# How will dish handle HD ONLY PACKAGE?



## lionsrule (Nov 25, 2003)

Ok, so as a dozen or so new HD channels are added over the next year, how do you think dish will handle it's 29.99 HD ONLY package?


----------



## normang (Nov 14, 2002)

unpredictable....


----------



## mattfast1 (Mar 26, 2008)

I agree with normang.

However, if I were to guess... I'd say that package's price will rise more than any other package in February 2009 (since Feb. 1 is the traditional date of price increases).


----------



## jclewter79 (Jan 8, 2008)

My guess is no large increase until it can be broke up into packages like its SD counterparts. Of course, it will also depend on what D* does and if they decide to offer an HD only package next march.


----------



## richiephx (Jan 19, 2006)

Only E* will know the answer to this question.


----------



## lionsrule (Nov 25, 2003)

Yes, I realize only dish knows for sure.

But, my GUESS, is that (similar to the old $9.99 package) dish will announce that there will be a cut off point where the 29.99 will no longer contain any of the new additions of national HD....those will be in a new "super/duper" HD package at a higher price point.....effectively making the 29.99 price stick, but no new HD at the old package.


----------



## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

It would be unfair to all other subscribers to leave the HDOnly package at $29.99 with additional channels while raising the rates on other packages. I would not predict $34.99 or higher (although the package will be going from around 40 to over 60 national channels - so $5 more would not be out of line).

I hope DISH continues to offer it ... and not just "off the books" grandfathered to current subscribers. I imagine that decision will depend on how popular the package is. If few customers choose the package I would see no reason to continue it. If too many customers choose the package it has to be priced in a way that the affect on other package sales isn't too harsh.

Everything is fluid ... I doubt _anyone_ at DISH will know for sure until the end of the year when next year's prices and packages are set. If DISH doesn't know, how should we?


----------



## lionsrule (Nov 25, 2003)

James Long said:


> I would not predict $34.99 or higher (although the package will be going from around 40 to over 60 national channels - so $5 more would not be out of line).


I hope you're right.


----------



## wii_dont_care (Feb 9, 2008)

I am switching to this package next month (once my promo/credits are done). Even with the channels they have in the package now, $29.99 is a good price. 

I'd expect their to be an increase in the price come 2009.


----------



## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

This raises an interesting question. Is it possible that some of the extended negotiations around new HD channels revolve around the HD-only package?

For example, right now Dish has to provide and collect from most subscribers fees for, lets say, 5 SD channels from hypothetical the "ViadisU" group which only has two channels in HD. In theory, Dish would be attempting to avoid the "package costs" of 5 channels. HD-only isn't "a la carte" but it's sure "a lot less".


----------



## HDlover (Jul 28, 2006)

If a cable channel wants to survive it has to go HD. They shouldn't charge Dish or us anything to watch them. That is what the commercials are for. I'd love to see Ala carte pricing for HD channels, I'd only subscribe to the free ones. The other ones can go out of business as far as I'm concerned. I don't pay for OTA channels and I don't want to pay for cable channels. Let's not set a precedent by saying we expect a price increase. You can watch BSG on their web site for free/commercials.This is the future of TV if they keep charging for their channels. Let them just ask the music industry!


----------



## archer75 (Oct 13, 2006)

Let my hijack this thread for a moment, does the HD only package include locals? DVR fees are on top of the package price?


----------



## lionsrule (Nov 25, 2003)

$29.99+$5(locals)+$5.98(DVR x number of DVR STB's)..........BUT

....still a great savings if you can wait for certain channels.....


Ironically, it's cheaper to pay for THIS package and GET NFLHD vs "normal" SD package (help me out...I think top 100??) who does NOT get nfl(sd)

There are many more examples of getting a HD version of a channel for cheaper package price vs other packages that cost MORE but don't get the SD version of the same channel.........


----------



## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

The last HD-only package didn't even last a year I don't think, aside from folks who signed up and were grandfathered into it... so I wouldn't be surprised if this one went away next year too.

IF they keep it... I would expect to see a tiered approach rather than continued upping of the price. Expect to see something similar to how the regular packages are. Perhaps an HD-40 and an HD-60 or something similar to indicate approximate HD channels.

Eventually when enough channels have gone HD and Dish has added them... I expect all of this to collapse and merge and we'll be back to the usual tiered channel packages and the HD will just be there for HD receivers and not for SD-only receivers.


----------



## ICBM99 (Apr 4, 2007)

If my locals were in HD, and the few other channels I watch (SD only, currently) were in HD, I'd seriously think about switching to a HD only package. But on the other hand I would have to get an external hard drive, because I'd fill up the 722 fast if all I recorded was HD.


----------



## mattfast1 (Mar 26, 2008)

I believe, even with the HD only package, you can still set the 722 to record in SD quality.


----------



## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

mattfast1 said:


> I believe, even with the HD only package, you can still set the 722 to record in SD quality.


You can only record in SD quality if you record the SD channel.


----------



## conchshell (Jun 8, 2007)

James Long said:


> You can only record in SD quality if you record the SD channel.


It sounds like that even though the package is called HD-Only, it actually gives the SD version of every channel that has an HD version. Is that correct?


----------



## calgary2800 (Aug 27, 2006)

I have all the HD channels. I only watch on SD channel. Just cant live without CCTV9 As a Chinese person I like to see what is going on back home.


