# HD Content stinks IMO, but have a question.



## kkozma (Mar 1, 2007)

First, I'm sure my views on this are not shared with everyone, but I am entitled to my opinion, so please remember that before you flame me! lol

In my grand dilusion that I was getting the best HD for my $20 a month, I am completely and utterly disappointed. IMO the only channels that are worth watching are discovery and national geographic. The rest is just the same show over and over and over again. 

My question is, do I have to subscribe to the HD tier to get HD premiums? I'd much rather pay $22 / month for HBO and Stars for their HD movie channels than $20 / month for the same crappy shows over and over again.


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## cyberized (Mar 7, 2003)

I MUST agree with you - I do not believe their VOOM Pack is worth the money especially when I lose contact with their 129 SAT all the time. 
I do not purchase any of their Movie Premiums BUT in your case I believe you have to be subscribed to HD Pack to receive Premiums in HD too.


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## kkozma (Mar 1, 2007)

is the 129 satellite the one that carries HDNet? If so, my reception is pretty crap-tastic on that one too. Watching programs recorded is almost not even worth the effort. Signal loss, audio dropouts, pixellation, etc etc..


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## Mikey (Oct 26, 2004)

kkozma said:


> is the 129 satellite the one that carries HDNet? If so, my reception is pretty crap-tastic on that one too. Watching programs recorded is almost not even worth the effort. Signal loss, audio dropouts, pixellation, etc etc..


HDNET is on 110tp7. If you can't get that well, you have problems with your setup.


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

Discovery channel and National Geographic also repeat programming. A good portion of the SD channels are repetitive also... and so are the premium movie channels.

When folks point to repeats as a reason to dislike Dish HD offerings, I wonder how they are surprised when most channels do the same thing with HD or SD. Networks (OTA) are part of the rare exception... but even they repeat some programming.


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## kkozma (Mar 1, 2007)

Yes, but the SD channels don't cost me $20 extra per month and the repetition isn't even CLOSE by a million miles to the repetition on the HD channels. Watch Food HD for example. Say you like to look at Giada jiggle her boobies when she cooks. Well, you're in luck because the EXACT same episode will re-air several times a day on about 4-5 hour intervals.

As I said, I am disappointed with the HD content and plan to cancel it as soon as Planet Earth is done airing on Discovery. Everyone's opinion is different, so can anyone answer the original question? Do I need to subscribe to HD to get HD premiums?


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## bigthrust (Feb 21, 2007)

I would bet that you are now over the HD "WOW" factor and are just to cheap to keep it.


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

After more than three years of thoroughly enjoying a variety of outstanding HD
programming, I am still not over the "WOW". Every time I watch HD sports, HD
movies, HD nature programs and more, I still get a rush, but one reason is both
of my HD displays are _tweaked to the max_ and most likely my HD PQ is better
than most.

But also, I have the perspective of being from a time before television. Going
from only three monochromatic networks on a grainy 9" set in my early years
to more than 250 channels on a wide screen HDTV display took only _55_ of my
68 years. Sure, I wish it had come sooner, but it was well worth the wait. :grin:


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

kkozma said:


> Yes, but the SD channels don't cost me $20 extra per month and the repetition isn't even CLOSE by a million miles to the repetition on the HD channels. Watch Food HD for example. Say you like to look at Giada jiggle her boobies when she cooks. Well, you're in luck because the EXACT same episode will re-air several times a day on about 4-5 hour intervals.


This would be a valid statement... but you compared the same $20 towards getting two premiums (like HBO and SHO)... and by that comparison you should see the exact same kind of repetition + you will drop to only having 2 HD channels instead of the 25+ you have with the HD pack.

That said... I don't know how things work now. Used to be you just needed the HD receiver then pay for HBO and you'd get HBOHD with that... I assume if you have a ViP receiver you would have to pay the $6 HD enabling fee in addition to the premium package in order to get the HD premium for that package.


