# Press Release: DISH Network Launches TBS in HD



## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

*DISH Network Launches TBS in HD

Customers Can Now Watch Professional Baseball Playoffs in High Definition*

ENGLEWOOD, Colo., Oct 8, 2007 (PrimeNewswire via COMTEX News Network) -- DISH Network(r), home of the best sports and movies in HD as well as the best HD DVR in the industry, today announced the launch of TBS in HD, the exclusive HD provider of the first round of MLB playoffs. The channel addition brings DISH Network's national HD channel count to 48 -- the most offered by any other pay-TV provider in the country.

"DISH Network is committed to providing our customers with the HD content they want, and the launch of TBS in HD -- just in time for the first round of the playoffs -- is a home run for baseball fans," said Eric Sahl, senior vice president of Programming for DISH Network. "We know avid sports fans enjoy catching the games in HD because it offers an exceptional graphic picture quality and stunning surround sound that best replicates live games."

TBS in HD, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., is one of television's top-rated comedy networks. It serves as home to such original comedy series as My Boys, The Bill Engvall Show, Tyler Perry's House of Payne, 10 Items or Less and Frank TV; contemporary comedies like The Office, Sex and the City, Everybody Loves Raymond, Family Guy, King of Queens, Seinfeld and Friends, with My Name Is Earl joining the line-up in 2008; specials and special events, such as Funniest Commercials of the Year and The Comedy Festival in Las Vegas; blockbuster movies; and hosted movie showcases.

TBS in HD is available on DISH Network Ch. 139 to customers who subscribe to DishHD.


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## DBS Commando (Apr 7, 2006)

48? Do they mean 38? Or are they counting PPV's?


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

40 without PPV by my count ... they don't make it clear, but counting PPV would be one way of getting to 48. 

I was hoping that it was an error reflecting other new channels, but the total (70) and PPV count (8) in the rest of the press release seems to point to inflation.


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## Hound (Mar 20, 2005)

James Long said:


> 40 without PPV by my count ... they don't make it clear, but counting PPV would be one way of getting to 48.
> 
> I was hoping that it was an error reflecting other new channels, but the total (70) and PPV count (8) in the rest of the press release seems to point to inflation.


40 Plus CBS, ABC, NBC, FOX, East and West = 48.


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

E* only offers OTA or LIL locals in HD, not distants.


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## Hound (Mar 20, 2005)

James Long said:


> E* only offers OTA or LIL locals in HD, not distants.


I know. The only other way I can get to 48 is to include the 8 PPV like you said.


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

Maybe it was an inadvertant slip... since they are planning on re-launching TBSHD this Wednesday on 9499... so maybe that press release was written to take into account 8 more channels launching this week 

Let the rumor mongers have at it!


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## DBS Commando (Apr 7, 2006)

HDMe said:


> Maybe it was an inadvertant slip... since they are planning on re-launching TBSHD this Wednesday on 9499... so maybe that press release was written to take into account 8 more channels launching this week
> 
> Let the rumor mongers have at it!


That would schweeeet


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## Taco Lover (Jan 8, 2007)

HDMe said:


> Maybe it was an inadvertant slip... since they are planning on re-launching TBSHD this Wednesday on 9499... so maybe that press release was written to take into account 8 more channels launching this week
> 
> Let the rumor mongers have at it!


I don't understand why they are moving it's channel home. As long as it's not still on Tp6 of 129, I'll be happy. It drops every hour for me. :nono2:


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

I'd go with 48 this Wednesday ... but the total in the PR should have been 78 if it were just an issue of counting the channels before they hatched.


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## Smthkd (Sep 1, 2004)

Swanni is convinced they are counting the 8 PPV HD channels, either way this is getting rediculously close to false advertising. PPV channels are "NOT" national channels and shouldn't be counted as such!

:http://www.tvpredictions.com/echo48100807.htm


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## DBS Commando (Apr 7, 2006)

Smthkd said:


> Swanni is convinced they are counting the 8 PPV HD channels, either way this is getting rediculously close to false advertising. PPV channels are "NOT" national channels and shouldn't be counted as such!
> 
> :http://www.tvpredictions.com/echo48100807.htm


Not close, that _is _false advertising. PPV's were never considered "national" channels. Especially since you have to "pay" every time you "view" something. Come on...

I dunno, I guess we'll see on October 10th.


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## jimborst (Jun 13, 2006)

****Speculation mode****

Since Dish has been negotiating with the Turner-Time/Warner people for TBS-HD I would think that CNN-HD has been in the negotiations. Since TBS was an emergency addition they did it so people could get the baseball playoffs but since CNN could be added at the regular schedule it could be this week.


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## DBS Commando (Apr 7, 2006)

One thing I don't understand is why they are putting TBS on 9499. Ever since they added Discovery HD, History HD, and others, they were counting up with the channel numbers. All of a sudden, 9492-9498 aren't good anymore? I know they put Big Ten HD on 9500+ but I figured that was because it was a sports feed. 

Maybe we will be getting a surprise on Wednesday.


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

PPV are national channels... but I wish neither Dish nor DirecTV would count them since they are PPV. I wish neither company would count the music and PI and shopping channels either, but the precedent has been sent to count those long ago.