----------



## sievers (Mar 4, 2008)

conchshell said:


> It sounds like that even though the package is called HD-Only, it actually gives the SD version of every channel that has an HD version. Is that correct?


not all hd channels have an sd equivalent, but outside that, yes. Plus a couple other sd channels like nasa and college sports. And a bunch of crap like shopping channels.


----------



## Teagore (Apr 23, 2008)

here is what i don't understand about the hd packages. on sat e* came out and installed hd (1000.2, vip722, at100 w/locals and hd ultimate) now here's my problem...if i were to have ordered hd ONLY i would have all the hd channels (minus movie package hd's like starz and hbo) however with hd ultimate, which is the same friggen thing as hd only package except i am ALSO getting at100, i am left out on some hd channels because i don't have at200 or at250. so i'm getting screwed out of several channels because my channel package is not high enough? i'm getting less hd paying $60 w/hd ultimate then i would be getting paying $30 with just hd) am i missing something here????:nono2:


----------



## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

You're getting 117 SD Video channels and 96 Audio channels with AT200. Without AT200 you only get a few SD video channels.

You're missing three HD Video channels by not having AT250 (or above).


----------



## Mikey (Oct 26, 2004)

Teagore said:


> here is what i don't understand about the hd packages. on sat e* came out and installed hd (1000.2, vip722, at100 w/locals and hd ultimate) now here's my problem...if i were to have ordered hd ONLY i would have all the hd channels (minus movie package hd's like starz and hbo) however with hd ultimate, which is the same friggen thing as hd only package except i am ALSO getting at100, i am left out on some hd channels because i don't have at200 or at250. so i'm getting screwed out of several channels because my channel package is not high enough? i'm getting less hd paying $60 w/hd ultimate then i would be getting paying $30 with just hd) am i missing something here????:nono2:


If HD is what you want (like me), you're just throwing money away by not switching to the HD Only package.


----------



## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

Also with AT200 (AT100 Plus or above) you're getting your RSNs and available HD games from your RSN that you won't get with the HD only package. 

Re reading the post ... I see Teagore has AT100, so he's not buying his RSN ... he is getting 16 basic HD channels, missing 5 that are at the AT200 or AT250 level and getting the 19 "Ultimate" level HDs. And, of course, 83 SD video and 32 audio channels ...

If you care about regional sports coverage, give DISH $5 more and get your RSN(s)!


----------



## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

IF Dish keeps the HD-only package and at this price... and IF a few more channels go HD that I watch semi-regularly... I would be tempted to go HD-only and add some of the premiums and pay roughly the same (or less) than I pay now for AT250+HD Ultimate.

It will become tempting, with the only hangup being no RSNs with the HD-only pack.


----------



## Teagore (Apr 23, 2008)

im not worried about rsn`s. (unless i still lived near chicago), i just think that if i am paying 30 EXTRA bucks for hd programming i should get the same hd lineup that i would get if i were paying the SAME 30 bucks for hd only regardless of what "at" package i have. and i would go hd only except the wife and kids like to watch other nets that are not in hd. but to be honest, after watching hd, sd looks like crap. if the "hd only" costed more then the ultimate, i might understand that.


----------



## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

Teagore said:


> ...i just think that if i am paying 30 EXTRA bucks for hd programming i should get the same hd lineup that i would get if i were paying the SAME 30 bucks for hd only regardless of what "at" package i have...


Not sure what you are talking about here... The HD-only package is $29.99. The HD Ultimate add-on package is $20, and gives you HD corresponding to the AT level you subscribe to. So there isn't a way for you to pay the "same 30 bucks".


----------



## Teagore (Apr 23, 2008)

in the midst of my rant it kind of came out wrong... the way i see it, i'm paying 20 for ultimate, 5 for locals (that have hd) and the dvr fees. ...$30. so basically i'm paying $30 for hd anyway. and when you add the fact that i don't even get rsn's (if i wanted them or not), maybe to say the pricing structure is a bit off would be more appropriate. if that makes any sense. i don't always say what i mean very well. :-(


----------



## rey_1178 (Dec 12, 2007)

is their a reason why usa and scifi logos are not in the hd only package? is it possible that dish will not put all the hd channels available in this package to force people to also have the sd channels?


----------



## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

Teagore said:


> in the midst of my rant it kind of came out wrong... the way i see it, i'm paying 20 for ultimate, 5 for locals (that have hd) and the dvr fees. ...$30. so basically i'm paying $30 for hd anyway. and when you add the fact that i don't even get rsn's (if i wanted them or not), maybe to say the pricing structure is a bit off would be more appropriate. if that makes any sense. i don't always say what i mean very well. :-(


Except that the $29.99 HD-only package doesn't include locals... so you'd have to add the $5 to that in order to get locals. Can't, unfortunately, add RSNs to the HD-only pack at the present time for some reason so that's a loss of potential channels there. Any DVR fees would also apply and have to be added... so the $29.99 pack isn't necessarily just $29.99 if you need locals and add a DVR to the mix.


----------



## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

Teagore said:


> the way i see it, i'm paying 20 for ultimate, 5 for locals (that have hd) and the dvr fees. ...$30. so basically i'm paying $30 for hd anyway.


If you subscribed to the $29.99 HD only you'd _still_ be paying for locals (if you want them) and the DVR fee ... ~$40.

Locals are not part of the cost of HD ... the DVR fee is not part of the cost of HD. If you're going to add those charges on one side of the comparison please add them on both!



rey_1178 said:


> is their a reason why usa and scifi logos are not in the hd only package? is it possible that dish will not put all the hd channels available in this package to force people to also have the sd channels?


Most likely they are just behind in updating the website ...


----------