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## dclaryjr (Mar 11, 2007)

Nick said:


> After more than three years of thoroughly enjoying a variety of outstanding HD programming, I am still not over the "WOW.


I've been HDing about half that time but I'm with you. My wife was concerned about losing INHD when we switched to the Dish but she loves EquatorHD. I just wish I had all the locals in HD--still waiting on CBS and Fox.


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## cornflakes (Sep 30, 2005)

Nick said:


> After more than three years of thoroughly enjoying a variety of outstanding HD
> programming, I am still not over the "WOW. Every time I watch HD sports, HD
> movies, HD nature programs and more, I still get a rush, but the, both of my HD
> displays are tweaked to the max and most likely I have an HD picture that is
> better than most.


I watch NASCAR races because of that... I'm not remotely into racing at all, yet I will sit there and watch in awe at how great the picture looks.


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## whatchel1 (Jan 11, 2006)

Every one has one just like what we set on. IMHO I only watch about 1/2 the HD channels I have but am not disappointed in what I get. This seems like about the 20th repeat of this thread. So we have repeats just like the nets you are complaining about. :hurah: :lol: BTW I believe you have to have HD programming other than the prems to be able to have the prem nets.


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## kkozma (Mar 1, 2007)

Well, its a good thing we're all entitled to opinions. I don't watch sports, so I could care less if there were sports in HD or not.

I've really only got myself to blame here, if I would have researched this better I would have never ordered it in the first place.

I guess I'll just have to call Dish and find out, since all you guys seem to care about is calling me nuts for being disappointed in the HD content dish provides.


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

kkozma said:


> Well, its a good thing we're all entitled to opinions. I don't watch sports, so I could care less if there were sports in HD or not.
> 
> I've really only got myself to blame here, if I would have researched this better I would have never ordered it in the first place.
> 
> I guess I'll just have to call Dish and find out, since all you guys seem to care about is calling me nuts for being disappointed in the HD content dish provides.


No, we're not calling you nuts for being "disappointed" in your HD content. I'm sure you have your reasons for feeling that way. I just don't understand how anyone could not appreciate the incredible improvement that HD makes to most, but definitely not all programming.

Other than baseball, I didn't watch much sports until they started broadcasting in HD. Now I watch some other sports as long as its in HD.

No, we're not flaming you, just expressing our opinions just like you. After all, you started this topic, we're just chiming in with our own perspectives.


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## Hall (Mar 4, 2004)

kkozma said:


> My question is, do I have to subscribe to the HD tier to get HD premiums? I'd much rather pay $22 / month for HBO and Stars for their HD movie channels than $20 / month for the same crappy shows over and over again.


 I'm positive that the answer is "no". Those are still in MPEG-2, so they're available with Dish's older HD receivers. If you subscribe to HBO, you get HBO-HD as part of the deal. Same applies to the others.

Now, if you have a 211 or 622 receiver, you have a different problem unless you bought yours outright.

By the way, I didn't "help" talk you into switching to Dish, did I ??


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## ssmith10pn (Jul 6, 2005)

> After more than three years of thoroughly enjoying a variety of outstanding HD
> programming, I am still not over the "WOW". Every time I watch HD sports, HD
> movies, HD nature programs and more, I still get a rush, but one reason is both
> of my HD displays are tweaked to the max and most likely my HD PQ is better
> than most.


Amen bro.

I install home theater every day and I love to see that look in someone's eye when they are seeing HD for the first time.

Things like watching the Shuttle go up on HDNET, Sunrise Earth on Discovery, Concerts on Rave, and "Nothing but Trailers" all make it worth every penny.

Remember when TV was black and White and you craved the one Color broadcast there was each week?
Remember when all TVs were Mono and then we craved broadcasts in Stereo?

Well now it's HD turn.