Counting RSNs and PPVs are just continuing that trend. I don't think it is completely dishonest, but it is misleading... and I just wish neither company would do it but marketing departments tend to run with whatever technicality they can run with.

Oh, and my "rumor" is completely unfounded, however I figured it was a good time to throw in an unfounded rumor and take advantage of what was probably just a typographical error. Probably someone did end up counting the PPV twice.

Although, it is interesting to see 8 PPV counted... We had 9 until one was taken down for TBSHD... so that adjusted count tends to indicate that PPV will be staying gone.

So how about this for unfounded rumor #2!

Perhaps Dish launched those other 8 PPVs as a smokescreen... to let the competition think they were done making deals... then the competition makes their moves, all the while Dish not only has maybe 20-25 HD channel capacity but could also have up to those 8 extra PPV channels as capacity as well and then when DirecTV is done, Dish can blow by them again


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## Wrister17 (Jul 23, 2007)

HDMe said:


> Maybe it was an inadvertant slip... since they are planning on re-launching TBSHD this Wednesday on 9499... so maybe that press release was written to take into account 8 more channels launching this week
> 
> Let the rumor mongers have at it!


YES, for sure..this is exactly what i am thinking...and with the press release coming out that the NHL network has struck deals south of the border(if your vantage point is canada), i would think more channels are on the way..plus some channels have already been uplinked....i think weds we can see some more channels...HD that is. later.


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## Taco Lover (Jan 8, 2007)

DBS Commando said:


> One thing I don't understand is why they are putting TBS on 9499. Ever since they added Discovery HD, History HD, and others, they were counting up with the channel numbers. All of a sudden, 9492-9498 aren't good anymore? I know they put Big Ten HD on 9500+ but I figured that was because it was a sports feed.
> 
> Maybe we will be getting a surprise on Wednesday.


9492-9498 is 7 channels. Maybe they put TBS at 9499 as a hint that more channels are to fill those spots soon.


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

Or perhaps they like the number.

Plenty of gaps in the 9419-9499 range.


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## coldmiser (Mar 10, 2007)

Ok, so now I just need CNN, SciFi, and USA.


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## DBS Commando (Apr 7, 2006)

One thing that I have also noticed is that Dish hasn't added TBS to their lineup yet on their website. Perhaps they are waiting?


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## tomcrown1 (Jan 16, 2006)

Dish has 100 national channels and for you ppv we have 70 PPV channels to let you spend all your hard earn dollars with dish WE ARE #1 IN PPV HD


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## blarg (Apr 15, 2007)

so....um....anyone notice that TBSHD is in stretch-o-vision? That's not HD. That's a waste of bandwidth.


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

blarg said:


> so....um....anyone notice that TBSHD is in stretch-o-vision? That's not HD. That's a waste of bandwidth.


I agree. But the Jones' got the channel and one must keep up with the Jones' ...

Hopefully there will be more than just HD Baseball in the next few months.


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

blarg said:


> so....um....anyone notice that TBSHD is in stretch-o-vision? That's not HD. That's a waste of bandwidth.


That is exactly why many of us were not that disappointed when TBSHD launched on DirecTV a week earlier. Reports had been coming in that the only HD there thus far had been baseball.

But I guess enough people complained loud enough, and Dish felt the pressure. Incidentally, I just found out that Time Warner also put TBSHD up sometime in the past several days without any fanfare... so I'm guessing the pressure got to them as well.

If we had unlimited bandwidth, I'd ask Dish to light these up ASAP when they go on the air... but with limited bandwidth I hate the thought of them signing long-term agreements with stretch-or-zoom-o-vision channels and meanwhile something with more HD launches that they run out of room to launch.

Hasn't happened yet... but honestly, when I sit and look at available channels I can only think of a handful that I would even like to see go HD... so aside from entirely new channels (along the lines of HDNet) that don't exist today in SD... it would not be too hard for Dish to keep me happy with the right additions and use of their current bandwidth.


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## Greg L (Feb 3, 2006)

I for one hate the "stretch-o-vision" junk. I wish they would broadcast in origional aspect ratio then let me decide when to stretch or zoom with my TV or receiver. I have emailed a couple of stations about this but never get a response. I assume I am not the only one that feels this way.

I usually watch in the aspect ratio that it is origionally intended. I really do not like the stretched SD stuff that makes everyone look fat!


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## tomcrown1 (Jan 16, 2006)

Greg L said:


> I for one hate the "stretch-o-vision" junk. I wish they would broadcast in origional aspect ratio then let me decide when to stretch or zoom with my TV or receiver. I have emailed a couple of stations about this but never get a response. I assume I am not the only one that feels this way.
> 
> I usually watch in the aspect ratio that it is origionally intended. I really do not like the stretched SD stuff that makes everyone look fat!


hEY
i LIKE FAT PEOPLE


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

tomcrown1 said:


> hEY
> i LIKE FAT PEOPLE


Just for the record... I like fat people too. Quite often I AM a fat people 

But I like when people look like they look, rather than looking like the show was shot with a wide-angle lens or a reflection from a funhouse mirror.

I can't tell you how many times I've watched a stretch-o-vision show, then saw the same actor/actress in a non-stretched movie and first thought how they have lost weight, then realized I was just seeing them in proper proportion!


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