# Dish HD exclusivity??



## DaGnome (Mar 17, 2005)

I just spoke with a customer service rep at E* asking about canceling my service and the dates so I wouldn't pay for an extra month I wouldn't need etc..

When he asked casually why I was canceling, I mentioned that the biggest factor was that D* is offering HD channels that E* doesn't carry, and specifically mentioned SciFi, FX, Spike and USA. He told me something interesting which I find very hard to believe... according to him, come June, if everything goes E*'s way.. they will have EXCLUSIVE rights to broadcast SciFi and FX (he wasn't sure on the other two).

My question is this... has such a thing ever happened before, where they take away channels from one provider to give exclusive rights to another? I imagine there will be a LOT of D* people unhappy if this is true, and most likely I will be among that group by that time hehe.

After comparing all the costs/deals etc.. the deciding factor for me is the channel lineup.. but if things like this are able to go on over the next 2-3 years... how is a customer supposed to make an informed decision about which provider to go on?

I'm hoping he was wrong and that E* simply is able to carry them and not have exclusive rights.. but wondered if either provider has been able to successfully take away a station from the other in the past.


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## booger (Nov 1, 2005)

I seriously doubt the rep knew what he was talking about.

I do know where a provider made an exclusive but was then forced to give it up. BellVu in Canada sued to offer the NFL Sunday Ticket and won.

But again, I have serious doubts about this rep's comments.


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## mikep554 (Feb 14, 2007)

Do you think Fox, who owns a chunk of D*, would let it's FX network become exclusive to E*? I could see Spike doing this for the right amount of $$, but the other two seem almost as unlikely as FX.


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

Not going to happen. Way too many reasons why a takeaway for exclusivity on these kinds of channels wouldn't happen... but especially not for FX, a FOX channel.

Either that rep was making stuff up or is really way outside of the loop, maybe so far outside that he can't even see the loop.


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## MyDogHasFleas (Jan 4, 2007)

Q: How do you know when a salesperson is lying?

A: His lips are moving.


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## tomcrown1 (Jan 16, 2006)

The rep was mis-informed(nuts) In June the EXCLUSIVE rights Direct Tv has with FX and Spike will end thus allowing Dish to carry those channels. Direct Tv has the exclusive right with several HD programmers for six months and then any provider can carry those channels.


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## msmith198025 (Jun 28, 2007)

I cant imagine a CSR telling me that and me not laughing him off of the phone.


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## Kman68 (Jan 24, 2008)

The rep was making it up. Most of the D* HD channel expansion was D* strong arming the networks into putting their name on an HD. Many of those channels did not carry HD for months. When I left D* only a few of the shows appeared to be in HD. In SciFi's case, SG Atlantis appeared to be in HD - wide screen with a DolbyDigital soundtrack. But on closer inspection it was up-converted and zoomed SD. I tested this with a S-vid cable vs. HDMI - same exact picture. The 5.1 audio channels did not change when switching between RCA vs. Optical. Only difference was what the receiver displayed - Dolby PLII vs. DolbyD and the timing was off in DolbyDigital. Further evidence of it not being in HD is that it is not listed in any online TV listings as HD and SciFi's website TV listing does not list SG Atlantis in HD. Many other channels do not even alter the picture or sound. It was really fun watching a letterbox 4:3 picture broadcast in 16:9 1080i. Those boxes on sides, top and bottom of the screen were a really deep black. D* DVR does not have a picture FORMAT button on the remote. Your only option via Menus is SD stretch or 4:3 for all SD channels, period. 

The real deal breaker with D* DVR is the inability to block channels from Search and Auto Record. If you take time to set up Auto record for your favorite sports team, but do not subscribe to any Sports Package the DVR will record off the Sports Package channel resulting in hours of blank recordings. Search will list Movie Channels, International Channels and PPV you do not get. There is no way to defeat this defect without abandoning Auto record and Search. I could go on for days.

The 622/722 has many features I asked TiVo for 7 years ago. If TiVo controlled the HD Satellite boxes, I would have an HD TiVo. They don't. The 622/722 is not a bad compromise. In fact, my only complaint about the machine is the load fan. A $25 external fan fixed the problem.


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## Mr.72 (Feb 2, 2007)

Kman68 said:


> The real deal breaker with D* DVR is the inability to block channels from Search and Auto Record. If you take time to set up Auto record for your favorite sports team, but do not subscribe to any Sports Package the DVR will record off the Sports Package channel resulting in hours of blank recordings. Search will list Movie Channels, International Channels and PPV you do not get. There is no way to defeat this defect without abandoning Auto record and Search. I could go on for days.


Thanks for reminding me of that.

I had an HR20 for about one week and I could not get the thing out of my house fast enough. This was one of my major gripes. Since probably 75% of what I DVR are Spurs games, this made the thing totally useless. It would pre-empt other recordings to record a blank channel! how stupid is that? The customer service folk recommended that I just set manual recordings for basketball games.

anyway there were a hundred other issues with the HR20 that made it go back, not to mention major customer service disasters with DirecTV, with whom I had been a customer for over 11 years. Sometimes you are better off just not having that extra fluff channel and having a better product and experience on the whole.


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## msmith198025 (Jun 28, 2007)

Kman68 said:


> * Many of those channels did not carry HD for months*. When I left D* only a few of the shows appeared to be in HD. In SciFi's case, SG Atlantis appeared to be in HD - wide screen with a DolbyDigital soundtrack. But on closer inspection it was up-converted and zoomed SD. .


You would know this over the period of two days? In another thread you posted that you got the HR-20 on friday and sent it back sunday.......


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## DaGnome (Mar 17, 2005)

tomcrown1 said:


> The rep was mis-informed(nuts) In June the EXCLUSIVE rights Direct Tv has with FX and Spike will end thus allowing Dish to carry those channels. Direct Tv has the exclusive right with several HD programmers for six months and then any provider can carry those channels.


Ahhh That make sense...

I'm still leaning towards D* however, mostly due to the cost and channel selection.... I don't know what autosearch programming really is,since I don't have it now on my 721... All Iwant is the ability to manually set up a record in advance.. and it'd be'extra' to me if I could set it up for Name based so I don't end up with 2 hours of Presidential coverage like tonight 

I got my check from the IRS... so I've got to make a decision before this weekend I think. I am tired of this 27" tv.


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## Kman68 (Jan 24, 2008)

msmith198025 said:


> You would know this over the period of two days? In another thread you posted that you got the HR-20 on friday and sent it back sunday.......


Insomnia. Plus, Direct owns the equipment so you have to make arrangements to do an "Equipment Return." The ER box arrived late Thursday, so I had a week to play with the HR20. When I asked D* about the problem, their answer was "since you are new to DVR you'll just have to learn to deal with it." After 7 years with TiVo, this was my first DVR?

Test the channels yourself. And while you are at it, find a TV listing, or better yet, official word from SciFi that the programing is in HD.


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## msmith198025 (Jun 28, 2007)

Kman68 said:


> Insomnia.


Insomnia or not, two days is not a month....so how would you know this? A handful of channels aside (yes i will say there or 6 or so that still havent shown HD) , the statement i was focusing on was false.


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## Ressurrector (Jan 1, 2008)

Man them damn Dish Iranians will tell you ANYTHING on the phone on DISH'S behalf........... Are them people even located in the continental US when you call dish customer service?????


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

Well this has been fun ...

Yes, the claim of E* gaining exclusivity of channels D* already has is flawed. Probably a misunderstanding. Personal battles between members are discouraged ... as well as slurs against one's country of origin. Let's just put a nail in it and call this thread done.


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