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## R MaN (Feb 23, 2007)

Being from the Madison, Wisconsin market, Dish, at the current time, does not carry any of the locals in HD.... I check about once a week... Being a Packer fan, I'm hoping for FOX HD to be added to Charter Cable, OR, Dish will add the Madison locals in HD which would include FOX HD.... Yeah..Its all about the Packers in HD


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## kkozma (Mar 1, 2007)

Hall said:


> I'm positive that the answer is "no". Those are still in MPEG-2, so they're available with Dish's older HD receivers. If you subscribe to HBO, you get HBO-HD as part of the deal. Same applies to the others.
> 
> Now, if you have a 211 or 622 receiver, you have a different problem unless you bought yours outright.
> 
> By the way, I didn't "help" talk you into switching to Dish, did I ??


Nope, I've been with dish for about 6-7 years now. I just upgraded my reciever to a 622 and from what I understand I'm not locked into the HD programming package unless I had sent in my hd upgrade rebate, which I have not done yet.

Don't get me wrong guys, I LOVE HD. In fact I think it's addictive, I just don't feel that it's ready for mass consumption yet. I don't watch sports and I'm not much of a documentary fanatic, which takes out a good chunk of Dish's HD content. So, to say I'm over the wow factor is not true. Every time I watch something in HD it's jaw dropping amazing, I do however feel I'm not getting my money's worth on programming.

One thing I will say that kinda urked me. The freakin' season opener for the indycar series was not broadcast in HD friday night on espn2! ARGGHH!!! Racing is the only sport I really watch, and I was quite p-o'd that I had to watch it with side bars on my HD channel. Hey, but the regular season drag race the next morning was in hd though. 

Now, if sony would just go ahead and give in to the inevitable and forget about this bluray nonsense so the prices on HD DVD players tank even further, I can continue to fuel my HD addiction.


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## dclaryjr (Mar 11, 2007)

kkozma said:


> Don't get me wrong guys, I LOVE HD. In fact I think it's addictive, I just don't feel that it's ready for mass consumption yet. I don't watch sports and I'm not much of a documentary fanatic, which takes out a good chunk of Dish's HD content.


I can understand you saying there isn't the right content for you, but I can't agree with "not ready for mass consumption." Sports programming is big--at least in the U.S. Check the top ten of all time highest rated programs and most of the spots are taken by Super Bowls. A increasingly large number of network weekly shows are being shown in HD. Prices on HD sets are dropping. Can it get better? Absolutely. But IMHO we have definitely reached the point where it's ready for mass consumption.


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## kkozma (Mar 1, 2007)

dclaryjr said:


> Check the top ten of all time highest rated programs and most of the spots are taken by Super Bowls. A increasingly large number of network weekly shows are being shown in HD. Prices on HD sets are dropping. Can it get better? Absolutely. But IMHO we have definitely reached the point where it's ready for mass consumption.


Understood, but all of that content is delivered for free via my local channels. If you take sports out of the picture and really look at what's being offered by Dish, it's not really there yet. FoodTV HD and HGTV HD are prime examples of this. Their programming is on a 3 hour rotation. The same eposiodes over and over and over again, every three hours. At least discovery and national geographic program enough content to last an entire day without too much repitition.

Thats my main point about it not being ready.


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## dclaryjr (Mar 11, 2007)

kkozma said:


> Understood, but all of that content is delivered for free via my local channels. If you take sports out of the picture and really look at what's being offered by Dish, it's not really there yet. FoodTV HD and HGTV HD are prime examples of this. Their programming is on a 3 hour rotation. The same eposiodes over and over and over again, every three hours. At least discovery and national geographic program enough content to last an entire day without too much repitition.
> 
> Thats my main point about it not being ready.


Well maybe we're just having a difference in semantics but to me it's a long stretch to go from "there isn't enough HD content on Dish to justify spending $20" (which is what *I* think you are saying), to "I LOVE HD. In fact I think it's addictive, I just don't feel that it's ready for mass consumption yet." I not trying to flame--I just disagree. Sports IS a big drawing card for HD and it's helping sets move out the stores in a big way.

