# Opinion on E* HD Channels



## rlu929s (Aug 9, 2006)

I've finally jumped on board as of yesterday. I've upgraded my E* package to HD and they are coming out in a few weeks to install. Was just curious what everyone thought of the channels. Getting wife clearence for the HD Movie Channels is out at this point so below is the HD channels I will have.



> Animania HD
> Family Room HD
> GamePlay HD
> Discovery HD Theater
> ...


What are your opinions on these channels. I'll be watching on my ED Panny 42" Plasma via component.

We mostly like to watch movies and will occasionally get into a TV show.


----------



## steveschauer (Jun 17, 2006)

IMO the HD movie channels (HDNET Movies, Monsters HD, Film Fest HD, World Cinema HD) are far superior to the movies on HBO/Showtime/StarsHD.

Rave HD has some great concerts. I'm not much of a sports fan but I check out Rush HD now and then for pretty pictures of extreme sports.

My 14 year old loves the GamePlay channel.


----------



## HD_Wayne (May 23, 2006)

Some I like. If you like cartoons the animania is fun to watch. It is relaxing, particulary the Pink Panther, I like the music. Last June Film Fest did the 17 original 007 films so it was getting a workout then. HDNet has some things like Hogan Heros and others. The HDNet Movie channel has full run uncut movies like The Firm and Forbidden Planet. No HDTV yet no problem just watch the down converted signal on your standard TV although you will be missing some really cool images. The equater has mostly nature shows that I enjoy watching. Haven't watched Universal much as the 6000 receiver doesn't get it. Hope this helps you out.

Wayne


----------



## Paradox-sj (Dec 15, 2004)

Universal HD is about all I watch and the only reason i upgraded actually....Battlestar Galactia in HD...nough said.


----------



## dbconsultant (Sep 13, 2005)

steveschauer said:


> IMO the HD movie channels (HDNET Movies, Monsters HD, Film Fest HD, World Cinema HD) are far superior to the movies on HBO/Showtime/StarsHD.
> 
> Rave HD has some great concerts. I'm not much of a sports fan but I check out Rush HD now and then for pretty pictures of extreme sports.
> 
> My 14 year old loves the GamePlay channel.


Couldn't agree with you more. My husband is happily recording the Godzilla and Frankenstein movies and transferring them to dvd. I know they're not on hd when they go to the dvd but the pq of the recording from hd far exceeds those that started out as sd. We dropped the showtime and starz channels to justify the hd cost and haven't missed them at all!

The concerts are outrageous - had Fleetwood Mac cranked up so the whole neighborhood could hear! Lucky we live on 3 acres - no police were called to make us turn it down!!! :icon_band


----------



## rlu929s (Aug 9, 2006)

Well that sounds good. I've heard some say at about 9' on an EDTV it'll look the same as on a HDTV. Is this true?

I browsed the now showing guide of what's playing and I can already tell I'll love the Monster Channel. As someone who actually owns a lot of the Godzilla films that should be nice

HDNET seems to show a lot of good movies as well. Even though I'm watching them in 480p it'll also be nice getting the 5.1 surround.


What does everyone think of TNTHD?


----------



## steveschauer (Jun 17, 2006)

I used to have that Panasonic. It will look great at 9', noticeably better than DVD.


----------



## Mikey (Oct 26, 2004)

rlu929s said:


> ...
> What does everyone think of TNTHD?


Good for NBA Basketball and NASCAR in HD. That's about it.


----------



## DP1 (Sep 16, 2002)

rlu929s said:


> Well that sounds good. I've heard some say at about 9' on an EDTV it'll look the same as on a HDTV. Is this true?


Sure why not. I have a HD projector throwing out a 100" image in my theater room. I also have a 20 year old 13" color portable in the same room.

If they're both showing the same HD channel and I'm 15' away, they both look bout the same PQ wise. Only cause I'm too far away from the little one to know whether the detail of HD is being resolved or not.. but still.


----------



## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

Mikey said:


> Good for NBA Basketball and NASCAR in HD. That's about it.


Also Law & Order reruns in HD!

Sometimes made-for-TV stuff like the recent Stephen King series in HD... and the occassional movie, and I believe once even some PGA golf in HD.


----------



## Paradox-sj (Dec 15, 2004)

We like the new TV crime drama The Closer with Kyra Sedwick that comes on TNT and Las Vegas reruns.


----------



## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

I knew I was forgetting something... I have been watching the Closer since the first episode. Good stuff.

They have another new HD show "Saved" but I have not watched any of that.


----------



## sNEIRBO (Jul 23, 2006)

Here are my favorites from the list you can get -

Universal HD (for Battlestar Galactica in HD)
Discovery HD (for American Chopper in HD)
National Geographic HD 
Rave (Sheryl Crow, U2 and the Chilli Peppers in HD and 5.1 Surround)
HDNet (for NHL action in HD)
HDNet Movies
ESPN HD (Sport Center never looked better)
HDNews (sort of like CNN Headline News but in HD)

I don't think you'll be disappointed with the package, there is a lot to watch on those channels even without the Premium Movie HD channels (HBO-HD, Showtime-HD and StarzHD)


----------



## FS1 (Jul 22, 2006)

I'll be getting the HD package in a couple of weeks myself. I'm not sure how much we'll ever watch Kung Fu HD, but there are a number of others that will get plenty of play. Hello ESPN, ESPN2, NFL Network and Universal all in HD!


