DISH Network HD lineup expands
We heard it was coming;
perhaps it already arrived and we missed it? DISH has their expanded HD packages on their site today. Rumor had it that
February 1st was the day and well looky here: today's the day! The new packages have an Olympic theme as in DishHD
Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum. Ok, there's no platinum medal in the Olympics but we think
there should be. Prices range from $49 a month to $99 a month and these packages bundle the HD programming with the
non-HD programming. Locals are still extra and are available in high-def based on your location. The $99 package includes all of the DISH HD channels along with 180 other channels and all four premium movie packages; not a bad deal. With 23 HD channels in the Bronze package and 25 in the Platinum, DISH is making quite an HD statement to their "friends" over at DIRECTV! Who's upgrading?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Jared @ Feb 1st 2006 3:18PM
No Fox News or OLN on any package? That must not be the full lineup.
Jared @ Feb 1st 2006 3:22PM
Whoops, saw Fox. Still no OLN though.
John @ Feb 1st 2006 4:02PM
Who watches Fox News anyways? Yeah that kind of bites because I just got DirecTV. Are there plans for DirecTV to get their lineup updated? That would be mighty nice. But seriously, fox news?
Nick @ Feb 1st 2006 4:15PM
No OLN on Dish. I think there was an article here about it a while back...some licensing issue.
I'll be upgrading once they offer the ugprades through AT&T/SBC. More HD, lower price...sign me up, Scotty!
Scott @ Feb 1st 2006 4:21PM
So which HD channels are included in the packages? They say "20" or "23", but the channel listings only show the SD channels.
Am I missing a link?
Gary @ Feb 1st 2006 7:14PM
This blows. I just switched from Dish to cable yesterday so I could get my local channels in HD (no OTA where I live). I think I might switch back to DISH next week after the Superbowl. Apparently, only NY has local HD channels, kinda crappy to tell you it's based on location cause that location is only NY.
Oh well, 23 HD channels is a whole lot so I'm pretty sure I'm going back to DISH to get full use of my TV.
Gary @ Feb 1st 2006 7:25PM
Ummm... Apparently my first comment was erased but I called them and they said the local HDs are only available in NY. That's great... And all the HD channels are included in everything except the HBO and Showtime HD channels which are int he Platinum pack which includes all the premiums.
dan @ Feb 2nd 2006 8:08AM
I upgraded yesterday. The Dish CSRs do not know anything! I ended up calling back 5 times and got a different story each time. Some of them said the locals aren't available in HD even though the website tells me they are. One tech I talked to said I needed to swap my older 2 dish set up on my roof for a new single dish1000. One sales rep said the same but two others said that's not true. Confused yet? I am. Then they tried to tack on an additional $6 'enabling' fee even though the tech warned me that I do not have to pay this fee if I'm subscribing to an HD package. Did the csr get confused? I mean HD is now in the name of the package! The first csr told me I would only have to pay $49 to upgrade. Great deal I thought, but when I called back to finilize my order I was told that person was confusing the upgrade deal for the 211, not the 622 box. That fee is $299! Then they told me if I waited until April 1st I'd qualify for a $200 rebate on that upgrade. I figured I would just wait then, that's a great deal. Unfortunately after about 2 minutes of research I realized they were wrong yet again; that deal is for current 921 and 942 boxes, not the Echostar 6000 box I have. I was then told I'd have to pay an extra $6 a month for just having the 6000 in my house because it can receive HD content. As a result I'm selling it. What a rip off. I'm wondering what the chances are that I'll not have any issues on installation day?
Roland @ Feb 2nd 2006 12:15PM
My cable company needs to get up off of it's tail and get more HD channels, I would pay more than the already ridiculous amount of money I currently pay for TV. Like many of you, I have spent a ton on my HD setup and would like to get the most out of it.
Though I find it difficult to complain too much, in Houston, our large cable provider gives us the networds, INHD, INHD2, HDNET, HDNET Movies, TNT, 2 HBO's and Showtimes and ESPN in HD. I even get a dual tuner HD DVR. But there is so much more out there. Just no competition.
Is rain fade and loss of signal in bad weather still and issue with satellite TV? Is there really a time you want to be watching TV more than in the rain?