So I'm curious. You don't like sports or documentary programming and you can get networks shows and other things OTA. So what exactly is it that you are looking for from a satellite provider?


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## Mikey (Oct 26, 2004)

kkozma said:


> Understood, but all of that content is delivered for free via my local channels. If you take sports out of the picture and really look at what's being offered by Dish, it's not really there yet. FoodTV HD and HGTV HD are prime examples of this. Their programming is on a 3 hour rotation. The same eposiodes over and over and over again, every three hours. At least discovery and national geographic program enough content to last an entire day without too much repitition.
> 
> Thats my main point about it not being ready.


I don't know what Discovery and NG you're watching. I see constant repeats, for East and West time zones.


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## kkozma (Mar 1, 2007)

dclaryjr said:


> Well maybe we're just having a difference in semantics but to me it's a long stretch to go from "there isn't enough HD content on Dish to justify spending $20" (which is what *I* think you are saying), to "I LOVE HD. In fact I think it's addictive, I just don't feel that it's ready for mass consumption yet." I not trying to flame--I just disagree. Sports IS a big drawing card for HD and it's helping sets move out the stores in a big way.
> 
> So I'm curious. You don't like sports or documentary programming and you can get networks shows and other things OTA. So what exactly is it that you are looking for from a satellite provider?


No, you have it about right. For someone like me the extra cost isn't worth it. If you like sports and documentary type stuff then you've got it made. But not me and I KNOW there's a lotof people out there that don't give a rats arse about sports and documentary type programming.

As for what I'm looking for? Everything else. I LIKE to watch TV. I like sitting my skinny butt on the couch and doing nothing but watch TV on the weekends (much to my wife's chagrin). When I flip through my local networks and see nothing but infomercials and golf, I'd like to be entertained and I would hope that my $20 extra dollars would find me SOMETHING I'd want to watch in HD. So far, I've had my HD sub for 3 weeks, and so far every weekend I have been greatly disappointed and have ended up watching something on an SD channel. When I signed up for this I had high hopes for the discovery channel. That channel is the most watched channel in my house. But almost NONE of the regular programming is on DiscoveryHD. I knew it wasn't simulcast, but I didn't think it would air 20 hours of fluff either. I mean where's Mythbusters? Dirty Jobs? Etc etc.

The movies on HDNet Movies have all sucked (with the exception of Patriot Games), you can only watch Oasis, The Wallflowers, and 311 on the music channels so many times, and I won't even mention food and hgtv again. Then you have the waste of bandwidth HD channels such as the art and fashion channels. Um yeah, do we really need to look at pictures of art in HD? Who watches that crap? The family channel programming is HORRIBLE. I mean come on... FLIPPER??!! Can't they find anything better at all to air on the Family HD channel?


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## dclaryjr (Mar 11, 2007)

Well I hope you get what you want--'cause I'll get it too!  Meanwhile I'm thoroughly enjoying Equator and Rave (that's about the only Voom things I watch). But I look forward to the day where what we all call HD now becomes known as SD, and then we can ***** about not having enough Super HD to watch!:lol:


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## INHUMANITY (Aug 8, 2005)

Nick said:


> After more than three years of thoroughly enjoying a variety of outstanding HD
> programming, I am still not over the "WOW". Every time I watch HD sports, HD
> movies, HD nature programs and more, I still get a rush, but one reason is both
> of my HD displays are _tweaked to the max_ and most likely my HD PQ is better
> ...


Programming issues aside, awesome post Nick!


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## INHUMANITY (Aug 8, 2005)

cornflakes said:


> I watch NASCAR races because of that... I'm not remotely into racing at all, yet I will sit there and watch in awe at how great the picture looks.


Same here man.

I'm not into Nascar, but I find myself drooling at the cars going in circles. :lol:


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## dclaryjr (Mar 11, 2007)

INHUMANITY said:


> Same here man.
> 
> I'm not into Nascar, but I find myself drooling at the cars going in circles. :lol:


There's no Fox HD here but HDNet replays them during the week. I try to watch the last few laps.


