said:


> What is a QAM tuner?


QAM is for any "in the clear" digital cable channels.


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## convem24 (Mar 11, 2007)

The whole local HD issue on D* or E* will be something that both companies will have to work on. In most cases there are a couple of issues

1.) Bandwidth to call LIL (local in local) HD channels via a spotbeam technology.

2.) Agreements with those local affiliates to carry digital and HD channels. No provider can retransmit local channels in their various varieties without approval from the local affiliate. Typically Lin TV has been the biggest push back against satellite providers carrying local channels in HD.

3.) DMA size (DMA is a geographical service area). If the DMA size is small like a DMA that is not in the top 50 typically it is not a priority for the sat provider to carry local HD over larger DMAs. 

An example of this is the Seattle DMA (where I live) is the 14th biggest DMA and Portland DMA is the 22nd largest DMA. Say neither DMA has local HD channels for the sake of this exercise. Lets say both DMA has a similar number of customers on D* or E*. Since the Seattle DMA has more opportunity (ie more possibility of converting customers to service) typically the tactic has been focus on the bigger DMA first, then move onto other DMAs strategically. Smaller DMAs do get the shaft but this is how this industry works. Eventually like SD local channels both satellite providers will have a high percentage of their customer base covered. Not that I don't advocate that customers should not fight for what they believe is right but if you get little to nowhere this is why.


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## Steve H (May 15, 2006)

I just found something interesting about this. Salt Lake City ABC is owned by Clear Channel & San Antonio, Texas NBC is owned by Clear Channel. Neither stations broadcast HD via Dish, ABC in Salt Lake does via local cable and D* and I'm not sure about the NBC station in Texas. I wonder if Clear Channel & Dish are having problems and cannot get together on the $$$$ agreement for HD broacsasting.


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## Bill R (Dec 20, 2002)

Steve H said:


> I wonder if Clear Channel & Dish are having problems and cannot get together on the $$$$ agreement for HD broacsasting.


Clear Channel is selling off all their TV stations to Providence Equity Partners. That deal is suppose to be completed "soon". It could be what is holding up deals to carry new markets.


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## roadrnnr (Nov 21, 2004)

scooper said:


> Well roadrnnr - any further comments ? Like I said - I'd suggest the minimum cable package that will let you get your locals in HD. And just accept that Dish has a different set of priorities than you....


Funny you should mention Comcast. What an outfit. 3 of my neighbors as well as myself called a couple weeks ago to see when they were going to put a cable line through our part of town. According to them it was available.(even though I knew the line was not there yet).

We all scheduled a hook up date, ordered our equipment and waited.

About a week later the guy shows up to hook it up and guess what,oops no cable line to hook to.

They never called us to say they made a mistake or give us some idea when it would be available.

Another week later I got a letter from them stating they did a site survey and it was available 2.2 miles from my house and they would be glad to hook it up for the paltry price of $37000.00. If I could get my other three neighbors to sign up also we could all get a deal of $7800.00 apiece.

I think we'll pass on that deal.

We Live in Fairfax VT where they just wired up part of the town and duplicated internet service to where verizon already has DSL.

We do not live in the sticks but along a major state highway,(104) where they could easily sign up 100 or 200 customers in a 5-6 mile radius for internet alone since there is no broadband out here at all.

As far as a OTA antenna, as I stated that will not work either as a hill is blocking the transmitter tower.

Very frustrated in Fairfax VT


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## roadrnnr (Nov 21, 2004)

jmillecpa said:


> I was in the same situation, not satisfied with OTA antenna and patiently waiting for Dish to include my locals as shown on the list from two years ago. Direct picked up the locals in HD last spring. I finally gave up and made the switch. I have been very happy with Direct. If Dish had come through with the locals in HD I would have never changed. I think it is a problem with capacity.


I would love to switch also but Direct has no locals in HD here either.

How is the Direct HD/DVR reciever compare with the VIP622?


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## scooper (Apr 22, 2002)

I guess (baring a huge, unforeseen shift in how the networks distribute) that you won't be getting HD network shows for quite a while then. In fact, if it wasn't for LIL, you sound like you wouldn't be getting ANY locals, nor TV without DBS.

OK I ran antennaweb.org for your zipcode - just about all your stations are at the same location, about 152 degrees magnetic from the center of the zipcode @ about 16 miles. Lots or RED codes for antenna required, but that is not too unreasonable for that distance. Go a bit larger (outside, and high, maybe with a decent pre-amp) and it might be enough. Inside rabbit ears are going to be hopeless. Get on over to your local thread at avsforums.com and see if they have any thing to say http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=45


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## jmillecpa (Jul 17, 2003)

roadrnnr said:


> I would love to switch also but Direct has no locals in HD here either.
> 
> How is the Direct HD/DVR reciever compare with the VIP622?


My favorite was the 622, I like the instant skip forward and back whereas the HR20 in a slower fast forwad mode. Also the speed forward on the HR20 is not as fast as the 622.

The search menu on the HR20 is better, it works like TIVO as each letter of the title is listed in brings up a matching list until it narrows down to the show your looking for.


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## gopdon (Jul 21, 2007)

jmillecpa said:


> My favorite was the 622, I like the instant skip forward and back whereas the HR20 in a slower fast forwad mode. Also the speed forward on the HR20 is not as fast as the 622.
> 
> The search menu on the HR20 is better, it works like TIVO as each letter of the title is listed in brings up a matching list until it narrows down to the show your looking for.


What about the ability to use the DVR functions on a 2nd or 3rd TV with an RF remote? This is the one reasons I have stayed with E* because I have a 622 and a non HD DVR box and 5 RF remotes. 3 TVS for the 622 and 2 for the other....love it. Eveyrone has access to a DVR. If DTV had that, I'd switch just sp I can get the locals in HD


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## BattleZone (Nov 13, 2007)

gopdon said:


> What about the ability to use the DVR functions on a 2nd or 3rd TV with an RF remote? This is the one reasons I have stayed with E* because I have a 622 and a non HD DVR box and 5 RF remotes. 3 TVS for the 622 and 2 for the other....love it. Eveyrone has access to a DVR. If DTV had that, I'd switch just sp I can get the locals in HD


DirecTV's model is a receiver dedicated to each TV. You could certainly hook an SD DVR's coax output to a splitter and use remote extenders to access it from multiple rooms, but it isn't designed for that. The HD-DVR has no coax output.


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## archer75 (Oct 13, 2006)

I also enjoy the 3 tuners in the 622. I have an OTA antenna and can make use of all 3 and sometimes do. Hell the other night I could have used a 4th tuner.


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## pparazorback (Oct 24, 2007)

gopdon said:


> What about the ability to use the DVR functions on a 2nd or 3rd TV with an RF remote? This is the one reasons I have stayed with E* because I have a 622 and a non HD DVR box and 5 RF remotes. 3 TVS for the 622 and 2 for the other....love it. Eveyrone has access to a DVR. If DTV had that, I'd switch just sp I can get the locals in HD


Same here for me. I have a 522 and a 622. The TV in the bedroom has the 522 with the 2nd tuner output going to the tv in the DEN and to the TV in the living room on channel 60. The 622 reciever in the Living room hooked to the HDTV has the 2nd output going the TV in the bedroom as well. With my setup, I can access all DVR recordings from both the bedroom AND the living room.


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