----------



## rlu929s (Aug 9, 2006)

Another thing I'm siked about is the PPV in HD. How do these look.

We rent alot of Dvd's and it's always a hassle taking them back etc and it's really about the same cost.

The only reason I've still done this is being someone who is cares about sound and pic quality a PPV in SD didn't cut it for me.

I assume these will be as good or better than the DVD?


----------



## Link (Feb 2, 2004)

If you watch a lot of those channels, the HD package is great. However, we tried it out for a couple months and really didn't watch anything in HD except for our local stations so we dropped the package since it was $20 extra a month. If we could just get the package withou all that VOOM extras for around $10 we might have kept it.


----------



## DP1 (Sep 16, 2002)

rlu929s said:


> Another thing I'm siked about is the PPV in HD. How do these look.
> 
> We rent alot of Dvd's and it's always a hassle taking them back etc and it's really about the same cost.
> 
> ...


Yeah the quality is generally pretty good but the problem is in the actual offerings or lack thereof.

The selection is generally brutal. If not in titles (since theres no accounting for taste), in options. To hear Dish tell it it's because the studios wont by in large offer up more than what they do for HD PPV.

I think I've ordered maybe 2 and I've had access to it for the most part ever since they started offering HD PPV over 5 years ago. Course thats partly because after a while I just quit even bothering to look at what the token 2 or 3 offerings for the month were.


----------



## rlu929s (Aug 9, 2006)

> token 2 or 3 offerings for the month were


Ouch...yeah they offer quite a bit more on there SD PPV feeds. Well guess I'll stick to DVD.

Of course I buy enough of those I shouldn't have a problem.....

That's another issue or problem as my wife calls it


----------



## DP1 (Sep 16, 2002)

Well for example.. once you mentioned HD PPV I figured I'd go ahead and look at the current offerings. One is called Match Point. As it so happens I just rented that on DVD the other night. 

While not the worst movie ever made, rest assured I was glad I had just rented it for $1.00 at the RedBox thingy at my local McDonalds instead of for $6.00 from Dish. HD or no HD.


----------



## sNEIRBO (Jul 23, 2006)

DP1 said:


> . . . rest assured I was glad I had *just rented it for $1.00 at the RedBox thingy at my local McDonalds *instead of for $6.00 from Dish. HD or no HD.


Sorry to get off subject . . . BUT . . . McDonald's is renting DVDs in Colorado????? You can get a Big Mac, Fries and a DVD???


----------



## ClevelandRob (Jun 22, 2006)

MonstersHD rules!
Rave rocks!
HDNet is great for Smallville reruns, Nothing but Trailers, Higher Definition, Face2Face
ESPNHD will be getting really good come Football season!
NFLHD-see above
HGTVHD has little programming but is nice to watch

I haven't caught much on Universal, HDNet Movies or TNT but I have only had HD & Dish for a month!


----------



## DP1 (Sep 16, 2002)

sNEIRBO said:


> Sorry to get off subject . . . BUT . . . McDonald's is renting DVDs in Colorado????? You can get a Big Mac, Fries and a DVD???


Well more or less. I'm not sure how many of them have the unit.. havent really paid attention at the other ones. RedBox DVD is a subsidiary of McDonalds.. according to the RedBox website they're only in less than a dozen markets so far.

It's just a walk-up machine where you swipe your credit card.. buck a night for each rental yada yada.

Heres their website:

http://65.36.214.137/index.html


----------



## rlu929s (Aug 9, 2006)

So it's $6.00 to rent a HDDVD? Forget that

I'm been reading in another forum that they moved HDNET Movies to HD-Lite just recently.

Many are screaming about it. I hope that won't ruin it as that was the channel along with MonsterHD I was looking forward to.


Am I correct that we do not yet get local channels if available in HD? I have a friend who has an antenna in his attic and a receiver and he picks up some local channels for free. I didn't know if I could using Dish yet or if I would also have to get an antenna and do it myself?


----------



## dvbfan (Aug 2, 2006)

dbconsultant said:


> Couldn't agree with you more. My husband is happily recording the Godzilla and Frankenstein movies and *transferring them to dvd*.
> ...


Sorry, but how do you transfer those recordings to DVD? Is this a feature available on the new VIP622 receiver?


----------



## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

dvbfan said:


> Sorry, but how do you transfer those recordings to DVD? Is this a feature available on the new VIP622 receiver?


Press play on the ViP622 and record on the DVD recorder.

I guess you eventually get used to the downconverted recordings.


----------



## dbconsultant (Sep 13, 2005)

dvbfan said:


> Sorry, but how do you transfer those recordings to DVD? Is this a feature available on the new VIP622 receiver?


What Harsh said "Press play on the ViP622 and record on the DVD recorder."

I also look at which format the recording will look best in - if you have it set to display the dvr'd event in partial zoom (for a dvr'd event that was 4X3 HD), that's what it will look like on your recorded DVD. This has been our experience so far using a Sony DVD recorder hooked up to the 622 via s-video.


----------



## rlu929s (Aug 9, 2006)

I'll probably stick to buying DVD's if I really want it. I can so though how easy it's going to be to fill up 30 hours of HD content on the 622.

I'll have to be better than I was with my current DVR about purging the old shows we've watched.


----------