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## ssmith10pn (Jul 6, 2005)

Just noticed tonight NBC Nightly News is now in HD.
My local Atlanta News on NBC was already in HD.
Thumbs up NBC!


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## thefunks67 (Feb 4, 2007)

I think it's pretty cool seeing Hogans Heros in 16x9 on my "65 HDTV on HDNET. 

Beats the crap out of watching it on a 19" 4:3. 

-Funk


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## INHUMANITY (Aug 8, 2005)

ssmith10pn said:


> Just noticed tonight NBC Nightly News is now in HD.
> My local Atlanta News on NBC was already in HD.
> Thumbs up NBC!


Do you watch The Office? If so, how's the quality?

Us folk here out in the SF Bay Area have quite a crappy feed from KNTV (our local NBC affiliate).

It's not so much that it's a bad picture, but it's like they're using some goofy compression that gives the image an overly soft picture.


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## kkozma (Mar 1, 2007)

The Office in HD looks FANTASTIC here in my area.

I also just found out yesterday our local CBS affiliate is going to start broadcasting their news in 16x9!


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

thefunks67 said:


> I think it's pretty cool seeing Hogans Heros in 16x9 on my "65 HDTV on HDNET.
> 
> Beats the crap out of watching it on a 19" 4:3.
> 
> -Funk


:lol: Couldn't have said it better myself! :up:


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## johnsbin (Nov 14, 2002)

All premiums consist of content that is repeated ad nauseum whether it be movie channels or HD channels.

I don't watch tv 24/7 so I get more than all the HD I could want at this time. I like the Voom channels and will be sad the day they go away. Broaden your viewing tastes and learn something while revelling in the HD quality of it. Change the channel once in awhile. 

As more and more content is filmed natively in HD, we will see more original content provided on HD channels and then we will see threads complaining that the HD channels don't repeat ENOUGH to allow viewers the chance to see something they missed because they don't live here in the forum and online monitoring all the HD schedules hourly.


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## HIPAR (May 15, 2005)

Now I'm not contending there aren't any shows on that are informative or just fun entertainment. Occasionally a good movie shows up.

Remember Newton Minow from 1961? He's the one who made the often plagiarized 'Vast wasteland' statement concerning the state of TV 'content' (no one new it was content back then). Really, things haven't changed that much and there is no reason to believe HD is going to make a difference.

--- CHAS


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## ibglowin (Sep 10, 2002)

Ha Ha, that was funny.....

The reason HD-DVD player prices are falling off the cliff is because Blu-Ray has been putting a spankin on HD-DVD for the last several months. They have to do something to get people to buy in somehow. Case in point, the Toshiba A2 and others MSRP will drop yet another $100 on 4/1. All due to BD sales.

Now back to topic......



kkozma said:


> Now, if sony would just go ahead and give in to the inevitable and forget about this bluray nonsense so the prices on HD DVD players tank even further, I can continue to fuel my HD addiction.


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## tedb3rd (Feb 2, 2006)

I agree about VOOM being pretty much a waste. In my opinion, the only good HD channels are the non-Voom HD channels with the exception of Equator.

I also wish Dish would offer 2 differnt HD packages. One with Voom for about $20 and one without for about $10. (A $10 package like that 'other' satellite company--what's their name?)...


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

tedb3rd said:


> (A $10 package like that 'other' satellite company--what's their name?)...


You mean that "other" satellite company who even if you take out the 15 Voom channels, still doesn't have as many national HD channels as Dish? That same "other" company that had to take down TNTHD on Sundays during football season?


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

HDMe said:


> You mean that "other" satellite company who even if you take out the 15 Voom channels, still doesn't have as many national HD channels as Dish? That same "other" company that had to take down TNTHD on Sundays during football season?


That's like going on your semi-annual visit to the _Bunny Ranch_ only to discover that your
favorite girl is, er, "busy", but you can have your choice of Maude, Mable or Gertrude. :sure:


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